Pay the man.

[Kazkal]

As for people keep bringing up Rudi Once again one guy who was known as lazy and not best work ethic...

Look at Thomas Jones He'll be at 2,300 Carries after today's game has speant 10 years in the NFL and was 2nd leading rusher (Which really was Cedrics to have if it wasn't for the 2 n half games he could have played in.

[Pidge]

Nup, don't pay the man. See what's what after next season. Maybe a short term deal can be done then, or at least a front loaded one which allows us to cut ties after another couple seasons realitvely painlessly should he start running through mud. If not, move on without him.

Absolutely zero need to think about this now.

[cincyhokie]

Nup, don't pay the man. See what's what after next season. Maybe a short term deal can be done then, or at least a front loaded one which allows us to cut ties after another couple seasons realitvely painlessly should he start running through mud. If not, move on without him.

Absolutely zero need to think about this now.

It's a gamble is what it comes down to. If the Bengals wait to pay him until next year one of 2 things can happen. His value goes up or it goes down. Signing him to an extension now would be the best idea if he goes off for 1600 yards and 15 TDs next year.

I could see the Bengals waiting until the summer to get something done. I could also see them waiting until the end of the 2010 season, as well.

[derekshank]

Nup, don't pay the man. See what's what after next season. Maybe a short term deal can be done then, or at least a front loaded one which allows us to cut ties after another couple seasons realitvely painlessly should he start running through mud. If not, move on without him.

Absolutely zero need to think about this now.

Yeah... that's more or less where I stand.

As for the Rudi comparison... say what you want about him being lazy, but year after year analysts talked about how hard he worked all offseason and how he was in the best shape of his life. Guess what... he was slow and couldn't run with power anymore. It sneaks up on some guys fast.

The Colts are a great example of letting other teams pay their top tier RBs big money and replacing them in the draft.

They let go of Faulk. Perhaps too early, because he had a few great years left, but Edgerrin James was no slouch as his replacement.

The let James go get a payday in Arizona, but his glory days had passed him by and the Colts replaced him with Addai.

And I'm betting they'll do more of the same. The Colts haven't had an old washed up RB on their roster since I can remember. The Bengals on the other hand kept their faith in the Rudi basket a couple years too long, and then were forced to cut him with no viable option to replace him. They got lucky Benson was a free agent. Do the Bengals think they'll get that lucky again?

[Pidge]

Nup, don't pay the man. See what's what after next season. Maybe a short term deal can be done then, or at least a front loaded one which allows us to cut ties after another couple seasons realitvely painlessly should he start running through mud. If not, move on without him.

Absolutely zero need to think about this now.

It's a gamble is what it comes down to. If the Bengals wait to pay him until next year one of 2 things can happen. His value goes up or it goes down. Signing him to an extension now would be the best idea if he goes off for 1600 yards and 15 TDs next year.

I could see the Bengals waiting until the summer to get something done. I could also see them waiting until the end of the 2010 season, as well.

I hear you.I suspect the workload he got this yr will be replicated next yr. Perhaps an even heavier workload if he stays injury free. After consecutive seasons like that, his future might look a little different. He's proven himself to be a top ten back in the league right now and that's great for the price we got him at but his numbers aren't biblical. Essentially we'll be paying a FA price whenever/should we decide to offer him an new contract anyway so why rush? The beginning of 2011 might change everything if they see a big bruiser who is 22/23 and can get him on a cheaper, longer contract who will be sitting there in the draft. I'd rather that than chucking a bloated contract at a guy nearing the dreaded 3-0 and crossing our fingers.

Depends on the deal really but even military medium RBs get insane money in FA these days and often for very little effect thereafter.

As The Poster Formely Known As Derek says, I favour cutting ties with a RB before he gets to the top of the hill. It only goes one direction after that. Give a guy we draft in 2011 a nice extension if he does well on his rookie contract and then jettison him at the the end of the 2nd contract. Maybe it means we miss out on another yr of top form with a player but I'd prefer that than to have to a pay a guy for 3 more yrs who isn't getting it done.

If they can get a 4/5 yr deal done, front loaded, for fair money this off-season then no major complaints from me either. Best of both worlds. As you say, it's a gamble - for both parties. Less of a gamble for the Bengals to stand pat though. As Leon Washington knows, injuries often happen just at the wrong time and in that instance, only the player loses out.

[GoBengals!]

Don't sign the man just yet. Let him play one last year to make him work for his big contract extension. Runing backs are a dime a dozen and don't last too long in this league. It all starts with the O line!

[HAPPYJAQ]

Nup, don't pay the man. See what's what after next season. Maybe a short term deal can be done then, or at least a front loaded one which allows us to cut ties after another couple seasons realitvely painlessly should he start running through mud. If not, move on without him.

Absolutely zero need to think about this now.

It's a gamble is what it comes down to. If the Bengals wait to pay him until next year one of 2 things can happen. His value goes up or it goes down. Signing him to an extension now would be the best idea if he goes off for 1600 yards and 15 TDs next year.

I could see the Bengals waiting until the summer to get something done. I could also see them waiting until the end of the 2010 season, as well.

I hear you.I suspect the workload he got this yr will be replicated next yr. Perhaps an even heavier workload if he stays injury free. After consecutive seasons like that, his future might look a little different. He's proven himself to be a top ten back in the league right now and that's great for the price we got him at but his numbers aren't biblical. Essentially we'll be paying a FA price whenever/should we decide to offer him an new contract anyway so why rush? The beginning of 2011 might change everything if they see a big bruiser who is 22/23 and can get him on a cheaper, longer contract who will be sitting there in the draft. I'd rather that than chucking a bloated contract at a guy nearing the dreaded 3-0 and crossing our fingers.

Depends on the deal really but even military medium RBs get insane money in FA these days and often for very little effect thereafter.

As The Poster Formely Known As Derek says, I favour cutting ties with a RB before he gets to the top of the hill. It only goes one direction after that. Give a guy we draft in 2011 a nice extension if he does well on his rookie contract and then jettison him at the the end of the 2nd contract. Maybe it means we miss out on another yr of top form with a player but I'd prefer that than to have to a pay a guy for 3 more yrs who isn't getting it done.

If they can get a 4/5 yr deal done, front loaded, for fair money this off-season then no major complaints from me either. Best of both worlds. As you say, it's a gamble - for both parties. Less of a gamble for the Bengals to stand pat though. As Leon Washington knows, injuries often happen just at the wrong time and in that instance, only the player loses out.

Great post and I agree on some points.

Consider this. The Chicago Bears attempted to replace Thomas Jones TWICE with high draft picks in the thinking that Thomas Jones would be entering the downside of his career at 28 or 29 years old (coicidentally the approximate age that Cedric will be when he's an UFA again). After the Bears finally dealt Jones to the Jets (in an incredibly lopsided deal, with Chicago obviously assuming then-Bear Benson would become the featured back), all he did was rush for 1300+ yards and 13+ TDs in the two seasons since.

People need to realize that in order for the defense to be this productive, the Bengals need to continue to run the football successfully. It not only shortens the game, and allows the OL to gain a rhythm, but it keeps the defense fresh. IMO, the difference between the D this year and last was that we were able to come up with the key stops and big plays in the 4th quarter, as the offense had controlled the ball for most of the game.

Also, I simply don't believe that it's that simple to find a RB with Benson's talent, skillset and durability, which is perfect for this offense. Otherwise, the Chris Perry experiment wouldn't have ever happened, and if you think about it, the only difference between the running game this year and last season, during the miserble first half, is Ced. The offensive line has practically been the same, and Benson showed he can still be productive even when the passing game struggles.

I think Cedric could easily produce at a high level for the next 4-5 years, and we can find the next Rudi Johnson (Shonn Green) in the middle rounds in a few years. Until then, this guy needs to be signed before the Chris Johnson's of the world redo their deals. The Franchise tag for a RB might be off the charts after an uncapped year, which would once again FORCE us to use a high-pick on a RB in 2011, if Cedric isn't resigned December. These kinds of moves are what keep teams in perpetual rebuilding mode. The Draft should be used to upgrade the talent on the roster, not to replace defecting players.

