(08-04-2014 10:32 AM)Overrated Wrote:  “@nfldraftupdate: Andy Dalton's extension, will be a pay-as-you-go type deal. Bengals assume low-risk, but hefty annuals for slightly above-avg QB play.”

If that is the case, I am thrilled with the deal.

Count me among those scared sh!tless until we see how it's structured.

I am a Dalton skeptic but he has a high level of experience now and frankly there is no way on earth they would have gotten anyone better, for this year, in the draft or in FA.

For future years, who knows, I would love nothing more than for Dalton to rise up, make fewer mistakes and show he can be "the man".

If it is a low guarantee $$$, pay as you go, where Dalton bears the risk of underperformance, I am digging the deal.

But I am hoping the Browns realize they HAVE TO keep enough powder dry to sign Green and Burfict - with the emphasis on Burfict.

(08-04-2014 09:46 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(08-04-2014 09:39 AM)BeerCat Wrote:  

(08-04-2014 09:32 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHA

For those playing at home, he is now the 6th highest paid QB in the NFL and makes just over $30,000 less per year than PEYTON MANNING!

Until we find out the guaranteed money the $115 number is meaningless.

Not when he carries a salary burden that probably just made the Bengals front office have to make a decision on extending EITHER Green or Burfict instead of both of them. Who would you guys rather have, a Dalton without a Green or a Green without a Dalton? I'd choose the latter everyday of the week.

$17 million in guaranteed money. Good analysis.

“@AlbertBreer: So the base of Dalton's deal is $96M over 6. How does get to $115M max value? Source says escalators based on ... Playoffs.”

(08-04-2014 01:11 PM)Overrated Wrote:  “@AlbertBreer: So the base of Dalton's deal is $96M over 6. How does get to $115M max value? Source says escalators based on ... Playoffs.”

Bengals really did well with the structure of this deal. lots of long term flexibility, guarantee is done early and dalton's high end money only comes from playoff performance.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/201...rly-march/

The most important numbers are the numbers fully guaranteed at signing. Dalton receives a signing bonus of $12 million and a roster bonus in three days of $5 million. That’s a total of $17 million out of the gates. Coupled with his $986,000 base salary (which isn’t guaranteed as a legal matter but it is as a practical matter), Dalton will make $18 million in the first year of the deal.
Then, on the third day of the 2015 league year in March, Dalton earns a $4 million roster bonus. He also has a $3 million non-guaranteed base salary in 2015. That’s $25 million over two years.
Dalton passed on the opportunity to load injury-only guarantees into the contract, since the Bengals would have wanted Dalton to buy a disability policy similar to the one that the 49ers had Colin Kaepernick buy as part of his six-year extension. The policy cost $2 million in pre-tax dollars, and (as we’ll explain in a separate post) creates a bizarre donut hole of protection for the player and the team.
The rest of the base deal is simple. In addition to annual workout bonuses of $200,000, Dalton has base salaries of $10.5 million in 2016, $13.1 million in 2017, $13.7 million in 2018, $16 million in 2019, and $17.5 million in 2020.

If in any year he participates in 80-percent of the regular-season snaps and the Bengals get to the divisional round of the playoffs (via wild-card win or bye), he gets another $1 million in each additional year of the deal. If he qualifies at any point for the conference title game (with 80-percent playing time in the regular season), another $500,000 flows into the base value of the deal, for each additional year. If he wins a Super Bowl he won’t be driving off in a Hyundai; Dalton will get another $1.5 million per year for each remaining year of the deal.


So if the Bengals win the next Super Bowl this year and if Dalton participates in 80 percent of the regular-season snaps in 2014, he’ll get another $18 million over the life of the deal, pushing the new-money average from $16 million per year to $19 million. Getting to the divisional round this year pushes the new-money average to $17 million.

Dalton has been awful in the playoffs, but so has the majority of the team in these last 5 playoff losses. That's a Marvin Lewis problem.

With a roster that is ready to win now I think this deal shows just how limited the options are of finding an immediate upgrade over Dalton.

Back up a little bit before you bash Andy Dalton's $115M Bengals deal
August 4, 2014 1:31 pm ET


Andy Dalton's TD pass total over 3 years is surpassed only by Peyton Manning, Drew Brees. (USATSI)

You saw the contract numbers for Andy Dalton's extension Monday and you laughed. It was probably a loud one, too.

What the hell are the Cincinnati Bengals doing giving Dalton a six-year extension for $115 million, right?

What they are doing is being smart, especially if the contract is structured the right way. Dalton has flaws and has come up small in the playoffs, but he has taken the Bengals to the playoffs each of his first three seasons, which is special. He's also thrown 80 touchdown passes in those three seasons, 33 last season, which is why extending him for six seasons makes sense.

