Walter Football grades for every transaction so far

[KDIGGZ]

Should they have "overpaid" for one of them instead of Clay?

as you all may know they definitely tried. it was reported they offered Bulaga more than what he took to stay in GB. so they definitely tried to get a OL but it just didn't work out. i think they will be on the lookout to see who gets cut. i doubt they are done trying to get a star OL guy. i think that and an ILB is all we are missing at this point. hopefully they can get a starter at one of those positions in the draft but you never know

Edited March 21, 2015 by kdiggz

[Johnny Hammersticks]

Should they have "overpaid" for one of them instead of Clay?

Actually, it was reported (no link) that Buffalo's offer to Bulaga was better than what GB was offering.

[FireChan]

as you all may know they definitely tried. it was reported they offered Bulaga more than what he took to stay in GB. so they definitely tried to get a OL but it just didn't work out. i think they will be on the lookout to see who gets cut. i doubt they are done trying to get a star OL guy. i think that and an ILB is all we are missing at this point. hopefully they can get a starter at one of those positions in the draft but you never know

That was Bulaga. I thought that post said Iupati and Bollig. My bad, but let's talk OG's.

 

Bulaga took a pay cut to stay with his team and Aaron Rodgers. Totally understand how we can't do anything about that. Did Iupati take a pay cut to go to the Cardinals? Did Bollig take a pay cut?

Edited March 21, 2015 by FireChan

[Boatdrinks]

Breaking news: The Bills overpay again!

 

The TE Clay contract is just plain ridiculous. He is being paid like a HOF candidate. I would suggest this money would have been better spent on the interior of the offensive line. The Bills (i.e. Whaley) seem enamored with the shiny toys like Watkins,Clay and McCoy more than any other areas. Running backs are easy to find, but top lineman are at a premium. I would prefer an average talent RB behind an elite offensive line before I would choose a top RB behind a mediocre line. Whaley has made a string of questionable decisions since drafting EJ Manuel to trading up for Watkins to signing Clay among others, but the fans seem to love him nonetheless!!!

 

To the contrary, interior linemen are not hard to find in the draft. Top OT' s certainly are at a premium and the Bills tried to land one of those. They obviously do not believe in overpaying for Guards and I would agree with them. FA is an expensive way to fill holes, they clearly felt that elite talent was available at the skill positions and chose that instead of overpaying for a middling crop of interior linemen. It didn't appear they were interested in Iupati. RBs may be easy to find, but top RBs don't seem to be. Apparently they feel that Clay is needed to run their scheme on O, so they had to overpay. It's more a reflection of how lacking the Bills have been at TE than anything else. Look for the Oline to be addressed via the draft, second tier of FA, and June 1st cuts around the league.

[PromoTheRobot]

He makes a decent point about this draft being loaded with RBs. The Bills have a history of ignoring rational economics. If there is a surplus of RBs in this draft, then there is a very good chance you can pick up a quality running back at a bargain-bin price. Yet the Bills go and trade for an expensive RB. Last year there was a glut of quality WRs, and the Bills traded up for one anyhow. These moves may still work out fine, because Sammy and Shady are legitimate blue chippers, but in general it's not the way to manage a portfolio of limited assets.

I honestly don't know what this means. What part of the 2015 Bills bears any connection to any old regime?

[Boatdrinks]

That was Bulaga. I thought that post said Iupati and Bollig. My bad, but let's talk OG's.

Bulaga took a pay cut to stay with his team and Aaron Rodgers. Totally understand how we can't do anything about that. Did Iupati take a pay cut to go to the Cardinals? Did Bollig take a pay cut?

It never appeared the Bills were actually pursuing Iupati, though it was speculated before FA began. Perhaps this was due to Romans SF connection. He seemed to want Clay far more than Iupati or any OG for that matter. Could this be due to the fact the Bills are going to have to pay T Cordy Glenn soon? OTs command big$. Boling drew interest from the Bills, but chose to stay put ( unsurprisingly) with he Bengals, a perennial playoff team. OG is not that hard of a position to fix without spending huge $. Elite offensive skill guys are going to get paid in the NFL, that's just how it is.

[FireChan]

It never appeared the Bills were actually pursuing Iupati, though it was speculated before FA began. Perhaps this was due to Romans SF connection. He seemed to want Clay far more than Iupati or any OG for that matter. Could this be due to the fact the Bills are going to have to pay T Cordy Glenn soon? OTs command big$. Boling drew interest from the Bills, but chose to stay put ( unsurprisingly) with he Bengals, a perennial playoff team. OG is not that hard of a position to fix without spending huge $. Elite offensive skill guys are going to get paid in the NFL, that's just how it is.

If it's so easy to fix, why have our G's been below average to borderline awful for the last 3 years?

 

If Glenn has another year like 2014, he'll be lucky to get paid above the average OT contract. I don't really like that reasoning. Dareus is going to get paid, should we have not signed Hughers?

I honestly don't know what this means. What part of the 2015 Bills bears any connection to any old regime?

Doug Whaley was groomed as the successor of Buddy Nix, who was hired in 2009 by....

 

Must I go on?

[Boatdrinks]

If it's so easy to fix, why have our G's been below average to borderline awful for the last 3 years?

If Glenn has another year like 2014, he'll be lucky to get paid above the average OT contract. I don't really like that reasoning. Dareus is going to get paid, should we have not signed Hughers?

Must I go on?

Of course keeping Hughes was a good idea. And they can re-sign Dareus and Glenn. A FA overpaid guard may not have been in the salary structure going forward. Didn't the Bills still have LeVitre 3 years ago? I'm pretty sure they did. Two seasons ago the line was not that bad inside. Last year was terrible. So it hasn't been for the last 3 years. The worst graded was Pears , I believe so addition by subtraction there. The Bills coaches must be confident they can get things shored up inside but obviously have their eyes on upgrading at RT.

[FireChan]

Of course keeping Hughes was a good idea. And they can re-sign Dareus and Glenn. A FA overpaid guard may not have been in the salary structure going forward. Didn't the Bills still have LeVitre 3 years ago? I'm pretty sure they did. Two seasons ago the line was not that bad inside. Last year was terrible. So it hasn't been for the last 3 years. The worst graded was Pears , I believe so addition by subtraction there. The Bills coaches must be confident they can get things shored up inside but obviously have their eyes on upgrading at RT.

This is the third FA period since Levitre. Ergo, 3 years.

 

O-line was a need in 2013. Why do you think we drafted 3 O-linemen?

 

Chris Williams is still penciled in as a starter. I'm not okay with that.

Edited March 22, 2015 by FireChan

[Dan]

He makes a decent point about this draft being loaded with RBs. The Bills have a history of ignoring rational economics. If there is a surplus of RBs in this draft, then there is a very good chance you can pick up a quality running back at a bargain-bin price. Yet the Bills go and trade for an expensive RB. Last year there was a glut of quality WRs, and the Bills traded up for one anyhow. These moves may still work out fine, because Sammy and Shady are legitimate blue chippers, but in general it's not the way to manage a portfolio of limited assets.

I really agree with you. And normally, I think the absolute worst way to build a winning team is through Free Agency (and trades like this season). But, the Bills have been floundering In mediocrity for entirely too long. And drafting players and waiting for them to develop just hasn't worked.

 

Now, maybe the moves this off season won't work either. But one thing that has happened, in just the span of a few months, the Bills have become relevant again. With Rex, Roman, Shady, Hughes, Harvin, Cassell, etc... The Bills are seen by most all people as a team that's making moves and doing everything they can to improve.

 

All the draft picks in the world wouldn't be able to make the Bills relevant again. So, yeah it may not be the move for established teams with a history of competing in the playoffs. But, for a team lost in mediocrity, I'd say we're having just the type of off season our young players need.

 

Now.... It's up to Rex and company to put it all together and actually make these players into a winning, play off caliber team next season. ...And up to Whaley and company to keep drafting guys that can keep it going in a couple years when all these FAs leave or get too old.

[Boatdrinks]

This is the third FA period since Levitre. Ergo, 3 years.

O-line was a need in 2013. Why do you think we drafted 3 O-linemen?

Chris Williams is still penciled in as a starter. I'm not okay with that.

