Bengals Booth Podcast: Orlando!

And then it's the third edition of our NFL Expert Mock draft as Ryan Fowler from the Draftnetwork dot com takes his turn on the Pro Football Focus mock simulator. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by Kettering Health, the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. With more than one hundred twenty care facilities and fifteen hundred care providers, Kettering Health is committed to guiding you to your best health.

Visit ketteringhealth dot org to learn more. Now, here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing since people who are ready to order when it's their turn. We all have pet peeves, and here's one

of my biggest. You're in line to order something. Picture a Starbucks or a fast food place, and as you're slowly making your way to the counter, you have plenty of time to study the menu, and yet when it's almost time to order, the person in front of you hems and haws when it's their turn, as if they are studying Matt Damon's math on the blackboard and goodwill hunting people. It's not that hard. Put away your phone for a second, look at the menu, and be ready

to order when it's return. Everybody behind you in line will thank you. Rant dismissed. Now let's get to football. ESPN has a stat called pass blocking win rate. It involves sustaining your block for two and a half seconds or longer. Two years ago, the Bengals offensive line ranked thirtieth. The Super Bowl champion Rams were number one. Last year, after revamping their offensive line, the Bengals moved up nine spots to number twenty one. The NFC champion Eagles came

out on top. Anybody that watched the Bengals last year knows that the offensive line struggled early, eventually was at least middle of the pack, and then was decimated by injuries at the end of the year, starting backups at left tackle, right tackle, and right guard In the AFC Championship Game loss to Kansas City. There was clearly room for improvement, but few people anticipated a massive improvement literally

and figuratively with the addition of Orlando Brown. I discussed it and an interesting first week of free agency with my broadcast partner, Dave Lapham. Lap I was broadcasting the UC basketball game on Wednesday night when the Orlando Brown news broke and my initial reaction was, is that the real Tom Pelli sera Twitter account? Let me see that blue check. I thought it might be a prank. Well, obviously it was not a prank. The six to eight, three hundred sixty three pound four time pro bowler is

coming to Cincinnati and coming at a reasonable price. Yes, he gets the huge bonus up front thirty one mill, but it's sixty four mil for four years. That breaks down to sixteen million dollars a year for a soon to be twenty seven year old, outstanding, proven left tackle. Are you stunned? Totally? Totally? I mean, he is entering the prime years of his career at twenty seven years old, and he's been the four consecutive Pro Bowls, four consecutive.

There's only four linemen in the National Football League that can make that claim. He's the only offensive tackle. Jason Kelsey at the center position, Joel Betonio at guard, Quentin Nelson at guard or the others. This guy's the only one, and a four straight Pro Bowl guy to at right tackle. To it left tackle. Now, he's made it clear he wants to play left tackle, and the Bengals are gonna play him at left at left tackle, make no mistake

about that. But you know the other thing, when I think about it, three of the five offensive linemen now with the Cincinnati Bengals have Super Bowl rings left tackle, center, right guard. That's that's phenomenal. I mean, that's like, these guys know what it takes to get there. Um, you know, Centator's got two right guards, got one, left tackles, got one.

That's uh, that's that's pretty spectacular. And when you look at Orlando Brown, he's he's throw he thrives in a situation in Baltimore that was, you know, run heavy thirty thirty five times a game on the ground with a quarterback named Lamar Jackson. He thrived there. He goes to Kansas City with a quarterback named Patrick Mahomes that threw it forty forty five times a game, thrive there. He's made the Pro Bowl at both right and left side.

He's a very personal, outstanding, top level performer. And then he comes to Cincinnati with Joe Burrow. What a quarterback role call that is? Are you kidding me? So? Mark Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow man its chevits It's crazy. If you read a lot about the guy, there are people out there around the NFL that say he's better at right tackle. That may be true, but he's proven to be excellent at left tackle. That's where he wants to play.

The Bengals have been looking to upgrade the tackle position in general. They get a guy in his prime, and as you mentioned, that's where they're gonna put him. They're not going to mess around with him on the right side. Right he's he's been very adamant that he wants to play the left Haldle position. And um, you know it's you look at him like you said, Dan six eight,

three hundred and sixty three pounds with long arms. Length is a big, big prime requisite in terms of and a guy that knows how to use his length even make his length longer, and this guy does. Um, he's he's an athletic. I mean, he's not a stiff. He'll get to the second level and him a linebackers. I've seen him throw defensive backs to the ground like there were children, you know, out there in space. He's a guy that can readjust his body. I mean he's he's long,

he's strong, he's wide, he's he's everything. I mean, he is a He is a massive, imposing human being. There is no question about it. And you know, um, when we went to the Super Bowl the two times in the nineteen eighty and a bell cow, a guy named Anthony Munos, you have a bell cow on the offensive. This guy is the bell cow. This guy's the guy you know like with Anthony, was like he's the racers. We don't need to borry about. He'll take care of that guy. What are we gonna do with all the

other guys? You know, Orlando Brown has proven and has one on one matchups in Kansas City and doing the things in the running game he did in Baltimore that you know, he's he can be that kind of guy. I'm not I'm not trying to compare him to Anthony Munos. I'm not saying, you know, he's a twelve time Pro bowlder like Anthony, but four straight Pro Bowls with the talent and ability that he has. And I think Dan, I think he's gonna have a chip on his shoulder.

