Tag: NFL Free Agency

4 ‘go for broke’ free agent signings the Chargers could pursue in offseason

General manager Tom Telesco should look to throw his money at these soon-to-be free agents.

The Los Angeles Chargers enter this offseason with the most salary cap space that they’ve had in years.

Even though L.A. has to use a good chunk of that money to re-sign a few of their own players, along with possibly extending a notable – defensive end Joey Bosa, they should look to bring in some external free agents to ensure they’re in the most optimal position to make a run in 2020 – even if that means breaking the bank.

It wouldn’t be like general manager Tom Telesco to go on a free agency frenzy, but he said in his end-of-season press conference that this is probably the most cap space that they’ve had since he has been there, so it could be suggesting that he might be the most aggressive that he’s been since taking over in 2013.

Should Telesco and company look to bring in some big-time free agents that might require a hefty paycheck, then these are four additions that we’d advocate for.

G Brandon Scherff

Scherff, the three-time Pro Bowler, has started in every game he has played in since his rookie year in 2015, and he has played 100% of the offensive snaps in all but eight of his 65 games. A wall in pass protection and a mover in the run blocking department, Scherff allowed one sack, nine hurries, and 10 overall pressures last season. The former Iowa product has battled through some injuries throughout his career, but he has overcame them and has managed to continue to still play at a high level. Scherff would be an immediate plug-and-play guard on the left side, taking over Dan Feeney, assuming that Michael Schofield is re-signed. Spotrac has his estimated value at a four-year, $50 million deal.

OT Jack Conklin

Conklin, the 25-year old tackle, became an All-Pro as a rookie, but tore his ACL during the 2018 playoffs. He has allowed just 9.5 sacks in his four-year stint since being selected in the first-round of the 2016 NFL draft. In the 2019 regular season, he allowed two sacks, finishing with a streak of 11-straight games without one allowed. With the Chargers have a major need at the right tackle position, Conklin would be an immediate upgrade over Sam Tevi. Spotrac has his estimated value at a six-year, $89 million deal.

CB James Bradberry

The Chargers could shore up their secondary by adding a talented player opposite of CB Casey Hayward. Hayward was acquired via free agency and Telesco could make another splash by looking in the pool to find one of the league’s most underrated corners. At the age of 26, Bradberry is entering his prime. He defended nine passes along with a career-high three interceptions this past season. His best season came in 2018 when he defended 15 passes, posted two interceptions, forced a fumble and recorded a sack. Los Angeles wouldn’t necessarily have to go broke to acquire him – but based on his production in recent seasons he wouldn’t be that cheap, either.

WR Robby Anderson

The Chargers are missing one piece to the wide receiver room. Keenan Allen and Mike Williams have proven themselves, but the guys behind them failed to step up as WR3. The wide receiver should and most likely will be addressed in the draft since there is plenty of talent in this year’s class – but Anderson would give Los Angeles something that they were hoping to get out of Travis Benjamin – a fast, vertical threat that could keep defenses honest. He’s never surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in a single season, but he is averaging 14.8 yards per reception. With this wide receiver group in free agency set to be rather thin, his asking price is likely to be somewhere in the ballpark of Tyrell Williams’ (four-year, $44 million)

Jets Free Agent Profile: What to do with LB Neville Hewitt?

Jets Wire takes a look at whether or not New York should bring back cornerback and impending free-agent linebacker Neville Hewitt.

Before Joe Douglas can focus on who he plans to target in free agency come March, he’ll have a handful of in-house decisions to make.

The Jets have 32 players set to hit the open market this offseason. Some don’t figure to factor into New York’s plans for 2020, while it’s safe to assume the Jets would like to keep others around for a while. Either way, Douglas has a lot of work to do in his first offseason on the job.

