Bengals Have Extended Both Star Receivers…Now What?

The market has seemingly cooled on the Trey Hendrickson trade front. Back at the beginning of February, Hendrickson gave the Bengals an ultimatum: either extend him or trade him. As negotiations seemingly broke down, the team gave Hendrickson permission to seek out a new deal with another team and work out a trade. His representation allegedly told the Bengals that they could net a first-round pick for Hendrickson.

Now, a month and a half later, nothing has changed. No trades have materialized. Free agency has cooled off. As it turns out, the Bengals don’t have any legitimate interest in trading away its defensive star, going so far as to ask a ridiculously high price in trade compensation.

There has been a disconnect between the Bengals and Hendrickson. Despite all of that, the two sides have plans to sit back down and hash these negotiations out. According to national insiders/Hendrickson’s agent’s mouthpieces, the sticking point is new money. Ie., he’s making $16 million this year and if he signs a two-year, $60 million extension, it all averages out to be $25.3 million per year.

The Bengals defense was atrocious last year and the team did the bare minimum in free agency to this point. Losing Hendrickson would be criminal malpractice. They are not going to get his production from a rookie. Cincinnati has to do what it can to get the deal done.

Higgins’ and Chase’s cap hits were lowered with their extensions. The money is there. If the Bengals have to sweeten the deal with a ludicrous signing bonus, so be it.

Sign At Least One Guard

To this point, the only moves the Bengals have made on the offensive line were cutting Alex Cappa and re-signing Cody Ford.

That’s not enough. In fact, that’s an awful way of protecting Burrow considering the team rostered the NFL’s worst guard duo last year. As the Locked on Bengals duo put it, the team is addicted to going into the draft with one glaring need. At this point, that’s what it looks like is happening.

Evey free-agent guard the Bengals were even superficially linked to has signed elsewhere. Teven Jenkins was offered a deal but turned it down and visited Seattle this week. Now, who is left? Will Hernandez? Brandon Scherff? Dalton Risner?

Even if none of the available guards are destined for All-Pro status, the team seriously needs to upgrade the position before the draft.

There will be solid guards in this year’s class. Tyler Booker, Gray Zabel, and Donovan Jackson are first-round options (the latter two could likely be had after a trade back, of course). In the second round, guys like Marcus Mbow, Jonah Savaiinaea, and Tate Ratledge are popular names.

Considering the last time the Bengals took a first-round guard was Kevin Zeitler in 2012, they’ll have to break another tendency. Even if they think Matt Lee can move to guard and be a starter (they probably don’t), guard is a glaring need.

One More Broken Tendency?

The team has handed out lucrative contracts to three offensive players with multiple years of guarantees and signed a player on the wrong side of 30 (with the possibility of at least one other), why can’t they do one more crazy thing? The Bengals should sign 38-year-old, future Hall of Famer, Calais Campbell.

The Bengals defensive line lacks, well, everything when Hendrickson is off the field. Joseph Ossai, Myles Murphy, Kris Jenkins, BJ Hill, and McKinnley Jackson don’t have the juice Hendrickson has. The defense is geared to stop the run but when it gets into obvious passing downs, the defensive line can’t get to the quarterback.

Campbell could provide that spark. He gave the Miami Dolphins 615 snaps and managed 52 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, five sacks, and broke up five passes. Father Time may be undefeated but Campbell has had him on the ropes for years now.

He would give the Bengals positional versatility to help out at tackle and edge. Plus, he would provide some intangible leadership for the young defensive line group. Imagine learning from a guy with the pedigree of Campbell.

The Bengals had their shot to sign Campbell last year and balked. They shouldn’t make the same mistake this offseason. Might as well take a shot.