Say you're Brandon Beane: what do you do with these three contracts?

[Charles Romes]

I think you can sell Knox for at least a fourth if you eat enough salary. 

[BillsFanForever19]

Tre has an out after this season. Given our cap situation and him coming off of an Achilles following coming off of an ACL, he's as good as gone. Maybe they tear up the contract and bring him back under a cheaper incentive laden deal. But that contract will be terminated.

 

As for Miller and Knox, they don't have an out until after next season. It doesn't make sense to pay more money to release them than to keep them for one more year. 

 

In Miller's case, he's one of only 2 DE's we have under contract following this season. Hell, we only have 3 DL total under contract for 2024 and beyond. So he's not going anywhere.

 

And at least with him, there's a case to be made that he's still recovering. It hasn't been a full year since his ACL injury. He's also been making small improvements week to week. He has been getting some pressures and was in position to make the tackle last night. Something we weren't seeing when he was first activated. 

 

We'll need to bring in a number of D-Lineman after this season just to fill the roster. Makes no sense to create an even bigger hole there and pay extra money to do so. If he truly is washed, you just make him situational going forward.

 

Knox just is what it is. I think it's obvious that when he does return, he's going to be behind Kincaid in 11 personnel (or at least I hope we stay in 11 and don't go back to 12). He'll back him up 1 more season and then we can get out from under the deal.

 

But yeah, long story short - Tre will (or should) be gone. Miller and Knox will be here for one more year. It doesn't make sense to get rid of them when it hurts the cap more to do so.

[GunnerBill]

4 hours ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

Von Miller

Tre White

Dawson Knox

 

In my eyes, you can do one of three things:

 

1) Ride them out, be mediocre because you don't have any cap space to work with, pray to God you get some kind of production out of them

2) Burn them all after this season, eat the same cap ***** sandwich and emerge in a much healthier place in 2025

3) Cut two of three of them, triage-style, still eat the cap ***** sandwich and be better off in 2025

 

Are there any other options out there? I'm happy to hear them.

 

 

I'd definitely cut Von. He is absolutely done. That was an all in for 2022 move, and luck wasn't on their side. It sucks but there it is.

 

I'd keep Knox another year but I'd move off him after 2024. I still think he can play and his performances this year are not a true reflection of him. Yes he will be overpaid next year but it costs you more to cut him than to keep him in 2024. So the best "take your medicine" approach on Knox is actually keeping him 1 more year then cutting him. 

 

On Tre.... question 1 is where is his head at? Does he still want to play? If he does then I'd see if he is willing to leave some unguaranteed money on the table for a little bump in the guaranteed segment of the next two years. If I can bring his cap hits down with a pay cut of that nature I'd be inclined to keep him. There is merit for him to trying to come back again to a scheme and a team he knows rather than fighting through it and learning something new. If he isn't willing to move at all on the deal then you have to cut him.

[TheBrownBear]

9 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I'd definitely cut Von. He is absolutely done. That was an all in for 2022 move, and luck wasn't on their side. It sucks but there it is.

 

I'd keep Knox another year but I'd move off him after 2024. I still think he can play and his performances this year are not a true reflection of him. Yes he will be overpaid next year but it costs you more to cut him than to keep him in 2024. So the best "take your medicine" approach on Knox is actually keeping him 1 more year then cutting him. 

 

On Tre.... question 1 is where is his head at? Does he still want to play? If he does then I'd see if he is willing to leave some unguaranteed money on the table for a little bump in the guaranteed segment of the next two years. If I can bring his cap hits down with a pay cut of that nature I'd be inclined to keep him. There is merit for him to trying to come back again to a scheme and a team he knows rather than fighting through it and learning something new. If he isn't willing to move at all on the deal then you have to cut him.

You've pretty much nailed where I'm at with these guys.  Von is toast, but Knox has value as an all-around TE. 

 

I don't see much of a market for Tre as a FA.  His best bet (assuming he wants to play and we are still interested) is agreeing to big pay cut with the Bills and rehabbing for a midseason return. 

