January 9, 2025 • 15 mins
Kelsey Conway from Cincinnati.com joined us to discuss Bengals offseason storylines, and more.
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Podcasts of The Mo Egger Radio Show are a service of Longnecks Sports Grill.
Listen to the show live weekday afternoons 3:00 - 6:00 on ESPN1530.
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Get more: https://linktr.ee/MoEgger
Follow on X: @MoEgger
Instagram too: @MoEgger
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Dave Blacklock and you're listening to the Home
of the Bengals, ESPN fifteen thirty. Hi, Dave.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Big Days not actually here.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
What's up? It's four minutes after four o'clock. This is
ESPN fifteen thirty. I'm oegar. Thank you for listening today.
I believe your Thursday is going swimmingly. Hey. By the way,
a reminder, really quick, A reminder. Tomorrow will be our
first Friday show since last August. In fact, I jotted
(00:32):
this now you know on Friday's during football season, we're
bumped for Bengals pep rally. The last time I was
on on a Friday was August twenty third, That's right,
August twenty. I took the thirtieth off because there was
a Red's Day game on a Friday afternoon and that
seemed like a swell thing to go do. So tomorrow
our first Friday show since August the twenty third.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Big deal.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
It's a huge deal. It's enormous, and I think we're
gonna be on in the middle of like another snowstorm,
so that's going to be a lot of fun for everybody.
So just a reminder.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
If you have woken up these.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Last whatever they've been twenty two whatever Fridays and thought
to yourself, God, I wish I could listen to MO today.
That's the best way to kick off the weekend. We
are back on Fridays tomorrow, five day work week.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
We referenced Kelsey Conway's work yesterday digging up info about
Jermaine Burton and the alleged off field incident that he
was allegedly evolved in. And Kelsey does a great job
covering the Bengals for The Inquirer and Cincinnati dot Com,
and so I wanted to bring her on to talk
about a lot of different things.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
She's with us.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Now, how you doing?
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Hey, Lo?
Speaker 3 (01:43):
How you doing?
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Oh man, I've never been better? How about yourself?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
I I'm having a great Thursday.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I am loving that we're getting.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
All this snow melted and just to get it again
for tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
So yay for us.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Yeah, it's really exciting. Uh, this is this is really good.
Can let's get the Jermaine Burton stuff out of the way. Okay, Okay,
he's not going to be here next year, right.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
I don't see how there is a scenario that that
would make any bit of sense, and I haven't had
a chance.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
To interview Zach Taylor or Duke Tobin.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
The next time we'll get to talk to Zach Taylor
will likely be when the Bengals name their new coaches,
and then I will be heading to Mobile for the
Senior Bowl and hoping to get to catch up with
Duke Tobin there.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
But that is going to be the question in the
lens of.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
What what has Jermaine Burton done to earn a roster spot?
And you don't even need to talk about what he
has done.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Off the field.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
I so more look at it as what has he
done to prove to you all that make these roster
decisions that he should be getting a spot over someone else,
maybe who might be a little bit less talented. But
I mean, he only had four catches, so that's kind
of a low bar to beat. But I don't envision
a scenario where we get to Week one next year
(03:11):
and he is on the fifty three man roster. But
he was a third round pick, and you always have
to factor that in. Teams often do not like to
admit they missed on a pick that high. But if
you just look at you know what's happened, and the
recent incident is the worst thing we've heard. You know,
obviously it was an accusation, so we don't know if
(03:32):
it was true. But reading the comments, the whole thing
has just been it's getting worse. It's not trending to
get better, and you hope that he can get better,
but I feel like he is running out of time
and this might have just been the final straw. But
it is interesting to me that, you know, a week
we're coming up, a week after the season, he's still
(03:54):
on this team.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Yeah, you know, he had the situation where he was
scratched and apparently overslept and didn't show up, and then
there's this in between where there signs that maybe he
was starting to get.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
It, you know, not really, because it went from a
we talked about him all the time in the preseason,
right when Joe Burrow after the first preseason game basically
told us all he didn't know the playbook well enough
when he said, Jermaine's got to stay in the playbook.
You're asking questions all the time about Jermaine, and then
(04:29):
there was that push to get him on the field,
and then he had that big catch against the Chiefs
and then we're talking about him again. And then he
was inactive because he was late and he didn't show
up for a walk through the day before a game
after a game plan was totally centered around him when
she Higgins was out, and then it was just kind
of silent, and I asked a couple of people, you know,
(04:50):
how's Jermaine doing, and in the sense I got was okay,
but nothing like, yeah, you know, he's really he's really
making strides. And then who kind of went away. And
then this this incident, there's also been some more incidents
of you know, late, being late, and it's just it's
(05:11):
not getting any better. And so that's where to me,
I'm like, if you're Zach Taylor, I mean you you
talked about this all the time, Like his big thing
when they were really successful was culture, culture, culture, And
I just don't know how you justify keeping that guy
in the locker room next year after the season that
he's had, because I will never forget Mike Hilton saying
(05:34):
after he was inactive, like he's got to grow up.
So I just at what point are you hurting the
rest of the locker room by keeping him on the team.
Is kind of where I'm at with this decision on
how do they how do they keep him on the roster.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
So there's Jermaine Burton and then there's the search for
a new defensive coordinator. Of all of the candidates who
are either real or imagined or hoped for, who to
you is most interesting.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
I think this whole process this week has been very
interesting in you haven't heard a lot of names. Obviously
you heard Patrick Graham, the former Raiders defensive coordinator, and
Marcus Covington, the former Patriots defensive coordinator. Those are the
only two that have been reported. But what I think
that is very telling of is I have heard that
(06:23):
Al Golden, obviously a former Bengals coach and the current
Notre Dame defensive coordinator, is a name that he's very
well respected.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
In that building.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
And I think the reason that I believe he's probably
one of the leaders in the clubhouse is because they
haven't interviewed that many people. I think that if you
read between the lines here, they don't want to distract
him before tonight's game.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
But I think because they haven't interviewed.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
A slew of people, it means that they definitely want
to talk to him and see where that goes before
you bring in a number of people.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
And that's kind of where I.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Have gotten to it with it is I think he's
definitely someone that they're interested in. And the other reason
why I think that one would make a lot of
sense is because when you look at how many picks
the Bengals have made in the last couple of years
on defense.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
And you've talked about it a lot, you.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Want a coach who can come in and enhance what
those players can do.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Well.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
You're not going to get some completely different scheme.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Like an overhaul on defense.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Yes, Al Golden would likely come in and make a
lot of changes, but keep in mind they drafted those
players based off of their skill set and what they
believe could succeed in the defense that the Bengals have.
So I don't really envision Zach Taylor wanting to go
out and get some new coordinator who has absolutely no
foundation that resembles what the Bengals have been doing the
(07:54):
last couple of years. Because they are trying to win now,
they don't have time to install a completely different offense
and hope and pray that it works. They know what
works with certain players on that team, and I think
that that's why it would make sense for a coach
like Al Golden to come in, because he has familiarity
and he's coached that style of defense. He can come
(08:14):
in and he knows the players know it, and then
he can put his twist on it. So I think that,
to me, is the most fascinating name. And I think
that the fact that they haven't interviewed that many people
this week is telling that they have significant interest in him.
So we'll see where it goes after tonight's game. If
Notre Name keeps winning or if not Name loses, But
I keep your eye on that name.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
I'm okay with Al Golden being the guy. But if
he comes back, and I know he was on the
staff for a couple of years, you know when he
was the coach at Miami Florida, on the sideline, he
dressed like he was the night manager at Wendy's And
so he has to go back to dressing life for
Bengals games.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
But that's totally fair. But the other thing I forgot
to mention to you, what's the one of the other
positions that Bengals need to hire a linebackers coach? When
Al Golden was in Cincinnati, he was a linebackers coach,
So I think that the fact that they haven't, I
mean they could have, and it hasn't been reported, but
(09:12):
I think that they would be waiting on him so
that he could be involved in picking who the linebackers
coach would be. And I think that the fact that
they need a d line linebackers coach, I think that
speaks to Al Golden's strength and his is the linebackers
in the front and that's what Bengals need to fix.
So all of these little Taylor Swift esque easter eggs
(09:32):
are leading me to believe that Al Golden.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Is the front runner.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Wow, very good? All right, Kelsey Conway from The Inquirer
and Cincinnati dot Com. You and I last spring talked
about Trey Hendrickson when he asked for a trade, and
you know that was coming off a great year. Well
since then, he's had an even better year. Right, could
be the defensive player of the year. He has won
last year left on his contract, So why is that
not going to be a thing again this offseason?
Speaker 3 (10:00):
I think it's going to be a thing again time five.
And I'm not reporting that. That's just me you know
saying that to you, I having been involved in conversations
about Trey a lot last off season, and that's what
you're referring to. The whole thing with Trey got messed
up when Trey signed that extension. So when the Bengals
approached him ahead of two off seasons ago to give
(10:23):
him that five million dollars make nice if he was
going to turn around the year later and ask for moremany.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
He shouldn't have signed that. He should have gone.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Into the into the year and bet on himself. I
think he lost a lot of leverage. But that's where
this year gets different, because what player wants to go
into the final year of his contract, especially the reigning
stack leader, likely in All Pro First team, been to
the Pro Bowl every year. He's not going to want
to go into the off season this season with one
(10:55):
year left on his deal. And he does have a
lot of leverage because I mean, how many times did
you probably say watching the Bengals game, like, what would
the Bengals defense be without Trey Hendrickson.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
So he made his value.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Even more to this team. And I think that this
is headed to a place where if the Bengals don't
give him an extension. Their best decision should at that
point be to trade him. But what I think that
they should do is I think that they should give
him an extension. And I know there's a lot of
people that say, well, he's.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Going to be thirty.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
You have seen too many good players leave this team
and go be awesome for other teams, and knowing how
diligent Trey Hendrickson is with his off the field routine
to get himself in the best peak shape, I think
you ignore the like thirty year old rules for those
types of people. Like look at Kyle van Ney for
the Ravens. He leads the Ravens in sacks, he's well
(11:51):
over thirty. I think that this is a situation where
I think the Bengals would be making a mistake and
not trying to work out an extension to keep Trey
right in Cincinnati. But I also know that Trey's gonna want,
you know, top dollar, which she deserves. So I think
this one's going to get really, really interesting because I
(12:12):
just don't see a world in which you're a better
team without Trey Hendrixit.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Next year, yeah, I mean, you know, imagine hiring the
new defensive coordinator and you tell him, look, you've you've
got to help rebuild this defense. Uh, but what we're
gonna do first is take away your best player. Good luck,
go ahead and rebuild the defense's and and.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
The Bengals track record the last couple of years and
hitting on defensive lineman hasn't been good enough that their
fan base can trust that they can just send Trey
off and nail the picks behind him. And so that's
where I think like, this is one that I think
would be really smart for them if they could figure
out a way to extend him. But Trey's also said,
(12:52):
you know, he loves it in Cincinnati, so he's also
going to have to play ball. But it's definitely I
think one of I actually gets more of a pressing
item for the Bengals above t Higgins, which I know
you probably might not agree with, but that's where I'm at.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
All Right, one more, you mentioned we're not allowed to
talk about the off season without talking about t Higgins.
If you were to wager an amount of money that
matters to you on how the T Higgins thing plays out,
where are you putting your coin?
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Well, I know that's not what anybody wants to hear,
But I mean I've reported on this for the last
two years, probably more than anyone, simply because I've had
a lot to write about with him. The time to
have done it would have been last before last year,
(13:44):
and I think he only increased his value more this year.
And I think that Joe Burrow can say what he
wants to say, and they can all say we want
to make it work. But at the end of the day,
if the Bengals offer doesn't sniff the market value and
come close to it, which from what I know of
(14:06):
what they originally offered him when they came at him
one time before this would have.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
Been two years ago.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Compared to what I have heard the market number is
going to be for him is a significant gap. And
I just don't know how the Bengals can get high
enough to what the market value is going to be
with having to pay Jamar Chase and potentially Trey Hendrickson.
But I will say this, I think that if they
(14:34):
move on from Trey Hendrickson, then you know, then you
go all in on trying to figure this out with
t Higgins. But I just think it's I think it's
not going to get close enough where I think t
would be willing to take maybe four or five million off.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
But don't.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I don't even think that they can get close enough
with that in terms of where the guaranteed money is
going to get to because of the whole that they're
kind of put themselves in with not having paid Jamar
last year.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
So it's not a big domino effect.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
But I unfortunately don't think I think Bengals fans need
to brace for themselves to be heartbroken to some degree
because I just don't see a world in which t Higgins,
Jamar Chase, and Trey Hendrickson are all on this team
next year.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Well, if there's one thing that we Bengals fans are
good at, it's bracing for and experiencing hardbreak, So that
won't require all that much. Do you before I let
you go, do you have any ruminations? Do you have
any laments? Do you have any grievances that you would
like to get off your chest regarding our favorite college
basketball team?
Speaker 3 (15:44):
But just win, baby, That's where I'm at, Like, let's
just you know, we talked all off season this was
supposed to be the team. I mean, you and I
how excited have we been? And it's just kind of
we're at the point where results need to start speaking
for themselves.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Oh, Kansas, what a better time.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Than to show the last three games haven't been to
real Bearcats and we can get excited about potentially watching
the NCAA tournament together at the Grail in March.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
It would be nice.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
I'm still I'm still holding out hope. I'm still holding
out hope.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
All right, me too.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Well, hopefully we don't have to wait to the NCAA
tournament to do that, but that remains a goal nonetheless. Kelsey,
thank you as always, Thanks.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
So much for having me on though.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Have a good one.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
You're the best. Kelsey Conway, covering the Bengals for The
Inquirer and Cincinnati dot Com. It's twenty minutes after four o'clock.
I'm OEGAR. Five point three seven four nine fifteen thirty
is our phone number. This is ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati
Sports Station.
This is Dave Blacklock and you're listening to the Home
of the Bengals, ESPN fifteen thirty. Hi, Dave.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Big Days not actually here.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
What's up? It's four minutes after four o'clock. This is
ESPN fifteen thirty. I'm oegar. Thank you for listening today.
I believe your Thursday is going swimmingly. Hey. By the way,
a reminder, really quick, A reminder. Tomorrow will be our
first Friday show since last August. In fact, I jotted
(00:32):
this now you know on Friday's during football season, we're
bumped for Bengals pep rally. The last time I was
on on a Friday was August twenty third, That's right,
August twenty. I took the thirtieth off because there was
a Red's Day game on a Friday afternoon and that
seemed like a swell thing to go do. So tomorrow
our first Friday show since August the twenty third.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Big deal.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
It's a huge deal. It's enormous, and I think we're
gonna be on in the middle of like another snowstorm,
so that's going to be a lot of fun for everybody.
So just a reminder.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
If you have woken up these.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Last whatever they've been twenty two whatever Fridays and thought
to yourself, God, I wish I could listen to MO today.
That's the best way to kick off the weekend. We
are back on Fridays tomorrow, five day work week.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
We referenced Kelsey Conway's work yesterday digging up info about
Jermaine Burton and the alleged off field incident that he
was allegedly evolved in. And Kelsey does a great job
covering the Bengals for The Inquirer and Cincinnati dot Com,
and so I wanted to bring her on to talk
about a lot of different things.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
She's with us.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Now, how you doing?
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Hey, Lo?
Speaker 3 (01:43):
How you doing?
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Oh man, I've never been better? How about yourself?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
I I'm having a great Thursday.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I am loving that we're getting.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
All this snow melted and just to get it again
for tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
So yay for us.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Yeah, it's really exciting. Uh, this is this is really good.
