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Speaker 1: Hi, get everybody. I'm Dan Hoard and thanks for downloading

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Speaker 1: the Bengals Booth Podcast. The Fine one hundred Ways. Addition,

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Speaker 1: as multimedia reporter James Rapine joins me to discuss a

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Speaker 1: wide variety of possible ways for the Bengals to get

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Speaker 1: better this offseason, some very realistic and some long shots perhaps,

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Speaker 1: but it's a fun conversation nonetheless. The Bengals Booth Podcast

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Speaker 1: is brought to you by pay Corps, proud to be

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Speaker 1: the Bengals official HR software provider, by Ulta Fiber, future

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Speaker 1: proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business and

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Speaker 1: community to a new level, and by Kettering Health the

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Speaker 1: best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is the

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Speaker 1: official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now here's a quick

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Speaker 1: reminder that you can have the latest edition of this

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Speaker 1: podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, or can by

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Speaker 1: subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing

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Speaker 1: since Cincy Shirts. In my first season of broadcasting Bengals

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Speaker 1: games with Dave Lapham, Cincinnati made a big play near

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Speaker 1: the end of the game to clinch a win and

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Speaker 1: I yelled coffin nails and Lap immediately exclaimed Bam Bam bam.

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Speaker 1: After the game, they replayed that on the postgame show

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Speaker 1: and I thought, hmm, that worked, and thus a tradition

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Speaker 1: was born. It's our version of and this one belongs

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Speaker 1: to the Reds. A few years ago, my friend Josh

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Speaker 1: Sneid and the folks at Cincy Shirts put that phrase

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Speaker 1: on a T shirt along with cartoon images of me

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Speaker 1: and Lap. I've joked that the Sinsey Shirts coffin Nails

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Speaker 1: Bam Bam Bam T shirt is right up there with

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Speaker 1: a Master's green jacket and Paul Brown's sideline fedora as

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Speaker 1: one of the greatest items of clothing in sports history.

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Speaker 1: All joking aside, Josh recently shared on social media that

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Speaker 1: Cincy's shirts could use a boost. It wasn't a plea

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Speaker 1: to help them stay in business. It was more of

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Speaker 1: a reminder of the great work that they do. So

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Speaker 1: if you're in the market for a cool T shirt,

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Speaker 1: check out the Cincy Shirts website or visit one of

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Speaker 1: their stores in Loveland or Fort Mitchell. And yes, in

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Speaker 1: case you're wondering, if you go to the website, the

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Speaker 1: coffin Nails Bam Bam Bam design is still available on

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Speaker 1: a T shirt or hoodie. Now time for this week's

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Speaker 1: guest in Cincinnati. We love hustle, and that's a great

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Speaker 1: word to describe writer, podcaster, and reporter James Rapine. Through

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Speaker 1: his hard work and determination, James has become an important

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Speaker 1: source of information for Bengals fans. He is the publisher

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Speaker 1: of Bengals Talk dot com, discusses the team every weekday

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Speaker 1: on the Lockdown Bengals podcast, and co hosts the Enter

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Speaker 1: the Jungle Show on YouTube. I sent James ten questions

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Speaker 1: this week and we shared our answers. All Right, James,

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Speaker 1: let's start with Super Bowl sixty. The Seahawks are champs

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Speaker 1: after bullying New England twenty nine to thirteen. The game

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Speaker 1: didn't even really feel that close. What is the biggest

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Speaker 1: lesson the Bengals can learn from this year Super Bowl?

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Speaker 2: I think a lot of people will say defense wins

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Speaker 2: championships or it starts in the trenches, and you can

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Speaker 2: obviously say that. I think, really any year. My biggest

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Speaker 2: takeaway is that flawed teams usually win, and you can

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Speaker 2: win when you're flawed. And the Seahawks, as good as

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Speaker 2: they were, as dominant as they were, their quarterback completed

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Speaker 2: fifty percent of his passes in the Super Bowl in

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Speaker 2: the biggest game of the year, and you wouldn't have

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Speaker 2: mistaken what they did on offense to be this standout performance.

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Speaker 2: And it's because that running game and obviously the defense

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Speaker 2: was extremely disruptive. But year in and year out, you

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Speaker 2: see these teams win that you probably wouldn't have predicted

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Speaker 2: a few months prior, and certainly have flaws, have notable

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Speaker 2: things that are wrong with them. And I was thinking

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Speaker 2: about the twenty one Bengals and the twenty two Bengals,

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Speaker 2: and they're like five quarters and a play or two

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Speaker 2: away from back to back Super Bowls, and I think

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Speaker 2: the twenty one team, which got closer, was more flawed

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Speaker 2: than the twenty two team, which had some injuries down

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Speaker 2: the stretch. So the Bengals don't have to be perfect

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Speaker 2: to get there and to win, especially when they have

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Speaker 2: a quarterback that's going to complete more than fifty percent

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Speaker 2: of his passes in any game.

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Speaker 1: My biggest takeaway is this, and it's a little more

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Speaker 1: obvious than yours, but here's why I'm going to say it.

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Speaker 1: I feel like it wasn't this Super Bowl. It's every

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Speaker 1: single Super Bowl where we learn that you not only

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Speaker 1: need a pass rush, you need a four man pass rush.

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Speaker 1: So Seattle sacked Drake May six times, they hit him

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Speaker 1: eleven more times. They only blitzed on thirteen percent of

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Speaker 1: New England's dropbacks. During the regular season, Seattle was twenty

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Speaker 1: sixth lowest in the NFL in blitz percentage. Remember last

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Speaker 1: year's Super Bowl, the Eagle sacked Patrick Mahomes six times,

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Speaker 1: they didn't blitz once, and midway through the fourth quarter

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Speaker 1: of that game, Mahomes was getting pressured on fifty two

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Speaker 1: percent of his dropbacks. The numbers got a little bit

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Speaker 1: better during garbage time. Go all the way back to

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Speaker 1: the two thousand and seven season. The Patriots are one

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Speaker 1: win away from going nineteen and zero. They were favored

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Speaker 1: by twelve and a half against the Giants. How did

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Speaker 1: the Giants pull off the upset by pulverizing Tom Brady

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Speaker 1: with a four man pass rush Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, etc.

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Speaker 1: They sacked him five times, they hit him nine times.

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Speaker 1: And of course, in Super Bowl fifty six, Joe Burrow

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Speaker 1: got sacked seven times, times hit eleven times. On the

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Speaker 1: final offensive play, Jamar Chase is running down the sideline

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Speaker 1: free if the Bengals could just give Joe Burrow one

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Speaker 1: more second to throw. So it's not just this Super Bowl,

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Speaker 1: it's every super Bowl. You got to have a pass rush,

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Speaker 1: you got to have a four man pass rush. As

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Speaker 1: Duke Tobin said in his news conference after the season,

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Speaker 1: pass rush is king. So that to me is not

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Speaker 1: the lesson from this super Bowl. It's the lesson of

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Speaker 1: every Super Bowl.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, it's fair, and that's that's why when we talk

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Speaker 2: and we're going to have this conversation about what they

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Speaker 2: should do in all of these things, it's going to

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Speaker 2: come back to pass rush. And I think defensively you

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Speaker 2: start there with this Bengals defense. Even though you could

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Speaker 2: look at all three levels and say, ah, well you

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Speaker 2: might want to address this or that, I certainly do

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Speaker 2: think it starts with that defensive front.

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Speaker 1: All right, Topic number two with my friend James Rapine.

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Speaker 1: The Bengals Talk feed on x or Twitter does a

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Speaker 1: tremendous job of sharing the craziest that's out there courtesy

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Speaker 1: of the national media, and they always have interesting things

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Speaker 1: to say about the Bengals during Super Bowl Week. It's

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Speaker 1: like a Petri dish of hot takes. So what's the

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Speaker 1: silliest thing out there these days that that people might

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Speaker 1: actually believe about the Bengals that Joe.

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Speaker 2: Burrow is available, like that that you could trade for

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Speaker 2: Joe Burrow, Like I, I really don't know what you

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Speaker 2: could give up where the Bengals would entertain it, Like

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Speaker 2: I fifty years of draft picks, Like it would have

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Speaker 2: to be something so insane, Like there's earlier this week

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Speaker 2: it was like, oh, well, they're voting maybe five years

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Speaker 2: of picks. If you called Mike Brown right now and

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Speaker 2: offered five drafts, five full drafts, he would he wouldn't

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Speaker 2: even seriously consider it, and he shouldn't, by the way,

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Speaker 2: because think about how hard it is to find a

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Speaker 2: Joe Burrow. That's much harder than finding good players at

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Speaker 2: other positions. So, yeah, that is the It's the craziest,

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Speaker 2: most wild outlandish thing that that will We'll hear all

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Speaker 2: of season. I think I think it's going to continue

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Speaker 2: to be chirped about, at least until the Draft.

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Speaker 1: I'm right there with you. Ian Rappaport and others had

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Speaker 1: reports during the Super Bowl where essentially the quote was

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Speaker 1: several teams are expected to call the Bengals to see

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Speaker 1: if they would consider a Joe Burrow trade. I don't

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Speaker 1: even believe that. I don't think teams are calling the

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Speaker 1: Bengals about a Joe Borough trade because they know it's pointless.

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Speaker 1: There was a report out there from I think it

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Speaker 1: was a Vikings specific site saying insider reveals Vikings massive

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Speaker 1: trade package for Joe Burrow. And here was the quote

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Speaker 1: unquote massive trade package. JJ McCarthy edge rusher, Jonathan Grenard

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Speaker 1: and two number one picks. Nobody wants JJ McCarthy, including

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Speaker 1: the Vikings. Jonathan Grenard was awesome last year in the

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Speaker 1: previous year, but he had I think three sacks this year. Sure,

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Speaker 1: two number one draft picks would be nice, but that's

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Speaker 1: not even a starting point for a Joe Burrow trade.

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Speaker 1: So it's just comical. I really question whether teams actually

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Speaker 1: waste their time to even make the call.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, and I get trying. If I didn't have a

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Speaker 2: Joe Burrow, I would want to Joe Burrow. So if

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Speaker 2: they do, fine, But that package you just mentioned throwaway.

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Speaker 2: JJ McCarthy wouldn't even get Jamar Like, it's not the

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Speaker 2: franchise quarterback. It's like the franchise receiver a face of

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Speaker 2: it's just it's not close. And I still like, I

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Speaker 2: think about how Mike views quarterbacks, and he's right about

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Speaker 2: this one, right, and it's the most important position in sports,

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Speaker 2: and he's been really good at identifying it for the

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Speaker 2: past two plus decades of having a franchise quarterback, and

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Speaker 2: you have Joe Burrow, who went healthy you could say

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Speaker 2: is the best in the sport. You're not giving that

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Speaker 2: up because you know what it's like when you don't

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Speaker 2: have someone like that, and it's it's really, really, really

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Speaker 2: hard to win.

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Speaker 1: Our guest is James Repeaine from Bengals Talk dot Com,

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Speaker 1: the Lockdown Bengals podcast, etc. You can follow him on

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Speaker 1: x at James Rapine r api e n Question number three.

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Speaker 1: NFL Network insider Mike Gara follow reported recently that the

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Speaker 1: Bengals are considering a franchise tag for Trey Hendrickson. I

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Speaker 1: am one hundred percent sure that that's true, but I

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Speaker 1: think it is strictly in the sense of a tag

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Speaker 1: in trade scenario, not franchise tag to have him come back.

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Speaker 1: I could be wrong about that, but in any case,

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Speaker 1: you recently strongly advocated for tagging and trading Trey explain why.

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Speaker 2: The Bengals have significant needs. You need to maximize your assets,

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Speaker 2: maximize your ability to get it right in the draft.

