bengalbutch Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Lewis defends Chad again By GEOFF HOBSON February 13, 2008 Posted: 4:35 p.m. Lewis Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis defended Chad Johnson again Wednesday and said the club won't even think about discussing trading its disgruntled wide receiver. In an interview in preparation for next week's NFL scouting combine, Lewis also said the team is currently still in a 4-3 base defense but indicated that could change in the next month as personnel changes. Lewis targeted both front lines as top priorities for the offseason and said the Bengals are going to use their franchise tag in free agency but wouldn't say the candidates. He did say that free-agent defensive end Justin Smith and right tackle Stacy Andrews are key players on each front. Without getting specific, Lewis said progress has been slow in negotiations for long-term deals with the club's own free agents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjm47 Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Christ, I hope they don't tag Justin again. I really don't mind Justin, and I'd have no problem tying him up long-term, but a ten million dollar hit for one year is terrifying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_B Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 at the thought of tagging Justin again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalsOwn Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Who in the world do we have on this team that is deserving of a franchise tag? It sure as hell ain't Justin Smith, Stacy Andrews, or Landon Johnson. Dhani Jones? :rofl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_B Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 [quote name='BengalsOwn' post='632006' date='Feb 13 2008, 05:15 PM']Who in the world do we have on this team that is deserving of a franchise tag? It sure as hell ain't Justin Smith, Stacy Andrews, or Landon Johnson. Dhani Jones? :rofl:[/quote] I know what your going to say, but I could see us tag Madieu and cut Dexter because I doubt they would be comfortable with two 2nd year players starting at saftey (espessally with White's limited exposure and playing time) and that way we can let White and Ndukewe fight it out in camp. Plus tagging a saftey isnt that expensive and would allow us to still make moves in FA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalRep85-9 Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 I seriously cannot believe mikey is considering giving 10 mil to a guy not worth half that, just no way... let rucker or possibly pollack play or draft a DE and see what u got justin and his 10 mil tag, we didnt get to the QB with u and well continue to not get to the QB without u Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|kennethmw| Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 [quote name='BengalsOwn' post='632006' date='Feb 13 2008, 05:15 PM']Who in the world do we have on this team that is deserving of a franchise tag? It sure as hell ain't Justin Smith, Stacy Andrews, or Landon Johnson. Dhani Jones? :rofl:[/quote] I think it may be Madieu that gets tagged. The tag amount isn't huge for a safety(4.4 mill), and it would give us an experienced guy in the DB corps that is a marvin type player, because he can play both safety and corner. I know some of you don't like him that much, but he is rated as the third best safety in free agency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 [quote name='Jamie_B' post='632007' date='Feb 13 2008, 05:18 PM']I know what your going to say, but I could see us tag Madieu and cut Dexter because I doubt they would be comfortable with two 2nd year players starting at saftey (espessally with White's limited exposure and playing time) and that way we can let White and Ndukewe fight it out in camp. Plus tagging a saftey isnt that expensive and would allow us to still make moves in FA.[/quote] Thats what i thought when i heard we were going to tag. Why give 7 million to stacy when he is a backup? Justin isn't worth 10 million. We would only be giving Madieu 4 million and he is pretty decent. He also gives insurance as a third corner if Deltha does get cut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_B Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 [quote name='JC' post='632010' date='Feb 13 2008, 05:22 PM']Thats what i thought when i heard we were going to tag. Why give 7 million to stacy when he is a backup? Justin isn't worth 10 million. We would only be giving Madieu 4 million and he is pretty decent. He also gives insurance as a third corner if Deltha does get cut.[/quote] Agreed, but I will be supprised if Deltha gets cut, this is the year we focus on the front 7 and we cant afford to lose the guys who do have experience in this system in the 2ndary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inigo Montoya Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Hopefully Madieu is the one they tag. Stacy is a better possibility than Justin. Justin isn't getting $10.39 million for one year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Montana Bengal| Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 [quote name='bengalbutch' post='632001' date='Feb 13 2008, 02:58 PM']Lewis[b] Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis defended Chad Johnson again Wednesday and said the club won't even think about discussing trading its disgruntled wide receiver.