Can let's get the Jermaine Burton stuff out of the way. Okay, Okay,
he's not going to be here next year, right.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
I don't see how there is a scenario that that
would make any bit of sense, and I haven't had
a chance.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
To interview Zach Taylor or Duke Tobin.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
The next time we'll get to talk to Zach Taylor
will likely be when the Bengals name their new coaches,
and then I will be heading to Mobile for the
Senior Bowl and hoping to get to catch up with
Duke Tobin there.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
But that is going to be the question in the
lens of.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
What what has Jermaine Burton done to earn a roster spot?
And you don't even need to talk about what he
has done.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Off the field.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
I so more look at it as what has he
done to prove to you all that make these roster
decisions that he should be getting a spot over someone else,
maybe who might be a little bit less talented. But
I mean, he only had four catches, so that's kind
of a low bar to beat. But I don't envision
a scenario where we get to Week one next year
(03:11):
and he is on the fifty three man roster. But
he was a third round pick, and you always have
to factor that in. Teams often do not like to
admit they missed on a pick that high. But if
you just look at you know what's happened, and the
recent incident is the worst thing we've heard. You know,
obviously it was an accusation, so we don't know if
(03:32):
it was true. But reading the comments, the whole thing
has just been it's getting worse. It's not trending to
get better, and you hope that he can get better,
but I feel like he is running out of time
and this might have just been the final straw. But
it is interesting to me that, you know, a week
we're coming up, a week after the season, he's still
(03:54):
on this team.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Yeah, you know, he had the situation where he was
scratched and apparently overslept and didn't show up, and then
there's this in between where there signs that maybe he
was starting to get.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
It, you know, not really, because it went from a
we talked about him all the time in the preseason,
right when Joe Burrow after the first preseason game basically
told us all he didn't know the playbook well enough
when he said, Jermaine's got to stay in the playbook.
You're asking questions all the time about Jermaine, and then
(04:29):
there was that push to get him on the field,
and then he had that big catch against the Chiefs
and then we're talking about him again. And then he
was inactive because he was late and he didn't show
up for a walk through the day before a game
after a game plan was totally centered around him when
she Higgins was out, and then it was just kind
of silent, and I asked a couple of people, you know,
(04:50):
how's Jermaine doing, and in the sense I got was okay,
but nothing like, yeah, you know, he's really he's really
making strides. And then who kind of went away. And
then this this incident, there's also been some more incidents
of you know, late, being late, and it's just it's
(05:11):
not getting any better. And so that's where to me,
I'm like, if you're Zach Taylor, I mean you you
talked about this all the time, Like his big thing
when they were really successful was culture, culture, culture, And
I just don't know how you justify keeping that guy
in the locker room next year after the season that
he's had, because I will never forget Mike Hilton saying
(05:34):
after he was inactive, like he's got to grow up.
So I just at what point are you hurting the
rest of the locker room by keeping him on the team.
Is kind of where I'm at with this decision on
how do they how do they keep him on the roster.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
So there's Jermaine Burton and then there's the search for
a new defensive coordinator. Of all of the candidates who
are either real or imagined or hoped for, who to
you is most interesting.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
I think this whole process this week has been very
interesting in you haven't heard a lot of names. Obviously
you heard Patrick Graham, the former Raiders defensive coordinator, and
Marcus Covington, the former Patriots defensive coordinator. Those are the
only two that have been reported. But what I think
that is very telling of is I have heard that
(06:23):
Al Golden, obviously a former Bengals coach and the current
Notre Dame defensive coordinator, is a name that he's very
well respected.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
In that building.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
And I think the reason that I believe he's probably
one of the leaders in the clubhouse is because they
haven't interviewed that many people. I think that if you
read between the lines here, they don't want to distract
him before tonight's game.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
But I think because they haven't interviewed.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
A slew of people, it means that they definitely want
to talk to him and see where that goes before
you bring in a number of people.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
And that's kind of where I.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Have gotten to it with it is I think he's
definitely someone that they're interested in. And the other reason
why I think that one would make a lot of
sense is because when you look at how many picks
the Bengals have made in the last couple of years
on defense.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
And you've talked about it a lot, you.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Want a coach who can come in and enhance what
those players can do.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Well.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
You're not going to get some completely different scheme.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Like an overhaul on defense.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Yes, Al Golden would likely come in and make a
lot of changes, but keep in mind they drafted those
players based off of their skill set and what they
believe could succeed in the defense that the Bengals have.
