FREE AGENCY THREAD

[RuntheDamnBall]

Someone needs to change their screenname to trahC giB ehT. Kicking ass with the color and visuals! Fun!

[Dibs]

Go big or go home!

 

I went home for a bit, then decided to go big.

 

I tried the opposite......couldn't fit through my front door.

[JOE IN HAMPTON ROADS]

Let me be the first to say:

 

"I've heard of him, so Buddy, git 'er done if we can sign him on the cheap."

TBD is cheap!

[billsfan89]

Yea. Glad to see we're keeping pace with the Jaguars.

 

All I'm saying is, if the Bills don't make moves in FA, its a sign they decided to rebuild. Because right now the current roster is worse than it was last year. It also once again points to the fact that the front office has 0 vision for this team. What the hell are these guys doing?

 

I'm going to give you a series of things the Bills have done over the past 2 years. When you add them all together, this is what it says: "We have no idea what we are doing!!!"

 

1) Gave former backup QB a large contract extension

2) Released aforementioned QB who was given a large contract extension one year later

3) Draft highly regarded RB

4) Give two contract extensions to veteran RB, the last of which was given when he was 31.

5) Veteran RB injured most of year

6) Sign top defensive FA to one of the biggest contracts in history

7) Sign another top pass rusher to a big contract

8) Dump entire coaching staff year after making large investments

9) Sign starting WR to large contract extension

10) make no attempt to add WRs/TEs to compliment starting WR signed to large contract

 

Hindsight is 20/20. And some of these moves I agree with. Chan needed to go, Fitz needed to go, the Bills needed to make a big FA move and signing Mario was the right call. But so many of these moves are contradictory and counterproductive.

 

-Fitzpatrick should have NEVER been crowned the QB of the future. No one thought he could consistently win games for this team.

-Fred Jackson didn't need another contract extension. Investing money in old running backs is a terrible idea. No matter how much of a fan favorite the guy is. Especially when the Bills had CJ Spiller in the wings.

-The failure to draft or develop a rookie QB is a real travesty. Giving Fitz a big contract is one thing, not developing ANY QB behind him is absolutely ridiculous. Just look at the 2nd Day QBs that Buddy passed on since he has been GM. So the Bills now have an awkward situation where they have money invested in several pieces of the puzzle, but they are COMPLETELY empty handed at the most important position on the team.

 

No idea what this team is doing.

 

The jury is still out for sure. But I don't have an issue with the Freddie extension it wasn't big money and it wasn't guaranteed beyond the first year which we are past now. Freddie wasn't a mistake at all if you ask me.

[Mark Vader]

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't we required to spend 90% of our cap this year?

Well we haven't officially signed Jairus Byrd, so maybe that's where the rest of the cap money is going.

[Dibs]

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't we required to spend 90% of our cap this year?

 

The minimum spend is on the base cap number(123m)......not the number a team has with the rollover added(2013 Bills: 133m)

 

The rough minimum spend for 2013 is only 111m.

To my knowledge the Bills have 102m tied up in contracts plus another 9.5m in dead cap......111.5m total.

 

This means that technically we have already spent over 90%......and apart from rookie contracts, we don't have to spend any more.

 

(I can see the pessimism brigade going crazy over this tidbit of information. )

[BRAWNDO]

ProFootballTalk ‏@ProFootballTalk

Patriots to bring John Abraham in for a visit tomorrow http://wp.me/p14QSB-7CHZ

 

 

ProFootballTalk ‏@ProFootballTalk

Pats hosting Adrian Wilson http://wp.me/p14QSB-7CHP

[KOKBILLS]

Yea. Glad to see we're keeping pace with the Jaguars.

 

All I'm saying is, if the Bills don't make moves in FA, its a sign they decided to rebuild. Because right now the current roster is worse than it was last year. It also once again points to the fact that the front office has 0 vision for this team. What the hell are these guys doing?

 

I'm going to give you a series of things the Bills have done over the past 2 years. When you add them all together, this is what it says: "We have no idea what we are doing!!!"

 

1) Gave former backup QB a large contract extension

2) Released aforementioned QB who was given a large contract extension one year later

3) Draft highly regarded RB

4) Give two contract extensions to veteran RB, the last of which was given when he was 31.

5) Veteran RB injured most of year

6) Sign top defensive FA to one of the biggest contracts in history

7) Sign another top pass rusher to a big contract

8) Dump entire coaching staff year after making large investments

9) Sign starting WR to large contract extension

10) make no attempt to add WRs/TEs to compliment starting WR signed to large contract

 

Hindsight is 20/20. And some of these moves I agree with. Chan needed to go, Fitz needed to go, the Bills needed to make a big FA move and signing Mario was the right call. But so many of these moves are contradictory and counterproductive.

 

-Fitzpatrick should have NEVER been crowned the QB of the future. No one thought he could consistently win games for this team.

-Fred Jackson didn't need another contract extension. Investing money in old running backs is a terrible idea. No matter how much of a fan favorite the guy is. Especially when the Bills had CJ Spiller in the wings.