Neville Hewitt stepped up when the Jets needed him the most last season. With Avery Williamson, C.J. Mosley and Blake Cashman all sidelined due to injury, Hewitt filled a major void in the middle of New York’s defense with a career year. Was his 2019 campaign enough to warrant a return next season? Let’s evaluate the situation in Jets Wire’s latest free agent profile.

Pros of keeping him

Hewitt is coming off a career year in which he recorded 72 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks and eight quarterback hits. Not bad for a player who spent most of his time on special teams and only recorded a combined 40 tackles over the previous two seasons.

As the Jets learned in 2019, it never hurts to have quality depth on the roster. If one of New York’s middle linebacker trio succumbs to injury again next season, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams wouldn’t have to worry about inserting an inexperienced player into the middle of his defense. Hewitt is also only 26 and has plenty of good football ahead of him.

With Hewitt in the mix, the Jets have a veteran linebacker they can rely on. Even if he doesn’t get a lot of playing time on defense, he’s a key special teams player at the very least.

Cons of bringing him back

Mosley and Cashman are all going to be back with clean bills of health in 2020. Williamson is under contract, but his future is less certain. Anyway, Hewitt made only $1 million last season and earned himself a few extra bucks with the way he performed. According to overthecap.com, Hewitt could be worth as much as $3 million on the open market. Is Hewitt worth paying when the Jets can get a backup linebacker like fellow free agent James Burgess at a cheaper price? That question is going to loom large when it comes to Hewitt’s future with the organization.

There’s also Hewitt’s deficiencies in pass coverage. New York could opt to target a reserve linebacker it can slot in on passing downs as opposed to a player who profiles similarly to Mosley and Cashman.

The verdict

Whether or not to keep Hewitt is one of the toughest decisions Douglas has to make this offseason. There are just as many reasons to keep him as there are to let him go. At the end of the day, Douglas will have to decide what he wants out of his inside linebackers.

If he wants a linebacker with a nose for the ball in run support, odds are he’ll make every effort to ensure Hewitt returns in 2020. If he prefers a linebacker who is better in pass coverage, Hewitt will likely be out the door. When taking everything into account, we’re going to predict he’s back in the green and white next season.

Important offseason dates NFL fans should know

When is the NFL draft? When does NFL free agency start? Here are the important offseason dates that fans should know.

The NFL’s offseason won’t truly begin until after Super Bowl LIV but for teams that didn’t make the playoffs (and for teams that have been knocked out of the playoffs), the offseason has already started.

The Denver Broncos, for example, have already signed 15 players to reserve/future contracts. Those players will officially join the team’s 90-man offseason roster when the new league year begins in March.

Many more transactions will happen this spring, most notable through NFL free agency and the NFL draft. Here are the dates for free agency, the draft and every other notable offseason event on the NFL’s calendar, courtesy of the league’s communications department.

Jan. 11-12 Divisional Playoffs.
Jan. 12 Assistant coaches under contract to playoff clubs that won their Wild Card games may be interviewed for head coaching positions through the conclusion of Divisional Playoff games.
Jan. 17 Deadline for college players who are underclassmen to apply for Special Eligibility. A list of underclassmen who have been approved for entry into the 2020 College Draft will be sent to clubs on January 21.
Jan. 18 East-West Shrine Bowl, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida.
NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California.
Jan. 19 AFC and NFC Championship Games.
Jan. 25 Senior Bowl, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama.
Jan. 26 NFL Pro Bowl.
An assistant coach, whose team is participating in the Super Bowl, who has previously interviewed for another club’s head coaching job may have a second interview with such club no later than the Sunday preceding the Super Bowl.
FEBRUARY
Feb. 2 Super Bowl LIV, Hard Rock Stadium, South Florida.
Feb. 3 Waiver system begins for 2020.
Feb. 11 Beginning at 12:00 noon, New York time, NFL clubs may begin to sign players whose 2020 CFL contracts have expired. Players under contract to a CFL club for the 2020 season or who have an option for the 2020 season are not eligible to be signed.
Feb. 24-March 2 NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Feb. 25 First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
MARCH
March 10 Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 16-18 Clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2019 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 18.
March 18 Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must exercise options for 2020 on all players who have option clauses in their 2019 contracts.
Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation.
Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit a minimum salary tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2019 contracts who have fewer than three accrued seasons of free agency credit.
Top 51 Rule begins. All clubs must be under the 2020 Salary Cap prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time.
All 2019 player contracts will expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
The 2020 league year and free agency period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
The first day of the 2020 league year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 18. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 18.
Trading period for 2020 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2019 contracts.
March 29-April 1 Annual League Meeting, Palm Beach, Florida.
APRIL
April 6 Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2019 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.
April 17 Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets
April 20 Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.
April 23-25 NFL Draft, Las Vegas, Nevada.
April 27 Beginning this date, NFL clubs may request permission to visit with, try out, or sign any player who was under contract to the XFL at the conclusion of the XFL season.
MAY
May 1-4 Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.
May 5 Deadline for prior club to send “May 5 Tender” to its unsigned Unrestricted Free Agents. If the player has not signed a player contract with a club by July 22 or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later, he may negotiate or sign a player contract from that date until the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, at 4:00 p.m., New York time, only with his prior club.
May 8-11 Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.
May 11 Rookie Football Development Programs begin.
May 14-17 NFLPA Rookie Premiere. Invited rookies (typically, first- and/or second-round selections) must be permitted by their respective clubs to attend. Such players are unavailable for offseason workouts, OTA days, and minicamps during this period.
May 19-20 Spring League Meeting, Marina Del Ray, California.
JUNE
June 1 Deadline for prior club to send “June 1 Tender” to its unsigned Restricted Free Agents who received a qualifying offer for a right of first refusal only in order for such player to be subject to the CBA’s “June 15 Tender” provision.
June 15 Deadline for club to withdraw qualifying offer to Restricted Free Agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting “June 15 Tender” of one-year contract at 110 percent of the player’s prior-year Paragraph 5 Salary (with all other terms of his prior-year contract carried forward unchanged).
Late June Rookie Transition Program to be held at individual clubs.
JULY
July 15 At 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multiyear contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a oneyear contract with his prior club for the 2020 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club’s last regular season game.
Mid-July Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies beginning seven days prior to the club’s earliest permissible mandatory reporting date for veteran players.

Veteran players (defined as a player with at least one pension-credited season) other than quarterbacks or “injured players” (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) may report to a club’s preseason training camp no earlier than 15 days prior to the club’s first scheduled preseason game or July 15, whichever is later.

Veteran quarterbacks and injured players may be required to report to the club’s preseason training camp no earlier than five days immediately prior to the mandatory reporting date for all other veteran players, provided the club has already opened (or simultaneously opens) its official preseason training camp for all rookies and first-year players

A three-day acclimation period will apply to players who are on a club’s roster up to and including the mandatory veteran reporting date. Players who rejoin the roster after that date may practice (including wearing pads) and play immediately after passing a physical.
July 22* Signing period ends for Unrestricted Free Agents to whom a “May 5 Tender” was made by prior club. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.

* or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later.
July 22 Signing period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.
AUGUST
August 6 Hall of Fame Game, Canton, Ohio.
August 6-9 Hall of Fame Weekend, Canton, Ohio.
August 11 Deadline for players under contract to report to their clubs to earn an accrued season for free agency.
If a drafted rookie has not signed with his club by this date, he cannot be traded to any other club in 2020, and may sign a player contract only with the drafting club until the day of the Draft in the 2021 league year.
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 5 Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must reduce rosters to a maximum of 53 players on the Active/Inactive List.
Simultaneously with the cut-down to 53, clubs that have players in the categories of Active/Physically Unable to Perform or Active/Non-Football Injury or Illness must select one of the following options: place player on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform or Reserve/NonFootball Injury or Illness, whichever is applicable; request waivers; terminate contract; trade contract; or continue to count the player on the Active List.
Sept. 6 Claiming period for players placed on waivers at the final roster reduction will expire at 12:00 noon, New York time.
Upon receipt of the Personnel Notice at approximately 1:00 p.m., New York time, clubs may establish a practice squad of 10 players (clubs participating in the International Player Development Program may sign one additional international player to a Practice Player Contract.) No club, including the player’s prior club, will be permitted to sign a player to a practice player contract until all clubs have received simultaneous notification via the above Personnel Notice that such player’s prior NFL player contract has been terminated via the waiver system.

