Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Cincinnati Bengals part ways with Alex Cappa, and more cuts are coming as they prepare to reload in 2025

Episode Date: March 3, 2025

The Cincinnati Bengals released Alex Cappa on Monday morning, the second early cap cut in recent days as they prepare for free agency with obvious replacement needs. Jake Liscow and James Rapien break down whether it means anything that the Bengals are getting their cuts done earlier this year, and what other cuts we should expect. And as the Bengals are turning the page from key players from deep playoff runs, the guys pay respect to those teams as a new core needs to take shape in Cincinnati. Join the Locked On Bengals Insider Community! https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonbengalsFind and follow Locked On Bengals on your favorite podcast platforms:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-bengals-daily-podcast-on-the-cincinnati-bengals/id1159723162Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7AObc0lh0WmQl5fJVgtajsGoogle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vbG9ja2Vkb25iZW5nYWxz?sa=X&ved=0CAYQrrcFahcKEwio_sXtj8nuAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAgStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-bengalsSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!ChewyChewy has everything you need to keep your pet happy and healthy. And right now you can save $20 on your first order and get free shipping by going to Chewy.com/LOCKEDONNFL.FanDuelRight now, new FanDuel customers can get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins!Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. 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.

The Cincinnati Bengals have made two significant cap cuts well before the start of free agency. Is that a sign of what's to come in terms of new habits from this Bengals front office? Let's get into it. You are Locked-on Bengals, your daily Cincinnati Bengals podcast. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. What up, Bengals fans, and welcome to another episode of the Locked-on Bengals podcast. I'm your host, Jake Liskow. He's your host, James Rapine, and we are,

Locked-on Bengals on the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day on YouTube and everywhere you get your podcast. So if you haven't already subscribed to the show, you can subscribe to make sure you don't miss an episode and you're up to date on all things. Bengals as the offseason heats up and we're starting to get some of these early roster moves from the Cincinnati Bengals earlier than we're used to. Every dayers out there would know that we've talked about. The Bengals often waiting to have the replacement in hand before making some of their cap cuts. this year that's not the case. And so we're going to spend a little bit of time today talking about whether that's the sign of the Bengals making another small change in the way they do business or whether we're potentially reading too much into it, if that's the conclusion, plus what other moves we're expecting. And as you think about some of the moves that are happening this year, some of the players that are going to inevitably depart in free agency or otherwise, there's a bit of a turning the page element going on in this critical offseason for the Bengals as well, James.

We'll get to that a little bit later in the show. But we start with the news from Monday morning that the Bengals have released, Alex Kappa, the second in a series of pre-free agency significant cap cuts for the Bengals this year. And one that we knew was coming. It's not something that I think anyone debated. It was kind of funny. I saw a few Nash, and I forget who it was, but it was like, oh, the Bengals not leaving. Oh, yeah, it was Peter Schreger, who I like NFL Network.

He's like, the Bengals freeing up every dollar before free agency. And it's like, yeah, Peter, I could have told you three months ago, Alex Capo is getting cut. Right? Like, this isn't one that's shocking from that perspective. But usually they do like to wait for the replacements. And I think what this signals, much like a Sheldon Rankins is, yeah, we know we're going to have to address this position. We know there's no scenario where we're keeping this guy around in 2025. And it's really unfortunate for Alex because he's kind of the anti-rankins where he came in his first year and was really, really good.

It was their best offensive lineman in 2022. Gets hurt had a really underwhelming start to 2023. Then there was a stretch right before the buy, Jake, where he looked like his self again. And I was like, all right, well, man, he could be really good down the stretch. And then after the buy, I think he kind of regressed back to the mean of 2023. And obviously, he didn't recover in 2024 and struggled. And it stinks because he was a guy that worked really hard, good locker room, good locker room guy, good teamate, well liked in that offensive line room. And he just couldn't do it at the level that they needed him to do it.

And so this is a move that makes sense. You save $8 million against the cap, have a little over $2 million. there's in dead money, we knew it was going to happen. And the fact that they did it now, well, it gives them more flexibility. It was a matter of when, not if, but certainly gives them more flexibility as they, who knows, maybe tag T by that 4 p.m. Tuesday deadline, maybe get T long-term T done by that, that deadline that I probably don't think it's going to happen. But because I don't think it's going to happen, maybe it does.

Yeah, you never know. You can never predict those things. But to your point, James on Alex Kappa, he, I think, was a good free agent signing. It's easy to lose that. And the, what have you done for me lately league? That is the NFL, as you point out, had a really solid start for this team to help solidify an offensive line that was very much in flux after that 2021 disaster in the postseason where it was just issue after issue, the Tennessee game, obviously in the Super Bowl,

the inability to block up Aaron Donald on a key play. the Bengals go out and they address their interior right away. And that 1201 signing, the Bengals making that first move that day. And does that pretend the same thing coming this year at the guard position? I think they're not making this move unless there is a clear plan to go out and get a guard. What guard that is? Uncleared this moment, right? But we could have told you, again, a while ago that there was a plan to get at least,

a guard, if not two guards in free agency. But I would say certainly one guard in free agency. And our lockdown Bengals Insiders, certainly, in addition to the everydayers, new that we've been talking about this as a potential move for quite some time now to go along with Rankin's Kappa, Sam Hubbard, I would say, is another move that we could expect to see. Anyway, we'll get to the expected moves. But the point is that our subscribers at join subtext.com slash lockdown Bengals

would have gotten a text from us on Friday talking about some of these obvious cuts with some of the information that we had from the combine. But I just wanted to take a second to make sure we're talking about Kappa the right way because he did have a, well, he's a quintessential like injury suck player for this team in recent history.

For sure. It's so much so, but I have a question for you, Jake, let's go. If Alex Kappa, you mentioned the Aaron Donald play And obviously, Alex wasn't on the team then. Part of why you go get an Alex Kappa is to solidify the pocket, solidify the middle of their offensive line. The next year, third and eight, at Arrowhead, the Bengals unable to block Chris Jones, and it's that right guard spot.

Kappa's hurt. He suffers that ankle injury in week 18. The coin flip game against the Ravens has a ripple effect across the playoffs. They overcome it versus the Ravens and the bills and are unable to do so with three starting offensive linemen out against the Kansas City Chiefs. But if Kappa doesn't get hurt and Kappa is playing at the level that he was all year, which I thought he was their best offensive linemen, do they win the Super Bowl that year? I mean, they have a way better chance of it, right?

I mean... I think they beat the Chiefs. I do think they beat the Chiefs. I think so it starts there, right? They beat the chief. Patch is a significant hole if you just have a solid presence at right guard instead of what they had in that game. I mean, they've just been so beat up by the time they got to these critical

playoff games in the offensive line that it has really cost them. Yeah, I, because I think he holds up much better. Like Chris Jones is probably not even lining up on over the right card. It's probably not targeting that spot. Did he not get over the right tackle? on that critical play i thought he i thought he stepped outside he might have he might have but but to your point you go back to week 13 that year against kansas city and alice staplet was good in that game like and so yeah you're right that might not have been the case but would have mattered

and i and i do think that uh i think they because i think that's the best bengals team of the joe era is that team. Now they had offensive line issues by the end with the injuries, but if he plays in that game, I think they find a way to get by. And then who knows what happens in the Super Bowl, right? You know, never know. But

I do think that they go back to back. Because they, once they converted that third in 16 or third in 17 or whatever it was to Hayden Hurst, I thought they were going to go downfield. And the pressure started to get to Joe, I think it's much less pressure. if Alex Kappa is in there because healthy Alex Kappa,

that's exactly what they're looking for in free agency this year. Like they would love to find the, now you might want different trades where he's a better bass blocker, more athletic, but you would love to get a guy going into a second contract that appears to be ascending. And that's what Alex Kappa had felt like he was going to be as just the solid guard for the life of that contract.

And unfortunately, like you said, injuries bit him. So can they find that next guy? that would be ideal for sure. Yeah, I think one thing if you wanted to take away any lesson is if you can get a little bit more athletic there, that that potentially is something that you're looking for. Maybe there's a little bit more cushion in terms of absorbing injuries and being able to maintain a certain level of play. If there's more athleticism in terms of the baseline, before those injuries start to take away and chip away at that athletic foundation. And Alex Kappa was, you know, he was a third round pick in 2018.

out of Humboldt State. Small school took a few years to find his footing in the NFL and then was a solid player, had a solid stretch there. And then the injuries caught up to him with age. And like I said, that level of baseline athleticism. So it'll be interesting to see. That'll be our first look potentially at concretely what kind of player aligns with Scott Peters and as the new offensive line coach as they look to bring in a free agent guard. But like I hinted at earlier and started to get ahead of myself earlier, James there. some other moves that we should be expecting from the Cincinnati Bengals here in the coming weeks. We will recap what those moves are as the Bengals continue to find their way forward in their

