What happens if Bengals' tackle Andre Smith holds out?

by Kirkendall on Jun 15, 2009 9:09 AM EDT in Analysis Comment 9 comments

Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Andre Smith hits a pad during football minicamp at Paul Brown Stadium, Friday, May 1, 2009, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/David Kohl)

6 months ago: Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Andre Smith hits a pad during football minicamp at Paul Brown Stadium, Friday, May 1, 2009, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/David Kohl)

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The reality is that Andre Smith is likely missing some portion of training camp while contract negotiations possibly continue into August. Note, however, that this isn't fact. Signing top-ten draft picks before training camp isn't only a problem that the Bengals have; it tends to be a league-thing. Specifically speaking of Cincinnati, the last top-ten pick that the Bengals had to sign, Keith Rivers, held out for ten days and missed 12 practices last year. Carson Palmer signed a contract the week leading up to the 2003 NFL draft. Levi Jones signed his rookie contract on July 25, 2002. The team started camp on the 26th. Justin Smith didn't sign his deal in 2001 until the week leading into the first regular season game of the year.

The fifth overall pick, Mark Sanchez, already signed his deal with the Jets, setting the ceiling for negotiations for the team's rookie tackle. In truth, the Bengals and Smith's agent Alvin Keel, can start talks right now. In a perfect world, both sides will come to an agreement before July 31.

It's been noted several times that Smith tends to have an immaturity side to him, needing a strong authority figure to keep him focused. If negotiations go deep into training camp, how likely is it that Smith will be working out on his own? If he's late to camp, inaction could lead to lengthy return, forced into a conditioning program to get back into football shape while the rest of the team is preparing for the first game of the season.

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I hope I'm wrong ...

… but I gotta real, real bad feeling about Mr. Andre “Dairy Queen” Smith. Might be the League’s first OL diva, and another team distration … or at the very least, guy operating with a few loose screws.

I just don’t see him signing until after the season starts. Again, hope I’m wrong.

by Timzilla on Jun 15, 2009 12:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree, every time I read an article about how his rookie progression is above average and he is doing pretty well.. I feel a sinking in my stomach that it will not matter until next year..

by 80%OFTHETIMEIMRIGHTEVERYTIME on Jun 15, 2009 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

mmm.... Dairy Queen.....

by ephram on Jun 15, 2009 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Timzilla

I agree I hope you are wrong. I think a majority of the waiting process “holdouts” rests not only with the player, but also the agent. Given the state of his agent situation, one would be concerned.

About being a “diva”
I have to disagree with this statement. The guy loves football and has been reportedly quiet and lacks man of the rookie mistakes on the field. I believe that the guy made some bad mistakes in the offseason. Is this the only evidence you have? Did he show continued “diva” trends in years past.

On the flip side: If the guy proves to be a good pick, wouldn’t you want the guy being confident and pumping up the Bengals team?

by VACincyfan on Jun 15, 2009 1:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

VCf, I have no direct evidence ...

… other than reading/hearing how Andre ended his Alabama days, the suspension, the “I’m quitting the Combine” antic, and his strange agent-go-round drama … all of which isn’t your normal entry to the NFL. My fear is, Andre may suffer from the same immaturity, selfish, me-me-me-me-me-me Chad Johnson gene. And yes, I do want a guy being confident and pumping up the team, but that quality doesn’t come with a diva. Leaders are typically mature, wise and have their heads screwed on right. Like Yoda.

by Timzilla on Jun 15, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hope i'm wrong too....

Personally, when i saw that Eugene Monroe fell to us during the draft, I was a little more than happy to see that we’d be getting him.
Then my elation turned to mild disappointment when we took Smith. It was ‘mild’ because at least they took an OT (which was a major need) and not a WR, RB, etc…
As minicamp unfolded, you could see the intention was to get A Smith all along to move Whit to LT. Personally, i’d preferred to see E Monroe at LT & keep Whit at LG, or move to RT.

So I hope i’m wrong about A Smith. Hey, i’m not a scout or NFL executive, so what do i know? Maybe A Smith will turn out to be great. But then again Mike Brown isn’t a real scout or real NFL executive either…. :-(

by ephram on Jun 15, 2009 9:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Monroes knees made me okay with taking Andre instead

If both players were equally injury prone I would have preferred taking the true LT. But Monroe has had some knee issues in the past, and word leading up to the draft was medical exams revealed cause for concern about future knee injuries (similar to reports about Greg Oden leading up to his draft and we all know how thats going).

That may all be bogus or misinformation leaked by teams that wanted Monroe to fall to them but at #6 I wouldn’t take any chances on an OT with suspect knees. Plus i’m stoked Andre may become the next Willie Anderson. Stud OT that has an ugly body type but dominates on the right side of the line

by CincyMike56 on Jun 16, 2009 2:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Andre Smith possible contract

2 years ago:
QB J Russel (#1) – 6 $61Mil (29g)

Last year:
OT Long (#1) – 5yr $57.5Mil (30g)
QB Ryan (#3) – 6yr $72Mil (34g)
DE Golston (#6) – 5yr $50Mil ($21g)
QB Flacco (#18) – 5yr $30Mil (8.75g)

This year:
M Stafford (#1) – 6yr $72Mil ($41.7g)
M Sanchez (#5) – 5yr $60Mil ($28g)
A Smith (#6) – ???

Looking for a common thread, there was a #1 overall QB in 07 and 09. The jump works out to be 8.5% per year increase. I didn’t include Jake Long because QB is a unique position. Including him, the jumps work out to be 12.7% and 4.3%.
Anyway, I think this works out that an 8.5% to 10% increase per year is reliable.

Since 2008 #6 was a lineman, i think you can apply the 8.5% to 10% increase to get A Smith’s contract, as another lineman.
Applying 9% to Golston’s 5yr $50M ($21g) you get…..
5 Years, $54.5Mil, $23Mil gauranteed. for Andre Smith

I’d guess within a week into camp, he will sign.

by ephram on Jun 15, 2009 10:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs