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

[ArmyBengal]

7 minutes ago, COB said:

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

To quote well, you...

"We don’t need a full time cap guy, we already have Pumpkin at home."

[HoosierCat]

They would only need to redo Burrow’s deal if they needed cap space, and that’s a non-issue this year.

I just don’t want to see a scenario where there’s a lot of unhappiness in the locker room with the FO. We had enough of that last year and I would argue it was a factor in last season’s crappy start. 

[HoosierCat]

FWIW the “buzz” in NO is that Tee staying is more likely than not.

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/nfl-insider-shares-intriguing-update-tee-higgins-future-cincinnati-bengals

[ArmyBengal]

Interesting

[COB]

He fired his agent and hired Chase’s agent.  That speaks volumes.  

[Stripes]

I hope the front office is walking around with dense diamond turds in their whitie-tighties after all of Burrow's blatant public nudging. Please, try to make him mad. You know what this fanbase will do.

If he wants Tee, so do they. Or else.

[AMPHAR]

17 hours ago, HoosierCat said:

They would only need to redo Burrow’s deal if they needed cap space, and that’s a non-issue this year.

I just don’t want to see a scenario where there’s a lot of unhappiness in the locker room with the FO. We had enough of that last year and I would argue it was a factor in last season’s crappy start. 

 

Joe can say what he wants.  I think media and fans are taking liberties with "unhappy Joe" but whatever people like to wring their hands over a winning football team, enjoy it how you like.  At the end of the day this team is going to be good enough to win a AFC.

I would argue the Tanner Hudson show boating into the endzone fumble had more to do with losing to New England along with the Jones fumble.  But whatever, fans seem to be happy with the chicken little theme.  Go with it.

If you look at the Hurts vs. Burrow deal there's big differences in the cash out lay.  Was Joe going to sign that structure when he was up? Nope.   Hurts had less cash up front, relies on option bonus which don't guarantee until right up to the season start.  Burrow's guarantee's kick in league year start.  Huge difference.

Projections have Tee getting elite money average year but are silent on structure.  My guess is he'll have to be agreeable to a Pittman/Smith type structure in which the total value of the deal says "Elite" but functions as option years as they get past year 2.   Both Pittman/Smith deals see the teams with minimal cap implications or savings from cutting them after year 2.   Portions of the $$$ in the stated amount are at risk if they don't perform as guarantees don't kick in until after they complete a year and into the league year.

I'm guessing that type of structure is what Chase balked at last year.  His will be more Burrow like, I'm guessing.   

Have no guess about Trey but he is an elite player but has age and is under contract.  He's got risk if it turns ugly because a hold out doesn't help him that much.  Hurts the Bengals for sure.  He probably is going to push for Burrow type structure.  

Tee isn't elite and to make it work he's going to have to shoulder more risk.  Something Burrow wasn't willing to do at his contract signing.  Something Chase probably won't do either or Trey.

But Hurts did.  Devonta Smith did.

 

 

 

 

 

[ArmyBengal]

I don't think Bengals fans are quick to panic over these contracts at all.
I would say they simply know that a pissed off Burrow, a missing Tee, and a holdout Trey = lost 2025.

I agree this team "should" be capable of competing again in 2025, but that's not a foregone conclusion.
This defense has more problems than just Trey and Golden has a lot on his plate.
However, a holdout or traded Trey leaves me with little faith they will climb out of the gutter.

I'm very hopeful for the upcoming season, while simultaneously understanding there are fixes needed.
That's not even taking into consideration how Zac goes about fixing slow starts.

Regarding Tee, I'm with you AMPHAR in that I would love a structure that allows an out like Pittman's.
I just hope people don't think that only the elite will get paid.
Even those skirting around elite will get paid because the market will dictate it.
As always, a player is only worth what someone will pay and someone WILL pay Higgins.
Admittedly, I'm still not positive it should be the Bengals.  Hoping for a solid deal however.

[AMPHAR]

Pissed off Burrow?  Who fucking cares?  Fact: He got $40/50 million dollars more than Jalen Hurts in the first few years of the deal.   Same bunch of Bengal fans buying into Burrow's mad mantra that still applaud Palmer when in fact he walked out of a loaded team that drug Dalton to the playoffs 5 straight years.  Idiot.

So anybody is free to enjoy the Bengals how they see fit.  No problem, go with what you like.  You can easily credit the Bengals front office for not holding Burrow to the Hurts structure and getting a deal done. 

Again, feel how you want to feel about it, but know the facts.  Any media member COULD ask a follow up question to Burrow does he regret taking max money in the first of his contract after seeing a QB that didn't in the Superbowl?

Guess what? Devonta Smith also shoulders more risk in his extension.  Guess what? So did AJ Brown; his 3 year $96m deal could easily become 3 year $80m.    And guess what again? Saquon Barkley has a big option bonus that isn't due until the start of the season in the last year of his deal.

This is what Tobin was probably talking about.  You can't have everyone wanting max money.   Burrow took his and the most comparable team to them is the Eagles personnel wise has 4 major offensive pieces that have given the team an out after a couple years IF they choose to do it.