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Make every moment more with Fandle, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. James, this isn't the end of the potential cap cuts for the Cincinnati Bengals. Rankins and Kappa, certainly two of the obvious moves. but like I said, the Lockdown Bengals Insiders who are subscribers over JoinSubtext.com slash lockdown Bengals got a text on Friday where we also alluded to the imminent moves coming for Sam Hubbard and Jermaine Pratt,

whether that's a trade or release for Jermaine Pratt depends on whether or not they find a trade partner. I think they're actively trying to find compensation that they would like for Jermaine Pratt. I do not think there's a significant market. A seventh. Is there a seventh out there? Can I get a seven? there's some decent choices in free agency,

and teams could very well just wait for Germain Pratt to become available in free agency. And so we'll see if they can get a trade done there, whether it's future compensation or 2025 compensation in terms of a draft pick. I think you should be open to either. Sam Hubbard, I don't think there's draft compensation coming for. And then I think that there's some other potential cuts.

Those are the obvious ones, I think, at this point. We've gone back and forth on Gino Stum. directly after the combine reflecting on the comments that we heard from coaches, thought that perhaps Gino Stone was less secure than previously. And since then, it sounds to me like his spot on the team may actually be for now more likely to play out. And that can, of course, change. But Gino Stone, I would say, is very much in the Will Sea camp. And I would say back to maybe coin flip, but maybe even less than a coin flip odds that he gets cut.

And then there's Zach Moss and Cordell-Wolson to round out the group with some caveats for both of those guys. So let's talk about the three veterans before we get to Moss who's injured and Cordell-Wolson. What are your thoughts around Hubbard, Stone, and Pratt, outside of what I threw out there? Well, yeah, Hubbard's, Hubbard, much like Pratt or much like we will go past tense here now, Kappa and Rankins. It's by-bye time. And I think there's a decision on how, what route that. is, but Sam Hubbard's certainly not going to be on the team this year, certainly at his number. And I don't think it's going to be, like, I think they're going to release him at some point.

Now, does he come back? You know, can never rule that out. I also don't know how likely that is. I would say less likely than, yeah, I would say less likely than previously thought for me anyway. I would say that's becoming increasingly unlikely. But yeah, like you said, you can never rule it out. No, you can't roll it out. And here's why I would be, here's the argument against it,

is if you're a new defensive line coach or a new defensive coordinator and you're in this new spot and you're trying to revamp this entire unit, get the most out of it, do you need, like you can find younger Sam Hubbard. And what I mean by that is what Hubbard is now. At best, he's a rotational piece that gives you some spot snaps. you can find that that's that's something you could find that probably has a little more upside than what Hubbard currently has and so well i wouldn't rule it out yeah can you find the next the the 2025 version of sam Hubbard in the fifth round of this draft i'm just giving you they may say yeah like let's relax here i can find the because i think he's cam sample now right where he's just this rotational guy and maybe a little less upside than that because of what what's going on with his body and so So we'll see. I don't know.

I don't know if Sam Hubbard, if his goal is to play this year. I mean, he's dealt with multiple injuries now. He had that tightrope surgery on his ankle. You know, obviously had the knee issue where he banged his knee. Now, he might. I mean, it sounded like in the AFC North Hard Knocks that he wanted to get back. But it's certainly something to think about there. So, yeah, I think Hubbard, it's a matter of when, not if.

And then after that, here's the one I completely disagree with from my standpoint. There's not a scenario where I would keep Gino Stone. There's just not. Six plus million dollars in cap space that you could free up. To me, it makes no sense. If he really has that much value, see what he has on the trade market. If everyone's out on it, which, who knows? But if the rest of the league is out on trading for Gino Stone, then you kind of know.

I just think you can find Gino for less. And I don't, unless he really captured the heart of Al Golden from his vision perspective, I don't know why keeping a veteran with limited range, inability to tackle consistently, why you would do that, even if it means less turnover in that room, you know he's not the long-term answer. So rip the Band-Aid off now and find a way to get better. That would be my logic. I do think, though, to your point, the team is probably leaning the other way, at least as of now. That can change in a hurry.

