Reed83HOF Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 34 minutes ago, BarleyNY said: Yet another free agent signing gone awry. Spencer Long was always solid on the interior for the Redskins after he was third-round pick back in 2014. So far in New York, however, he’s been disastrous. His 14 pressures allowed are more than he gave up in either of the past two seasons, and his 45.5 run-blocking grade doesn’t look much better. https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-2018-nfl-offensive-line-rankings-all-32-teams-units-after-week-9 You have to wonder why he dropped off. Scheme is one reason why. Playing through injury is another. I hope that’s it is one of those and that he’s healthy and a better fit here. It also happens when players stop using PEDs or just get lazy. I’m not insinuating it’s either of those, only that they round out the top reasons for a drop off this early in a career. Here’s hoping we got some help. He was on the Jets and that team was a disaster last year with a HC that was a dead man walking, coincidentally the jets are possibly an even worse dumpster fire now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CommonCents Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 (edited) Was Spencer Long the highest paid center at 6.85 last season? That’s what I came across in a Denver article about Paradis. Saying Long was the highest paid above Kelce and projecting Paradis at 6.5 in FA. Edited February 12, 2019 by CommonCents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoloinOhio Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Joe Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 18 minutes ago, Logic said: I may be in the minority, but I think his pay rate indicates that he IS being looked at as a probable starter. I also think the fact that the Bills list him as a C/G and not just as a G means that they think he has a shot to win the starting center job. Recall Beane's recent comment about "sleeping better at night" if you have a veteran C. For those counting on the Bills ALSO getting Paradis or Morse: with the signing of Long, I sincerely doubt that's gonna happen. I think they may still try to go after Paradis or Morse.. If they get one of them Long moves to guard... If they don't then Long will be the starting C and they draft one in the Top 50 to take over by 2020..possibly earlier if they get lucky... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeding Bills Blue Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 3 minutes ago, Logic said: I may be in the minority, but I think his pay rate indicates that he IS being looked at as a probable starter. I also think the fact that the Bills list him as a C/G and not just as a G means that they think he has a shot to win the starting center job. Recall Beane's recent comment about "sleeping better at night" if you have a veteran C. For those counting on the Bills ALSO getting Paradis or Morse: with the signing of Long, I sincerely doubt that's gonna happen. Morse and Paradis are in the market to be the top 2 paid at the position. Last year Jensen got 4/42 and 22 guaranteed. They'll want more. We have the room to get it done - but so do the jets. The Eagles may lose Kelce. Vikings will want an upgrade for Cousins. Browns may want to pair a vet with Mayfield. I'm not sure that Denver wants to lose Paradis either. Lots of teams could use upgrades at this position. Grabbing someone now makes it more likely something we can look at in the draft. 2 minutes ago, CommonCents said: Was Spencer Long the highest paid center at 6.85 last season? That’s what I came across in a Denver article about Paradis. Saying Long was the highest paid above Kelce and projecting Paradis at 6.5 in FA. Here are 2018 rankings - https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/rankings/2018/cap-hit/center/ Paradis/Morse will want to be paid near the top tier in the league. There's a market for it this year - so average of 11-13 per year, with probably half of it guaranteed depending on the term. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatdrought Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Not sure I see this as an upgrade to Bodine.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CommonCents Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 2 minutes ago, dneveu said: Morse and Paradis are in the market to be the top 2 paid at the position. Last year Jensen got 4/42 and 22 guaranteed. They'll want more. We have the room to get it done - but so do the jets. The Eagles may lose Kelce. Vikings will want an upgrade for Cousins. Browns may want to pair a vet with Mayfield. I'm not sure that Denver wants to lose Paradis either. Lots of teams could use upgrades at this position. Grabbing someone now makes it more likely something we can look at in the draft. Here are 2018 rankings - https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/rankings/2018/cap-hit/center/ Paradis/Morse will want to be paid near the top tier in the league. There's a market for it this year - so average of 11-13 per year, with probably half of it guaranteed depending on the term. Thanks I knew it didn’t make much sense. They had Long’s number right but didn’t compare it with anyone but Kelce’s. IMO Paradis is coming in at a bigger number than 6.5. That’s a wishful Denver writer hoping for a discount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lofton80 Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 This clip shows a good breakdown of Long's strength and weaknesses from his Redskin days. http://turnonthejets.com/2018/07/toj-new-york-jets-film-breakdown-spencer-long-2017-short-form/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Y. Orangeman Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 You look at the salary list and what David Andrews is signed for and it is criminal. His agent should be barred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeding Bills Blue Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 7 minutes ago, whatdrought said: Not sure I see this as an upgrade to Bodine.. I mean - he definitely hurt his stock last year. But Long signed last year for 4yr 27.4 and Bodine signed for 2yr and 5. Clearly there was some level of a discrepancy in their skills. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsVet Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 2 hours ago, gonzo1105 said: The Bills depth on the offensive line is terrible. As it sits right now, the Bills are starting Russell Bodine, Vlad Ducasse, Jeremiah Sirles, Dawkins, and Teller with Ike Boettgger and Conner McDermott as the primary backups. It is straight up pathetic. My guess is the Bills will try him at Center and if he can't handle it they will use him as a swing Center and Guard backup because they do need some former starting depth as well as starters. Long's contract isn't huge, but it's not depth either. I would expect he could play RG in that scheme. 1 hour ago, TheyCallMeAndy said: Teller was pretty good last year, you can pencil him in at RG at the moment, if I was a betting man I'd guess then that you lose a lot of money. 33 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said: I’m hoping Dawkins stays at LT and has a quality LG next to him like he did his rookie year. No fault of anyone but Richie, but imo losing RI next to him had a big impact on Dawkins play year 2. If this team is serious about having a solid offense, they'd consider moving Dawkins to LG and drafting a LT. I've never subscribed to the theory that a LT's drop in play is as directly related to a LG next to him as some make it out to be. And, the Juan Castillo effect of going easy on the OL is over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Linen Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 22 minutes ago, Putin said: Allen is doomed Almost 5 million a year for this clown ??? It could be a contract with little guaranteed money. We need to see the details first. Low guarantee would essentially make it a prove it deal that we could get out of if he doesn't play well. IMO, it's a good signing this time of year as a safety net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pbomb Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 This was the one guy I was hoping the bills would get. If we don’t make another move I will still consider this a successful free agency 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjt328 Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Going into the offseason, we needed (at the very least) starters at Center, Right Guard and Right Tackle. That's assuming Wyatt Teller progresses in his second season, and Dion Dawkins proves his sophomore slump was a fluke. And if the starters are bad, what does that say about our depth? To bring in a guy with 4-5 years of starting experience at multiple positions, at a reasonable contract, more than a month before Free Agency even starts - you really can't hate on this move. At the very least, he's depth and competition. Maybe a center. Maybe a guard. I've said it before. Even if we are VERY aggressive in Free Agency, there are no guarantees we get the guys we target. The market for O-Line this year is not great. And we don't have enough draft picks to address every position we need an upgrade in. It's good to have a solid backup ready just in case we strikeout getting the guys we really want. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misterbluesky Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 2 hours ago, YoloinOhio said: Peck should just stick with his UB football and Beat The Champ gigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat68 Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Basically, Buffalo is hoping for the guy from Washington not the guy who played in NY. Seems like there were mitigating circumstances to explain some of his poor play. I wouldn't pencil him in as a starter but has the ability to play g or center. Gives them some flexibility in FA and the draft. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logic Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 2 minutes ago, Misterbluesky said: Peck should just stick with his UB football and Beat The Champ gigs. Maybe so, but I don't think he's wrong here. I think the Bills DO look at Long as their probable starting center in 2019. Beane's recent quote about it being "easier to sleep at night if you have a veteran center" has me thinking Long will be the guy. They may draft a protege in the mid rounds, but it wouldn't shock me in the least if Long is starting at center come opening day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Hindsight Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Not every player is going to be all pro. I like the move, much better than sitting on their hands like in years past 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoloinOhio Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 (edited) An average of $4.3 million per year would have made him the 