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Speaker 2: Trey Hendrickson is an asset. There are very few free

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Speaker 2: agents that will command the attention that he does. If

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Speaker 2: he does make it to free agency.

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Speaker 3: I get it.

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Speaker 2: It's run its course here and he wants the multi

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Speaker 2: year extension. They've tried it a couple of years. It

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Speaker 2: isn't going to work. Last season was what it was.

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Speaker 2: Fine tag him. The tag window is February seventeenth through

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Speaker 2: March fourth. You have the cap space to do so initially,

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Speaker 2: but you're not even gonna have to worry about that

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Speaker 2: because there are going to be teams with this free

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Speaker 2: agent class that look at it and say, would we

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Speaker 2: want to give up a mid round pick for Trey

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Speaker 2: Hendrickson for the sole purpose of negotiating without having to

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Speaker 2: compete for his services in free agency or compete for

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Speaker 2: some of these other free agent defensive ends. Because there

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Speaker 2: aren't a ton out there that can boast our pass rush,

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Speaker 2: and so I think that there would be multiple suitors,

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Speaker 2: and certainly a team willing to give you a third

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Speaker 2: or fourth round pick something like that where you can

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Speaker 2: give him up, free up your cap space long before

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Speaker 2: free agency officially opens or the tampering period opens, and

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Speaker 2: be good to go there and have an extra draft

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Speaker 2: pick to show for it. It just it makes so

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Speaker 2: much sense to me, and I totally understand the compensatory

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Speaker 2: side of things in twenty twenty seven if that works out.

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Speaker 2: But I think we both know the Bengals plan on

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Speaker 2: being aggressive here in free agency, and you don't want

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Speaker 2: in the back of your mind, ah, well, well we

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Speaker 2: get something for Trey, will we not?

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Speaker 3: This way, you already secure it.

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Speaker 2: You go into free agency with an extra draft pick

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Speaker 2: and you shed tray, but you have something to show

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Speaker 2: for it.

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Speaker 1: I agree with you, But I saw our mutual friend

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Speaker 1: Richard Skinner and Mike Petrelliu's podcast a few days ago

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Speaker 1: strongly say that the Bengals shouldn't do it. And his

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Speaker 1: fear is that Trey is not going to get thirty

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Speaker 1: million dollars on the open market, which would be the

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Speaker 1: franchise tag number, and if he went ahead and signed

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Speaker 1: it and came back to the Bengals again on a

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Speaker 1: thirty million dollar deal, that really hamstrings. What you could

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Speaker 1: do in free agency is that a legitimate concern. I

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Speaker 1: don't want to call out Skinny without him being here

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Speaker 1: to join us on this podcast. But should the Bengals

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Speaker 1: be concerned about that?

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Speaker 2: I get why you would be on the surface, if

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Speaker 2: Trey's actions over the past couple of years show us anything.

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Speaker 2: He wants a multi year deal, he wants guaranteed money

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Speaker 2: past this initial tag, and so I don't think he

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Speaker 2: would have really any incentive to sign it because you

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Speaker 2: would tag him with the idea of going to the combine,

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Speaker 2: which I hope to see you at a couple.

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Speaker 3: Of weeks here.

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Speaker 1: You will to chat.

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Speaker 2: With teams and say, hey, this is what we're gonna

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Speaker 2: do with Trey. Let's work out a trade now, and

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Speaker 2: then you can negotiate with him and he can get

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Speaker 2: that long term deal. Have the open line of communication

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Speaker 2: where it's like, look, we get it. It hasn't worked.

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Speaker 2: We're going to get you somewhere where you're going to

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Speaker 2: get paid the way you want. And here's the other

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Speaker 2: element here. If you go to the combine and it

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Speaker 2: doesn't work, it doesn't feel like you have the suitors,

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Speaker 2: or you tag him and he goes to sign it

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Speaker 2: and it doesn't feel like that there's any interest in

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Speaker 2: a possible trade, you can rescind it. You can rescind

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Speaker 2: that tag. You can be in control there if you

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Speaker 2: get that nervous about it to where it doesn't eat

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Speaker 2: up your cap room. And he does go into free

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Speaker 2: agency anyway, So I don't think he has the incentive

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Speaker 2: to sign it in the first place, because he wants multiyear,

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Speaker 2: a multi year deal, and I think I'll get it.

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Speaker 2: At the same time, if he did say, hey, I'm

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Speaker 2: on my way to Cincinnati, which you just never know,

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Speaker 2: you could always say, eh, it's all right, we're going

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Speaker 2: to re send it. But I don't think that that

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Speaker 2: would be the case. I would imagine he would have

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Speaker 2: multiple suitors and there would be someone. Even if it's

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Speaker 2: two years fifty five million, where he gets guaranteed money

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Speaker 2: in that second year, that makes it worth his while.

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Speaker 3: But I wouldn't be shocked if he hits free agency,

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Speaker 3: if he gets a three year extension or a three

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Speaker 3: year deal.

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Speaker 1: The point about rescinding the cap is a great point.

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Speaker 1: Just because you fran are the tag rather just because

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Speaker 1: you franchise tag him doesn't mean that you are automatically

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Speaker 1: committed to doing it. They can rescind up until the

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Speaker 1: point where he signs, and I don't think anybody expects

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Speaker 1: him to sign right away, so they would have time

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Speaker 1: to negotiate with other teams, which is what Trey would

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Speaker 1: want to And while the Bengals have been reluctant to

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Speaker 1: give him a long term deal, we assume largely because

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Speaker 1: if his age, somebody out there is willing to give

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Speaker 1: him a multi year deal close to the figure that

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Speaker 1: he's looking for. So you would think the Bengals would

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Speaker 1: be able to get a pick for that. You said

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Speaker 1: mid round, Are you thinking third, fourth somewhere in there?

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so, and I'll throw a team out.

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Speaker 2: What about the Bears. I think they have the eighty

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Speaker 2: ninth pick. If you're Chicago, you're coming off of a

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Speaker 2: good year, you want to bolster your pass rush a

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Speaker 2: bit more. Maybe that's a team that does it. And

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Speaker 2: the other element here, dan is you control his destination

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Speaker 2: a little bit. He doesn't end up in Baltimore, where

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Speaker 2: you're on the road Sunday night or Thursday night again

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Speaker 2: for a fourth straight year.

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Speaker 3: Heaven forbid that happens right in Baltimore.

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Speaker 2: Joe Burrow won't be happy about that, but you have

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Speaker 2: to deal with number ninety one like that would be

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Speaker 2: the last thing that you would want.

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Speaker 3: It's him sticking in the division.

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Speaker 1: Yep, you're free to now go play for John Harbaugh

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Speaker 1: with the Giants, not the Baltimore Ravens. And if the

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Speaker 1: Bengals do get I think a third round pick is

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Speaker 1: probably the best case scenario. They tried to get a

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Speaker 1: one for him previously. Maybe they would have taken a

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Speaker 1: high two. That seems to be out the window, but

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Speaker 1: I think three is realistic. Dylan Fairchild was a third

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Speaker 1: round pick this year. You know, if you can get

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Speaker 1: somebody that's similarly active to that or some of the

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Speaker 1: good third round picks they've had in the past, Sam Hubbard,

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Speaker 1: et cetera. At this point, great, and now take that

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Speaker 1: money that you will not be paying Trey to use

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Speaker 1: it in free agency to try to get another pass rusher.

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Speaker 3: That's exactly it.

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Speaker 2: And you do that before the legal tampering period even opens,

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Speaker 2: so when they go to negotiate with these free agents,

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Speaker 2: they won't have to worry about this cap hit weighing

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Speaker 2: on us, which Trey have it done in early March,

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Speaker 2: so you don't have to focus on it all.

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Speaker 1: Right, question number four for James Rapine. Another interesting report

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Speaker 1: that got traction in the last week is that Max

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Speaker 1: Crosby told Raiders part owner Tom Brady that he does

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Speaker 1: not want to return to Vegas. Jay Glazer had previously

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Speaker 1: reported that Max Crosby wants out, and of all of

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Speaker 1: the quote unquote insiders out there, I think Jay Glazier's

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Speaker 1: percentage for being accurate might be the highest. Here's my

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Speaker 1: question for you. What would James Rapine be willing to

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Speaker 1: give up to get Max Crosby?

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Speaker 2: See Dan, you know me and I am certainly willing

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Speaker 2: to put the chips in when it comes to roster building,

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Speaker 2: and in Max Crosby, it's someone I think the Bengals

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Speaker 2: would just be drooling to get because he plays all

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Speaker 2: three downs relentless, one of those guys that they probably say,

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Speaker 2: you know what, he could be someone even with the

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Speaker 2: injuries the past couple of years, that we could build

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Speaker 2: our identity around on defense. And so if assuming they

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Speaker 2: view him that way, what's the max you'd be willing

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Speaker 2: to give up? So you want to protect the tenth pick,

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Speaker 2: and I would too. The Raiders certainly want probably would

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Speaker 2: want that, and we'll get back to the tenth pick

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Speaker 2: in a second. But my plan would be, all right, Raiders,

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Speaker 2: you want a first rounder, what about next year's first

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Speaker 2: with the Bengals certainly planning on being in Super Bowl

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Speaker 2: sixty one, so that would be a late first in

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Speaker 2: their mind and an idea. And this year's second, which

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Speaker 2: is forty first overall, and if you could do that

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Speaker 2: and get this guy that you feel I can be

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Speaker 2: a three down defensive end that fits your scheme and

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Speaker 2: is going to be this key piece of the next

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Speaker 2: three ish years, basically the next Tray Hendrickson, well that's

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Speaker 2: well worth it.

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Speaker 3: And so I think.

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Speaker 2: That that would be the first offer, maybe the best

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Speaker 2: offer that I'd be willing to do. I don't think

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Speaker 2: two ones is something that I would I would embark

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Speaker 2: on or entertain if on the Bengals, but if on

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Speaker 2: the Raiders and flipping it, I would say, I want

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Speaker 2: the tenth pick and just straight up Max for the

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Speaker 2: tenth pick. And that's where it gets hard, because if

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Speaker 2: that offer came and you're the Bengals, it's like you're

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Speaker 2: hoping to find the next Max Crosby at ten. You're

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Speaker 2: hoping that guy is there, and you could just have him,

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Speaker 2: and I think that's something that if you're the Bengals,

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Speaker 2: you entertain. I'm not sure you do it. I looked

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Speaker 2: at the Raiders' picks this morning. They have multiple four

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Speaker 2: round picks. Maybe you say, hey, throw one of those

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Speaker 2: in to sweeten the pot, and it's Max and a

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Speaker 2: fourth for the tenth pick. It would be tough for

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Speaker 2: me to say no to it, because I would very

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Speaker 2: much treat this like a win now window and Max

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Speaker 2: could be that third best player on your roster, supplanting

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Speaker 2: t most and a key piece of your defense moving forward.

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Speaker 1: I'm shocked. I am shocked that riverboat gambler James R.

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Speaker 1: Peene draft lover James R. Peene is not eagerly willing

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Speaker 1: to give up number ten overall in a straight up

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Speaker 1: swap for Max Crosby. I would do that in a heartbeat.

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Speaker 1: What are you hoping for with the tenth pick in

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Speaker 1: the draft. You are hoping for a difference maker on defense?

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Speaker 1: What is Max Crosby the ultimate difference maker on defense? Plus,

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Speaker 1: he's twenty eight five time Pro bowler, basically averaging ten

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Speaker 1: sacks a season in seven NFL seasons. He's signed for

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Speaker 1: the next four years for one hundred and eighteen mil,

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Speaker 1: which is pretty reasonable for a guy of you know,

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Speaker 1: his caliber. So I would do that. I don't think

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Speaker 1: the Raiders would do that. So the public reports, again

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Speaker 1: we don't know if these are entirely accurate, but the

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Speaker 1: reports are they want two number ones and a starting

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Speaker 1: defensive player, something similar to what the Cowboys got for

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Speaker 1: Michaeh Parsons. He's not Michael Parsons. He's not that good.

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Speaker 1: He's awesome, but he's not that good. Plus he's a

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Speaker 1: little bit older. If I'm the Bengals, there's no way

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Speaker 1: I'm giving up two number ones to get Max Crosby.

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Speaker 1: But here's what I would do. It's kind of the

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Speaker 1: reverse of what you said you would be willing to do.

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Speaker 1: I would be willing to give up the tenth pick

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Speaker 1: in the draft, which is like a first round plus,

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Speaker 1: you know, top ten pick. I would be willing to

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Speaker 1: give up my second round pick next year, and I'd

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Speaker 1: be willing to give up Chris Jenkins. Now, people might

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Speaker 1: be saying, well, so what Chris Jenkins hasn't been that

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Speaker 1: great in his first two seasons, but he was a

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Speaker 1: second round pick. He's only got two years of NFL experience,

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Speaker 1: so a lot of tread left on the tires. And

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Speaker 1: he's a Michigan guy, so Tom Brady probably has a

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Speaker 1: high opinion of Chris Jenkins. So that's giving up a ton,

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Speaker 1: probably more than the Bengals would be willing to give up.

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Speaker 1: But that's what I think of Max Crosby and what

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Speaker 1: he would mean to the Bengals. I would be willing

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Speaker 1: to do all of that to get them.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I get it, I do get it. And I

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Speaker 2: think the other element here, combining the past two topics,

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Speaker 2: if you did this year's two, next year's one, or

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Speaker 2: vice versa. But if you're tagging Tray already, it'd be

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Speaker 2: really easy to sell the Raiders if they're interested in Trey,

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Speaker 2: and they totally could be get a pass rusher back

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Speaker 2: in a tag Trey Hendrickson where they could work out

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Speaker 2: a deal where Trey would love a similar deal to

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Speaker 2: what Max Crosby has over the next two years, you know,

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Speaker 2: or anything close to that. So I if you could

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Speaker 2: sweeten it with that, and it would probably be easy

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Speaker 2: for the Raiders to sell their fan base on we

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Speaker 2: get an all pro defensive end and Trey Hendrickson, we

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Speaker 2: have a first or second round pick and maybe another

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Speaker 2: pick in there. So depending on the scenario, I would

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Speaker 2: be willing to do that as well. But yeah, I'm

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Speaker 2: surprised that you're just throwing the tenth pick in there.

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Speaker 2: I'm all in it's it's just such a key piece

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Speaker 2: of things, and you'd have to show me once Max

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Speaker 2: is here without the tenth pick, how else the roster,

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Speaker 2: the plan for the rest of the roster in free agency,

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Speaker 2: I think that would be a big part of it

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Speaker 2: for me.

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Speaker 1: I'm hoping the Bengals get an impact player with the

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Speaker 1: tenth pick. I think there's a very good chance they will,

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Speaker 1: but you don't know. You never know with the draft

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Speaker 1: with Max Crosby, you know, which is why I'd be

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Speaker 1: willing to do it. And incidentally, the final question that

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Speaker 1: we are going to tackle later on the podcast is

431
00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:04,679
Speaker 1: our hot take. You just spoiled mine, so that's coming

432
00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:09,399
Speaker 1: up a little bit later on this podcast. Question number five.

433
00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:12,960
Speaker 1: Free agency is less than a month away. Most people

434
00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:16,679
Speaker 1: expect the Bengals to be active. I certainly do. I

435
00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:21,240
Speaker 1: want names give me your top two free agents that

436
00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:23,800
Speaker 1: you would like to see the Bengals sign that you

437
00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:27,959
Speaker 1: consider to be realistic based on their budget and on

438
00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:29,520
Speaker 1: the multiple needs that they have.

439
00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:34,760
Speaker 2: Well, just to quadruple down on Trey. I don't think

440
00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:37,760
Speaker 2: there's a free agent that shouldn't be within budget because

441
00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:41,120
Speaker 2: of where the free agents are this year, and obviously

442
00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:43,920
Speaker 2: their targeting defense, and we're gonna focus on defense here,

443
00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:48,920
Speaker 2: but someone's gonna want Trey anyways. Uh odafe Oway would

444
00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:51,760
Speaker 2: be my guy, and he's the next best pass rusher

445
00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:56,000
Speaker 2: behind Trey Hendrickson. First round pedigree, someone that's been productive,

446
00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:00,760
Speaker 2: got traded, but is familiar with the division, and is

447
00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:03,159
Speaker 2: someone that you could look at and say, well, maybe

448
00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:05,520
Speaker 2: he's not the next Trey Hendrickson, but maybe he's entering

449
00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:10,240
Speaker 2: his prime. Maybe he's a signature piece of this pass

450
00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:12,800
Speaker 2: rush moving forward. You mentioned the four man pass rush

451
00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:15,399
Speaker 2: could always be part of that. I think he could.

452
00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:18,199
Speaker 2: I think he's going to get paid significant money. But

453
00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,560
Speaker 2: if it's twenty two million for the next four years

454
00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:25,080
Speaker 2: average annual value versus the thirty plus Trey wanted, and

455
00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:27,400
Speaker 2: you're getting a guy that should be ascending, you hope

456
00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:30,960
Speaker 2: is ascending. That guy's at the top of my list.

457
00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:35,840
Speaker 2: I wish that there was a game changing Milton will

458
00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:38,679
Speaker 2: Williams type defensive tackle. I don't really see that in

459
00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:41,760
Speaker 2: his freegent class and you see the bear cat on

460
00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:42,480
Speaker 2: my hat here.

461
00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:46,560
Speaker 3: The other one's easy. Brian Cook, It's time to come home.

462
00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:49,560
Speaker 2: He's got the Cincinnati skyline still on his ex background.

463
00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:53,359
Speaker 2: They need to solve safety. You bring Brian Cook in.

464
00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:55,639
Speaker 2: I don't think it needs to impact the tenth overall

465
00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:58,240
Speaker 2: pick either. You could still be open for business there

466
00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:00,719
Speaker 2: when it comes to positions, but he comes in and

467
00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:02,400
Speaker 2: stabilizes the safety position.

468
00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:03,440
Speaker 3: Those are my two.

469
00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:06,200
Speaker 2: And if suddenly you have a Dafeoway and Brian Cook

470
00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:09,240
Speaker 2: on defense, your front end and your back end have

471
00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:10,399
Speaker 2: improved tremendously.

472
00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:14,240
Speaker 1: Brian Cook is what of mine? So I'm totally with

473
00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:16,800
Speaker 1: you there. Twenty six years old, this will be his

474
00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:21,320
Speaker 1: second NFL contract. Pro Football Focus is fifth ranked safety

475
00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:25,520
Speaker 1: last year. The projection for him, according to PFF is

476
00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:29,200
Speaker 1: three years thirty six mil. Very affordable with the money

477
00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:32,560
Speaker 1: that the Bengals have to spend. Pair him with Jordan Battle,

478
00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:35,879
Speaker 1: and I think you've got a great safety combo. Brian

479
00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:39,840
Speaker 1: Cook's a big hitter, great attitude, great work ethic. He'd

480
00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:42,080
Speaker 1: fit in the locker room perfectly. I loved him from

481
00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:46,639
Speaker 1: his time at Cincinnati again, hometown kid. Maybe get him

482
00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:49,600
Speaker 1: for a tiny bit less as a result. I don't know,

483
00:26:50,200 --> 00:26:53,119
Speaker 1: but I'm right there with you where he is concerned.

484
00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:56,600
Speaker 1: I'm also going for an edge rusher with my other guy,

485
00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,720
Speaker 1: but it's a different one, maybe a little bit cheaper,

486
00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:03,680
Speaker 1: but also expected to be one of the higher paid

487
00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:07,440
Speaker 1: guys that's out there. I like Boye Mafe from Seattle

488
00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:13,920
Speaker 1: projected three years forty nine. Mili from PFF, another ascending guy,

489
00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:18,159
Speaker 1: second contract guy in his twenties. He's got a proven

490
00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:21,680
Speaker 1: track record, seemed to fall out of favor a little

491
00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:24,560
Speaker 1: bit in Seattle just because of the sheer number of

492
00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:28,879
Speaker 1: really good defensive players they have. So those would be

493
00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:31,760
Speaker 1: my two. And I'm glad you mentioned off the top,

494
00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:35,080
Speaker 1: like you know what the Bengals would be willing to spend,

495
00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:38,520
Speaker 1: because I think that there's an assumption out there that, wow,

496
00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:42,280
Speaker 1: they always settle for the mid tier guys. I think

497
00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:47,000
Speaker 1: that's exaggerated to an extent. And I'm going to bring

498
00:27:47,119 --> 00:27:51,640
Speaker 1: up in example that I never here mentioned by anybody,

499
00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:56,640
Speaker 1: and that is their twenty twenty free agent draft class. Now,

500
00:27:56,680 --> 00:28:00,119
Speaker 1: this is the beginning of Joe Burrow's contract, so they

501
00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:02,679
Speaker 1: were able to spend a lot because he was in

502
00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:07,080
Speaker 1: his rookie deal. But that year they signed DJ Reader

503
00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:13,360
Speaker 1: and they also signed Trey Waynes. We forget about Trey Waynes.

504
00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:17,400
Speaker 1: He was one of the most expensive cornerbacks on the market,

505
00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:20,640
Speaker 1: and obviously it didn't work out. He missed the first

506
00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,320
Speaker 1: year with an injury, he barely played in the Super

507
00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:26,720
Speaker 1: Bowl year. He was gone in the next year, but

508
00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:29,480
Speaker 1: they gave him a three year, forty two million dollar deal.

509
00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:32,880
Speaker 1: They gave DJ a four year, fifty three million dollar deal.

510
00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:37,080
Speaker 1: They went for it in that free agency class. So

511
00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:42,720
Speaker 1: when they have money to spend and obvious needs, they

512
00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:46,400
Speaker 1: have shown the willingness to do it if the circumstances

513
00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:50,600
Speaker 1: are right. I think the circumstances are right. So the

514
00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:54,360
Speaker 1: two names you mentioned, the two names I mentioned as

515
00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:57,080
Speaker 1: the team with this seventh or eighth most cap space,

516
00:28:57,200 --> 00:28:59,720
Speaker 1: depending on which website you look at. They've got the

517
00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:00,640
Speaker 1: lady to do that.

518
00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:02,440
Speaker 3: If they choose to, they do.

519
00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:06,160
Speaker 2: There's no doubt. And I think I think they know that.

520
00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:08,920
Speaker 2: I think that's the most important element here. They know

521
00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:12,400
Speaker 2: that they need to spend. They know that the window

522
00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:16,760
Speaker 2: is now in. With Jamar and T and Joe under contract.

523
00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:19,960
Speaker 2: It's like, all right, everybody, somebody's looking to see what

524
00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:22,200
Speaker 2: you add to the defense. And the other thing they

525
00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:24,240
Speaker 2: did in twenty twenty they went out and got von

526
00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:26,320
Speaker 2: Bell and I don't think that was in their initial

527
00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:30,320
Speaker 2: their initial plan, and they were looking at the linebackers

528
00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:34,080
Speaker 2: and you look at that that draft in what they

529
00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:38,600
Speaker 2: did and added in the linebacker room, but the linebackers

530
00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:40,360
Speaker 2: class it was higher than they expected.

531
00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:41,520
Speaker 3: They pivoted to safety.