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Jets Free Agent Profile: What to do with LT Kelvin Beachum?

Jets Wire takes a look at whether or not New York should bring back cornerback and impending free-agent left tackle Kelvin Beachum.

Before Joe Douglas can focus on who he plans to target in free agency come March, he’ll have a handful of in-house decisions to make.

The Jets have 32 players set to hit the open market this offseason. Some don’t figure to factor into New York’s plans for 2020, while it’s safe to assume the Jets would like to keep others around for a while. Either way, Douglas has a lot of work to do in his first offseason on the job.

Kelvin Beachum has served as New York’s starting left tackle for the last two years. He performed well as Sam Darnold’s blindside protector, but has battled a bevy of injuries and isn’t getting any younger. Should Douglas keep the veteran around for another year? Let’s evaluate the situation in Jets Wire’s latest free agent profile.

Pros of bringing him back

The Jets struggled mightily in the trenches in 2019, but Adam Gase and company never had to worry about what Beachum would bring to the table on a weekly basis.

When healthy, Beachum delivered in both run and pass protection He helped keep the pocket relatively clean and Darnold off his back more often than not.

Beachum is not an elite left tackle anymore, but he gets the job done better than most. It’s tough to find reliable tackles on the open market and rookies take some time getting used to dealing with NFL edge rushers. With that in mind, Douglas should at least consider bringing the veteran back for another go around.

Cons of bringing him back

Beachum missed four games in 2019 due to injury and played through a variety of ailments down the stretch, including two sprained ankles.

Beachum will turn 31 before the beginning of next season. Considering how physical things get in the trenches, it’s worth questioning Beachum’s durability moving forward. Yes, he toughed it out through injuries last season, but will he be able to do the same in 2020? That might not be worth betting on.

The verdict

It’s tough to let solid players walk, but the Jets need to get younger on both sides of the ball. If New York was a sure-fire contender heading into next season, the decision on Beachum would be an easy one. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

He’s not going to be easy to replace, but odds are Douglas and the Jets elect to move on from Beachum in the offseason. Look for Douglas to target an offensive tackle with New York’s No. 11 overall pick to fill the void.

Knock it off with the Tom Brady-to-Broncos predictions 

Will Broncos general manager John Elway sign quarterback Tom Brady during NFL free agency?

After 20 seasons with the Patriots, 42-year-old quarterback Tom Brady is set to become a free agent in March. So what’s next for the six-time Super Bowl champion?

Will he retire? Will he re-sign with the Patriots? Perhaps he’ll land with the Chargers — or maybe with the Browns?

Will the Broncos be among Brady’s potential suitors? Oddsmakers seem to think that’s possible, giving Denver 12-to-1 odds of signing Brady. Former ESPN senior writer John Clayton recently wrote in a Washington Post article that the Broncos and Brady would be a logical match.

Clayton referenced when general manager John Elway signed an aging Peyton Manning in 2012 and Denver went on to reach two Super Bowls, winning one of them. Manning was turning 36 when he signed with the Broncos, though, nearly eight years younger than Brady is now.

So the Manning comparison isn’t really fair.

And Elway signed Manning because he didn’t believe Denver had a quarterback of the future on the roster. Elway has Drew Lock now and it doesn’t sound like he’s going to look for alternative options this offseason.