[Buffalo03]

4 hours ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

Von Miller

Tre White

Dawson Knox

 

In my eyes, you can do one of three things:

 

1) Ride them out, be mediocre because you don't have any cap space to work with, pray to God you get some kind of production out of them

2) Burn them all after this season, eat the same cap ***** sandwich and emerge in a much healthier place in 2025

3) Cut two of three of them, triage-style, still eat the cap ***** sandwich and be better off in 2025

 

Are there any other options out there? I'm happy to hear them.

 

Part ways with Knox, Maybe Miller depending on what happens from now until the offseason, ride it out with Tre and see what happens

[That's No Moon]

4 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Knox we’re also stuck with. Another killer contract if they can’t get 12 personnel to work.

Dorsey's contract is much more reasonable to get rid of. 

 

I'm so glad they drafted a TE. They had no other needs.

8 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

Part ways with Knox, Maybe Miller depending on what happens from now until the offseason, ride it out with Tre and see what happens

Keep Knox and find an OC that understands how to use TEs. 

[Boatdrinks]

4 hours ago, strive_for_five_guy said:

Before they just cut Tre outright, I think they discuss a restructuring to a level that would be more in line with his new market coming off injury,

 

With Knox, I think they consider his value in more than just being a pass catching TE, but his blocking ability too.

 

As for Von, depends his level of play by end of the season.  But they’re kind of screwed there no matter what.

I don’t see much point in restructuring TW. Is there much track record of CB’s returning to form post- Achilles injury? I think releasing him before his roster bonus is due is basically a slam dunk. 

[strive_for_five_guy]

7 minutes ago, Boatdrinks said:

I don’t see much point in restructuring TW. Is there much track record of CB’s returning to form post- Achilles injury? I think releasing him before his roster bonus is due is basically a slam dunk. 

I’m skeptical if Tre will be able to come back from the Achilles injury, although this regime seems to be about as loyal as they can be to guys who work hard and are seen as leaders within the team.  I’ll be surprised if this regime releases him, before giving him that shot at a return.  But, I don’t think it’d be unreasonable for them to use the potential release as a bargaining chip to work out a more reasonable deal for both sides.

 

[Boatdrinks]

Just now, strive_for_five_guy said:

I’m skeptical if Tre will be able to come back from the Achilles injury, although this regime seems to be about as loyal as they can be to guys who work hard and are seen as leaders within the team.  I’ll be surprised if this regime releases him, before giving him that shot at a return.  But, I don’t think it’d be unreasonable for them to use the potential release as a bargaining chip to work out a more reasonable deal for both sides.

 

Possibly, but they do have cap issues. It will be interesting. Just some really bad luck for Tre these past few seasons. 

[PatsFanNH]

5 hours ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

Von Miller

Tre White

Dawson Knox

 

In my eyes, you can do one of three things:

 

1) Ride them out, be mediocre because you don't have any cap space to work with, pray to God you get some kind of production out of them

2) Burn them all after this season, eat the same cap ***** sandwich and emerge in a much healthier place in 2025

3) Cut two of three of them, triage-style, still eat the cap ***** sandwich and be better off in 2025

 

Are there any other options out there? I'm happy to hear them.

 

Try trading them and get some draft capital to improve the team in the future and still take the cap hit but get something else out of it. 

[Success]

Miller WAS very good before he got hurt last year.  Even though he's older, there is at least a shot he becomes an impact player again.  It took Tre awhile to get back from the same injury (and unfortunately, within a few games of being back, he got hurt again).

 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

1 minute ago, PatsFanNH said:

Try trading them and get some draft capital to improve the team in the future and still take the cap hit but get something else out of it. 

Who in their right mind is trading for miller 

[PatsFanNH]

1 minute ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

Who in their right mind is trading for miller 

GM are dumb all the time. Someone may throw you a 5th round pick for him. You would probably get a 3rd for Knox and White may be the harder of the 3 with his injury history. 

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

4 hours ago, RobbRiddicksTDLeap said:

Hopefully Miller does the right thing, and retires. I know that doesn’t exactly fix his cap situation. He’s stealing money from the Bills. Same with Knox. Tre White could be a great safety to replace Poyer/Hyde, with a serious restructure of his contract. 

Love Tre, but he’s not a good tackler nor is he good at run support. He’d be a terrible safety 

[strive_for_five_guy]

17 minutes ago, Boatdrinks said:

Possibly, but they do have cap issues. It will be interesting. Just some really bad luck for Tre these past few seasons. 

