08-17-2022, 02:28 PM
(08-17-2022, 01:57 PM)tms Wrote: Too many Mike Brown lackeys constantly misrepresent what free agency is. It's not meant to pay you according to where you *rank. "He's 5th-best... therefore he should be paid like #5." Lol no... no... no. - Steve Carell. These are deals (as in the case of Derwin) where you might get paid top dollar today, but by the time the contract expires you'll be way down the list. Maybe 8, maybe 9, maybe 10- who knows where Derwin's same contract will be in 2026. If you want him to be paid 5th-most (or whatever) over the course of the contract, then he'd better be paid ~~#1 or #2 upfront. Otherwise you're asking him to take a discount.
Not to mention, guaranteed cash is the only thing that matters in this game. Which is why PBS is no more and Paycor gates are now getting sponsored lol; Burrow and his agent will not be settling for less guaranteed cash than his peers under any circumstances. This is a rule that holds across all position groups (even if their %'s are less). James is getting 55% guaranteed. For the Bengals to think Bates will accept 25% (of whatever total) is like a time machine because it pulls me right back to the 90s. If you're going to nickel & dime these guys, at least trade them for draft capital and allow both sides to move on. Enough of "Cincinnati's Stingy Billionaire." Everyone's tired of that nonsense.
How exactly have we been able to sign all these top level free agents recently if we are too stingy to do business in today's NFL?
Looking back over Bengal history it is interesting to notoe how many of the free agent losses that the fand whine and cry about the most were actually smart moves by the Bengals. I liked both Steinbach and Zeitler a lot, but they both got overpaid. Fans want to cry about Mike Brown nto valuing interior offensive linemen, but he was smarter than them for not overpaying Eric and Kevin to stay here.
After the season Bates had last year I don't think any team in the league would make him the highest paid safety. and looking at all the high quality players we have signed recently I am pretty confident that we gave Bates a reasonable offer.