That changes if they take a safety at 17 or maybe even at 49. I mean, it could change very quickly. but as of right now, I don't think we're going to see a Gino Stone cut this week. Put it that way. Yeah, the other way that it happens is if there's suddenly a safety

that they really like that has a price that they really like in free agency. But you look at the free agent group, and honestly, we've been doing this free agent tier list thing with Joe Goberry and Mike's antagona for how many years now? Yep.

Five years. I mean, it started with Jake and Joe, with me and Joe, I'm reading. And so I said my name instead of talking about myself in the first person, my bet, but we did it for the first time in the 2020 season when they signed DJ Reader, Trey Waynes, McKenzie Alexander, Von Bell, Josh Bines, Xavier Sue Ophilo. So that was the first time we did it. So one, two, three, four, five years we've been doing it.

I think this is, this is a sixth year. I think this is the worst group of free agents in terms of depth of potential quality that I can remember since we've been doing this project. I think you're right about, I think you're right on that. Yeah. I'm looking at the list now. It's thin. And the ones that are good are likely to return to their teams. And one of our listeners points out, and this is a great point. So I'm going to give them credit. ST Paul, me on Twitter, that this lines up with the 2021 draft class that was so affected by COVID.

And those guys hitting free agency at this point. So a potential explanation there, but not a draft class that, or a free agent class that is particularly deep or strong. and that also applies to the safety position. However, if say they really like, let's pick a safety out of a hat here, free safety. Marcus May. Andre Sisko from the Jacksonville Jaguars,

a young player who you could say that there's more meat on the bone there and he's 25 years old, 25 and a half years old, and that price isn't as high as it could be in a year where teams are flushed with cap space and cash and the free agent market is thin. and so everyone's going to be ready to pay. Maybe they go that route.

But the other way you can see it happening is kind of the Georgia Locust scenario where they draft a guy that they end up really liking and then they make a cut in training camp because there's a guy that they've drafted Jesse Bates who they think is much better and can just take that roll over and they don't need to be paying $6 million to a backup. Yeah. I think the reason why I feel the way I feel has not. nothing to do with free agency. I don't even know if Gino Stone is the second best safety on the team right now anyway. That's why that's where I am. I'm like, man, what he has is replace,

like you can find it. And so even if they didn't sign a free agent safety, that would be my logic with Gino. Again, I'm saying all this, knowing that I'm probably going to be in the locker room with him four months from now, and that's it. But that's just six, six plus million reason. I mean, that's your guard. That's your next another rotational defensive tackle. That's your Sam Hubbard replacement if you want to get it in free agency. I mean, there's a lot of things that could go to. And that's it. That's it. Like Tyson Anderson's faster, has more range. I think probably has better ball skills and can actually tackle. Now, the ball skills part is debatable because Gino Stone's had all these interceptions. All right. Well, why didn't his defensive

coordinator in Baltimore want to bring him to Seattle with him? I don't know, but I do think it's a fair question. So we'll see. But yeah, if they keep him, it means they're banking on him being much improved this year, regardless of what they do in free agency or the draft. But again, I think you can use that $6 million better in another way. I didn't answer. We had another veteran to get to.

What other veteran do we have to get to? Oh, Cordell. Cordell and Zach Moss. The thing with Stone is when he was in, when he was at his best, in Baltimore. The last point I throw out there is they had three safeties on the field quite often. And so if they bring in another safety and they find a better role for Gino Stone and can get him back to that level where he was in Baltimore playing more to his strengths, great. And whether or not that's a fit, well, we talked about that with Mike Santagata.

It doesn't seem to be there on paper and we'll just have to see what plays out with Gino Stone. We'll wrap up the conversation here on some potential cuts and take a look back at some playoff rosters for the Bengals that are almost completely turned over at this point. coming up next. All right, Jake. Let's talk about Cordell Volson. And I actually think he is a legitimate cut candidate. I would try to trade him. I think I think trade candidate makes sense. Much like Gino Stone, I'm not in a rush to cut him. I'd be open to it. I would try to trade him because, hey, if he's worth keeping, then maybe he has some value. Cordell's the same way. He's played so much that he's hit all these bonuses since being a fourth round pick. His cap hits

like 3.7 million, you could save three and a half million dollars by trading him or releasing him. And so I do think there's a real conversation there because let's say you draft the kid out of Georgia who had an impressive combine and you're putting him at Leith. Tate Rutledge. I know he played right guard and that's fine. You want to put him next to Mims and do that. Fine. But you're drafting a guy in the second round, whatever it is, the play left guard. You're probably banking on that guy to start right now. And so whether it's signing someone or drafting someone or both, I could see a scenario where that $3.5 million could be used better elsewhere or on a different guard. Yeah, this is one where I think we might not see it sooner than later.

