WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Better Together 0:00:03.600 --> 0:00:06.359 Hi, get everybody. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.360 --> 0:00:12.160 the Bengals Booth Podcast them It's always better when we're together. 0:00:13.680 --> 0:00:16.880 Addition is Dave Lapham joins me to discuss the additions 0:00:16.880 --> 0:00:20.320 of Alex Kappa and Ted Carriss to the Bengals offensive line, 0:00:20.640 --> 0:00:24.560 along with the latest developments in free agency. The Bengals 0:00:24.560 --> 0:00:29.320 Booth Podcast is presented by Ultimate Bengals. Download Ultimate Bengals 0:00:29.320 --> 0:00:31.920 ahead of the twenty twenty two season. It's free to 0:00:32.040 --> 0:00:37.560 play next level fantasy football with fantastic Bengals prizes. Get 0:00:37.600 --> 0:00:40.400 it now on the App Store and Google Play. And 0:00:40.560 --> 0:00:42.800 here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest 0:00:42.920 --> 0:00:46.040 edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, 0:00:46.159 --> 0:00:50.640 or computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's 0:00:50.680 --> 0:00:56.200 the greatest thing since exercise soreness. The Bengals run to 0:00:56.240 --> 0:00:58.200 the Super Bowl was one of the greatest five and 0:00:58.200 --> 0:01:01.240 a half month stretches of my life, but it wasn't 0:01:01.280 --> 0:01:04.880 filled with much exercise. In fact, if you look up 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:08.279 the words sloth in the dictionary, you'll find a picture 0:01:08.280 --> 0:01:11.240 of a bald man with glasses who looks very familiar. 0:01:11.880 --> 0:01:14.160 Now that the season is over. I'm trying to be 0:01:14.240 --> 0:01:16.959 more dedicated when it comes to working out, and I 0:01:17.040 --> 0:01:20.720 have the soreness that comes with it. Not pain, mind you, 0:01:21.280 --> 0:01:24.039 just the soreness that occurs in the early stages of 0:01:24.040 --> 0:01:27.280 an exercise routine that mostly goes away when you do 0:01:27.319 --> 0:01:32.840 it regularly. So here's to feeling some exercise soreness. It 0:01:32.920 --> 0:01:38.280 beats feeling disgusting. Now time to talk free agency with 0:01:38.480 --> 0:01:41.839 Dave Lapham. All right, lap You've had a few days 0:01:41.880 --> 0:01:44.800 to take a closer look at Alex Kappa and Ted Carriss. 0:01:44.880 --> 0:01:48.200 You recorded a great podcast with offensive line coach Frank 0:01:48.240 --> 0:01:51.360 Pollock about those guys. What are the Bengals getting in 0:01:51.440 --> 0:01:56.800 those two interior offensive linemen. I think they're getting class 0:01:56.880 --> 0:02:01.040 acts in both cases. I think they're both very intelligent. 0:02:01.280 --> 0:02:05.120 I think they're both very alert to everything environmentally and 0:02:05.200 --> 0:02:09.200 their surroundings. I think they're aware of everything that needs 0:02:09.200 --> 0:02:13.240 to get done. And they both seem to be really 0:02:13.280 --> 0:02:20.000 good communicators and understanding than the importance of communicating at 0:02:20.000 --> 0:02:23.440 a high level. And all I can say is I'd 0:02:23.480 --> 0:02:25.640 love to play right between the two of them. After 0:02:25.680 --> 0:02:28.760 seeing them up here at the press or, I was 0:02:28.919 --> 0:02:32.240 duly impressed with what they had to say and how 0:02:32.280 --> 0:02:34.920 they had to say it, and just the interaction with 0:02:34.960 --> 0:02:38.400 each other. I mean, it just it was very very 0:02:38.440 --> 0:02:41.960 comfortable for me to observes as a form alignment. I 0:02:42.000 --> 0:02:45.520 think that they're going to be major additions not only 0:02:45.560 --> 0:02:48.760 to the offensive line room in terms of leadership, but 0:02:48.800 --> 0:02:51.520 to the football team in terms of leadership. And I 0:02:51.560 --> 0:02:56.040 think they will. They'll be looked upon you for leadership 0:02:56.080 --> 0:02:59.160 because they're in the prime of their career and they've 0:02:59.200 --> 