Yet ripping Dalton is a blood sport. He's like Carson Palmer. He's like Tony Romo. They've all had regular-season success, but have not got it done in the playoffs.

So they stink.

They're chokers.

Yet players like Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick are considered rising stars because, playing on good teams, they've won in the postseason.

Wilson and Kaepernick have talent, but I've had a handful of NFL people tell me the Seahawks would have won the Super Bowl last season with Dalton playing quarterback.

"He could have managed it just like Wilson did," one general manager said. "Wilson is more athletic, and gets outside the pocket to create plays, but Dalton would have found a way with that defense and running game."

The love for the mobile quarterback and the read-option plays actually has made players like Wilson and Kaepernick overrated, which isn't fair since they shouldn't be rated as high as they are anyway.

At some point, they will have to learn to play in the pocket. As one NFL quarterback said to me, "Two years. That stuff where they run around has two years left. It will be figured out. Then what? Two years."

I am not saying Dalton is among the NFL's elite, but he is more than capable of winning a Super Bowl with a good team, much like Wilson did.

Dalton's 33 touchdown passes was the third-highest total last season behind Peyton Manning and Drew Brees. He was seventh in passing yards, 12th in yards per attempt. He did throw 20 picks, which is way too many, but he was also eighth in attempts, also way too high. He has 60 touchdown passes the past two seasons, also third behind Manning and Brees. Yes, he has had issues when the protection breaks down, but who doesn't. One of the flaws in the Bengals' offense is the line is taught to go back in pass protection instead of punching forward. That leads to passes being batted down and bad lanes for vision. With a shorter quarterback, this makes no sense and leads to problems in the passing game.

Dalton was better than Wilson and Kaepernick in the fourth quarter, which throws a little water on the supposed "choke" factor.

At the league meetings in March, coach Marvin Lewis was almost defiant when reporters challenged him about Dalton being a good-enough quarterback. I sat and watched Lewis seethe as questions came his way about Dalton's inability to win in the playoffs, including a loss last year at home to San Diego.

"It's easy to point at one guy, but baloney, the football team didn't play as well as we needed to win," Lewis said.

There are four elite quarterbacks: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. Then there's another group right behind them that I think includes Philip Rivers, Andrew Luck, Ben Roethlisberger and Matt Ryan. After that, you can scramble 9-18 any way you want, and Dalton is in that mix.

That's why the Bengals were smart to extend Dalton. I would imagine the deal would be similar to the one Kaepernick recently signed, which is a show-me type of deal that has guarantees each year -- not a huge up-front guarantee.

I am OK with that type of deal for both. Yes, Kaepernick and Wilson have had more postseason success than Dalton, but consider this: Trent Dilfer won a Super Bowl and Dan Marino never did.

Like Lewis and every coach preaches to his players and the media: It's a team game. The quarterback is a huge part of it, now more than ever, but there are only a handful who can carry a team year in and year out.

The other teams have to hope everything goes well and the quarterback is good enough.

Seattle won a title that way last season. San Francisco has come close.

Cincinnati has been to the playoffs three consecutive seasons with that model after winning four games the year before Dalton took over. So this deal isn't as bad as you think.

Neither is Dalton.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/pete...ngals-deal

SO basically, it's a 2 year deal with $25 mil guaranteed. They can keep the contract going for 16 mil a year, but if he's garbage the next 2 years they can dump him without penalty?

Is that what I just read?

IF that's the case how can anyone argue with that deal?

(08-04-2014 03:58 PM)Intimidate Dominate Celebrate Wrote:  SO basically, it's a 2 year deal with $25 mil guaranteed. They can keep the contract going for 16 mil a year, but if he's garbage the next 2 years they can dump him without penalty?

Is that what I just read?

IF that's the case how can anyone argue with that deal?

I actually agree. I was very critical of the deal but if only 2/$25 is guaranteed I think it's a good deal. They don't have a replacement on the roster now and if he's mediocre again (not repeating stats but read the Grantland article) you use a 1st/2nd round pick to get his replacement. Then next year if the rookie is ready to play you play him, if not Andy starts again.

My only concern would be is Mike Brown willing to cut the cord when, not if, he continues to be mediocre. I have my doubts.

(08-04-2014 05:25 PM)RealDeal Wrote:  

(08-04-2014 03:58 PM)Intimidate Dominate Celebrate Wrote:  SO basically, it's a 2 year deal with $25 mil guaranteed. They can keep the contract going for 16 mil a year, but if he's garbage the next 2 years they can dump him without penalty?

Is that what I just read?

IF that's the case how can anyone argue with that deal?