This might be a cut that eventually happens and doesn't impact free agency. Camp Taylor-Britt also qualified for the same player performance. incentives that elevated his escalators is what they're called that elevated his salary. So both Camp Taylor Britt and Cordell will send at $3.5 million in some change. And for Cordell, as a fourth round pick, if you're not going to be at least an OK starter, I am skeptical that the Bengals are willing to pay $3.5 million for a player to be a backup. The Bengals do not pay backups. Akeem Davis-Gaither, a recent key exception that was pointed out, that we've pointed out,

as an exception to the rule. But go back to the last five years and you're going to be hard pressed to find the Bengals paying more than the minimum to a backup. And if Cordell-Voson is lined up to be behind, say, Cody Ford returns, they really like Cody. And he's going to be...

What? Oh, oh, God. I mean, is on the bench. Okay. Okay. So say Cody Ford is your first guard off the bench, which is not my ideal scenario, right? but Cordell is behind Cody Ford, which he wasn't in the year.

I'm just talking hypotheticals here. Are the Bengals paying $3.5 million to your second guard off the bench? That is not something that is in their blood. Even with Akim Davis-Gather last year, he was playing early in the season, a handful of snaps on defense and was a key special teamer. And so that's where it is for Cordell-Wolson. I think that the off-season will dictate what happens here.

If they add a couple of guards and they're happy with their depth there, you could see the cut happen in training camp. It might not be in free agency. It might not be a scenario where they get to use that money elsewhere very proactively. And that goes to your point, James, of seeing if you can find a trade partner there, especially at that point if it is later because he has started a bunch of games. And so sometimes teams see that and value it as they did with Billy Price, although Billy was a first round pick and Cordell was a fourth round pick from a small school.

Yeah, I think he could have value. I think if you're listing these guys and you're looking at him, it's like, yeah, Cordell, certainly Gino you mentioned Cam Taylor Britt could have some decent value like maybe that wasn't why I brought him up to be clear I think he's on the team next year but but sure no no but what if what if someone offers a third or a fourth everyone talks about how they don't have enough picks

well it's interesting it's just interesting that's all so that's uh that's what they need to be doing is having conversations with guys like Because with Cam, the conversation is, all right, do we think that a year from now we're going to extend him? Yes or no? Okay. And then now it's, all right, is his value worth it to keep him here? I don't know if he's the starter.

Are we sure he's the starter? I don't know. And, you know, if Daxhill's right, which I know that's a big if, but I think you could look at it and say, yeah, he's probably not a starter. I honestly am not very inclined to go too far down that path because that is the one position where I feel like they have some young players who have outside and you start to peel away at that and suddenly I feel like adding another young player with outside a corner. So that's one where, you know, Cordell, if you're talking about trading him

for whatever compensation you can get, you're talking about trading a depth piece ideally. And for Cam, I think you're talking about trading a potential starter and creating a potential hole there with a young player that you're hoping to get right. And obviously we've seen Cam Taylor Britt play well. And it's a matter of consistency that you're hoping improves with Al Golden. Well, what it would be is, well, they would probably address it in free agency, where they go get a proven guy that Al Golden really likes. And you do that.

Plus, you're like, oh, well, we have Dax. We have DJ. We have Josh Newton. Like, it's just a long-term fit as well. And maybe they think Cam is a long-term fit. I'm just going down that path because those are the conversations that they need to be having about these guys. You don't want to react after Cam's fourth year about what to do with him. It's now. It's having the decision. Do you think he's long-term piece or not? It doesn't mean you sign him now. But I do think that that's a, that should be a discussion, at least that they're having. Cordell, I mean, I would be open to moving him now. And I do think he's got a good enough mindset, attitude, hard work, all the intangibles that there's going to be a team that would be interested in adding him. Because there's a lot of cap space. And You mentioned it.

Not a great free agent class. Okay, well, teams that have a lot of cap space, they're like, $3 million for Cordop, I could totally see that. So that would be an interesting one to potentially pursue. It's a trade involving him. And by the way, if you're doing that, it's much more beneficial to do it sooner rather than later, I think. Get that cap space, free that up, get the asset.

