kungfoodude

Well, keep in mind our DL is basically two starting caliber players and a lot of rotational guys. Same with our LB's/EDGE guys. Make no mistake, ON PAPER, it's squarely a bottom 10 unit. We just need to make some quality additions in the draft and perhaps we can move towards being a mediocre unit. No one should have any illusions of a sudden top 10 unit. You don't come from as bad a unit as we had(not statistically, I mean from a pure talent standpoint) and make it into a good unit in just one offseason. It's gonna take a LOT of work. But, the vision they are projecting is clear. Get younger. So they are operating as if they are aware this is a long term process. I don't agree with everything they have done but I am happy they are finally self aware enough to realize this isn't going to turn around quickly and we aren't 1-2 players away. That was MURDEROUS during the Rhule Reign of Terror.

Yeah, either Cincy is really going to work hard to keep this all together or they have dramatically miscalculated and it's going to end really poorly.

Money and age. He is 33 and was due a pretty big chunk. They netted something like $4 mil savings on the cap. His play has not dropped off at all but admittedly, he probably is shopping for a contender rather than another paycheck. I agree. I don't think he fits with our current youth movement, however. Love the player, though.

If you wanted an idea of how bad our team actually was/is, precisely one of our free agents was signed yesterday.

He would immediately be the best blocker and receiver of all of our TE's and RB's.

This is precisely what I would be worried about. Also, the idea of keeping Higgins over Chase is just absolutely nuts. Burrow would have a fuging stroke.

We are currently constructed on offense as a ram it down your throat rushing team. He would also add an element of being a reliable safety valve for the QB. What say you, Huddle? Get one of the last true FB's in the NFL?

BPA with a dramatic preference to trading down. Hasn't changed at all due to any of the signings.

Youth is definitely a key factor it seems like. I like the thought process there.

While true, contracts like Wharton are pretty big head scratchers. Overpaying for big level OG's like we did last season made some sense. But you can't pay top 30 starter money to basically a fairly average player. That hurts in the long run.

Front 7 is still pretty bad. Brown is a big upgrade but Wharton is a pass rush specialist who is very poor against the run. Jones is also a rotational pass rushing guy, so that won't move the needle much. Draft will need to be very, very good to make a big turnaround.

TBH, this is still a bottom 10 defense on paper. BUT, probably not a bottom 2 defense.

I mean, it still is pretty bare, TBH.

That's a crazy number for a guy coming off an Achilles tear.

Eh....I see what you are getting at. I am a little miffed at the Warren hype. Good prospect but the top 10 stuff is crazy, to me. We would be ignorant enough to make that move then watch someone like Elijah Arroyo be a 6 time Pro Bowl 2nd round pick.

My brother in Christ, have we not learned from our top 10 RB experiences? Let's not make another lightspeed retarded move again.

Yeah, I mean if Manning flops that is a pretty rough list, IMO.

That's probably about right for the player. He is a fairly one dimensional run stuffer/lane clogger. But, that's also what we really were in sore need of on that DL. I like the signing and I like the price.

We will see. I generally disagree. Especially with Manning. I mean....the dude was a two year backup for a 4th or 5th round QB.

Supposedly Bosa is going to end up in SF. Interesting that Holland and Ward are still on the board. Greenlaw is probably a wave two or three guy because of that injury.

No doubt. I just mean this was the time to strike in terms of first contract value, which will be worth considerably more than NIL money. But, if you notice, they were not rated ahead of guys like Sanders and Ward in most of the early big boards prior to returning. I don't think they are(rightfully so, IMO) true first round talents.

That's a decent signing. Good run defender. This makes a lot of sense. Hope it's not something ignorant, as he is an above average player overall.

I mean, probably not very well but I wish them all the worst, in general.

I really don't think much of Nico and Allar and Nussmeier could have come out this season and opted to not do so. And that is in a VERY weak QB class. I know other guys are likely to pop up at some point but, on paper, 2026 really looks to be a pretty weak QB class early on.

Being wild spenders in free agency rarely leads to sustained success. The draft is always the best place to build long term success.