Bengals looking at a OLT early

[skyline]

I still think the best option is to keep the No. 1 free agent available.

http://www.cbssports...thats-by-design

Wow, there are some intriguing names all the way down that list.

[ArmyBengal]

There are going to be a ton of intriguing names and while I don't expect the Bengals to be big players in the FA market, I also wouldn't be surprised to see them pick up someone as well. The safety position is one that really intrigues me. They simply HAVE to do something either through FA or the draft. I don't want to see them ignore it in FA only to see them put it off in the draft. Next to linebacker, it's easily the biggest hole.

WHAT ?? No Rey Maualuga on that list ?!?!

:lmao:

[HoosierCat]

There are some interesting players out there but for the first time in a long time I am indifferent. It would be nice if they filled some holes like safety or RB but I don't see myself getting broke up over not signing, say, Reggie Bush or Golden. My main concern is our own guys: Smith obviously, Huber, etc.

[TJJackson]

WHAT ?? No Rey Maualuga on that list ?!?!

:lmao:/>/> :lmao:/>/> :lmao:/>/>

Always with the negative waves Moriarty, always with the negative waves. :-)

[ArmyBengal]

C'mon TJ, I can't have a little fun at his expense ??

He's been having fun telling us how serious he is about playing LB.

I figured it was fair game...

[TJJackson]

I'll let you off the hook if you can identify the movie that line is from

[ArmyBengal]

Kelly's Heroes as the google machine informed me...

[COB]

I'm old enough to remember the line as delivered by Donald Sutherland who played, naturally, what in those days would have been considered a "beatnick" hippie type tank driver.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

If they let Flesh go or don't want to "overpay" him, it's just another busted top 10 first round pick...get one good year out of him, and let him walk.

That said, Whit's best years are behind him now, and I'll never complain about taking an 0-lineman in the 1st round.

[Kazkal]

Andre wants 9 million a year? Give it to him you dont improve by letting your top players go and we'll still have more enough cap room extend Geno and dunlap or MJ well resigning AJ/ dalton next year.seriously a joke when you look at our top 10of highest cap hits vs other teams...Jason allen was in our top 10

[Kazkal]

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=afcnorth&id=66144&src=desktop

AJ is our 3rdtop highest paid at only 5million in his rookie deal...Jamal Anderson is our 10th highest paid..

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=afcnorth&id=66144&src=desktop

[ArmyBengal]

I don't get the hand wringing with paying Smith 9 million per year.

In 2011 his cap hit was almost 9.7 million.

In 2012 his cap hit was over 7.5 million.

That's an 8.6 million average over the past two seasons.

Is this really a price the Bengals absolutely can't pay for one of the top RT's in the league ??

I mean they've been doing it the past two seasons.

Just get it done already. Assuming he wants to be here of course.

If not, that's another story, but stop talking about 9 million a year.

[membengal]

I would prefer Smith back as well, BUT, I have read in a few places that all teams, including the Bengals, are concerned about Smith's motivation if he gets this payday. The bengals did well to incentivize his first contract, by all accounts, but what happens to Smith on this payday? Does he keep working? If so, he's worth it. Does he slack off? If so, then he is an under-performing injury risk. Whichever team signs him, be it the Bengals or someone else, that is a risk they are taking.

[ArmyBengal]

I suppose that is always a concern, but again, we've been paying him an average of 8.6 million the past two seasons and all he has done is become one of the best RT's in the league. My thought is that he has earned getting paid a tick more than he has been for the past two seasons when all he has done is continue to improve.

If there is another reason outside of "He doesn't want to be here" that he doesn't return, then I won't be happy.

Not that anyone cares, but I simply don't think that's the way a team who builds through the draft gets better.

[membengal]

Yeah, he did get good the last two years. With the carrot of the next contract out there. The question appears to be for a lot of teams...what happens when he gets this contract? Will he be satisfied? Or will he keep working?

I would take the chance, but lets be clear, its an issue.

[ArmyBengal]

Oh yeah, which is why I said it's always a concern.

Again though, we are talking about paying him basically what he has already been getting paid.

So he's been playing well the past two seasons to get a tick more than he already has.

Couple that with a deal that will be 4-5 years and big Dre will have yet another chance to get another big deal seeing as how he's only 26 years old. I simply think people are to wrapped up in his first two seasons. While I will readily admit those seasons weren't the things dreams are made of, injuries happen.

Aren't all players trying to play well to get a big contract ??

[HoosierCat]

Well, if teams are concerned all they have to do is craft an incentive-laden deal that rewards him for working out and hitting weight targets and anything else that concerns them. I don't really see it as an issue, tho. Moobs didn't have issues his first two years because he got lazy after getting a big rookie paycheck. He had issues because that's the way he was allowed to do things in college. Discovering that the real world is a different place than a college campus is something that happens to a lot of people, just not as publicly as Smith.

[ArmyBengal]

That's where I am with Smith.

Many people just can't get the vision of his shirtless 40 out of their heads and don't get much further.

That's fine, but if that's all people are looking at, they're missing the fact he's now one of the best RT's in the league.

Smith isn't the only player that had a learning curve, injuries, or had to get a wake up call.

He's also not the only player in the history of the league that wanted to get paid.

Again, he's earned it and isn't much more than what he's been paid the past two seasons.

[HoosierCat]

FWIW it sounds like Phil Loadholt is going to be a Viking in, oh, about 46 or 47 minutes, so we could get a quick read on the tackle market. From the tweets it sounds like Minnesota is in "throwing money at him until he says yes" mode.

[ArmyBengal]

The Bears were looked to be a player for Loadholt and looking for a cheap option.

I think that rules them out of the Andre Smith rhelm of things.

Then again, who knows ??

[HoosierCat]

Early reports put Loadholt's deal at under $6 million a year so that's good news for the Bengals.

OTOH schefty says G Levitre got $7.5 million/year from Tennessee...

[Kazkal]

Ya but phil is like 8th rated RT vs Big Dre that was 1st rated Right Tackle.

So it's look like he'll be a 9million + guy and if 9million is all it takes to not let him talk to other teams so be it.Espn AFCN blog said we should let andre walk and draft Right Tackle in 1st round??really? when we highly rated right tackle and have more pressing needs at other positions.

[Wraith]

You don't get any better by developing young talent helping them become productive and then letting them walk in Free Agency and drafting their replacement, at best you are treading water.....Unless they think Andre is in serious risk of turning into a weather balloon and floating out into space they have to resign him.

[ArmyBengal]

I'm sick of the talk surrounding Big Dre.

The only way he should not be a Bengal is if HE DOESN'T WANT TO BE ONE.

We've been paying him that way for two years and he would still have incentive for another big deal down the road seeing as how he's only 26.

Let him walk and draft his replacement in the 1st huh ??

DUMBEST F*CKING IDEA EVER !!!

[HoosierCat]

Right now what word there is sounds promising. The Bengals are said to be the leading landing spot for Smith. The upside is they may get him for less money; the downside is that the longer it goes, the more options sign elsewhere, leaving the Bengals stuck if some other team does swoop in. As they say, developing...