Bengals Offer Tenders To Johnathan Joseph, Brandon Johnson And Nate Livings

by Josh Kirkendall on Mar 2, 2011 4:24 PM EST in Contracts

According to Joe Reedy, the Bengals made qualifying tenders to cornerback Johnathan Joseph, linebacker Brandon Johnson and offensive guard Nate Livings on Wednesday. Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, Joseph and Johnson are restricted free agents with only five years of experience.

A restricted free agent is a player with five accrued seasons or less in the NFL, allowing the original club to match any contract offer from another club. For example, Joseph can negotiate with any team, but the Bengals have an opportunity to match any deal within seven days. If they decide not to, then the Bengals are compensated with whatever level the Bengals placed on the player. In Joseph's case, the Bengals would receive a first and third round draft pick in compensation. Brandon Johnson would be a second round pick while Nate Livings would offer nothing in return.

In truth, the gesture is largely meaningless, considering that a new Collective Bargaining Agreement would likely wipe out the restricted free agent tenders. A new CBA could also reset pre-uncapped year restrictions back to three accrued seasons before a player becomes an unrestricted free agent after their fourth season.

Reedy later wrote on the subject:

Once a new collective bargaining agreement is reached though, the tender could become a moot point since players going into their sixth season are expected to become unrestricted free agents.

After Oakland's Nnamdi Asomugha, Joseph was considered the second best among free agent cornerbacks. And now that Denver has signed corner Champ Bailey to a four-year contract worth $43 million, Joseph may have a measuring stick of how much he'll ask for from any team that attempts to sign him. If he does sign for a similar contract, will the Bengals elect to pay him or let him walk and receive first and third round draft picks instead?

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Just dumb!!!

by Dwight Carter on Mar 2, 2011 4:32 PM EST reply actions

Lots of teams are placing tenders on players, just in case.

It doesn’t hurt but you’d like to see them just sign the damn players.

by Cry on Mar 2, 2011 4:39 PM EST reply actions

*... Except Nate Livings...

…don’t sign nate livings

by Trevor 85 on Mar 2, 2011 4:46 PM EST up reply actions

"Nate Livings would offer nothing in return."

That about sums him up.

"The only thing we have to fear is, Mike Brown himself."

by DrainBamage on Mar 2, 2011 4:47 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

likes this

by Trevor 85 on Mar 2, 2011 4:51 PM EST up reply actions

I can count the number of teams that will pursue him on zero fingers

Yet some chucklehead at PBS will continue to believe that he should be a starter.

"The only thing we have to fear is, Mike Brown himself."

by DrainBamage on Mar 2, 2011 4:54 PM EST up reply actions

Said "chucklehead"

would be Mike Brown.

by Anthony Cosenza on Mar 2, 2011 4:57 PM EST up reply actions

A step in the right direction

It means they’re at least trying to get Joseph back. Given this news, Joseph’s statements about wanting to come back and Marvin’s saying they’re trying to re-sign him, I’m relatively optimistic that he’ll be back. We’ll see though. It’s especially huge if they re-sign J-Joe because that would open up the draft and not force them to take Peterson at #4. The only way Peterson should be the pick is if they lose out on J-Joe.

Is anyone else surprised that they didn’t offer a tender to Benson?

by Anthony Cosenza on Mar 2, 2011 4:54 PM EST reply actions

Looks like a tactic to me

A ~$40M contract PLUS a 1st and 3rd round pick are hugely expensive. Looks to me like Mikey is trying to drive off interest from other teams so he can get JJoe back as cheap as possible. It’s a move so brilliant only a lawyer could think of it.

"The only thing we have to fear is, Mike Brown himself."

by DrainBamage on Mar 2, 2011 4:58 PM EST up reply actions