HoosierCat Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 From Hobson...INDIANAPOLIS - According to an NFL source at the NFL Scouting Combine, the Bengals will meet Thursday with the agent for wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Houshmandzadeh, closeted all day Wednesday with a committee of players studying NFL discipline, emerged briefly to say he's not concerned about his contract status.Houshmandzadeh, the NFL's co-receptions leader this past season, is heading into the last year of a four-year deal. Kinnard McGuire, Houshmandzadeh's agent, is working on his first contract for his client. He had no comment Wednesday.Obviously this would be a good idea. Housh is set to have a ~$3.3 million cap hit in 2007 so that gives them plenty of room to do a deal that has little or no net impact on 2008 cap space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_Bengals_Fan Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 From Hobson...Obviously this would be a good idea. Housh is set to have a ~$3.3 million cap hit in 2007 so that gives them plenty of room to do a deal that has little or no net impact on 2008 cap space.Now I say this even though TJ is my favorite Bengal...but I'd rather not re-sign TJ this offseason if I can avoid it. I'm a big believer in "buy low, sell high" economics, and by any measure TJ had a career year last year. So if we resign him this year, we probably end up overpaying.On the other hand, it might be worth it to avoid having a WR corps that consists of two pissed-off prima donnas and a head case. I definitely don't want to lose him because he's about the only player on offense with real fight in him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted February 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Now I say this even though TJ is my favorite Bengal...but I'd rather not re-sign TJ this offseason if I can avoid it. I'm a big believer in "buy low, sell high" economics, and by any measure TJ had a career year last year. So if we resign him this year, we probably end up overpaying.If they wait until next year TJ will only be more expensive. With UFA looming he will only sign a monster deal in '09 -- or get franchised.The real question is, what do you pay him. As a starting point, the franchise tag for WRs this year is $7.8 million. Is TJ a top 5-caliber receiver? That seems to be pushing it a bit. Top 10? I think you could make that case. Sportsline had him ranked No. 8 last year. So figure $6 million/year average as roughly the market rate for his services. That sound about right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsemen Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Is TJ a top 5-caliber receiver?IMO, yes he is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJJackson Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 figure $6 million/year average as roughly the market rate for his services. That sound about right?It does to me.....but.....Housh has said for years (rightly or wrongly, and I'd say until this year, wrongly) that he is every bit as good or better than Chad. So....that's his personal benchmark. He'll expect to get paid like Chad, or better than Chad. Even if it is only a dollar more....it's an ego issue.Again, I am speaking of what I feel his expectations will be, not of what I think they should be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted February 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 figure $6 million/year average as roughly the market rate for his services. That sound about right?It does to me.....but.....Housh has said for years (rightly or wrongly, and I'd say until this year, wrongly) that he is every bit as good or better than Chad. So....that's his personal benchmark. He'll expect to get paid like Chad, or better than Chad. Even if it is only a dollar more....it's an ego issue.Maybe. OTOH, we know Chad & TJ are buds.What if there's a good cop/bad cop routine going on here? What if Chad is acting the fool to help drive money into his buddy TJ's pocket? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Now more than ever....more TJ....less Chad. If they can get a contract extension now, great. If not then things could get complicated. But there's really no reason NOT to do a deal now. The Bengals know exactly what they've got with Housh, and TJ should be motivated to get a deal done now, as opposed to waiting, because his numbers will NEVER be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingwilly Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Is TJ a top 5-caliber receiver?IMO, yes he is.yes and no.yes, if he is playing opposite CJ or another Pro Bowl quality guy.no, if he is forced to be a no 1 WR.oh, and it also helps that Carson is his QB.I think TJ is the epitome of grit, determination and maximizing potential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazkal Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Yes TJ has a great supporting cast but him alone is the one who has some of the best hands in the nfl and makes some freakish catches,Ya chad and carson raise his level of play but that could be said about every great WR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJJackson Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 What if there's a good cop/bad cop routine going on here? What if Chad is acting the fool to help drive money into his buddy TJ's pocket?The truth is out there*cue X-Files theme music* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COB Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 From Hobson... emerged briefly to say he's not concerned about his contract status.What a player. Nails on the field, exemplary behavior off the field, keeps all the business behind closed doors. I feel if they don't wrap him up now, and he stays healthy, he'll command more on the open market next year than his numbers dictate. His leadership and intangibles significantly enhance his value. Pay him now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalszoneBilly Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Pay him now.And pay him well. He's a definite keeper for his career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted February 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 But there's really no reason NOT to do a deal now. The Bengals no exactly what they've got with Housh, and TJ should be motivated to get a deal done now, as opposed to waiting, because his numbers will NEVER be better.And they have plenty of cap space to absorb the deal. It doesn't get more no-brainer than this.If I'm the Bengals, when TJ's agent presents his proposal, unless it's completely insane, I just sign on the dotted line Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsemen Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Yes TJ has a great supporting cast but him alone is the one who has some of the best hands in the nfl and makes some freakish catches,Ya chad and carson raise his level of play but that could be said about every great WR.Indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_Bengals_Fan Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 If they wait until next year TJ will only be more expensive. With UFA looming he will only sign a monster deal in '09 -- or get franchised.The real question is, what do you pay him. As a starting point, the franchise tag for WRs this year is $7.8 million. Is TJ a top 5-caliber receiver? That seems to be pushing it a bit. Top 10? I think you could make that case. Sportsline had him ranked No. 8 last year. So figure $6 million/year average as roughly the market rate for his services. That sound about right?I'm operating on the assumption that he won't have as good a season next year as he did this year. That's not dogging TJ, but just a recognition that he had a monster year. Certainly if they can sign him early for less than he'll probably get next year, then go for it. But I think his value is as high now as it will ever probably be.The only reason I balk at calling him the 8th best receiver is he's never had to be a #1, and his downfield game is pretty weak. His strength is in handling all the stuff under 15 yards and getting first downs after contact. Is that a #1 receiver? Not sure.But even then, I'd give him $6M/year as fast as he'd take the money. Hell, if we're giving freaking Andrews, what, $7M or $8M, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShulaSteakhouse Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 I'm not so sure TJ will sign a new deal right now without seeing how this season plays out and testing the market for the first time.He clearly stated his unhappiness with not winning here and getting older after last season. Unless he values his home and family life to the point he'll forego the chance of joining a team who wins more often, and possibly making more money, just don't see why he'd make those comments and then sign an extension at this point. Who knows. But of course would love to keep him around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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