I think their entire defensive backfield is an interesting subject.  Micah’s in the last year of his deal, which I’d be surprised if they can and choose to re-sign because of age/salary

cap.  Dane also in last year of deal.  With the trade for Douglas, if somehow Tre gets close to form (a big IF), maybe Benford moves to FS.  Elam’s development is also a wild card.  Meanwhile, Poyer’s diminishing speed is concerning, so not sure what we should hope to see happen in the SS role.  No one on the team impresses me as the potential Poyer successor, but I’m not sure he’s got another season in him.

[PetermansRedemption]

5 hours ago, Trust The Process said:

Release Von, Tre, Knox, Harty, Hines, Morse, and Taron Johnson. Swallow the cap hit in 2024 and replace them with young affordable players. Addition by subtraction.

Add Poyer and Hyde to that mix. Both look washed this season. 

[Sherlock Holmes]

5 hours ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

Von Miller

Tre White

Dawson Knox

 

In my eyes, you can do one of three things:

 

1) Ride them out, be mediocre because you don't have any cap space to work with, pray to God you get some kind of production out of them

2) Burn them all after this season, eat the same cap ***** sandwich and emerge in a much healthier place in 2025

3) Cut two of three of them, triage-style, still eat the cap ***** sandwich and be better off in 2025

 

Are there any other options out there? I'm happy to hear them.

 

Trade them for Maxx Crosby, Hockstrap and Riley Moss

[BillsFanForever19]

1 hour ago, Charles Romes said:

I think you can sell Knox for at least a fourth if you eat enough salary. 

 

No one's taking on Knox's contract for the mediocre play and give us a Draft pick for it. Even if we eat a bunch of the salary, the return that we would get would be less than a 4th. And in that case, we might as well keep him as TE2 and be rid of him after 1 more year.

 

I think with the way Knox has performed the past couple seasons, most teams would rather spend a Mid Round Pick to get a guy who has the potential to be better than him and have him under a cheaper Rookie deal for 4 years.

 

1 hour ago, Buffalo03 said:

Part ways with Knox, Maybe Miller depending on what happens from now until the offseason, ride it out with Tre and see what happens

 

Both of them have an out after 2024. Before then, you're paying big money to not have them on the roster. Might as well keep them for 1 more season and have them be situational or backups and then be rid of them after that.

 

Miller has a 32.5 Million Dead Cap hit to release him after this season. He's also 1 of only 2 DE's we have under contract and 1 of 3 D-Lineman period who are under contract.

 

So why would we take that down to 1 DE and 2 DL total and pay money to do so? Even if you think he's washed, you keep him as a situational guy like Bruce later in his career.

 

Getting rid of them just for the sake of getting rid of them and putting us in a deeper hole to do so makes no sense. Ride it out for 1 more year and if neither are performing well, just don't feature them. In Knox's case, put him behind Kincaid. In Miller's case, if he never returns to form, put him behind Rousseau and (hopefully if we can re-sign him) Floyd.

 

1 hour ago, Boatdrinks said:

I don’t see much point in restructuring TW. Is there much track record of CB’s returning to form post- Achilles injury? I think releasing him before his roster bonus is due is basically a slam dunk. 

 

Agreed. The only way Tre is back is if we release him and he comes back under a new contract. There isn't a restructure that can be done to his current deal that would make the gamble that he is at this point worth not freeing yourself of that deal.

[peterpan]

5 hours ago, QCity said:

Stuck with Miller for one more year. Even when we cut him after 2024 it's a massive dead cap hit of $9M for the 2025 and 2026. Brutal. Same thing with Knox, we are stuck with him for 2024 essentially. 

 

Hate to say it but Tre is likely gone this offseason. Can't justify his $16M cap hit compared to saving $10M if he's cut.

 

The scary thing is (thanks to the restructures) Von only counts $8M towards our cap this year, next year he will count $24M towards the cap and there's not much Beane can do about it now.

What if you cut Von now? Does that account for dead cap this year? (I’m just curious) 

[peterpan]

No talk of Poyer and Hyde? They’ll only be a year older and slower next years.