simpleman

I don't know enough about him to say how good he is, but it seems worth a try to bring him in for a tryout and a physical. If he passes, offer him a nice incentive based contract and be willing to take a chance on him. At 30, if he only lasts a year or two till we can draft a RT to develop, great. If we expect to develop a QB we will need to give him enough protection to survive and develop. Sounds like Brees sure appreciated him covering his back. If anyone thinks we have an NFL caliber RT on the roster right now, I think it is time to take off those Fanboy tinted sunglasses and see the light.

He was just released. Is his injury last year the reason or is he just used up? Anyone know anything about him? If he heals, would he be better than what the Bill's already have? Or could he be worth another Merriman type gamble?

You must understand that the basic principle of the whole organization is that "The Bills" are simply an investment property to be sold when Ralph dies. The team is being run in minimal caretaker mode to provide the greatest return on investment until that time. The true value of the team is that it is one of only 32 teams in the NFL. The NFL is only real game in town in the US. That exclusivity is what creates the value of the team to potential buyers. There is no pride or interest in winning or even offering a truly competitive team, there is no "love of the sport", because there is no PROFIT in pride or love of the game. It is simply a business investment. The ownership will do just enough to not have the rest of the league force them to sell prematurely, and nothing more. Deal with it Buffalo!

Good Luck to Evans. The fact that they traded a current "asset" for a latter round draft pick NEXT year with a no value added this year to replace the "asset" tells you just how the front office feels about the importance of fielding a competent and competitive team THIS year. And given the history of our(if you want me to be a fan, you at least have to make an effort to create the ILLUSION that you are attempting to be become competitive) the Bills draft department, what are statistical odds of them using a late 4th round pick to draft someone who was as at least as competent as Lee is. Oh, I'm sure there are a few stray dreamers out there attempting to rationalize this as a part of a brilliant secret plan of front office to stockpile draft picks to use to trade up in the next draft's "Good Luck" derby, lol. Personally, I guess that given the limited number of NFL teams, the sale value of most NFL teams is not based so much on the current quality of it's players under contract, or it's current market, but predominately on the fact it is one of ONLY 32 teams. Other than a few select teams already located in the prime markets, a prospective buyer is really purchasing a team and assigning it's value mainly based on the fact it is one of an exclusive and extremely limited number of teams. It can be moved, and it's staff and players can be built to the whims and desires of the new owner. When a team's owner has one and only one consideration, how much can the team be sold for, it makes sense to invest the minimum possible in the team and maximize the current return on investment until such time that the team is sold. An excellent business decision, but it is sad for anyone foolish enough to hope that they might have a team to root for that is a legitimate competitor, and not simply an investment property being maintained with a "minimal caretaker budget" until it can be sold with the maximum overall return on investment. The local area and the fans are once again being brazenly "shown the bird" by the ownership and most are too dense or irrational enough to realize it.

Sad, but probably close to the truth. For the first time in many years, if they added a Clabo and a Miller/Boss to the team and kept Poz and Florence, fans could actually have hopes of rooting for a legitimate competitive team without being completely delusional. Back to the reality of the Wilson money first/pride last nightmare after the lockout ends. At least we have the Sabres.

Does anyone know if the Bills contract would require a home game in Toronto if we have an 8 game shortened season? Meaning we would only get 3 home games.

Since I am a poor smooh and have never had anything but single game tickets, the question is how the season ticket purchase has been promoted and advertised and what legally binding language is used on the offers and the season tickets. If the NFL can be held for breach of contract with the ticket holders for non delivery of promised services, then the price will HAVE to be adjusted. The NFL is declaring the lockout, the players and other parties are willing to play and work, and the NFL is solely responsible and has absolute control and final say over whether on not the season is played. Therefore it would be wholly responsible for the failure to deliver any promised or contracted services. So can any season ticket holders answer what they were legally promised at time of payment?

Wow! Great video. He is incredible. And his attitude is just what this team needs more of. I checked out the Von Miller one there as well. Who knows, hopefully we will end up thanking Denver for basically swapping draft picks with us when they took Miller. Go Hulk!

You are exactly right. Under your assumption the players will completely cave in and the owners will "win", forcing the payers to give back their due under their existing contracts. I hope the resolution is not quite so one-sided, and the owners will also have to make some sacrifices themselves as a result of their actions. The owners brought this on themselves. The players did not strike, the owners locked them out. The players were more than willing to continue playing under the old contracts while the two sides continued to negotiate.

