BillsFan4

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WoodEr20.htm Games played - 10 14 9 14 16 16 16 9 (broken leg) 16 If my math is correct, that's 122 out of a possible 144 games played. At one of the toughest, most repetitively violent positions on the field. You look at his career games played and see a frequently injured player. i look at those numbers and see this - He had consistently started the full 16 games in 3 of the last 4 seasons before the extension (4 of the last 5 if you count this year), and started 14 or more games in 4 of the last 5 seasons before the extension (5 of the last 6 if you count this year). He missed 2 or less games in 6 of his 9 years. I would say that he has been a pretty reliable player for us, especially these last 6 years. How many NFL players never miss any time to injury? Was Eric Wood really injured more frequently than most NFL players? If you never signed a guy who had previously been injured, you wouldn't be able to field a team. And a broken leg is a freak thing and isn't considered something that puts you at future risk of injury, as the fracture site is no more or less likely to breaking again. It heals with equal strength to before the break. You can't predict when some freak injury is going to happen in the NFL, and none of his previous injuries had anything to do with this current injury in any way. Also, I believe the average age of retirement for NFL linemen is 35 (32-38). Eric Wood has just turned 31 in March. The Bills only gave him a 2 year contract extension. That's a very reasonable number of years and he could have most likely got more term in free agency. There was absolutely no reason to think that he couldn't play until he was 33. He wasn't really showing signs of slowing down and had only missed more than 2 games once in the last 5 years before the extension. None of his previous injuries had ever been career threatening either. So there was no reason to think that he was at higher risk for a career ending injury than any other NFL player. Last thing - do you know how common injury guarantees are for established/veteran NFL starters? I haven't looked it up but I'd bet it's pretty common. I bet it's even more common for guys considered at the top 10-15 starters at their position in the NFL, and when you add in guys with multiple pro bowl appearances and other honors I bet the numbers go up even further.

Bummer. I considered him to to be one of the best D line coaches in the NFL. But if his his heart wasn't truly in it anymore, it may be better that he moves on and the Bills get someone new (and hungry...).

He was absolutely fantastic in the first game. All I kept thinking is "man, the Sabres desperately need to surround this kid with more talent". Honestly, I think there's a damn good chance that he'd be considered an NHL super star already if he had a better team around him.

It wasn't an ongoing degenerative issue. It only happened this season, months after he already signed his contract extension. Wood said he got the first stinger of his career in week 5 and then again in week 6 (October 15th). The team then did an x-ray and found nothing of concern. Then at the year end physical they did an MRI and that's when they found this issue.

That would be my guess too.

He just said in his press conference that he got the first "stinger" of his career in week 5 and then again in week 6. They did an x-ray and found no significant damage. Then as a part of the exit physical they did an MRI and found a disc at c2 & c3 that was "alarming" (per Wood) and forced his retirement.

So this wasn't an ongoing degenerative issue that the team knew about before his extension. It only happened this season.

Well that was short and sweet.

Starting now

No it hasn't started yet.

Wood's current contract pays him as the #10 (highest paid) center in the NFL. Seems about right to me... Plus it was only a 2 year extension (for a 31yr old team leader and guy who calls out more defensive coverages than our QB does). It's not like it was a massive 5 year deal like Glenn or Dareus.

This hire makes a lot of sense if Jeremy Bates is indeed going to be their OC. He and Rick Dennison have history working well together. When Dennison was OC in Denver from 2006-08, Jeremy Bates was (supposedly) the one who called the plays for him. Their offense steadily improved (in certain areas) during that time. They were ranked 21st (in total offense (YPG)) in 2006, 11th in 2007 and 2nd in 2008.

Ive been making my case for Alex Smith for a while now. I, for one, would actually be pretty darn excited if we landed him. He wouldn't end the search for a franchise QB but he'd instantly be one of the best QBs the Bills have had in years and I really think he'd be a great bridge QB for us and would have a lot to teach Peterman + whatever other young QB they inevitably draft (hopefully this year). I think having such a knowledgeable veteran QB like Smith would be an invaluable resource to any younger QBs the Bills have on their roster. I think it could go a long way towards developing a rookie properly. He'd also allow us to keep a rookie off the field for a while, build up the team and then be able to insert that rookie into a better situation (with a stronger O line, WR corps, defense etc). For once this actually looks like a decent year to need a QB. My hopes are high that we land one (and hopefully a good one at that).

Lmao. That was funny! That made me actually laugh out loud. Decades, I meant decades. I guess it just felt like centuries... lol Almost 2 decades was bad enough without adding 180+ years to that timeline.

