rudi signs 1-year offer

[skyline]

i take exception to the enquirer's article on the subject. they said it signals the failure of both sides to reach a long-term deal? my impression is that the bengals arent ready to commit to a long-term deal. not that they tried, but failed...

[redsfan2]

i take exception to the enquirer's article on the subject. they said it signals the failure of both sides to reach a long-term deal? my impression is that the bengals arent ready to commit to a long-term deal. not that they tried, but failed...

Agreed.

Bengals are doing the smart thing by making sure last year wasn't a fluke and that Rudi is the real thing before committing to a long term deal. This is also the last year theyll have to worry about Akili's cap hit too. That'll give the office more to work with if Rudi does have another great year and they have to end up shelling out extra.

[richmond_mat]

You'al are making perfect sense to me.

Rudi had a good season, but he needs to perform a second act before big dollars can be committed to him.

Besides we have Perry.

DEFENSE? :player:

[jjakq27]

I also agree. I am sure there are financial restrictions (cap stuff) that may prevent them for giving him more than the 1.8M this year. But if he has another good year, then I can see them giving him a fair contract.

For all of the Rudi-naysayers (he only played in three games..blah..blah..blah) though here are his stats from last year.

13 games played

5 starts

215 carries

957 yards

9 touchdowns

He became the first running back in Bengals history to rush for 150 or more yards three times in one season. Johnson rushed for 182 yards against the Houston Texans on Nov. 9, 165 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs on Nov. 16 and 174 yards against the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 14.

His 43 carries against the Texans were a team record and two off of the NFL record of 45.

[HoosierCat]

According to bengals.com, far from failing to reach a long-term deal, the team and Rudi's agent continue to chat about a contract. So I agree with everyone, the enquirer is off-base.

Like I said in another thread, this is a pretty standard scenario with top-tier RFAs. Most times the players themselves aren't pushing very hard for a long-term deal, because of the lure of unrestricted FA next year. If Rudi performs, look for them to do something in midseason, a la CJ's extension last year. Failing that, there's always the franchise or transition tag options (and with Perry in the wings that brings up some interesting possibilities for next year's draft but it's way too early to speculate about that now... )

[Scottishbengal]

To be honest I think the one year contract suit both parties. The Bengals get a reasonably priced, unproven (to some extent) back, whilst Rudi gets a chance to show what he can do this year with a large $$$ carrot dangling in front of him should he succeed.

Rudi wants to stay, the Bengals want a No.1 back, there's compensation should he leave (?), and the prospect of a big contract looms ahead. Everybody's happy !

[Barbarian]

i take exception to the enquirer's article on the subject.  they said it signals the failure of both sides to reach a long-term deal?  my impression is that the bengals arent ready to commit to a long-term deal.  not that they tried, but failed...

Agreed.

Bengals are doing the smart thing by making sure last year wasn't a fluke and that Rudi is the real thing before committing to a long term deal. This is also the last year theyll have to worry about Akili's cap hit too. That'll give the office more to work with if Rudi does have another great year and they have to end up shelling out extra.

Wow, this is going to be shocking to everyone, but I agree totally.

Let the man prove himself further, then sign him long-term.

Very good move.

[The Brew Man]

Agreed guys, but I do think the two sides are having problems communicating. I think thats part of the reason we drafted RB in the first round. Hope they work things out....

[skyline]

the only downside is that they could probably sign him now for cheaper than they could if he goes on and has a good year. but, i don't think the bengals are willing to take that gamble just yet.

im guessing if he has a great first half of the season, they will try to get something done before the season is over.

[Kirkendall]

I'm not sure what to make of this deal. Sign him to a one-year deal and draft Perry? This means that if Rudi has a great season, he'll demand a lot of money and the Bengals will just use Perry for their future. I have no problem with that, but it seems in the long run (and of course, this only means if Rudi has a great season) there could be either confusion, problems or a master plan we know nothing about.

[HoosierCat]

I'm not sure what to make of this deal. Sign him to a one-year deal and draft Perry?

I think drafting Perry had more to do with CD going to NE and the Bengals not having any really attractive options should Rudi go down. As for Rudi, I've expected him to sign the tender all along. With UFA looming, he has no incentive to sign a big deal, unless the Bengals are prepared to drop franchise/transition-RB-level dough on him, and he hasn't justified that kind of price tag yet. If he performs, then the Bengals will have to decide if they want to show him the money, or go with Perry (and perhaps tag and shop Rudi in an attempt to add some draft picks in 2005).

