Geathers gets extension

[Whur CHad At?]

via. espn.com

Geathers can earn maximum $33.7M with new dealBy Len Pasquarelli

ESPN.com

The Cincinnati Bengals on Wednesday secured one of their star young players for the future, with ESPN.com learning that the team has reached a six-year contract extension with defensive end Robert Geathers, the club's leading sacker in 2006.

The extension has a maximum value of $33.7 million. Geathers will earn $12.5 million in bonuses and will bank $14 million in the first year of the deal.

Without the extension, Geathers, a three-year veteran, would have been eligible for restricted free agency this spring. The Bengals would certainly have retained his rights by making him a one-year qualifying offer, but preferred the long-term extension, because Cincinnati views Geathers as a key part of its future.

ESPN.com reported several weeks ago in the "Tip Sheet" column that the Bengals have initiated talks on a long-term contract, noting that it would likely take an eight-figure bonus to persuade Geathers to bypass both his restricted and unrestricted free agent years. Cincinnati vice president Troy Blackburn and agent Bill Johnson of Atlanta-based ProFiles Sports have been working the past several weeks to complete the extension, and talks heated up the past few days.

"Robert has played like a premier pass rusher and now he is going to be paid like one," Johnson said on Wednesday afternoon. "The Bengals made it clear that, from both a professional and personal standpoint, keeping Robert was critical to them. They love him as a player and a person and they really stepped up and demonstrated that, especially for a guy who's only been in the league three seasons."

A fourth-round choice in the 2004 draft, Geathers posted 42 tackles and a career-high 10½ sacks in 2006 as the Bengals used him strictly as a situational rusher, primarily from the left side. The former University of Georgia standout actually started all 16 games in 2005, his second season in the NFL, but head coach Marvin Lewis felt that the team could maximize Geathers' value in 2006 by reducing his snaps.

For his career, Geathers has appeared in 46 games, including 17 as a starter, and has 116 tackles and 17 sacks. He is a quick, disruptive defender who only figures to improve even further the next few years.

Retaining Geathers was a key for the Bengals because their starting right end, Justin Smith, is eligible for unrestricted free agency. There have been some negotiations with Smith but, if he departs as a free agent, it could open the way for Geathers to move to right end, a more natural pass-rush position.

[HoosierCat]

Certainly good news. But that's a hefty chunk of change; Geathers better be ready to step up and start in '07.

Sounds like his cap hit for the year will be in the $3.5 million neighborhood, but hard to say without more details on the deal.

[Stripes]

Good news. Lets have 10-12 more sacks next season.

[BlainThePain]

If he can keep up this level of production than it's a good deal.

[HairOnFire]

I agree that extending Geathers was probably the most important task the Bengals faced this offseason, and I could write a million words on why I believe that to be true. That said, there's no way the Bengals could put themselves in a position where they lost Justin Smith to free agency this season and then lose Geathers the next.

With this deal completed I'd love to see the Bengals offer a comparable deal to Justin Smith, but I'm betting this was another example of...the first guy to the money gets it all.

[Kazkal]

He's 23 years old still no? great signing he'll he still be in his prime when this contract goes up so he'll have no reason to slack

reporting Geathers is to get $14 million in the first year and as much as $33.7 million over the rest of his contract if he hits all his incentives

I'm guessing his incentives are probbley 10+ sacks a year heh

With this deal completed I'd love to see the Bengals offer a comparable deal to Justin Smith, but I'm betting this was another example of...the first guy to the money gets it all.

I think same deal would be fair... and woulden't hurt the team cap wise if its only gonna be around 4million...

but if we were able draft jamaal anderson I could live with justin walking

This should also end all talk of the 3-4 defense

[HoosierCat]

With this deal completed I'd love to see the Bengals offer a comparable deal to Justin Smith, but I'm betting this was another example of...the first guy to the money gets it all.

Could be...but the Bengals have something on the order of $25 million in space and at worst this eats up about a fifth of that. If they wanted to keep Justin they could. Heck, they could probably give Steinbach what he wants, too, sweep K2 and a couple other key role players like Koo and Andrews back in, and still have room for the rookie pool and injuries and weekly car washes for Mikeys car, etc.