0:03:01.760 gone to the pinnacle. They won the big one, and 0:03:01.840 --> 0:03:04.399 this team got there, got to the doorstep just could 0:03:04.440 --> 0:03:08.040 not quite open the door and finish it. So I 0:03:08.080 --> 0:03:10.680 think I think these guys are going to have a 0:03:11.000 --> 0:03:15.760 major impact on the football field. Off the football field, 0:03:15.760 --> 0:03:17.840 in the locker room, in the community, every place there 0:03:17.880 --> 0:03:20.600 can be an impact, I think these two guys will 0:03:20.639 --> 0:03:23.920 be part of it. Ted Carriss played left guard for 0:03:23.960 --> 0:03:26.839 the Patriots last year. He played center for the two 0:03:26.840 --> 0:03:29.480 seasons prior to that one in Miami. Went in New England, 0:03:29.960 --> 0:03:33.920 Zach Taylor definitively said no, ifs ands or butts, he 0:03:34.040 --> 0:03:37.800 will be our center. Right Trey Hopkins is let go 0:03:38.720 --> 0:03:43.840 starting center, and this guy is who they've they've tagged 0:03:44.640 --> 0:03:47.760 to me, if I'm Hill, lights a fire under me 0:03:48.000 --> 0:03:51.520 to get better. You know that that they're not quite there. 0:03:51.720 --> 0:03:53.920 They're not going to say, all right, you're the incumbent, 0:03:54.280 --> 0:03:57.200 You're our starting center. Carris is going to line up 0:03:57.200 --> 0:03:59.640 at the center position. Now if Hill has shown improvement, 0:04:00.280 --> 0:04:03.040 you know, the fact is that Kariss has played both 0:04:03.080 --> 0:04:07.480 guards and center, that the all three interior line position 0:04:08.080 --> 0:04:12.840 aspect of his resume is extremely attractive and appealing. Versatility 0:04:13.280 --> 0:04:17.480 is very very important in this era, particularly on game 0:04:17.560 --> 0:04:19.760 day when you only have seven or eight guys you 0:04:19.760 --> 0:04:21.760 know that are that are up and able to play. 0:04:22.520 --> 0:04:27.880 So it's a source of motivation for Hill. But Kiss, 0:04:28.640 --> 0:04:31.440 they were very adamant. It was part of the process 0:04:31.480 --> 0:04:32.920 of recruiting him. Here's what we're going to do with 0:04:33.000 --> 0:04:36.000 your very defined role, but we do expect that you 0:04:36.839 --> 0:04:39.960 still would be able to go to left guard or 0:04:40.080 --> 0:04:44.159 right guard if in fact, injury or something else determined 0:04:44.160 --> 0:04:46.480 that we would need help there, and he could do that. 0:04:46.600 --> 0:04:49.120 So it's it's a very comforting feeling, I think, to 0:04:49.800 --> 0:04:52.760 have a guy with that type of versatility, and not 0:04:52.839 --> 0:04:56.479 only you project he might be able to He's played 0:04:56.600 --> 0:04:59.480 in the NFL's there's game tape that you can look at, 0:04:59.600 --> 0:05:03.839 and he performed well enough to win football games in 0:05:03.920 --> 0:05:07.400 the National Football League at all three spots. That is 0:05:07.480 --> 0:05:12.160 worth a ton. It's almost priceless. Alex Kappa was one 0:05:12.200 --> 0:05:14.760 of the first free agents announced on Monday, if not 0:05:14.960 --> 0:05:18.360 the first. Twenty seven years old, four years in the NFL, 0:05:18.480 --> 0:05:20.479 A Super Bowl ring from Tampa Bay a couple of 0:05:20.560 --> 0:05:23.680 years ago. Frank Pollock did not want to say he 0:05:23.760 --> 0:05:26.960 was the number one guy on our list, but clearly 0:05:27.000 --> 0:05:29.360 he had to be very high on whatever list they 0:05:29.360 --> 0:05:31.920 put together for the Bengals to get that done as 0:05:32.000 --> 0:05:35.000 quickly as they did. Yeah, and you know, you start 0:05:35.040 --> 0:05:39.000 to Okay, let's put in the criterion. Here's here's what 0:05:39.080 --> 0:05:41.719 we want to spend, and we'd like to be able 0:05:41.720 --> 0:05:44.720 to get both these guys, so or we'd like to 0:05:44.760 --> 0:05:46.760 be able to get two. Maybe not both of these guys. 0:05:46.800 --> 0:05:49.560 We'd like to be able to get too. So here's 0:05:49.600 --> 0:05:51.599 here's