News out of Minnesota is that their seven time pro bowl guard Steve Hutchinson might be a casualty as a result of the Vikings salary cap situation. In 2006, Hutchinson signed a record deal with the Vikings worth $49 million over seven years. Along with Hutchinson, the Vikings might be looking to free up cap space by releasing other veteran players such as CB Cedric Griffin in order to have money to reboot most of their team and bring in more youth to an aging player personnel.
The news of Hutchinson's possible release could be welcome news for Bengals fans everywhere as the guard position is a high priority for the Bengals this upcoming off-season and a veteran player, for the right price, could be a viable option. Hutchinson is a seven time pro bowler and was a significant link in the left side of the Vikings offensive line that has paved the way for one of the best running backs in the league, Adrian Peterson.
Hutchinson is past his prime physically, but if the Bengals draft a guard he could be a significant addition, opposite of Bobbie Williams, because of his ability to groom younger offensive linemen...but only if the price is right. Although he signed for a record contract six years ago, he is no where near worth that type of money now. If Hutchinson is released and the Bengals can configure a short, 1-2 year type of contract, he would be a significant upgrade from McGlynn and Livings, even though he is several years their elder.
Hutchinson is widely known as a smart, tough guard who does not commit a lot of penalties. In 2011, Hutchinson had one false start and three holding penalties called against him. Bengals guards (Livings, Williams, Boling, and McGlynn) had a total of 9 holding penalties and 6 false starts and seven of those penalties resulted in stalled drives for the Bengals offense. This is not an overwhelmingly impressive stat in favor of bringing in Hutchinson, but if you look at the stats from 2007-2010, Hutchinson was responsible for only FOUR PENALTIES over those four years. The Bengals have struggled with discipline and penalties over the last few years and it has cost them a few games or, at least, the opportunities to win games.
That type of discipline and leadership is something that the Bengals could use in the trenches and having Hutchinson groom guards that they draft would be an ideal situation for the Bengals offensive line. If the Bengals sign Hutchinson for a minimal contract, this does not mean that they should not draft a guard in April. Signing Hutchinson is a temporary fix to a much larger issue, and drafting a young guard is a necessity no matter who you pick up in free agency (unless, of course, the Bengals decide to sign Carl Nicks and Ben Grubbs), but with two aging guards there needs to be an injection of youth into the offensive line by any means necessary. Clint Boling is an option for the Bengals, but he played minimally in five games last year and has yet to prove that he has what it takes to be a starter in the NFL. Boling is still very raw and needs a bit more experience, and a full off-season will not hurt his progression.
One way or another, the Bengals need to bring in more options at OG and it would be preferable, from a fans perspective, if they did it through the draft AND free agency. Youth is important for the Bengals to obtain, but having a few veterans to groom and teach the younger players can only help their progression, and possible emergence as a reliable offensive lineman, to happen faster and have the Bengals "future" be more of a "present."
0 recs | 29 comments
Bobbie Williams and Steve Hutchinson
The NFL all-senior guards.
johnson_cody_18 - February 21, 2012
LOL
Love it
biggie22 - February 22, 2012
They will be able to get a 2-fer on their hip replacements
Seriously though, I would be fine with getting Hutch in house. Bobby still amazes me he can play at a high level, but lets see if his injury keeps nagging him during the offseason.
I would love to see us grab a high end free agent guard and a couple of wiley vets like Hutch. This line needs to be an actual strength of the team this year if Dalton is going to have time to throw and ____________ is going to run 1400 yards.
UpStateMike - February 23, 2012
He's 34
I’m not so sure i’d take him in FA…We would have to draft DeCastro or Cordy Glenn definetly…If we signed Hutchinson he’d be our guy for the next 2 years & then we’d have to look at drafting another guard.
Bengal4ever - February 21, 2012
Still younger than bobbie
biggie22 - February 21, 2012 via mobile
Yeah & probably more healthy too.
I wouldn’t mind making a move on this guy, but he’s basically just a temporary to fill in since he’s not young.
Bengal4ever - February 21, 2012
I agree
biggie22 - February 21, 2012 via mobile
He would be great in the run game.
That’s for sure. I understand he’s 35, but that man can still bang skulls and he loves the game. Reminds me a lot of Bobbie, but might is in better shape because he didn’t break his ankle or anything like Bobbie did. I think playing next to Whit would elevate his game. I like Hutch, but obviously we all want Nicks and Grubbs to be the major focal point of Mikey’s wallet.
whodeycommish14 - February 21, 2012 via mobile
RIGHT ON!
Makebelieve - February 21, 2012 via mobile
I've posted before
about how pissed I was that the bengals didn’t take Moffit in the 3rd round last year. That ship has obviously passed, but it does show you can get great talent into the 3rd round with guards. He abused Simms in the game last year. Hoping we get two guys like people are saying. Nicks is one of the few free agents that I would be happy spending loads of money on. I never understood the boner the coaches have for Livings. Some one posted earlier in the season that a sign of a bad lineman is a guy that ends up on the ground all the time and Livings always ends up on the ground. So I watched. And he was right! Whiffing on blocks when he would pull and land flat on his face. With Bobby’s age and injury, thats a tough combination, but they will entertain the idea of bringing him back one more year depending on how FA/draft pans out. He will probably pay for the rest of his life though from another season in the trenches
frickja - February 21, 2012
Hmm...
I wonder if that ’ always ending up on the ground’ (part) applies to linebackers as well?:) Because Rey M always seems to end up on the ground! I do not think RM is a true middle linebacker. He sucks man!
Makebelieve - February 22, 2012 via mobile
Rey is not a middle linebacker,
he’s a liddle minebacker.
dingle - February 22, 2012
lol this guy has bengals written all over him
he maybe a decent signing, he could start if need be. I would hope to sign another FA OG as well and this signing would still would leave the door open Decastro in case he falls to us.
AMAS85 - February 22, 2012
+1, he sure does.......a little older, past his prime, but can still contribute.
Meh, would be ok with, just hoping this is a minor move and not one of our “bigger” signings.
The Van Buren Boys - February 22, 2012
it lowers the risk of not getting the Olineman we want out of the draft, so if we can't get decastro in the first it wont hurt as much to wait till the 3rd to get that OG
AMAS85 - February 22, 2012
so does getting Nicks/Grubbs instead.....
The Van Buren Boys - February 22, 2012
well im implying we get hutchinson and a nicks/grubbs in FA
so that still leaves the door open to pull in deacastro to start in front of Hutch
AMAS85 - February 22, 2012
Y.A. Tittle
is still available as a back-up QB too.
dingle - February 22, 2012
34, going on 35 and making 7 million
vikes will attempt to restructure him to a smaller contract. Hutchinson may want to test the free agency waters rather than take a huge pay cut to stay in minny. he’s already made a public comment about the predicament, “I know what the cap situation is and all that, but it’s out of my control Any player has to worry about that in the NFL.”
palewook - February 22, 2012
G is one of those positions where a year of one bence/backup training is a good thing
He would be good enough to help us win, protect Andy and groom a draft pick to replace him. He may be a bit oul but he is not over the hill and, just maybe, Bobbie is. Get him if you can if the price is right. Remember we really need two guards.
JUNGLEJOHN - February 22, 2012
+1
biggie22 - February 22, 2012
Hold up. Let me get this straight.
We are posting articles about guys who have yet to be released and whether they would be a good fit for the Benglas? I can’t wait for something to happen in the NFL.
Story line for tomorrow: A story about a high school kid who might go to a Division I school, might be great and might land in our lap on draft day 2018. /sarcasm
steveinct - February 22, 2012
yahoo's big nfl story yesterday was
“tom brady vacationing with wes welker, even after welker dropped the pass”
welcome to the off-season, its a little slow in the nfl world for a couple of weeks still. feel free to peruse the fan selections of “my 1st mock draft for the 103rd time.”
couple of more weeks bud, couple of more weeks until we have real nfl news =)
palewook - February 22, 2012
Combine is getting ready to start!
that statement in itself shows how little there is going on, I’ll start watching it and then realize……….this is just a bunch of dudes working out? But you know what, I’ll still watch……because it’s football!
The Van Buren Boys - February 22, 2012
Lol my wife says the same thing about the workouts
However come football sunday when i throw down for food and booze she loves it. Women!
njbengalstat - February 22, 2012
I'd happily take him
Let him start at LG until our draft pick is ready. Rather have Nicks, though.
indesignkat - February 22, 2012 via iPhone app
+1
AMAS85 - February 22, 2012
Not my first option
Like everyone else has been saying, the man’s 35. Now if he’s healthy i’d say maybe a 1 year deal depending on the coin he wants, but before you ever do this invest your money on Nicks or Grubbs when they hit the market, they are both young and have not even hit their primes yet, I really want Nicks !!!!!!
WHO DEY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thegrassisGREENer18 - February 22, 2012
I'd take him
Worth the risk. Just look at the records of the RB’s he blocked for.
spif - February 22, 2012
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