532
00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:43,960
Speaker 2: They get another piece there, and then the next year

533
00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:45,960
Speaker 2: Dan even though Traye didn't work out, and I think

534
00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:47,760
Speaker 2: they very quickly knew that it was going to be

535
00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:51,360
Speaker 2: not fun. DJ Reader has the injury, but they dove

536
00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:53,080
Speaker 2: right back in and had a great free.

537
00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:54,360
Speaker 3: Agency in twenty twenty one.

538
00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:59,040
Speaker 2: So yeah, that's that's what they need and we'll see

539
00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:00,240
Speaker 2: if they can get it done.

540
00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:04,400
Speaker 1: We are halfway through ten questions with James Raupine. We'll

541
00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:07,680
Speaker 1: hit the draft next. But first, here's a quick reminder

542
00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:10,000
Speaker 1: that the Bengals Booth podcast is brought to you by

543
00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:14,000
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544
00:30:14,040 --> 00:30:18,320
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545
00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:21,320
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546
00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:25,160
Speaker 1: and by Kettering Health the best care for the best fans.

547
00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:29,040
Speaker 1: Kettering Health is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals.

548
00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:33,880
Speaker 1: Topic number six for James Rapine, We're sticking with free agency.

549
00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:38,160
Speaker 1: But everybody's focused on fixing the defense. They have maybe

550
00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:41,160
Speaker 1: lesser needs on offense, but there are needs. Give me

551
00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:43,320
Speaker 1: a free agent target on offense.

552
00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:46,800
Speaker 3: See this is up my alley, right.

553
00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:50,400
Speaker 4: And while I want to go and say, oh, well,

554
00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:53,160
Speaker 4: you know, Rashid Shaheed would be so much fun and

555
00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:56,040
Speaker 4: you know that there are options like that, I'm gonna

556
00:30:56,080 --> 00:31:02,360
Speaker 4: go one realistic would need, but most people probably would

557
00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:03,200
Speaker 4: roll their eyes a bit.

558
00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:07,440
Speaker 3: Dallas Goddard M Eagles tight end.

559
00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:11,600
Speaker 2: Wow, three down tight end would help them in the

560
00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:13,960
Speaker 2: run game. Can block and line up in line, but

561
00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:16,960
Speaker 2: is a pass catching threat, can run routes, can do

562
00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:19,719
Speaker 2: a little bit of everything. He's got some Gisicki to him,

563
00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:22,080
Speaker 2: He's got some Drew sample to him, and it's all

564
00:31:22,120 --> 00:31:27,000
Speaker 2: in one. That would be a guy that I think

565
00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:28,480
Speaker 2: he would look at him like I want to catch

566
00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:31,120
Speaker 2: passes from Joe Burrow. What tight end wouldn't but would

567
00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:33,800
Speaker 2: be a really good fit here in Cincinnati.

568
00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:40,440
Speaker 1: I just gave you a Lance McAllister. Wow ah, yes

569
00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:43,840
Speaker 1: you did, Dallas Goddard, all right, that is a very

570
00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:48,640
Speaker 1: interesting call. I'm going to go back up tackle because

571
00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:53,280
Speaker 1: this is a huge need. They have to upgrade from

572
00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:58,360
Speaker 1: Cody Ford for their backup number three swing tackle. And

573
00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:03,400
Speaker 1: maybe Jaylen Rivers could be that guy, but I think

574
00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:06,560
Speaker 1: we've learned that he's better suited to be a guard

575
00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:10,000
Speaker 1: in the NFL. In a pinch, maybe he can play

576
00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:12,640
Speaker 1: tackle because he did it in college. But I want

577
00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:16,520
Speaker 1: somebody proven and reliable as that third tackle. They were

578
00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:20,479
Speaker 1: very fortunate this year that Orlando Brown junior, well, they

579
00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:24,640
Speaker 1: played every game. I'm Arius Mams very durable and consistent,

580
00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:28,000
Speaker 1: but the odds of that happening and back to back

581
00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:32,320
Speaker 1: seasons are slim. One of those guys is probably going

582
00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:34,360
Speaker 1: to miss a game or two. That's usually the way

583
00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:39,560
Speaker 1: it goes. So I want somebody who's experienced, who's proven,

584
00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:43,640
Speaker 1: who can be that guy who probably comes to Cincinnati

585
00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:46,960
Speaker 1: on a one year deal. So I've got a few

586
00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:51,920
Speaker 1: veteran names. Maybe these guys are too good. I don't know.

587
00:32:52,760 --> 00:32:56,280
Speaker 1: Jermaine Iluminor he's been a starter for the last four years,

588
00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:58,640
Speaker 1: but he's been with the Giants and the Raiders, So

589
00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:01,920
Speaker 1: maybe he wants to sign for a short term with

590
00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:04,120
Speaker 1: a good team. It's got a chance of getting him

591
00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:08,360
Speaker 1: a ring Rob Havnstein or having Stein from the Rams.

592
00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:11,280
Speaker 1: Another guy who's mostly been a starter in his NFL career,

593
00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:15,160
Speaker 1: but he's gonna be thirty four. Maybe his next contract

594
00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:18,000
Speaker 1: is a one year deal with somebody as a backup.

595
00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:22,920
Speaker 1: Elijah Wilkinson with the Falcons again, thirty plus year old

596
00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:28,880
Speaker 1: guy starter last year, not great, but certainly reliable enough

597
00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:33,960
Speaker 1: to plug in as a swing backup tackle. I think

598
00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:38,200
Speaker 1: they need to sign somebody like that as part of

599
00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:39,880
Speaker 1: this free agent class.

600
00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:41,920
Speaker 3: Yeah, I agree with you.

601
00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:45,240
Speaker 2: And as as you were listing off those names, I'm like,

602
00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:47,720
Speaker 2: did I miss someone? Because they're just there aren't many,

603
00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:54,080
Speaker 2: and it's even thinner having Stein retired officially late Tuesday.

604
00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:58,360
Speaker 2: My second name after Goddard is a familiar face. It

605
00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:01,640
Speaker 2: was Trent Brown. It was Trent Brown because of that,

606
00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:04,800
Speaker 2: because I'm like, he's played pretty well at Houston. He

607
00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:08,279
Speaker 2: doesn't have to play every week, and he can pass,

608
00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:10,600
Speaker 2: protect and he's a big bodied guy that can play

609
00:34:10,680 --> 00:34:14,840
Speaker 2: both sides. Like he's hard to find and if he

610
00:34:14,840 --> 00:34:16,600
Speaker 2: could come in and be her Cody Ford.

611
00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:17,440
Speaker 3: I'd be fine with that.

612
00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:19,440
Speaker 2: Outside of you know, I might not throw him a pass,

613
00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:22,000
Speaker 2: but other than that, I think his blocking ability's pretty good.

614
00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:25,080
Speaker 1: I would like to see Trent Brown catch a pass.

615
00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:29,200
Speaker 1: I thought Cody Ford was entertaining. Trent Brown would really

616
00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:34,240
Speaker 1: be entertaining. Yes, all right, James, let's move to the draft.

617
00:34:35,160 --> 00:34:38,880
Speaker 1: Your specialty. I don't know a wide receiver you have

618
00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:42,239
Speaker 1: ticketed to the Bengals with a tenth pick. But give

619
00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:46,640
Speaker 1: me your top three draft picks in order, and then

620
00:34:46,680 --> 00:34:49,080
Speaker 1: give me the pick if all three of those guys

621
00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:49,600
Speaker 1: are gone.

622
00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:54,480
Speaker 2: I don't know how Ruben Bayne wouldn't be one. I

623
00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:58,239
Speaker 2: we obviously watched him, at least I did in the

624
00:34:58,239 --> 00:35:00,799
Speaker 2: College Football playoff and then the National t Championship game,

625
00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:05,040
Speaker 2: and you notice him a lot. He looks he's built

626
00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:09,600
Speaker 2: kind of funny, right, but he's productive and he reminds me.

627
00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:11,080
Speaker 2: I know he's an end, and I think he'll be

628
00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:13,480
Speaker 2: an end in the NFL. But he's just got some

629
00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:16,839
Speaker 2: gino to him where he's built differently than most people

630
00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:17,560
Speaker 2: at his position.

631
00:35:18,239 --> 00:35:19,400
Speaker 3: And and that's it.

632
00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:21,480
Speaker 2: That's where I'll stop with the gino comparison, you know,

633
00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:24,480
Speaker 2: the arguably the greatest defensive tackle in team history.

634
00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:28,160
Speaker 3: It's to me, if he's there at ten, it would

635
00:35:28,160 --> 00:35:28,720
Speaker 3: be great.

636
00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:31,920
Speaker 2: I think it's unlikely, especially in this draft class, but

637
00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:33,880
Speaker 2: Ruben Bain is clearly number one for me.

638
00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:35,439
Speaker 3: Good against the run, good pass rush.

639
00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:38,480
Speaker 2: Caleb Downs is two, and part of why I put

640
00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:40,399
Speaker 2: him to I wanted to make sure I talked about

641
00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:42,279
Speaker 2: him because I think that even if you do sign

642
00:35:42,320 --> 00:35:44,160
Speaker 2: a Brian Cook, you don't know if Caleb Downs is

643
00:35:44,160 --> 00:35:47,520
Speaker 2: going to be there. It's a good safety draft. Just

644
00:35:47,600 --> 00:35:51,440
Speaker 2: everything I hear about Downs is his leadership, in his

645
00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:54,279
Speaker 2: ownership of the defense, and how intelligent he is and

646
00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:58,400
Speaker 2: how he can essentially put out fires. And I hear that,

647
00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:01,240
Speaker 2: and I think about how coach just talked about Jesse Bates,

648
00:36:01,719 --> 00:36:04,520
Speaker 2: and then I look at evaluations of how he can

649
00:36:04,880 --> 00:36:06,719
Speaker 2: play in the box and do all of these things

650
00:36:06,719 --> 00:36:08,600
Speaker 2: and be this versatile piece, and I'm like, you know

651
00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:11,960
Speaker 2: that fits with whoever you have back there. So Caleb

652
00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:13,959
Speaker 2: Downs is number two for me. I think he could

653
00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:17,719
Speaker 2: be one of those foundational pieces on defense. And then three,

654
00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:21,880
Speaker 2: and I think it's an underrated topic that we'll probably

655
00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:24,800
Speaker 2: target discuss more so between now and the draft. But

656
00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:28,319
Speaker 2: it's corner and it's not corner because I don't want

657
00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:30,920
Speaker 2: them to resign DA sil or DJ Turner. Hopefully both

658
00:36:30,960 --> 00:36:33,960
Speaker 2: are done before the draft. It just might be the

659
00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:38,520
Speaker 2: best player available. And that's where I always default to

660
00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:40,600
Speaker 2: that I want the best guy because if you get

661
00:36:40,640 --> 00:36:42,239
Speaker 2: the wrong edge rusher, well then it's just the wrong

662
00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:44,560
Speaker 2: edge rusher. If you get the right corner, then that's

663
00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:47,040
Speaker 2: gonna happen in a good way. That's gonna have a

664
00:36:47,040 --> 00:36:50,600
Speaker 2: positive impact. And so mansor Delaney or Delayne excuse me

665
00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:56,600
Speaker 2: from LSU. Really interesting, there's another corner from Tennessee that's interesting. Like,

666
00:36:56,719 --> 00:36:59,000
Speaker 2: just keep corner in the back of your mind, because

667
00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:02,279
Speaker 2: I get it. Everyone's all in on defense at ten.

668
00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:06,040
Speaker 2: It might not be an address or might not necessarily

669
00:37:06,040 --> 00:37:08,040
Speaker 2: be a linebacker or Caleb Downs.

