HoosierCat Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 I mentioned this in the calender thread but it's probably worthy of its own discussion. The Bengals have to make a decision on whether to activate the fifth-year option in Kevin Zeitler and Dre Kirkpatrick's contracts. Both are scheduled to be free agents after this season but as first round picks the Bengals can choose to hang on to them for a fifth year by paying them the average of the top 25-paid players at their position (minus the top three),Per Dehner, that would be around $8 million for Zeitler. Per my own quick calculation using spotrac figures, it's about the same, something north of $7.5 million, for Dre.The deadline to activate the option is May 3.I would say yes on Zeitler, and especially yes if Boling leaves. That's a big number for a guard for a team that rarely/never spends on interior offensive linemen, tho.Dre is a difficult call. With Newman already gone and Pacman getting up there can you let him go? I don't think so. Let him play out his contract? Maybe but if he has a good year he'll be gold in free agency. Suddenly Tres Waynes doesn't seem so crazy if he falls to 21. I could see this decision going down to the wire and not being made until after the draft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 I would have to say yes on Zeitler. He's proven to be a very effective player (when he wasn't dinged).You could also argue that the money is still on the cheap side for Dre as well and should "probably" be done.If you are a team (like the Bengals) who live and die by the draft, you can't simply let your top end guys walk away.While Dre has been slow to come on in the eyes of the fans, we can't forget who has been playing in front of them and more importantly, what the coaches and front office think of those veteran players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walrus Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 I'd be surprised and disappointed if they didn't pick up both. Both are good players. In Zeitler's case, I'm sure they'l try to work out a longer term contract. Kirk will see the field a lot more this season on defense. He has flashed talent enough in the few opportunities he's gotten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 This is from the NFL CBA and the 5th year option:When a team exercises the option, it becomes guaranteed for injury only. If the player is on the team’s opening-day Active/Inactive roster for the option year, his salary becomes fully guaranteed for skill, cap, and injury.I could be reading this wrong, but if they pick up the option and then decide between now and the start of the option year, to cut the player, it doesn't appear they are on the hook for the guaranteed salary. If that is the case, wouldn't it be smart to pick it up on players such as Dre and Zeitler ?? Zeitler is above average in my opinion and Dre is just now coming on. Both have dealt with injuries and it's not like either is a bust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted March 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 No, you are correct, Army. It's just another example of contracts in the NFL not being worth the (toilet) paper they're printed on.The caveat is that guaranteed or not, they still count against the cap, so in 2016 you'd be looking at Zeitler and Dre taking up about $16 million in cap space. Atkins, Dalton and Dunlap are already set to count about $28 million against the 2016 cap and lord knows what Green's number will be. Figure you are looking at something in the mid-50s and you're tying a about third of the cap up in 6 guys. Oh, your FAs include Moobs, Whit, Pacman, Nelson, Sanu, Marvin Jones...basically everyone, as you know.So yeah, the sensible thing to do would be to go ahead and trigger the options and figure it out next offseason. Glad I'm not in Katie's chair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Wow, that is tough, but I still think it's the best way to go.At least we have 6 guys eating that cap space. Look at the Lions. I think they were at 3 last season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GapControl Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Reading about these possible extensions reminded me of something. Recent contracts for the team have been very well designed, team-friendly. We get the propaganda all the time from the dot com. Funny how when free agency starts all those savings garnered through thrifty deals can barely account for the injury pool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 I also find it funny when they say they don't need to restructure contracts because they've done such a good job with managing the cap.While that may be, I see other teams targeting guys that have either underperformed or have a big cap number and went after them to restructure.Leon Hall has an 8.7 million dollar cap hit this season, but there's no talk of restructuring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GapControl Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 What's leons dead money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsbengalsbucks Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 I also find it funny when they say they don't need to restructure contracts because they've done such a good job with managing the cap.While that may be, I see other teams targeting guys that have either underperformed or have a big cap number and went after them to restructure.Leon Hall has an 8.7 million dollar cap hit this season, but there's no talk of restructuring.I said it last year and I'll say it again Leon Hall is no longer worth what they are paying him. Last year I was hoping for a release this year I'm hoping he proves me wrong, because he didn't with his play last season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 What's leons dead money?3.7 million Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted March 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 It's $1.8m per spotrac. His actual cap hit as is this year approaches $10m. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 It's $1.8m per spotrac. His actual cap hit as is this year approaches $10m.Oops, my bad. I was looking at 2014.Thanks for the catch Hoosier.Yeah, 9.6 is no joke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted March 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Either way it's still too much. I'm not on the "cut Hall" train, but it's terrible cap management to have a 31-year-old corner who hasn't played a full season since 2010, has blown out both Achilles', and has a grand total of 6 picks in the last 4 seasons, taking up $10 million in cap space. Especially when you have not one but two first round corners sitting on the bench.That's just unjustifiable. If you can't get him to take a pay cut you have to move on. Shoot, even Peyton First Ballot Hall of Famer Manning just took a $4 million haircut.Good cap management my ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyline Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 ...but there's no talk of restructuring.Not publicly, anyway. I doubt we would hear anything on this end until it was actually accomplished.You may end up being right, but I'm willing to give it some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 I would be more than ok to not hear about it until it was completed, but i'm still guessing there's nothing happening on that front.I honestly don't remember the last time I heard about the team actually restructuring a contract. Maybe I missed something. Anyone ??I'm not all in to cut Hall either, but as Hoosier mentioned there's simply no reason to have the guy taking up that kind of space with two younger first round CB's on the roster and talk of getting another CB in the first few rounds. Hell, i've seen talk here and outside of this board that advocated another first round CB. So we would be talking about 3 younger first round CB's on a roster with Hall eating up almost 10 million. That's beyond stupid.The Saints just restructured Jarius Byrd's contract by pushing money into the future that might never come to be for Byrd.The savings in doing so ?? Almost 5 million to the plus for the Saints. They have all kinds of cap issues, but this is what i'm talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted March 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Nope, I don't think you missed anything, Army. Offhand I can't think of a single restructuring or pay cut. It's just not in the FO's philosophy. Remember after the Kapernick deal, they made a point of mentioning that any extension for Dalton would not contain deescalators because it would interfere with his ability to plan for the future. they won't ask Hall to take a cut because they don't think its fair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 I don't think it's fair to read Hobson go on and on about the team, with almost 40 million in cap space, having no money to spend.In the meantime, we have an aging CB with two Achilles rupture repairs eating up almost 10 million and two younger 1st round CB's on the roster.I think this is what's unfair to the fanbase that only wants to see this team improve and win.Craptastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walrus Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Nope, I don't think you missed anything, Army. Offhand I can't think of a single restructuring or pay cut. It's just not in the FO's philosophy. Remember after the Kapernick deal, they made a point of mentioning that any extension for Dalton would not contain deescalators because it would interfere with his ability to plan for the future. they won't ask Hall to take a cut because they don't think its fair.I recall that Willie Anderson left after the 07 season because he wouldn't restructure. So clearly, the organization has some history of at least requesting such things.As an aside, I went back and read through the thread from when Willie signed his deal in '06. Interesting read. All so young and optimistic... http://forums.bengalszone.com/topic/12206-big-willie-extended-through-2011-merged/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingwilly Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 If he hey don't ask Hall to take a cut then this team is being run by a dingbat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottishbengal Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Not publicly, anyway. I doubt we would hear anything on this end until it was actually accomplished.The Bengals policy is not to comment on any contract until it's signed, so there wouldn't be any public talk of re-structures until deals were inked, same as on standard contracts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted April 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 Per CBS' Will Brinson, Bengals exercised both options today.Bengals now officially flat busted broke for 2016... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted April 28, 2015 Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 Per CBS' Will Brinson, Bengals exercised both options today.Bengals now officially flat busted broke for 2016...Figured as much. Can't say as this should be a surprise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted April 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 Just for the record, Zeitler's option is $8.01 million and Dre's is $7.51 for a total of $15.52 million. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted April 28, 2015 Report Share Posted April 28, 2015 Just for the record, Zeitler's option is $8.01 million and Dre's is $7.51 for a total of $15.52 million.Need to be looking into extensions as opposed to putting out that kind of coin when considering other free agents to address. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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