Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - BENGALS SQUAD SHOW: Is SONNY STYLES the BEST option for the Bengals with the 10TH PICK?

Episode Date: March 19, 2026

The Cincinnati Bengals need a talent infusion at linebacker. With the lack of linebacker signings in free agency, the focus may be starting to shift to the NFL Draft. One name that stands out is Sonny Styles, a player who wowed at the NFL Combine in February. Is he the best pick for the Bengals with the 10th overall pick.  One thing the Bengals CANNOT do is fail to address linebacker the same way they failed to address safety the last three offseasons. Linebacker cannot be a glaring weakness the way safety was the last three seasons.  Speaking of the secondary, Cam Taylor-Britt signed with the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday. Were the Bengals right to no re-sign him?  Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!  TurboTax This year you’re getting a major upgrade — Intuit TurboTax now has in-person locations nationwide. Visit http://TurboTax.com/local to book your appointment today.  Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast.  Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.  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 FanDuel is giving you a way to turn that energy into even bigger potential wins with a College Basketball Parlay Profit Boost. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game.  5-Hour ENERGY Have your cake & drink it too. Birthday cake-flavor is back, no fork needed. Vanilla-y cakey flavor, caffeinated kick, and no sugar. It's party time. Order Now at 5-hourENERGY.com or Amazon.  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. We've heard Duke Tobin said that Bengals have done it before. And Mike Stanking up, one of those things is they've actually accrued talent and linebacker in the NFL draft. They can do it again, right? They can. I don't like the, I've done this before, though. I would like to hear a little less confidence for somebody who has said that I think going on three years running. That's the topic of conversation today coming up on the Bengals Squabwe. show. Good day. It's the Bengals Squad.

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day. He's Mike Santagana. He's Coach Ard-Ballero. I'm Alex Frank. Coach, how important is linebacker to any level of football defense? You can't play without them. Put it that way. And I think that the Bengals showed that. No question. Even though Mayor Carter and Demetrius Knight did make improvements down the stretch, they still need a talent infusion at linebacker. But luckily, there's a guy in the draft, who may be able to provide just that. Ohio State linebacker, Sunny Stiles. Mike, do you consider Sunny Stiles the best fit for the Bengals, given what they've done in free agency? And again, they could still sign some players. We're into the second wave, if you will. But it's sunny styles becoming to you the best option for the Bengals at number

10. I think that will probably end up being the biggest mixture of need and talent. there might be a guy that they like a little bit more. I know I liked Caleb Downs a little bit more, but they signed Brian Cook. And you might like somebody like Ruben Bain, he falls there, but they sign Boy Maffa. Now, I think both those guys should be in the conversation, but when it comes to what they would be, you know,

taking over and replacing, I would almost run four or three personnel in his base defense. And I don't know who that third lineback is at the moment outside of Veracar and Demetrius Knight. And I think I and a lot of other people are kind of hoping that Farrakar and Demetrius Knight would have had some competition going into this year as well because the linebacker play, you hope they improve, but hopefully it gets you so far and it gets you fired a lot too.

I want to read you guys this write up from Dame Brugler from the Athletic on Sunday Stiles in his top 100 prospects. And Sunny Stiles is number five on the list. He's the second linebacker behind his teammate, Arville Reese. 64 240 pound linebacker, Sunny Stiles. Here's what Dame Bruegler of the athletic has to say. Quote, a 6'4 240 pound linebacker with 4-5-second 40-yard dash speed who just turned 21. Stiles, who initially enrolled in Ohio State as his safety, checks all the boxes with his

size and athletic traits. He blossomed on the field in 2025. He isn't a proven playmaker in coverage, for emphasis yet, which is the only reason he isn't ranked higher, but he is the rare off-ball linebacker worth a top 10 pick. Coach, for those of us who may not be familiar with the, or overly familiar with the term off-ball linebacker, what does that mean?

Well, you know what? I think he's somebody that you can put in space when you put him in the box, he can hide behind those defensive alignment and create havoc and make place. You know, he's not like your typical, what they would refer to as a Sam like a linebacker, a strong side linebacker who would play over a tight end.

Those guys are usually a little bit bigger and can play the run from on the line of scrimmage, much like the tight ends these days. The off the ball guys, I know some great ones or have been around some great ones. With speed like that, like a Derek Brooks type of guy, you put him behind a defensive line, he's going to make plays. Sideline to sideline, not only in the box.

And you can walk him out and cover down on that slot receiver, and he's still going to be able to play in the box as well as in space. And I think that's what he presents to whomever is looking for. And I wanted to point out, Brugler, you probably did this before the combine, actually sold his speed short. He ended up being a 4-4-6 at the combine, which is crazy at 244 pounds. You know what was really nuts about him is I saw a kind of a matchup, I don't know how they did it or how they do it, but they put his 40 time against C.D. Lamb,

and he beat C.D. Lamb. in the 40 and I'm going, whoa, there's my guy. Well, Sunny Stiles for me, and that's a great point that you guys bring up there about his 40 time and the fact that he's showing that he can run, he can play side line to sideline, which is something the Bengals need at the linebacker position. But for me, given what the Bengals have done in free agency, and if it's true that they are done acquiring veterans, that makes me think, okay, I'm focusing on infusing talent at the linebacker position. And for me, does Sunny Stiles come with some risk? Sure. But at the same time,

the fact that he shot up draft boards. I mean, you can look at his performance at the combine. Production score 91, first among linebackers. Athleticism score, 92, tops him on linebackers. Total score, 94, top some on linebackers. That right there should tell you, okay, if he's still on the board at number 10, because I think likely Arville Reese, his teammate is going to go before him, If you're the Cincinnati Bengals and you don't decide to trade back and you stay at number 10 and he's there, I don't understand how you would not take him because, yes, it's another rookie linebacker. But, coach, it sounds like this guy is so much more talented and so much more ready to come into the NFL and make an immediate impact. And that's what you're looking for, especially when you're picking into the top 10.

Without a doubt, you know what, I tell you what, as you know Alex and Mike may or may not know, My wife is from Columbus, Ohio. So this, so I see every Ohio State game, almost to the point of ignozyum. And when I first started watching, I said, who is this guy? Not knowing who he was. And he was making plays all over the field. And then as I started to research him, I saw all of his traits. And I'm going, wow, somebody's going to be very, very fortunate to get this man.

One, because he was a safety, and because you know he can run, he just got too big. He's like those old Cincinnati Bengals safeties that used to come, Fulcher and those guys used to come down in the box and just hunt people up. But he's playing a linebacker, and I believe he can be an every down linebacker, and you don't have to take him out in nickel because he's got such range that he has to be able to help. He does. Mike, when you watch him on film, how do you think he could fit into the Bengals defense and what they're trying to do, particularly Al Golden and being that he was the Bengals linebackers coach in 2020 and 21? I mean, he feels like it, and you would probably expect this taking him at 10th overall, he feels like a green dot linebacker for the next 10 years where he's going to be the leader of your defense. He's physical, he's smart, he's strong.

I think there's still a couple of things he's working out. What I was really impressed by was I wasn't expecting him to be as good of a coverage player when I started watching because I thought to college linebackers, you know, they're not always asked to do difficult assignments, but I thought he did a good job with what he was given. And then as a run defender, one of the best college linebacker run defenders, you'll see just where he's physical, he's taking on his blocks correctly. I heard him talk about it. And when he gets told to spill a pooler, he says, that doesn't just mean I take on that block to the inside. I'm going to try to make the tackle with the linemen's back. And you see there's a couple of plays he does that.

Or he's not just doing his assignment. He's going above and beyond that, being physical, solving his problems with aggression, everything you want to hear from a linebacker. So I think this feels like if you take him, you're taking a guy that, kind of transforms your defensive identity in the middle there. I think that's what he would bring you. And really, when you look at free agency, you're looking for somebody who can kind of take that role.

Because if you just look at the cut players, which might be what the Bengals are playing with, which I brought up last week, it's really down to Bobby O'Kareki and Jolani Tavai. That's the last two cut linebackers that I think could start on a team. And I'm not even sure those guys. guys are who you really want. So they may have just not done enough at linebacker and free agency and they're just going to have to try to do something in the draft here. But yeah, I think,

I think the idea of styles is you bring him in and that guy's just going to fill your green dot for a decade. He's going to be the team leader on defense. And I think that's kind of what he was at Ohio State too. Green dot. Coach, was that who Derek Brooks was in Tampa Bay? Was he the green Dodd linebacker for you guys? Absolutely. I mean, Derek could do it all. And I used to think. I said, you know what? This is the slowest fast guy I've ever seen. Because he was so easy going and laid back.

And all of a sudden, boom, he would just run like a deer. And that was Derek. And Derek lasted a long time. Made a lot of Pro Bowls, made an awful lot of plays, and became the face over time of the organization. And I see that. You know what? And then you put Sunny in a position.

Last year he was able to work with Matt Patricia, which so they don't play just cover two, cover three man. They've got a lot of combination coverages. They've got a lot of things that Matt has brought to Ohio State's table. that I think the benefactor of that is Sunny Stiles. When you watch Sunny Stiles play, and this for both of you, when you watch Sunny Stiles play, who does he remind you at the linebacker position?

I got both of you thinking. Yeah, I mean, I think originally I was thinking somebody more like, and he might be available, I thought kind of Jordan Brooksy, where I think Jordan Brooks is a really good linebacker place for the Dolphins now, was for the Seahawks. Kind of does everything really well. I'm honestly, after the Combine, he ran, he looks even faster.

And kind of like the Dane report you're reading where he was thinking, four, five speed more. It's like, this guy kind of blew it all away. It's kind of make me think like maybe I'm underselling him a bit. But that's where I originally went in my head with someone like Jordan Brooks. And he's bigger than Jordan Brooks, too. So I honestly don't even know if that's a good comparison. Maybe coach has somebody, because you're in the league 20 years ago.

He got a bigger roll of decks of names where you can get to here. I tell you what, he is, to me, he's unlike the modern guys, you know, because he does have such great height for a linebacker. He's got very good, I mean, great range. He can go sideline to sideline. He's very physical. And he has got, I mean, he's got all the measurables that one would want. playing in the system he played in in Matt Patricia system at Oval State him and and Catoid down same thing you're getting two gems that are going to be around for a long time

Lance their line of NFL.com compares him to Fred Warner now when you say the name Fred Warner you're mentioning the guy who I consider the best linebacker in the NFL but he says quote he can make an impact from multiple spots on the field and is a plus man cover talent Stiles is an emerging player with the traits and versatility to garner longer looks by NFL evaluators. He could see his stock sore leading up to draft day. And then the segment in his scouting report sources tell us an AFC regional scouts that, quote, it's hard to look at him and think that he was ever a safety with that frame. And he's always been wired like a linebacker, quote.

