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00:00Hey everybody, it is Drags Mike Petraglia back with the latest episode of the Jungle
00:04Roar podcast powered by CLNS Media and our great sponsors PrizePix and GameTime.
00:12My pleasure to welcome back James Rapine of Locked On Bengals and AllBengals.com to break
00:18down the good and the bad and the in-between of the 2024 NFL Draft for the Cincinnati Bengals
00:26over the last three days, last Thursday, Friday and Saturday, James, how are you doing?
00:32I'm doing well.
00:33Quick note.
00:34I never told you this.
00:35We switched it up.
00:37It's BengalsTalk.com.
00:38Oh, you never did tell us.
00:40Well, that's why I'm glad you, uh, I gave you the opportunity to promote yourself.
00:44Completely rebranded, baby.
00:47So say it again, BengalsTalk.com.
00:50That's all.
00:51BengalsTalk.com.
00:52We kick that all aside.
00:53We kick that all aside because the Bengals got their own all.
00:57Is that, uh, does that explain the new icon in, uh, over your left shoulder?
01:03Looks sharp.
01:04Snazzy.
01:05I know you've been using that logo.
01:06Yeah.
01:07That's, that's our logo for the YouTube channel.
01:08It just, it gets the site closer to what the YouTube channel is too.
01:11And it just, that's smart.
01:12Instead of having multiple different things, Cincinnati BengalsTalk and BengalsTalk.com
01:17makes more sense, I think, to everybody involved.
01:20Yeah.
01:21Good branding.
01:22Good job by you, James.
01:24So good job by you, by, uh, recommending me to upgrade my lighting game here in the Jungle
01:29Rurapod studios.
01:30Thanks to James for being, I went out and invested in the latest technology to make
01:35my face look less brutally ugly.
01:38As I look great.
01:40Best I've ever seen you look, you're aging like Brady.
01:44The bar is not that high when it comes, uh, to my own looks.
01:48So, uh, thank you.
01:49I appreciate that, James.
01:51Let's get past the drivel and the babble and get onto the stuff that people really care
01:56about.
01:57Amarius Mims.
01:58Uh, I think it's pretty much a no brainer.
02:01I saw reports in the last 24 hours, uh, that the Kansas city chiefs were in on him.
02:07They were looking possibly to move up.
02:09Uh, they were very impressed with him as a potential left tackle of the future.
02:13But the Bengals got him at 18 and if he progresses along the track that he has shown in his eight
02:20previous starts and yes, only eight at the university of Georgia.
02:24I think the Bengals have what they were looking for.
02:27No doubt about it.
02:28I think they deserve a ton of credit for this pic because they could have easily said, Nope,
02:32we're not rolling the dice.
02:33We're going to go with Quinn.
02:34Yon Mitchell.
02:35Uh, we're, we're going to go with Troy Foton, Fah, Fahutanu who thank goodness they did
02:41because I don't have to say his name.
02:42We would all have a nightmare.
02:44Yes.
02:45Even though he's going to be facing the Bengals at least twice a year.
02:48Yeah.
02:49But still a Marius Mims has the highest ceiling.
02:52And I was thinking about this when I went to write is people are like, yeah, you're
02:56rolling the dice.
02:57It's a big swing, but he's got such a low floor and it's like, eh, Billy Price was supposed
03:00to be this safe center pick where he's going to be your center for 10 years.
03:05Didn't feel that safe a year in, did it?
03:07No.
03:08Jonah Williams was supposed to be the safe pick.
03:10And I think Jonah Williams is a solid player, but in this division, when you're dropping
03:15back 45 times, it's pretty good to have size and strength and athleticism and a Marius
03:21Mims has all of the above.
03:22I love this pick.
03:24I was discussing him as a possible target for a lot of the draft process.
03:29But when really the final two to three weeks is when you can really hone in, you've been
03:34talking about it enough and you can hone in.
03:37And I thought that he should be really, really high on the Bengals board.
03:40And I think he was.
03:41I think there's only a handful of tackles, offensive tackles that were ahead of a Marius
03:46Mims and maybe one defensive player.
03:49Maybe one.
03:50Okay.
03:51So I'm going to guess Joe Alt and Byron Murphy would be two players that the Bengals would
03:55have on their big board ahead of a Marius Mims.
03:58Yeah.
03:59So those two for sure.
04:00And you knew all it was going to be gone.
04:02I think they were hoping for some Murphy.
