cincykent Posted June 3, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2004 More (alleged) salary details...Two sources have confirmed the Bengals and Gardener, 31, had reached agreement on a four-year, $9.3 million contract that includes no signing bonus. Gardener's base salary for 2004 will be $1.6 million with the bases rising to slightly more than $2.5 million for each of the final three seasons.http://bengals.enquirer.com/2004/06/03/Bengals-0603.htmlThose are some interesting numbers...no signing bonus??? Given the player that's probably a good thing, but that makes him completely cuttable at any point with no cap implications. Plus, the 2004 salary number of $1.6 million should be doable without any major cap casualties. The Bengals reportedly have about $1 million of room left after the rookie pool is accounted for, so they'd only have to find $600k.If true, an extremely good deal. Sounds like he got plenty of signing bonus when he signed with the Broncos, which will hit their cap this year and next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted June 3, 2004 Report Share Posted June 3, 2004 Sounds like he got plenty of signing bonus when he signed with the Broncos, which will hit their cap this year and next. I believe he gave all or most of that money back to the Broncos as part of the agreement under which he was cut loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LABengalsFan09 Posted June 3, 2004 Report Share Posted June 3, 2004 Why hasn't he flown in yet?Does this seem fishy to anyone?It would be nice if he were practicing like Warner... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsfan2 Posted June 3, 2004 Report Share Posted June 3, 2004 Why hasn't he flown in yet?Does this seem fishy to anyone?It would be nice if he were practicing like Warner... Waiting for the physical would be my guess. I had expected this to be a done deal by today tho. ???????????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LABengalsFan09 Posted June 3, 2004 Report Share Posted June 3, 2004 Tell me about it....so much for ESPNs wednesday roundup saying the signing was going down...I hope they're not thinking of bringing in trotter now...let webster do his thing....We wanted to get more athletic, not banged up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 so much for ESPNs wednesday roundup saying the signing was going down... ESPN only said he was expected to sign in the next few days, not that a signing was happening immediately. So I wouldn't worry.I suspect that the rumored $9.3 million deal is on the table, and there's probably a deadline (June 10, the day before minicamp?) for him to agree. But assuming all we've heard about the deal's structure is true, I wouldn't be in a hurry to sign it, either. There appears to be no signing bonus, and much of the money is reportedly tied to playing time and other incentives. Great deal for the Bengals, crappy deal for Daryl. So why not string it out as long as you can? Maybe some d-lineman will get hurt and some team will come toss a bigger deal, or at least one with some up-front money, at you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 P.S.: enquirer says he's due to mosey into town today for a physical. http://bengals.enquirer.com/2004/06/04/bengals04notes.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cincykent Posted June 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2004 It sounds like the deal is not such a done deal. There could be possible health problems.DT Gardener signing now on hold By Mark CurnutteThe Cincinnati EnquirerWAITING: Defensive tackle Daryl Gardener's trip to Cincinnati to have a physical and possibly sign an agreed-upon contract will wait until next week. The Bengals had no news conference planned for Friday to introduce Gardener, though it could have happened as early as Thursday. Gardener, 31, remained at home in Florida on Friday, and the biggest question holding up a completed deal is the health of a potentially degenerative disc. Gardener was slowed by the herniated lumbar disc in 2000 and underwent back surgery again in 2001 to remove fragments and scar tissue. Though the Bengals are not commenting on the record, the club and Gardener have agreed on a four-year contract worth up to $9.3 million. Denver terminated Gardener's contract Wednesday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted June 6, 2004 Report Share Posted June 6, 2004 Sounds like Curnette's just speculating. Gardener's back problems are hardly a secret. If he really does have a degenerative condition, then the results of a physical are going to be the same this week as they would have been last week, so that doesn't really make sense as a reason for the delay. Maybe there was a temporary flare-up? Could be, but given that he had a pretty slow season last year (so he shouldn't be banged up), and that his reported contract is so cap-friendly, I'm not too concerned.I still think he's just stringing things out as long as he can in the hopes of getting a better offer, or at least one with a signing bonus. Detroit is one possibility: they're reportedly interested in Dana Stubblefield, but he has his own injury issues that have them worried. If they decide against Dana, they might switch targets... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schweinhart Posted June 6, 2004 Report Share Posted June 6, 2004 Detroit is one possibility: they're reportedly interested in Dana Stubblefield, but he has his own injury issues that have them worried. If they decide against Dana, they might switch targets... Detroit definitely has the cap room and need for Gardener.They've got Big Baby Rogers and Big Daddy Wilkinson locked in but re-signed Big Grandaddy Kelvin Pritchett who's old enough to play for the Raiders and right now got college free agent Big Fatty Ahmad Childress who was enough of an out-of-shape overweight question mark not to get drafted despite his ability. Gardener would be a great rotational addition for them.Still, ML has banked on Gardener coming here since no one else has come in and the pickings are slim.The Lions might also be looking at the bottom of the free agency barrell in Stubblefield and Chester McGlockton (maybe even roll the veterans salary dice with Chad Eaton) or Marcus Bell and Barron Tanner who were cut June 1 by the Cards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarian Posted June 7, 2004 Report Share Posted June 7, 2004 Sounds like Curnette's just speculating. Gardener's back problems are hardly a secret. If he really does have a degenerative condition, then the results of a physical are going to be the same this week as they would have been last week, so that doesn't really make sense as a reason for the delay. Maybe there was a temporary flare-up? Could be, but given that he had a pretty slow season last year (so he shouldn't be banged up), and that his reported contract is so cap-friendly, I'm not too concerned.I still think he's just stringing things out as long as he can in the hopes of getting a better offer, or at least one with a signing bonus. Detroit is one possibility: they're reportedly interested in Dana Stubblefield, but he has his own injury issues that have them worried. If they decide against Dana, they might switch targets... And since Mike Brown & Company didn't keep the Gardener Deal under wraps (the biggest non-secret off-season signing ever), maybe Gardener is using the Bungles as LEVERAGE???I know, this is all knew to us Bungles' Fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sox Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 Sounds like Curnette's just speculating. Gardener's back problems are hardly a secret. If he really does have a degenerative condition, then the results of a physical are going to be the same this week as they would have been last week, so that doesn't really make sense as a reason for the delay. Maybe there was a temporary flare-up? Could be, but given that he had a pretty slow season last year (so he shouldn't be banged up), and that his reported contract is so cap-friendly, I'm not too concerned.I still think he's just stringing things out as long as he can in the hopes of getting a better offer, or at least one with a signing bonus. Detroit is one possibility: they're reportedly interested in Dana Stubblefield, but he has his own injury issues that have them worried. If they decide against Dana, they might switch targets...And since Mike Brown & Company didn't keep the Gardener Deal under wraps (the biggest non-secret off-season signing ever), maybe Gardener is using the Bungles as LEVERAGE???I know, this is all knew to us Bungles' Fans. Speak for yourself.It may be new to you as a "Bungal" fan,but I root for the Bengals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 Gardener visits as Bengals prep for weekend 6-7-04, 3:40 p.m. Updated: 6-7-04, 11:10 p.m. Updated: 6-8-04, 3:20 p.m. BY GEOFF HOBSON As the Bengals defensive line prepped for this weekend's minicamp, the club confirmed Tuesday that former Broncos defensive tackle Daryl Gardener visited Paul Brown Stadium. But there were no immediate indications that he had signed his reported four-year deal. It’s believed Gardener arrived Monday, with a free-agent visit usually entailing an overnight stay and a physical. Neil Schwartz, Gardener’s agent, couldn’t be reached for comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 Gardener visits with Bengals --------------------------------------------------------------------------------By Mark CurnutteThe Cincinnati Enquirer The Bengals this afternoon confirmed a visit by free agent defensive tackle Daryl Gardener. Team spokesman Jack Brennan would not confirm whether Gardener was still in Cincinnati or had been here and gone. Gardener, 31, has agreed on a four-year, $9.3 million contract with the Bengals, but concerns remain about the health of Gardener’s back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted June 8, 2004 Report Share Posted June 8, 2004 Gardener, Bengals eye deal 6-8-04, 6 p.m. BY GEOFF HOBSON Even though his client left Cincinnati without signing a contract, Daryl Gardener’s agent said Tuesday he’s cautiously optimistic a deal could get done as the sides, “make sure the T’s are crossed and the I’s are dotted.” Neil Schwartz said the Bengals are the only team in the picture for the former Broncos defensive tackle that many believe is the dominating talent on the defensive line the club has sought since Cincinnati took Dan Wilkinson with the NFL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick 10 years ago. “We’ve had exclusivity with the Bengals from the start. That’s the way