Demand: 49ers Urged to Avoid Former Bengals Star in Free Agency……
The Bengals are in a unique situation in 2024 with their addition of Vonn Bell. Not only is it unique in that most of his 2024 salary is covered by the Panthers (like Russel Wilson and the Broncos). There is also the interesting case that the Bengals will have a comp pick in the 2024 draft, pick 214, which they are receiving for the Panthers signing Vonn Bell in 2023 free agency.
The Bengals had something similar happen in the Andy Dalton era with Michael Johnson. The Bengals opted to keep Carlos Dunlap over Michael Johnson and Johnson signed with the Buccaneers in free agency. He was cut a year later and ended up signing back with the Bengals. Just like with Bell the Bengals had reacquired their player who walked, while still getting the compensatory pick for it the same year.
The pick the Bengals got for Michael Johnson was pick 99 in the third round. Which they used on athletically limited but instinctive linebacker Paul Dawson. Unfortunately Dawson never made too much of an impact in the NFL, so even though the Bengals will be receiving a much later compensatory pick for Vonn Bell, there is a chance it could turn out even better than the pick the Bengals got for Michael Johnson despite being three rounds later.