Here's the thing.

I don't care if the Browns or Rams made a bad move. They probably did. And they won't be good. However, this isn't about other teams. It significantly weakens the Bengals and the goal should be to win games. Period.

(03-09-2017, 05:13 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: 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.

It's a 3 year contract...but I doubt he plays there 3 years. The Rams will waive him.

I'm going to get flamed for this, but I can't fault the front office for these moves. Zeitler is going to be the highest paid lineman, not just guard, in league history. Cleveland is going to have 30 million a year tied up on three offensive lineman with no playmakers in site. Whitworth is getting $12 million a year at 36. I just think those deals were too hard to match logically. Now if the Bengals don't do anything to make up for these losses, well that's a different thread all together.

(03-09-2017, 05:19 PM)ItsOdellThurman Wrote: Here's the thing.

I don't care if the Browns or Rams made a bad move.  They probably did.  And they won't be good.  However, this isn't about other teams.  It significantly weakens the Bengals and the goal should be to win games.  Period.

(03-09-2017, 05:19 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: It's a 3 year contract...but I doubt he plays there 3 years. The Rams will waive him.

Almost all of the guaranteed money is in the first year. It's essentially a 1 year deal.

(03-09-2017, 05:13 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: 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.

Agreed.

To me it says the Bengals will have enough money to try and keep quality guys that will be coming up on contracts over the next 2-4 years. If you're a contender team and you have to get in cap trouble for a season or two, I get that. But if you're looking at trying to complete a WR corps, defensive backfield and rebuild two lines, tying a big chunk of your cash up in a couple guys makes it hard to round out those spots.

Today is a pretty crappy day for Bengals fans. Almost as bad as last year when we lost two receivers. But we didn't miss much of a beat there (and yeah, our passing touchdowns were off last year, but that wasn't really about Sanu and Jones).

(03-09-2017, 04:58 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Most people do.

Not really.  Some (if not most) will take a little less to play for a winner.  I don't know too many guys that are 35 years old that would go play for one of the worst franchises in football just for a couple extra million.

(03-09-2017, 05:25 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: Not really.  Some (if not most) will take a little less to play for a winner.  I don't know too many guys that are 35 years old that would go play for one of the worst franchises in football just for a couple extra million.

This.

(03-09-2017, 05:21 PM)car91 Wrote: I'm going to get flamed for this, but I can't fault the front office for these moves. Zeitler is going to be the highest paid lineman, not just guard, in league history. Cleveland is going to have 30 million a year tied up on three offensive lineman with no playmakers in site. Whitworth is getting $12 million a year at 36. I just think those deals were too hard to match logically. Now if the Bengals don't do anything to make up for these losses, well that's a different thread all together.

I don't agree.  For starters, look at how much cap space we have this year ($40 million) and next year ($60 million) and tell me that you don't have the room to pay a guy $12 million to keep one of your best young players.

You have to spend that money somewhere, and we know the Bengals won't do it on outside free agents, so we should spend it on our own.

(03-09-2017, 05:25 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: Not really.  Some (if not most) will take a little less to play for a winner.  I don't know too many guys that are 35 years old that would go play for one of the worst franchises in football just for a couple extra million.

I meant in the world in general, not just NFL or even professional sports.

Most people would just at a 20% pay increase, even if it meant going elsewhere.

(03-09-2017, 05:24 PM)Benton Wrote: Agreed.

To me it says the Bengals will have enough money to try and keep quality guys that will be coming up on contracts over the next 2-4 years. If you're a contender team and you have to get in cap trouble for a season or two, I get that. But if you're looking at trying to complete a WR corps, defensive backfield and rebuild two lines, tying a big chunk of your cash up in a couple guys makes it hard to round out those spots.

Today is a pretty crappy day for Bengals fans. Almost as bad as last year when we lost two receivers. But we didn't miss much of a beat there (and yeah, our passing touchdowns were off last year, but that wasn't really about Sanu and Jones).

Really the timing for the Bengals the last two years is really bad.  We just happen to have some of best players at positions that are weak in those free agency years.  Last year wide receiver free agency was terrible and we had two guys who took advantage.  This year it was offensive line.   We basically would have had to pay 13 million a year with over 50% guaranteed to keep Zeitler and almost 14 million this year to keep Whitworth.   

(03-09-2017, 05:27 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I meant in the world in general, not just NFL or even professional sports.

Most people would just at a 20% pay increase, even if it meant going elsewhere.

Yeah, but with Whitworth, he's got he extra 10% income tax out in LA.  That realistically lowers the amount of money he's betting by at least a million per year.

(03-09-2017, 05:27 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: I don't agree.  For starters, look at how much cap space we have this year ($40 million) and next year ($60 million) and tell me that you don't have the room to pay a guy $12 million to keep one of your best young players.

You have to spend that money somewhere, and we know the Bengals won't do it on outside free agents, so we should spend it on our own.

I get what you are saying, I just knew the Bengals weren't going to give him that kind of money. And I dont think it was a horrible move. Its like drinking vinegar for me to say that. I think the Browns overpaid, as struggling franchises do.

(03-09-2017, 05:25 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: Not really.  Some (if not most) will take a little less to play for a winner.  I don't know too many guys that are 35 years old that would go play for one of the worst franchises in football just for a couple extra million.

They gave him an opportunity to play for 3 more years while im sure the Bengals wouldn't go past two years.  They paid him more money and a lot of money up front with almost 14 million this year.  These guys have a small Window to make as much money they can for their families before they retire and he's played on a losing team for years without being paid top LT money.  The majority of his career he has played for about 6 million a year and now he's getting twice that.  I'm sorry but you're simply being selfish

(03-09-2017, 05:25 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: Not really.  Some (if not most) will take a little less to play for a winner.  I don't know too many guys that are 35 years old that would go play for one of the worst franchises in football just for a couple extra million.

That's just it: We haven't won a playoff game in 26+ years. People don't come here to play for a winner.

We are the worst NFL franchise if you want playoff success over the last 26 years.

(03-09-2017, 05:30 PM)Okeana Wrote: Really the timing for the Bengals the last two years is really bad.  We just happen to have some of best players at positions that are weak in those free agency years.  Last year wide receiver free agency was terrible and we had two guys who took advantage.  This year it was offensive line.   We basically would have had to pay 13 million a year with over 50% guaranteed to keep Zeitler and almost 14 million this year to keep Whitworth.   

Close to $30 million for 1 year on a line that realistically only had a 1-2 year shelf life anyway. Three years at best. And that line was the same one people were complaining about all season.

It says that the Bengals are smart. paying a 35 year old LT $35million and a Right guard $60million is DUMB. That's what loser organizations do and that's exactly what loser organizations did.

Good teams draft for this kind of thing. The Bengals are a good team. The Bengals drafted for this sort of thing.

We should be jumping for joy that they sat on their wallets and let a division opponent spend $60million on a freaking guard to protect absolutely NOTHING at QB, NOTHING at RB, and NOTHING at WR.

OG, Fisher, and Westerman are up. Lets roll.

(03-09-2017, 05:37 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: That's just it: We haven't won a playoff game in 26+ years. People don't come here to play for a winner.

We are the worst NFL franchise if you want playoff success over the last 26 years.

No currently player looks at the last 26 years of anything and makes a decision based on that. Why the hell would any 25 year old care about what happened in 1994? Just cry baby, Chicken Little fans.

The Bengals recent stability and forthright way of paying contracts through go further with FAs than any playoff record from decades ago.

Jesus, man, the Browns and Rams are laughing stocks equal or worse than the 90's Bengals and that's where two of the prized FAs from the Bengals went. The Browns coach was crying in press conferences last season. Literally crying.

You don't have to like what's happening, but don't be a moron over it, either. Use your head and be logical.

(03-09-2017, 05:36 PM)Okeana Wrote: They gave him an opportunity to play for 3 more years while im sure the Bengals wouldn't go past two years.  They paid him more money and a lot of money up front with almost 14 million this year.  These guys have a small Window to make as much money they can for their families before they retire and he's played on a losing team for years without being paid top LT money.  The majority of his career he has played for about 6 million a year and now he's getting twice that.  I'm sorry but you're simply being selfish

No, I really wasn't in the camp of paying a lot to bring him back since he was 35.  I'm just shocked that he didn't got to a winner.  

Which team is that?  I thought he was a Bengal his whole career.

(03-09-2017, 05:45 PM)PDub80 Wrote: It says that the Bengals are smart. paying a 35 year old LT $35million and a Right guard $60million is DUMB. That's what loser organizations do and that's exactly what loser organizations did.

Good teams draft for this kind of thing. The Bengals are a good team. The Bengals drafted for this sort of thing.

We should be jumping for joy that they sat on their wallets and let a division opponent spend $60million on a freaking guard to protect absolutely NOTHING at QB, NOTHING at RB, and NOTHING at WR.

OG, Fisher, and Westerman are up. Lets roll.

The Bengals did not draft for this kind of thing.  They have nothing but a bunch of 5-7 round picks and UDFA to replace him.  Don't make it sound like we have a good plan for losing Zeitler, because we don't.

As for Whit, that's a tough contract to match.  We also don't really have a good plan for him since our LT of the future was easily one of the worst tackles in football.

(03-09-2017, 04:52 PM)zygrot24 Wrote: 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.

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