Look for C. Williams to be a June 1st cap casualty. He's on the roster until then. You said the last 3 seasons with regards to the G play. That would be 2102, 2013, 2014. I don't think the Guard play was horrible during 2012, Spillers best as a Bill. They drafted heavy on O line last year and have not written off those players improving. The run game was pretty decent in 2013 by most accounts. Last year was very poor by the O line, particularly inside. The T play suffered as the inside was so weak. The offseason is not over by any means as far as the O line goes. I don't believe there are any games until around August. it's not a finished product yet.

[FireChan]

Look for C. Williams to be a June 1st cap casualty. He's on the roster until then. You said the last 3 seasons with regards to the G play. That would be 2102, 2013, 2014. I don't think the Guard play was horrible during 2012, Spillers best as a Bill. They drafted heavy on O line last year and have not written off those players improving. The run game was pretty decent in 2013 by most accounts. Last year was very poor by the O line, particularly inside. The T play suffered as the inside was so weak. The offseason is not over by any means as far as the O line goes. I don't believe there are any games until around August. it's not a finished product yet.

What solid starter do you see in FA? What solid starter do you see being cut in camp? Our cuts are Chris Williams, I don't see the Bengals releasing Bollig in July.

 

Levitre departed in the off season before 2013. Offseason - 2013 - offseason - 2014 - offseason - 2015. Three offseasons. It's not over yet, but I don't have faith they'll find another average to above average guy at this point in FA. The original point was would it have been worth it to "overpay" on Bollig and maybe miss out on a Harvin. I don't know, but I can understand that argument.

[Boatdrinks]

What solid starter do you see in FA? What solid starter do you see being cut in camp? Our cuts are Chris Williams, I don't see the Bengals releasing Bollig in July.

 

Levitre departed in the off season before 2013. Offseason - 2013 - offseason - 2014 - offseason - 2015. Three offseasons. It's not over yet, but I don't have faith they'll find another average to above average guy at this point in FA. The original point was would it have been worth it to "overpay" on Bollig and maybe miss out on a Harvin. I don't know, but I can understand that argument.

The answer in my opinion would be no. Harvin is a matchup problem for a defense and improves an offense lacking in playmakers. I'm not sure what the Bills offered Boling,but he chose to resign with a playoff team. That appeared to be a trend around the league. I would not overpay for a guard. Harvin is an elite talent and was had for a reasonable price. I'm not sure what solid starter remains inFA, There will be other cuts made by teams to free up cap space, and trades are still possible. Not every guy that was a FA was a fit for their system either. They had their targets, and they chose to go back to playoff teams. What can you do? It takes two to tango. They had money to spend and spent it on the weakest side of the ball.

[FireChan]

The answer in my opinion would be no. Harvin is a matchup problem for a defense and improves an offense lacking in playmakers. I'm not sure what the Bills offered Boling,but he chose to resign with a playoff team. That appeared to be a trend around the league. I would not overpay for a guard. Harvin is an elite talent and was had for a reasonable price. I'm not sure what solid starter remains inFA, There will be other cuts made by teams to free up cap space, and trades are still possible. Not every guy that was a FA was a fit for their system either. They had their targets, and they chose to go back to playoff teams. What can you do? It takes two to tango. They had money to spend and spent it on the weakest side of the ball.

I would hardly call that a trend. It happens, but so do Julius Thomas deals, Revis deals, etc etc etc. I don't believe that we didn't have a shot with Bollig like Bulaga.

 

I'm hoping we get another starting quality G.

[Boatdrinks]

I would hardly call that a trend. It happens, but so do Julius Thomas deals, Revis deals, etc etc etc. I don't believe that we didn't have a shot with Bollig like Bulaga.

I'm hoping we get another starting quality G.

I'm not calling Bulaga, Boling a trend by themselves, but many of the " best" ranked FA's on Polians ESPN list resigned with their original teams, some before FA began. Randall Cobb, Hughes, Bulaga et al. Of course some FA' s will sign elsewhere. Fwiw, Boling was ranked as average by Polian. I'd like to see an upgrade at guard and possibly RT as well. The Bills did not ignore the OL in free agency, they just struck out with the guys they targeted. It's not for lack of effort. I would love to have Bulaga on the OL. It didn't happen. I do like the skill position upgrades as the Bills were weak there as well.

