DreamOnDan Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I was looking at the potential free agents this year and the list is as big as the players available through the draft. There are many quality free agents available at every position this year. I'd like to see the bills sign Bruce Gradkowski to backup Fitz if they pass or miss out on the qb they want. I think he is a Pittsburgh guy so why not? There are several bigtime players that fit the system well. James Jones from Green Bay could be a bigtime wr if he had the chance to start. Cullen Jenkins is another potential target from Green Bay for the vacant LDE spot due to the release of Stroud. There is a deep class of Offensive lineman that could upgrade the RT situation or at least add competition, gaither being a popular name. Can someone post the upcoming free agents? I'm not familiar with the copyright stuff so if you could do that please do here. Here is to hoping free agency opens up before the draft and that these mock drafts that we are all spending too much time reading will be totally different! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiderweb Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 I was looking at the potential free agents this year and the list is as big as the players available through the draft. There are many quality free agents available at every position this year. I'd like to see the bills sign Bruce Gradkowski to backup Fitz if they pass or miss out on the qb they want. I think he is a Pittsburgh guy so why not? There are several bigtime players that fit the system well. James Jones from Green Bay could be a bigtime wr if he had the chance to start. Cullen Jenkins is another potential target from Green Bay for the vacant LDE spot due to the release of Stroud. There is a deep class of Offensive lineman that could upgrade the RT situation or at least add competition, gaither being a popular name. Can someone post the upcoming free agents? I'm not familiar with the copyright stuff so if you could do that please do here. Here is to hoping free agency opens up before the draft and that these mock drafts that we are all spending too much time reading will be totally different! Better start praying for the owners and players to get back together soon and complete a deal, or FA may be far off (well past the draft). This doesn't look very promising at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewEra Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 I was looking at the potential free agents this year and the list is as big as the players available through the draft. There are many quality free agents available at every position this year. I'd like to see the bills sign Bruce Gradkowski to backup Fitz if they pass or miss out on the qb they want. I think he is a Pittsburgh guy so why not? There are several bigtime players that fit the system well. James Jones from Green Bay could be a bigtime wr if he had the chance to start. Cullen Jenkins is another potential target from Green Bay for the vacant LDE spot due to the release of Stroud. There is a deep class of Offensive lineman that could upgrade the RT situation or at least add competition, gaither being a popular name. Can someone post the upcoming free agents? I'm not familiar with the copyright stuff so if you could do that please do here. Here is to hoping free agency opens up before the draft and that these mock drafts that we are all spending too much time reading will be totally different! I would think the LDE is Carringtons for the taking, unless they use the 1st or 2nd round pick on a DE. Although I think Jenkins would be a great pickup, I can't see us forking out the cash for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICanSleepWhenI'mDead Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 I was looking at the potential free agents this year and the list is as big as the players available through the draft. There are many quality free agents available at every position this year. I'd like to see the bills sign Bruce Gradkowski to backup Fitz if they pass or miss out on the qb they want. I think he is a Pittsburgh guy so why not? There are several bigtime players that fit the system well. James Jones from Green Bay could be a bigtime wr if he had the chance to start. Cullen Jenkins is another potential target from Green Bay for the vacant LDE spot due to the release of Stroud. There is a deep class of Offensive lineman that could upgrade the RT situation or at least add competition, gaither being a popular name. Can someone post the upcoming free agents? I'm not familiar with the copyright stuff so if you could do that please do here. Here is to hoping free agency opens up before the draft and that these mock drafts that we are all spending too much time reading will be totally different! My take on the situation is the exact opposite - - here's why: 1. With occasional exceptions, the Bills have generally not been big spenders in the free agent market. While peoople who live in Buffalo certainly can make a case for it being a good place to live, most of the country, who only know what the media tells them about the place, don't share that view. While I'm hopeful that we can end the play-off drought soon, our team won 4 games last season. If you are a good player and have several offers, why would you choose to play for a team with a bad record in a city that gets bad press? Sure, you can point out exceptions in specific cases where free agents have come to Buffalo, but I think we are at a competitve disadvantage in the free agent market. 