What does having our free agents choose Cleveland and the rams over us, say about the Bengals as a franchise ?

This is down right sad. Can't wait to see where Dre K ends up.

What a joke.

It says bringing Marvin back sent bad message. Players have lost faith in winning here. Might as well lose and get paid.

Cleveland has $100 million in cap space.

The Bengals set their number that they'll pay guys...and won't exceed it. It sucks.

It says we refuse to think outside of our "value calculation" box on how a player might actually impact the team. Basically, the performance on the field isn't dictating the finances, but the finances are strictly being made "by the book."

Unfortunately, in today's NFL where the bad teams are generally ones with cap room and bad at drafting, almost all of your exposed talent will get plucked.

This isn't new, the Bengals have operated like this for years. However, it's evident because we've whiffed on draft picks to replace these guys.

It says that players these days value money over anything else.

Signing with 1-15 Cleveland? What does that tell you about Zeitler? Had to make him the highest paid OG ever.

Siging with the Rams? Money.

Neither one of those guys went looking for a ring. Says more about the player than the franchise.

(03-09-2017, 04:54 PM)jj22 Wrote: It says bringing Marvin back sent bad message. Players have lost faith in winning here. Might as well lose and get paid.

Not at all.

Like a prior poster said.

The Bengals set their number and don't budge.  It says nothing about Marvin.  We're losing guys who would've stayed if we would've paid them more than they were getting offered from other teams.

What is to be said? That even though most people worked out the math that the Bengals really should have about $30-35 million to work with this offseason after removing adequate funds for the draft and injury insurance without cutting any dead weight, they say they could only spend $15 million.

If the $30-35 million, as we predicted, would actually have been spent, the Bengals could have afforded Whitworth, Zeitler, and LaFell.

But if we go by Hobson's $15 million number, LaFell took up a third of that, leaving only $10 million. That was not enough to retain Whitworth or Zeitler, both getting $12 million a year average over multiple years.

They weren't getting much with 15M. Well 10M now that Lafell was signed.

We probably only have enough left to sign Peko.

(03-09-2017, 04:54 PM)jj22 Wrote: It says bringing Marvin back sent bad message. Players have lost faith in winning here. Might as well lose and get paid.

I think this sums it up right here.  Anyone thinking that the Bengals will be better next year needs to have their head examined.

Now, I will add this. It does tell me that the Bengals are starting to fall behind the times. If you are truly going to live by the "we sign our own" mantra, you have to realize that this isn't 2002 anymore and that any player that is good is going to cost you a lot more than the "league average"

(03-09-2017, 04:56 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: It says that players these days value money over anything else.

Signing with 1-15 Cleveland?  What does that tell you about Zeitler?  Had to make him the highest paid OG ever.

Siging with the Rams?  Money.

Neither one of those guys went looking for a ring.  Says more about the player than the franchise.

Most people do.

Cheap and unprepared.

(03-09-2017, 04:58 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: Now, I will add this.  It does tell me that the Bengals are starting to fall behind the times.  If you are truly going to live by the "we sign our own" mantra, you have to realize that this isn't 2002 anymore and that any player that is good is going to cost you a lot more than the "league average"

He is the highest paid guard in the league and the number between him the the 5th highest paid is about 4 Million dollars. I don't fault them for not signing him because the market blew up last year.

(03-09-2017, 04:59 PM)milksheikh Wrote: Cheap and unprepared.

They could have kept one by using the tags on these players but I don't see the team even doing that they just failed to do anything we knew at least I did that we would never win a bidding war with anyone

incredibly stupid and poor decision to retain Marv after playoff meltdown against Pittsburgh in our own stadium setting unprecedented record of futility of 7 consecutive playoff losses with no accountability. Did that send a strong signal to top players that we are serious about winning and hold people accountable.

the idea that "guards" are not worth top dollar is outdated. If you have one of the best guard in the league you decide not to pay him top dollar because you want to pay a slightly above average CB or keep an average WR in  LaFell at $5 million a year?

Those silly old Steelers paid their guard. But they screwed up because they wont have roll over money or a fourth round comp pick.

Why in the world do you waste a first round pick on a position you know you are not going to extend if they guy turns out to be a great player.

Why did they not franchise Whit or Z. Because that isn't in the 25 year old playbook for running the franchise.

Do you really think Whit and Z would walk away from anything close to comparable offers if they thought we had a real shot at the Super Bowl.

Since they know that we don't because Marv is still here, why not take the best deal.

Bringing in some mediocre mercenaries like Fluker and keeping Marv is not going to make this team competitive in 2017.

I have no idea how this team keeps any season ticket holders.

12 million a year to the oldest tackle in the league is nuts to go along with its 3 year length.

Zeitler is not the best guard in the league. But he is now paid as the best guard in the league.

Bad teams (Rams and Browns) make bad free agency moves.

(03-09-2017, 04:57 PM)ochocincos Wrote: What is to be said? That even though most people worked out the math that the Bengals really should have about $30-35 million to work with this offseason after removing adequate funds for the draft and injury insurance without cutting any dead weight, they say they could only spend $15 million.

If the $30-35 million, as we predicted, would actually have been spent, the Bengals could have afforded Whitworth, Zeitler, and LaFell.

But if we go by Hobson's $15 million number, LaFell took up a third of that, leaving only $10 million. That was not enough to retain Whitworth or Zeitler, both getting $12 million a year average over multiple years.

So the Broncos have the same cap space as us.

They signed Ronald Leary. Are in the running for Calais Campbell. And supposedly will pick up Romo if released.

(03-09-2017, 05:13 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: So the Broncos have the same cap space as us.

They signed Ronald Leary. Are in the running for Calais Campbell. And supposedly will pick up Romo if released.

Yes. They probably didn't say they only have $15 million to spend. They try to win now. They realize they have a window and don't want it to close. The Bengals think the window is always open and it's 3 years down the road.

The Rams and Browns both grossly over paid. We are going to have a bad year no doubt but at least we aren't paying stupid money.

(03-09-2017, 05:13 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: So the Broncos have the same cap space as us.

They signed Ronald Leary. Are in the running for Calais Campbell. And supposedly will pick up Romo if released.

I thought Campbell went to the Jags.