norton20

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 3m3 minutes ago Filed to ESPN: Bills have notified LB Kiko Alonso he is going to be traded to Philadelphia for RB LeSean McCoy. Trade official next week.

What was relevant on the upper end of deals is no longer relevant really. As the pot of money becomes larger to spend, more gets spent on upper end players. People moaning about Hughes getting perhaps upwards of $12M I think are missing this point. If the Bills liked him, they could have tagged him or paid him. They didn't. Now they will need to fill another hole (presumably).

With the cap going ever higher, past salary numbers become less and less relevant. If you liked him, pay him.

Good bye Jerry.

I agree with you which is why I was surprised when Whaley said the negotiations were going really well and he was really optimistic. It created false hopes for me at least. I think Hughes hits free agency and the Bills will have another hole to plug.

We'll see by 4 pm next Saturday (3/7) apparently. The tag deadline is Tuesday. I thought they might get it done and announce it well before then and well before the tag deadline. If the Bills don't have a deal in place by Tuesday and don't tag Hughes, what incentive does he have to sign before talking to other teams (officially on 3/7,...I am sure they are already talking)?

My thought that it would be done this week was based on Whaley's overwhelmingly positive view of the negotiations vis a vis the other Buffalo free agents, where he was less confident and more open about the difficulties that lay ahead (Spiller and Searcy in particular). I am told that confidence was based in part on prior dealings the Bills have had with Hughes's agent on other player contracts and how close they were while at the combine. It is my understanding that the tag has to be in place some time Monday (though I confess I may be wrong on the deadline). As a consequence, to avoid either tagging him or letting him get to the marketplace (where I have no confidence the Bills will compete with any over aggressive bidders) they would need to have a deal done by Monday. Having the full week after the combine, it seemed to me, would be when this would occur. I really question whether the Bills will tag Hughes and if they don't have a deal nor use the tag, I think he is as good as gone. I think the Bills have been aggressive in trying to work through a deal with Hughes based on everything I've read and heard. Why does this differ from other teams? Perhaps there have been no indications that other teams have pursued their own free agents as the Bills have Hughes (except for King Dunlap obviously).

In this case I am seriously doubting the no news is good news axiom. I thought this would be done this week. It looks like either the Bills are going to have to franchise him or let him hit free agency.

I would be Ok with Matt Moore as our free agent acquisition at QB. There is VERY little there that excites me but I think Moore can be a decent caretaker. I was sort of disappointed McCown didn't work out but I'd never have given him 3 years either.

Let's wait till after they lose a few games before we start anointing either one of them. We'll see if they are on the same page after a year or so.

Neither. I pray to God they do not waste a premium pick on the easiest position to find anywhere. No running backs before at least round 5. Beef up the lines (take your pick OL or young DL), get a tight end that can stretch defenses, draft a QB you have good feelings about (though i don't think they exist this year) etc ANYTHING but a RB in the early rounds.

YES!

If we are going to draft one I sure has hell hope it is not before the 5th round. I don't care how good the top guys are. You can get a good running back deeper in. Keep the premium picks in rounds 2 and 3 for other things (like a top TE). Having basically spent a 4th round pick on Brown last year, I do not want to commit that high a choice this year.

A definite NO!!!!!!!

Wade was always a good DC. I think he'll do really well back in Denver

Thanks for the detailed post. It gives me a lot to ponder about Ryan. I clearly don't follow the Jets like you do . From long range it looked to me like your defense was never the same after Kris Jenkins, who was a monster, got hurt. The Gholston pick was a diaster and after Mangold and Ferguson were drafted, they never adequately addressed the OL. Losing both Reevis and Cromartie without adequate replacements was just bad personnel work by your GM. From here it looked like major personnel problems compounded by bad QB play. Poor wideouts too. I am hoping Roman can fit the scheme to his players and keep Ryan working only with the D. Lord knows the Bills have lots of good D personnel for Ryan to scheme with.

Per Ian Rappaport. All I can say is UGH!

I don't think so. To me Richardson cannot move at all. Can't run screens with him, can't pull him and he is so stiff and slow he gets beaten in pass protection. As for Cy Ko, I see no hope for him as a tackle. He just did not seem able to play in space at all. I was shocked at what a turnstile he was during preseason for a 2nd round pick. I have no idea about him as a guard as I didn't see him there. I am sure they will both be in camp but it would be beyond risky to count on either of them to be starters.I would love to see them go back to more mobile guards. It just opens up so many more options offensively. I watched John Urschel of Canisius High School and Penn St with the Ravens and was really really impressed. He was a 5th rounder and can move yet is strong enough to anchor too. I think he was too small for St. Doug. St. Doug loved him some big stiffs on the interior and it cost him a playoff spot. I just hope they can recover this year.

In view of Ryan's relationship with Pettine, I'd be very curious if Rex reached out to him for an assessment of the front office. Given that Marrone seemed to have issues not just with Whaley but others, I wonder if Rex had demands about who had to go and whether Ryan has people he wants there to ensure he has support throughout the building.

I pray it is not Pat Schurmur. He was an unmitigated disaster in Cleveland and would be the exact opposite of innovative.

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All the pre game excitement of a pre season scrimmage. For once I wish the Bills season was more exciting than the anticipation of the off season changes and player movement.

Tom Sestak was a tremendous player. The size and speed ratios today are so different from what they were in the 60's and 70's that comparisons are unfair. It's like inflation. You could buy a house for under $20,000 in the 60's. It's $150,000 now. Same house, just different circumstances. Training and nutrition have changed tremendously too. For the era he played in, Sestak was one of the top 2 or 3 tackles in both the NFL and AFL. I am not sure Dareus is there yet but I sure like the direction he is headed if he stays healthy and motivated.

I'm with you. He hasn't bought in and is just another hired gun. That play told me all I need to know.

Anybody know which member of the Manning family.... er official...is refereeing today's contest?