The Bengals claimed K Austin Seibert off waivers from the Browns, and when that happened, most assumed that incumbent Randy Bullock would be placed on IR, or perhaps even released. However, head coach Zac Taylor said he expects Bullock to stay right where he is. “Randy’s our kicker,” Taylor said. (Twitter link via Ben Baby of ESPN.com).
Cincinnati suffered a difficult Week 1 loss against the Chargers, and Bullock shanked a 31-yard field goal try that would have sent the game to overtime. He also appeared to injure his left calf on the kick — though some are skeptical — but Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported that the injury isn’t serious (Twitter link). In fairness to Bullock, he did make a 50-yarder and a 43-yarder earlier in the game, and he converted his only PAT.
The Bengals take on Seibert’s former employer in a divisional battle tomorrow night.
Now for more from the AFC North:
- The Browns recently handed running back Kareem Hunt a two-year extension, and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com has a few details. As previously reported, the new money can max out at $13.25MM, and Hunt will take home base salaries of $4MM, $1.3MM, and $1.35MM over the next three seasons. The remaining money will come via roster bonuses designed to make sure that Hunt keeps himself out of trouble. One is tied to his making it to training camp without incident, one is tied to his making it to Week 1 without incident, and one is tied to his making it to the end of the season without incident. He will also receive weekly 53-man roster bonuses.
- In the same piece linked above, Cabot reports that the Browns were indeed the team that would have been involved in a Jadeveon Clowney sign-and-trade with the Saints. In the proposed deal, which the NFL nixed, Cleveland would have signed Clowney to a one-year, $15MM contract, including a $5MM signing bonus. The team would have then shipped Clowney to New Orleans in exchange for a second-round pick and a player.
- Cabot further notes that the Browns should be getting CB Greedy Williams back soon. Williams missed the team’s Week 1 loss to the Ravens with a shoulder injury but is not expected to land on IR.
- The Steelers placed right tackle Zach Banner on IR yesterday.
I’m glad the NFL nixed that sign and trade deal. Both sides should have known that was going to happen.
The deal doesn’t make sense. Why not just sign the FA rather than trade a 2nd for him? Were the trying to not pay him the $5m and trade that bill for a 2nd?
The Saints didn’t have the cap room. They could have fit $10MM under their cap, but not $15MM. So the Browns would have absorbed the $5MM signing bonus and would have essentially bought a draft pick for that price.
Imagine needing to be incentivized with millions of dollars just to coax you into acting like a decent human being. “If you don’t beat a woman, kill somebody in a drunk driving incident, or get busted for going on a drug bender then we’ll give you $5 million more.” But, they are so oppressed.
If only it was that way in the real world too…..
The league has had it in for the Saints ever since that bounty scandal so there is no way the team was going to pull off this sign and swap caper.