Bernard released

[Whatever]

(04-07-2021, 12:09 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: Exactly. How I loathe this, let me count the ways:

1) Cap space is NOT an issue. We have a lot. We still have a lot.

2) We refused to splash big money in FA, instead going bargain hunting. Which is OK, given the market. But then, why did Gio need to take a pay cut? I mean, if we were gonna use that $5 mil to up the ante for a premier FA (Thuney, Trent Williams, Golladay, even Zeitler), then OK. But to do neither?

3) He asked for a release AFTER we asked him to take a pay cut. To sign no one. When we already had lots of space. Self-inflicted wound.

4) When protecting Burrow should be our #1 priority, we just lost our best pass protecting back.

5) Our WRs created the least separation in the league last year (I believe). Well, at least we have one of the best 3rd down/receiving backs in the league. Oh, nevermind.

6) I cannot believe we could not get something for him.

7) This is how we treat loyal, productive guys.

8) Bates/Hubbard extensions will not kick in until 2022 (right?), Gio's contract expires after this year. So by my reckoning, waiving him does not add 1 penny to make extending guys mire affordable. (I believe I am correct here, someone set me straight if I am wrong).

1.Not currently, no.  They may be budgeting for extensions and/or guys who will become available during and after the draft.

2.Hendrickson and Reiff were both big names.

3.He was not performing up to his contract.  Now, they were dumb to give him that much, but it wasn't like he was worth what they were paying him.

4.That's fair, but he's ineffective as a runner and his effectiveness as a receiver is also slipping.  He's basically an undersized FB at this point.

5.Gio isn't close to a good receiving back anymore.  Less than 1/3 of his catches went for first downs and he also fails to get open routinely and gets lit up as he catches the ball.

6.Nobody is paying that much money for that little production.

7.Good teams don't overpay guys who have hit the wall out of loyalty.  It sucks, but that's the business.  He wasn't really productive last year given the fact he started 10 games.  

8.Depends entirely on how they structure the contract.