[/b][/quote] So wait, are you guys understanding this the way I am? I think what he is saying is that we are planning on trading Chad no matter what AND we want to do it by a Wednesday in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoutforlife591 Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 It'll be Madieu, almost guaranteed. Marvin has always valued him way more than the critics and us do. Madieu is hands down better than Dexter. With two young guns AND Kilmer back, you only really need one. Plus, we get 1.25 back if we cut Dexter, such that with a roughly 4.5 million tag, it ends up only being 3.25 to have Madieu instead of Dexter. I'd pay that. I'd pay that for two years. Frankly, the Bengals are smarter than the look. We'll get two years with Madieu at a reasonable price, and have no long term strings attached to him if he gets injured. (Plus he gets to stay in town, which I'm sure he appreciates considering his brother) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalRep85-9 Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Update on the Hobson article Lewis defends Chad again By GEOFF HOBSON February 13, 2008 Updated: 5:10 p.m. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis defended Chad Johnson again Wednesday and said the club won't even think about discussing trading its disgruntled wide receiver. In an interview in preparation for next week's NFL scouting combine, Lewis also said the team is currently still in a 4-3 base defense but indicated that could change in the next month as personnel changes. Lewis targeted both front lines as top priorities for the offseason and said the Bengals are going to use their franchise tag in free agency but wouldn't say the candidates. He did say that free-agent defensive end Justin Smith and right tackle Stacy Andrews are key players on each front. Without getting specific, Lewis said progress has been slow in negotiations for long-term deals with the club's own free agents. [b]Citing his commitment to re-energize the running game, Lewis said the Bengals are going to look at running backs in the upcoming draft.[/b] He also said the Bengals are going to change their tact in pursuit of a tight end prospect. Because it is so difficult to find college players that can both catch and block, Lewis said they'll try to find athletes that can first catch but have the ability to develop into blockers. "They can stop the presses, quit killing trees and move on to other things," Lewis said of the Johnson media orgy. "There is, at no point, anyone in the Bengals organization who has ever uttered anything about trading Chad Johnson. Nor will he be traded. "Our player, we know, is very passionate about the game. He continues to play at a very, very high level. He's been very, very productive," Lewis said. "We're conscious of that. He's been well compensated." Lewis hasn't personally spoken to Johnson since the final game of the season, but he said others from the club have. Assistant strength coach Ray Oliver, for instance, spent time with Johnson at last week's Pro Bowl. Although he wouldn't elaborate on who, Lewis feels Johnson is feeling external pressures. "It's unfortunate for Chad that he is being cast in this light. It's really not fair. So once again I will go on record in defense of him," Lewis said. "We've had a great relationship. All I want to do is see Chad continue to be a very, very productive NFL player and help us win a lot of football games. That's not going to change." Lewis said he believes Johnson can come back into the locker room after going public with his trade demands and general overall unhappiness, and cited the case of Michael Strahan's holdout before he helped the Giants win the Super Bowl. "I think everyone in the NFL realizes that contracts and these kind of things unfortunately can be a big part of what the game is all about," Lewis said. "What you have to do as a football team is you have to learn to put some of that aside and not really worry about those things and you go back to work as a football team and move forward. And that happens in how many cases? "The Giants just won a Super Bowl with maybe their best defensive player who was contemplating supposedly retirement," Lewis said. "He came back, he didn't get paid any more money and he just played. That's the way it is." Lewis also denied a story in which a source close to Johnson said that Lewis stopped talking to him in the second half of the season. Even though media members saw Lewis at least talking to him on the field before practices. P> "Any of you who have been around here know differently because you watched it," he said. "Hell, there was a picture in the paper. That was in the second half of the season, right? When it was my fault because he does what he does." Lewis said he went through a similar problem with perception when head coaching jobs opened up in places where he had previously coached, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Washington, and his name surfaced even though he signed a five-year contract after the 2005 season. Johnson is signed through 2011. "I wish people would understand. It was the same thing with me," Lewis said. " 'You're going to Pittsburgh, you're going here, there.' I have a contract, and nobody is going anywhere. This is not pick up my Pixie sticks and move on. It doesn't work that way. With any of us.... It isn't that way (in the NFL), so I wish people would believe it wasn't that way." [url="http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6639"]http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6639[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeb Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 [quote name='BengalRep85-9' post='632020' date='Feb 13 2008, 05:39 PM']Update on the Hobson article Lewis defends Chad again By GEOFF HOBSON February 13, 2008 Updated: 5:10 p.m. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis defended Chad Johnson again Wednesday and said the club won't even think about discussing trading its disgruntled wide receiver. In an interview in preparation for next week's NFL scouting combine, Lewis also said the team is currently still in a 4-3 base defense but indicated that could change in the next month as personnel changes. Lewis targeted both front lines as top priorities for the offseason and said the Bengals are going to use their franchise tag in free agency but wouldn't say the candidates. He did say that free-agent defensive end Justin Smith and right tackle Stacy Andrews are key players on each front. Without getting specific, Lewis said progress has been slow in negotiations for long-term deals with the club's own free agents. Citing his commitment to re-energize the running game, Lewis said the Bengals are going to look at running backs in the upcoming draft. He also said the Bengals are going to change their tact in pursuit of a tight end prospect. Because it is so difficult to find college players that can both catch and block, Lewis said they'll try to find athletes that can first catch but have the ability to develop into blockers. [b]"They can stop the presses, quit killing trees and move on to other things," Lewis said of the Johnson media orgy. "There is, at no point, anyone in the Bengals organization who has ever uttered anything about trading Chad Johnson. Nor will he be traded.[/b] "Our player, we know, is very passionate about the game. He continues to play at a very, very high level. He's been very, very productive," Lewis said. "We're conscious of that. He's been well compensated." Lewis hasn't personally spoken to Johnson since the final game of the season, but he said others from the club have. Assistant strength coach Ray Oliver, for instance, spent time with Johnson at last week's Pro Bowl. Although he wouldn't elaborate on who, Lewis feels Johnson is feeling external pressures. "It's unfortunate for Chad that he is being cast in this light. It's really not fair. So once again I will go on record in defense of him," Lewis said. "We've had a great relationship. All I want to do is see Chad continue to be a very, very productive NFL player and help us win a lot of football games. That's not going to change." Lewis said he believes Johnson can come back into the locker room after going public with his trade demands and general overall unhappiness, and cited the case of Michael Strahan's holdout before he helped the Giants win the Super Bowl. "I think everyone in the NFL realizes that contracts and these kind of things unfortunately can be a big part of what the game is all about," Lewis said. "What you have to do as a football team is you have to learn to put some of that aside and not really worry about those things and you go back to work as a football team and move forward. And that happens in how many cases? "The Giants just won a Super Bowl with maybe their best defensive player who was contemplating supposedly retirement," Lewis said. "He came back, he didn't get paid any more money and he just played. That's the way it is." Lewis also denied a story in which a source close to Johnson said that Lewis stopped talking to him in the second half of the season. Even though media members saw Lewis at least talking to him on the field before practices. P> "Any of you who have been around here know differently because you watched it," he said. "Hell, there was a picture in the paper. That was in the second half of the season, right? When it was my fault because he does what he does." Lewis said he went through a similar problem with perception when head coaching jobs opened up in places where he had previously coached, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Washington, and his name surfaced even though he signed a five-year contract after the 2005 season. Johnson is signed through 2011. "I wish people would understand. It was the same thing with me," Lewis said. " 'You're going to Pittsburgh, you're going here, there.' I have a contract, and nobody is going anywhere. This is not pick up my Pixie sticks and move on. It doesn't work that way. With any of us.... It isn't that way (in the NFL), so I wish people would believe it wasn't that way." [url="http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6639"]http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6639[/url][/quote] ...and that is the end of that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalsdave985 Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Are we going to run the winged T or the triple option? How many RB's do we need? Rudi, Perry, Watson, Irons, Dorsey why do we need to draft anymore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoutforlife591 Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Maybe that means Rudi is gone and they're not counting on Perry. Like the TE comment, I'm going to go do a mock draft now. Madieu in Landon, Smith, and Rudi out. Pass catching TE. Dark horse RB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalsOwn Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 [quote name='Jamie_B' post='632007' date='Feb 13 2008, 05:18 PM']I know what your going to say, but I could see us tag Madieu and cut Dexter because I doubt they would be comfortable with two 2nd year players starting at saftey (espessally with White's limited exposure and playing time) and that way we can let White and Ndukewe fight it out in camp. Plus tagging a saftey isnt that expensive and would allow us to still make moves in FA.