2025 Cincinnati Bengals

J

jtk

Well-known member
Probably time to put the 2024 thread to sleep and start the new one. Can't wait to read all the expert opinions, negative comments, etc. Some of you would rather have Shula or Coslet coaching again it usually sounds like.
 
 
Before player additions, ideal add is to the scouting department. Like the idea of Al Golden coming back. No idea who they should target for OL, DL coaches.

FA: two guards or a guard and center to let Karras kick back out to guard. Not Trey Smith, was reading he does not fit the offense ZT/Pitcher run, Veteran IDL and CB. Hilton is starting to slide but his run defense and blitzing are still elite so bring him back. Let Bell walk. Get rid of Hubbard unless he wants to restructure to like $2m a year.

Draft: BPA unless that’s a QB or running back.
 
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Bengal WhoDey said:
Need 2 guards and some serious help on defense. An average defense makes the Bengals serious super bowl contenders.
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Yes, if the Bengals had a better kicking game this year, they would have made the playoffs. There are no dynasties in the NFL like decades past just make the playoffs and anything can happen. Look at the Commanders. Fix the line, defense but leave Higgins walk so you can spend the money elsewhere. Plus, Higgins has missed 10 games the last two years. Be nice to have a solid TE to go to in the red zone.
Orin Swift said:
Draft: BPA unless that’s a QB or running back.
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I would also add WR to that unless list.
 
Stirred not Shaken said:
Yes, if the Bengals had a better kicking game this year, they would have made the playoffs. There are no dynasties in the NFL like decades past just make the playoffs and anything can happen. Look at the Commanders. Fix the line, defense but leave Higgins walk so you can spend the money elsewhere. Plus, Higgins has missed 10 games the last two years. Be nice to have a solid TE to go to in the red zone.

I would also add WR to that unless list.
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Kansas City…..
* just reached their 7th consecutive AFC Championship game
* have won 3 of the last 5 Super Bowls
* have won the last 2 Super Bowls & going for a first time ever 3 peat

Mahomes is only 29. As long as he is health and Reid is still wanting to coach….the NFL is in the middle of a Chiefs Dynasty. Currently, Mahomes is ahead of the pace that Brady set for his career. Still a long ways to go and it’s extremely difficult to win one Super Bowl but you are seeing a dynasty. Today’s dynasties look much different than the 70’s Steelers, 80’s 49ers or 90’s Cowboys - just far more turnover due to free agency.
 
WJ-OSU-STEELERS said:
Kansas City…..
* just reached their 7th consecutive AFC Championship game
* have won 3 of the last 5 Super Bowls
* have won the last 2 Super Bowls & going for a first time ever 3 peat

Mahomes is only 29. As long as he is health and Reid is still wanting to coach….the NFL is in the middle of a Chiefs Dynasty. Currently, Mahomes is ahead of the pace that Brady set for his career. Still a long ways to go and it’s extremely difficult to win one Super Bowl but you are seeing a dynasty. Today’s dynasties look much different than the 70’s Steelers, 80’s 49ers or 90’s Cowboys - just far more turnover due to free agency.
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you aren’t giving near enough credit to the GM who has been knock out in the draft.

Players who are starters and playing well above their rookie contract value AND are 25 years old or younger:
- Creed Humphrey
- Nick Bolton
- Trent McDuffie
- Bryan Cook
- Trey Smith
- Leo Chanel
- George Karalaftis

I’m sure I’m missing another player or two. You aren’t winning Super Bowls with a mega QB contract without getting a lot of production out of your rookie contract players. See the Bengals for an example of the opposite. It also helps on pf the best DTs in the league is taking up less than 3% of the cap space.
 
Orin Swift said:
you aren’t giving near enough credit to the GM who has been knock out in the draft.

Players who are starters and playing well above their rookie contract value AND are 25 years old or younger:
- Creed Humphrey
- Nick Bolton
- Trent McDuffie
- Bryan Cook
- Trey Smith
- Leo Chanel
- George Karalaftis

I’m sure I’m missing another player or two. You aren’t winning Super Bowls with a mega QB contract without getting a lot of production out of your rookie contract players. See the Bengals for an example of the opposite. It also helps on pf the best DTs in the league is taking up less than 3% of the cap space.
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Mahomes has been a $35 to $37 mil cap hit each of the last 3 years. In 2025 thru 2027 it bumps up to $66 mil each year. I’m guessing KC will either give him an extension or adjust the deal to push $$$ to future years. Mahomes has worked with KC over the years to keep his cap hit manageable.

Yes, KC has a solid front office & HC. Reality is in the AFC:

Top QB’s:
1) Mahomes
2-4) Allen, Jackson & Burrow in no particular order
5-7) Stroud, Herbert & Nix in no particular order
Still have Lawrence and Ten will probably take Ward, doubt if he becomes a good NFL qb but one never knows.