670
00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:08,960
Speaker 3: It may be a corner.

671
00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:14,600
Speaker 1: So since you named two corners, is one of those

672
00:37:14,640 --> 00:37:17,680
Speaker 1: two your pick if the others are gone? Or do

673
00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:19,520
Speaker 1: you assume that those corners are there?

674
00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:23,160
Speaker 2: Oh, I got you know the pick if all three

675
00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:29,719
Speaker 2: are gone? And this might be my pick anyway, you

676
00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:34,799
Speaker 2: know what I'm going with here. It's Jeremiah Love. It's

677
00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:38,440
Speaker 2: the guy that can take take the top off of

678
00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:41,319
Speaker 2: a defense from the running back position and catch the

679
00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:43,319
Speaker 2: ball and be a weapon out of the backfield, but

680
00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:47,520
Speaker 2: also pop runs for eighty plus yards and just be

681
00:37:47,640 --> 00:37:50,319
Speaker 2: a complete weapon. I was looking up different things on him,

682
00:37:50,320 --> 00:37:53,440
Speaker 2: and I'm still doing a lot of initial research. And

683
00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:55,359
Speaker 2: you know how much I love Jamiir Gibbs a few

684
00:37:55,400 --> 00:37:58,160
Speaker 2: years ago. I mean, I was trying to speak it

685
00:37:58,200 --> 00:38:01,080
Speaker 2: into existence, even though I I knew it was unlikely

686
00:38:01,120 --> 00:38:02,840
Speaker 2: even if you fell to twenty eight that they would

687
00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:06,000
Speaker 2: take him. And that's his comp you know, people are

688
00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:09,000
Speaker 2: comparing him to Jamir and if you could add that,

689
00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:13,880
Speaker 2: you just do it, especially because I'm hoping that they

690
00:38:13,920 --> 00:38:17,960
Speaker 2: do have the Odafeoa Brian Cook, multiple key free agent

691
00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:20,800
Speaker 2: additions on defense that make you feel different about this defense.

692
00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:23,920
Speaker 2: So yeah, Jeremiah Love is someone that I would certainly

693
00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:25,960
Speaker 2: be considering, at least at this point at number ten.

694
00:38:26,719 --> 00:38:29,680
Speaker 1: Notre Dame running back, Jeremiah Love the Heisman runner up,

695
00:38:29,960 --> 00:38:33,400
Speaker 1: smoking hot take. I love it. Can't see it happening,

696
00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:38,480
Speaker 1: but I knew I could count on you throw out

697
00:38:38,520 --> 00:38:41,600
Speaker 1: something great, all right. My top three picks in order

698
00:38:41,719 --> 00:38:46,360
Speaker 1: are as follows like you. Number one Ruben Bain. Ruben

699
00:38:46,440 --> 00:38:50,200
Speaker 1: Bain looks like a centaur to me, half human, half

700
00:38:50,200 --> 00:38:53,920
Speaker 1: horse from the waist down. It is an unusual physique,

701
00:38:54,360 --> 00:38:57,680
Speaker 1: but golly, is that guy good. My number two is

702
00:38:57,800 --> 00:39:02,600
Speaker 1: David Bailey, the pass rusher Texas Tech, probably the best

703
00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:08,640
Speaker 1: traditional edge rusher in this draft, and then Caleb Downs

704
00:39:08,719 --> 00:39:12,160
Speaker 1: is my number three. I would love any of those three.

705
00:39:13,280 --> 00:39:17,000
Speaker 1: I took a look today at a consensus mock draft

706
00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:21,440
Speaker 1: counting or combining the results of ninety three big boards

707
00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:26,160
Speaker 1: and five hundred ninety eight first round mock drafts. Ruben

708
00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:31,040
Speaker 1: Bain is number three, David Bailey is number five, Caleb

709
00:39:31,160 --> 00:39:34,800
Speaker 1: Downs is number eight, So according to that consensus mock

710
00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:39,719
Speaker 1: they would not be available to the Bengals at number ten. However,

711
00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:44,960
Speaker 1: forty three percent of the five hundred ninety eight first

712
00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:49,759
Speaker 1: round mock drafts have the Bengals taking Caleb Downs, So

713
00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:53,640
Speaker 1: there's certainly a scenario out there where because he is

714
00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:57,600
Speaker 1: a safety and safeties traditionally are not taken in the

715
00:39:57,600 --> 00:40:01,719
Speaker 1: top ten, he will be there if it happens. I

716
00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:04,560
Speaker 1: would love it for many of the reasons you described,

717
00:40:05,880 --> 00:40:09,520
Speaker 1: even if they go sign a great free agent safety

718
00:40:09,600 --> 00:40:12,680
Speaker 1: like Brian Cook. Or somebody else. You'll find plenty of

719
00:40:12,680 --> 00:40:15,719
Speaker 1: ways to get Caleb Downs on the field. And then

720
00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:19,360
Speaker 1: after this year, I mean, does Jordan Battle come back.

721
00:40:19,719 --> 00:40:21,960
Speaker 1: With all of the players you're trying to sign as

722
00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:24,960
Speaker 1: part of that twenty twenty three draft class, who knows.

723
00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:28,520
Speaker 1: But if you get a guy like Caleb Downs, you're

724
00:40:28,560 --> 00:40:32,080
Speaker 1: certainly going to find ways for him to have an impact. Now,

725
00:40:32,160 --> 00:40:34,440
Speaker 1: the other part of my question, if all three of

726
00:40:34,440 --> 00:40:38,520
Speaker 1: my guys are gone, who is my fourth guy? I've

727
00:40:38,600 --> 00:40:42,000
Speaker 1: landed on. Peter Woods, whose name comes up frequently, the

728
00:40:42,080 --> 00:40:46,760
Speaker 1: defensive tackle from Clemson, widely considered to be the best

729
00:40:46,760 --> 00:40:51,879
Speaker 1: defensive tackle in this draft. Joe Goodberry, our mutual friend

730
00:40:51,960 --> 00:40:55,680
Speaker 1: Joe Goodberry, did a great video studying his play at Clemson,

731
00:40:55,760 --> 00:40:58,600
Speaker 1: and it was interesting to see because early in his

732
00:40:58,680 --> 00:41:01,720
Speaker 1: college football career he spent three years at Clemson. Early

733
00:41:01,800 --> 00:41:06,279
Speaker 1: in his career, tremendous pass rush productivity, and then it

734
00:41:06,480 --> 00:41:09,759
Speaker 1: decreased a little bit every season, which is a bit

735
00:41:09,760 --> 00:41:12,759
Speaker 1: of a concern. But he's only twenty years old. He's

736
00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:16,440
Speaker 1: one of the youngest guys in this draft class. Plenty productive,

737
00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:20,160
Speaker 1: super twitchy, and athletic. They haven't had that guy a

738
00:41:20,239 --> 00:41:24,400
Speaker 1: defensive tackle in a long time. So he's number sixteen

739
00:41:24,480 --> 00:41:27,719
Speaker 1: out the consensus mock, a little bit lower than you

740
00:41:27,719 --> 00:41:31,400
Speaker 1: would like with the tenth pick, but again the number

741
00:41:31,400 --> 00:41:34,920
Speaker 1: one defensive tackle according to most of the experts. It's

742
00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:37,960
Speaker 1: a position of need. I'm okay with Peter Woods as

743
00:41:38,000 --> 00:41:38,680
Speaker 1: my fourth guy.

744
00:41:39,719 --> 00:41:41,480
Speaker 2: I agree with a lot of what you said. You

745
00:41:41,600 --> 00:41:43,920
Speaker 2: take the swing on the twenty year old productive has

746
00:41:43,920 --> 00:41:46,640
Speaker 2: shown the flashes. Can he be consistent? But this is

747
00:41:46,680 --> 00:41:49,359
Speaker 2: a good way to point out why you'd be willing

748
00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:52,320
Speaker 2: to give up ten for a Max Crosby, because it

749
00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:54,000
Speaker 2: might be a year or two before Peter Woods is

750
00:41:54,040 --> 00:41:56,560
Speaker 2: who Peter Woods is going to be. And that's realistic

751
00:41:56,600 --> 00:41:58,759
Speaker 2: when you're a twenty year old prospect and you're coming

752
00:41:58,800 --> 00:42:01,279
Speaker 2: into that situation and we've kind of seen it to

753
00:42:01,320 --> 00:42:03,520
Speaker 2: a degree with Miles Murphy to this point and what

754
00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:07,120
Speaker 2: happened in year three. Whoever they pick at ten, you

755
00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:10,360
Speaker 2: can't wait a couple of years for that guy to

756
00:42:10,400 --> 00:42:12,120
Speaker 2: make an impact, and so they need to get an

757
00:42:12,160 --> 00:42:15,160
Speaker 2: instant impact type guy at ten, and that might be

758
00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:15,800
Speaker 2: Peter Woods.

759
00:42:15,800 --> 00:42:17,080
Speaker 3: I'm not trying to dismiss that.

760
00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:20,480
Speaker 2: It's just a good point, like you never know, it

761
00:42:20,480 --> 00:42:22,040
Speaker 2: may take a year or two for whoever you get

762
00:42:22,080 --> 00:42:22,919
Speaker 2: it ten to pan out.

763
00:42:24,280 --> 00:42:27,600
Speaker 1: We're gonna move to a coaching topic. Zach Taylor is

764
00:42:27,640 --> 00:42:31,759
Speaker 1: the only returning head coach in the AFC North. I

765
00:42:31,880 --> 00:42:37,919
Speaker 1: want you to rank the hires by Baltimore, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh.

766
00:42:37,960 --> 00:42:41,640
Speaker 2: This one is interesting because I think I hold Mike

767
00:42:41,719 --> 00:42:45,880
Speaker 2: McCarthy in higher regard than the average human that follows

768
00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:50,640
Speaker 2: the NFL. I guess I because everyone laughed at Pittsburgh

769
00:42:50,680 --> 00:42:54,160
Speaker 2: and it's like, yeah, you look at his numbers, and yeah,

770
00:42:54,160 --> 00:42:56,960
Speaker 2: he doesn't look like Sean Payton, but he's had pretty

771
00:42:57,000 --> 00:42:58,880
Speaker 2: much the same success as Sean Payton, and he's not

772
00:42:58,960 --> 00:43:03,000
Speaker 2: considered to be that same stratosphere of coach, but I

773
00:43:03,000 --> 00:43:04,800
Speaker 2: think he is. I think he's in that same realm,

774
00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:07,040
Speaker 2: which might say as much about Sean as it does

775
00:43:07,600 --> 00:43:09,680
Speaker 2: about Mike, but I'm gonna put Mike second. I think

776
00:43:09,760 --> 00:43:14,719
Speaker 2: Jesse Minner's first curveball because it's a nice it's a

777
00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:17,360
Speaker 2: nice swing where you could look up and you have

778
00:43:18,320 --> 00:43:20,640
Speaker 2: the next harrorball, the next guy that's going to be

779
00:43:20,680 --> 00:43:23,279
Speaker 2: there for the for a decade and a half two

780
00:43:23,320 --> 00:43:26,960
Speaker 2: decades and be the face or one of the faces

781
00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:29,319
Speaker 2: of the Baltimore Ravens. So I get why you would

782
00:43:29,360 --> 00:43:31,920
Speaker 2: go with a younger guy like that and up and

783
00:43:31,960 --> 00:43:34,520
Speaker 2: comer that you think can win right away because you

784
00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:37,360
Speaker 2: have a win now roster. But I think Mike McCarthy's

785
00:43:37,440 --> 00:43:40,320
Speaker 2: right there is number two and he is proven and

786
00:43:40,680 --> 00:43:42,560
Speaker 2: the hometown connection doesn't hurt.

