derekshank Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 I know we've talked about it before. But thanks to the salary cap info posted a while back http://www.askthecommish.com/salarycap/numbers.asp, we now have more information to work with as to what the teams we play next year will have to work with in the off-season.We are of course playing our own division twice.We also play the AFC West, the NFC South, and the Colts and Pats. At first glance this looks to be the two toughest divisions, combined with two of the toughest teams in Indy and NE. It looks bleak for next season, except...In the NFC South... the only team not projected to be over the cap is the Saints... and they have plenty of their own problems. The Panthers aren't in dire straights... but they will have to make some cuts. TB is $8 mil in the hole, and their 7 highest paid players on on the defense... the strength of their team. Atl is in a lot of trouble, as they are paying dearly for having one of the highest paid front 7's in the NFL. They won't be able to keep them all, since they are projected at $10 mil over.The AFC West has the Cheifs at $22 mil over... Denver at $26 mil over and Oakland at $30 mil over! This division belongs to SD next year. It is clear that Denver played to win this year, because they will not be nearly as good next year.This leaves the Chargers who are in great shape with $21 mil to play with (who also have QB injury issues), NE who breaks even, and Indy who breaks even.With the exception of Cleveland and San Diego, we are in a better cap situation than any team we play next year (with $16 mil to play with). We will be able to improve, and keep the good players we have, while most every other team will have to make drastic cuts to stay under tha cap. I really don't think our schedule will be as tough as it currently looks. There's no such thing as an easy NFL schedule, but I very much doubt we will be in worst shape than any of the teams we face next year. We just need Carson back, and we'll be in the superbowl talks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalindian Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Wow, thanks for that Derek. Puts the season into much better perspective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalboomer7 Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 That should bump up the amount of Free agents as well.I'm not too worried about next season. Just give me a defense that is in the top half of the league and we should be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indybengalsfan72 Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 HOMEOaklandSan DiegoAtlantaCarolinaNew EnglandClevelandPittsburghBaltimore AWAYDenverKansas CityNew OrleansTampa BayIndianapolisClevelandPittsburghBaltimoreI think we can go 5-1 in the division again, and 12-4 overall.. People might think thats a pipe dream, but I do believe that we can beat Oakland, Atlanta, Carolina, New England, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore at home, and win at New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Baltimore, and Indianapolis. Our team will be much better next year going 7-1 at home and 5-3 on the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walzav29 Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 The Bengals have so many youngsters on defense, that I can't imagine them not being alot better next year. Alot of Marvin's linebackers should start to blossom with more time under the system. It seems like common sense that players will more likely be where they are supposed to be with a few years. I would think that this draft will be heavy on defense, and if that's the case I think the Bengals will be better tested next year against all of those great teams. My only fear is a Charger effect, but if we get some more D and of course Palmer coming back. I think we can do it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan2330 Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 INDY will also have some free agency concerns, look for only 2 of the 3 to stay:EdgeFreenyWayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indybengalsfan72 Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 INDY will also have some free agency concerns, look for only 2 of the 3 to stay:EdgeFreenyWayneI would love to have Freeney, but they'll probably sign him before James or Wayne...It would help our blitz as he would get double teamed-thus helping our other lineman, as well as our LBs...That's why guys like David Thornton, Cato June, and Raheem Brock had career seasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripes Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 HOMEOakland - WSan Diego - WAtlanta - WCarolina - WNew England - WCleveland - WPittsburgh - WBaltimore - WAWAYDenver - LKansas City - LNew Orleans - WTampa Bay - WIndianapolis - LCleveland - WPittsburgh - WBaltimore - WI think we can go 5-1 in the division again, and 12-4 overall.. People might think thats a pipe dream, but I do believe that we can beat Oakland, Atlanta, Carolina, New England, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore at home, and win at New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Baltimore, and Indianapolis. Our team will be much better next year going 7-1 at home and 5-3 on the road. I added my initial win-loss projections to your post in the quote. I think we go undefeated in the division, 8-0 at home, and 5-3 on the road for a 13-3 finish. The biggest variable is probably either of the Steelers games, but 12-4 wouldn't be too shabby either!We'll probably have twenty threads up for this purpose before the season starts, but I'm curious what everyone's initial expectations are for the coming season. I expected 10-6/11-5 coming into this year, and because of some fluke games ended up right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 With the exception of Cleveland and San Diego, we are in a better cap situation than any team we play next year (with $16 mil to play with). We will be able to improve, and keep the good players we have, while most every other team will have to make drastic cuts to stay under tha cap.Maybe...maybe not. I think your point is a good one overall, but how "drastic" the cuts will be depends on the particulars of each team. For example, the Jets look screwed at $29 million over...but that falls to $18 million if they just let one guy, Ty Law, go. (And reports are he wants to follow Herm to KC.) So some teams may have to cut or redo just a couple of guys, while othrs do have to make those big wholesale cuts. Certainly will be interesting to watch...not just to see who (if anyone) gets weaker but to see if any players who might be valuable additions in Cincy shake loose... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 I think 10-6 will win the division next year. I think the Bengals and the Steelers will be the frontrunners but I don't expect Baltimore to be as bad as this year and Cleveland will continue to improve. I see alot of beating each other up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 I think 10-6 will win the division next year. I think the Bengals and the Steelers will be the frontrunners but I don't expect Baltimore to be as bad as this year and Cleveland will continue to improve. I see alot of beating each other up.Cleveland should definitely improve. They have loads of cap space to go hunting in FA and Romeo will have another draft to build up that 3-4 of his. Frye's got some experience and will have another weapon coming back, assuming the f**kin' soldier doesn't pull any more dumb motorcycle stunts. And we didn't exactly dominate the crap out of them this year.Baltimore, I dunno. That D aged real fast this year, the o-line is nothing to write home about, and they need something at RB, too. And if Boller's late-season surge was just a mirage...heck, even if it wasn't...they could be right back in the crapper. They need a lot of work, IMHO.Pitt, if history is any guide, will look primarily to the draft to improve; they could use a wiideout and a running back, among other things. But they shouldn't take any drastic step back next year unless age starts catching up with some of their players. Bettis retiring would be a loss; Parker's good but he's no Jerome.Us, it all boils down to Carson. Not that I don't think we can't compete and win some games without him...but I doubt we can win enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekshank Posted January 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 With the exception of Cleveland and San Diego, we are in a better cap situation than any team we play next year (with $16 mil to play with). We will be able to improve, and keep the good players we have, while most every other team will have to make drastic cuts to stay under tha cap.Maybe...maybe not. I think your point is a good one overall, but how "drastic" the cuts will be depends on the particulars of each team. For example, the Jets look screwed at $29 million over...but that falls to $18 million if they just let one guy, Ty Law, go. (And reports are he wants to follow Herm to KC.) So some teams may have to cut or redo just a couple of guys, while othrs do have to make those big wholesale cuts. Certainly will be interesting to watch...not just to see who (if anyone) gets weaker but to see if any players who might be valuable additions in Cincy shake loose...A very fair point... but these teams will still have to make cuts, while the Bengals are in a position to add players... or at the very least, keep our whole team in tact plus the draft. Even if a team in really bad shape only had to cut one or two players to get back under the cap... that still doesn't give them the $16 mil we have to play with... and they had to cut players that most likely contributed to their success this past year... not add more players they are hoping will contribute.Denver for instance, will probably not go from being a superbowl type team, to being the Jets in one year... but I just can't see them being as good as they have been this year. Combine that with the fact that our team is still so young that the players we have should only get better, and we can add rather than subtract, and I think next year looks very promising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalNation1281 Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 I'm gonna go with 11-5 or 10-6. Either way, we'll be back in the playoffs, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekshank Posted January 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 I'm gonna go with 11-5 or 10-6. Either way, we'll be back in the playoffs, I think.10-6 wouldn't have gotten it done this year...If Carson comes back I see no reason to expect us to do worse than this year. If he is out for any period of time, we might go 10-6... but with the improvements the defense is sure to make at safety (having Madieu back) and a year under the belts of Thurman and Pollack... I think another 11-5 season is reasonable to expect. Hell, we should have been 12-4 this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ29 Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 I see us going anywhere from 11 - 5 to 13 - 3, like TDB said, the biggest variable being the Steeler games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripper Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Say that we have to win our division to get in because I see next year being like the AFC West this year. The playoffs are gonna go through Pittsburgh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ29 Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 I hate the AFC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OregonBengalFan Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 HOMEOakland - San Diego - wAtlanta - wCarolina - wNew England - wCleveland - wPittsburgh - wBaltimore - wAWAYDenver - wKansas City -wNew Orleans - wTampa Bay - wIndianapolis - wCleveland - wPittsburgh - wBaltimore - w = Carson MVPI think we can go 5-1 in the division again, and 12-4 overall.. People might think thats a pipe dream, but I do believe that we can beat Oakland, Atlanta, Carolina, New England, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore at home, and win at New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Baltimore, and Indianapolis. Our team will be much better next year going 7-1 at home and 5-3 on the road. I added my initial win-loss projections to your post in the quote. I think we go undefeated in the division, 8-0 at home, and 5-3 on the road for a 13-3 finish. The biggest variable is probably either of the Steelers games, but 12-4 wouldn't be too shabby either!We'll probably have twenty threads up for this purpose before the season starts, but I'm curious what everyone's initial expectations are for the coming season. I expected 10-6/11-5 coming into this year, and because of some fluke games ended up right. My Predictions lol Sorry for the Double quote guys my darn cpu acting up EDIT: Fixed - JC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indybengalsfan72 Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 HOMEOakland - San Diego - wAtlanta - wCarolina - wNew England - wCleveland - wPittsburgh - wBaltimore - wAWAYDenver - wKansas City -wNew Orleans - wTampa Bay - wIndianapolis - wCleveland - wPittsburgh - wBaltimore - w = Carson MVPI think we can go 5-1 in the division again, and 12-4 overall.. People might think thats a pipe dream, but I do believe that we can beat Oakland, Atlanta, Carolina, New England, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore at home, and win at New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Baltimore, and Indianapolis. Our team will be much better next year going 7-1 at home and 5-3 on the road. I added my initial win-loss projections to your post in the quote. I think we go undefeated in the division, 8-0 at home, and 5-3 on the road for a 13-3 finish. The biggest variable is probably either of the Steelers games, but 12-4 wouldn't be too shabby either!We'll probably have twenty threads up for this purpose before the season starts, but I'm curious what everyone's initial expectations are for the coming season. I expected 10-6/11-5 coming into this year, and because of some fluke games ended up right. My Predictions lol Sorry for the Double quote guys my darn cpu acting up EDIT: Fixed - JCThats cool, just be careful though...last time I screwed up quotes, Stiller "the obnoxious Steelers troll who has nothing better to do with his time," didn't let me hear the end of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whodey_88 Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 i think we'll be 11-5 again but be a better team, just having a much tougher schedule.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ29 Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 i think we'll be 11-5 again but be a better team, just having a much tougher schedule....That's possible.Anybody know when they decide who plays on Sunday and Monday Night Football? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Looking at that schedule and not knowing the outcome with Carson or the draft picks, I say 10-6 is more than acceptable. Ask me this question in another 6 months and it may be a different answer.WHODEY !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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