Tag, You're It

[HoosierCat]

The two-week window to designate a franchise (or transition) player starts today. The tag numbers of interest to the Bengals (IMO of course):

Offensive line

Franchise: $9.668 million (7.99 percent)

Transition: $8.568 million (7.081 percent)

Defensive end

Franchise: $10.993 million (9.085 percent)

Transition: $9.002 million (7.44 percent)

Punters/Kickers

Franchise: $2.928 million (2.42 percent)

Transition: $2.656 million (2.195 percent

I include the last entry not for Nugent (last year's "franchise" player) but for Kevin Huber. Huber is still unsigned and I can see it as a "just because it's cheap" option.

Given that it looks like there will be a glut of OTs on the FA market, they could take their chances with Moobs. Then again, he's arguably the cream of the crop. If I had to tag someone he would be the guy.

While I like MJ I just can't justify almost $11 million. Yes, he had a good 2012, but was underwhelming in the three prior years and of his 11.5 sacks, 5 came against Washington (which had nothing at tackle that game) and the final scrimmage vs. Baltimore. And no, that doesn't tell the whole story by a longshot, he was very disruptive at times, but is he a guy that deserves a five year, $50-60 million deal? Or even $40-50 million? That seems tough to me, but maybe I'm alone here.

[ArmyBengal]

My opinion is that they get MJ done and tag Andre Smith.

Hopefully they can get both done, but I don't know.

If they use the tag on either, they need to shift immediately to getting an extension done on someone for the following years crop of FA's.

Preferrably Atkins please.

[HoosierCat]

Yeah, having Geno coming up is one reason I am reluctant to drop sacks of money on MJ. And there's Dunlap to consider too. They also gave Hall a big deal and Reggie Nelson a very good one. Meanwhile on offense they don't have any big-bucks deals except for Whit's. Obviously that will change in the near future with Green and Dalton but if you believe Lewis' talk about spending balance between offense and defense from way back in 2003, O looks like the way to go this offseason.

[Stripes]

Andre.

I love MJ, but I am terrified that prioritizing him too much would endanger the Geno and then the 2014 kids.

Huber is not important at all to me and I don't give a damn what happens at punter. He had a decent year in 2012, but that's hardly been a consistent thing for him.

[HoosierCat]

A bit of a tangent, but is it just me or has this offseason been woefully short on activity so far? Usually as March approaches there are a fair amount of signings as teams work to retain their own core guys. It has, in fact, been fairly common to hear complaints about other teams are getting their houses in order while the Bengals do nothing, etc. But this year so far I've only heard a couple re-signings, and those have been small. There isn't even much talk about talks going on.

Maybe it's just that free agency is starting later -- March 12?

[skyline]

A bit of a tangent, but is it just me or has this offseason been woefully short on activity so far? Usually as March approaches there are a fair amount of signings as teams work to retain their own core guys. It has, in fact, been fairly common to hear complaints about other teams are getting their houses in order while the Bengals do nothing, etc. But this year so far I've only heard a couple re-signings, and those have been small. There isn't even much talk about talks going on.

Maybe it's just that free agency is starting later -- March 12?

Perhaps.

But I feel like there have been an unusually high # of people being released. Maybe since there are more fish out there, teams don't feel the urgency to make immediate deals.

[ArmyBengal]

Yeah, kind of how I see it as well. Many teams seem to be up against the "cap wall" and are more looking for how to get under it as opposed to looking for players to add to it. Hopefully that bodes well for the Bengals who are always looking for value and maybe plays into keeping their own.

[TJJackson]

I have a feeling the Bengals cap space will in one respect work against them - agents saying "you can pay my guy more because you have more available"

I'd honestly rather they work out ever-so-slightly above market deals for the guys who might be franchised rather than franchise them.

The application of the tag always seems to create hard feelings and only delays the player's departure by a year.

The transition tag is a joke, and should never be used

[ArmyBengal]

If the concept of seeing the person tagged as leaving the following season, I would put my money of Smith.

Not that it would create animosity, but rather them not wanting to pay the kind of coin he would want.

They could tag MJ and still get a deal done for the following season, but that's more based on gut instinct about the relationship between him and Zimmer vs the relationship between Dunlap and Zimmer. That relationship is also why I see MJ getting a deal done.

[TJJackson]

Reedy points out that we lost each of the last 3 players we tagged the following year

I dont want to see the pattern repeated

I am not the biggest fan of the Flesh Zeppelin but I acknowlege that if we replace him we most likely take a step backwards on offense

[HoosierCat]

A bit of a tangent, but is it just me or has this offseason been woefully short on activity so far? Usually as March approaches there are a fair amount of signings as teams work to retain their own core guys. It has, in fact, been fairly common to hear complaints about other teams are getting their houses in order while the Bengals do nothing, etc. But this year so far I've only heard a couple re-signings, and those have been small. There isn't even much talk about talks going on.

Maybe it's just that free agency is starting later -- March 12?

Perhaps.

But I feel like there have been an unusually high # of people being released. Maybe since there are more fish out there, teams don't feel the urgency to make immediate deals.

Likely true, too. FWIW there seems to be a bit of chatter building now that the combine has come around. Geoff gives us some vague talk about possible dinner meetings in Indy, that sort of thing. I expect that things will pick up after the cattle call.

[volcom69]

Well lets just hope the Bengals dont take there good old time, and get some things done before FA starts. Still dont think there will be big FA guys coming here, but i just hope they resign there own guys.