787
00:43:43,080 --> 00:43:45,000
Speaker 3: But if you don't want to tank.

788
00:43:44,760 --> 00:43:47,560
Speaker 2: In the Steelers, I don't think we're in any shape

789
00:43:47,600 --> 00:43:48,960
Speaker 2: or for him trying to do that. I think they

790
00:43:48,960 --> 00:43:51,040
Speaker 2: want to continue to be at the top of the division.

791
00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:53,560
Speaker 2: Go get a coach that has done it. And Mike

792
00:43:53,640 --> 00:43:57,920
Speaker 2: McCarthy has won in Green Bay, he went, he won

793
00:43:58,000 --> 00:43:59,759
Speaker 2: in Dallas, and we'll see if he can.

794
00:43:59,719 --> 00:44:02,000
Speaker 3: Win in Pittsburgh. And then the third one.

795
00:44:02,440 --> 00:44:05,040
Speaker 2: And it's a tough one because heck, I wrote Dan Pitcher,

796
00:44:05,080 --> 00:44:06,680
Speaker 2: there's no way, and heck, you should take that job

797
00:44:06,719 --> 00:44:10,799
Speaker 2: in Cleveland. But it's Todd Munkin, It's Monkin is someone

798
00:44:10,840 --> 00:44:13,040
Speaker 2: who you could tell really wanted it to be an

799
00:44:13,120 --> 00:44:15,520
Speaker 2: NFL head coach, goes back to the league trying to

800
00:44:15,520 --> 00:44:16,799
Speaker 2: get his opportunity.

801
00:44:16,840 --> 00:44:18,120
Speaker 3: Now he gets it.

802
00:44:18,120 --> 00:44:21,440
Speaker 2: It's just a really tough job and we'll see what

803
00:44:21,480 --> 00:44:25,040
Speaker 2: they do at the quarterback spot. So That's that's how

804
00:44:25,080 --> 00:44:26,000
Speaker 2: I would rank them.

805
00:44:26,560 --> 00:44:31,080
Speaker 1: All right, I'm going McCarthy one, mentor two, Monkin three.

806
00:44:31,760 --> 00:44:36,239
Speaker 1: You drew the comparison between Sean Payton and Mike McCarthy.

807
00:44:36,880 --> 00:44:43,320
Speaker 1: It's really eerie. Their career stats are virtually identical. Regular

808
00:44:43,400 --> 00:44:48,040
Speaker 1: season record, playoff record. Each guy has one Super Bowl ring.

809
00:44:48,760 --> 00:44:52,600
Speaker 1: And yet when the Broncos hired Sean Payton, I mean,

810
00:44:52,719 --> 00:44:55,600
Speaker 1: everybody went crazy, what a great hire. It's going to

811
00:44:55,640 --> 00:44:59,120
Speaker 1: completely change the franchise, and it did. And then, like

812
00:44:59,200 --> 00:45:02,560
Speaker 1: you said, when the Deelers hired Mike McCarthy, the national

813
00:45:02,600 --> 00:45:08,200
Speaker 1: reaction was meh, retread not a great hire. Uninspired. I

814
00:45:08,239 --> 00:45:11,880
Speaker 1: think it's a tremendous hire. His tenure with the Cowboys

815
00:45:11,960 --> 00:45:14,560
Speaker 1: is so much better than anybody gives him credit for.

816
00:45:14,960 --> 00:45:17,279
Speaker 1: I mean, they had three straight twelve win seasons, right,

817
00:45:17,920 --> 00:45:22,319
Speaker 1: they didn't have playoff success, and you know that's part

818
00:45:22,360 --> 00:45:26,040
Speaker 1: of the overall picture. But he scares me as the

819
00:45:26,040 --> 00:45:29,520
Speaker 1: coach of the Steelers because as great as Mike Tomlin

820
00:45:29,719 --> 00:45:35,120
Speaker 1: was post Ben Roethlisberger, their offenses were never good. Mike

821
00:45:35,200 --> 00:45:39,759
Speaker 1: McCarthy's always had good offensive teams. I think the Steelers

822
00:45:40,239 --> 00:45:42,600
Speaker 1: are going to be a team to be reckoned with

823
00:45:42,600 --> 00:45:46,319
Speaker 1: with Mike McCarthy as head coach, assuming that they get

824
00:45:46,360 --> 00:45:49,680
Speaker 1: a quarterback, and maybe that's a big assumption. As for

825
00:45:49,800 --> 00:45:53,640
Speaker 1: Jesse Mentor, I moved to Cincinnati in nineteen ninety six.

826
00:45:54,360 --> 00:45:57,640
Speaker 1: It was Rick Minter's third year as head coach, and

827
00:45:57,960 --> 00:46:00,239
Speaker 1: I was chosen to be the radio play by play

828
00:46:00,239 --> 00:46:04,360
Speaker 1: announcer that first year because Paul Keels was hired to

829
00:46:04,360 --> 00:46:06,759
Speaker 1: be the voice of the Bengals. Paul did it for

830
00:46:06,880 --> 00:46:11,799
Speaker 1: one year, then the Bengals radio station situation changed and

831
00:46:11,880 --> 00:46:15,279
Speaker 1: he was out after one year. Pete Arbogast came in

832
00:46:15,680 --> 00:46:19,320
Speaker 1: and Paul went back to doing University of Cincinnati games

833
00:46:19,719 --> 00:46:22,280
Speaker 1: until he was hired by Ohio State. So I actually

834
00:46:22,280 --> 00:46:24,839
Speaker 1: had this one year period where I did the games

835
00:46:24,880 --> 00:46:28,319
Speaker 1: on the radio, then I didn't for several years, and

836
00:46:28,400 --> 00:46:31,080
Speaker 1: then I came back when I became the full time

837
00:46:31,200 --> 00:46:35,880
Speaker 1: voice of the UC Bearcats. So backtracking, I got to

838
00:46:35,920 --> 00:46:40,480
Speaker 1: know Jesse Minter when he was thirteen years old. Great kid.

839
00:46:41,680 --> 00:46:46,719
Speaker 1: He's clearly become a fantastic defensive coordinator. I suspect he's

840
00:46:46,800 --> 00:46:49,759
Speaker 1: going to be a really good head coach, but I

841
00:46:49,760 --> 00:46:53,640
Speaker 1: don't know if he will be right away. John Harbaugh

842
00:46:53,680 --> 00:46:57,759
Speaker 1: is a great coach. I think that there might be

843
00:46:58,000 --> 00:47:02,360
Speaker 1: a little bit of a step back before Jesse Mintor

844
00:47:02,480 --> 00:47:07,640
Speaker 1: becomes what he ultimately becomes. It typically takes a little while.

845
00:47:07,760 --> 00:47:11,160
Speaker 1: Now this year there were exceptions. Ben Johnson huge exception,

846
00:47:11,680 --> 00:47:15,799
Speaker 1: Liam Cohen huge exception. But more often than not, when

847
00:47:15,840 --> 00:47:18,839
Speaker 1: these young guys get their first chance, it takes a

848
00:47:18,840 --> 00:47:22,520
Speaker 1: little while to grow into the job. So that is

849
00:47:22,680 --> 00:47:27,719
Speaker 1: my suspicion my anticipation for Jesse Mentor. The one thing

850
00:47:27,760 --> 00:47:30,880
Speaker 1: I will say for him is he's hired a tremendous

851
00:47:30,920 --> 00:47:36,200
Speaker 1: coaching staff, so that might allow him to hit the

852
00:47:36,239 --> 00:47:40,759
Speaker 1: ground running. We'll see. As for Todd Munkin, I'm not

853
00:47:40,840 --> 00:47:43,960
Speaker 1: sure how many people know it, but when the Bengals

854
00:47:44,040 --> 00:47:46,719
Speaker 1: hired Zach Taylor, Todd Munkin was one of the guys

855
00:47:46,760 --> 00:47:51,080
Speaker 1: they interviewed, so they believed in his potential to be

856
00:47:51,239 --> 00:47:56,200
Speaker 1: a good head coach. And he might be. But I

857
00:47:56,239 --> 00:48:01,320
Speaker 1: think in the short term the Browns actually got because

858
00:48:01,400 --> 00:48:06,120
Speaker 1: Kevin Stefanski's a really good coach. Maybe Todd Munkin is

859
00:48:06,160 --> 00:48:09,400
Speaker 1: as good. But they lost Jim Swartz as part of

860
00:48:09,400 --> 00:48:12,520
Speaker 1: the deal, and we know Jim Schwartz is an awesome

861
00:48:13,040 --> 00:48:16,640
Speaker 1: defensive coordinator. So for all of the things that I mentioned,

862
00:48:16,719 --> 00:48:21,800
Speaker 1: I go McCarthy one mentor two, Monkin a pretty distant three.

863
00:48:23,080 --> 00:48:24,160
Speaker 3: It's fair. It's fair.

864
00:48:24,200 --> 00:48:26,680
Speaker 2: And as you were going over the McCarthy stuff, I'm like, man,

865
00:48:26,719 --> 00:48:29,160
Speaker 2: I should have just stuck to my guns and kept

866
00:48:29,200 --> 00:48:31,040
Speaker 2: him at one, because I do think that it is

867
00:48:31,080 --> 00:48:34,799
Speaker 2: the narrative around him, and I don't know what it is, but.

868
00:48:34,719 --> 00:48:36,040
Speaker 3: It's like he's a punchline.

869
00:48:36,400 --> 00:48:38,040
Speaker 2: And you're right, he went to Dallas and won with

870
00:48:38,120 --> 00:48:41,200
Speaker 2: dak And was anyone expecting him to win a Super

871
00:48:41,200 --> 00:48:41,840
Speaker 2: Bowl in Dallas?

872
00:48:41,840 --> 00:48:42,319
Speaker 3: I wasn't.

873
00:48:42,680 --> 00:48:46,400
Speaker 2: And so yeah, well we'll see hopefully that they just

874
00:48:46,480 --> 00:48:48,319
Speaker 2: have Aaron Rodgers for the next six years and don't

875
00:48:48,360 --> 00:48:50,680
Speaker 2: have a long term future quarterback.

876
00:48:53,000 --> 00:48:55,239
Speaker 1: All right, we've got two topics left with my guy,

877
00:48:55,360 --> 00:48:58,960
Speaker 1: James Rapine. Question number nine. The big storyline for the Bengals.

878
00:48:58,960 --> 00:49:02,440
Speaker 1: Obviously this offseas and it's all about fixing the defense,

879
00:49:02,840 --> 00:49:06,719
Speaker 1: But what about the offense? What could and should get

880
00:49:06,760 --> 00:49:08,360
Speaker 1: better for the Bengals offensively?

881
00:49:09,880 --> 00:49:15,279
Speaker 2: Every time I hear like, oh, well, the offense is fine,

882
00:49:15,480 --> 00:49:18,879
Speaker 2: I just think back to Week eight and they move

883
00:49:18,960 --> 00:49:21,479
Speaker 2: the ball. But it just seems like anytime they play

884
00:49:21,520 --> 00:49:24,560
Speaker 2: the Browns, it's just a nightmare. And I get it,

885
00:49:24,239 --> 00:49:28,440
Speaker 2: it's tough dealing with those guys that they have, but

886
00:49:28,520 --> 00:49:32,719
Speaker 2: I just it's a reminder that they can improve and

887
00:49:32,760 --> 00:49:34,000
Speaker 2: it's not just against the Browns.

888
00:49:34,040 --> 00:49:35,480
Speaker 3: This offense can be better.

889
00:49:36,200 --> 00:49:39,600
Speaker 2: And part of that is if Joe does go down

890
00:49:39,680 --> 00:49:43,759
Speaker 2: having enough pieces to where it works and it is consistent.