When I read that and when you guys hear that, that sounds to me like a guy. And I get to the Bengals defense and the Bengals front office, they have obviously their flaws. But you draft a great player like this. You can mask a whole lot that this front office does or does not do. And that's important here. You know what? The one thing I look at it is this, if you take him a 10, if you're fortunate enough for him to be at 10, and you take him, even though you're saying, well, okay, the downfall is we've got three very young linebackers. Well, you know what?

you have potentially, and you've got to look down the road, of having three stable backers for a number of years, and, you know, they can really gel together. Now, growing pains, there's certainly going to be those. But the field is still 53 and a third, and it's still 100 yards long. And this guy can cover ground with those other two guys. Hey, I think he brings the spark.

and can just get out and play and run and make some of those plays that you want. I'm not saying Stiles is the best player available when the Bengals are picking at number 10. But, Mike, given that the Bengals still have a glaring need of linebacker, I think it's best of both worlds. You get a good player who's available while also filling a need and you're not taking a huge swing and you're going to potentially miss like you did last and Marce Stewart. I think that's where the Bengals actually are kind of like coach, you're saying, in a good position if they do end up having the opportunity to draft sending styles of number

10. Yeah. Like I said, I do prefer Caleb Downs a little bit. I think he just had a little bit more to him on that defense. But it's probably going to be if he falls there. If I was honestly predicting, I think he gets taken before the Bengals pick. I think somebody's going to fall in love with him. I think he's interviewing really well. But if he's there, it kind of does fit the perfect amount of need and talent. And I also came with another name while coach was talking. Kind of has injury, his career hurt by injuries, but Brian Cushing, Cushing, I feel like the guy, the offensive rookie of the year for the Texans. I feel like his trajectory early on is what I would hope for styles there is like, man, this guy's going to be a star. Now he had injuries and I think PED

usage, but hopefully none of that happens for Stahos. Hopefully you don't want that. That is for darn sure. Livebackers, the day Bruehler has listed after Sunny Stiles includes C.J. Allen from Georgia. And I'm scrolling down his top 100 prospects list. I mentioned C.J. Allen from Georgia. Jake Gold Day, local product out of Cincinnati.

Very good. I can attest from that fact having watched him play. And then you keep going down the list. And you'll see Anthony Hill Jr. from Texas, really good player. Watched him a lot coach. You probably saw him when Ohio State played Texas this past season, Mike. I'm sure you did as well. and then keep Jacob Rodriguez from Texas Tech, very, very good player.

So, I mean, Josiah Trotter from Missouri. I mean, these are just players like Kyle Lewis out of Pittsburgh. These are players that if you don't get a linebacker in the first round, you're going to have your pick. You're going to have the opportunity to draft a good liebacker in the second round, third round. And that's obviously, honestly, coach, as you say, players 10 through 11 through 53, that's where you're going to win.

And if you can get somebody like that in the later round, if you add in free agency and if you nail your first round pick, then that's a positive thing. Speaking of which, we're going to talk about the Bengals and the next wave of free agency because it feels like that first wave is done, but it doesn't mean teams have to be done. We'll get into that conversation coming up next right here on the Bengals Squad Show. This episode of the Bengals Squad Show is brought to you by Fanduel.

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Cowboys. I'm kind of surprised to see that news. How did you guys take it? Not shocked, I guess. It did feel like his career was coming to an end there with Cincinnati. I still think he might have been the best linebacker for them this year, which is saying a lot about how the linebacker room looked throughout most of that season. But yeah, you could kind of see his athleticism was leaving him.

And if he couldn't force his way onto the field for the Bengals, which was one of the worst linebacker rooms, I think, in the league. And I went to maybe the only comparable one in the Cowboys and was still benched over there. I think that's a moment. I think of how Charles Barkley said he retired, where he said, guys were beating me that had no business beating me. And that's how I knew to hang him up. And I feel like Wilson probably felt the same ways.

It's like my body's not doing it. I know what to do. I'm getting myself in position, but guys are beating me that shouldn't be beating me. Married father, still young. I mean, he's only, as of today, he's 29 years, 253 days old. Coach, I mean, we're seeing a lot of guys retiring at a young age.

Logan Wilson, we saw Luke Keekley retired a young age. Now he's going to the Hall of Fame this year, Calvin Johnson, same way, Terrell Davis, Tony Bisselli. So, Mike, you say you're not shocked, coach. How did you feel when you saw the news? Well, you know what? He plays a position that can take an awful lot out of you. And at times the mind is willing, but the body just won't let you.

And, hey, if he's walking upright and not injured because he does have a young family, you wish them all the best because he wants to enjoy it and he's given the game everything he had. and it did shock me because he is so young. But I also start thinking about some of the guys that retired young when I was in the league and you say, you know what? They just didn't have it anymore. And they didn't want to put themselves in a situation where they could probably injure themselves and or one of their teammates.

100 plus tackles in four straight seasons, had four interceptions at both the 21 and 23 seasons. Of course, he had that memorable pick in the divisional round. against Tennessee that set up the game winning drive in the playoffs that season. I will go to my grave saying that he did not hold Cooper Cup in Super Bowl 56, Mike. I'm sure you can do the same. So he didn't have an interception after the 23 season when he had four. He played all 17 games that season. Signed a contract extension that offseason.

I wishing him all the best, sincerely wishing him all the best. Really good dude, really easy player to root for a third round pick in the 2020 NFL draft at a Yol. Part of that young core that got the Bengals to the Super Bowl. But that is now two players from that defense. Logan Wilson and Sam Hubbard, whoever tired in the last two

off seasons. Crazy to think about. Yeah. It is. You know, I was going to say. Oh, sorry, Mike. No, I was going to say, coach can attest to it. The NFL is always a shorter career length than you would expect.

You know, things just happen faster or you think. You have a team and you think we're set for the next five years. That Super Bowl is five years ago. This is, this team feels like it's gone through two different types of phases since then. It's just, teams don't stick around for five years. You know, you get a couple years and then a lot of the faces change. And this is a big, a big showing of that. Exactly. You know what I mean, Mike is right. They, when you can go and you can press your body so far and still be 27 years old, And you can wake up one year playing great, and the next year you just fall off a cliff.

