BillsSB2020 Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 It seems as though there's been too much focus on the rough stint with the Jets, which was largely the result of injury, perhaps position. As to the contract, it's really not exorbitant. You can't look at these numbers as if it's 20 years ago. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan in Cleveland Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 54 minutes ago, Shaw66 said: Mills was the only one who had been a regular starter somewhere. And they were signed when the Bills were in cap hell. I really think this year is the first year where we get to see completely what kind of players McBeane want. Last year was the first draft; this is the first year of free agency. What? McD has had two drafts. He let Gilmore walk. Then Beane and McD screwed up the roster moves costing then a 3rd round comp pick. Beane had plenty of money to sign players in FA. He overpaid for Star but he was adequate. He overpaid for Murphy who was terrible. He overpaid for Ivory who was adequate. Contract for McCarron was fine. Trading him was dumb. And Bodine was a bad decision but probably not much of an option. So many of us on the board who are skeptical of Beane point to this history. Can he do better? Sure, but its much easier to cut players and blame the previous guys. He made the trade for Benjamin. He should get the blame. I have an open mind for 2019 and am cautiously optimistic about this off-season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stony Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 25 minutes ago, The Drought said: People are all excited about a shiny new player, that'll wear off when they realize he is a bad center and an average guard. True, but why get bent over an interior lineman signing in February? I've gotta think it's not a contract that'll hamstring the cap if he doesn't pan out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffAlone Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 They HAVE TO spend money in FA. Its the rules.this is a "just In case" signing to be afforded BPA in the draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyDays Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 50 minutes ago, The Drought said: People are all excited about a shiny new player, that'll wear off when they realize he is a bad center and an average guard. If he's an average guard he's an upgrade. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinky finger Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 8 hours ago, Dablitzkrieg said: Go play in traffic please I'll drive. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeTeam Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 One thing to keep in mind, this type of signing provides insurance for the team. A veteran player who is serviceable. This provides them some leverage when it comes to free agency and the draft. They can allow things come to them and not be in a state of desperation. That's when you start reaching for players. I specifically remember Beane saying that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 9 hours ago, blacklabel said: 44 starts in a 53 game career, only ended up a FA due to coaching changes. This will be the end here for Groy. Long and Bodine compete for the starting center gig. I wouldn’t say ONLY that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
without a drought Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 40 minutes ago, stony said: True, but why get bent over an interior lineman signing in February? I've gotta think it's not a contract that'll hamstring the cap if he doesn't pan out. Who's upset? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 45 minutes ago, BillsSB2020 said: It seems as though there's been too much focus on the rough stint with the Jets, which was largely the result of injury, perhaps position. As to the contract, it's really not exorbitant. You can't look at these numbers as if it's 20 years ago. I mean it’s average starting center pay. It’s not exorbitant but also not peanuts. He’s not slotted up to be a JAG at the pay rate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptnCoke11 Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 1 hour ago, The Drought said: People are all excited about a shiny new player, that'll wear off when they realize he is a bad center and an average guard. It’s a shame there wasn’t a future HOFer out there for us to sign.. Shucks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2020 Our Year For Sure Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 1 hour ago, The Drought said: People are all excited about a shiny new player, that'll wear off when they realize he is a bad center and an average guard. Last year he played with two broken fingers, in a system that doesn't suit him, and while OL requires cohesive play he was on a team that quit on their coaching staff. So if average Guard play is how he does in those conditions, or in other words if average Guard play is the worst he can do, then what is his ceiling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezertbill Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, Laughing Coffin said: I hope the Bills are eyeing him for guard over C. It's good to have versatility with your interior lineman. Hope he works out, sounds like a pretty friendly deal.As he can play both C or G, I doubt this changes our plans to go after anybody that we were originally targeting at either of those positions, FA or Draft. If we sign/draft a C, he'll play guard, if we sign Paradis, he'll play guard, if we sign/draft a G, he'll likely play C. Bills need 2 guards though, Teller is not the answer some people made him out to be after the Jets game I hope the Bills are looking at him as a G with the potential to back up C. He has had more success in the league than Bodine, Ducasse, Miller or Teller. Was a stud in WAS which earned him a 3 yr $27 mil deal w/ Jets. His biggest hit last year was playing C with injured thumb. He came back to finish season at G and performed well. Blocking schemes has a lot to do with it as well. Plus Jets were a mess. I believe signing him gives us a solid starting G, with Teller & Miller potentially fighting for other G spot with a early draft pick. If Bills go on and sign Paradis, and take OT in first round, our line would look like: OT Dawkins G Long C Paradis G Miller/Teller/2-4th rounder T 1st rounder I'll take that Edited February 13, 2019 by dezertbill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turk71 Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 https://www.profootballfocus.com/nfl/players/spencer-long/8713 Guy was one of the lowest rated lineman in the NFL. What does pff know though? They are the guys who thought Bodine was below average. Check out the picture on the link, he looks like a depressed marshmallow. Haven't read the details but hope there is not much guaranteed money, he shouldn't even make the team. Let's replace lousy linemen with more lousy linemen, and make sure you overpay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turk71 Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 (edited) His 4.5 to 5 million per would have made him the 8th highest paid Bill this past season. As of now his salary makes him the 7th or 8th highest paid Bill for 2019 and by far the highest paid o lineman on the team this coming season. About double what #2 Bodine and #3 Ducasse get, laughable if not so sad and pathetic. WTF are they thinking? I want to believe in Beane but this kind of signing in Feb before fa make it difficult. Better linemen will be cast off of teams and picked up for peanuts by others before all is said and done. I try to forget that Beane gave Corey Coleman 3 million guaranteed and he never made the team or played a down. For perspective a guy who didn't make the team was the 11th highest paid player on it last season. This is ridiculous. Edited February 13, 2019 by Turk71 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Joe Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 4 hours ago, Shaw66 said: Mills was the only one who had been a regular starter somewhere. And they were signed when the Bills were in cap hell. I think you will find that Bodine started the majority ( it not all) his games during his 4 years at the Bengals.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoHuddleKelly12 Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 1 hour ago, dezertbill said: I hope the Bills are looking at him as a G with the potential to back up C. He has had more success in the league than Bodine, Ducasse, Miller or Teller. Was a stud in WAS which earned him a 3 yr $27 mil deal w/ Jets. His biggest hit last year was playing C with injured thumb. He came back to finish season at G and performed well. Blocking schemes has a lot to do with it as well. Plus Jets were a mess. I believe signing him gives us a solid starting G, with Teller & Miller potentially fighting for other G spot with a early draft pick. If Bills go on and sign Paradis, and take OT in first round, our line would look like: OT Dawkins G Long C Paradis G Miller/Teller/2-4th rounder T 1st rounder I'll take that Good call. And would have to be better than what we paraded out last year in front of JA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transplantbillsfan Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 Why are people so quick to hate this signing? I think you just throw away much of his awful play due to his hand injury. Gotta hope and assume that's healed. I just don't know much about the guy and it's hard to assess OL for other teams, anyway, but when I see the rather striking nearly $28 million he signed for last year along with tidbits from his previous years like: https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-washingtons-c-spencer-long-and-g-shawn-lauvao-both-placed-on-ir In terms of numbers, Long had actually been the team’s best performer in pass protection this year, and has allowed just five total pressures on his 223 pass-blocking snaps, for a pass-blocking efficiency of 98.2, the 10th best mark among centers. ... https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-c-spencer-long-expected-to-miss-the-next-two-weeks Long finished 2016 ranked 29th out of 72 qualified centers with a 69.6 overall grade. He struggled as a run blocker last year, earning a run blocking grade of just 54.0 (the 11th lowest in the league); however, he performed well in pass protection, ranking ninth with an 82.6 pass blocking grade. Long has been clean in pass protection so far this preseason but run blocking continues to be an issue, evident by his 41.7 run blocking grade against the Green Bay Packer. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/season-grades-for-the-washington-redskins-offensive-line-010817%3famp=true 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 This looks like a decent signing to me. Curious if he's a Guard or Center for us, but I think he's an upgrade on either Miller or Bodine. Everyone gets that we're gonna have to go for some guys like this who had down years last year but have strong starting potential, right? Can't have a pro bowler at every position. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turk71 Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 23 minutes ago, transplantbillsfan said: Why are people so quick to hate this signing? I think you just throw away much of his awful play due to his hand injury. Gotta hope and assume that's healed. I just don't know much about the guy and it's hard to assess OL for other teams, anyway, but when I see the rather striking nearly $28 million he signed for last year along with tidbits from his previous years like: https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-washingtons-c-spencer-long-and-g-shawn-lauvao-both-placed-on-ir In terms of numbers, Long had actually been the team’s best performer in pass protection this year, and has allowed just five total pressures on his 223 pass-blocking snaps, for a pass-blocking efficiency of 98.2, the 10th best mark among centers. ... https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-c-spencer-long-expected-to-miss-the-next-two-weeks Long finished 2016 ranked 29th out of 72 qualified centers with a 69.6 overall grade. He struggled as a run blocker last year, earning a run blocking grade of just 54.0 (the 11th lowest in the league); however, he performed well in pass protection, ranking ninth with an 82.6 pass blocking grade. Long has been clean in pass protection so far this preseason but run blocking continues to be an issue, evident by his 41.7 run blocking grade against the Green Bay Packer. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/season-grades-for-the-washington-redskins-offensive-line-010817%3famp=true 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 This looks like a decent signing to me. Curious if he's a Guard or Center for us, but I think he's an upgrade on either Miller or Bodine. Everyone gets that we're gonna have to go for some guys like this who had down years last year but have strong starting potential, right? Can't have a pro bowler at every position. The articles you referenced were written before and during the 2017 season. Two seasons have gone by since then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transplantbillsfan Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 (edited) 20 minutes ago, Turk71 said: The articles you referenced were written before and during the 2017 season. Two seasons have gone by since then. Ummm... No Can you count? The first article was written November 24th of the 2017 season after Long was placed on IR after he had been dealing with an injury for a few weeks. He started the first 6 games, though (last one on 10/23) and still played a bit after that. That was what that first article referred to when it said he was the 10th best pass blocking center in the NFL. Then he was signed by the Jets, where he also got injured. I think it's quite possible this guy could be our new starting center and that's actually not a bad thing at all. Edited February 13, 2019 by transplantbillsfan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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