04:04I think Murphy, I don't know for sure that he would be ahead of Mims, but he's ahead
04:08of a lot of these offensive tackles and might be ahead of Mims.
04:11The other one was JC Latham.
04:12I think Latham was ahead of Mims and he went seventh overall, just to give you an idea
04:17of where the NFL felt and how the NFL felt about him.
04:20So I love this for the Bengals.
04:22I really do.
04:23And it might not work out, but I don't question the process up to this point.
04:28And that's what the draft is.
04:29Sometimes it doesn't work out and you look back and you're like, well, was the process
04:33right?
04:34Or was the process wrong?
04:35And the process was probably wrong for a guy like Billy Price leading into to that draft
04:40and settling for him at 21 overall.
04:43Even if Mims doesn't work out, I don't think the process was wrong getting to this point.
04:47I think it's a great point.
04:49If you did your due diligence, and I think there's no question the Bengals did their
04:53due diligence and interviewed all the right people, certainly have enough people in the
04:58building that watch enough film and watch enough tape who know what they're watching
05:02when they watch that tape.
05:04I agree with you a hundred percent.
05:06I don't think there was anything wrong with the process.
05:09The issue becomes, and a lot of Bengal fans will point this out, can Frank Pollack, once
05:14Frank Pollack gets his hands on Amarius Mims, can he take the next step?
05:19And I think that's where Bengal fans, I think justifiably concerns the wrong word.
05:28Certainly curious as to what his potential can be early on in his career with Cincinnati.
05:36No doubt.
05:37No doubt.
05:38But the thing that I would say to those people is, well, let's find out because you've never
05:42done this for Frank Pollack.
05:44They've never given him an Amarius Mims.
05:46Amarius Mims doesn't grow on trees.
05:48He might be a tree, but he's never had this type of talent to work with.
05:53And so you could say, oh yeah, well, they used a second rounder on Jackson Carmen.
05:57And yeah, the front office probably wanted him to get more out of Jackson Carmen.
06:02I don't think anyone would have gotten anything out of Jackson Carmen that the Bengals didn't
06:05get.
06:06I just think that that's it.
06:08Billy Price was just really limited physically.
06:10This guy has everything you need to be great.
06:13And so now to your point, to their point, it is up to Frank Pollack to help get him
06:17there and we will see if it happens.
06:20But this idea that Frank has failed to this point, I don't know what he should have or
06:28could have done with the guys he had up until now that we couldn't have predicted for the
06:34most part.
06:35But now he has a shot to show that he is a high-end offensive line coach and we will
06:40see because I do think that that seat, it's not hot, but it's warm now that you use the
06:4518th overall pick on a guy that you hope becomes your next Andrew Whitworth, that you hope
06:49becomes your next Willie Anderson, your next great offensive tackle that you drafted and
06:54developed yourself.
06:55Yeah.
06:56And you would rather have the problem of being on the hot seat with talent than not having
07:03any expectations and not having the talent there.
07:06The Bengals certainly have, it would appear, the talent in Amarius Mims.
07:10Just to let you, let everybody know who hasn't read the bio or done their due diligence on
07:17what Amarius Mims is like physically, he is 6'8 and 340 pounds, but he is not like Orlando
07:26Brown Jr. and Trent Brown.
07:30What do we mean by that, James?
07:32You being someone who likes to work out yourself, he's ripped.
07:36Amarius Mims is ripped.
07:38Ted Karras made this point on Monday when he was talking about taking Amarius out to
07:48a Jeff Ruby steakhouse north of downtown, Carlo and Johnny's to be specific, as Ted
07:54Karras did mention that.
07:56But he is a different kind of beast.
07:58He is cut, he's more of an athlete, and I think I'm curious to see how he works in early
08:05on in the Bengals program there.
08:07Yeah.
08:08I think that's the question is, one, I think he is ready.
08:13There's a lot of people like, oh, well, he can just sit, and I think he's ready to pass
08:17protect now, but that doesn't mean you have to put him out there now.
08:22Not if you want to teach him a little bit more, get him a little bit more comfortable
08:24at both tackle spots and let him take some of his lumps in practice as he develops.
08:30And so, no, I think he could play this year.
08:34I think he will play this year.
08:36The odds of Trent Brown and Orlando Brown Jr. staying healthy, Orlando Brown Jr. has
08:40been durable.
08:41Trent Brown, not so much.
08:42And it's just really hard to play 17 straight games.