[Kirkendall]

I thought Rudi was supposed to counter the departure of Dillon. If we have Rudi, then why replace Dillon with a first round pick if Dillon wasn't that effective in the first place? I guess my confusion comes from the following:

Why sign him to a one-year deal if we expect him to be the effective starter he was a majority of the time last season. He'd cost a hellva lot more through UFA if he performs well. With the money probably going to Perry for just being a first round pick, seems like an awfully expensive position.

I'm still a little unsure how to think of the RB situation though, it could go about 1,000 different directions. If this and if that, we have a ton of options.

BTW - Why do we have three different threads talking about the same thing?

[HoosierCat]

I thought Rudi was supposed to counter the departure of Dillon. If we have Rudi, then why replace Dillon with a first round pick if Dillon wasn't that effective in the first place?

Read what I wrote again (emphasis added): "I think drafting Perry had more to do with CD going to NE and the Bengals not having any really attractive options should Rudi go down. "

Rudi is set to replace CD as the No. 1 guy. But injuries happen -- remember when both CD and Rudi were hurt early last year and Bennett was "the man"? Personally, I feel a lot better with a Rudi-Perry-Watson RB lineup versus a Rudi-Watson-Hicks combo.

Why sign him to a one-year deal if we expect him to be the effective starter he was a majority of the time last season.  He'd cost a hellva lot more through UFA if he performs well.  With the money probably going to Perry for just being a first round pick, seems like an awfully expensive position. 

Perry isn't going to cost a great deal. Last year's 26th pick, Kwame Harris, got a seven year, $9.8 million deal (which could void to 5 years and $6.8 million). I expect he'll end up with a deal that averages about $1.5 million a year. A bit pricey, but not in the same league as carry two $4-5 million QBs (a situation the team may face next year).

As for Rudi, I don't buy his agent's spin about how the price will go up as time goes by. Rudi wasn't about to sign some $2 million or $3 million a year deal, not with the chance for a UFA jackpot in '05 which could go $5 million, $6 million, or even more depending on how he performs. Yes, it may turn out that we could have gotten him cheaper now versus later, but we're talking about $5 million a year versus $6 million a year, not $2 million a year versus $6 million a year.

I'm still a little unsure how to think of the RB situation though, it could go about 1,000 different directions.  If this and if that, we have a ton of options.

Which is, I think, a good situation. Everyone seems happy -- the team, Rudi, Perry -- and all appear content to let things work themselves out on the field. That's a welcome change from "I'd rather be flipping burgers," eh?

BTW - Why do we have three different threads talking about the same thing?

Welcome to offseason hell.

[BENGALTHEM]

The thing that must be stressed here is, Rudi is a different kind of guy. So money is important but it's not everything. Rudi is a team player who wants to be a Bengal. The fans love him, and I think he recognizes the Bengals are on the verge of doing big things in the future.

I suspect that if Rudi does his job, the Bengals will sign him to a long term deal in the middle of the season. Like I said Rudi wants to be a Bengal..................and lately, I think the Bengals have been treating their players fair.

When Kitna got that 1.6 mill. bonus........technically the Bengals didn't have to give it to him, but they did anyway. That may be a reason why Kitna is cool with sticking around. And I think a move like that is a sign to other players that the Bengals are not trying to cheat anybody out of money, or be cheap.

Bengals didn't even fine Dillion for the remaks he made on Best Damn Talk Show, but technically they could have.

[HoosierCat]

The thing that must be stressed here is, Rudi is a different kind of guy. So money is important but it's not everything. Rudi is a team player who wants to be a Bengal. The fans love him, and I think he recognizes the Bengals are on the verge of doing big things in the future.

Dead on. The thing that has amazed me most about the Lewis era is the huge infusion of common sense into this club. Forgive me for quoting an entire Bengals.com article, but it's completely apropos here:

All about timing

5/12/2004 - 5-12-04, 2:40 p.m.

BY GEOFF HOBSON

Rudi Johnson showed up this week about three months before he had to. But in his mind, he had to.

He knows he went from “Rudi,” to “Rudi, Rudi,” last year because of all those repetitions behind his blockers.

“That’s one of his strong points, I think,” says Eric Steinbach, who pulled from left guard to lead Johnson’s signature “Power,” run last year in helping him amass many of his 957 yards. “Following his linemen and reading his keys and blocks.”

Timing. That's why he has picked this time to be here.

“Maybe they should,” said Johnson Wednesday when asked if the Bengals should take note of his voluntary services. “But that’s not why I’m here, so they can notice. That’s on them.

“(The running game is) is why I’m here,” he said. “We’ve got to start fast, man. Trying to start fast this year. I’m trying to start fast. We’re all trying to start fast, so in order to do that, you’ve got to be here at some point in time to get that done.”

Johnson is here now because he signed his one-year deal for $1.8 million Tuesday so he could be on the field for the first series of on-field coaching sessions next week. Because he was a restricted free agent, he could have conceivably sat out until the eve of the second pre-season game, which is what Corey Dillon did four years ago in order to be eligible for the regular-season opener.

