A few things are certain. Corey will be gone, whether by cutting him or dealing him. I think that if the Bengals were willing to pay him what is entailed in his conract then other teams will be too. Those teams would at least be willing to trade a 7th Rd player. SO he has trade value, of course, how much varies amongst opinions. The secondary needs addressed, but few of the first Rders or anything past that look like immediate starters, that means it'll come in free agency. We've got holes to fill in the OL with 3 former starters FAs. And something needs done about the run defense. I think this addresses most of those goals. This one is pretty heavy with high quality free agents, but it appears now rather than later is the time to get them, and ride the cap while developing from beneath. First off is the 53 man roster. Then, it's followed by a breakdown of the moves and how they get the players they have. Offense WR1...WR2...WR3...WR4...WR5 C. Johnson, Warrick, Washington, Walter, Carter TEB...HB...TER Kelly, Stewart, Schobel LT...LG...C...RG...RT Jones, Steinbach, Braham, Williams, Anderson LT2,RT3...LT3,LG3...C2...LG2,RG3...RG2,RT2 Folau, Chadwick, Ricker, Lindsay, Kooistra QB1...QB2...QB3 Palmer...Kitna...Dinwiddie RB1...RB2...RB3 Ru. Johnson, Bell, Bennett, Watson FB J. Johnson Defense CB1...CB2...CB3...CB4...5...10 Bailey, James, Weathersby, Roberts, Myles SS1...FS1...SS2...FS2 Beckett, Roman, Manuel, Patton WLB1...MLB1...SLB1 Jones, Simmons, Hardy WLB2...MLB2...SLB2...SLB3 Abdullah, Levels, Ri. Johnson, Chamberlain RDE1...RDT1...LDT1...LDE1 J. Smith, Thornton, Wilfork, Clemons RDE2...DT3...DT3...LDE2 Patterson, Gibson, Moore, L. Smith K...P...LS Graham, Lee, St. Louis 53 Total PR1...PR2 Warrick, Roberts KR1...KR2 Bennett, Watson Free agents FA Bobbie Williams OG 5, He's a second Rd pick from 2000 that has just started seeing consistent starting time. He's a run blocker that would help us get young and improve our interior line. Paired with Anderson the two ought to be a major force and just the thing Rudi needs to break his first 1000 yard season. He's a converted tackle. FA Dhani Jones WLB 5, NYG- I don't see him wanting to stay around while the Giants rebuild with a new QB and coach, not when a coach like Lewis is calling up your agent offering a starting spot at the weak side backer. Jones production has been great, and with Hardy likely moving to the outside, Simmons is a in a great spot to move back the the middle. This will give us the athletic backers we need to make plays. His 120 tackles this year is nothing to sneeze at. This kid runs to the ball, just like Marvin harps about. He's not an RFA as has been reported. FA Spencer Folau OT 2, NO- Quality depth at OT was something we needed this year. The Bengals should bring on a savvy veteran to help show the rooks what to do, and play spot duty. Folau plays both tackle spots with a good degree of success. FA Everett Lindsay OG 2, MIN- He's a lot like Folau only he plays both guard spots. Another veteran to give us depth down the playoff run. Traded To WAS for Champ Bailey - Corey Dillon RB, Tony Williams DT, and Rd. 2 17th pick. This trade gives is the best thing for both teams. It solves the Skins problems at RB giving them the running game a Rd 1 rookie will not give them and a DT with Darrell Russell not returning. This should be the first step in Spurrier not losing his job. He will have much of the power over player decisions. Expect him to use that power to do everything he can to save his job, as next year is sure to be his last if without success. Free Agents Resigned: years RFAs Stewart 3 Ru. Johnson 5 Graham 4 Ri. Johnson 3 UFAs Roman 4 Braham 2 Beckett 5 Cut Hawkins CB Burris CB Powell DE Ross LB Rehberg OT Richardson Sulfsted Szalay Not Retained Steele DT O'Dwyer G Houshmanzadeh WR Goff G Matthews QB Kaesviharn FS Leyva G Draft 1. Vince Wilfork DT Miami (Fl.) 6'2" 350 5.20* 3. Tatum Bell RB Oklahoma St. 5'11" 210 4.40** 4. AJ Ricker C Missouri 6'4" 298 5.00 5. Drew Carter WR Ohio St. 6'3" 200 4.27 6. Linnis Smith DE Texas A&M 6'3" 288 4.80 7a. Janssen Patton CB Bowling Green 6'0" 185 4.59 7b. Ryan Dinwiddie QB 6'1" 187 4.65*** UDFA Andy Lee P Pittsburgh 6'2" 205**** UDFA Austin Chadwick OT 6'3" 288 4.88**** *Rd 1 pick 17 and Rd 3 pick 17 to trade up to Bills pick 13 or higher. **Compensatory pick for 2003 loss of FAs. Based on NFL award. ***Compensation for TJ Housh to the 49ers. ****Undrafted Free Agent 1. Wilfork- Wilfork has slid a bit with his play this year. But he was a 1st Rd lock last year. With Chicago missing the days of huge DTs and a roaming Urlacher, the Bengals will need to trade up past the 14th pick. The Bills at 13 seem just as good as anyone for wanting to trade down. With a block eating DT in place our unit of athletic LBs will be able to make the necessary plays. 