Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - BENGALS SQUAD SHOW: Chase Brown Joe Burrow's LONG-TERM running back of the future?

Episode Date: April 3, 2026

Chase Brown rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2025 and was second on the team in receptions, despite playing with and catching passes from three different quarterbacks. Is he the long-term answer for the Bengals at running back? It would be wise for the Bengals to at least decide sooner rather than later if he is or isn't.  The Bengals made some additions to their secondary on Thursday, including safety Kyle Dugger. These are good depth additions, but what does it mean for the NFL Draft? Could the Bengals still draft Caleb Downs or Mansoor Delane if they were still available at No. 10?  The reason for heavy criticism at the linebacker position is the lack of a veteran signing this offseason to help Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr.. But what if signings at other positions can help the two young linebackers develop? Maybe the criticism shouldn't be as harsh towards two players who have only played one season.  Finally, Alex Frank, Coach Art Valero and Mike Santagana discuss the biggest takeaways from the NFL's Spring Meetings in Phoenix.  Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!  Robinhood You’re no longer just a spectator. Play by play. You decide. Trade Every Play with Robinhood. Now available across the U.S. Download the Robinhood app now to begin. Futures and cleared swaps trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Event contracts are offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC., a registered futures commission merchant and swap firm.  FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. During the tournament FanDuel is offering $300 back in Bonus Bets every day for ten days. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game.  FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I'm Alex Frank. A quarterback security blanket is his tight ends. A quarterback's best friend may be his number one wide receiver. But Mike Sanzagina, a quarterback's most valuable asset may be a running back. It's a time to extend Chase Brown long term. I think they have to have that conversation coming up because the contracts getting close to expiration. And coach, you know, we talk a lot about what positions are of need for the Bengals. Maybe running back is up there in the NFL draft if they don't come to a decision on Chase Brown. Well, if they don't, they better be in line to pick the Notre Dame young man, Jeremiah Love. We talked about it on Tuesday. We talked about it Chase Brown today. This is the Bengals

show on Lockdown Bengals and the Lockdown Podcast Network. Today, it's the Bengals squad. everything Cincinnati Bengals every week. Breaking down all the big hits and game-changing plays from the Queen City, the way only the Lockdown Podcast Network can. From the jungle to the playoffs, the Bengals Squad Show starts now. It is Friday, April 3rd, 2026. Welcome to the Bengals Squad Show. We are live on the Lockdown Mangals YouTube channel and the Lockdown Podcast Network,

the number one sports podcast, Network in America and the world, your team every day. We are presented today by Fandul during the NCAA tournament, including the final four tomorrow. Fan duel is offering $300 back in bonus bets every day for 10 days. Head to fanduel.com to get started. I'm Alex Frank, joined as usual on Fridays by Mike Santagina and coach Art Valera. We got so much to get to today. Chase Brown, the topic of conversation today.

We talked about the Bengals potentially drafting Jeremiah Love on Tuesday, and I expressed by effusive phrase and why he just may be. the guy that I settle on, the Bengals, and me wanting them to take in the first round. But I feel like there's a decision that has to be made before the Bengals go in that direction. We talked about it in that cold open, Chase Brown and whether or not he deserves a contract extension. Mike's antagonist, straight up asking you, should the Bengals give Chase Brown a long-term contract extension to make him Joe Burroughs long-term running back in the future? I don't think I would just because I'm looking at how. some other teams, you know, have built things out.

I'm thinking of, I feel like there's always good running backs available in free agency this year. If they really want to, they could have used the money to extend him to sign Kenneth Walker, Super Bowl MVP. I feel like they have chances to do something like that. And also with the draft, running backs keep falling down. Now, I don't know how many good running backs there will be in a lot of these draft classes, but the suppressed value, I don't really see the need for,

I don't really see the need for extending one right now versus kind of waiting, seeing maybe a guy falls to you in the draft. I would wait for it. I would wait and see if there is a cheaper alternative to the running back position or if they want to do something in free agency. Coach, how about you? Where do you stand on Chase Brown and him getting a long-term contract extension? Well, you know what? I think Mike brought up some great points as to where the other other than Jeremiah Love, where they are and who they are.

Now, if they've targeted one, you don't have to do it. But you know what? We had this conversation, I think a month ago, a couple of months ago about when Chase Brown was up. But they seem to take drag their feet in terms of giving contracts out. they can only do one at a time. And I think at this date, if they haven't, they are waiting to see how the draft cracks, you know, works itself out. And there are a lot of people think that, you know, running backs are dime a dozen, and there are an awful lot of good ones, but do you have one that really fits your offense?

And I think that Chase Brown does, he's very good in particular. He's very good catching the ball out of the backfield, which is what the bagels are kind of geared around. And he was, you know, had a good year last year. So you would hope there would be some reward. But, you know, in the building, you never know. You never know what they're trying to do. So I would certainly give him one or, you know, maybe three years and make an incentive-based and all the other things. they can they can do magic with if their imagination is crazy enough that with contracts.

Look, Chase Brown is getting better and better every single year. He had a thousand yards plus rushing this past season. He also had 69 receptions, which was second on the team. He did that with three different starting quarterbacks, Joe Burrow, Jake Browning, and Joe Flacco. So he definitely has proven that he has given the Bengals more than they ever thought that they maybe thought they were going to get from their fourth round pickback in 2003. These are. the running backs taken in that 2023 NFL draft. And Mike, you were mentioning about what other teams are doing around the NFL.

Well, you look at other running backs taken three years ago. Bejan Robinson to the Falcons, he's going to get an extension. That much is for certain. Jemir Gibbs, I'd be shocked if he did not get an extension. Zach Charbonnet, now in line coach in Seattle to be the number one back now that Kenneth Walker's gone. You got other running backs like

Tai J. Spears, Devon A. Chan, take Bigsby. Of course, Chase Brown is one of them. But that's pretty much do Zvon. that was a good pick by the Cowboys, actually. So just going up and down, just going down the list of running backs taken, you can see a lot of these teams are probably going to give these running backs that they have contract extensions because they're integral parts of their offense.

But if you're the Bengals and Chase Brown, the one thing you can't be coach is you can't be indecisive. You have to have a plan in place. Are you going to extend them and make them a big part of your offense? That's great if you do. Or are you going to say, you know what? We want to draft Jeremiah Love in case. we may have some other players we need to take care of.

We still have Chase Brown for this year. Maybe we'll have him next year in the franchise tag, but at least we have a plan in place for running back when it comes to Joe Burrow in this office. You know, no question about it. You know, they, it's hard. If he is the feature guy, and remember, he's split time last year as well.

