Let's talk FA's again.

[Benton]

People need to get over Cook. Top shelf centers aren't very common in free agency. Cook is decent and probably better than most of what will be available.

[AlaskanHero]

Originally Posted by Trilok

The question is, unless you are washed up and only want to come here for the money, why would you want to come here?

Because it's a solid team, with a decent foundation, that has made the playoffs multiple times in the last few years and looks positioned to do so several more times in the future with a highly regarded DC and an OC many teams think is good enough to be a head coach. People seriously need to get over this 90s inferiority complex with the Bengals (and really, all Cincinnati pro sports). If you're a free agent, you probably know the Bengals aren't going to offer anyone big money, but if they do, it's not a bad place to be. I mean, hell, Buffalo hasn't sniffed the playoffs in over a decade, yet they pulled in some high-level FAs, we're the bloody Patriots compared to them. Though like I said, odds are our money has been earmarked for retaining our free agents over making a splash with big names.

Anyways, I'm curious how Free Agency is going to shake out this year. The WR market last year was really hot with a bunch of guys, who were at best #2s, getting some decently large contracts really quickly, while demand for LB was pretty soft with some guys sitting for quite a while before getting some rather tiny contracts. I wonder if it'll be the same this year. Anyone have a link to a list of pending free agents? Curious about who might be available.

[OSUfan]

Originally Posted by Trilok

The question is, unless you are washed up and only want to come here for the money, why would you want to come here?

Why wouldn't you want to is a better question. The woe is me crap is tired. This is a good young team on the rise that is a couple of pieces away from being the best team in the division.

[WhoDeySailor]

Originally Posted by Benton

People need to get over Cook. Top shelf centers aren't very common in free agency. Cook is decent and probably better than most of what will be available.

What do you see with Cook? I saw a center that doesnt step laterally into the A Gap to meet blitzing line backers and doesn't step with the pass rusher to prevent penetration. After intial contact he also quit on a lot of plays. I don't see him being average. Now Boling needs work on the pass game but his sweeps and pulls looked very good. I think he will develope well and was initially drafted to be the back up center.

[cheese]

Darryl Smith and Jairus Byrd would be my 1st phone calls. Whichever position you can't fill becomes our 1st rd draft pick.

I like drafting a RB rd2.

I would only be interested in WR if we go for a top guy like Percy Harvin. I don't want to use resources on small improvements over what we have.

[higametz]

Originally Posted by WhoDeySailor

What do you see with Cook? I saw a center that doesnt step laterally into the A Gap to meet blitzing line backers and doesn't step with the pass rusher to prevent penetration. After intial contact he also quit on a lot of plays. I don't see him being average. Now Boling needs work on the pass game but his sweeps and pulls looked very good. I think he will develope well and was initially drafted to be the back up center.

Bingo..Was going to type about 80% of what you posted.......Not sure he was around for training camp at all so maybe being tossed back out there he lost some fundamentals..

[Mr. Hopeful]

I have to say that FA season and Draft season the last two years has really excited me becuase this team is on the cusp of greatness.

I know that it is not in our history to spend moeny on high ticketed FA's but this is the first year MB has to spend. Just imagining us land a WR like Bowe, makes me jump for joy.

[nevergonnachange]

Originally Posted by OSUfan

Why wouldn't you want to is a better question. The woe is me crap is tired. This is a good young team on the rise that is a couple of pieces away from being the best team in the division.

I can tell you why: from top to bottom this team doesn't seem like it has a burning desire to win championships and if I'm a FA that (and a big fat contract) is what I want.

You look at the Reds and they seem like an organization that are dying to bring a World Series trophy to GABP. You get the feeling the Bengals would like to hoist the Lombardi Trophy but win or lose, life goes on.

Another thing: people laugh about free Gatorade and other nonsense but if 31 teams are treating me like a king and one is treating me like an employee, I'm going where I'm royalty.

[M.W.]

Originally Posted by Trilok

The question is, unless you are washed up and only want to come here for the money, why would you want to come here?

Making the playoffs in two straight years helps a lot. Most of the guys playing in the league do not remember the 90s too well.

[Whodeyman]

Originally Posted by OSUfan

Robinson will be fighting Cook for the C job. Whether some like it or not Cook is the starter right now so to ignore his presence is silly.

WR - If we are bringing in an experienced WR to battle for the spot opposite AJ then the smart choice is Brian Hartline. Yep not the board popular Wallace. I do not see Wallace fitting this clubhouse. Yep there is more to it than what goes on on the field.

WLB - Easy answer re-sign Howard and continue to groom Lemar. Burfict to the middle and draft Chase Thomas to play SLB.

RB - We are in perfect position to draft Bernard and that is what we should do. He should be the starter on day 1 with Ellis in relief and short yardage situations.

S - have not had a chance to look at what is out there.

I second the Hartline at wr fa pickup. I live in South Florida area and watch a lot of Dolphin games. He comes to play every game and would be a perfect compliment to AJ on the other side.

[neek]

So McC starts a FA discussion thread, then goes AWOL....

[Wyche'sWarrior]

Originally Posted by neek

So McC starts a FA discussion thread, then goes AWOL....

Step away from the FA discussion neek, it's FAR too early to get too riled up at this point.

[McC]

Originally Posted by neek

So McC starts a FA discussion thread, then goes AWOL....

I'm right here, buddy.

[LeTigre]

Originally Posted by Benton

People need to get over Cook. Top shelf centers aren't very common in free agency. Cook is decent and probably better than most of what will be available.