3. Bell- An ideal West coast back with soft hands, speed to burn, and the ability to turn the corner. Not great between the tackles, but he will compliment Rudi's inside style. He's another target for Carson's passing attack. He's a possible starter after his rookie year. His college production this year has been tremendous and with the middle Rd depth of the RB class, Bell is a relative steal. 3 year contract. 4. Ricker- We need a center to replace aging Braham. The pool of available centers is weak. Ricker offers us someone who is ready to start this year, but will be able to sit and learn. His major knock is his technique and his intangibles are his biggest plus. With a year in camp, the technique should be straightened out allowing his intangibles to shine through when he starts. 5. Carter- He's one of the fastest players in the draft, and while he's extremely developmental, with even a little success he'll make an impact. While he'll likely never break our starting WR line-up, he will keep our WR corp a positional strength. Also has the potential to become an excellent all-around special teamer teaming with gunner Kevin Walter to jet down the sideline for a tackle. 3 year contract. 6. Smith- The Bengals need to improve they're beef up front, they're finding that a line full of pass rushing DLmen doesn't help since teams have no trouble moving the ball with the run. A more traditional defensive scheme, with quality player is just the recipe for success. Smith ads a quick body that can do all the things a DE is asked to do, especially stopping the run. If more double teams can be commanded throughout the line, RDE Justin Smith, former 4th overall, should return to the form of his old college days. 7a. Patton- He's a player with lots of upside. He'll be able to play either CB or S. He's a good tackler, and that's all we'll need with the string of quality CBs we'll be able to field with Bailey around. 7b. Dinwiddie- An extremely successful quarterback, smashed many NCAA passing records. His specs say he won't be successful, but if even a little can be tapped, this guy will be a realiable backup that will not lose the game. The sooner Palmer has a reliable backup, the sooner they can quit paying the price tag for the journeyman backups, and the sooner they can let Kitna walk. UDFA Lee- I've seen enough, and though it'd be great if he kickedoff, this kid is consistent as heck, and has stats that he, not his coverage team earns. His kicks are high, just like ST coach Darrin Simmons likes. UDFA Chadwick- When Levi Jones, a former 10th overall, went down, the bengals saw how bad they need to add depth at important posistion like LT. Chadwick won't be ready next year, but with versatile veteran Folau in line, the Bengals will be set with an athletic tackle with workable feet to fill in for Jones. Practice Squad -Mike Mabry -James Lynch -Thatcher Szalay -Ricot Joseph -Artrell Hawkins (Just a little joke)
Very thorough and well thought-out as usual Scout. I really like your plan and suggestions for the most part. I am wondering though about one of your trades. Can Washington trade Bailey if he is a UFA? I really don't know, but I am just asking the question. Its probably just like the NFL to make some obscure rule to allow it, and maybe they own him until the signing period begins.....but I assumed Bailey was free now. If they can trade him, do they have to sign him first? .... which would mean Bailey would want a big signing bonus....which would mean Wash would have to eat it when they trade him? If Wash is smart....and I'm not saying they are... I think they, like everyone else, should be careful about giving too much up for Dillion. I dont think anyone is going to trade for him. He's at the mythical "30 years old" line. That, and his attitude, won't bode well. If anything, they will wait for you guys to cut him. I like your Dinwiddie idea. He may not be the big star in the NFL, but if there is a low risk involved, it would be worth a try to see if he can contribute as a backup. I didn't realize Jones (NYG) was a FA too. I bet NYG may try hard to sign him because I think OLB Brandon Short is also a FA from there too. They can't afford to lose 2 LBs. Oh, and glad to see you made it to the new site Scout!!!