But I think that he definitely had a winning performance last year on offense. And he was one of the bright spots. that stayed healthy and went out there and played every down, showed up. And you would hope. But, you know, when it comes to the business part of the game, boy, and, you know, just in my last, what, eight months of following the Bengals really to the fine point, you never know.

with these guys. You have no idea what was said, what has done, two different things. You don't know what the plans are and nobody seems to be able to come out. And, you know, I would have certainly given him something by now because you want to make people happy. And maybe he's outpriced himself. You never know. So, but I think it's worth talking about it and put in the, you know, putting it in the news that you're at least come to the table and you're talking about those kinds of things. Boy, it's been very, very quiet. Yeah. I feel like that's why we keep bringing it up on this show to give it some coverage because it really hasn't been with all the conversation going towards the

defense, Joe Burrow, Zach Taylor, Al Golden, Duke Tobin in the front office. Mike, when you watch the tape, does Chase Brown, does he look like a guy that you want to have as part of your offense, an element where you can run the football and give the ball to him 25 times a game? Is he the running back that strikes to you as the guy that. they can be there. It's interesting because in college, he was a guy that handled it 30 times a game. It does not feel like the Bengals want him to be a guy that's going to tote the rock,

25, 30 times in a game. I think some of that is longevity. Most organizations around the league have their guys in some type of committee. So he was splitting time with P. Ryan. I think when it comes to his value, he adds a lot of value. you. I think like coach was saying, he's a good pass protector. That's hard to find a guy who's good in past protection while also being a pretty explosive athlete, able to catch the ball out of the back field. I think this is where sometimes people get a little mismatch where

Samajai Piron is also a great past protector. He is not a burner. He's not a guy that typically you throw a little pass to and he can take it 60 yards. Didn't meet a FC championship game, which is great. But outside of that or the wrong way screen, he's not a guy you typically throw the ball to and expect an explosive play. So I think that is his biggest value where he's a really good receiver and a very good pass protector for a running back. I think the running itself, I'm a little less high on, I guess. I think of the Bills game where P.Rine was the better runner in the snow and the elements.

It feels like that might be more, that might not be suited to him. And right now, you know, he's making fourth rounder money, so they probably don't care. but if you're going to pay him like he's a feature back and then you can't, you know, he's getting out gained by a guy on a minimum contract in the snow. Is that going to be okay for them? Because that's going to be your most important games. I think he's a pretty good runner, but I think there is some meat on the bones sometimes with him where he misses some

opportunities. But I also think when he gets into the open field, he's explosive. He makes guys miss. and he does it generally does a good job. So I think he's a good back. Yeah. But I think where I fall is part of the reason I don't know if I would give him an extension is when you hand out the extensions to Burrow, Chase Higgins,

he just gave one to Orlando Brown Jr. A lot of money is already tied up in this offensive line and this offense in general. So it makes you kind of think we're going to give another contract to a running back and then how much money gets left over for the defense. I agree that they should be able to do this, but are they able to? is a different question because they have not shown the ability to do cap magic and make things work and be willing to take on void years and dead cap to be able to do all of that. So unless they start restructuring some of the other players like Burroughs contract and make

the cap hit shorter or smaller, that I'm not sure I agree in paying Chase Brown just yet. I think you can wait a little bit. I don't think running back value has been climbing that much either. the only issue, he's not in the Bejohn tier. So Bejohn's contract, to me, wouldn't affect Chase Brown. So that's something that I think we worried about with Jamar Chase and T. Higgins was, well, and these guys sign, he's going to want more than that guy. Like D.K. Metcalf signed before T. Higgins, Jamar Chase and, wow, blanking. But Jamar Chase and Justin Jefferson.

Justin was signing a big contract right before that, too. So, like, trying to race to beat that. I don't know if there's a guy you're trying to race to beat with Chase Brown. So I think you're... And I don't think there is either. I don't think there is either. Let me ask you this, Mike. Is it possible for the Bengals to both extend Chase Brown and if they were to be in a position to draft Jeremiah Love?

Could they do both of those things? I don't think they would. Okay. I don't think they would either. I think if you draft Jeremiah Love at 10, he's going to have to get, you know, more of a Bejan Robinson type of treatment. And Bejon still split some time sometimes with Alger back in the last few years. But you're thinking more. Yeah, you're thinking more feature back.

The only reason he's splitting time is because you're trying to keep him healthy, not because this guy adds a value or something. We like this guy on third downs. We like this guy on short yards. No, that's going to have to all be Jeremiah Lovey, take him at 10. You know, if there's one thing that happens in this particular part of the year, is, and it just dawned upon me right now when Mike was talking about it, is this could be their smokescreen.

with you don't know, people don't know whether at 10, if Jeremiah Love's still there, do they take him? Or if once they sign a Brown to an extended contract, then that kind of puts them out of the water with that particular, because they know, they understand the money with the Bengals. People understand that. You're not going to pay one of them pay another. And so that would put them out of that market. which would people at 11, 12 and 13, I doubt if he goes that long, but they would say, you know, hey, we can wait. We don't have to deal with them to move up. And so, you know, that draft capital is always there as well.

Well, the two guys that revived the running back position over the last two seasons were Sequin Barkley and Derek Henry. And both of those guys have already gotten their contract extensions. and I don't necessarily think they reset the market. But I just think with the Bengals, there can't be indecision at the running back position. You have to decide, even if Chase Brown isn't a running back that's going to get 25 carries,

25 carries a game, coach you mentioned on our show Tuesday. If he gets 25 touches the game, even some out of the back field, that's fine. And if you have another running back, maybe you take a running back later in the draft to compliment him. Maybe you sign a running back to a small deal in free agency. That'd be fine.

But you have to be decisive with this position because it felt like the last time the Bengals, you know, had all this talent in the room back after the 2022 season. They had all this young talent. They just didn't know how to manage it all when it came to contracts. And it came back to blow up in their faces back in 24 and then obviously last year. So it's kind of like a reset this offseason. But talk to me, coach, about how important it is for a guy like Joe Burrow, because we see it with Josh Allen and James Cook. We see it with Lamar Jackson, Derek Henry. The chief sign Kenneth Walker, as Mike alluded to, in free agency back, way back when it's

starting on the first day in mid-March. How important is it for Joe Burrell to have a long-term plan at the running back position as his potential most valuable asset offensively? I think what it does for Joe Burrell and what it does for the offense that you don't really see at this point in time is it gives them a third element of their game, which I'm talking about not just throwing the ball vertically down the field in a dropback situation. It adds play action pass and makes it a viable weapon if they're capable of running the ball. And I think that opens something up to the point where it adds something else onto Joe Burrow that I think he'd be very, very good at, you know,

especially with the speed that they have outside, oh, that could be dangerous. Once you start to get those safeties, a little bit closer down in the box, you know, once they start to bring at least a strong safety down, you know it's single high. Wow, there's a lot of one-on-ones outside, whether it be three-deep or whether it be man-free.

