Rudi's franchise tag to be $6.33million...

[turningpoint]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=fanb...nball&type=lgns

got damn that's not enough money?

[CTBengalsFan]

thats TOO MUCH money

[walshfan]

Damn there are similar features between Leon and Cory! Leon is better looking IMO..

The more I think about this the more I think Marvin and Dennis Green may be able to work something out..Arizona is WAY under the cap....They have no running back...Trade him to Arizona for a 2nd round pick...what did New England give the Bengals for Cory??? We could use that second rounder on a center ( Chris Spencer) or a wideout of TJ leaves too...If TJ stays we grab a TE with the pick...

[turningpoint]

Damn there are similar features between Leon and Cory! Leon is better looking IMO..

The more I think about this the more I think Marvin and Dennis Green may be able to work something out..Arizona is WAY under the cap....They have no running back...Trade him to Arizona for a 2nd round pick...what did New England give the Bengals for Cory??? We could use that second rounder on a center ( Chris Spencer) or a wideout of TJ leaves too...If TJ stays we grab a TE with the pick...

i'd love that.

[bengalboomer7]

Right now there are about 543,875,903,333 different scenarios of what can happen. We just gotta wait and see but I will not be happy if they franshise him

[CJBestInAFC]

Damn there are similar features between Leon and Cory! Leon is better looking IMO..

The more I think about this the more I think Marvin and Dennis Green may be able to work something out..Arizona is WAY under the cap....They have no running back...Trade him to Arizona for a 2nd round pick...what did New England give the Bengals for Cory??? We could use that second rounder on a center ( Chris Spencer) or a wideout of TJ leaves too...If TJ stays we grab a TE with the pick...

I like that idea. Not only would we get a high 2nd rounder, but Rudi would be leaving the division and playing in the NFC. I wouldn't want to face him twice a year.

[FonzieDog]

Here's a question. Are we starting to see a trend where it will be harder and harder for competitive teams to keep their feature backs and sign them to new contracts? Since running back seem to be the easiest skill position to replace it makes sense for teams to not pay these high salaries that players like Rudi and James will ask for. In this new era of football/free agency has any competitive team been able to retain the services of their feature back for the duration?

[membengal]

Here's a question. Are we starting to see a trend where it will be harder and harder for competitive teams to keep their feature backs and sign them to new contracts? Since running back seem to be the easiest skill position to replace it makes sense for teams to not pay these high salaries that players like Rudi and James will ask for. In this new era of football/free agency has any competitive team been able to retain the services of their feature back for the duration?

Sure. It's just a matter of what that team's priority is. Washington sold out to get Clinton Portis last year and paid a king's ransom.

Now, I happen to think that was stupid, and a fundamental misread of what the market was running backs is nowadays.

PASS on tagging Rudi. A deal for a 2nd rounder would be swell, but even if he just flat walked, I am OK with that too.

[bengalboomer7]

I'd rather not see him walk for nothing. I say transition him and play hardball all the offseason. Go after what free agents we want anyeay, and give him a take it or leave it offer. It might sound a little harsh, but so does him saying he'll sit out if they franchise him. As much as I like Rudi, he doesn't deserve the franshise tag

[ArmyBengal]

A deal for another second rounder I would have to think would be a no brainer. We could pick up a D Tackle, Safety, and a Center in the first two round. I would be more than happy with that scenario. Like someone else stated, we will see what happens.

WHODEY !!!

[BengalNation1281]

Damn there are similar features between Leon and Cory! Leon is better looking IMO..

The more I think about this the more I think Marvin and Dennis Green may be able to work something out..Arizona is WAY under the cap....They have no running back...Trade him to Arizona for a 2nd round pick...what did New England give the Bengals for Cory??? We could use that second rounder on a center ( Chris Spencer) or a wideout of TJ leaves too...If TJ stays we grab a TE with the pick...

Wow...there's not much room to argue with an idea like that.

