Addendum to WDR Bengals State of the Union

Without questions there have been some encouraging trends coming out of the Bengals front office.  However, just because there are encouraging signs doesn't mean all is well.  The need for vigilance remains.  In that spirit, towards the end of the State of the Union post I wrote about some things to look for as "confirming evidence" that Bengals are finally deciding to join the modern NFL.  Among the things I listed, I omitted a major item:  signing their own worthy players who are about to be free agents (hat tip to folks in the comments like "West TX Bengals Fan").

I suppose the operative word here is worthy.  Worthiness will rest in the eye of the beholder, of course.  I have my own opinions but my opinion could be shitty. I think we can all agree though, that guys in the past like JJoe are WORTHY, and it SUCKS to see them just walk away for no good reason.  For now, rather than pass judgment on our roster, I'll simply link to the Joe Reedy post where he concisely lays out all the various current Bengals free agents about to hit the market place to test the value of their human capital in the NFL.  I would hope to see those elusive worthy players on this list as Bengals in 2012.  And if many of these players end up elsewhere, well then, I hope to see some damn good replacements from this list.

And remember folks, a player who has already played for your team is MORE valuable to you than a player of roughly equal talent at the same position from another team.  Logic such as this, for example, would explain why overpaying for Reggie Nelson when you are WAY under the likely floor (let alone cap) for the 2013 season isn't the worst thing in the world.

(see the list of players after the jump)

Restricted Free Agents:

• LS Clark Harris
• LB Dan Skuta.

Unrestricted free agents:

• RB Cedric Benson
• WR Andre Caldwell
• OT Anthony Collins
• DE Jonathan Fanene
• CB Kelly Jennings
• LB Brandon Johnson
• CB Adam Jones
• LB Manny Lawson
• TE Donald Lee
• OG Nate Livings
• OG Mike McGlynn
• S Reggie Nelson
• OT Dennis Roland
• DE Frostee Rucker
• TE Bo Scaife
• WR Jerome Simpson
• DT Pat Sims
• OG Bobbie Williams
• S Gibril Wilson

Comments

[#DoNotOccupyPaulBrownStadium]

In decreasing order of importance:

Collins is probably the best player there. They undervalue him almost like they undervalued Evan Mathis.

Lawson was their best linebacker last year.

Sims, Fanene, Rucker are all serviceable, but of them I like Sims best. Rucker is something of a disappointment for a 3rd round pick.

Nelson is an average player and worth keeping, but if they picked up someone really good to fill his shoes that would be nicer.

Donald Lee is decent. Maybe I'd keep him too, forgot about him earlier.

Jennings = well they need some bodies to play CB and he's one.
Jones = loads of talent, but was Bengalized before he came to Cincy. Too much trouble!
Bobbie Williams = ancient and no longer all that effective, but better than Livings, McGlynn, or Roland
Benson = bum.
Caldwell = stiff.
Livings, McGlynn, Roland = stink.
Simpson = A bust and too much trouble on top of being a bust. The only reason he got a starting job is they were too stubborn to admit the mistake. He was one of the worst #2 receivers in the NFL, and completely disappeared in critical games.

[Wyatt]

Speaking of Evan Mathis, with him being a free agent, any chance the Bengals pursue him, only to be publically snubbed? That'd be worth watching if it played out. (Of course, if they re-signed him and made him a starter now that he's been a starter elsewhere, that'd be fine too.)

Some of the stuff DNOPBS said, I agree with - Caldwell became decidedly less important with the emergence of Shipley, but I think he's still serviceable depth since they can't go a year without injuries at WR.

If they can re-sign Collins (and actually play him), Sims, either Fanene or Rucker, Lawson, Lee, and Jennings, they'd be in excellent shape in terms of re-signing their own free agents. And if they can Bobbie Williams for somewhere around veteran minimum, I'd be okay with that too - they need a new answer at starting guard, but Williams provides valuable depth and leadership on the line.

