(04-15-2024, 10:21 AM)KillerGoose Wrote: Yeah, that's the issue. Jefferson doesn't really have any control. He won't hit FA because the Vikings won't allow it. They have no reason to. It'll take a trade to get him which will probably cost in the realm of two first round picks (at least) and then handling his $35MM APY contract that he is going to get. 

Just two first round picks. That’s what it takes to sign a franchise tagged player. Obviously they can’t do that until next year. And more obviously, that isn’t going to happen.

(04-15-2024, 08:17 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I want a trade!

No wait, I love Cincinnati...  

People are so quick to turn on a player for saying he wants a trade when being tagged. It's a ploy. It's also normal. He's not disgruntled. He doesn't want a trade, he wants a deal. That statement was nothing more than an attempt to get the club to restart negotiations. 

(04-15-2024, 10:07 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: Tagging a player concerns me because it leads to the inevitable variable that's hard to account for: human feelings. I worry a player might be too disgruntled all year to perform at their best, quickly be willing to not play with an injury, or receive advice to not go all in from their agent.

Tee's comments give me hope that my concerns are invalid. I hope Tee goes out, kicks ass, and earns a sizeable and long term contract.

Tagging a player with the Franchise tag, while not what they want financially from a long-term security viewpoint, is a compliment telling the player they are a franchise player worth the tag price. 

(04-15-2024, 10:45 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Tagging a player with the Franchise tag, while not what they want financially from a long-term security viewpoint, is a compliment telling the player they are a franchise player worth the tag price. 

That's one way of looking at it, but I'm guessing they do not all view it as a compliment.

Saquon Barkley remarks: https://nypost.com/2023/01/22/saquon-barkley-would-be-upset-if-giants-gave-him-franchise-tag/

Bell didn't sign the tag: https://www.nfl.com/news/le-veon-bell-does-not-sign-tag-will-miss-2018-season-0ap3000000987961

Ekeler doesn't like it: https://www.nfl.com/news/austin-ekeler-attack-franchise-tag-detrimental-to-us-as-players

An opinion piece on the tag: https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2017/2/15/14584704/nfl-players-hate-franchise-tag-salary-holdout-eric-berry-kirk-cousins

Either way, for the '24 season the opinion that matters is Tee's take on the tag. His comments make me optimistic the Bengals will be okay if he plays under the tag.

(04-15-2024, 12:39 PM)TecmoBengals Wrote: That's one way of looking at it, but I'm guessing they do not all view it as a compliment.

Saquon Barkley remarks: https://nypost.com/2023/01/22/saquon-barkley-would-be-upset-if-giants-gave-him-franchise-tag/

Bell didn't sign the tag: https://www.nfl.com/news/le-veon-bell-does-not-sign-tag-will-miss-2018-season-0ap3000000987961

Ekeler doesn't like it: https://www.nfl.com/news/austin-ekeler-attack-franchise-tag-detrimental-to-us-as-players

An opinion piece on the tag: https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2017/2/15/14584704/nfl-players-hate-franchise-tag-salary-holdout-eric-berry-kirk-cousins

Either way, for the '24 season the opinion that matters is Tee's take on the tag. His comments make me optimistic the Bengals will be okay if he plays under the tag.

Yeah, I think Tee is better about it than those guys and I will just take it as a good thing and be optimistic about his play this year 
until a trade actually does happen on Draft day. If not, I will not be swayed in any way. I do think we need to think about the future
at WR with Boyd gone this year, Tee most likely gone next year and the fact that this is a very good Draft class for WR's.

Any interview you watch Tee, he seems like a really nice guy. The kind of person you would like to have on your team. The problem is just because you are a quality player you cant go out there having your agent demand crazy contracts. DeVonta Smith is the same age as Higgins, has been more productive than Higgins and just signed a 25 million dollar per year extension. Higgins and his agent should expect to be paid less than Smith. Something tells me they are demanding as much if not more than what Smith was just paid and Higgins isnt on that level.

