Hapless Bills Fan

Hmmm, I see your point now, but I'll have to work through how I think about it. I don't know who this guy is, but he seems impressed with Bates: On the other hand, he doesn't seem to have too much insight into the Bills roster: For those unfamiliar, James Daniels is a former 2nd round pick by the Bears who started 48 of 54 games for the Bears (had a pec tear one season). He just signed a three-year, $26.5 million contract with the Steelers.

Wasn't Ford a high 2nd round investment? Not that I'm saying he was a GOOD investment at this point, mind you - but the point is, we can't say the Bills have not invested at all in G except for late round picks, when they did invest a 2nd on Ford. I agree we need a good draft investment in G, but not to "replace Bates" I like Bates, who started 6 games (one he didn't play very long) if we count the playoffs - and why wouldn't we count the playoffs? I think the OL played better with him at LG. Nevertheless, it's not a huge sample to use as a basis for counting on a guy as a long term OL starter, and neither is a 1 yr contract to an older vet (Saffold). So I think we'd better be making another Serious Draft Investment at G. I think the thinking about "oh no we need a high draft pick to replace Bates" sees there as being some sort of coaching grudge or stupidity or oversight which had Bates starting the season as #3 on the depth chart and only playing after the 2 guys ahead of him got hurt.

I think for a young guy looking for financial security from his "Not For Long" career, he can't afford sentiment or concern for championships. If he gets the chance for more guaranteed money and more $$ this year, he has to take it, because all these guys are one injury away from having to fight their way back onto a roster (Boettger, Zimmer)

I don't think Marquel Lee is beating out Matekavitch Lee's career issue has been injuries. 2019 on IR for the Raiders twice; 2020 on PUP and waived with a failed physical at the end of training camp. Last year on and off the PS for the Raiders and apparently stayed healthy; started 11 games and played 80% of the ST snaps in those games. Lee's deal is now up on Spotrac. It's a Veteran Salary Benefit deal worth $1.187M to Lee, but only counting $1.0475M against the Bills' cap ($895k plus a $152k signing bonus). The Bills are guaranteeing part of his salary, as his dead cap is shown as $252k Estimated cap remaining (including Phillips and Lee but not Lawson, Crowder, or Barkley) $3.7M $2.63M will be pushed off the bottom of the "top 51" when they go on the cap. IF it's true that we signed Crowder for $4M, that would leave $2.33M for Lawson and Barkley - probably not enough. (but Crowder's contract was reported as "up to" $4M)

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/buffalo-bills/2022/03/bills-jamison-crowder-could-slide-into-void-left-by-cole-beasleys-release-5-things-to-know.html

Jordan Phillips contract now up on Bills Salary Cap Chart on Spotrac (but not on his Spotrac page) $3.5M cap hit $1.25M signing bonus $1.75M salary rest roster and workout No word on how much beyond signing bonus is guaranteed (Edit: says $3M dead cap so assume salary is guaranteed as well as signing bonus) Bills cap space after Phillips added and bottom guy bumped off the 51 $3.7M EDIT: Spotrac originally reported this as a 1 year, $3.75M contract. My guess would be the $0.25M difference would be roster bonuses considered "not likely to be earned". If they specify a source for this info, I can't find it.

yeah, that was in an interview with Pat McAfee where one of Pat's cronies asked him, essentially, if he was sandbagging at the combine. He said no, he was trying but ..... If you could kindly include a link to the relevant Cover1 feature, that would be splendid and would facilitate taking advantage of your suggestion "Poor" Cole Beasley has estimated career earnings of $38M, including $23M in three seasons with the Bills. He carefully explained to us last pre-season that his family is financially set for life at this point.

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/buffalo-bills/2022/03/multiple-teams-including-patriots-swarming-on-bills-ryan-bates.html

Then we likely won't match it.

Hey, while I got your attention, what's your take on Crowder's playing speed? Does it look faster than his 40 time to you? Would love you to wander over to his thread and weigh in.

Yeah, I think the "Rambo" run against the Bengals and some of the team PR featuring and GMFB coverage and stuff might have gone to his head a little bit. It sounds as though he got pissed off in a good way at the end of the season. I'm pulling hard for him to take another step Nice writing from Ty Dunne too - "all offseason long, the Bills were on Tinder trying to swipe right on Zach Ertz."Interesting to hear that Knox worked with Evan Engram at Ol' Miss and gives him a lot of credit for helping him develop, and wow! about Walk-ons have to get a "to go box" and can't even eat with the team.

I completely agree with this. Saffold at age 33 coming off a shoulder injury is a reasonable short- term upgrade to Williams, but in No Way a "long term plan" at OG. We need to upgrade in the draft. I think "Vlad the Impaler", myself He didn't do the impaling, but he sure as heck helped our QB get impaled.

I agree that's what it means. As someone else pointed, the Bears just signed a 28 year old C from Green Bay with 34 NFL starts for 2 years, $4M/year. I think the Bills view their max offer on Bates as lower than that (the $3.98M 2nd round tender being pretty much that) A Bears fan who has any insider connections, or a Bears fan who is part of the "legitimately crazed fanbase" Brad Spielberger references as "ready to fire Brad Poole if he doesn't sign a guy whose name they learned 24 hrs ago"?

Told by whom?

So in another thread, @NewEra brought up the valid point that Bates looked solid at LG at the end of this season, playing between our two best OLmen - Dawkins and Morse. As RG, he'd be playing next to a guy who struggled at times in pass pro as a rookie. Clearly at this point all Bates experience last year was at LG Does anyone know whether he has snaps at RG with the Bills, and if so when/how much?

I'm gonna guess that the Browns may trade Baker with a clause that has them keeping a good portion of his 2022 salary in exchange for a pick of some sort. Which would be a better deal for them than cutting him and keeping all the hit of his $18M fully-guaranteed 5th year option. The question is, what team wants to trade for a pouty kid who hasn't yet shown he's "all that" as a Franchise QB, who has probably played a role in getting two different HC's fired, and who probably spurred a huge-money trade for Watson by refusing to "kiss and make up" with his current team - after walking out on his first college team and sitting out a year over some kind of "Who's #1?" dispute? Yes, he undoubtedly has talent and will be 100% fired up to show what he can do, so there's that.

Well, So far, who is without a chair in the QB game of "musical chairs"? Panthers and Sea-snakes? By the way, pay no attention to the massive -$67M negative cap show for the Seasnakes on Spotrac. They have some kind of glitch in their cap table which is showing almost every player twice. I went through with a calculator and I *think* they have about $35M of cap remaining.

At this time, and until he presents an offer sheet the Bills refuse to match, that would be Ryan "Rick" Bates.

"Back by the opener" would mean he has returned to "athletic activity" (practice) in less than 9 months (9 months ~Sept 16th) Per BangedupBills (PT Dr Kyle Trimble) that is associated with a higher rate of re-injury.

Fair. The Keenum figure showing a $3.5M cap hit is on the Bills salary cap table, but still in purple, leading me to believe there are some details not known.

Astute observation. Similar observation, Beane may be done seeking out trades, but that doesn't mean some surprise trade partner won't approach him with a deal. I'll put something out there though. We currently have 5 deals where salary information is NOT available, meaning the Bills have probably not filed the paperwork with the League Office. One is recent (Crowder, yesterday) but the others have been out there for a while. Barkley was reportedly agreed last week but just came to Buffalo for his physical and to sign this week. But Phillips and Lawson signed last week and both have video up on the Bills website of them signing contracts. Right now Spotrac shows the Bills as having $4.17M available, which is probably not enough to sign all 4 even with pushing $3.4M of offsetting contracts out of the "top 51". So why are the Bills keeping this money open? Well, maybe just for that reason - keeping some money free for "surprise free agents" or trade offers.

Good videos! Thanks for posting. 1. for a guy who ran a 4.56 40-yd, he looks to play a helluvalot faster than that - especially in the highlights from Washington What's the scoop there, anyone know? Or where's someone with "scout eyes" to look at the highlights? 2. seems to have good field vision. makes good use of blockers and cuts to make guys miss. 3. I could be crazy, but couldn't help being struck by how the footballs in Wash. (from Cousins and Smith) seemed to zip in there and hit Crowder in stride, while he seemed to be waiting for the footballs thrown on the Jets (from Darnold). Could be a reason his YAC really fell off in NYC vs. Washington.

Depends upon how well the other guys are covered, and whether (avert!) one of them gets hurt

It's apparently even cheaper than that when you look at the cap hit.

Looks as though they are both Veteran Salary Benefit contracts. The "tell" is they count less against the cap than the salary plus bonuses. Here's a good explanation: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/jake-kumerow-contract-details-and-the-nfls-veteran-salary-benefit/ar-AAV0Yuh Looks as though the Bills guaranteed part of their base salary as well, and that the maximum additional bonus allowed under VSB has had an increase from $137,500 to $152,500.