And running backs is a great example of that. You have it one year, you don't have it the next. And it's really difficult to see those guys walk. But, hey, the smart ones know when it's time to leave. And that's a great thing. Perfect transition into our next topic of conversation, because you mentioned that the Super Bowl was five years ago. and the fact that Logan Wilson and Sam Hubbard have not both retired.

I think it's even more an incentive for the Bengals to still be aggressive in free agency. And I say this because I'm on social media like you guys are. And I'm seeing fans crashing out on Monday. I'm seeing fans crashing out Tuesday. But the more this week has progressed, I've seen Bengals fans, and there are some really smart Bengals fans out there, that they're posting, you know what, the Bengals defense is better than it was five days ago. or not five days ago, excuse me, disregard that,

than they were two weeks ago. They have three starters on defense. And I think that does matter. So this next wave of free agency, like, how should they be approaching it? Because we hear that they're probably done acquiring veterans. Okay. Maybe they are.

But maybe they're not. Because I think they know the clock is ticking. Joe Burrough's not staying. I mean, Joe Burroughs is the same age as Logan. Wilson coach, that should get you thinking. Absolutely. You know what? And you got three starters, three brand new starters in the building, right, that you've signed

and you've got. Something tells me, okay, you don't even have, you have basically a third of that defense. And you're happy with it? I think they have to keep going. And you never know, they've got to get another secondary guy. They've got to get another linebacker. They'd love to have another defensive guy in free agency, but don't tell me that all of a sudden they've got seven draft choices

and 10 guys are going to flip this team? I don't think so. They need to continue to build on what they have and what they've acquired. You know, I go back to the 21 season. I'm looking at when guys were signed to the team that made a huge impact. Okay. Trey Henderson, March 15th, Chenebigh-Wosier, the 16th. Mike Hilton the 16th, Larry Ogdenjobe, the 17th, Riley Reef, the 19th.

And then a week later, you get Eli Appolin on a one-year deal. You get Ricardo Allen on a one-year deal. And then a month later, you get Thadius Moss. Now, he didn't end up making the team. I remember, if I remember correctly, Trent Taylor, who had the game tying two-point conversion in the AFC championship, became the team's pun returner. That was a good signing.

So we've seen them make signings after the first wave of free agency. year deals and they turn out to be good players, rotational players, but you're still getting on the field. Mike, I think that this team could still do something like that. And then you go, all right, it wasn't that bad of a free agency. Yeah, I mean, there's two different answers here, right? If you're asking me, what should they do? They should go out and immediately talk to somebody like Bobby Wagner,

Lavante, David, Shaq Thompson, Matt Milano, a veteran linebacker to just come in and just be somebody that you can look to on this defense, especially a linebacker, in the linebacker room, as a leader, a veteran that's been there, he's done that. You know you're going to be able to get at least some level of play from them that's okay. I think what they are doing is, this is almost feel like what I'm hoping for. And I shouldn't already be this pessimistic about it, but I think, like I mentioned, I think they're looking at only cut guys at this point. I think they want that comp pick for Trey Hendrickson. They want to you know, have an extra draft pick next year.

So then you're thinking of linebacker. You're just looking at Bobby O'Keriki, Jalani Tavai, like I mentioned. I think it just limits your pool so much that when you do that. Because to me also, I would be looking at somebody like Joel Betonio and just like, I don't know. Are you comfortable playing a swing interior role, paying him decent amount, but also the way the Bengals have structured the contracts this offseason. has made it so they are taking up more cap room than anybody else

because they don't want to offer up cash in hand, which is again, very frustrating. It's very frustrating that Trey Hendrickson, I believe, is making less against the cap this year than Boy Maffei, despite the difference in the deals. And I can tell you if the Bengals did the Trey Hendrickson deal, that wouldn't be true. He would be thinking even more than Boy Maffey is on his deal.

So it's really frustrating to see them so, like, behind the times on how to manipulate the cap without doing really anything, just a little difference in your guarantees and how you structure the contract. And when Duke Tobin got asked about it, and I know this is something, I guess, I mean, five years ago, 10 years ago, I don't think fans cared at all about the contract structure. But, you know, getting more and more informed, he got asked about it. And the thing, he said, oh, who cares about contract structure? We do, because how you're doing it. If you're doing it, like, everybody else, nobody would care. But now they only have, like, six million dollars in Cap room

that they want to spend because of what they're going to hold over for the rookies and practice squad and elevation and, you know, the oh, crap money. So they don't really have anything left. So that is what's frustrating. It's just really frustrating what the Bengals are playing with here. I do think it's a better defense than it was last season. I'm excited about the three moves they made on defense. I just don't, it just feels like there's a difference between how they are operating

and how a lot of. lot of other teams would operate in this same exact scenario where Burrow has said, I'm willing to take a restructure. And that is not a pay cut. Any team that does a restructure is kicking that money into further years because you know Joe Burrow is still going to be good two years from now. So let's just kick the can down the road a little bit. And I know some people point to the Saints, that's years down the line without Drew Brees. That is, if you can win a championship, that doesn't matter. None of this matters if you can actually go all in. And I think what I and a lot of people are worried about is you are not maximizing your chances of winning if you don't go all in.

And they just refuse to do that. So if it was me, I'm calling up Miami, seeing what they want for Jordan Brooks, since they're having what seems like a fire sale over there. I'm talking to some free agents. I'm trying to fill something on that linebacker position so that when I go into the draft, I don't feel the need to take a linebacker. Say you're in round one, Stiles is gone. You can't, in my opinion,

you can't go and take the next guy that's a round two guy if you have another guy that's like a top 10 pick, like a Ruben Bain. I want to be comfortable taking Ruben Bain in that scenario, not feeling like I've got to go

linebacker here. Because what if you get into round two, and now the best linebacker available is Josiah Trotter. Maybe you've got a round three grade on him. And it just feels like you're forcing yourself into a grabbing for need scenario, which I think is also how they may have ended up with taking Demetrius Knight in round two.

