A year ago, a desire to save less than a million bucks cost the Bengals a player they had developed.
They learned that lesson the hard way, but at least they learned.
According to Field Yates of ESPN, the Bengals have used the second-round level of restricted free agent tender on linebacker Emmanuel Lamur.
That’s worth $2.356 million, and virtually guarantees he’ll stay with them another year, as no one’s likely to give up a two for him.
If they’d have used the low tender of $1.542 million, he could have been poached without compensation, as he entered the league as an undrafted rookie.
That’s what happened to them last year, when they used the low tender on wide receiver Andrew Hawkins, whom the Browns were able to sign without giving up anything (other than a four-year, $13.6 million contract).