Bills sign Lee Smith to 3-year deal -contract details released

[buffaloboyinATL]

1 hour ago, JustWinPlease said:

Is this serious? It's Lee Smith and Tyler Kroft.

I don't think we have a single TE that can catch a pass. (Maybe Knox can, but he's never been in the end-zone.)

 Of course I’m serious.   As you know, TE’s do more than catch, we need good blocking TE’s too.  Additionally, by my count, we added 6 TE’s in the off-season through free agency, the draft and post draft.  The odds of finding one that can catch and score is increased dramatically vs. just standing pat and hoping someone gets better.  

[Punching Bag]

1 hour ago, Georgie said:

Does anyone actually know the contract details  yet? I doubt it is guaranteed for all 3 years, probably a way to spread out a signing bonus. 

 

Report stated it was guaranteed for 2 years but does not say how. Some are guaranteed such that if player is injured at end of season next season is guaranteed which is why some teams not play some players at end of year so not to have their hands forced.

[YoloinOhio]

 

[BADOLBILZ]

4 hours ago, ngbills said:

FYI

With Lee Smith the Raiders were ranked in the bottom of the league in rushing.

2018 - 25th

2017 - 25th

2015 - 28th

 

Funny enough, he only played in 4 games in 2016 and they finished 6th that year.

 

His last year with the Bills in 2014 they were 25th. After he left the next year they were #1. 

 

I only say this to temper the this is how we become a top 5 rushing team. 

 

 

 

 

 

Absolutely.

 

Congesting the box with matchup losers is not the way to rushing dominance in the modern NFL.

 

[LSHMEAB]

On 5/13/2019 at 7:26 AM, C.Biscuit97 said:

I just don’t understand how this helps the running game.  You have a guy who is not a threat in the passing game so you just load up on the run when he’s on the field.  It’s like with Star.  You just spread the field and he can’t play/ is a non factor.  It’s not like Oakland had a good rushing attack.

 

i mean it’s a back up TE so it’s whatever.  But much like paying veteran 30 year old rbs, it’s not what smart teams would do.

Not a fan of this signing, but I think it's clear that Daboll wants to run a bunch of 2 TE sets. Smith would be less of a liability with another TE on the field because you're not automatically going to run. Still, he brings nothing as a receiver and we've got a bunch of young guys who I'd like to think could all be better players than Lee Smith. And I keep hearing competition. Competition is great when all things are equal. Given Smith's contract, he's not really even competing for a job. It's his. I would have been fine if this were a camp invite kind of thing. Even the modest contract they gave to such a limited player seems like a mistake. 

[billsfan89]

21 hours ago, Pete said:

I hate this signing!  Especially for 3 years!  WTF Beane?  These reeks of Andre Holmes and Benjamin.  ***** I wanted to see what Sweeney could do.  Lets overpay for a 31 year old 1 dimensional TE, and sign him to 3 years.  

 

I love Beanes drafts, and his UDFA signings.  I don't like him signing KB, Vlad, etc

 

McBeane's free agency decisions from 2017 to 2018 have been a bit of a mixed bag. 2017 McD was working with Whaley and they brought in Hyde, Haush, and Poyer who all were studs. However they also paid a nice chunk of change for Vlad, DiMarco, and Tolbert who didn't make much of an impact. In 2018 Trent Murphy failed to make an impact and Star while solid was massively overpaid. They also overpaid for Ivory who was subpar outside of the Titans game. 

 

Now I like what they did this off-season in free agency. But this Lee Smith move just on paper looks like the DiMarco, Vlad, and Ivory signings where it is good money after bad. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

4 hours ago, Georgie said:

Does anyone actually know the contract details  yet? I doubt it is guaranteed for all 3 years, probably a way to spread out a signing bonus. 

 

All I've found out there:

 

 

[Rockinon]

22 hours ago, billsfan89 said:

 

Blocking tight ends are going the way of the fullback in that it is so heavily niche and only useful in a small amount of scenarios. Outside of short yardage, goal line, and maybe some early down running situations there really isn’t a need for a blocking tightend in the modern NFL. Passing downs, early downs, and almost any intermediate situation a blocking tight-end is inefficient and will not be on the field. Lee Smith isn’t worth this contract even if he is the best at what he does because what he does isn’t on the field a lot. 

