Whitworth extended, Simpson signed

[Wraith]

Whitworth signed through 2013 and Simpson signed.

[HoosierCat]

That's some solid coin for Whit: 4 years and $30 million. Bye-bye Stacy?

[membengal]

Good move on Whitworth. I don't see that impacting Stacey, at this point, Hoosier, in the long term, at any rate. I think both of those parties will evaluate where they are after this year plays out.

Down to just Rivers and Caldwell now.

[HAPPYJAQ]

No question that his signing means that either Willie /Levi/Andrews are gone after this season. Whit's salary cap number will be somewhere in 6-7 million dollar range, which I think is good for the team but bad for these guys. The Bengals best hope is that Willie retires, which I don't think he'll do, when he has 2-3 good years left after this season.

[HoosierCat]

Good move on Whitworth.

I think so, too. I'd be interested to hear what Hair thinks, tho. I recall him reacting rather violently some months back at my suggestion that the Bengals might look to extend Whit this offseason...

I don't see that impacting Stacey, at this point, Hoosier, in the long term, at any rate. I think both of those parties will evaluate where they are after this year plays out.

I'm sure they will. But if Willie has a good year and Levi stays healthy, I have to think they look toward Collins and/or the draft for the future.

[Kazkal]

Woot IMO best linemen on our team atm.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Hope Whit goes back to tackle and that this team finds a real center and another guard, at least. I thought it was a bad move to not draft any interior lineman this year early, or sign anyone in FA.

[HairOnFire]

Good move on Whitworth.

I think so, too. I'd be interested to hear what Hair thinks, tho. I recall him reacting rather violently some months back at my suggestion that the Bengals might look to extend Whit this offseason...

Those feelings have nothing to do with Whit. At the time the idea was first mentioned I simply complained...."violently?"....that an extension wasn't a priority and shouldn't be seriously considered until other matters were dealt with. So it's not a matter of me being upset with Whit's new deal if that deal is looked at individually. In fact, I consider Whit to be one of the best and most versatile young OL in the entire NFL.

That said, they're only doing this deal now because they couldn't get other more pressing deals done with players the team may be unable to keep in the very near future. Worse, the failure to reach new agreements with players like Andrews and Housh has prompted the Bengals to burn draft picks on insurance they might not otherwise consider.

And there's the rub, because insurance is, by design, something you hope is never or very rarely used. Yet somehow the Bengals keep finding themselves in a position where many of their most valuable draft picks are burned on positions manned by their very best players.