08:46The Bengals offensive line was the one area that stayed healthy last year.
08:49So who knows?
08:50Maybe it happens again.
08:52But if not, I certainly could see Mims playing at a high level as a rookie.
08:57And here's the other element trags.
08:59I do wonder, and they might not come out and say it to us, if they just put him at guard
09:04for a second, just, hey, big man, just go over there for a second.
09:09Because if you remember Andrew Whitworth at guard, it was like, oh my God, he's awesome.
09:16He was awesome at guard.
09:17See, the interesting thing to me about that, put him at guard in pass pro or in the run
09:22game or both, just to see how he does.
09:25Just to see how he does.
09:26And in pass pro, I think he would be good to go probably right away.
09:31He handled stunts and twists and all those things at tackle.
09:34I know it's different at guard, but I think he could do that, especially because he's
09:37so hard to get around.
09:38But is he athletic enough to move at guard?
09:42I wouldn't put it past him.
09:44Mike Petraglia trags here.
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10:55All right, let's move on from Amarius Mims.
11:00Another pick that is going to intrigue Bengal fans and they are going to want to see him
11:04on the field ASAP is Jermaine Burton.
11:08Look, Zach, when Zach Taylor says he can take the top off a defense, I think that is said
11:14with intent.
11:15I think the Bengals believe that they want him to do that.
11:19And my question for you, James, is can he just get out there and start playing at a
11:24starting wide receiver level right away?
11:27Or is he going to have to take some time?
11:29What's your best guess there?
11:31I think he comes in and is, is there one?
11:35He will not be there, Tyler Boyd, just to be clear.
11:37But I do think he's going to be their third receiver.
11:40And so hopefully the third most snaps in that room.
11:43But there's some scenarios where it's him in the slot.
11:48Other scenarios where it's going to be Jamar Chase in the slot.
11:50I think some scenarios where he's on the field and we see Charlie Jones or Andre Josephage.
11:55The beauty of Burton and the reason why I'm kicking myself for not mentioning him more
11:59during the pre-draft process for the Bengals because of the character stuff, I just kind
12:03of overlooked him.
12:04Didn't think the Bengals would be in on him, but he's the perfect fit football wise.
12:08He can do everything they want.
12:09He can be explosive out of the slot.
12:11He can stretch the field outside.
12:13He had showed some good catch and run ability in some of those games.
12:16Wasn't asked to do it a lot, but did.
12:19And he had great hands, but he's not your prototypical slot.
12:23You're not going to send him on a bunch of Tyler Boyd routes where their choice routes
12:27and stuff.
12:28And maybe he, he becomes that, but you don't need him to, you need him to be the deep threat
12:31that does take the top off.
12:33It does compliment T Hickens and Jamar chase.
12:35And when teams double up Jamar and you put T on the other side, well now you got to worry
12:40about a slot receiver that can get downfield in a hurry and is a deep threat as well.
12:45So I think he fits really, really well, not only with T and Jamar, but also Andre Josephage
12:51and Charlie Jones, because you could put him outside Charlie in the slot, Andre in the
12:55slot.
12:56Like you could do a bunch of different things with these guys.
12:58And so I think they compliment each other very well.
13:01And his skillset is unique and something that Jamar has a lot of Jamar is a stronger player,
13:06but, but he's similar in the fact that he can move all around and take the top off of
13:10the defense.
13:11I mean, I do like the pick a lot because of the potential look, any team in any draft,
13:18I don't like grading players individually in the draft and teams.
13:23I don't like grading teams, even though I did grade the Bengals on checking the boxes,
13:28not necessarily on the talent they acquire, because James, you and I both know, we don't
13:33know their talent until they get on the field, right?
13:36Even though they put out great numbers during college, we don't know how that's going to
13:41translate to the pro game.
13:43All you can grade if you're doing so is how do these teams check off the boxes and overall,
13:51I think from, um, a large scale, 40,000 feet, I think the Bengals checked off all the boxes
13:57that they needed to.
13:59They did.
14:00They did.
14:01They reached at times.
14:02I think McKinley Jackson to me was earlier than I would have to get to him, but go ahead.
14:11And I think it's more of need-based, right?
14:12They knew they needed a nose tackle and there's not a nose tackle I would have taken there
14:15over him.
14:17I, I, what I think is interesting about that is how long could they have waited on Jackson?
14:22Would he have been there at one 15 and round four?
14:24Would he have found his way at one 49 and round five?
14:26I don't know, but the nose tackle market's weird where you could see that Mackay Wingo
14:31filled around six.
14:32Not to cut you off psychologically.
14:35I think they wanted that accomplished before they headed into day three.
14:40And that was the point of taking McKinley Jackson when they did, they didn't want to
14:45wait until the fourth round.
14:46I think they wanted it out of the way by Friday night so that they could focus on different
14:53areas on Saturday.
14:54That's just my way of thinking.
14:56And that's the tax that you have to pay when you, you don't plug a need and free agency.
15:01Correct.
15:02Right.
15:03And that's that, that part stinks at the same time.
15:05I like McKinley Jackson from a, certainly he was, he was fun to meet him in person.
15:10And I think he could be a quality player.
15:13James, he could be the kind of guy if he gets in the culture and the culture has an
15:19impact on him and he stays on the straight and narrow.
15:23I don't think he's going to be Tyler Shelvin when a guy like McKinley Jackson is taken
15:28and there's questions about him.
15:31It's either he's going to be the next DJ reader or Gino Atkins, or he's going to turn into
15:35Tyler Shelvin.
15:36And there's very, very few times.
15:40Is there an in-between?
15:41Right?
15:42Sure.
15:43Sure.
15:44Sure.
15:45And, and I think I agree with you.
15:46I think personality wise, character wise, I think he'll be fine.
15:48I also wonder what's the payoff for picking him there outside of having a body.
15:59Does that make sense?
16:00Like, is he going to be a pro bowl or does he have that upside bowl?
16:03Probably not.
16:04I think that's unrealistic to expect.
16:05And so at nose tackle, what's the drop-off between him and Makai Wingo who went three
16:11rounds later that in, that's the question.
16:14Maybe it's a huge drop-off on their board.
16:16Maybe they think McKinley Jackson is that much different, right?
16:19The NFL certainly felt like to Von Drey sweat was that much different.
16:23And so that's, that's the question.
16:25And we will see time.
16:26We'll tell that's a pick that clearly is a need pick at the same time.
16:30I do understand the need.
16:32And I also think that, Hey, if he turns into a 10 year pro, then you get the pick and you
16:37understand it.
16:38And we'll see if the Bengals got it right.
16:41What about the two tight ends?
16:44I think Eric all is a major risk with huge upside and in the upside is the best tight
16:49end they've had in a long time.
16:51I mean, he's more complete than I for he's, he's a guy that, that can block at a really
16:56high level can move well, natural route runner and pass catcher.
17:00It doesn't catch passes like I for it was a freak, but still is, is someone that could
17:06be a big, big part of this offense.
17:08And it's just a matter of the health standpoint.
17:11And so doubling down and getting Tanner McLaughlin, someone who they will tell you was much higher
17:17on their board.
17:18I think they would have considered him.
17:19Let's say they didn't get Eric on round four.
17:21I think Tanner McLaughlin was very much in play in round five.
17:25I can't really knock them for it.
17:26I really can't that they like him live 20 he's 25.
17:31That's the concern.
17:32So there's two concerns with McLaughlin it's 25 and there's questions about his strength
17:38and his ability to block.
17:40And so as a chance to be a really good pass catcher or six, one 40 yard dash moves really
17:46well weapon in the passing game.
17:48So he fits from that perspective.
17:50Can tight ends coach James Casey get enough out of him in the blocking department?
17:55Can Joey Bose and that strength coach coaching staff get a little bit more out of him moving
18:01forward, even though he is 25, because you think about it, we're talking about strength
18:04at 25.
18:06It's tough now.
18:07Yeah.
18:08I think he can get stronger.
18:09Obviously.
18:10Trags is much stronger now than he was at 25.
18:12So we will see, but, uh, there are some question marks there, but I do get it and I do get
18:17following your board.
18:19It doesn't really bother me that they took two tight ends.
18:22It's just not something I had on their bingo, the bingo card going into the draft.
18:25Okay.
18:26I'm going to bring up a name and, um, feel free to roll your eyes.
18:31Rob Gronkowski had spine surgery and back surgery, uh, when he was in college at Arizona.
18:38So I don't have as big a problem with a minimum minimally invasive surgery that he had on
18:44his spine.
18:45Um, did, uh, Eric all in college as I do the knees, the eight, he's coming off an ACL last
18:52year.
18:53I believe he missed the last seven games at Iowa.
18:55Uh, that to me is the concern.
18:58Can he get his explosiveness back if he can?
19:01I do think James, like you said, I think he can be a steal.
19:06Have you taken a good, close, hard look at, um, the college free agents and do any names
19:12stand out?
19:13Cause I know there's one name we want to get to just because of the competition angle to
19:17it.
19:18I haven't looked a ton, um, as, as far as stats and done a deep dive, I gotta be honest
19:23with you.
19:24Drags.
19:25Uh, just looking at the list that I have here, I do think that both running backs have a
19:29real shot and it's pretty attractive to come here and get that shot.
19:36And so we'll see.
19:37But yeah, Noah Kane out of, out of LSU, Elijah Collins out of Oklahoma state.
19:40Those are the two that really stand out to me because if they impress, there might be
19:45a roster spot up for grabs.
19:47And so that, that's really all you can ask for.
19:49One other name, just because he's a really high end athlete, Cole Burgess, it might be
19:54Burgess out of a wide receiver out of Cortland, SUNY Cortland, um, interesting player.
20:01That's all.
20:02I don't really think there's a roster spot for him, but, uh, certainly interesting stood
20:05out when I, at the brief amount of time I spent looking at these guys, I'll get to know
20:08them more.
20:09Uh, obviously we'd just come off the draft, but, uh, another name that stands out.
20:13All right.
20:14The guy I do want to get to and get your read on is Austin McNamara, a terrific punter out
20:20of Texas tech.
20:21Uh, he is a rookie free agent that was signed after the draft was completed on Saturday
20:26and 87 yard punt in college.
20:29Uh, one of the leading punters last year in all of college football.
20:34Competition for Brad Robbins, Brad Robbins had an uneven rookie year.
20:39And that I think is being a little bit kind, uh, but I think certainly, uh, we're at the
20:45point where Darren Simmons simply wants legitimate competition for, uh, Brad Robbins to see how
20:51he responds.
20:52Correct.
20:53Well, no doubt.
20:55And this was always the case.
20:57I know some thought they were going to draft a punter.
20:59I thought that they were going to say, you know, we're going to be an attractive destination
21:03in college free agency.
21:05Someone's going to say, Hey, I can go win a job there.
21:07And now it's game on between McNamara and Robbins and Robbins knew Brad knew that this
21:11was going to happen.
21:12Yeah.
21:13And I think Brad, this is going to surprise a lot of people, probably Brad's the favorite.
21:18And Brad is the favorite for a very simple reason.
21:21One, he's been a year into this system.
21:23He's not a rookie learning and he knows exactly what he's expected to do too.
21:27He was a great holder last year and that's a big part of this job.
21:31That is a huge deal.
21:33And so can he, I mean, Evan was awesome last year, Evan McPherson was awesome and guess
21:37who was holding all of those extra points, all of those field goal attempts, what was
21:41Brad Robbins?
21:42So can Brad be a little better as a punter?
21:46Can he get the distance down a bit more?
21:48Can he be a bit more consistent?
21:50Can he avoid the craziness of week one against Cleveland where he had to punt 50 times and
21:55it was just awful for stats?
21:57Can he avoid that?
21:58Because if so, I think he has a real shot to win the job.
22:02That said, I think Austin McNamara is going to have every chance to do so and show that
22:05he can be a good holder and show that he can be the better of the two punters.
22:10So look, I liked Brad coming out and I thought he was going to be a dude and I still think
22:16he has a shot to be a dude even though he was underwhelmed by his rookie year and the
22:19Bengals were underwhelmed by his rookie year.
22:21Now he's going to have to go earn it from a rookie that thinks that he's going to take
22:25his job.
22:26So it's going to be a fun competition that we follow throughout camp.
22:28You and I have both spoken, I think at length, to Brad Robbins throughout the course of last
22:34training camp and the preseason and the regular season.
22:38He seems like he has the personality to handle a situation like this and not be unnerved.
22:44To me, punting and kicking are big, high leverage pressure situations in NFL games and I think
22:52he has got the mentality to do what he has to do to improve.
22:56He took maybe three or four, maybe five yards, five yards is asking a lot, per punt on his
23:02net average.
23:04At least three yards, maybe four.
23:06Yeah, that's fair.
23:08And I think that's what he needs to do.
23:10I think he was at 39 or 40 net at the end of the season.
23:15Yeah, 45 is reasonable.