[kevnz]

Give him a new deal, reward the work we are getting out of him now. Make it front heavy, and incentive based on the backend...that way if the team is still paying him big money in three years it means he's still running well. Everybody wins, Ced needs motivation, and we need a power running back. Say what you will but Ced was the best thing about the offense this year, it's not like the oline was plowing huge holes for him...He earned most of his yards.

[Pidge]

Great post and I agree on some points.

Consider this. The Chicago Bears attempted to replace Thomas Jones TWICE with high draft picks in the thinking that Thomas Jones would be entering the downside of his career at 28 or 29 years old (coicidentally the approximate age that Cedric will be when he's an UFA again). After the Bears finally dealt Jones to the Jets (in an incredibly lopsided deal, with Chicago obviously assuming then-Bear Benson would become the featured back), all he did was rush for 1300+ yards and 13+ TDs in the two seasons since.

People need to realize that in order for the defense to be this productive, the Bengals need to continue to run the football successfully. It not only shortens the game, and allows the OL to gain a rhythm, but it keeps the defense fresh. IMO, the difference between the D this year and last was that we were able to come up with the key stops and big plays in the 4th quarter, as the offense had controlled the ball for most of the game.

Also, I simply don't believe that it's that simple to find a RB with Benson's talent, skillset and durability, which is perfect for this offense. Otherwise, the Chris Perry experiment wouldn't have ever happened, and if you think about it, the only difference between the running game this year and last season, during the miserble first half, is Ced. The offensive line has practically been the same, and Benson showed he can still be productive even when the passing game struggles.

I think Cedric could easily produce at a high level for the next 4-5 years, and we can find the next Rudi Johnson (Shonn Green) in the middle rounds in a few years. Until then, this guy needs to be signed before the Chris Johnson's of the world redo their deals. The Franchise tag for a RB might be off the charts after an uncapped year, which would once again FORCE us to use a high-pick on a RB in 2011, if Cedric isn't resigned December. These kinds of moves are what keep teams in perpetual rebuilding mode. The Draft should be used to upgrade the talent on the roster, not to replace defecting players.

I understand exactly what you're saying and don't necessarily disagree with you. The Bears' offensive problems all, and I mean all, stem from their O-line. Case in point - two RBs they let walk went on to revive their careers and their once briefly promising wunderkind has disappeared down the crapper. Not to mention their QBs all developing a bad case of happy feet. But I accept your point about it not just being a case of picking any old stiff up and sticking him in the I formation and away we go. There will be, I assume, a pause for thought when it comes to Ced and extending him. Especially with the way our offense has been rebuilt and will continue to be built over the next couple of yrs probably. He's earned that right as it stands.

Thomas Jones is the obvious example, and a good one. But why is he so obvious - because he is the exception that proves the rule. How many starting calibre RBs, especially one who would be expected to take ~30 carries each week, are there over the age of 29 or 30 in the league? Now, whether that's due to wear and tear, general loss of a step or 3 as father time ticks on or whatever, they're rare. Some hang around as a sage presence in a younger backfield etc but not as "the guy".

TBH, the whole CBA hoopla completely escaped my mind. Excellent point and that very well might force the bengals' hand. What you say about the draft is very true. Sort of my point but not very well made was, as you rightly say, the draft is about improving the talent of the squad. Maybe, after next season, drafting a RB instead of retaining Ced would improve the squad etc etc. Then again, maybe it wouldn't.

That's not to say Ced couldn't be another Thomas Jones and if they re-sign him the I will be far from miffed. If Ced puts up good numbers again then great for him but that will also have something to do with the general offensive scheme. Not that Ced's agent will give a flying f**k that the Bengals are a run based offense and let him carry the ball twice as much as they throw the ball but that's something to think about when offering a small fortune to a player. Actually, thinking about it, I'm not sure this is even a worry. Mikey will re-sign him to a good but not damaging deal if he does re-sign Ced or Ced will walk away to sign a hideously bloated contract with someone else so either way, I'll be good.

[Kazkal]

As for the Rudi comparison... say what you want about him being lazy, but year after year analysts talked about how hard he worked all offseason and

1 Year of working hard doesn't make up for 6 Years+ years of not,Cedric atleast got a early head start and never had the the Load before he got here..

