The Cincinnati Bengals have made some additions and subtractions throughout free agency. Long-time running back Joe Mixon has left, but the team replaced him with Zack Moss. There are many more moves to discuss in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Bengals News Today
Pro Football Network’s Jay Morrison and Dallas Robinson discussed a March Madness-style bracket of past Bengals free agency additions during the Zac Taylor era.
The Tyler Boyd era could be coming to an end in Cincinnati. A few teams on his radar could be his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Kansas City Chiefs. Boyd had 67 receptions for 667 yards and two touchdowns in 2023 and could provide an added punch to any team’s threat at the slot receiver spot.
Cincinnati Bengals Have Giant Bookends in Orlando Brown Jr. and Trent Brown
Two Browns. Ironically enough, both of Cincinnati’s offensive tackles are super-sized at 6’8″ each, and both share that name. Orlando Brown Jr. is 345 pounds, while Trent Brown is 370 pounds. Each is a skilled run blocker and holds their own in pass protection.
Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher was excited at the prospect of having both in the starting lineup and spoke to Pro Football Network’s Jay Morrison about the duo.
“You can look at two different factors, the protection part and the run-game part,” Pitcher said. “Protection-wise, what size gives you No. 1 is reach and just the bulk to anchor and absorb a bull rush and not give ground.”
“When you watch Trent’s tape, that just jumps right out at you,” Pitcher continued. “He has good range for a man his size, and then when he engages a rusher on the edge, and that rusher tries to do anything other than run around him, he’s able to blunt that rush and then keep the width of the pocket. That’s something that’s so critical.”
Trent won Super Bowl LIII with the New England Patriots and has started 93 of the 100 games that he’s played in his career. Orlando is a four-time Pro Bowl selection, a Super Bowl LVII winner, and has started 92 of his 98 games played.
MORE: Cincinnati’s Massive Tackle Duo
Mike Gesicki’s Signing Listed as One of Best 1-Year Contracts
Dallas Robinson of Pro Football Network believes that tight end Mike Gesicki signed one of the best one-year deals of any free agent this offseason. The move, in which Gesicki is set to earn $2.5 million (up to $7.5 million with incentives), could be just what Cincinnati is looking for.
“The Bengals needed to start over at tight end after 2023’s Irv Smith Jr. disaster, and Mike Gesicki could be a perfect fit in Cincinnati. Gesicki’s new team is poised to lose Tyler Boyd to free agency, so the 28-year-old TE should see most of his snaps out of the slot,” Robinson noted.
“Blocking isn’t Gesicki’s strength, but the Bengals already have TE Drew Sample around to play in-line and will likely add more tight ends in the coming weeks. While Joe Burrow already has red-zone weapons like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Gesicki’s 6’6″, 245-pound frame should prove useful near the goal line.”
Gesicki has 260 catches for 2,861 yards and 20 touchdowns in his career.
CONTINUE READING: Best 1-Year Deals of Free Agency
Speaking of Gesicki, Pitcher believes that he could be the spark for the red zone.
“A lot of times when you get (in the red zone), you think players, not plays,” Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said via Morrison.
“You obviously need to have good calls to put players in those spots, but as the field shrinks, the windows shrink. What helps counteract that is a guy with a giant catch radius that just naturally creates a bigger window.”
That’s where size, jumping ability, ability to contort — jump, turn, contort, finish — can be so important, and (Gesicki) does that.
Cincinnati Bengals Receive DT Khalen Saunders in Hypothetical Deal
The Bengals are still building on their interior defensive line. Cincinnati added defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins but could be in the business of adding more to their ledger shortly. It could be in the draft or — in Robinson’s hypothetical move — a trade.
In this trade scenario, New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Khalen Saunders goes to the Bengals in exchange for offensive lineman Jackson Carman.
“While the Bengals signed DT Sheldon Rankins last week, they haven’t found a true replacement for nose tackle DJ Reader, who signed a two-year deal with the Detroit Lions,” Robinson wrote.
KEEP READING: NFL Trade Hypotheticals
“Khalen Saunders is a little smaller than Reader but is still 6’0″ and 324 pounds. He played 523 defensive snaps for the Saints in 2023, spending roughly 31% of that time in the A-gap.”
Saunders, 27, won two titles with the Kansas City Chiefs. He has 138 tackles (64 solo), four tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits, 4.5 sacks, and three pass deflections in 55 career games.
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