He's I think he's gonna be upset that the thirty one million dollars is a record kudoso the Bengals for giving a record bonus to an offensive lineman to a tackle. But you know, sixteen millionaire. People thought he was going to make more than that, There's no question, including himself. He turned down more than that from Kansas City and got tagged franchise tag. So I'm I mean that's going to motivate him. And the other thing Dan is the legacy.

I mean his dad, you know, Zeus Orlando Zeus Brown was a great player himself died at the age of forty. Orlando's fifteen years old. That's adversity, having to deal with that and overcome that adversity, and then you want to continue your father's legacy. And that is a big motivator to this guy. I know it's a huge motivator to him. And you know hearing him communicate over the years and all of his stops. He's intelligent, he's articulate, he brings

some juice, you know, to the equation. He's big time, no doubt. Let me follow up on that chip on the shoulder factor with Orlando Brown. Mike McGlinchey, one of the free agents in this year's class, a right tackle, got five years eighty seven point five mill from Denverse, so he got more money. Joan Taylor signed with Orlando Brown's former team, the Chiefs. He's been a right tackle now they might move him to left tackle to replace

Orlando Brown. He got more money four years eighty mill now not as much as guaranteed, which is obviously a big factor. But that's a way that these guys keep score, and that has to drive Orlando Brown a little nutty. Yeah, I mean, if you look at it, Orlando Brown, Kansas City let him go and he signed for less money than the guy that they ended up signing and that guy's not as good a player. I mean, to me,

that's like, what was the problem there. There has to be I don't know, I don't know if a personnel, I don't know what the deal was, but there has to be something there. But that one, that one's an interesting, interesting dynamic to be sure. But boy, I mean, kudos to the Bengals for putting that money up front, thirty one million to sign the contract. I mean, that's that's life aging money for multiple generations right there, just to

put your name on a contract. And honestly, Dan, when you think about it, we've heard it, you know many times over the years working together. The Bengals get criticized for their small scouting department, their small front office that they're you know, well, i'll tell you what to get this deal done. When Orlando Brown fell into their lap. There's no way that they thought that Orlando Brown was going to be an opportunity, an availability, but they were patient.

They waited and the price came down and they pivoted. So the two peas patients and the ability ability to pivot. A lot of these organizations, like trying to turn the Queen Mary when they, you know, trying to get something done where everybody agrees on everything. They meet at eight o'clock in the morning every morning this time of year, the owner, the head coach, the scouts. They talked through everything and they meet during the course of the data

see any changes have been made and all that. They pivot like they pivot quickly. So they were a patient. They pivoted, they got the deal done, and they struck before anybody else could. So at what point do Duke Tobin and Katie Blackburn get the benefit of the doubt Because on the first couple of days a free agency, when they lost some very good but not Pro Bowl caliber players, people are not only disappointed, they're flipping out.

It's a hannock, it's anger. And as I've said many times on the calendar, this is the year twenty twenty three a d. But it's the year four JB as in Joe Burrow, and everything has changed. All those old notions that people have of the Bengals throw them out the window. They don't apply anymore. Yeah, look what they've done. Back to back free ads and classes three offensive linemen last year and the coup this year. I mean that is that's and why it's a commitment to JB the

Joe Burrow. I mean, we're they're trying to build a stone wall to protect Joe Burrow, and they're getting closer and closer. Like we said, three of these guys have won Super Bowls. I mean, that's that's big. That is

big this this group. You know, not only Okay, you put a Lambo Brown at left at left tackle, you got Volson who played at a very high level Paul Rookie mentioned, you know, at the left guard position, Harris at the center position, the quarterback of the offensive line, one of the most important players in the Bengals this past season. And then at right guard you have a guy that played at a Pro Bowl level, you know himself, He's played in the Super Bowl. Uh, you know, Kappa.

I mean the interesting thing is going to be the derby at right tackle. Everybody's going to get a shot at the right tackle position. LC. I don't think else will be back in my mind, I don't know. Maybe

mid season would be something you could contemplate. Maybe he misses a quarter of the season and I'm not sure he's going to be ready at the gun um and uh, you know, then you've got you've got five or six guys Jonah Williams included that would you know, be competing for that right tackle spot in the all important swing tackle, the third tackle. Have to have a guy that can play both. You know, Jackson Carmen obviously in the bix um, there's Isaiah Prince uh is in the mix. I mean

you look at the look at the roster. I can go through uh Deante Smith, Jonah Williams, a kim idenergy, Jackson Carmen, Isaiah Prince LC. It's going to be a derby at that right tackle position. And then you know you can kick some of those guys inside and give you depth at the interior positions. You know, you need eight guys on game day. I mean, the offensive line is much improved right now, and supposedly they have some some you know that it's just coming up with the

interior lineman and probably take one in the draft. It's right now, it's it's it's a very deep offensive line. It could get deeper. I mean and again and to me, it shows a big commitment to number nine Joe Burrow. So this is interesting to me because you're calling it a derby at right tackle. I assumed when they signed Orlando Brown that it's got to be Jonah. You know, they picked up his fifth year option prior to last year.

