The Bills are in a bad place in terms of recruiting FA's. They don't offer a winning opportunity, they don't offer a great coaching staff, great players and it's not a glamorous place to play. Money would be the biggest reason to come to Buffalo, and the Bills are likely not be the high bidder for Coles or others. Add to that NY's nearly 7% state income tax rate which puts further pressure on what you have to pay a guy. Very little is tilting in the Bill's favor right now.
This is where Ralph is really missing the boat IMO. He's got to realize that Buffalo is at a disadvantage in more ways than just money. If you can't afford the top players, then you have to at least try to build the best front office and coaching staff that you can. That is where you spend some money. You get a return on that investment by picking the right players and developing them to be the best they can be and having a coach that knows how to win.