[Stardust]

$7 Million a year is what I heard on the radio. I'll post details when I find them.

That almost guarentees that the Bengals draft a Tackle with their first pick.

TJ is headed to Seattle to workout for the Seahawks, and there has been discussion of teams talking to Cedric Benson.

[Stardust]

Bengals have holes to fill on offense

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090...70381/1066

You would hope in free agency that you could get one or two of those positions solidified," offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said. "It could be a current player and a new one, two current players or two new ones."

• Read more on Joe Reedy's Bengals blog.


Both of the team's unrestricted free agent linemen - tackle/guard Stacy Andrews and center Eric Ghiaciuc - will test the market.

It appears one would-be option for the Bengals isn't going to hit the market. The Colts agreed Thursday to a contract with center Jeff Saturday, who reportedly had interest in the Bengals, Steelers and Eagles.

Other players who might bolster the Bengals' line could be Minnesota center Matt Birk; San Diego guard Mike Goff, who was drafted by the Bengals in 1998; Baltimore guard/center Jason Brown; Oakland center Jake Grove and Pittsburgh guard Chris Kemoeatu.

The Bengals' situation at running back is also dire. After they cut Rudi Johnson last year during the preseason, the Bengals were without an established back until they signed Cedric Benson on Sept. 30. After posting three games of 100-plus yards, Benson expressed an interest in returning to Cincinnati, but his agent, Eugene Parker, has decided to see if his client could get more on the open market.

If Benson does not re-sign, the Bengals' best option at running back would be the Giants' Derrick Ward, who was used mostly on third downs but has shown he has the tools to step up and be a No. 1 runner.

Some other running backs available are New England's LaMont Jordan, New Orleans' Deuce McAllister, Chicago's Kevin Jones or Tampa Bay's Warrick Dunn.

And with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick also going to free agency, the Bengals also are shopping for an experienced backup to Carson Palmer.

On defense, the Bengals would like to upgrade with a pass rusher on the line or at linebacker, but it is possible they could get that through the draft. The one player they would like to re-sign is safety Chris Crocker, who came in at midseason and emerged as a starter. But his asking price might be too high, as his side is seeking starter-type money.

"I don't know where you put a free agent player on defense," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "... We've got some good young players, we've got the draft upcoming, so I don't see where that's going to be a good fit for us defensively. We have some more, I think, apparent needs offensively - whether it be tackle, a center, a running back, and obviously with (free agent wide receiver) T.J. (Houshmandzadeh) in the situation he is in."

Every NFL team is facing new rules during the last capped year, which has triggered some significant changes that have teams counting more against this year's $123 million salary cap. That will give them less room to maneuver in free agency.

"As we have been every year since I have been in Cincinnati, we will be at the cap - at or above," Lewis said. "We will have some spillover into the next year, which obviously this coming season you can't do. So you have to stay at the cap and can't go beyond it anymore. "... We need to go into the market and look at what's the best fit for us."

[Stardust]

Report: Stacy Andrews signs with the Philadelphia Eagles; multi-year contract averaging $7 million a year

http://www.cincyjungle.com/2009/2/27/774...rews-signs

While Stacy Andrews was dealing with off-season rehab, it was argued that the Bengals could offer the right tackle a low-ball offer in order to keep him while he was to played with a one-year prove you're fully recovered contract.

However, the Philadelphia Eagles jacked that all up. PFT reports, again, via a league source, that the Eagles signed signed Andrews to a "multi-year deal averaging $7 million per season."

The deal, writes Mike Florio, is Andrews passing a physical. Philadelphia has been mentioned as interested with Andrews, dating back to last year when the Bengals gave him the Franchise Tag, and a bunch of money, further proving that the players the Bengals franchise does have any value in return. Hopefully Shayne Graham breaks that trend.

Now that Andrews is officially gone, the Bengals are left with likely starters being Levi Jones and Anthony Collins as of right now. Of course, there's the draft to consider, but that's still two months away.

[Spud6]

Congrats Stacy and Good Luck!

[cougarpride08]

Bengals have holes to fill on offense

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090...70381/1066

You would hope in free agency that you could get one or two of those positions solidified," offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said. "It could be a current player and a new one, two current players or two new ones."

• Read more on Joe Reedy's Bengals blog.


Both of the team's unrestricted free agent linemen - tackle/guard Stacy Andrews and center Eric Ghiaciuc - will test the market.

It appears one would-be option for the Bengals isn't going to hit the market. The Colts agreed Thursday to a contract with center Jeff Saturday, who reportedly had interest in the Bengals, Steelers and Eagles.

Other players who might bolster the Bengals' line could be Minnesota center Matt Birk; San Diego guard Mike Goff, who was drafted by the Bengals in 1998; Baltimore guard/center Jason Brown; Oakland center Jake Grove and Pittsburgh guard Chris Kemoeatu.

The Bengals' situation at running back is also dire. After they cut Rudi Johnson last year during the preseason, the Bengals were without an established back until they signed Cedric Benson on Sept. 30. After posting three games of 100-plus yards, Benson expressed an interest in returning to Cincinnati, but his agent, Eugene Parker, has decided to see if his client could get more on the open market.

If Benson does not re-sign, the Bengals' best option at running back would be the Giants' Derrick Ward, who was used mostly on third downs but has shown he has the tools to step up and be a No. 1 runner.

Some other running backs available are New England's LaMont Jordan, New Orleans' Deuce McAllister, Chicago's Kevin Jones or Tampa Bay's Warrick Dunn.

And with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick also going to free agency, the Bengals also are shopping for an experienced backup to Carson Palmer.

On defense, the Bengals would like to upgrade with a pass rusher on the line or at linebacker, but it is possible they could get that through the draft. The one player they would like to re-sign is safety Chris Crocker, who came in at midseason and emerged as a starter. But his asking price might be too high, as his side is seeking starter-type money.

"I don't know where you put a free agent player on defense," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "... We've got some good young players, we've got the draft upcoming, so I don't see where that's going to be a good fit for us defensively. We have some more, I think, apparent needs offensively - whether it be tackle, a center, a running back, and obviously with (free agent wide receiver) T.J. (Houshmandzadeh) in the situation he is in."

Every NFL team is facing new rules during the last capped year, which has triggered some significant changes that have teams counting more against this year's $123 million salary cap. That will give them less room to maneuver in free agency.

"As we have been every year since I have been in Cincinnati, we will be at the cap - at or above," Lewis said. "We will have some spillover into the next year, which obviously this coming season you can't do. So you have to stay at the cap and can't go beyond it anymore. "... We need to go into the market and look at what's the best fit for us."

Bengals need more than just a few more holes.