Practice Bubble on the way for Bengals??

[CrashDavisSports]

Bengals ‘definitely looking’ to add indoor practice facility in near future

Cincinnati Bengals ‘definitely looking’ to add indoor practice facility in near future.

www.cincinnati.com

 

[alf8478]

Who's in charge of ordering the rings?

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Who's in charge of ordering the rings?

Katie Blackburn?

 

[alf8478]

Katie Blackburn?

I guess nowadays, thanks to Joey B, that's not such a facetious question anymore.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I guess nowadays, thanks to Joey B, that's not such a facetious question anymore.

Build the statue!

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Build the statue!

A Cincinnati Legend in only 1.5 years. Imagine if he actually wins this city a SB? Holy shit will he be in another stratosphere of lore!

 

[cincygrad]

We also need to stock some money away for the Shooter McPherson statue.

 

[cincygrad]

I guess nowadays, thanks to Joey B, that's not such a facetious question anymore.

This was my first thought when I read "order the rings!"

 

[CrashDavisSports]

We also need to stock some money away for the Shooter McPherson statue.

Based on this article, we will not be giving money to anyone ever again.

By Jason La Canfora

PALM BEACH, Fla. – Will the Ravens keep Lamar Jackson long-term? Will the Bengals do the same with Joe Burrow? How about Kyler Murray and the Cardinals? And Justin Herbert and the Chargers?

Those questions became a lot more profound in the aftermath of the Browns' industry redefining contract given to Deshaun Watson just a few days ago, which they completed despite him still facing 22 allegations of sexual assault or sexual misconduct in ongoing civil proceedings and despite him facing inevitable discipline from the NFL. To call this a game-changer is a total understatement, and, as expected, it was all the talk at the just completed NFL annual meetings at The Breakers resort in Florida.

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said the quiet part out loud – and kudos to him for doing so – when he told beat writers who cover the team, "Damn, I wish they hadn't guaranteed the whole contract. I don't know that he should've been the first guy to get a fully guaranteed contract. To me that's something that is a groundbreaker, and it'll make negotiations harder with others."

Oh, yes indeed it will. It already has.

And unless the NFL alters its funding rules, which require owners to strike a check covering all future guaranteed moneys and place it in escrow, the implications of the Watson deal will seep even deeper into future roster construction that most imagine. After fighting off the NFLPA for decades, as the union sought to eradicate this outdated funding requirement (which billionaire is going to default on a contract?), suddenly it's the billionaires themselves who are questioning the efficiency of doing business this way.

"We've never seen anything like this'

"Do you think Jimmy (Haslam, Browns owner) fully understands the impact of what he just did?" said one league source who has discussed the impact of that deal with multiple ownership ground. "Did he stop to think what he was doing, or just plow through to do whatever it took to get that quarterback to come to Cleveland? We've never seen anything like this in the history of the league. It's that impactful."

Trust me, for as wealthy as these owners are, the idea of stashing away upwards of $200M just to complete a contract isn't seen as good business. That's money that they can no longer use elsewhere to help them make even more money. Can't invest it. Can't get dividends from it. Can't spend it. That's not how these cats want to roll. But suddenly the reality of MLB and NBA-type contracts is upon this league, and the overriding perception of those I spoke to at these meetings is that these owners were not ready for something this transformational.

I spoke to several people who know the owners of the teams most immediately impacted by the Watson contract quite well. People who understand their philosophies and what they believe in and how they think. And the conclusion that many of them drew was that, short of the NFL changing this funding requirement sooner rather than later, multiple generational quarterbacks will be dealt or will hit the market in the next few years. To them, it seems inevitable.

Several ownership-level sources believe that Chargers owner Dean Spanos would have a difficult time stroking a check covering what could be the $250M-$275M in guarantees required to secure Herbert's rights for the long term. "I'm not sure that's something Dean could do under these circumstances even if he really wanted to," one ownership source said. Several others suggested that if they had to handicap the situation, Bengals owner Mike Brown would exhaust the franchise tags with Burrow – taking him through 2026 and his age 30 season – and draft a replacement along the way.