We know the TV money is guaranteed regardless of the games played. I guess someone with more information could provide us with information on how much of an NFL team's total income for teams like the Bills is actually from each game actually being played vs. other income like TV and licensed items and things like government subsidies and seat licenses. Maybe for many teams the loss is worth the risk, or not that great compared to the long term gains they hope to achieve. Or maybe the owners are less concerned with short term income vs the appreciation of the teams net worth as a long term investment. And remember a majority of the owners are extremely wealthy independent of their investment in the sports franchise and may not have trouble fronting the extra expenses now for long term gains down the road if they get the give backs they want from the players. Most are not like the typical fan working and living from week to week just a few steps from living on the streets.

Attached is the standard unmodified player contract for the NFL. The way I read it is the player is payed per season not per game. If he plays the first game of the season and is not injured, released or otherwise disqualified, he is paid regardless of the number of games played. Of course performance clauses and bonuses are definitely affected. Am I misreading this? 5. COMPENSATION. For performance of Player’s services and all other promises of Player, Club will pay Player a yearly salary as follows: $__________________________for the 20_____season; $__________________________for the 20_____season; $__________________________for the 20_____season; $__________________________for the 20_____season; $__________________________for the 20_____season. In addition, Club will pay Player such earned performance bonuses as may be called for in this contract; Player’s necessary traveling expenses from his residence to training camp; Player’s reasonable board and lodging expenses during pre-season training and in connection with playing pre-season, regular season, and postseason football games outside Club’s home city; Player’s necessary traveling expenses to and from pre-season, regular season, and postseason football games outside Club’s home city; Player’s necessary traveling expenses to his residence if this contract is terminated by Club; and such additional compensation, benefits and reimbursement of expenses as may be called for in any collective bargaining agreement in existence during the term of this contract. (For purposes of this contract, a collective bargaining agreement will be deemed to be “in existence” during its stated term or during any period for which the parties to that agreement agree to extend it.) 6. PAYMENT. Unless this contract or any collective bargaining agreement in existence during the term of this contract specifically provides otherwise, Player will be paid 100% of his yearly salary under this contract in equal weekly or biweekly installments over the course of the applicable regular season period, commencing with the first regular season game played by Club in each season. Unless this contract specifically provides otherwise, if this contract is executed or Player is activated after the beginning of the regular season, the yearly salary payable to Player will be reduced proportionately and Player will be paid the weekly or biweekly por- 250

Maybe because unlike you, I see the bigger picture. Don't get all chicken little and say you will destroy the NFL and the Bills. The non renewal of the exemption is a leverage tactic to force the resolution of the dispute quickly. You are 100% right in saying the NFL would be unable to survive without this special "favor" from the government. This is a pressure tactic to force a quick resolution to the dispute. If you give someone a favor, you have every right to expect something in return. It is called carrying a "big stick". If you want this lockout to end, why not use the big stick to force the players and the owners to resolve the dispute. It is not about anger, but logic and power. You sound like the angry one. It sounds like you have a personal stake in the owners coming out ahead on the dispute at any cost. The owners and most of the players are not stupid, they have a good thing going. They would not sacrifice that good thing if they knew they would loose the exemption that makes them rich. That is why I would advocate such a thing, because it would work. It is available to us as fans, it empowers us. And if the exemption is removed, it can be leverage to say "Solve this thing NOW if you want it reinstated, and THEN you can have your exemption back".

Other than push for changes in the political makeup in the courts to enforce ALL Anti-trust issues, which would take time and be difficult. Removing the yearly Anti-Trust exemption would be the quickest and easiest way to send the NFL, the courts, and the players a message. And even judges listen to the mood of the country, they are all politicians first. Sending them a message that we are tired of monopolistic actions by the NFL can make a difference. It is the only other action we as fans can take to put pressure on the parties involved, other than a ticket boycott. This lockout is about money, and where does most of that that money come from? From the TV broadcast rights and the sale of branded merchandise, which are affected by the exemptions. To say we can't do anything about it is just plain defeatist. Inactivity in life, as in sports is a sure path to losing, you have to make an effort if you want to win. If the posters here spent a few minutes to email their reps about the issue and expressed their support for Conyer's efforts, their simple efforts would be a positive move toward a solution of the problem.