He's gonna make twelve million bucks. Played right tackle early in his career at Alabama, so I just assumed he'll be the guy. But you don't necessarily think that's the case. Well, he's coming off surgery, you know, he had to have surgery on that knee, and you know, you wonder, and I'm not saying that he's not at some point in time during the season, but would else be still a guy, you know, at some point in the season as well.

That's what I'm saying. There's there's a lot of people at that right tackle position, and a lot of these guys are competing for that third tackle spot, you know, as much as anything. Somebody that can show versatility to be able to play both of the spots, and Jonah could do that. But like you said, a twelve million dollar swing tackle, I don't know about that. It's gonna be interesting to see how the whole thing I'm full of.

But they're gonna have a lot of decent bodies for Frank Pollock and his staff to work through at you know, OTA's and mini camps and training camp, and it's going to be interesting how this whole thing progresses. And there's obviously still a chance that LC could be cut for cap space. His contractors structured in such a way that that would not be a big dead money situation if they elected to go that way, But that probably comes down to who else they signed between now and the

start of the season. Let's talk about how this impacts the draft. I think when I've been doing mock drafts and looking at the various boards and so forth, tackle was a decent possibility. Maybe it still is, but it's certainly I would think less of a possibility now they've got other needs. You're always looking for young corners. It's supposedly a good class. They need a tight end, or may be more than one tight end, and this is thought to be the greatest tight end class in ten years.

So this does give them more flexibility for the position group that they target at the top of the draft. Yeah, there's no doubt. And when you talk free agency, I wonder if they're done, I wonder if there's enough left to maybe get a veteran safety, not the most expensive one. But you've got to get a guy in there that has some NFL snaps because you lost you know, you lost your two starters, and it's like you're you're a baseball guy. If you don't have a center fielder, balls

to get to the gap, go to the wall. If you don't have a defensive center fielder that you know, uh, basically studies hitters and the align accordingly into the left, center, right center, trying to take gaps away. Same with safeties and all. If you if you let seams and gaps occur in baseball as a center fielder and football as a safety, they're gonna keep running. I mean, that's that's when balls to the wall and they're running the bases and you know, they hit a seam and they're they're

going to the house. So, I mean, there's a lot of similarities there. They're going to have somebody that has an idea from an NFL standpoint, and there are a lot of guys with position versatility. The way the NFL and even college football even more so, as evolved. You have guys that play deep safety, in the box, outside corner,

slot corner like Dax Hill did last year. There's a lot of guys that are exposed to two, three, even four components of that and have that position versatility that lou Anaumo likes, and I would think they would go with a veteran and then at some point, you know, in the draft the same way, and you know, it's

it's interesting. This isn't a great free agency class for wide receiver or draft for wide receiver, But what did they do last year when they thought they might lose at least one of their safeties verse round fifth round two safeties? Don't be surprised. They don't draft the wide receiver at a spot where people like, well, you know, you can't sign them all, so you have to start thinking ahead a little bit like they did last year with Dax Hill in Tyson Anderson. So I'm not saying

first round wide receiver. I'm not saying that, but it wouldn't shock me if there's a you know, wide receiver, you know taken I don't know, the top four rounds, wouldn't shock me at all. So there's still quite a few free agent safeties out there. I don't think any of them grated as well as von Bell did last year. But these are guys that have been starters on good NFL teams. Nick Scott from the Rams is apparently visiting Cincinnati on Thursday. By the time this podcast get posted.

He might sign Who knows. He was a starter on their you know, super Bowl team that beat Cincinnati a couple of years ago. Taylor Rapp was hurt in the Super Bowl, but he started for the Rams. Zack Taylor is familiar with him. Julian Love has played for the Giants been James Betcher was the defensive coordinator. Now he's the Bengals linebackers coach, so they would know about him. Terrell Edmund's former first round draft pick by the Steelers, is still out there. He's only twenty six. He's played

against the Bengals quite a bit. So between those guys and some of the other names that are out there, they are going to be able to get are reasonably priced veteran safety who's got skins on the wall and starts under his belt to pair with Dax Hill. I agree, Dan, and there's a guy named Adrian Aamers. It's got a thousand snaps, five straight years of veteran guy, you know that. And all these guys are good tacklers in space. You have to have that. That's the way college offenses and

