Free Agency Day 1 Recap: Lots of Quiet Noise

Baker, Pitts, Williams are the only guys I’ve heard of.

Haven’t heard of anyone inquiring about Bengals RFAs.

Of course, it’s only day one.

Still would like to see Pitts sign too.

But it appears the Bengals have also made a call on Antonio Bryant, who has been on four teams since the Cowboys took him seven seasons ago in the second round of the 2002 draft. The 6-1, 192-pound Bryant struggled in Tampa Bay’s horrendous offense this past season with 39 catches for 600 yards. But he’s also just two years removed from his career-best season of 83 catches for 1,248 yards and seven touchdowns, also with Tampa Bay. Agent Lamont Smith had no comment.

if they sign an unrestricted free agent to any kind of a deal at all, they lose a chance to get a third- or fourth-round pick as compensation.

For instance, because Coles was cut last year before free agency, he doesn’t count in free-agency compensation. Since the Bengals lost wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, right tackle Stacy Andrews and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick last year in free agency, Coles doesn’t count against that and they should emerge with an extra third-round pick and maybe a fourth as compensation

I don’t know how to make this clear, lol.

He’s 30, a good age for TE, he can block, he has great hands, and he’s refined his route-running and he’s pretty damn good at that too.

We never do anything early in FA. If we’re reserving a WR signing for the above mentioned compensatory reasons, that makes sense.

Losing Tanks can be accounted for via the draft. It’s exceptionally deep at DT. This FA period has a lot of good DT talent too.

Boldin – don’t sweat too much. I would have liked the move had we acquired him, but it was never on the radar.

PIT used the franchise tender on K Jeff Reed. LOL.

No I’m not cool with Josh Reed either.

I’m staying awake until either the Bengals do something or I pass out

Boldin’s primary problem was money. He’s also a competitor, plays hard including risking injury (and paying for it), and he is a team guy in many ways. You should go look up the sound-FX clips from the Saints-Cards playoff game this year. There’s a couple of shots of him trying to help pump his team back up after the Saints landed some haymakers.

Few WRs are ever going to qualify for the Walter Payton award, but he’s not half as bad as he’s made out to be. Which is why I have to agree with Josh, I really would have preferred that he wasn’t in our division. Then again, we’ve got corners that can handle him if we can get a decent push up front so they don’t have to cover for 10 seconds. So I’m not exactly heartbroken over it either.

And I thnk some other Bengal. The offer for Tank must have been offensive-or it’s a power play.

Now the question remains, is this a negotiating ploy or not?

but the dude is rock solid, and can line up anywhere.

" Notice that the good teams stay clear of FA and build their team from the draft."
All the good teams pick up FA’s all of the time. Patriots, Vikings, Green Bay, Indy, Dallas, Philly, and somewhat Miami, Shitzburgh, and NYG. The Bengals rarely ever sign FA’s. If they do, they usually sign the likings of a Matt Jones. They never give up any draft picks to obtain any good players and always try to build their team through the draft. That is Mikey for ya and good teams here in recent years obtain good FA’s. The cheaper FA’s don’t work out unless you pick them up off of a rebound b/c of some character issues.
Although, I agree with you on signing Hall and JJ to extend their contracts. Seems like that is what Mikey Boy is going to do, sign Baker and go after Chambers , TO, or Bryant. Whom ever is there at the end and is cheaper. And there probably won’t be anybody to sign, after the smoke clears. Then he will sign Hall and JJ.