oldschooler Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Vontaze Burfict's suspension could impact Vincent Rey's free agency 9:37 AM ET Coley HarveyESPN Staff Writer Email print comment CINCINNATI -- Free agency officially begins in less than a month as the 2016 league year begins. Which of the Cincinnati Bengals' 15 unrestricted free agents will be back under their control that day? It's a question both the players and the team will spend the next four weeks scrambling to answer. Before we get too deep into the offseason, let's take a daily look at each of Cincinnati's free agents. Friday, we continue with: LB Vincent Rey Age: 28 Bengals service time: Six seasons (signed as a college free agent in 2010) 2015 cap charge: $3,100,000 (13th among 4-3 outside linebackers) 2015 stats: 98 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT The lowdown: As you've undoubtedly heard by now, Bengals "Will" linebackerVontaze Burfict's three-game suspension at the start of the 2016 season was upheld this week by the NFL. That means, for a short amount of time, the Bengals will be without their most intimidating and knowledgeable defender. You'll also recall that's what happened in 2015, too, when Burfict missed the first six games because he was recovering from an offseason microfracture surgery. Cincinnati absorbed his loss well across those six weeks, due in large part to solid contributions from Rey, his backup. Burfict's suspension could make it all the more important for the Bengals to retain one of their most prized and developed players. Much like Burfict, Rey was an undrafted player the Bengals signed right out of college. Unlike Burfict, though, his career began primarily on special teams, where he turned enough coaches' heads that he became regarded as a veritable Swiss Army knife at linebacker by the 2013 season. Throughout his career, he has backed up at all three linebacker spots, but primarily has filled in for Burfict (in 2014 and 2015) and veteran starting inside linebacker Rey Maualuga (in 2013) in recent seasons. The three sacks, one interception and 26 tackles he had in three games when Maualuga went down with a knee injury in 2013 put Rey on the map as a reserve. It was following the 2013 season when the Bengals re-signed Rey to a two-year contract. Regardless how short the terms of the deal were, it was still a sign of their growing confidence in him. The two deals he had agreed to prior than that were both one-year contracts. Stay? Or go? Burfict's suspension aside, Rey has to stay in stripes. Not only does he provide a measure of stability in the games Burfict will miss, but also because the Bengals know what he can do on special teams. Much like Burfict, Rey is one of the more cerebral players in Cincinnati's defensive meeting room. The team would not want to part easily with a mind like his. What both Rey and the Bengals (or whichever team signs him next month) ultimately have to decide is how long will this contract be, and what is the fair value for it? Although he has been a backup defender throughout his career, Rey has been getting starter's minutes for large chunks of the past three seasons, and he already knows there's a chance he will get more to begin 2016. He even ended 2015 as the Bengals' leading tackler. http://espn.go.com/blog/cincinnati-bengals/post/_/id/21507/vontaze-burfict-vincent-rey-bengals-suspension-impact-free-agency Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SocalBengalEd Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 No Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnickyCat Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 No Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigboi Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 If Vincent Rey is not resigned,the Bengals could bring in Keenan Robinson from the redskins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jupiter Fan Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 How do you guys say no without knowing how much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tigre Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 Because he is just a boring toy that does nothing but consistently work. No...much better to "upgrade" with someone else's Tier 2/maybe functions, or draft the next Marquis Flowers who most likely won't function for years..if ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khatmandude Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 Would love to have Vinny Rey back at a reasonable price. Provides great depth, can fill in if needed and knows the system, his assignment(s), his teammates' assignment(s) like the back of his hand. As a result, his production is likely to be greater than a more 'talented'/'athletically gifted' player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Dub Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 Would love to have Vinny Rey back at a reasonable price. Provides great depth, can fill in if needed and knows the system, his assignment(s), his teammates' assignment(s) like the back of his hand. As a result, his production is likely to be greater than a more 'talented'/'athletically gifted' player. Assuming that being talented or athletically gifted somehow prevents one from learning a playbook.. Paul Alexander is that you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnickyCat Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 How do you guys say no without knowing how much?Because he isn't very good. He's the 4th LB (at best!) on a not so great current LB crew. Burfict great, ReyM good...then its a steep downhill fall from there. With Dawson waiting in the wings (& with a years knowledge of the playbook under his belt) VRey is easily replaceable with a draft pick with actual...wait for it...future p-o-t-e-n-t-i-a-l Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Dub Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 Kinda hard to say too much bad about Vinnie Rey when AJ Hawk is a starting LB. 24 tackles & 1 sack out of a 16-game starter is pretty sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khatmandude Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 Assuming that being talented or athletically gifted somehow prevents one from learning a playbook.. Paul Alexander is that you? Haha....not at all, but I definitely think there's a learning curve....I wouldn't mind upgrading, but I wouldn't be too disappointed if he were back at a reasonable price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Dub Posted February 14, 2016 Report Share Posted February 14, 2016 Haha....not at all, but I definitely think there's a learning curve....I wouldn't mind upgrading, but I wouldn't be too disappointed if he were back at a reasonable price. Yeah, same. Hoping Dawson gets Hawk cut & Rey could be first off the bench. Again, assuming we're going to offer him a better deal than most folks on account of him being more valuable here as a player-coach like you said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFMAJOR Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 I just don't know if Dawson is the guy. With all the talk about him, he went from a 1st round choice to a late 3rd round pick. My thoughts are that if he is not running with the One's in training camp this season then something is amiss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.A.B. Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 Rey is fucking horrible. Let him go suck somewhere else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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