I actually agree. I was very critical of the deal but if only 2/$25 is guaranteed I think it's a good deal. They don't have a replacement on the roster now and if he's mediocre again (not repeating stats but read the Grantland article) you use a 1st/2nd round pick to get his replacement. Then next year if the rookie is ready to play you play him, if not Andy starts again.

My only concern would be is Mike Brown willing to cut the cord when, not if, he continues to be mediocre. I have my doubts.

Given the contract structure I would say Brown has given AD essentially two years.

Cap hit isn't just "garaunteed money"

What you need to know about Dalton's contract

Ben Goldschmidt, bgoldschmidt@enquirer.com 1:17 a.m. EDT August 5, 2014


Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton throws during training camp.(Photo: The Enquirer/Gary Landers)

The big news of the week for Bengals nation is obviously Andy Dalton's big payday. By now you're probably well aware that it's a six-year deal that could go up to $115 million, but there's plenty more to talk about.

So here's a one-stop shop for all of our Dalton contract coverage.

Details of the deal:

Base salary:

2014: $986,000
2015: $3 million
2016: $10.5 million
2017: $13.1 million
2018: $13.7 million
2019: $16 million
2020: $17.5 million

Bonuses:

*Signing bonus Monday: $12 million
*Bonus Thursday: $5 million
*Bonus third day of next year (March): $4 million
*Annual workout bonuses of $200,000
*If Bengals make Super Bowl with Dalton at QB: $1.5 million extra every year remaining
*If Bengals make AFC title game with Dalton at QB: $500K extra every year remaining

Cap implications

*Bengals would either break even or save money against the cap if Dalton is cut any year starting in 2015

More from Paul Dehner Jr. on the contract

Here's where Dalton's contract stacks up in comparison:

Quarterback Avg. Annual Salary True Gtd. Money Per-cent Gtd.
Aaron Rodgers, Packers $22.00 $54 49.10%
Matt Ryan, Falcons $20.80 $42 40.50%
Joe Flacco, Ravens $20.10 $29 24%
Drew Brees, Saints $20.00 $40 40%
Peyton Manning, Broncos $19.20 $18 18.80%
Colin Kaepernick, 49ers $19.00 $13 11.40%
Jay Cutler, Bears $18.10 $38 30%
Tony Romo, Cowboys $18.00 $40 37%
Matt Stafford, Lions $17.70 $41.50 78.30%
Eli Manning, Giants $16.30 $35 35.90%
Andy Dalton, Bengals $16.00 $17 17.70%
Philip Rivers, Chargers $15.30 $38.20 41.60%
Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers $14.70 $33 37.70%

When the deal was announced, the outrage on social media was palpable.

A little bit of fan frustration isn't totally unfounded. The criticisms mainly revolved around Dalton's obvious blemish -- poor postseason performance.

Richard Skinner talked with Bengals quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese, who talks about Dalton's performance.

From Zampese: "This is the fourth year we're doing it together so things get a little bit more refined... It's all working together: the years, time on task, the atmosphere as we have it right now. It's all been positive for him."

The second point of contention came from the seemingly high dollar amount. The high numbers shouldn't scare anyone too much, Dehner argues. The contract is hugely front-loaded, and it allows the Bengals outs if Dalton doesn't perform down the road.

From Dehner: "The Bengals will pay $25 million over the next two years. At that point, if they don't want to keep riding with Dalton, it would actually save money on the salary cap to let him go. It becomes a year-to-year deal."

Reactions:

Luckily, quarterbacks don't live and die by what's said on social media. Their teammates' opinions of them, however, carry some weight.

Good news for Dalton, his team is behind him (but he might have to get Tyler Eifert a big Christmas gift).

But then there's us media types, specifically Paul Daugherty, who says the Bengals won't be whistling their way to the bank.

*From Doc's column, Dalton signed, now hold your breath: "You pay Colin Kaepernick, a guy of Dalton's experience who has won big games, you're not shaking noticeably when you write the figurative check. It's a little different with Dalton."

To be fair, in the past Doc has suggested that Dalton "tell his critics to kiss his aspirations."

What's next?

So, now that Dalton's big payday has arrived, who is next on the Bengals' list?

Signs point to Vontaze Burfict and A.J. Green.

*From Dehner: "The linebacker enters the final year of his undrafted rookie year contract that pays him just $570,000 this season, beyond bargain-basement price for the 2013 NFL tackles leader and developing face of the third-ranked defense in football last year.
*"...As for the other logical target, wide receiver A.J. Green, agreeing to a contract right now isn't as necessary. The Bengals opted for the fifth-year option on his rookie contract so he will see a significant raise next season but still be under team control."

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/blogs/20.../13610095/