NFL offenses are going. You know you're going to be isolated even at the safety position, and going to be isolated in space. And yeah, I agree, I think there's going to be and I think with the way this contract is structured, you know that thirty one million dollars is going to be spaced out over four years, So at seven plus, you know you're they're still cap dollars there to go out and get a veteran safety not

the top echelon in serious significant dollars. If I were a betting man, I would think the remaining dollars they have budgeted for veteran free agency would be spent at the safety position. I don't think there's any two ways about that. To me, it's as plain as the nose on our faces. Let's talk about some of the guys that are gone. We knew that Jesse Bates was almost certainly going to sign elsewhere, and he did with Atlanta. I was mildly surprised that Von Bell signed with Carolina,

but only mildly surprised. I think after the Bengals gave third contracts to Carlos Dunlap in his thirties and Gino Atkins in his thirties, and they were both for three years plus. I think they're really reluctant to give more than a year or two to a veteran thirty year old Ish guy, especially on defense, and that kind of spelled the end, I think for von Bell, since he got three years from Carolina. Yeah, I think I think

that it was it was von Bell and Pratt. You know, it was like who's gonna who's gonna take the cheese first? And economically they're about the same on a year at a year basis, but von Bell wanted more years, I would believe, like you and that Pratt got. Well, Pratt's that's a second contract is von Bell's third, So that that's the difference. I mean, the difference is just calendar. It's just you know, age and uh wear and tearing

years and all that sort of thing. So um, you know, I probably a lot of people have been how geez, I wish it was von Bell and not Pratt and other people. I'm good with Pratt over von Bell, but I will say that, uh, you know, Robert Livingston, I bet that was a that was a kick in the

pants when he realized both of them were gone. But it's you know, it's it's um, it's better sweet, I guess as a term for it, because you know, you're you're instrumental in developing these guys, and as a coach, you want these guys to make as much money as they can and have, you know, as great a legacy as they can, and then when they move on and graduated as such, it becomes a sad day. But I will say that these guys were huge with the culture. And culture is not a raw material that don't go

mining culture, and these guys were instrumental in it. But Dan, what you have guys, I remember veteran players, you know when I was in the early stages of my career that had a major impact on me and other guys in the football team. And they got they retired or traded or whatever. And what they did while they were there, it didn't go with them, it didn't leave the door.

I mean, they made a lasting impression and it's like we're going to continue to do this, this, this, and this, just like we did when so and so was here. And that's what's going to happen with the Cincinnati Bengals. It's not gonna you know, now you missed these guys and their personalities and their leadership and all that sort of thing. But you know, you just you just go to try to find others. And that's the thing I

look at. I look at all five of the offensive lineman, every one of them, captain, you know, leader all America. It's it's like, man, that's that's a strong group up front, you know. And you look at a lot of position groups at the Bengals. That's one thing that we've talked about, you know, at nausea um. It's like, and these guys they all were, you know, high level student athletes, they were captains, they were you know, all Americans, they were whatever.

It's like, and there's a n there's zero zilch jerk factor. It's incredible lo JF for jerk factor. I like that term. Let's get back to the Germaine Pratt contract. Three years, twenty point two five mills, so roughly seven million dollars a year. Right, The Ravens traded for Roquan Smith and gave him a five year, one hundred million dollar deal. The Bears just signed Tremaine Edmonds, the former Buffalo off

the ball linebacker four years, seventy two million. I'm not saying Germaine Pratt is as good as either of those two guys. He's probably not. I mean, he's certainly not

as good as Roquan Smith. But he's very good, and he's coming at a fraction of the cost at a position that you don't prioritize like you prioritize pass rushers, cover corners, quarterback, left tackle, the very premium positions that you have to pay absolutely And the thing that it does do is when you look at it, you know, there are three guys that finish the third year of

their rookie contract, Logan Wilson being one of them. There's room left for sign Logan Wilson as well as Pride keep that intact because that duo at the linebacker position of Logan Wilson and Jermaine Pratt is stronger than new rope. I mean, it's as good as there is in the league.

So you know, you think about that. You know, Joe Burrow, t Higgins, Logan Wilson, those are those are three core guys that have now finished the third year of their rookie contracts that you can look to extend you know, some or all of them, or whatever the case may be. And that's another bucket. I mean, you know, it's so much there's a free agency from other teams bucket, your own free agent's bucket, the draft bucket. I mean, they're

juggling those buckets. Is amazing. And that's what those morning meetings are here. It's plan A. Okay, this happens, Plan B, C, D E, all the way to the whole alphabet is expanded. Probably you end up going double A, double B. But when something happens, you got to pivot. And again they were able to pivot, so they got more pivot and low post moves. And you see it college fastball in the NBA, they are a chem Elijah On doing a

dream shake in the low post, no doubt. How about tight end Hayden Hurts got a three year deal from Carolina. It seems like every former Bengal is winding up in Carolina, including Andy Dalton. Oddly enough, as I mentioned earlier, this tight end class is thought to be the best draft class, that is, in the last ten years. I don't know if they would take one with the twenty eighth pick in the draft. Because they're still going to be good

ones in the second, third, and probably fourth round. But wouldn't you rather have at that position a young, talented guy on a key contract at this point, considering the other mouths that you have to feed, then spending a lot of money on Hayden Hurst over three years. Yeah, Dan, I agree. I think you know, the experts are saying there could be you know, ten tight ends taken in the first couple of rounds, the first two days of the draft, for sure. You know, the first three rounds

could be ten tight ends off the board. Would not shock me at all if the Bengals were one of those, you know, teams that drafted a tight end at some point in time during that during that run. But let's face it, this offense, if if the Bengals offense is a cocktail, so Martini, the tight end is the olive, I mean, the wide receivers of the booze, you know, and the quarterbacks the mixer you know it's like, and then the Garnish meant, the olive is the tight end.