I could not possibly disagree more. Cook was decent PRE-INJURY. His play after coming back from the injury was far below average and was mostly disastrous.

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by LeTigre

I could not possibly disagree more. Cook was decent PRE-INJURY. His play after coming back from the injury was far below average and was mostly disastrous.

Cook wasnt even that good pre-injury and was a major problem last year as well. I wanted to draft a C last year. We need to Draft one this year especially with on of the highest rated prospects in a while entering the draft.


Why we think cook is good is because we watched Guicheck play for 3 or 4 years... Cook is smart and helps the line get into the right protection. And would probly make a great OL coach someday. But he was outclassed as a player this year by a UDFA in Robinson...

And outclassed on the field by every DL he met.

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by Whodeyman

I second the Hartline at wr fa pickup. I live in South Florida area and watch a lot of Dolphin games. He comes to play every game and would be a perfect compliment to AJ on the other side.

Whould be a decent and not so expensive pick up a WR without a BIG head but can put up yards and catches.

He would be nice. (one could argue we could do better) And depending if we lose either coordinator it will effect who we are looking at in FA as well.

[BengalsFanSKCanada]

Originally Posted by Shake n Blake

I don't see them doing it either. Coles, Bryant and TO will be used as an excuse to avoid free agent WRs for 10 more years at least. Sanu and Jones might not work pan out as starters, but we're most likely going to see.

That said, the cap floor is now in place, and we have 55 million in cap space. After deals for MJ (it's being reported that we will franchise him if no deal is done) and Andre, we should still have at least 30 million left. So they have to make some deals. I'm just not sure which position(s) they will address.

Just to clarify, we have 55 million in cap space for next year? I'm confused as to how deals for MJ and Andre will eat up 25 million in cap space for one season.

[Wyche'sWarrior]

Originally Posted by BengalsFan024

Cook wasnt even that good pre-injury and was a major problem last year as well. I wanted to draft a C last year. We need to Draft one this year especially with on of the highest rated prospects in a while entering the draft.


Why we think cook is good is because we watched Guicheck play for 3 or 4 years... Cook is smart and helps the line get into the right protection. And would probly make a great OL coach someday. But he was outclassed as a player this year by a UDFA in Robinson...

And outclassed on the field by every DL he met.

I agree. I thought maybe Cook looked bad because he had Livings and McGlynn/inexperienced Boling lining up on either side, so i gave him the benefit of the doubt. I ain't so sure anymore......

[neek]

Originally Posted by Wyche'sWarrior

Step away from the FA discussion neek, it's FAR too early to get too riled up at this point.

I know, and I'm already starting to lose it!

Originally Posted by McC

I'm right here, buddy.

Welcome back.

[Whoopty Freakin' Doo!]

Originally Posted by BengalsFanSKCanada

Just to clarify, we have 55 million in cap space for next year? I'm confused as to how deals for MJ and Andre will eat up 25 million in cap space for one season.

the deals for mj and andre will probably eat up around 15 m, but u also gotta take out about 10 m to do genos deal and about 7m to pay draft picks, so u end up with like 23 m to resign everyone else. That 55 m aint goin as freakin far as some think.

[Wyche'sWarrior]

Originally Posted by neek

I know, and I'm already starting to lose it!


.

I'm calm......for now!

[BengalsFanSKCanada]

Originally Posted by Whoopty Freakin' Doo!

the deals for mj and andre will probably eat up around 15 m, but u also gotta take out about 10 m to do genos deal and about 7m to pay draft picks, so u end up with like 23 m to resign everyone else. That 55 m aint goin as freakin far as some think.

True 'dat

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by BengalsFanSKCanada

Just to clarify, we have 55 million in cap space for next year? I'm confused as to how deals for MJ and Andre will eat up 25 million in cap space for one season.

You have their Salary and Front loaded bonus's (so their deals dont interfer with resigning more talent next year)

Anyways have you seen how many bengal players are Free Agents? A Lot especially on D..

And if we lose zimmer those guys might follow him. which will leave us more holes than 1 draft or 1 high priced Free agent can fill.. Which means we have a lot A LOT of players to re-sign this offseason. Many of them past their 4 years which mean even a min deal is looking at a mil each (we wont get many for min or shouldnt want to many @ min lol) There are a lot of Guys to Re-sign.

MJ
Andre
Gilberry
Howard
Newman(maybe for one year as insurrance for the draft)

And others to extend

(this list isnt complete)

But if someone wants to go sign a high priced free agent before we have re-plugged almost all our holes.. we might be left short. (and by high price free agents im not including re-signing our own like Andre or MJ who will both command decent salaries)

We can always free up space by cutting clements and Cook and Wharton and Anderson and Allen... and 3 of them have done nothing... Clements is Done and is not a Saftey.. Cook needs to be replaced and not hung onto because of his extenstion..

But at the same time then you have to replace all them too...



I like that we do a lot of short term deals as it gives players more incentive to preform all the time. But the downside is theres a chance to lose a gem every year.

[McC]

Originally Posted by neek

I know, and I'm already starting to lose it!



Welcome back.

Never left. Just have this unfortunate having to eat thing to take care of once in a while.

So far, I still haven't seen who will be the top FA's.

[neek]

Originally Posted by McC

Never left. Just have this unfortunate having to eat thing to take care of once in a while.

So far, I still haven't seen who will be the top FA's.

IMO, it'll be the same boat as last year.

Wait, you've been eating since 7PM yesterday?