"With the finances of that team, and the way they are run, Mike isn't going to trade that quarterback, I don't believe," said one source who has known him for decades. "He'll keep him through the franchise tags, under these rules."

Michael Bidwell and Bisciotti face the immediate fallout of this contract – Burrow and Herbert can't even begin talking extension with their teams until after next season – and those I spoke to in league circles who know them believe neither will willingly embrace having to stroke such a check this offseason. They wouldn't want to instantly embrace the new norm of a $230M fully guaranteed deal.

"It doesn't mean we have to play that game, you know?" Bisciotti told the Baltimore media about the prospect of a fully guaranteed deal. "We shall see."

However, I can assure you that both of those quarterbacks will want to continue this trend. They'll be adamant about using Watson's deal as a precursor to any negotiation with them. Duh. Of course they will. Why the hell wouldn't they?

Jackson was already enamored with how Kirk Cousins played through his franchise tags in Washington, according to sources with knowledge of the situation – even before the market exploded this month. This new precedent only further complicates things for the Ravens. The ownership sources I spoke to believe that among Jackson, Murray, Burrow and Herbert, at least one gets traded – perhaps more – given the Watson outcome. While there may not be six, or eight, or 10 other owners eager to take on that contractual burden, while also mortgaging the future by dealing draft picks, it only takes a few, with David Tepper (Carolina), Arthur Blank (Atlanta), Stephen Ross (Miami) and the Glazers (Tampa) in a post-Tom Brady world among those being whispered about as potential suitors.

 

[cincygrad]

Overreaction.... Burrow's agent will be motivated to move, otherwise Burrow plays on his rookie deal in year 4 (which is super cheap) and the option year (not as cheap but not as expensive as a FT) the next year. The Bengals will offer to pay him as the top QB in the league by annual salary with a huge up-front payment. The lack of guarantees in the later years will be offset but the big bonus and the annual salary - Moving on from him would require a huge dead-money hit so it will basically be guaranteed anyway. The big difference here is that Watson was open to multiple bidders. Burrow won't be available to multiple bidders until he is 31 if he doesn't sign a deal (rookie deal, bonus year, 2 FT years).

 

[Cincyfan78]

Overreaction.... Burrow's agent will be motivated to move, otherwise Burrow plays on his rookie deal in year 4 (which is super cheap) and the option year (not as cheap but not as expensive as a FT) the next year. The Bengals will offer to pay him as the top QB in the league by annual salary with a huge up-front payment. The lack of guarantees in the later years will be offset but the big bonus and the annual salary - Moving on from him would require a huge dead-money hit so it will basically be guaranteed anyway. The big difference here is that Watson was open to multiple bidders. Burrow won't be available to multiple bidders until he is 31 if he doesn't sign a deal (rookie deal, bonus year, 2 FT years).

I also think QB's who try and follow the Watson route will find owners unwilling to match. As you said, really good drafted QB's will now be faced with double Franchise Tag's taking them into their 30's, and then left on the open market. It offers no security in case of injury, and no long-term money/income.

Then what. I'm sure the players will cry collusion, but in reality it's just bad business. The Browns screwed over the entire NFL with their complete mismanagement of their QB situation.

 

[cincygrad]

There will also be a market correction at some point. Think back to 2010 - The Rams selected Sam Bradford with the first pick in the draft, immediately made him one of the top 10 paid QBs in the league and gave him more guaranteed money than any other QB in the league. Things had been trending that way and it wasn't helping franchises... So, the owners created a new rule to pay rookies at a wage scale - Mostly to save themselves from offering stupid money to unproven commodities.

My sense is that owners are going to keep going down this road, offering some ridiculous money and guarantees to average QBs... At some point, these players will start failing more than succeeding and owners will have to react. I'm not sure they can easily legislate a change that would limit guaranteed money, but I can see a block of them shying away from making these types of deals.

