TYSONKO1 Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 The Bills' situation is different from the Pats' situation. As you know, there are a lot of holes on this team, and the Bills have lots of salary cap space. However, the free agent market is thin, especially when it comes to guys who a) still have most of their careers in front of them, b) have proven themselves top-tier guys, and c) would actually want to play here. LeCharles Bentley is a good example: he's been in the league just four years, and he's top tier. But he's bound and determined to be in Cleveland. Most guys who have proven themselves top tier have far better options than Buffalo. The only way to attract guys like that is to throw crazy money at players--and sometimes still get turned down. The Bengals pursued this model for many years. Instead, Marv is finding young players who have question marks associated with them, but who have the potential to become solid starters. Peerless Price falls into this category, as do Robert Royal, Tuten Reyes, and Marv's other major signings. Supposing 1/3 or 1/2 of such signings work out. Now you've added young, solid starters to the team, and those guys will be locked up for a few years. Yeah you had to waste salary cap space on the failures to find the successes, but what else could the Bills have done with that salary cap space? But the Patriots are in a different situation. Their team can do something now. They're a team everyone wants to play for, so they don't need to waste salary cap space on failures to find successes. They're in a position to be more selective about whom they sign. There are two excellent reasons the Patriots should spend less in free agency than the Bills: 1) players like Tom Brady eat up a lot more salary cap space than Kelly Holcomb or Craig Nall, so the Patriots need to use more of their cap to keep their own picks. 2) The Patriots have so few holes they could realistically hope to address all of them via the draft. This lessens the need for free agents. 706597[/snapback] Very well said, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 The Bills spent a combined $20 million on 2 players who have vastly underachieved the past 2 seaasons: Peerless Price and Josh Reed. While I can somewhat fathom the Reed signing, given that he is a solid blocker and was somewhat productive, the signing of Price to ANYTHING but a minimum contract is just plain stupid. The guy was a preseason cut from the Falcons (and it was a football-related cut, not cap), he couldn't get on the active roster in Dallas where Bledsoe was the very QB who helped him hit career numbers, and most importantly, this team doesn't need a player like him. The roster is filled with solid, young recivers in Evans, Parrish, Reed, Aiken and F. Smith -- what value does he add to this squad? Not much, given what's already in place. Now suppose you use that money to bolster your chances at Ryan Pickett by giving him a better offer. All of a sudden, the defensive line recovers from the loss of Sam Adams and the team isn't forced to trade back into the first round of the draft. Your entire point centers around the fact that the Bills, unlike New England need to overpay for free agents. That, I agree with. However, it is also important to overpay for the "right" free agents -- Peerless Price was anything but that. but what else could the Bills have done with that salary cap space? 706597[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 RJ starting the Titans playoff game did NOT cost the Bills a shot at the SB. And the Bills spent $3.8M on Price and Reed, and will pay an additional $1.4M in base salary this season. That's $5.2M for 2 WR's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 RJ starting the Titans playoff game did NOT cost the Bills a shot at the SB. 708046[/snapback] That's an opinion, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 That's an opinion, right? Yep, just like thinking Flutie would have led the Bills to the SB that year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 Yep, just like thinking Flutie would have led the Bills to the SB that year. 708074[/snapback] Fair enough. You sounded like you were stating a fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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