Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

Could be that Brown just didn't fit the need for the role the Bills want the #2 WR to perform. If Brown is being honest that he was completely taken by surprise in being cut (Obviously he must read many posts on TBD) that says the Bills really had zero interest in bringing him back. I wasn't a case of Brown not agreeing to a big paycut. May have been once he was cut, he quickly found out his worth wasn't what he thought it was either. Likely when Brown signed with the Bills 2 years ago, the thought was he's our #1 WR in 20219 and in 2020 we'll likely draft a WR in round 1, but Brown will still be the #1 in 2020 and the 2021 role, TBD until the rookie is fully up to speed. Once they traded for Diggs, everything changed, both Browns role and the money being paid to him, though the Sanders signing if correct, does somewhat tell us money maybe wasn't the thing.

For years everyone blamed Overdolf, likely he was just following RW orders.

Have to believe he did decide not to retire. Advantage of a team trading for him, gives them exclusive rights, not bidding against 30 other teams. And I'm certain if Smith had been released, the bidding would have been insane for him. Would have made Hunters deal look like peanuts!

OK missed that part too. Kind of surprised as many of the articles felt they'd let him go as had a better TE and they were hurting for $$

Well to me it says the Bills weren't interested in paying $2 mil for him and didn't. And likely are assuming no other team is willing to pay that much either, so maybe they will still sign him. Ashamed tender offer salaries for RFA aren't tied to positions the way franchise tag salaries are. Hard to believe that RFA QB is worth the same as a punter!

Shouldn't it be the other way "If he signs for over $2 mil you don't get it"?? The Bills could have had him for $2 mil tender. But if he signs with another team for $1.5 mil, could just as easily mean the Bills were only will to pay $1.25 mil or something?? Since no team has announced they've come to terms, could easily be camp punter and he still signs with Buffalo

Something changed! From NFL.com The fifth-year option equation will change with this class under the new collective bargaining agreement, with the options now being fully guaranteed when they are exercised, and with compensation now being determined in part by player performance. But the essential question -- Has this player shown enough in three seasons to be worth investing in? -- remains the same. https://www.nfl.com/news/weighing-fifth-year-options-for-2018-nfl-draft-s-first-rounders From FrontOfficeNFL The fifth-year option got a makeover under the new CBA. Each player selected in the first round of the NFL draft has a team option for a fifth season automatically included in his contract, which extends the four-year rookie contract to a fifth season for a non-negotiable fixed amount. Teams must exercise this option in the time after the conclusion of the player’s third regular season but prior to May 3 of the following league year. Players selected in the 2016 and 2017 NFL Drafts will have different fifth-year options thresholds than those selected in 2018 and beyond. https://frontofficenfl.com/2020/06/04/2020-nfl-cba-explained-5th-year-option-in-rookie-contracts/

Wrong team, meant to say Tampa and the player was Brate! 😇 I was close!!

Agree with camp bodies, but big $$ FA??

I guess I'm not that up on the rules, but have read multiple times that the Bills have a big decision to make on Edmunds as they have to decide my this May whether to pick up the option and aren't able to let his play in 2021 change their decision. That was my interpretation of what changed as I stated in post. So then what did change for Edmunds per latest CBA if not what I stated??

$12.5 mil to TT and a post started by The Jokeman! It just all kind of goes together!!

I agree with you in that not many great players, but unless somehow the Bills are going to figure out how to replace a Zimmer, Phillips, or Johnson with a $10 mil player and stay under the cap, seems like they are throwing money away. They aren't going to let Oliver or Epinesa go and 3 more have contracts hard to walk away from without taking a hit so who's left? Hughes?

My understanding on 5th year options say Edmunds, they could give him the 5th year option before May of this year, but then if he doesn't play very well cut him prior to next March and doesn't cost him anything. Think they'd only be on the hook for the money if he was injured. Now with the new CBA once they give him the 5th year option, they are on the hook for the money no matter what happens. I was assuming that his option must have been signed before last March so was under the old rules?? Or are we talking about something different here??

I'm wondering if at this point the Bills are still looking for D line help? They have 8 players under contract who significantly contributed last year to playing time plus Star so that totals nine. That's the number of players the team kept active each week so to sign someone now means likely cutting someone. Of the nine, five are on cheap first contracts Star would cost $$ to cut and two others Addison and Butler just redid their contracts. To me once the 3 re did the contracts, reduces the likelihood of another signing. I could see a draft pick replacing Zimmer or Johnson as a cheap way to go. Personally I think the line needs help, but should have got the help first and then cut Addision as wouldn't have been nearly as much of a cap increase.

Yeah that's kind of what I thought. Could be a combination of both. If both the Bills and Ertz know if instead Philly releases him likely other teams would offer him even lower amounts yet, he may take a smaller cut in overall pay, but still get more $$ in form of Signing bonus. To me it's the same as Addison, Butler, and Morse all took cuts, but got money sooner too.

So he must have signed his 5th year option under the old CBA rules that still allowed this? Now can no longer do this without still taking the $$ hit from what I understand.

Mark Davis's personal grooming bill is bankrupting the team!

Yes but only the top 51 salaries count towards it as most teams after the draft have 90 players on roster. Was reading the other day how because we're drafting lower at #30 in each round and no 4th round pick, likely only the top three draft picks will be included in the top 51 players so the amount of money that needs to be allocated to draft picks is much lower for the Bills this year. Think I saw a number like about $1.6 mil From the sounds of another thread the Bills may be negotiating a new contract with Ertz, if Ertz agrees to it, then Philly will trade him to the Bills and he'll immediately sign a new contract with a lower salary. Got me thinking could it help Philly at all if he were to reduce his salary prior to being traded as then Philly would be taking a smaller hit. I'm guessing any salary reduction comes in the form of guaranteed $$ so probably not then? Maybe I answered my own question.

This was replaced in the last CBA with death by having to attend every BB press conference for one year.

Some article I read over the weekend suggested a 5th or 6th. With a cheaper contract the price may go up a bit though.

Is cool from a Buffalo standpoint as he'll get to play a game in Buffalo, I'm sure he'll get a big hand. Hope the Bills play them early before he gets benched again for some rookie draft pick.

I'm certain I have a 4 leaf clover in my backyard, but who knows where and likely never find it too!

I agree on TE and back up O line, one player, likely a tackle. WR think will be in the draft as will another O-lineman, For punter IMO will either be Bojo or draft pick, but likely will sign some lower level FA punter for training camp DE, the barn is full so to bring in another means letting one of current players go and can they afford to let a guy like Johnson or Zimmer on cheap contracts go. They have a total of 8 D lineman that played a fair amount last year plus Star. Can't see them going with more than 9 total. I didn't think they'd sign Addison to an extension unless there were no better options. RB could see them going either for a backup to fill Yeldons role, or they decide to go with three active RB if they go after a more starting type guy like some of the rumors about Hunt. Unless they are going to try and trade one of the current two, do you want to give up on one of your last two seasons 3rd round draft picks.

There's an article on the ESPN website discussing this very topic. (reading earlier on phone, can't find it now again) It mentioned the fact that Brady won the SB caused this and also the fact that they were 7-9 last year, he realized he needs to improve roster. But then went on to state that likely biggest reason was due to reduced cap kept many teams on the sidelines, so they were able to get better bargains than would be available in most seasons. The bidding pool was much smaller.

Hope you're not expecting any of those make a contribution to improve the team in 2021. A RG may start as a sub, the DE and RB would likely be inactive. Maybe the TE is active and plays when they go with 12 personal, but expecting much out of a rookie TE on a team with SB aspirations is likely going to be disappointing.