Bengals have Agreement in Principle with Laveranues Coles

ESPN.com is reporting that the Bengals have agreed in principle to a deal with Laveranues Coles reportedly worth $28 million over 4 years. Everyone can now learn how to spell L-A-V-E-R-A-N-U-E-S.  The amount of guaranteed money is not disclosed.  According to ESPN, "Both sides still have to work on the language of the contract and the guarantees, but the money figures were acceptable to Coles."  Never say it's final until a deal is signed considering the Shaun Rogers debacle last year.  That being said, it looks like Coles will be "in the fold" as Baghdad Hob loves to say (along with "bookend" tackles and "bell cow" running backs and Seattlezadeh most recently).

I'll reserve any thorough analysis on this one for someone who is not completely numb to free agency at this point but my initial thoughts are that:

-It's 1 year less and $1 M per year less than the contract TJ signed (and they are the same age).  That gap is a lot closer than I thought it would be and surely some will argue that we should've just ponied up more for TJ.  I'm not sure that's right but I'm just not sure we should've signed Coles with the drafting of Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell and the ridiculous re-signing of Chris Henry last year.  I won't complain about this individual signing but if it's at the expense of addressing Center, Offensive Tackle and Fullback, I don't get it.  Coles should take some pressure off of Chad and maybe he'll see increased production as a result of Chad and Carson's presence but let's face the facts...If we don't stabilize our O-line (and this signing could very well prevent that), it won't matter.

Comments

[Peter Roser]

"His name is spelled funny and hard to pronouce, just like that guy that left the other day. Let's sign him!" - Mike Brown

[Leo deTrotskyo]

As I posted in the story below, I will admit that I cannot pronounce his first name. He will always be "Laverne" to me.

[JReed]

Apparently Baghdad thinks the replacement of 1 wide receiver is a "massive transformation of the offense". Really?

[The Real Tyke Beasly]

You got served...I posted the story before you. (See previous WDR post Echochamber comments). My point: I'd rather have TJ but getting a cheaper similar replacement is acceptable. TJ's contract was a year longer and 1mil more per year. A five year contract with a reciver over 30 is a risk (not that a four year is much better) I'm amazed to say it myself, but MB may have made a good deal here. Plus, this almost garuntees getting a lineman with the draft pick. Although as a friend suggested MB will probably trade the pick for rights to Mike Vick.

[Dan]

Well, it's better than nothing. Coles has been solid throughout his career, but TJ he is not. Ho hum.

[Delta5243]

for the record if the bengals do pick up Vick (which I'm almost positive they will) I hope they use him as a running back....or GM

[Guest]

yeah, he is not TJ. He is better, he didn't need a Chad Johnson being double teamed to put up numbers, he is faster and can fill in as a number 1.

[George Herron]

My issue is why was the urgency not there to sign Jason Brown? The Rams got him and barely had to lift a finger to do it. He was young and a center, which we need, that played in our division!

I say let the young receivers you drafted last year play and grow and solidify your o-line and get a center to anchor that o-line for years to come ala Rich Brahm. If you do not shore up your line then it doesn't matter that you have a franchise quarterback, a good running back, and two very good receivers. The quarterback will not be protected, the running back will not have holes, and the receivers will not have time to get open with a porous line.

I see what they are doing, and he is cheaper than Housh, but there are greater NEEDS!

[GoReds]

WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DOING
why did we draft 2 WR's in the draft last year, why did we bring back CHRIS HENRY, why did we choose not to let CHAD go for two draft picks. Why does this team continue to pick up players that are not a huge need. WHy not spend the 28 MIll on a Veteran center or o-tackle,, it doesnt matter what recievers we have if Carson's career is over from getting slammed on his ass every other play.
But in Mikey's mind he will draft at these needed positions(maybe, if he decides not to do anything stupid) Which i dont mind too much but then we are relying on 2 rookies on our O-line, with a question mark running back, and 2 questions mark 2nd year WR's

[ToledoDouche]

Dammit... I actually agree with this one. Until he gets hurt, like they always do around here! Or, until he pisses Chad off and he starts crying again.