(04-15-2024, 12:39 PM)TecmoBengals Wrote: That's one way of looking at it, but I'm guessing they do not all view it as a compliment.

Saquon Barkley remarks: https://nypost.com/2023/01/22/saquon-barkley-would-be-upset-if-giants-gave-him-franchise-tag/

Bell didn't sign the tag: https://www.nfl.com/news/le-veon-bell-does-not-sign-tag-will-miss-2018-season-0ap3000000987961

Ekeler doesn't like it: https://www.nfl.com/news/austin-ekeler-attack-franchise-tag-detrimental-to-us-as-players

An opinion piece on the tag: https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2017/2/15/14584704/nfl-players-hate-franchise-tag-salary-holdout-eric-berry-kirk-cousins

Either way, for the '24 season the opinion that matters is Tee's take on the tag. His comments make me optimistic the Bengals will be okay if he plays under the tag.

What is interesting is all of these guys are HB's and they are kind of their own thing. Their life span is so short, a tag literally could mean the difference between long term security and not because when they hit the wall it's just over.

(04-15-2024, 01:55 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: Any interview you watch Tee, he seems like a really nice guy.  The kind of person you would like to have on your team.  The problem is just because you are a quality player you cant go out there having your agent demand crazy contracts.   DeVonta Smith is the same age as Higgins, has been more productive than Higgins and just signed a 25 million dollar per year extension.  Higgins and his agent should expect to be paid less than Smith.  Something tells me they are demanding as much if not more than what Smith was just paid and Higgins isnt on that level.

I see it differently.

Both are the same age, both are the #2 wide receiver on their Teams and their Stats are fairly close versus far apart.

Smith 916,  1,196 & 1,066 yard seasons.    6 foot 170 pounds   4.54 forty

Higgins 908, 1,091, 1,029 & 656 yard seasons (TEE & his QB injured for the 656)   6 foot 4  219 pounds    4.59 forty 

TEE & his Agent will likely hold up the Devanta Smith deal as a good COMP for what TEE should be paid & I think they would have a fair Point.

Higgins may have a more desirable Body Type to many Teams looking for a possible #1 receiver.

$24 million per year may be a floor with TEE & his Agent not liking that floor after seeing what Devonta just got. (making $25 million per their floor)

(04-15-2024, 01:55 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: Any interview you watch Tee, he seems like a really nice guy.  The kind of person you would like to have on your team.  The problem is just because you are a quality player you cant go out there having your agent demand crazy contracts.   DeVonta Smith is the same age as Higgins, has been more productive than Higgins and just signed a 25 million dollar per year extension.  Higgins and his agent should expect to be paid less than Smith.  Something tells me they are demanding as much if not more than what Smith was just paid and Higgins isnt on that level.

Are you high? 25 million per year with 51 guaranteed is absolutely fair for Tee!
Also Smith hasn't  outperformed Tee by that much if any. In fact they are pretty even for the first three years of play!

(04-15-2024, 02:29 PM)J24 Wrote: Are you high? 25 million per year with 51 guaranteed is absolutely fair for Tee!
Also Smith hasn't  outperformed Tee by that much if any. In fact they are pretty even for the first three years of play!

IF you are paying Tee as a #1 sure but not as a #2

(04-15-2024, 01:58 PM)Au165 Wrote: What is interesting is all of these guys are HB's and they are kind of their own thing. Their life span is so short, a tag literally could mean the difference between long term security and not because when they hit the wall it's just over.

Good point, RB's sure don't last long in the NFL. The Tag is more offensive to them because of this fact.

(04-15-2024, 02:29 PM)J24 Wrote: Are you high? 25 million per year with 51 guaranteed is absolutely fair for Tee!
Also Smith hasn't  outperformed Tee by that much if any. In fact they are pretty even for the first three years of play!

