2022 Free Agency News & Chatter

[Bengals1]

Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)
Dallas has given permission to starting RT La'el Collins to seek a trade, according to his new agent Peter Schaffer. Dallas needs cap room and Collins was scheduled to make $15.25 million this season. Likely to be released if no trade.


Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr)
A trade would require giving something up, yes, but the salary structure would be great for the Bengals. Essentially would only take on three years and $30M, but none guaranteed. Basically would be three rolling, one-year team options for $10M apiece. Bigtime bargain/flexibility.

[stripesincarolina]

Seeing a lot of discussion now about grabbing Bozeman from the Ravens at a discount to Jensen. So here is my question for our Oline gurus Mag and Meat, if we grab Bozeman at $8-9mm on a three year deal and then the Ravens turn around and grab Jensen on a $13-14mm deal, who got the better end of that deal? Seems to me that if the front office is hellbent on a center, Bozeman would offer a meaningful upgrade on the line. But I still think Hopkins staying one more year with upgraded talent around him is the best answer here. I just dont see them breaking the bank for Jensen.

[MeatHeadbengal]

Seeing a lot of discussion now about grabbing Bozeman from the Ravens at a discount to Jensen. So here is my question for our Oline gurus Mag and Meat, if we grab Bozeman at $8-9mm on a three year deal and then the Ravens turn around and grab Jensen on a $13-14mm deal, who got the better end of that deal? Seems to me that if the front office is hellbent on a center, Bozeman would offer a meaningful upgrade on the line. But I still think Hopkins staying one more year with upgraded talent around him is the best answer here. I just dont see them breaking the bank for Jensen.

I don't see the breaking the bank on Jensen either honestly, they just don't normally go after linemen of his age. Secondly I don't see them paying that kind of money. At this point with Hopkins are we really saving that much money by releasing him to bring one of these other guys in. Bozeman, or Jensen I don't see as a huge upgrade over Hopkins as Hopkins played this season he got much much better. I think we'd be better served to sign a couple of guards and maybe draft a center day 2 or 3 and then compete. Think to some of the greatest interior linemen we've seen in this division guys like Yanda from Baltimore was a 3rd rounder. We need to find our Yanda!

[Jmble]

I'm going to go out on a limb and trust Frank Pollack here.

If they want to keep Hopkins, then they must see him getting better, but so much talk about Centers coming from people who are at least around the organization (i.e. beat writers and reporters) leads me to believe that there is at least talk of replacing Hopkins.

I get that he played better at the end of the year, but how much better.

Through 13 games, Hopkins had a PFF grade of 49.7. He ended the season (including the playoffs) with a PFF grade of 51.9

He was ranked as the 35th ranked Center among 39 players with enough snaps to qualify. There are only 32 teams. His Run Block Grade was at 47.6. He's going to be 30 years old when the season starts. He might be better than he was last year but he's not going to suddenly get way better at 30 years old.

Getting better than terrible isn't a good enough reason to keep someone around if you think there is someone out there who can do the job better.

Bozeman finished the year as the 11th ranked Center in the league last year and is only 27 years old. Jensen finished the year as the 14th ranked Center in the league, but his pass block rating was only 57.1. That worries me. Hopkins' Pass block grade was 60.5.

I resort to PFF because I don't know enough to judge Offensive Linemen myself, but it seems to me that if you can get Bozeman, you get him. At that price you can even keep Hopkins around as a fill in at Center or in the mix at Guard.

I'm not sure I'd spend the extra money on Jensen given that he's going to be 31 when the season starts and doesn't seem to do any better of a job at keeping the QB safe. His Run blocking game seems to be much better, but at this point I'm more interested in keeping Burrow on the field.

[Bengals1]

Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet)
The #Lions have agreed to terms with interior OL Evan Brown on a 1-year deal worth, source said. Brown started 12 games last year in place of Frank Ragnow and handled himself quite well. Now gets a deal instead of being an RFA.

[Bengals1]

That didn't take long.....

Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet)
Tom Brady is back and so is his center. Per @MikeMcCartney7, the #Bucs have a deal with C Ryan Jensen right before free agency. It’s a 3-year deal.

[stripesincarolina]

That didn't take long.....

Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet)
Tom Brady is back and so is his center. Per @MikeMcCartney7, the #Bucs have a deal with C Ryan Jensen right before free agency. It’s a 3-year deal.

3 year $39mm, right where we thought he would be. $23mm guaranteed. Too much for what we really need. That probably pulled Bozeman up as well. So likely welcome back Hopkins.

[Joe Bananas]

Everytime I refresh my Twitter feed its someone like Rappaport or ESPN hanging off Bradys nuts. Even if we do sign someone it's gonna be lost in the shuffle of Brady, ESPN and all the other douches.

[Joe Bananas]

The Dolphins are eyeing Collins.

If we don't get this guy I say he's gone soon, like today or by the end of the week.

[Joe Bananas]

From
@GMFB
: #Packers star WR Davante Adams has informed the team he won’t play on the franchise tag, and the sides remain far apart on a long-term deal, per sources. It’s all coming to a head. Something has to give.