I'd bring him back if it was a performance based contract. Extremely low base salary but TDs and games played and catches all = more money. If he isn't interested in that....then no sense having him here.

(09-22-2017, 01:26 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: So knowing what you know now...would you have drafted Howard instead of Ross?

My argument against Howard is spending 3 1st Round picks on TE's in an 8-9 year span is crazy.

TE Howard is the guy I wanted in rd #1
but i'm ok w/ Ross too....
Ross kinda reminds me of P-dub.....another high 1st rd pick for us....
great speed, etc, etc but seemed to be hurt a lot....never seemed to play like a high 1st rd pick....
perhaps Ross will have a great injury free run here ala James Brooks....
you all i'm sure know this but most rookie WR don't have big years....so Ross may just start off slow here....?

I saw Howard as a long term fix for us at the TE position....pro bowl caliber....
then let Eifert walk in 2018...

It depends on so much. How many games does he wind up missing this year? Where's his production level at? Most importantly, what's the price?

Just for an example, what if Eifert plays 10 games, winds up with 7 more TDs, and offers a serious discount due to his constant health questions? Is 10 games worth of Eifert worth a short contract for $5-6 million per?

Anything more than that, and I'd probably let him go. Honestly, in reality I think Eifert is gone unless he plays close to a full season...regardless of production or price.

(09-23-2017, 01:01 AM)Murdock2420 Wrote: I'd bring him back if it was a performance based contract. Extremely low base salary but TDs and games played and catches all = more money. If he isn't interested in that....then no sense having him here.

I don't see any team offering much of anything guaranteed for Eifert unless he plays damn near a full season this year. Even then, he's still not going to get anything monstrous.

once Eifert hits the FA market some team will gladly overpay....
& then it's ....
bye, bye Eifert....

it's not personal......it's business.....

(09-23-2017, 01:20 AM)Steve Wrote: once Eifert hits the FA market some team will gladly overpay....
& then it's ....
bye, bye Eifert....

it's not personal......it's business.....

How many examples are there of a team giving a massive contract to a player with Eifert's injury history?

Tbh, only a small handful of players get "overpaid" in FA, and it's usually players that have proven reliable and extremely productive. Eifert doesn't fit that bill.

This guy has had back surgery and is still having bad back issues. My guess is that he will have back issues for the rest of his life. I think that he will retire sometime between now and the end of the year. It's a shame because he's a huge talent. If he doesn't retire, he shouldn't be resigned. It's time to move on at season's end. Ofcourse this is the same management that rolled with this Oline and Marvin... so, who knows what they will do.

For a guy that misses that many games you better get him cheap. I think the team lets him go into free agency and he sees that other team are not willing to pay an often injured player big money. We will then sign him for a cheap contract unless someone like the Browns that have lots of money to spend throws a bucket load at him.

(09-23-2017, 01:20 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I don't see any team offering much of anything guaranteed for Eifert unless he plays damn near a full season this year. Even then, he's still not going to get anything monstrous.

So what your saying is the Bengals will actually sign him to an extension at the end of the year and massively over-pay. Would just be a Bengal kinda move...let Whit and Zeitler walk then turn around and over-pay the walking MASH unit.  

(09-22-2017, 01:20 PM)Benton Wrote: I don't think it will matter much.

The team will have a dollar amount on him based on performance. He will either take it or he won't. Either way, I don't think it will matter much. Our first two picks — depending on who is on the board — are going to be some combination of OT, TE or CB.

You are likely correct.  However, the flaw lies in that the Bengals won't make any decision until Eiftert decides to accept a number, or leave.  Meaning that they will most likely treat the position as "filled" during the draft process.

(09-22-2017, 01:02 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Make your case for retaining or letting Eifert go here.

Well, I could have picked him up in Fantasy Football last year after everybody dropped him, but I didn't even want him.  I did get him mid rounds this year on most of my teams with a solid second TE just in case. Just in case happened fast and I have dropped him from all my teams to more healthier TE's actually putting up catches, yards and touchdowns.  So unless Eifert gets healthy and gets back to his Pro Bowl form, NO, I would not sign him to a big contract.  If Mike Brown doesn't believe in paying Offensive Guards, then I don't believe in big contract TE's unless the guy is Pro Bowl future Hall of Fame.  Give me a Gruden Grinder at TE.  Dump Eifert and look at who is good but not expensive in free agency, or look to the 2018 Draft where we got Trumpy, Ross, Gresham, Eifert in past drafts.  You can't tell me there aren't good TE's in next years draft.  Bengals should be scouting them right now, IF they have any scouts, a weakness of Mike Brown.  I'm not even saying round 1.  I think we can find a Gruden Grinder at TE at some point in the draft.  Plus there are always out of work TE's on the cheap that come in, some that have been pretty good but some team went youth.   I would not offer Eifert much money as of today, and that money can be used elsewhere.  Again, Mike Brown doesn't believe in high priced guards. I don't believe in high priced TE's unless they are Super Star Hall of Fame types, and the NFL has had few of those.  Put a Grunden Grinder at TE.  The Bengals were looking WR but the top WR's went early. On the board was Eifert out of Notre Dame who was a WR / TE type. We had Gresham and Eifert at first. Then they didn't resign Gresham to huge contract. Eifert was great at first, but his injuries show this WR isn't up to the TE job. Now it is time not to not resign Eifert and go in another direction. You can't make the club in the tub.

(09-23-2017, 07:53 PM)kevin Wrote: So unless Eifert gets healthy and gets back to his Pro Bowl form,

Huh?

I can't say who I would spend it on, but I would lean largely to a FA tackle that can help this team, or a Center. Despite the PFF rankings, I think we are actually pretty good at guard. Zeitler's rankings weren't that good last year, either. Has a lot to do with who you line up next to.

You just can't pay that much of your cap to a guy that is not available, regardless of position.

(09-23-2017, 01:01 AM)Murdock2420 Wrote: I'd bring him back if it was a performance based contract. Extremely low base salary but TDs and games played and catches all = more money. If he isn't interested in that....then no sense having him here.

Agree

He is hurt too much not too. 

Offer him a team friendly reasonable offer to stay. If he accepts it, fine. If he does not, fine.

I'd like to keep Eifert, but it would have to be a low guarantee, incentive laden contract. He's a talent when healthy, but he's healthy about half the time. I don't think letting him walk would be that devastating. Marvelous Marvin tends to waste some of the talent of pass catching TEs because they have to be blockers first.

(09-23-2017, 01:25 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: How many examples are there of a team giving a massive contract to a player with Eifert's injury history?

Tbh, only a small handful of players get "overpaid" in FA, and it's usually players that have proven reliable and extremely productive. Eifert doesn't fit that bill.

I compare Eifert to Ladarius Green, only Ladarius Green also had to play second fiddle to Antonio Gates while in SD.
The Steelers offered Ladarius Green a 4-year, $20 million deal, and then subsequently cut him after one year because he couldn't stay healthy.
I can easily see Eifert getting $5 mill per year from some team willing and able to take such a gamble.

(09-22-2017, 01:02 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Make your case for retaining or letting Eifert go here.

He has played like 5 games in the past 3 years. Thats the only case you need. 

(09-23-2017, 01:25 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: How many examples are there of a team giving a massive contract to a player with Eifert's injury history?

Tbh, only a small handful of players get "overpaid" in FA, and it's usually players that have proven reliable and extremely productive. Eifert doesn't fit that bill.

 I thought it happens every year....
just wait....
some team will offer Eifert huge money...

Backs are weird things...i think he will always be a part time guy with those back issues..

I'd say let him walk unless you get him at a great deal. Either way you can't count on him