Re-sign or “Wave Good-bye” series: Player 3 - Ike Boettger

[YoloinOhio]

OG Ike Boettger is an RFA in 2021. Age 26, UDFA. he has played in  12 games for the Bills at LG, with 7 starts. He played 54% of snaps in 2020 and allowed 28 pressures, had 3 penalties, 0 sacks.

Projected tenders are based on future salary cap estimations and are subject to change when a future salary cap is made official.

Edited February 6, 2021 by YoloinOhio

[NewEra]

Resign him.  Tender depends on if they plan on him being a starter.  Preferably the lower tender as a backup.  

[Rochesterfan]

4 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

OG Ike Boettger is an RFA in 2021. Age 26, UDFA. he has played in  12 games for the Bills at LG, with 7 starts. He played 54% of snaps in 2020 and allowed 28 pressures, had 3 penalties, 0 sacks.

Projected tenders are based on future salary cap estimations and are subject to change when a future salary cap is made official.

 

I try to re-sign him, but again not using a tender.  I try to sign him to a 2 year deal with mostly signing bonus and nearly no salary to limit his 2021 cap hit, but give him money. 
 

 

[atlbillsfan1975]

He should be brought back with Feliciano and let Cody fight for a spot. You know McDermott could care less where a player was drafted. This next year is Cody’s make or break. Ike is a great backup. 

[Aussie Joe]

He gets some love here  ... but I’m not so sure about him... Bring him back as cheap as they can and for as little a signing bonus as they can manage ..

 

He is more than likely competing for a spot on the team this year as I expect them to draft a G and Ford is back..

Edited February 6, 2021 by Aussie Joe

[ColoradoBills]

Re-sign but the poll made me pick a tender choice so I picked RoFR.

I don't think the Bills are "tendering" every RFA they would like to sign.

 

I hope they sign Ike to a 3 year "show me" contract.

$2-3M guaranteed with bigger money in the 3rd year not guaranteed.

Fair for both sides.

[TailgateChef]

I'm fond of Ike.

Did I do that right?

[Helpmenow]

Average at best need an upgrade there.

[Freddie's Dead]

I'm definitely resigning Boettger.  We have to do better at guard.

[DCbillsfan]

Do not tender him.  Let him become a free agent and then try to sign him.  Similar to what they did with McKenzie last year.  Hes a backup.  Need to upgrade LG spot.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

No tender. Ok to bring him back on a small 2 year deal. Otherwise let him walk.  

1 hour ago, Freddie's Dead said:

I'm definitely resigning Boettger.  We have to do better at guard.

Doing better is playing Ford at guard 

[Draconator]

I voted to let him walk. Good player, but I think we can upgrade via draft/FA. 

[BADOLBILZ]

 

Right of first refusal.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Boettger ended up as the Bills center if Feliciano walks and Morse is cut or gets concussed out of action again next season.

 

He's reportedly cross-trained to help anywhere. 

 

[machine gun kelly]

Boettger has been a project fir this team for awhile, and until we draft or sign someone else, he’s not expensive.  I liken him to Teller.  Teller is 26 and although developed by us, he’s producing for Cleveland.

[GunnerBill]

Definitely bring him back. I'd do it at the second round tender, but I'd be open to discussing a longer term deal too. Something like 3 years, $8/9m with $3m of it a signing bonus split over the three years and his first year salary guaranteed as well which means you are paying him more now than the 2nd round tag pays him in terms of cash but reduces the cap hit in 2021. 

[NoName]

Not a fan of Ike.  I'd bring him back as a back up and it would have to be no more than 2.5 per season.

[Don Otreply]

Re-sign, RFR, starter in a pinch, but he is a good back up/depth.

[YoloinOhio]

I agree that an upgrade is ideal, but I voted for the 2nd round render. There is a shortage of OL talent in the league and he’s experienced depth who knows the scheme, played well at times, even if we are able to replace him with someone better, which is no guarantee. The 2nd rd tender isn’t that much more then the cheapest one but would deter offer sheets. 

Edited February 6, 2021 by YoloinOhio

[spartacus]

Bills will resign Ike

he is 3rd round talent who fell out of draft due to injury in college

in addition to having worked thru a lot of adversity- high on McD's attribute list

 

unlikely that a 3rd round pick in 2021 is going to do better this year

 

he is beng developed and will get stronger and has NFL experience

Edited February 6, 2021 by spartacus

[GreggTX]

He's not even a capable backup. We should add an OL on draft day 1 or 2. Our weakness at G is the primary reason our run game struggled at times. Both Singletary and Moss ranked high in yards after initial contact. Our OL is still a work in progress.

