Andre Smith Signs !!!

[ArmyBengal]

I would love to see him get to practice today and am looking forward to the reports on how he looks, what the coaches think about the time he has put in studying the playbook, and how that translates onto the field. I found the point about him not playing in the game Thursday would open a roster spots for an additional 2 weeks, but I think that would depend on what the coaches think of where he stands with his development. If he looks in shape and has a grasp, put him in the game Thursday. If not, hold the spot and buy some time on someone else.

[jonahdsage]

I would love to see him get to practice today and am looking forward to the reports on how he looks, what the coaches think about the time he has put in studying the playbook, and how that translates onto the field. I found the point about him not playing in the game Thursday would open a roster spots for an additional 2 weeks, but I think that would depend on what the coaches think of where he stands with his development. If he looks in shape and has a grasp, put him in the game Thursday. If not, hold the spot and buy some time on someone else.

if he does go on that two week list can he still practice with the team?

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

This looks pretty official to me -- per chad's twitter:

I didn't realize Chad was the one signing the checks.

Until we have a weary agent, a happy player, and Mike Brown smiling like the cat that ate the canary, we don't have a deal.

[jonahdsage]

This looks pretty official to me -- per chad's twitter:

I didn't realize Chad was the one signing the checks.

Until we have a weary agent, a happy player, and Mike Brown smiling like the cat that ate the canary, we don't have a deal.

Well perhaps I should rephrase that I found it to be encouraging that Andre was in cincinnati, and in the vicinity of chad, which could mean he's at the stadium . . . Supposedly practicing this afternoon.

[icehole3]

it sounds like according to Hobson,

With all signs pointing to No. 1 pick Andre Smith being at Sunday afternoon's practice, the Bengals have another decision to make with their rookie right tackle. If they don't play him in a game, he doesn't count on the roster for two weeks. If he plays Thursday in the preseason finale or the regular-season opener Sept. 13, they immediately lose that two-week roster exemption.

they need to see if Re-Run can make it thru practice for Thursdays game or exempt him for a few games

[skyline]

I think a few here agreed with/predicted something would get done after the 3rd preseason game, and....wa lah.

Typical Bengals.

Is it really typical? I'm not arguing...just curious if anyone has analyzed, say, the past 10 seasons to see...

Outside of Justin Smith and perhaps Pollack, I don't recall any lengthy first round holdouts. Then again, my memory's not what it used to be.

In the end, I'm grateful if they've managed not to overpay for him. Once you set a trend in the other direction, it's very hard to go back.

[icehole3]

I think the NFL put the exemption clause in there for owners like Mike Brown as a last ditch chance for them to end the waiting out BS and if a guy is going to play or you get him signed or the league takes away avenues that allow you to let the guy hang around until he up to speed and then youve got the active-inactive roster that pretty much gives you just a 1st and 2nd unit you can dress on game day, Mike Brown knows the rules inside and out and realized he has crap or get off the pot.

[kingwilly]

it sounds like according to Hobson,

With all signs pointing to No. 1 pick Andre Smith being at Sunday afternoon's practice, the Bengals have another decision to make with their rookie right tackle. If they don't play him in a game, he doesn't count on the roster for two weeks. If he plays Thursday in the preseason finale or the regular-season opener Sept. 13, they immediately lose that two-week roster exemption.

they need to see if Re-Run can make it thru practice for Thursdays game or exempt him for a few games

I can see him playing and them cutting Parrish or Mathis..

They will be able to tell in a few practices if has the conditioning to be active, though I doubt he gets near the field until he has the schemes down.

[derekshank]

Hard to be excited. I didn't for a minute think he would end up going back into next year's draft. So him being a Bengal officially is anti-climactic for me. It's also well past the point that I felt he would be a key to the immediate Improvement of the o-line's performance.

Without having seen him take a snap, there is no way for me to know if he's ready to play at all, let alone start at RT. And if he does start, it's fair to assume he'll be notably behind where he otherwise could have been had he signed a few weeks ago.

So, I guess I'm glad a deal got done... but I'm not sure my feelings are any different than if he had signed an hour before the season opener.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

I think a few here agreed with/predicted something would get done after the 3rd preseason game, and....wa lah.

Typical Bengals.

Is it really typical? I'm not arguing...just curious if anyone has analyzed, say, the past 10 seasons to see...

Outside of Justin Smith and perhaps Pollack, I don't recall any lengthy first round holdouts. Then again, my memory's not what it used to be.

In the end, I'm grateful if they've managed not to overpay for him. Once you set a trend in the other direction, it's very hard to go back.

I think the fact that it was so predictable, thus the "typical" classification.

[Kazkal]

Hard to be excited. I didn't for a minute think he would end up going back into next year's draft. So him being a Bengal officially is anti-climactic for me. It's also well past the point that I felt he would be a key to the immediate Improvement of the o-line's performance.

Without having seen him take a snap, there is no way for me to know if he's ready to play at all, let alone start at RT. And if he does start, it's fair to assume he'll be notably behind where he otherwise could have been had he signed a few weeks ago.

So, I guess I'm glad a deal got done... but I'm not sure my feelings are any different than if he had signed an hour before the season opener.

:/ well he'll be one week ahead of schedule then if he signed day before opener is perk >_<

[Kazkal]

So you guys think we keep 3 OT's or 4? Really hope they don't use a roster exemption and just give him a chance with second team unit...

[Pidge]

Get him practising his chubby nuts off. Chances of seeing him in the last game to see just how far off the pace he is, anyone?

[membengal]

I think a few here agreed with/predicted something would get done after the 3rd preseason game, and....wa lah.