“We’re excited about where Drew is,” Elway said during his end-of-season press conference on Dec. 31. “[I] don’t like to show our hand, but I think it’s unrealistic to say that we’re going a different direction.”

The Broncos may bring in a veteran this offseason to serve as Lock’s backup but Brady won’t be interested in a backup job. If he leaves New England, Brady will likely join a team in need of a new starter.

Elway tried short-term fixes with Case Keenum and Joe Flacco and neither of them worked out. Brady would be another temporary solution and it’s hard to imagine Elway benching Lock for a QB nearing the end of his career.

With Lock poised to start in 2020, don’t expect Denver to go after Brady.

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9 key players who could be playing their last games with Ravens

As the Baltimore Ravens prepare to take on the Tennessee Titans, there’s a chance this could be the final game of the 2019 season for them. Though the Ravens are huge favorites to win this game and Super Bowl LIV, that’s the nature of the …

As the Baltimore Ravens prepare to take on the Tennessee Titans, there’s a chance this could be the final game of the 2019 season for them. Though the Ravens are huge favorites to win this game and Super Bowl LIV, that’s the nature of the postseason.

If this is indeed the week Baltimore’s season is completed, it could be the end of several key players’ tenures with the Ravens as well. I took a closer look at a few of the pending free agents and potential cap casualties that could be playing their final game in Baltimore.

S Tony Jefferson

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

When Jefferson was put on injured reserve, I wrote at the time about how he could have played his last down for the Ravens. With the emergence of Chuck Clark in his absence, it seems almost like a foregone conclusion at this point.

Cutting Jefferson would free up $7 million on top of the large amount of cap space Baltimore is already expected to have next season, according to Over the Cap. While Jefferson means a lot more to the franchise than his stat sheet, it’s a hefty amount to justify for a player that has been replaced effectively already.

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Tom Brady to the Colts? The internet seems to think so

Colts are emerging as a popular landing spot for Tom Brady.

Just imagine it. Tom Brady, the player that Indianapolis Colts fans have rooted against above everyone, suiting up and wearing the horseshoe in 2020.

While that seems like a ridiculous proposal (it is), the internet seems fairly convinced that the Colts are the perfect landing spot for Brady, whose current contract expires when the new league year arrives in March.

Because the Colts are a competitive but quarterback-needy team and Brady is set to hit the free-agent market at the age of 42, Indy has become a popular choice for the next potential team for Brady.

Colin Cowherd got the conversation stirring plenty earlier this month saying Brady and the Colts are a sensible fit.

Todd Haislop of Sporting News listed the Colts as a potential landing spot for Brady even despite admitting the rivalry between the two sides.

The Colts are another team positioned to contend with stable QB play, though former Patriot Jacoby Brissett had a solid 2019 season despite the team’s struggles, most of which were tied to injuries. This would be an interesting signing given the history the Colts have with the Patriots.

And don’t even get started with Twitter. While there are many who don’t understand why the Colts are linked to Brady outside of team needs, there are plenty floating around the notion that it’s a good fit for both sides.

Given what the Colts have around the quarterback position, it is easy to say it would be a good fit for the most decorated player in the history of the game.

But outside of that, Brady’s performance simply isn’t what it used to be. He’s no longer the quarterback that elevates the offense to the point of being elite. An upgraded offensive line would certainly help him, but he posted a measly 6.6 yards per attempt in 2019. For comparison, Jacoby Brissett posted the exact same number.

Colts fans will always root against Brady and some fans would likely be okay bringing him in if they thought a playoff run was in the cards.

But it’s not. Given his age and the play he put on the field in 2019, Brady isn’t going to magically make the Colts a playoff contender anymore than drafting a quarterback in the first round would.

But don’t be surprised to see the Colts floating around as a potential landing spot for the 42-year-old.

4 pending free agents the Colts should re-sign

These Colts should be re-signed this offseason.

