Off-Season Thread

[cincygrad]

traded out OBJ and Landry and got very little/nothing in return. Sure, traded for Cooper, but that is kind of a stand alone deal, IMO. Allowing both OBJ and Landry to walk without getting compensation is....interesting.

And now they are giving away a top 10 center. They are behaving oddly for a team that has a lot of salary cap.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

And now they are giving away a top 10 center. They are behaving oddly for a team that has a lot of salary cap.

Not oddly if they are trying to make room for Watson. Or maybe they want to diversify their salary on different positions. They are spending a shit ton on offensive line. So maybe they want to spread that out a little to another position group.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Cleveland’s best move would be south. Instead of 6 wars a season they play the titans twice and beat up on the colts and jags. The Birmingham browns

 

[Cincyfan78]

Cleveland management flew to Houston this morning to sit and meet with Watson and his agent.

Watson, per what I saw, has rejected everyone but NO and another team. Browns are not in it.

 

[cincygrad]

It will be interesting to see what Cleveland does if Watson doesn't join them.... Based on Mayfield's Instragram goodbye to Cleveland yesterday, it looks like the relationship between the club and the QB is at a breaking point. The musical chairs haven't stopped for the QB position yet, but what do you do if you're Cleveland? Maybe enter the Jimmy G derby? That would give them a guy that would be a good fit in a run-first offense. But they'll have some competition to acquire his services. If they strike out on him, I think they're somewhat screwed.... They'll have a team that will win some games based on their other areas of talent, but they won't compete for the postseason. They'll basically be stuck picking outside of the top 10 without a franchise qb.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Baker ain’t a bad qb. There’s just better qbs in the league and better teams.

 

[Cincyfan78]

It will be interesting to see what Cleveland does if Watson doesn't join them.... Based on Mayfield's Instragram goodbye to Cleveland yesterday, it looks like the relationship between the club and the QB is at a breaking point. The musical chairs haven't stopped for the QB position yet, but what do you do if you're Cleveland? Maybe enter the Jimmy G derby? That would give them a guy that would be a good fit in a run-first offense. But they'll have some competition to acquire his services. If they strike out on him, I think they're somewhat screwed.... They'll have a team that will win some games based on their other areas of talent, but they won't compete for the postseason. They'll basically be stuck picking outside of the top 10 without a franchise qb.

Looks like they did miss out on Watson, per some reports. He is only interested in NO and another team (NFC team, I think?).

I think you try and look for Jimmy G, but they still have their draftee sitting there as well. This very well could end up a lame duck season for Cleveland with Baker. I don't see him returning after all of this, and I don't see how they can keep him.

He'll get plenty of run on the F/A market next year as many will believe consistency and a better scheme/coaching staff will be able to get the talent out of him to rise to the top.

I've always been a fan of his - I think a change will do him some good.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Looks like they did miss out on Watson, per some reports. He is only interested in NO and another team (NFC team, I think?).

I think you try and look for Jimmy G, but they still have their draftee sitting there as well. This very well could end up a lame duck season for Cleveland with Baker. I don't see him returning after all of this, and I don't see how they can keep him.

He'll get plenty of run on the F/A market next year as many will believe consistency and a better scheme/coaching staff will be able to get the talent out of him to rise to the top.

I've always been a fan of his - I think a change will do him some good.

I keep Baker and play out his 5th year option they picked up. He beat Pittsburgh in 2020 in the playoffs, handedly, and was moments away from beating KC in KC the following round. A healthy Mayfield gives them a great chance of competing this year. I don't think the fan base is ready for a tank for a QB yet.

 

[DanBengalfan]

my guess is we will starting reiff again, but still draft an ot in first 2 rounds. They aren’t going to call reiff a mistake. Carman will just continue to grow . We might focus on tight end.

 

[Cincyfan78]

my guess is we will starting reiff again, but still draft an ot in first 2 rounds. They aren’t going to call reiff a mistake. Carman will just continue to grow . We might focus on tight end.