[YoloinOhio]

15 minutes ago, GreggTX said:

He's not even a capable backup. We should add an OL on draft day 1 or 2. Our weakness at G is the primary reason our run game struggled at times. Both Singletary and Moss ranked high in yards after initial contact. Our OL is still a work in progress.

I too would like to add a OG in the draft. Pick 30 is a nice spot to do that but i would be even more attracted to it if we can trade down into the 2nd and grab an extra pick in that range 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

11 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Right of first refusal.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Boettger ended up as the Bills center if Feliciano walks and Morse is cut or gets concussed out of action again next season.

 

He's reportedly cross-trained to help anywhere. 

 

 

Didn't Boettger play C in the 2019 Week 17 game against the Jets?  I believe in his post season presser Beane said something about "that was probably asking too much" and that they decided to see how he'd develop if they focused on guard this season.

 

Ryan Bates is under contract for next year.  He played pretty well in the drive he took after Morse got concussed.  I believe the Bills see him as the backup center if they lose Feliciano and Morse is out of action.

[frostbitmic]

I guess it all depends on what you do with Feliciano. If you give Mongo 5-7M a year, I'd give Boettger the lowest tender. If you don't re-sign Mongo than Boettger is your likely starter and putting a 2nd round tender on him seems like the right move. Winters is also a FA but he was beaten out by Boettger for the top backup job.

[BADOLBILZ]

16 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Didn't Boettger play C in the 2019 Week 17 game against the Jets?  I believe in his post season presser Beane said something about "that was probably asking too much" and that they decided to see how he'd develop if they focused on guard this season.

 

Ryan Bates is under contract for next year.  He played pretty well in the drive he took after Morse got concussed.  I believe the Bills see him as the backup center if they lose Feliciano and Morse is out of action.

 

 

Oh Bates is definitely ahead of Boettger on the center depth chart.   But I think Bates might actually get first crack at right tackle next season if Williams is lost.    Sal Capaccio echoed that sentiment yesterday on WGR.  

 

I think conventional wisdom is Ford might get another shot at RT but I think they haven't been encouraged by his development and might just want to keep him at LG and hope he develops into a plus blocker next to Dawkins.   They've put in quite a bit of time developing Bates and they really like him.

 

In a scenario where they lose both Williams and Feliciano.........and knowing as they do that Morse is likely on borrowed time with the concussions.........it would be interesting to see if they pooled up savings and bought a top interior OL to anchor a supporting cast of Bates/Boettger/Ford.

 

 

 

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

6 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

Oh Bates is definitely ahead of Boettger on the center depth chart.   But I think Bates might actually get first crack at right tackle next season if Williams is lost.    Sal Capaccio echoed that sentiment yesterday on WGR.  

 

I think conventional wisdom is Ford might get another shot at RT but I think they haven't been encouraged by his development and might just want to keep him at LG and hope he develops into a plus blocker next to Dawkins.   They've put in quite a bit of time developing Bates and they really like him.

 

In a scenario where they lose both Williams and Feliciano.........and knowing as they do that Morse is likely on borrowed time with the concussions.........it would be interesting to see if they pooled up savings and bought a top interior OL to anchor a supporting cast of Bates/Boettger/Ford.

 

Question: has Bates actually played at RT, and if so which games?

 

I know he saw some playing time at tackle, but I thought it was LT while Nsekhe came in at RT.

 

Also, what have you seen from Ford at LG?  Because the run blocking I saw was not at all promising.  On the one hand, it seemed like he just couldn't handle blocks to one side (side he was wearing a brace on).  On the other hand, I can't find that he was ever listed on the injury report for an arm or shoulder injury, which does not give me warm feelings about Ford's future play at guard.  On the third hand, if his (reported) lower body injuries were limiting his mobility, he could have had trouble moving his feet to keep correct leverage.  🤷‍♂️

 

I think we need to bring in the best interior OLman we can get our hands on either draft or FA.

 

[BADOLBILZ]

2 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Question: has Bates actually played at RT, and if so which games?

 

I know he saw some playing time at tackle, but I thought it was LT while Nsekhe came in at RT.

 

Also, what have you seen from Ford at LG?  Because the run blocking I saw was not at all promising.  On the one hand, it seemed like he just couldn't handle blocks to one side (side he was wearing a brace on).  On the other hand, I can't find that he was ever listed on the injury report for an arm or shoulder injury, which does not give me warm feelings about Ford's future play at guard.  On the third hand, if his (reported) lower body injuries were limiting his mobility, he could have had trouble moving his feet to keep correct leverage.  🤷‍♂️

 

I think we need to bring in the best interior OLman we can get our hands on either draft or FA.

