Jones is locked up!!!! (merged)

[Kazkal]

I agree point about getting all the LB's on field it's preatty easy sense Brooks or david can line up as DE geathers has dropped weight so if they planned on him being 3-4 DE I think he would be reported packing pounds on and not slimming down....I woulden't rule out fanene though sense he can alrdy be used as a 4-3 end or tackle.

[Wraith]

Yes, Both Brooks and Pollack can play 4-3 DE and will even if we use a 3-4 base Defense because 3-4 becomes 4-3 in certain situations but here's the question you have to ask yourself, Are Pollack and Brooks better with their hands up or down? Both players are at their best on the run roaming from side to side and many times a 4-3 DE is locked in place by a Tackle or Tight End unable to free himself. As a linebacker both Pollack and Brooks will have the space neccesary to roam the field and "read and react" to the plays developing in front of them.

The way I look at our evolving defense the linebackers are all fast, aggressive play makers if you free them up to make plays you can create mismatches with speed. We have 6 young linebackers with incredible talent (Brooks, Thurman, Pollack, Landon Johnson, Nicholson, and Jeanty) why amass that level of young talent when only three will be on the field at any given time? Those six backers will make up the best corp in the league provided they keep their heads on straight and that is the "X" factor if Thurman or Brooks implode this plan doesn't work and we need to keep Justin...we have one year to make an educated guess and Marvin is the right guy to have that responsibility.

[ChadJohnson-85]

IM LATE!........... Oh well. WE RESIGNED LEVI, YES!!!!!!!!!

WHO DEY!!!!!!!!

[HairOnFire]

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?

Uhhh, yeah.

Look at it this way. The moment Levi Jones signed a new contract, pocketing millions in signing bonuses in the process, the Bengals ability to retain Steinback peaked. Just the threat of the tag means they can choose to play contract hardball if they want or they can simply hold firm and steady with a generous fair market deal. Frankly, I'm guessing that the offer they have on the table right now is a pretty good one. However, the threat offered by the tag is empty if they don't intend to use it, but of course history suggests they're dead serious. Granted, actually using the tag means overpaying for a single season for a guard, but the Bengals can afford to do so, and using the tag buys them time and leverage.

If you're Eric Steinbach you've got to weigh the offer already on the table, and the millions in signing bonuses that can be pocketed immediately, against playing this season for less money. More importantly, each play brings the possibility of an injury that could cripple his earning potential. So I'm guessing that Steinbach returns to the bargaining table pretty quickly.

This was a very good day.

[jrandom42]

Put down the crack pipe. If any of our linemen are worth using the franchise tag on, Steiney is at the top of the list. He can step out to tackle, he can step in to center, and he can play either guard spot. EFFECTIVELY!

this i agree with. steinbachs pulling is the main reason for rudi's success.

You really want to drop $9+ million (the quoted average of the top 5 LINEMEN in the league) on Steinbach as a franchise player? Pay him more in 2007 than Rudi, TJ, Jeremi Johnson and Bobbie Williams combined? Man, give me some of those awesome drugs you're taking!

[Wraith]

Let's see, the guy can play 4 line positions effectively, he is already one of the best guards in the league, he is 26 years old um yeah I'll pay 9 million for him to make sure he doesn't end up a Brown or a Raven (both team who could REALLY use a great Guard or Left Tackle) so ok, higher than market for a guard but he is THE most valuable guard in the game (Faneca only younger) IMHO so again yup I'll pay the price to make sure we have the best O-Line in the NFL.

[Stripes]

As long as we can keep building the defense for economy-level prices, I'm not sure it really matters how much our offensive stars cost us.

[ChadJohnson-85]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2529573

http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/9571138

[scott91575]

First of all, I have to say not only am I glad Levi signed, but it sounds like a deal. The Bengals just locked up a top 4 LT, and he is young. All that and a little more than the Laydowns paid for Backus. Great deal! This was the deal I was waiting for! There is still plenty of cap room, and hopefully Steinbach is next. Too bad Willie may be the odd man out, but this is big. Also a great deal. I am very happy with this.

[TJJackson]

...and I do call that news.

Thank god, we have a signing :-)

[Dadraftnick]

If anybody remembers the days of Rutin Tutin they know how important this signing is.

The OLT spot is the 2nd most important spot on the whole team.

If you dont have a good OLT your QB cant do much.

We have one of the best in the league sign for a good amount of time

[andybren]

Very good news indeed.

But you guys are crazy to think they're going to tag Steinbach and pay him at least $8 million a year. And being tagged at a much higher rate than you're worth is supposed to be a threat? That's Brer Rabbit talk. "Whatever you do, don't give me $8 million this year and at least 20% more next year."

If there's a threat, it's the prospect of choosing Willie over Steinbach (or vice versa), with Whitworth, Wilkerson and Kieft getting ready to take over for whoever doesn't re-sign.

But I don't think much of a threat is necessary. Re-signing Levi sets the bar and should make everything else more cut-and-dry.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Let's see, the guy can play 4 line positions effectively, he is already one of the best guards in the league, he is 26 years old um yeah I'll pay 9 million for him to make sure he doesn't end up a Brown or a Raven (both team who could REALLY use a great Guard or Left Tackle) so ok, higher than market for a guard but he is THE most valuable guard in the game (Faneca only younger) IMHO so again yup I'll pay the price to make sure we have the best O-Line in the NFL.

I'm glad you're not running the cap...

[Kazkal]

Just because he can line up at all 5 postions doesn't mean hes top 5 at them all its nice to have in a pench but he's still a guard and a good guard he'll get a offer probbley within top guards of the NFL.....

as for who who say hes more importent then levi ,eh I would question that sense theres a reason tackles make alot more money then guards do =P and to say levis overrated? ya he just shut out some of the best passrushers in the league but ya =P

[princeton]

I agree with all sentiments regarding Steinbach's value to the Bengals

I just happen to think that Mike Brown won't pay a guard like that. QBs, WRs, RBs, OT, CBs, DE/OLB (if we ever had a decent one), yes. DT if he has to.

IMO, if Willie is healthy, then he'll get the extension

[BengalChamps]

Even versatile G's are not worth 9mill. If you draft well you should be able to replace him. I dont mind if the Ratbirds or another AFC North team gets him for 9mill. It will skew their SalCap. We cannot let sentiment and emotion get in the way. This team needs to shuffle more of the Cap towards the D!

[sparky151]

Even versatile G's are not worth 9mill. If you draft well you should be able to replace him. I dont mind if the Ratbirds or another AFC North team gets him for 9mill. It will skew their SalCap. We cannot let sentiment and emotion get in the way. This team needs to shuffle more of the Cap towards the D!

We actually could probably afford Steinbach under the tag. He would play 2006 at his current number (under 1 mil) plus the 2007 franchise number, not determined yet but probably around 7 mil. That's around 8 mil for 2 years which isn't prohibitive. If Willie leaves and is replaced by Andrews, Kieft, or Whitworth, we save 5 mil or so at RT. From Steinbach's point of view, his payday is deferred by a year in which he might get hurt so he has incentive to reach a long term deal with a signing bonus.

[schweinhart]

Sweet

Levi deserves big pay and the Bengals kudos for getting the deal done.

If they were going to franchise any one next year, I would've thought it be Levi. But the time to extend Steinbach probably passed with the money Steve Hutchison got. Still would like to see Steinbach extended before the season because it will be hard to replace his position versatility and ability to pull.

I'd also like to see them extend Buckethead just for fun.

[jrandom42]

Let's see, the guy can play 4 line positions effectively, he is already one of the best guards in the league, he is 26 years old um yeah I'll pay 9 million for him to make sure he doesn't end up a Brown or a Raven (both team who could REALLY use a great Guard or Left Tackle) so ok, higher than market for a guard but he is THE most valuable guard in the game (Faneca only younger) IMHO so again yup I'll pay the price to make sure we have the best O-Line in the NFL.

Even the Seahawks weren't crazy enough to franchise Hutchison, and he's a multiple Pro Bowl player. Steinbach was only first alternate last year. If Steinbach can be a Pro Bowl selection at different positions, then maybe, JUST maybe franchising him MIGHT make sense. You want to give Steinbach $9+ million, just because he can play multiple positions? That's like saying you'd pay Dave Lapham LOTS more money than Anthony Munoz, just because he could play all 5 positions on the offensive line.

[Kazkal]

Don't get me wrong I love steinbach and hope bengals offer him a fair deal I just dont agree hes worth top 5 tackle money. sorry if you disagree.

[jditty47]

ya its doubtful for a gaurd to get tagged. i think they'll get something done with him after the season is over. same with anderson possibly.

[Spain]

Bach is worth the money, Stacey is there. If someone goes I bet its willie, however we will have the money for both. We should get bach done now. I would also disagree that a gaurd isnt worth the money. thats the type of thinking that got us a top ten o lineman in the second. I expect that we will offer wille a fair deal which he will have to decide.

[Bobcat Bengal]

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

Would we really pay tackle money to a left guard, even if for just one year?

Yes, Yes we would, now that Hutchinson has raised the bar.

Steinbach's positives are his versatility.

He can basically be the second best LT tackle on the team by default.

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

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

Would we really pay tackle money to a left guard, even if for just one year?

Yes, Yes we would, now that Hutchinson has raised the bar.

Steinbach's positives are his versatility.

He can basically be the second best LT tackle on the team by default.

Exactly why Eric gets Willie's money.

[HoosierCat]

Let's see, the guy can play 4 line positions effectively, he is already one of the best guards in the league, he is 26 years old um yeah I'll pay 9 million for him to make sure he doesn't end up a Brown or a Raven (both team who could REALLY use a great Guard or Left Tackle) so ok, higher than market for a guard but he is THE most valuable guard in the game (Faneca only younger) IMHO so again yup I'll pay the price to make sure we have the best O-Line in the NFL.

I'm glad you're not running the cap...

Again, there's no real cap issue here. Wille alone now chews up more than $5 million in cap space, and Steinbach's hit is just under $1 million this season. So the net cap hit even from applying the franchise tag is only about $3 million. Do a long-term deal and the hit might actually be less than Willie and Eric's combined hit this year.

As for whether he's worth it, consider this: even if $9 million is too much for a guard, there's also no question Steinbach has been grossly underpaid relative to his performance. After 2006, he will have earned less than $4 million over his first four years. Even if the Bengals tag him, he still will only then have cost us a total of about $13 million over five years, or less than $3 million/year average, which is more than reasonable for a guard...cheap, even.