CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Bengals think they have hit the jackpot by drafting 6-8 tackle Amarius Mims 18th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. They have an offensive lineman who could step in be an impact player right away. How did the Bengals do with their remaining nine selections? What needs were addressed? What reaches were made? How will Dax Hill respond to being moved to corner and competing with DJ Turner for the second starting corner spot opposite Cam Taylor-Britt? Trags chats with James Rapien of BengalsTalk.com to analyze and break it all down.
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Welcome to CLNS Media's Cincinnati Sports Studio, your ultimate hub for everything sports in the Queen City! We bring you in-depth analysis, exclusive interviews, and breaking news covering your beloved Cincinnati Bengals and Cincinnati Reds. As passionate fans ourselves, we understand the heartbeat of the Cincy sports community and aim to keep you ahead of the game with accurate and timely information!
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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.