18 replies to this topic

[biggerdaddynj]

Thought it would be fun to expand the discussion from potential draftees and current FAs to rumored soon to be FA salary cap casualties.  Figured we could have a good time throwing out names and mocking one another for wanting other teams' cast-offs.  

Here are two guys at positions of GREAT need who I just heard might be cut and I think we be GREAT pick-ups for the Bills:  

(1) Denver LB D.J. Williams--does come with some baggage but I couldn't find anything negative about him as a teammate (i.e., he's no cancer).  Guy is "only" 30 yrs old , was a former 1st round pick and before his suspension he led Denver in tackles 4 of the last 5 years.  He might also be a good fit because he is versatile--played weakside, strongside and middle linebacker (Pettine might like that).  When Denver switched to a 3-4 he played ILB ("Jack" like the LB we had stolen from us in the '07 draft by the Niners, Patrick Willis).

(2) At WR, how about Brandon Lloyd--with a QB (to be drafted) who can go downfield he would be nice complement to Stevie, et al.  Should be cheaper than the big names out there now.  Word is that NE is letting him and Welker go (guess they don't need WRs with Gronk and Hernandez).  

Any thoughts on my throws or how about some of your own???

Edited by biggerdaddynj, 11 February 2013 - 01:34 AM.

[machine gun kelly]

Too Old.  We need the guy in his prime at these positions where they are cap casualties like D. Bowe.  No one over 30.

[biggerdaddynj]

Bowe made $9.5 million last year.  Add up the salary he will command as a FA plus the prorated portion of the big signing bonus and can one of our capologists tell us how much we have left for Byrd, Levitre and other roster needs?  I don't think you can get a decent LB and we need that more than Bowe.  The one I hope we pick in the 1st round won't be enough to make us competitive. I think Bowe is too rich for our blood especially since we have more holes to fill.

[shibuya]

there will be no big name FA WR pursuits IMO. The draft is where we will address the WR position

[ProbablyWrong]

shibuya, on 11 February 2013 - 08:49 AM, said:

there will be no big name FA WR pursuits IMO. The draft is where we will address the WR position

Honestly, the opposite of what it needs to be. WRs develop notoriously slow in the transition from college to NFL. If you need WR help as badly as we do, throwing a rookie in to be a starter is a risky move.

I'd rather grab a cheap but solid one in FA (hartline or amendola level) or by trade, then draft a developmental guy. Don't wanna put all your eggs in one basket, especially when said basket is known to be unreliable.

[KeisterHollow]

From what I can tell, Buffalo just doesn't have the cap room to resign Levitre and Byrd - AND - to be able to go after big name F.A.'s.  Part of the problem is the contract Fitzpatrick signed.  Whether we keep him or dump him, he's getting like 8 or 9 million this year.  So, when you look at where Buffalo could stand to add F.A.'s - LB, WR, TE, and QB - you almost have to forget about QB, unless it's a guy who is so cheap he probably would be less effective than Fitz (and whats the point in that?).

If Buffalo signs Levitre, franchise tags Byrd, they'll have somewhere in the neighborhood of 7-10 million to work with, I think, after cutting the roster down a little.  Now, if they get a young QB in the first or second round, a WR and LB, all in the first 2 or 3 rounds, that would leave them with the cap space to go and sign some viable LBer's - guys to get us by until we can draft better replacements.

With the pay WR's and QB's are making, I think the only legitimate, difference making F.A.'s the Bills will be able to afford, in positions of need, would be LB or TE.

And, frankly, I've looked at the college kids coming out in the draft, and ILB and TE are not very deep - there are about 5 of each that look to be good enough to be starters, whereas OLB, O-line, D-line, and WR are all deep enough to still get starters in the end of the 2nd round, and into the 3rd.

Therefore, my strategy would be to get rid of some cap space on guys who just don't fit, or who are getting older.  Resign Levitre, franchise Byrd, get a couple F.A. LBer's, maybe a TE (Jermichael Findley is my top wish there), and then in the first two rounds get a starter at LB, WR, and QB - I know, we'd have to trade back into a round, likely, to achieve that, but I think we could then spend the rest of the draft on guys with potential - LBer's, O and D lines.

