Jones is locked up!!!! (merged)

[JPW316]

Signed, sealed, delivered...

http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=5342

[Stripes]

Rock on.

Friggin' awesome news.

[markymark69]

Great news, big-time signing for a big-time tackle.

[Kazkal]

Which O-lineman are still FA's after this season? Anderson and anyone else???

Steinbach and Willie,one of them can be replaced with whitworth hopfully.....

Hell ya phunk this good news will hopfully make people no longer depressed about this offseason..

[Stripes]

Which O-lineman are still FA's after this season? Anderson and anyone else???

Anderson and Steinbach.

[derekshank]

The first sign of good news since the Chad Johnson extension. It's about freaking time for some good news.

I wonder if they're still going for Steiny. a recent article on bengals.com says they are practicing Whitworth there.

[PhunkE1]

Hopefully Steiny will get the franchise tag next year. I love you Willie, but bye bye.

[slf]

Which O-lineman are still FA's after this season? Anderson and anyone else???

Anderson and Steinbach.

And the Center, Rich Braham, signed a 2 year contract in May 2005, although it matters less ...

[GregCook]

For all the words on the draftees and QuickDraw Henry, the Bengals do have their priorites straight. Levi, Steiny and Willie. Then get the draft class signed. Given the talent behind the starters, I doubt that both Steiny and Willie wet ink on a new Bengals contract. My vote is sign Steiny and let one of the new young'ins take right tackle in 07.

[HoosierCat]

Good deal.

Steinbach next, then Justin, please.

[Wraith]

Here is my suspicion. Steiny will be franchised if he doesn't come to the table before the end of the season, he and his representitives know this. Because he knows we can lock him up perpetually ala Walter Jones, Steinbach will be signed before the start of next season and to make room for him unfortunately Willie has to go. Fortunately we have two potential Willie replacements in Whitworth and Andrews.

Willie Anderson will always be a Bengal and should have his number retired (not that the Bengals retire numbers but that is another topic) as the second best O-Lineman in Bengals history (and second best to Munoz is no disgrace).

Oh BTW, I am 2 for 2 in my offseason predictions (ok 5 days off for the Jones signing but I beg a little grace period and considering I predict a Bengals Super Bowl appearance that is a good omen). Link: http://forums.bengalszone.com/index.php?sh...=11577&st=0

Nah Justin turns free agent next season and the Bengals go to a 3-4.

[BengalChamps]

Awesome news!!

I'm not sure if 'Bach is next or not. Seems i remember ML mentioning making an adjustment to the way the Bengals allocate their salary cap. To much of the cap is used on offensive players and he would like to see it more evenly divided between the O and the D.

Does anyone know what % of the cap is used for offense and defense??

[HoosierCat]

I wonder if they're still going for Steiny. a recent article on bengals.com says they are practicing Whitworth there.

Whitworth will get reps about everywhere but center, I'm sure, since his role this season is backup. I wouldn't read too much into that at this point. I still think he will succeed Willie come '07.

Nice thing now is they have the franchise option for Steinbach. Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

[kingwilly]

Ok...next is the rookies....Eric can go back-burner for a while.

Agree that big Willie will not be a bengal in 07.

[Kazkal]

Good deal.

Steinbach next, then Justin, please.

Yes yes =)

[Stripes]

Steinbach next, then Justin, please.

Agreed.

[HairOnFire]

I don't disagree, Hair. I certainly won't be finding reasons to complain about an article with 100% positive intentions. At the same time, I won't pass off the possibility that Hobson is babysitting much of this fanbase.

Well, there seems to be a rather large percentage of this teams fanbase that NEEDS babysitting. Seriously, there was no way that article was a spin piece written by a Bengal hack to counter the reaction to the latest arrest by a Bengal fringe player. First, you can't get player agents to play along with that. Second, only an idiot would engage in a spin campaign that could blow up in your own face if Jones doesn't sign. Last, a spin campaign won't calm the clucking of the Chicken Littles. In fact, nothing will.

BTW, another GREAT move by the Bengals.

[Kazkal]

"Nah Justin turns free agent next season and the Bengals go to a 3-4."

