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Atkins to IR

cincygrad

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He would have been better taking an opt out year. I don't think his heart was ever into this season and I guess the injury was always worse than originally reported.

Anyway, by my read, cutting him would take 14 million off the cap, with 5 added back on in 'dead money.' It would also save the Bengals real cash - Meaning, not having to pay him the 11 million that they owe him. This is a big deal as revenue will be down a little due to COVID issues. I don't expect there will be any trade market for Geno - But I do suspect a winning team would be willing to take him on as a situational rotation player and see if he still has some value.

Last point - Atkins and Dunlap are prime examples of why you don't give players two big contracts after their rookie deals. That second contract rarely works out in your favor. The obvious exception is quarterbacks. Anyway, Belicheck and the Patriots are often criticized for being cold to vets..... But, they are just making good business moves.
 

CrashDavisSports

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He would have been better taking an opt out year. I don't think his heart was ever into this season and I guess the injury was always worse than originally reported.

Anyway, by my read, cutting him would take 14 million off the cap, with 5 added back on in 'dead money.' It would also save the Bengals real cash - Meaning, not having to pay him the 11 million that they owe him. This is a big deal as revenue will be down a little due to COVID issues. I don't expect there will be any trade market for Geno - But I do suspect a winning team would be willing to take him on as a situational rotation player and see if he still has some value.

Last point - Atkins and Dunlap are prime examples of why you don't give players two big contracts after their rookie deals. That second contract rarely works out in your favor. The obvious exception is quarterbacks. Anyway, Belicheck and the Patriots are often criticized for being cold to vets..... But, they are just making good business moves.

I agree. But I do think some players are worth a second contract that is mega. On our team, no doubt the only ones I would consider right now...Boyd keeps getting better in his second contract. Burrow obviously because of the young QB and him being one of the few guys worth something. Jesse Bates, he is a difference maker on defense, only guy on our team a consistently good tackler. Mixon I think will wind up being a mistake also, but hopefully he gets right, and he makes me eat that. However, who else is even worth a consideration on this team at this point? I like a lot of guys on this team still, several I do not. But I don't think any are irreplaceable minus Boyd, Burrow, Bates and possibly Higgins...really liking him.
 

alf8478

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Oh no. The defense is going to suck now!
 

cincygrad

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I agree. But I do think some players are worth a second contract that is mega. On our team, no doubt the only ones I would consider right now...Boyd keeps getting better in his second contract. Burrow obviously because of the young QB and him being one of the few guys worth something. Jesse Bates, he is a difference maker on defense, only guy on our team a consistently good tackler. Mixon I think will wind up being a mistake also, but hopefully he gets right, and he makes me eat that. However, who else is even worth a consideration on this team at this point? I like a lot of guys on this team still, several I do not. But I don't think any are irreplaceable minus Boyd, Burrow, Bates and possibly Higgins...really liking him.
Mixon got his first deal AFTER his rookie qb. I have no issue with that. It's the second major deal after your rookie deal that is likely to cause problems.

For Bates, he'll be getting his first big deal. The length of that deal would determine whether he'd be a good candidate for a second. If Boyd plays out his current deal, he'll have played 9 NFL seasons and will be turning 30. I realize that doesn't seem all that old, but things really don't look great when you look at receivers that have played that long. I realize there are rare exceptions like Larry Fitzgerald.... But these are often exceptions. Buyer beware.
 

cincygrad

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Our banner at the top of this page is not aging well.
 

CrashDavisSports

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Mixon got his first deal AFTER his rookie qb. I have no issue with that. It's the second major deal after your rookie deal that is likely to cause problems.

For Bates, he'll be getting his first big deal. The length of that deal would determine whether he'd be a good candidate for a second. If Boyd plays out his current deal, he'll have played 9 NFL seasons and will be turning 30. I realize that doesn't seem all that old, but things really don't look great when you look at receivers that have played that long. I realize there are rare exceptions like Larry Fitzgerald.... But these are often exceptions. Buyer beware.
I misunderstood. Good point.
 

DanBengalfan

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if this team can't retain talent and build on it, they will be in last place for a long damned time.

they do at least try in free agency, but their plan always seems to build through the draft.
 

cincygrad

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I misunderstood. Good point.

One last point.... I feel bad for a guy like Tyler Boyd. Yes, he's making a lot of money to play a game and I get that. But, if the Bengals continue to hang onto this coaching staff with Taylor and only correct their mistakes as Burrow heads into his third or fourth season, Boyd will have wasted 3-5 years of his prime on the Marvin Lewis disinterested years and the Zac Taylor trainwreck years. And that's a shame.... Mostly because Boyd is one of those guys that looks like he tries. Would be fun to see him play on a winning team.
 

DanBengalfan

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if the Bengals don't get serious, they will have some players start holding out.

of course, I had thought that we actually made an actual effort in free agency before the season, but any season when you lose your only good QB is going to suck anyhow.
 

CrashDavisSports

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if the Bengals don't get serious, they will have some players start holding out.

of course, I had thought that we actually made an actual effort in free agency before the season, but any season when you lose your only good QB is going to suck anyhow.
We have been a walking infirmary on defense, and some on offensive line. Our offensive line actually played better with some of the backups than it did with starters, so that is a kick in your teeth, especially when the backups are still okay at best. Burrow is truly a difference maker. Without him, not sure where we would be.

I think our safeties are finally good in Bell and Bates. I would like to see us get Jackson's money and inconsistency out of here, get a good player in the secondary to go along with a healthy Alexander, Phillips and Waynes. Our LB's are still woefully bad, but a bright outlook on Wilson. Outside that, very unimpressed with them. We for sure need another good pass rusher, a difference maker at DE is what we need. I love Geno and AJ, but if we are truly trying to compete during Burrow's rookie contract before he costs us 40 million a year, we have to improve that defense so he is not having to put up 40 points a game. We need to let those franchise icons go, save the cash, get a pass rusher to pair with Hubbard and get Reader and Daniels back healthy with Toupu coming back next year in the middle as well.

The only way I can see us truly improving defense though, is fire that defensive coaching staff and get a quality mind in there to run it. I am still praying for Mike Zimmer to get fired so he can come back to Cincy with the anticipation that if Taylor doesn't improve this team, that Zimmer is transferred to head coach. Go draft the OT from Oregon like everyone wants, spend some money on at least one offensive line position in the offseason, Thuney maybe? See if Jonah Williams can transition to RT.

Free agency should be the following positions of need:

Defensive Coordinator
DE
OL - Guard may be cheaper (but all pro)
LB
QB - Jamis Winston (Adam Schefter says Bengals and Jameis Winston are good fit in free agency)

Draft Should be:
#1 - OT - Sewell
#2 - CB
#3 - WR

Resign following players:
DT Mike Daniels
OG Quinton Spain (backup)
DE/LB Carl Lawson
DB Brandon Wilson (mostly for special teams)

Big Names to Let go:
DT Atkins
WR Green
CB Jackson
WR Ross
OT Hart

Starting Offensive Next Year:
QB Burrow / Winston
HB Mixon
WR Boyd
WR Higgins
WR Tate
TE Uzomah
LT Sewell
LG Thuney
C Hopkins
RG Su'a-Filo
RT Williams

Starting Defense Next Year:
DE Free Agent
DT Reader
DT Daniels
DE Hubbard
LB/DE Lawson
LB Free Agent
LB Wilson
CB Waynes
CB Alexander
S Bates
S Bell
 

cincygrad

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We have been a walking infirmary on defense, and some on offensive line. Our offensive line actually played better with some of the backups than it did with starters, so that is a kick in your teeth, especially when the backups are still okay at best. Burrow is truly a difference maker. Without him, not sure where we would be.

I think our safeties are finally good in Bell and Bates. I would like to see us get Jackson's money and inconsistency out of here, get a good player in the secondary to go along with a healthy Alexander, Phillips and Waynes. Our LB's are still woefully bad, but a bright outlook on Wilson. Outside that, very unimpressed with them. We for sure need another good pass rusher, a difference maker at DE is what we need. I love Geno and AJ, but if we are truly trying to compete during Burrow's rookie contract before he costs us 40 million a year, we have to improve that defense so he is not having to put up 40 points a game. We need to let those franchise icons go, save the cash, get a pass rusher to pair with Hubbard and get Reader and Daniels back healthy with Toupu coming back next year in the middle as well.

The only way I can see us truly improving defense though, is fire that defensive coaching staff and get a quality mind in there to run it. I am still praying for Mike Zimmer to get fired so he can come back to Cincy with the anticipation that if Taylor doesn't improve this team, that Zimmer is transferred to head coach. Go draft the OT from Oregon like everyone wants, spend some money on at least one offensive line position in the offseason, Thuney maybe? See if Jonah Williams can transition to RT.

Free agency should be the following positions of need:

Defensive Coordinator
DE
OL - Guard may be cheaper (but all pro)
LB
QB - Jamis Winston (Adam Schefter says Bengals and Jameis Winston are good fit in free agency)

Draft Should be:
#1 - OT - Sewell
#2 - CB
#3 - WR

Resign following players:
DT Mike Daniels
OG Quinton Spain (backup)
DE/LB Carl Lawson
DB Brandon Wilson (mostly for special teams)

Big Names to Let go:
DT Atkins
WR Green
CB Jackson
WR Ross
OT Hart

Starting Offensive Next Year:
QB Burrow / Winston
HB Mixon
WR Boyd
WR Higgins
WR Tate
TE Uzomah
LT Sewell
LG Thuney
C Hopkins
RG Su'a-Filo
RT Williams

Starting Defense Next Year:
DE Free Agent
DT Reader
DT Daniels
DE Hubbard
LB/DE Lawson
LB Free Agent
LB Wilson
CB Waynes
CB Alexander
S Bates
S Bell
I like a lot of this plan.... Get rid of the old talent. Make sure you at least get one quality guard (I'm hoping for two). Draft Sewell. Move Williams to RT. Sign some more players for a newly coached defense. I think you nailed most things here.

Potential areas of weakness.... Still woefully thin at places. What if any of those linemen get hurt? I'm assuming Billy Price will be gone and he actually looked good in back-up duty this year. I think Fred Johnson has been exposed for what he is and I think Michael Jordan does not have a career (at least not here). I like the rookie tackle, but it's become clear why he was available on the third day of the draft. I still think they need a couple extra free agents - Even guys that are old or have flaws, while they wait for young guys to pan out or improve (hopefully with a new coach). This would be mostly for depth. I also think we'd still be weak on speed at WR..... And I expect more teams will create defenses like the Steelers did where they bracket Boyd in the middle of the field and live with any damage that Higgins or Tate can do outside. The D will be a mess.... A good coordinator could potentially get the D into the top 20 - But that's the ceiling as far as I'm concerned.
 
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