Extension Watch UPDATE Green Extended

[HoosierCat]

After nearly reaching a deal on Thursday afternoon, The Enquirer has just confirmed the Cincinnati Bengals and star wide receiver A.J. Green have come to terms on a long-term contract extension, just an hour before the club's deadline to get the contract worked out and the team took off for Oakland.

A league source told The Enquirer Green's deal will pay him more money upfront, more total dollars sooner and check in at a higher annual average than Dallas' Dez Bryant, Denver's Demayrius Thomas and Atlanta's Julio Jones.

The extension is for four years at $60 million. The total deal is five years at $70 million.

Green was the last of four top-tier wide receivers to ink an extension before this season.

Bryant (five years, $70 million, $45 million guaranteed) and Thomas (five years, $70 million with $43.75 million guaranteed) signed nearly identical deals before the July 15 deadline to extend franchised players, and that is when talks heated up for the Bengals and Green and his agent, Ben Dogra.

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2015/09/11/cincinnati-bengals-aj-green-contract-extension/71643144/

[HoosierCat]

According to Muckraker Mike, the deal doesn't have any guaranteed coin beyond the first year, and if they are giving him more than Dez up front, then he's getting more than $20 million. He was already taking up about $10 million in cap space so figure that number basically just doubled. That would leave the Bengals with about $7 million in cap space.

All #'s subject to revision, of course

[HoosierCat]

Now, before everyone starts celebrating, here's the bad news: it looks like no more deals are coming:

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2015/09/11/cincinnati-bengals-safety-george-iloka-kevin-zeitler-no-extension/72039366/

-- Iloka and the team couldn't come to terms and he will play out the final year of his deal.

-- Zeitler will play out the year under his fifth-year option.

-- No deal with Kirkpatrick either.

-- Talks to extend Adam Jones and Brandon Thompson also broke down.

[volcom69]

Good for AJ

[ArmyBengal]

Said it many times. You can't keep them all.

THAT being said, someone else can now get the tag.

If I have to take a guess which one get tagged, I'll go with Zeitler.

The o-line tag was 12.9 million for 2015 and you simply can't let him walk away.

Adam Jones has earned a new deal, but is getting older. Can Kirkpatrick continue the strong ending of 2014 into 2015 ??

Dennard is still waiting in the wings as well.

Illoka will get a new deal as well. It won't cost as much as the others, so I see him as the starting point.

The other WR's (Sanu and Jones) are the forgotten pieces of this as well. Both are up.

[skyline]

And will this finally shed the Bengals label of being cheap?

Somehow, I doubt it...

[Earendil]

And will this finally shed the Bengals label of being cheap?

Somehow, I doubt it...

If the previous deals for Dunlap, Atkins and Burfict didn't, neither will this.

[HoosierCat]

Said it many times. You can't keep them all.

True. But there's also wisdom in spreading the money around, versus giving one guy a big payday. You can argue it both ways -- should you sign several good guys for modest to large deals, or one superstar to a megabucks deal? -- but either way it's a roll of the dice.

What I fervently hope is that the curse we've seen too often in the past, where a guy gets paid and them almost immediately gets hurt, doesn't repeat.

[Scottishbengal]

Now, before everyone starts celebrating, here's the bad news: it looks like no more deals are coming:

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2015/09/11/cincinnati-bengals-safety-george-iloka-kevin-zeitler-no-extension/72039366/

-- Iloka and the team couldn't come to terms and he will play out the final year of his deal.

-- Zeitler will play out the year under his fifth-year option.

-- No deal with Kirkpatrick either.

-- Talks to extend Adam Jones and Brandon Thompson also broke down.

Peko's and Hall's money may come into play next season if they are both given the heave-ho so that may give some room for negotiations with some of the other guys. Incentive to play well this season to get a nice payday next year.

[Stripes]

Part of me was genuinely intrigued by the notion of saying screw this and letting him walk sooner or later. Still, I can't claim to be disappointed. He's obviously one of the best talents at his position, and he carries himself in such a way that we can all be quite confident in his continued success. I'm not worried about any eventual AJ Cinco phase.

[HoosierCat]

Here's the details from Muckraker Mike:

On Friday, the Bengals became the latest team to do a long-term deal with a player entering the final year of his contract. The full details of Green’s four-year $60 million extension — which equates to a total package of $70.176 million over five years — appear below.

