Lewis Surprisingly Quiet Concerning Smith's Holdout

In 2005, David Pollack held out for twenty days, and Marvin Lewis ripped him in the media (even dropped him to third string on the depth chart).

Fast forward to 2009, and here we are again.  Andre Smith's holdout is now on day 26, and Lewis has been near silent about negotiations between Smith and the Bengals front office.  

Carson Palmer is the key to a winning season this year - Mike Brown said it himself.  So at a time when the Bengals should be bending a little bit to protect their 'queen bee' with (arguably) the best tackle in college football, Andre Smith is dangerously close to being paid millions of dollars to be a NON FACTOR in 2009 (after he signs...because eventually, he will sign). 

Yesterday, Marvin Lewis had a chance, publicly, to address this issue.  Here are his comments:

Q: Are you frustrated that Andre Smith has yet to sign?
ML: “I have no frustration whatsoever, there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m happy with the guys here and we’re working with who’s here. When Andre gets here, he’ll make us a better team because he’s a good player. We are where we are, and we’ll just keep moving forward. We’re preparing to go to war with the guys we’ve got.”

Could it be that Lewis has learned his lesson from Pollack (and others) and just keeps his comments to himself?

Or could he be siding with Keels and Smith on the fact that he just wants to be paid what his 'slot' is worth this season, and make a little more than the #6 pick last season.  I'm not hear to debate whether it's right or wrong, but that's the way business is conducted in the NFL.  Every other team in the 1st round of the draft (except the Niners) has figured out a way to get it done this season, but not the Bengals. 

I think one angle to really look at is that Marvin Lewis is done after this season in Cincinnati (his choosing, not Mike Brown's).  Being on Hard Knocks, showing his dynamic personality, and effectively marketing himself for a job after he resigns as head coach after the season is a sincere possibility. 

Instead of fighting to get Andre Smith in camp (like he did for Pollack), Lewis seems resigned to go to war with Collins at right tackle, and not the (until the end of the 2008 season) consensus number one tackle in college football.  

While I agree that you can only worry about the players that are in camp, it does seem strange that Lewis is not raising his voice and sharing an opinion on the subject.

It sounds like someone who is already looking towards greener pastures to me.

Comments

[Delta5243]

somewhere Bob is drooling.......

[n8]

I'm not so sure they will sign him. I think Mikey boy and punkin are fine sitting on their pile of money. I don't see the agent budging and you know the Brown's won't budge so i don't see it ever happening. The agent would never get another 1st round pick again if he took less.

[Factcorrecter]

Marvin just can't resign and go sign with another team. He has two years left so if he did resign unless Brown agreed to let him sign elsewhere (as if that would happen lol) another team would have to trade picks to get Marvin. Similar to the whole Gruden thing a few years back. Also in my opinion even if Marvin leads the Bengals to the playoffs this year, then decided to resign to find a new job i for one would think that would just show he is the dumbest coach in the NFL. Coaches like Cowher, Dungy, Holgram, and Gruden are all sitting out there waiting to be offered jobs next year. No way does a team pass on Cowher to give the job to Marvin.

[Bungles]

Lets look at this for a different angle… Lets say that you are the Brown family right now. What are your options at this point?

A. Sign him now for his slotted worth and take the egg on the face for paying him and not getting him into camp sooner. Given the recent negotiations this is seeming more and more unlikely. Chances - 5%

B. Sign him for his slotted worth just before the seasons begins... Essentially the Brown family caves. Sure you look like fools for not getting him in earlier, but you can say that "even though we thought we were correct in this instance we decided against our better judgment to get Andre into a Bengal uniform to make sure he is available during the regular season." Chances - 20%

C. Sign him for his slotted worth after the season begins… Essentially the Brown family caves. This is the worst case for the Brown family given the fact that they will have to pay the money and they have greatly injured the players ability to participate in a full season at max potential. Chances 45%

D. Nuclear option...Go the distance cold war style… Don't sign him until he breaks no matter what. If that means he sits out the season then so be it. If he breaks, Alvin Keels will be laughed out of his profession and the Brown family will have another contract negotiation feather in their cap. If he doesn't break the Bengals figure that Andre has more to lose than they do (see below). Chances 30%

Why D might happen:
The Brown family may treat this as their own personal experiment against the slotting system. If after they got a closer look at Andre during mini-camp they had buyer's remorse (might explain why Marvin isn't worried and why he keeps repeating, unsolicited, that "he is a good player" to the media) they could be using this as a way to break a system they hate. They also may believe that he has more to lose than they do. He doesn't have the best rep for staying in game shape and if he holds out for an entire year then his value maybe decimated by his love for Krispy Kreme's. Also, he isn't a skill position player so they are not going to get the fan/media heat they would be getting over a round 1 QB/RB/WR hold out.

[top6]

You are vastly overestimating the amount of leverage Smith has once the season starts and he starts missing game checks. He will sign the offer on the table before Week 1, if that offer is still on the table. Bengals won this hold out. Fans lose, as usual.

[Sweetness D]

I have been a Bengals fan all my life and I want nothing more than to see them win and be consistently successful. That said, I am seriously considering becoming a Colts fan and giving my money to a winning franchise with integrity. I will come back to the Bengals once MFB & Co. are gone. Does this make me a bad person?

[mike_brown_is_evil]

Marvin Lewis is Mike Brown's bee-atch.

