HoosierCat Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 ...another year, another "the Bengals are broke, can't afford any free agents" story from the Hobsonizer.They are coming off a season in which they rolled out the third-most cash in the NFL with what is believed to be an estimated $139 million, $23 million more than the league average and behind only Detroit and Green Bay. That computes to $16 million cash over the salary cap, so look for more of the same strategy of signing their own and leaving much of free agency to extensions for their major players and the back end of the roster.Bonus points to Hobs for neatly eliding the fact that the team is projected to be among the top 10 in terms of cap space by focusing on dollars spent instead. Not that cash on hand isn't important, but the fact is the team has virtually nothing in the way of debt and if it needed money it could get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 THAT'S the kind of sh*t that is a source of irritation for me when it comes to what is put out.My question is, why put it out there to begin with ?? Just do what you are going to do and stop creating an excuse for why they "won't" do something.They want to say the only way to build is through the draft and while I agree to a degree that it's something that HAS to be done, there are many teams that have great success doing both the draft, calculated free agent moves, and trades. Hell, the Seahawks made trades for Marshawn Lynch and Harvin. Wasn't Cliff Avril a free agent signing of theirs ?? All teams do it and while the Bengals do it, it's always something of the mid tier or filler variety. Maybe i'm making it sound easier than it is, but I just hate all the money talk about why they can't do something.I expect MJ to be gone, but they need to find a way to get Collins back in the mix.It's not going to cost them 11 million a year to keep him and there are ways to get the money if needed, as Hoosier stated.How bad to you want to win ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted February 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 I don't even get upset about it anymore. In fact, I kind of enjoy it. Somehow, it comforts me that some things never change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottishbengal Posted February 7, 2014 Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 I expect MJ to be gone, http://www.cincyjungle.com/2014/2/7/5389844/michael-johnson-could-command-10-million-season-or-moreat $10M per year is he worth keeping ... 3.1/2 sacks last season???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walzav29 Posted February 7, 2014 Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 Who cares? Free Agency is so over-rated. Who won the Free Agent battle last year? Cleveland? Tampa? The Bengals have to draft well. Thats it. They are extending their best players. They won't be able to keep everyone. You have to draft the replacement, and hopefully they can learn behind them and excel. Margus Hunt will have to step in for MJ. MJ will get a huge deal and then disappoint. A couple guys here and there, after the market settles of course. The draft baby. That's what makes and breaks you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJJackson Posted February 7, 2014 Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 Four part trilogy (ala HHGTTG) of items on Michael Johnson1) His sack numbers were low, but his pressures were very high. He remains an excellent (albeit not elite) pass rusher. 2) His numbers would undoubtedly have been better had Geno been in play all year long3) He was superb as a run stopper 4) Even if we lose him to a big contract to another team, we get a comp pick (likely a 3) for the FA loss, which helps a LOT. A three is generally a potential starter, and a very low cap hit for the first 4 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted February 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 On MJ, it's worth saying again that he may not get a mega-deal. Elvis Dumervil "only" got $5.2 million per year from Baltimore last year. The last part of TJ's point 4 is why: the rookie salary system has put huge downward pressure on FA deals.Ditto with Anthony Collins. Even the top FA tackles last year were only getting deals in the $5-6 million range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COB Posted February 7, 2014 Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 Keep MJ if possible. Your own free agents know your system, you know how they work in your system, and you know their character. That receiver we signed who then wrecked his knee before the season and we got nothing, and that guard who did the same thing - those two experiences made me realize that hitting on a high end free agent isn't all that easy. I am confident that Mike will spend a bunch of money, we won't be the Browns sitting 25 million under the cap or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted February 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Geoff doesn't want to work, he just wants to bang on his drum all day.Figure the Bengals are probably going to tender their restricted free agents for about $5 million, keep about $5 million free for draft picks, and keep about a $5 million pad for injuries, and the room is going to get eaten up rather quickly. Broke, broke, broke, I say broke! More extra bonus points for this line, which will surely cause heads to explode across Bengaldom.The Bengals are still searching for that first playoff win under Lewis and are banking on stability to give it to them. Hobs be trollin' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COB Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 I read somewhere on the supernatural information screen that the Bengals had the highest paid defense last year. Anyone else read that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COB Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 I remembered how to google and went out and found that article. Waiting for my Pulitzer. Lumina goes unwaxed in 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted February 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Yah, Hobs actually mentions that as part of his latest