Report: Andre Smith looking for a five-year deal worth $40 million

by Josh Kirkendall on Aug 9, 2009 2:16 PM EDT in Contracts

Hours after I said that the Andre Smith storyline isn't the most important right now, I found an update that I somehow missed. I know, shocking. We know a few things. We know that the Raiders signed Darrius Heyward-Bey to a five-year $38.4 million deal on July 31. Reportedly on the following Monday, the Bengals offered Smith $33 million over five years.

The issue. The Raiders blew away the slotting system, causing problems not with just Smith, but the Packers and B.J. Raji, the Jaguars and Eugene Monroe and the Bills and Aaron Maybin. In a piece written by Joe Reedy, the Raiders gave 22% more than the same pick slotted last year. Teams, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tom Silverstein writes, are frantically working at only a 13%-14% increase. Last year, Vernon Gholston signed $32.5 million deal (that could max out at $50 million). The Bengals only offered $500,000 more. Gholston was last year's number sixth pick.

On a piece dated August 7, the NFL Network's Steve Wyche reports that Smith's camp is looking for a five-year deal worth $40 million. That's $1.5 million more than Heyward-Bey. That's also, roughly a 23% increase over Gholston's deal last year. You can call the Bengals cheap, or blame them for negotiations. Historically, that's more justified than not. However the fact is, the Raiders screwed up negotiations for several teams around the seventh overall pick.

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E Monroe

My guess is that the Bengals will wait to see what E Monroe gets and they will go from there. The Jags were the last team to sign their #1 last year……..so this might not be done for a while.

by nadfflictar on Aug 9, 2009 3:10 PM EDT reply actions

Proves a point...

Al Davis needs to die. Once again; he does some moronic deal and now? We have to pay (literally) for it…

by roy1elvis on Aug 9, 2009 5:25 PM EDT reply actions

Aaron Curry only got 34 million guaranteed and he was taken before Andre. If Andre wants more than that it is going to be a very long hold out.

by Greener's eyes on Aug 9, 2009 8:44 PM EDT reply actions

that was guaranteed, not total

Andre Smith isn’t asking for more than 34 million guaranteed. Curry’s deal was for the 34 million guaranteed (for six years rather than five), but the ceiling on it ran to $60 mil. The 40 million referred to above is the max. number on the contract; he and his agent are probably looking at 25 million in guaranteed money. Much as I would like to gag on this amount, with picks 4,5 and 7 all signed, it’s about the best the current market system will give to the Bengals for Smith this year. If Mike Brown wants to do something about the issue, let him work with the league and the other owners to try to bring in a rookie cap in the next CBA. Proving the point with this negotiation just harms the competitive position of this team.

by Mr. X on Aug 9, 2009 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions

if Smith and his agent wanted 25 mil in guaranteed money, dont you think they would have jumped on the Bengals offer of 33 mil guaranteed??

some one needs to lay off the booze..

by 80%OFTHETIMEIMRIGHTEVERYTIME on Aug 10, 2009 12:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Yup. Its you.

The Bengals offered 33 million TOTAL. With (obviously) less guaranteed.

by FriarBob on Aug 10, 2009 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions

yea, you are right.. I was def drunk, whoops

by 80%OFTHETIMEIMRIGHTEVERYTIME on Aug 10, 2009 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions

You know what

Ya,Al Davis is crazy old cugdger and payed too much but Mike Brown shot himself in the foot he waited to be slotted and it bit him in the ass now he has to pay more….He should have gotten the deal done before DHB signed …. SO PAY ANDRE and get him in camp >_>

by kazkal on Aug 9, 2009 10:17 PM EDT reply actions

You know what II:

1) Agree with Kazkal Mikey should have been aggressive and SET the slotting curve.
2) Al Davis can spend his money anyway he sees fit.
3) Who can blame Smith and Crabtree for what they are doing?
4) Other owners should try to screw Al Davis over at every turn. Maybe Bernard Scott for McFadden?

by mskiles314 on Aug 9, 2009 10:27 PM EDT reply actions

Brown needs to get it together......

Okay, first off, I have major issues with Andre Smith as our 1st overall pick in the draft in the first place. And I take issue with him not being signed this late into training camp.

To the Bengals organization, two questions:
If you didn’t think Smith was worth paying for, why pick him?
And if you thought he was worth picking, then why are letting the talent you thought you needed so badly, sit out training camp, setting you back for the season, again?

It’s ridiculous. If you thought he was worth picking, even through his weight issues and his antics throughout the NFL Combine, then you should be willing to get this guy signed, and get him into camp where it’s vital for his learning curve.

I’ve been a die hard, and I mean DIE HARD Bengals fan for over 22 yrs. I’m tired of the lack of obvious urgency to get a team on the field that is capable of winning the end prize. Hell I’d be happy for a real playoff run.

I’ll tell you what, I’ll take league minimum and I’ll fix the franchise and make it what it should be. It’s not that hard people.

If you don’t want the guy, then don’t pick him. Since you picked him, get him signed. I’m not looking forward to another 11-4-1 season!

You owe your loyal fans better than that!

by Whodey4life88 on Aug 10, 2009 12:01 AM EDT reply actions

Im a little bummed with the tie... but Id take an 11-4-1 season...

by 80%OFTHETIMEIMRIGHTEVERYTIME on Aug 10, 2009 12:41 AM EDT up reply actions

Snicker. Me too! :)

by FriarBob on Aug 10, 2009 8:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Owners are destroying this game

Look what Bengals had to pay Irons and what did they get back. These days, it is easy to pop a knee, torn a ligament and you’re gone for good. Ball players want guaranteed money but what do guarantee do they give back?

by Richard L on Aug 10, 2009 3:02 AM EDT reply actions

Andre Smith

Lets face it, the Brown family never gets out negotiated. They are just better business people. They run the franchise for profit, which makes them a little bit unusual in the NFL. If I was advising them, I give Smith an opportunity to make about 11-12% over last year but tie it to incentives, %body fat each year, pro bowl appearances, no legal trouble and work out commitments. I’ve got a feeling this guy is going to struggle each year to stay in shape.

by Gauleiter on Aug 10, 2009 8:48 AM EDT reply actions

This is much bigger than A. Smith and M. Brown

As of Saturday there were still 8 first rounders unsigned. It looks like the dominoes are falling now with Jackson, Curry, and Malcom Jenkins signing over the weekend. We all know Brown is cheap but common. I don’t see how we keep giving these unproven rookies 12%-15% more than the same pick from the year before. Can you name any other business that gives raises that big. This has gotten way too far out of control and as much as I can beat up on Brown, I have to side with him on this one. These numbers I am seeing are ridiculous. If you want to pay a proven franchise player that kind of money, fine. But there is no way that you give that to a 22 year old who has never taken a snap in the NFL.

by smoormandiddy on Aug 10, 2009 8:57 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Well… no way you give that out IF you have either any sense and/or any control over the matter at all.

I can’t wait for the new CBA negotiations to start.

by FriarBob on Aug 10, 2009 8:58 AM EDT up reply actions

But training camp isn’t the time to make a statement. Try the next CBA. As someone mentioned above, it’s Brown’s fault for waiting so long and putting himself at the mercy of the slotting system. Very few people on Earth are actually worth this kind of money, but under the current system these players can hold out for it and many times get it.

by bodacio on Aug 10, 2009 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions

how much bigger than Andre can you get?

He must be like trying to feed Clifford the big red dog.

by UpStateMike on Aug 10, 2009 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions

RE: Guaranteed money

I haven’t seen any reports of guaranteed money yet. All of the figures we’ve talked about so far are primarily base salary — we’re likely not even figuring total value money at this point either — incentives, roster and workout bonuses, etc…

I just wanted to clear that up.

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Aug 10, 2009 11:20 AM EDT reply actions

Sanchez

…Deserves as much of the blame as Bey, considering he’s actually making more than DHB.

by IFChris on Aug 10, 2009 3:26 PM EDT reply actions

As more picks are signed...

the more that 5 yr $40 M actually looks “reasonable”. Now, I mean only that it is reasonable relative to deals this year, not that any of this is actually reasonable in the traditional sense.

Just assume the deal calls for $25M guaranteed, and look at how this would theoretically stack against the other deals in the top ten. Below is a modified listing of the PER YEAR total and guaranteed contracts (adjusted this way to make the 6 & 5 yr deals equitable)

1. Matthew Stafford – 12 / 6.9
2 Jason Smith – 12.2 / 6.6
3. Tyson Jackson – 11.4 / 6.2
4. Aaron Curry – 10 / 5.6
5. Mark Sanchez – 12 / 5.6
6. Andre Smith** – 8 / 5 **
7. Darrius Heyward-Bey – 7 / 4.7

I mean, i hate to say it because they are all so inflated, but it fits. So what the hell is the hold up?

by swebbIL on Aug 10, 2009 8:08 PM EDT reply actions

Mike isn’t willing to pay that much, of course.

by FriarBob on Aug 10, 2009 8:59 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree that the rookies get way overpaid, but I too thought $40 mil fit the scale

by 80%OFTHETIMEIMRIGHTEVERYTIME on Aug 10, 2009 11:02 PM EDT up reply actions

*oops
at least he didnt ask for something totally outrageous that was way outside the scale, OR pull a crabtree and threaten the season.. someone pay the man!

by 80%OFTHETIMEIMRIGHTEVERYTIME on Aug 10, 2009 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions