----- LEVI JONES SIGNED !!!!! -----

[Guest fredtoast]

Bengals lock up Jones
By GEOFF HOBSON
July 25, 2006

4 p.m.

The Bengals locked up another key offensive player Tuesday when they reached a six-year contract extension with left tackle Levi Jones, according to agent Kenny Zuckerman.

The Bengals, who won’t comment on deals until they are signed, now have Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Palmer in the fold through 2014, Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad Johnson through 2011, and Jones, a Pro Bowl alternate, through 2012. Plus, running back Rudi Johnson, the franchise’s single-season rushing leader, is here through 2009 and wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, with 150 caches over the past two seasons, through 2008.

Jones becomes the highest-paid offensive lineman in club history with a contract surpassing the $30.6 million deal three-time Pro Bowler Willie Anderson signed before the 2000 season and ends after this one. Zuckerman says the deal makes Jones the league’s fourth-highest paid offensive lineman with guarantees of $16.3 million. Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Levi Jones has agreed to a six year contract extension for just over $40 million. The Bengals 2002 first round pick also has guarantees totaling about $16.3 million. The contract which has been in the works for months, makes Jones the highest paid offensive linemen ever that has not reached the Pro Bowl. Based on the new money this contract vaults Jones to the fourth highest paid offensive tackle in the N.F.L., only behind perennial Pro Bowlers, Jonathan Ogden, Orlando Pace and Walter Jones. Jones and his agent, Kenny Zuckerman of Priority Sports have expressed that they wanted to get a deal finalized before the start of training camp on Saturday. The former Arizona State University walk-on was entering the last year of his five year rookie contract and was due to earn $795,000.

The Jones deal doesn’t preclude an extension for Anderson and left guard Eric Steinbach, but one or both now may not get done before the season is over. Anderson’s agent said Tuesday he’s had no talks with the club this offseason.

Extensions for Jones and right guard Bobbie Williams make the Bengals breath a little easier along a front that set a club record when it gave up just 21 sacks while Rudi Johnson set the team’s season rushing record with 1,458 yards.

Jones is a major reason Palmer went to his first Pro Bowl with the Bengals’ first three-digit passer rating, shutting out several of the NFL’s top sackers, including the Colts’ Dwight Freeney, the Ravens’ Terrell Suggs, and the Packers’ Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila.

Jones, the club’s first-round pick in 2002 who turns 27 next month, had started 59 straight games until sitting out last season’s finale in Kansas City after the club had clinched the AFC North title. Included in that streak is the now legendary start against the 49ers in 2003 that came just six days after Jones had arthroscopic knee surgery.

[JBandJoeyV 1,533]

FUCK YEAH!!!!!

[|Montana Bengal| 432]

Now sign a few rookies today...and I'll be really happy.

[Guest Patmo]

That's big !!

[eva4ben-gal 329]

[The_Joker 170]

Do Stieny next...

[Inigo Montoya 342]

Six years, a little over $40 million. Mike and Marvin didn't overpay and they got the deal done. Great work!

[Jason 3,886]

:EMOTICON BIG SMILE:

[natethesnake 0]

In a week of really crappy news.... this is GREAT to hear! HUGE signing!!!

[sm00th_kw 3]

Good stuff...

[Guest bengalrick]

HUGE signing... now we can focus on steinbach and the draft picks...

[Guest IndianaBengal]

[i][size=7][color="#FF6600"]SWEET !!! [/color] [/size] [/i]

[size=3][color="#FF6600"]Who-dey! Who-dey! Think gonna beat them Bengals.[/color] [/size] You guys are all off till Weds.!!

[Bengals_12th_Man 11]

[quote name='Jason' post='300698' date='Jul 25 2006, 04:19 PM']:EMOTICON BIG SMILE: [/quote]


[size=7][color="#FF6600"]X2[/color][/size]

It's about time. I was begining to worry about it.



Next up.... Steinmeister!

[Guest BlackJesus]

[center][img]http://bengals.com/assets/jones1_800.jpg[/img]


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[Guest BlackJesus]

[center][img]http://bengals.enquirer.com/2002/04/28/ljcactus800_zoom.jpg[/img]


[/center]

[Guest BlackJesus]

[center][img]http://bengals.com/assets/fans/jonesl1_800.jpg[/img]


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[Rumble In the Jungle 908]

bout fucking time!

[Guest BlackJesus]

[size=3][b]Good deal for the Bengals ...[/size]

Love the way that Marvin gets players to settle for less ....

Most other teams would have gone into panic, rushed it, and overspent ....


Now I just wanna see Willie or Eric signed .... if I had to choose I would go for Willie first. [/b]

[Rumble In the Jungle 908]

please keep willie! the best leader on the team hands down.

[JBandJoeyV 1,533]

how does this rank him compared to other top LTs money wise?

[Guest IndianaBengal]

[quote name='BlackJesus' post='300710' date='Jul 25 2006, 04:29 PM'][center][img]http://bengals.enquirer.com/2002/04/28/ljcactus800_zoom.jpg[/img]
[/center][/quote]
He's thinkin', [size=5] "Joey Porter, Lick on my man-bag. I've got mine now bitch..." [/size]

[Guest BlackJesus]

[quote name='CJandRudiJ' post='300718' date='Jul 25 2006, 04:35 PM']how does this rank him compared to other top LTs money wise?[/quote]


[size=3]4th ... behind Ogden, Jones, and Pace[/size]

[TheChosenOne 0]

[b][size=6]FUCK YEAH![/b][/size]



Finally some positive fucking news!

And REALLY positive... we locked up a Top 5 LT who should have been a Pro Bowler, to protect Carson's blindside for the next six years... and didn't have to overpay to do it.

I wonder how many articles the media will write about this one? (probably not many)

[Guest Bengals1181]

[quote name='bengalrick' post='300703' date='Jul 25 2006, 04:25 PM']HUGE signing... now we can focus on steinbach and the draft picks...[/quote]


I think they'll start falling in line like dominos.


I think the only thing that has been holding up the draft picks is Levi and Eric's deal.



I say Eric is signed by tomorrow afternoon, and as Marvin said, all draft picks will be in tow by Friday night.

[|Montana Bengal| 432]

[quote name='Bengals1181' post='300722' date='Jul 25 2006, 02:36 PM']I think they'll start falling in line like dominos.
I think the only thing that has been holding up the draft picks is Levi and Eric's deal.
I say Eric is signed by tomorrow afternoon, and as Marvin said, all draft picks will be in tow by Friday night.[/quote]

I hope Eric is done that soon...but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a couple of weeks. Willie isn't coming back...if they haven't talked to him in such a long time...it seems sooo unlikely.