So I don't really envision Zach Taylor wanting to go
out and get some new coordinator who has absolutely no
foundation that resembles what the Bengals have been doing the
(07:54):
last couple of years. Because they are trying to win now,
they don't have time to install a completely different offense
and hope and pray that it works. They know what
works with certain players on that team, and I think
that that's why it would make sense for a coach
like Al Golden to come in, because he has familiarity
and he's coached that style of defense. He can come
(08:14):
in and he knows the players know it, and then
he can put his twist on it. So I think that,
to me, is the most fascinating name. And I think
that the fact that they haven't interviewed that many people
this week is telling that they have significant interest in him.
So we'll see where it goes after tonight's game. If
Notre Name keeps winning or if not Name loses, But
I keep your eye on that name.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
I'm okay with Al Golden being the guy. But if
he comes back, and I know he was on the
staff for a couple of years, you know when he
was the coach at Miami Florida, on the sideline, he
dressed like he was the night manager at Wendy's And
so he has to go back to dressing life for
Bengals games.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
But that's totally fair. But the other thing I forgot
to mention to you, what's the one of the other
positions that Bengals need to hire a linebackers coach? When
Al Golden was in Cincinnati, he was a linebackers coach,
So I think that the fact that they haven't, I
mean they could have, and it hasn't been reported, but
(09:12):
I think that they would be waiting on him so
that he could be involved in picking who the linebackers
coach would be. And I think that the fact that
they need a d line linebackers coach, I think that
speaks to Al Golden's strength and his is the linebackers
in the front and that's what Bengals need to fix.
So all of these little Taylor Swift esque easter eggs
(09:32):
are leading me to believe that Al Golden.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Is the front runner.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Wow, very good? All right, Kelsey Conway from The Inquirer
and Cincinnati dot Com. You and I last spring talked
about Trey Hendrickson when he asked for a trade, and
you know that was coming off a great year. Well
since then, he's had an even better year. Right, could
be the defensive player of the year. He has won
last year left on his contract, So why is that
not going to be a thing again this offseason?
Speaker 3 (10:00):
I think it's going to be a thing again time five.
And I'm not reporting that. That's just me you know
saying that to you, I having been involved in conversations
about Trey a lot last off season, and that's what
you're referring to. The whole thing with Trey got messed
up when Trey signed that extension. So when the Bengals
approached him ahead of two off seasons ago to give
(10:23):
him that five million dollars make nice if he was
going to turn around the year later and ask for moremany.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
He shouldn't have signed that. He should have gone.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Into the into the year and bet on himself. I
think he lost a lot of leverage. But that's where
this year gets different, because what player wants to go
into the final year of his contract, especially the reigning
stack leader, likely in All Pro First team, been to
the Pro Bowl every year. He's not going to want
to go into the off season this season with one
(10:55):
year left on his deal. And he does have a
lot of leverage because I mean, how many times did
you probably say watching the Bengals game, like, what would
the Bengals defense be without Trey Hendrickson.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
So he made his value.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Even more to this team. And I think that this
is headed to a place where if the Bengals don't
give him an extension. Their best decision should at that
point be to trade him. But what I think that
they should do is I think that they should give
him an extension. And I know there's a lot of
people that say, well, he's.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Going to be thirty.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
You have seen too many good players leave this team
and go be awesome for other teams, and knowing how
diligent Trey Hendrickson is with his off the field routine
to get himself in the best peak shape, I think
you ignore the like thirty year old rules for those
types of people. Like look at Kyle van Ney for
the Ravens. He leads the Ravens in sacks, he's well
(11:51):
over thirty. I think that this is a situation where
I think the Bengals would be making a mistake and
not trying to work out an extension to keep Trey
right in Cincinnati. But I also know that Trey's gonna want,
you know, top dollar, which she deserves. So I think
this one's going to get really, really interesting because I
(12:12):
just don't see a world in which you're a better
team without Trey Hendrixit.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Next year, yeah, I mean, you know, imagine hiring the
