2025 FA Thread | Rehkow 2y/2m | Rankins Cut

[HoosierCat]

Here we go guys it’s our Tee replacement!

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The Cincinnati Bengals have signed wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley to a futures contract, the team announced on Tuesday. 

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Tinsley will be a second-year player in 2025. He was originally a college free agent signee of the Washington Commanders in 2023. He played in two games for the Commanders in 2023 (no statistics) and was active/DNP in 15 contests. He then spent the 2024 season on Washington’s practice squad. 

Tinsley played collegiately at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas (2018-19), Western Kentucky University (2020-21) and Penn State (2022).

https://www.cincyjungle.com/2025/2/4/24358708/mitchell-tinsley-cincinnati-bengals-futures-contract
 

 

[ArmyBengal]

Again, results aren't the lone factor in making this determination.
It's a maybe if they are or are not efficient, as I noted in a previous comment.
Now, my personal opinion is that if you don't win the Super Bowl it's a failure of a season.

I hate the Steelers and they haven't won a Super Bowl in nearly 20 years.
However, I don't view their front office as archaic in the least.
What about the Ravens?  They haven't won the Super Bowl since 2013.  Same.

To put your percentage in another light 66% of the teams in the league HAVE won a Super Bowl.
Picking and choosing timeframes is irrelevant.

But if it's also helpful, since 2003 the Bengals have won the Super Bowl 0%.
The front office and team have done nothing but fail.

Unfortunately part of being a Bengals fan is that coming close is viewed as a success.
Even in the best catching lightning in a bottle scenario for us, we have failed.

[HoosierCat]

Come on Army! We just signed a wideout who was on DC’s practice squad all year and they went to the NFC title game! We are a Super Bowl lock now! #MikeBrown #Pumpkie #CHAMPIONSHIP

In all seriousness all I know is that it’s 34 days until free agency’s “legal tampering” period begins. They might want to think about getting a few things done ahead of that. And then even do them.

[ArmyBengal]

5 minutes ago, HoosierCat said:

In all seriousness all I know is that it’s 34 days until free agency’s “legal tampering” period begins. They might want to think about getting a few things done ahead of that. And then even do them.

How do you expect that to happen?  There's no money left?

I'm going to say it, so beware, but ROOKIE POOL is coming.
IT DEVOURS ALL !!!
We are rolling with what we've got !!

[TJJackson]

"reserve for injury grievances"

[HoosierCat]

22 minutes ago, TJJackson said:

"reserve for injury grievances"

That’s ROOKIE POOL’S henchman, INJURY PAD. Then there’s his love interest who gets $10 million every year, CARRIE OVER.

[TJJackson]

the love interest is gonna need to bend over and give it up because the time for a superbowl is NOW, while New Guy is in his prime

[COB]

16 hours ago, HoosierCat said:

 

In all seriousness all I know is that it’s 34 days until free agency’s “legal tampering” period begins. They might want to think about getting a few things done ahead of that. And then even do them.

34 days?  Mike’s got a lot of ‘ciphering to do.  
 

You know he’s getting serious when you walk by his office and hear the beads clacking on his abacus.  

[ArmyBengal]

On 2/3/2025 at 10:59 PM, COB said:

Cooper Kupp getting shopped around as the Rams look to unload his 30 million cap hit next season.  He’s not the player he was when they beat us in the Super Bowl. 

And I see the Bengals named as one of two teams he may end up with. I will admit the idea of adding a motivated Kupp would not be bad, it would have to be at a greatly reduced price. He’s going to turn 32 this summer and had some injury concerns recently.

If they let Tee walk, which I’m still expecting, adding Kupp and another WR in the draft could bear fruit.

Just get some pass rushers and some o-line help (again) to go along with him.

[AMPHAR]

Any trade partner for Kupp would have to be OK with a 2 year $40m contract for his age and recent injury situation plus whatever trade compensation. 

There might be some team out there that wants to redo the deal and trade peanuts for him. If the Rams will take peanuts and Kupp willing to redo a contract.   At that price range, its likely he's a cut candidate.

Rams are working against a 3/17 deadline because that's when his next bonus is due. 

 

[ArmyBengal]

All reports I've seen basically state his current contract will have to get ripped up in order to make a deal.
Agree, 2-3 year deal with moderate salary and a way out after year 2.

[AMPHAR]

There's a strong likelyhood that Devante Adams will be out on the market either cut/trade.     I doubt anyone trades for his $35m a year salary and I doubt Jets pay it.     So guessing he'll be available at some point and if Aaron Rodgers is playing whoever that team might be probably leads as the favorite.

 

 

 

[ArmyBengal]

I need to do a deep dive into other team's free agents and who's really got a shot of hitting the market.

[HoosierCat]

Typical…

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While Hendrickson made it clear he'd be happy staying in Cincinnati, he also hinted at poor communication from the Bengals front office.

"I would've preferred to have heard it differently than my dad texting me," Hendrickson said when McAfee asked him about Duke Tobin's recent comments about his contract situation. 

Tobin acknowledged that Hendrickson deserves a raise and an extension, but essentially said "it takes two to tango."

“Has he earned a pay raise and a bump in an extension … he has. We’re cognizant of that, and we will give that to him. But whether we agree on what that looks like is, is what is to be determined," Tobin said. "We can't have guys at the top of the payroll in every position, right? We'll do what we can. We'll do what we feel is right, and we will try to get Trey re-signed. It's not giving anybody an extension. It's agreeing with somebody on an extension."

