One has to think ears perked up and eyebrows raised when the normally-vague Marvin Lewis admitted his Cincinnati Bengals needing to do a better job of signing other team’s free agents and using the open market as a way to improve problem areas.

Lewis offered up the insight — intentional or not — after inking a two-year extension with the team.

Meaning, going into his 16th and 17th seasons as the head coach, Bengals fans might finally see the team splurge.

The two areas fans figured Lewis pounded the table over during discussions with owner Mike Brown boiled down to going on the offensive in free agency and bringing on his own coaching staff. Lewis has openly talked about the former and seemingly done the latter while rounding out a strong-looking coaching staff.

It’s incredibly important, though, for Lewis and the Bengals to make good on a rejuvenated approach to free agency — it’s the next big league trend.

As Kevin Clark of The Ringer pointed out, most playoff teams this year dropped big numbers in free agency: “Incredibly, six of the top 10 2017 spenders in free agency, a period formerly reserved for desperate teams to throw money at anyone, made the playoffs: the Patriots, Titans, Rams, Vikings, Panthers, and Jaguars (who spent $20 million more than any other team).”

The Bengals are often praised for being a “top spender” because of certain numbers. And true, they do a good of keeping most of their key free agents. Some things can’t be helped (Marvin Jones) and mistakes will be made (Andrew Whitworth, Kevin Zeitler), but generally the Bengals at least retain their own.

But charting on certain lists to look like big spenders clearly doesn’t lead to wins. The Bengals roll over cap and cite needing an injury budget and other excuses for not spending on top-tier free agents. Meanwhile, the cap has jumped by almost $50 million over the last six years alone and rookie contracts are cheaper than ever thanks to the slotting system — so how much are the Bengals really spending in an effort to improve?

Not much.

This doesn’t mean the Bengals need to spend for the sake of spending. They need to do it in a smart manner.

Look at those playoff teams. The New England Patriots acquired wideout Brandin Cooks and dropped premier coin on cornerback Stephon Gilmore. The Tennessee Titans signed Delanie Walker and others. The Los Angeles Rams, well, Bengals fans know. The Minnesota Vikings signed Linval Joseph and offensive linemen. The Carolina Panthers addressed the offensive line.

And then there are those surprising Jaguars.

Clark uses the Jaguars as his main example — and rightfully so. The front office there rolled over $32 million atop the normal cap in 2016. They then turned around and splurged on A.J. Bouye and Malik Jackson, then later casually dipped toes into the trade market and obtained Marcell Dareus.

The Jaguars doing this proves a few things.

A team can spend that rollover cap on major improvements. There isn’t a location excuse for whiffing on free agents — money talks, and if it doesn’t, change whatever needs fixing in the organization itself because…money talks. Spending in free agency doesn’t mean only leaning on it. Jacksonville groomed Jalen Ramsey and put Bouye next to him. It groomed Dante Fowler Jr. and added Jackson.

So the cap is bigger than ever and rookies are cheaper. Keep in mind, too, the Bengals do an excellent job of getting team-friendly extensions. Andy Dalton is on one of the best bargain deals for a franchise quarterback you’ll find. A.J. Green’s deal is reasonable, as is Geno Atkins’ and the one issued to Vontaze Burfict. They’ve also dodged a bullet of sorts with the oft-injured Tyler Eifert. And yet lately the Bengals biggest signing that wasn’t a retained player is…

Kevin Minter.

That has to change. Teams that view themselves as contenders are properly adjusting to this new trend and spending. Teams that don’t view themselves that way, such as Cleveland, hoard the space.

The Bengals, at least in terms of outside free agents, are acting more like a team that doesn’t view itself as a contender.

There is enough cap space now that a team can virtually do whatever it wants. The Bengals are strong at talent acquisition in the draft, so much so they’ve openly boasted about their less-is-more approach because they know what they’re doing.

Now would be the time to pair the big cap space with the know-how in order to best have a chance at competing for a Super Bowl. Lewis sounds ready to do this, but we’ll find out soon if the organization overall can step in the ring with the smart spenders on the open market and add immediate help.