23:16Let's just say what it is and if you could do that and be good directionally and when
23:22you're backed up in your own end zone, give you more than 45, well that's what you want.
23:27Now McNamara has a leg on him and so it's not going to be easy.
23:30And so I just think there are a lot of people that just assume McNamara is going to run
23:33away with the job and it is not that simple.
23:36It is not that simple at all.
23:38And Brad Robbins is going to have a real shot here and like I said, I think he's the favorite
23:41right now.
23:42Even if it's 51-49, he's the favorite because he knows exactly what is going to be expected
23:48and he has a whole year of holding exactly the way Darren Simmons wants, the way it works.
23:54Obviously it was successful with Evan McPherson and that does matter.
23:58It's a huge factor here.
23:59Probably 50% of the decision about who is the Bengals punter this season.
24:04Hey, it's Trax, Mike Petralia, host of the Code Reds podcast and Jungle World podcast
24:09on the CLNS Media Network.
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25:45You know Dax Hill very well, James Rapine, and you've spoken to him on the record, off
25:52the record, spent a lot of time in his presence in that locker room.
25:58So I think you are an excellent person to ask this.
26:01How is he going to handle moving from safety to corner?
26:05I will tell you what I think.
26:07At first when we spoke to Dax, I think a couple of weeks ago when spring workouts began, off-season
26:13training began, he seemed hesitant, and I think that hesitancy came from Zach Taylor,
26:21the head coach, asking him not to say anything that he was already working in the cornerback
26:26room.
26:27And then we speak to him on Monday.
26:28He seemed very relaxed.
26:30He went as far as to say, I've played corner in college.
26:35It's something I'd love to do, and I'm looking forward to going back to being a corner and
26:40doing what I have to do to earn that job.
26:43I think Dax Hill is in a good place.
26:46I think some of the pressure has been lifted off of him not being a safety.
26:50I just want to get your read, and when Zach Taylor after the draft was completed on Saturday
26:55night confirmed to us all that Dax Hill is competing for a starting cornerback job next
27:00year.
27:01Yeah.
27:02Zach Taylor just dropping a bomb at the end there.
27:03Boom.
27:04Like, hey, happy draft.
27:05You've had a great three days.
27:06By the way, we've moved our former first-round safety to the corner.
27:09Thanks everyone, and good night.
27:11Looking back on that, like, damn, Zach, you couldn't have said this two weeks ago?
27:15Like, what are you doing to us?
27:18For the record, James, and in fairness to Zach and the staff, they did want to see how
27:24the draft played out, because if there was a player or two that fell in their lap or
27:30they took someone that changed their focus and their perspective, I should say, on their
27:37roster and their depth chart, then that changes things a little bit.
27:41I think that was just a formality of making sure all the ducks were in a row once the
27:46draft was over.
27:47Yeah.
27:48I get what you're saying.
27:49I think what you said early is factual.
27:53Max is known for weeks and months that he's in the cornerback room.
27:57Months is relative, obviously, right after free agency.
28:01They made that move, and look, I think he can do it.
28:05I'm a believer in Daxil.
28:07I think he's just a pro that needs a staff, an organization, whatever it is, to say, all
28:16right, this is where you are.
28:17This is what you're going to be.
28:18Go do it.
28:19Right.
28:20If it were me, he'd probably still be in the safety room and might be starting this year
28:24with Geno still.
28:25Really?
28:26If it were me.
28:27If it were me.
28:28Okay.
28:29Explain.
28:30I don't think that there is a safety in that room that has more talent than Daxil, including
28:35Geno.
28:36A safety skill talent, that is.
28:38I mean, neither of us are arguing that the guy has terrific feet, hands.
28:44Oh, no.
28:45Safety talent.
28:46Got it.
28:47I don't think he's got a better box safety than Dax's.
28:51Neither is Von Bell, from all of the standpoints that you would be looking for.
28:57Now, what I think is interesting, and this is what I hope they do with Dax still, even
29:01though he's in the cornerback room, and he's competing for the starting job.
29:06So who knows?
29:07Maybe he just wins that.
29:08But to me, you have a guy that you can get input on anyone, tight ends.
29:14You can have them line up against receivers if you want.
29:17I do think that's asking a lot, and he'll be doing that at corner.
29:20But I was thinking you could use him as a weapon, and they just clearly don't view it
29:24that way, where they're going to do it.
29:26The same way the Notre Dame safety is being used by the Rebels.
29:31Kyle Hamilton.