what we were thinking we're going to budget for 0:05:51.920 --> 0:05:56.760 offensive line free agency initially, and here's the ones that 0:05:56.800 --> 0:05:59.680 are exorbitant. They're they're out of that out of that 0:05:59.720 --> 0:06:02.560 price range. You know, we're not going to be able 0:06:02.560 --> 0:06:04.520 to buy a mansion. We'll have to settle for a 0:06:04.520 --> 0:06:09.960 five bedroom house. And they got they got you know again, 0:06:10.920 --> 0:06:14.760 William Jackson, he goes to Washington, gets big bucks and 0:06:14.880 --> 0:06:17.520 they get a Woozier and they get Hilton for the 0:06:17.600 --> 0:06:23.040 same same money. Two for one. Sheriff goes to Jacksonville 0:06:23.200 --> 0:06:26.119 from Washington for big bucks. They get these two guys 0:06:26.440 --> 0:06:29.440 the same money two years in a row. They've done 0:06:29.440 --> 0:06:33.120 a two fur It's pretty darn good. And you had 0:06:33.160 --> 0:06:36.200 more than one position that needed help in the offensive 0:06:36.200 --> 0:06:39.400 line and even in the interior the offensive line, so 0:06:39.480 --> 0:06:42.760 I think they handled it remarkably well. I think, you know, 0:06:42.800 --> 0:06:45.880 they targeted these guys as ones that would fit all 0:06:45.920 --> 0:06:52.360 that criterion and Bloom either good capita to engage in 0:06:52.400 --> 0:06:54.440 the process pretty quickly, and it's a good thing they did, 0:06:54.480 --> 0:06:58.280 because Tom Brady called him shortly after and he basically said, 0:06:58.279 --> 0:06:59.800 you know, a little too late, Tom, and too far 0:06:59.800 --> 0:07:02.640 down on the road. And I admire that because we've 0:07:02.640 --> 0:07:04.760 seen guys from Nigga on deals that they've agreed to. 0:07:05.640 --> 0:07:08.960 And Ogan Joby unfortunately didn't pass his physical, so he 0:07:09.000 --> 0:07:12.280 doesn't get his contract with the Bears that was agreed to. 0:07:12.760 --> 0:07:16.760 But but other guys have changed their mind. I look 0:07:16.760 --> 0:07:20.360 at that as a as a very very admirable trait 0:07:20.440 --> 0:07:24.720 that Kappa has, Tom Brady calling them the goat saying, 0:07:25.040 --> 0:07:27.320 you know, come on, come back, run it back with 0:07:27.400 --> 0:07:30.239 us in Tampa, and he's like, you know, I've given 0:07:30.280 --> 0:07:33.000 my word here too far along. I admire that, you know, 0:07:33.080 --> 0:07:36.600 And so that tells me something about his character as well. 0:07:37.080 --> 0:07:40.480 Those good values you learn at Humboldt State, I think 0:07:40.600 --> 0:07:46.360 exactly right, Humboldt their humbolt at Humboldt State, and uh 0:07:46.480 --> 0:07:50.680 yeah that, how about how about that? That's a heck 0:07:50.680 --> 0:07:54.000 of a thing too. You talk about a guy that everybody, 0:07:54.040 --> 0:07:58.080 everybody has development at a different age and rate and 0:07:58.120 --> 0:08:00.840 all those sorts of things. But you know, not obviously 0:08:00.840 --> 0:08:02.720 coming out of high school, not a guy that everybody 0:08:02.760 --> 0:08:06.400 was drooling over. But he goes and some guys are 0:08:06.440 --> 0:08:08.800 late bloomers, and he's one of those guys that probably 0:08:08.800 --> 0:08:12.480 bloomed late physically and he had all the all the 0:08:12.560 --> 0:08:16.240 other things. You don't become a glass eater, as Frank 0:08:16.280 --> 0:08:20.480 Pollock likes to call a tough guys, you know, overnight. Um, 0:08:21.480 --> 0:08:24.120 in some cases you do. I shouldn't say that. But 0:08:24.480 --> 0:08:27.400 this guy obviously has had a love and desire for 0:08:27.480 --> 0:08:31.280 football for a long time for him to and he 0:08:31.360 --> 0:08:34.160 finally gets to, you know, the highest level you can 0:08:34.200 --> 0:08:38.000 get to, and you're living your childhood dream. So I'm 0:08:38.120 --> 0:08:40.400 not gonna let a broken arm stop me. And uh, 0:08:40.520 --> 0:08:41.920 you know, I get an injury there in my leg, 0:08:41.960 --> 0:08:43.280 I don't know exactly who it