I guess everything has been said so no point in going on people belong to two groups...The Resign Cedric so we don't have Worry about the Draft BUT to make sure the contract is Friendly yo cut him if need be... Then the Simply Don't resign him and Use the Franchise tag the following year unless we have use it on someone like Joseph...

Though If we Franchised him I'm sure there would be a holdout He would sit until Week one where he would then sign it and more then likely get injured in a few weeks and everyone Complaining about why we used the franchise tag

Don't sign the man just yet. Let him play one last year to make him work for his big contract extension. Runing backs are a dime a dozen and don't last too long in this league. It all starts with the O line!

Yes (as seen with Rudi) But there are still special Running backs would you rather have Chris Johnson or Justin Fargas? Our Oline helped but Cedric Benson skill helped alot more there were plenty of times where he had Nothing and still would make it in to something...Jets game was a Prime Example of that..

PS,Think everyone is more less on the Same page Cause no one wants to see Bengals forced to keep Cedric if he isn't producing...Hence those who do wanna see him get extension make sure its friendly release him in like 3 years.

[TJJackson]

I like Cedric. A lot.

That said - put the money into the OLine

A good OLine will make any running back look good, and will improve both aspects of the offense

Don't overpay a RB.

Even Cedric

[Ickey44]

I like Cedric. A lot.

That said - put the money into the OLine

A good OLine will make any running back look good, and will improve both aspects of the offense

Don't overpay a RB.

Even Cedric

I agree completely. As Denver proved over many years, if you have a good oline, it doesn't matter who's rushing the ball.

[HairOnFire]

I'm not trying to bust your balls...

Relax, I'm actually flattered to know you're thinking about 'em.

...and I certainly wouldn't call you a hypocrite simply for changing your mind 10 months later after seeing what Benson is capable of...

It's not simply a matter of how he's played. It's what he's said since coming to Cincy. In fact, if your research was expanded to the numerous threads started over things Benson said this season, occasionally outraging a few of the thread starters, I always found myself backing Benson. Best, I actually liked the things he was saying very very much. And in regards to this thread, I've already noted oth the maturity Benson is demonstrating....as well as his NEW willingness to commit to the Bengals long-term.

... but it does strike me a bit humorous that your are offended by how 'harsh' I can be... when it appears I'm basically stealing your ideas.

Absolutely. I realize by changing my mind I've placed my own balls in harm's way, but there it is. The circumstances changed and I changed with them.

So bust away.

[membengal]

I would not be upset if they signed him. I would not be upset if they didn't. Both sides have a good point.

[TJJackson]

But let me clarify

If Benson can be had for a reasonable contract, then please, by all means, re-sign him

If he wants MVP-ish money, then no, let him finish out his contract and I will thank him heartily and sincerely for his work here

[jjakq27]

Load it with plenty of incentives but make sure there are plenty of escape clauses should he get injured (see Chris Perry, Peter Warrick).

[Sea Ray]

Don't sign the man just yet. Let him play one last year to make him work for his big contract extension. Runing backs are a dime a dozen and don't last too long in this league. It all starts with the O line!

You make a good point. I'd also like to throw a few more ideas into the mix.

One is Adrian Peterson. He's not old nor has he taken a pounding like Ced yet he's pretty ordinary tight now. Put another way would you give Peterson big bucks if he were a FA?

Two, we can't assume there will be franchise players after 2010. Until they negotiate a new CBA all bets are off

Third, the line is the big thing. The Bengals this year were set up for a back to gain yards if he can withstand the punishment. They'll give you the ball 30 times a game, they're built to maul you and this was evidenced by 3 RBs having 100 yard games.

Kudos to Ced for staying relatively healthy this year but that won't continue under this system. My guess is that they'll open up the offense more in the next couple of years (at least I hope so) and that'll make Ced less relevant.

[HAPPYJAQ]

Don't sign the man just yet. Let him play one last year to make him work for his big contract extension. Runing backs are a dime a dozen and don't last too long in this league. It all starts with the O line!

You make a good point. I'd also like to throw a few more ideas into the mix.

One is Adrian Peterson. He's not old nor has he taken a pounding like Ced yet he's pretty ordinary tight now. Put another way would you give Peterson big bucks if he were a FA?