29:32Yep.
29:33Yeah.
29:34Kyle Hamilton.
29:35Yeah.
29:36He's their third safety, but he's not playing deep.
29:38He's not doing that.
29:39He's around the ball.
29:40He's blitzing.
29:41He's wreaking havoc all over and making people's lives a living hell.
29:44That's what you do.
29:46They don't want to use Dax that way.
29:47Put him at corner.
29:48I think he can play corner.
29:49And the question is, can he play outside corner?
29:53That's the question.
29:54And he has the size to do it.
29:56That's one thing we said on draft night after they took him.
29:58So we will see.
30:00But Daxil is certainly someone I would not put it past him to push DJ Turner for that
30:03starting job.
30:05Yeah, I would not either.
30:07I just, I think it's fascinating.
30:09I do think it gives Lou Ann Arumo a couple of options that he didn't have last year.
30:16And I think that'll be a terrific storyline to follow.
30:19You got a couple of more minutes?
30:20Yeah, sure.
30:21All right.
30:22So, I want to make sure I'm not ruining your afternoon.
30:25Believe me.
30:26I just want to make sure James Ruppin is all set with his obligations.
30:31You know I always got your back, right?
30:34Well, Traggs, you better get to your next question here before I come over there.
30:38Change your mind.
30:39Okay.
30:40That next question is contractual in nature.
30:44And we're going to talk about two players.
30:46Their names are in the news.
30:48Trey Hendrickson.
30:49So, I asked Zach on Saturday night about Trey Hendrickson, and he was pretty quick to poo-poo
30:54that and put that issue, I thought, to bed very cleanly.
30:59We want Trey Hendrickson here next year.
31:01He will be here next year for us playing as an eggs rusher.
31:07The trade demand is all about Trey Hendrickson wanting some love, correct?
31:14Yes?
31:15Sorry.
31:16That's just my response to it.
31:21That's my response.
31:22No, not to the question, to the dumb demand, the ridiculous.
31:27It's ridiculous.
31:28It was ridiculous.
31:29And that's probably how the Bengals' front office reacted.
31:33He was probably serious, or his agent was serious.
31:37We want more money, or we're going to retire.
31:41And they went, we are laughing, the anchorman, Jeff, if you don't remember.
31:48It's a joke, man.
31:49I mean, you had no leverage.
31:50You just didn't.
31:51And by the way, this is coming from someone that in my line of work, I very rarely have
31:56ever had leverage ever.
31:58So it's not like this is unfamiliar territory for me.
32:01But if you sign a deal and outperform that deal like he did in 2021, I totally get being
32:08frustrated with that, wanting more money.
32:09But you know what you don't do?
32:12After an eight sack season, you don't complain that you're not paid high enough and then
32:16sign a one-year extension and then wonder why you're not getting more money now when
32:21you would be going into the last year of his deal.
32:23He did this so wrong because it would be set to be going into the last year of his contract
32:28this year, coming off of a 17 and a half sack season where he would have leverage.
32:31And he gave up that leverage last summer, July 27th, I believe, when he signed a one-year
32:38extension.
32:39So the Bengals have one of the best values.
32:42And I think Trey and his agent kind of got ahead of themselves with the trade request,
32:48with the retirement chatter, with all of that.
32:51And that's why it's been all quiet on the Western front.
32:53And Zach, who wouldn't have said this, think about that.
32:56Zach hasn't said this stuff.
32:58It wouldn't go out of his way to say something that he wasn't confident in.
33:02Trey will be here, Trey will play for us.
33:06Zach said that, it was very direct and for a reason.
33:10And so Trey, I mean, I never thought he was getting traded anyway, but you just smile
33:17and move on.
33:18I think it was, I think it was a pretty funny attempt.
33:20You think you're going to get them to blink when you have two years left on your deal?
33:23Like I, next time these players should just call me and I'll tell them one way or the
33:28other.
33:31So you've got a secondary career as an agent, or at least in this scenario, I wouldn't claim
33:38that much because I don't know what the ins and outs of contract, but this, the common
33:44sense agent.
33:45Yes.
33:46I could be the common sense agent for the entire league.
33:48All right.
33:49Let's wrap up with T Higgins.
33:50Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Inquirer on Tuesday had a report that said that the Bengals
33:56had not approached $20 million in a annual AAV with T Higgins when they've already signed
34:06T Higgins to a franchise tag where at 21.8 million, I believe it is James for 2024 this
34:13coming season.
