The Cincinatti Bengals have placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on offensive lineman Stacy Andrews, guaranteeing him a 1-year $7.455 million deal at the minimum. Andrews was a 4th round pick out of Ole Miss in 2004, and started 14 games for the Bengals in 2007, spending time at guard and tackle.
The difference between the exclusive and non-exclusive franchise tags is that with the non-exclusive tag, players are tendered a guaranteed 1-year salary equal to the average of the top 5 salaries at the position based on the previous year's (2007) numbers, yet the player is free to negotiate with any team, and if they sign with any other team than the one who franchised them, that team will have to forgeit two 1st round picks as compensation (unless a different deal is worked out ahead of time). With the exclusive rights franchise tag, no other team may negotiate with the player, and the team who tagged the player must tender a guaranteed 1-year salary equal to the average of the top 5 salaries at the position based on the current year's (2008) numbers.
The move is questionable at best for Cincinatti, who seem to think highly enough of a player who has started only 17 games in 4 years to guarantee him $7+ million a year. This move only continues to highlight the need for a real general manager and better front office, who can more adeptly manage the roster in the salary cap era. The notoriously cheap Bengals have the NFL's smallest personnel department, and no dedicated general manager, as head coach Marvin Lewis currently has full control over the roster, which is currently very thin on defense, which was allegedly Lewis' strength. Apparently managing personnel is not one of his strengths, and it's high time the Bengals hire more scouts and a real GM to clean up the mess in Cincinatti.
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