is, and let me 0:08:43.320 --> 0:08:45.760 see if I can go, can't go? X race, Mr, 0:08:46.240 --> 0:08:51.280 it's broken, Okay, I mean that dude. You know i'd uh, 0:08:52.400 --> 0:08:56.800 I definitely do a tag team wrestling match with that dude. So, 0:08:56.880 --> 0:09:00.800 speaking of glass eaters, it's no secret that l Collins 0:09:00.960 --> 0:09:04.000 is visiting the Bengals. We are recording this conversation about 0:09:04.000 --> 0:09:06.640 three twenty five on Friday afternoon, so by the time 0:09:06.640 --> 0:09:09.920 the podcast is posted, who knows. Maybe he has agreed 0:09:09.960 --> 0:09:12.560 to a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals. But I asked 0:09:12.559 --> 0:09:14.880 Frank Pollock about him at his news conference. He said 0:09:14.920 --> 0:09:17.240 I loved coaching him in Dallas. He is a glass eater, 0:09:17.400 --> 0:09:20.560 he loves film study. He made it abundantly clear that 0:09:20.600 --> 0:09:22.560 he would love to have him as his right tackle 0:09:22.840 --> 0:09:25.560 if the Bengals can win what now becomes a free 0:09:25.600 --> 0:09:28.640 agency sweepstakes for his services. And how about that you 0:09:28.679 --> 0:09:31.400 get the center, right guard, and right tackle in free 0:09:31.400 --> 0:09:35.040 agency potentially, My goodness, you can't have so much more 0:09:35.080 --> 0:09:38.199 than that. You know, the Kansas City Chiefs had quote 0:09:38.200 --> 0:09:40.720 the formula last year. They got two starters in free 0:09:40.720 --> 0:09:43.560 agency and two in the draft. Oh, I prefer three 0:09:43.559 --> 0:09:46.560 in free agency because the draft is a crapshoot and 0:09:46.679 --> 0:09:49.040 it's not an exact science, at least in free agency. 0:09:49.080 --> 0:09:52.120 It's not an exact science there either. Sometimes you go 0:09:52.200 --> 0:09:54.360 from one system to another it just doesn't work out 0:09:54.400 --> 0:10:01.000 for whatever reason. But you've got more chance for success 0:10:01.040 --> 0:10:04.080 because you've seen the guy play at that final level 0:10:04.360 --> 0:10:07.880 and be able to operate and compete and win battles 0:10:07.960 --> 0:10:10.720 individually and collectively as a team at that highest level. 0:10:10.760 --> 0:10:15.120 So if you can get three starters in your offensive 0:10:15.160 --> 0:10:19.000 line in one free agency period, I mean, last year 0:10:19.000 --> 0:10:21.640 they built their defense through the draft and the offense 0:10:21.720 --> 0:10:24.400 and defense through free agency and offense through the draft. 0:10:24.480 --> 0:10:26.480 It might be the reverse of it this year, you know, 0:10:26.520 --> 0:10:29.920 I mean they may spend their free agency dollars offensively, uh, 0:10:30.240 --> 0:10:33.800 you know, primarily and then and then get after the 0:10:33.800 --> 0:10:36.640 defensive needs in the draft. But I mean that would 0:10:36.640 --> 0:10:39.199 be that would be big. And you look at Collins, 0:10:39.280 --> 0:10:41.640 I mean he was undrafted, you know, and Frank Pollock 0:10:41.760 --> 0:10:46.880 took you know, molded that clay and really believed in him. 0:10:47.320 --> 0:10:54.240 And Collins responded to Frank Pollock's methodology as techniques, his schemes, 0:10:54.559 --> 0:10:57.280 his hand placement, his foot where he responded to all 0:10:57.320 --> 0:11:02.160 of it. And they've got a relationship to me, I think, 0:11:02.559 --> 0:11:06.080 you know, dinner Rubies with a precinct or wherever is great. 0:11:06.200 --> 0:11:10.520 Jeff Rubies, got great food, great restaurants, teammates, it's all important, 0:11:10.559 --> 0:11:12.680 it's all great. But the fact that I know what 0:11:12.760 --> 0:11:15.960 Frank Pollock's all about, and I have a chance to 0:11:17.360 --> 0:11:20.560 go back to the coach to basically allow help me 0:11:21.400 --> 0:11:24.520 start a professional career that has lasted a few years. 0:11:24.559 --> 0:11:27.280 And I get a chance to go back and continue 0:11:27.320 --> 0:11:30.760 that growth and development that coach who I owe so much, 0:11:31.360 --> 0:11:34.160 that'd be a big deal in my evaluation process, really 0:11:34.200 --> 0:11:36.840 big deal. The last time we did a podcast, we 0:11:36.880 --> 0:11:39.400 talked about some of the possible red flags where Lyle 0:11:39.520 --> 0:11:41.920 Collins is concerned. He missed all of twenty twenty with 0:11:41.920 --> 0:11:44.680 a hip injury. He had a five game suspension last 0:11:44.760 --> 0:11:48.520 year for recreational drug use. Wasn't he didn't test positive. 0:11:48.559 --> 0:11:51.560 He missed his tests, which may indicate that he thought 0:11:51.600 --> 0:11:53.720 he was going to test positive. But in any case, 0:11:53.960 --> 0:11:56.040 I spoke to somebody in Dallas about him this week. 0:11:56.040 --> 0:12:01.360 He said, great guy, well liked by his teammates and coaches. Uh, 0:12:01.480 --> 0:12:04.080 don't have to worry about the suspension being some sort 0:12:04.120 --> 0:12:06.360 of this is a bad guy issue. It's not the 0:12:06.440 --> 0:12:09.240 case at all now with the hip obviously part of 0:12:09.240 --> 0:12:11.800 the process of visiting Cincinnati has to have that checked 0:12:11.800 --> 0:12:14.480 out by the Bengals medical team. Absolutely, look at Larry 0:12:14.520 --> 0:12:16.800 Ogan job like we just talked about. You know, it's 0:12:16.840 --> 0:12:19.200 like he goes up to Chicago and their doctors say, uh, 0:12:19.800 --> 0:12:22.600 two dicey too risk. He's not He's not ready right now. 0:12:22.600 --> 0:12:24.559 He still needs to heal whatever the case may be. 0:12:25.480 --> 0:12:30.839 M So yeah, I mean it's it's going to be. Uh, 0:12:30.880 --> 0:12:32.920 the physical is going to be a big, big part 0:12:32.960 --> 0:12:36.720 of it. You know. Unfortunately, those issues probably hurt his 0:12:36.840 --> 0:12:39.040 value and that they were trying to trade him, um 0:12:39.080 --> 0:12:43.040 and they're doing no takers, and so nobody wanted to 0:12:43.080 --> 0:12:45.760 give up anything to get him. All right, let him go, 0:12:45.880 --> 0:12:48.440 let him go to free agency and uh, and the 0:12:48.480 --> 0:12:50.960 Bengals were just watching the waiver wire. I mean they're 0:12:51.040 --> 0:12:54.440 just they're just laying in prey man and then just 0:12:54.480 --> 0:12:56.960 waiting and then just jumped at the at the chance 0:12:57.040 --> 0:13:00.520 to get in the process and again. And I think, 0:13:00.920 --> 0:13:02.959 you know, one of the big reasons that's that he's 0:13:03.040 --> 0:13:05.760 here so quickly after he hit the waiver wire is 0:13:05.760 --> 0:13:09.000 Frank So I just finished it. I think I think 0:13:09.000 --> 0:13:10.679 it's going to happen. It's just a question to win. 0:13:11.320 --> 0:13:13.400 I want to get back to Trey Hopkins for a second, 0:13:13.440 --> 0:13:16.040 because Zach did make that announcement on Friday that in 0:13:16.080 --> 0:13:18.720 addition to the signings of Kappa and Carress, they were 0:13:18.800 --> 0:13:22.040 letting Trey go. And you know, we had conversations during 0:13:22.040 --> 0:13:23.920 the course of this past season where you would bring 0:13:23.920 --> 0:13:27.760 it up unprompted, more or less saying, hey, this guy 0:13:27.840 --> 0:13:30.440 deserves a lot more praise and credit than he's getting 0:13:30.760 --> 0:13:33.080 to come back from a torn acl in the final 0:13:33.160 --> 0:13:35.440 game of the previous season, to be back in the 0:13:35.480 --> 0:13:39.199 starting lineup for opening Day when maybe he wasn't physically 0:13:39.320 --> 0:13:41.760 even close to one hundred percent, But did it for 0:13:41.800 --> 0:13:44.880 his team, did it for his teammates. He deserves all 0:13:44.880 --> 0:13:47.720 the praise in the world. You know, Baker Mayfield's up 0:13:47.760 --> 0:13:50.280 there in Cleveland pitching about the fact that you know, 0:13:50.280 --> 0:13:52.200 I laid it on the line for the Cleveland Browns 0:13:52.200 --> 0:13:56.000 playing hurt, and all he's doing is, you know, every 0:13:56.120 --> 0:14:01.800 form of social media that you can utilize. He propping himself, 0:14:01.840 --> 0:14:05.000 you know, jocking himself about doing that. Trey Hopkins did 0:14:05.000 --> 0:14:09.880 that even I mean, to have a knee reconstruction in 0:14:10.000 --> 0:14:13.360 January and to come back and be there for training 0:14:13.400 --> 0:14:17.520 camp and then play every every snap basically of the 0:14:17.559 --> 0:14:21.040 regular season. And I talked to him, you know, a 0:14:21.040 --> 0:14:23.080 couple of times during the course of the season, I said, 0:14:23.080 --> 0:14:25.600 how is it. How you doing, how's it going physically? 