new defensive coordinator and you tell him, look, you've you've
got to help rebuild this defense. Uh, but what we're
gonna do first is take away your best player. Good luck,
go ahead and rebuild the defense's and and.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
The Bengals track record the last couple of years and
hitting on defensive lineman hasn't been good enough that their
fan base can trust that they can just send Trey
off and nail the picks behind him. And so that's
where I think like, this is one that I think
would be really smart for them if they could figure
out a way to extend him. But Trey's also said,
(12:52):
you know, he loves it in Cincinnati, so he's also
going to have to play ball. But it's definitely I
think one of I actually gets more of a pressing
item for the Bengals above t Higgins, which I know
you probably might not agree with, but that's where I'm at.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
All Right, one more, you mentioned we're not allowed to
talk about the off season without talking about t Higgins.
If you were to wager an amount of money that
matters to you on how the T Higgins thing plays out,
where are you putting your coin?
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Well, I know that's not what anybody wants to hear,
But I mean I've reported on this for the last
two years, probably more than anyone, simply because I've had
a lot to write about with him. The time to
have done it would have been last before last year,
(13:44):
and I think he only increased his value more this year.
And I think that Joe Burrow can say what he
wants to say, and they can all say we want
to make it work. But at the end of the day,
if the Bengals offer doesn't sniff the market value and
come close to it, which from what I know of
(14:06):
what they originally offered him when they came at him
one time before this would have.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
Been two years ago.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Compared to what I have heard the market number is
going to be for him is a significant gap. And
I just don't know how the Bengals can get high
enough to what the market value is going to be
with having to pay Jamar Chase and potentially Trey Hendrickson.
But I will say this, I think that if they
(14:34):
move on from Trey Hendrickson, then you know, then you
go all in on trying to figure this out with
t Higgins. But I just think it's I think it's
not going to get close enough where I think t
would be willing to take maybe four or five million off.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
But don't.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I don't even think that they can get close enough
with that in terms of where the guaranteed money is
going to get to because of the whole that they're
kind of put themselves in with not having paid Jamar
last year.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
So it's not a big domino effect.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
But I unfortunately don't think I think Bengals fans need
to brace for themselves to be heartbroken to some degree
because I just don't see a world in which t Higgins,
Jamar Chase, and Trey Hendrickson are all on this team
next year.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Well, if there's one thing that we Bengals fans are
good at, it's bracing for and experiencing hardbreak, So that
won't require all that much. Do you before I let
you go, do you have any ruminations? Do you have
any laments? Do you have any grievances that you would
like to get off your chest regarding our favorite college
basketball team?
Speaker 3 (15:44):
But just win, baby, That's where I'm at, Like, let's
just you know, we talked all off season this was
supposed to be the team. I mean, you and I
how excited have we been? And it's just kind of
we're at the point where results need to start speaking
for themselves.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Oh, Kansas, what a better time.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Than to show the last three games haven't been to
real Bearcats and we can get excited about potentially watching
the NCAA tournament together at the Grail in March.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
It would be nice.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
I'm still I'm still holding out hope. I'm still holding
out hope.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
All right, me too.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Well, hopefully we don't have to wait to the NCAA
tournament to do that, but that remains a goal nonetheless. Kelsey,
thank you as always, Thanks.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
So much for having me on though.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Have a good one.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
You're the best. Kelsey Conway, covering the Bengals for The
Inquirer and Cincinnati dot Com. It's twenty minutes after four o'clock.
I'm OEGAR. Five point three seven four nine fifteen thirty
is our phone number. This is ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati
Sports Station.
Mo Egger News
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