Kitna's fate key free agency decision for Bengals

[Ox]

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art.../511120400/1066

Kitna's fate key free agency decision for Bengals

By Mark Curnutte

Enquirer staff writer

The Bengals, like every NFL team, will face tough questions in free agency after the season.

The equation will start with decisions on the Bengals' 10 unrestricted free agents and four restricted free agents.

Several of the unrestricted free agents are part of the core of the kick return and coverage teams, including defensive back Reggie Myles and linebackers Marcus Wilkins and Hannibal Navies.

The Bengals' most prominent unrestricted free agents are quarterback Jon Kitna, tight end Matt Schobel and defensive lineman Carl Powell.

Kitna, a former starter and Carson Palmer's top backup, is being paid a $1 million base salary. The Bengals could re-sign him or promote Craig Krenzel, the team's No. 3 quarterback.

Krenzel, who started five games as a rookie for Chicago in 2004, could be a more long-term and less expensive backup. He is earning $305,000 in the first season of a three-year contract.

Unrestricted free agents are players with at least four years in the league. They can sign with any team without any compensation being owed to the original club.

Original teams have more control over restricted free agents. Restricted free agents receive a qualifying offer from the original team. The offers are usually one of three values.

Then the restricted player can negotiate with any other team and receive an offer sheet. If the old club chooses not to match, it can receive draft pick compensation based on its qualifying offer.

For example, if the Bengals were to tender wide receiver Kelley Washington, their first-round draft pick in 2003, at the highest one-year qualifying offer and Washington were to sign a contract with another team, the Bengals could receive a third-round draft pick as compensation.

Bengals free agents

The Bengals will have 10 unrestricted free agents and four restricted free agents at the end of the season.

Unrestricted free agents

Player Pos. Comment

Rashad Bauman CB Special teams contributor, solid open-field tackler

Jon Kitna QB Team must decide if Craig Krenzel or another ready to be backup

Reggie Myles CB-S Emotional leader of special teams made errors earlier this season

Anthony Mitchell S Smart veteran good in kick coverage, has two sacks

Hannibal Navies LB First-year Bengal is third with nine special teams tackles

Carl Powell DL Development of younger players will determine future

Matt Schobel TE Will attract interest from teams that like to throw more to TEs

Tony Stewart TE Ultra-professional work ethic, good on special teams

Nate Webster LB Serious knee injury in 2004 might have ended career

Marcus Wilkins LB Caused a fumble on special teams, led in tackles in '04

Restricted free agents

Jeremi Johnson FB Perfectly fills role as blocker and occasional receiver

Scott Kooistra OL Grooming for larger role, can play guard and tackle

Kevin Walter WR 10 tackles ties for special teams lead; has 14 catches

Kelley Washington WR Probably will be tagged in hopes of draft-pick compensation

[Davicster]

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http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art.../511120400/1066

Kitna's fate key free agency decision for Bengals

By Mark Curnutte

Enquirer staff writer

The Bengals, like every NFL team, will face tough questions in free agency after the season.

The equation will start with decisions on the Bengals' 10 unrestricted free agents and four restricted free agents.

Several of the unrestricted free agents are part of the core of the kick return and coverage teams, including defensive back Reggie Myles and linebackers Marcus Wilkins and Hannibal Navies.

The Bengals' most prominent unrestricted free agents are quarterback Jon Kitna, tight end Matt Schobel and defensive lineman Carl Powell.

Kitna, a former starter and Carson Palmer's top backup, is being paid a $1 million base salary. The Bengals could re-sign him or promote Craig Krenzel, the team's No. 3 quarterback.

Krenzel, who started five games as a rookie for Chicago in 2004, could be a more long-term and less expensive backup. He is earning $305,000 in the first season of a three-year contract.

Unrestricted free agents are players with at least four years in the league. They can sign with any team without any compensation being owed to the original club.

Original teams have more control over restricted free agents. Restricted free agents receive a qualifying offer from the original team. The offers are usually one of three values.

Then the restricted player can negotiate with any other team and receive an offer sheet. If the old club chooses not to match, it can receive draft pick compensation based on its qualifying offer.

For example, if the Bengals were to tender wide receiver Kelley Washington, their first-round draft pick in 2003, at the highest one-year qualifying offer and Washington were to sign a contract with another team, the Bengals could receive a third-round draft pick as compensation.

Bengals free agents

The Bengals will have 10 unrestricted free agents and four restricted free agents at the end of the season.

Unrestricted free agents

Player Pos. Comment

Rashad Bauman CB Special teams contributor, solid open-field tackler

Jon Kitna QB Team must decide if Craig Krenzel or another ready to be backup

Reggie Myles CB-S Emotional leader of special teams made errors earlier this season

Anthony Mitchell S Smart veteran good in kick coverage, has two sacks

Hannibal Navies LB First-year Bengal is third with nine special teams tackles

Carl Powell DL Development of younger players will determine future

Matt Schobel TE Will attract interest from teams that like to throw more to TEs

Tony Stewart TE Ultra-professional work ethic, good on special teams

Nate Webster LB Serious knee injury in 2004 might have ended career

Marcus Wilkins LB Caused a fumble on special teams, led in tackles in '04

Restricted free agents

Jeremi Johnson FB Perfectly fills role as blocker and occasional receiver

Scott Kooistra OL Grooming for larger role, can play guard and tackle

Kevin Walter WR 10 tackles ties for special teams lead; has 14 catches

Kelley Washington WR Probably will be tagged in hopes of draft-pick compensation

[HoosierCat]

Among the RFAs...

If they are smart they will lock up Kooistra before FA hits. He's a solid player who could start for several teams (the Texans come to mind immediately).

JJ will get tendered; FBs don't usually generate much interest in FA.

