Quote:If you're not privy to what their plan is for the long term, there's no way to know for certain why they didn't get into the free agent market for the high profile RTs.  Vollmer signed a contract that was nearly $30 million.  Andre Smith signed a $20 million contract, and never intended to leave Cincy.  Again, hardly chump change. 

 

What we do know is that after they drafted Joeckel, they made it clear he was the starting RT the day after the draft.  At that point, the need to grab a costly free agent evaporated.  They weren't planning to trade Monroe at that point, or ever for that matter.

 

This notion that Gene Smith negotiated the contracts is pretty funny.  Especially when the reality is we had one of the highest payrolls in the league last year, so I wouldn't call them cheap.  They didn't spend that money wisely, but they weren't being cheap.

 

The fact that they decided not to move on with Smith probably had more to do with what they had in their plans long-term.  He isn't a young player, and regardless of the price, bringing him back would have indicated he was part of the long term plan.  I don't think that was the case, and based on the decision they made, that seems to be correct.  Whether we like it or not, he's in a better place, and we will see how things unfold here without him over the long haul.

Well, we are some what privy. They want to build through the draft. I'm not sure what they want to do in free agency. I don't think this year told us a whole lot about what to expect in free agency.


In regards to Monroe, it wasn't their plan to move him, but they jumped all over a 4th and 5th round pick? It isn't like that is something you would jump all over if your plan was to keep a guy. It just doesn't add up. I'm still not sure exactly what went down, how and why.

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