Everyone wants good players but there is always a cost. Our first round pick wouldn't have even been enough plus the redo contract and Cap hit.

I'm sure Poles checked it out but getting a #10 pick , we were never in the race.

This is the fifth year for Poles and he got us here with some good and bad moves. We are a winning team with a good core. Now it's going to be about building with the draft. A few targeted free agents without the fat contracts. Whether people agree or not, there is no Crosby or Lawrence moves going to happen anymore. The best we can do is have 2025 drafts every year.

Thank god the Bears didnt give up pick 25. The guy got paid and wants more after an off season. Id rather take a chance on a rookie looking to earn his next check.

10 minutes ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

Thank god the Bears didnt give up pick 25. The guy got paid and wants more after an off season. Id rather take a chance on a rookie looking to earn his next check.

The Bengals didn't want to pay Henrickson but traded for a 30 mil a year player that cost a first round pick. That's dumb.

Too rich for me. Glad we stayed put.

Itll be interesting to see what kind of deal he needs. Some say $30M, but he was already at $27M and then $29M so its hard to imagine things got so out of whack over $4M difference in a $60M two year deal? Sounds like he might want more. It'll be interesting to see what the numbers are.

Will Anderson of Houston just signed a 150 Million 3 year extension. 134 Million guaranteed!

So does Lawrence use that as leverage?

Who knows? I've seen players insist on being traded, then sign for less than they were being offered by the new team.

3 hours ago, Pixote said:

Will Anderson of Houston just signed a 150 Million 3 year extension. 134 Million guaranteed!

So does Lawrence use that as leverage?

Who knows? I've seen players insist on being traded, then sign for less than they were being offered by the new team.

DT and DE are on different pay scales but the bigger contracts signed at any position raises the water level. Jordan Davis got 26 mil and Cris Jones gets 31 . So probably higher than that.

NFL.com reported Cincy gave Lawrence a $28 million one-year extension.

On 4/18/2026 at 8:55 PM, DABEARSDABOMB said:

Great deal for Giants. Wow - that is quite the premium. Bengals messed up so bad - lost Hendrickson when they could have got multiple picks a year ago and now give up a pick that early. And they have wideouts and Joe B paid. Absolute buffoons.

On 4/18/2026 at 9:04 PM, BearFan PHX said:

So much for Greg Gabriels inside info. He said Dexter would not be traded.

https://x.com/ggabefootball/status/2041280939557269917

A top 10 pick for a 29-yr old DT is wild. Bengals lost Hendricks and Pick #10 for Lawrence.

Yeah Gabriel needs to stop being so absolute on everything.

2 hours ago, adam said:

A top 10 pick for a 29-yr old DT is wild. Bengals lost Hendricks and Pick #10 for Lawrence.

Yeah Gabriel needs to stop being so absolute on everything.

Bengals not making a ton of sense, I agree.

And Gabriel is ridiculous. If you read his X account, he's like a child. I think Ian Cunningham and Ryan Poles spoke to him about his out of control X at the senior bowl.

I dont take GG as a source on anything, and certainly not as a primary source! LOL

8 hours ago, Pixote said:

NFL.com reported Cincy gave Lawrence a $28 million one-year extension.

interesting. He was basically getting the same at the Giants. Weird!

Also, that means that DABEARS was right. I was thinking Lawrence would want more.

The Bengals are one of the four, perpetually, retarded teams in the NFL. How do you let Hendrickson walk for nothing, then trade for a less impactful player with your tenth pick? They don't deserve Joe Burrow.

I just can't figure out Cincy.

If I had to choose, straight up, one for one, between Hutchinson and Lawrence, I'd choose Hutchinson without hesitation.

Yet they allow Hutchinson to walk without compensation and give up a top 10 pick in this year's draft to sign Lawrence.

Fire the GM!