Rudi would be a good fit in Arizona, we would get another 2nd-rounder and be able to shore up our main needs in the first two rounds...I love it.

Call Marvin now!

BN1281

[Kirkendall]

Damn there are similar features between Leon and Cory! Leon is better looking IMO..

The more I think about this the more I think Marvin and Dennis Green may be able to work something out..Arizona is WAY under the cap....They have no running back...Trade him to Arizona for a 2nd round pick...what did New England give the Bengals for Cory???  We could use that second rounder on a center ( Chris Spencer) or a wideout of TJ leaves too...If TJ stays we grab a TE with the pick...

Walshfan -- I like the thought, and I'm not picking on you, but I think this is flawed. Let me explain.

Before we can trade Rudi, we have to sign him. Do you honestly think, if we tag him for $6.33 mil, that Arizona will take a trade like that? Cap or not? They'll just draft someone or pick up someone like Lamont Jordan.

Secondly, Rudi doesn't want to get tagged, and if he does, then there's discontent. The only way this could happen is if Rudi is tagged by the Bengals, there's an agreement between the Cards and Bengals to do the trade, and Rudi restructures his contract to play in 'Zona -- which I hardly think Rudi will do. I understand they have plenty of cap room and limited runners, but I can't imagine a team, including Arizona would go for this.

Similarly, the thing with Dillon was he had a contract with the Bengals for a couple of years, and Dillon wanted to leave so bad, he took a pay cut.

Lastly, if we tag Rudi, Arizona would give up way too much in compensation -- something they can't afford to give up due to their limited team.

If the Bengals are going to tag Rudi, then I'd like to see them do it ONLY if they DO re-sign him to a long term deal before the FA period begins.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Hey Bengals fans!! Welcome to the NFL, where players who are good, and prove themselves, actually make a lot of money when they become FA's and need to be re-signed!!

Isn't that something new for us?

Usually we just let them leave and hang our hopes on some unproven draft pick.

Oh, that's what people want to do now isn't it?

Guess what, the Bengals want to start proving to the players union that they're serious about winning? They need to start paying core veteran players and keeping them around for more than 3 years if they don't want to keep going through the 3-12 and 8-8 cycles they've been going through for the last 15 years.

It starts with finding ways to pay people and biting the bullet and keeping proven stars on the roster however possible. Ecspecially when they're only 25 years old.

I'm sick of the Bengals crying poor - they are one of the most profitable professional franchises in all of pro sports - literally in the top 12 last I checked.

No one's asking them to ruin their salary cap for the next 5 years - but if it means going over the cap for a year or two and having to deal with it like every other playoff team - then so be it.

I am just so fed-up with the Rudi whining, sorry. I hope the Bengals do the right thing.

[CTBengalsFan]

Hey Bengals fans!! Welcome to the NFL, where players who are good, and prove themselves, actually make a lot of money when they become FA's and need to be re-signed!!

Isn't that something new for us?

Usually we just let them leave and hang our hopes on some unproven draft pick.

Oh, that's what people want to do now isn't it?

Guess what, the Bengals want to start proving to the players union that they're serious about winning? They need to start paying core veteran players and keeping them around for more than 3 years if they don't want to keep going through the 3-12 and 8-8 cycles they've been going through for the last 15 years.

It starts with finding ways to pay people and biting the bullet and keeping proven stars on the roster however possible. Ecspecially when they're only 25 years old.

I'm sick of the Bengals crying poor - they are one of the most profitable professional franchises in all of pro sports - literally in the top 12 last I checked.

No one's asking them to ruin their salary cap for the next 5 years - but if it means going over the cap for a year or two and having to deal with it like every other playoff team - then so be it.

I am just so fed-up with the Rudi whining, sorry. I hope the Bengals do the right thing.

HINT: we need defense. we are tight on cap space. rudi is asking for more than he's worth.