And I think that Joe Burrell would be very, very effective doing that. That's when this offense is out as best when they can take shots down the field, which is a March Chase, and T. Higgins. And so when you have a running back like Chase Brown, and I think the big thing to note is he took off when the offensive line was solidified last year when it came to the starting five, when Don Horisner got back from injury. Well, the Bengals already signed Reisner to an extension. So maybe it's time to reward Chase Brown with what he did in the second half of the season with the contract extension. I definitely think the Bengals. And Mike, I know you're a little hesitant. That's totally fine because I've kind of gone back and forth on this. But the more we talk about it, I just think, the more I think about it, I think about it. think it would make a lot of sense to give, and we'll get coach back here in a minute, I think it would make a lot of sense to give Joe Burrow, or I'm sorry, Chase Brown a contract extension. So Joe Burrow has a long-term running back of the future. Up next, the Bengals made

some key additions yesterday in their secondary, rather small additions, but we'll talk about if we like them. I certainly do. We'll get Mike and coach's opinion on that when we return right here on the Bengals squad show. This episode of Bangal Squad is brought to you by Fan Duel. NCAA tournament is here. The final four is tomorrow, Yukon or Illinois, Yukon, and you got Arizona and Michigan, two great games. I can't wait. It's one of the best times of the year. Brackets, buzzer beaters, including Braylon's last week against Duke. You got upsets, nonstop action from start to, excuse me, from tip to final countdown. And right now, fan duels giving new customers a new way to stay in the action all tournament long. Here's the best part. You get $300 back in bonus bets every day for 10 days. That means 10 chances to stay involved throughout the entire NCAA tournament. It's perfect because you can mix it up however you want with game picks, futures, or even same game parlays for bigger potential playoffs. It's perfect for the tournament because every day there's something new, different matchups, new storylines, and more ways to get involved as the bracket unfolds. So visit fandual.com to sign up today. That's fanduel.com to get in on the action.

Back on Bengals squad, Mike Santagin. We'll get coach Ruffalo back in just a minute. Alex Frank here with you. We want to remind you that we value you so much that we have started. a new thing here at the lockdown podcast. And then we call the Everydayer Club. Don't forget to check out the Everydayer Club for ad-free episodes and access to group chat with Jake Liskone, James Rapine, our daily hosts and listeners of this show. Tap the link in the show notes or go to Lockedon Bengals.

com. Coach Valero back with us. I'm Alex Frank alongside Mike's antagonist. The Bengals made some additions yesterday in their secondary, most notably safety, Kyle Dugger. You may remember he had a thick six against the Bengals last year. against when the Bengals played the Steelers in week 11. He also had the punchout, the infamous punchout of Tanner Hudson in week one to 24 where the Bengals hosted the New England Patriots.

These are good additions, I think Jazeer Taylor, the other guy that the Bengals signed yesterday. I like these additions. They're fortifying the safety position. They're secondary. And I think if they're not going to sign a veteran linebacker, at least for right now, you're attacking a position that you know is a weakness. I think you've got to give them some credit.

Would you guys agree? I definitely give them some credit. I think Taylor feels like gives you a little bit of competition at the nickel position while also providing special teams value since the loss of Tyson Anderson is going to hit them there. I think Dugger could also be a good special teamer. I'm not 100% sure whether or not he's played much special teams, but they weren't going to make it out of this free agency without getting a guy that specifically has played very well against them.

They do it every year. and Joe Flacco's ham and cheese sandwich over the middle of the field for a pick six. That was what, because if you go back and watch the throw, I mean, he hits Dugger in the numbers. Well, he's heard in that day. Yes, go ahead. He didn't even have to move. He didn't even have to move. He just never saw him.

So that's the main thing I was thinking of. I forgot he was a guy who punched out Hudson's potential touchdown two years ago, too. But that did win the Patriots. it's that game pretty much. So I think Dugger is more interesting, both as depth for more Jordan battle, I would guess, but you have to be able to play safety in general in this league with all the too high, if you're able to play any position. But I think it feels like if Algolden wants to, he has a piece here.

He's big for his safety. becomes interesting for three safety sets. Big nickel. Maybe you want him in as one of your, maybe a dime linebacker. You've got whoever at your mic, you put him down there. You're in dime, really,

because you got six dbs, but he's playing linebacker essentially. Or could he be a Trey Flowers type where he's going to match with tight ends? I think he's done a good job of that for most of his career. He has also, he was a better player. three, four years ago than he was the last two years.

So I don't think you're going to get starting level high-end Patriots safety, Kyle Dugger. But I think it's a useful player. I think it's a useful player on defense, not just as a useful player on special teams. So I think there's ways that he can use him. I hope Golden has a plan because otherwise if he's just sitting there as the third safety and not going to go in like we've seen the past few years where they're just not playing three safeties in their defense. then I feel like it's a little bit of a waste.

But I think there is some, there's a role for him on this defense that I don't think anybody else has carved out. Yeah, I think that if Kyle Dugger is a rotational piece, maybe that comes in for a few plays, you know, helps all Jordan bat a little bit. I think that's where he could be a huge asset to this team. We're talking about a guide coach that has 11 interceptions in his six seasons in the NFL. He had two last year, both with the Pittsburgh Steelers, including that pick six that Mike was alluding to.

but like this is a player that is not just you know a small signing here this is a guy that has the potential to make an impact and at the very least the Bengals are realizing and they've realized it all off season we have a major weakness at safety we got a solid maybe foundational piece in Jordan battle but let's go out and get Brian Cook Super Bowl champion with the cheeks let's sign Kyle Dugger who played with the Patriots in a really good secondary with guys like Marcus Jones and those players. And then you also realize, hey, we can go out and get Kyle Duck. I'm sorry, you go out and get Jazeera Taylor.

Like, they're realizing, hey, we have a weakness here. Let's make sure we have enough depth in case something happens to the guys we really are hoping are going to make the biggest impact. You know what? I give them, I give the Bengals credit. They went out and got some quality backups, reserves, guys that can play behind it because it is a long season. And how many, you know, they're not your everyday starters.

And Douglas was a heck of a player until his injury, you know. Is he fully back? Does he trust it? And maybe this is the year that he shows, hey, year six, shoot, I'm still, what, 28, 29 years old. I can still play football at a high level. And maybe he surprises everybody. But I think at this point in time, in this stage, as close to the draft as it is, and as late as it is in free agency, and free agency can go forever, as you know. Yeah.

