Tag: Duke Tobin

Where Howie Roseman landed in a power ranking of all 32 NFL GMs

Where Philadelphia Eagles Howie Roseman landed in an NFL.com power ranking of all 32 NFL General Managers

NFL team decision-makers are not exempt from seeing their stock rise and fall like the Nasdaq, and as Eagles general manager Howie Roseman prepares for another NFL draft, his status among his peers has seemed to take a hit.

Roseman was once considered one of the top GMs in the NFL, but over the past few years, his draft-day decisions have caused a slide in general manager rankings.

Around this time last April, Roseman was ranked among the worst executives in football, and that was one year after another top-5 ranking.

In a recent ranking from NFL.com’s Greg Rosenthal, Roseman landed in the middle of the pack, garnering an average ranking.

14) Howie Roseman, Philadelphia Eagles. Like Bill Belichick, Roseman badly needed a rebound after a string of mostly shaky drafts — and the Eagles GM got it with DeVonta Smith, Landon Dickerson, and Milton Williams. The Jalen Hurts pick also looks pretty good now; Philadelphia got league-average starting-quarterback play from a second-rounder on a rookie contract. There have been some massive ups and downs in Roseman’s reign, but he’s settling in here just above average, like the Eagles’ nine-win seasons in three of the last four years.

Brandon Beane of the Bills and Les Snead of the Rams landed at the top of the list, with the Steelers, Packers, and Chiefs landing in the top-5.

Signing the 2018 class to contract extensions is a feather in Roseman’s cap, but the 2019 selection of J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and the 2020 selection of Jalen Reagor have dragged the Eagles’ general manager down a peg after he passed on Pro Bowl wide receivers in back-to-back NFL drafts.

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Bengals to decide Jessie Bates-franchise tag decision over next few days

An update on Jessie Bates from the Bengals.

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The Cincinnati Bengals have never been gunshy when talking about how much they want safety Jessie Bates back in the fold.

Speaking with reporters at the scouting combine on Tuesday, director of player personnel Duke Tobin hit on similar themes when talking about whether Bates will ultimately get an extension or hit with the franchise tag.

Tobin told reporters the Bengals will have a decision over the next few days. They’re not ready to announce whether they’ll use the franchise tag, but he did stress that Bates is an important part of the program and they want him back.

Teams have until March 8 to apply tags to players.

Bates remains priority No. 1:

Bates himself recently created a Twitter firestorm with tweets that seemed to hint about an update here. Big Bengals names like Logan Wilson and Mike Hilton have publically lobbied for Bates to get his extension.

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Duke Tobin says Bengals will use any means, including trades, to improve o-line

It’s “any means necessary” time for the Bengals.

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It’s clear the Cincinnati Bengals will take a by any means necessary approach to the offensive line problems this offseason.

Speaking to reporters at the scouting combine on Tuesday, director of player personnel Duke Tobin said the team will use all options available to them in this pursuit.

Tobin specifically pointed out making trades as a way the team could look when it comes to addressing the problems with the unit in front of Joe Burrow.

On one hand, that’s just Tobin going through the paces and listing off some due diligence. But on the other, the Bengals haven’t been shy about leaning into trades in recent years when necessary — they added a quality rotational defensive lineman in B.J. Hill last year when they shipped away Billy Price.

Here’s the note from ESPN’s Ben Baby:

The Bengals will look to free agency and the draft as a way to improve too. But to say there are some quality trade targets out there they could go after between now and training camp would be an understatement:

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Bengals’ Duke Tobin talks Joe Burrow, Geno Atkins, draft trades and more

Duke Tobin of the Cincinnati Bengals had an interesting meeting with the media ahead of free agency opening.

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Cincinnati Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin met with the media Monday in what would have normally been his scheduled time during the NFL combine.

Tobin touched on a wide range of subjects, including the status of Joe Burrow’s rehab: “He’s attacking it full speed and looks great.”