You couldn't be further from the truth.  Blocking TE's are very much used in the Modern NFL. Gronk wasn't just a pass catcher.  NE always shocks defenses when they go old school and runs the ball.  The notion that running is obsolete in a modern NFL is a very narrow way to look at it.  You do whatever works and blocking is a major part of that. Let's not forget this is still a football game.

[Warcodered]

Listened to his interview on One Bills Live and when asked about Josh Allen one of the ways he described him was basically he's the kind of a guy if a bar fight breaks out you're glad he's on your side. ?

Edited May 14, 2019 by Warcodered

[LSHMEAB]

26 minutes ago, Rockinon said:

You couldn't be further from the truth.  Blocking TE's are very much used in the Modern NFL. Gronk wasn't just a pass catcher.  NE always shocks defenses when they go old school and runs the ball.  The notion that running is obsolete in a modern NFL is a very narrow way to look at it.  You do whatever works and blocking is a major part of that. Let's not forget this is still a football game.

Yeah, but what makes a guy like Gronk's blocking SO valuable is that he's also a major receiving threat. You're getting the equivalent of a 6th offensive lineman AND a dynamic playmaker. You completely lose that advantage with a guy like Smith because team's do not have to respect him as a receiver. Huge difference.

 

I don't think anyone is comparing Smith to Gronk(hopefully), but it's the versatility that makes blocking from the position so effective when the Pats decide to play smashmouth.

 

Best case scenario; Daboll is able to create situations where his run blocking would be a huge benefit. Worst case scenario; we end up cutting one of the young guys and they have success elsewhere. I'd like to think they'd just eat the contract if Smith was outplayed by Sweeney, Croom, etc. Just seems like that GTD money makes him a lock for a roster.

[ddaryl]

20 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

It doesn't take 5 years to build an offense. With the cap room they've had they've basically struck out on all offensive signings. 

 

They've just been below par in their offensive assessments. That can all change if Allen takes a big step this year, but several of their moves are real head scratchers. Their choices for coaches on offense, they've been bad at evaluating the WR position.(Outside of Foster where they got lucky)The Peterman fiasco was absolutely ridiculous, and while not a huge deal, giving Lee Smith a 3 year deal makes no sense at all.

 

5 years, when we get to year 5 let's revisit this. 

 

I'm ok with the team being built with patience.  

[ngbills]

43 minutes ago, Rockinon said:

You couldn't be further from the truth.  Blocking TE's are very much used in the Modern NFL. Gronk wasn't just a pass catcher.  NE always shocks defenses when they go old school and runs the ball.  The notion that running is obsolete in a modern NFL is a very narrow way to look at it.  You do whatever works and blocking is a major part of that. Let's not forget this is still a football game.

Your answer has some truth. But dont use Gronk as the example. Gronk is nothing like a Lee Smith. The modern NFL is moving towards Gronk types and away from Lee Smith types.

[YoloinOhio]

7 minutes ago, ngbills said:

Your answer has some truth. But dont use Gronk as the example. Gronk is nothing like a Lee Smith. The modern NFL is moving towards Gronk types and away from Lee Smith types.

That’s why they drafted Dawson Knox. Lee Smith is here mostly to be a much-needed vet presence and block for the other guys. Knox is the guy they want to develop into their franchise TE. 

Edited May 14, 2019 by YoloinOhio

[Lurker]

4 minutes ago, ngbills said:

Your answer has some truth. But dont use Gronk as the example. Gronk is nothing like a Lee Smith. The modern NFL is moving towards Gronk types and away from Lee Smith types.

 

Gronk was unique because he could fill both rolls.  Most teams have do it with two guys--a move TE and a blocking TE.     While move TEs like Ertz and Kelce are all the rage, there's still a significant role for less heralded blocking TEs like Smith.

 

I see the Bills playing a lot of two TE sets this year with both Smith and Kroft on the field together... 

[John from Riverside]

1 hour ago, Rockinon said:

You couldn't be further from the truth.  Blocking TE's are very much used in the Modern NFL. Gronk wasn't just a pass catcher.  NE always shocks defenses when they go old school and runs the ball.  The notion that running is obsolete in a modern NFL is a very narrow way to look at it.  You do whatever works and blocking is a major part of that. Let's not forget this is still a football game.

