Oneonta Buffalo Fan Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?...n_john#20060321 Buffalo showdown: Even though the Bills gave wide receiver Eric Moulds the ability to shop himself in a trade, general manager Marv Levy doesn't want him to leave. Levy is banking on Moulds not being able to find a trading partner and will be willing to take a pay cut to stay with Buffalo. Moulds has a $10.855 million salary cap figure, but refuses to take a pay cut because he wants to be released. Meanwhile, the Bills reached a three-year, $7.2 million deal with former Vikings center Melvin Fowler, who will probably take over the starting center job for Trey Teague. The Bills aren't making much of an effort to re-sign Teague, who is an unrestricted free agent. Still more issues with Moulds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUFFALOTONE Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?...n_john#20060321 Buffalo showdown: Even though the Bills gave wide receiver Eric Moulds the ability to shop himself in a trade, general manager Marv Levy doesn't want him to leave. Levy is banking on Moulds not being able to find a trading partner and will be willing to take a pay cut to stay with Buffalo. Moulds has a $10.855 million salary cap figure, but refuses to take a pay cut because he wants to be released. Meanwhile, the Bills reached a three-year, $7.2 million deal with former Vikings center Melvin Fowler, who will probably take over the starting center job for Trey Teague. The Bills aren't making much of an effort to re-sign Teague, who is an unrestricted free agent. Still more issues with Moulds. 639177[/snapback] Like it or not Moulds is kicking rocks, the relationship is damaged beyond repair.Lees the man now. Thanks for the memories Eric. Good luck in Philly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lofton80 Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Best case, someone shows interest, reality no one will pick up that contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gotta Dream Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 That would make the most sense for him, unless he wants a really big pay cut. I don't think anyone out there would take him with the contract that he currently has. Yes, he is dependable. But he has lost a step, and the comparisons to TO are pretty ridiculous. He is, and has been a great WR for us, but he is nowhere close to the league of TO. If he is released, he will have to take a pretty serious paycut, IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lofton80 Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 BTW, I thought Clayton reported Moulds would be cut by day end like 2 weeks ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like A Mofo Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 BTW, I thought Clayton reported Moulds would be cut by day end like 2 weeks ago 639250[/snapback] Screw Clayton, why do we even take what he says seriosuly?? Clayton=JS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantelliotoffen Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 That would make the most sense for him, unless he wants a really big pay cut. I don't think anyone out there would take him with the contract that he currently has. Yes, he is dependable. But he has lost a step, and the comparisons to TO are pretty ridiculous. He is, and has been a great WR for us, but he is nowhere close to the league of TO. If he is released, he will have to take a pretty serious paycut, IMHO. 639219[/snapback] Moulds MUST beliEve that Ralph Wilson has an endless supply of CASH!MY FAVORITE NUTIENT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDRupp Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Best case, someone shows interest, reality no one will pick up that contract. 639204[/snapback] Maybe not but that does not preclude a trade. If the Bills can hold Moulds with his current contract until they start signing rookies, it would force anyone interested in him to look at and maybe even sign or draft other options. If they trade for a reasonable price (2nd-4th), they can assures themselves of getting E Moulds and not have to draft or sign other options assuming more than one team Really wants him. After trading for Moulds, they can renegotiate the contract. We shall see but I agree that it won;t help his options to sit with the Bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambler Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?...n_john#20060321 The Bills aren't making much of an effort to re-sign Teague, who is an unrestricted free agent. 639177[/snapback] They must have watched the films from last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACor58 Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Everyone keeps saying that no team will pcik up the contract. The contract is not the issue, it is not gauranteed. We could trade him to Philly for a 3rd round pick and they could offer him the league minimum and no signing bonus. If Moulds chose to, he could sign the contract and be done with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrite Gal Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Moulds MUST beliEve that Ralph Wilson has an endless supply of CASH!MY FAVORITE NUTIENT! 