[/quote] Wouldn't a franchise tag on a a safety guarantee him the top 5 salary of all DB's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Tigers Johnson| Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 [quote name='bengalsdave985' post='632022' date='Feb 13 2008, 05:52 PM']Are we going to run the winged T or the triple option? How many RB's do we need? Rudi, Perry, Watson, Irons, Dorsey why do we need to draft anymore?[/quote] Rudi = Washed up Perry = ALWAYS hurt... Watson = Not really equipped to carry the load for a whole season Irons = Already has a new ACL...unproven...injury concerns in college Dorsey = see Watson I keep telling people this but everyone just glosses over it...The Bengals will take a RB in one of the first 2 rounds of the draft this year....so get ready to start rooting for either Mendenhall, Stewart, or Jamaal Charles.... ....all bets are off though if we sign a RB in free agency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalRep85-9 Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Marvin looking for a RB in the draft cant be good news for rudi and his 4 mil or so cap hit but at this point how can u rely on perry OR irons, were talking about a speed/cut back coming off major knee surgery As much as we dont want to hear it i think at least looking at RB's is a good move just in case Irons isnt ready or cant cut it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalsfan850 Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 we need madieu...not long term that is white and duke but we need him for one more year to start some and be a veteren presence...my second choice would be stacy....no way should we tag justin for 5 mil a sack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLCBengal Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 [quote name='BengalsOwn' post='632024' date='Feb 13 2008, 04:05 PM']Wouldn't a franchise tag on a a safety guarantee him the top 5 salary of all DB's?[/quote] No. Average of top five safeties...which I think is around 4.5 mil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cincity Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 [quote name='BengalsOwn' post='632024' date='Feb 14 2008, 12:05 AM']Wouldn't a franchise tag on a a safety guarantee him the top 5 salary of all DB's?[/quote] No I am pretty sure it's by position... There is a topic on this site that has how much each position would get if franchised.... More than anyone I would love to see Madieu back. the others can go... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalUprising9 Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Their's rumors going around the draft "experts" like Mike Mayock that McFadden might drop in the draft. If he's available, he will be a Bengal. Guaranteed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalbutch Posted February 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 [quote]Lewis targeted both front lines as top priorities for the offseason[/quote] Music to my ears ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texbengal Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 I'm not so sure it'll be Madieu.... me thinks it'll be Stacy Andrews. He's young, versatile, and both Willie and Levi have balky knees... plus, Willie is 32 or 33... not young, and not reliable as a full-time starter. Plus, Bobbie Williams is 30+. They've spent a long time developing Stacy, and he's starting to pay dividends, and has shown he can play RT or G. A guy with that size and athleticism doesn't come around every day... and the Bengals know it. He'll command big $ on the open market, but they can franchise him, keep him for another year (if they don't sign him long-term), and see where Willie and Levi are, as well as Bobbie, for 2009 and beyond. Yes, it's an expensive insurance policy, but I think it's worth it. If Willie gets hurt, who do they have as a replacement? Besides, you want someone you can trust protecting the franchise. As much as I think Kooistra is a good backup, I sure as hell wouldn't feel good about him starting for Willie, or inserting some unproven rookie. Madieu is a good player, but he's had two average years, IMO. I think they'll try to sign him before the deadline, but I can't see the franchise tag. Justin, I like as a player, but I can't see him getting tagged again. It'll be interesting, because I'm sure Zimmer's evaluation will be a key part of the decision about what FAs to retain. I'm sure they want to re-sign Madieu and Justin, along with Andrews, but someone won't by the deadline, and will test the FA waters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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