MarlinTheMagician

One other thing: Mario WIlliams, Kyle Williams, Corey Graham, Leodis and Urbik all have what in common? 30+ years. Reinvest the Mario money in the D. These 30+ players are $30 million in cap. Gimme the Wilkerson, a young 26 (not 27 until late October).

Agree - good clean offseason fun. WIlkerson a long shot, but if chance came up I would pursue it as hard as I could if I was Whaley. Revelation for me is we have a ton of money - unless someone shows me how I am misreading Spotrac and Over the Cap (which I admit is possible!) Go Bills

For those that say "we can't afford Mo, no way no how" -- I just don't see it. I threw this out before for comment, and since have gone to Over the Cap to check. I suggested we could clear $30 million cutting non-core vets and restructuring Clay (which I regard as a certainty). Looking at it more closely, it is more like $40 million we could clear with post June 1 cuts plus that restructuring. Mario and Kyle alone are $21 million. Leodis, Graham, Lawson and Carpenter and are another $12.3 million. Clay restructuring is at least five. That is 38.3 million without straining. Easily enough to get Wilkerson (assume $15, worst case), Cordy ($11?), and Ritchie done ($3.5). And you only spent $29.5. Give me a Sanu for $3.75 and we will do what we can try to keep some combination of Leodis, Graham or Kyle with pay cuts or incentive deals for the remaining $5 million - but really couldn't care if we kept none of those. Makes us younger and better. Mo = 26, Sanu = 27. And if you strain a little there is easily another $5 million in there among the Goodwin, Duke Williams, Urbik level of players.

I agree. I don't think Harrison is unique really - effective tubs of goo can be had in 3rd round. Wilkerson is the more unusual talent -

Just read another article that "key" to Jets front is Harrison run-stuff in middle, and would use tag on him if they don't get a deal. Interesting, can't tag him and Mo and they do have Williams and need to sign Richardson. One of those Jets - Wilkerson or Harrison - could easily be gone. I think even likely, but admittedly hard to see Jets keeping undrafted Harrison over Mo Wilkerson. But they are the Jets! I would do whatever it takes to get 'er done if he comes available. Not necessarily too rich for Bills. Minus Mario, minus Kyle - he is covered. Would I trade those two Williams for Wilkerson? Absolutely. Can you find enough in the other guys for Glenn and Incognito? Not sure, what do you think Glenn gets? How much does cap go up in 2017, 18 and 19. History is signing quality guys at market looks cheap due to cap accretion. Need to get Tyrod done if he performs of course.

Whaley said that in substance in interview right around when season ended. Don't remember if he said "splash" -- probably more football speak like "impact" or "signficant", but the tone suggested to me he had someone/small group of someones in mind. We don't need Wilkerson to take a Rex discount to sign him in my view. But I do agree the chances of him hitting FA are less than 50%, perhaps much less. I view Sanu as Lawson-like., Probably comparable in terms of year-adjusted money.

Future cap could work with Wilkerson due to cap increases. If he were available, I think he would be a more important signing than Glenn or Incognito, and comparable to Gilmore. I agree with poster KD in CT that Wilkerson could get tagged even if not signed, Daily News reporting on that today. Speculating on "tag and trade" strategy, which would mean he ain't coming to us. But that has a lot of risk for Jets if no trading partner. I tend to agree with Peterpan that I would rather have Mo than Richardson, but Jets beat guy Mehta says today in paper Richardson likely has more upside due to greater rush ability. Plus Harrison is a FA, plus Leonard Williams has fit the bill. Probably doesn't come available, but I would do what it takes if he does. Receivers - no thanks on small speed guys (Benjamin), agree with earlier poster Bungs likely sign Jones. Kearse and Mathews could be interesting, rather have Sanu. How cheap could Bouldin be? Old as heck, but could be a Lofton-esque play, he could teach Dez Lewis how to play and help Sammy/Woods further development. Any opposition to cutting Goodwin? I have no hope for him at this point. Would not overpay for Hogan, though I like him. I don't know how dead his career is after injury, but I thought Easley could possibly have been developed as the big possession guy if they gave him a chance. Enough speed to get deep too (kind of a Tasker-like transition from special teams ace), but it is probably a pipe dream. Of what we have and what is out there, I keep coming back to Sanu.

I agree - I often say if we ever won, it just wouldn't be the same anymore. Not that I wouldn't take it in a heartbeat! For Russert, for everyone who has rooted for them for decades -- just one. As Russert would say, Dallas doesn't need it, Miami and New York don't need it. Maybe Buffalo doesn't NEED it either, but it sure deserves it!

That is very kind All-Pro. Probably being too pushy on my Wilkerson point, but I really think he is so perfect for this squad. I believe (but no one wants me as GM, sadly), he alone would be a game-changer on D. And he is young, a gamer (was "questionable" for our game when he broke his leg), not a prima donna, not a money whore. He is a blood and guts guy Bills fans would just love. And I feel he is a grown-up in a way Dareus and Hughes might not be yet. I think he could make the money we are already committed to spend on our line. Him and Sanu would truly let us draft BPA, and I think it is doable. With our first -- see a tackle you like, a linebacker that can get to the flat, a safety that would make a difference, you can grab the best athlete without drafting for need. Love our Bills more than anything in sports (and some things outside of sports that I should probably value more highly than the Bills. Like food). I think we have cap manuevability, if not space. Using it wisely could make all the difference. Plus another solid draft and we could be really close. D

So much negativism on the board today!! C'mon, we are BILLS FANS. Sure this year was a disappointment. But harken back to 84-85, or for the old timers '68. Five wins combined in those years! My whole life the sword of imminent departure hung over the team, and it is gone! They are going to get one before I die, I feel it. We have had it so much worse for so often - we can be a good team for a long time with what we have, and we have a chance to be great. ​We are in the hunt. I agree with not blowing it up. Pegs needs to convince Rex not to put too much pressure on his own club with his big mouth. But there are some good things about Rex - he is a competitor. Would love to see them hire Coughlin as football czar - over Rex and Whaley. Possible?

Agree with every one of those. Do those things and add Mo Wilkerson to Dareus and Hughes, with Darby and Gilmore on the edges, and we have the core in place for many years. Build the linebacker and safety talent up through the draft. I think we miss the safety that signed with Tennessee (what the hell was his name) more than I thought we would - he was big enough to cover tight ends, and very smart/coach on the field guy. Not saying he would have made the difference, but instead we have Duke Williams, porn star chaser, and other meatheads. All the guys other than Hughes that take dumb over-exuberance penalties have to go -- Brooks, Duke, Boobie. Bye. We have to get a smarter roster, as well as a more talented one (this is two your points 1 & 2). But I think we need a talent infusion too. MO, MO, MO!!!!

I think re-signing Whaley is a great move. Talent level here now is so different than mid-late 2000s. I feel we quickly forget. Two non-losing seasons for the Bills is pretty unusual - as the stats show. And he is young and should get better. Some home runs - Sammy, Tyrod, Darby, Richie, etc. Biggest miss was Manuel, but it was a reasonable risk when we were desperate for QB help - we all like Fitz, but for us he cost far too much to keep and he would not restructure. And at QB, they kept after it and got Tyrod when the likelihood of a miss with EJ became apparent. ​More than anything, with Whaley it seems like we are always trying to get better in ways that are not illogical -- even if not all attempts work (EJ, Cyrus and Harvin). I have not had that desperate "what the world are we doing" feeling in a few years. We need some new D pieces. If Mario is not a stud (and there is no argument he was not this year), the sure pieces we have on D are actually pretty few: Darby, Gilmore, Hughes and Dareus. That is about it - lots of mediocre talent on that side was masked by the "cold front" - I think they will get it fixed.

Question: Perhaps someone could help me with this, tell me if I am wrong. As I look at it, Bills don't have big cap problems. From what I have read in the past plus looking at Sportrac, it seems we have over $30 million in cap space available with expected cuts and restructurings before any increase. I think we have $18+ million from cutting Mario/expected Clay restructuring (we all remember the "blow-up the Dolphins" frontloading); and Another $12 or so among cut/restructurings with Kyle Williams, Leodis, Carpenter, Corey Graham, Urbik and Dixon. I don't think any of those are critical pieces - love Kyle but he does not fit this system, can't see him as an end and don't think he can hold the nose. The rest are not core pieces. And this assumes Aaron Williams is retained. Pay Wilkerson $14, and you still have plenty for Cordy and Richie. Is this not in line with fact?

Much has been written in New York press about having to choose between Wilkerson and Richardson. Harrison needs a new contract and Williams played well. Free agent priorities include Ivory and Fitzpatrick. Reportedly, Jets very tight against the cap and Wilkerson has a broken leg. Can't say it is impossible. Personally 10/10 I take Wilkerson over Richardson, but Jets seem to be leaning the other way.

Jets really don't want to let Mo go, I agree. But they have even more than we do tied up in line. What was Leonard Williams, like 4th overall pick or so? Plus Sheldon Richardson, plus Harrison. They probably can't keep them all, which is likely why they did not tie-up Wilkerson before 2015. They have exclusive rights until March? If I was Mo I would make them pay up for making me wait and if they did not blow me away - why not test the market? Broken leg could help us a little there. I remember Mo coming out in the press here in support of Rex pretty strongly a couple of years ago. I wonder what their relationship is? ​Not impossible -- Plus the Jets are stupid - never under-estimate that! For example, they are going to pay to try to keep Fitz. More than $4.5 million or so and they blew it, IMHO.

