03-04-2016, 01:38 PM
(03-04-2016, 01:31 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: The Bengals have publicly admitted to mimicking the Steelers FO. When it comes to drafting well and avoiding FA's like the plague, that's true. That said, the Steelers often hug the cap and they restructure contracts more often than most in order to stay close to the cap ceiling.
The Bengals approach - in comparison - looks lazy and cheap. They're very rarely right up against the cap ceiling and they often keep 10+ million in cap space "for future signings". Not restructuring players like Leon Hall ($9 million last year) gives the appearance that the Bengals have more loyalty and commitment to individuals than they do to winning championships.
But this is just "perception" and not the "truth".
Over the last three years the Bengals have spent much more on player payroll then the Steelers.
People around here are too impressed with big "play money" contracts that are handed out in free agency but never paid. When it comes to the actual amount of "cash spent" the Bengals have not been close to the bottom over the last few years.
