COB Posted March 14 Report Posted March 14 I’m completely irate now. Just read that the Lions are pursuing Brandon Scherff. Mike can’t compete with that F-150 money. Odd bengal connections: 1. The lions want Scherff to replace none other than Kevin Zeitler. 2. Scherff was drafted by the redskins and went to 5 pro bowls there. His o-line coach at Washington? Bill Callahan. Quote
HoosierCat Posted March 14 Report Posted March 14 1 hour ago, COB said: Stockholm Syndrome. I don't think so. It's more that as I watch free agents tick off the board, I'm not seeing many where I think, "oh darn, we really missed out there." I mean, stripes mentioned Calais Campbell to shore up the pass rush. Campbell's PFF pass rush grade last year was 66. BJ Hill's was 64. Hard to get outraged about that. As I've said, I do want a guard, and they appear to be actively chasing one, But overall I agree with Amphar that the 2025 FA class is pretty mid. Quote
HoosierCat Posted March 14 Report Posted March 14 https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/nfl-insider-shares-unique-update-on-ja-marr-chase-s-contract-talks-with-bengals-01jpad10034y I agree with Rapien here. If Chase and the Bengals are down to dickering over details like injury waivers in the contact, the deal is likely closer to done than begun. Would be nice to move one of the boulders out of the way and shut the media up for five minutes. Quote
TJJackson Posted March 14 Report Posted March 14 11 hours ago, HoosierCat said: Yah ok now we’re starting to get somewhere. Give us your 2nd, Indy. And I want to flip our firsts, so we move up to 14. And toss in a, say, fifth. I could go for that. Im gonna need this years 3 and next years 1 as well 1 Quote
AMPHAR Posted March 14 Report Posted March 14 Chase is more about the structure for me. I figured it would get done and hope that it does. Just interested in the details. Media is what it is dishonest when it comes to the Bengals. Chase did agree to something last summer so its not like there was never any plan of not trying to extend him. Quote
TJJackson Posted March 14 Report Posted March 14 4 hours ago, HoosierCat said: Tufele to the Jets. That’s probably an improvement for us. no, not really, he's shown flashes and thats more than you can usually expect from DT5 its not a huge loss, but it is a loss who is your DT5 after Hill, Slayton, Mount McKinley, and Jenkins? on a related note, Larry Ogunjobi is available Quote
TJJackson Posted March 14 Report Posted March 14 We might want to see what Matt Lee, who has been much praised last year, can do as a starting OG Of course if Karras goes down we are back to the original problem of finding a ORG I am definitely interested in seeing what Kirkland can bring. At one time, before injury, he was thought of a a fringe first rounder Quote
HoosierCat Posted March 14 Report Posted March 14 42 minutes ago, TJJackson said: no, not really, he's shown flashes and thats more than you can usually expect from DT5 its not a huge loss, but it is a loss who is your DT5 after Hill, Slayton, Mount McKinley, and Jenkins? on a related note, Larry Ogunjobi is available Ogunjobi signed with Buffalo. Not really worried about DT, I've been expecting them to draft one in the first three rounds, so there's your fifth body. On an unrelated note, espn says Jenkins is visiting Seattle on Monday. Quote
ArmyBengal Posted March 14 Author Report Posted March 14 So to this point in free agency… LB Oren Burks- needed, could compete for starter snaps, finished last year strong for the Eagles. I’m good there. DT TJ Slaton- again needed and hoping we get more from him than Rankins last year. Wish there was more pass rush but good run stopper. I’m good there. Cam Sample, Ossai and Marco Wilson- I’m fine with Sample, not overjoyed. Wilson cost next to nothing so ok. Hoping Ossai takes advantage of this opportunity. BJ Hill- Better than fine. I always liked what we got from him in that trade of Price. Happy there. Perine- really happy to have his pass blocking back again. My second favorite free agent signing. Gesicki- fucking fuck yeah !! My favorite signing to this point. Think he’s an above average TE, Burrow likes him and we end the one year deals. Stability there is good. Still work to do. Quote
HoosierCat Posted March 14 Report Posted March 14 Rapoport, Shefty both reporting Higgins and Chase could be done in the next few days https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2025/03/14/cincinnati-bengals-tee-higgins-jamarr-chase-contract-extension-update-espn-nfl-network/82417225007/ Quote
COB Posted March 14 Report Posted March 14 1 hour ago, HoosierCat said: Rapoport, Shefty both reporting Higgins and Chase could be done in the next few days https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2025/03/14/cincinnati-bengals-tee-higgins-jamarr-chase-contract-extension-update-espn-nfl-network/82417225007/ Ross Tucker is a straight up Hater. Dude has had it in for bengals since day 1. Quote
AMPHAR Posted March 15 Report Posted March 15 Edit: probably fake account saying Chase deal is done. Quote
Stripes Posted March 15 Report Posted March 15 To be less of a curmudgeon... I said a few years ago that the Bengals had the building blocks in place to model themselves after the Colts of the '00s, and that can still be an extremely apt parallel if/when the two receivers get finished. It's kind of all in place unless they really do trade Hendrickson (when my curmudgeonry will return). Burrow --> Manning Chase --> Harrison Higgins --> Wayne Gesicki --> Clark Hendrickson --> Freeney What they still lack is a secondary enforcer like Bob Sanders and the unbelievable pass-blocking offensive line anchored by Jeff Saturday and Tarik Glenn (and that's just never happening here). You can argue they also lack Tony Dungy and Edgerrin James (though the latter was already gone when they won the Super Bowl). But I think it can still be a championship formula, especially given that Burrow is proving himself to have Manning-like abilities in the regular season without his weird playoff disasters. 1 Quote
COB Posted March 15 Report Posted March 15 11 hours ago, HoosierCat said: I don't think so. It's more that as I watch free agents tick off the board, I'm not seeing many where I think, "oh darn, we really missed out I hear you. I wasn’t that interested in Zeitler so seeing him get signed is not a big deal. If the Lions get Scherff I’m getting outraged. Quote
ArmyBengal Posted March 15 Author Report Posted March 15 The o-line is still a concern and so is the defense. If Trey gets traded, that concern is even greater. I will have faith in the new O-line coach and new DC, but they almost need to be miracle workers at this point regardless of what happens with Tee and Chase. I love Burrow and the makeup of this offense, but to ignore the glaring weaknesses is just not something I’m willing to do. Hope and pray my friends… Quote
COB Posted March 15 Report Posted March 15 The bears had a similar problem regarding guards. As in, their guards struggled. Their IOL struggled as a whole. so what did they do? I’ll paste a paragraph description from the Athletic article detailing what they did: “Trades for Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, a back-to-back first-team All-Pro with the Chiefs, immediately solidified the two guard spots. A big-money deal for former Falcons center Drew Dalman rounded out the interior, suddenly turning one of the league's worst position groups into a strength.” Quote
COB Posted March 15 Report Posted March 15 Bears spent a 2026 4th round pick to get Thuney, and a 2025 6th round pick to get Jackson. Quote
Stripes Posted March 15 Report Posted March 15 I suspect the Bengals have been hesitant to commit to another significant FA signing with Chase/Higgins in progress (which is an absolutely crap excuse). Maybe if those wrap up immediately they’ll do something. They know their cap situation now. Quote
COB Posted March 15 Report Posted March 15 2 hours ago, Stripes said: I suspect the Bengals have been hesitant to commit to another significant FA signing with Chase/Higgins in progress (which is an absolutely crap excuse). Maybe if those wrap up immediately they’ll do something. They know their cap situation now. I agree. Possibly their resources, ie front office negotiators, cap evaluators, have been devoted to the Chase and Tee deals, while trying to simultaneously evaluate and sign free agents. Which would spread our limited FO resources very thin. Brandon Scherff looms. Quote
ArmyBengal Posted March 15 Author Report Posted March 15 Well the Google machine says they are getting close with both Chase and Tee so I guess we will see what happens then. My guess ?? The Internet explodes with stories about how stupid the Bengals are for extending both Chase and Tee. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Quote
AMPHAR Posted March 15 Report Posted March 15 They've gotten plenty of deals done. The workings of Chase/Tee, IMO, are not holding anything up for guard. The pool of money was known its not hard to project cap impact a 100 different ways that probably have less 5% change in any of them. They'll sign a guard when they find one they like in the price range they want to pay. It is what it always is when it comes to guard. They are going to pay just about every other position first over guard. Yes, the Bengals will get slandered in the media because they stupidly paid 2 WRs that a few days ago bashed them for being cheap for not paying 2 WRs. Schreff is one I hope they use some of the wiggle room with. Loved to have him for 2 years next to Mims. But if he's wanting 4/5 year Fries type deal it probably isn't happening. I don't know what the deal with Z is, but I think there's burnt bridges there and you also have to wonder why he's going from team to team at this point IF he's as good as he was. I would not put long term money into Jenkins at all. I don't get the hype. I also do believe Cleveland who our new O-line coach has history with could cut any of their interior IF they are truly QB shopping again. I also would not rule out or be against bumping their flawed LT in a guard for a season. Quote
ArmyBengal Posted March 15 Author Report Posted March 15 I’m with AMPHAR in that Cleveland or a team like them may cut an interior guy or two. I took a look at the list of potential OG free agents for next year and that list is pretty extensive. Teams may be wanting to get away from some of those guys this year to save cap room. We will see, like everything else. Quote
WelshBengal Posted March 15 Report Posted March 15 Per James Rapien, Extentions being finalised for Jamarr and Tee no figures as of yet or official word from the Bengals. 1 Quote
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