0:14:25.600 --> 0:14:28.120 He was a it's tough, man. I mean, it's it's 0:14:28.200 --> 0:14:31.000 it's a challenge, you know, it's a grind. He was 0:14:31.040 --> 0:14:34.960 trying to rehab and play at the highest level of football, 0:14:35.160 --> 0:14:38.200 a National Football League center, particularly when nose guards were 0:14:38.240 --> 0:14:41.200 over him. I mean, that's that's just brutal what he 0:14:41.240 --> 0:14:43.640 tried to do. And he did the best he could. 0:14:43.800 --> 0:14:48.560 I'm sure, you know, he knew he wasn't putting his 0:14:48.640 --> 0:14:52.480 best performances on tape. Uh, you know, that compared to 0:14:52.520 --> 0:14:54.960 other years when when he played at a much higher level, 0:14:55.280 --> 0:14:58.240 but he was limited. I mean literally with a lot 0:14:58.240 --> 0:15:00.320 of times he was on one leg, you know, and 0:15:00.360 --> 0:15:03.200 I'd watch him sometimes and I'd be like, oh my gosh, man, 0:15:03.360 --> 0:15:05.800 you know he's just and then you know when Hill 0:15:05.840 --> 0:15:09.320 went in there, you know, he brainlocked a few times. 0:15:09.360 --> 0:15:12.080 And like Frank Pollock said at the at the presser, 0:15:12.640 --> 0:15:15.720 and this term that I used for for Hopkins as well, 0:15:16.240 --> 0:15:19.600 the ultimate example of a pros pram and just an 0:15:19.680 --> 0:15:25.640 unbelievable communicator, super intelligent and recognize fronts immediately and get 0:15:25.640 --> 0:15:28.960 the correct call out fast, I mean very very quickly. 0:15:29.360 --> 0:15:32.640 And that for an offensive line man, that means a 0:15:32.720 --> 0:15:36.760 ton a ton, you know, particularly if you there's some 0:15:36.840 --> 0:15:38.480 kind of a problem. You get the line of scrimmage 0:15:38.480 --> 0:15:40.400 and there's like ten seconds on the play clock and 0:15:40.440 --> 0:15:42.680 it's like, oh man, we gotta gotta get this done, 0:15:42.720 --> 0:15:45.360 like right now. Trey was very capable of doing that 0:15:45.680 --> 0:15:47.760 and never in any kind of a panic mode. That 0:15:47.840 --> 0:15:51.880 stuff's all big, all very big. And I think because 0:15:51.920 --> 0:15:54.120 of all that he had, he had a presence in 0:15:54.120 --> 0:15:57.960 the locker room guys, guy's respected and admired Trey Hopkins. 0:15:58.120 --> 0:16:01.680 So there's a locker room present and stare you know, 0:16:01.720 --> 0:16:04.200 c j Uzama's locker room presence is going to be missed, 0:16:04.400 --> 0:16:08.840 and rightfully so, I think on a much lower key, 0:16:09.160 --> 0:16:13.280 less publicized, you know standpoint, I think I think Trey 0:16:13.320 --> 0:16:17.600 Hopkins will as well. You know, when they were doing 0:16:17.600 --> 0:16:19.280 things at the Freedom Center, who was one of the 0:16:19.280 --> 0:16:22.080 guys front and center up there making statements on behalf 0:16:22.080 --> 0:16:26.080 of the football team. Trey Hopkins says something. Yeah, Trey 0:16:26.200 --> 0:16:28.640 essentially wrote the statement that they made that day in 0:16:28.640 --> 0:16:31.240 front of the Freedom Center. You brought up. Cj Uzamo 0:16:31.320 --> 0:16:33.320 gets the three year, twenty four million dollar deal with 0:16:33.360 --> 0:16:36.680 the Jets to take his place at least for a year. 0:16:36.760 --> 0:16:39.720 The Bengals have reached a deal with Hayden Hurst, twenty 0:16:39.760 --> 0:16:42.680 eight years old, four years in the NFL. Former