Boyd and Mixon are two common names thrown around when it comes to who might leave next season, personally, I’d like to keep both, but I’m not sure that’s realistic. What do you guys think their future looks like with the team?
Boyd and Mixon are two common names thrown around when it comes to who might leave next season, personally, I’d like to keep both, but I’m not sure that’s realistic. What do you guys think their future looks like with the team?
They like Mixon and he’s not expensive. He might stay. Really, they need to draft high on RB this year to get a good back and running game in order but probably won’t. If Boyd offers a discount maybe he stays, but chances are he’s gone.
Other notables. Tee Higgins is a question mark. They can tag him if they want or let him walk. If they let Tee walk and Boyd walk that leaves a huge WR hole. So maybe keep one or the other. Drafting high on WR will probably be done before RB
Irv Smith Jr is a rental and didn’t do well so he’s gone. Tanner Hudson is probably going to stay. Not sure rather Hudson gets TE1 but probably. The Bengals might draft at TE but it’s likely someone to go under Hudson’s wing, I don’t expect drafting high on this one.
The Bengals need to re-sign Jonah Williams this year because he’s showing strength. The Bengals should be drafting at center and at left gaurd, but they will likely just go with Left gaurd.
Defense The Bengals also need to re-sign Reader because he is hard to replace. Drafting a fast pass rusher should be priority again this year. They might also go for a backup safety and a fast CB
The decisions don’t have to be linear. Deadline to franchise tag is before free agency opens. So yo not tag Higgins would be GM malpractice because they have $75m in cap space and tagging Higgins would cost $22m (only in theory if they immediately trade him). At the very least you trade him away and get a high second rd pick or a mid 2nd rounder and a day 3 pick swap.
In any case, before FA begins they will know the decision on Higgins (because they will not be able to retain him in free agency) and go aggressive on Boyd if they want him.
They could tag Williams instead of Higgins too but that would be a terrible decision imo. Higgins is worth the tag and will fetch you at the very least equivalent of a second rd pick, while Williams will be a waste of money at the tag value (top 5 OT level money) and he is average at best and won’t even get you a 5th or 6th rounder in a trade or comp pick.
Bengals ought to be tactically smart and tag Higgins because it gives them several options to address the roster. If you keep him, then you only need to address RT, IOL, IDL as priority positions in the draft or FA and depth at TE, CB, pass rush and RB. If you trade Higgins, you get 1-2 extra picks to them still address RT, IOL, IDL, WR and depth at TE, CB etc. their pick will be high enough to be top 10 that they get one of the top 3 offensive tackles(assuming Williams, Maye, MHJ, Bowers all go top 10). The draft next year is heavy on good OTs.
Hudson isn’t a starting caliber TE. He can’t block really at all and is almost 30. I like him on the team, but it will be extremely unwise to go into the season with him as the guy.
If the Bengals don’t do that, then it’s likely another one year rental. If they have a high draft pick, then I doubt they would spend it on TE.
I’m not sure why everyone says this like they didn’t draft Sample with a high pick.
They aren’t opposed to drafting TEs. I don’t think it should be a first round pick, but the hole is big enough for round 2 or 3.
Sample might be the reason why they don’t draft high for TE anymore.
Not drafting one for a few years doesn’t mean they don’t draft them high anymore.
Sample wasn’t a good pick, but that really has nothing to do with his position. He was considered a massive reach immediately.