The 2025 Free Agency Thread

[HOF44]

 

[burgold]

I've watched the Lions and Eagles playoff games numerous times this off season. Wagner was awful in the run game, he seemed slow and misjudged alot of plays. I know he is a great leader and last year he made the pro bowl. I think his pro bowl election was mostly on the reputation he has earned over the years. Should we have any interest on the recently released Germaine Pratt as a backup? He is 5 years younger, I can't say I know alot about him except that the Bengals defense was awful as a whole.

But did he misjudge or did his Dline get manhandled and he was where he was supposed to be and it didn't matter because we didn't control the gaps. I think you're probably right to be honest but it could be both.

 

[Hailtoem]

But did he misjudge or did his Dline get manhandled and he was where he was supposed to be and it didn't matter because we didn't control the gaps. I think you're probably right to be honest but it could be both.

I probably could have used a better word than misjudged, he looked slow at reading the play particularly on some of Gibb's runs.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

I've watched the Lions and Eagles playoff games numerous times this off season. Wagner was awful in the run game, he seemed slow and misjudged alot of plays. I know he is a great leader and last year he made the pro bowl. I think his pro bowl election was mostly on the reputation he has earned over the years. Should we have any interest on the recently released Germaine Pratt as a backup? He is 5 years younger, I can't say I know alot about him except that the Bengals defense was awful as a whole.

I literally thought I was the only fan who saw this. He made a lot of tackles but so many were 5 yards downfield.

 

[Anselmheifer]

Sources: Hendrickson skips Bengals minicamp

Bengals star DE Trey Hendrickson will not report for mandatory minicamp, which starts Tuesday, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter, as Hendrickson seeks a long-term deal.

www.espn.com

Please just don't let him get moved to the Eagles.

Guys, when historically have players like Von Miller and Jadaveon Clowney signed? After mini-camps, but before training camp?

 

[DWinzit]

Sources: Hendrickson skips Bengals minicamp

Bengals star DE Trey Hendrickson will not report for mandatory minicamp, which starts Tuesday, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter, as Hendrickson seeks a long-term deal.

www.espn.com

Please just don't let him get moved to the Eagles.

Guys, when historically have players like Von Miller and Jadaveon Clowney signed? After mini-camps, but before training camp?

Not sure about Miller but in recent years Clowney has been signing in March or April

 

[DWinzit]

I've watched the Lions and Eagles playoff games numerous times this off season. Wagner was awful in the run game, he seemed slow and misjudged alot of plays. I know he is a great leader and last year he made the pro bowl. I think his pro bowl election was mostly on the reputation he has earned over the years. Should we have any interest on the recently released Germaine Pratt as a backup? He is 5 years younger, I can't say I know alot about him except that the Bengals defense was awful as a whole.

I don't know about misjudging plays, he has always been one of the great instinctual players. It's his playing speed that is just not up to snuff and won't improve this year. What Wagner brought to this team last year on the leadership side is why was brought back. If we did not sign Wagner, Pratt would have been a nice addition as a fairly consistent tackler with good instincts and a history of being a team leader and captain. I do worry about the lack of experience from our non-starting LBers

It feels strange to have an interest in such a terrible defenses starting DE and LB

 

[Bulldog]

Germaine Pratt, age 29, scored a '60' score from PFF for his 2024 campaign in Cincinnati, where as we all know they had one of the worst defenses in the AFC.

The '60' score is basically a player that is at replacement level, a guy you can put on IR and find a candidate of similar caliber as a street free agent or pickup off another team's practice squad.

 

[Bulldog]

All these hypothetical deals for Washington to deal McLaurin out there from other teams' media are the dreams of 10 year old boys

One writer in New England proposes a trade of McLaurin for TE Austin Hooper

 

[Anselmheifer]

All these hypothetical deals for Washington to deal McLaurin out there from other teams' media are the dreams of 10 year old boys

One writer in New England proposes a trade of McLaurin for TE Austin Hooper

I wouldn't trade McLaurin, obviously. But thinking about these trade rumors did get me wondering. Assuming a healthy Noah Brown, which is never safe, s our WR room this year, without McLaurin, better than our WR room last year, with him?