891
00:49:44,320 --> 00:49:47,600
Speaker 2: And so the first thing is first, Dalton Reisner is

892
00:49:47,640 --> 00:49:49,240
Speaker 2: the topic that everyone wants.

893
00:49:49,080 --> 00:49:50,319
Speaker 3: To talk about, and rightfully so.

894
00:49:50,440 --> 00:49:53,120
Speaker 2: And you need stability there at that right guard spot

895
00:49:53,160 --> 00:49:56,800
Speaker 2: and you can bring back those starting five offensive linemen.

896
00:49:56,840 --> 00:49:58,080
Speaker 3: I think you feel good about that.

897
00:49:58,760 --> 00:50:01,760
Speaker 2: But just from a sk old position perspective, I already

898
00:50:01,760 --> 00:50:04,960
Speaker 2: mentioned Dallas Goddard like they could absolutely you use a

899
00:50:04,960 --> 00:50:07,440
Speaker 2: boost at tight end, and I think they know that.

900
00:50:08,320 --> 00:50:12,480
Speaker 2: I think that from a running back or wide receiver standpoint,

901
00:50:12,560 --> 00:50:15,120
Speaker 2: specifically wide receiver, I get it, Chase Brown's handle a

902
00:50:15,160 --> 00:50:17,120
Speaker 2: lot of snaps and you feel good about what Samaji

903
00:50:17,160 --> 00:50:20,240
Speaker 2: p Rying did, and rightfully so. But at wide receiver,

904
00:50:20,320 --> 00:50:23,680
Speaker 2: that wide receiver three spot, that's a lot of snaps.

905
00:50:23,680 --> 00:50:26,680
Speaker 2: If you find the right piece, and maybe it's not

906
00:50:26,719 --> 00:50:29,320
Speaker 2: wide receiver three, maybe it's wide receiver four behind Andre

907
00:50:29,920 --> 00:50:34,640
Speaker 2: and it's a quick, shifty yards after catch player that

908
00:50:34,840 --> 00:50:36,040
Speaker 2: isn't Jamar Chase.

909
00:50:36,560 --> 00:50:38,600
Speaker 3: I think that would be nice to have in this offense.

910
00:50:38,600 --> 00:50:40,160
Speaker 3: So there are things that they can improve.

911
00:50:40,280 --> 00:50:42,239
Speaker 2: Obviously, swing tackle is another one that I think a

912
00:50:42,239 --> 00:50:45,320
Speaker 2: lot of people will focus on. They focus on their trenches,

913
00:50:45,320 --> 00:50:47,719
Speaker 2: but the other pieces on offense could be.

914
00:50:47,800 --> 00:50:48,560
Speaker 3: Upgraded as well.

915
00:50:48,560 --> 00:50:51,719
Speaker 2: And that doesn't include backup quarterback, which is obviously a

916
00:50:51,760 --> 00:50:52,600
Speaker 2: big topic point.

917
00:50:54,360 --> 00:50:57,000
Speaker 1: So the biggest area of improvement that the Bengals must

918
00:50:57,040 --> 00:51:00,479
Speaker 1: have on offense is increasing the likelihood that Joe Burrow

919
00:51:00,520 --> 00:51:03,279
Speaker 1: plays seventeen games. And this is something that we've talked

920
00:51:03,280 --> 00:51:06,200
Speaker 1: about for years and years and years, and I'm hoping

921
00:51:06,520 --> 00:51:09,439
Speaker 1: that one of the biggest contributions that Joe Flacco made

922
00:51:09,520 --> 00:51:12,440
Speaker 1: in the games that he started for Cincinnati was showing

923
00:51:12,560 --> 00:51:16,319
Speaker 1: Joe yet again that it's okay to live for the

924
00:51:16,360 --> 00:51:20,200
Speaker 1: next play. Joe Flacco made six starts for the Bengals.

925
00:51:20,680 --> 00:51:23,640
Speaker 1: Here were the number of sacks in those six games,

926
00:51:24,000 --> 00:51:30,520
Speaker 1: one two, one, three one one the time he was

927
00:51:30,600 --> 00:51:34,360
Speaker 1: sacked three times. He threw forty seven passes against the Bears,

928
00:51:34,640 --> 00:51:37,279
Speaker 1: so there were a lot of opportunities to get him down.

929
00:51:37,840 --> 00:51:41,080
Speaker 1: Nobody wants to take away from one of Joe Burrow's superpowers,

930
00:51:41,160 --> 00:51:45,160
Speaker 1: which is his ability to extend plays and turn nothing

931
00:51:45,280 --> 00:51:50,359
Speaker 1: into something often something great. But continuing to learn when

932
00:51:50,400 --> 00:51:53,080
Speaker 1: to pick his spots is going to be very important

933
00:51:53,080 --> 00:51:56,120
Speaker 1: for him going forward, and I think we saw it

934
00:51:56,640 --> 00:51:59,719
Speaker 1: to a certain extent once he returned from his toe

935
00:51:59,760 --> 00:52:02,840
Speaker 1: in He didn't stop looking to make plays, but I

936
00:52:02,920 --> 00:52:06,040
Speaker 1: do think that maybe he was picking his spots a

937
00:52:06,040 --> 00:52:08,400
Speaker 1: little bit more than he did prior to the injury,

938
00:52:09,000 --> 00:52:11,920
Speaker 1: and I'm hoping that that continues to happen for the

939
00:52:11,960 --> 00:52:15,799
Speaker 1: rest of his career. You can never completely eliminate the

940
00:52:15,840 --> 00:52:18,959
Speaker 1: possibility of injury. The play where he suffered his turf

941
00:52:19,000 --> 00:52:21,719
Speaker 1: toe injury this year was just a normal play that's

942
00:52:21,719 --> 00:52:25,000
Speaker 1: going to happen in every game. But anything that Joe

943
00:52:25,040 --> 00:52:27,160
Speaker 1: can do and the Bengals can do to at least

944
00:52:27,760 --> 00:52:31,600
Speaker 1: minimize the chance of it happening again is the single

945
00:52:31,600 --> 00:52:34,320
Speaker 1: biggest thing that they can do to improve their offense.

946
00:52:35,120 --> 00:52:37,920
Speaker 2: When you have Joe, you're always going to feel like

947
00:52:37,960 --> 00:52:42,799
Speaker 2: you have a shot. You just are, and that's whether

948
00:52:42,880 --> 00:52:44,520
Speaker 2: or not they have a better roster. They put it

949
00:52:44,560 --> 00:52:46,919
Speaker 2: as a better roster, you feel like it's the best

950
00:52:46,920 --> 00:52:48,800
Speaker 2: coach on the planet, or whatever the case is. It

951
00:52:48,840 --> 00:52:51,960
Speaker 2: you feel like nine is out there, then you're you're

952
00:52:52,000 --> 00:52:54,200
Speaker 2: gonna think you have a puncher's chance, and I agree

953
00:52:54,200 --> 00:52:57,359
Speaker 2: with you. Plus, it's it's more fun when he's out there,

954
00:52:57,440 --> 00:53:00,759
Speaker 2: even if there's nothing on the line. Right watching him

955
00:53:00,760 --> 00:53:02,840
Speaker 2: down the stretch, I do think that he adjusted his

956
00:53:02,920 --> 00:53:04,839
Speaker 2: play some and there was multiple times where he would

957
00:53:04,840 --> 00:53:07,520
Speaker 2: throw the ball away, which really wasn't in his vocabulary

958
00:53:07,560 --> 00:53:10,279
Speaker 2: for most of his career. Throwing the ball away, throwing

959
00:53:10,320 --> 00:53:12,560
Speaker 2: it into the ground, doing those type of things. Sliding,

960
00:53:13,120 --> 00:53:16,520
Speaker 2: even if it is still kind of awkward at times,

961
00:53:17,239 --> 00:53:20,280
Speaker 2: doing those things would certainly go a long way.

962
00:53:20,840 --> 00:53:23,680
Speaker 1: All right, we're going to wrap this up with our

963
00:53:23,719 --> 00:53:27,920
Speaker 1: hot takes. We chokingly refer to you as hot take

964
00:53:28,200 --> 00:53:32,120
Speaker 1: James in the Bengals press room. You generate a lot

965
00:53:32,200 --> 00:53:35,080
Speaker 1: of great content all over the place. I don't really

966
00:53:35,120 --> 00:53:37,520
Speaker 1: think of you as a hot take specialist, but I know,

967
00:53:37,719 --> 00:53:40,120
Speaker 1: if called upon, you will come up with something good.

968
00:53:40,440 --> 00:53:42,600
Speaker 1: So fire away, give me your best hot take.

969
00:53:43,280 --> 00:53:45,000
Speaker 2: I still have it at me, for sure. I try

970
00:53:45,239 --> 00:53:47,480
Speaker 2: to taper it down right and keep it in the

971
00:53:48,360 --> 00:53:50,319
Speaker 2: keep it shelled as much as I can. But if

972
00:53:50,360 --> 00:53:54,200
Speaker 2: we need to get the fire out we can. Wide

973
00:53:54,239 --> 00:53:57,920
Speaker 2: receiver should be in play at ten, Dan whoa of course,

974
00:53:58,239 --> 00:54:00,719
Speaker 2: of course wide receiver should be in play at ten.

975
00:54:00,760 --> 00:54:03,520
Speaker 2: And I know I didn't mention them, but that doesn't

976
00:54:03,560 --> 00:54:06,160
Speaker 2: mean that makay Lemon wouldn't come in. I almost gave

977
00:54:06,200 --> 00:54:09,200
Speaker 2: it away with that last answer. McKay lemon comes in

978
00:54:09,239 --> 00:54:12,839
Speaker 2: and plays eight hundred snaps tomorrow. And I think that's

979
00:54:12,880 --> 00:54:17,880
Speaker 2: the interesting part of this is you look at impact

980
00:54:17,960 --> 00:54:23,120
Speaker 2: at ten, and you could certainly get major impact with

981
00:54:23,360 --> 00:54:25,879
Speaker 2: the right fit at wide receiver. And I think whether

982
00:54:25,880 --> 00:54:29,000
Speaker 2: it's mackay Lemon, Carnel Tait, pick your flavor, those are

983
00:54:29,040 --> 00:54:30,560
Speaker 2: the two for me at least at this point that

984
00:54:30,880 --> 00:54:34,000
Speaker 2: stand out the most to be in consideration at ten.

985
00:54:34,840 --> 00:54:38,160
Speaker 2: It would take a lot no doubt in free agency

986
00:54:38,239 --> 00:54:42,239
Speaker 2: to feel like, all right, we're going with this and

987
00:54:42,280 --> 00:54:46,120
Speaker 2: we're going to do this. But if that player has

988
00:54:46,120 --> 00:54:47,759
Speaker 2: an instant impact. When's the last time they had a

989
00:54:47,760 --> 00:54:49,600
Speaker 2: top ten pick. They took Jamar It was kind of

990
00:54:49,680 --> 00:54:53,200
Speaker 2: caught a little controversial at the time and it worked

991
00:54:53,200 --> 00:54:55,319
Speaker 2: out really well. I just I don't want to rule

992
00:54:55,320 --> 00:55:00,359
Speaker 2: it out in mid February that they go offense at ten,

993
00:55:00,400 --> 00:55:03,280
Speaker 2: and I would certainly be open to the right wide receiver.

