Archives for March 10, 2007

‘The Bills currently are committed to spending about $103 million in real dollars in 2007, according to figures compiled by The Buffalo News. That’s money the team will pay players in base salaries, signing bonuses and other roster bonuses this year. The Bills’ salary cap for 2007 is $112 million. The team has said it will not spend over the salary cap limit in real cash, even though it could do so under the NFL’s salary cap accounting rules.’

‘Other backs still on the market include Ron Dayne and Correll Buckhalter. There is no indication that the Bills are interested in either.’

‘The comments from Baltimore’s brass after the deal was announced Thursday made it sound as if McGahee is the second coming of Jim Brown. But based on his body of work for Buffalo, and assuming he was giving the Bills 100 percent effort, I don’t expect that he’ll ever be a 1,600-yard, Pro Bowl-type running back for the Ravens or any other NFL team.’

‘Assuming McGahee would’ve agreed to play out his contract with the Bills — and play hard for them — he would’ve left as a free agent and Buffalo would have gotten nothing in return. And had the Bills franchise tagged him in 2008, they’d have been paying him a Top Five salary in the end anyway. “You weigh everything,” Jauron said. “I’m not saying money wasn’t a factor, but it wasn’t the deciding factor.”‘

‘A fifth-year pro that started 61 of 64 games for the Redskins, Dockery was among the Top 20 free agents available regardless of position and Buffalo’s pronounced “cash to cap” game plan didn’t seem suitable for accommodating a big-name free agent. But Dockery was handed a seven-year, $49 million deal with $18.5 million in guaranteed money.’

‘Before free agency began, the Bills said they would be spending “cash to cap.” That is, they would account for all of the money given players this year inside the $109 million salary cap and not amortize bonus money into future seasons. So much for that plan. The Bills had about $30 million in room and quickly went over that by about $15 million in re-signing DE Chris Kelsay and signing OL Derrick Dockery, Langston Walker and Jason Whittle. They will continue to be active in the market, searching for RBs, CBs, and LBs. Somewhere along the way, somebody in Buffalo’s front office realized spending “cash to cap” would put the team in a non-competitive situation, hurt the team and turn off fans, killing their bottom line in the long run.’

‘How do the Bears feel about their compensation for Thomas Jones now that Baltimore has sent three draft picks to Buffalo for Willis McGahee?’

‘With the running back section of their depth chart currently beginning and ending with Shaud Williams, it’s time for the Buffalo Bills to consider using cornerback Terrence McGee on offense.’

McGahee spreads offense (Baltimore Sun)

Arriving with confidence (Carroll County Times)

A man of few words (Baltimore Examiner)

Ravens Trot Out Their New Runner (Washington Post)

Ravens new running back can talk the talk (AP)

McGahee locked in (BaltimoreRavens.com)

‘"For the past eight days, we had a conversation every day – myself and Buffalo – trying to work this deal out," explained Newsome. "This was not something that happened Wednesday night or Thursday; this was something that was ongoing for eight, nine, 10 days."’