Should the Bills re-sign Ed Oliver?

[billsbackto81]

3 hours ago, Malazan said:

No. He's not shown he's worth it. 

He's worth retaining, just not at top DT money. If he can't shine with the amount of talent on that D line right now I don't think he ever will. Hope I'm wrong.

[LABILLBACKER]

28 minutes ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

Nope. Hated the pick when it was made and though he has been an OK at best starter, I see no reason to give him a second contract.  Let someone else pay him and get a comp pick.  They control him for another year.  Make him play out his 5th year option and then say good bye.  

I'm starting to lean that way. 

[LABILLBACKER]

27 minutes ago, bobobonators said:

Beane will figure something out. But there is no chance in hell we lose Oliver, Edmunds and Poyer. One of those will get paid. And it’ll likely come down to Edmunds and/or Oliver. Id lean towards Edmunds since coverage abilities are so important in this defense. 

There's no way I'm paying a coverage linebacker 14-20M.  You can find someone on a 5 year rookie deal to backpedal into mid field coverage. I need splash plays for that kinda money.

[Einstein]

4 hours ago, clayboy54 said:

Guys like you would’ve already chalked Williams up as a bust if he was here. He did virtually nothing until this season. Oliver has been far more consistent, albeit average, than Williams over the course of their short careers.

 

That’s just not true at all. Quinnen Williams was great last year too.

 

Among DT’s, he was 11th in sacks, 10th in run stops, 6th in sack rate, 12th in pass rush win rate, and 5th in run stop rate. Last year.

[Mr. WEO]

[Clark Rotary]

4 hours ago, bobobonators said:

Oh he’ll get laid alright. 

my favorite typo of the year!

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

1 hour ago, clayboy54 said:

All you have to do is remember back to the previous Bills v Jets games. Williams was a non-factor. He’s having a helluva year this season. But, he’s been nothing like this in previous seasons.

 

Now, I’m not saying Oliver is better, or even as good. I’m just pointing out that Quinnen Williams has not been all that until this season. That should lead to hope that Oliver can also progress at a similar rate, injury be damned.

 

I don't think it is wise to pay him and hope to find out next season though. Maybe he can elevate his game in the second half of the season and a postseason run.

[JohnNord]

5 hours ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

I guess my point is no one has to.  The remainder of this season (especially if 100%) healthy will mean a lot.

 

The second part of all this is, even if his play doesn't change, it comes down to how much he would sign for.

Spotrac $s ($14.8M) are a guide, not etched in stone.

 

I don't see him (as of now) deserving top 10 DT money, but I do see him somewhere between 10-20.

That would be a yearly average of around $9M.  

Of course no one has to!  That’s what this a fun question.  
 

FYI your answer is “no.”  Oliver is scheduled to make over $10M on year 5.  There’s no way he’s signing for less unless he has some kind of catastrophic injury and he has to sign a prove it deal

[JohnNord]

1 hour ago, billsbackto81 said:

He's worth retaining, just not at top DT money. If he can't shine with the amount of talent on that D line right now I don't think he ever will. Hope I'm wrong.

That’s basically a “no” from you then.  I can’t possibly see a scenario where he willingly takes less money to stay in Buffalo versus signing his first big post-rookie contract 

2 hours ago, clayboy54 said:

All you have to do is remember back to the previous Bills v Jets games. Williams was a non-factor. He’s having a helluva year this season. But, he’s been nothing like this in previous seasons.

 

Now, I’m not saying Oliver is better, or even as good. I’m just pointing out that Quinnen Williams has not been all that until this season. That should lead to hope that Oliver can also progress at a similar rate, injury be damned.

Before this season Oliver and Williams both had similar careers.   It took Williams nearly 4 seasons to start showing high end ability.   Time is running out for Oliver

[Einstein]

3 hours ago, Sammy Watkins' Rib said:

 

Chris Jones?

 

I’m not that high on Jones.

[Victory Formation]

He’s a good player. What matters most is if the Bills will get good value for him. Any good negotiator has their “walk away” price. Let him negotiate with other teams, match their offer, or not. 

[Florida Bills Fanatic]

It all depends on the price.  If he is looking for top 10 money, then the Bills should let him walk.  He has been a good player but not a great player.

[dreadlox]

7 hours ago, Bongo said:

I’m not a guy who goes back and watches “film” or isolates on one player that often so I’m definitely not saying this as fact.

 

That said, besides his injury, I wonder if what we see has to do with offensive game plan/blocking scheme. Maybe he is dominate enough that some games protection and double teams get directed his way and other games not. So some games he disappears but others get freed up, and other games he gets lots of one on ones and appears dominant.

It was posted somewhere last season that he was among the most “double teamed” players in the league. Of course he was playing alongside Star and Justin Zimmer et al. I don’t know about his games this season but I thought having Jones this year would allow Ed to flourish. Von has been taking some of those double teams away also. Injury certainly isn’t helping. Lot’s of season left. He’s an easy guy to root for that’s for sure.

[ticketssince61]

9 hours ago, JohnNord said:

 

 

Based on his pedigree, athleticism, and some of the flashes he’s show on tape there’s little doubt he will get laid - but will it be from Buffalo?

 

 

 

Hopefully you meant paid!

[Thurman#1]

It's not even a question. He improves each year. Has had an injury this year, so people forget.

 

But the answer is yes, depending on salary agreement.

[BillsPride12]

1 minute ago, Thurman#1 said:

It's not even a question. He improves each year. Has had an injury this year, so people forget.

 

But the answer is yes, depending on salary agreement.

I truly think he might still be dealing with lingering effects from the injury and people are acting as if that never happened.

[mead107]

Yes give him big money 

 

[JohnNord]

34 minutes ago, ticketssince61 said:

 

Hopefully you meant paid!

LOL I did mean paid, but it’s funnier with the error

[Believer]

Pay him… He wants to be here for the SB

[SBbeliever]

11 hours ago, JohnNord said:

Ed Oliver is a good defensive tackle.  But I’m not sure he’s a great DT.  

Because of athleticism and potential, every year he is pegged as a player set to have a “breakout season” especially in 2022 with the additions to the DL.  

 

But like the past year, his “breakout” seasons, it just hasn’t happened in 2022.  The fact that he missed 4 games to injury didn’t help.  But still at the half way point he has 0 sacks, 1 TFL, and 1 knocked down pass.   A fairly pedestrian impact so far.  

After a strong rookie season, this seems to be the case for Oliver over the past few years.  He has a handful flashes but for the most part, he’s a good, to sometimes average DT in the Bills defense. 

A far cry from the game-wrecker that Oliver was projected to be as a Top 10 pick in 2019 and throughout the course of his career.  
 

This leads me to the question of whether the Bills should re-sign him.  He is under contract for one more season in 2023, but if you had to make the decision today would you re-sign him?

 

To anyone thinking that he’ll take a “home town discount” guess again.  This is his first chance for a big-money contract.  Based on his pedigree, athleticism, and some of the flashes he’s show on tape there’s little doubt he will get laid - but will it be from Buffalo?

 

Given the big contracts that will kick in over the next few seasons, I don’t think there’s any way that Buffalo should re-sign Oliver to a new contract if the choice had to be made today.   What do you think?

He and Epinesa are classic back-ups.