....to say the least.

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/allbengals-insiders-plus/tee-higgins-on-playing-for-bengals-i-plan-on-being-in-cincinnati-for-a-while

(02-09-2023, 05:46 PM)Speedy Thomas Wrote: ....to say the least.

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/allbengals-insiders-plus/tee-higgins-on-playing-for-bengals-i-plan-on-being-in-cincinnati-for-a-while

I do think it will be in the Bengals' best interest to not allow Higgins to get to FA if they want to retain him.
My worry is something similar could happen like with Uzomah - he finds out what other teams are really willing to pay and the Bengals offer is just (way) too low compared to some other teams.
It's one thing to say you want to be somewhere, but it's unlikely you're willing to take too much of a discount for that to happen.
Money talks.

(02-09-2023, 06:05 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I do think it will be in the Bengals' best interest to not allow Higgins to get to FA if they want to retain him.
My worry is something similar could happen like with Uzomah - he finds out what other teams are really willing to pay and the Bengals offer is just (way) too low compared to some other teams.
It's one thing to say you want to be somewhere, but it's unlikely you're willing to take too much of a discount for that to happen.
Money talks.

Agreed. I don't see anyone taking a discount. It's easy to posture- in fact, I would be offended if they didn't lol- but when it comes time to actually put pen to paper it's a different story. These guys are taking care of their families and their decisions go far beyond football.

I hate to say it, but I also think the Brady/Burrow comparison is overly optimistic. Brady was a Day 3 who was doubted by some even after a few SBs. Hell, some still credit a lot of his success to BB. For the Pats to not fully max him out and/or for him to give a perceived "discount" was almost reasonable, if not expected. Burrow's a #1 overall and has always been marketed as such. I see Peyton as a more fitting comp. Just my 2c.

(02-09-2023, 06:05 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I do think it will be in the Bengals' best interest to not allow Higgins to get to FA if they want to retain him.
My worry is something similar could happen like with Uzomah - he finds out what other teams are really willing to pay and the Bengals offer is just (way) too low compared to some other teams.
It's one thing to say you want to be somewhere, but it's unlikely you're willing to take too much of a discount for that to happen.
Money talks.

You can never take free agency personally or truly eliminate the risk of losing a player to it.  If some team out there with a GM who is a lame duck decides brining Tee in as a #1 WR for massive money is going to save the season and his job, there isn't much you can do about it.

If we can get Tee to go down the "stay here and win" route, that's great.  Otherwise, it's hard to keep the band together when promotions and big raises are being waved in front of people.  It's just bidness.

I watched him last night on Locked on Bengals with Rapien & Laskow. He makes it sound like if they follow this blueprint, it will make signing Burrow, Tee, and Chase pretty doable. I hope he's right.

I think ALL these guys are living out of the reality zone. Do I think it’s possible we keep Joe, Tee, and Ja Mar? Possible but unlikely. Oh I think today they are dead serious. But when the numbers start populating it’s a whole new world. I’m not implying they don’t give it great effort and seriously try to make it work by being unselfish but I’m not optimistic. It’s not good that they are all going to feel entitled about the roster of the team. I don’t mean that negatively towards them. But it’s kinda like a college big donor on coaching hires. They give a ton of money and now feel they can choose the coaches. And I absolutely don’t mean that they will be difficult just that they gave up money and will feel invested. It’s just natural. Maybe I’m being overly dramatic. Maybe it all works out and they genuinely get it done. I think it will be unusual if it works out. I just think it’s genuine on their part today until it becomes reality. I apologize for being negative Nancy.

I see some parallels here with Tee and Housh. TJ has owned that he made a mistake chasing money and the opportunity to be a "Number One" receiver in Seattle. I would imagine that Tee is well aware of this.

Another more recent example is Uzomah, who knew he would never be the Bengals' top tight end with Drew Sample in the house. lol

Of course Tee is going to make his own decision based on what it's important to him and what he feels is best for him and his family. None of us should have a problem with that.

Time will tell. But I find it encouraging that at this point he said what he did.

(02-09-2023, 06:19 PM)tms Wrote: I hate to say it, but I also think the Brady/Burrow comparison is overly optimistic.

I think comparing the Tom Brady contract to any dominant young player early in their career is a big wrong, anyway, because it misses all of the context.

Tom Brady wasn't even statistically dominant early in his career despite being dominant in winning. In 2004, before his second extension in the '04-'05 offseason, he was 17th in Cmp%, 17th in yards per game, 10th in YPA, 6th in TDs, and 9th in QB Rating. He was averaging 24 TD/13 INT per year. So obviously he didn't get top-of-the-line money despite winning.

In 2010 once he had an MVP under his belt he signed an $18m/yr deal. For comparison at that time, Phil Rivers got $15.3m/yr in 2009, Peyton Manning got $18m/yr in 2011, and Drew Brees got $20m/yr in 2012. So he was making top QB money.

It's only in 2013 when he signed a $9m/yr extension that you can start pointing to Tom Brady's contracts and be like "he took way less money than he could have!".... and it was his 14th year in the NFL, he was 36, had already made $120m, and had been married for 4 years to a woman worth $500m. 