Daryl wants it. He wants to play for Coach (Marvin) Lewis,” Schwartz said from New York. “He loved the visit. He thinks the facility and the stadium are first rate. He told me when you drive in from the airport and you see the Cincinnati skyline, ‘Wow.’” Schwartz wouldn’t comment on speculation that the condition of Gardener’s back is a reason whythe deal isn’t done yet. Schwartz wouldn’t confirm the stories of two months ago, when Cincinnati reportedly reached a four-year, $9.3 million deal with Gardener in anticipation of his June 2 release from Denver. “Jut because we didn’t sign doesn’t mean we’re mad,” Schwartz said. “It’s the opposite. We’re very pleased. The Bengals are just doing due diligence and we agree with what they’re doing. The lines of communication are open and everything is fine.” The 6-6, 310-pound Gardener, 31, had a difficult time in Denver last year, where run-ins with head coach Mike Shanahan short-circuited the seven-year deal for nearly $35 million deal he signed before last season. < P>But the year before, he had a career year in Washington when Lewis was the Redskins defensive coordinator. Gardener was named a Pro Bowl alternate and the Quarterback Club Redskins Player of the Year during a season he had four sacks along with a career-high 71 tackles. His play in 2002 wiped away some concern about his back. Gardener underwent back surgeries in 2000 and 2001 during his last two seasons with the Dolphins. In 2000, he suffered a disc herniation and had a fragment removed from his lumbar disc by a spine specialist. He missed six games and returned later in the season, but missed the last eight games of 2001 for laser surgery that removed fragments and scar tissue. Gardener, a No. 1 pick of the Dolphins in 1996 out of Baylor, would most likely check right into the starting lineup, probably in place of Tony Williams and next to John Thornton. With Gardener playing at such a high level, the Redskins finished fifth in the league in defense and 12th against the run. That’s where the Bengals need to beef up after they finished tied for 25th against the run in 2003. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cincykent Posted June 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 That is very optimistic news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 It is, at least for Gardener. If you're Tony Williams, I'm not so sure. The only reason I can see for obsessing over Daryl's back -- which apparently hasn't been a problem for the last two years, after all -- is to make absolutely sure they have a new starter before they cut an old one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 Gardener deal not done -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SCOTT HALLERAN/Allsport Daryl Gardener, a former top pick of Miami, is still looking for a home in 2004. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Kevin Goheen Post staff reporterFor what was supposedly a done deal two months ago, the Bengals and free agent defensive tackle Daryl Gardener have been slow to consummate their relationship. The process inched closer to being finalized when the Bengals confirmed on Tuesday that Gardener has visited with the organization. But he has left town without signing on the dotted line. The Bengals had no further comment on the situation and Gardener's agent, Neil Schwartz, did not return repeated phone calls from The Post. The report of Gardener's interest in playing for the Bengals first surfaced in April when it became known that Denver would make him a June 1 cut. The Broncos had signed Gardener -- a first-round pick of Miami from Baylor in 1996 -- as a free agent in 2003 but, first, injuries and then team disciplinary violations quickly put the 6-foot-6, 310-pounder on the outs with Denver head coach Mike Shanahan. He was suspended twice by Shanahan for a total of three games and finished the season on injured reserved for what was termed a "non-football injury." The Broncos waited until last week to release Gardener in order to take advantage of an NFL rule that allows teams to spread the cost of absorbing a signing bonus to its salary cap across two years, instead of taking the full hit at once. Gardener was credited with just 15 tackles in 2003, one season after he made a career-high 71 for the Washington Redskins and was named the 2002 Quarterback Club's Redskin Player of the Year. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis was Washington's defensive coordinator in 2002 and current Cincinnati linebackers coach Ricky Hunley was Gardener's defensive line coach as the Redskins finished fifth in overall defense that season. The Denver Post reported in April that the Bengals and Gardener had agreed to a four-year, $9.3 million deal. The question remains that if those numbers are correct, why hasn't the contract been signed? Speculation has been that the Bengals are leery of possible back troubles Gardener is having and that they want to make sure he is medically sound before signing off on the deal. The Bengals also have to make sure the deal fits adequately into their own salary cap situation. Cincinnati still has all 11 of its draft choices to sign and has $4.64 million in its rookie pool to do so. While a team's salary cap situation can change from day-to-day, the Bengals have about $5.5 million in cap