Was Kirkpatrick over Zeitler the right choice?

[Whatever]

(09-29-2017, 11:29 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: You're missing the big picture. They offered him $5.5 million a year according to Lapham.

IF the Steelers offered DeCastro $5.5 million...and he went to free agency I'm sure he would have signed a huge contract too. But they were smart enough to offer him a reasonable contract BEFORE free agency...not $5.5 million a year.

Maybe had they offered him $8 or 9 million a year he accepts it? Instead they lowballed him.

Serious question: Are you rooting for the Bengals profit margin or the team actually putting a good team on the field?

$5.5 mil a year would tie him for the 21st highest paid G in the league this year.  That was also the floor for negotiations.  I'm relatively certain his agent could get $7 mil a year, maybe $8 depending on guaranteed money and performance incentives.  

I don't know why you keep bringing up DeCastro, because Zeitler isn't nearly as good.  DeCastro established himself as an elite G.  Zeitler established himself as a good, but not great player, who is playing at an average level  after signing a mega deal.  

Seriously, Zeitler is playing at an average level, and is making $12 mil a year while the average contract for a starter at his position is $3 mil.  With his current level of play, if the Bengals offered him $9 mil a year, he'd still be making 3x what he's worth.  

I want the Bengals to be successful on the field, but overpaying good, but not elite players at non-premium positions is not a plan for long term success.  Seriously, even with Zeitler, this team is still probably 0-3.  Overpaying to keep Zeitler only makes the team marginally better this year, and hurts the team in future years.  Plus,being blunt, I don't really have any confidence that Marvin Lewis can take this team any further than he has.  He should have been fired last year, and needs to go after this year.  Just as Marvin got his big FA haul of Kevin Hardy, Torrey James, and John Thornton when he took over, the new coach will likely get a run at FA to bring in his kind of players.  Would you rather waste the money Zeitler got trying to save Marvin's job or have it go towards giving a new coach the best chance possible?