None of that is the same circumstances as these young QBs who are in their mid-20s and only have had their rookie deal limited initial contracts.


- - - - -

Would be great if it somehow happened, but I don't like all this hype, hope, and almost expectation being built up that Burrow will take some kind of 36-year-old-made-$120m-married-to-a-$500m-woman Brady contract deal. Just makes me think we're setting up the stage for a lot of people to treat him poorly like they did Joey Votto, if Burrow has the audacity (do I need to mention that my use of that word is sarcasm? best to be safe) to get the money he's worth from a multi-billionaire who will be making billions off of him and his body's health.

The key it seems is to get Burrow to marry a highly successful supermodel. If Duke & Co. can get that done, sign them to life-long deals.

What Jamarr said sounds great and all, but there are two key things here.

1) He says that this is what he "thinks" Joe wants to do. He never suggests this came from Burrow himself.

2) The other positions have to be willing to do the same.

(02-09-2023, 06:05 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I do think it will be in the Bengals' best interest to not allow Higgins to get to FA if they want to retain him.
My worry is something similar could happen like with Uzomah - he finds out what other teams are really willing to pay and the Bengals offer is just (way) too low compared to some other teams.
It's one thing to say you want to be somewhere, but it's unlikely you're willing to take too much of a discount for that to happen.
Money talks.

These receivers know that Joe Burrow is the Golden Goose and he will not only get them a ring but will get them the ball and they'll have exceptional careers if they stick with him.  Yeah, they could go somewhere else but would it be in their best interest in the long term?  No, they're staying put and putting up huge numbers via the way of Burrow's arm.    

(02-09-2023, 06:05 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I do think it will be in the Bengals' best interest to not allow Higgins to get to FA if they want to retain him.
My worry is something similar could happen like with Uzomah - he finds out what other teams are really willing to pay and the Bengals offer is just (way) too low compared to some other teams.
It's one thing to say you want to be somewhere, but it's unlikely you're willing to take too much of a discount for that to happen.
Money talks.

That is part of the reason we extend him this offseason, no other team can make an offer.

(02-09-2023, 08:08 PM)ElkValleyBengal Wrote: The key it seems is to get Burrow to marry a highly successful supermodel.  If Duke & Co. can get that done, sign them to life-long deals.

That might backfire if the highly successful super model likes money more than SB trophies.  Once you hook a dude up with a super model you have to realize your influence over him is gone.

(02-09-2023, 09:00 PM)casear2727 Wrote: That is part of the reason we extend him this offseason, no other team can make an offer.

If we pretty sure Burrow is going to take a team friendly offer, why would we need to worry about outside competition for him?  If he doesn't want to take us to the cleaners, do other teams really need to start a bidding war?  What will they offer him that we can't other than money?

I imagine they will go where the money is if there’s more that a little difference. And that’s fine. Most of us would.

It’s refreshing to see so many Bengals talk about how they want to stay


I remember Bengals players either having negative thoughts or just staying quiet when they were asked

(02-09-2023, 09:29 PM)Housh Wrote: It’s refreshing to see so many Bengals talk about how they want to stay


I remember Bengals players either having negative thoughts or just staying quiet when they were asked

I don't.

I remember a ton of guys living here even after the season, some living here even after retirement, and generally everyone giving at least the tactful "I like it in Cincinnati/I want to play here/we're behind our coach/so-and-so is our quarterback" that you expect everyone to give when they're getting their paycheck here and they don't want to be perceived as malcontents. Can't think of a ton of times someone in the NFL just openly shit-talks the city and team they're currently on to the media, regardless of which city and team we're talking about.

That's why we still talk about Carl Pickens if that topic comes up, despite it being over 30 years ago. That's why Carlos Dunlap was such a big topic of conversation in the media, and even he wasn't publicly upset until they treated him like trash and put him on 3rd string below Kahlid Kareem and Amani Bledsoe on the depth chart.

Hope so but someone/s will offer ridiculous money that will be unturnadownable.

(02-09-2023, 10:11 PM)wanga Wrote: Hope so but someone/s will offer ridiculous money that will be unturnadownable.

Teams can't offer anything to players under contract (Tee is for 2023) or if they are franchised.

That is why many feel it is best to extend Tee in 2023 so he never tastes the FA market.

One thing I have yet to hear is keeping Boyd, I hear a lot about JB, Chase and Higgins.

I think it is Boyd who will be traded/cut in 2023 off season.

(02-10-2023, 12:24 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Teams can't offer anything to players under contract (Tee is for 2023) or if they are franchised.

That is why many feel it is best to extend Tee in 2023 so he never tastes the FA market.

One thing I have yet to hear is keeping Boyd, I hear a lot about JB, Chase and Higgins.

I think it is Boyd who will be traded/cut in 2023 off season.

2023 is Boyd's last contract year.

(02-10-2023, 12:28 AM)casear2727 Wrote: 2023 is Boyd's last contract year.

Does Mikey still love him some comp picks?