Two, we can't assume there will be franchise players after 2010. Until they negotiate a new CBA all bets are off

Third, the line is the big thing. The Bengals this year were set up for a back to gain yards if he can withstand the punishment. They'll give you the ball 30 times a game, they're built to maul you and this was evidenced by 3 RBs having 100 yard games.

Kudos to Ced for staying relatively healthy this year but that won't continue under this system. My guess is that they'll open up the offense more in the next couple of years (at least I hope so) and that'll make Ced less relevant.

No dis, but HELL YEAH, you'd give Adrian Peterson big bucks if he were a FA. He had almost 1,400 yards (4.4 ypc)and 18 TDS this year. If you want to know why Favre is having a career year at age 40, it's because teams are committing to stopping Peterson at all costs, which means leaving Rice, Shiancoe, Berrian and Harvin one-on-one almost the entire game. In each Vikings game, it's pretty routine to see 8 or 9 in the box, which opens up the entire offemse. As good as Thomas Jones is, even he didn't command that type of attention in the running game in NY, and that's the difference between this year and last for Favre. For my money, Peterson is the best offensive weapon in football, even if he has struggled statistically as of late.

I agree with the Franchise player point, but we better hope that Chris Johnson, Peterson and other top backs don't redo their deals before the new CBA is in place. That could force Benson out of "small-market" Cincinnati. I'll guaratee you that Ced's services will be in high demand if he's an UFA in 2011. I bet Houston wishes they would've offered more money to him this past Spring when he visited. Could you imagine him on a team like San Diego, New Orleans or Philly, which all could use a power RB of Ced's caliber?

As far as the offense goes, Marvin will continue to try to emulate the Pittsburghs and Baltimores of the world with a power running game. Truly, it's what he's always wanted, along with a premier pash rusher. The only difference I see going forward is that he'll try to get the ball downfield more, which would require us getting a bonafide deep threat. I never want to see a situation in where we're starting a RB like Chris Perry again, because we have no other options, and letting proven players go for potentially good sometimes doesn't make sense

[BengalPimp]

Give him 5 years and 25 million, and count on some Pro Bowl-type production for at least the next 4 seasons. Cedric Benson is one of the few bell-cow type backs left in the NFL, and he's well worth the money.

First, 5 years is too long...History shows running backs hit a huge wall at age 30. He is 27 now....

Second, There is no way in hell he will agree to a contract averaging 5 Million per season...He wants bigger $$$ than that.

[BengalPimp]

PS,Think everyone is more less on the Same page Cause no one wants to see Bengals forced to keep Cedric if he isn't producing...Hence those who do wanna see him get extension make sure its friendly release him in like 3 years.

None of us are qualified "Capologists" but here is the obvious flaw in your thinking:

If you give him say a 5-yr deal for like $25-30 mill, and make it front-loaded to where it will be cap "friendly" to cut him after 3 years, YOU WILL BE OVERPAYING HIM FOR THOSE 3 YEARS! With over $20 mill of that coming in the first 3 years (bonus and salary).

Why even lock in the possibility of 5 years, and future cap hits?

It would make more financial sense to give him 3 years $18 mill ($6 mill per). Cheaper, and won't have the potential long term salary cap problems.

[Pidge]

PS,Think everyone is more less on the Same page Cause no one wants to see Bengals forced to keep Cedric if he isn't producing...Hence those who do wanna see him get extension make sure its friendly release him in like 3 years.

None of us are qualified "Capologists" but here is the obvious flaw in your thinking:

If you give him say a 5-yr deal for like $25-30 mill, and make it front-loaded to where it will be cap "friendly" to cut him after 3 years, YOU WILL BE OVERPAYING HIM FOR THOSE 3 YEARS! With over $20 mill of that coming in the first 3 years (bonus and salary).

Why even lock in the possibility of 5 years, and future cap hits?

It would make more financial sense to give him 3 years $18 mill ($6 mill per). Cheaper, and won't have the potential long term salary cap problems.

Indeed. However, this contract will, in all likelihood, be his last big pay day. He'll get more than $6M a yr if he goes the FA route, which is why I think that's what will play out after next season. Maybe they franchise him for another yr after that (if that will still be possible wrt CBA hoopla etc).