34:16My whole feel on this is again, the Blackburns and the Browns know exactly what they're doing
34:22in terms of contract negotiations with T and T and David Moolageta don't have the leverage.
34:29I don't think it bothers T as much.
34:31I think he wants to come back and play another year in a situation he's very comfortable
34:36with and compete for a super bowl ring, which I think is a legitimate possibility.
34:42David Moolageta on the other hand, I think he's frustrated and that's why the story
34:46Sure.
34:47I, I think this is agent driven, that the Bengals aren't going to comment on it publicly
34:54and it makes sense they never will.
34:57And I actually think that's smart by the team.
35:01Look the deal's not going to get done.
35:03The Bengals aren't going to give T Higgins the guaranteed money that David Moolageta
35:06wants and they damn sure aren't going to give him a salary that now is probably well over
35:1225 million.
35:13Some of these talks, what's weird about this and people are getting on Kelsey and all this
35:17stuff.
35:19What's weird about these talks are unique to these talks is that all of these messages
35:23are coming out and they're all from different time periods.
35:27One's from 11 months ago.
35:28One is from eight months ago.
35:30One is from a month ago and it's all different.
35:32The whole receiver market is different.
35:34Yeah.
35:35I think the Bengals did offer T Higgins $18 million a year.
35:38I'm sure they did.
35:39I don't know that David Moolageta doesn't have me on speed dial.
35:41Heck, I just made fun of agents.
35:43Does that shock you?
35:44But the $18 million a year was probably before all of these guys signed and it's probably
35:53much different.
35:54And so I'm just using that figure because that's roughly what was mentioned.
35:58So look, I don't think the Bengals were ever going to make T Higgins four years, 100 million
36:05with 70 million guaranteed.
36:08Would they have done four years, 88 million with 25 guaranteed knowing that T's going
36:13to play at least three years of that deal?
36:15Probably.
36:16But I don't think David Moolageta would have taken that.
36:19And so it is what it is.
36:22And I think the most logical outcome, most likely outcome is he plays on the tag this
36:27year and this is where T and Moolageta better be careful.
36:31And T knows I've said this.
36:32I know he knows.
36:33And I'm going to say it again right here.
36:35If he plays well this year and they have cap space next year and he plays, he has 1300
36:42yards and 10 touchdowns.
36:44They will not hesitate to do a double tag.
36:47Do you see these contracts for these receivers?
36:51They may double tag him and that doesn't mean they'll keep them on the roster.
36:54Maybe they tag and trade them then, but this idea that they're just going to let him walk
36:58after this year.
36:59I don't think it's that simple.
37:01Not if he plays at a high level, it might be if he has a year like he did last year,
37:05but if he stays healthy and he plays well.
37:07And the 50 year option obviously was technicality, but it was an important one has already been
37:12exercised on Jamar Chase.
37:15He's going to be getting his 20, help me out here, 21.8.
37:20He's also getting 21.8 and that'll be in 2025, correct?
37:26So they could have both receivers again next year without the exercising or executing,
37:32I should say any long-term extension.
37:35And if Jermaine Burton is the player that the Bengals think he is, that gives the Bengals
37:40even more leverage because let's say T Higgins plays well this year, but they really like
37:43Burton and they want to increase Burton's role.
37:46We'll just tag T or tag T and trade him and get something for him, right?
37:50There will be a mark.
37:51There will be a mark.
37:52If he plays at a high level, there will be a market for his services and then use that
37:55asset and get something for it.
37:57They have a ton of cap space next year, by the way.
38:00Some of that will change with Jamar and stuff, but they have a ton of cap space.
38:03They'll be fine.
38:05You have addressed a lot of issues on this Jungle War pod, James.
38:09I want to thank you.
38:10Of course.
38:11Thanks for having me.
38:12Yes.
38:13I want you also to, you are on Locked on Bengals.
38:17We all know about that, but the rebranded website again?
38:21Bengalstalk.com.
38:22Easy, easy.
38:24Think about that.
38:25That's easy to remember.
38:26Bengalstalk.com.
38:28He is James Sherpane.
38:29I want to thank him once again for joining me on this episode, the post-2024 NFL Draft
38:36episode of the Jungle War pod.
38:38It has been powered by our friends at Game Time and Prize Picks and by the CLNS Media
38:45Network.
38:46Until next time, I'm Mike Petraglia.
38:49Keep that Jungle Roaring.