1. Green receives a $15 million roster bonus, with all money paid out by January 31, 2016.

2. Green has a base salary of $11.75 million in 2015, which is as a practical matter guaranteed.

3. Green receives a $6 million roster bonus if on the active roster as of the third day of the 2016 league year. The payment is not guaranteed.

4. Green has a base salary of $3.8 million in 2016.

5. Green has a base salary of $10.3 million in 2017.

6. Green has a base salary of $10.55 million in 2018.

7. Green has a base salary of $11.976 million in 2019.

8. Green is eligible for a $200,000 workout bonus in 2016 through 2019.

Green makes $26.75 million this year, and he will have earned $32.75 million by March. While next year’s pay isn’t guaranteed, he’ll walk away with $26.75 million if they cut him after this season — which means they won’t.

He makes $35.95 million over two years and $46.45 million over three.

The cap numbers are $14.75 million in 2015, $13 million in 2016, $13.5 million in 2017, $13.75 million in 2018, and $15.176 million in 2019.

The deal has a new-money average of $15 million, and a total value average of $14.03 million. It gets Green back to the market a year earlier that Falcons receiver Julio Jones, who signed a five-year extension.

The new-money average exceeds Jones by $750,000 per year, and the total value surpasses the five-year, $14 million deals done by Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas in July. Both had played five years and were working under the franchise tag. Green has only four years of service.

[ArmyBengal]

I missed the part about Zeitler and Kirkpatricks options being for 2016 and not just this year.

With that being the case, there's obviously no rush with them.

Iloka needs to be a priority when considering they always target safeties later on.

They finally hit on one and I think they need to take care of him.

[ArmyBengal]

Yeah, I also agree that it's a risk in not being able to spread the money around.

Hey, they can always cut Dalton and start over with McCarron in not paying him sh*t.

Good God.

[HoosierCat]

Dehner revives free agency talk in today's walkthrough.

Nice quote from Iloka on how the team is dealing with so many guys in their final contract year:

"Honestly, I think we've handled it well as a team. Obviously, there's a lot of guys going into their last year. The approach hasn't been, let's all try to play individually and get paid the highest amount we can get paid. We look at it as, man, this is our last whoo-rah. Who knows who will be back and who won't, but we are only guaranteed this year. I feel like we have a pretty good squad, we have been together for a long time and I just feel like this is it. If there's a shot it's this year. I think that's been our approach more than, oh, let's get paid because everyone knows if you make the Super Bowl everyone's next contract is inflated. Getting to the Super Bowl and winning is our main goal, if you do that the money thing will take care of itself."

His top 6 to re-sign:

Adam Jones

George Iloka

Marvin Jones

Wallace Gilberry

Mo Sanu

Vinny Rey

That strikes me as a good list. I doubt they will have much trouble with the last three if they want them back. Jones didn't seem to feel like he was going to get paid in Cincy based on that tweet he wrote earlier this year. That said, while his play has been excellent and his toughness even more so, he's still Pacman and he's 30, so what exactly is the market? Iloka would be a candidate for a franchise or transition tag; safety is still among the cheapest positions. Not sure about Marvin Jones' value at this point. I don't think he's shown enough to be considered a candidate for a No. 1 receiver spot, which ought to keep him affordable.

Outside that list there's Reggie Nelson (can they afford to pay two safeties? Would we want them to?) and Leon Hall. Yeah, kingwilly, I know, I know.  But given his age and injury history he won't get big-money offers and the organization clearly loves him. Plus you have Dennard delayed another year, Kirkpatrick generally not impressing and the possibility of Jones leaving. Why do I feel CB in the first round again next April...?

[Scottishbengal]

1 hour ago, HoosierCat said:

lWhy do I feel CB in the first round again next April...?

You know, I was thinking exactly the same thing the other day ... CB as a 1st pick would not surprise me in the least  

[COB]

3 hours ago, HoosierCat said:

Dehner revives free agency talk in today's walkthrough.

 

His top 6 to re-sign:

Adam Jones

George Iloka

Marvin Jones

Wallace Gilberry

Mo Sanu

Vinny Rey

 

 

That list makes me think Dehner knows the Bengals are not going to try to re-sign Andre Smith.  Dehner is the beat guy for the Enquirer, whatever that means these days.  