Obviously, you want the draft pick before this year's draft as well. If they find a trade partner for Cordelves, I'll be very impressed. I'll just say that. The last cap cut that we could see at some point this offseason, Zach Moss, I think that they will have to wait for some of that injury to clear up. You heard Duke Tobin and Zach Taylor talk about the uncertainty still around that neck injury. They will want to avoid any potential injury settlement there.

And so we'll see what the timeline looks like for Zach Moss. But that's one that could take some time. James, to finish up the show, just want to think about The playoff runs of Bengals have had. The best playoff runs in my lifetime and your lifetime. And we've seen a lot of the key players on those teams depart now. And who's left from those teams? Well, hopefully T. Higgins is left from those teams in 2025.

But Jamar Chase, Joe Burrow. Hopefully, Trey Hendrickson is still part of the team in 2025, talking about some pieces coming back in like Drew Sample. And you've seen Jesse Bates depart. You've seen DJ Reader depart. You've seen Tyler Boyd depart. way of Lusia apart. We've seen a couple of tight ends leave.

And this year we're going to see probably B.J. Hill, Sam Hubbard, Jermaine Pratt, Mike Hilton, Alex Kappa. A lot of the core players, a lot of the starters from those teams at 2021 Super Bowl team, the 2022-A championship team, are now turning the page. And I mentioned Mike Hilton because, you know, he had the tweet that I'm sure a lot of you have seen at this point on Monday. Is it Monday?

It's still Monday. New opportunities always present themselves as what he's. He tweeted on Monday morning. So it sounds like as expected, Mike Hilton will be looking for his opportunity, this free agency. And some really good players for this team on some really good teams. And when we have these sort of page turning, chapter turning, era ending, or era transition kind of moments like this, because this is a borough era really. But a lot of the players around borough on those teams, we're going to have a very different

looking playoff team for the Bengals the next time the Bengals enter the playoffs. Yeah, for sure. And that's part of it. It's why they got to get it right. It's why it's the most important. It feels like we do say it every year now, but it's the most important offseason in Bengals history because you want to keep that core together, but you need to add other core pieces, other guys that are the next Mike Hilton or Chittobail-Wousier or the, heck, Von Bell.

Can you find the next Von Bell? And I mean the 2020 version, not the 2024 version that they found last year on the minimum. Those are all pieces that they're trying to find. They're trying to hit on the next Akeem Davis-Gather or Logan Wilson in the draft as they try to find a linebacker or in free agency. And so a lot of holes, but resources to replenish some of them. But yeah, the turnover. It happens quick. It happens quick.

You think it's going to happen forever. It's going to last forever. And it just cap is the perfect example. example in his prime injury boom age checks out still looks like the same guy looks like the same guy in that in uniform and in practice from a when he's walking out and walking back but on game day when you need him to be the cap that you remember 65 just doesn't look the same and and that's uh that's what we saw the past couple of years so yeah they they need to find those those guys and replenish it and we'll see if they can. But that's that that's the reminder is how quickly

things can change. Even Mike Hilton. And I love Mike. And I think Mike's really, really good Stoing is going to help a team. He's I don't, not that he was ever elite in coverage, but I don't think he's the same cover. He doesn't have the same coverage ability that he had a few years ago. That's the nature of the NFL, right? This grind him up, chew him up, spit him out business that exists where we see very short careers on average. And this is why I talk about two and three-year windows and planning your teams for two and three years. Obviously, you're always hoping to find pieces that are around longer than that,

but sometimes that's pie in the sky. And so I think there are some lessons there in terms of the way you build your teams and the way you attack certain windows and the way you would hope to see the Bengals go about it this year and in the next couple of years. But like I said earlier, that's also more difficult and requires a little bit more creativity this year, I think, given the free agent market being what it is

in the financial situations across the league. But that is going to do it for this episode of the Locktime Bengals podcast. We've got a franchise tag deadline tomorrow, James. And if there is news between now and then, we're recording this on Monday, obviously, between now and Tuesday afternoon. Well, we'll get that news to you.

But we'll be watching that. that franchise tag deadline, of course. And then we've got free agency to prepare for, a combine to reflect on in terms of some of the players that stood out. We'll see if we have time for that this week with all the free agent goings on that we're expecting. But in terms of preparing for free agency. But that's going to do it for this episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast.

Until next time, thanks for listening. Hoor Day. And have a good one.