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Bengals Closing in on Vincent


dcameron

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From enquirer.com:

The Bengals appear to have zeroed in on cornerback Troy Vincent and were believed Sunday to have a slim edge on acquiring the 11-year veteran free agent.

Vincent, 32, is leaning toward signing with the Bengals because of his relationship with defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, Vincent's friends say. Frazier was Vincent's position coach with the Eagles from 1999-02.

Vincent also visited Buffalo. The only potential sticking point on a possible Vincent deal with the Bengals is his desire for the Carolina Panthers to express interest. He visited Cincinnati, arriving Thursday, before leaving Friday and returning home to suburban Philadelphia to contemplate his next move.

Vincent spoke openly last month at the Pro Bowl - his fifth all-star appearance in a row - about his admiration for Carolina.

The NFC champion Panthers have lost one starting cornerback, Reggie Howard, to Miami in free agency. They released cornerback Terry Cousins and are believed to be looking for another starting corner to play opposite playoff hero Ricky Manning.

Vincent is considered a young 32; he turns 33 in June. At 6-feet-1, 200 pounds, he works out year-round, has been called a physical "specimen." and has the type of skills that would make him a candidate to switch to free safety. Rod Woodson made a similar move under Bengals coach Marvin Lewis when Lewis was Baltimore's defensive coordinator.

Carolina, please don't be interested :(

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I read this. Your last sentence says it all. If Carolina is interested, all we're going to see of Vincent is him waving good-bye from the plane. Obvioulsy we're not really that high on his list if he's sitting at home waiting for the Panthers to call. Combine that with what he said while in Buffalo, and you've got to wonder if we're really even second on his list.

At the start of Fa, he wasn't really high on my list either, but as of now he seems to be about the best option left. Having said that, I think its time for the Bengals to start looking at plan B and see who else is out there who could fill the bill. I don't like him leaving us hanging while he sees if he can go to the Panthers, and I think it would be in our best interest all around to have someone else on the hook .......... or even sign him if Vincent can't make up his mind.

Right now, we're kind of being told to wait to see if he gets a shot at Carolina ......... and then he'll let us know. Our response should be OK , but you don't mind if we give the job to someone else while you're waiting do you ??

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I'm sure he wouldn't mind, he'd just go to the Bills.

You can't look at these kind of things as normal business negotiations. The players hold the cards nowadays, not the teams.

I wish it was like this for the rest of the business world. Be flown around by car companies, all offering me multi-million dollar deals and hoping I'll accept them. "GM's high on my list and I love the facility, but if Ferrari gives me a call I'm headed for Italy."

*daydreams*

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Just heard on Lance's show with Geoff Hobson, who has a HUGE New York accent, that IF the Bengals do sign Vincent it will more than likely be the final FA signing this season b/c he will command big numbers which could include a few releases. He sounded less than pessimistic about getting Vincent.

But I wonder, is that worth it?

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But I wonder, is that worth it?

Well, he's got to be better than Hawkins and Burris......But paying to high a price for an older CB seems kinda crazy, especially if Weathersby comes on this year, but the Bengals must have an upgrade on the corner or it's gonna be a long season....Plus it allows the Bengals to draft DT in the first round, and a guard or center in the second before they worry about picking a corner in this draft.

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Plus it allows the Bengals to draft DT in the first round, and a guard or center in the second before they worry about picking a corner in this draft.

..and that is a huge plus... It has been said the Vincent is a young 32 (33 to be), if so, he may have 2-3 more years left as a CB, then move to S... If we sign him, we at least have two "real" corners, w/ the hope that Weathersby can develop and just maybe we could still sign either Roman or Beckett and be done w/ free agency... This would probably mean the end for a veterean or two (Burris or Ross maybe), but would also end a very good free agent season for us...

We would then have to hope that either Starks or Wilfolk (which I find hard to believe, but I have seen several sources that think he could be there) are still avail. at our pick. Wilfolk would be great, I just don't see him falling that far...

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Kev, he really emphasized allowing players like Weathersby and Abdullah to show what they've got. He, just like many of us, has realized the 2004 season will be very hard to get into the playoffs. He thought Weathersby should be given the chance and forgo the signing of Vincent to work on other positions.

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Kev, he really emphasized allowing players like Weathersby and Abdullah to show what they've got. He, just like many of us, has realized the 2004 season will be very hard to get into the playoffs. He thought Weathersby should be given the chance and forgo the signing of Vincent to work on other positions.

Well that's just it, I almost think that the Bengals have been handicapped a little by the "success" of last season....Maybe they won a game or two too many...A little higher in the draft order would insure that the players we need fall to us, no unrealistic expectations, no fans or press screaming bloody murder cause the the team is starting a QB with no NFL experiance....

Of course, considering the sad state of affairs that is the AFC North, making the play offs is still not out of the equation....Plus no matter the holes the team may have, Marvin will make sure they compete and as close as the NFL is nowadays, that might be enough to win 11-12 games....

Also after watching the CB market go crazy this year I think it's best the Bengals don't sign one of the eagles CB's....Maybe go after a lower priced CB to keep the depth there without having to expose a rookie to soon (cause let's face it, the Bengals are gonna draft a CB or two at some point this year) I think that Coach Lewis is really expecting Weathersby to show up this year and be the player that nearly everyone in the NFL expected him to be before the shooting....I can definately see Weathersby and James being the starting corners this coming season.

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I think we need to sign vincent and draft a CB in say the 2nd round or 3rd. Have vincent teach and help out weathersby and the rookie. Its a win win for us, we get a solid starter for the next few seasons and he helps us in the future.

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I think that Coach Lewis is really expecting Weathersby to show up this year and be the player that nearly everyone in the NFL expected him to be before the shooting....I can definately see Weathersby and James being the starting corners this coming season.

I sure hope Weathersby becomes All-Pro, because all I know is that is if we line up w/ he and Tory as starters and back that up w/ T. Roberts and Myles you can forget about any chance at the playoffs (you really cannot count on Burris, he is coming off 2 concussions and cannot cover beyond 15 yards and we need his money)... I mean let’s just start w/ our division - do u really want Weathersby covering Marcus Robinson or Plaxico Burress..? Because T. James will be on T.Owens and Hines Ward... Not to mention that we would then have Myles and Roberts to cover the 3 and 4 receivers... I seriously do not think we have a chance to consider the playoffs in that scenario. Sure we could draft a CB to help that depth, but then we do not get a "plug" for the middle of our DL if we do so and we absolutely must fix that DT problem w/ size vs. the run... We also need to draft an interior lineman in the first 3 rounds as well. If we do not sign a quality veteran CB and we draft one in the first round, we will not get the quality at DT we need to help us actually slow down our opponents running game... If we do not sign a quality veteran CB we better run the ball like it's 1988...

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I mean let’s just start w/ our division - do u really want Weathersby covering Marcus Robinson or Plaxico Burress..?

We don't need to worry about covering Marcus Robinson anymore, he signed with the Vikings. Plus, TO said he is not playing for the Ravens even if his appeal is denied.

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I think we need to sign vincent and draft a CB in say the 2nd round or 3rd. Have vincent teach and help out weathersby and the rookie. Its a win win for us, we get a solid starter for the next few seasons and he helps us in the future.

I don't think Vincent is worth the signing even as a mentor or helping younger players. I think Tory James has been in the league long enough to help instruct the youth and tell them what to expect. Also, the CB position is based more off instincts and raw talent, that's what makes great CBs. If guys don't understand and need to be taught, then they aren't employed in the Mike Brown Roman Empire. But that's just my opinion.

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Age isnt that big of a factor to me.....hes only 32...and the possibility of having a 5 time pro bowler anywhere near the bengals secondary is good news to me.

Age isn't that big of a deal to me either. Fact is though that this guy is pulling the same crap on us that was SOP for free agents in prior years, and we just don't have to put up with it anymore.

Lewis is turning this organiztion around and everyone in football knows it. His waffling and waiting to see if he hears from Carolina before he decides is insulting and letting him do it is a step back for the Bengals and Lewis.

Lewis says that he only wants players who want to abe here, and that doesn't seem to be the case with Vincent. Announce in the paper that we're no longer interested and move on to the next guy on the list.

PS ......... we've had pro bowlers in the Cincinnati secondary for years ............ Jerry Rice , Randy Moss, Lynn Swan B)

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