But they've done this before to use Duke Tobin's phrase in a negative way. Yeah, but coach, shouldn't Joe Burrow, the fact that he's going to be good, as Mike said, two years from now, shouldn't that make this whole operation within the front office easier to manage the salary cap and how they give out contracts? You would think. but sometimes if you look at what they've done in the past and how they've gotten themselves out of it or supposedly gotten themselves out of it,

it's too much like right. They have to know what's available. I mean, here's an example. All of a sudden say they're in the draft and you got Sonny Stiles is your guy at 10. Well, he goes. Don't be in a situation, Bengals, city. You need a young linebacker. You need a good one. Don't go on that run that's going to happen

after he goes where people are just going to start taking them because they don't want to run out of them, you know, because they have the need. And I think that they need, hopefully they've worked all of this out. They've seen where they are in free agency. Like Mike was talking about, hey, there are veterans out there. They can come in there and shore up that room. They don't have to be every down players, but they can kind of lead by example and by being in the room that they can go get. I still think that they are not done or they shouldn't be done and they need to fit in some, even if it's one year, prove it contracts to come in and earn the next year, but put it on the field. You don't have to give everybody a three-year contract, a four-year

contract. You can go out there and put together the pieces to the puzzle that, you know, like I talked about before, they've got three new starters, right? Are the other eight good enough? I don't know. Miles Murphy, Shemar Stewart, DJ Turner's good enough. I think we can agree on that. Dax Hill, probably good enough. My thing is, though, coach, and you bring up a great point, it's the fact that they have three starters that they've signed in free agency, that they gave multi-year deals too. They may be overpaid for Jonathan Allen. Fine. They needed help with defensive tackle. So now we're at a point where, okay, all you guys have to do is go out and sign one-year deals to linebackers who are veterans and at the very least are going to be bodies

that you have in the room to help the young linebackers develop. What's the harm in that? Nothing. No, absolutely. I mean, that, that's modern day NFL football. And you need to keep up with it. And, you know, shoot, I can remember back when, when after Teddy Bruske retires and Belichick went out and got junior sale for a year. And he was great for the building. He was great for that linebacker room. And he played well. And they got to where they wanted to be. That's a great example. Because I think if I remember correctly, Willie McGinnis left for Cleveland. And they went out and brought in Seow, veteran player. And was it so he can maybe win a ring? Probably still, look what that turned into. All this leads to the mistake that Bengals

cannot make at the linebacker position. They've made it already at one other position and has cost them dearly. We'll get into that conversation next on the Bengals Squad show. Today's edition of the Bengals Squat shows brought to you by Robin Hood. So what if sports were traded like markets? Well, now you can put your sports IQ to work in real time with Robin Hood prediction markets. It's not you against the house. It's you participating in a live market. You can buy or sell your positions all game long, live all game long.

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Trade every play with Robin Hood. Now available across the United States. Download the Robin Hood app now to begin. Futures and cleared swaps, trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Event contracts are offered by Robin Hood derivatives LLC, a registered futures commission's merchant, and swap firm. on the Bengals Walshow with Mike Santagana and coach Art Valero, Alex Frank, with you on this Wednesday, March 18th. So I think about Logan Wilson and him retiring today announcing his retirement. I think about him. I think of a Jermaine Pratt. I think of Akeem Davis Gather signing with the Indianapolis Colts,

and that's now another former Bengals defensive player in addition to Camtilla Breed, which we'll get to in the next segment that has signed with the Indianapolis Colts and Lou Aniruma, their defensive coordinator. Now, I just think about how the Bengals built their defense when Lou and Arummo came here first got here in 2019. They drafted Jermaine Pratt. Then the next year they drafted Logan Wilson and Akeem Davis Gaither. And for years, when Marvin Lewis wasn't here, your good friend coach Marvin Lewis, the Bengals just could not seem to figure it out consistently at the linebacker position. And they had some good players. Fontes Perfect early on was a good player.

He just had some major issues, character-wise, and then off the field, unfortunately. But then early on, the Zach Taylor area, you watched the Bengals linebackers and coach, I don't know about you, but I thought they were pretty solid. You didn't really notice the glaring weakness because there wasn't one. Yeah, you know, and that's the thing. When you start to build a room, you know, the linebacker coach has a lot to do with that. The coordinator has a lot to do with that and the front office. And you want a certain type of player that fits that particular defense that you're running. And you can be solid, but to ask, you know, two young guys to step into that role right out the bat, while they're learning, they're learning multiple parts of it, how to be a pro, the defensive scheme, they're learning their opponents.

They can get overwhelmed at time. And the linebackers should be in a position to make a majority of the plays. Yeah. And when your safeties are making a majority of the plays or missing the plays, you're in trouble. And I think that they've grown a lot. They're going to be better at it, but you want a solid group of three backers that can really not only help the back end, but they really solidify your run defense up front. So the Bengals had that in Wilson and Pratt and Davis Gather.

Heck, even Joe Batchie was a good rotational player. Marcus Bailey. Yeah, they had a good pick. That's a good name there, Mike. So they had their linebacker room in a good place. Now, here's the mistake they can't make and they already made it in another position. Safety. They let Jesse Bates walk.

What have they done since then prior to signing Brian Cook? Here's off the top of my head the moves they've made to try and combat losing Jesse Bates. And by the way, they lost Von Bell that offseason. They drafted Jordan Battle. I don't want to say a hit. I don't want to say miss either. But still, again, not ready to say a hit. They signed Gino Stone.