Production is similar, but Smith has played more snaps in 3 years than Tee has in 4. That makes a difference when it comes to the guaranteed money.

(04-15-2024, 02:31 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: IF you are paying Tee as a #1 sure but not as a #2

He's a #1 WR!

(04-15-2024, 02:40 PM)J24 Wrote: He's a #1 WR!

Nah, Tee is a top #2 until he proves otherwise and is coming off a contract year where he was injured a lot and didn't play like he should.

(04-15-2024, 02:40 PM)J24 Wrote: He's a #1 WR!

TEE & his Agent likely believe that if TEE was on the Open Market there would be Teams that would give him a Shot as a #1.

Add to that what a #2 Devonta Smith just got paid and it seems obvious that TEE & his Agent would see $25 million per as a floor.

I doubt that TEE & his Agent are sitting around talking about how much better Devonta Smith is than TEE and how they should

use Devonta's Contract to negotiate down off of it.

They would probably talk about how TEE is as good as Devonta or better (whether he is or not) and not settle for less than a #2 WR

just got when they think TEE could be a #1.

(04-15-2024, 02:39 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Production is similar, but Smith has played more snaps in 3 years than Tee has in 4. That makes a difference when it comes to the guaranteed money.

Seems nitpicky!

(04-15-2024, 02:47 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Nah, Tee is a top #2 until he proves otherwise and is coming off a contract year where he was injured a lot and didn't play like he should.

Tee proved his value his first three seasons.

He struggled because his Qb was hurt for most of the season Nate! 

As far as his injuries are concerned. 

1.) He has never made the IR list and 2.) None of them are considered career threatening or shorting.

(04-14-2024, 06:33 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Tee asked for a trade and the team said go pursue it. I have not seen Joe Burrow or Zak say they did not want Tee in 2024. Maybe, no trade because the Bengals feel we have a Super Bowl roster with Tee and a good draft (10 picks)

It comes down to what value the team puts on him, what his side is asking for, and what the organization can realistically do.

The Eagles just signed DeVonta Smith to a 3-year, $75 mill deal with $51 mill guaranteed.


You might be wondering how the heck can PHI pay for an expensive QB, 2 WRs, 2 OTs, a TE, and a CB1.
The devil comes down to cap hits.
Hurts is only counting $13.5 mill toward the cap this season.
AJ Brown only $12 mill.
Goedert $9 mill.

If you look at Hurts and Goedert, they have 4 void years tacked on to spread out that hit beyond the length of the contract.
For AJ Brown, he has 2 void years and a crazy high final year of $41 mill with just $8.7 mill dead cap.
For all intents and purposes, AJ Brown is a candidate for release in 2026 to free up $30+ mill in cap.

How many Bengals have voided years and end-loaded cap hits to free up the cap for their Super Bowl window?
Hint - Not much other than Burrow, who has 3 voided years on his contract (2030-2032).

We're always waiting for the other shoe to drop on teams like the Rams, Eagles, Cowboys, etc. in regard to the cap catching up to them.
But it never does because they keep kicking the cans down the road. Most contending teams do that.
However, that's traditionally not how the Bengals have operated.
They hardly restructure, they don't back-load contracts, they don't often do voided years.

(04-15-2024, 04:02 PM)J24 Wrote: Seems nitpicky!

It’s just straight up factual. Tee has only played 65% of the offensive snaps in his career.

(04-15-2024, 08:17 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I want a trade!

No wait, I love Cincinnati...  

Well, both can be true.

I'm sure he loves Cincy he's also gotta look out for him and his. 

(04-15-2024, 04:31 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Nitpicky? It’s just straight up factual. Tee has only played 65% of the offensive snaps in his career.

Smith - 90%

Yes it's nitpicky; Tee has never been on IR and none of his injuries are considered career threatening. So there is no reason to think he can't produce at a high level for the next 5 seasons. 

Tee is worth the contract that Donta just signed. No team in the NFL would dispute that.