HoosierCat Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2035781 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 The scoop:The Seahawks beat out the Bengals and Jaguars to reach a five-year, $17.5 million agreement to sign former Texans linebacker Jamie Sharper, considered one of the best players still available. Sharper, who will get a $1.5 million signing bonus, visited the Seahawks last Thursday and Friday but left without a deal and was in serious discussions with the Bengals. When he was with the Ravens as defensive coordinator, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis coached Sharper. In the end, Sharper decided the money and opportunity to play in Seattle were the best. For the Seahawks, Sharper is expected to play strong-side linebacker even though he also has the ability to help them at middle. There are plenty of openings at linebacker. Outside linebacker Anthony Simmons was released. Middle linebacker Orlando Huff signed a four-year deal with the Cardinals. The Seahawks are asking outside linebacker Chad Brown to take a $3.2 million pay cut from his $4.2 million salary, and if he doesn't accept he may also be cut. The 30-year-old Sharper has never missed a game since coming into the NFL with the Ravens in 1997. He's had four consecutive 100-plus tackle seasons and has 831 total tackles during his nine-year NFL career. He spent the past three seasons with the Texans.A $1.5 million signing bonus????So, basically, it's all bulls**t money?And we couldn't do better...?I'll await further details but this sketch has my blood pressure rising... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Antonio Bengal Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 5-year $17 mil???!!!What did we offer? Corn flakes and a happy place?AT least we tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 What did we offer? Corn flakes and a happy place? I dunno but if all he got was $1.5 million as a signing bonus... There has to be some other guaranteed $$$ in there someplace...shoot, forget about the Bengals, at that price 30 other teams would have jumped in...that's only about double vet minimum for Sharper...if it's the only guaranteed coin my head may explode...can't be... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jditty47 Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 ya...if we couldnt match that that is sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 What did we offer? Corn flakes and a happy place?I dunno but if all he got was $1.5 million as a signing bonus... There has to be some other guaranteed $$$ in there someplace...shoot, forget about the Bengals, at that price 30 other teams would have jumped in...that's only about double vet minimum for Sharper...if it's the only guaranteed coin my head may explode...can't be... Same ol' Bengals? My point. We, from various reports all posted in this forum, offered less $$$. The bonus for coming to Cincinnati is Marvin -- for Sharper, anyone else would have looked past us -- and easier to travel home. WTF is that?!Oh well, at least we have a draft of unproven players in the draft that could "help make the Bengals better" -- unlike Sharper -- a defense that has barely been touched in FA (unlike signing Sharper and we have no idea what Robinson will do for us), and, oh yea, Marvin (the free pass continues?). Yea, the moral is a little low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 There's a catch. There's gotta be. I am sure Marvin will cryptically clue us in.Here's to another 7-9 season for the Hawkers. Maybe Chad Brown gets cut and we nab him.BTW, during an interview at the end of the season, ML mentioned that he knew they were being played by Sapp and his agent last year. That's when they pulled the offer. When asked how he knew he mentioned that Sapp never came to Cincinnati for a visit, so he must not have been that serious. Anyway on this one, I am sure there is a catch. Maybe there are some health issues or worries about his production. Kind of like when Hardy was signed here in 2003. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalszoneBilly Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 I'm sure Seattle will be a perfect place for him to sit and watch the Bengals in the 2005 playoffs from. At least the "Oly" beer will be a little fresher there. Forget him. If he actually thinks his odds for success were greater with the Seahags than they were with the Bengals, then he wasn't as smart a player as we were led to believe. Would anyone care to bet against Cincy not taking a linebacker with their 1st pick now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whur CHad At? Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 We all know one thing, the Bengal's are aboslutley horrible with big name Free agents. This is a disgrace. WE had him. Pathetic on the Bengal's Part. We had money to cough up to him. From what it looks like it wasn't that much. We had it, but lost again. I thought that by Bringing Marvin here we would bring some big name guys, but I was wrong. I don't know why we would prefer horrible guys that no one wants who end up doing nothing over some really good veterans who want to come here. All we offer is like the league minimum, compared to another team who offers like a 5 year $20 mill. This is so pathetic. I grade and F over the last thee Years of the Marvin area in FA's. We can't win a championship with Rookies. Why can't Marvin and Mikey get that through their stupid heads. Very angry Bengal's fan here, and congrats to Seattle for actually maning up and offering some money to SHarper. And smart choice by Jamie, I wouldn't want to play for a team that way underpay's good players but way overpays bad ones. We better have a good draft or expect a average season again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 I'm sure Seattle will be a perfect place for him to sit and watch the Bengals in the 2005 playoffs from. At least the "Oly" beer will be a little fresher there. Forget him. If he actually thinks his odds for success were greater with the Seahags than they were with the Bengals, then he wasn't as smart a player as we were led to believe. Would anyone care to bet against Cincy not taking a linebacker with their 1st pick now? Been saying that for weeks billy. Big Safety (Davis) or a LB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldschooler Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indycat Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 cmon now Sharper was not the missing piece to the super bowl puzzle.We've got L Johnson, C Miller, Abdulah, Webster, and Hardy to man the Sam and Mike spots. We didn't need to commit 3.5 mil to Sharper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 If he actually thinks his odds for success were greater with the Seahags than they were with the Bengals, then he wasn't as smart a player as we were led to believe. I doesn't have anything to do with the odds of success, or his family and long plane flights, or any of that. It's all about the money. And it looks like the Bengals cheaped out in spectacular fashion. I still await further details, but I do not like the looks of this...Anyhow, like I said over in the Sharper mega-thread, the bottom line is that we