Front Office:
* KC, Bal & Buffalo are way ahead of Cincinnati and behind Pittsburgh

Head Coaches
* KC & Bal are miles ahead and Buf HC is above Taylor. Tayler is 3 or 4 in the AFC North

Burrow has more to deal with/less to work with but he does have a top 2 wr in the NFL who will cost $40 mil per year next season. I’m a big fan of Burrow but make no mistake about it, Mahomes, Allen & Jackson can/could carry a franchise just as good as Burrow. All 4 are just that talented. Unfortunately for the Bengals, they are a distance 4th between the four teams.
 
Orin Swift said:
you aren’t giving near enough credit to the GM who has been knock out in the draft.

Players who are starters and playing well above their rookie contract value AND are 25 years old or younger:
- Creed Humphrey
- Nick Bolton
- Trent McDuffie
- Bryan Cook
- Trey Smith
- Leo Chanel
- George Karalaftis

I’m sure I’m missing another player or two. You aren’t winning Super Bowls with a mega QB contract without getting a lot of production out of your rookie contract players. See the Bengals for an example of the opposite. It also helps on pf the best DTs in the league is taking up less than 3% of the cap space.
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Bengals could have had Humphrey instead picked Carman, also could have had Banks 49ers guard, Cosmi Wash. tackle, in the 2nd rd. that year. But therein lies the problem bad drafting.
 
WJ-OSU-STEELERS said:
Mahomes has been a $35 to $37 mil cap hit each of the last 3 years. In 2025 thru 2027 it bumps up to $66 mil each year. I’m guessing KC will either give him an extension or adjust the deal to push $$$ to future years. Mahomes has worked with KC over the years to keep his cap hit manageable.

Yes, KC has a solid front office & HC. Reality is in the AFC:

Top QB’s:
1) Mahomes
2-4) Allen, Jackson & Burrow in no particular order
5-7) Stroud, Herbert & Nix in no particular order
Still have Lawrence and Ten will probably take Ward, doubt if he becomes a good NFL qb but one never knows.

Front Office:
* KC, Bal & Buffalo are way ahead of Cincinnati and behind Pittsburgh

Head Coaches
* KC & Bal are miles ahead and Buf HC is above Taylor. Tayler is 3 or 4 in the AFC North

Burrow has more to deal with/less to work with but he does have a top 2 wr in the NFL who will cost $40 mil per year next season. I’m a big fan of Burrow but make no mistake about it, Mahomes, Allen & Jackson can/could carry a franchise just as good as Burrow. All 4 are just that talented. Unfortunately for the Bengals, they are a distance 4th between the four teams.
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Disagree. Allen had a better supporting cast than Burrow in 21 (o-lines do matter). Who went to the SB, I think Lamar was injured that year. Burrow carried that team to the SB no other QB in the league playing with that line except maybe Mahomes would have taken that team to the SB.
 
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An average defense makes the Bengals serious super bowl contenders.
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What's ironic about this is this was the same story of the Bengals in the 1980's. They had an offense at the top or near the top of the league back then and a poor defense in the mid 80's.

Then they got an "average" defense in 1988 and nearly won it all.
 
Stirred not Shaken said:
Yes, if the Bengals had a better kicking game this year, they would have made the playoffs. There are no dynasties in the NFL like decades past just make the playoffs and anything can happen. Look at the Commanders. Fix the line, defense but leave Higgins walk so you can spend the money elsewhere. Plus, Higgins has missed 10 games the last two years. Be nice to have a solid TE to go to in the red zone.

I would also add WR to that unless list.
Click to expand...
better kicking game lol. sure they missed key fg but you can't score 30 in the nfl and lose

jtk
()
 
How often do the Bengals ever select a player or position player the draft gurus predict them to draft. IMO D- Line has to be addressed a good pass rush makes good QB's not look so good. Right now, outside of Trey H. the Bengals have no pass rush. Fortunately, DE position in the draft is fairly deep.
 
I wonder how many times a team had:
- two offensive player of the year nominees (one who led the league in passing, one who won the receiving triple crown)
- a defensive player of the year nominee who led the league in sacks
- a W-L record that kept them out of the playoffs
- a coach that kept his job

This might be a first.
 
Expectations are not high. Only thing I want to see is an attempt to re-sign Higgins and extend Chase.

I have a feeling I’m going to be let down.

I’ve already made my peace with losing Hendrickson.
 
Gh0st said:
Expectations are not high. Only thing I want to see is an attempt to re-sign Higgins and extend Chase.

I have a feeling I’m going to be let down.