 

[Cincyfan78]

There will also be a market correction at some point. Think back to 2010 - The Rams selected Sam Bradford with the first pick in the draft, immediately made him one of the top 10 paid QBs in the league and gave him more guaranteed money than any other QB in the league. Things had been trending that way and it wasn't helping franchises... So, the owners created a new rule to pay rookies at a wage scale - Mostly to save themselves from offering stupid money to unproven commodities.

My sense is that owners are going to keep going down this road, offering some ridiculous money and guarantees to average QBs... At some point, these players will start failing more than succeeding and owners will have to react. I'm not sure they can easily legislate a change that would limit guaranteed money, but I can see a block of them shying away from making these types of deals.

I think the norm will be more Mahomes and Allen than Watson. Every owner will point out the fact that the only way Watson was going to Cleveland was for them to ensure he would get paid incase he goes to jail, or gets suspended. That's not going to be the case for most QB's..lol

I think you'll see longer contracts with rolling years that enable them to be assured of being paid, take away the risk of injury, and still allow some modicum of flexibility.

I mean - when you get down to it, you can either be the top paid QB, or you can be a guy who gets good money and allows your organization to surround you with talent to win. It's hard to have both for a sustained period of time. You see guys like Brady and Manning restructuring, taking less, and getting more around them....

Again - it's why I say I'm still shocked every year when a player bolts, takes some insane offer, gets paid and then wonders why the team doesn't contend or can't afford other players....You cannot have your cake and eat it to - at some point, you have to choose either piece of the cake, or the whole thing, but if choose the whole thing, you can't be shocked when you feel sick later.

 

[cincygrad]

I think the norm will be more Mahomes and Allen than Watson. Every owner will point out the fact that the only way Watson was going to Cleveland was for them to ensure he would get paid incase he goes to jail, or gets suspended. That's not going to be the case for most QB's..lol

I think you'll see longer contracts with rolling years that enable them to be assured of being paid, take away the risk of injury, and still allow some modicum of flexibility.

I mean - when you get down to it, you can either be the top paid QB, or you can be a guy who gets good money and allows your organization to surround you with talent to win. It's hard to have both for a sustained period of time. You see guys like Brady and Manning restructuring, taking less, and getting more around them....

Again - it's why I say I'm still shocked every year when a player bolts, takes some insane offer, gets paid and then wonders why the team doesn't contend or can't afford other players....You cannot have your cake and eat it to - at some point, you have to choose either piece of the cake, or the whole thing, but if choose the whole thing, you can't be shocked when you feel sick later.

Its one of the reasons why Brady was able to win more championships. He often left money on the table.... Of course, not everyone has a wife that makes the GDP of small country.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Its one of the reasons why Brady was able to win more championships. He often left money on the table.... Of course, not everyone has a wife that makes the GDP of small country.

True - but if 1 person is making hundreds of millions of dollars - I just don't know what more they would actually need. I mean, sure, they could spend it all - but...yeah.

I mean, these guys that make 40, 50, 60M even in a career - that's enough to live on comfortably if you are smart. Problem is - most of these guys get caught up in a poor life style that cost them a ton, if not most, of their earnings.

And that's why I always go back to the - how much money do you need? Because at some point, you want to win, and if you are taking up 1/3 of the payroll - that team is not going to be positioned to win without some really good luck in the draft and bottom barrel F/A's working out.

 

[cincygrad]

True - but if 1 person is making hundreds of millions of dollars - I just don't know what more they would actually need. I mean, sure, they could spend it all - but...yeah.

I mean, these guys that make 40, 50, 60M even in a career - that's enough to live on comfortably if you are smart. Problem is - most of these guys get caught up in a poor life style that cost them a ton, if not most, of their earnings.

And that's why I always go back to the - how much money do you need? Because at some point, you want to win, and if you are taking up 1/3 of the payroll - that team is not going to be positioned to win without some really good luck in the draft and bottom barrel F/A's working out.

I get it, but there are other pressures.... If the top guys take less money, it slows salary growth overall and eventually leads to the marginal roster guys making less. And these guys don't make enough to live the rest of their life on. It's sort of like what happened with Tiger Woods in golf - As he made the sport more popular, more money came in and more money filtered down to the players. Now the 120th best player in the world is insanely wealthy. Everyone benefits from the guy at the top getting what he can.

