2021 Free Agency

[Bengals1]

Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL)
Michael Thomas WR (Bengals) one year, $1.015M, $990K base salary, $25K first-game active-inactive 2021 roster bonus.

[Bengals1]

I'd hate to lose him.....

Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero)
Multiple teams have called to inquire about #Bengals RB Giovani Bernard, per source. Barring a restructured contract, Bernard — one of the NFL’s top receiving backs and still only 29 — could be headed elsewhere.

NFL Rumors (@nflrums)
Were hearing rumors that the #Panthers are a team engaged with the #Bengals on Gio. #NFL #nflrumors

[Jmble]

I'd hate to lose him.....

Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero)
Multiple teams have called to inquire about #Bengals RB Giovani Bernard, per source. Barring a restructured contract, Bernard — one of the NFL’s top receiving backs and still only 29 — could be headed elsewhere.

NFL Rumors (@nflrums)
Were hearing rumors that the #Panthers are a team engaged with the #Bengals on Gio. #NFL #nflrumors

From Paul Dehner

Reminder, IF the #Bengals went this way, letting go of Giovani Bernard would save $4.2M against the cap with just $666K dead money. The 29-year-old is in the last year of his deal.

Bernard is as well respected as any player inside of that locker room and by the coaching staff. Lot of love for his ability as change of pace back.

That said, the age/money/position factor on Bernard have always pointed toward potentially moving on this year.

Also remember, NOBODY stood up louder or stronger for Zac Taylor and the direction the franchise is headed when the heat turned up at the end of the season.

Keep that in mind in case anybody starts talking about player loyalty. This business will always be ruthless.

[Bengals1]

NFL Rumors (@nflrums)
#Giants add guard Zach Fulton with one-year deal @NBCSports #NFL #NFLFreeAgency

[Jmble]

I'd hate to lose him.....

Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero)
Multiple teams have called to inquire about #Bengals RB Giovani Bernard, per source. Barring a restructured contract, Bernard — one of the NFL’s top receiving backs and still only 29 — could be headed elsewhere.

NFL Rumors (@nflrums)
Were hearing rumors that the #Panthers are a team engaged with the #Bengals on Gio. #NFL #nflrumors

He's a great guy. I'd hate to see him go as well, but Perrine played well enough at the end of the year to cover the backup role and the Bengals like to take flyers on late round running backs that tend to make the team.

Like I said, he's a great guy to have on the team, but strictly in a football sense, he's expendable. If we can get something for him, I'd at least explore it.

[Bengals1]

I'd hate to lose him.....

Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero)
Multiple teams have called to inquire about #Bengals RB Giovani Bernard, per source. Barring a restructured contract, Bernard — one of the NFL’s top receiving backs and still only 29 — could be headed elsewhere.

NFL Rumors (@nflrums)
Were hearing rumors that the #Panthers are a team engaged with the #Bengals on Gio. #NFL #nflrumors

From Paul Dehner

Reminder, IF the #Bengals went this way, letting go of Giovani Bernard would save $4.2M against the cap with just $666K dead money. The 29-year-old is in the last year of his deal.

Bernard is as well respected as any player inside of that locker room and by the coaching staff. Lot of love for his ability as change of pace back.

That said, the age/money/position factor on Bernard have always pointed toward potentially moving on this year.

Also remember, NOBODY stood up louder or stronger for Zac Taylor and the direction the franchise is headed when the heat turned up at the end of the season.

Keep that in mind in case anybody starts talking about player loyalty. This business will always be ruthless.

Kyle Smith (@Kyle_Smith1087)
Other than late-round draft capital, I don’t see the value in trading Giovanni Bernard. The #Bengals already have ample cap space, but the free agent market is already dwindling to where it would be needed. Plus, the value he brings to the locker room could be worth more.

[Jmble]

It's not all about free agency this year.

If they want to avoid the same issue next year as they had with Lawson this year, they will probably be trying to lock up Bates to a new contract and it won't be cheap.

Sam Hubbard and Darius Phillips are also scheduled to hit the Free Agent market next year.

[Jmble]

Replying to
@pauldehnerjr
One last note on Giovani Bernard, no team currently has more money tied up into RBs in 2021 than the #Bengals (via OTC).

1. Bengals: 15.9M
2. Cowboys: 15.5M
3. Titans: 15.5M
4. Giants: 15.0M
5. Broncos: 14.2M
6. Saints: 11.8M
1:56 PM · Mar 25, 2021·TweetDeck

[Bengals1]

It's not all about free agency this year.

If they want to avoid the same issue next year as they had with Lawson this year, they will probably be trying to lock up Bates to a new contract and it won't be cheap.

Sam Hubbard and Darius Phillips are also scheduled to hit the Free Agent market next year.

Yes but the cap should also go up substantially next year.

A. I don't like letting go of good, solid players that are still contributing.
B. I don't like getting rid of veteran players whose play directly aides our (still) rookie QB.
C. I don't trust this club to use any financial windfall releasing a player of Gio's caliber correctly. In other words, I don't trust we'll get better in either the short or long run by jettising a player as good as Bernard.
D. Two words.....Andrew Whitworth.

[Bengals1]

Agree 100%.....


Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry)
I'd rather extend Gio than take a 5th round pick.