I think that the people that they're signing now are bring to camp guys, see if we can work them into the rotation, if they're better than what we have on hand right now and see if they can stick. you know what two weeks ago they've just lost a great special teams player yeah um maybe one of those two guys can fit and you know what i think it i think it was uh credit because they do need backups you can't always you know they're more than one and it's a long long season and people have a tendency and going out even if it's for a game or two yeah i mean just here taylor if he's a special teams player even a guy that's on like your practice squad if you have to bring him up in an emergency situation that'd be fine kyle does Dougger is a guy that, I mean, he's not, he's not just a guy that I think, coach, the hugest bring in the training camp and see where he's going to fit in the rotation.

Kyle Dugger's a guy that's going to get snaps. I think this season, I could even see him making a significant play. We're talking about a guy who's a former second round pick back in 2020, a guy that played all 17 games and started all 17 games in 23. He started 13 games the next year and started 13 games and played in 16 last year. This guy has double-digit starts in each of his last five seasons. And the only one he didn't in his career was when he was a rookie. And that Patriot Secondary was really good with established players, guys like J.C. Jackson. So this is a guy that's coming in may kind of go under the radar a little bit.

But I think Kyle Dugger has the chance. If he, I mean, is he going to be a starting safety? Maybe not. But if he isn't, and let's say it's Brian Cook and Jordan Battle, or even if it's like Brian Cook and Caleb Downs, then all of a sudden you're talking about, out a really suddenly deeper safety room, and that's good for the Bengals. You know, it is. I think there's one thing to consider with that hire is, okay, and I really wonder why,

when they get to the playoffs, why he's not a player, why he's not starting down the stretch. Did he get hurt? Did he, for whatever reason? And then Pittsburgh allowed him to leave. you know, you've got to really dig into that and find out what, hey, what do they think is wrong with them? But it's their gain. It's the Bengals gain now. Now, no question. Yeah, Mike, two-part question.

So I think what a lot of fans are wondering is myself included is does this negate the possibility of the Bengals taking Caleb Downs in the NFL draft? Does it negate the possibility of them taking Mansour Delane from LSU? And also the overriding question over everything the last few weeks is does this negate their potentially signing a veteran liebacker to a one-year deal? Great questions. For me, for me, so I think Corner, no. I think Corner's still on the table for them. Delane, McCoy, one of those two.

I think they could go that direction. I think we're that, because I think, to me, I think Taylor for them is insurance. They still, at their nickel position, it is between Taylor and a guy they called up off the practice squad for the last couple of weeks of the season. Played well. Blank on his name right now. Jalen Davis?

Is that Davis? Yeah, Jalen. Do you have Jalen Davis? You have Dax Hill. You have obviously DJ Turner. I was thinking specifically in the nickel. I think it's Jalen Davis. I was called up.

Yeah. He played really played well for them. He did. He played well for them in that spot starting. he started three games yeah he played well to them there so i like that they gave him an extension before free agency didn't really let another team maybe that saw that kind of reach out and do anything i like taylor as competition for it because it's just something you're not sure of this is a guy he's been on the team for years but so they don't want to give him that opportunity you know just

hand it off to him i think the thing with corner is you've got your two outside you've got DJ Turner as an outside guy. He doesn't play in the nickel. Whenever he has, it's been kind of hit or miss when he's really had to play in there. Dax Hill, I think, is fluid. He can play in the nickel. He can play outside. So then there really still is a third spot to me.

Safety is more interesting, where to me, this wouldn't dissuade me from Caleb Downs. Because if I'm thinking, Kyle Dugger, for what I would imagine him on the defense, is playing a role, Caleb Downs won't play. He's he's 211 pounds. He's really long. He's a guy that's a tight end racer in the box. And I think Caleb Downs can play in the box a little bit, but Dougger's got better weight. I talked about playing three safeties in some scenarios, big nickel. I think there's ways that you can play Dougher. Now for the team, maybe we have to look at the contract because if it's more than the vet men, they might they might be passing on Caleb Downs. in that scenario.

There hasn't, a Jordan battle extension is what would really end, and deal of downstreams because if he's extended, then, well, what are you going to do? What are you going to do with three safeties making, two safeties making high money, another guy that you signed to play a role, and then a first round pick in the top 10, I feel like that's just too much, too many cooks in the kitchen. But I, and the last one was linebacker. It shouldn't, it should not, but I, I have been stunned so far at the last. lack of like there's not even a guy that you can pretend to kind of cling to some former six-round

pick that started two games or something that they got for a vet min or whatever the the return of joe giles harris i don't know marcus bailey's out there for free something i'm waiting for something at linebacker there's been nothing no news i forgot warren berks is still on the team he's the third linebacker at the moment i don't it it really feels a lot like last year where guard you just knew they were taking one and they had to take one in the top 100 or so and that's where they ended up with oh they hit on Phil and it would end up working out really well but i hate that strategy where now they're looking at linebacker because other teams it won't be hard to figure out they'll look at that and go they had two rookies who struggled and a third guy that couldn't play over them

this team really needs linebackers so let's hop over them and take jacob rodriguez or jake gold day or I think Sunny Stiles is just going to go in the top eight or so. But if he's at nine, if he's at nine, a team might go, hey, let's trade up. Because if he falls one more pick, the Bengals are taking him. They've got a wide open opportunity for that guy. So that's my main issue with the linebacker thing is, one, you haven't addressed it at all. And two, it just feels like you have pigeonholed yourself. You have to take one in this draft.

And I would prefer they had a veteran in the room for all these young guys. I mean, Orrin Burke's champion veteran. I feel like if you if you have so many styles, he's probably getting cut. I don't I don't know how much resources you're going to put in that linebacker position. So that's right. I'm on linebacker. I'm just surprised they haven't done anything. I don't know if coach is also or is it just, that's the Bengals.

They've chosen not. Well, first of all, I'm glad that Mike got that question because who knows? You know what? And it is coming back. You know, you're packing the secondary. But tell me if I'm wrong. have they not signed or re-sign any linebackers? So if they haven't even dipped their toes in the water in terms of bringing any,

what kind of depth do they have? You're getting quality depth in the secondary. You've gotten quality depth by signing, you know, an edge and a defensive tackle. But you've done absolutely nothing. So even if they were to get Sunny Stiles, you've got three linebackers that are under two years in the league. And that would say, you know what, we need a vet in that room to help them and to show them how it is to be a pro and maybe teach them how to study off campus. and be able to give some quality reps, especially on first and second down when he could be a run stopper. You know, then you put one of the other ones in it, nickel and everything's hunky dorky.

