The Joe Burrow effect continues to be a real thing for the Cincinnati Bengals.
That, plus the power of a checkbook the front office is willing to open up in a big way in pursuit of a championship.
That’s the story with new starting guard Alex Cappa, a deal the Bengals reportedly agreed to just moments after Monday’s legal tampering window opened.
Cappa will be a big upgrade at right guard for a Bengals team that hit free agency needing to improve at four of the five spots on the line. He comes over from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he spent a few years blocking for one Tom Brady.
Brady, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, attempted to get Cappa back — but he went with the Bengals anyway:
After calling Ryan Jensen to convince him to stay, Tom Brady then tried to call Alex Cappa to see if he could convince him to re-sign but it was too late, #Bengals were already on him, according to @AdamSchefter
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 14, 2022
This is in stark contrast to center Ryan Jensen, who was Cincinnati’s top target on the market. Brady’s call had Jensen re-upping with the Bucs within hours.
Cappa, on the other hand, probably got more money from the Bengals. The fact he’s going to another contender led by Burrow probably didn’t hurt, either. He stands out as the one major win-now piece the Bucs didn’t get to retain yet after Brady’s unretirement, as he’s on to Cincinnati.