[Kato]

Sweetness D, that's what a revolution is mostly about. I've done that much (except I picked the Bears), and I started making fun of fans who support the team and make excuses for the front office. I've started to root for them to lose every game. It's the right thing to do since only complete and utter failure will elicit change. And... frankly, it's more fun to root for them to lose, because you get more to cheer for.

[Ghost of Boomer]

@ Factcorrecter - In most circles, it's understood that Marvin tried to leave at the end of 2007. He had two years left on his contract, and he was willing to split the difference with Mike Brown to resign and return to Baltimore's coaching staff. Mike Brown said no...and while he was willing to leave $4 million on the table...$8 million was too much.

To be honest, I was surprised that he returned this year...but I think that was mostly because last year was such a disaster, and he didn't want that to be his last season on record as head coach.

If things are a mess again this year, I can pretty much guarantee that he will not be back in 2010.

[brandon]

I've never commented on this site before, and i get what you're going for, and if it works, great. But really, you have people rooting for them to lose? i can see wanting change, but it's complete bullshit to cheer for them losing. and if that's what people are doing, then why have a "revolution" to begin with? go watch another team and don't concern yourself with the bengals in the slightest.

i'm glad this is the kind of "fan" you're trying sign up for your revolution.

[kotw65]

The best decision ever! MB (light turns on)ah yes, I think the TV Show Hard knocks would be a great platform to show everyone we are not what they think we are ie.. Criminals.

Like a serial killer who always want to be caught, so has mikey boy who subconsciously wanted to be exposed and holy shit he has been.

Everybody from Marvin down to all disgruntled fans have been exonerated for our many years of pain. MB and family have exposed the mumbling, bumbling, family business and that along with the revolution will pay off.

The change will come and each day it gets closer.

[Sean]

Brandon, not all of us our like that. I am considered a "douchebag" because every Sunday this fall I'll be in front of my tv ( I live outside of the blackout footprint and just ordered the sunday ticket through directv ) with a bengals jersey matching the color of the ones worn by the players that day. Yelling and screaming at Shayne Graham missing 30 yard field goals, to the point that my wife will probably leave the house because she can't stand to see me pissed off after another bengals loss. But I definitely agree with the goals of WHODEYREVOLUTION! This team needs Paul Brown back. Unfortunately that is not an option. The next best thing would be to hire a gm that knows something about football, so the tough everyday decisions that have to be made, can be made by someone that is qualified to do so. Sorry about the runon. Oh! I almost forgot, I also fly a big bengals flag in front of my house. I have a bengals plate on my car. And when asked who my super bowl pick is at the beginning of each season, I reply "the Cincinnati Bengals" and then people walk away feeling sorry for me.

[Brandon]

Well it's good that not everyone is like that. I'm also said douchebag outside of the blackout footprint. I have been wondering one thing though, have people really thought through the consequences? Say MB hires a GM. Great. But what if they're like matt millen or one of the 10 or so gms that have horrible teams still?

[Sean]

The idea of hiring a GM, whether or not they are good, shows that Mike Brown is finally willing to accept the fact that he is not a good GM, and that he's willing to try something different. Of course we would hope that MBB would have enough sense to replace himself with someone that is competent to do the job, but you are right, with his inability to evaluate talent the odds are against him. Either way, it shows a comitment to winning instead of just competing, which seems to be what he is content with, and that's really what we are all upset about. If I went to my boss and told him that I didn't really care about doing a great job, and really all I'm striving for is mediocrity so you won't fire me. What do you think his response is going to be?

[brandon]

I get your point and agree. Although as I've been sitting back and contemplating it for the past few weeks, I kind of wish this would have come up any other year but this one. I think this offseason may have been the best in 10 -15 years. Aside from the Andre Smith holdout, and I could care less about that because I'm one of the few that has confidence in collins, I think an admirable job has been done by the front office this offseason. They brought in some solid veteran players, had a killer draft, and have looked good. But I guess that just goes back to your point of doing just enough to not get fired.

I just feel bad that people within the city won't be able to watch the games. Because there are a lot of people out there like you and I who will cheer this team on every year no matter what.

Anyway, good luck. I hope it works.

[Sean]

It actually started last year, although exactly when I'm not sure. I first found out about Wdr when my wife and I travelled to the 'nati for jaguars game. We stayed in a hotel on the river in Covington, and we walked across the bridge to PBS. As we came to the end of the bridge on the Ohio side I found myself staring at a billboard with the words "dear bengals, hire a GM. Love, your fans". That may not be exactly the what it said but along that premise. At first I laughed. Then I started thinking wow, somebody has gone through an awful lot of trouble to show thier frustration with Mike Brown. Here I thought I was doing my part to make sure I wear my "Mike Brown SUCKS" button every chance I could. So, as I'm sure you can figure out I was intrigued enough to check out the website. I am now a loyal reader and can't wait to see what "projects" these guys come up with....

[Factcorrecter]

Ghost of Boomer I'm not sure i buy that Marvin tried to leave after 2007, did he suddenly change his mind after signing an extension less than a year before??? Also Since Marvin just signed the extension after 2006 he can't do anything without MB permission until after 2010. Say what you want about MB but No NFL team would let a head coach quit and go work for someone else unless they fired him without getting some kind of draft picks or compensation from the other team. I can throw out several examples ie my Gruden one earlier.