We finished last year with McLaurin and...who? Deebo, Lane, 2nd year Luke, Noah Brown, Michael Gallup. There is no real number one guy there, but there is some talent spread around. Some physicality. Some speed.

 

[Hailtoem]

I wouldn't trade McLaurin, obviously. But thinking about these trade rumors did get me wondering. Assuming a healthy Noah Brown, which is never safe, s our WR room this year, without McLaurin, better than our WR room last year, with him?

We finished last year with McLaurin and...who? Deebo, Lane, 2nd year Luke, Noah Brown, Michael Gallup. There is no real number one guy there, but there is some talent spread around. Some physicality. Some speed.

Interesting that they say Noah Brown was practicing a little bit with the DB's today, probably nothing, maybe they put him on defense during hail mary situation attempts by the other team because of his height.

 

[RexTomb]

Interesting that they say Noah Brown was practicing a little bit with the DB's today, probably nothing, maybe they put him on defense during hail mary situation attempts by the other team because of his height.

Probably teaching him how not to be like this jackass:

 

[Anselmheifer]

Interesting that they say Noah Brown was practicing a little bit with the DB's today, probably nothing, maybe they put him on defense during hail mary situation attempts by the other team because of his height.

Apparently Lattimore also played WR and Amos was covering him I think it might just be something they are doing with multiple players. Maybe they think that it will help with understanding leverages, releases, coverages, etc.

Also, more hilarious Bengals news.



Their franchise is getting appropriately owned by an unsigned rookie. I am so happy that we are past those dysfunctional days. I wish I could be a fly on Joe Burrow's wall. The things he must say about his franchise in private...

 

[RexTomb]

Ratbirds signed Jair Alexander. How do we feel about that? Is he a guy we would have wanted here? His deal is quite reasonable.

 

[heisenberg]

His deal is quite reasonable.

I think thats the part that pisses me off the most about it.

We get lattimore, who's essentially the same player, talented but never available and we have to pay him 4 times as much salary and forfeit draft picks.

Im definitely starting to lean towards the "we got hosed" side of the debate when i see deals like Alexander.

 

[Conn]

Alexander has a much more spotty injury history than Lattimore, right? Lattimore has a specific hammy thing that’s popped up and lingered. Alexander has years of unpredictable unavailability on his record, that’s why he was available I presume.

 

[heisenberg]

---

Alexander has a much more spotty injury history than Lattimore, right? Lattimore has a specific hammy thing that’s popped up and lingered. Alexander has years of unpredictable unavailability on his record, that’s why he was available I presume.

If you're looking really hard for a reason to think lattimore is more reliable than alexander you can go with that one i suppose but over the last 3 or 4 years they've both been extremely unreliable and alexander has two second team all pros and lattimore has none.
The ravens getting alexander for 4 mil with 2 in incentives with us paying lattimore 16 million while simultaneously giving up 3rd and 4th round picks is starting to feel like highway robbery.

I will add this though, the nfl always knows things we dont and there's a distinct possibility the packers knew Alexander's injuries were most likely going to persist and prevent him from regaining his old form and his contract is reflective of that while the nfl thought lattimore has a much higher chance of regaining his old skils.
One can hope at least.

 

[HoggLife]

---

If you're looking really hard for a reason to think lattimore is more reliable than alexander you can go with that one i suppose but over the last 3 or 4 years they've both been extremely unreliable and alexander has two second team all pros and lattimore has none.
The ravens getting alexander for 4 mil with 2 in incentives with us paying lattimore 16 million while simultaneously giving up 3rd and 4th round picks is starting to feel like highway robbery.

I will add this though, the nfl always knows things we dont and there's a distinct possibility the packers knew Alexander's injuries were most likely going to persist and prevent him from regaining his old form and his contract is reflective of that while the nfl thought lattimore has a much higher chance of regaining his old skils.
One can hope at least.

Different senerios. We traded during season for a playoff push. They got him to sign a team friendly deal cause he wanted to play for them. He's betting on himself it looks like to then set up a bigger contract by playing on a great D.

 

[SkinsFTW]

Cry about Lattimore, I guess if you feel the need, but this team had 0 chance of advancing in any of the playoff games with St. DPI as CB1.

 

[peanut0862]

ESPN said he got offered more from Carolina but he wanted to play with Lamar since they played together in collage