A look back at some of 2018's big money moves...

[NKURyan]

While so many whine and cry about how the Bengals won't go out and throw a ridiculous contract at one player, let's look at some of the biggest contracts from last year and see if we can't gain a little perspective on making the big splash:

Kirk Cousins, 3 years $84 million
Andrew Norwell, 5 years $66.5 million
Jimmy Graham, 3 years $30 million
Star Lotulelei, 5 years $50 million
Nate Solder, 4 years $62 million
Allen Robinson, 3 years $42 million
Case Keenum, 2 years $36 million (!!!)
Sammy Watkins, 3 years $48 million
Sam Bradford, 1 year $20 million (!!!!!!!)
Teddy Bridgewater, 1 year $15 million

How many of these guys lived up to those contracts? None. How many of those guys played meaningful roles on good teams? Not many.

[fredtoast]

Before anyone jumps in I am sure the NKURyan is aware that some huge free agent signings do work out.

But you can't claim that not taking these wild chances means a team is not even trying to improve. There are lots of ways to improve other than the first day of free agency.

[Au165]

I'm not interested in the big money guys, I do however think there are moves to be made. I think Hicks at 9 Million a year was a fair market value. I would be poking around Daryl Williams and Zach Brown.

Edit: Nevemind Williams just resigned with Carolina on a 1 year deal.

[Luvnit2]

(03-13-2019, 04:50 PM)NKURyan Wrote: While so many whine and cry about how the Bengals won't go out and throw a ridiculous contract at one player, let's look at some of the biggest contracts from last year and see if we can't gain a little perspective on making the big splash:

Kirk Cousins, 3 years $84 million
Andrew Norwell, 5 years $66.5 million
Jimmy Graham, 3 years $30 million
Star Lotulelei, 5 years $50 million
Nate Solder, 4 years $62 million
Allen Robinson, 3 years $42 million
Case Keenum, 2 years $36 million (!!!)
Sammy Watkins, 3 years $48 million
Sam Bradford, 1 year $20 million (!!!!!!!)
Teddy Bridgewater, 1 year $15 million

How many of these guys lived up to those contracts? None. How many of those guys played meaningful roles on good teams? Not many.

I am curious, are these the day one signings? This list looks weak compared to what was available in 2019. No doubt FA's work out and also don't work out, but teams like the Ravens always seem to make huge splash of team needs with no cap money while we seem to not. I won't speak for others, but I gave up my club season tickets because I finally felt as others, the team will not go all in to win. As I look at 2019, why would anyone buy season tickets based on the activity of the past, 3 losing seasons and it appears status quo of sign your own, draft and buy low level FA's at bargain price and pray they become all pros.

This year's group has some studs.
Thomas
Bell
Mosely
Foles ( I don't think he is a stud, but as good as Cousins IMHO)
Tackle Brown
Lots more as well

Trades Brown and Beckham

[THE PISTONS]

Yes. People always break free agency down to spending huge money on free agents or not spending at all.

There is plenty of middle ground where value guys can be signed. THAT is what I advocate.

I don't see a single person here who wanted us to sign Landon Collins at that price.

[*Nately120*]

When was the last time we made a big name high priced FA move, though?

[BengalChris]

(03-13-2019, 05:34 PM)Nately120 Wrote: When was the last time we made a big name high priced FA move, though?

The Bengals have never signed a really high priced FA. The team has made some larger sized bad free agent signings though and each with it's own set of red flags to start with. 

2002 Michael Westbrooks, who had an ACL injury the year before was brought in on a $4.5M contract. He caught 8 passes in 9 games for the Bengals. Westbrooks never played in the NFL again. Why give an injured a big contract?

2009 Laveraneus Coles, who had been a good #2 WR with the Jets for 9 years, was given a 4 year $28M contract. He was past his prime and caught 43 catches for 514 yards and was cut the next off season, then he went back to the Jets. No one can really explain this contract cause Coles clearly had lost a step and that's a long contract for a 9 year guy who's on the downward slope of his career.

2010 Antonio Bryant, who was injured, had been previously a failed free agent with the 49ers and clashed with multiple coaches, but the Bengals signed him to a 4 year $28M contract in spite of all this. He arrived injured, practiced one day, then had his contract terminated. His agent demanded a large injury settlement since the team let him practice injured. He never played a down for the Bengals. This is another inexplicable signing.

Each of these signings remind me of Mike Brown panic draft picks, like Akili Smith instead of trading down to 9 picks over two years.

 

[XenoMorph]

(03-13-2019, 04:57 PM)Au165 Wrote: I'm not interested in the big money guys, I do however think there are moves to be made. I think Hicks at 9 Million a year was a fair market value. I would be poking around Daryl Williams and Zach Brown.

Edit: Nevemind Williams just resigned with Carolina on a 1 year deal.

we probly are... Bengals wont announce HEY we are looking at this guy...

[XenoMorph]

(03-13-2019, 05:01 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I am curious, are these the day one signings? This list looks weak compared to what was available in 2019. No doubt FA's work out and also don't work out, but teams like the Ravens always seem to make huge splash of team needs with no cap money while we seem to not. I won't speak for others, but I gave up my club season tickets because I finally felt as others, the team will not go all in to win. As I look at 2019, why would anyone buy season tickets based on the activity of the past, 3 losing seasons and it appears status quo of sign your own, draft and buy low level FA's at bargain price and pray they become all pros.

This year's group has some studs.
Thomas
Bell
Mosely
Foles ( I don't think he is a stud, but as good as Cousins IMHO)
Tackle Brown
Lots more as well

Trades Brown and Beckham

there are lots of good players out there but you cant build a great team by over paying a few free agents unless you have a solid core of players still on their rookie deals.   once your core of guys is on 2nd or 3rd deals you got less to sling around.

but then all this news where are the colts and their 100 mil?

[muskiesfan]

I don't understand why these discussions are always all or nothing. A day 1 free agent every now and then isn't a horrible thing. Especially when you're close. However, wanting the Bengals to more active does not mean you want them to spend all of their cap on day 1. There is a middle ground that exists and it would be possible for the Bengals to sign more impactful free agents without the big spending.

[fredtoast]

(03-13-2019, 05:02 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I don't see a single person here who wanted us to sign Landon Collins at that price.

Yet I have seen MANY people claim the 2019 season is doomed based on the first two days of free agency.

Including you.

[Luvnit2]

(03-13-2019, 06:09 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: there are lots of good players out there but you cant build a great team by over paying a few free agents unless you have a solid core of players still on their rookie deals.   once your core of guys is on 2nd or 3rd deals you got less to sling around.

but then all this news where are the colts and their 100 mil?

I don't disagree they have to manage the cap wisely. My concern was 4 years ago, we had a very good roster, in need of 1 or 2 impact players. We chose to not go all in to win. Now, fast forward to 3 years later, 3 losing seasons later and a loss of the fan base and seats in the stands.

This team needs to do something to excite the base, otherwise I can see less fans again at PBS. Simply from a PR view, they need to do something. The hiring of a new HC has about a 20% success rate so nothing exciting in my opinion. He is more likely to fail than succeed, thus why we don't have long tenured HC's in the NFL.

[Luvnit2]

(03-13-2019, 06:19 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Yet I have seen MANY people claim the 2019 season is doomed based on the first two days of free agency.

Including you.

I don't think it is doomed. But, I do think after 3 losing years fans a have right to expect a different approach from the FO. Serious question. If winning is important to a season ticket holder, why would they ante up again in 2019 right now? The answer is they would not feel great about it and that is on the FO for not fielding a winning team.

[NKURyan]

(03-13-2019, 06:28 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I don't think it is doomed. But, I do think after 3 losing years fans a have right to expect a different approach from the FO. Serious question. If winning is important to a season ticket holder, why would they ante up again in 2019 right now? The answer is they would not feel great about it and that is on the FO for not fielding a winning team.

You don't think completely turning over almost the entire coaching staff and buying into a brand new coaching philosophy is a different approach? They've made some pretty major changes due to those 3 straight losing seasons, and to say they haven't just because they have yet to sign someone in 2 days of free agency seems kind of silly.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

Dude, they only paid Teddy 5 mil, and 2.7 for 2019.

[NKURyan]

(03-13-2019, 06:41 PM)Wyche Wrote: Dude, they only paid Teddy 5 mil, and 2.7 for 2019.

The way people talk about the Bobby Hart contract I thought we just completely ignored incentives and reported the maximum number around here.

Even at $5 million... do you think the Jets are glad they made that deal?

[fredtoast]

(03-13-2019, 05:01 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: This year's group has some studs.
Thomas
Bell
Mosely
Foles ( I don't think he is a stud, but as good as Cousins IMHO)
Tackle Brown
Lots more as well

Trades Brown and Beckham

All of those bust from 2018 were considered "studs" back then also.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(03-13-2019, 06:44 PM)NKURyan Wrote: The way people talk about the Bobby Hart contract I thought we just completely ignored incentives and reported the maximum number around here.

Even at $5 million... do you think the Jets are glad they made that deal?

Yeah, cause Darnold held up all year.  He has chosen to stay in New Orleans and compete for the starting job when Brees hangs it up.  He looked pretty good in preseason.  I'd like to have him as a backup here at 2.7, which is what he just signed for 2019.  I just thought the 15 mil number looked awfully high, so I looked it up.

[NKURyan]

(03-13-2019, 06:55 PM)Wyche Wrote: Yeah, cause Darnold held up all year.  He has chosen to stay in New Orleans and compete for the starting job when Brees hangs it up.  He looked pretty good in preseason.  I'd like to have him as a backup here at 2.7, which is what he just signed for 2019.  I just thought the 15 mil number looked awfully high, so I looked it up.

They traded Bridgewater before Darnold had ever started an actual NFL game. Basically, the Jets paid $5 million for a late third round draft pick this year (which has a value of a $3.5 million). Seems like they still overpaid. They certainly could have found something better to spend that money on last year, that's for sure.

[THE PISTONS]

Those numbers are tiny by today's standards.