We all thought it was a good signing. Turned out to not even be close. They brought back Von Bell, a much lesser version of Von Bell. Didn't work. Then they moved Dax Hill to corner. That didn't work. They tried to make Gino Stone and Jordan battle the safety tandem. They asked Gino Stone to take a pay cut last year.

How'd that go? Not great. Dejohn Anthony didn't see the feel very much. And when he did, yeah, we all know what happened. Nick Scott, free agency. Oh, yeah, how'd that go? Not great. Forgot about Nick Scott.

That's a good one. Yeah. He's still starting. I still see who started for the Panthers this year. I do remember that, actually. I remember watching the playoff game against the Rams. And I'm like, is that Nick Scott? So that's my friend Nick Scott.

He may be my friend, but he certainly couldn't play when he was here. And so last year you saw how bad it was. When you lose a talent of the caliber of Jesse Bates, you can't just pick a third round safety or sign of safety that benefited from playing next to Kyle Hamilton and hope that's going to work. Coach, you've got to be more aggressive. Mike, you've got to be more aggressive. and going after talent.

And so that's where for the Bengals, Wilson left last year. He was traded. Pratt was released before last season even started. Davis Gaither signed with the Cardinals. He's no longer here. How are you going to replenish your linebacker room? They tried it last year's second and fourth round picks.

So far, whiff, whiff. You got to try something different. Be more aggressive. Whether it be give multiple one-year deals, whether it's signed sunny styles, because you cannot make the same three-year mistaken linebacker that you did at safety. You just can't. Yeah, I think the biggest issue on the Jesse Bates thing was they kept trying to find nickel and dime answers.

Dax Hill was spending real resources. But outside of that, it's third round picks and cheap contracts. And I think last year was the biggest slap in the face to just have Gino Stone take a pay cut and stay there. That was it. That means like you don't really want him. That's all they did. to go out and find somebody else. You're not asking to take a pay cut

because you're happy with your safety position. That's all they did. That's all they did. Ginos don't take a pay cut. This is why last year I was more mad than this year. I don't know if people think I'm upset this year. This year is like a C plus to me, but I wish it was an A.

Last year I was like, man, this thing's like an F, dude. They're doing nothing. Yeah. I mean, they failed to address the position. and it cost them dearly. And I feel like, coach, that's what they're doing right now. And it's the same mistake they made it safety and they can't make it again. Absolutely.

I mean, you're, you guys are right on with this. I mean, you ask somebody to take a pay cut, but he's a starter. And then you get what you pay for. Yeah. And they, they, you talk about kicking the can down the road. This is beyond down the road. They don't want to pay to solidify the team. So they're going to, I mean, there's no different than you cut Josh Johnson twice before and you're bringing him back for round three.

That was a decade ago. DJ Reader is in the conversation when you had him in the building. Did he get better or did he get worse because of his age? I mean, it blows me away how they try to justify and rationalize their decisions, and then you get the product on the field that they ended up paying for it. What did they do with the Geno Stone Pay Cut, by the way? Because they didn't go out and sign somebody or they didn't extend Trey Hendrickson. They did nothing.

They did nothing with it. That was the craziest part. It felt like it felt like, it felt like, it felt like, because you're off. They just didn't like him. He just took some of his money away. Well, that's the thing. It's like with every move that you make, you have to have a reason behind it or you should.

Why are you making Geno Stone take a pick? Well, we need that money to go out and make sure we keep around T. Hendrickson. That would have been fine. You messed around with that. Now he's playing for your division rival. I mean, you fail to get out in front with Chimar Chasin T. Higgins. It maybe cost you to signing DJ Reader.

He went to Detroit. and there's talk about bringing him back. You let him go already. Now he's lesser version of himself. I mean, you did the same thing with Von Bell. It's like everything that you've done the last three years, with all the goodwill you built up in 21 and 22, there's a reason that fans are upset.

There's a reason that the trust with fans towards the organization has decreased dramatically over the last three years. But you know what helps is if you win. because if the Bengals start three and one, like I said yesterday, no one's going to be talking about this. But we don't know. There's no guarantee because the last three, we have to judge you on what we've seen the last three years.

The last three years, the Bengals have won just 24 games and they've lost 27. Last time I checked, that's a losing record. I think the worst thing, what's worse than dead cap is wasting years of having an elite quarterback, and that's what they've been doing. And I know Burroughs been hurt here and there. If this was a better defense, this team would have made the playoffs this year. You can point to Joe Flacco had this offense humming. If that defense would have just beaten the Jets and Bears, which they certainly had an opportunity to do so, they would have made the playoffs.

But because their fixes on defense were basically do nothing and draft second and fourth round linebackers, forced them into starting roles, do nothing at the trade deadline. I mean, you got the product you paid for. The guy who you asked to take a pay cut is not even bothering to tackle guys in the open field to win the game. It's frustrating product because I agree with you. If they win, nobody cares. If this team was coming off of an AFC championship run, I don't think we'd be here having this same conversation about how frustrating this has been. You're absolutely right.

The truth is they've disappointed. pointed us three years in a row, including one fully healthy Joe Burrow year. And I think this year, I know Burrow was hurt. It's not why they missed the playoffs. If Browning started the whole time, yeah, that would have been why they missed the playoffs because he was pretty bad. But I did like that they traded for Flacco. And then he proved them 100% right, put them in every chance to win those games.

And when he started falling off, Burrow was back, won the game on Thanksgiving. It felt like there was a chance. but razor-thin margin, again, because the defense can't stop the bears in, what, 30 seconds. They had to hold the bears back for 30 seconds. Couldn't do that. They give up one of the only 40 bombs of the Jets past probably 10 years that they've dropped 40 points on the beat. So it's frustrating. And that's what's frustrating about it.