Welcome Scout!!!!!! Glad you found us.... To answer the question about trading UFA's....The Redskins cannot trade the player without signing them, but they can trade his tag rights....so a team interested in Bailey, could trade for his tag rights, then tag him(franchise him for instance) leaving the player with the right to sign elsewhere, but the new team could match any offer or receive up to 2 #1s for his rights...the Redskins will certainly tag Bailey if they dont sign him outright, which I bet they do
I just want to know if the Bengals will stick with Kitna. I saw you had Plamer #1 on the depth chart. Will he be ready? Kitna played very well this year and it would be hard to see him sit especially if Palmer isn't ready.
I think the Bengals should start Kitna and give Palmer a chance to develope before throwing him into the fire. The Oilers/Titans brought Steve McNair around very slowly and look what a monster player he has become. Kitna may not be the best QB around, but he has shown some good leadership qualities this season.
When I was looking into how the trade goes down, I was only able to find one explanation, an article about Peerless Price. The team that franchises the player in this case WAS or for Price Buffalo is able to trade the player within some sort of window of time. They don't trade the rights and in fact they must sign them to a contract. However, because of the franchise designation, they are able to "transfer" the contract to the receiver team, The Falcs, and in this case the Bengals. What the receiving team gives up is completely up too the other team. It is not mandated as two first Rders like when a rival club signs the player to an offer sheet and the club that tagged him does not match. It's an obscure rule. But that's apparently how it works, because that's what the article said, and no team is able to take a 10 Mill hit like the Bills would have, as that was about where the bonus was. Most have reported that Jones is a RFA. He was a 2000 draft choice and tore his ACL his rookie year. He spent that year on the PUP list and thusly accrued a season, even though it doesn't show up on his stats. He has four accrued season. Brandon Short is also a free agent, and when I talked to NYG fans on a message board, they said the club would more likely sign Short as they are "not happy" with Jones. I don't know why that is as there former 6th Rd draft choice had 120 tackles. Palmer will be ready. Kitna has already talked him down. I think Palmer has been "ready" for a large part of the season, but for the good of the team, he was not put in. One of Palmer's biggest qualities was his head for the game. Marvin know Kitna played the season of his life. His offense managed 20.75 pts. .25 less than what a defense should nned to hold the other team to. We missed the playoffs and that goes on Kitna. He had great pass protection, three competent receivers, 2 great runningbacks, a great unit of tightends, and still was unable to win. I remember the game against the Ravens. Boller had about 300 yards passing, lots of TDs, minimal INTs, and still lost the game. Stats mean nothing, and that's all Kitna had, stats. Corey Dillon is a good player. Unlike other 30 "hit the wall" running backs. Dillon still managed a 3.9 average, with injury and limited carries. He had only the one injury in the year and had very good games. He's never play "extra" postseason games. Curtin Martin did not have a bad year once Pennington came back. Eddie George has 2733 atts, while Dillon has 1865, a difference of about 950 carries, or still a 1/3 of the carry that Geoge has left. If you expand Coreys 20+ yard runs to the amount of carries he usually gets, he had yet another great year. The speed, stiff arm, and elusiveness is all there, he just needs a change of scenery so the bad feelings go away. The stats don't lie. He had a good year based on attempts even with injury. In many of the games, he ended with plus 5.0 ypc, although on limited carries.
Scout, according to the tampa tribune the bucs have interest in corey for possibly a 3rd or 4th round draft pick for 2004. Dallas and wash both also have interest but must address more needs for there teams with there picks. Tampa who doesnt have as much to put togeither would be willing to part there pick. http://bucs.tbo.com/
Yeah, I already read the article. I do apologize, but Tampa is so dumb. First they give up all those picks for Gruden, and now more for Dillon, and cutting Keyshawn. They are so a** f***** it's not even funny. A 7 mill cap hit for keyshawn? Plus, the lost of those cheap picks from Gruden, and now more sent away for Dillon, and you guys were already projected as over the cap. It did say at least a 3rd or 4th Rder, I think that if a few teams are interested, then there will be near league wide interest in him. It ought to escalate as it gets down to March.
Tampa given up there draft picks for gruden was worth a championship. Its whats its about. However the keys deal i never cared for. As for our salery cap 7.8 mill hit on keyshawn. Thats why we hired allen he better get the calculater out. No one is certain about dillon coming to tampa for the mere fact we are in cap trouble. Its all rumors.
Welcome SCOUTS, it is good to see you here. I am glad you made it. Good luck in the future with your team and happy posting.
