BengalChamps Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 What do you think about going after Chris Hope? It would be worth paying a little extra because he would not only help us but it would hurt a division rival. Madeiu and Hope would make a pretty good combo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Next_Big_Thing Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 Madieu and Hope would not be a good combo. They are similar safeties. Neither is the in the box hitter we need for a strong safety. Hope would be a backup to Madieu or vice versa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJJackson Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 I heartily disagree with TNBT, which is of course, par for the course :-)Chris Hope is IMHO the top FA the Bengals should seek out, first and foremost, before all others.I've documented the reasons for this elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT Stiller Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 Chris Hope is a big hitter and a tough guy. He knocked Miami's RB at the time (I want to say Lamar Gordon) out for the season with a shoulder separation after a huge hit. That was in week three last year. I don't know about your Williams guy as far as his style of play, but Hope is a monster when it comes to knocking the cr@p out of people. He gets caught out of position often and is not the fastest guy, and not that rangy, although he can compete with the linemen in strength competitions in the weight room.I believe the Steelers are going to re-sign him though, so don't get your "Hopes" up. I'm funny. And a World Champ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 I have to think that the Steelers will make a big push to re-sign Hope (and for that matter Randel El). If, however, Hope hits the open market I expect his price tag to quickly shoot past anything the Bengals are willing to pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingwilly Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 He will be too much coin....Dexter Jackson is a better fit alongside Madieu if we go for a FA. An excellent cover 2 SS who plays the run tough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 He will be too much coin....Dexter Jackson is a better fit alongside Madieu if we go for a FA. An excellent cover 2 SS who plays the run tough.Yeah, I saw yesterday that he was expected to be let go. I couldn't decide then if I was interested...and still am not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingwilly Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 Former SB MVP, took the big$$ to go to AZ and played in a horrible D. Comes back to TB and step in where he left and anchored their secondary....very smart and can solidify the middle of the field...not much downside, age maybe, but his price may let TB keep him...I say he'd be a guy to make a run at, if we pursue any S in FA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJJackson Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 I am all about the "hurt the division rival" angle, so I still favor Hope as the top targeted FA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 I am all about the "hurt the division rival" angle, so I still favor Hope as the top targeted FAReally, if the Steelers can't come to an agreement with Hope, I wouldn't be surprised if they tagged him. Saftey is still a relatively cheap spot ($4.1 mill. franchise, $3.6 mill. transition). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lando griffin Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Really was never that impressed by Hope, and don't think he is similar to Madieu. Hope looks really athletic, but doesn't have great speed or coverage ability. He does occasionally put up some big hits, but pretty much what I remember him for is getting burned by our receivers or jawing with them constantly. That's about it...he's a decent player, but he's got that huge negative (in my head) that he's a Steeler and I won't be able to cheer for him if he did switch over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schweinhart Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 I don't think that Hope will command much more than what Deion Grant got from the Jags in 2004. Whichever team signs him should get him for the equivalent of a 3 year deal, maybe $8 mill deal with about $3 mill up front. Hope did a nice job in the Super Bowl but he had to wipe his own backside a few times trying to butt heads with Mr. Rudi. He could interchange decently enough with Madieu IMO and should get high consideration among the free safeties out there. But there should be better options at strong safety if the Bengals want to primarily keep Madieu in coverage where his strength is greatest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazkal Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Steelers are only few mill under cap next year without bus no? (remember seeing their like 2over with him) so with all people their losing + needing money for rookies i really dont see them paying him 4million Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Another problem I saw for the Steelers is that their cap took a hit when they won the Super Bowl due to the incentives needing to be paid out for the win (See Rottenfurberger). I can't say as I would mind having that problem after winning the SB, but I also can't say as I mind them HAVING that problem... Oh yeah, I can take or leave Pope, don't care...WHODEY !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIMEsteelersfan Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Hope is a quality safety with tremendous pressure. Because we use Troy the way we do that makes Hope a deep centerfielder all game long, and as a result he's unable to gamble and must stay back. He's the last line of defense and a very good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbx182 Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 kirwans's list of fa's as seen on nfl:3. Chris Hope: Here's another guy who had a very good Super Bowl and playoff run as a complementary player to All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu in Pittsburgh. As a two-year starter, he has 185 tackles and four interceptions to his credit in that time. The 26-year-old safety already has seven playoff starts under his belt. Look for a division rival to be very interested in him because they know him best of all.hmmm...which div rival needs a safety, and bad?! b/c i still think we'll draft a d lineman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYBengalfan Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 shhhhh! be very quiet, I think he's talking about us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybren Posted February 17, 2006 Report Share Posted February 17, 2006 I don't know how the Steelers are cap-wise, but they're going to have to make some tough decisions as to who they can re-sign. If memory serves they've got 3 or 4 starters up for free agency and it's not like you can expect to sign them for last year's paycheck.And I don't think Super Bowl-related incentives will impact their salary cap. Not unless they're elevator clauses (permanent increases to the base salary), and I doubt they would agree to many of them. They've been too successful for too long to do something that counter-productive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ29 Posted February 17, 2006 Report Share Posted February 17, 2006 Yo! Chris Hope is THE guy that I think we should target in free agency. GET.HIM.HERE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steel Legends Posted February 18, 2006 Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 Yo! Chris Hope is THE guy that I think we should target in free agency. GET.HIM.HERE.I'm not a huge Chris Hope fan, although he's made great strides over the last few years, still, he's not worthy of a big contract. When a team is use to guys like Lee Flowers in the Safety position, no doubt Hope is a major upgrade. So long as Hope doesn't ask for a king's ransom, I'd take a look at signing him.I think the Bengals are strong in the secondary, and their big needs are linebackers and defensive linemen. If you guys shore up those 2 units, they will be a much more balanced team. But don't listen to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
da boss Posted February 18, 2006 Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 Yo! Chris Hope is THE guy that I think we should target in free agency. GET.HIM.HERE.I'm not a huge Chris Hope fan, although he's made great strides over the last few years, still, he's not worthy of a big contract. When a team is use to guys like Lee Flowers in the Safety position, no doubt Hope is a major upgrade. So long as Hope doesn't ask for a king's ransom, I'd take a look at signing him.I think the Bengals are strong in the secondary, and their big needs are linebackers and defensive linemen. If you guys shore up those 2 units, they will be a much more balanced team. But don't listen to me... I would not mind seeing Hope here, anything is better than Ohalete starting at saftey. I would rather see us draft a saftey rather than sign one off of free agency though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schweinhart Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 Look for a division rival to be very interested in him because they know him best of all.hmmm...which div rival needs a safety, and bad?! b/c i still think we'll draft a d lineman. Kirwan could have been talking about the Ratbirds too. But gotta figure he's talking more about some other AFC North team and it ain't the Clowns in this case either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYBengalfan Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 Yo! Chris Hope is THE guy that I think we should target in free agency. GET.HIM.HERE.I'm not a huge Chris Hope fan, although he's made great strides over the last few years, still, he's not worthy of a big contract. When a team is use to guys like Lee Flowers in the Safety position, no doubt Hope is a major upgrade. So long as Hope doesn't ask for a king's ransom, I'd take a look at signing him.I think the Bengals are strong in the secondary, and their big needs are linebackers and defensive linemen. If you guys shore up those 2 units, they will be a much more balanced team. But don't listen to me... No actually I will listen to you and respond to that as well. Lee Flowers and everyone else in the secondary was the reason why you lost in 2001 AFCCG. it was a huge improvement for you guys at safety, and Troy was the icing on the cake. I "HOPE" that you guys let Hope go. But I think that your boys will try to keep him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Columbusbengal Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 kirwans's list of fa's as seen on nfl:3. Chris Hope: Here's another guy who had a very good Super Bowl and playoff run as a complementary player to All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu in Pittsburgh. As a two-year starter, he has 185 tackles and four interceptions to his credit in that time. The 26-year-old safety already has seven playoff starts under his belt. Look for a division rival to be very interested in him because they know him best of all.hmmm...which div rival needs a safety, and bad?! b/c i still think we'll draft a d lineman.I'd a lot rather draft a safety and sign a free agent d-lineman. I think d-lineman is the hardest position to evaluate in college because the willingness to get pounded all game is harder to judge when the guy is used to hitting the smaller players that he mostly will encounter in college. I'd rather have someone who's already proven he has a motor and loves to hit people just for the fun of it (rather than to impress scouts to sign a big contract as a first round draft pick). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalChamps Posted February 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 I'm still hoping for Hope. Check out the new ESPN article:http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2337375Come on Marvin! Call Hope up. This would be HUGE for us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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