The Jacksonville Jaguars signed their first round pick, Eugene Monroe, today, and guess what? He's making more than the guy picked after him. Here are some details, via ESPN:
Monroe's deal was expected to be worth a little more than the reported five-year, $28.5 million ($18 million guaranteed) that the ninth pick, Green Bay Packers defensive tackle B.J. Raji , agreed to Thursday, according to the Times-Union, which cited an unnamed NFL source.
So I ask, yet again: Why on earth, with EVERY OTHER TEAM signing their first rounder to a contract that's higher than the player(s) picked after, do the Bengals think offering Andre Smith LESS THAN Darrius Heyward-Bey is good and wise business decision? I know I've been beating this horse to death, but until Smith is signed, I'm going to continue to do so -- especially after watching Katie Blackburn's pathetic attempt to explain the situation away on Hard Knocks.
Regardless of all the baggage surrounding the Bengals first-round pick -- justified or not -- as HBO showed us, he's been working out, getting in shape, and working on his footwork in anticipation of joining his teammates. Meanwhile, us fans are left with a front office staff that looks more and more foolish, as other teams actually sign their rookies and get them into camp.
Hey, at least we have Blackburn's "explanations" to pacify us, right?
Goddammit.