I'd also love it if Buffalo went after Oakland's F.A. WR - Louis Murphy - I think he'd be cheap enough, and I think he'd be a great 4th WR for us.

[jcbillsfan]

I like the idea of Calvin pace.  Yes he is 32 but he would be a veteran that knows the system and fills a need for certain fronts

[Damian]

It looks like the Vikings are trying to trade Percy Harvin.  He would be an immediate upgrade to WR.
http://min.scout.com/2/1265767.html

[Dorkington]

shibuya, on 11 February 2013 - 08:49 AM, said:

there will be no big name FA WR pursuits IMO. The draft is where we will address the WR position

Like we did last year?

And the year before? And the year before that? We suck at drafting. I'd rather take a shot with a 30 year old for a couple of years.

[bobobonators]

Anyone here have any interest in Chris Gamble from the Panthers?  Solid, veteran CB to compliment Gilmore.

[mEAz]

bobobonators, on 11 February 2013 - 12:07 PM, said:

Anyone here have any interest in Chris Gamble from the Panthers?  Solid, veteran CB to compliment Gilmore.

I would be for an experienced corner opposite Gilmore.  Gamble would be a good start.

I just started a post about an article I saw this morning by PFF, and they liked Greg Toler as a bargain CB

[John from Hemet]

One of the things that people are missing is Pettine's defense really keys off having 2 very good starting corners.......

Gilmore addresses one side.....we havent seen enough of Ron Brooks to know if he addresses the other.

We need to bring in a veteran corner

[BuffBill]

shibuya, on 11 February 2013 - 08:49 AM, said:

there will be no big name FA WR pursuits IMO. The draft is where we will address the WR position

I think since the free agent pool is deep at WR, deeper then any other position, and since it normally takes longer for a rookie WR to acclimate himself to the NFL, I would fill that position via FA and the others thru the draft.

Damian, on 11 February 2013 - 10:11 AM, said:

It looks like the Vikings are trying to trade Percy Harvin.  He would be an immediate upgrade to WR.
http://min.scout.com/2/1265767.html

It would be an ugrade but a waste until we get a QB that can get the ball downfield.

[jcbillsfan]

bobobonators, on 11 February 2013 - 12:07 PM, said:

Anyone here have any interest in Chris Gamble from the Panthers?  Solid, veteran CB to compliment Gilmore.

yes.  They need a veteran cb.

[billsfan89]

I like the idea of Williams, Lloyd on the other hand if he was brought in on the cheap I guess wouldn't be a bad thing but I wouldn't bring in either guys as the answer for the teams needs at either position. DJ Williams would be a really good uber back up and Lloyd would be a plan C for WR.

[biggerdaddynj]

Keister--think you hit it on the head.  Hope the FO is on the same page.  One thing we all agree on is that any FA signings are not "the answer" but are merely going to be complimentary pieces.  We shot our wad last year on Super Mario.  There will be no Bowe or Wallace signings at WR and no Kruger or Spencer at LB.  We'll be lucky with a Nick Barnett ala '11 and a number 4 WR.  The draft is our real  shot--let's hope we hit with the QB because as long as Fitz is at the helm we will be hurting on Sundays (as much as I like the guy he just ain't got it).  I think Buddy can't screw up too much if he goes defense with our pick at 8.

[Dibs]

KeisterHollow, on 11 February 2013 - 09:47 AM, said:

From what I can tell, Buffalo just doesn't have the cap room to resign Levitre and Byrd - AND - to be able to go after big name F.A.'s.  Part of the problem is the contract Fitzpatrick signed.  Whether we keep him or dump him, he's getting like 8 or 9 million this year.  So, when you look at where Buffalo could stand to add F.A.'s - LB, WR, TE, and QB - you almost have to forget about QB, unless it's a guy who is so cheap he probably would be less effective than Fitz (and whats the point in that?).