story on the team's crushing poverty.One reason I don't get as upset any more about the Bengals' penny-pinching approach to FA is that getting paid in Cincy often seems like the kiss of death. Hall gets paid and blows out two Achilles' in three years. Atkins gets paid and blows out a knee. Big Willie and Levi Jones got paid and then fell to bits in front of our eyes. And then of course there was Palmer, who had his leg ripped off a week after signing his megadeal.I don't know what magic talisman Dunlap has in his locker but they need to find out and duplicate it fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyline Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Honestly, the Bengals don't NEED a big-name guy. Besides, it seems as if it's been proven time and time again that to win you need to develop from within. Rarely does picking up a big-name free agent put a team over the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJJackson Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 I kinda agree with Skyline here - a merely starting quality safety and a slightly better center would (I think) improve this team drasticallyanother veteran (but not ss-eligible) corner would be nice as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted February 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Honestly, the Bengals don't NEED a big-name guy. Probably not. I just find the perennial stories about how they couldn't possibly afford one even if they did amusing. Woe is us, Mike Brown spent so much money on defense last year that he's now living... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COB Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Honestly, the Bengals don't NEED a big-name guy. Probably not. I just find the perennial stories about how they couldn't possibly afford one even if they did amusing. Woe is us, Mike Brown spent so much money on defense last year that he's now living...Good one, speaking of the great Chris Farley, when did he climb out of the grave and get himself elected mayor of Toronto? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted February 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 RED ALERT! RED ALERT! ALL HOBSONS TO BATTLESTATIONS!!!!Salary cap to jump to $130 million in 2014.That's about $4 million more than projected. Geoff needs to get on the ball and Hobsplain to everyone how this doesn't make any difference, the team is still cap-strapped and broke, and the additional money has to be set aside for incentives, escalators and all those missed car washes. Don't let me down, buddy, I know you can do it!!!(In all seriousness, no excuse now for not retaining AC as long as he doesn't get an insane offer.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyline Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 (In all seriousness, no excuse now for not retaining AC as long as he doesn't get an insane offer.)I think it really has more to do with whether or not AC wants to be here. He'll go wherever he feels he has the best chance to start... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 There's always an excuse Hoosier. You nailed it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COB Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 Hobsplain In a nutshell, here's Hobs' explanation: We have cap space, here are various financial boogeymen coming down the pike to eat all the cap space, so no more cap space. It's an odd exercise, and I wonder if writers from other teams go through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 It's why I don't care for him much either.He offers little to no insight and throws that crap out there each year.Almost to give a built in excuse why the team isn't going to spend money.Oddly enough, the team does spend money and is usually right up there in terms of how they pay their players.Wasn't the 2013 defense the highest paid in all the NFL ??Yeah, Mikey's a cheapass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 RED ALERT! RED ALERT! ALL HOBSONS TO BATTLESTATIONS!!!!Salary cap to jump to $130 million in 2014.That's about $4 million more than projected. Geoff needs to get on the ball and Hobsplain to everyone how this doesn't make any difference, the team is still cap-strapped and broke, and the additional money has to be set aside for incentives, escalators and all those missed car washes. Don't let me down, buddy, I know you can do it!!!(In all seriousness, no excuse now for not retaining AC as long as he doesn't get an insane offer.)I didn't click on the link at first, but went back and checked it out and it's actually a 7 million increase.Up from 123 million in 2013 to 130 million for 2014.Yeah, they can get something done if they choose.Then again, I also won't pretend that they couldn't come up with the coin if they needed to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted February 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 Yah, it's up $7 million from 2013 but the cap was projected to creep up to around $126 million in 2014 before this latest report. But you bring up an interesting point. Since the last CBA the cap has been essentially stagnant, a huge change from the old CBA when it went up in leaps and bounds (like this) every year. IIRC to get any increase last year they had to monkey around with revenue numbers; again IIRC there was some talk early on that the cap might actually decrease last year. There is some new TV money coming down the pike but that wasn't supposed to hit until 2015. I wonder if they somehow pulled a little of that forward into 2014?I mean, we all know how cap-strapped the Steelers are and we all know GOD-El is a Steeler fan...Just sayin' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted February 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 Update from Clayton at espn, the latest projection is $132 million. Per Hobs, the Bengals plan to push the additional money into future years so they have enough to re-sign Tyler Eifert in 2017. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volcom69 Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 LOL Hoosier good one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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