2020 will be one of the biggest off-seasons in recent Indianapolis Colts’ history. After finishing the season losing five of the final six games, the Colts finished 7-9 and have a lot of questions about their roster going into the offseason.

Indianapolis have a few free agents going into the 2020 off-season and with a projected $93 million in cap space, there is no strap for cash to keep the guys they want to.

The Colts have 14 unrestricted free agents. These players will be able to sign with anyone in March when the new league year starts.

With the Colts having a large amount of cap space to sign players, let’s look at some players the Colts should re-sign:

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

OT Anthony Castonzo

Pending the decision if Castonzo retires, he should be the first Colt to be re-signed this offseason.

Castonzo has been the rock at left tackle for the Colts since being drafted here in 2011, and he plays a valuable position.

At 31 years old, and feeling the best he has in his life, it should be a no-brainer the Colts keep the continuity of the offensive line in check and re-sign Castonzo to a nice, multi-year contract.

Coming off of what is arguably his best season yet, the Colts desperately need his consistent production on the left side next to All-Pro Quenton Nelson.

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4 pending free agents the Colts should let walk

Colts should let these pending free agents walk.

2020 will be one of the biggest offseasons in recent Indianapolis Colts’ history. After finishing the season losing five of the final six games, the Colts finished 7-9 and have a lot of questions about their roster going into the offseason.

Indianapolis has a few free agents going into the offseason and with a projected $93 million in cap space, there is no strap for cash to keep the guys they want to.

The Colts have 14 unrestricted free agents. These players will be able to sign with anyone in March when the new league year starts. Or the Colts can sign them to an extension beforehand. But not all of the pending free agents should be re-signed.

Let’s look at some unrestricted free agents that the Colts should let go:

Indystar

K Adam Vinatieri

Last offseason, the Colts brought back Vinatieri on a one-year deal. As the oldest player in the league at age 46 going into the 2019 season, there were questions if Vinatieri could still kick at a high level.

After suffering a knee injury that had him miss most of the training camp and the preseason, Vinatieri struggled out of the gate missing two field goals and two extra points in the first two games of the season. The Colts tried out some kickers but stuck with Vinatieri.

Vinatieri was put on injured reserve after going 1 of 4 versus the Tennessee Titans, one of which was blocked, and the Colts turned to rookie Chase McLaughlin.

McLaughlin finished the final five games 5 of 6 on field goals and a perfect 11 of 11 on extra points. Indianapolis re-signed McLaughlin to a one-year extension on December 30.

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Dylan Moses draft decision places added emphasis on Bengals in free agency

Dylan Moses just changed the complexion of the 2020 NFL draft.

Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Dylan Moses says he’s heading back to school in 2020 instead of entering the 2020 NFL draft.

Which again emphasizes the importance of free agency for the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason.

Moses’ decision comes on the heels of missing the entirety of this past season after a brief apparent spat with insurance issues. He was pegged as a early first-round pick before the injury but apparently has a second-round grade from the advisory board now (those grades are always up for debate).

No matter what happens with Moses, the Bengals again have a tough call on their hands, as he’s not the only high-profile linebacker to say “no thanks” to the 2020 draft.

And the Bengals need plenty of help at the spot. Yes, things improved after the team cut the mistake that was the Preston Brown extension. And yes, Germaine Pratt started to show promise down the stretch.

But a serious investment in the position needs to happen. The early second round seemed like a sweet spot, especially if a high-upside talent like Moses fell.

With the draft class constricting yet again, it might be better to prioritize linebacker in free agency. If the team could lure in a quality type like a Cory Littleton or Kyle Van Noy the unit not only improves, that number of needs for that early second-round pick gets smaller.

This is thinking way ahead, obviously. But a big setback like this for an area of need on draft day is worth pointing out from a Bengals perspective, especially when the team has been so adamant on building through the draft and not spending on notable free agents at positions of need.

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