Sea Ray Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 Interesting that this writer from Sports Illustrated agrees with how the Bengals are handling Andre SmithWarning: I am about to agree with the Cincinnati Bengals. Well, kind of. The Bengals don't want to pay first-round pick Andre Smith what he is arguably entitled to as the sixth overall pick of the 2009 draft, and though it pains me to write this, I really don't blame them. Not a bit. For one thing, their offensive line is actually looking pretty good, a very welcome sign after a four-year span in which the Bengals went from having one of the best offensive lines in the league in 2005 to one of the worst in 2008. The Bengals starting line has no true superstars or players making an exorbitant salary, relatively speaking of course. The entire unit has taken on the personality of center Kyle Cook and left guard Nate Livings, a couple of undrafted free agents who surely will increase their notoriety if they keep showing the physicality they displayed in training camp. Even established veterans like left tackle Andrew Whitworth and right guard Bobbie Williams appear to have bought in. Why sign Smith to a mega-deal worth about $25 million guaranteed and potentially upset the apple cart or harmony among the offensive line?The fact that Anthony Collins can man the right tackle position that Smith was slated to occupy is even more reason to refuse to back up the Brinks truck to Smith's house. Yes, Smith is a rare run blocker and the Bengals picked him for a reason, but it is highly unlikely he would be any better than Collins this season. Collins is a solid pass protector and an improving run blocker on the right side while Smith is, well, waiting. And since Smith is making the transition from left tackle at Alabama to right tackle in the NFL, we don't really know what type of player he is yet.If I were running the Bengals and knew I would be unwilling to pay Smith something in between what the 5th and 7th overall selections in the draft were going to receive, I wouldn't have taken him in the first place. I would have found a way to either trade the pick or simply passed until later in the first round. Either that or drafted a player I thought would represent enough of an upgrade that I deemed him worthy of number six overall money. That said, I don't fault agent Alvin Keels or Smith for trying to get a contract that adequately reflects Smith's draft status. Keels recently tweeted that in the eyes of Bengals owner Mike Brown the "ship has sailed" on the slotting system for NFL draft pick compensation. But now that the Bengals have gotten into this predicament, I think they should consider trading Smith's rights or letting him re-enter the draft pool next season. It may not be the best idea for building a perennial contender, but there is a good chance it is />http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ross_tucker/08/28/mail/index.html?eref=sihp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_Bengals_Fan Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 Interesting that this writer from Sports Illustrated agrees with how the Bengals are handling Andre SmithThe next to last paragraph is all you need to know, and really sums up the Bengals' stupidity on the matter. Don't draft a player you decide you don't need.Not to mention which, I don't know of anyone who's been half as enthused with the Bengals' O-line as that article dictates. And that assumes we're only talking about starters - you start looking at their backups and things get very scary indeed.For Chrissakes, pay the man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazkal Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 The next to last paragraph is all you need to know, and really sums up the Bengals' stupidity on the matter. Don't draft a player you decide you don't need.We do need him because he does improves the position,we apparently don't need him enough that mike is willing to give him a fair offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 The next to last paragraph is all you need to know, and really sums up the Bengals' stupidity on the matter. Don't draft a player you decide you don't need. I'd say that's proof of the writers stupidity, not the Bengals. Because I've seen absolutely no sign the Bengals don't still want AND need Andre Smith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ickey44 Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 Interesting that this writer from Sports Illustrated agrees with how the Bengals are handling Andre SmithThe next to last paragraph is all you need to know, and really sums up the Bengals' stupidity on the matter. Don't draft a player you decide you don't need.Who said they decided they didn't need him? It appears they've just decided that their need isn't so great that they're going to give him truckloads of money he hasn't earned yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 Who said they decided they didn't need him? It appears they've just decided that their need isn't so great that they're going to give him truckloads of money he hasn't earned yet.Right. Instead, Mike Brown should just keep all that extra money he has done so much to earn over the years.Oh, wait... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ickey44 Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 Who said they decided they didn't need him? It appears they've just decided that their need isn't so great that they're going to give him truckloads of money he hasn't earned yet.Right. Instead, Mike Brown should just keep all that extra money he has done so much to earn over the years.Oh, wait... So if you were running this franchise, you'd just throw money at any player that asks for it? I think not. None of the teams at the top of the league do either. Over paying players is not going to get us a winning team. Good coaching and good drafting will. PS. Hoosier, did you give GHD your password? That sounds exactly like one of his posts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 PS. Hoosier, did you give GHD your password? That sounds exactly like one of his posts... Oh, snap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 So if you were running this franchise, you'd just throw money at any player that asks for it?I'm not running the team, Mikey is. And if Smith doesn't deserve the money because he hasn't done anything, what has Mike Brown to deserve it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ickey44 Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 So if you were running this franchise, you'd just throw money at any player that asks for it?I'm not running the team, Mikey is. And if Smith doesn't deserve the money because he hasn't done anything, what has Mike Brown to deserve it?Nice dodge.BTW, I never said Mikey deserved it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJJackson Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 The article suggests trading the rights to Andre Smith - but with every team (except the Niners, who have Crabtree to deal with) having already spent their rookie pool, how could any other team sign him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_Bengals_Fan Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 I'd say that's proof of the writers stupidity, not the Bengals. Because I've seen absolutely no sign the Bengals don't still want AND need Andre Smith.You mean other than the fact that his ass is still in Alabama? That's the only sign that counts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 See new thread on his signing............../>http://forums.bengalszone.com/index.php?showtopic=20128 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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