Jones, Simpson, and Benson all need to be gone, soonest. As much as I'd like them to clean up their reputation, I think we all know that's not happening, but the fact is, the non-financial cost of having these guys and their distractions around FAR outweighs the cost of keeping them. If they shed this dead weight and sign Michael Bush, Grubbs, and maybe Brandon Carr, along with a decent #2 wide receiver, then I'll be satisfied that they have actually turned the corner.

[#DNOPBS]

I don't think Mikey will spring for signing any of the top free agents of course. But I'd probably rank them Finnegan, Williams, Nicks in terms of how massive their impact could be in Cincy.

People cite teams having poor FA results but I think that's largely due to similar reasons as baseball: you are often paying for past performance.

John Abraham might still be great but at his mileage for every "minister of defense" example there are a bunch of Richmond Webb last paychecks.

This why FA WRs are particularly risky... late 20s or age 30 can stop their career overnight.

But does past failure of Dan Snyder mean free agency is to be avoided? That's what Mikey apologists want you to think...

[CurseofBoJackson]

Agree with Wyatt for the most part. Disagree on Jones, think he's a contender for a solid nickel/return man/reserve #2 cb (provided Zimm is smart with this position). Think he's gonna be inexpensive enough to tempt Brown, and safe enough to sign without too much reservation.
Think resigning Lawson is important, although in the alternative I would be just as happy to see Brandon Johnson get resigned for two-three instead, I feel like he has earned a shot with this team.
Fanene, Sims, Nelson and Bobbie and perhaps Wilson too depending ont heir plan for the draft.
FA's? I would LOVE TO SEE Mathis get pursued regardless of the outcome. One way this team gets a good G it desperately needs, and the other, Mike gets to learn the hard way that talent and production get playing time in the league, not loyalty.

[The truth]

I'm still waiting for the a "real team" would sign Manning comment to pop up on here

[ClarissaWRIGHT]

I propose not to wait until you get enough cash to buy goods! You should just get the loan or just term loan and feel yourself free

[West TX Bengal Fan]

Bieniemy:

Thanks for the shout. What I really appreciate is that you understand a couple of key things:

* Your own UFA is more valuable than another of approximately equal value. This is similar to the concept that a dollar today is worth more than one tomorrow. Why? -- because new players have to assimilate onto a roster requiring the learning of the system and development of chemistry with new teammates. That takes time -- most coaches feel it takes a guy half a season to get up to speed on a new team.

* The decision isn't whether to keep one guy or four guys. It is to bring back critical mass of UFAs to keep the roster stable and then to bring in a few guys who can upgrade spots. Most of us are in agreement that there are about 8 UFAs (Fanene, Rucker, Sims, Lawson, Brandon Johnson, Nelson, Collins, Nugent) who are core players that we need back in absolute terms -- you called 'em "worthy," and I'll buy that moniker. If we lose 1-2 of these guys, then we'll live as we replace their talent with other like-talented UFAs. But, if we lose a bunch of these key vets, we'll be bringing in a critical mass of new guys who don't know the system. The worrisome thing I see at present -- and 3 days before UFA season starts -- is that we haven't done anything tangible to show that we're making a move on 7 of these 8 guys.

* Some of us agree that it makes sense to bring back limited other guys to complete a baseline of spring and summer roster depth -- that means vet minimum deals for 2-4 other guys to fill out areas like CB, OG, TE. Maybe these guys aren't so "worthy" -- one great comment above notes that we need bodies at CB and Kelly Jennings could be "one of them." I'll readily agree that a different like or better model at CB (over Jennings or Pacman), OG (over Livings, Williams or McGlynn) or TE (over Sciafe or Lee) would be fine with me. My point is that we don't want to be starting the season with Rico Murray as our 4th CB, Otis Hudson as our 3rd OG or J.P. Foschi as our 3rd TE.

* A total home run -- and what I'd be shocked to see -- would be for us to get critical mass of veterans back (i.e., the 8 targeted guys) and then bring in 3-4 upgrades at CB, OG, TE and S (instead of the marginal guys we all detest... no need to list again). This would really position us well for the draft and to improve the quality of the roster vs. 2011.

