DCOrange

As I mentioned above, I would think Beane will be a lot more hesitant about doing stuff like this due to the fact that we have guys like Allen and Edmunds due for major contracts in the next year or two. It's one thing to shift someone like Diggs' money into the future since you're keeping him long-term anyways, but voidable deals like this where you're guaranteeing to be paying $4+ mil per year for players that aren't on the roster is a lot trickier when you're already going to be in a tight cap situation in the future than it is for a team like Tampa that has clean books long-term.

These teams are working on two different timelines right now. Beane is trying to prepare the cap for when Allen is being paid top dollar. The Bucs have a ton of cap space starting in 2023 and will either have Brady on a discount or a rookie salary QB by then so it makes a ton of sense for them to push money out into the years where they don't need it vs. Buffalo avoiding that fate because they know they're going to need the money.

Also, nobody in the NFL has more cap room right now in those 3 voided years than the Bucs, so it makes a ton of sense for them to use that to their advantage now. They can keep all the guys they want and still be fine long-term.

It means he's signed for two years but for cap purposes, he'll be on the books for 5. Basically agreeing to put dead cap in future years now so that they can sign David, Godwin, Shaq, and other players as well.

Tampa structured it as a 5 year deal with 3 voidable years so his cap hit is basically negligible. I think Shaq is probably next up.

Didn't see it but good call haha. Seems I've added to the problem!

Barrett is already officially not being tagged, though I'm sure Tampa is hoping to sign him before he hits the open market.

Just a place to discuss the players that are becoming available/becoming unavailable. It seemed to be flooding the Cuts thread so I figured it would be best to have it's own thread here.

We can use the Cuts thread if we want, but that doesn't seem the place to me. Tagged: WR Chris Godwin - TB OT Cam Robinson - JAX DT Leonard Williams - NYG S Marcus Maye - NYJ G Brandon Scherff - WFT OT Taylor Moton - CAR S Justin Simmons - DEN WR Allen Robinson - CHI S Marcus Williams - NO NOT Tagged: Edge Bud Dupree - PIT Juju Smith-Schuster - PIT TE Hunter Henry - LAC G Joe Thuney - NE WR Kenny Golladay - DET S Keanu Neal - ATL CB Shaq Griffin - SEA Edge Shaq Barrett - TB RB Chris Carson - SEA Edge Romeo Okwara - DET Edge Hasson Reddick - ARI S John Johnson III - LAR LB Matt Milano - BUF TE Jonnu Smith - TEN Edge Matt Judon - BAL RB Aaron Jones - GB Edge Carl Lawson - CIN

No harm in this. They have a ton of cap space and he's a very good player.

Sounds like the $160 mil is spread over 6 years to bring the cap hit down. Great deal on paper at least for both psrturs.

2 and 3

Yeah, definitely seems like Syracuse has taken a downturn since the end of the old Big East. As for the tight ends, here's an excerpt regarding Henry's fit with the Bills: Brate is someone whose horn I've personally been tooting the past two offseasons now. His contract is great (6-7 mil per year for the next 3 years and $0 guaranteed), he has some of the best hands in the league, and he just has a knack for creating separation/finding openings in defenses. He's not a great blocker but he's okay; he'd be an upgrade over Knox for sure in that regard. I think Brate may end up being a cap casualty as the Bucs try to bring all their free agents back, but given how team-friendly his contract is, I'd offer them a late pick to take him off their hands. Beane has worked with their front office on trades before so there's already a relationship there for them to get this done. To me, it's the ideal move at tight end (and I think I said the same this time last year as well).

https://theathletic.com/2434701/2021/03/08/bills-tight-end-targets-hunter-henry-zach-ertz-could-be-candidates/ This article provides a good breakdown of the strengths and weaknesses of the main 6 tight end options that are often discussed, talks about how they'd fit schematically in the Bills offense, and if it makes sense financially (and also trade-wise in a couple instances). TLDR: He doesn't think we should bother chasing Jonnu Smith or Gerald Everett; they won't cost much less than Hunter Henry and Hunter Henry is both significantly better and also a much better fit, so if Beane wants to commit good money to the position, Henry should be the guy. Downside is it would probably cost us a comp pick. He thinks trading a Day 3 pick for Ertz is easily worth it and thinks Ertz' contract and schematic fit are exactly what Buffalo is likely looking for. If it ends up being a Day 2 pick, he'd pass. Basically the same goes for Cam Brate except it would definitely be a Day 3 pick if he isn't released.