639265[/snapback] It would not surprise me if what has yanked Moulds chain was that not only did the organization take him on when he and Tyke Tolbert had a hissy fit match on the sidelines when his main contribution to the team in the Miami game was to be a decoy and allow Evans to torch them, but to add injury to insult the team suspended him for a game because of his unprofessional reaction. Even worse for his ego, his teammates did not back him up in terms of taking on the team and he had to simply shut up and take his medicine. My GUESS is that this is not primarily about money at all, and ironically probably not even primarily about Moulds being pissed with management as the management guys in question for the most part, TD and MM are gone. What likely cheeses Moulds off is that he would remain a teammate with a team that seemed to feel his suspension was justified. I don't know but it all fits together as an explanation of why Moulds agent is saying such drastic things in EMs name but alternatelyLevy for the Bills are saying very nice things about EM. I'd be curious to hear what Moulds has to say about some of the team leaders like D captain Fletcher and respected NFLPA head Vincent since they likely are among the players whom the team would follow their lead in judging Moulds behavior with his meltdown in the Miami game. My GUESS is that it did not help Moulds case at all that his tirade was prompted by another WR getting the TD glory as Evans moved from being the NEXT Bills #1 WR simply being the Bills #1 WR. My sense is that if his teammates interpreted his tirade as being prompted by a younger player taking over his spot due to production it happens to the best of 'em and they would view his tirade as a hissy-fit rather than a manly stand for principle. It also did not make his case easier that this face-off came against Tyke Tolbert who is of African-American descent so Moulds could not even try to play the race card if he wanted his hissy fit to instead look like some act of principle, I do not think it is impossible for him to come back, but if the issue here is that he us judged to be a questionable self-centered teammate he would have to kiss some butt big time to make it work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gotta Dream Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 I can't believe that Moulds was a real problem with the team. He's been here 9 years, and all of a sudden, he's a problem? I think MM just really mismanaged the team to the point that they stopped playing for him. Mike Williams was really coming into his own a year ago, then last year, he had real problems. Sam Adams loved Buffalo, and was a big reason for the #1 defense the year before last, then all of a sudden he gets benched. Eric Moulds, who has been a class act for the Buffalo Bills for the last 9 years, and all of a sudden he is a problem? Give me a break. The coaching staff really screwed up the Bills last year. Unfortunately, Eric took it quite personally, and with good reason I might add. I still don't think he's worth that kind of money, but I don't believe it's a character issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobillsinytown Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Like it or not, this league is part sport/part business. Right now it's in the Bills' best financial interests to play the waiting game. Lots of stuff gets said in the papers, but when it comes down to it, if the Bills offer Eric a deal that's acceptable, all will be forgotten. If not, he'll be with another team. But I'd bet not for his current contract amount, especially if he wants to go to a team with a shot at the Superbowl. As far as the question of fairness.........it all depends on who's talking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William O Darby Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Everyone keeps saying that no team will pcik up the contract. The contract is not the issue, it is not gauranteed. We could trade him to Philly for a 3rd round pick and they could offer him the league minimum and no signing bonus. If Moulds chose to, he could sign the contract and be done with. 639306[/snapback] The contract is the issue, any team interested would insist on renegotiating his contract prior to the trade. If they did not renegotiate his contract prior to trade Moulds could refuse to renegotiate his contract with his new team. The new team would be left with the option of paying him the 10 mil or cutting him. Moulds ultimately wants to be a free agent because he could then go to the highest bidder. So I think it is unlikely that he renegotiates an offer with another team. I am sure marv realizes this, but it is a no lose situation for the bills to hold on to him for a while even if only there is a slight chance the bills can get something in return. I would even take a 5th round pick if I was marv. But right now it is turning into who blinks first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyC81 Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Best case, someone shows interest, reality no one will pick up that contract. 639204[/snapback] Realistically, I wonder what the Bills could expect to get for Moulds in trade?? A second round pick?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrite Gal Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 The contract is the issue, any team interested would insist on renegotiating his contract prior to the trade. If they did not renegotiate his contract prior to trade Moulds could refuse to renegotiate his contract with his new team. The new team would be left with the option of paying him the 10 mil or cutting him. Moulds ultimately wants to be a free agent because he could then go to the highest bidder. So I think it is unlikely that he renegotiates an offer with another team. I am sure marv realizes this, but it is a no lose situation for the bills to hold on to him for a while even if only there is a slight chance the bills can get something in return. I would even take a 5th round pick if I was marv. But right now it is turning into who blinks first 639372[/snapback] While Moulds always has the right to refuse to play (and thus not get paid) I think the Bills are in the drivers seat on this one and Marv is playing it that way. Crunch time for us looks like it may be around June 1st IF Moulds is due some bonus then that we cannot afford to risk him not playing, but at that point post draft and just before camp, opponents have pretty much spent we they can or will spend and rosters are set. If Moulds is released at that point, he likely signs for chump change probably with a team that is not going anywhere and from this based this older man is looking to make a case for rewarding him as an FA next year. It looks bad for EM. The Bills have him under contract and cannot be forced to move him unless they blink. If they remain tough they can: 1. Let Moulds do the initial trade work for them. 2. Hold out like the Bills did with Travis and get maximum value for him in a trade. 