But you know what? By not doing anything, where's your depth? Not only that, but I guarantee the special teams coach is looking, we have the same people you haven't added another special team. team's player who happens to be a linebacker because linebackers, safeties, tight ends, they are big special team. They're part of that core. And if you don't have them, that's one third of the game. Especially the new kickoff rules because they're not running as far.

They want bigger bodies in those positions. Yeah. And I think, coach, what you're hitting at is the Bengals have done a good job. It's like we always say the linebackers are the center of your defense, the green dot, so to speak. Well, it feels like the Bengals have gotten like the, you know, when you're doing a puzzle, you always do the edges first. So you get like a, you get like the good picture there and then you can like go in towards the center. Well, the Bengals have built like the secondary. They've built the outside.

They've got their edge rushers and their defense, interior defensive linemen. But they haven't yet gone into the center. And that's a major issue. at least what we've been talking about this off season, but we'll get to that conversation in segment four. But coming up, and that's a good transition coach, because if they do draft Sunny Seals, which I would be all in favor on,

it sounds like Mike you would be as well, then you would have potentially an impact player, an immediate impact player in his first season that can really help bring out the best in Barrac Carter and Demetrius now. I mean, Luke Fickle, when he was the head coach of the Bearcats, used to always say iron sharpens iron. It could be that way, too.

and it could also help year one to year two. And the growth for defense to coordinator, Al Golden, his defense. We'll talk about that as it relates from year one to year two, Luana Ruma. We'll get into that conversation coming up next right here on the Bengals Squad Show. Rolling right along on a Friday, April 3rd here on the Bengals Squad Show with Mike Santagana, Coach Arfalera, Alex Frank with you, coach in his Orlando Storm, got a big game tomorrow

hosting the Louisville King Saturday night, 8 Eastern on ESPN. And coach, kind of give us an overview of what you expect to go down tomorrow night in Orlando, Florida. Well, you know what? I think both teams are ready. They Louisville lost their first game to Birmingham in a very close game. Our game was we did win and we felt good about it. But we were so we had to really kind of go back to basics and we missed a lot of opportunities. And I think Louisville is very, very hungry football team. because you don't want to end up in this league, especially when you only play 10 games.

You don't want to be 0-2 at any point time. And so I think that they're going to be hungry. I think Chris Redmond is going to do a great job of getting them prepared. And we've been to buckle it up. But I think it's going to be fun. So, hey, I think watch it on ESPN or come on down to the game. It's going to be exciting. Hold on a second.

Did you say their head coach is? Chris Redmond. Yes. Is the same Chris Redmond. I'm thinking about the former backup quarterback of the Falcons. Wow, how about that? And the Baltimore Ravens. Yes, he was on their 2000 Super Bowl championship team, Super Bowl 35.

So it's the first of a home and home for you guys. Go it. You'll play them in Orlando tomorrow. And then you'll face them on the road in Louisville on Friday, April 10th. So kind of an interesting dynamic there. Back to the Bengals and year one. a year two when it comes to, you know, Al Golden, the defense, Al Golden, obviously, former linebackers coach, kind of a topic that came to my mind earlier this week. So I think what's

interesting, when we talked about a coach, you and that with Jake Liscoe on Tuesday, the fact that when the Bengals were rebuilding everything essentially in 2019, they drafted Jermaine Pratt, he had some struggles. His first season kind of saw a progression in the second half of that season. Then they drafted Logan Wilson. They drafted a keen Davis-Gather, and all of a sudden, he were off and running at the linebacker position. Josh Bines came in, veteran free agent addition to help out with that. So I think what we're seeing is it is possible for the Bengals to see some growth from Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight in year two.

And I think that would make this defense just a whole heck of a lot better than what we saw last year. It is possible a year one, a year two growth for Al Golden, the linebackers in this defense. It's possible, but is that, do you want to bank? your defensive hopes on those two improving and the defensive coordinator, you know, you kind of have to with the defensive coordinator. You're not going to draft a defensive coordinator. But are you banking on his ability to get them to improve and play at a higher level?

Because that's where my issue is, where it feels like that's where all the chips on the defense are. All the moves they made are great. But if you get the same level of play from Carter and Knight, the defense isn't going to be a top. I think they're capped. I think you'd be kind of struggling to hit mediocre level defense and you might be back

where you were and you'll get better play from safety. You'll get some better play from defensive end at times. You'll get maybe a better play call system going. But it's just so much this reminds me of last season, too, last off season, where everybody was saying when Lou Anirumo simplified the defense, it got better. And now they've just replaced Loueroux. It's like when Al Golden simplified the defense, it got better.

It feels like a buzzword, like simplified the defense. And he's running less like replacement pressures. And he's blitzing when he should blitz and not trying to outsmart himself and rushing forward. Like I agree. I saw some changes and put guys in roles that maybe fit them better. But one, why did it take so long? And then two, how real is it?

Because last year, it ended up not being real whatsoever for the start of the next season. They were worse than the year before to start the season. So that's my issue. Will Al Goldman, it felt like last year he didn't get a hot start going for whatever reason. Can he carry that momentum over? I don't know. Is it just that the defense is simplified? After last year, no.

I'm not buying that as a real reason. I think you put guys in better positions. I think, you know, I think some of the play calling was better. I still remember being very frustrated at times with some of the play calls, too. I think there was a goal line play where they came out and rushed three. And I think it was Josh Allen sat in the pocket for what felt like 10 seconds. And it was like the play. Was it at the end of the game against?

Yeah. Oh, yes. Fourth and goal. We just forget these things. I think as fans, people forget these. In that moment, I was like fire. I'm fired him after the game. This is crazy.

Oh, yeah. We talked about it after the game. You're absolutely right, Mike. Yeah. That was like, there was a few weeks in a row, even during that, you know, after the buy stretch that made you go not just result of the game. And I think people right now just look at how many points were scored and whatever. I remember specifically being very frustrated with some of these play calls when the defense got simpler, when everything changed. Can you improve as a play caller?

Yeah. I think Zach Taylor's improved a lot of his play call. You just look at that side where what he was calling in 2019, is light years behind what he's been calling, I think, with Joe Burrow the last few years. And I think even you look at Joe Burrough's first and first season compared to his second season compared to his third season. I think he's kind of stagnated after that.

That's where I feel like it's kind of leveled off after about 2022. But he has improved quite a bit. So can Al Golden as a first year NFL play caller improve? Certainly. But I just don't know about putting. you only get so much time with quarterback and receivers like Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase that I'm putting all of my eggs into the basket of Barrett Carter, Demetrius Knight, and Al Golden are all going to improve.