[Jeff]

I wouldn't be surprised if this move is so that they can try to trade Chad and use Coles as the number 1 guy with Simpson or Caldwell as the number 2. Just a thought, but the extra draft pick(s) for Chad would be nice. Probably won't be 2 #1s like last year, but it'd be something.

[Deveroes]

It took 9 years but we finally got the right florida state receiver from the 99 draft. Hopefully he is better than Chapman but history is not on our side.

[Brian]

birk signed for half a million dollars more a year than what we signed coles for. we couldn't have ponied up a little bit more cheddar for a position we actually need?

maybe obama should have appointed mr. brown to fix our economy. he would have a balanced budget inside of a week, penny pinching motherf**er.

[Down with Brown]

they had to have another receiver but....another receiver and no offensive line = wasted money

[me]

Yeah great idea, sign an over the hill center to a big deal. Broken leg within a week....

[Chris]

Dan, how can you say a guy the same age with better career numbers is hardly T.J? I'm not going to say this puts us in the playoffs but T.J was a miserable human being who did nothing but complain on the field and skip anything in the off season that would make the team better. We'll see how much Seattle loves him when they realize they payed 40 million for a guy who won't get open down the field and rarely helps out run blocking.

[Peter Roser]

"There's so much negativity about (the Bengals) out there. We may not have a private plane or an indoor facility" - Carson Palmer addresses the need for an indoor facility in a story about Coles

http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=7544

[Artist formerly known as Section101]

while we were f'ing around with laveranues, the ravens grabbed birk

[Kato]

It's all a moot point. They could sign everyone left available in free agency, and the needs of the team still couldn't be met after the draft.

So instead, vote on sandwiches: http://www.probascopirates.com/bracket.html

Look for Kato's Korner for voting guidelines.

[Ty]

Ha! Just a few hours after this post, Hobson countered with this: Seattle, picking at No. 4, is presumably out of the receiver sweepstakes now that Houshmandzadeh is IN THE FOLD.

Re-read original post if the humor is lost on you.

[JK]

Why do we always simply replace players that leave in Free Agency? Fitz replaces A. Wright, Crocker replaces M. Williams, Odom replaces J. Smith, Dhani replaces Landon Johnson, and now this year Coles replaces Housh and we will eventually replace Fitz with Grossman haha. WTF!!!!! Why cant we make that big move that drastically improves this Franchise? Sign a proven Center! Sign a playmaking LB! Sign a Solid DT! Something!

I do; however, like the Coles signing and think he will build a solid rapport with CP! That is if CP stay healthy ! Now trade Ocho, try to get some more picks, take Crabtree at 6 and draft the next best OL and DL with our next picks

[Deric]

A few of you already stole my thunder a bit. But the first thought on my mind when I heard this, is that they are going to trade Chad to Dallas or some other team for a late 1st round pick. This way, they could take Crabtree or Beanie & still have a late round pick to address the O-line. BTW, do you guys ALWAYS have to take the negative angle? They resigned 2 out 3 of their most important free agents ( Crocker, Benson ) replaced TJ with someone slightly cheaper & quite possibly BETTER than him, and some of you are still complaining. FA isn't over yet, surely more O-linemen will be dropped at some point this offseason & the bengals are still by my estimates 20 mil under the cap.
29 mil+ 4 mil raise in the cap= 33 mil- average salaries of Coles,Benson,Crocker (13 mil) = 20 Mil
Plus they have a shitload of of picks to address the O-line. There are plenty of opps to bash the Bengals. I cant right now. Now if the dust settles & they stick with Santucci or some scrub at center & Keep Levi at LT, fire away.

[JK]

Deric -

naw your right, I gotta stay positive! Its better than nothing and I am a big fan of Coles! Always liked the way he played throughout his career!

[David B]

While the TJ vs Coles production debate is reasonable, one piece that everyone seems to be missing is that Coles is "fresh" blood. If there is one thing this team needs, it's guys who haven't had their souls suck out by this team's losing ways. Cedric came in with something to prove - and ran hard for us. Guys who switch teams take some time to adjust to the new schemes, but you don't come in to a locker room a leader; you have to prove yourself with stellar play. This is why I support the move.