Typical Bengals.

Yes.

I am here to run my victory lap.

I said, four weeks ago, that nothing would get done until after pre-season game 3.

And, here we are.

So, my victory lap commences...now.

[Pidge]

/Hands mem an oversized flag and a teddy bear.

[BengalszoneBilly]

Yes.

I am here to run my victory lap.

I said, four weeks ago, that nothing would get done until after pre-season game 3.

And, here we are.

So, my victory lap commences...now.

Good call.

[gregstephens]

Yes.

I am here to run my victory lap.

I said, four weeks ago, that nothing would get done until after pre-season game 3.

And, here we are.

So, my victory lap commences...now.

Good call.

I personally would like to think that it was the power of the press that got this done. More specifically, my last game recap on the Rams where I publically shamed SoP into this deal by humiliating the offensive line and telling SoP to hand over that blank check.

Vive la media!!!

[ArmyBengal]

Here's the report from ESPN:

CINCINNATI -- The Bengals have finally signed top draft pick Andre Smith after a long contract impasse that became a subject of derision among teammates.

The contract is a four-year, $26 million deal, including $21 million guaranteed, with a team option for two more years that would make it a six-year, $42 million contract that would guarantee $29.5 million.

The Bengals had originally planned to have Smith start at right tackle, but he has missed all of training camp and three preseason games. They confirmed his signing Sunday on their Web site shortly before the start of practice.

Smith, the sixth overall pick, was the highest unsigned NFL pick with one week left in the preseason. The Bengals had insisted on paying him less than a player taken later in the draft, Oakland's Darrius Heyward-Bey. HBO's "Hard Knocks" episode last Wednesday showed teammates mocking Smith's weight during the team's annual rookie skits.

Smith was on the practice field Sunday afternoon.

/>http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp09/news/story?id=4432663

[ArmyBengal]

That's an interesting way to set up a contract for a high 1st round draft pick. I can't say as anyone should have to many problems with it either. It appears that it gives the Bengals the option to dump his ass after 4 years without much issue or hold onto him for an additional 2 years if in fact he produces. I like the way this was done, but my problem is, this could have been done much sooner.

Now I just want to hear how practice went and how he looked...

[Clackwoods]

I've said for the last few days that a deal will get done this week, and I'm very happy that it looks like it will. I think we'll see Andre play quite a bit against Indy, if for no other reason than to gauge his conditioning with only about 6 or 7 practices remaining before Week 1 against Denver.

I think he'll be done by tomorrow morning, and he'll have Monday and Tuesday to practice before Thursday night's game against the Colts. I can easily see him working with the 3rd string and in some short yardage sets with the 2's.

It's probably good news for Dennis Roland, who probably stays as the backup RT until Andre is ready. As far as the active roster goes, it's probably an Andre for Augustus Parrish swap, but who's the backup LT? Could the Bengals trust Anthony Collins there, after working almost exclusively at RT this Summer? It's something that hasn't been mentioned much, so I guess we'll need to keep our fingers crossed on Whit being healthy for 16 games and especially early in the season.

They trusted him their as a rookie, I think they will be OK with it.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Interesting. I know there were a few of us who postulated that the two sides might be able to compromise on a shorter contract that gave Andre/Keels the per-year guarantee they're after, but mitigated risk for the Bengals. Turns out that the Bengals did even better with a team option, which gives them the best possible situation. Keels gets the number he needs, Mikey gets his saftety. Too bad it took so long to get to a deal that seems somewhat fair.

I think my original guesstimate date (when he was drafted) for getting him signed was 9/1, not too bad. Though I will say, I thought the delay would be more due to Keels than the Bengals.

That was the most surprising thing about the whole episode - Keels seemed very reasonable. Didn't see that coming.

[jjakq27]

Yes.

I am here to run my victory lap.

I said, four weeks ago, that nothing would get done until after pre-season game 3.

And, here we are.

So, my victory lap commences...now.

Good call.

I personally would like to think that it was the power of the press that got this done. More specifically, my last game recap on the Rams where I publically shamed SoP into this deal by humiliating the offensive line and telling SoP to hand over that blank check.

Vive la media!!!

It was that and the guy with the airplane banner.

[Pidge]

Here's the report from ESPN:

CINCINNATI -- The Bengals have finally signed top draft pick Andre Smith after a long contract impasse that became a subject of derision among teammates.

The contract is a four-year, $26 million deal, including $21 million guaranteed, with a team option for two more years that would make it a six-year, $42 million contract that would guarantee $29.5 million.

The Bengals had originally planned to have Smith start at right tackle, but he has missed all of training camp and three preseason games. They confirmed his signing Sunday on their Web site shortly before the start of practice.

Smith, the sixth overall pick, was the highest unsigned NFL pick with one week left in the preseason. The Bengals had insisted on paying him less than a player taken later in the draft, Oakland's Darrius Heyward-Bey. HBO's "Hard Knocks" episode last Wednesday showed teammates mocking Smith's weight during the team's annual rookie skits.

Smith was on the practice field Sunday afternoon.

/>http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp09/news/story?id=4432663

Me likey. me likey a lot. If he tanks, less pain. If it's all good then he's ours for the usual 6 yrs.

[COB]

I'm hopeful he shows up in good shape. I can't tell from that picture with Chad if he's in shape or not, because I don't know what he looks like well enough.

As far as missing practice, Keith Rivers missed a bunch last year and looked pretty good once he started playing. Hopefully Andre can duplicate that.

[kevnz]

Damn, looking at the contract details almost makes me think that maybe the Bengals Front Office know's what it's doing....

Nah...Can't be that....