3. Worse comes to worse force Moulds to either resign with us (kissing his teammates butts big time to get back in their good graces) or see him monkey around forcing us to pay him while he does not try hard this season, However, if he did this it would not put him in great shape for being an FA becayse this 30+ year old guy would be coming off of two unproductive seasons in a row with his teammates on the Bills badmouthing him around the league for being a bad teammate this year if he merely punched the clock. Its a dangerous game as EM can screw the Bills if he also willing to screw himself out pf # and the respect of his peers. I doubt he will do this so Marv should continue to say nice things about EM and let him either work to get us a good deal or simply twist in the winds.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST MODE BABY! Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 I like the way Marv negotiates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillnutinHouston Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 Who is Soprano saying Moulds will be traded to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gross Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 Updating a previous story, John Clayton reports that one of the following will absolutely positively happen with the Moulds scenario: a.) Moulds will stay with the Bills with his current contract, b.) Moulds will stay with the Bills with a different contract, c.) Moulds will find a trade partner and be traded, d.) Moulds will be cut by the Bills, e.) Moulds will sit out, f.) Moulds will retire Regardless, John Clayton feels that there's a 67.244% certainly that Mould's advisor's head will explode before this is done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMIEBUF12 Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 i hope moulds ends up on the saints! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oneonta Buffalo Fan Posted March 23, 2006 Author Share Posted March 23, 2006 Realistically, I wonder what the Bills could expect to get for Moulds in trade?? A second round pick?? 639392[/snapback] Question is...if anybody wants him, even though he getting old. It would stink if we had to just release him without getting anything in return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatPatPatSack Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 While Moulds always has the right to refuse to play (and thus not get paid) I think the Bills are in the drivers seat on this one and Marv is playing it that way. Crunch time for us looks like it may be around June 1st IF Moulds is due some bonus then that we cannot afford to risk him not playing, but at that point post draft and just before camp, opponents have pretty much spent we they can or will spend and rosters are set. If Moulds is released at that point, he likely signs for chump change probably with a team that is not going anywhere and from this based this older man is looking to make a case for rewarding him as an FA next year. It looks bad for EM. The Bills have him under contract and cannot be forced to move him unless they blink. If they remain tough they can: 1. Let Moulds do the initial trade work for them. 2. Hold out like the Bills did with Travis and get maximum value for him in a trade. 3. Worse comes to worse force Moulds to either resign with us (kissing his teammates butts big time to get back in their good graces) or see him monkey around forcing us to pay him while he does not try hard this season, However, if he did this it would not put him in great shape for being an FA becayse this 30+ year old guy would be coming off of two unproductive seasons in a row with his teammates on the Bills badmouthing him around the league for being a bad teammate this year if he merely punched the clock. Its a dangerous game as EM can screw the Bills if he also willing to screw himself out pf # and the respect of his peers. I doubt he will do this so Marv should continue to say nice things about EM and let him either work to get us a good deal or simply twist in the winds.. 639409[/snapback] I don't understand. Eric WANTS to play for the Bills. At the current signed contract. So if the Bills "insist" he'll play for the big money he wants. If however, he were released, as he wishes, he would be in the drivers seat and able to get a bidders war going. Good too. I think it is fair to assume that no one is going to pick up EM at the 10 mill rate. So the last alternative and worst one, is that Eric negotiates a trade, a new contract and a player for the Bills all by himself? Nah. The only reason he has agreed to look for a deal is to let all the teams out there start talking about how much they would pay him after he is released. Since the Bills must release him. The only slight leverage the Bills have is to hold onto him well past free agency time and hope teams run out of money. That isn't going to happen though. Teams will always have money, and Eric can sit out training camp and get a better deal after someone gets hurt or play for 1 year. This is a long way around saying, Eric is holding the cards in this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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