BarleyNY

Wood is expensive, but a lot of that is due to the past restructuring of his contract. He'll count $7.58M in 2017 as it stands. That'd be his last season under contract. If cut, he'd still count $4.32M. That's a savings of $3.26M. If a new C costs about $2M, then savings would be around $1.26M. For that, I'd rather not rock the boat and either let him play his deal out or extend him and kick some of the cap hit this season into future years. http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/eric-wood-5637/

.....finally find a franchise QB.

I think Whaley has been a mixed bag. I'd have probably moved on from him along with Rex, but can understand why Pegula kept him on. I'm not a Tyrod fan, but that actually mitigates Whaley's blame on the QB front. Rex brought in Tyrod who was successful enough to warrant a further look last season. Whaley shopped for the players that Rex wanted to help him win so QB wasn't a big focus. Cardale was a good developmental pick and that holds true whether or not he pans out. Now it's up to Whaley to find a QB. He brought in the new HC so any differences in opinion on QB should've already been worked out.

Only 25 players are currently under contract in 2018. That $70M or so has to be used for 28 more active players, all of the practice squad and any players on IR.

You can reasonably make the case that Cousins hasn't reached FQB status, but no way is Taylor near his status. Taylor is somewhere between a low level starting QB and a high level backup. Cousins is at minimum a mid-tier QB and arguably a franchise QB.

Bingo

Flacco, when hot and in his prime, was better. But I'll take the current Cousins over the Flacco of the past few seasons - and I don't think it's particularly close.

Zero interest in McCarron. If his mechanics are perfect he almost has enough arm to be an NFL QB.

Lotta posters are way undervaluing Cousins. Last season he was 3rd in passing yards with 4,917 yards, 7th in QB rating, 3rd in yards per attempt and 6th in Total QBR. Washington is stupid if they don't pay the man. I'd happily give them the 10th overall pick and do it.

Yes he does want paid - and he doesn't care by whom.

Zero chance Cleveland takes on Tyrod's contract.

Washington could get quite a lot if they do have to trade him. What a weird scenario. They trade a ransom for RG3 and then take Cousins in the 4th round of the same draft. Then inauspiciously release RG3 after such disappointment, turmoil and controversy - all while Cousins blossomed into a FQB. Now they might be forced to trade Cousins and, if so, they'll likely get a bunch of picks back for him. You couldn't make that up.

Foles should be a reasonably priced player. He would be brought in to compete or be a bridge/backup. He shouldn't be expensive early in his contract so he'd be a guy you sign in addition to a draft pick or another, pricier vet.

Was just thinking I could sure use a humber.........

Anything with Skip Bayless. There are a lot of horrible TV sports people, but Bayless was so bad that Stephen A. Smith almost looked reasonable in comparison.

True. But everyone can make the easy decisions. It's making the right decisions when they are difficult that separates the people who are actually good at something from the crowd.

It's exactly what I've been saying all along. I didn't get into how the cap dollars could be distributed since that was so complex. There are so many different ways to change the cap hit allocations - restructuring salary to bonus, timing of cut, post June 1st designation, etc. - that it would've been a nightmare to work out. But every dollar paid to Taylor must eventually be accounted for in used cap space. Just because some can be kicked down the road doesn't meant they aren't wasted if they are unwisely spent. The main takeaway of my breakdown was to show that the shorter period of time Taylor would be in Buffalo as a starter, the more expensive he'd be. He just doesn't make any sense under the current deal unless you want him long term. I do get that he's probably the best short term starter the Bills have a real option to line up at QB in 2018, but he's just not good enough to want much beyond that. To saddle the team with his extension just doesn't make sense to me. Giving him that extension and immediately undermining him by taking his eventual replacement at pick 10 doesn't make sense to me either. It's time to move on. Get a bridge QB for a season and focus finding the long term guy because Taylor isn't it.

1) It's setting yourself up for major issues. 2) Every rookie QB in this draft class should be brought along slowly. All have issues that need corrected prior to getting in a real NFL game. EJ is a great example of throwing a talented, but raw player to the wolves way too soon. He had - and continues to have - serious mechanical issues. Had those been worked out before he got on the field then things might have been better. I agree that Taylor is a proven commodity. He's a low-tier starter/high-end backup in the NFL. If that's what you're dying to have, then he's your guy for $40.5M over the next two seasons.

So let's just say they get a Tubisky, Kizer, Watson or Mahomes somewhere in the first or early second round. That's a highly drafted QB to me. Then what happens when Taylor leaves plays on the field in 2018? Watkins already has complained about not getting the ball enough and has shown frustration with Taylor. Tyrod and the team would have to be doing very well to stave off issues. .500 isn't going to cut it and worse would be, well, worse. Do you honestly believe that players won't want to see the highly drafted QB get on the field? A team just can't give a QB an extension like Tyrod's and then immediately draft another QB high. They'll be a laughingstock - and they'll have earned it. If you commit to a QB like that, you have to use your resources to help him. I'm just imagining Mike Williams sitting there at 10, but the Bills taking Deshaun Watson instead. That message would be clear: "Tyrod, we aren't focused on your success. You're our 2 year, $40.5M bridge." And he shouldn't complain about that kind of money, but that's only because it'd be a ridiculous amount to spend on a bridge - which is the other problem.

That is correct. Very few people understand how the cap works. Most are also bad at math and critical thinking.

LMAO! Seriously? You think McD should start his new regime by ensuring a divided locker room? Wow. Okay, but I'm going to disagree with that. Also, his goal should be to win a championship and he should focus on acquiring a QB who can help him achieve that. I'd be ecstatic if the Bills take a step back in 2018, but improve their long term outlook to where they should be able to compete for a title. That'd beat the hell out of watching a mediocre team with no shot at a Super Bowl try to squeak into the playoffs for a few more seasons.

Pegs would have to approve of a tank job and be looking long term, so why would he fire the GM for carrying out that plan?

Bandit, I agree with everything here except keeping Taylor. I don't know how you give him that extension based on the plays he leaves on the field. What's more, I can't see the Bills giving him that extension and immediately undermining him by drafting his replacement early in the draft - quite probably at 10. The QB controversy would begin before the draft concluded. No incoming coaching staff is going to want that turmoil before they even have their first practice.

An injured Jacoby Brissett

It's sad that the question is which will make the playoffs first, not which will win a championship first. The bar in Buffalo is low.