I think we might be interested if he gets cut but I can’t see Beane trading a pick for the right to pay another TE that can’t block at all over $8 mil when we’re hurting for cap space to begin with.

https://theathletic.com/2420361/2021/03/03/the-10-under-the-radar-bills-players-who-could-seize-an-opportunity-in-2021/?source=user_shared_article The Athletic wrote this about Smith as one of 10 under the radar players that could play a bigger role next year:

Rapoport says this is incorrect. Cap number is "essentially the same".

A couple things on this list/the individual prospects: More than ever, it'll be easier for teams to hide who they're meeting with this offseason since they're all virtual meetings. We'll only know who Buffalo is meeting with if they or the prospect want us to know. Sounds like Jenkins is starting to be viewed similarly to Cody Ford when he came out. Really good college tackle that might need to move inside due to his arm length. Jenkins, Rondale Moore, Ifeatu Melifonwu, and Levi Onwuzurike are all considered potential late 1st round picks, so this list doesn't necessarily mean Jenkins is our top target.

Pittsburgh is a team that should consider a guy like Kellen Mond or Davis Mills on Day 2 IMO.

https://theathletic.com/2428122/2021/03/05/bills-2021-roster-projection-including-potential-free-agent-adds-and-draft-picks/ I won't copy the whole thing over, but for those that don't have a subscription, some of the main points from Matthew Fairburn: Somehow projects us to end up drafting Kadarius Toney, Liam Eichenburg, Carlos Basham, AND Tyson Campbell, all of which are potential 1st round picks. Expects Buffalo to roll with Webb/Fromm as the backup QB "The Bills’ backfield should look the same at the top. Zack Moss and Devin Singletary will get at least another season to prove what they can do with better blocking up front and a more functional running game." Doesn't project any additions to the RB room this offseason. Projects that we cut John Brown and replace McKenzie/Roberts with Toney. Projects that we sign Kyle Rudolph to pair with Knox Projects that we let Daryl Williams walk Re-signs Feliciano Keeps Addison and adds Basham in the draft Doesn't touch DT at all Replaces Milano with Haason Reddick

It just isn't going to happen. It doesn't make sense for Houston, doesn't make sense for Jacksonville, and doesn't make sense for Watson. Jacksonville likely values Lawrence more than Watson straight up. Houston likely doesn't see it that way and even if they did, they don't want Watson within their division. And Watson would never play for Jacksonville so there's no point in Jacksonville considering it anyways.

At the end of the day, he has a ton of leverage here. One more franchise tag and Dallas is forced to either give him the contract he wants, let him walk, or tag him again for $50+ million. They screwed the pooch massively here with the contracts they gave out to less important players. They're already stuck considering cutting one of the highest paid LBs in the league and trying to decide if they should split carries between one of the highest paid RBs and one of the cheapest RBs.

Urban Meyer came out of retirement specifically to coach Lawrence and there's just no chance Jacksonville passes on what's viewed by many as the best prospect to come along since at least Andrew Luck if not John Elway on a rookie contract. And that's before you get into the intra-division aspect and the fact that Wilson would never go to Jacksonville.

There's not a chance in hell Jacksonville trades the #1 pick for Watson.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/03/04/ravens-to-propose-revolutionary-spot-and-choose-overtime-procedure/ My guess is that this will not pass, but perhaps it will be like the 4th and 15 rule where it keeps coming back as more teams get frustrated with the current way things are. The rule is laid out in the article above, but basically, this is how it would work. One team chooses the spot where the ball will begin in OT (i.e. the offense's own 10 yard line). The other team then gets to choose if it wants to take the ball at the 10 or play defense from the 10 and bank on getting a quick stop and getting the ball back around midfield after the punt. The winner of the coin toss decides if they want to be the team setting the spot or be the team making the call on taking the ball (I imagine teams would always choose the latter). Edit: Forgot this part: this rule was submitted with two different variations. One being that it's sudden death, so if you take the ball from your own 10 and score, that's the ballgame. The other variation that was submitted (and has the Patriots backing in addition to the Ravens) is that OT is 7.5 minutes long and you just play it out; most points at the end of it wins or it can end in a tie there.