had a chance to improve the team...and we couldn't beat out a cap-strapped club whose rep is almost as low as ours even tho we have the player in question's best coach???Sorry, but right now this looks and smells like bulls**t to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 cmon now Sharper was not the missing piece to the super bowl puzzle.We've got L Johnson, C Miller, Abdulah, Webster, and Hardy to man the Sam and Mike spots. We didn't need to commit 3.5 mil to Sharper. Of course not. But even I can't justify the Bengals inability to actually sign someone that will move the team forward. Anyway on this one, I am sure there is a catch. Maybe there are some health issues or worries about his production. Kind of like when Hardy was signed here in 2003.jak -- I see your point, but Sharper hasn't missed a game yet and recorded his second highest tackle total (139) in his career last year.This team would have gone straight up defensively if this signing happened. Nope, we're happy with the status quo I guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 cmon now Sharper was not the missing piece to the super bowl puzzle.We've got L Johnson, C Miller, Abdulah, Webster, and Hardy to man the Sam and Mike spots. We didn't need to commit 3.5 mil to Sharper. You forgot the at the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalszoneBilly Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 We all know one thing, the Bengal's are aboslutley horrible with big name Free agents. I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that this will continue to happen time, and time again until......the Bengals start looking legit and appear in the playoffs. (Starting this season IMO!)I thought that by bringing Marvin here we would bring some big name guys, but I was wrong.That may have been a bit too optimistic of an opinion for a man that at the time was taking his first job as a head coach in the NFL, don't you think?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whur CHad At? Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Are you telling me Sharper wasn't the missing peice? Ok your crazy. He would of been huge lift for our D. We had money but we are so scarred to spend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 jak -- I see your point, but Sharper hasn't missed a game yet and recorded his second highest tackle total (139) in his career last year.This team would have gone straight up defensively if this signing happened. Nope, we're happy with the status quo I guess I know Kirk but something just doesn't seem right. We pulled back or went low for some reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 jak -- I see your point, but Sharper hasn't missed a game yet and recorded his second highest tackle total (139) in his career last year.This team would have gone straight up defensively if this signing happened. Nope, we're happy with the status quo I guess I know Kirk but something just doesn't seem right. We pulled back or went low for some reason. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely agree with you jak. I don't understand either.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 bengals.com at 6:20http://www.bengals.com/press/news.asp?iCur...=0&news_id=2836Bengals look to draft as Sharper heads west4/12/2005 - 6:20 p.m. BY GEOFF HOBSON The Bengals apparently feel good enough about their linebacker situation that they didn’t try to close the gap on Seattle’s offer to Jamie Sharper as the Marvin Lewis product ended up agreeing Tuesday to a five-year deal in Seattle with the Seahawks, accordng to agent Tony Agnone. With the NFL Draft just 11 days away, the Bengals may also be looking at their board as they mull how to respond to the uncertainty of middle linebacker Nate Webster’s rehab. On the same day Lewis hosted Sharper at Paul Brown Stadium last week, the Bengals head coach named second-year man Landon Johnson as his starter with Webster unsure if he’ll be ready for the start of training camp as he recovers from his second tear of the patella tendon in his kneecap. Even though some view Johnson as more of an outside backer on the left side, Lewis pointed to Johnson’s team-leading 133 tackles in just 10 starts as a rookie last season. ESPN.com reported Sharper's deal at five years, $17.5 million, with $1.5 million to sign on the way to $4 million in the first year in what probably amounts to a two-year deal for the 30-year-old. After re-upping running back Rudi Johnson and wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh and signing Dolphins defensive tackle Bryan Robinson to contracts that counted in excess of $11 million under the salary cap this year, the Bengals weren’t prepared to delve into another similar deal with some possible prospects on the board. But Agnone said the Bengals came at them "with a generous offer" in the first year of the deal and that Sharper agonized over the decision Monday night and Tuesday. The Bengals offer apparently wasn't $4 million, but it was in the yard, although Agnone wouldn't confirm that. "It didn't come down to money," Agnone said. "Seattle really went after him. They met him in Cincinnati for the flight out, he had dinner with the team president, and I really think he got a sense of where he was going to play and how they were going to use him. But it was such a tough choice because he likes Marvin so much." Agnone said Seattle is going to play him inside and that might have been a factor, too, since Sharper played outside for Lewis in Baltimore. The draft's leading inside backer looks to be an early-out junior in Georgia’s Odell Thurman, but he probably won’t be around when the Bengals pick No. 48 in the second round. But he has visited the team recently, and Lewis confirmed the visit of another inside backer, Clemson’s Leroy Hill. Hill is a seventh-rounder in at least one mock draft. Other guys that could get discussed in the middle rounds are Louisville’s Robert McCune and Notre Dame’s Mike Goolsby. On Tuesday, Lewis seemed to indicate the Bengals had gone as far as they would go on an offer to Sharper that sounded like it had some incentives. The two are close since their five years with the Ravens and often call each other Mondays after games to commiserate. “We’ve proposed a structure. I want what is best for Jamie,” Lewis said. “Whatever he feels is best, but we have to do right by ourselves.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 OK, I say we move the debate to this:Should we trust Marvin? Or should we question this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
membengal Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Ah well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. On to the draft then.Question it if it makes people happy, but I, for one, am not questioning ML on this. Sharper at the Bengals' price would have been cool. Didn't get him, so they move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 http://www.seahawks.com/ardisplay.aspx?ID=5332from the Seattle website Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Ah well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. You forgot the at the end, too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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