(03-18-2017, 04:49 PM)Burma Wrote: I'm taking the re-signing of Tez on a "see it to believe it" basis.  The Bengals don't value 4-3 LB enough to draft them in the 1st, yet they expect us to believe they are going to re-sign Tez to a contract that reflects his level of play?  He' one of the top 5 LB in the NFL.  Right now he is 47th in average salaty at @ $4.7 mill per year. To pay him like a top 5 LB the Bengals are going to be looking at something like 5 year/$80 mill.  $16 mill per year. Dalton makes $16 mill per, and AJ is only at $15.  I find it incredibly hard to believe they are going to pay Tez what his play says he is worth.  But at least it makes for good quotes when they say re-signing him is a top priority and it's why they need to roll over so much cap cash.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/rankings/average/linebacker/

Tez is not a Hightower or a Luke K LB talent. He also has major issues the high paid do not have. But, I do agree he will command more money than 5 million a year

(03-18-2017, 04:49 PM)Burma Wrote: I'm taking the re-signing of Tez on a "see it to believe it" basis.  The Bengals don't value 4-3 LB enough to draft them in the 1st, yet they expect us to believe they are going to re-sign Tez to a contract that reflects his level of play?  He's one of the top 5 LBs in the NFL.  Right now he is 47th in average salaty at @ $4.7 mill per year. To pay him like a top 5 LB the Bengals are going to be looking at something like 5 year/$80 mill.  $16 mill per year. Dalton makes $16 mill per, and AJ is only at $15.  I find it incredibly hard to believe they are going to pay Tez what his play says he is worth.  But at least it makes for good quotes when they say re-signing him is a top priority and it's why they need to roll over so much cap cash.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/rankings/average/linebacker/

No smart team in the league would pay tez that much. He finally threw together a kinda healthy season but dude is a walking suspension and a concussion waiting to happen.

Tez is a great football player but one of my least favorite Bengals of all time.


Hes the rare exception of a monster player that I wouldn't care if we let walk.

(03-18-2017, 05:30 PM)Housh Wrote: No smart team in the league would pay tez that much. He finally threw together a kinda healthy season but dude is a walking suspension and a concussion waiting to happen.

Tez is a great football player but one of my least favorite Bengals of all time.


Hes the rare exception of a monster player that I wouldn't care if we let walk.

I agree with all that. 

Looking at that list, where would his agent draw the line for pay? I would imagine he's got to be looking at that spot between Kuechly at 7 and Perry at 8.  That would put him @ $12 mill. Even then I am still doubting the Bengals pay that.

(03-18-2017, 03:55 PM)BengalChris Wrote: Ah, yes that was who picked him.

Dave Lapham didn't "pick" anyone.  He merely predicted who the Bengals would select, and happened to be correct.  It's pretty simple, really.  Just follow the clues that the team slowly lets out, via Hobson, and start connecting dots with who is available at that position, when they are scheduled to pick.

(03-18-2017, 05:45 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Dave Lapham didn't "pick" anyone.  He merely predicted who the Bengals would select, and happened to be correct.  It's pretty simple, really.  Just follow the clues that the team slowly lets out, via Hobson, and start connecting dots with who is available at that position, when they are scheduled to pick.

Actually, Lap did say Eifert, when asked on Lance McAlister's/Mo Eggar's Bengals radio show in the days leading up to the draft that year. I was in my car, listening to the show when he said it. It was the first time I had heard of Eifert, hence my clarity of remembering this. 

(03-18-2017, 05:51 PM)wildcats forever Wrote: Actually, Lap did say Eifert, when asked on Lance McAlister's/Mo Eggar's Bengals radio show in the days leading up to the draft that year. I was in my car, listening to the show when he said it. It was the first time I had heard of Eifert, hence my clarity of remembering this. 

Yes, I know that he predicted Eifert, but he did not select him. 

(03-18-2017, 05:55 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Yes, I know that he predicted Eifert, but he did not select him. 

My apologies. I wasn't aware of anyone thinking or saying Lap actually did the selection of a Bengals draft pick.

