Bengals franchise Andrews

[Bip Roberts]

The Bengals today designated OL Stacy Andrews as the team’s franchise player, under terms of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The franchise tag gives Andrews the option to play for Cincinnati in 2008 for a salary equal to the average of the top five offensive linemen in the NFL for the previous season (2007 in this case).
Andrews will be a fifth-year NFL player in 2008. He is presently unsigned for ’08, and he will become an unrestricted free agent on Feb. 29 if he does not reach a contract agreement with the Bengals prior to that date. The franchise-player designation means that the Bengals could retain Andrews by matching any offer sheet he would sign from another team, and that if the Bengals declined to match a signed offer, the team signing Andrews would be required to give the Bengals its first-round choices in the 2008 and 2009 NFL Drafts.
“Stacy has been a productive young player for us,” said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. “He has shown the flexibility to start and play well at a number of different positions on our line. This move helps us keep our core players together, and it gives us an opportunity to continue negotiating for a longer-term contract with Stacy.”
Andrews played in every Bengals game last season, with 14 starts. He started Games 1-3 at LG, but later replaced injured Willie Anderson at ROT, starting at ROT in Games 5 and 7-16. He was a key contributor to the team’s record-low total of 17 sacks allowed. The Bengals ranked second in the NFL in fewest sacks allowed, one off the pace of league leader New Orleans.
“The franchise option is designed to help a team retain the rights to a top player,” said Bengals vice-president Troy Blackburn. “The players’ union supports it because it guarantees that player a salary commensurate with what he has accomplished.”
The Collective Bargaining Agreement permits a new agreement between Andrews and the Bengals to be reached at any time prior to July 15.

Thank god it wasnt smith

[camisadelgolf]

Well, they needed to keep him somehow. You have to figure there's no way that both Willie Anderson and Levi Jones will be healthy all year. I wouldn't be surprised if he were signed to a multi-year contract and then Anderson were cut in 2009.

[Bip Roberts]

Yea its pretty obvious Anderson isnt able to be a full time player all that much anymore

[Oxilon]

Alright, well than. Anderson's been a great team player here and he's had some great seasons, but it's time to move on. If this move doesn't signal Willie's end here, Marvin is dumber than I originally thought. You don't franchise a tackle unless he's starting, so I guess this is it. Atleast this means Smith is gone though, which for a while, I thought was never going to happen.

[KoryMac5]

Alright, well than. Anderson's been a great team player here and he's had some great seasons, but it's time to move on. If this move doesn't signal Willie's end here, Marvin is dumber than I originally thought. You don't franchise a tackle unless he's starting, so I guess this is it. Atleast this means Smith is gone though, which for a while, I thought was never going to happen.

I think this move gives the Bengals some flexibilty if Jones or Anderson goes down with an injury. Big Willie is one of the best when healthy, I am not willing to write him off just yet. I too am glad Smith didn't get franchised however I wouldn't be surprised if he went on to play well with his next team. It would be just our luck.

[Bip Roberts]

Smith will be just good enough to annoy everyone no matter where he goes

[Oxilon]

I think this move gives the Bengals some flexibilty if Jones or Anderson goes down with an injury. Big Willie is one of the best when healthy, I am not willing to write him off just yet. I too am glad Smith didn't get franchised however I wouldn't be surprised if he went on to play well with his next team. It would be just our luck.

Yes, I agree that when healthy, Willie's the better option. However, 1) Willie's never healthy anymore, 2) Willie's old 3) the Bengals drafting Andrews for this very reason -- to be the replacement for Willie in a few years 4) and I really don't like the idea of having your backup OT making $6MM.

The Bengals drafted Andrews four years ago for this reason -- so he could replace Anderson. Willie's been a solid teammate since being drafted here and had some helluva seasons. But football is a business and you need to know when to let go. Cut Willie, start Andrews and use that money to sign an impact FA. Ofcourse, knowing the Bengals, they'd probably use that money to resign Justin Smith.

[HotCorner]

Just because they tagged him doesn't mean they can't sign long term and rescind the franchise tag. From all the comments I've read and heard, everyone just assumes he will play under the tag price. I really believe the Bengals will sign him to a long term deal at a lower salary but a generous signing bonus.

[Screwball]

Just because they tagged him doesn't mean they can't sign long term and rescind the franchise tag. From all the comments I've read and heard, everyone just assumes he will play under the tag price. I really believe the Bengals will sign him to a long term deal at a lower salary but a generous signing bonus.

Well, in fairness, that's what everybody (i.e., me and my friends) thought would happen last year with Justin Smith. As we all know it didn't work out that way and the Bengals ended up taking a huge cap hit. That could very well happen here too.

[Bip Roberts]

I dont think the Bengals really ever tried to sign Smith though.

[GoReds33]

Just because they tagged him doesn't mean they can't sign long term and rescind the franchise tag. From all the comments I've read and heard, everyone just assumes he will play under the tag price. I really believe the Bengals will sign him to a long term deal at a lower salary but a generous signing bonus.

I really hope you're right. IMO, he's not worth the money he's getting with the tag. Granted, I would rather see it on him than Smith, but that's not saying much. I think he should get 3-4 years, so he can take over for Willie in the next couple of years at right tackle.

[Benihana]

This also dispells any rumors of the Bengals taking an o-lineman in the first round of the draft, which is a very good thing. They absolutely must draft a defensive player with that pick, and it's looking more and more like they may need to trade up to get one of the fab four (Long, Dorsey, Ellis, Gholston). I fear that Marvin doesn't have the mental competence to do this however, and we may suffer through yet another year of getting our guy stolen right before our eyes, while the Bengals FO watches helplessly from the sidelines.

[LoganBuck]

This also dispells any rumors of the Bengals taking an o-lineman in the first round of the draft, which is a very good thing. They absolutely must draft a defensive player with that pick, and it's looking more and more like they may need to trade up to get one of the fab four (Long, Dorsey, Ellis, Gholston). I fear that Marvin doesn't have the mental competence to do this however, and we may suffer through yet another year of getting our guy stolen right before our eyes, while the Bengals FO watches helplessly from the sidelines.

Shudder, thinks about it again, Shudders again.