Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

So then these moves aren't freeing up cap space as it sounded like many posts were implying, instead they are just spending money and they need to first free up the money to be able to spend it. If they freed up $15 mil, they could either use that to sign some FA or to exercise these options?

But if this is reducing the Bills 2021 cap hit, wouldn't they then be going from a little cap space to more cap space? If so then whats the issue with the NFL not approving it?

True and many teams will move their #1 guy to follow the offenses #1 WR, the Bills don't seem to do that very much so Wallace is often going up again the #1 guy.

With all this talk about the jets location, just wondering if even if we were about to sign K Mack, with whatever the current rules might be, would the team even be able to bring him back to Buffalo right now or does everything, signings etc still need to be done virtual only? In normal years bringing a player back would happen, not sure what is and isn't allowed right now? Last year at this time, don't think it was allowed, certainly not by the draft.

Because they could! So 7 returning players from last years line that played significant minutes. Probably still could use a backup tackle, would prefer a vet, but can't see them going another whole year without drafting one. Though I think they'd learn more towards drafting a center.

What position will she be playing?

Will see not totally sure he won't still sign if he finds out what he thinks he;s worth is much less than the rest of the NFL thinks. Having said that, you wonder too if the other concern was his poor techniques on holding for placekicks. Recall more than once both on kicks made and some of the misses, the laces were facing the wrong way. Might have been even with all the work during the season, he just never seemed to get it or care about it enough for their liking. They felt $2 mil was too much to pay for him?? Missing a field goal or two due to a bad hold is probably worse overall than losing a couple yards on net punt average. If the defense can't hold them the 2 yards rarely will make a difference, but 3 points can make the difference in a game.

Too late, we already traded Lee Smith, so nothing left to trade!

Agree, everyone here seems to think it's easy to find the next Gronk or Kelsey. I also feel the Bills are in a win now mode so overall in 2021 the team may be better with a vet like Ertz rather than rookie. Same goes for edge. To me TE and Edge are two positions that can often take the longest to develop. Take a CB in Rd 1, that's a safe position to start as a rookie. That an O-line as long as it's only one rookie on the line are safe spots.

Think we need a page here on the site for abbreviation look ups. Of the 3 options suggested, I'd look at turkey as being the healthiest trade option.

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.