The only downside would be that they wouldnt have any money to go after big outside FAs...but they never do anyhow, and frankly I'd rather keep our own guys if all we're going to do is chase after junk like the Robinson and Adams.

[Kazkal]

Agreed on the junk part...They may not have huge contracts but they do add up to big cap hit for crappyness....

Though resigning justin and bringing in thomas would be sweet =)

[GregCook]

Its a surprise that this deal got done quickly and it's a big help for chasing other free agents since Geathers had to be near the top priority. But why all the love for Justin Smith? He was a 1st round pick, Geathers a 4th rounder. It wasn't the sacks he didn't get that bothered me. It was the round house routes he ran on Vick, Rothy and others that freed up QB runs on his side that bugged me.

Agreed on the junk part...They may not have huge contracts but they do add up to big cap hit for crappyness....

Though resigning justin and bringing in thomas would be sweet =)

[HoTbOy]

I like the signing, with a better D-line coach who knows how good he can be...

[HoosierCat]

Some more numbers from espn:

The contract is worth $19 million in its first three years. The extension has a maximum value of $33.7 million. Geathers will earn $12.5 million in bonuses and will bank $14 million in the first year of the deal.

So...that suggests a salary breakdown something like this for the first 3 years:

Year 1: $1.5m

2: $2m

3: $3m (total salary years 1-3 = $6.5m + 12.5 m bonus = $19m as reported)

Cap hit would be salary + $2.08m in amortized bonus/year (so $3.58m in 2007, $4.08m in 2008 and $5.08m in 2009.)

Beyond that, who knows, but I would guess salary in the final years is something like 4-4.5-5.5m through the last 3 years, with roster and workout boni making up the last few million.

If Junior proves a one-year wonder, the bengals are stuck with him until 2010, unless they are willing to take a cap hit. But by '10 he should be virtually cap neutral.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Yep, I'm good with this contract. The cap goes up significantly next year, keep that in mind also.

Buh-bye Justin.

Why anyone would want the same lame DE duo back after this year is beyond me.

Time to get a bigger, faster, cheaper guy to replace Smith. He disappeared in the 2nd half of this season and proved he could not make big plays in the backfield even once a game, if every other. He's always been that way.

[HoosierCat]

Oh, my. Well, this will make Shula happy from Hobs...

It’s believed that Geathers’ hit under the ’07 salary cap is about $5 million, which probably leaves them enough for another major signing and all indications are they’ll make a run to give it to Justin Smith, Geathers’ tag-team partner on the edge on passing downs with 7.5 sacks this season scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency with 41.5 career sacks in six seasons.

Geathers, for one, would like to see Smith stick around and he thinks the current defense can get better by keeping many of them together even though a unit that finished 30th in total NFL defense is getting scalded daily.

“It’d be great if Justin came back because we’ve got a great competition going,” Geathers said. “I think we’ve got what it takes. It really helps as many guys stay together as possible. What we need is to play with intensity every week. When we do, we stop people. I think we’ve got talent, we just have to have the mindset every game. It’s like Willie says. ‘Man up.’”

Geathers, back to his rookie weight of about 265 pounds, settled in at left end this season on passing situations after Lewis admitted beefing him up to 280 pounds and making him the starting right end his sophomore season wasn’t a great coaching move.

But there are some who that think a slimmed-down Geathers that doesn’t move inside to tackle on passing downs could replace Smith at right end, although all indications are the Bengals are going to push to get a deal with Smith.

[HairOnFire]

Time to get a bigger, faster, cheaper guy to replace Smith.

Bigger faster and cheaper? Well, it's good to see you're not asking for much.

Frankly, I'm thrilled to hear the Bengals are still trying to get Smith locked up. You can't have too many good football players, and I'd like nothing more than to free up the Bengals free agent and draft day priorities. Best, re-signing Smith would make guys like you go mental and that's always fun to watch.

It's win/win.

[walshfan]

Geathers becomes an everydown DE....

Rucker will pass rush and Fanene will play the rushing downs on the other side....

Pollack may even play DE before the season is over ...

So long Justin.. It was nice.

[Kazkal]

I'm fine with replacing Justin Smith...if his name is Jamaal Anderson or Gaines Adams

[HoTbOy]

I would also say bye-bye to JSmith, for a #4 pick I think he should have more sacks or pressures or something in his career...if DPollack can come back healthy, scrap the LB switch and put him back at DE...