None of this will matter. The defense will be fine. I would just like at least a little more security than that. Oh, I think all, I think every Bengals fan would agree with that sentiment, Mike. But coach, what I think is I think what's going to make this defense better is Al Golden last year when we talk about, as Mike, you were alluding to simplifying. and vanilla, what have you. It's because in training camp and all offseason,

there were so many distractions. Trey Hendrickson, Shamar Stewart, and like Gino Stone, taking a pay cut. They were doomed to fail from the start. And so this season, the Hendrickson dramas behind them. They brought him Boy Amafé, who's just entering his prime. They brought him Brian Cook, who's just entering his prime. Maybe they're not linebackers,

but they can raise the standard of the entire defense. And I think Al Gold is going to start. in a much better, even Jonathan Allen, they're going to start in a much better place and they were starting last year and that I think can lead to improvement this year. What do you think, coach? Well, you know, interesting, but I would say this, they lost one of the best pass rushes around for Mafay. Would you take that trade? Probably not. Would you take Geno Stone out of the mix and secondary and you're replacing with a much better player.

I take that because that's going to you got Dougans who is very good in my opinion. He's going to be a great backup and a special team's guy. But when you don't even approach trying to change

or maybe they saw a different film than we saw in terms of what those two linebackers played. And can they make that big of jump? I mean, because you got to remember, they played 17. And yeah, they were a little bit better, but they didn't make that, you know, after game 12, they were no longer rookies.

And they now have to play like veterans. And you're now putting all your eggs into that basket of, hey, we don't need to anybody else. You know, we can handle it in the draft in round four, five, and six. You're going to get play like four or five and six. You're not going to get that playmaker, that guy that brings them all together. And I think the leadership ability with Cook in the back end and Jonathan and Allen up front, I think the leadership ability will be great in their room. But you can lead guys to water.

all you want. But if they're not thirsty, if they're not hungry, they're not going to drink. And I think that they really have to look at that position and say, we have not improved where we need to improve. And I think that's where fans and media people and probably coaches on the staff are going to have some eggs

about what are we doing here. You know, at least give us one, maybe too. Yeah, I think that's a great point, coach. And I like that you're still holding them accountable, even though they have gotten better on other levels of the defense. And I think it shows more than anything. This goes back to a conversation we had on Tuesday.

The Bengals identity, and maybe I went a little too far when I said they don't have an identity. No, they do. They want to be driven through Joe Burrow, Jamar, Chase, T. Higgins. And that's how they always have been. You can go back to Carson Palmer with T.J. Hushmanzada and Chad Johnson. Like the Bengals historically want to be driven through their quarterbacks, which you know Mike Brown values. They want to be driven through their wide receivers. This organization has had numerous great wide receivers come through them.

And so that's what they want their identity to be. But where championships are won, and I know Jake Liska brought up the greatest show on turf, and that's obviously a true point. They did win a Super Bowl in 1999. They won the NFC championship game 11 to 6. I mean, they went in the trenches with Tampa Bay and won 11 to freaking six. I mean, and then in the Super Bowl, I don't like bringing this up against the Bengals. I mean, it was the defense that closed out the game and the Bengals defense couldn't.

So you're seeing what wins championships, what puts you over the top from just being a Super Bowl contender to being a team that can close out. a game when it matters. There's a reason, like, your buccaneers had Derek Brooks and John Lynch and Rondae Barber, the Seahawks had Earl Thomas and Kim Chancellor and Bobby Wagner. The Bengals don't have that. That's what fans are clamoring for. And you know John Harbaugh, Mike, back to a point you made earlier, if Sonny Stiles is there in number five or wherever the Giants are picking, I think it is number five. John Arbo is not dumb. He's going to take him because he could be his next grade linebacker in the middle. Yeah.

I mean, you mentioned the Rams, great show on turf. I think London Fletcher won the all-time under-raid linebackers. Second year player on that team. Coach could speak to it better than me. You coach against. You know what I'm telling you. The greatest show on turf was outstanding,

but no one ever mentions they were more than solid. I mean, they weren't just a solid group on defense. they were really pretty good at that time. They were a good football team. London Fletcher was awesome. Like Jones. Yeah, shoot. I mean, they had some guys up front that could actually wreck a game for you.

And so, you know, when you're looking at that, I mean, I'm as a fan, you look at it and you're going, last year, they were number one in defense if you stand on your head. Right? Have they improved by getting three new players? That to me, three players ain't going to move you into the top 15. Three big sightings. No, you're right. That's a great point. And by the way, two years later, when the greatest show on turf went to the Super Bowl, Again, do you remember they picked off Brett Farb, I think, six times in the divisional round of the playoffs? I mean, they had a defense that could shut you down and turn you over.

The Bengals defense had that somewhat in 21 and 22. They could turn you over in key moments. They could also shut down your running game. They did it with Derek Henry multiple times. They did it to Nick Chubb in 2022. But this Bengals defense does not have that. Can they make a leap this season? Absolutely they can.

I think more than anything, what I've gathered is that I think anybody can gather this. There were clearly other needs of linebacker this season that the Bengals identified as more pressing than linebacker. And to their credit, they got him. Brian Cook, Boy Maffe, Jonathan Allen, heck even Kyle Ducker, I can even say. I think we're all rooting for Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight. We all are rooting for them to develop. They're only going in a year or two. But coaches, you said, they're not rookies anymore.

How do you not know that you have to have a spy on Josh Allen on third and 15? You have to know that. And so I think that these other additions can help, but they still need a veteran linebacker. Like they still need a veteran linebacker to come in and help this defense. Now, if it's sunny styles, we can maybe entertain if they do or don't. But there are still a pressing need at the linebacker position. We'll talk about if there's still maybe too much criticism towards that position and some key takeaways from the spring meetings this week in Phoenix. We get to that next to conclude today's edition of the Bengals Squad Show right here on Lockdown Bengals at the Locked On Podcast Network.

I want to read you both this excerpt from Paul Daner Jr's article, who covers the Bengals for the Athletic. He was at the spring meetings in Phoenix this week. And as it relates to the Bengals and acquiring talent on their roster, and I want you guys to react to what I'm about to read here. Paul Dana Jr. said in his summary from the Spree Meetings article, quote, on Cincinnati side, the idea appears to be that the work of supplementing the roster isn't done. There's an expectation of waiting for the draft to unfold later this month

before returning to the free agent market to address remaining deficiencies. And quote, I'll know about you, but I kind of. I think that that's good, right? If he's correct, yeah, I mean, that's great. But you got to realize what is left at the end of this rainbow? You know, after the draft, what you don't get, and now you're going to start using, lack of a better to it, you're using putty to fill that wall.