Wilkerson will not be overpriced, which is not to say he won't be expensive. Only over-priced if the under-perform their contract. Very little risk of that with Mo. You can build primarily through the draft and still add pieces through free agency. Which is more likely to be over-priced, a "re-sign" of Bradham, Mario, Glenn, Incognito or Mo Wilkerson? Of those five, I think Wilkerson has the lowest risk of being over-priced. He is an unusual talent.

We have a good start. If they add some pieces . . . . Where is the guys that always posts: 19-0 Baby! Love that -

Although I guess they do have exclusive rights until when - March? But being this close, Mo should test the market -- and Jets have much tied to WIlliams, Richardson, Harrison,. We agree on Sanu. I admit, neither of us really know how much cap pressure Bengals feel, and it all depends on how much they like their own guys. They have money, and need to sign a ton of talent. If they let some walk agree they have plenty of money for Jones. My point really was though - unlikely to pay market for both Sanu and Jones and I don't think we disagree on that. Mo + Sanu!

Tried to paste in Cinci article on their cap situation, but couldn't. They have a ton of talent they need to sign or let go. Green took a huge amount of money, and they only extended Whitworth through 2016 (kind of like Gilmore). I think they have their own pressures -- Adam Jones did himself no favors! No longer up to Jets whether they let Mo go. Fans are furious they did not get it done before this year, now he hits the market.

Yup - AJ Green plus Whitworth = ? Friends in CInci think they are strapped. ​Agree with the post on linebackers -- need 'em bad. But the front is much more difficult -- 300lb guys that can set the edge and rush about second hardest thing to find after QBs (maybe a stud wideout just as hard -- love Whaley's trade for Sammy, never understood they hate for that). ​Linebackers can be found, not saying it is easy. But Wilkerson + Dareis + Hughes, all in their prime, is the foundation that will let the linebackers shine.

Absolutely. And I think we can get a WR in FA to be #2. Gotta get a right tackle before Tyrod is killed.

Cinci does not have cap space when measured against the talent they need to sign. But back to Wilkerson: You don't blow the cap by signing guys that earn their contract. You don't blow the cap by signing guys that are outcome determinative with their play. You blow it buy signing guys like Byrd. You blow it by giving it to questionable characters like Suh, or malcontents like Mario. In my view, Wilkerson is one of the lowest risk in all of the NFL not to earn what he is paid. He is an overwhelming force on the field, and a tremendous leader by example which our group of knuckleheads sorely lack. He would keep his foot in Dareus and keep Hughes in line.

Wilkerson - get him.

The heck with the capologists. Offense is close, we need a tackle and a number 2. On the D, we have some great pieces but are very flawed. We need to look at the D as a blank slate after a few guys -- Dareus, Hughes, Gilmore and Darby are set. That is it. None of the other seven are players that will make or break us. Bradham, Brown, Kyle Williams, Graham, Aaron (love him, because of injury I say this), McKelvin, Lawson and on and on - keep what you can, but all replaceable. None make the difference needed to get us where we need to go. Wilkerson maximizes the investment in Dareus and Hughes -- the opposite of pissing it away. Team guy that will lead them. Can and should continue to be the core of the D. Back 7 looked too damn slow across the board after Darby and Gilmore. Zero linebacker pursuit - anything in the flat goes for 20. Need to retool LBs and add a safety. ​

In 45+ years of watching the Bills, few coaches frustrated me more than Ryan this year. Having said that, as a Buffalo guy stuck living in New York and watching his Jet teams closely, I do believe he can coach up a defense. If he has two strong corners, his scheme will work (it failed when Jets dumped Revis and Cromartie and left Rex with a bunch of Ron Brooks equivalents, or lesser) . Lock up Gilmore and we have the CBs we need for years. I think it is easy to underestimate what a destructive force it is when a vet star like Mario does not buy-in. Could ruin guys like Dareus or Hughes. Mo Wilkerson is the opposite, ultimate locker-room and team guy. I almost feel "whatever it takes" - get him. Guys like Bradham will not make or break you, but Mo could. If we lose some guys we'd like to keep like Nigel etc to get Big Mo, so what (IMHO). Seems we desperately need a No. 2 receiver, and I think Sanu or Jones could be perfect fit and are undervalued because so much talent in Cinci: Not enough balls for AJ Green, Sanu, Jones, Eifert, Bernard, Hill etc. GO BILLS!!!