How much does our compensatory pick strategy play into pending free agents in 2016?

[Mike M (the other one)]

(02-09-2016, 12:22 PM)samhain Wrote: Simple question.  The Bengals have a ton of FAs and won't sign all of them.  Many of them will get big money and start for whoever pays them.  This will lead to 2017 comp picks, which the team loves.  Not all that horrible of a strategy really, but it comes at a cost.

Will the team hesitate to sign outside FAs to replace departing contributors due to the comp pick repercussions?  Will planning for the distant future get in the way of building the 2016 roster?

It depends. If it's a position of dire need, then you don't worry about the comp picks.

If you already know you are going to lose some quality players and get some picks back from them, then try to find players that were cut before their contracts expired, so they don't count against your possible comp picks, which is the strategy the Bengals try to use.

For example, Michael Johnson, Cut from TB, we signed him asap, and he didn't hurt our comp picks that we were awarded last year.