I think the desirable thing is to have TE's that can do it all.....not so much that the blocking is NOT important (cuz it is)

 

A couple of things about this

 

- Our Tight End room even as much attn that has been paid attn to it is VERY young.....the bills might have felt that having a vet this year in the room that can still get onto the field (unlike the situation with the QB that just retired that really you did not want to see on the field)   Lee Smith does something VERY well....he just isnt a great TE....but we are not paying him like a great TE either.

 

- We might be deciding not to have a FB this year.....

 

- It is my hope that Dawson Knox gets up to speed very quickly and becomes "the guy" and I also like Kroft.....just needs to show he is past his injury issues.

[YoloinOhio]

22 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

I think the desirable thing is to have TE's that can do it all.....not so much that the blocking is NOT important (cuz it is)

 

A couple of things about this

 

- Our Tight End room even as much attn that has been paid attn to it is VERY young.....the bills might have felt that having a vet this year in the room that can still get onto the field (unlike the situation with the QB that just retired that really you did not want to see on the field)   Lee Smith does something VERY well....he just isnt a great TE....but we are not paying him like a great TE either.

 

- We might be deciding not to have a FB this year.....

 

- It is my hope that Dawson Knox gets up to speed very quickly and becomes "the guy" and I also like Kroft.....just needs to show he is past his injury issues.

I see it as Kroft is the bridge TE for Knox and Smith is the bridge TE for Sweeney. I like the potential of both of the rookies but unrealistic to expect them to step in and produce right away. 

Edited May 14, 2019 by YoloinOhio

[3rdand12]

40 minutes ago, ngbills said:

Your answer has some truth. But dont use Gronk as the example. Gronk is nothing like a Lee Smith. The modern NFL is moving towards Gronk types and away from Lee Smith types.

actually some Teams prefer both. TEs that can be multiple are rare. Gronkowski has shown more recently he is a willing blocker.
Smith can catch the ball. But he does not get thrown to much , not is he exciting to watch after tha catch.
But if he knows where the yard marker is ? fine by me.

 He is in Bufalo to bring the rookies up to speed with the intricate details of instilling fear in safeties of a clock cleaning downfield.  A good blocking TE still needs to keep the defenders honest and aware. he will do that.

 

I said before i was sad Bills let him go.Glad he is back. Older and wiser and still healthy and angry just enough : )
 

[ColoradoBills]

1 hour ago, Warcodered said:

Listened to his interview on One Bills Live and when asked about Josh Allen one of the ways he described him was basically he's the kind of a guy if a bar fight breaks out you're glad he's on your side. ?

 

It was a good interview.  Definitely sounds like a he'll be a great teammate for the young guys in the TE room.

[3rdand12]

2 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

I see it as Kroft is the bridge TE for Knox and Smith is the bridge TE for Sweeney. 

reasonable view. Bills likely feel both TEs drafted will have a sincere role in this Offense. but they both absolutely need time. and mentoring.
Bills just improved the QB room.
like they have been doing in all the positions groups it seems.

[YoloinOhio]

2 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

It was a good interview.  Definitely sounds like a he'll be a great teammate for the young guys in the TE room.

Funny how he said when he was there before he was living in Fitz’s old house until someone bought it and he had to move 

[Niagara Dude]

21 hours ago, Bob in STL said:

Passing league until the last month of the season in the AFCE.  Then you need to do both equally well. 

 

This guy blocks like a tackle, a good tackle.  

He does not,  waste of 9 millon,  you may ask why Raiders did want him back.  This is loser move,  caveman footballs loses all the time

On 5/13/2019 at 9:17 AM, JoshAllenHasBigHands said:

Wow.  A three year deal.  That seems like a lot.

What a stupid move

[3rdand12]

1 minute ago, Niagara Dude said:

He does not,  waste of 9 millon,  you may ask why Raiders did want him back.  This is loser move,  caveman footballs loses all the time

Gruden also got rid of Mack. and has undermined Carr as his QB.
not a good reasoning to downplay Lee's attributes and how he fits in Buffalo.
Maybe you do not like Daboll..and Beanes ?

[ColoradoBills]

3 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

Funny how he said when he was there before he was living in Fitz’s old house until someone bought it and he had to move 

 

Sounds genuinely happy to be back in Buffalo.  I hope he gets to throw a downfield block to free Josh into the end zone and

maybe catch a few TDs himself. 

[3rdand12]

4 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

Sounds genuinely happy to be back in Buffalo.  I hope he gets to throw a downfield block to free Josh into the end zone and

maybe catch a few TDs himself. 

This

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, LSHMEAB said:

Yeah, but what makes a guy like Gronk's blocking SO valuable is that he's also a major receiving threat. You're getting the equivalent of a 6th offensive lineman AND a dynamic playmaker. You completely lose that advantage with a guy like Smith because team's do not have to respect him as a receiver. Huge difference.

 

Yes.  Exactly.

[John from Riverside]

23 minutes ago, Niagara Dude said:

He does not,  waste of 9 millon,  you may ask why Raiders did want him back.  This is loser move,  caveman footballs loses all the time

What a stupid move

Do you ever post anything that is worth reading?  Can I have my 3 seconds back please.

[without a drought]

Who keeps bumping this thread from 2011.

[BuffaloBill]

1 hour ago, LSHMEAB said:

 

 

Best case scenario; Daboll is able to create situations where his run blocking would be a huge benefit. Worst case scenario; we end up cutting one of the young guys and they have success elsewhere. I'd like to think they'd just eat the contract if Smith was outplayed by Sweeney, Croom, etc. Just seems like that GTD money makes him a lock for a roster.

 

 

The skill set he has is so obvious that Bean and Dabol must have brought him in to block and to contribute to the play of the younger guys in the room.  They clearly want Dawson to develop into the athletic skills he supposedly has.  I doubt the contract is very unfriendly to the Bills and my guess is lee plays out two years and unless he and the team are in a very good situation he is done.  

 

I agree with you that unless he is injured he is a lock to make the roster this year.

[ColoradoBills]

1 hour ago, LSHMEAB said:

 

Worst case scenario; we end up cutting one of the young guys and they have success elsewhere. I'd like to think they'd just eat the contract if Smith was outplayed by Sweeney, Croom, etc. Just seems like that GTD money makes him a lock for a roster.

 

I'm pretty sure OBD knows exactly what they are getting with Lee Smith.  Being an 8 year vet with guaranteed money almost surely

puts him as a lock for this coming season.  The last spot will be battled out by Croom, Sweeney and etc (Moral Stephens).

Any of those guys who don't make it could go to the PS if they wanted one to but if the Bills keep 4 TEs on the roster it's a good

chance they use the PS for other positions.

 

If you are going to worry about the guys that don't make the team going on to have success elsewhere, there will be 37 of them

at the end of preseason.   

19 minutes ago, without a drought said:

Who keeps bumping this thread from 2011.

 

LOL, now this is how it's done.

[3rdand12]

17 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

I'm pretty sure OBD knows exactly what they are getting with Lee Smith.  Being an 8 year vet with guaranteed money almost surely

puts him as a lock for this coming season.  The last spot will be battled out by Croom, Sweeney and etc (Moral Stephens).

Any of those guys who don't make it could go to the PS if they wanted one to but if the Bills keep 4 TEs on the roster it's a good

chance they use the PS for other positions.

 

If you are going to worry about the guys that don't make the team going on to have success elsewhere, there will be 37 of them

at the end of preseason.   

 

LOL, now this is how it's done.

 

[billsfan89]

6 hours ago, Rockinon said:

You couldn't be further from the truth.  Blocking TE's are very much used in the Modern NFL. Gronk wasn't just a pass catcher.  NE always shocks defenses when they go old school and runs the ball.  The notion that running is obsolete in a modern NFL is a very narrow way to look at it.  You do whatever works and blocking is a major part of that. Let's not forget this is still a football game.

 

A Tight End that can BOTH run block and be a threat in the receiving game is a huge asset. Which is why Gronk was such a weapon. But Lee Smith is not in any way shape or form a serious threat in the receiving game. He is a one dimensional player whose dimension is diminished in the modern NFL. A dual threat is so much more valuable because you can go smash mouth or toss it to them in the passing game. Lee Smith is not catching many passes. 