I thought Kansas City retained $3.6M of Smith's 2018 cap hit if he were traded? Also, I'd imagine that the Bills would possibly try to negotiate a short contract extension with Smith if they traded for him, which would allow them to potentially lower his cap hit in 2018.

Yes, much of the dead cap this season is from the new regime, but I look at it as them cleaning up the cap mess left by the old regime. IMO, a 7-9 team that hadn't made the playoffs in almost 2 centuries should not have been at the salary cap ceiling. That should be a problem you have once you're a winning team/super bowl contender and you have to pay all the guys who got you there, not a team struggling to break .500 every year. This year will be rough as far as the cap goes, but by 2019 they should be in much better shape. Thats what I think as well. They haven't given Tyrod much of any vote of confidence. They didn't hesitate on saying they want back their 34yr old free agent defensive tackle considering retirement (Kyle), but when it came to their starting QB they were pretty evasive and non commital. There have been a lot of signs that they are looking to move on from Tyrod. I think they will try try their best to address the QB position this offseason, through the draft and free agency/trade. What exactly they do, I don't know. But I do feel pretty confident that they will try their best to do something. If all else fails, I could see Tyrod back though. But I think that is probably a ways down their list of options.

I think plan C is probably Tyrod. Ill be optimistic tic no matter what happens... I'm always optimistic to start a new season. It's what keeps me coming back year after year. I also realize that Beane may not be able to solve our QB problem in his very first draft with the Bills, so I am willing to be a bit more patient than some. They have a ton of dead cap this season, from cleaning up the previous management's mess. They have a ton of holes to fill at starting positions, and they need depth at just about every spot on both sides of the ball. This is not a job that gets done in 1 year... I do think Beane will do everything he can to bring in a QB this offseason. But I don't think he will be stupid about it either. I don't want to see them reach to just draft a QB for the sake of taking one, like we did with EJ Manuel and I don't think they will do that. If they can get a guy they like, I am sure they will. If not, I'm willing to give them time. I actually have faith in this new front office and coaching staff which is something I haven't had in quite a while, so I guess that makes it easier for me to have some patience.

Yeah it would be nice if there was some type of exception for situations like this where it's a total surprise career ending injury (he didn't really even start his new deal yet...) and it's clear that the team wasn't trying to manipulate the cap. I can see the abuse potential but you'd think there has to be ways to make it work. Have the player see an independent doctor appointed by the NFL to confirm the injury is career ending, or something along those lines. And maybe have some type of age limit apply - like the NHL where contracts rules are different when signing guys 35+ and there are cap recapture penalties for retirement. A rule for career ending injury retirement would maybe even allow NFL teams to guarantee all contracts for career ending injury (at the least those caused by playing football), which should really be the case anyway (I believe it has to be written into the contract currently?). Maybe im not seeing something though? I feel like there has to be a good reason why a rule like this is not already in place...?

Interesting stuff. Thanks for taking the time to post this.

This news has really sunk in now, and I am definitely bummed out. But also very glad that he's able to walk away before serious injury potentially happened. Losing him leaves such a huge hole in the locker room, and on the field (although I hope Groy is able to step in and play well like when EW broke his leg. That would go a long way toward helping our cap situation next year). I really hope that Kyle chooses to come back for at least 1 more year now. It'd be hard to stomach losing both him and Wood in the same offseason.

I am a little surprised that they are going to hire a new GM before they have a new owner... I figured theyd just keep Hurney there until a new owner took over. Maybe they think the team is worth more with stability in the front office?

I actually feel bad for Bogosian. I'm sure it's not fun for him missing so much time every year. But damn is he such a waste of cap space...

Yes, they totally should have just used their crystal ball to look into the future and predicted this injury.

If it was just a cumulative thing, it makes me wonder about the Bills doctors.... did they just miss this? Or was Wood hiding symptoms? Or just toughing it out (which seems kinda dangerous if the dr's knew about this)? Or was some hit he took in that playoff game the thing that pushed it over the edge? Ill be interested to hear more details on this. I just hope E. Wood can live a normal, healthy life.

Well, no need to worry right now. they can't trade him until after 4pm on march 14th. I agree on Glenn. He was healthy and available until this foot injury. I have no interest in trading him unless it's a really solid haul of assets. Plus, Dawkins is far from proven yet. Butnifntheyre set on him as LT then move Glenn to RT. i don't care what side they each play, I just want 2 solid tackles anchoring the line. Ah man I hope not. It's going to be a sad day to be a Bills fan the day Kyle retires. Gonna leave quite the hole in leadership on and off the field. I really hope he sticks around at least 1 more season (and preferably 2) so he can help groom a replacement (that I assume we will draft this year).