space remaining for this season. The NFL's salary cap for 2004 is $80.6 million. Schwartz did tell the Bengals Web site on Tuesday that he is only talking to Cincinnati at this time, reiterating the point he made in an interview with The Post in April that Gardener wants to be reunited with Lewis and Hunley. "Just because we didn't sign doesn't mean we're mad," Schwartz told the Web site. "It's the opposite. We're very pleased. The Bengals are just doing due diligence and we agree with what they're doing. The lines of communication are open and everything is fine." Gardener was one of the 27 athletes linked by a federal investigator's memorandum in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) case as having received steroids from the company. He has not been charged in the case or ever tested positive for steroids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted June 10, 2004 Report Share Posted June 10, 2004 Updated: 6-9-04, 6:40 p.m. BY GEOFF HOBSON On Wednesday, Neil Schwartz said he had no news to report, and there were no indications that the Bengals release of rookie free agent defensive tackle Mondre Dickerson of Tennessee earlier in the day had anything to do with Gardener's situation. One obvious timetable would have a decision before the Bengals report to their mandatory minicamp Friday, but Schwartz has said he understands the Bengals are going through "due diligence," that may take some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 6-10-04, 10 p.m. It looks like the Bengals are going to open their three-day mandatory minicamp Friday morning without free-agent defensive tackle Daryl Gardener, but his situation could be resolved before it ends Sunday afternoon one way or the other. His agent, Neil Schwartz, indicated Thursday that he and the club are still going over final details, but he wouldn’t comment when asked if that involved analysis of Gardener’s physical with the team earlier this week. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 6-11-04, 2:35 p.m. BY GEOFF HOBSON The talks with former Broncos DE Daryl Gardener had yet to be resolved after the morning workout and both sides want a deal, but the situation is believed to be resting on the health of his back. He underwent back surgery in both 2000 and 2001 after suffering a disc herniation. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schweinhart Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 Len Pastabelly"Detroit Lions: The Detroit Lions, who have been trying for the past few weeks to add another veteran defensive tackle before training camp, have been awarded Marcus Bell on waivers.Bell, 25, was released by the Arizona Cardinals on June 1 when coach Dennis Green purged five veteran backups to create opportunities for younger players. The Lions were awarded Bell by virtue of having the poorest 2003 record of the six clubs that submitted waiver claims on him.The other five teams that claimed Bell on waivers were: Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, St. Louis and San Francisco. The former University of Memphis standout likely will challenge Kelvin Pritchett and Cory Redding for the No. 3 tackle spot behind starters Dan Wilkinson and Shaun Rogers. It is not known if the addition of Bell will end the Lions' pursuit of unrestricted free agent tackle Dana Stubblefield. The team has been negotiating with Stubblefield, but did not want to sign him until he was fully recovered from 2003 injuries."Doesn't look like Gardener is headed to Detroit if he's going to be headed anywhere this year.ML made no move for Bell, but what about Stubblefield for 1 year for a 5-man DT rotation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 Doesn't look like Gardener is headed to Detroit if he's going to be headed anywhere this year.ML made no move for Bell, but what about Stubblefield for 1 year for a 5-man DT rotation? I don't see it happening. After all, if they wanted an aging DT with injury issues, they could have signed Gardener last week. The plan now appears to be...uh...well, since billy objects to a certain B-word, let's call it the "Classic Bengals" strategy of "going to war with what we have." A Post article a day or two ago said the DT lineup would likely be Williams-Thornton-Moore-Askew. Color me unimpressed. Williams and Thornton struggled against the run last year, Moore's allegedly a run-stuffer, but we've yet to see him in action, and Askew is realistically at least a year from being a force. And for depth we've got McLeary (who?) and undersized Lewis pet Powell. Ugh.On the bright side, I think our pass defense has a chance to rate No. 1 in the league, given how little need there will be for opponents to throw the ball... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schweinhart Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 Sounds about right...unfortunately.Powell is one thing as a DE but as a DT he's just pavement for a gaping running lane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R-U-D-I Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 Joisey, sounds like you have an acute case of Barbaraitis... Let the preseason unroll and let's evaluate the line and how the linebackers help and the rookies look? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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