Mickey

For those adopting the attitude of "screw Peters", I remind you just how good this guy is: From BB.com: Buffalo's new linchpin lineman has gone from what many league talent evaluators viewed as an NFL project to a Pro Bowl caliber blind-side protector, with potential to spare. "He's very, very talented," said Bills offensive line coach Jim McNally. "His potential is unlimited. He's close to 350 pounds and he can run as fast as you want him to run. He's strong, good agility, balance, direction. He has all the tools." The problem last season was the rest of the league had not yet been fully exposed to what Peters put on the field on a weekly basis. Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan didn't know who Jason Peters was last year until after Pro Bowl voting had taken place in mid-December. While watching tape of Buffalo's offensive line in preparation for their 2006 season finale with the Bills, Ryan's eyes were drawn to number 71. "I never knew him from anybody," said Ryan of Peters. "But I was watching the tape and I was like, 'