JoeF

From Chris Brown. This is Russ Brandon's overview of the Peters' situation: http://blogs.buffalobills.com/2009/04/15/peters-update/ Bills COO/GM Russ Brandon addressed the Jason Peters contract situation at the team’s draft luncheon Wednesday. Here was his update on the team’s Pro Bowl left tackle. “Obviously we’ve talked about this ad nauseum, but we value Jason greatly as a player,” said Brandon. “He’s a player that we developed and signed to a contract early in his career. Obviously Jason has done a great job and played very well. At the conclusion of the year we talked to Jason and we’d obviously like to have him on this team and will continue to work with his representatives to get something done.” When asked if he needs to come to a resolution or definitive answer as to where things are headed with Peters in negotiations prior to the draft, he offered the following. “We’re going to see how the situation plays out,” said Brandon. ”We want him on this football team and expect him to be on this football team.” ______________________ Visit Chris' blog--it will help pay the extra $500K a year the Bills will need to get this deal done...

It's all my fault for multi-tasking while watching total access. I have Astro's back on this one--blame it on me.

Astrobot -- are you holding out on us? http://www.drafttek.com/round12009.asp Our Bills Team Correspondent Dean Kindig (aka Astrobot) updates on the Jason Peters situation. He previously was taking the tack that Peters was likely to be traded, but now comes the news that the Bills Left Tackle was offered a contract which would make him the highest paid in the league at that position - roughly on par with Carolina's Jordan Gross. Dean now thinks a deal will get done, and has lowered the priority on OT for Buffalo. As a result, our Consensus Mock Draft has the Bills steering away from Michael Oher and again looking in the direction of USC LB Brian Cushing.

Bruschi will part the ocean so they can drive over... (I know I know--tired old humor)

Kermit and Miss Piggy did mate....wow

Can we nominate you for a Pulitzer? The category -- "great investigative reporter who does not take himself too seriously"..

I swore I heard it....but I was also writing/editing a whitepaper.... That's why I didn't start the 2 millionth Peters thread and went to the absolute impeccable source of all Bills knowledge for guidance.....

Dang--I was watching--and I swear I heard it, but the tape doesn't lie. I thought I heard him Peters wants in the $11M range and the Bills were around $9.75. Are there two versions of total access? This was the dinner hour one--I was still at work where we have the dish (for educational purposes only). I was working on a whitepaper so I wasn't 100% paying attention....

Or dressed in sweats on the sidelines and inactive -- while he gets bigger, stronger, etc...

Nope....I drive a Chevy and can't afford TIVO.....or else I would give you a video clip..

I did (sorry I am just posting). It was Mike Lombardi whose track record is a little wavy. He said that there is a 75% chance of trade...but I think Lombardi is in Parker's pocket trying to get another 1/2 Million a year for Jason Peters. I agree with you--I took it as this thing is going to get done.

Tim, Mike Lombardi on NFL Network just said that the Bills have raised the offer to Peters to $9.75 M per and he and Parker still told them to pound sand. They want the conversation to start at $11M. Is Lombardi blowing smoke? Also said it looks 75% in favor of trade right now. Any truth to this or more speculation? Thanks!!!

There has to be some excuse....he was there negotiating the parameters of the Parrish to the Browns deal and things got out of hand.. That has to be it. Anyone at a House of Blues at 3 AM deserves to be arrested...dang.

There is no doubt that given the opportunity, the mainstream media, with good reason will always take the negative slant on TO. It is what it is...he has earned it in many, many ways. However, the fact the guy came in for voluntary workouts -- even for a few of them -- shows me he is at least making an effort to change a bit. I honestly think Buffalo may be a perfect place to spend 3 or 4 years and call it a career. He doesn't need anymore exposure -- he spits and the media is there to cover it--and if he can be part of a winner -- it will be a story like his come back from the dead Super Bowl with the Eagles.