18th-highest-paid center in the NFL in 2018 and 33rd on the list of guards. It’s a low-end starter’s deal or a high-end backup deal, depending on your perspective. As far as the Bills are concerned, with the lack of players on their second contract, the average annual salary currently places him as the 8th-highest number on the 2019 Bills. That’s more of an indicator of the Bills than this contract. Until we get the guaranteed money figures, it’s hard to tell what the contract actually says about his future with the team. It could be all salary with little guaranteed money and the Bills are using him as a safety net or that he’s first in line to start at guard or center. Edited February 12, 2019 by YoloinOhio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 2 hours ago, C.Biscuit97 said: I freely admit I know anything about the oline. Is he good? Because I don’t imagine the Jets cutting a good o linemen or was it just about money? can anyone of you oline guys give me an honest assessment? I don't know if this means anything or not, but he played his worst game of the season against the Fish so Gase saw it first hand. This looks to me like a veteran addition to the OL who will be given a chance to compete at both C and G. Nothing promised, and the contract is likely to be structured in such a way that they could cut him during camp with little cap worry. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptnCoke11 Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Everyone panic!!!! OMG!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaw66 Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 I know nothing about the guy. However, after his rookie year, every game where he was in the lineup, he started. That says something to me - that he isn't marginal talent. The coaches wanted him on the field. That, at least, is a good sign. We'll see. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ngbills Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Dont bet on Long being the answer. Bodine, Newhouse, Ducasse were also supposed to be the answers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IgotBILLStopay Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Cant figure out if he is penciled in as a low priced starter or high priced backup. How much is guaranteed? If a significant chunk of the 13 mill is guaranteed, you are looking at a low priced starter. If not, he is a short term backup, who can potentially prove he is worth keeping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thenorthremembers Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 2 minutes ago, IgotBILLStopay said: Cant figure out if he is penciled in as a low priced starter or high priced backup. How much is guaranteed? If a significant chunk of the 13 mill is guaranteed, you are looking at a low priced starter. If not, he is a short term backup, who can potentially prove he is worth keeping. That contract makes him the 16th highest paid center, or the 19th highest paid guard. Thats close to the middle of the league at both positions. I'd put my money on him being the starter at one of those positions. Not a lot of 4.3 million dollar backups in the NFL at Oline. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptnCoke11 Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 8 minutes ago, ngbills said: Dont bet on Long being the answer. Bodine, Newhouse, Ducasse were also supposed to be the answers... That’s brilliant analysis... You are smart 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangarang Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 7 minutes ago, ngbills said: Dont bet on Long being the answer. Bodine, Newhouse, Ducasse were also supposed to be the answers... Nobody thought any of those scrubs was the answer to anything 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Doug Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 3 hours ago, KOKBILLS said: From a 2017 CBS article... Spencer Long At the midseason point, I was very impressed with Spencer Long. After all, he had just come into the starting lineup in Week 3 to strengthen the team’s weakness at center. In our midseason grades, I said the following of Long: When Spencer Long stepped into the starting lineup for the Washington Redskins, everything changed. The team immediately improved their run blocking, but they especially improved their pass blocking. Opposing teams were no longer able to get a ridiculous amount of pressure on Cousins and that really helped the quarterback. Since Long has been in the lineup, Cousins has had the time to improve his decision making and accuracy . Long has been rock solid in all aspects of the game, and it really makes you wonder why the team did not put him in the lineup sooner. Long has also been a versatile player for the Redskins. He has mostly played center, but he has filled in at guard on some snaps, and he has been solid at both positions. Essentially, he is a good quality starting interior lineman who should only improve with more playing time. All of that rings true to the end of the season. Long has continued to play well, though he was slowed down by a concussion at the close of the season. He has earned the right to be the team’s starting center moving forward, and definitely should be a solid player moving forward. Long’s Season Grade: B Improved cousins accuracy, you say? Well, there you have it, folks. Bills FO admitting Allen has accuracy issues and are bringing Long in to help fix them. Proof. Cancel your SB