This offense is wide receiver driven, There's no question about it. And I think it's going to continue to stay that way. Not to say that you don't need a tight end, but from a priority standpoint, offensively, you know, a quarterback and whiteouts are a big, big part of this schematic. There's no question about it. It's a necessity, but I wouldn't say it's necessity number one, two or three of the three whiteouts are going to get the ball, you know.

I mean, that's that's kind of the nature of the Beast. And again, I do think that they've got a really good tight end coach. I think James Casey does a great job with the tight ends. I think Hayden Hurst should should forever thank James case for helping him get the contract he got with the Carolina Panthers, and and he'll do that. He'll do that with everybody that he has in his room at that tight end position. I think that that's going to be solved, and it's going

to be solved readily. Still some free agent tight ends out there, Yeah, Mike. Mike Hilton has been trying to recruit Mike Kasicki Miami Dolphins. I want my college team to have Mike Hilton on the coaching staff someday as a recruiter because he's relentless at least on social media. If there's a free agent that he's interested in, he's he's out there swinging, no doubt, no, no two ways

about that. There's absolutely no question. So you had Frank Pollock on your in the Trenches podcast after Orlando Brown agreed to come to Cincinnati. I found it interesting that he more or less said, at least from his perspective, this came out of nowhere. This was not something that had been you know, discussed in those morning meetings day after day after day. It sounded like about a day before it happened. It got hot and heavy, and the

Bengals found a way to make it happen. Yeah, I think I think before the actual you know, gonge or free agency started at four o'clock, you know, it was like pipe dream. Then all of a sudden, what no offers? What the market looks a little dry, And the day goes by and then it's like, wow, this this could possibly happen. I mean it fell into and fell into their laps kind of, and they and they responded, and uh,

when opportunity knocked, they pulled the door open. Many they opened it with opened the door with open arms, um and you got you got to give him credit for that. I don't think that that was somebody that's, oh man, this this is gonna We're gonna be in the mix

for Orlando Brown. I don't think they anticipated they would be, but boy it it showed itself and and they they responded and find fashion there's no question because I had Frank on Um did a podcast with him the day before the podcast it's up there now is we just did that this morning a reaction to the Orlando Brown did a podcast with him, and then that night last night they signed a Lando brownna oh man, I got to get an addendum or we can't do a podcast

with Frank that doesn't include Orlando Brown. Well we're gonna do it, but you know, say, okay if reference are Orlando Brown podcast, because it's not covered in this other one. He covers a lot of other good stuff. But man, I said, or you're you're poker faced. I don't want to play cards against you. You gave no indication. It sounded like even even that day that you know, when we were doing the podcast that morning. I don't think it was. I think it was something that heated up quickly.

And uh, and man, they could have to and let it boil over. I know one thing, when training camp rolls around in August, you're gonna be standing by that old line. You're gonna have your notepad in front of you. You're gonna be salivating watching Orlando Brown and this group get ready for the season. Zoos, that's gonna be the call of the while for me. Zoos. We're four out. Man.

I'll tell you that that is uh. I just can't wait to see him, you know, in action he is he is one big human being that he that can move. I really, I really think his feet and his hands and everything's in sync. And that length that he has is very very extraordinary, very unusual. Been a fun podcast and a great last twenty four hours for Bengals fans. Appreciate the time. Talk to you soon. You got it,

Daniel the best. Following my conversation with Lap, the Bengals signed another offensive lineman, Orlando's former college teammate at Oklahoma, Cody Ford, who signed a one year deal. Ford was a second round draft pick by Buffalo who spent three years with the Bills before spending last season with Arizona. He has NFL starts at both guard spots and right tackle, and is another huge man at six three, three hundred

twenty nine pounds. His Pro Football Focus grades have not been good so far, but he does add experience and versatility and perhaps will perform better under Bengals offensive line coach Frank Pollock. As I mentioned in my chat with lap Rams, safety Nick Scott visited with the Bengals on Thursday, and LA's other free agent safety Taylor Rapp, is scheduled to visit on Friday. Scott is twenty six years old

and became a full time starter last year. Rapp is twenty five and has been a full time starter for the last two years. They were both drafted in twenty nineteen and have four years of NFL experience. The Bengals Booth podcast is brought to you by Paycorps. More than twenty nine thousand customers trust Paycorps to help them recruit, pay, engage, and retain employees. Learn more at paycorps dot com and buy Bengals Picks and Ultimate Bengals. They're free to play