I’ve already made my peace with losing Hendrickson.
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How much guarantee $$$ do you think Chase & Higgins would each want in order to sign a new deal/extension? The problem is the guaranteed $$$ is typically paid up front thus the Brown family would have to come up with the cash. Although they are billionaires, most of their wealth is tied up in the equity of the team. The Browns do not have the $$$ on hand like the other NFL owners. Rumors are the Browns sold the stadium naming rights last year so they could get the $$$ to pay Burrows guarantee $$$.

Hendrickson is in the last year of his contract, $18 mil for the 2025 season. Hendrickson said last year before the season that he wanted a new deal and the Bengals balked. Gonna cost a bit more to extend Gebdricjson now. Also, will he play out the last year of his deal at $18 mil or hold out?
 
WJ-OSU-STEELERS said:
Hendrickson is in the last year of his contract, $18 mil for the 2025 season. Hendrickson said last year before the season that he wanted a new deal and the Bengals balked. Gonna cost a bit more to extend Gebdricjson now. Also, will he play out the last year of his deal at $18 mil or hold out?
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Re: holding out at $18m, my lone hope here is that he isn’t egregiously underpaid. I believe Watt is at $21m and Garrett at $25m. Underpaid, yeah. Drastically? No. On the flip side, he’s coming off a year leading the league in sacks, strike while the iron is hot on his side.
 
WJ-OSU-STEELERS said:
How much guarantee $$$ do you think Chase & Higgins would each want in order to sign a new deal/extension? The problem is the guaranteed $$$ is typically paid up front thus the Brown family would have to come up with the cash. Although they are billionaires, most of their wealth is tied up in the equity of the team. The Browns do not have the $$$ on hand like the other NFL owners. Rumors are the Browns sold the stadium naming rights last year so they could get the $$$ to pay Burrows guarantee $$$.

Hendrickson is in the last year of his contract, $18 mil for the 2025 season. Hendrickson said last year before the season that he wanted a new deal and the Bengals balked. Gonna cost a bit more to extend Gebdricjson now. Also, will he play out the last year of his deal at $18 mil or hold out?
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I think both have indicated they would take team friendly deals in order to stay in Cincy. I’ve seen $19 to $25 mil per year for Higgins, Chase can pretty much name his price. My concern comes with the Browns not always being savvy with contracts. If all three played for the Patriots I’d have no concern it couldn’t get done.
 
Gh0st said:
I think both have indicated they would take team friendly deals in order to stay in Cincy. I’ve seen $19 to $25 mil per year for Higgins, Chase can pretty much name his price. My concern comes with the Browns not always being savvy with contracts. If all three played for the Patriots I’d have no concern it couldn’t get done.
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There’s no way the Patriots during the Belicheck area would ever pay 2 wr’s top dollars.
 
Gh0st said:
Because they wouldn’t want to, but they were very good at making team friendly contracts, specifically for Brady.
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Only a franchise qb can possibly take a team friendly deal because their salary is still a large amount and their playing career can last longer than most. Thus you can not compare the two to Brady.
* Brady made $317 mil in his 20 year career. He had far more endorsement opportunities and he’s knocking down $30 mil a year for 10 years doing the Fox broadcasting gig
* Tee Higgins (age 25) has made $31 million in his career to date
* JaMarr Chase (age 24) has made $30 million in his career to date

Most likely the Bengals are keeping Chase and will let Higgins walk. Franchising Higgins again would probably cost $40+ mil for one year. If Higgins leaves this offseason the Bengals will most likely receive a 3rd round compensatory pick in 2026 for him.
 
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If I remember correctly, the Bengals continue to hose the taxpayers of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, aided by the elected officials. Wasn't the current deal the worst in the NFL? In the end, the citizens will probably get hosed again.

From 2015:
www.vice.com

The Stupid Sports Stadium Clause That's Screwing You Over

It's a gift (to rich people) that keeps on taking (from taxpayers) and there's nothing anyone can do about it.
www.vice.com www.vice.com

www.cincinnati.com

No more public money for the Bengals. It's time for them to pay their own way | Opinion

Opinion: The Bengals stadium has long been an economic black hole, sucking up prime riverfront real-estate and generating little return to the public.
www.cincinnati.com www.cincinnati.com

www.cincinnati.com

Paycor Stadium among worst stadiums in NFL, according to USA TODAY list

USA TODAY recently released a ranking of the most regularly used NFL stadiums. But where did Paycor Stadium fall?
www.cincinnati.com www.cincinnati.com
 
So do the Bengals pony up and pay Higgins or do they think Andrei Iosivas is ready to be the #2 receiver and let Higgins go and use the money to bolster the defense? Sign and trade Higgins?
 
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