first 0:16:42.760 --> 0:16:46.280 round draft pick by the Ravens. Hasn't had great statistics 0:16:46.280 --> 0:16:49.480 in the NFL. He's a former professional baseball player, started 0:16:49.480 --> 0:16:51.920 out after high school with two years of minor league baseball, 0:16:52.000 --> 0:16:55.320 but obviously has great physical tools. If you are the 0:16:55.360 --> 0:16:58.160 twenty fifth overall pick in the draft, yeah, and he's 0:16:58.200 --> 0:17:02.600 just found himself in situations, Um, you know, with the Ravens, 0:17:02.640 --> 0:17:05.639 he's behind Mark Andrews, you know, and with Atlanta they 0:17:05.760 --> 0:17:08.360 draft hits, and you know, it's a it's a tough situation. 0:17:08.640 --> 0:17:11.160 He had one year where he had I think over 0:17:11.200 --> 0:17:14.120 fifty catches and over five hundred yards and a handful 0:17:14.160 --> 0:17:17.000 of touchdowns. I think he can produce at that level. 0:17:17.400 --> 0:17:20.240 I think he's I think he's capable of that. UM. 0:17:20.280 --> 0:17:23.199 I do think he's athletic enough to you know, be 0:17:23.280 --> 0:17:27.040 an effective route runner, catches the football well enough, and 0:17:27.359 --> 0:17:30.120 then also, you know, put his hand in the dirt 0:17:30.119 --> 0:17:31.919 at the end of the line of scrimmage and be 0:17:31.960 --> 0:17:33.879 a factor in the running game. He's six four, two 0:17:33.960 --> 0:17:36.080 hundred and sixty five pounds. I mean, he's a he's 0:17:36.080 --> 0:17:38.680 a big body kid, you know, a strong kid. And 0:17:38.800 --> 0:17:41.440 uh and I think I think, uh, you know, coach 0:17:41.520 --> 0:17:45.840 Casey and coach Pollackle will maximize what he can bring 0:17:45.880 --> 0:17:48.760 to the table in terms of the running game as well. So, 0:17:49.119 --> 0:17:50.920 uh that that was a good move. You know, it's 0:17:50.960 --> 0:17:53.840 a one year deal, a show me deal, a prove 0:17:53.920 --> 0:17:59.159 it deal, so highly incentivized. Um. He realizes that his 0:17:59.240 --> 0:18:03.360 football future is going to be, you know, largely determined 0:18:03.400 --> 0:18:06.119 by how it goes next year and he's got a 0:18:06.200 --> 0:18:09.040 quarterback that can give him the football, you know, and uh, 0:18:09.480 --> 0:18:12.080 I think I think it's a I think it's a 0:18:12.119 --> 0:18:14.400 definition of a good deal. I think both parties benefit. 0:18:14.720 --> 0:18:17.520 He had six touchdown catches two years ago with the Falcons. 0:18:17.960 --> 0:18:21.919 Defensive lineman Jaron Reid is visiting. Apparently Cincinnati is not 0:18:21.960 --> 0:18:24.240 the only place he's going to visit. It doesn't sound 0:18:24.280 --> 0:18:26.320 like this is a if I like it, I'll sign 0:18:26.440 --> 0:18:28.560 kind of thing. It sounds like he wants to take 0:18:28.600 --> 0:18:31.320 a few different visits and check out the possibilities out there. 0:18:31.359 --> 0:18:33.640 But what do you think of Jaron read the player? Yeah, 0:18:33.680 --> 0:18:36.560 I mean I think I think with Ogan JOEBI actually 0:18:36.640 --> 0:18:40.480 didn't he didn't go, but he's he's not under contract, 0:18:40.520 --> 0:18:43.520 he's not part of the Cincinnati Bengal mix at this point. 0:18:44.000 --> 0:18:47.800 I think in his absence, getting somebody that can fill 0:18:47.840 --> 0:18:50.840 that rotational need that they have. Um. You know, they 0:18:51.240 --> 0:18:53.640 obviously committed a lot of dollars to b J. Hill 0:18:53.960 --> 0:18:56.080 and he earned it rightfully, so but he was in 0:18:56.160 --> 0:18:59.399 the rotation. They got two paw back, so you know 0:18:59.440 --> 0:19:02.000 that that's big. So if they can if they can 0:19:02.359 --> 0:19:05.680 get a guy like read that would uh, that would 0:19:05.720 --> 0:19:08.800 be a nice nice get as well. And as we know, 0:19:08.880 --> 0:19:12.080 I'm talking about it all the time, you know, you know, 0:19:12.119 --> 0:19:14.080 all levels of football games are one and lost in 0:19:14.119 --> 0:19:17.119 the trenches, and the Bengals