Perhaps more interestingly, Tobin made it pretty clear he thinks this offseason’s unique cap situation could be highly beneficial for the team and that they are ready to be plenty active. With so many teams struggling to meet the reduced cap, the Bengals are keeping eyes on trade targets and possible cuts from around the league.

On the Geno Atkins front, Tobin declared it a “fluid situation,” with the underlying meaning hinting at a potential restructure or cut if they can’t find a trade partner and need more space for something else.

Also notable was Tobin dropping a “I never say never to anything” about a potential draft trade in the first round, though he stressed that they don’t usually happen until right when a team is on the clock.

As we’ve said often here, the Bengals might have a rare opportunity to revamp the roster this offseason and if there’s one big takeaway from Tobin’s presser, it’s that he would likely agree.

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Duke Tobin says Bengals want to extend Joe Mixon despite salary cap questions

The Cincinnati Bengals want to get a deal with Joe Mixon done.

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The unknown that is the NFL’s salary cap situation in 2021 and beyond is something that could play a part in the Cincinnati Bengals doing an extension with star running back Joe Mixon.

But Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin made it sound like they want to proceed with an extension regardless.

Tobin met with media Monday before training camp began and said the team wants to keep Mixon for the long-term and that he isn’t worried about positional value so much as he is about just keeping a great player.

He also highlighted the point about the salary cap, per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com:

The cap is an understandably big concern. It could be dramatically reduced in 2021 and the following seasons as the NFL hopes to recoup some of the revenue losses with fans largely unable to attend games.

But extension structure is a way the Bengals could get around having a reduced cap but still keeping Mixon under contract for the long-term.

With A.J. Green’s deadline over, it feels like a Mixon extension could happen any day. And funnily enough, it sure seemed like Mixon and Shawn Williams were talking about his extension on Twitter recently.

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Duke Tobin: Bengals have talked Joe Mixon extension, want it to work

It sounds like the Cincinnati Bengals plan to make a Joe Mixon extension a priority.

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Is a Joe Mixon extension priority No. 1 for the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason?

Before the scheduled release, we suggested Mixon might have to wait for the Bengals to figure out something (or not) with A.J. Green. The star wideout’s mid-July deadline for an extension would pass with a result one way or the other, paving the way for talks with Mixon.

But maybe not.

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin made the rounds for interviews around the schedule release and one of the most interesting topics was the state of talks with Mixon.

In an interview with 700 WLW, Tobin noted the Bengals have been in touch with Mixon and explained why getting something done is a goal, as documented by Fox 19’s Jeremy Rauch:

Notables in there from Tobin, summarized:

“…he is a guy that we have visited with, we’ll go through those discussions and see if there is a fit or a match for a long-term contract with him, obviously a guy we value quite a bit…he’s the type of guy you want to lock up to a long-term deal.”

That doesn’t necessarily sound like a team ready to wait on Green’s situation.

And with this being an odd offseason potentially littered with delays, the Bengals might not even get a chance before mid-July to see if Green’s ankle is actually healthy and capable of holding up — meaning he plays 2020 on the tag and they get back together next offseason.

While there is a positional value conversation worth having when it comes to running backs, Mixon’s approach and leadership role for Zac Taylor atop the production makes him a probable extension candidate, provided the two sides can find common ground.

Extending one of Mixon or Green — if not both, really — would cap off an incredible offseason for the Bengals, to say the least.

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Bengals’ Duke Tobin gave a behind-the-scenes look at home NFL virtual draft setup

Duke Tobin of the Bengals offered a look at how a virtual NFL draft unfolds.

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A plethora of questions and speculation hang over the 2020 NFL draft and its all-virtual format, which will feature general managers and front offices executing the NFL draft from home much like a fantasy football draft.

Thursday, Cincinnati Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin held a meet with the media and — besides hinting the No. 1 pick is decided but he won’t spoil it — he gave a behind-the-scenes look at his draft setup.