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/poor-communication-trey-hendrickson-hints-at-lack-of-communication-with-bengals-front-office-01jkbrepwbtq

So, to recap, Duke is asked about extending Trey, replies that both sides have to agree on a number, and suggests Trey might be asking too much. Trey is asked about that, says they haven’t talked to him yet.

 

[HoosierCat]

Well, maybe they can’t be bothered to talk to Hendrickson, but hey, they got Jalen Davis nailed down for ‘25.

https://www.cincyjungle.com/2025/2/5/24359521/bengals-sign-jalen-davis-nfl-futures-contract

[ArmyBengal]

Talk to Trey ??

Is that how it works ??

[COB]

Reading between the lines on Tobin’s interview with Kelsey Conway: he’s almost growing resentful of players.  There is a lot of “we can’t have league high salary guys at every position”, and “this guy wants a lot but other guys want a bite of the apple.”  I think the negotiations with some of these hard agents might be wearing on him.

He’s also clear that they were thinking Super Bowl last year.  He said we kept a lot of guys around from that team, claims they had the league’s third highest payroll, but it didn’t work for some reason.  He said we won’t be doing that again.  Made a remark about guys who produced last year are going to get the resources that were spent last year on guys who didn’t produce.

Biggest takeaway: in discussing new contracts and extensions for guys like Tee, Jamarr, Hendrickson, etc, he reveals himself and the Bengals.  It’s always they have to agree to something that makes sense within the context of what we do here, both sides have to agree, etc.  He never talks about the market or what guys might get offered or what they’re worth to others.  It is strictly will they accept the number and the years that makes sense for us.  It is very much as it was posted in here earlier, the offer is what it is, if the player doesn’t take it, we’ll find 3 lesser guys to spend it on.  It’s why he talks about all the guys they retained and acts shocked they couldn’t get back to the Super Bowl.  Yes you retained guys, but the really good guys, Bates and Reader, wouldn’t agree to a discount, so they walked.  Come to think of it didn’t Vonn Bell and Hilton go elsewhere?  What’s this fucking mid level manager talking about?

[COB]

One other takeaway - he didn’t talk about Chase the way he talked about everyone else.  They plan on paying Chase.  I think they are pessimistic that Trey will agree to anything bengal reasonable, and I agree with them.  Hendrickson doesn’t seem happy to play for us.  

[COB]

Burrow is the league’s highest paid player. 
 

Chase deserves to be the highest paid receiver.

Tee deserves to be the highest paid number 2 in the league.

Hendrickson deserves to be a top 3 paid edge.  

If Tobin is a bitter douche, this is why.  He knows he can’t accomplish all this within bengal parameters, knows he’s going to get torched in the media and by us on Bengalszone.  
 

Smoke is rolling off Mike’s abacus right now.  Lotta ‘cipherin!

 

[ArmyBengal]

Too bad there wasn’t a way to sell off a small portion of the ownership. Let’s make up a number and say 10% which would give that part owner absolutely no say whatsoever in running the team.

Knowing the Bengals they would probably vote against something that would net them around $300 million dollars.

Maybe the league should consider that…

[HoosierCat]

FWIW Hendrickson’s agent now saying that he expects to talk to the Bengals next week. So progress, I guess.

[AMPHAR]

There's a bunch of rumors about high end edge rushers being cut/traded/restructured/extended.   I'd be a little shocked if they reached a deal prior to FA.

If Myles gets traded its likely he resets the top end.   There's rumors about Maxx Crosby.  Bosa, Mack.  Quite a few actually.   Also Micah Parson's is on his 4th year and wanting an extension. 

Seems like a situation were an agent would want to drag things out because with all the cap room around if these edge rusher start to change teams their market value won't go down.

[HoosierCat]

Burrow not letting it go.

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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has made it painfully obvious about two things this offseason.

One: He wants the Bengals to find a way to get Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson under long-term contracts.

Two: Burrow is willing to dice up his contract to help the front office make it happen.

Burrow hit the interview circuit and was blunt about that second point during an interview with FS1, saying "of course" when asked if he would restructure his contract, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic.

"I want to make it happen," Burrow said, per Dehner. "Everybody involved Trey, Tee, Ja’Marr, Mike G, we all want to stay together. When you have guys that are motivated like that I think you can get those things done.”

Since roughly December, when it was mostly clear the season was a loss, Burrow has been relentless in his public messaging to the Bengals on these topics, directly applying pressure on the front office.

Burrow's contract restructure that would free up more in the way of funds to fuel other extensions has been one of the most common projections for the Bengals this offseason -- and is usually a staple other contenders with star quarterback contracts do.

These latest comments, though, come after Hendrickson threw out an ultimatum to the Bengals during an interview the day prior due to poor communication from the front office about his future

Not saying that it will, but this whole situation has the potential to turn really ugly.

[COB]

They need a modern, experienced, GM.  They need a full time cap guy.  They need scouts.  

[ArmyBengal]

It might get ugly, but I'm all in with Burrow throwing his weight around.

If he's the guy that is tasked with the team's success, he should have at least a small say in how this plays out.
If he's for real about restructuring his contract to make that happen, I think that's huge and speaks volumes.

I'm still of the mindset that Chase and Trey get extended but Tee is the odd man out.
While I want Tee to stay and think they can manage it, I get why they wouldn't.

I just wish they would do something along the lines of tag and trade.
Getting a comp 3rd in return for Tee walking is straight ass.
He's simply worth more.