And then you have the agents.... They need to sell their services to everyone. So they go for top dollar every time.

As Patrick Ewing said when the NBA players were on strike.... Yeah we make a lot of money, but we spend a lot too.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I get it, but there are other pressures.... If the top guys take less money, it slows salary growth overall and eventually leads to the marginal roster guys making less. And these guys don't make enough to live the rest of their life on. It's sort of like what happened with Tiger Woods in golf - As he made the sport more popular, more money came in and more money filtered down to the players. Now the 120th best player in the world is insanely wealthy. Everyone benefits from the guy at the top getting what he can.

And then you have the agents.... They need to sell their services to everyone. So they go for top dollar every time.

As Patrick Ewing said when the NBA players were on strike.... Yeah we make a lot of money, but we spend a lot too.

Spend less? haha

 

[Cincyfan78]

I get it, but there are other pressures.... If the top guys take less money, it slows salary growth overall and eventually leads to the marginal roster guys making less. And these guys don't make enough to live the rest of their life on. It's sort of like what happened with Tiger Woods in golf - As he made the sport more popular, more money came in and more money filtered down to the players. Now the 120th best player in the world is insanely wealthy. Everyone benefits from the guy at the top getting what he can.

And then you have the agents.... They need to sell their services to everyone. So they go for top dollar every time.

As Patrick Ewing said when the NBA players were on strike.... Yeah we make a lot of money, but we spend a lot too.

I get that to a point, but that's also what the "floor" for the cap is supposed to be for...so, you can't say it's the players job to get those on the bottom more money and then force teams to spend more money as well...it should be either, or. Either all them to pay the marginal players marginally, or allow the players to get more money - but eventually, it all leads to the same conclusion...when a player wants too much money, the team overall will suffer at some point.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I get that to a point, but that's also what the "floor" for the cap is supposed to be for...so, you can't say it's the players job to get those on the bottom more money and then force teams to spend more money as well...it should be either, or. Either all them to pay the marginal players marginally, or allow the players to get more money - but eventually, it all leads to the same conclusion...when a player wants too much money, the team overall will suffer at some point.

The players still have to know that if there are 200 free agents, and another 200+ drafted players are going to be entering the league, and the cap maxes out, they will either find a team that is desperate for them, or they will sit on the open market until their price comes down. Then at that point, they probably sign for less with a contender or whoever is willing to pay them at all. The cap helps everything. Problem is, you can have a $60 million dollar a year QB, a $30 million dollar a year WR, and then sprinkle in filler to just round out the roster. Some a little more than others, but for the most part, the overall high end quality is left to drafted players who exceed expectations or low cost players that have a "contract year".

 

[Cincyfan78]

The players still have to know that if there are 200 free agents, and another 200+ drafted players are going to be entering the league, and the cap maxes out, they will either find a team that is desperate for them, or they will sit on the open market until their price comes down. Then at that point, they probably sign for less with a contender or whoever is willing to pay them at all. The cap helps everything. Problem is, you can have a $60 million dollar a year QB, a $30 million dollar a year WR, and then sprinkle in filler to just round out the roster. Some a little more than others, but for the most part, the overall high end quality is left to drafted players who exceed expectations or low cost players that have a "contract year".

To add to that problem, you have to have so much of the guarantees in escrow...as more and more players seek guaranteed contracts, that means more and more money has to be held - for teams like the Bengals, Pitt, GB who operate with cash/cap - that's a whole lot of operating expenses being held back.

That's why so many teams are not happy with the Browns. Now that one player has gotten it, it will be difficult (but not impossible) to get other top QB's to agree to contracts with less guaranteed. Thankfully, I think many agents, players, and owners already realize how poor the Browns owners are, and that Watson's situation was a major, major factor. Combine the two, and it's a perfect marriage.

I have to agree with others, that the Allen and Mahomes contracts seem to be more the way of the future. At least, we all have to hope.