(03-18-2017, 04:49 PM)Burma Wrote: I'm taking the re-signing of Tez on a "see it to believe it" basis.  The Bengals don't value 4-3 LB enough to draft them in the 1st, yet they expect us to believe they are going to re-sign Tez to a contract that reflects his level of play?  He's one of the top 5 LBs in the NFL.  Right now he is 47th in average salaty at @ $4.7 mill per year. To pay him like a top 5 LB the Bengals are going to be looking at something like 5 year/$80 mill.  $16 mill per year. Dalton makes $16 mill per, and AJ is only at $15.  I find it incredibly hard to believe they are going to pay Tez what his play says he is worth.  But at least it makes for good quotes when they say re-signing him is a top priority and it's why they need to roll over so much cap cash.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/rankings/average/linebacker/

Your post is kinda wrong because that's nowhere close to the actual number that it will end up being.

You just gave a straight up list of linebackers. 4-3 OLB don't get paid like 3-4 OLB. They have different jobs, and get paid differently.

Everyone in the top 5 of that list has had a 10+ sack season before.

In fact, only 3 people in the top 10 on that list haven't had a 10+ sack season before.
-Jamie Collins, who the Browns overpaid to keep around
-Lavonte David who has had a 7 sack/5 INT/2 FF season, and has missed 2 games in 5 years.
-Bruce Irvin, who less successful, is still a pass rushing LB

Burfict simply isn't going to get paid like a pass rushing LB, and he hasn't had the numbers and health of Lavonte David. So unless the Browns offer a bajillion dollars like they did to Collins, Burfict will never ever sniff $16m/yr. It will certainly be more than he's currently making, but think of it more like this...

The 5th highest paid inside linebacker is currently making $8.75m/yr. That's much closer to where Burfict will be than $16m/yr. Look for $10m/yr, depending on how healthy he is in 2017.

(03-18-2017, 03:19 PM)lostpoet2 Wrote: I would like to see more two and even three tight end sets in order to:
-help run the ball
-create coverage mismatches against linebackers
-help our tackles block as needed

No argument from me. Although Zampese is so predictable with formations, that two TEs would most likely signal a run up the gut. Oh well, he got the job.

(03-18-2017, 05:30 PM)Housh Wrote: No smart team in the league would pay tez that much. He finally threw together a kinda healthy season but dude is a walking suspension and a concussion waiting to happen.

Tez is a great football player but one of my least favorite Bengals of all time.


Hes the rare exception of a monster player that I wouldn't care if we let walk.

No! You would mind when you see the LBers Marvin trots onto the field. Tez is the only good LB out there.

(03-18-2017, 06:40 PM)Derrick Wrote: No! You would mind when you see the LBers Marvin trots onto the field. Tez is the only good LB out there.

It would suck yes

I wouldn't get too upset if they drafted Howard in 1. He's one of the better TE prospects in recent memory and is extremely well-rounded. A weapon is a weapon in the passing game regardless of whether he has TE or WR after his name on the depth chart.

The beginning of this team's issues on offense is a shit run game. IMO the second most significant factor was relying on a crazy-talented Tyler Eifert to stay healthy and be the second elite pass catcher for Dalton. If he was available consistently, then perhaps we don't lament the departure of Jones or San nearly as much. Howard could go a long way in rectifying this problem should it arise again. It could also make it relatively easy to let Eifert walk when he becomes a free agent. It's tough to feel good about committing big money to a guy that misses as many ballgames as he doesn't.

(03-18-2017, 11:45 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Remember, Eifert himself was taken in the 1st round when we already had a reliable TE in place. I tried to tell everyone back then that the Bengals had drafted Gresham's replacement, but nobody wanted to hear it. Everyone was buying into Hob's BS about becoming a 2 TE team ala the Patriots. We were a 2 TE team...for 1 year. Then as soon as Gresh's contract was up, he was out and the Bengals already had their in-house replacement.

So no, it wouldn't shock me at all if they take Howard. It had already crossed my mind actually. I'm sure fans would be unhappy that we wouldn't be filling an immediate need, but in Mike's mind, he'd rather have a cheap TE than a more expensive one with injury issues. Taking Howard wouldn't really make an impact on 2017, but I don't think Mike would care.

I don't necessarily agree that taking him wouldn't make an impact in 2017.  With the likelihood of Eifert missing more time and the fact that Kroft and Uzomah just aren't on his level as a player (or even close), I'd say he'd be very likely to make an impact.  The thing that would keep him off the field would be being demonstrably awful at pass protecting.  If he's as advertised in that department, he could very well see significant time.