994
00:55:04,680 --> 00:55:08,200
Speaker 1: So I'll say this, by the time the draft rolls around,

995
00:55:08,640 --> 00:55:12,640
Speaker 1: we will have already seen free agency. So if they

996
00:55:12,680 --> 00:55:16,120
Speaker 1: are able to add multiple guys that project to be

997
00:55:16,239 --> 00:55:20,160
Speaker 1: starters on defense, why not. I mean, it certainly fits

998
00:55:20,200 --> 00:55:24,080
Speaker 1: best player available. If you think that that wide receiver

999
00:55:25,000 --> 00:55:27,959
Speaker 1: is as close to a sure thing as you can get,

1000
00:55:28,600 --> 00:55:32,680
Speaker 1: and nobody on defense fits that description, then as crazy

1001
00:55:32,760 --> 00:55:36,719
Speaker 1: as it sounds, as hot taky as it sounds, you

1002
00:55:36,719 --> 00:55:37,480
Speaker 1: can't roll it out.

1003
00:55:38,040 --> 00:55:40,560
Speaker 3: Let's go. That's it. That's it.

1004
00:55:40,640 --> 00:55:43,680
Speaker 2: Because of that, Like, if you get the wrong guy

1005
00:55:43,719 --> 00:55:46,320
Speaker 2: on defense, does it really matter that you address the defense?

1006
00:55:46,440 --> 00:55:48,640
Speaker 2: And the answer is no, you want to get it right,

1007
00:55:48,680 --> 00:55:50,959
Speaker 2: and so that's all that is. That's why you draft

1008
00:55:50,960 --> 00:55:53,680
Speaker 2: the best player and you try to stick to your board,

1009
00:55:53,880 --> 00:55:56,320
Speaker 2: and if you do that, you can live with the results.

1010
00:55:56,400 --> 00:55:57,160
Speaker 3: Mackay Lemon.

1011
00:55:57,440 --> 00:56:00,960
Speaker 2: Everyone knows about Carnel tat Ohio, but McKay lemon, that

1012
00:56:01,200 --> 00:56:03,680
Speaker 2: would be a fun one. Every first down Lemons show

1013
00:56:03,719 --> 00:56:04,600
Speaker 2: up on the jumbo tron.

1014
00:56:04,640 --> 00:56:07,120
Speaker 1: I could see it if it happens. This is the

1015
00:56:07,200 --> 00:56:11,520
Speaker 1: ultimate clip and save moment. February eleventh, Rappine called it

1016
00:56:11,840 --> 00:56:14,239
Speaker 1: all right, you kind of stole my thunder earlier when

1017
00:56:14,239 --> 00:56:17,600
Speaker 1: we were talking about Trey Hendrickson and Max Crosby. But

1018
00:56:17,640 --> 00:56:20,799
Speaker 1: my hate, my hot take is that it is a

1019
00:56:20,840 --> 00:56:25,480
Speaker 1: trade without being a trade. Trey goes to the Raiders,

1020
00:56:26,040 --> 00:56:29,759
Speaker 1: Crosby comes to the Bengals. And here's the scenario. So

1021
00:56:31,080 --> 00:56:34,120
Speaker 1: the Raiders don't want to lose Max Crosby, They've made

1022
00:56:34,120 --> 00:56:37,440
Speaker 1: that abundantly clear. But if he simply doesn't want to

1023
00:56:37,440 --> 00:56:39,520
Speaker 1: come back and they decide that, you know, it's not

1024
00:56:39,600 --> 00:56:42,040
Speaker 1: worth the headache to have a guy here making that

1025
00:56:42,120 --> 00:56:44,239
Speaker 1: kind of money that doesn't want to be here, They're

1026
00:56:44,280 --> 00:56:48,240
Speaker 1: going to need somebody that can offer them similar production.

1027
00:56:48,680 --> 00:56:51,479
Speaker 1: Trey Hendrickson can do that. He's done that. He's had

1028
00:56:51,880 --> 00:56:55,520
Speaker 1: two seasons with seventeen and a half sacks. Max Crosby

1029
00:56:55,760 --> 00:56:58,560
Speaker 1: has never done that, even though he's essentially averaged ten

1030
00:56:59,080 --> 00:57:03,319
Speaker 1: in his seven NFL seasons. So the process begins with

1031
00:57:03,400 --> 00:57:07,320
Speaker 1: the tag in trade, and the Bengals are ultimately able

1032
00:57:07,719 --> 00:57:11,400
Speaker 1: to get that done with the Raiders because the Raiders

1033
00:57:11,400 --> 00:57:14,440
Speaker 1: have a lot of picks. They've got ten draft picks

1034
00:57:15,000 --> 00:57:18,080
Speaker 1: and they've got three picks in the top sixty seven.

1035
00:57:18,640 --> 00:57:20,960
Speaker 1: So you're not going to get one of those picks.

1036
00:57:21,480 --> 00:57:24,640
Speaker 1: But because the Raiders have three picks that high, that

1037
00:57:24,760 --> 00:57:28,720
Speaker 1: makes the picks after that a little bit more expendable.

1038
00:57:29,200 --> 00:57:32,200
Speaker 1: They've got pick number one oh two, they have pick

1039
00:57:32,320 --> 00:57:37,160
Speaker 1: number one seventeen. One oh two is essentially either a

1040
00:57:37,400 --> 00:57:41,720
Speaker 1: late third round or kind of early fourth round pick,

1041
00:57:42,320 --> 00:57:46,560
Speaker 1: depending on how many compensatory picks there are in this

1042
00:57:46,680 --> 00:57:52,000
Speaker 1: year's draft. So I'd like one oh two, but I

1043
00:57:52,000 --> 00:57:54,560
Speaker 1: would consider one seventeen. That's going to be, you know,

1044
00:57:54,720 --> 00:57:58,800
Speaker 1: kind of early fourth round ish. That's what the Bengals

1045
00:57:58,840 --> 00:58:02,320
Speaker 1: are able to get in a tagg In trade scenario

1046
00:58:02,720 --> 00:58:05,600
Speaker 1: with the Raiders, and the Raiders wind up giving Tray

1047
00:58:07,040 --> 00:58:11,480
Speaker 1: three years seventy eight mil. I don't know whatever it is,

1048
00:58:11,680 --> 00:58:14,760
Speaker 1: but a multi year deal that Trey is willing to accept.

1049
00:58:15,720 --> 00:58:19,920
Speaker 1: Now that the Bengals have done that, they turn around and,

1050
00:58:20,000 --> 00:58:22,920
Speaker 1: as I said earlier, give up the tenth pick in

1051
00:58:23,000 --> 00:58:27,280
Speaker 1: this year's draft, maybe a slightly later pick than I

1052
00:58:27,360 --> 00:58:31,360
Speaker 1: suggested earlier, So a third round pick in next year's draft,

1053
00:58:31,880 --> 00:58:35,560
Speaker 1: plus Chris Jenkins because Tom Brady is a Michigan man,

1054
00:58:36,160 --> 00:58:40,720
Speaker 1: to bring Max Crosby to Cincinnati. So that's my hot take.

1055
00:58:41,320 --> 00:58:44,440
Speaker 1: A trade without being a trade where the Bengals give

1056
00:58:44,520 --> 00:58:46,680
Speaker 1: up Tray and get Max Crosby.

1057
00:58:47,520 --> 00:58:48,680
Speaker 3: That would just be fun.

1058
00:58:49,080 --> 00:58:52,280
Speaker 2: It would be fun and to see how this defense

1059
00:58:52,320 --> 00:58:55,680
Speaker 2: would look built around that. And with a guy in

1060
00:58:55,760 --> 00:58:59,920
Speaker 2: Max Crosby, that wouldn't be thinking, cause I get it.

1061
00:59:00,000 --> 00:59:02,280
Speaker 2: I get thinking about your contract and everything that went

1062
00:59:02,320 --> 00:59:03,800
Speaker 2: into it with Trey like, that's tough.

1063
00:59:04,280 --> 00:59:08,000
Speaker 3: It was a tough situation. If you somehow end up with.

1064
00:59:07,960 --> 00:59:10,080
Speaker 2: Max Crosby, that would be that would be a heck

1065
00:59:10,080 --> 00:59:13,680
Speaker 2: of a result, especially if it's before before free agency.

1066
00:59:13,720 --> 00:59:15,840
Speaker 2: So then you can go get Brian Cook and go

1067
00:59:15,920 --> 00:59:20,200
Speaker 2: get go get boy a Mafe and now suddenly now

1068
00:59:20,880 --> 00:59:22,240
Speaker 2: really cooking really.

1069
00:59:23,560 --> 00:59:27,000
Speaker 1: Yeah, m Plus, you don't have to worry about negotiating

1070
00:59:27,040 --> 00:59:30,440
Speaker 1: with Max because he signed for four years, so that

1071
00:59:30,880 --> 00:59:34,160
Speaker 1: potential headache of trying to, you know, retain one of

1072
00:59:34,160 --> 00:59:37,400
Speaker 1: the best defensive players in the league going forward. The

1073
00:59:37,480 --> 00:59:38,840
Speaker 1: job's already done for you.

1074
00:59:39,400 --> 00:59:39,680
Speaker 3: It is.

1075
00:59:39,720 --> 00:59:43,280
Speaker 2: And then he has I think there's guaranteed money next

1076
00:59:43,360 --> 00:59:46,800
Speaker 2: year in twenty seven from an injury guarantee. It gets

1077
00:59:46,800 --> 00:59:51,240
Speaker 2: guaranteed later this offseason, So that would be great because

1078
00:59:51,280 --> 00:59:54,240
Speaker 2: then he's, yeah, if he has twenty five Sacks and

1079
00:59:54,320 --> 00:59:57,160
Speaker 2: he gets frustrated. Well, you have that conversation then, but

1080
00:59:57,200 --> 00:59:59,640
Speaker 2: for now, go out and get twenty five sacks.

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01:00:01,160 --> 01:00:04,800
Speaker 1: James Rapine is one of the best content creators out

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01:00:04,800 --> 01:00:07,760
Speaker 1: there where the Cincinnati Bengals are concerned. I don't have

1083
01:00:07,840 --> 01:00:09,520
Speaker 1: to tell you that, but you already know it. You

1084
01:00:09,520 --> 01:00:13,000
Speaker 1: can find him at Bengals Talk dot com, Lockdown Bengals Podcast,

1085
01:00:13,360 --> 01:00:17,640
Speaker 1: and elsewhere. Follow him on x at James Rapine r

1086
01:00:17,760 --> 01:00:21,680
Speaker 1: API E N. I appreciate your time. I know you're

1087
01:00:21,720 --> 01:00:25,600
Speaker 1: busy as a content creator and as a dad, so

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01:00:25,680 --> 01:00:27,400
Speaker 1: thanks for giving me so much time today.

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01:00:28,000 --> 01:00:29,360
Speaker 3: Of course, Dan, thanks for having me.

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01:00:30,400 --> 01:00:32,160
Speaker 1: That's going to do it for this episode of the

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01:00:32,200 --> 01:00:35,000
Speaker 1: Bengals Booth podcast, brought to you by pay Core, Proud

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01:00:35,000 --> 01:00:39,400
Speaker 1: to be the Bengals official HR software provider by Alta Fiber,

1093
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Speaker 1: future proof fiber Internet designed elevate your home, business and

1094
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Speaker 1: community to a new level, and by Kettering Health the

1095
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Speaker 1: best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is the

1096
01:00:49,480 --> 01:00:53,120
Speaker 1: official healthcare provider of the Bengals. If you haven't done

1097
01:00:53,120 --> 01:00:56,560
Speaker 1: so already, please subscribe to this podcast and if you

1098
01:00:56,600 --> 01:00:58,800
Speaker 1: have a minute, give it a rating or share a

1099
01:00:58,840 --> 01:01:03,360
Speaker 1: comment that health oops more Bengals fans find us. I'm

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01:01:03,400 --> 01:01:07,680
Speaker 1: Dan Horde. Thanks for listening to the Bengals Booth podcast