 

 

 

Bates was Dawkins backup at LT last year.   He has played some right tackle,  I think his first looks were actually there and center in preseason after they traded for him.    Trey Adams is another guy to keep an eye on.   

 

I think Ford was bad at LG but Beane is invested in him and I think he will get EVERY chance to prove he isn't one of the best 5.   

[MrEpsYtown]

If you go original round tender, I think he’s gone. There is too much upside there that I think teams with cap space would sign him up. What’s stopping a team like the Jets from signing a guy like Brandon Scherff and a cheaper guy like Boettger to rebuild their o-line in one offseason? At the second round tender he’s more than likely back. This is what you are supposed to do, draft, sign and develop guys and then re-sign them. Now that he has emerged, it makes no sense to push him away. I thought his technique was really good and that he was one of our better offensive linemen this year. 
 

Where I struggle is when people want to move on from this guy at 3 million but want to give 7-8 million to Feliciano. Feliciano is a below average depth guard. He’s not going to get better. Boettger and Ford have upside and I think they are the two starting guards next year, assuming Williams is back. I thought Boettger played very really well at that LG spot and is totally worth that second round tender. I do not think guard is a spot of tremendous need because I think the starters are already here and you just need competent depth. 

Edited February 7, 2021 by MrEpsYtown

[JMF2006]

I like Boat Anchor (my nickname for him)

 

With a years experience under his belt he now knows what it takes to hold a starting guard spot in the NFL.

 

I would guess that he gets offered a 3 year deal by the Bills at 2-3m per

17 minutes ago, MrEpsYtown said:

If you go original round tender, I think he’s gone. There is too much upside there that I think teams with cap space would sign him up. What’s stopping a team like the Jets from signing a guy like Brandon Scherff and a cheaper guy like Boettger to rebuild their o-line in one offseason? At the second round tender he’s more than likely back. This is what you are supposed to do, draft, sign and develop guys and then re-sign them. Now that he has emerged, it makes no sense to push him away. I thought his technique was really good and that he was one of our better offensive linemen this year. 
 

Where I struggle is when people want to move on from this guy at 3 million but want to give 7-8 million to Feliciano. Feliciano is a below average depth guard. He’s not going to get better. Boettger and Ford have upside and I think they are the two starting guards next year, assuming Williams is back. I thought Boettger played very really well at that LG spot and is totally worth that second round tender. I do not think guard is a spot of tremendous need because I think the starters are already here and you just need competent depth. 

 

I think he may want to stay here with a young winning team that has just found its way.

[CSBill]

Don't play around with tender offers, or whatever. You invest in guys like him to protect your most available asset, your superstar QB.

 

Resign him.

[sullim4]

On 2/6/2021 at 5:27 AM, YoloinOhio said:

I too would like to add a OG in the draft. Pick 30 is a nice spot to do that but i would be even more attracted to it if we can trade down into the 2nd and grab an extra pick in that range 

 

I would much rather draft TE or LB (especially if Milano is gone) and fill OL in the 3rd or later rounds.

[Mark Vader]

No brainer, re-sign him and make it the 2nd round tender.

 

Adequate as a starter, good depth, and he's been with us since we signed him as an undrafted player. Keep the chemistry going.

[DrDawkinstein]

5 minutes ago, Mark Vader said:

No brainer, re-sign him and make it the 2nd round tender.

 

Adequate as a starter, good depth, and he's been with us since we signed him as an undrafted player. Keep the chemistry going.

 

Absolutely.

 

And this is Interior OL, a position that is much more valuable and sought after than Punter and even CB, where our other RFAs play. So because of position, I say you make it the 2nd round tender.

 

OL are valuable in this league. Even "good to ok" guys like Boettger. You gotta keep them around until you have a better replacement. And even then, you don't cut the guy, you cut from the bottom of the list.

[3rdand12]

On 2/6/2021 at 8:27 AM, YoloinOhio said:

I too would like to add a OG in the draft. Pick 30 is a nice spot to do that but i would be even more attracted to it if we can trade down into the 2nd and grab an extra pick in that range 

I cannot see a rookie becoming an instant starter on this offense, even at 30
 Draft/invest today for future upgrade at O line.

 Bills have kept him around long enough to think they like him. Starter ? not sure.
 I would keep him though   3 years perhaps

On 2/6/2021 at 12:04 PM, frostbitmic said:

I guess it all depends on what you do with Feliciano. If you give Mongo 5-7M a year, I'd give Boettger the lowest tender. If you don't re-sign Mongo than Boettger is your likely starter and putting a 2nd round tender on him seems like the right move. Winters is also a FA but he was beaten out by Boettger for the top backup job.

absolutely should move on from Winters. Draft his replacement,  even if low floor high ceiling . Take a shot.