As we fans all talk about the lockout there actually is one thing we can do to help end the lockout. This would not be legal if the NFL had their Anti-Monopoly exemption removed by the Congress. Individual corporations such as the Bills may legally be able to lockout their employees as a labor dispute between employees and employers, but acting in concert with all the other corporations in the market to enforce the lockout industry wide is not legal. Remove the special legal exemptions the NFL enjoys and the lockout would be ruled illegal. If all the fans contacted their local representatives and demanded the exemptions be immediately removed, the chances of season would be greatly enhanced. Get out there and act, just don't talk, if you want the lockout to end.

Interesting reading. According to the contract, even if a player plays only the first game of the season and is available to play others, he gets the full amount of his salary for the season. So to the players (considering only base salary) , if there is only one game or 16 games, it does not matter as long as they play the first game and are available to play others, regardless of how many are held. A shortened season will not affect a players base salary, just incentives and other payments. So a shortened season does not mean any loss of BASE salary or BASE benefits to the players. And it also states players are payed per season, not per game as someone previously stated.

People keep saying the players are under contract. If the contract states you have to pay the players and the owners miss a payment, wouldn't in fact the owners be in breach of contract and that the contact could be voided? If the new "league" does not call themselves the NFL, the players would not violate any exclusivity clauses of their contract. Actually as a pressure tactic by the players, this is not as wild as it sounds. The players could play games in smaller college stadiums, getting only the TV revenue. What percent of the fans watch the game in person vs on TV? Don't tell me a major player in the TV business who has not had a chance at getting a TV broadcast contract, and does not think they will get a chance at one, would not jump at the chance to televise football with real name players. The teams could stay as they are, they would be Buffalo, just not the Buffalo Bills. Sounds like a great idea for the players to pressure the owners to "play ball". I'd watch it, it could be fun. Not as a long term thing, but as a tactic. Plus imagine the PR the players could get saying they owe it to the fans to just play ball, and then just do it. Bet the owners would actually start real negotiations after the first week of games.

It was mentioned that there is a risk in the investment in a NFL team? Question? Does anyone know if in the last 20 years any established team has ever sold for less than what the owner paid for it?

As others have said, considering how bad a couple of teams are out there, you would really have to stink to beat them for #1. Unless it is because of a lot of major injuries, playing that bad means the players you have now are worthless. And I don't care who you have at QB with that little talent behind them, even a Brady or a Manning would be losers. Win WIn WIN!

I was excited when Rudolph was there in the draft. Sad we did not take him. But he was not a monster blocker. Considering we will have a "serviceable" QB or a "developing" QB for a few years, we do need a TE with good hands for relief passes to help out the QB under stress. And if he is a monster blocker first, I don't care what your offensive scheme is, he fits. We need an decent offense for a quality QB to develop (and survive). Until we have one, the talent will be wasted or put in jeopardy of ever developing. Short of us getting "LUCKy", that is the reality. And I don't want to even think what would have to happen this year for us to get "LUCKy" next year. Hope we get a young undrafted TE to try and develop, and one of the ones you mentioned to get better right now to avoid getting "LUCKy" next year

Love to see Clabo here, not sure the FO will go for him, they sound like they want to stand pat at OT You have sold me on Smith, now if we could just sell the FO on him,lol. A monster mobile guy who can really block, decent hands, intelligent, character, motivated and a hard worker. And affordable too for the FO. Not a lot of downsides and little risk.

Wow, I have to admit I never saw Andre Smith on the radar. I checked him out. He sounds like a great prospect for the Bills. Anyone know much about him? I'm not a huge fan of the site, but walterfootball has nice lists on free agents that is easy to use.

We all had our fantasy draft picks, only one of mine came true, my #1. I am really disappointed my #2 did not get picked, he was available. We still need a decent blocking TE with good hands. How about you, what free agents do you want the Bills to go after? And why?

Bowers is so tempting. But Buffalo is in so desperate need of too many "hole fillers" that they can't afford the big gamble on his health. Buffalo needs a TE. When Buffalo finally finds their QB of the future they will need a TE who can catch and block to give the new QB the support he will need to win. Kyle Rudolph is the number 1 TE in the draft. My next choice would Brooks Reed. The QB gamble will be there for the 3rd round.