parties. Doomed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1st&ten Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 2 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said: He's been a starter pretty much his whole career. We just signed him to a 3 year deal up to 5 mil a season. I don't want him to be the starter either. But as it stands now, he's the 8th highest paid player on the whole team. I can't fathom paying that for a backup Center. Especially when you see what they were paying Groy and Bodine to be their starter(s) last season. It's more than both of them combined. But for the sake of argument, let's say he is depth. Do you really see them going out and signing one of the top Centers to a big time FA deal with that contract already on the books? No way they invest that much in to one position. I think your right but I wonder if the FO thinks the price for vet lineman is going to raise this year so they're willing to pay more for a vet backup swingman. There seems to be many articles claiming that the college lineman coming out now days aren't prepared to play in the NFL. I don't know if this is true or not but maybe the Bills want to insure they have some vet presence to go along with the lineman they'll be drafting this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaw66 Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 4 minutes ago, 1st&ten said: I think your right but I wonder if the FO thinks the price for vet lineman is going to raise this year so they're willing to pay more for a vet backup swingman. There seems to be many articles claiming that the college lineman coming out now days aren't prepared to play in the NFL. I don't know if this is true or not but maybe the Bills want to insure they have some vet presence to go along with the lineman they'll be drafting this year. I think this is true, as well as the comments by me and others that he's started his whole career and he's getting starter money. I'd guess the Bills figure he's better than what they have but not necessarily the answer. And as I've been saying since I heard McD say it, they want a veteran leader in every position room, and there isn't a veteran leader on the offensive line. I'd guess Spencer is their first shot (this year) at filling that veteran leadership role. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaCrispy Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 1 hour ago, Aussie Joe said: I think they may still try to go after Paradis or Morse.. If they get one of them Long moves to guard... If they don't then Long will be the starting C and they draft one in the Top 50 to take over by 2020..possibly earlier if they get lucky... This is a good point... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2o Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Oh boy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billspro Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said: He was also pretty good in 2016. He was ranked #9 in pass protection by PFF, and finished with an overall rank of 29 out of 72 ranked centers. The main thing that worries me about long are his run blocking grades. It looks like he’s been pretty good in pass protection for most of his career. As long as he keeps Allen up right I will be happy. It was painful watching Allen get hit on every passing attempt. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCbillsfan Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Based on what OL the Bills have under contract for next year, I like this move. Long has 44 NFL starts and is described as versatile and solid. At a minimum, sounds like he will be a 6th or 7th lineman. If the Bills draft a couple of OL, he can be a veteran presence. He sounds like a tough guy, playing through injury last year, and is smart too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Can play all interior Oline positions and I don’t think he’s our new starting center. Good signing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhyteDwarf Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Are we winning the offseason yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBillsMagic1 Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 May be a surprise. Was a solid center but I think he had snapping issues due to broken finger or hand last year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WideNine Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Could just be a stop-gap veteran measure and the guy they really want will be a FA in 2020, or they could have their sights on someone like WI Biadasz in next year's draft. Or as others have mentioned he could be used at guard. 3-years is a stop gap kind of contract in my mind, at least I am hopeful this is not an example of the long-term upgrades Beane is planning to make as signing an oft-injured under-performing center leaves me underwhelmed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Murray Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Ralph is cheap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WideNine Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 4 minutes ago, ScottLaw said: Seems their plan is to have him and Bodine battle it out for starting Center. If he doesn't win it I think he is one of your starting Guards. ...and Bodine is a UFA after next season too so I guess depth could be a going concern if they have no plans to resign him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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