Hobspin already planting the "no FA" seed

[Be Weary of Query]

Water with the tears of Bengal fans and watch it grow...

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I THINK I BELIEVE: It isn't just Rucker that isn't on Cincinnati's radar. The league's cap casualties are already piling up like cordwood and the pundits are already trying to match up potential free agents like Reggie Bush and Mike Wallace with the Bengals.

But from all indications, the Bengals have eyes for only a handful of free agents and free agents-to-be. And they're all on their own roster.

They can't talk to Dalton and wide receiver A.J. Green until after this season. Defensive tackle Geno Atkins and defensive end Carlos Dunlap are up after this season and Johnson is up now. But those five dictate how the 2013 salary cap and the next several are going to go. I Think I Believe their immediate high-ticket free agency consists of those five.

If the Bengals do hit the market, it will be later and I Think I Believe it would be for an outside backer and/or safety.

As for Bush, the Bengals will get a back in the draft. As for Wallace, I Think I Believe they love Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones and they could pick off another wide receiver in the draft.

It's a slice of the same philosophy the Super Bowl champion Ravens are espousing this offseason. General manager Ozzie Newsome, who got in serious cap trouble after Baltimore's last title, said on Thursday the Ravens won't restructure contracts to save cap space: "We have a great nucleus of young players."

More thinking and believing...

 

[cincygrad]

Why should this year be any different.

 

[cincygrad]

BTW -- If we signed Atkins and Johnson and then added serviceable linebackers I'd be happy.

 

[ckhokie]

Why should this year be any different.

This.

Oh, the Bengals aren't trying to improve their team via FA?? Shocking.

 

[Gypsumstack]

Jesus Christ, is Mike Brown going to offer Atkins, Dunlap, and Johnson record breaking deals? They have $48 million to spend and have to spend 99% of it. They gotta sign somebody who's not already on the team.

 

[cincygrad]

Jesus Christ, is Mike Brown going to offer Atkins, Dunlap, and Johnson record breaking deals? They have $48 million to spend and have to spend 99% of it. They gotta sign somebody who's not already on the team.

Oh, they will.... You just won't be impressed by the guys that get signed.

Look for them to give big bonuses to Atkins, Johnson and Tits. Not sure how much they can roll into the first year vs. the cap, but I expect that their plan is to have a big pile of money after the 2013 season to throw at Green and Dalton.

 

[Tubbs1518]

I agree Cincy. My guess is that they will from load these deals this year so that they drop next year in value so they have money to sign Green and Dalton with. Green is going to get a MONSTER deal. Dalton will probably make 10 mil a year or so too.

 

[DanBengalfan]

I guess its really a "first things first" thing.

Hobspin should probably be aware that not all bengal fans are retarded, but I guess you either have to be retarded or crazy to be a bengals fan. I put us under the crazy file, which I consider a compliment.

 

[DanBengalfan]

I guess its really a "first things first" thing.

Hobspin should probably be aware that not all bengal fans are retarded, but I guess you either have to be retarded or crazy to be a bengals fan. I put us under the crazy file, which I consider a compliment.

 

[ckhokie]

Oh, they will.... You just won't be impressed by the guys that get signed.

Look for them to give big bonuses to Atkins, Johnson and Tits. Not sure how much they can roll into the first year vs. the cap, but I expect that their plan is to have a big pile of money after the 2013 season to throw at Green and Dalton.

:wacko:

 

[flamingrey]

Oh, they will.... You just won't be impressed by the guys that get signed.

Look for them to give big bonuses to Atkins, Johnson and Tits. Not sure how much they can roll into the first year vs. the cap, but I expect that their plan is to have a big pile of money after the 2013 season to throw at Green and Dalton.

Exactly. But the problem with front-loaded contracts is they end up holding out towards the end of their contract to get more money.

 

[cincygrad]

Exactly. But the problem with front-loaded contracts is they end up holding out towards the end of their contract to get more money.

We know how that one goes with Mike B..... Chad tried to do a new deal every couple of years. At first it worked, then Mike told him to sit and spin.

It will be interesting to see how the Bengals do it. They're normally not very creative with contracts -- Heck, they often have players play for their entire deal (Geathers is a recent example), which is something that isn't as common for other teams.

With the new collective bargaining agreement, you get the feeling that the only types of FAs that will be available in the future will either be fringe starters or guys past their primes. With the new 'mandatory 4 year deals' for young stars, most all-pro caliber players will re-up after year 3 and be off the market until they are closer to 30.

 

[Gypsumstack]

Wouldn't it then be smart to go after big name FA's, but try to sign them to one year deals? I mean, you want to make sure that money is there for Green, I get that. And I know not many guys are keen on one year deals, but if that deal is, say, 25% above market value, I'm sure guys would jump at the money.

 

[cincygrad]

Wouldn't it then be smart to go after big name FA's, but try to sign them to one year deals? I mean, you want to make sure that money is there for Green, I get that. And I know not many guys are keen on one year deals, but if that deal is, say, 25% above market value, I'm sure guys would jump at the money.

The big name FAs won't go for a one year deal. But, since the new collective bargaining agreement, 1 year deals have become a lot more popular for guys that are either a) not living up to lofty potential (for example, Manny Lawson), guys trying to 'prove' there way back into the game (for example, Adam Jones), or guys on the back-end of a career looking for situations where they may start (for example, Terrance Newman).