But even as Dillon once said, “Rudi ain’t no CD.” Dillon meant only to say they have different styles.

And, he’s right.

“That’s the good thing about my situation. I’ve got a lot to prove and this team also has a lot to prove,” Johnson said. “We’re trying to prove ourselves as a team, and I’m trying to prove myself as an individual. At the same time, it all works together. But I’ve got a lot to prove. I’m looking forward to going out and proving it.”

Johnson knows there might be a whiff of one-year wonderment around his three 150-yard efforts last season in place of the injured Dillon. Fine, he said Wednesday. Whether they want him to start or platoon with a rookie in No. 1 pick Chris Perry, Johnson is prepared to prove he’s a legitimate 1,200-1,300-yard NFL back.

“Nothing is going to change from last year on my side,” Johnson said. “I’m going to continue to do what I have to do, just like I did last year. Hopefully everything will work out the same as last year.”

Last year, insiders and outsiders felt that the running game clicked better with Johnson than the three-time Pro Bowl Dillon. Because of his injured groin, Dillon simply wasn’t able to get any timing down with the offensive line and, at times, tried to make things happen on his own while Johnson stuck to the scheme.

“Corey is a great back and I only got to play with him last year,” Steinbach said. “He was hurt and he might have never been 100 percent and Rudi was. If the running game was better because of that, it was because of injuries.”

Steinbach showed how much his athleticism means to an offensive line with the “Power,” play in which Johnson follows the pulling Steinbach and fullback Jeremi Johnson. That was pretty much the play that Johnson ran 14 times in the second half for 165 of his 174 yards in the win over San Francisco.

“It was one of our most popular plays,” Steinbach said. “Rudi did a great of following the block. He knew when to wait for me to get around and he would read me, see where I’m going, and then go. And he’d also read Jeremi. It’s an important play.”

Tight end Tony Stewart also opened up some holes for Johnson out of formations with two tight ends, particularly in the red zone.

“With Rudi, I don’t have to guess where he’s going to cut,” Stewart said. “If I can get my guy, even if I don’t do my job 100 percent, I know he’s going to make it work even if he gets a little slice. Maybe to my left side, maybe on my right side by cutting it back. I think he’s just got good vision. He knows where the holes are hid, and if not, he knows where else to go. He’s a big guy. But he always keeps his feet moving.

“He’s an easy-going guy, but he gets his work in,” said Stewart of Johnson in practice. “You have to have a perfect practice, not just practice, but a repetitious practice, a perfect practice, to do well. I think he’s kind of got a feel for the linemen and the tight end corps by working together, and I think everything went pretty well. Hopefully we can get that rolling again.”

Agent Peter Schaffer expressed frustration and disappointment Tuesday that after making re-signing Johnson to a long-term contract a top off-season priority, the Bengals have yet to send him a concrete proposal and have only sent concepts.

“Here’s a guy that doesn’t have to show up until Sept. 1. There have been guys there who have said they’d rather flip burgers than go back there,” said Schaffer, alluding to Dillon’s comments when he went into restricted free agency. “But he’s committed to what the Bengals are doing. He loves the coaches and management, but at some point they have to know his price is just going to go out of the roof once he hits the market.

“I don’t like artificial deadlines,” said Schaffer, who indicated he’ll talk during the season. “But obviously, as each day goes by, the price is changing. What we think might have been a good deal in February won’t necessarily be one in September.”

But welcome to the Marvin Lewis Era, which treats any hint of controversy like toxic waste. Controversy used to be the life blood of the Bengals’ locker room. But the only controversy the media could scrounge out of Johnson Wednesday was his Cleveland Indians ball cap.

They asked him if the Bengals had leveraged him with Perry, if the talks will become a distraction the longer the stalemate goes, if one feature back is better than two, if he can see himself playing somewhere else next year, if. . .

”I’m not confident, but I’m hopeful something can get worked out,” he said. (If there’s no deal) I’m able to become a free agent. I just have to take my chances. But hopefully, it will get done. I’m not even thinking about it right now. I signed a one-year deal and I’m going to play to the best of my ability.”

Schaffer, who represents Hall-of-Fame running back Barry Sanders, is pounding the fact that Johnson doesn’t turn 25 until October and that no back that young with two big years has ever gone into free agency. He thinks it would net a huge windfall.

Johnson shrugged, took his cap off, prepared to report to strength and conditioning coaches Chip Morton and Ray Oliver, and remembered the days he was fourth on the depth chart.

“I’m excited,” he said. “I’m more excited than I have been in the past. I’m looking forward to doing big things.”