(03-18-2017, 04:05 PM)Derrick Wrote: Hobspin's job is that of the Bengals' propaganda merchant. Blowing smoke, etc.

Don't get me wrong, Howard is a transcendent talent.  I would love to see him and Eifert in two TE sets (not really Zamp's forte, but I digress) but I don't see them taking him at #9 with Eifert and Uzomah already in the fold.  Some other team might covet him, though, and I could see him being worth a trade.  

Crying over milk that hasn't even been spilled yet ?
I wouldn't worry much about a "mock" draft of a writer.

(03-18-2017, 09:36 PM)SHRacerX Wrote: Don't get me wrong, Howard is a transcendent talent.  I would love to see him and Eifert in two TE sets (not really Zamp's forte, but I digress) but I don't see them taking him at #9 with Eifert and Uzomah already in the fold.  Some other team might covet him, though, and I could see him being worth a trade.  

I thought Uzomah progressed last year. I am hopeful he shows us in 2017 he can be a very good TE consistently.

(03-18-2017, 06:23 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Your post is kinda wrong because that's nowhere close to the actual number that it will end up being.

You just gave a straight up list of linebackers. 4-3 OLB don't get paid like 3-4 OLB. They have different jobs, and get paid differently.

Everyone in the top 5 of that list has had a 10+ sack season before.

In fact, only 3 people in the top 10 on that list haven't had a 10+ sack season before.
-Jamie Collins, who the Browns overpaid to keep around
-Lavonte David who has had a 7 sack/5 INT/2 FF season, and has missed 2 games in 5 years.
-Bruce Irvin, who less successful, is still a pass rushing LB

Burfict simply isn't going to get paid like a pass rushing LB, and he hasn't had the numbers and health of Lavonte David. So unless the Browns offer a bajillion dollars like they did to Collins, Burfict will never ever sniff $16m/yr. It will certainly be more than he's currently making, but think of it more like this...

The 5th highest paid inside linebacker is currently making $8.75m/yr. That's much closer to where Burfict will be than $16m/yr. Look for $10m/yr, depending on how healthy he is in 2017.

Good points. I will say that Burfict's history with concussions and league discipline should drop his price tag at least some.

(03-18-2017, 08:15 PM)samhain Wrote: I don't necessarily agree that taking him wouldn't make an impact in 2017.  With the likelihood of Eifert missing more time and the fact that Kroft and Uzomah just aren't on his level as a player (or even close), I'd say he'd be very likely to make an impact.  The thing that would keep him off the field would be being demonstrably awful at pass protecting.  If he's as advertised in that department, he could very well see significant time.

If and when Eifert is healthy (I'd gamble on him playing 12+ games this year), Howard would not be having much of an impact for this team. For one, this team has shown it barely knows how to use 1 TE effectively, let alone 2.

Secondly, rookie TE's rarely make an instant impact. It's possibly the toughest position to learn outside of QB. They have to run routes like a WR and block like a tackle. Rarely do they hit the ground running at the NFL level.

(03-18-2017, 05:43 PM)Burma Wrote: I agree with all that. 

Looking at that list, where would his agent draw the line for pay? I would imagine he's got to be looking at that spot between Kuechly at 7 and Perry at 8.  That would put him @ $12 mill. Even then I am still doubting the Bengals pay that.

Assuming he stays healthy and out of trouble this year, you would have to think at least $10 million.  Before his last extension, the Bengals had a ton of leverage because he had never made big money.  Now he has made $20 million, so that is gone.  He will only be 27 years old, which means his agent is going to want 6-7 years. Even at $10 million per you are looking at $70 million, with a ton of guaranteed money.  A deal like that has "good luck in your new home written all over it"... not something MB is likely to do...

Back to Eifert and a tight end.  I just think if you're going to take a pass catcher you take one of the top wide receivers, a true game changer.

I could see it.

I think the Bengals are going to look for an offensive playmaker at 9. I was thinking WR or RB, but I wouldn't rule TE out. As long as they think it's someone who can score.

(03-18-2017, 04:49 PM)Burma Wrote:   The Bengals don't value 4-3 LB enough to draft them in the 1st, yet they expect us to believe they are going to re-sign Tez to a contract that reflects his level of play?

Keith Rivers
David Pollack.