Welcome to the Athletic Football Show.

I'm Robert Mays.

Our most interesting teams of the off-season series rolls on, but also comes to its conclusion today.

Three teams that are in an interesting spot just because we're used to them being kind of

playoff fixtures and contending level teams, but for each of them, some level of

turnover and consternation, maybe, this off season.

Started things off with a conversation with Paul Danaer, who covers the Bengals for us,

about the Bengals plan for fixing their defense in what is becoming an increasingly

important year for Zach Taylor and that staff. Followed that up with a great conversation with Jeff Zeribik about the Baltimore Ravens, who, I mean, this is a new situation for a team that spent 18 years with the same head coach. A lot of financial things looming over the Ravens, more needs than typical for the Ravens, who have to figure out how they're going to scrounge up the money to fill some of those needs. And then our old buddy, Zach Berman, who covers the Eagles for us and does a fantastic job, came out to chat a little bit about just the state of the Eagles. The last time we talked to Zach, we were talking about the offensive coordinator search in Philly. It was before Sean Manning got hired. But after that, we have Jeff Stoutland moving on. we have Lana Dickerson and Lane Johnson contemplating

retirement so talk to Zach about how much of this is just another year of Eagles tinkering and how

much of this is actual cause for concern with the path that the Eagles were on really enjoyed

all of these conversations and every discussion that we've had with our B-writers this week

hope you guys do

as well. Let's get to it right now. Joining us now, it is our esteemed Cincinnati Bengals writer

here at the athletic Paul Nader Jr. How you doing, buddy? I'm doing great. This is one of my

favorite moments of the Combine because you always pick the Bengals because it's always something weird happening. It's so I love doing this. Because I like talking to you about the Cincinnati Bengals. It's like 60% of it. The Bengals are always an interesting team because it always feels like there's something looming over the Bengals. Last year, it was T. Higgins. This year, it's not as much drama,

but I think it's in a really pivotal offseason just because of how bad the defense was last year. And they do have some resources to spend. So I think that's where a lot of my intrigue lies with this Bengals team is. Okay, here is a pile of money, a smaller pile than I thought, by the way, but here is a pile of money

that we're going to need to use to fix this defense. What is that process going to look like?

And that's what I want to dig into today. Yeah. You talk what's looming over them. I think

Bengals fans would be like, I think what's looming over this year is existential dread,

you know, of like this is the feel good fairy dust has worn off.

This is it, okay? It's, this is the year.

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