Smith is underrated.  I think he's missed two games this year, and we lost them both.  

I know they just seemed to have drafted his replacement, but Smith is a proven player who's shown he can play at a very high level.  The new guys are prospects, but these guys bust all the time.  They are far from guaranteed.  

I hope Smith gets very little interest as an UDFA, the Bengals get him for another 3 years at something like his present salary which I think is 6 mill per.  Then if the new guys really want to play, they can work their asses off and play guard.  We need one anyway.  If one of them is smart enough and wants to learn to snap, he can give that a try, we need someone there, too.  

Paul Alexander can't be trusted to look at either of our rookies and say, "get rid of Smith, this guy will be a good starter for 8 years."  Paul has shown time and time again that he recklessly overrates players, then won't move off that belief in spite of the evidence on the field.  

[HoosierCat]

I think Moobs' fate was sealed when they took two tackles in the first two rounds last April, then added a year to Whit's deal later on. I agree he's under-rated, but I also think he's regressed some this season.

[TJJackson]

Give me in r1 2016

a pass rushing DT

or

an intimidating ballhawk safety who can play both S spots (no, Im not asking for much, am I)

or

a Center

[kingwilly]

2 minutes ago, TJJackson said:

Give me in r1 2016

a pass rushing DT

or

an intimidating ballhawk safety who can play both S spots (no, Im not asking for much, am I)

or

a Center

Give me a blue chip CB and a LB, shore up our most vulnerable groups.

 

[HoosierCat]

3 minutes ago, TJJackson said:

Give me in r1 2016

a pass rushing DT

Already got him, his name is Marcus Hardison.

4 minutes ago, TJJackson said:

or

an intimidating ballhawk safety who can play both S spots (no, Im not asking for much, am I)

Not sure there will be a safety worth a low-first-round pick on the board.

5 minutes ago, TJJackson said:

or

a Center

Paul Alexander chuckles in your general direction.

 

2 minutes ago, kingwilly said:

Give me a blue chip CB and a LB, shore up our most vulnerable groups.

Not a bad plan. Of course, since Marvin Jones is a FA and we are the Cincinnati Bengals...can't forget about WR.

[kingwilly]

On 9/11/2015, 1:01:39, Scottishbengal said:

 

 

 

Peko's and Hall's money may come into play next season if they are both given the heave-ho so that may give some room for negotiations with some of the other guys. Incentive to play well this season to get a nice payday next year.

Unless this team takes hom the Lombardi Trophy, I can't see Hall or Peko staying on this team. They both are crazily overpaid for their abilities at this point, and really only serve as token "loyalty" statues in the lockeroom. Yes, Hall had a great INT and Dre is not as elite as he thinks but there are corners out there who are cheaper and better than Hall.

 

Peko has been holding up Thompson's development for years, and needs to step aside. I'm of the belief that Peko is a big reason why this team can't win in January, he wears out. They need young guys inside.

[ArmyBengal]

Since we are talking draft, I don't know how LB can be ignored.  Maybe not in the first, but certainly no later than the 2nd.

I would have little issue seeing a CB or WR.

[Walrus]

3 minutes ago, ArmyBengal said:

Since we are talking draft, I don't know how LB can be ignored.  Maybe not in the first, but certainly no later than the 2nd.

I would have little issue seeing a CB or WR.

Was looking at a draft board today - sure looks like a strong group of 43 D-linemen at the top of the draft this year. For what such lists are worth at this (or any) point... There are some interesting OSU alum listed around the end of Rd 1 at Safety, WR and LB. Also, a Georgia LB...

[TJJackson]

For some reasons, LB rarely works out in r1, but I'd be fine with a great LB in r2 and/or r3

Yes, they need a corner no later than r4....gimme the small blazing fast type over the big slow type, and a press/m-t-m corner over a zone corner.

[COB]

1 hour ago, kingwilly said:

Peko has been holding up Thompson's development for years, and needs to step aside.

If you watch Peko specifically during plays, he gets washed out of the middle repeatedly.  Often it takes 2 players to do it, but his job, even if he can't get off his block and try to tackle, is to at least not get pushed out of the hole.  He is a wonderful person and I like him, but yes he needs to go.