Over 29 years of fanhood Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Bell was definitely the lowest priority free agent. It would be good to have him back, but his capable back up is there if needed. This is precisely the place where gm's draw the line and play hard ball, when it comes to players youd like back but have a clear path forward either way. I like the way this FO operates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Only problem with that Kelly is that Bell would have to agree to a on year deal. I'm assuming that is exactly what he DOESNT want. I'm pretty sure he didn't wake up on FA morning and say "all I need is a one year deal to showcase my tale ts that I've already showcased for 3 years, so I can finally get that big payday and a 5 year deal" he wants a longterm deal now. And that is what is most likely holding him up at this point. Either take the Bills 1-2 year lowball deal or take another teams 1-2 year lowball deal. My guess is he's waiting for the Bills to get desperate and offer more money. If that's the case it will probably be after draft time. Buddy will either fet one of his 2-3 LTs that he thinks can start and if he does t get them via draft I'd expect a larger offer in Bells lap asap. That's the point though. That's probably exactly what he did want and ask for, and no team was willing to give it to him because of his injury history. That's why he visited 4-5 teams and left without a deal. Now that he knows he cannot get good money on a long term deal, he has to decide if he wants crappy money for a few years, or a one year deal to prove his worth and then get a mega-contract next year, which he would get if he plays this year, well, the whole year, which I'm absolutely positive he thinks he will. Simply because every single decent player would. It's a risk but probably his best chance at the big money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 I've got a feeling that Bell is looking through a Harry Potter Pensive at the **** that went down during Jason Peters tenure. Looks like he's getting a dose of reality from the Cap-friendly new NFL. He just doesn't hold that much leverage. The Bills offer might be the best one out there. Might be time to suck it up and go home. Yup; this happens to a few guys every year. Bradon Jacobs is another good example. He could have restructured the last year of his deal with the Giants but instead resisted, was cut, and ended up with a 1 year, incentive heavy deal in a crowded SF backfield. I'd bet my left nut he turned down more from the Giants than he'll end up getting from the Niners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Yup; this happens to a few guys every year. Bradon Jacobs is another good example. He could have restructured the last year of his deal with the Giants but instead resisted, was cut, and ended up with a 1 year, incentive heavy deal in a crowded SF backfield. I'd bet my left nut he turned down more from the Giants than he'll end up getting from the Niners. True. But there are also guys who turn down more money on purpose to get that one year deal so they can prove their worth and cash in. I read Laurent Robinson, who had an injury history in his first four years, turned down more money to sign with the Cowboys on a one year deal to prove his worth, and then had a somewhat breakout season and turned it into a 32 million contract this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrags Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 That's the point though. That's probably exactly what he did want and ask for, and no team was willing to give it to him because of his injury history. That's why he visited 4-5 teams and left without a deal. Now that he knows he cannot get good money on a long term deal, he has to decide if he wants crappy money for a few years, or a one year deal to prove his worth and then get a mega-contract next year, which he would get if he plays this year, well, the whole year, which I'm absolutely positive he thinks he will. Simply because every single decent player would. It's a risk but probably his best chance at the big money. I do agree with you that Both the Bills and probably any other team thought he was a 1-3 year guy with limited money but many incentives for playing. I just think Bell probably never hoped for that. You don't go into FA thinking your going to get a sub par deal. Your hoping for a 5-6 year deal with career money type of contract. I do think now Bell has been brought back down to earth as far as how much he thinks he's worth and is deciding that very se thing you spoke of. Either a 1-2 year incentive laden deal or 4-5 years of sub par money for the position. I'm HOPING he resigns with the Bills. Would give us so much more room on draft day. BPA really is the pick if that happens no matter what the position. If he signs elsewhere I'm expecting one of the first 2 picks to be a LT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 (edited) He has visited 5 teams and no one has given him an offer. Edited April 2, 2012 by mead107 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Just come home Bell...you are worth more to us then you are to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 He has visited 5 teams and no one has given him an offer. Has no one given him an offer, or he just hasn't taken what they've offered? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atlbillsfan1975 Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Has no one given him an offer, or he just hasn't taken what they've offered? Probably he has been offered, but so far Buffalo made him the best offer. Buddy said he and Bell's agent have had constant communication through the process. To me it says Bell is waiting and hoping. but the longer he sits on the market the more of a gamble it is for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 I think Bell should just sign our offer and come home....I mean if the eagles lose Peters and they STILL dont sign him? That is like the dream scenario for a free agent OT waiting for a payday and he didn't get it. I mean....WTF is going on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Probably he has been offered, but so far Buffalo made him the best offer. Buddy said he and Bell's agent have had constant communication through the process. To me it says Bell is waiting and hoping. but the longer he sits on the market the more of a gamble it is for him. I have been wondering if the longer he wait the better it is for us? Shirley, there are no real LT's in this draft outside of Kalil, or at least that's what everyone told me. If we have no better option then give him a 1 or 2 year incentive laden contract then I see it as a positive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Long Beach Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Probably he has been offered, but so far Buffalo made him the best offer. Buddy said he and Bell's agent have had constant communication through the process. To me it says Bell is waiting and hoping. but the longer he sits on the market the more of a gamble it is for him. I'm not sure that the Bills have offered him the best. I think that it's more likely that nobody has offered him stupid money despite there being essentially no LTs on the market. Even though he's the best of a bad crop, it's pretty clear that teams are very wary of his injury history. All we have to go by are rumors and the fact that he's visited a lot of teams and not signed an offer. I don't blame him for looking around and seeing if anyone is desperate enough to give him "Meachum money". Rumor has it that most teams have offered him short contracts for less money or have offered him a RT job. I think that Bell has had more time to be on the market without loss of value compared to most FA. There is almost NO competition for his services. Only the draft. So he hasn't lost too many options, IMO. I hope we keep him. He's solid enough and we're desperately shy of depth and I'm not convinced Hairston is capable of being a LT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 I think Bell should just sign our offer and come home....I mean if the eagles lose Peters and they STILL dont sign him? That is like the dream scenario for a free agent OT waiting for a payday and he didn't get it. I mean....WTF is going on? Who is Bell's agent? Is it an experienced guy, or a noob trying to make a name for himself? That could reveal a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeastMode54 Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 I have been wondering if the longer he wait the better it is for us? Shirley, there are no real LT's in this draft outside of Kalil, or at least that's what everyone told me. If we have no better option then give him a 1 or 2 year incentive laden contract then I see it as a positive. There are some decent LT prospects in the draft other than Kalil. And stop calling me Shirley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Hindsight Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Probably he has been offered, but so far Buffalo made him the best offer. Buddy said he and Bell's agent have had constant communication through the process. To me it says Bell is waiting and hoping. but the longer he sits on the market the more of a gamble it is for him. Not that I'm doubting you but I havent read that, you got a link? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Not that I'm doubting you but I havent read that, you got a link? Gailey said it last week, not Nix as far as I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndirish1978 Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Not that I'm doubting you but I havent read that, you got a link? Yeah that's what I was gonna say. Last I heard Buddy said they made an offer and never heard anything back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Yeah that's what I was gonna say. Last I heard Buddy said they made an offer and never heard anything back. This is what Gailey said last Tuesday at the owners meetings On what kind of player OT Demetrius Bell is:“He’s got some talent. He’s got good feet. He’s still a young player. In football terms, he’s a young player, because he hasn’t played a lot of football. But he’s a good man, and he’s got talent.” On whether the Bills are still looking to bring him back: “Oh yeah. We’ve been talking to him all along. But I don’t know what they’re looking for right now.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Hindsight Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 This is what Gailey said last Tuesday at the owners meetings Ok is there a whole transcript i could read? Hadn't seen that anywhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 (edited) Ok is there a whole transcript i could read? Hadn't seen that anywhere Wow. The transcript is next the the unedited Zapruder film in his study along with the photos of the flying saucer from Area 51. Nix Edited April 2, 2012 by Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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