They'll probably tender k-wash but I doubt they get anything for him. Walter, who knows?

Among the UFAs..

It wouldn't kill us to lose any of them, frankly. Love to keep Kitna, Myles, Wilkins Bauman, maybe even Schobel but I wouldn't cry if we saw them go.

[lando griffin]

Wow....Curnutte must know something we don't know....like KWash was really a first round pick, not a third rounder...

[Spain]

Keep Kitna let schobel go to an O thst fits him! His brother said this. This guy is bolting. I wonder if were thinking TE high next year?

[AMC]

I see alot of turnover in those groups. Kooistra and J.J. would be good resignings as would Walter....

Webster, Powell, Mitchell, those guys will walk probably....

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Wow....Curnutte must know something we don't know....like KWash was really a first round pick, not a third rounder...

Not sure what Curnutte is smoking - KW was a 3rd rounder wasn't he? How could he write something like that when your entire job is to cover the Bengals the last 4-5 years at least?

[BengalszoneBilly]

The mere thought of Carson Palmer say..."getting his bell rung," and having to come out of the game, then watching Craig Krenzel trotting out to take over the offense instead of Jon "tried and true/been there, done that, and can do that again for you at the drop of a hat" Kitna, just scares the living f**k outta me!

I'd be just like Bill Paxson in "Aliens." Game Over Man! Game Over!

[Kazkal]

Keep Kitna let schobel go to an O thst fits him! His brother said this. This guy is bolting. I wonder if were thinking TE high next year?

wtf are you talking about spain

[BengalszoneBilly]

Keep Kitna let schobel go to an O thst fits him! His brother said this. This guy is bolting. I wonder if were thinking TE high next year?

wtf are you talking about spain

I think he said...

The Bengals should keep Jon Kitna, and let Matt Schobel go to another team with an offense that fits him better than the limited role he see's in the Bengals offense! His (Matt Shobels) brother said this. (Allegedly. He was quoted by the same obscure source who confirmed to the current republican administration that Saddam possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction, so it's fully credible.) This guy (back to Matt) is bolting (Probably intends to leave the Bengals if the chance is presented.) I wonder if we're (We, as in the Bengals Front office/coaching staff) thinking (pondering the possibility of drafting a) TE high (This would infer to me to be within the first three picks Cincinnati gets in the 2006 draft) next year?

Does this mean I can translate Spanish now, 'cause I sure can't speak it!

[schweinhart]

Tender the RFAs and try to re-sign Kitna.

Myles and Wilkins would be all right at minimums just to keep the special teams in tact but not by any stretch essential.

The rest of the UFAs will be lucky to be active on a roster by the beginning of next season.

The real issue the Bengals face is after next season. Tough choices await there.

[Stripes]

I think the top 5 guys we need to resign if possible are:

1.) Kitna

2.) Jeremi Johnson

3.) Kooistra

4.) Myles

5.) Walter

[wookie]

I think the Bengals will be fine if they need to let Kitna go. Palmer needed him before this year, I think he'll be ok if Kitna's not around next year. A tried and true vet at backup is a very comforting thought, however, especially after seeing what happened to the Jets this year.

Re-sign Jeremi Johnson!!! What would we do without our Johnson's??

[DontPushMe]

They need to resign Jeremi Johnson, hes a good FB.

As for Kitna, if he has the chance to go somewhere and compete for a starting job, he will do that, if not id expect us to bring him back, id hate for a season to be ruined because of one injury, and Kitna is better for this team then any other veteran backup we could pick up to replace him.

Kooistra should be resigned as hes a good backup for the o-line.

As for the rest, i really dont care, i doubt many of them would generate much interest. Washington will get a job somewhere, but we dont need him here obviously, or he would be active once and a while.

[derekshank]

Kitna could start somewhere... but the question is, does he want to. I say if he wants to stay a Bengal (which I don't know how he feels about it)... by all means, let him. Don't give him crap about costing too much for a back-up, unless you are going to spend the money elsewhere.

If you are going to take the money we would give him, and fill holes in the defense and O-line... fine. but If we are going to sit around and watch all the decent FA's sign with other teams again, we better not let Kitna go.

I know Palmer doesn't want Kitna to go. He almost cried when rumors got started about him being traded to the Jets... my guess is he stays, because he wants to.

[HoosierCat]

Kitna might have an opportunity to start someplace...but at this point in his career it would be another caretaker role...a year in the saddle - if he wins -- while the next QB of the future gets ready.

I think they end up signing him to a 2 or 3 year deal for $3-4 million total...and he ends up as QB coach as soon as Zampese gets snagged by someone for an OC job.

[USMC203]

Kit will stay at a cheaper rate, look for him to get into coaching. J. Johnson, Myles, Mitchell. Kooistra is the future, he and Kieft will play more next year. Kieft was looking like he played with a nasty streak in the pre season till he was hurt. I think you can add Walters also. I would like to see them play Lurchy, he is a power runner and will add to the power run we have , he could be our BUS

[Columbusbengal]

Kitna might have an opportunity to start someplace...but at this point in his career it would be another caretaker role...a year in the saddle - if he wins -- while the next QB of the future gets ready.

I think they end up signing him to a 2 or 3 year deal for $3-4 million total...and he ends up as QB coach as soon as Zampese gets snagged by someone for an OC job.

I certainly hope the Bengals front office and Kitna are both smart enough to resign Kitna. He would never get a starting role (even temporarily while another young QB finds himself). His only value as a "starter" is to the Bengals (if Carson is injured) because of his experience with the particular offensive scheme the Bengals run. He is invaluable to the Bengals because of that (and because the starting eleven have basically been kept together since his one successful year as a Bengal).

I don't think any free agent we could sign would be as valuable as Kitna.