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Bills Should Be Judicious in Free Agency


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Brandon Beane indicated that the Bills would be judicious in their approach to free agency this year and I think this is the right approach. They have "taken their medicine" and now have the ability to spend at will, but if they were to do that we would end up back in salary cap jail soon enough. The Bills just went through "bankruptcy" and their debts have mostly been discharged. Now what? Do you stick to a plan of spending wisely and staying in budget or do you go right back to overspending and put yourself in debt. 

 

By all accounts, the 2019 free agent class lacks higher end talent and has limited depth. The market would indicate that average free agents will be significantly overpaid in such an environment. Some fans remember years ago when the Bills had some cap room and decided to spend a significant amount of it on Derrick Dockery and Langston Walker. This is an example of being desperate to just fill a hole and willing to pay much more than the player is warranted. A few bad contracts like that and we will be backed up against the wall on the cap in short order.

 

As it stands now, the Bills could be tempted to spend big on average talent but it is much better to take the judicious approach Beane has talked about. Players like Hughes and Mccoy will be free agents after the 2019 season. They will have to be resigned or replaced. Those are easier decisions given their age but what about players like Dion Dawkins, Matt Millano and even Zay Jones. They have 2 years left before they hit free agency. Jordan Poyer also has 2 years left before his contract expires and what about a big ticket player like Tre White. A decision will have to be made on him after the 2019 season as to give him the 5th year option. It's around this time that extension talks will begin to avoid the franchise tag. I'd like the Bills to roll over some of the cap savings rather than foolishly spend it on average talent this year. The Bills have an opportunity to keep the space and begin signing and rewarding their own talent. Talent that fits with the locker room and schemes we run. I believe this is what Beane has in mind so let's hope he is able to remain diligent and execute this vision. 

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5 minutes ago, Captain_Quint said:

Can someone define judicious, please?

I'd like to think it is spending wisely by filling holes with players that fit your schemes, culture and provide an upgrade in talent. The obvious examples would be the signings of Poyer and Hyde. Those are "judicious" signings that have worked out well for the team. 

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2 minutes ago, racketmaster said:

I'd like to think it is spending wisely by filling holes with players that fit your schemes, culture and provide an upgrade in talent. The obvious examples would be the signings of Poyer and Hyde. Those are "judicious" signings that have worked out well for the team. 

I know you’re not allowed to say this on here but McDermott was here 2 months and Beane was in Carolina when Hyde and Poyer were signed.

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Just now, Straight Hucklebuck said:

I know you’re not allowed to say this on here but McDermott was here 2 months and Beane was in Carolina when Hyde and Poyer were signed.

I believe McDermott pushed for those signings and your right, Beane was not here but they are still examples of judicious free agent signings regardless of who the decision maker was at the time. It's just the example I hope Beane follows this year in free agency. Try and identify a few players at positions of need that are undervalued and go sign them to reasonable contracts. You can't expect all the signings to turn out as well as Hyde and Poyer but even when there are misses it won't hurt as bad because the contracts are not over the top. 

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In my opinion the plan has always been to get the cornerstones of the franchise through the draft and sign mid tier level free agents for depth and hopeful progression into starter status. 

I would expect them to target younger players possibly unknown who have the ability to come in and accept coaching and have a lot of room left to grow. As opposed to vets who are already seasoned and set in their ways. 

With so much money they may target 1-2 top tier vets. Let’s hope that’s on the offensive line. 

We tend to look at the top 10 of all positions in free agency. I think Beane is looking more at 20-40 and thinking ok who do I have scouting reports on and who did I like in past drafts. 

 

Lastly every year all free agents are generally overpaid and 90% of the time that is usually the downfall to a team. If they were that good they would of never seen free agency to begin with. I like Beanes approach 

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2 minutes ago, CaptnCoke11 said:

Most people here will be up in arms with anything less than frivolous overspending 

 

And people will be up in arms if he doesn’t sign any “big name” free agents because he wont pony up the required dollars..

 

 

Edited by Aussie Joe
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I want them to spend the money in FA on fixing the lines. I know it’s not sexy but there are no WRs or RBs in FA that I would even bother with. Use the money we have to fix the trenches. Then in the draft go nothing but skill position players. We are nowhere near physical enough and I don’t want rookies on the line in front of Allen. I want proven vets that understand the NFL game and that will come in and fix the run game immediately.

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14 minutes ago, Brianmoorman4jesus said:

I want them to spend the money in FA on fixing the lines. I know it’s not sexy but there are no WRs or RBs in FA that I would even bother with. Use the money we have to fix the trenches. Then in the draft go nothing but skill position players. We are nowhere near physical enough and I don’t want rookies on the line in front of Allen. I want proven vets that understand the NFL game and that will come in and fix the run game immediately.

I’m with you, but who?

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21 minutes ago, chris heff said:

I’m with you, but who?

It’s hard to pretend to evaluate another teams Oline. It’s hard enough to make yourself watch our own. There are guys available that are widely considered upgrades. My hang up is which of our own lineman do we think are good? I seldom agree with personnel decisions made by Mcd. If I was the GM, I am at least upgrading both guards. I might be the rare person that is ok with Bodine. I think both starting Guards need to be changed. Much more physical, run blocking guards. I would even probably be ok with thinking Dawkins can be that guy, moving him inside and getting a Cornerstone LT. If the only returning starter on the Oline next year is Dawkins, im cool with that too. There are a lot of ways it can go but I would say at least 2 starters need to be brought in.

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