Billl

It’d be 6 in a row.

You get a WHAT?

Before the injury, he had 34 catches for 350 yards and 2 TDs in 10 games. He was the same guy after he returned as he was before with 16 catches for 163 yards in 6 games.

RB contracts look to have finally bottomed out and are rebounding. 3 years for somewhere between $12m and $15m per isn’t unreasonable for a top 10 RB. I mean, Beane’s handed out not insignificant cash to guys like Hoecht, Ogunjobi, and Palmer, but he’s going to get into a pissing contest with Cook over a million or two a year? I don’t get it. What’s the point of spending a second round draft pick on a player who you don’t think will be worth that amount even if you hit on the pick? If the 5-10th best player at a position isn’t worth $15 million per year then there is no reason to ever draft a player who plays that position before day 3 of the draft.

He’s a unique talent for sure. I’m just not convinced he’s a great CB or a great WR, though. Similar to Jabrill Peppers, I don’t think he would be thought of as a premium player if he only played one position in college.

Obligatory

If you had the #1 overall pick but couldn’t trade it, who would you take?

They led in the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl with the same core of players and have played the Chiefs tougher in the postseason than any other team. The options are to play to their existing, massive strengths and try to hit on some draft picks around them or tear things down around Burrow and try to completely reinvent the roster. No serious franchise would go with the latter. Three years ago, the Chiefs traded Tyreek because he wanted $30 million AAV. Today, that contract sounds like a massive bargain. The same will be true for Chase and Higgins. The Bengals’ issues have been 100% caused by poor drafting the last few seasons. No amount of middle class free agent signings will change that.

Buffalo just paid $31 million to not have Diggs play for them, and they made the AFCCG. If they can survive that, Cincinnati can survive paying $80 million for Chase and Higgins. Every roster problem in this league can be solved by drafting well. The Bengals have 3 superstars, 4 if you count Higgins. They are one great draft away from being serious contenders for the foreseeable future.

So what would have been a better use of their cap space? Rousseau and Bernard got a combined $32 million a year. Add in Ogunjobi and Hoecht, and you’re at nearly $50 million. Palmer and Shakir bring you essentially even with what Cincy just spend for Chase and Higgins. Who would you rather have? Chase and Higgins or Palmer, Shakir Hoecht, Ogunjobi, Rousseau, and Bernard? I’m probably going with Chase and Higgins and taking my chances trying to fill in gaps with draft picks and veteran minimum level FAs.

These are easily affordable contracts, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they sign Hendrickson as well. I’ve said this repeatedly, but paying big contracts to superstars isn’t how you get into salary cap trouble. You get into trouble by overpaying JAGs. The Bengals have decided to pay their stars and try to fill in the gaps with draft picks and veteran minimum level fill-ins. That means they can’t afford the Josh Palmer and Michael Hoecht type of deals. It may or may not work, but it’s not a terrible strategy.

I’m not sure he means Cooper wants to retire. It sound like he’s saying he’s washed.

You’re WAY underrating Omenihu. He’s a very solid player and will be a big loss for the Chiefs if he leaves.

Will Phillips sign up for that, though? Not sure how appealing the idea of going through training camp and all that just to play for 6 weeks is going to be to a 32 year old who has been spending the offseason touring retirement properties on beaches. Combine the two “Eatin’ ain’t cheatin’”.

He’s my great uncle (for real). Well he was, anyway.