But yeah, you are right. If they win, who cares? I don't care about contract structure when this team's winning. I wasn't thinking about that in. 2021. But now I am because now I'm seeing how it's falling apart. You know, it's interesting, coach, when I talk with Buffalo Bills fans who are upset with the way that their team has run organizationally, Brandon being their GM, because I'm like, you've made the playoffs seven straight years. You've come this close to winning the Super Bowl.

And the national media, they don't talk about the Bills wrongdoings. They talk about how great Josh Allen is. You know why? Because in January, he's on your screen when there's 50 million other people watching the game, whereas Joe Barrow and the Bengals are irrelevant nationally in January. Yeah. I was told you. I'm telling you, they, you know what, and you guys have just talked about it. Relevance is you want to be relevant at the end of the year, and certainly the Bengals were. I mean, I can sit here and remember on Thanksgiving saying, hey, you know what, we got a chance. Yes.

And you know, you see Joe Burr, I mean, Joe Flacco, he carried the team as far as that he could. And more. He had them scored like 30 points a game and they won what? He was throwing for 470 yards and 42 points and it wasn't enough. That? He won one game. one game in six starts. You should have been in three.

40 points or whatever, 30 plus points. You should win all those games. You should never lose when you score 42 points. I'm sorry, you shouldn't. And you know the bad thing about that is you traded for a backup, right? He came in and carried you. And then all of a sudden, the starter comes back, who is arguably one of the best in the league.

and you decide that that insurance policy isn't good enough and you don't resign. You go for an unknown. Why? Because he's been there, because he's been there before, because he's the cheaper option? Yeah. Yeah, it's a cheaper option of it all. So whatever. Joe Flacco, yes, he's 40 years old.

Yes, he still might have starting experience. Again, coach, he's in your building. Don't let him go. No question. Hey, you know what, and I think that he, that Joe Flacco and Joe Burrow makes great conversation amongst each other because they're veteran quarterbacks. And I'm sure that Joe Burrow can go to the sidelines and look at the pictures with a veteran like a Joe Flacco and say, here's what I had. This is what they disguised it as. What do you think?

and here's two intellectual football players on the same team. And I think it's great. 2024, we all thought was a fluke with the way they lost games. It turned out that was just a precursor to what they were last year. And unfortunately, there's a case to be made that they have reverted back to their old ways. I know they've won playoff games. I know they've been to a Super Bowl within the Joe Poro era. But reality is reality.

And their perception is they're not good enough. And they keep finding ways to lose games. and it's because you go back to the spring, you go back to the early spring, and what they do in free agency and what they do in the draft, it has not added up to winning football. Up next, a cornerstone from the last four teams. Now heading up the road, I-74, where the Bengals right to let him go for nothing, we'll get into that conversation coming up next on the Bengals Squad Show.

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So find your new favorite flavor of five-hour energy shots available online at five-hour energy at dot com or on Amazon. Back here as we round out the Bengals Squad show on this Wednesday, March 18th. He's Mike Santagana. He's coach Ard Valera, Alex Frank, with you. Cam Taylor Britt, a much maligned player over the last two years based on things that he has said, based on being in the news for some things off the field, and he definitely don't like hearing that. Now a member of the Indianapolis Colts, he's heading up I-74 to rejoin their defensive coordinator,

former Bengals de-coronator, Lou and Arumo. I look at this and I think, yeah, the Bengals probably weren't going to re-sign him, but it's like, okay, salary off the books, you're going to go do something with it? okay you didn't resign him should you have let him go these are all questions that we're going to be answering and if he finds a way coach to shut down jamar chase or t higgins with the bengals go to indianapolis this year there's going to be some conversations had on this show well you know what over his last two years and he has had some issues uh both on the field and off the field and i think yeah it was time to go um time for him to

change scenery. But you know what? It seems like the Bengals keep releasing guys and not getting anything for them. You need to have a pro department who's shopping guys around before they hit that wall to see if you can get something out of them in terms of trades and stuff like that. And when was last time they traded for, I mean, other than Joe Flackle, that was other than that when was last time they made a trade or anybody else wanted somebody on the bangles roster they traded the way for peanuts and they got zach moss for a seventh round pick those are last two they also they also traded for b j hill that was a good trade swap yeah it was a swap with two guys that were going to be cut yeah they don't make many trades though i think you are right like they

i i've changed the tone on this a little bit to me letting cam taylor but can taylor britt go is fine because I think you're kind of set where you are at corner with guys with DJ Turner, outside corner with DJ Turner and Dax Hill. And Daxill can move inside if need be if you draft a guy. But to me, I think this cuts, this break is good for everybody. I think this is the Bengals don't really have a use for him right now. He's not going to play the nickel. He's really struggled here his last two years.

So I think him going back to Lou Amher, Arumo. Maybe he can bring something back in him. I do not expect him to shut down Jamar Chase or T. Higgins. I guess that will be a conversation if he does. That would surprise me. But if he turns his career around that much, but yeah, I think this was one of those probably best for everybody that he moved on because I just don't think this was working out for, I don't think he was working out for anybody. I think the one that's frustrating is Trey Hendrickson. How do you not get something for Trey Hendrickson? But move on. It is what it is, I guess. It puts this in my mind as corner now in play this offseason, whether it be in free agency,

whether it be in the NFL draft. I mean, you're talking about a guy. And yeah, I do agree with both you that it was time to, you know, end the relationship that started. Really, when he had four interceptions in 2003, he had a interception return for a touchdown. He had a 11. He had a 11 passes defense that year. He had 16 the next year in 2024. Mind you, he had his ups and downs that season, but he did start all 17 games, had three interceptions, made 77 tackles. And then this past season, he only had 21 tackles, no picks, five passes defense, only made two starts, played in just eight games, season ended with a Liz Frank foot injury. I mean, look, this was a guy halfway through 23,

you're saying cornerstone corner. For lack of a better. term. This was a guy that you were willing to pay money for to extend. Now he's not even on your team. So do you go replace him? Coach, to your point, Mike, you may have mentioned this too. Every player that you let go, you should have a replacement for him. Or you better have a plan to help overcome the void he's leaving you. Because right now, I don't know if they do. That's the key. I'll tell you what, if you're letting anybody walk, you know, whether it be through free agency or you just release. You better have a better one or one that you think can be better in the building.

