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Re: Bengals: Shayne Graham "Franchise Player"
This was from the local newspaper here in Cincy... Interesting take on thier two top WRs...
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Take a pass on T.J., Chad
Bengals' best move is to part with star WRs T.J., Ocho Cinco
The Bengals should allow the circus to leave town. It wouldn't be easy to deal two wideouts for a few quality draft picks, even for two wideouts as accomplished as Chad Ocho Cinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. But if the club wants to get serious about changing its look and its mood, it needs to break ties with Butch and Sundance.
Sure, Doc. Are you crazy? Whom should Carson Palmer throw to next season, the side judge? Isaac Curtis is retired. So is the Woody Hayes offense.
The Bengals' offensive line is as complete as The Banks. Stacy Andrews is rehabilitating a blown knee, Levi Jones is never right. If Eric Ghiaciuc is the answer at center, what's the question?
Anthony Collins showed some of the right stuff. Nate Livings can play. Andrew Whitworth is solid. Bobbie Williams is a boulder. Draft a tackle in Round 1, a center in Round 2, keep Butch and Sundance and stop being so negative.
They're still down a tackle. They're still thin at running back, even if Cedric Benson returns. They don't rush the passer. The road to titles in the AFC North is paved with large men who can move.
I'd rather think of you, Doc, upside down and strapped to a blocking sled. The offense without Chad and T.J.?
You don't win with great wide receivers; you win by protecting the passer and rushing the passer. The Bengals were awful at both last year. If Butch and Sundance return for yet another sequel and the line doesn't improve vastly, Palmer isn't going to have time to make them (even more) famous. Palmer's not exactly moon-walking back there.
The likelihood isn't great of the Bengals trading for draft picks two aging stars who don't want to be here, but it's worth a try.
Ocho Cinco's agent, the annoying Drew Rosenhaus, is still trying to get his client gone. Rosenhaus wants to keep business behind closed doors this offseason. I guess that's why he went on the radio in Miami last week.
Houshmandzadeh has made it plain he doesn't want the Bengals' franchise tag and won't attend voluntary workouts if he gets it.
The $9.88 million tag fee for a one-year deal sounds like a lot of money, even in the Neverland of pro sports. It's not, if Houshmandzadeh gets hurt enough this year that he can't play anymore. He was there to witness franchise player Andrews blow out his knee at the end of last year. Financially, it was a potentially devastating injury. T.J. wants no part of that.
Ocho Cinco has two years left on his contract. Ownership might finally understand that No. 85's talent isn't worth the trouble, at least not here. The chance of him changing who he is might be as likely as the club getting two first-round picks for him. How would a No. 2 and, say, a No. 5 sound?
Houshmandzadeh probably wants at least a three-year deal, with a lot of bonus money. If he got what he thought was fair here, T.J. would be a huge asset to the Bengals. Most likely, he won't. The Bengals don't want to pay for that many years. They could tag him to buy negotiating time. They did that with Andrews; how did that work out?
They could tag T.J. and trade him, the smart move. They could tag him and see if the economy drags down his asking price. Or they could simply let him walk. Which is the best option?
Do you really want two of your most high-profile locker room presences unhappy with their stations in life? Do you really believe you can keep both or even one and still overhaul the O-line? The early rounds of the draft this year are crammed with quality linemen, according to the "experts." Wouldn't stockpiling choices and using them to start over on offense be a smart play?
How have Butch and Sundance helped the team win lately?
The defense is good enough to keep the Bengals in most games. The offense has gone from dynamic to dysfunctional to disastrous. Tinkering isn't what's needed. Time for Butch and Sundance to get their parting gifts and what they really want, which is outta here. It'd be best for all concerned.
This was from the local newspaper here in Cincy... Interesting take on thier two top WRs...
-------------------------------------------------------------
Take a pass on T.J., Chad
Bengals' best move is to part with star WRs T.J., Ocho Cinco
The Bengals should allow the circus to leave town. It wouldn't be easy to deal two wideouts for a few quality draft picks, even for two wideouts as accomplished as Chad Ocho Cinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. But if the club wants to get serious about changing its look and its mood, it needs to break ties with Butch and Sundance.
Sure, Doc. Are you crazy? Whom should Carson Palmer throw to next season, the side judge? Isaac Curtis is retired. So is the Woody Hayes offense.
The Bengals' offensive line is as complete as The Banks. Stacy Andrews is rehabilitating a blown knee, Levi Jones is never right. If Eric Ghiaciuc is the answer at center, what's the question?
Anthony Collins showed some of the right stuff. Nate Livings can play. Andrew Whitworth is solid. Bobbie Williams is a boulder. Draft a tackle in Round 1, a center in Round 2, keep Butch and Sundance and stop being so negative.
They're still down a tackle. They're still thin at running back, even if Cedric Benson returns. They don't rush the passer. The road to titles in the AFC North is paved with large men who can move.
I'd rather think of you, Doc, upside down and strapped to a blocking sled. The offense without Chad and T.J.?
You don't win with great wide receivers; you win by protecting the passer and rushing the passer. The Bengals were awful at both last year. If Butch and Sundance return for yet another sequel and the line doesn't improve vastly, Palmer isn't going to have time to make them (even more) famous. Palmer's not exactly moon-walking back there.
The likelihood isn't great of the Bengals trading for draft picks two aging stars who don't want to be here, but it's worth a try.
Ocho Cinco's agent, the annoying Drew Rosenhaus, is still trying to get his client gone. Rosenhaus wants to keep business behind closed doors this offseason. I guess that's why he went on the radio in Miami last week.
Houshmandzadeh has made it plain he doesn't want the Bengals' franchise tag and won't attend voluntary workouts if he gets it.
The $9.88 million tag fee for a one-year deal sounds like a lot of money, even in the Neverland of pro sports. It's not, if Houshmandzadeh gets hurt enough this year that he can't play anymore. He was there to witness franchise player Andrews blow out his knee at the end of last year. Financially, it was a potentially devastating injury. T.J. wants no part of that.
Ocho Cinco has two years left on his contract. Ownership might finally understand that No. 85's talent isn't worth the trouble, at least not here. The chance of him changing who he is might be as likely as the club getting two first-round picks for him. How would a No. 2 and, say, a No. 5 sound?
Houshmandzadeh probably wants at least a three-year deal, with a lot of bonus money. If he got what he thought was fair here, T.J. would be a huge asset to the Bengals. Most likely, he won't. The Bengals don't want to pay for that many years. They could tag him to buy negotiating time. They did that with Andrews; how did that work out?
They could tag T.J. and trade him, the smart move. They could tag him and see if the economy drags down his asking price. Or they could simply let him walk. Which is the best option?
Do you really want two of your most high-profile locker room presences unhappy with their stations in life? Do you really believe you can keep both or even one and still overhaul the O-line? The early rounds of the draft this year are crammed with quality linemen, according to the "experts." Wouldn't stockpiling choices and using them to start over on offense be a smart play?
How have Butch and Sundance helped the team win lately?
The defense is good enough to keep the Bengals in most games. The offense has gone from dynamic to dysfunctional to disastrous. Tinkering isn't what's needed. Time for Butch and Sundance to get their parting gifts and what they really want, which is outta here. It'd be best for all concerned.
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