2025 FA Thread: Rehkow 2y/2m | Rankins, Cappa Cut | Higgins Tagged | Hubbard Retires | Gesicki 3y/25.5m

[AMPHAR]

Tag your it.  Osa Odighizuwa expected to be tagged or extend by Tuesday.   So that's a potential 3 of an already weak top 10 FAs that might not hit the market.   

The Boyz will have to make some moves once applying the tag.  It's around $25m and they have under $2m of cap room.

 

[AMPHAR]

Over the weekend Debo Samuel getting traded for a fifth, but then in a surprise the 9ers indicate Aiyuk could also be traded.   When it comes to Tee, teams have been selling off those big WRs deals in the past year. 

 

[HoosierCat]

Jets trying to trade Davante Adams, will reportedly cut him loose if they can’t find a partner.

[HoosierCat]

Cappa released.

[HoosierCat]

“New opportunities always present themselves.” (Thanks emoji)

— Mike Hilton tweet today.

I pretty much figured he was gone after Golden’s comments about moving Dax to the slot, where he played in college. 

[ArmyBengal]

No one is trading for Adams and that contract. NO ONE. I’d take him at a reduced price should Tee leave.

Cappa? Was hoping that would happen.

Hilton? Never had and thought to him returning.

[HoosierCat]

Tee officially tagged.

[COB]

If Burton had balled out instead of being a case study of “Is It Just a Personality Disorder or Is It Real Mental Illness” we wouldn’t be in this fix with Tee.  

[HoosierCat]

My bookface group passed along a report sourced to something called @uSTADIUM that the Bengals are trying trade Hubbard and will release him if there are no takers. I have no idea if the source is credible but this scenario wouldn’t be surprising.

[ArmyBengal]

Hubbard, despite my enjoyment watching him play all these years, should be cut, traded or whatever it takes.

[COB]

Bye Hubbard.  Free agent starting guard must be incoming.  No way do they roll the dice on a draft pick to replace Cappa.  

[Stripes]

Getting anything at all for Hubbard or Pratt would be stellar. Maybe they can snag an extra late-round pick that can be used for trading up later.

[let me hit the crack pipe once in a while]

[AMPHAR]

They should be able to get something for Pratt, maybe a 5th.   He's a decent LB, he could easily find himself in a season where he grabs 6+ TOs. 

Hubbard with his injury and contract, I doubt anyone but Lou would trade for him.   I wouldn't rule out Hubbard coming back on a greatly reduced, earn your spot in TC type contract.

 

 

[TJJackson]

I will always be grateful to Hubbard for the quality play and leadership he gave us for years

and of course the Fumble in the Jungle :-)

But yes, alas, no one has ever defeated father time......he comes for all of us, robbing us of our youthful strengths

I honestly think he could play as a backup for someone, but yeah, that'd come at a much lower salary and likely somewhere else.  If he'd be willing to stay on vetmin and DE5, I'd be all for it, but for some reason its almost a rule in the NFL that to play for less you have to play elsewhere

[TJJackson]

I want to keep Pratt

[HoosierCat]

On 3/3/2025 at 7:02 AM, AMPHAR said:

Tag your it.  Osa Odighizuwa expected to be tagged or extend by Tuesday.   So that's a potential 3 of an already weak top 10 FAs that might not hit the market.   

The Boyz will have to make some moves once applying the tag.  It's around $25m and they have under $2m of cap room.

 

Schefter:

Cowboys and DT Osa Odighizuwa reached agreement today on a four-year, $80 million deal that includes $58 million guaranteed and a $20 million signing bonus.

Odighizuwa’s agent Sam Leaf Ireifej negotiated and confirmed the deal.

[ArmyBengal]

All but 2 million of the 80 million he will see? Good deal for the player for real.

[HoosierCat]

I would guess the signing bonus is included in that 58 guaranteed. Still big tho. Apparently the second highest guaranteed amount for a d lineman.

[TJJackson]

I relied to Mike Hiltons tweet today, telling him he is wanted here in Cincinnati, asked him to stay, and thanked him for service already delivered

[AMPHAR]

49 minutes ago, ArmyBengal said:

All but 2 million of the 80 million he will see? Good deal for the player for real.

Probably $58 but that's still not 100%.  When people start digging into these contracts sometimes the guarantee doesn't kick in until new league year BUT the agent includes all of it in the press release which is picked up and reported.

That's how you have people thinking the Ealges have signed ALL these offensive players but when you look at it the cash is pushed back and there a opportunities for getting out of it and its less than the reported amounts.

 

[TJJackson]

so right now our previous swing tackle is our starting ORG, and Volen is then written in - in the lighest pencil possible - as the starting ORG

not good

Need two veteran FA OGs now, average or better, and if they only get 1 in FA, they need to go OG on day 1 or 2. 

If they get none, we are F U C K E D

I am not sure what to think about Volsen right now, but at worst I want him here as a OG backup.  Can the new OL coach bring him back around as a starter again?  He was pretty good for a couple of years there

[Stripes]

I think Hilton may have lost a step. He is still a menace on the blitz and against the run, but he’s not what he used to be in the most important thing: coverage. Especially when the opposing slot has any decent speed, he was kind of toast all year.

[Stripes]

I can’t imagine they dropped Cappa without a plan to replace him with a newcomer (FA or draft). Next man up would be very dumb in this spot.

I probably shouldn’t disqualify “very dumb” from the plausible range of outcomes.

[AMPHAR]

I don't think they are going next man up at Guard.   Volson might end up being the starter but from the sound of it he's gong to have to fight off a challenger.   So I wouldn't think they'd want both guard spots in question to start TC.

My guess is RG comes from FA.  There's some decent ones.  Questions but decent. 

I'd expect Ford to be back a Guard.  Cochran played well enough to be a lock for the 3rd tackle spot which Ford was basically filling.

 

 

[TJJackson]

"very dumb" is the driving theme for this FO

(say hi to Jobu for me)