You're not getting quality players. You're getting reserves. You're getting special teams players. You're not going out and getting that marquee player. that you need to make an impact every Sunday in the fall. And they haven't done that. So if that's their thought, then you know what? We're going to go with those two young kids and let them grow into that position

because you got one more guy up front. Hey, okay, good luck to you. I feel like you could see stuff personally. I feel like you can see stuff on their recognition of play action under, you know, processing the game that just felt divorced from all the other play around them. Like, yes, if the defensive line plays better in front of them, they have to take on less blocks, they will play better. But they still have to be able to recognize play action,

find the overrout coming behind them. They have to be able to understand where they are when they're dropping into their zone coverages. it's hard to win again it's hard to play defense if all you can do because people say well just make everything simple for the linebackers it's hard to play defense that way where the only thing I can do with these linebackers to play man on a running back and for them to play spy or blitz that that becomes very difficult and very taxing on everybody else so they need to be able in my opinion to do some of the more complex things of NFL defenses, and I don't know how confident I am that a couple improvements up front at

defensive tackle and safety are going to give them the ability to play faster, play more confident, et cetera. Like we've been talking about for a while here, it just feels like such a layup to just take any veteran linebacker. So you could at least just make an excuse of like, yeah, he hasn't been good in years, but he can impart some wisdom. He knows he's not that guy anymore. I don't know.

There's some depth here. He might be able to give you low-level starter play when he gets in there. That's where the issue is for me, where I understand, you know, the defense is a cohesive unit and everything relies on each other. It's a symbiotic relationship back there. But I think you also need to be able to divorce the player from what's going on around him and just look at him personally and how he's. is he playing, not just thinking, well, we're going to improve the surrounding areas and the, you know,

the rising tide will lift all the ships. But also, I think defense weak link. It's a weak, link system. And if you get a guy like Kyle Shanahan or whoever putting this vangles defense under a microscope, I think they're going to find it. I think they're going to find the white linebackers, you know, there's, we saw it. We saw it. Even towards the end of the year, in the back half of the year. Everybody talks about the improvement. What did the Ravens, the Bills, what did they always do? The first play of the game was basically play action over route right behind those linebackers. Anytime they, there was the first play of the game.

And it felt like that was standard. I think the Ravens, Ravens and Bills combined to throw just some variation of that play, something like 10 times over two weeks. That's embarrassing. You can't have a deficiency like that. So that's where the issue is. I don't know if it's too much. criticism for the linebackers personally.

I just, like we have been mentioning, I don't like the idea of putting all of my eggs on this defensive basket on them improving. I'm not. But I think if you read this, now maybe they're waiting for some, you know, pro days and other things to unfold and maybe they make an addition right before the draft because I think it's fine to wait till after the draft. But at the same time, as coach, you mentioned, what's still going to be? there. You know, you can't bank on something being there or someone being there and then they're

not. And then it's like, what do you do from there? Like, you have to have a plan with contingencies in place. And right now it doesn't feel like the Bengals do. And I mean, they have, they've signed four guys that could realistically start. Are they going to start Kyle Dugger? Excuse me. Sorry. I don't know. but at least you have that as an option. You also have Brian Cook. You also have boy, mafei. If what's going on up front and the secondary being improved, maybe they can mask the deficiencies of the linebackers.

Coach, is it true that if two levels the defense are so good, can they mask a deficiency on that third level? Not necessarily. Okay. And especially in the national football league. They are all very, very gifted. They are talented on every team. And you can't, that's why you don't see a lot of teams offensively running the same play twice.

Every play is different. And because they are smart, they are fundamentally sound, and they've got, even when they play bass, they can make plays. they can make plays. And I think that's very, very difficult to do. And you can be simple. But when you're static and everybody knows where you are and where your weak links are, you know, I mean, it goes back to Bill Parcells, right?

Whatever you, wherever you're weak, we're going to attack you. Whatever, whoever your best one is, we're going to stop him and make you beat us with other people. And it's no different in the national football. It's always a weakling system and coverage, right? We talk about offensive line being a weak link system. Coverage is the same way. If they know what you're running and they know where you're going to be likely,

I know where I'm putting my high, low. I know where I'm going to put my best player. I'm going to get them in space near you. If you're the weak link, go make the tackle. Go cover this guy. That's where it's a weak link system. You can only hide things so much. Yeah, absolutely.

here's something Zach Taylor said about Barack Carter and Demetrius Knight and the criticism that they got this season and still getting the linebacker group this offseason. This is Zach Taylor speaking in Paul Dator Jr's article in quote. I think any rookie is going to be criticized at different moments of their career. We saw the growth. Our job is to have patience and develop and not overreact. I understand that when two rookies are playing side by side, sometimes it can be really challenging and they fought through those challenges, end quote. I'm all for being as positive as you want to be. And Zach Taylor certainly has been that way.

He does not get through those first two seasons and as challenging as they were, his first two seasons as head coach. And then you come out on the other side and being this close to winning the Super Bowl. But at the same time, you have to be realistic. And if the guys that you have aren't it, you better find a way to address it. And this is the time coach to acquire talent or at least veteran leadership to supplant and have contingency if it doesn't work out.

as in year two, if it doesn't, that automatically puts you on the hot C player or coach going into year three. Well, you know what? And Mike just said it. Hey, it's weak link. You know what? They, even though they, they, he, I mean, to me, what Zach Taylor just said, as coach speak, it's not burning, not making them where they're not confident. But we, we saw a little bit of progression, but at the end of the year, it still was the same. And believe me, if you're on offense and you see, okay, boys, we've got to deal with this person and this person up front and we can scheme it. But those two, we're going to find ways to attack them by running over routes that they can't handle. By sitting in when they're dropping, you know, curl flat, let's go because you can move them with your eyes. And there's a lot of different things where you can start to attack people.

and they never get better. And they can sit in a meeting and say, well, you need to do this, need to do this. And you say, yes, sir, yes, sir, yes, sir, either you can't or you won't. Which one is it? Because we basically saw a little improvement, but we didn't see overall improvement. I think one of the issues, too, is some people point to, like, Christian Harris and Henry 2O2 of the Texans, as guys who played terribly and then improved from the rookie year to the second year, is they have Aziz al-Shayyir on that team.