If Buffalo signs Levitre, franchise tags Byrd, they'll have somewhere in the neighborhood of 7-10 million to work with, I think, after cutting the roster down a little.  Now, if they get a young QB in the first or second round, a WR and LB, all in the first 2 or 3 rounds, that would leave them with the cap space to go and sign some viable LBer's - guys to get us by until we can draft better replacements......

Though I agree that it would be difficult to sign all of the FAs you listed.....our situation is nowhere near as bad as you are making out.

At this point, with the Wilson/Barnett cuts we are 27.9M under our spending amount(cap + rollover).
Cutting Kelsay, McGee & Brad Smith will see us being 37M under.

Counting Levitre & Byrd as FAs....and using your list, we need to sign......FS, SS, ILB, OG, WR, QB & TE

When working a new contract, it is common to work it so that the cap hit for the first year is somewhat less than the average year of the contract.
Also, cutting Fitz will see another 8M(?) of cap space come through in 2014.

Safeties and TEs have relatively low salaries.....and there are no star ILB FAs on the market as yet so that salary will likely not be a bank-breaker either.
Unless we go for Flacco or Smith, any FA QB will likely not be over 5M/year......and that's assuming we have to re-work Smith's contract.  If we were to trade for him, he will only cost $7.75M(?).

By my figuring we could manage to pretty much sign Levitre & Byrd.....plus a top FA WR.....plus Landry(SS)....plus a mid range LB & or TE.
It's only if we get Flacco or Smith for QB that we would start having trouble.

Edited by Dibs, 12 February 2013 - 02:08 AM.

[ganesh]

Dibs, on 12 February 2013 - 01:35 AM, said:

Though I agree that it would be difficult to sign all of the FAs you listed.....our situation is nowhere near as bad as you are making out.

At this point, with the Wilson/Barnett cuts we are 27.9M under our spending amount(cap + rollover).
Cutting Kelsay, McGee & Brad Smith will see us being 37M under.

Counting Levitre & Byrd as FAs....and using your list, we need to sign......FS, SS, ILB, OG, WR, QB & TE

When working a new contract, it is common to work it so that the cap hit for the first year is somewhat less than the average year of the contract.
Also, cutting Fitz will see another 8M(?) of cap space come through in 2014.

Safeties and TEs have relatively low salaries.....and there are no star ILB FAs on the market as yet so that salary will likely not be a bank-breaker either.
Unless we go for Flacco or Smith, any FA QB will likely not be over 5M/year......and that's assuming we have to re-work Smith's contract.  If we were to trade for him, he will only cost $7.75M(?).

By my figuring we could manage to pretty much sign Levitre & Byrd.....plus a top FA WR.....plus Landry(SS)....plus a mid range LB & or TE.
It's only if we get Flacco or Smith for QB that we would start having trouble.

Good points Dibs. I hope the Bills can really address those five positions in FA. That would be a great move indeed.  Only thing is I have not seen a team pay sign and pay so many FAs in the same year. Hopefully, you are correct.

billsfan89, on 11 February 2013 - 05:03 PM, said:

I like the idea of Williams, Lloyd on the other hand if he was brought in on the cheap I guess wouldn't be a bad thing but I wouldn't bring in either guys as the answer for the teams needs at either position. DJ Williams would be a really good uber back up and Lloyd would be a plan C for WR.

If Lloyd is willing to sign a cheap contract, why wouldn't he do that with New England. He is familiar with the system and has a great QB and are in contention for the super bowl every year. I just don't see Bowe, Boldin or Lloyd coming to the Bills this off season

[Dibs]

ganesh, on 12 February 2013 - 05:29 AM, said:

Good points Dibs. I hope the Bills can really address those five positions in FA. That would be a great move indeed.  Only thing is I have not seen a team pay sign and pay so many FAs in the same year. Hopefully, you are correct.

Thanks Ganesh......but I wasn't saying that I think all of that will happen.  There are 31 other teams looking to sign good FAs and the likelihood that we can re-sign Levitre & Byrd and grab more than 2 quality FAs is quite against the odds IMO.
Fingers crossed though.