We invested a 1st Round Pick in Zeitler. He developed into a Top 10 Guard. He's going to want paid. We have cap space. Now it's time to retain him!

We are projected to have around $45 million in cap space so the money is there. He's already making $7.5 million. What's an extra million or two?

We should be able to retain BOTH Zeitler and Whitworth with $45 million in cap space.

In before Hobs..

45 million cap

20M roll over for Eifert/Boyd/Core future extensions
5m for injury (even though we saved this much last offseason just to bring in a kicker this year. he must have been expensive)
10m for rookies we may have 11 picks (and you can add another 5m if we trade McCarron for a high pick).
5M for our "core character players" and lower level signings Peko, Hunt, Winston
Now that leaves 5M for EITHER Whit, Dre, or Z.

We won't be able to afford all three. Probably not 2. And once again we won't use free agency to put us over the hump. We'll be sold on the draft doing that, even though the rookies won't get much playing time until 2019.

Rinse, wash, repeat.

The Bengals have a great track record of retaining interior Oline talent, so I'm optimistic

If we do not sign him or Whit then there will be way too many holes to fill in one year.

Get it done !

Agree wholeheartedly.....

Yep, I will be very disappointed if they let Kevin or Whit either one walk away....

(01-18-2017, 02:34 PM)Go Cards Wrote: If we do not sign him or Whit then there will be way too many holes to fill in one year.

Get it done !

That's my concern...plus they need a Center upgrade. You can fix maybe one of those via the draft, but you need free agency to fix the other 2.

(01-18-2017, 02:45 PM)Sled21 Wrote: Yep, I will be very disappointed if they let Kevin or Whit either one walk away....

Sounds like it's a one or the other deal which I can understand. Personally I think whit is far more important for the next year or 2 so I'm hoping if it's either or, that we keep whit. I don't think we keep both unless whit will play for $5-6 mil a year

(01-18-2017, 02:52 PM)leonardfan40 Wrote: Sounds like it's a one or the other deal which I can understand. Personally I think whit is far more important for the next year or 2 so I'm hoping if it's either or, that we keep whit. I don't think we keep both unless whit will play for $5-6 mil a year

It's a tough scenario because Whit is the oldest Tackle in the NFL. There's a reason for that...play generally falls off a cliff with age at that position.

What I think the Bengals will do is try to keep Whit and let Zeitler walk. Whit would play Guard. They'll then pick up a Tackle in free agency.

SHOULD be a no brainer. He's earned it, he's available game day, is in his prime and Bengals have the money. PERIOD.........unfortunately it's Mike Brown's call and not Pauls

(01-18-2017, 02:58 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: It's a tough scenario because Whit is the oldest Tackle in the NFL. There's a reason for that...play generally falls off a cliff with age at that position.

What I think the Bengals will do is try to keep Whit and let Zeitler walk. Whit would play Guard. They'll then pick up a Tackle in free agency.

If we're gonna pay Whit tackle money (which is all he would accept, I think he even explicitly said that) to play guard, we might as well resign Zeitler instead.

(01-18-2017, 02:18 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: We invested a 1st Round Pick in Zeitler. He developed into a Top 10 Guard. He's going to want paid. We have cap space. Now it's time to retain him!

We are projected to have around $45 million in cap space so the money is there. He's already making $7.5 million. What's an extra million or two?

We should be able to retain BOTH Zeitler and Whitworth with $45 million in cap space.

What sucks is PA put us in this conundrum with picking Og in the first and picking Bodine.

We need to keep Whitworth and even though i want Dre back we probably will not keep all three.

Dre worries me cause he might of finally just played up to his talent but he might fall back off if he
gets rewarded. He has that kind of mentality to me a bit like Adam Jones who has mentored him.

Whit and Zeit coming back would be the best for us, then sign a vet OT in FA and draft a Center in
the 2nd or 3rd round. Use Bodine as a backup G/C and coach Westerman as the other backup.

Fisher and Og can learn behind the vets another year, Fisher might push for a starting spot.

The thing that worries me about upgrading at Center is that the free agent crop is weak...therefore teams that need a Center may try to draft one.

(01-18-2017, 03:12 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: The thing that worries me about upgrading at Center is that the free agent crop is weak...therefore teams that need a Center may try to draft one.

Hopefully we trade McCarron and draft one in the early 2nd round.

Not holding my breath but this would help our team more than any other pick in this draft i am sure.

Centers usually don't go in the first round, but like you said with this weak FA class, could happen.

Still liking John Toth out of Kentucky for us.

Not how the system works here. You let expensive FA,at positions you don't value, walk and you draft their replacements. What do you think Westerman is? He's not Bodine's replacement.

Pay Zeit. And sign Whit to another 1-yr deal.

Then draft a C in round 3.

That'll buy us another year to hopefully coach up Ogbuehi and Fisher.

Signing Zeit and Whit is a must.

This system has worked out do great since 1990 why change it. Fml

(01-18-2017, 03:44 PM)ZWP Wrote: Pay Zeit. And sign Whit to another 1-yr deal.

Then draft a C in round 3.

That'll buy us another year to hopefully coach up Ogbuehi and Fisher.

Signing Zeit and Whit is a must.

Agreed. IF they are sure that a Center would start and be an upgrade to Bodine...I'd be ok taking one in the 2nd Round.

We need to draft guys who can start and be upgrades.

Pay the man. Even the Stealers paid Demarco

(01-18-2017, 02:23 PM)jj22 Wrote: In before Hobs..

45 million cap

20M roll over for Eifert/Boyd/Core future extensions
5m for injury (even though we saved this much last offseason just to bring in a kicker this year. he must have been expensive)
10m for rookies we may have 11 picks (and you can add another 5m if we trade McCarron for a high pick).
5M for our "core character players" and lower level signings Peko, Hunt, Winston
Now that leaves 5M for EITHER Whit, Dre, or Z.

We won't be able to afford all three. Probably not 2. And once again we won't use free agency to put us over the hump. We'll be sold on the draft doing that, even though the rookies won't get much playing time until 2019.

Rinse, wash, repeat.

You know, for as much praise as the Bengals have been getting the past half-decade or so for such great drafting, there have been a lot of duds.
2011 - Moch, Sands, Whalen all busts (not counting the last two because they never even had a real shot)
2012 - Still, Thompson, Charles, Prater all busts. Jones and Sanu left in FA after their rookie deals. Herron was cut and was somewhat serviceable with Colts, but not good. DK and Zeitler could leave in FA.
2013 - Porter couldn't stay healthy and was cut. Hunt, Hawkinson, Fragel all busts. Burkhead will likely leave in FA, was underutilized during his rookie contract. Johnson hasn't really been given much opportunity, but he's been average at best from what we've seen. Hamilton was cut and is now making good plays for the Steelers for this playoff stretch.
2014 - Dennard's been hurt a lot of the time, Hill isn't what we thought he was (cue Denny Green), Bodine has been below average overall, Flowers and Wright are replaceable ST players.
2015 - Ogbuehi was putrid so far, jury still out on Fisher due to limited usage, Kroft been hurt much of 2016 and little used in 2015, Dawson bust so far, Hardison constantly hurt, Smith hurt, Alford cut.
2016 - WJ3 and Billings out all year, Vigil and Fejedelem rarely used, Westerman inactive practically all year.