He's Got the Moobs Like Jagger

[derekshank]

He's a RT. The best 3 RTs in the NFL all signed contracts in the last two years. Eric Winston signed a 4 year $22 million contract this offseason. Bryan Bulaga signed a 5 year $14.75 million contract last offseason. Tyson Clabo signed a a 4 year $25 million contract last offseason.

These are the 3 best RTs in the NFL right now, they all signed contracts in the last two years for an average of of less than $5 Million/year.

I think you should check your math. Winston is making $5.5 milliion and Clabo is over $6 million.

I said average... and Bulaga (who is far more proven than Andre) brings the average down.

Andre could have the single best season of any RT in the history of the NFL... and I still think teams would be afraid to give him Clabo money. He hasn't done it consistently and is injury prone.

[HoosierCat]

He's a RT. The best 3 RTs in the NFL all signed contracts in the last two years. Eric Winston signed a 4 year $22 million contract this offseason. Bryan Bulaga signed a 5 year $14.75 million contract last offseason. Tyson Clabo signed a a 4 year $25 million contract last offseason.

These are the 3 best RTs in the NFL right now, they all signed contracts in the last two years for an average of of less than $5 Million/year.

I think you should check your math. Winston is making $5.5 milliion and Clabo is over $6 million.

I said average... and Bulaga (who is far more proven than Andre) brings the average down.

Bryan Bulaga will be a third year player who signed a $14.75 million slotted rookie contract as a first round pick of the Packers in 2010, not 2011. What relevance does that have?

[derekshank]

He's a RT. The best 3 RTs in the NFL all signed contracts in the last two years. Eric Winston signed a 4 year $22 million contract this offseason. Bryan Bulaga signed a 5 year $14.75 million contract last offseason. Tyson Clabo signed a a 4 year $25 million contract last offseason.

These are the 3 best RTs in the NFL right now, they all signed contracts in the last two years for an average of of less than $5 Million/year.

I think you should check your math. Winston is making $5.5 milliion and Clabo is over $6 million.

I said average... and Bulaga (who is far more proven than Andre) brings the average down.

Bryan Bulaga will be a third year player who signed a $14.75 million slotted rookie contract as a first round pick of the Packers in 2010, not 2011. What relevance does that have?

Well done. You ignored everything else in my post about how Andre Smith has done nothing to prove he deserves Winston or Clabo money. Right now Andre Smith isn't even a top 10 RT, let alone top 5. Which is exactly why I'm glad the Bengals didn't give Andre his option.

But since winning an argument is more important to you than staying on topic... you are right. Bulaga's contract is not very relevant to the conversation. You win.

[HoosierCat]

Well done. You ignored everything else in my post about how Andre Smith has done nothing to prove he deserves Winston or Clabo money. Right now Andre Smith isn't even a top 10 RT, let alone top 5.

And the number of people in this thread who argued that he was would be...zero, right? Did you even actually bother to read my OP? You know, the part where I asked "what if he has that breathtaking year?" My question was about what happens if he does well this year, not whether they should dump a bunch of money on him right now. Army and I had an exchange specifically dealing with that.

This isn't about winning or losing a thread, it's about whether extending Smith at some point this year makes sense if he plays well. Given that the Bengals are poised to carry a significant amount of cap space into the season, that the o-line is largely set (barring injury) for the next several years aside from RT and that the light seems to be coming on for Moobs, extending him if he plays well makes sense to me. By the same token, if he does test the FA waters, I expect him to generate interest despite his early struggles. And at that point it's anyone's guess whether he returns or not.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Yep, just as laughable as a team dumping a big pile of money of Frostee Ruc...oh, wait.

Or, even more relevant...Stacy Andrews. Or any other half-assed OT, since they always get second and third looks because the number of guys who can do the job capably is so small, while the importance of the position is so high.

I'm with you - he will get a lot of money if he plays even halfway decent. I don't envy Mikey this decision, because he's trapped between two options that are each stupid on face. Either he lets a young improving OT go with a no-bid...or he commits long-term to a player with maturity issues, work ethic challenges, problems staying on weight, and a history of stress fractures (which tend to re-occur with alarming frequency).

With each choice pretty much sucking in its own way, I suggest that Mike and Katie settle it via a game of Rochambeau...Katie gets first kick. What's more likely, though, is that the Bengals will half-heartedly low-ball, and he'll get a better offer elsewhere.

[princeton]

I think that someone's going to give Andre money to play LT, which Mikey won't pay to a guy that is a RT for his team. So, he'll walk.

Bengals had a good draft but I'm surprised they didn't walk away from a decent OL draft with a RT prospect.

[Sea Ray]

Mikey is in a good position since he signed Collins to a two yr contract. If Andre wants to be overpaid we can call his bluff. Not many teams have a backup plan like we do. If this yr turns out like we think/hope it will, why would Andre want to leave? I'd sure want to be a part of it. Why try to learn another system and all? I think it's safe to say that MB will offer fair deals to keep starters but he won't overpay. If some other team wants to overpay for him, so be it. We use Collins for a yr and draft another stud.

[Sea Ray]

I think that someone's going to give Andre money to play LT, which Mikey won't pay to a guy that is a RT for his team. So, he'll walk.

Bengals had a good draft but I'm surprised they didn't walk away from a decent OL draft with a RT prospect.

I think the reason they didn't was because they felt they already had that RT propect in Anthony Collins

[princeton]

Mikey is in a good position since he signed Collins to a two yr contract. If Andre wants to be overpaid we can call his bluff. Not many teams have a backup plan like we do. If this yr turns out like we think/hope it will, why would Andre want to leave? I'd sure want to be a part of it. Why try to learn another system and all? I think it's safe to say that MB will offer fair deals to keep starters but he won't overpay. If some other team wants to overpay for him, so be it. We use Collins for a yr and draft another stud.

I agree that we'll probably be complaining about Mikey's cheap RT replacement for all of 2013 before we reach for a RT in the 2014 draft. whether it's Collins or the glaked 4th TE or a combination of the two, I couldn't tell you.

[ArmyBengal]

I'll worry about him actually leaving when it happens and if someone wants to pay him LT money, then buh bye.

He hasn't earned that kind of coin and has been paid handsomely to come along very slowly to this point.

Collins wouldn't bother me for a period of time, but if there is no Dre after this season, I would fully expect a RT to be drafted with one of two 2nd round picks next year. The OT position is going to need to be addressed one way or another because as much as I like Whitworth, he's not getting younger. Better to be prepared when talking about your franchise QB's blindside.

[jjakq27]

I'll worry about him actually leaving when it happens and if someone wants to pay him LT money, then buh bye.

He hasn't earned that kind of coin and has been paid handsomely to come along very slowly to this point.

Collins wouldn't bother me for a period of time, but if there is no Dre after this season, I would fully expect a RT to be drafted with one of two 2nd round picks next year. The OT position is going to need to be addressed one way or another because as much as I like Whitworth, he's not getting younger. Better to be prepared when talking about your franchise QB's blindside.

Unless he blows our doors off, I could see them letting him test FA. They have options including the draft.