Don--please go back to your normal activities on Yahoo IM whatever they may be. I don't care to speculate..... You have spit on the sanctity of Good Friday. You should not just be banned, you should 1) have to re-read and provide a detailed report of SKOOBY's history of posting on the wall 2) delve deep into the mind of crayonz and provide a psychological profile

They say I'm crazy but I have a good time I'm just looking for clues at the scene of the crime

Tim--any thoughts on the Seth McKinney Signing? He's been pretty banged up the last couple of years. Can he still serve an interior depth role? Thanks so much--have a happy holiday.

From Scouts, Inc: 2008 Scouting Report - Scouts Inc. Grade: 59 | Key Alert: None Comment: McKinney immediately proved to be an asset for the Browns in 2007 when Ryan Tucker was suspended four games at the start of the season. McKinney is an athletic big man who moves well and has good feet. He isn't very stout against the bull rush, but he uses his hands well and keeps fighting to the whistle. He pulls effectively on power-O plays and makes good contact with the linebacker in the hole. If he gets beaten out for a starting job, he will provide excellent depth. He can play some center in a pinch, and he's very familiar with Cleveland's offensive scheme. McKinney has good free-agent value and surely will draw interest if the Browns choose not to re-sign him.

I am saying one playoff game makes up the difference over six years between 9 and 10 million a year. Not saying anything about our playoff chances.....One more game in Toronto also makes up the difference...over time its a mice nuts amount. Stats versus vote of his peers who actually play against him...hmmmm which do I think has more validity? Give me your analysis of the relative merits and drawbacks of Pace vs. Ogden vs. Peters...you seem to be an expert in LT evaluations--We would all be enlightened.

He took himself, with Mouse's help, from an undrafted FA Tight End to a pro bowl LT. What in that indicates he will tank it when he gets paid? He's already been paid above any expectation he could of had coming out of college--he still gave effort. We aren't exactly talking about someone who entered the NFL as a first rounder. He's earned what he is gotten up to now. Why wouldn't he continue? It seems much more likely he would continue the path he is on...even when he is paid. Any contract is a crap shoot--but we are talking about investing in Peters similar to our investment in Dockery--if you count the inflation in the cap...we took care of that mistake in 2 years...our cash to the cap strategy make these cuts have very little impact. This guy is an elite athlete for his size...remember the punt block, and TD recovery against the Bengals...typical LT just don't do that sh--. He has quicks--he has reflex, strength. We built a LT--let's not farm team him to someone else over a relative pittance of money.

Part of running a business is analyzing the market for your key talent and then keeping that key talent happy with both the operating environment and their comp package. We're talking 11% -- the difference between 9 and 10 Million and the difference between 54 and 60 million over 6 years. One playoff game makes up the entire pot of revenue. I hope you never run a franchise or a business--you will lag behind because you let difference makers go. Again, his peers think he is the best in the business...you can debate whether that's valid all day long--but it is what it is.

Obviously with 70+ posts on this thread there is a lot to think about. Stroud's extension is pretty neutral to the cap -- Clumpy is our expert here -- but its basically a 4 year deal for $28 M with $12 M upfront and $16M for the first 2 years. Meaning that the salaries are probably $1 and $3 M in year one and two and the pro-rated bonus is $3M per year. His cap figure for 09 is basically the same $4M he was scheduled to make in base this year. So I don't think signing Stroud has much impact on the Peters situation. The bottom line for me--Good to great left tackles make $8-11M dollars a year. There is no denying that our guy has made the pro bowl the last two years. He has all the skills you look for in an LT--quick into his pass blocking stance, wide base, good punch and in the run game he has great initial surge and the ability to get to the second level. He is special--but the holdout killed his timing last year--he didn't roll himself into football mentality until about week 7 and then got injured. He is worth somewhere in the good to great range. Continuity is worth something--so the difference between $9 M and $10M a year is basically paying for continuity. We don't want to go into the season replacing 60% of our line...40% is bad enough. If it comes down to $1M year -- just pay him the damn money. Someone else will if we don't.

Damn.....knew I hit the wrong key..... Russ

Tim-- I just IM'd you the trade parameters we have in place with the Patriots for Moss. Did you get them? Russ