[Stripes]

I would also say bye-bye to JSmith, for a #4 pick I think he should have more sacks or pressures or something in his career...if DPollack can come back healthy, scrap the LB switch and put him back at DE...

I agree that Smith hasn't lived up to his draft position, but that really shouldn't affect one's views of his place on this team in any way. He is still an effective player, and that's all that matters. The same held true for Peter Warrick before his injuries.

[Spain]

Need i remind you, that reinard wilson had 9 sacks playing across fro J Smith. With out J Smith drawing the double, Geathers would not have the 10 sacks. This combo on a playoff will inflate their numbers sign them both now while their cheap. You want more sacks get a DT that can pass rush! (couldnt J Smith do that, go to DT on 3rd and long)

[Kazkal]

So does resigning geathers atleast end 3-4 talk for 3years?

[Stripes]

Need i remind you, that reinard wilson had 9 sacks playing across fro J Smith. With out J Smith drawing the double, Geathers would not have the 10 sacks. This combo on a playoff will inflate their numbers sign them both now while their cheap. You want more sacks get a DT that can pass rush! (couldnt J Smith do that, go to DT on 3rd and long)

I think Peko will fill that role nicely once he gets more playing time.

[schweinhart]

Certainly good news. But that's a hefty chunk of change; Geathers better be ready to step up and start in '07.

Kinda understated That's a fortune for Jumpy. It would've been a whole lot less say if they had extended him right after he knocked Trent Green unconscious

But the really good news about the signing is that now the Bengals will have an RDE who can drop back effectively in short area coverage and take out the other team's left tackle from the blocking scheme, which should open up a lot more blitzing as long as the TE stays on the usual strongside. Jumpy looked really good getting some depth in his drops and pursuit from LDE this year.

Glad to see Marv admit adding bulk to Jumpy and using him as a pass rushing RDT was an eff up so hopefully that kind of garbage won't be repeated by the defensive braintrust.

But I would expect Justin to get lowballed and forced to test the market. At least that way the Bengals can say they tried.

[Jet23]

That is a ton of money for a situational player. He would need to bulk up to be an every down player and we all know how that turned out last time.

Personally, I would have worked on Smith first. If I'm not mistaken Jumpy was only a restricted FA, giving the Bengals the opportunity to match any offer. I really don't see another team offering him more than this. He does have a ton of up-side, but it is a costly gamble. If he continues to improve, he will be a bargain the last couple of years of his contract. Unless of course, he sits out for a better deal.

[HairOnFire]

But I would expect Justin to get lowballed and forced to test the market. At least that way the Bengals can say they tried.

I'm guessing that Justin's contract offer isn't much different than the one Geathers signed. It's pure speculation but I'm guessing the Bengals lopped off a year or two in term length and structured many of the incentives around downs played and tackles made instead of sacks produced. I'm also guessing that the Bengals attempted to link a substantial portion of the incentive package to team defensive rankings...something that won't appeal to Smith's agent.

Regardless, the Bengals have repeatedly tried to re-sign Smith. They were said to have upped their efforts immediately after Willie Anderson was extended, and the recent rumors make it clear that as the season neared the end Smith and Geathers were approached at the same time.

As for forcing Smith to test the market, I'd say you can't force someone to do what they fully intended to do anyway. As an unrestricted free agent Smith has a bargaining chip that Geathers didn't possess, and if I'm Smith I make it clear that when all things are equal...they still aren't equal.

In short, I expect Smith to move on to another team even if the best offer he receives in free agency simply matches the Bengals best offer, so lowballing Smith now is a waste of time that won't make them look good later. After all, what prevents camp Smith from releasing the details of the Bengals lowball offer....making the team look cheap again at a time when they're actually being proactive and high paying?

[HoosierCat]

Justin really has no reason not to test the market. I'm sure the Bengals have asked him, what would it take for you to re-sign and forgo FA? And I'm sure the answer was something along the lines of franchise-level DE money.

Reading the tea leaves, I think it's increasingly likely that Justin gets the transition tag, just so the Bengals retain a right to match. But I susect that in the end some team will throw a garbage truck full of money at him and the club will allow him to walk.