Ben Utecht signs with the Bengals

by BigBlueShoe on Mar 14, 2008 4:58 PM EDT in Colts News Comment 18 comments

The Bengals have signed restricted free agent Ben Utecht to an offer sheet. This means the Colts have seven days to counter the offer made. If they don't, Utecht is a Bengal and the Colts get some kind of compensation (3rd round pick, I think). It's believed the deal is three years at nearly $3 million per year (aka, way too much money for a guy who always gets hurt and fumbled way too much).

Despite Utecht's annoying habit to cough up the ball, I like him and think he's a decent TE. His agent, however, is a friggin' idiot, especially when you read his comments:

Utecht, a restricted free agent out of Minnesota, has made 30 starts and played in 41 games in the shadow of Clark.

"There's no question he was overshadowed," [Christopher] Murray said of Utecht. "He's a vertical tight end. He was a wide receiver in high school and he went down the field at Minnesota."

LOL! That's funny. No Chris, Ben wasn't overshadowed. Ben simply can't carry Dallas Clark's jock. Unlike Dallas, Ben does nothing with the football after the catch, except maybe fumble it. Unlike Dallas, Ben was ALWAYS hurt. I wish Ben well (because the Colts will not match this offer) unless he plays the Colts, and I look forward to the player the Colts will draft with the comp pick they will get from Cincy.

Update [2008-3-15 15:23:26 by BigBlueShoe]: Kirkendall is now saying the Colts do not get any compensation for Utecht because Indy did not tender him $1.4 million. Really, this whole restricted, unrestricted thing is confusing. If he's a restricted free agent, Indy should get compensation of some kind, if not from the Bengals then from the league.

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As much as i hate saying it

YES!! A COMPENSATORY PICK! :)

by pukcab on Mar 14, 2008 5:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

nope

Utecht was undrafted

It's nooo,
They're probably using a late round pick on a blocking TE.

Or Yessss,
This will give them the push needed to go back to a 3WR 1TE offense

my blog <http://shakennbaken.blogspot.com>

by shake n bake on Mar 14, 2008 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Guhh

I totally forgot..

Dang.. Well, i hope they won't use a late round pick on a blocking TE. I hope they'll learn Roy Hall to block instead :)

by pukcab on Mar 14, 2008 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Colts Cap update

7.4 million under the cap now that Clark's new deal is on there. Matches the number from Yahoo BBS posted a few days ago and that someone (me) had said that the difference was Clark's contract.

Clark counts just under 3mil on the cap this year.

my blog <http://shakennbaken.blogspot.com>

by shake n bake on Mar 14, 2008 5:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Actually

Compensatory picks are based on salary and starting time, as well as off-season awards. They are not based on the round a player was drafted in. It is what round a pick could reasonably compensate for the loss of the player in terms of playability and success. Though I'm not saying we would receive a pick for Ben anyway, but he played quite a few snaps the past two years though I don't think his hit was that bad. If we do get something it will certainly be a later second day pick.

by Bullard47 on Mar 14, 2008 9:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You're Right for UFAs

But this is how restricted free agents are compensated for.

2.562 million-1st and 3rd
2.017 million-1st
1.417 million-3rd
.927 million-where the player was drafted

So if Polian offered him 1.417 million, we will have a 3rd rounder.

coltshomer.blogspot.com

by Colts Homer on Mar 14, 2008 9:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

RFA

Utecht is only an RFA? Oh, damnit....

by Bullard47 on Mar 14, 2008 10:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Do we get anything for

Dan Klecko since the Eagle signed them to be their starting FB???

by coltsfan21hitman on Mar 14, 2008 10:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Probably a 7th if anything

It depends if they count in the touchdowns from 2006.

coltshomer.blogspot.com

by Colts Homer on Mar 15, 2008 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Found this...

The Bengals said Friday they wouldn't be required to compensate Indianapolis with a draft choice for Utecht, who entered the NFL as a college free agent.

by MasterRWayne on Mar 14, 2008 11:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Colts will get NOTHING

Before the free agency period began, the Colts gave Ben Utecht the lowest possible tender offer of 1-year, $927,000. Since Utecht was undrafted, if the Colts don't match the 3-year, $9 mil offer (AND THEY WON'T!), then the Colts get zip, nil, nada, nothing, a big fat doughnut in return for losing Utecht.

I have no idea why Polian didn't pony up an extra $500K to make it difficult for teams to steal him.

by slice60 on Mar 15, 2008 3:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Because

Polian was correct in assuming that he wouldn't be signed by any team (even the idiot Bengals) if they had to give up the third round pick.

by Levante on Mar 15, 2008 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So are you saying...

That a TE who has started 30 games in his first 3 seasons isn't worth an extra $500K AND Polian wanted someone else to sign Utecht???

by slice60 on Mar 15, 2008 11:37 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ben Utecht

Is replaceable. Being in a tight cap situation, I'm sure that Polian has several TE's in mind that can be drafted and be effective, all at a much cheaper cost.

That's what I'm saying.

by Levante on Mar 15, 2008 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

OR

Polian could have something better in mind you have to trust he will do whats best for the team.

by coltsfan21hitman on Mar 15, 2008 11:54 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Bengals.com

Reports that there would be no compensatory pick if the Colts don't match. If the Colts tendered Utecht $1.4 million, then the compensation would have been a second round pick.

Blogger at Cincy Jungle.

by Kirkendall on Mar 15, 2008 1:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Jeez

I hate to say this about Polian...but..it seems kinda dumb to not put a price on him that would have to be compensated. Sure, it was possible that we could have kept him at approx. $1M. But isn't it risky? I know, I know, hindsight is a nice thing. But still, seems like he would have known there would be no compensation from Utecht taking an offer sheet here.

Is 500K worth that much to the Colts? It's not like we have made any moves for the most part in free agency and we've got $7.6M left. Sounds like someone mis-stepped here to me.

by yellowsnow on Mar 15, 2008 11:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs