It's no secret that at Stripe Hype, the most coveted free agent of the entire offseason is Denver Broncos defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers. He can align on the edge, but is even more adept at rushing the passer from the interior d-line.
Franklin-Myers is the antidote to an issue that's plagued the Bengals' defense for years. They can't find an interior pass rusher to save their lives. My guy JFM is that dude. And he's one of the linchpins of my dream Bengals mock offseason.
As if it wasn't going to be difficult to pay top-market value for Franklin-Myers as is against other cash-flush suitors, though, the latest buzz on JFM ain't good for Cincinnati.
Broncos DL John Franklin-Myers believed to be signing with Titans in free agency
In addition to correctly calling the bottom-line result of Trey Hendrickson walking away from Cincinnati in free agency — and confirming the heated behind-the-scenes relationship that's painted with a fresh coat of PR gloss — NBC Sports' Matthew Berry dropped a low-key huge scoop on John Franklin-Myers:
"[A] couple of defensive player rumors I just found interesting, starting with the Bengals having zero interest in keeping Trey Hendrickson. They may make some noises about keeping him for PR purposes but there is no love lost between the two sides, and he’ll be playing elsewhere next year. Also, […] I was told Denver’s John Franklin-Myers would be heading to Tennessee."
After amassing 14.5 sacks in the last two years for the Broncos, it sounds like Franklin-Myers has decided on a new destination before the legal tampering period even kicks off. Rough day to be a Bengals supporter for sure.
Not that Cincinnati can't find another solution to its obvious flaw. It's just a shame. At the same time, it isn't surprising. Not because the Bengals are cheap and difficult in contract negotiations (both true). Because the Tennessee Titans have even more cap space than Cincinnati, plus a new head coach in Robert Saleh who's known for his prowess as a defensive line guru.
Neither Franklin-Myers nor Titans All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons are traditional nose tackles. That said, their combination of beef and pass rush prowess would be a nightmare for opponents to handle.
I could see Tennessee drafting a new nose tackle, such as Ohio State's Kayden McDonald or Florida's Caleb Banks near the top of the second round. That'd give Franklin-Myers the freedom to kick inside on obvious pass rushing downs, help spell him and Simmons on earlier downs, and even get him on the edge more often opposite Jermaine Johnson.
Shoot, JFM could even be the full-time starting defensive end for Saleh. Just depends how the coach wants to scheme it up.
Whatever the case may be, this is a particularly tough tease for Who Dey Nation, who've long coveted Simmons as a blockbuster trade target. Unless the Titans are terrible in the Saleh era, that seems like it'll never happen. And losing Franklin-Myers to Tennessee would just rub salt in that perpetual wound.