Big Willie expects to get cut.

[Bengals1]

Can't say as I'm surprised.

From the Cincy Enquirer:

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...SPT02/312210051

[NYBengalfan]

Yeah the heart is still there but, he has clearly lost a step.

Both him and Larry Allen on SF have clearly lost a step.

[DuffMan]

That's a shame, but I guess you have to do what is best for the team. I guess resigning Stacey has now become a top priority.

[COB]

Cutting Big Willie, much as I love him, would be a strangely grown up thing for this organization to do.

[Bengals1]

Cutting Big Willie, much as I love him, would be a strangely grown up thing for this organization to do.

Well put.

[Kazkal]

That's a shame, but I guess you have to do what is best for the team. I guess resigning Stacey has now become a top priority.

Depends what they wanna do with Oline,I'd like to see Whitworth move to RT myself then either stacey plays guard at a high lvl or we draft one day 1....

(I'd still like to see guard taken even if we resign willie)

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Cutting Big Willie, much as I love him, would be a strangely grown up thing for this organization to do.

Sadly they should've cut him loose when his last contract was up. But these are the kind of poor decisions a man like Mike Brown is involved in and makes...when you hire a cheap med staff, handle personnel poorly, and don't know when to replace players at the right time, and move on, and keep your younger, better players (*cough* Steinbach). Whitworth would've done just fine at RT and now he's stuck out of position.

I feel sorry for him - nothing but one playoff loss and some Pro Bowls no one will much remember to show for his career...the life of a Bengal.

He was a good one. But you know, the Bengals' or Marvin can't hurt people's feelings or anything like that.

[Scottishbengal]

I read the title of the thread and thought, "this post should be on Rabbi-zone"

[HoTbOy]

The Bengals need to stop running a popularity contest when it comes to keeping players around, and run this team like a business...The smart thing to do last year was to resign ESteinbach, and let Big Willie go ESteibach was a younger player that could play 3 positions LT,G,C...

[icehole3]

so what if the Bengals cut him and then he goes up to Cleveland completes their OL, I hope no one gets upset about that.

[jjakq27]

The Bengals need to stop running a popularity contest when it comes to keeping players around, and run this team like a business...The smart thing to do last year was to resign ESteinbach, and let Big Willie go ESteinbach was a younger player that could play 3 positions LT,G,C...

I think should should have thought long and hard about keeping and then moving Steinbach to Center. He played pretty well there when needed, is bigger than Ghiaciuc and knew the offense better. Willie's contract should have been loaded with all kinds of escape clauses to save the team money. But it's too late know.

If he is able to play next year I wonder if Willie or the team would consider resigning to a lower cap number next year.

[HoosierCat]

Willie's contract should have been loaded with all kinds of escape clauses to save the team money.

Actually, it was. IIRC his signing bonus was only like $5 million. Most of the money was in roster and workout bonuses. For example, this year Willie had a cap figure of $7.8 million, 3rd highest on the team. Thats from $2.4 million in salary, $1.2 million in amortized signing bonus, and $4.2 million in roster and workout bonuses. The remaining bonus to be amortized if Willie gets cut should only be about $3 million -- and if his numbers for next season are structured like they were this year, then we are talking about a net cap gain in the $4-5 million range.

And that, I'm sure, explains why Willie expects to be cut. Especially if a sizeable roster bonus is due in late Feb/early March, which it probably is.

[Kazkal]

I say give him pauls job

[ArmyBengal]

I was never in support of giving Willie (as much as I like him as a player) all that money and letting the top pick in the second round (Steinbach) just walk away. Stupid Stupid Stupid... And here we are with an O-line that needs rebuilt again. I'm sure Carson loves that !!!

WHODEY !!!

[Kazkal]

At first I didn't mind it because we had whitworth to replace steinbach which still IMO is a awesome draft pick,But with steinbach playing and willie sitting all season big mistake.