Cowboys want him but Bengals should keep Steinbach
Adam Schein / Special to FOXSports.com
Who will be the most coveted player in free agency?
Two players quickly come to mind: Adalius Thomas and Nate Clements.
Both are impact stars who I have raved about.
Thomas will be chased by the 49ers, Jets, Patriots, and his old club, the Ravens. Clements will draw major interest from teams like the Titans, Browns, Broncos, Redskins and Rams.
But while Thomas could be the biggest difference-maker on the market and Clements is a game-changing cornerback who is one of the four best at his position, neither one might be the most sought after player.
That might just be Bengals offensive lineman Eric Steinbach.
The veteran has been a major cog on the Bengals offensive machine the past few years. Steinbach is sturdy, smart, never makes mistakes and is versatile. He can play guard, tackle and center in a pinch. That versatility is a huge key. When the inevitable injury strikes, he has the physical and mental makeup to simply shift on the offensive line.
Chad Johnson has said forever that he considers Steinbach a star.
Linemate Willie Anderson has echoed those sentiments.
Yesterday on the radio show, T.J. Houshmandzadeh made a plea for the Bengals to re-sign Steinbach.
"I don't like to do business, but Eric Steinbach is a great player," Houshmandzadeh said. "I hope management has a change of heart. He can do everything for you. He helps out Rudi Johnson and the running game. The way he pulls is amazing. He is a body guard for Carson (Palmer). He is a tremendous worker. Steinbach is a great person in the locker room. I have always believed, when healthy, we have as good a line as any in the NFL. And Steinbach is a huge part of that."
Teams are going to line up for a player like this.
Expect teams ranging from Dallas, Cleveland, Arizona, Miami, Houston, and Jacksonville to find out how much it will cost to bring Steinbach into their respective cities.
Also expect the Bengals to do everything possible to bring Steinbach back without disrupting their salary structure.
T.J. to stay
There were rumors that Houshmandzadeh wanted out of Cincinnati when he dismissed agent David Dunn.
The star receiver says nothing could be further from the truth.
"First off, I changed agents because the agent I had was suspended," Houshmandzadeh said. "If you are suspended for 18 months how can you work for me? How can you earn the money? They have another agent in the company who might get suspended.
"So I had to make a change. If one is suspended and the other might get suspended, I have to do the best for me. I have 2 more years left on my contract. I am not going to make a big deal about anything. I am playing these two years out in Cincinnati. You won't hear trade me or restructure me. We'll play these two years out and go from there."
Kennard McGuire is TJ's new rep.
For Pete's sake
I think Adrian Peterson is going to be a star in the NFL.
Not good or very good -- a star.
He certainly impressed at the Combine. The fact that he ran after learning about the death of his half-brother was remarkable.
The former Oklahoma star could go as high as No. 3 to Cleveland.
Bengals linebacker Brian Simmons doesn't want to face him any more than he has to. "The last place I want to see Peterson is in Cleveland. After watching him on Saturdays, I know what type of player he can be on Sundays. I am not looking forward to chasing him around twice a year."
Cowboy up
The Cowboys already did the right thing by re-upping with center Andre Gurode before he hit free agency. Now it's time to do the same with Marc Columbo.
The veteran left tackle told me last week he really wants to be back in Dallas. Columbo loved the organization, his line mates and playing for quarterback Tony Romo.
Columbo, a former first-round pick of the Bears, has battled back from nasty injuries and surgeries. He is a supremely consistent performer and solid locker room presence.
Don't be surprised to see the Cowboys go after a guard, like Steinbach, via free agency.
Adam Schein hosts the Afternoon Blitz on Sirius NFL Radio with Solomon Wilcots and Jim Miller from 3-7 ET. Schein is the NFL insider for Sports Net New York. His 'Scheintology' columns appear daily and his video NFL picks video reports appear every Friday on FOXSports.com.
Who will be the most coveted player in free agency?
Two players quickly come to mind: Adalius Thomas and Nate Clements.
Both are impact stars who I have raved about.
Thomas will be chased by the 49ers, Jets, Patriots, and his old club, the Ravens. Clements will draw major interest from teams like the Titans, Browns, Broncos, Redskins and Rams.
But while Thomas could be the biggest difference-maker on the market and Clements is a game-changing cornerback who is one of the four best at his position, neither one might be the most sought after player.
That might just be Bengals offensive lineman Eric Steinbach.
The veteran has been a major cog on the Bengals offensive machine the past few years. Steinbach is sturdy, smart, never makes mistakes and is versatile. He can play guard, tackle and center in a pinch. That versatility is a huge key. When the inevitable injury strikes, he has the physical and mental makeup to simply shift on the offensive line.
Chad Johnson has said forever that he considers Steinbach a star.
Linemate Willie Anderson has echoed those sentiments.
Yesterday on the radio show, T.J. Houshmandzadeh made a plea for the Bengals to re-sign Steinbach.
"I don't like to do business, but Eric Steinbach is a great player," Houshmandzadeh said. "I hope management has a change of heart. He can do everything for you. He helps out Rudi Johnson and the running game. The way he pulls is amazing. He is a body guard for Carson (Palmer). He is a tremendous worker. Steinbach is a great person in the locker room. I have always believed, when healthy, we have as good a line as any in the NFL. And Steinbach is a huge part of that."
Teams are going to line up for a player like this.
Expect teams ranging from Dallas, Cleveland, Arizona, Miami, Houston, and Jacksonville to find out how much it will cost to bring Steinbach into their respective cities.
Also expect the Bengals to do everything possible to bring Steinbach back without disrupting their salary structure.
T.J. to stay
There were rumors that Houshmandzadeh wanted out of Cincinnati when he dismissed agent David Dunn.
The star receiver says nothing could be further from the truth.
"First off, I changed agents because the agent I had was suspended," Houshmandzadeh said. "If you are suspended for 18 months how can you work for me? How can you earn the money? They have another agent in the company who might get suspended.
"So I had to make a change. If one is suspended and the other might get suspended, I have to do the best for me. I have 2 more years left on my contract. I am not going to make a big deal about anything. I am playing these two years out in Cincinnati. You won't hear trade me or restructure me. We'll play these two years out and go from there."
Kennard McGuire is TJ's new rep.
For Pete's sake
I think Adrian Peterson is going to be a star in the NFL.
Not good or very good -- a star.
He certainly impressed at the Combine. The fact that he ran after learning about the death of his half-brother was remarkable.
The former Oklahoma star could go as high as No. 3 to Cleveland.
Bengals linebacker Brian Simmons doesn't want to face him any more than he has to. "The last place I want to see Peterson is in Cleveland. After watching him on Saturdays, I know what type of player he can be on Sundays. I am not looking forward to chasing him around twice a year."
Cowboy up
The Cowboys already did the right thing by re-upping with center Andre Gurode before he hit free agency. Now it's time to do the same with Marc Columbo.
The veteran left tackle told me last week he really wants to be back in Dallas. Columbo loved the organization, his line mates and playing for quarterback Tony Romo.
Columbo, a former first-round pick of the Bears, has battled back from nasty injuries and surgeries. He is a supremely consistent performer and solid locker room presence.
Don't be surprised to see the Cowboys go after a guard, like Steinbach, via free agency.
Adam Schein hosts the Afternoon Blitz on Sirius NFL Radio with Solomon Wilcots and Jim Miller from 3-7 ET. Schein is the NFL insider for Sports Net New York. His 'Scheintology' columns appear daily and his video NFL picks video reports appear every Friday on FOXSports.com.
posted by The Gryphon at 10:09 AM
<< Home