If what Reedy's reporting is correct, the Bengals aren't even matching what the #6 pick in the draft last year got. The heck with slotting, what basis are the Bengals using for their numbers?
Signing Andre Smith for $1 would've been a waste of money. Aside from the fact that he's a fat slob, what else would he offer the team? His strong suit isn't even as a pass blocker and that was the Bengals main concern. He's a head case and everyone knew it.
The blame falls squarely on the Bengals.
They obviously want more than what DHB got and thats fair its just a matter of how much more. Is it 25 million guaranteed what? 2 picks behind Smith went another OT and he only got 19.2 mill. Why should DHB deal effect how much Smith is getting. DHB got 4 million more than the pick behind him. No other draft pick recieved more than 4 million other than Curry and Stafford and thats because they signed a 6 year deal instead of 5.
It all depends on where each side views the slot and with Smith holding out I would think the Bengals have a legit argument for holding firmer and firmer. The more he holds out the less value he is to the bengals this year so why should they be giving in when they are actually losing money on investment.
Hugs, smiling, and interactive Twitter accounts, don't mean winning baseball. Until this community understands that we are cursed to relive the madness.
I was surprised when the Bengals drafted Smith, to say the least.
While we certainly needed an OT, Smith wasn't the guy, IMO.
With the 6th pick, there were plenty of better athletes on the board that played other positions than OT.
Such as:
Eugene Monroe (although he shouldn't have been a top 10, IMO)
BJ Raji
Michael Crabtree
Aaron Maybin
Brian Orakpo (the guy I really wanted the Bengals to take)
Malcolm Jenkins
Jeremy Maclin
Percy Harvin
If we really had our heart set on an OT, then we could have traded down to take Eugene Monroe, or Michael Oher. We certainly didn't need to waste the 6th pick on Andre Smith.
Andre Smith was easily one of the most talented tackles in the entire draft. In fact, many were saying he was as talented as the #2 overall pick, Jason Smith, but fell due to the dreaded "character concerns" (mainly his debacle at the combine).
Keels is making a contradictary argument. He wants "slot" money but he is using two players that blew "slow" away. Sanchez got a deal that is given to a franchise QB. Those are known to be higher than "slot" but is expected when you think a QB will be your franchise QB. DHB got an insane deal from an insane man that blew "slot" out of the water again.
Those 2 deals simply created a new "slot" and the Bengals were not prepared for other teams to be willing to sign players so soon. They could have been more agreesive in trying to sign Smith, but they waited for the market to set the price, and not that it has, they're still unable to make a deal.
Just because the slotting number was increased by those other teams does not mean the system changed
If the 6th pick getting more money that the 7th pick is such a difficult concept for this organization, that might explain their track record.
DHB and Sanchez were the 1st couple picks to sign so I dont really buy into the notion that this was all avoidable if they would have just been proactive. Dlus the dude didnt even have an agent till something like May 28th. Sanchez signed on the 10 of June. There was no chance the Bengals were going to beat that date.
Both sides should be looking at Monroes contract not Sanchez and DHB.
I'd say his decision to go shirtless for his school's pro-day was probably not a good move from a "winning the minds and hearts" of the draft projection crowd.
My guess is, the Bengals saw blue-light special, while Smith's camp figured he was prime-rib. That, and what's a Bengal pre-season without a first round Smith hold out?
4009
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