Hypotheticals

[Cincyfan78]

Here's one other way to look at it. Tee Higgins is listed as the top FA by most publications. If Trey were an unrestricted free agent right now, he would be somewhere in the top 5. The Bengals have a lot of cap space. The Bengals have ways to control the negotiations with both Trey and Tee. A winning franchise recognizes the talent, the opportunity, and the value. Just get it done.

If Trey were a F/A he would be #1 - and I don't think it would be close. Elite DE's > WR unless that WR is a Chase, Jefferson, etc...

 

[Cincyfan78]

The Bengals are deathly afraid of bad signings and signing players who are likely to get injured. hence, letting Andrew Whitworth go to greener pastures for example. unless it's the draft of course, we'll draft people straight out of prison.

Bengals want to play out every contract - and for elite players, that doesn't work. Never has, never will. You have to get out ahead of these contracts to better position yourself so things like this don't happen where you have 3-4 guys all coming due at roughly the same time.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I'm not exactly sure everyone has figured out the leverage that the players have here. If the Bengals tag Tee and refuse to make market offers to Tee and Trey, you could see all 4 of them hold out/hold in until something moves. Ja'Marr could say that he won't sign a long-term deal if they tag Tee and don't negotiate in good faith. He and Tee having the same agent opens up a bunch of possibilities. Joe could hold-in until the contracts are signed. Basically, the four of them could fuck up all of camp. The Bengals need to think long and hard about their strategy to wait until the last possible moment with the hopes that the player will cave.

If players start doing this, that will be the beginning of the end of football as we know it. The owners no longer own the teams, the players do and they dictate what the rules are. Now, can Mike Brown get his shit together and figure out a way? Yes. Should be be completely boxed in and fucked in the ass by his 4 biggest stars unless he comes up with a way? I don't think so.

I agree, we lose Burrow and Chase, well, the fun of watching the Bengals is gone. However, Burrow is the richest player in history and still has 5 years left on his deal. Chase, well he can play hardball a little. He can say, I don't want to come back if Tee doesn't come back. So in that case, he is living on his 5th year deal, and back to back franchise tags. Because you know the Bengals will use everything in their cupboard to keep him as long as they can. Will he play under these? No idea, but he is looking at 3 years of team control right now.

I remember everyone telling me this last offseason, Tee is gone, he is never coming back, the Bengals don't want him to come back, Chase is more important, etc. Yet, here is your #2 WR with your 3 biggest stars rallying around him causing the whole thing to go down the drain.

I want Tee to come back, but the other 3 are the most important and Tee the least of those 4.

 

[Cincyfan78]

If players start doing this, that will be the beginning of the end of football as we know it. The owners no longer own the teams, the players do and they dictate what the rules are. Now, can Mike Brown get his shit together and figure out a way? Yes. Should be be completely boxed in and fucked in the ass by his 4 biggest stars unless he comes up with a way? I don't think so.

I agree, we lose Burrow and Chase, well, the fun of watching the Bengals is gone. However, Burrow is the richest player in history and still has 5 years left on his deal. Chase, well he can play hardball a little. He can say, I don't want to come back if Tee doesn't come back. So in that case, he is living on his 5th year deal, and back to back franchise tags. Because you know the Bengals will use everything in their cupboard to keep him as long as they can. Will he play under these? No idea, but he is looking at 3 years of team control right now.

I remember everyone telling me this last offseason, Tee is gone, he is never coming back, the Bengals don't want him to come back, Chase is more important, etc. Yet, here is your #2 WR with your 3 biggest stars rallying around him causing the whole thing to go down the drain.

I want Tee to come back, but the other 3 are the most important and Tee the least of those 4.

FWIW - The Bengals were ready to let him walk. They are/were ready to let Trey play out his final year. The plan was to pay Chase, Burrow, and hope to re-load. That plan got blown up.

Burrow getting out into the media threw that plan in the trash. Bengals did not plan on that happening. Then, you have national media guys pointing out how easy it would be for the Bengals to pay all of them - and suddenly - the Bengals are in a corner they had no idea they were being backed into.