-The failure to draft or develop a rookie QB is a real travesty. Giving Fitz a big contract is one thing, not developing ANY QB behind him is absolutely ridiculous. Just look at the 2nd Day QBs that Buddy passed on since he has been GM. So the Bills now have an awkward situation where they have money invested in several pieces of the puzzle, but they are COMPLETELY empty handed at the most important position on the team.

 

No idea what this team is doing.

 

I pretty much agree with everything you said...I don't think the Freddie deal was a bad extension though...He's just been unlucky...I don't think his injuries have anything to do with wearing down...When he was healthy Freddie still looked very good last year...

 

Anyway...You answered your final question about what this team is doing, at least what this team is doing now, with the bolded statement...I think you were dead on there...

[biggerdaddynj]

We have no money to make a splash. I'm back on the Ramses Barden bandwagon--fits Buddy's "open when he's covered" and showed flashes last year. Might be Danario Alexander with good knees. And, he's affordable!!! Don't know who we can get at Guard. They screwed up with Rhinehart... We need to be realistic--there will be no big signings. That was last year. Deal with plug-in guys. Take a shot at DJ Williams--versatile LBer--has a two year deal in him. Make sure he checks out--i.e., he's learned his lessons. Is also affordable.

[Happy Days Lois & Clark]

Bills should sign Dansby 134 tackles and 9 pass break ups

[ganesh]

With the number of needs on this defense I would take both Burnett and Dansby for two to three years. That being said I would rather have Ellerbe and Wheeler

 

Why ? Because they were offered more money in FA?

[San Jose Bills Fan]

_{We should be considering the other LB that Miami cut (Burnett)}

 

Burnett lacks physicality and toughness.

 

I would be all for this signing. He's a stud who has remained relatively healthy for his position.

 

Didn't Dansby play last season with a torn bicep?

 

And this goes to show why players should get every penny they can get because teams have 0 loyalty.

 

I agree that teams often exhibit zero loyalty but how much loyalty do the players have? It's a business.

 

Also, if the Dolphins and Dansby had initially signed a more reasonable and realistic contract, he might still have a job.

[Hazed and Amuzed]

The minimum spend is on the base cap number(123m)......not the number a team has with the rollover added(2013 Bills: 133m)

 

The rough minimum spend for 2013 is only 111m.

To my knowledge the Bills have 102m tied up in contracts plus another 9.5m in dead cap......111.5m total.

 

This means that technically we have already spent over 90%......and apart from rookie contracts, we don't have to spend any more.

 

(I can see the pessimism brigade going crazy over this tidbit of information. )

Ugh

[C.Biscuit97]

[/size]

 

Burnett lacks physicality and toughness.

 

 

 

Didn't Dansby play last season with a torn bicep?

 

 

 

I agree that teams often exhibit zero loyalty but how much loyalty do the players have? It's a business.

 

Also, if the Dolphins and Dansby had initially signed a more reasonable and realistic contract, he might still have a job.

 

I get what you're saying SJBF but is Dansby suppose to turn down money? It's like people who hated Whitner because we drafted him #8. Was he supposed to decline being drafted that high?

 

Teams just use players until they deem them not valuable. It is a very dirty business and there is 0 loyalty. So in most cases when a player holds out for more money, I support them 100%.

[boyst]

 

 

I get what you're saying SJBF but is Dansby suppose to turn down money? It's like people who hated Whitner because we drafted him #8. Was he supposed to decline being drafted that high?

 

Teams just use players until they deem them not valuable. It is a very dirty business and there is 0 loyalty. So in most cases when a player holds out for more money, I support them 100%.

Ok we did lose Whitner. But the better idea of a defense is keeping your better players in skill positions and looking back now if we could have kept just 1 D player each of the last five years we would be a lot better. Whitner. Dwan Edwards....

[26TrapDraw]

_{We just signed Lawson. I think he and Dansby would be playing the same spot right? SLB.}

_{I would have loved to see them sign Dansby but I think Lawson precludes that. We should be considering the other LB that Miami cut (Burnett)}

This.

[JPS]

I hope the Bills do not sign another significant FA. Play young people who play relatively free. Build through the draft.

[respk]

I'm fine with signing second tier free agents that might excel in a different situation. The Bills have a ton of holes to fill and even more positions that need to be upgraded. I'm just a little bit puzzled with the lack of activity. Maybe behind the scenes the wheels are turning furiously but given that it is the Bills, I have my doubts. Maybe the Bills just are not a player this year, they've gone into stealth mode and have issued a gag order to all employees or the entire organization was so consumed by the Geno Smith pro day that they couldn't participate in free agency.

 

On the plus side, if they don't sign anybody else we'll almost certainly be assured of drafting in the top 1 or 2 next year. Which wouldn't be all bad.

[BUFFALOTONE]

[/size]

 

Burnett lacks physicality and toughness.

 

 

 

Didn't Dansby play last season with a torn bicep?

 

 

 

I agree that teams often exhibit zero loyalty but how much loyalty do the players have? It's a business.

 

Also, if the Dolphins and Dansby had initially signed a more reasonable and realistic contract, he might still have a job.

 

I am not sure, but the guy is a great MLB and plays the run better than most. He has had some good DL to take up blockers but you cant deny the consistency.

[26CornerBlitz]

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