YOU ARE THE GM!! (yes I know the Bengals don't officially have a "GM")
Entering the 2017 season, YOU (the Bengals organization) have a healthy $43M or so in cap space available to: resign current free agents already on the roster, sign outside free agents, sign the 11 or so 2017 draft picks, put away for the future. Teams rarely blow their entire coffers and usually like to keep some money around to resign future guys in coming years. So for argument’s sake lets say the Bengals will allocate around $20-25M to do the above things listed.
Here is the list of the Bengals current free agents:
BENGALS FREE AGENTS
Andrew Whitworth, LT
Dre Kirkpatrick, CB
Kevin Zeitler, RG
Brandon LaFell, WR
Rex Burkhead, RB
Domata Peko, DT
Wallace Gilberry, DL
Karlos Dansby, LB
Eric Winston, OL
Cedric Peerman, RB
Margus Hunt, DE
Chykie Brown, CB
Today I’d like to focus on the “Big 3”...Whitworth, Zeitler, and Kirpatrick. Some things to consider:
Andrew Whitworth: 35 years old...entering 12th season overall (all with Cincinnati)...Pro Football Focus just ranked him the #2 Tackle in the NFL...hasn’t missed a game since 2013, is rarely hurt, always answers the bell...coming off one year, $9M contract...reportedly wants (and will most likely get) a 2-3 year deal that will project around $10-12M/year...wants to stay in Cincy but recently said he will test the free agent market if “the Bengals (and YOU the GM) don’t step up”...Broncos and NYG already rumored to be looking to make a move on Whit.
Kevin Zeitler: 26 years old...entering sixth season overall (all with Cincinnati)...PFF just gave him a top-10 overall grade among guards in each of the last three seasons, AND just ranked him the #1 interior offensive lineman available in free agency...he is projected to earn a multi-year contract that will earn him around $10M/year.
Dre Kirpatrick: 27 years old...coming off fourth season, only first as a starter...over last two seasons: 23 penalties, tied for most among Cornerbacks AND 30 missed tackles, also tied for most amoung CBs ...however PFF ranked Dre as the 7th best available CB in free agency...in a passing league, cover guys are valuable, even just decent ones...expected to command a contract in the $9M/year range.
Signing all three of these guys is likely impossible.
You are the GM, what do you do? Who do you keep and who do you let walk?
(place opinion in the comments section, we will discuss tonight, thanks!)