Cincinnati Bengals (Same Ole Bengals)

[RB07OSU]

Here's where I (unfortunately) disagree with you.

Mikey learned his cheap ways from his father, the late, great Paul Brown. Who do you think Katie's been learning how to run an NFL team from?

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree and all those other clichés.

Go listen to Andrew Whitworth talk about his final years with the club. It wasn't Mike Brown that threw him under the bus, it was Katie and her husband.

Katie's largely been in charge of player contracts for several years now. Is Chase signed? Is Tee...? Who let Joe Mixon go mostly because they didn't want to pay him...? And didn't feel DJ was worth the money?

Yep. Lil' Pumkin that's who.

I'm sorry to be Donny Downer but if you really think things are going to drastically change once SoP goes to that big locker room in the sky you're dreaming.

I will agree with about 95% of that, especially on being cheap and that is well documented by Cincy fans. This organization has been cheap my entire life, we were making potential free agents foot their own tab in Cincy. That's a terrible look and I would be pissed as top FA having to deal with that.

The only part I will disagree with is Katie was seemingly coming around in our SB year. Pretty much everyone in LA sang her praises on team management and perhaps it was misguided, I would have to look at Whitworth because I haven't read up on that. That being said, it was one year and one year does not define a professional decision maker (probably to your point).

To that end, I bolded player contract issues because to me it is a mixed book. Chase has to be resigned and if he isn't, Katie gets an F- on that alone and should be fired. Same for Hendrickson. Now on Mixon, I am fine with that decision...he had a decent year but the position is fungible, and Chase Brown's output as a whole was roughly equivalent.

Tee performed when needed this year, but I have a problem with him not putting in the effort last year. He was lazy and just bitched about his contract. I am fine with him leaving if it happens, might be best for the team.

On DJ Reader, Katie screwed that up bad. We needed him and the primary issue for our defense was in the A-Gap. I blame Tobin equally, but not getting Reader back was pure negligence. But hey, lets draft players from *ichigan. This is the part I am really mad about. Just absolute ideocracy to let the best NG in the League go with no backup plan.

 

[ScriptOhio]

 

[Bestbuck36]

Dirty

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Fucks sake. Just pay the man, you losers. This fucking organization sucks.

 

[Jaxbuck]

If it wasn’t the Bengals I’d say they are just posturing for leverage in the negotiations.

But it’s the Bengals so….

 

[ScriptOhio]

Bengals aim to retain trio of stars, sources say

The Bengals will attempt to secure a trio of stars who need new deals -- wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and defensive end Trey Hendrickson -- for the long term this offseason, sources told ESPN.

www.espn.com

Sources: Bengals aim for deals with Chase, Higgins, Hendrickson​

The Cincinnati Bengals are hoping to pull off an ambitious -- and expensive -- offseason.

The team will attempt to secure a trio of stars who need new deals -- wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and defensive end Trey Hendrickson -- for the long term, sources told ESPN.

Whether Cincinnati can pull it off remains uncertain, but the team's messaging behind the scenes is that it's certainly going to try.

That starts with Higgins, who is set to hit free agency March 12. One team source says they believe the Bengals will use the franchise tag on Higgins if no long-term deal is reached by the March 4 tag deadline "in order to have time to get a deal done. Can't let him walk."

Sports Illustrated reported Monday that Cincinnati planned to put the nonexclusive tag on Higgins. This would give the team and player until July 15 to negotiate a long-term deal, and if no deal is reached, Higgins would play on a salary of $26.17 million for 2025. Higgins played under a franchise tag of $21.8 million in 2024, and a second tag, in this case, triggers a 20% increase of the previous payout.
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[RB07OSU]

Fucks sake. Just pay the man, you losers. This fucking organization sucks.

And the sad part is all knew it was coming. Maybe a blind squirrel finds an acorn here but past results indicate we won't. I wouldn't be saying this except for the fact that Tee stopped bitching and showed his worth this season, so pay the guy for playing overall lights-out this year. The OL (assuming we keep most guys) is actually fairly set for once, so we can pay Tee more.

I know we need money for defense, but you could also prioritize defense in the draft on cheaper contracts. Resigning Hendrickson is not even optional, it has to get done. But there is a lot of weight we could shed on the budget at other positions on defense and make the defense better. It will be interesting to see how Golden plays into that equation, but I love that hire to hopefully fix that side of the ball.

Regardless, get a deal done with Higgins or we are just inept.

 

[BigWoof31]

NFL Rules Nerds - a question:

Higgins would play on a salary of $26.17 million for 2025

My understanding is that TH wants stability and years. So if a longer term deal is reached, can they remove the tag in a new contract?

Hypothetically - if they gave TH 4 years, 20mm/year all guaranteed - yes he would be taking less in 2025 but that's 80mm guaranteed through 2030. Would that go into effect immediately or is he now "locking in" to the 26.17 million for 2025?

(Yes I know he's probably going to command more than 20mm/year - I just needed an example)

 

[RB07OSU]

NFL Rules Nerds - a question:



My understanding is that TH wants stability and years. So if a longer term deal is reached, can they remove the tag in a new contract?

Hypothetically - if they gave TH 4 years, 20mm/year all guaranteed - yes he would be taking less in 2025 but that's 80mm guaranteed through 2030. Would that go into effect immediately or is he now "locking in" to the 26.17 million for 2025?

(Yes I know he's probably going to command more than 20mm/year - I just needed an example)

I'm not an expert, so anyone can correct my understanding if I'm wrong. But I believe the tag could be contracted around like you suggested. I can't think of specific examples, but I believe this has happened in the past.

It appears the salary cap is going to go up a nice bump and to an amount where this should get done with competent management. These players and their agents aren't fools, they know there is more money available. Can't blame Tee or Chase here at all, don't be cheap to two of your best players that are seriously critical to the franchise. If any of those two or Hendrickson don't get the right deal to stay in Cincy, I'll be furious.