Could John Brown be Released Next Off-Season?

[dollars 2 donuts]

Very respectfully, ladies and gentlemen, we are trying to win a Super Bowl here.  Maybe even a second one would be nice next year.

 

I say all good hands on deck.  Sometimes special talent costs money.  I just don't want to pay for unspecial talent (Murphy...MURPHY, come on buddy, don't be that way.  Don't get up and leave.  It's just that you know I am right.)

 

Hell, I would possibly even give my left nut if there was a way we could get Star back for this team in the playoffs to be just a little more stout in the middle.  

Edited December 10, 2020 by dollars 2 donuts

[Fan in Chicago]

1 hour ago, Halloween Land said:

Looking at his 2021 salary from Spotrac.com, releasing Brown would save $8.15 million from the cap and only $1.6 million in dead cap. He is a great player to have but with Gabriel Davis playing well and Brown dealing with injuries this year, I can see him being released. What do you guys think? 

 

Gabriel Davis is coming along but he is not a replacement for Smoke. We need speed at the posiiton, which Brown brings and the O is better with him on the field.

Having said that, his availability is of concern and I would trust the Bills docs to determine if his issues are temporary or not. If he is let go, we absolutely need to replace his speed and reliable hands.

 

At a minimum, a restructure is in order.  

[InEnemyTerritory]

32 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

I really think they like Feliciano at guard.  If Boettger continues to grow and Ford coming back....maybe Feliciano is our center next year?

 

I think Brown for sure back....Morse I'm 50/50 on.

I would be A-OK with getting rid of Morse if it weren't for the problem that Ford currently sucks

[NoHuddleKelly12]

3 minutes ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

Very respectfully, ladies and gentlemen, we are trying to win a Super Bowl here.  Maybe even a second one would be nice next year.

 

I say all good hands on deck.  Sometimes special talent costs money.  I just don't want to pay for unspecial talent (Murphy...MURPHY, come on buddy, don't be that way.  Don't get up and leave.  It's just that you know I am right.)

 

Hell, I would possibly even give my left nut if there was a way we could get Star back for this team in the playoffs to be just a little more stout in the middle.  

Back up the Brinks Truck to OBD!!!

[nucci]

1 hour ago, Halloween Land said:

Looking at his 2021 salary from Spotrac.com, releasing Brown would save $8.15 million from the cap and only $1.6 million in dead cap. He is a great player to have but with Gabriel Davis playing well and Brown dealing with injuries this year, I can see him being released. What do you guys think? 

he could 

[billsfan89]

Given how much more dynamic this offense usually is when Brown is out there and the fact that he only has one more year left I think they hold onto Brown. Maybe they restructure his deal to give the team a slight cap cut of 1.5 million in exchange for fully gauranteing the money?

 

But even with health concerns it would be foolish to cut Brown with one year left on his deal. I like Davis but why not give him and the other players you could develop one more year with a good vet in front of him?

[Straight Hucklebuck]

3 minutes ago, SCBills said:

 

Does it need to be John Brown next year, or would you be ok rolling into next year with Diggs-Davis-Beasley and then drafting another WR in the Top 100?

 

I'm ok either way, but I don't think many people here want to cut Brown and then not replace him.  

I’d be open to a first round WR or TE next year  if the talent meets the correct draft slot.

 

I also agree with others that state another swing at RB could improve this offense further. Moss hasn’t done anything to make me want to stop looking for RBs.

 

I wouldn’t hand Brown’s spot to Davis as of right now. 
 

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, Halloween Land said:

Looking at his 2021 salary from Spotrac.com, releasing Brown would save $8.15 million from the cap and only $1.6 million in dead cap. He is a great player to have but with Gabriel Davis playing well and Brown dealing with injuries this year, I can see him being released. What do you guys think? 

 

Gabriel Davis is NOT a replacement for John Brown - that impeccable route runner that can shed coverage AND that can take the top off a defense and make them fear him.  Don't get me wrong, I have high hopes that Gabriel Davis will grow into a sturdy and reliable piece of the offense, but he won't be a John Brown guy. 

 

They adapted the offense to work around his loss, but he allows them to add a whole limb of elements.  I've been impressed by Isaiah McKensie coming on, but I don't think at this point they can count on him growing into that role.

[billsfan89]

7 minutes ago, InEnemyTerritory said:

I would be A-OK with getting rid of Morse if it weren't for the problem that Ford currently sucks

 

Why do people seem to hate Morse? He is a very very good center. I think he is an elite pass protector, a solid run blocker and is a great leader and communicator at a position where that is critical. I get that he might be a tad bit overpaid but they could easily just restructure his deal like they did with Star.

[Chicken Boo]

1 hour ago, Hebert19 said:

Restructure is my guess. 

 

He's 30 years old and a known entity around the league.  Golden Tate, Randall Cobb and Adam Humphries all make about the same. 

 

Why would he restructure?

[SCBills]

Just now, Straight Hucklebuck said:

I’d be open to a first round WR or TE next year  if the talent meets the correct draft slot.

 

I also agree with others that state another swing at RB could improve this offense further. Moss hasn’t done anything to make me want to stop looking for RBs.

 

I wouldn’t hand Brown’s spot to Davis as of right now. 
 

 

 

Agreed. 

 

I don't think it's even McDermott's style to hand over a position to a second year player like that.  Davis shows a ton of potential, but they are going to make him earn it - Either with Brown in the mix or against another high draft pick (IMO).

 

As for RB... I always swore I'd lose my mind if we drafted a RB in the first round again, but that was also when we were drafting in/around the Top 10...  If an Etienne or Najee Harris is there where we draft, I'd be intrigued to lock down the RB position here for the next 4 years with a potentially elite talent.  

 

 

[InEnemyTerritory]

Just now, billsfan89 said:

 

Why do people seem to hate Morse? He is a very very good center. I think he is an elite pass protector, a solid run blocker and is a great leader and communicator at a position where that is critical. I get that he might be a tad bit overpaid but they could easily just restructure his deal like they did with Star.

Personally I'm worried he will get another concussion and 1. he will suffer long term effects and 2. the OL will be caught off guard and won't be able to gel.  I love Morse don't get me wrong but it's a massive risk

[MJS]

No. It's pretty obvious that the offense is at its best when Brown is on the field.

[dollars 2 donuts]

10 minutes ago, nucci said:

he could 

 

 

I don't want him gone, but the thumbs up I gave was for the always appreciated Nuch gift of brevity!

[BillsFan2313]

Why do people want to release good players all the time? Stop worrying about the cap. 

[Charles Romes]

He needs to be replaced with another 1A type burner receiver who is not a health risk. Brandin Cooks seems to be available every year. 

[billsfan89]

4 minutes ago, InEnemyTerritory said:

Personally I'm worried he will get another concussion and 1. he will suffer long term effects and 2. the OL will be caught off guard and won't be able to gel.  I love Morse don't get me wrong but it's a massive risk

 

The injury concern is real but I also think that this team has two decent options behind him in moving Bates and Mongo in there. I think this team has a larger risk of missing his absence by cutting him than they do by him missing games due to injury. I think they easily rework his deal for a bit of cap relief and keep him in the fold. 

[LABILLBACKER]

1 hour ago, dorquemada said:

The O is better with Smoke on the field.  Let's stop acting like we have to save money at every turn, and Trust in Beane

This is so true. We can restructure him and still get all the skill sets John brings.

[NewEra]

I could see it, but a restructure is more likely imo.  9 mill is a lot for him next season.  I think McB, Josh, Diggs and Beasley want smoke around..... I just don’t know if he’s worth 9 mill on this team

[Rock-A-Bye Beasley]

53 minutes ago, Dkollidas said:

I tell anyone considering this... PLEASE listen to the Cover 1 podcast with Greg Tompsett from the bye week I believe, about the Bills 2021 cap situation.

 

While certain media types (WGR, Fairburn & Buscaglia on the Athletic) are bemoaning the Bills cap situation in 2021, they can do a lot, rather easily, to give themselves cap space.

With rollover from this year, we’re projected to have roughly $5M in cap space.

 

Easier cuts like Vernon Butler ($6.8M saved), Tyler Matakevich ($3.35M) and Lee Smith ($2.25M) can be made. That saves a total of $12.4M

 

John Brown, Jerry Hughes, and Micah Hyde can all be re-signed, lowering all of their 2021 cap hits, by an average of about $3M-$4M each. That saves another $10M-$12M.
Also, their 2022 years of their contracts (except maybe Hyde, would be relatively easy to get out of if Hughes/Brown regress further in 2021). 

So with those cuts and extensions, we’re at about $27M-$29M.

 

Lastly you can restructure contracts. This is usually reserved for players who you plan on keeping. You basically turn their salary for 2021 into a signing bonus which gets evenly divided throughout the length of the contract. Someone Ike Diggs is perfect for this, gives him more money up front, and gives us a year to hold off on totally redoing his contract. It also saves about $7.5M-$8M on his 2021 cap hit.

 

So right there, without anything very painful at all, I’ve built up the Bills 2021 cap space to roughly $35M-$37M. 
 

Then looking at a guy like Milano, maybe the injury allows him to take a deal that is more based on incentives, and has an overall value of maybe $11M/aav, but the cap hit for the first year is only say, $7M. Another $6M on Feliciano.

 

Our draft class should be cheaper since we pick later, maybe $3.5M, and then re-sign outstanding free agents (Dean Marlowe, Taiwan Jones etc etc) for veteran minimums of roughly $1M each (let’s say 6 guys make the roster at the end of the day, a cost of maybe $8M total).

 

We’ve filled a roster, re-signed two of our three top UFA’s, and added 6 draft picks, a complete roster, for about $25M of that $37M-$39M in cap space. 
 

That leaves us with about $12M-$14M to play with in the UFA market, or make trades, or keep in space and roll over into 2022 when Allen and Edmunds will likely be on their 5th year options and more space will be needed. 

This is the podcast I was referencing in my post. Couldn't find it, thanks. 

 

If something like what you described happens, I would hope they extend Allen and use the 12-14Mil to increase his 2021 cap hit and lower his cap numbers for the rest of his contract like they did with Poyer/Dawkins/White.