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Cincinnati Bengals executive Katie Blackburn and her daughter, Elizabeth Blackburn, spoke for close to 30 minutes with reporters Monday afternoon, addressing a bevy of topics, including the Bengals' aggressive offseason, Joe Burrow, Zac Taylor, bringing the NFL Draft to Cincinnati and others.
First, the Blackburns addressed Joe Burrow and his perceived unhappiness with the front office, saying they had many good conversations this offseason and communicated with him about any moves they made.
The Blackburns also made it clear that Burrow's contract restructuring was a welcome idea for both sides and wouldn't have been executed if it had created problems. The move created $10 million in cap space and helped with the financial aspects of the Dexter Lawrence trade while creating room for other potential moves before the season.
They also confirmed reports that the Bengals are pushing to eventually host the NFL Draft, which was recently held in both Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
Paul Dehner of The Athletic clarified that the next open slot is 2029, with Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis slated to host the draft in 2027 and 2028.
Elizabeth Blackburn said the move to trade for Dexter Lawrence was "on and off the table" at times during the offseason, according to ESPN's Ben Baby.
Ultimately, Blackburn knew that a player like Lawrence becoming available was too good an opportunity to pass up, pulling the trigger just before the NFL Draft to add an impact player on the defensive line.
The decision to bring back head coach Zac Taylor and director of player personnel Duke Tobin was heavily criticized. Three straight seasons of missing the playoffs seemingly called for some kind of change, but the front office decided those changes would come to the roster and not the coaching staff or personnel department.
They emphasized consistency, saying they hope that keeping everyone together — from the roster's best players to the coaching staff to the front office — and preserving that unity of thought will pay off.
Tearing everything down before such a crucial season doesn't make a whole lot of sense when you think about it, making the Blackburns' decision understandable. However, if things don't go right this season, it's almost a foregone conclusion that major changes will be made in leadership positions.
The Blackburns have done a good job of making moves to put themselves back in the fan base's good graces after multiple seasons of frustration and disappointment.
Continue reading...
First, the Blackburns addressed Joe Burrow and his perceived unhappiness with the front office, saying they had many good conversations this offseason and communicated with him about any moves they made.
The Blackburns also made it clear that Burrow's contract restructuring was a welcome idea for both sides and wouldn't have been executed if it had created problems. The move created $10 million in cap space and helped with the financial aspects of the Dexter Lawrence trade while creating room for other potential moves before the season.
They also confirmed reports that the Bengals are pushing to eventually host the NFL Draft, which was recently held in both Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
Paul Dehner of The Athletic clarified that the next open slot is 2029, with Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis slated to host the draft in 2027 and 2028.
Elizabeth Blackburn said the move to trade for Dexter Lawrence was "on and off the table" at times during the offseason, according to ESPN's Ben Baby.
Ultimately, Blackburn knew that a player like Lawrence becoming available was too good an opportunity to pass up, pulling the trigger just before the NFL Draft to add an impact player on the defensive line.
The decision to bring back head coach Zac Taylor and director of player personnel Duke Tobin was heavily criticized. Three straight seasons of missing the playoffs seemingly called for some kind of change, but the front office decided those changes would come to the roster and not the coaching staff or personnel department.
They emphasized consistency, saying they hope that keeping everyone together — from the roster's best players to the coaching staff to the front office — and preserving that unity of thought will pay off.
Tearing everything down before such a crucial season doesn't make a whole lot of sense when you think about it, making the Blackburns' decision understandable. However, if things don't go right this season, it's almost a foregone conclusion that major changes will be made in leadership positions.
The Blackburns have done a good job of making moves to put themselves back in the fan base's good graces after multiple seasons of frustration and disappointment.
Continue reading...