Among the strangest elements of this all-virtual setup? The ever-watching eye of the NFL from a singular camera off in the corner, which the league will use to keep an eye on Tobin, via ESPN’s Ben Baby:

Besides the camera there and the big board next to it, Tobin displayed a computer in front of him and one off to his left. The standalone off to his left will be where he officially submits picks:

The whole presser is available here:

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Duke Tobin, Bengals are locked in on their No. 1 pick but won’t spoil it

The Bengals and Duke Tobin didn’t make the Joe Burrow pick official today.

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The Cincinnati Bengals and director of player personnel Duke Tobin have dialed in on their No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

Just don’t expect anyone from the organization to spoil the pick.

Tobin and the Bengals sat down for a presser with the media in typical pre-draft fashion Thursday. He had plenty to say about Joe Burrow — but didn’t want to say Burrow is the pick.

On a Zoom conference from his office, Tobin noted when it comes to the first pick, “we feel very good about the direction we’re heading,” which is about as specific as he’d get when it comes to what they’re going to do with it.

On the Burrow-specific front, Tobin said he’s the sort of player who gets better the more he plays. They also love his leadership qualities and football intellect.

As we’ve previously noted, the Bengals had maxed out their permitted time to talk with Burrow before the draft. Presumably, that time was used to help get him as in front of the ball as possible with a potentially shortened summer on the way.

Otherwise, Tobin noted he expects as many trades as usual despite the all-virtual circumstances of this year’s draft

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Is Duke Tobin hinting at a bigger Bengals role in free agency?

Duke Tobin has some interesting thoughts on Bengals free agency.

The Cincinnati Bengals sound like a team headed toward a more active role in free agency.

Yes, Bengals fans have heard that before. But as the team heads toward being able to build around a rookie quarterback contract, even the team’s site has seemed to suggest the front office could be more active.

And at the scouting combine Tuesday, director of player personnel Duke Tobin offered up the following, per ESPN’s Ben Baby: “It’s not a question of whether we’re going to spend.”

Tobin’s expanded comments weave in re-signing their own, per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com:

“At the same time we’ve got a lot of needs on our football team and we’re going to look at free agency and we’ll see what dominos fall,” Tobin said. “It’s going to be a blend. We’ve got guys we’re talking to on our own team about extensions, so we’ll see what we can get done. You don’t know what’s going to get done until it actually gets done. Once one domino falls then you’ve got to adjust at that point. We’ve always been a team that wants to keep and reward guys who have come in and done it the right way and produced for us. Being a player on the Cincinnati Bengals you know if you come in and do it the right way, produce, become a good player we’re going to look to extend you and reward you for that.”

None of this would likely mean the Bengals would be in the running for free agency’s biggest names. But one might reasonably expect the team to go after bigger names and numbers than last year’s John Miller deal at three years and $16.5 million.

Again, Bengals fans probably have a sense of deja vu on this sort of topic. But a rookie quarterback contract plus potentially an unknown in terms of Zac Taylor’s level of control makes for an interesting dynamic.

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Duke Tobin on trading No. 1 pick: ‘The phone’s always on’

A key member of the Bengals noted the front office will consider everything with the first pick in the 2020 draft.

During his time at the Senior Bowl, Cincinnati Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin made a point to stress everything is still on the table when it comes to the No. 1 pick.

And that includes trading the 2020 draft’s top selection away.

During the game and broadcast itself, Tobin hit the press box with a host of NFL Network reporters and told onlookers that the Bengals will work hard at the whole process, including looking at all options for the first pick and all options for moving the pick.

At the suggestion the Bengals could move the pick a reporter asked Tobin if his phone is always on in respect to the No. 1 pick and Tobin kept it simple: “The phone’s always on.”

It’s yet another way for Tobin and the Bengals to confirm they’ll do due diligence on everything and consider all options while also signaling to other teams they might be willing to talk shop about a trade.

And even though a return for the first overall pick would net a historic return, it’s still hard to imagine the Bengals pull the trigger on any deal at all with Joe Burrow on the board.

If it isn’t a trade, the Bengals are reportedly considering four prospects at No. 1.

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