Credit another board for the Eagles comparison, but all this contract info is out there.  Intelligent media would be making these follow up questions.   

At some point one of their stars is going to have shoulder risk.   It appears none of them want to do it. 

 

 

[ArmyBengal]

Other contracts?
The media?
Crediting the front office?
Palmer?

Who gives a fuck about any of that when talking about what will or won't happen with our current players?
I've never seen a fan so far up the ass of the front office, but keep doing that.
No one can even present an opinion without you bringing up how the front office should get credit and fans know nothing.

The point is that Burrow has all the right to make his position known, while I understand he has absolutely no decision making power whatsoever.  I would rather a QB take a leadership approach to the team, which is what he's doing.  I suspect he will roll with what he gets of course.  Tee leaves?  Trey gets traded?  Chase gets tagged?  Yep, he's rolling in 2025 to do his best to win the Super Bowl.

However, to think he's going to be happy with those decisions is another question.
Guess what?  Fans do care about that.  Why?  Because it impacts what's happening here.

Answer this, should Tee leave, Trey gets traded and Chase tagged, what are your thoughts for the 2025 season?
Let me guess...  They are still going to be right there in the mix because the progressive moves of the front office?

 

[AMPHAR]

2 hours ago, ArmyBengal said:

Other contracts?
The media?
Crediting the front office?
Palmer?

Who gives a fuck about any of that when talking about what will or won't happen with our current players?
I've never seen a fan so far up the ass of the front office, but keep doing that.
No one can even present an opinion without you bringing up how the front office should get credit and fans know nothing.

The point is that Burrow has all the right to make his position known, while I understand he has absolutely no decision making power whatsoever.  I would rather a QB take a leadership approach to the team, which is what he's doing.  I suspect he will roll with what he gets of course.  Tee leaves?  Trey gets traded?  Chase gets tagged?  Yep, he's rolling in 2025 to do his best to win the Super Bowl.

However, to think he's going to be happy with those decisions is another question.
Guess what?  Fans do care about that.  Why?  Because it impacts what's happening here.

Answer this, should Tee leave, Trey gets traded and Chase tagged, what are your thoughts for the 2025 season?
Let me guess...  They are still going to be right there in the mix because the progressive moves of the front office?

 

Burrow can voice whatever he wants.  No one said otherwise.  Its being spun into this great showdown and maybe it is.  Or maybe its people trying to get clicks.

The opposite side is Burrow will get $40m more than Hurts in the first 3 years.  Hurts has major money in the form of option bonus that are due until right before each season.   The Eagles also have 3 other key offensive members that took deals that put at risk a portion of the stated  contractual amount as early as year 2.   Those are facts and that's free info.

Having a willingness to be informed doesn't put someone up the front office's ass. 

As for your question.   I would consider an off season getting all Trey, Tee, Chase extended to at least to 2027 as A+++.   I would consider no extension for Chase, Trey traded at the Garrett rumored trade comp and Tee traded a the compensatory trade comp as a F without knowing the resulting moves.

I would confidently say even with the F scenario they'll be right among the AFC favorites.   Its been this way since Warren Sapp.  They got spurned; people freaked.  Then in the aftermath they added 3/4 key players from other teams that were key in the Division Champ.

They struck out with the Whitworth/Zeitler o-line rebuild.  Striking out currently in the secondary rebuild post Bates. However they hit homeruns back filling once J.Joe chased free Gatorade.  Hit a major home run when Lawson and Jackson III went good bye.  Mixon to Chase? Even?  There's others each way.

I'm not predicting success or failure if the F scenario happens.  The relevant history with Tobin shows there will be a plan.   

You can view under a lense of the 90s.  Or what I think is most relevant a team that has revamped a ton of stuff and is a winning franchise.    

At the end of the day I think in August there will be ton of objective opinion outside the Bengal fandom that will have them right there in the AFC.    How you go about surfing the ups and downs is up to you.

I enjoy researching data so that's how I'm going to approach it, I guess.

 

 

 

 

[AMPHAR]

Quote

Chase deserves to be the highest paid receiver.

You tell me what that means.       AJ Brown for the Eagles signed a reported 3yr $96m deal.  Simple math says $32m a year.  OK.

Structure of the deal shows AJ Brown COULD BE cut saving Eagles cap money in 2027.   Effectively turning that into a 3yr $80m deal.   $16m of the reported deal goes poof or they don't cut and he earns more and more of the reported deal each year. 

Jefferson deal will get him $125mil before the Vikings COULD cut. Effectively making his deal $31m a year.   That's $45m more than AJ.

The important question is:  Would Chase ever consider such a risk in his contract like AJ Brown?   I'm guessing no, since he all but admitted last summer the value was there but the structure wasn't.    He'll probably be going the JJ route.   More power to him.

The Eagles have gotten team friendly structure's across the board for Hurts, Brown, Smith, and Barkley. 

The Eagles were able to push off payments to QB1 and WR1 the Bengals will probably have QB1and WR1 commanding $80m more than what the Eagles paid out early and the Bengals will have  stronger guarantee language.  

Somehow that's spun into being cheap.  Bengals probably tried to get Chase to bite on a friendly structure last year and the award is to be drug through the mud.   

 

 

[ArmyBengal]

Good news everyone…

The Bengals stated on social media they are “Fueled by our past”.

Well that must be some cheap ass fuel they got a hold of. No wonder the Lumina is always broke down.  God knows their past screams "winning culture".

Stop going to Gimpy Moe’s Gas already.

[COB]

An excerpt from Dehner’s article in the Athletic: 

 

“That specifically means putting big smiles on the faces of Higgins and Chase this offseason. Don’t let it linger. Don’t let the negotiations become a distraction. Don’t go through another offseason of haggling for every last decimal point, trade requests and trying to win the negotiation at the expense of locker room culture health.”

[ArmyBengal]

I'm still not sold that keeping Tee, as much I have enjoyed watching him play, is the best thing for the team.

In regards to Dehner's piece, when considering Burrow's deal, Chase's upcoming deal, and Trey's contract, they have to haggle for every last decimal point.  You can't just throw another $30m a season at Tee in the effort to put a big smile on his face and not think that's going to be a problem.  This isn't fantasy land.

While I didn't watch the Super Bowl, I went back and watched highlights of the game.  What I gained from those highlights is, it's a really good thing to have an above average defense capable of putting pressure on the QB.  Not that we didn't already know that.

I'm just speculating anyway, as we do here, but it will be interesting to watch.
 

[HoosierCat]

Dates to keep in mind:

Feb. 18 tag window opens

March 4 tag window closes

March 10 legal tampering starts

March 12 free agency begins

[TJJackson]

A successful offseason will require all of the following, imo

sign Tee for 1 to 3 more years.  Try to get as much of it as possible in playtime incentives

extend Chase

extend Trey

re-sign Gesicki

sign a legit fa starting pass rusher.  Trey needs help

sign at least 1 preferably 2 starting quality OGs.  Not old oft injured retreads

sign a legit FS

draft linemen and a CB, plus a K in r5 or later

I didnt ask for a NT because I think one of Mt McKinley or Jenkins can handle that job.  Bu if there s a reasonably priced quality NT out there, I would be happy to have him

[ArmyBengal]

That's a ton of money right there TJ.

I don't know if it's doable, but just acknowledging that it's a ton.

I'm all for extending Chase, Trey and Gesicki.
Tee would be a nice bonus IF it doesn't cost them improving the lines.

If signing Tee to a long term (see $$$) deal keeps them from adding to either line, I say no.
Not because I don't love the guy, not because I want him to leave, but rather a pure money move.

The Super Bowl should paint a very clear picture of the importance of getting to the opposing QB.
If they find a way to do all of that, they should win front office of the year.

 

See me over here not holding my breath...

[gregcook68]

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/columnists/jason-williams/2025/02/11/nfl-bengals-joe-burrow-tee-higgins-super-bowl-champion-eagles-winning-blueprint/78387770007/

[HoosierCat]

My prediction: they won’t re-sign Tee and they won’t do anything worthwhile with the money, either.

Prove me wrong, pumpkie.

[COB]

Dehner claims that once they’re done cutting the guys (they’ve telegraphed a lot of cuts, overpaid vets and injured guys are going) they’re going to cut, they’ll have a ton of room and can sign all those players Burrow keeps mentioning.  

I think they’re all doable, but I’m very pessimistic on Trey.  Dude seemed bitter all year, and his comments at the SB about helping the team via the draft picks they can get for him - not encouraging.  

If they have to move forward without Trey, Golden has a monumental task ahead of him.  

Football is a team game and the culture of the team is a huge factor.  Businesses have cultures too.  The Brown family does business their way, and I don’t see it changing.  

Tee vs D line game changer: the only point I want to make is we have Tee.  And we can tag or sign him to a new deal.  We don’t have game changing D linemen.  We’ve got players but they’re not on that level.  We have a high level player at that particular receiver position.  I say sign him, keep him.  We know what we have.  Keep looking for the defenders.  

[Stripes]

Burrow continues to jam his wet-willied finger into Duke's and Katie's ears.

Thanks, bae. Make them squirm.

[AMPHAR]

Bengals have cap now.  I'm guessing its cash paid is the bigger issue.  All the Eagles comparison leave out the most critical factor each of their big guns shoulder more risk there is a significant difference in the Average year and when cash is paid.  The Eagles have ways to exit with minimal cap impact in most of those deals because the players accepted option bonuses.

Burrow isn't structured that way the cash he actually gets is significantly more than Hurts.  I'm guessing that's what Chase balked at in the summer.   So if those two aren't budging on cash to get everyone signed at some point some will have to OR they have to go even younger at other spots on the roster. 

You never know until deals are inked and posted.   Be a tough time filling out a roster if everyone takes the Burrow route and I'm assuming Chase will go the Jefferson route. 

 

 

[HoosierCat]

Pratt wants a trade.

https://www.cincyjungle.com/2025/2/12/24364366/germaine-pratt-trade-bengals-captain-nfl
 

Based on last season I would say a bag of peanuts would be acceptable.

[AMPHAR]

Good luck to Pratt made a lot of great plays.   See if Lou and Colts will throw you a 5th rounder or something.