 

I think blocking tight ends have a place as a niche in certain situations but that niche is probably only 15-20% of offensive snaps, why are we paying good money for that esp when there were decent options on the roster for that. 

[Happy Days Lois & Clark]

3yr for 9 mil seems very high for a blocking TE this late in the signing period. Seems like Beane overpayed on this one.

Edited May 15, 2019 by Superhero

[Adam727]

Not a fan of this move.  This feels like $9mil in cap space that could've been used more wisely.  We could've signed a better free agent next year for that price.  

Edited May 15, 2019 by Adam727

[CaptnCoke11]

51 minutes ago, Adam727 said:

Not a fan of this move.  This feels like $9mil in cap space that could've been used more wisely.  We could've signed a better free agent next year for that price.  

They have tons of cap next year.  This prohibits nothing 

[Logic]

18 minutes ago, CaptnCoke11 said:

They have tons of cap next year.  This prohibits nothing 

Not only that, but I sincerely doubt that it's truly a $9 million deal. The devil is always in the details.

Edited May 15, 2019 by Logic

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

3 hours ago, Logic said:

Not only that, but I sincerely doubt that it's truly a $9 million deal. The devil is always in the details.

 

...agreed....McBeane has done a masterful job to date structuring these deals IMO..... "The deal, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, is worth up to $9 million. "

[YoloinOhio]

11 hours ago, Adam727 said:

Not a fan of this move.  This feels like $9mil in cap space that could've been used more wisely.  We could've signed a better free agent next year for that price.  

And they still can, regardless of whether or not it is 9 mill in cap space in 2020 ...which it isn’t. 

11 hours ago, Superhero said:

3yr for 9 mil seems very high for a blocking TE this late in the signing period. Seems like Beane overpayed on this one.

Really has nothing to do with it. He wasn’t a FA sitting on the market. He was available for 10 days before they signed him. 

Edited May 15, 2019 by YoloinOhio

[Rockinon]

On 5/14/2019 at 6:11 PM, John from Riverside said:

I think the desirable thing is to have TE's that can do it all.....not so much that the blocking is NOT important (cuz it is)

 

A couple of things about this

 

- Our Tight End room even as much attn that has been paid attn to it is VERY young.....the bills might have felt that having a vet this year in the room that can still get onto the field (unlike the situation with the QB that just retired that really you did not want to see on the field)   Lee Smith does something VERY well....he just isnt a great TE....but we are not paying him like a great TE either.

 

- We might be deciding not to have a FB this year.....

 

- It is my hope that Dawson Knox gets up to speed very quickly and becomes "the guy" and I also like Kroft.....just needs to show he is past his injury issues.

Very good observations. People are way too focused on pass catching TEs. Blocking is where it's at, even in a "modern NFL". ? The guy has actually caught better than 80% of his passes. Is he a pass catching TE? No. Not by any stretch of the imagination, But when he does run a route, he catches it,  You have ask why that is.

 

Lee Smith catches nearly everything because he does his job and blocks like any good TE should, and when he gets that opportunity to run a route, it's not expected. There is tremendous value when an offense does something you don't expect. And there is tremendous value just doing something as boring as blocking so someone else can make a play.

 

And as you have pointed out. There is also tremendous value having a veteran presence in the locker room to teach the young bucks how to be true professionals. This could end up being a signing that is very under rated.

 

It's my belief that the Bills are planing to run 2 TE sets with more frequency. Lee will be asked to block a lot, which is his strength while another TE will be running a route. Occasionally, he'll run a route too. His history is approximately 1 catch per game. Don't see that changing much, because that is what he excels at. It's truly amazing that folks can't see the value. When he blocks, he's as good as an OLman. When runs a route, he catches a very, very high percentage of them. He's experienced and can be a mentor. What's not to like again?

 

There is no doubt that other TEs will be running more routes and getting bigger statistical numbers in catches and yards. It just blows my mind when folks can't see past those statistics. I'll say it again. This is football and blocking, even though it does not show up in the statistics, it's important, Very much so.

[YoloinOhio]

 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

lol  Rodak finally crawled out from under his rock with Breaking News