They have a good veteran linebacker that they can come around. I think one of the more underrated players goes a little, you know, over the line sometimes as a player too. But, you know, he's a good player. And that's the thing is they have a very good vet. What I, and I think of this with the Eagles, too, with Zach Bond and Nikobie Dean's play improved. When you get a guy that can handle the most, the most, the.

most difficult assignments linebackers are asked to do, that will help you because now, because when you just have those two, somebody's got to do the hard stuff, you know, they can't both take an easier job. They can't both play man on the running back because then, I guess you could, but that's a lot of, I was like Christian McCaffrey. I'm not sure I want to double them. So they can't, they can't both, you know, they can't both play man on a running back. They can't both blitz all the time. It's not, you know, it's not Madden where cover zero is, is something that you can do on first and 10 very often. So where do you go?

Who's going to take the role of having to roll back over and take that over route? Or who's going to have to play the pole runner in Tampa 2, drop 15 yards down field and still be able to get your head back around if a ball's coming your way? Who on the team's going to take that role? Because I think that's the issue is you are limiting Al Golden from our last one. You're limiting him in that what he can call. and he's still going to call Tampa too. He's still going to call these plays.

So you're now in that role. Can you do it? I think that's the biggest issue, where I wanted the veteran linebacker, who I know can play, where I was thinking signed to Mario Davis. Because he can do anything you ask him. The linebacker coach is the same one from the Saints,

but he wanted to go back to New York. Okay. Leo Chanel, open an interesting role player. I think he would have been an interesting player too. So where you get to is like, if you draft Sonny Stuyi, I feel like he could do it. But after that, are you going to trust a third round pick to be able to handle all the difficult

responsibilities of being a starting linebacker? I felt like they couldn't do that last year with a second round pick and Demetrius Knight. So that's where I am, is that I feel like the real tied to raise would be linebacker next to these two guys. If you get a guy that's able to take the hardest assignments, you're going to play better because you've got stuff where you don't have to think as hard. Players win games. It's that simple.

Players win games. And if you have talent, you can coach it. If you don't, then you do what Al Golden's been doing, simplifying it and making it too vanilla. I'll say this. I know many times we've criticized linebacker and Barack Carter and Demetrius Knight, but you do have to remember that they were rookies playing on a defense that had so many distractions from Trey Hendrickson to Gino Stone to, I mean, just about anything else you can throw out there. So I think you also had declining veterans and very little leadership once that declining veteran Logan Wilson was traded.

So it was very, very tough to have growth. So I think if there are Bengals fans out there already giving up on Carter and Knight, and I kind of have sounded like that, maybe I think we need to rethink that because of how distracted that defense was and just how many holes and lack of leadership that there was in 2025. I want to read you guys one more quote or excerpt. This goes back to the idea, or not the idea, the development that Katie Blackburn and the Bengals executive vice president did not speak at the spring meetings,

which I was okay with. Here's something that Paul Dana Jr. did say, and Coach, you and I talked about this on Tuesday show with Jake Lisco. Quote, the Bengals say the move to not have Blackburn speak was part of a broader decision to recalibrate their schedule of media availability for front office employees in the team's ownership group. Blackburn is expected to speak to the group of Bengals media who made the trip to Phoenix in June when the team feels she will be in a better position to address the full off season following free agency, the draft, and schedule release. An owner front office member, general manager, was made available by 30 other teams to the league meetings. Only the hometown Arizona Cardinals joined the Bengals by not participating.

Okay, first part, great. She should be speaking in June right before the Bengals head out for their summer break, so to speak. But the fact that you are one of only two teams, the other team is the Arizona Cardinals that did not have their ownership speak. And you know the Arizona Cardinals, I'm not trying to bash them or anything or a putrid organization. That is not good company to be in. Absolutely not. I mean, you know what? Your fan base, your team, you know, your players that you have not seen until,

probably next week, want to hear what you've done and want to hear where we're at. And they want to hear exactly not the plan. You don't have to talk about the plan, but you have to give them some comfort in that you're grinding at trying to put a great product on the field. And by her not saying, okay, you know what? I'm going to wait until the movie's over. First part of the movie. then I'm going to tell you who shot who doesn't I mean okay a little late in it because we really can't go back and recover that ground and I don't know I don't know transparency is everything

in this league transparency from your head coach transparency from your ownership general manager transparency is everything in this league so is winning can cure a lot of things coming up next week on the Bengals squad show, we will discuss Ruben Bain and why he could be a tone setter on not only the Bengals defensive line, but the entire defense as a whole if the Bengals select him, but the 10th overall pick. And we're going to talk about why the Bengals may actually kind of be in a house money position going into the NFL draft. Coach may disagree with me on that. That's okay, but we're going to discuss them. Maybe they are. Maybe you think they're not. We'll have that conversation next week on the Bengals squad show. Thank you again to Mike's

antagonist at my at bangles underscores sands coach our belara 45 year coaching veteran current running max coach with the orlando storm and super bowl 37 champion with the 2002 tampa bay buccane i'm alex frankie frankie underscore nati host of the bangles squad show the twice a week long-in-form conversational supplement to the daily locked-down bangles podcast hosted by james rippine and jake liscoe you can check them out daily on locked down bangles you can check out jeff car daily locked on reds and locked on bearcats he co-host locked on reds with Stephen Offenbaker. Final four is this Saturday tomorrow. Mike, who do you got tomorrow, Illinois, Yukon, and then Arizona and Michigan? I'm going to risk going O for two, obviously,

but I feel Yukon feels like Team of Destiny to me after that Duke game. Well, maybe Duke's just the opposite. The opposite, the team of infamy, they're going to fall apart no matter what. I don't know what Caden Boozer was doing. I don't know what that pass was. And the other side, Arizona. That's tough. Michigan's been playing, I think, a little better. But I think, I thought Arizona was a better team. So that'll be interesting. I think that's the I'm more excited for. I think Yukon is going to, maybe I'm just too low on Illinois. I did have them losing earlier than this. I think a lot of us were, I'll say that. Coach, I know you'll be coaching in big game tomorrow. Your Orlando Storm. Good luck to all of you guys as you take on the Louisville

Kings down in Orlando. I'm going to take Yukon 7972 and Arizona. Arizona 90 to 88 and a war tomorrow in that second game. So the Big Ten shut out again of a national championship. 26 straight years it would be if that happens this weekend. Tomorrow, Final Four in Indianapolis. Again, if you enjoy being a daily listener of Lockdown Bengals and you enjoy the Bengals Squad Show, become a member of the Everydare Club. For more information, visit lockdownpodcast.com slash every dayer.

For Mike Santagina, Bengals underscore stands for Coach Art Valero. I'm Alex Franke, Frankie, underscore 90. Have a great rest of your weekend. Have a great Easter. And we will talk to you on Tuesday next week on the Bengals Squad Show, part of lockdown Bengals and the lockdown podcast network, your team every day.