2. If there's no free agency before the draft, teams will be forced to put a higher than usual premium on filling needs in the draft this year. That's potentially very good for us. We need front 7 defensive talent, and I keep reading that this year's draft is deep at those positions. That means if we trade down a few spots, we can still get the type of front 7 talent that would usually be gone by then. But you need a willing trade partner to move down. With no free agency to shore up weak spots before the draft, there should be more teams willing to trade up. That's especially true at QB this year. Most of what I read says that Gabbert and Newton are the two best QB's this year, and there is a fairly sharp drop-off in talent after them. Denver took Tebow in the first round last year, so they are unlikely to draft a QB at #2 now. So either Gabbert or Newton will probably still be on the board when the Bills are on the clock at #3. I keep reading that Carson Palmer says he will retire rather than play for Cinci, so lots of teams will expect Cinci to be interested in a QB at #4. It doesn't get much better than that if you want to trade down from #3, because it sure seems like most teams that trade up in the first half of round 1 do it to take a QB early. 3. I'd be happy if we traded down a few spots, took the best remaining front 7 defender, and got a few extra picks in the process. If free agency starts before the draft, somebody willing to trade up to #3 might fill whatever need they have in free agency, and we lose a prospective trade down partner. Our only competitve disadvantage in the draft is the historically poor performance of our scouts/decision makers, which I have great hope will be improved over the recent past. How do you see it the other way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamOnDan Posted April 3, 2011 Author Share Posted April 3, 2011 My take on the situation is the exact opposite - - here's why: 1. With occasional exceptions, the Bills have generally not been big spenders in the free agent market. While peoople who live in Buffalo certainly can make a case for it being a good place to live, most of the country, who only know what the media tells them about the place, don't share that view. While I'm hopeful that we can end the play-off drought soon, our team won 4 games last season. If you are a good player and have several offers, why would you choose to play for a team with a bad record in a city that gets bad press? Sure, you can point out exceptions in specific cases where free agents have come to Buffalo, but I think we are at a competitve disadvantage in the free agent market. 2. If there's no free agency before the draft, teams will be forced to put a higher than usual premium on filling needs in the draft this year. That's potentially very good for us. We need front 7 defensive talent, and I keep reading that this year's draft is deep at those positions. That means if we trade down a few spots, we can still get the type of front 7 talent that would usually be gone by then. But you need a willing trade partner to move down. With no free agency to shore up weak spots before the draft, there should be more teams willing to trade up. That's especially true at QB this year. Most of what I read says that Gabbert and Newton are the two best QB's this year, and there is a fairly sharp drop-off in talent after them. Denver took Tebow in the first round last year, so they are unlikely to draft a QB at #2 now. So either Gabbert or Newton will probably still be on the board when the Bills are on the clock at #3. I keep reading that Carson Palmer says he will retire rather than play for Cinci, so lots of teams will expect Cinci to be interested in a QB at #4. It doesn't get much better than that if you want to trade down from #3, because it sure seems like most teams that trade up in the first half of round 1 do it to take a QB early. 3. I'd be happy if we traded down a few spots, took the best remaining front 7 defender, and got a few extra picks in the process. If free agency starts before the draft, somebody willing to trade up to #3 might fill whatever need they have in free agency, and we lose a prospective trade down partner. Our only competitve disadvantage in the draft is the historically poor performance of our scouts/decision makers, which I have great hope will be improved over the recent past. How do you see it the other way? Thats the way I would like to see the draft go as well. Although I don't think that free agency has a whole lot ot do with that. There is no Newton or Gabbert available in free agency. Lets just say that your opinion of if Buffalo is attractive enough to sign a guy like Jenkins is somewhat irrelevent to the fact that every offseason they make at least one decent name signing. There are Big names out there. But Lets face the facts.. The bills have a whole bunch of holes that could be possibly filled, the most attractive thing for some guys are a team that believes in him, playing time, and compensation. Now the draft choices are supposedly getting paid less now. And free agents stand to really take it to teams that don't shore up the team needs through the draft. Just think how much signing Cullen Jenkins would not only change things pre draft but how much more he can get from a team that is desperate after the draft, further reducing the chances to sign a guy. Who wants to be unemployed when your job pays millions? I personally think trading down and adding more picks is a wonderful plan and No matter if free agency begins and we fill some needs first or not, that pick will still hold the same value if the team trading up is doing so for Newton or Gabbert.. Can we post the upcoming free agents list on here? They are going to court this week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astrobot Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 My take on the situation is the exact opposite - - here's why: 1. With occasional exceptions, the Bills have generally not been big spenders in the free agent market. While peoople who live in Buffalo certainly can make a case for it being a good place to live, most of the country, who only know what the media tells them about the place, don't share that view. While I'm hopeful that we can end the play-off drought soon, our team won 4 games last season. If you are a good player and have several offers, why would you choose to play for a team with a bad record in a city that gets bad press? Sure, you can point out exceptions in specific cases where free agents have come to Buffalo, but I think we are at a competitve disadvantage in the free agent market. 