mdlnet13
02-15-2005, 05:03 PM
http://www.bengals.com/press/news.asp?iCurPage=0&news_id=2757
Rudi confident of long deal
2/15/2005 -
2-15-05, 2:25 p.m.
Updated: 2-15-05, 5 p.m.
BY GEOFF HOBSON
As expected, the Bengals made running back Rudi Johnson their franchise player Tuesday in effectively taking him off the free-agent market.
Reached Tuesday in Hawaii, Johnson didn’t renew his threat to sit out the season if the Bengals gave him the franchise tag by tendering him a one-year offer of $6.3 million that is the average of the top five paid running backs in the NFL.
Johnson said he doesn’t think it will come down to a one-year deal and he believes the Bengals and agent Peter Schaffer will eventually reach a long-term contract. But if it doesn’t happen by March 16, Johnson said he’ll re-visit his options because he still doesn't like a one-year deal.
Asked if he’ll sign the tender that guarantees him the $6.3 million for 2005, Johnson said he wants to first get through the next month until the March 16 deadline the sides have to reach a long-term contract. If one isn’t reached by then, they can’t talk about a multi-year deal until July 15.
Asked if he would sign the offer if a long-term deal isn’t reached so he can participate in the spring camps, Johnson said, “I don’t want to look at that yet. I just want to focus on getting something by March 16. I want to push for it. I want to work at it to get it done. I really think we can get a long-term contract if we work at it, and it will all work out.”
Johnson becomes an unrestricted free agent March 2. Now that he is franchised, the Bengals can retain Johnson by matching any offer sheet. If the Bengals didn’t match, the team getting Johnson would have to give the Bengals first-round draft choices in 2005 and 2006.
The sides appear to be far apart on a long-term deal. Schaffer said Tuesday he has responded to the Bengals’ proposal of last month and that, “the ball is in their court.” The Bengals hit the ball back with the franchise tag after a season Johnson broke Corey Dillon’s club season rushing record with 1,454 yards. In his 21 NFL starts, he has gained 2,206 yards.
“This is the most responsible move we can make in pursuit of our goal to give our fans a playoff season and a run for the Super Bowl in 2005,” said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis in a news release. “The franchise option is designed to help a team retain the rights to a top player, and the players’ union supports it because it guarantees that player a salary commensurate with what he has accomplished. We will continue to work with Rudi and his representatives for the possibility of a longer-term contract.”
Johnson said he has been talking to Lewis throughout the process and the coach informed him a few days ago that they would tag him.
“I understand they’re doing it to protect themselves,” Johnson said. “But the big thing is now to get something done for the long term and that’s what he said they’re going to try and do.
Also Tuesday, four Bengals were allocated to NFL Europe. Quarterback Casey Bramlet goes to the new Hamburg Sea Devils, defensive lineman Greg Scott to the Rhein Fire, and defensive end Derrick Crawford and wide receiver Jeremiah Cockheran to the Frankfurt Galaxy.
Because they each had at least three weeks time on the Bengals 53-player roster in 2004, Bramlet and Scott were designated as Level 1 players for the NFLEL, and they were allocated to their teams by the league with input from the Bengals. Bramlet, a seventh-rounder from last year, is hooked up with Sea Devils head coach Jack Bicknell. Bicknell is the former Boston College head man who developed Doug Flutie in college and worked with Bengals backup quarterback Jon Kitna in Barcelona when Kitna was the World Bowl MVP in 1997.
Crawford and Cockheran did not qualify for Level 1 status, and they each were selected by Frankfurt in the Level 2 player draft. Crawford was the fifth player taken and Cockheran went in the 15th round.
NFLEL training camps open Monday in Tampa, Fla. The season begins April 2, and ends with the June 11 World Bowl XIII at Dusseldorf, Germany.
Rudi confident of long deal
2/15/2005 -
2-15-05, 2:25 p.m.
Updated: 2-15-05, 5 p.m.
BY GEOFF HOBSON
As expected, the Bengals made running back Rudi Johnson their franchise player Tuesday in effectively taking him off the free-agent market.
Reached Tuesday in Hawaii, Johnson didn’t renew his threat to sit out the season if the Bengals gave him the franchise tag by tendering him a one-year offer of $6.3 million that is the average of the top five paid running backs in the NFL.
Johnson said he doesn’t think it will come down to a one-year deal and he believes the Bengals and agent Peter Schaffer will eventually reach a long-term contract. But if it doesn’t happen by March 16, Johnson said he’ll re-visit his options because he still doesn't like a one-year deal.
Asked if he’ll sign the tender that guarantees him the $6.3 million for 2005, Johnson said he wants to first get through the next month until the March 16 deadline the sides have to reach a long-term contract. If one isn’t reached by then, they can’t talk about a multi-year deal until July 15.
Asked if he would sign the offer if a long-term deal isn’t reached so he can participate in the spring camps, Johnson said, “I don’t want to look at that yet. I just want to focus on getting something by March 16. I want to push for it. I want to work at it to get it done. I really think we can get a long-term contract if we work at it, and it will all work out.”
Johnson becomes an unrestricted free agent March 2. Now that he is franchised, the Bengals can retain Johnson by matching any offer sheet. If the Bengals didn’t match, the team getting Johnson would have to give the Bengals first-round draft choices in 2005 and 2006.
The sides appear to be far apart on a long-term deal. Schaffer said Tuesday he has responded to the Bengals’ proposal of last month and that, “the ball is in their court.” The Bengals hit the ball back with the franchise tag after a season Johnson broke Corey Dillon’s club season rushing record with 1,454 yards. In his 21 NFL starts, he has gained 2,206 yards.
“This is the most responsible move we can make in pursuit of our goal to give our fans a playoff season and a run for the Super Bowl in 2005,” said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis in a news release. “The franchise option is designed to help a team retain the rights to a top player, and the players’ union supports it because it guarantees that player a salary commensurate with what he has accomplished. We will continue to work with Rudi and his representatives for the possibility of a longer-term contract.”
Johnson said he has been talking to Lewis throughout the process and the coach informed him a few days ago that they would tag him.
“I understand they’re doing it to protect themselves,” Johnson said. “But the big thing is now to get something done for the long term and that’s what he said they’re going to try and do.
Also Tuesday, four Bengals were allocated to NFL Europe. Quarterback Casey Bramlet goes to the new Hamburg Sea Devils, defensive lineman Greg Scott to the Rhein Fire, and defensive end Derrick Crawford and wide receiver Jeremiah Cockheran to the Frankfurt Galaxy.
Because they each had at least three weeks time on the Bengals 53-player roster in 2004, Bramlet and Scott were designated as Level 1 players for the NFLEL, and they were allocated to their teams by the league with input from the Bengals. Bramlet, a seventh-rounder from last year, is hooked up with Sea Devils head coach Jack Bicknell. Bicknell is the former Boston College head man who developed Doug Flutie in college and worked with Bengals backup quarterback Jon Kitna in Barcelona when Kitna was the World Bowl MVP in 1997.
Crawford and Cockheran did not qualify for Level 1 status, and they each were selected by Frankfurt in the Level 2 player draft. Crawford was the fifth player taken and Cockheran went in the 15th round.
NFLEL training camps open Monday in Tampa, Fla. The season begins April 2, and ends with the June 11 World Bowl XIII at Dusseldorf, Germany.