Don't be surprised if they give D'Ante Smith a shot at OT. He was really close to winning the RG spot last year before getting hurt (I think). He's a guy that I think would have done better in the draft if he hadn't gotten covid and dropped a huge amount of weight that last season. Trying to put weight on during the season is really, really hard, so he was underweight most of the year.

I think they look OT in F/A, and could look in the draft - but wouldn't be shocked if they didn't go OT at all. There is really good depth at OG/C in this draft - they could look to bolster the depth there, and re-evaluate F/A after the draft for OT if they need a veteran insurance plan (Reiff, other).

If you come out of this draft with Williams, Carmen, Karras, Cappa, from LT - RG, I think you can take a chance that one of your current guys might round into form at RT - plus you're likely going to see them stock up at OG/C depth in the draft.

What will really be interesting is if no OL is there at 31, and the only other 2 guys I've seen there that would be of interest is the DT from UGA and the CB from Florida as both fill needs as well. Not sure I see many other guys there worth the 31st pick, IMO...but a lot can change between now and then.

 

[futballiscool]

Bengals add tight end Hayden Hurst

After losing tight end C.J.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

I like this move. He was stuck behind an elite TE in Baltimore and last year in Atlanta but I think he can play.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Bengals add tight end Hayden Hurst

After losing tight end C.J.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

I like this move. He was stuck behind an elite TE in Baltimore and last year in Atlanta but I think he can play.

1 year prove it deal to increase his stock again. Gotta like that.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

So much for ever signing Ja'Marr Chase after his rookie deal. Adams just assured that.

 

[futballiscool]

So much for ever signing Ja'Marr Chase after his rookie deal. Adams just assured that.

Burrow and Chase get blank checks but signing Higgins is going to be tough

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Burrow and Chase get blank checks but signing Higgins is going to be tough

Gonna be 80+ million a year for Burrow and Chase in 4 years.

 

[cincygrad]

Burrow and Chase get blank checks but signing Higgins is going to be tough

The Higgins deal is going to be very tough and it is going to get crazy if he has a big year this year. He started slowly last season due to some injuries and the conservative approach they were taking with Burrow. But he was producing big numbers by the end of the year. I'm sure his agent will be looking for #1 wide receiver money for him. If he doesn't sign a deal next offseason, I think you keep him around for two more seasons (5th year with the franchise tag) and then move on. By that point, you'll have to sign the Chase extension.

 

[cincygrad]

BTW - The AFC just keeps getting more insane. It like all the AFC teams said "the f'n Bengals went to the Super Bowl. This conference is wide open!" The NFC is starting to look like a minor league outfit, with the exception of a few powerful teams (Rams, maybe Bucs).

 

[futballiscool]

Gonna be 80+ million a year for Burrow and Chase in 4 years.

That might be conservative with the way the cap is trending but paying an elite QB and WR is worth it. I think you then have to keep recycling the rest of the TE/WR room with high draft picks so you have quality players at those positions without the entire cap dedicated to the passing game.

 

[futballiscool]

BTW - The AFC just keeps getting more insane. It like all the AFC teams said "the f'n Bengals went to the Super Bowl. This conference is wide open!" The NFC is starting to look like a minor league outfit, with the exception of a few powerful teams (Rams, maybe Bucs).

A good thing about it is most of the moves are in the AFC west. It's going to be tough winning 12 games out of that division. The Bengals and Bills are my favorites for the 1 seed even if the Chiefs and Chargers have the best rosters.

Also in the NFC the Niners are set to run the conference if Trey Lance is good.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

A good thing about it is most of the moves are in the AFC west. It's going to be tough winning 12 games out of that division. The Bengals and Bills are my favorites for the 1 seed even if the Chiefs and Chargers have the best rosters.

Also in the NFC the Niners are set to run the conference if Trey Lance is good.

Yes, but you only play 6 games against division opponents, so say they all split with each other, that is a 3-3 record with a powerful lineup playing opposing non-division teams. Possibly 5-0 against the NFC, and if they struggle against the AFC at a tune of even steven, you are looking at 3-3, which makes it: 11-6 at worst possibly.