have gotten better in the 0:19:17.160 --> 0:19:21.720 trenches offensively, and they're trying to make sure that they 0:19:22.480 --> 0:19:26.480 addressed their their needs and issues inside as well with 0:19:26.600 --> 0:19:30.280 the signing one of their own. Um PJ. Hill gets 0:19:30.680 --> 0:19:34.160 gets a well earned, well deserved contract and they're not done. 0:19:35.080 --> 0:19:37.399 Y interesting to see what happens with Ogan Joe, because 0:19:37.440 --> 0:19:40.720 I got the impression that the Bengals did not rule 0:19:40.800 --> 0:19:44.040 him out medically, they would have been interested in resigning 0:19:44.119 --> 0:19:46.960 him now that the deal that the Bears offered to 0:19:47.040 --> 0:19:48.879 him and that he agreed to was far beyond what 0:19:48.920 --> 0:19:52.000 the Bengals had room to pay or were willing to pay. 0:19:52.440 --> 0:19:55.080 But if they wanted to resign him and didn't have 0:19:55.160 --> 0:19:59.560 medical issues at the time, I imagine there's still a 0:19:59.560 --> 0:20:02.480 path for him possibly to come back on a shorter deal, 0:20:02.720 --> 0:20:05.280 although a lot of the money has been committed to others. Yeah, 0:20:05.320 --> 0:20:06.720 I mean b J. Hill got a lot of the 0:20:06.720 --> 0:20:08.960 dough that then he was hoping he might get, and 0:20:09.000 --> 0:20:11.119 they both knew it. They both knew that one was 0:20:11.119 --> 0:20:12.199 going to get it and the other one was going 0:20:12.240 --> 0:20:14.880 to move on and uh, you know, get it somewhere else. 0:20:15.680 --> 0:20:20.159 But based on the fact that okay, well, Chicago's medical 0:20:20.200 --> 0:20:23.760 team failed them. They have a need and they didn't 0:20:24.080 --> 0:20:28.520 they didn't feel comfortable enough, how much does that devalue 0:20:28.880 --> 0:20:31.960 his arrangement. I could see potentially where he stays with 0:20:32.000 --> 0:20:34.800 the banks for another one year proven deal. You might 0:20:34.840 --> 0:20:36.919 have to, Yeah, you might have to based on what 0:20:37.040 --> 0:20:39.479 happened up in Chicago. You know, it's like, all right, 0:20:39.480 --> 0:20:42.600 well that this multi year, a multimillion dollar thing has 0:20:42.640 --> 0:20:46.680 gone up in smoke. Potentially, and maybe too early to tell, 0:20:46.720 --> 0:20:49.520 there may still be somebody else that would kick the 0:20:49.560 --> 0:20:52.640 tires and see what kind of dollars anybody that would 0:20:52.720 --> 0:20:55.520 who has the dollars left to kick the tires and 0:20:56.080 --> 0:20:59.240 uh and spend them on him. So I would think 0:20:59.280 --> 0:21:02.919 that if, if, if the terms and conditions of a 0:21:03.000 --> 0:21:07.480 contract changed drastically, Menal's right in a hunt because he 0:21:08.200 --> 0:21:11.800 enjoyed it here. He had great success here, loved his teammates, 0:21:11.880 --> 0:21:16.320 loved his coaches. There's been no bridges burned. It was 0:21:16.480 --> 0:21:19.200 everything was done on a high class level. The parting 0:21:19.200 --> 0:21:21.560 of the ways was done as well as it can 0:21:21.600 --> 0:21:24.679 be done. I don't see any problem with it. Eli 0:21:24.760 --> 0:21:27.480 Apple is back on a one year, four million dollar deal. 0:21:27.600 --> 0:21:30.600 Now just one year. Does that make it seem to 0:21:30.640 --> 0:21:34.520 you that there's a high possibility or probability that cornerback 0:21:34.640 --> 0:21:36.960 is going to be one of their top draft picks. Yeah, 0:21:37.000 --> 0:21:41.120 I mean I look at that as you know, four 0:21:41.160 --> 0:21:43.600 million dollars on a one year contract to a corner 0:21:43.720 --> 0:21:46.560 is not like whoa, you know, that's not like why 0:21:46.560 --> 0:21:48.760 the hell would they do that. I look at it 0:21:48.720 --> 0:21:52.000 as a as a very expensive premium of insurance policy, 0:21:52.040 --> 0:21:54.800 you know. I mean, I think they've I think they 0:21:54.840 --> 0:21:58.480 will probably address that position. I don't know if it'll 0:21:58.480 --> 0:22:00.520