And to just let them go and then, hey, good luck to you. It's tough because you invested an awful lot of money and did not get a lot in return. And I think that that seems to be kind of the trend that they've done. and they need to really take a deep look at themselves and figure that one out. It's one thing to accumulate talent, Mike. It's another thing to be able to retain it or another thing to be able to cycle through it

as players come and go. This team has not been able to do that in the Joe Borough era, and unfortunately it's becoming a defining trait. Now more than ever. The Bengals have never been under more of a national spotlight because that's how good Joe Burrow is, and that's how good he was early on. but now we're seeing it.

The national media is seeing it, and it's a frustrating thing. Yeah. The thing with Cam Taylor Britt was his play got worse, and I think the thing that really changed this was Dax Hill over the last two years has been a better corner than him. And Dax Hill, when Cam Taylor Britt originally was on the team, was a safety. So that's how that puzzle originally fit, thinking Dax Hill will be being at safety.

Turns out he's a better corner. than he is a safety. It turns out he's a better corner than the guy they drafted at corner. So now you're kind of the odd man out. They thought DJ Turner and Camp Taylor Britt would be their outside corners. But one of the safeties ended up being a better corner than the corner they drafted. So you just get put into a situation where you're the odd man out. And he obviously, he had a lot of, I feel like he just struggles a lot with his confidence anymore.

And being confident at corner, I think is right up there with any. position where you have to have an irrational level of confidence as a corner. I think that's why they're always doing the celebrations when the ball is just overthrown and they got beat. They think they were right there. You know, you ask them, I wasn't beat. I would have made a play on that ball. I think back to Camtler, Britain, that interception he had against Kansas City.

And ever since then, he hasn't been the same. ever since Terry McLaurin cooked him on Monday night football, he has not been the same. I mean, you can look at the Ravens games that year. Terrible. He missed an interception potentially in the second game on Thursday night. Could have changed the entire game. Could have been, you know, a season changing play.

He was terrible in the Charter's game. I think that's the game he got benched. Sure, he had to pick six against the Steelers in the next game. But, like, he was never the same player. after that miraculous interception in week two. Maybe it's because the Bengals lost. I don't know what it was, but something went awry. And, you know, yes, he's not a liability here.

But would it shock any of either of you if he goes to Indy and suddenly he looks like at least a good corner again? Pleasantly surprised. Interesting. Coach, how about you? I think that, you know, the one thing that Luana Rulun knows what to do with it, it, he knows what to do with him. He knows his limitations.

He lows his upside and his downside. So he won't put him in situations to where he can be very, very votable. If he's the corner, you know, they can always roll him down, play somebody over the top. And not put him in those kind of situations knowing that he can or he can't do it anymore. And I think that, you know, him going there, they'll play sisters. football because he understands it and they'll probably get the best out of it, whatever he has left. And I think that, you know, great move for him. There is now no starter from the 2021 Super Bowl 56 Bengals that is on the roster.

No starters. How about that? The demise of a defense that played an integral role and getting them to the Super Bowl. And then even in 22, guys like Jesse Bates, Cam Taylor Britt, Logan Wilson, Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubber, DJ Reeder, all those guys no longer on the team. Absolutely incredible in a way for better or worse. That's going to do it for this edition of the Bengals Squad Show. Thank you to Mike Santagin at Bengals underscore Sands coach,

Arfulera 45-year coaching veteran, the current running max coach of the UFL's Orlando Storm. And of course, a Super Bowl 37 champion with the two guys. to Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I'm Alex Frankie and Frankie underscore 90. We thank you for making Bengals Squad part of your supplemental listing routine at the daily lockdown Bengals podcast. We're twice a week, long form conversational show. We're part of the lockdown podcast, the number, the number one sports podcast,

number in America and the world, your team every day. And for more on how to become a member of the Everydayer Club, visit lockdownpodcast.com slash every day. We are back. I'll put that up again. I took that down too quickly. Lockdownpodcast.com slash every dayer. Mike, real quick, have you filled out a bracket for the NCAA tournament?

I fill out a couple, yeah. Okay. Who do you have winning? I feel like I'm taking, like, the easiest answer with Duke. Okay. But I want Akron. I want Akron to win two games. I really want them to win a couple of games.

Well, there's a chance in their sub-regional that they could. I mean, Texas Tech's missing their best player, All-American J-T topping. if they beat them, they'll get Alabama, which, I mean, they don't have their best three-point shooter due to off-the-court issues. Or they'll get Hofstra, I mean, which would be a winnable game. It's possible. I've seen the path, but a lot of times I build this out, and they immediately lose by 35 points in the first game. I'm like, what was I doing? That always happens.

The pick you think you're going to get right? You'll get wrong. It's March Madness. We thank you for making Mengle Squad part. of your daily listening routine. We'll be back next week much more on if there's any news in free agency, free agency, it really has no definite end if you think about it. Plus, much more on the lead-up to the NFL draft. And who knows what else, if a player is going to get released. We'll have a cover for you right here on Bangal Squad, part of Lockdown Bengals and the Lockdown Podcast Network,

your team every day.