2 minutes ago, 4 Quarters said:

The sport couldn't enforce it and Jeff Ruby isn't going to pass up feeding his ego by not giving  Magic Johnson a free meal. LOL

 

7 minutes ago, theguru said:

I think the Bengals are a "closed system" so to speak and what applies to us peasants doesn't apply to them. 

What's funny is that my company is strongly enforcing "gifts" in it's policy.  Us "peasants" can basically only get mugs and pens.  Anything more than that has to be approved by leadership or is not allowed to be received from someone else (such as a vendor).  

4 minutes ago, nkypete said:

What's funny is that my company is strongly enforcing "gifts" in it's policy.  Us "peasants" can basically only get mugs and pens.  Anything more than that has to be approved by leadership or is not allowed to be received from someone else (such as a vendor).  

Right, you and I (probably most of us on BGP) don't get the special privileges the rich and higher ups get so it is hard for us to fathom exactly what goes on amongst the elite.  

And from the Bengals:

The Bengals today signed DE Cashius Howell, the team's second-round draft pick out of Texas A&M University.

Howell (6-3, 255) spent his final two collegiate seasons (2024-25) with the Aggies, after beginning his career at Bowling Green State University ('21-23). In 56 career games (25 starts), he totaled 127 tackles, 35.5 TFLs, 27 sacks, 15 pass breakups, one INT, three FFs and one FR. In 2025, he posted a career-high 11.5 sacks, was named the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and earned first-team All-America honors from the Associated Press.

The Bengals now have signed each of their seven selections in the 2026 NFL Draft.

1 hour ago, theguru said:

And from the Bengals:

The Bengals today signed DE Cashius Howell, the team's second-round draft pick out of Texas A&M University.

Howell (6-3, 255) spent his final two collegiate seasons (2024-25) with the Aggies, after beginning his career at Bowling Green State University ('21-23). In 56 career games (25 starts), he totaled 127 tackles, 35.5 TFLs, 27 sacks, 15 pass breakups, one INT, three FFs and one FR. In 2025, he posted a career-high 11.5 sacks, was named the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and earned first-team All-America honors from the Associated Press.

The Bengals now have signed each of their seven selections in the 2026 NFL Draft.

I'll give a "double like" if they somehow sign a free agent LB.

Burrow  was extended.

12 minutes ago, MaddenCurse44 said:

Burrow  was extended.

Huh? Where do you see that? I don’t see anything about his contract being extended? I know his restructured his contract to save some money for this year, but haven’t seen anything about them adding years on to his contract. 

44 minutes ago, MaddenCurse44 said:

Burrow  was extended.

Sure looks like fake news!

9 minutes ago, 4 Quarters said:

Sure looks like fake news!

Yea fake news it is on this website called ESPN! 

 

https://www.espn.com/

1 hour ago, futurecoach said:

Huh? Where do you see that? I don’t see anything about his contract being extended? I know his restructured his contract to save some money for this year, but haven’t seen anything about them adding years on to his contract. 

True that is all that happened.

11 minutes ago, 16thBBall Fan said:

True that is all that happened.

Extended restructured basically same thing.

1 hour ago, MaddenCurse44 said:

Extended restructured basically same thing.

Not at all. 

2 hours ago, MaddenCurse44 said:

Yea fake news it is on this website called ESPN! 

 

https://www.espn.com/

Totally fake news, just report the news, don't manufacture it.  The article states nothing about a contract extenstion.

From Lance:

Cincinnati Bengals: Big, bold……bravo

Let’s take a second to calculate and appreciate just how aggressively the Bengals have attacked this offseason.

-Executed a blockbuster: Went out of the box in a modus operandi shift to acquire the best interior defensive lineman in the game, trading for Dexter Lawrence in exchange for the 10th pick overall.

-Revamped and stacked the defensive line with the free agent signings of Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen.

-Doubled down on the DL by drafting SEC Defensive Player of the Year Cashius Howell.

-Rebuilt the secondary, adding elite tacklers: Added the best safety on the free agent market in Bryan Cook, and the versatile Kyle Dugger. Drafted a long and lanky corner in Tocario Davis.

-Added versatile offensive linemen in the draft, including the potential successor to Ted Karras at center, Connor Lew.

-Restructured Joe Burrow’s contract, freeing up about $10M in salary cap space. Giving the front office room/flexibility to add to the roster later in the summer, pursue extensions with players.

-Signed all seven draft picks by early June.

-Per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, they are engaged in conversation to lock up 25-year old DJ Turner with an extension, along with talks involving multiple others.

-Eliminated the drama of Trey Hendrickson and contract fights.

-Re-upped Joe Flacco, their QB insurance policy and respected veteran leader.

Summary:

This is the offseason fans and media have pounded the table for. The urgency from three consecutive seasons missing the playoffs is palpable. The front office recognized a championship window and the ticking clock on the franchise QB, and pounced. They got after it, rolled the dice, took risks, even made themselves uncomfortable.

Is there work to do? Sure. I’d still like a veteran linebacker added to the mix. And I’d take a veteran swing tackle. But I defer to Joe Burrow who declared they have "the most talented roster we've had since I've been here.”

Can I get a ‘Who Dey!”

Bravo.

Training Camp info from the Bengals.