To many teams are going 3-4,I rememer article reason why pats and steelers were so successful on defense was because they were the only teams drafting 3-4 players now you have 12+ teams so be easier to get good deals on 4-3 players sense more and mroe teams are going 3-4

[Bengalbob]

Nice thing now is they have the franchise option for Steinbach. Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

I know the franchise tag has been suggested for Stiney for a while, but I don't buy it. Would we really pay tackle money to a left guard, even if for just one year? As I understand it, if you franchise someone then you have to pay him the average of the top five players at his position. On the line it isn't segregated by position, rather all OL are grouped together. For that year Stiney would make more that Levi.

Am I off base?

[Stripes]

Nice thing now is they have the franchise option for Steinbach. Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

I know the franchise tag has been suggested for Stiney for a while, but I don't buy it. Would we really pay a left guard tackle money, even if for just one year? As I understand it, if you franchise someone then you have to pay him the average of the top players at his position. On the line it isn't segregated by position, rather all OL are grouped together. For that year Stiney would make more that Levi.

Am I off base?

Nope, and there lie the questions surrounding Steinbach. One could argue that while the O-line isn't segregated for franchise tag contracts, that makes more sense for Steiny than other guards. He can play anywhere on the line if need be. With all the depth Marvin has compiled on the line in recent seasons, however, no one can be so sure he will be extended at all. I think Whitworth and Wilkerson would both be ample replacements if it comes to that.

[slf]

Gives them another positive thing to talk about at the press conference tomorrow ...

[HoosierCat]

There's no reason they can't afford Steinbach, and his combination of outstanding ability and startling versatility (how many linemen do you know who could start anywhere, including center, in a pinch?) ensure that if the Bengals don't pay him top dollar, someone will.

As for where the $$ comes from, well, after this season Willie and his $5 million price tag will be gone (hello, Whitworth) so there you are.

As for moving money over to defense, which indeed Marvin has talked about, well, that probably won't happen, but with the likely departure of several pricey defenders (think James, Simmons, and Thornton) after this season in favor of younger guys (think Joseph, Landon and Askew/Peko) they should be able to rearrange spending priorities on D (think extend Justin and/or go FA shopping for D-line help).

[Wraith]

I think Steinbach is more valuable than Jones so I have no issues with franchising him even if it means top tackle type money. IMHO Steinbach is the most valuable guard in the NFL and I'm willing to bet Lewis agrees with me. Besides you let Justin Smith and Willie Anderson go on to greener pastures and we can more than accomodate franchising Eric. IMHO Wilkerson beats out Ghiaciuc for the Center position so Wilkerson would not be available at Guard.

Here's my feeling about 4-3 v. 3-4, its not about what in vogue its about getting the best players on the field together. IMHO Geathers, Adams, Robinson, Pollack, Thurman (or Nicholson if Odell flakes out again), Brooks, Landon Johnson is > Justin Smith, Robinson, Thorton, Geathers, Pollack, Thurman (or Brooks), and Landon Johnson. Its all about getting the best players on the field at the same time in your base package.

[Kazkal]

Ya you do want best players on the field

Geathers, Adams, Robinson, Pollack, Thurman (or Nicholson if Odell flakes out again), Brooks, Landon Johnson is > Justin Smith, Robinson, Thorton, Geathers, Pollack, Thurman (or Brooks), and Landon Johnson. Its all about getting the best player

Geathers over justin lol..... its alrdy been stated he'll go back to pass rush specialist and we found out last he it doesn't work out moving him to DT so I doubt he'd hang as a 3-4 end....I feel bad for geathers I think he was misused last year but justins still our best Dlinemen.

[Wraith]

No, If you want to compare one player v. another in this arguement you go to the players that will be left out 3-4 and 4-3, Justin Smith cannot play 3-4 OLB or DE he simply is not built for either position, Geathers has shown the ability to beef up to 280+ and still play at an effective level. Geathers is going to play regardless (likely) the issue comes to which do you want on the field more Justin Smith or Ahmad Brooks IMHO Brooks is the more valuable asset. One of these guys has to sit in a 4-3 defense; Brooks, Thurman, Pollack, Landon Johnson and I would rather have all of those guys on the field flying around the ball than Justin Smith (though I do agree that right now Smith is our best Defensive Lineman). Do you understand my point? a 3-4 is about the linebackers making plays and we have better linebackers than linemen.

Obviously I am not making a Justin Smith for Robert Geathers trade.