Mr. WEO

They showed they can get to the SB with a lights out and mediocre D. Just tell us who they could/should have gotten instead of signing both Chase and Higgins. Not "all the free agents" (not what we are talking about here)--pick a game changer. You seem to have someone in mind, why not tell us. he ran that D into the ground. McD would have dumped him just the same--in a heartbeat.

yeah go ahead--first list all the stars they lost on D after 2022 and then list all of the game changers they could have had this offseason. Mediocre Defense stepped up. It can happen again.

well, Hendrickson is already on the roster and they are about to extend him, per reports. So...who else? Who on Defense did they not sign that would have the same overall impact that Higgins or Chase would have?

It's not like they canned that entire mediocre Defense 2 years ago after back to back AFCC games and a SB.... What if they didn't pay both of these guys? What single Defensive player did they not pay for (instead of re-signing Higgins that would have had a major impact on their playoff hopes? Eagles won a SB in 2022, got bounced in the WC in 2024 and won again in 2024. Their Defesne was 8th , 30th, and 2nd over that span. How did they go from 30th to 2nd in one year? Adding Zach Baun?? nah.

measuring a roster by contests where others vote on the players has obvious limitations.

they went to the big dance with a mediocre defense. now they can focus on a cheaper rebuild of the Defense through the draft. I think it's a lot easier to draft their way back into the middle of the pack Defense than Offense. many posters here want this FA or that and say (correctly) "the cap keeps going higher". The cap is rising the same amount for the Bengals. If, for example, the Bills paid for Chase and Higgins I would be jumping for joy---everyone would. No one would care that Beane is stuffing the D with aging retreads or 1 year guys or guys with PED issues.

It wasn't in their SB season. So they should let Chase or Higgins play elsewhere so they can pick up...who? Bosa? Miller? Jordan Philips? A PED guy?

Not sure---you brought it up. But starting mediocre guys you signed because you didn't sign better ones isn't "coaching up", i bet. The difference with Belichick was 6 rings with a constant roster churn. And when he was done with them, he didn't bring them back at another time. That's coaching....

they drafted them and now are paying them

rostering a series of backups who "aren't complete disasters" isn't "coaching up the CB position"...

who were the best guys they lost after the SB year?

if he's just for camp then then sign an UDFA to take those snaps.

Well if any elite starter goes down, no amount of linemen on either side of the ball are going to win games for a team. I don't disagree that you need better guys in the trenches. But the Bengals are not the Eagles, where they have essentially abandoned the passing game because of one RB.

they went to the SB with the 17th ranked Defense. But it's true their D has fallen off. Maybe they need a new DC. But paying these 3 guys is a no brainer. No matter who they bring in on Defense, that team wins with Offense.

you don't build that muscle mass at the training table....

I would think most QBs who re-sign with their team for a huge chunk can easily toss in that they want to retire a Bill. Why qualify it?

that's what i posted...

Palmer has had 13 drops the past 3 seasons---5.7%.

they aren't on the roster. Levi was less than mediocre. Elam was a complete whiff. Jackson is a backup. White was a 1st rounder that didn't need "coaching up".

this team building got them to a SB couple years ago.

why pay a guy over a million to help out with drills in camp?

there is no downgrade from Kenny Picket...

even a team that knowingly signs a suspended player?