[TJanns]

Rucker. GONE.

Fanene. GONE.

Adding a veteran WR from a huge class of FA's available? NOPE.

Un-Fucking-Real.

Rucker and Fanene aren't stars, but they were a part of one of the team's strengths and they are GONE.

Once again, realizing how inept this front office is. And that this franchise will NEVER win a championship.

[TJanns]

They have $50+ million UNDER the cap.

The Bucs have signed 2 veteran WR's.

Unreal. It's really comical and unreal.

[#DoNotOccupyPaulBrownStadium]

So where are the Koolaid drinkers today?
Mike Brown is over at Denny's having a "senior plate special" on you.

[The truth is a liar]

I heard Brown offered Fanene 40% less than Pats, and they didn't pay much to get him. That's friggin cheap.

[TigerJ@w]

I said I would be back during FA and guess what....CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP! lol some of you thought MFB would sign someone, anyone? Not even his own. lol Go out and get your season tickets NOW, SHEEP! Enjoy the circus!

[#DoNotOccupyPaulBrownStadium]

Mike Brown is as predictable as one of those holiday tee-vee specials.
And yet every year the sheep can be heard insisting that this is the year they turn the corner.
Other teams have real signings, the Saints went and got Grubbs from the Ravens to replace Nicks. That's how teams role when they're sitting at the adults table.

Mikey Brown is a sideshow freak to the NFL's main attractions.

[JM]

Bottom feeding in Free agency.

Drafting out of dire need year after year after decade.

Tens of millions of dollars left to spend.

Kicking themselves in the ass for letting free agents go just a year earlier.

I check in every once in a while. Same old same old.

How do you go from having perhaps the best duo of young corners in 2010 to having no one to speak of after the 2011 season. You don't overpay Joseph, but pay Hall....................... and then he tears an ACL. Now you wish you would have paid them both and at least had one of them. There was PLENTY of money to do so.

Now you have to draft a coner in the first and you are looking at a couple of bone heads like Kirkpatrick or Jenkins with Claiborne way off the board.

Good planning.

[#DoNotOccupyPaulBrownStadium]

guys they could have kept (have plenty of money to have these four under contract now):
Justin Smith, Ahmad Brooks, Evan Mathis, Johnathan Joseph. Manny Lawson.

Instead they drafted Rucker (who failed) to replace Smith, and then Michael Johnson and Dunlap because Rucker didn't even become a starter.

Mathis they have yet to replace -- none of their guards is as good. They'll have to draft one this year.
Joseph left a mess at cornerback. They'll have to draft one this year. They desperately needed a #2 WR, that'll be a high draft pick this year as well. All of which leaves Crocker still starting at safety even though he sucks eggs. Not to mention the mess at RB.

There are gigantic holes at SS, LB, OG, RB, and WR#2. But coming into *last* offseason they had gigantic holes at SS, LB, OG, RB, WR#1 and QB. So I guess that's "progress" (Bengals glacial style)

[Wyatt]

@#DNOPBS: I don't disagree with your post, but let's not pretend there was a huge movement to keep Justin Smith in Cincinnati when he was here. During his tenure as a Bengal, the nicest description you would find of him was "high-motor", and the worst (and much, much more common) were "overpaid" and "bust". Smith wasn't the same player in Cincy that he's been in San Fran, and while I won't discount that he could've been under Zimmer, his biggest claim to fame in Cincy was making a lot of tackles...after giving up 4-5 yards. It's easy to cherry pick him now, but when he left Cincy, it was generally viewed as a good thing. Ahmad Brooks is in roughly the same boat as well, as he did absolutely nothing of note while a Bengal. But I agree completely about Mathis and Joseph.

[Todd]

They signed BenJarvis Green-Ellis! Offseason saved! Nevermind all the other problems this team will have!

[pantalones cortos hombre]

Estaba muy bien escrito y fácil de entender. A diferencia de los blogs adicionales que he leído, que no son realmente buenos. También me pareció muy interesante tus mensajes

[charmingdate scam]

Nice to be here and see your post!