oldschooler Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 [quote][size=5][b]Benson, Crocker prepare [/b][/size] By GEOFF HOBSON February 10, 2009 Still no word Tuesday on the Bengals about a franchise tag (if not T.J. Houshmandzadeh then Shayne Graham?), but two guys they want to sign and won't get tagged are patiently prepping for the next few weeks. Both running back Cedric Benson and Chris Crocker said Tuesday they'd like it to work out in Cincinnati but they are also preparing to go on the market when free agency starts Feb. 27. Although Crocker and his wife have been on a whirlwind to Las Vegas, Mexico and Chicago, don't look for a lengthy free-agent tour. "Once the 27th hits, I'm not going to wait," Crocker said from his home base of Atlanta, where he has begun working out. "I'm signing in the first 24 hours. After that, the money starts drying up quick and it only goes lower. I'm going to be patient (before free agency)." Benson, who is running and lifting weights back in Texas, is taking the Que Sera, Sera approach. "Whatever happens is going to happen; we'll see how it plays out," Benson said. "I've never been one to limit my opportunities." One could make a persuasive argument that Benson and Crocker were the MVPs of their respective sides of the ball during the last half of last season and it's believed the Bengals have told their reps they want to sign them. Benson's 15-yard run against the Steelers that he punctuated by jettisoning Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu's helmet and Crocker's concussion shot on Steelers wide receiver and future Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes is just the kind of physical play the Bengals need against the Super Bowl champs. Both arrived off the street in the middle of the season (Benson on Sept. 30, Crocker Oct. 30), so they both already know how to be patient. And it looks like teams and players are doing that all around the NFL with few players re-signing with 17 days left before the deadline. With the worst economy in the free agency era slowing signings to a trickle in MLB, and the NFL salary cap rules undergoing their most drastic changes ever with an uncapped year looming in 2010, no one quite knows how Feb. 27 is going to go down. No question there is a lot of cap room out there, but this is also a year the NFL cut 150 employees and clubs have routinely laid off segments of their front office staffs. The Bengals haven't been forced to make such cuts, but no doubt they are scrutinizing the new cap rules for '09. Because '10 is uncapped, no money can be dumped into future years. All cap hits have to be absorbed in '09. As usual, teams can't go over the $123 million figure, but items like certain incentives that could be rolled into the next year can't. And if a big-ticket player is released or traded, it can't be spread over out years with a post-June 1 move. On the '09 NFL calendar, there is no June 1. Meanwhile, Benson and Crocker reiterated they would like to be back. Crocker says he's spoken to secondary coaches Kevin Coyle and Louie Cioffi as well as defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and been endorsed. "I would like to come back; Cincinnati is a great place," Crocker said. "I've been welcome there. The fans are great. This is pretty much the time to do it." Benson said staying in the same system would be on the plus side. "With a lot of changes, you have to adjust," Benson said.[/quote] [url="http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=7495"]http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=7495[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tigre Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Curious when off-the-street-mid-season aquisitions have the sway over their team. Classic case here. Both are sorely needed, and not readily replaced--at least in the short term. They have soP in an endgame checkmate position. See what he does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turningpoint Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Crocker is one smart cookie. Honestly if I'm an FA in this Market, I take the 1st decent deal a team throws on the table for me to sign. I'm willing to bet a great player will be out there come April,but no team will have the money to sign him and he could get screwed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky151 Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 [quote name='turningpoint' post='745804' date='Feb 11 2009, 09:24 AM']Crocker is one smart cookie. Honestly if I'm an FA in this Market, I take the 1st decent deal a team throws on the table for me to sign. I'm willing to bet a great player will be out there come April,but no team will have the money to sign him and he could get screwed.[/quote] There's a huge amount of cap space around the league. Teams might not want to pay somebody their asking price but there won't be studs available cheap in April. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inigo Montoya Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 [quote name='sparky151' post='745885' date='Feb 11 2009, 02:04 PM']There's a huge amount of cap space around the league. Teams might not want to pay somebody their asking price but there won't be studs available cheap in April.[/quote] Agreed. I've read projections where 1 out of three NFL teams has at least $25 million in 2009 cap space. Those numbers could also increase as teams dump veterans to clear extra space. The cream of this year's crop, guys like Haynesworth, Peppers, Gross, Suggs, Ray-Ray, Asomugha, etc., will still have the opportunity to land monster contracts if they aren't franchised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globetrotter Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 [quote name='Le Tigre' post='745796' date='Feb 11 2009, 08:58 AM']Curious when off-the-street-mid-season aquisitions have the sway over their team. Classic case here. Both are sorely needed, and not readily replaced--at least in the short term. They have soP in an endgame checkmate position. See what he does.[/quote] Thats what happens when you dont sign them to two year deals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|kennethmw| Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 [quote name='globetrotter' post='745892' date='Feb 11 2009, 03:38 PM']Thats what happens when you dont sign them to two year deals[/quote] It takes two to tango! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globetrotter Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 [quote name='kennethmw' post='745926' date='Feb 11 2009, 04:20 PM']It takes two to tango![/quote] Not when you are looking for a job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|kennethmw| Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 [quote name='globetrotter' post='745931' date='Feb 11 2009, 05:33 PM']Not when you are looking for a job.[/quote] Bullshit. I've been looking for a job before(obviously not on this level), and been told that this was the way it was, and I have negotiated to get some of the things I wanted that weren't in it originally. Now maybe a Chris Henry or a Packman Jones or even a Mike Doss( coming back from injury) may have less opportunity to negotiate, but both of these guys were healthy and had the ability to just not accept anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumble In the Jungle Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 i will be heart broken if we don't get those guys back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Bengal Migration| Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 [quote name='Rumble In the Jungle' post='745948' date='Feb 12 2009, 09:12 AM']i will be heart broken if we don't get those guys back [/quote] :rofl: Yeah, you'll be heart-broken to lose two guys who have played a total of 20 or so games for this team, and produced average to good results... but you're fine with letting Housh walk for nothing, when he's only been a pro-bowl player, and one of the few guys this team can count on week in and week out for 5 seasons straight. good grief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengals1181 Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 [quote name='globetrotter' post='745931' date='Feb 11 2009, 04:33 PM']Not when you are looking for a job.[/quote] I'm not quite sure you understand how the NFL works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumble In the Jungle Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 [quote name='Bengal Migration' post='745962' date='Feb 11 2009, 08:30 PM']:rofl: Yeah, you'll be heart-broken to lose two guys who have played a total of 20 or so games for this team, and produced average to good results... but you're fine with letting Housh walk for nothing, when he's only been a pro-bowl player, and one of the few guys this team can count on week in and week out for 5 seasons straight. good grief.[/quote] man, i love housh and would love for him to stay. my thing with him is i don't want to over pay him and benifit his pockets and not get what we want out of him. did you not see the flashes of caldwell man ? plus crocker and benson are young and have great talent. benson was a top 10 pick and he showed that with us last year. and any player that can give a stealer player concusion, is good in my book! hell benson layed out palamalu, and crocker lit up santonio like a christmas tree! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eva4ben-gal Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 [quote name='Bengals1181' post='745969' date='Feb 11 2009, 08:06 PM']I'm not quite sure you understand how the NFL works.[/quote] So if the Bengals had come to Crocker and Benson and said we'll sign you but only at a two-year deal, take it or leave it, you think Benson and Crocker would have walked away? When you've been cut by your team and are sitting at home on Sunday's you're going to take whatever you can get if you really want to play again. It would have been stupid for the Bengals to sign either of them to a multi-year deal though because they were cut for a reason. A one-year deal with a club option for a second year probably would have been wise though. At the same time, I don't think the Bengals envisioned either of them being good enough to ask back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eva4ben-gal Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 [quote name='Rumble In the Jungle' post='745975' date='Feb 11 2009, 08:23 PM']man, i love housh and would love for him to stay. my thing with him is i don't want to over pay him and benifit his pockets and not get what we want out of him. did you not see the flashes of caldwell man ? plus crocker and benson are young and have great talent. benson was a top 10 pick and he showed that with us last year. and any player that can give a stealer player concusion, is good in my book! hell benson layed out palamalu, and crocker lit up santonio like a christmas tree![/quote] Who cares if we win, just as long as we hurt the steelers right? Caldwell did show FLASHES but he hasn't even put together one solid season, let alone a pro bowl season. What happens if you throw all your eggs in his basket and he blows out his knee in training camp? Right now he's a good complement to a vested vet like Housh, not a replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Bengal Migration| Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 [quote name='eva4ben-gal' post='745978' date='Feb 12 2009, 11:28 AM']Who cares if we win, just as long as we hurt the steelers right? [b]Caldwell did show FLASHES but he hasn't even put together one solid season, let alone a pro bowl season.[/b] What happens if you throw all your eggs in his basket and he blows out his knee in training camp? [b]Right now he's a good complement to a vested vet like Housh, not a replacement[/b].[/quote] beat me to it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengals1181 Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 [quote name='eva4ben-gal' post='745976' date='Feb 11 2009, 08:24 PM'][b]So if the Bengals had come to Crocker and Benson and said we'll sign you but only at a two-year deal, take it or leave it, you think Benson and Crocker would have walked away? [/b]When you've been cut by your team and are sitting at home on Sunday's you're going to take whatever you can get if you really want to play again. It would have been stupid for the Bengals to sign either of them to a multi-year deal though because they were cut for a reason. A one-year deal with a club option for a second year probably would have been wise though. At the same time, I don't think the Bengals envisioned either of them being good enough to ask back.[/quote] in a league where everyone is given a 3rd, 4th, or 5th chance and an uncapped year is coming up? And in Benson's case he still had a small pile of cash to sit on? Yea I think they probably played for a 1yr deal where they could showcase and try and cash in the next year. In Crocker's case you're right that they probably didn't expect him to do much and be worth bringing back. Don't see them doing the same with Benson, who was a high draft pick with obvious talent. I'm willing to bet that we tried to get a multi-yr deal and it didn't happen. As a high-profile RB he had some cards to play if he could have a good season (which he did). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tigre Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 Ditto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eva4ben-gal Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 [quote name='Bengals1181' post='745986' date='Feb 11 2009, 08:54 PM']in a league where everyone is given a 3rd, 4th, or 5th chance and an uncapped year is coming up? And in Benson's case he still had a small pile of cash to sit on? Yea I think they probably played for a 1yr deal where they could showcase and try and cash in the next year. In Crocker's case you're right that they probably didn't expect him to do much and be worth bringing back. Don't see them doing the same with Benson, who was a high draft pick with obvious talent. I'm willing to bet that we tried to get a multi-yr deal and it didn't happen. As a high-profile RB he had some cards to play if he could have a good season (which he did).[/quote] Shaun Alexander got signed before Benson didn't he? I don't think anyone but the Bengals was going to come calling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyrid Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 I'm with Eva on this, if the Bengals wanted to, they could have made them sign 2 year deals. These guys were floating out there on the waiver wire for a long time and people are way overestimating their bargaining power and their incentive to even try to bargain. But, from the Bengals perspective, they were just as likely to play like Schlegel or one of the other stiffs we've gotten as to play as well as they did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumble In the Jungle Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 [quote name='eva4ben-gal' post='745978' date='Feb 11 2009, 09:28 PM']Who cares if we win, just as long as we hurt the steelers right? Caldwell did show FLASHES but he hasn't even put together one solid season, let alone a pro bowl season. What happens if you throw all your eggs in his basket and he blows out his knee in training camp? Right now he's a good complement to a vested vet like Housh, not a replacement.[/quote] we put our eggs in one basket with carson! gave him the richest deal for any QB! i love carson believe me, but if he gets hurt again and can't stay healthy, i want us to either sign another vet QB or draft someone else. and, yes as long as we put the hurt on the stealers, im solid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengals1181 Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 [quote name='eva4ben-gal' post='745992' date='Feb 11 2009, 09:26 PM']Shaun Alexander got signed before Benson didn't he? I don't think anyone but the Bengals was going to come calling.[/quote] almost positive Benson signed first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|kennethmw| Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 [quote name='happyrid' post='745994' date='Feb 11 2009, 10:30 PM']I'm with Eva on this, if the Bengals wanted to, they could have made them sign 2 year deals. These guys were floating out there on the waiver wire for a long time and people are way overestimating their bargaining power and their incentive to even try to bargain. But, from the Bengals perspective, they were just as likely to play like Schlegel or one of the other stiffs we've gotten as to play as well as they did.[/quote] You can be with Eva and Globetrotter, It's OK to be wrong!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldschooler Posted February 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 [quote name='eva4ben-gal' post='745992' date='Feb 11 2009, 08:26 PM']Shaun Alexander got signed before Benson didn't he? I don't think anyone but the Bengals was going to come calling.[/quote] No. Benson was signed September 30th. Shaun Alexander was signed October 14th. [quote name='happyrid' post='745994' date='Feb 11 2009, 08:30 PM']I'm with Eva on this, if the Bengals wanted to, they could have made them sign 2 year deals. [b]These guys were floating out there on the waiver wire for a long time [/b]and people are way overestimating their bargaining power and their incentive to even try to bargain. But, from the Bengals perspective, they were just as likely to play like Schlegel or one of the other stiffs we've gotten as to play as well as they did.[/quote] Crocker was a FA all of 9 days before we signed him. (Released by the Dolphins October 21st, signed by the Bengals October 30th). Benson was signed 5 days after his charges were dropped. The charges against him were the only reason teams weren't signing him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|SF2| Posted February 13, 2009 Report Share Posted February 13, 2009 [quote name='Le Tigre' post='745796' date='Feb 11 2009, 09:58 AM']Curious when off-the-street-mid-season aquisitions have the sway over their team. Classic case here. Both are sorely needed, and not readily replaced--at least in the short term. They have soP in an endgame checkmate position. See what he does.[/quote] This would not be a problem if we didn't have so many other FAs and holes to fill. The reality is anytime you can sign a guy off the street mid season and he becomes a starter, you have issues (injuries or bad players to begin with). We have a combination of both particularly at RB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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