[truth on hold]

He's probably too tough on the Bills, but it's interesting to read evals from someone who is quite knowledgeable about seemingly every team/player. Most of us here are knowledgeable about the Bills and a few other teams, so I like seeing the Bills' moves within a broader context even if I might disagree with a particular grade.

 

http://walterfootball.com/freeagentsigninggrades.php

spot on comments about the McCoy trade and subsequent extension. Makes no sense

[todd]

I hate grading individual moves. It is stupid, because there's no way a team looks at a single move as critical. I would only grade an entire offseason.

 

Criteria:

 

1. What to the FA and trades look like to influence the roster as a whole?

2. What goals cap-wise is the team trying to achieve in the next few years?

3. Aside from $$, has the team executed what is a cohesive plan to get better and address gaps?

4. How do this year's offseason moves set the team up for the draft for the next few years?

5. Has the team gotten rid of players that may not fit, or may be in decline?

 

 

Individual grades are just stupid, and it drives me crazy when fans do it, too. You just can't look at things like that.

 

Looking at this, I think the Bills did pretty well. They addressed the QB position the best they could. There were ZERO options at QB this offseason, and the Bills did what they could. The addressed major skill positions on offense that were holding the Bills back. The only gap is OG, but there weren't many first-tier options to go after. I expect the Bills will add a few players after the draft.

spot on comments about the McCoy trade and subsequent extension. Makes no sense

No. In terms of an overall plan, it makes more sense. Grading individual moves and not an entire offseason is stupid.

[What a Tuel]

spot on comments about the McCoy trade and subsequent extension. Makes no sense

 

Your profile pic must be accurate because you have to be a troll.

 

Old contract

$10.2 Cap hit in 2015

$7.15 Cap hit in 2016

$7.85 Cap hit in 2017

 

New contact

 

$5.6 Cap hit 2015

$7.675 Cap hit 2016

$8.875 Cap hit 2017

$8.95 Cap hit 2018 ($5.2 Dead Money)

$9.05 Cap hit 2019 ($2.6 Dead Money)

 

As you can see we did quite well renegotiating his contract. We effectively locked him up for 5 years, and if he doesn't do well post 30 years old, it will be relatively painless to cut him. FYI the eagles took $3.5 in dead money just trading him.

 

Running backs are a dime a dozen though right? Care to throw one out there that would have been available at our pick? I'd like to find out if your gamble would've turned out better than our obtaining a bonafide running threat for our running offense.

 

At the very least one of these drafts we can toss out a 4th rounder to draft his replacement, piece a cake

Edited March 22, 2015 by What a Tuel

[Kelly the Dog]

That was Bulaga. I thought that post said Iupati and Bollig. My bad, but let's talk OG's.

 

Bulaga took a pay cut to stay with his team and Aaron Rodgers. Totally understand how we can't do anything about that. Did Iupati take a pay cut to go to the Cardinals? Did Bollig take a pay cut?

Boling did. He got a decent contract but very likely would have got more. Iupati got what he was expected to get, which was a ton for a great run blocker and suspect pass blocker.

[Kelly the Dog]

OL can be found everywhere but they really are not plug and play guys. A lot has to happen. They must be coached well. They usually have to be in a system that plays to their strengths. They have to be smart. They have to have good guys around them and all be on the same page. They usually have to be playing together for a bit but not always.

 

The player that is probably going to take the biggest leap is Henderson. He has great size, talent, and athleticism. He was hurt last year by always playing on the left and then suddenly playing on the right, next to a guy who never played guard before, and overall terrible coaching. Kromer and Roman should help him a lot.

 

Richardson was a 5th round pick. He's a little slow. Roman and Kromer want the guards to pull. He could surprise but I am not expecting much from him. Williams has a bad back. He hasn't played much guard. He has the athleticism to play for Kromer and Roman and they could make him serviceable but I'm not expecting much from him either.

 

Kujo is probably a year away but he could surprise. We need a starter at OG which could come in a trade, late cut or 2-3 round pick. And we need a swing tackle. It will be Henderson if we get a starter to replace him.