with tickets and sign merchandise up for grabs. Find both inside the Bengals app. The Bengals have had a ton of success in free agency on defense by following this formula, sign ascending players in their mid twenties to their second NFL contract. That was the case with DJ Reader, Trey Hendrickson, Chitube Awouge, and Mike Hilton, among others. Well. That also applies to their own players like Sam Hubbard and now Jermaine Pratt. I talked to him this week after he

put pen to paper. Jermaine, at the end of the AFC Championship game against Kansas City. I saw you sitting on a stool in the locker room. You're obviously disappointed about the loss. I got the vibe just looking at you that day that you're at least considering, Man, is this my last game in Cincinnati? Was that going through

your mind? Or was I just reading into it too much? Someway, I was thinking like, maybe this is my last game, but I knew that that we have some on done, finished on business to taken care of, so I feel like it would need to come back. You've made something like six million dollars in your career to this point. A lot of that gets taken out in taxes. Obviously when you sign that second contract. When you earn that second contract. That's the type of money that can take

care of your kids. They're kids, your mom, etc. Has that sunk in? It really hads me yet until I get it, probably, but they really hasn't. So I'm just I don't know, just living in the moment. What's the feeling of pride in earning this? They don't just hand you a deal like this. I mean, just keep on working, you know. You know, once you work, you'll get what you want. You know, in life, Mom always told me to work for work or whatever you put in the work,

you'll get what you want. You know, keep on working on your crab, getting better each and every day, and then everything you'll pay up. Watching you play over the last four years, it seems like the game has slowed down. Is that a good way to describe how you feel? Yeah? Absolutely, just slow down. I can see stuff so much. You know, I'll get a different lens of glasses out to say a little bit blind when I first got a night league, So when I'll put on a new pair of glasses,

it helped me out a lot. How much did winning factor into this decision? Hughes? You know he was everybody want to win, you know, everybody want money. Everybody want to win, so you take take more to go to a team that ain't winning. You'll be miserable your rookie year. The team lost the first eleven games that you were on an NFL roster to distant memory. I guess when you go to a Super Bowl, in an FC championship game the last two you glad isn't the distant Mary?

You know, you're just knowing what happened. The first two years. You didn't really know what was going on. You didn't really know what guy was doing to you know, he didn't know this NFL football like this what welcome to football is? You know, welcome to the NFL. You didn't know what you're getting into. But everything has changed over the two years I've been here. We've been winning. We headed to the right direction. We just won two three players away from winning the Super Bowl. So why not

come back? Why not trying to compete for a championship with the guys that you started with. You put it in and people are blue collar and know what winning look like. You know, guys, guys are putting in the work in all season, like pushing it as a step to try to win the Super Bowl. You expressed the desire publicly at times last year to be on the field more on third down, and Pro Football Focus created you as that I think the third best coverage linebacker

in the NFL. When you were making the case that you should be on the field more on third down, was that kind of the proof that you felt that you were good in that role? I mean, I just know my ability of what I can do. You know, the first two years probably helped me back from being on the field third down. But you know, each and every year you can see the stats. I'm getting better each and every year, and I'm I'm continue to get better. You know, I know I have a long way to go.

I'm not dis way about last year no more. You know, gotta put it behind me. How to figure out how to get better, you know, to be the top top linebacker and lead top five linebackers. I gotta keep on getting better. The Bengals were obviously thrilled to keep you, but you don't keep everybody in free agency, and on Monday, Jesse and Vaughan both elected to sign elsewhere where. Does that hurt the defense in your opinion? I mean, you gotta figure out you find the safety, you know, safety,

the defense roll. I mean the defense run because of linebackers, but safeties help help a lot. You know, they they they had to clean up. You know, the last defense. You know, any ball anything split, the last defender got to make that tackle. You know, just did a huge job. If a bass without he knocked it down, you know it went in too many supposed to plays back there on the back end. Varne did it as well too, So it's all be hard replacing them guys. But I

know that we got dats and whoever. We get a couple of days, so we get somebody that's great. This gonna be a oil in draft that's ready to play. You've got to figure it out. Tax is the first round pick for a reason. Do you think that he could basically fill in in either of those roles Jesse's role or Von's role, depending on who else is at it. I mean he versed him. You know, he's a fast guy that can cover. He can do it all. He played corner and played nickel, he played everything. So a

guy that you know, he understand football. If you can play out of multiple roles, so put him in one role can help him out a lot. And then make him be a baller like Jesse was. After the FC Championship game, you expressed your frustration over the Joseph Osid penalty at the end of that game, and then the next day you came out publicly and apologized and said, I let my emotions get the best to me. I wasn't a great teammate in those situations. In that situation,

why did you feel that was important to do? It's the right thing to do? It wasn't important. Thing is the right thing he can do. You know, as I tell myself, I look at myself as a man in the mirror and as a father. You gotta tell you meant when you're wrong. You know, because my son you'll see that when he get out of you'll see why Dad yell at this guy over a game of football. You know it didn't You gotta look at Oh Daddy did apologize, He meet will He was wrong. So you

gotta be the bigger guy. Don't matter who pointing the finger, who telling you you did wrong, wrong and stuff. Once you tell him yourself that you did wrong, and you can go out in the public and tell him that you did wrong, you you're satisfied. At the end of the day. Have you had a chance to visit with Joseph. No, I haven't, but we talked to a taste messages, so you know, we got a little group taste masses with the group with the guys that we play pain pong with.

So we we've been sharing words about before. P J Ho is one of your closest friends, going back to your days together at NC State. How did he react to you resigning to the Bengals. He wanted me to save his head. I guess he was happy. He was happy for me, you know, happy that I'm back with the guys. You know, I was very happy for him to be here with me. So I know he very happy for me be here with him. Are you going to hold him to that promise to go ball? Yeah? Absolutely.

You gotta be bald with me. You know, this is one of the best haircuts that you haven't Yeah. So you made one of the most famous defensive plays in franchise history with the interception at the end of the Raiders game that ended the long drought without a playoff victory. Here's my question, are you getting enough credit for your role in the Sam Hubbard ninety eight yard fumble returned

touchdown this year. Yeah, I got great. I didn't did what I need to do, you know, stop the initial or running about a quarterback, and then Logan knocked it out there. Sam did. We did, Ruyn Sam Ryn Sam. He did his job, you know, he took care of other risk the ninety eight. I've looked at that replay numerous times. Your hand was in there too. I don't know if you deserve like one third credit for the forest fumble or something like that, but you may have

had part of that as well. I mean probably did. But you know rists history, Sam did to everything that we needed to get it. We saw his speed. Yeah, very good speed. Hey, this is great for the franchise and obviously great for you and your family. Congratulations on a well deserved contract extension and we look forward to a visiting again when you guys are back for OTIS. Yes, sir,

thank you. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by Alta Fiber, future proof fiber Internet capable of delivering multi gigabit speeds designed to take your home, business, and community to a new level. Elevate your connection with Alta Fiber. Now time for our third edition of the three round

mock draft with an NFL expert. Here's the concept. When I attended the NFL Combine a couple of weeks ago, I had the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator set up on my laptop and invited several NFL experts to make the Bengals picks in the first three rounds while discussing their options. If you've never tried a draft simulator before, it allows you to play Bengals GM for as many

rounds of the draft as you want. The simulator begins making picks in order, and then when it's return you'll get trade proposals and decide whether you want to wheel and deal or go ahead and pick. It's a good way to get to know the players who are likely to be available when the Bengals around the clock in late April. Dane Brugler from The Athletic chose Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks in the first round, Northwestern defensive lineman at A Tommy wah at A bare in the second, and

Iowa tight end Sam Laporta in the third. He received an A minus grade from Pro Football Focus. Pete Prisco from CBS Sports chose Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid in round one, Washington State linebacker day On Henley in round two, and BYU offensive tackle Blake Freeland in round three. He received a B grade. Now Time four contestant number three Time to do a three round Bengals mock draft on a simulator with Ryan Fowler from the Draft Network. I'm about to hit start draft and we are underway. The

picks are flying off the board. I'm seeing several quarterbacks. Joey Porter just went off the board. He would have been nice to Cincinnati in any case. Michael Mayer, the tight end from Notre Dame, just went off the board. We have reached pick number twenty eight. The Buffalo Bills have just selected cornerback Cam Smith out of South Carolina. Ryan, take a look at some of the picks that just went off the board, and then we'll see who you like for the Bengals at twenty eight. Yeah, I'm going

to check out tight end here. And the reason why I say that is because I need more weapons on offense to spread out this offense for Cincinnati. You got guys on the outside. We'll see what happens with te Higgins moving forward. But you got to quarterback in Joe Burrow, and you want to change the math on defense, and what I mean by that is you want to get guys all eleven guys on defense. Asked them to cover everybody, not just Jamar Chase, not just not just Tyler Boyd.

I'm gonna take Luke Musgrave, tight end from Oregon State, consistently running in the fourth four. He's gonna surprise today. So him down to mobile. He looks like an offensive tackle. He's all of six, five sixty six. Extremely impressive individual. You had Luke Musgrave in that offense run pass game. Joe Burrow another set of hands, another sure handed kid of the middle field. Not just a guy that you can target third and four, third and five, first and ten.

You want to play action. Asked him to stretch to scene. Luke Musgrave from Morgan State is one of my favorite players in this class. Dalton Kincaid was still on the board when you made that pick. You like Musgrave, Moore, I absolutely do, yes. I know Dalton is extremely well refined prospect. You can play the y, which means in line, play the f flex out to the perimeter, but Luke Musgrave can do the same. Seeing him live. I know we only played two games this year, a nasty scar

down his knee. Seeing him live and seeing him move, you know when he as an individual and put Luke Musgrave and Cincinnati. I love that pick. Dan on to round two with Ryan Fowler from the Draft Network. Josh Downs, a wide receiver from North Carolina, was just taken by Buffalo. The pick before that was offensive lineman Tyler Steen and he went to the Cowboys out of Alabama. We moved to your second pick, number sixty overall for Cincinnati. Absolutely.

For me, I want some offensive line help. And I know the top of the board is a little bit rough, not too deep an offensive tackle class here, But for me, I'm gonna take Matthew bergeron from Syracuse, another guy that was down at the Senior Bowl and seeing him live everything for me, And it starts with footwork. And it really doesn't matter what sport you play. I don't care if it's hockey. I don't care if it's basketball, or you're playing offensive tackle in the NFL and you get

Joe Burtle, keep him upright. That's been the issue in Cincinnati. We talked about it for a long time. I feel like Dan so keeping him upright, young, fresh set of legs. Again. You want to run the ball, he can do that for you. You You want to ask him to drop his anchor and pass pro and allow Joe Burtle to sling at thirty five forty times a game, Matthew Bergeron can do that for you. L Collins is coming back from

a torn acl it happened on Christmas Eve. Not sure if he's going to be good to go for the start of the season. Can Bergeron step in at right tackle if me'd be and play right away? Absolutely? And I think if he does have to sit, it's fine there because you're grabbing depth. He can be an OT one where he can be a guy that can sit a here. So I like that pig because he has that depth ability and then he can come in right

away and start. And if he does start, I think if LA word to miss time, you can say Matthew Bergeron is the future. There got a tight end in round one and an offensive tackle in round two. We move on to our third and final pick with Ryan Fowler from the Draft Network. We're looking at some of the guys that just went off the board, including Tucker Craft. Now you've already taken a tight end, but Bengals fans have probably seen that name, the tight end out of

South Dakota State. He just went to the New York Giants. What position are you looking for in round three? Yeah, I'm gonna I'm gonna take all the corners. And there's a couple of positions in this In the NFL and in the draft to where you look. You never have enough had rushers. You never have guys on the offensive side of the ball receiver that can separate, and you can never have enough guys that can cover because we

know how pass happy the NFL is. In A name that is a riser in this class is Jacorey and Bennett fro Maryland. We saw him yesterday a round four three. I was not surprised by that. He's been testing well all throughout the winter watching him at Maryland. Deontay Banks got all the attention at Maryland this year, but Jacoreyan Bennett is play the nickel, he can play outside if need be, and he can be a special team's core contributor.

And that's something that's consistently overlooked every single year in the draft. Those are your core glue guys that separate. When you get to January, getting cold football in Cincinnati and there's snow coming down, who's gonna run down as a gunner on kickoff or punt and light somebody up and then come on defense and earn snaps as well. And I'm gonna take Jacoreyan Bennett from Maryland there. Time to look at your grades. Feel free to disagree with

how Pro Football Focus has ranked your grades. They love your second round pick, Matthew Bergier on Yeah, that's get the A with Matthew Bergier on C minus. So Luke Musgrave, that's fine, you give me a C minus, but I'm gonna, you know, five years down the road, we can look back at that and Jacoryan Bennett D minus. I'm not worried about it at all. Again, Jacoreyan Bennett someone that again is riser in this class. I don't think he gets out of that ninety two spot. He's a top

one hundred guy on my personal board. Again, depth in the corners room, you can never have enough of it. You gotta cover guys and the AC north and I'm gonna take Jacorey in there. Despite the that I have here from this mock drafting Lade. Well, it's interesting to me because you took him ninety second. That's where the Bengals are drafting in the third round right now. Pro Football Focus has him graded as the ninety eighth player

on their big board. They probably give you a D grade before the incredible time he ran at the scouting combine, So I suspect with a little more analysis, that would probably be pretty well received as a third round pick. Absolutely, and I think the scouting combine as much as it is fun watching these guys work out in T shirt and shorts, you know, film has to have to hold weight, right, it has to hold weight. But being here seeing him run in the athletic profile who he is that matters

as well. And athletes that run fast and test well, they just don't last long on boards and ninety two overall, it's a heck of amount of value for a guy of his ability. Your overall grade from Pro Football Focus was a B minus, so not awful, and I know that Bengals fans like the idea of tight end tackle and cornerback. Ryan Fowler, you did this extremely well. Appreciate

your time. Thanks so much, Dan, Ryan made those picks for the Bengals signed Orlando Brown, so that might have impacted his selection of offensive lineman Matthew bergeron in round two, but then again, that was his highest graded pick. More NFL expert mock drafts still to look forward to in the weeks to come. That's going to do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast, brought to you by Kettering Health, the official healthcare provider of the Bengals,

by Bengals Picks and Ultimate Bengals. They're free to play with tickets and signed merchandise up for grabs by pay Corps, the official HR software provider of the Bengals, and by Alta Fiber future Proof Fiber Internet elevate your connection with Alta Fiber. If you haven't done so already, please subscribe to this podcast and if you have a minute, give it a rating or share a comment that helps more Bengals fans find us. I'm Dan Horde, and thanks for listening to The Bengals Booth Podcast