By now you've probably heard that Madieu Williams and Landon Johnson will likely enter free agency without any deal with the Bengals. Even though the sides are talking, one has to wonder how far discussions will go at this point now that Landon Johnson's agent is saying "that's just the way it's headed - to free agency." A deal for Williams is looking bleak with his agent saying "There is a chance of that," Zuckerman said. "But it takes two (sides)."
Makes you wonder. Is the failure to find terms a product of cheap front office management? Possible. Or is it that neither player truly figures into the all-but-confirmed 3-4 conversion? Even Geoff Hobson makes the point that "Landon isn't the answer in a 3-4." I doubt the same logic applies to Madieu Williams which could simply be a failure to find a financial middle-ground. Williams could be overstating his value while the Bengals -- myself included -- haven't seen much reward in the safety after having high expectations when he was drafted in 2004.
At any rate, the Bengals are likely losing Williams, Landon and Justin Smith. Depending on what they do in the free agency market (likely nothing at all), the Bengals could have a decent number of compensatory draft picks next season to make up for losing three defensive starters.