[HoosierCat]

Guess what, the Bengals want to start proving to the players union that they're serious about winning? They need to start paying core veteran players and keeping them around for more than 3 years if they don't want to keep going through the 3-12 and 8-8 cycles they've been going through for the last 15 years.

Sounds good. Only one itty-bitty problem.

That's exactly what they did the whole Lost-Decade-Plus!

When did we ever let a core player go? The only two "core players" we've let go that I can think of are Dillon and Spikes, and our record has been better without them!

For all the Bengals have been labeled as cheap, one thing they have never failed to do is pay their stars. Dillon did everything but kick Mikey in the nuts on national TV, and he got a $5 million/year deal! Ditto Carl Pickens. Any time an actually talented player has had the misfortune to emerge in Cincy, his chances of leaving became all but nil.

Until Marvin, and "addition by subtraction." And versus the previous approach, I can't really complain.

Not paying Rudi would be completely out of character for the 1991-2002 Bengals. It would be par for the course since. And since "since" constitutes the best two years we've had in the last 14 or so, I don't see the problem.

[CTBengalsFan]

remember that this would make Rudi the highest paid player on the Bengals by over a $1 million.

he is not that valuable

[turningpoint]

Hey Bengals fans!! Welcome to the NFL, where players who are good, and prove themselves, actually make a lot of money when they become FA's and need to be re-signed!!

Isn't that something new for us?

Usually we just let them leave and hang our hopes on some unproven draft pick.

Oh, that's what people want to do now isn't it?

Guess what, the Bengals want to start proving to the players union that they're serious about winning? They need to start paying core veteran players and keeping them around for more than 3 years if they don't want to keep going through the 3-12 and 8-8 cycles they've been going through for the last 15 years.

It starts with finding ways to pay people and biting the bullet and keeping proven stars on the roster however possible. Ecspecially when they're only 25 years old.

I'm sick of the Bengals crying poor - they are one of the most profitable professional franchises in all of pro sports - literally in the top 12 last I checked.

No one's asking them to ruin their salary cap for the next 5 years - but if it means going over the cap for a year or two and having to deal with it like every other playoff team - then so be it.

I am just so fed-up with the Rudi whining, sorry. I hope the Bengals do the right thing.

they did with Chad Johnson and Willie Anderson, and they agreed to stay at a fair makret price....not 6million a season...Rudi can blow it out his ass.

[WHO DEY AGAIN?]

There is only one RB that the Bengals will pay this kind of money to and his name is Shaun Alexander. I like Rudi, and often laugh at the Rudi haters on this board, but he's not in Shaun's class. Before all you Dillon sword swallows pipe in,let me state: Leon is not in his class either!

It's simple. Sign Shaun or put the season in the hands of a fragile big ten back that hasn't done dick. Sorry Rudi. Your worth about 3.5 Mil a year.

[jjakq27]

Here's a question. Are we starting to see a trend where it will be harder and harder for competitive teams to keep their feature backs and sign them to new contracts? Since running back seem to be the easiest skill position to replace it makes sense for teams to not pay these high salaries that players like Rudi and James will ask for. In this new era of football/free agency has any competitive team been able to retain the services of their feature back for the duration?

Don't forget that Indy selected James after they moved Marshall Faulk to St. Louis. Everyone thought that was nuts. But it worked out.

I hope we can keep Rudi at a reasonable price but finding a good RB isn't as hard as getting a good DL-man or a CB.

[HairOnFire]

Washington sold out to get Clinton Portis last year and paid a king's ransom.

Now, I happen to think that was stupid, and a fundamental misread of what the market was running backs is nowadays.

I'll argue that the Redskins got themselves into a bad fix by previously refusing to give Steven Davis market value...largely due to the Redskins mistaken belief that power running backs were a dime a dozen...easily replaced....as well as their willingness to take a chance on an unproven RB they felt had better speed and pass catching skills. That replacement back is now the answer to a trivia question nobody bothers asking.