2. If there's no free agency before the draft, teams will be forced to put a higher than usual premium on filling needs in the draft this year. That's potentially very good for us. We need front 7 defensive talent, and I keep reading that this year's draft is deep at those positions. That means if we trade down a few spots, we can still get the type of front 7 talent that would usually be gone by then. But you need a willing trade partner to move down. With no free agency to shore up weak spots before the draft, there should be more teams willing to trade up. That's especially true at QB this year. Most of what I read says that Gabbert and Newton are the two best QB's this year, and there is a fairly sharp drop-off in talent after them. Denver took Tebow in the first round last year, so they are unlikely to draft a QB at #2 now. So either Gabbert or Newton will probably still be on the board when the Bills are on the clock at #3. I keep reading that Carson Palmer says he will retire rather than play for Cinci, so lots of teams will expect Cinci to be interested in a QB at #4. It doesn't get much better than that if you want to trade down from #3, because it sure seems like most teams that trade up in the first half of round 1 do it to take a QB early. 3. I'd be happy if we traded down a few spots, took the best remaining front 7 defender, and got a few extra picks in the process. If free agency starts before the draft, somebody willing to trade up to #3 might fill whatever need they have in free agency, and we lose a prospective trade down partner. Our only competitve disadvantage in the draft is the historically poor performance of our scouts/decision makers, which I have great hope will be improved over the recent past. How do you see it the other way? I think that is why Nix-Gailey are gushing about Newton-Gabbert. They know it will get Cincy to draft #2 in order to take their choice, freeing one more defensive player to fall to us--perhaps the one we're most interested in all along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICanSleepWhenI'mDead Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Thats the way I would like to see the draft go as well. Although I don't think that free agency has a whole lot ot do with that. There is no Newton or Gabbert available in free agency. Lets just say that your opinion of if Buffalo is attractive enough to sign a guy like Jenkins is somewhat irrelevent to the fact that every offseason they make at least one decent name signing. There are Big names out there. But Lets face the facts.. The bills have a whole bunch of holes that could be possibly filled, the most attractive thing for some guys are a team that believes in him, playing time, and compensation. Now the draft choices are supposedly getting paid less now. And free agents stand to really take it to teams that don't shore up the team needs through the draft. Just think how much signing Cullen Jenkins would not only change things pre draft but how much more he can get from a team that is desperate after the draft, further reducing the chances to sign a guy. Who wants to be unemployed when your job pays millions? I personally think trading down and adding more picks is a wonderful plan and No matter if free agency begins and we fill some needs first or not, that pick will still hold the same value if the team trading up is doing so for Newton or Gabbert.. Can we post the upcoming free agents list on here? They are going to court this week Fair points. I can see how an expectation to get playing time would be important to a free agent, expecially if a guy had talent but was stuck behind a really good vet on another team. We probably have a better chance at getting an up and coming, relatively young free agent, as opposed to an established star player. I haven't seen a free agent list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 I would just like to see them get a quality TE and a RT insurance policy in free agency....the rest of our needs can be filled in the draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fridge Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 (edited) Edited April 4, 2011 by fridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akm0404 Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 You guys realize that free agents are able to pick the team that they go and play for, right? The Bills simply can not attract the first and second tier NFL free agents. Every year we complain about how our Front Office is so passive in free agency, and it makes us so mad. But come on now, you think that the Bills don't WANT Donald Jones or Cullen Jenkins? Of COURSE they do. No offensive free agent with options is going to come to Buffalo and play with a bottom-third-of-the-league journeyman quarterback. No defensive player with options is going to come freeze in NFL purgatory if they can avoid it. Most of them probably forget that Buffalo even has a team, since there is absolutely no sizzle to this team at all presently. We need Plan B. You draft a couple of exciting play makers, and find yourself a top tier quarterback and guess what? Players start forgetting about the weather and the income tax and the small media market and give you a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 If Zach Miller will play for that whack Raiders franchise then we can entice him to come and play for us with a decent contract... And this is the type of thinking that continues to hold us back....there are certain areas on this team that are glaring needs....we should be filling them with the best player we can possibly get..... JUST PAY HIM A LITTLE MORE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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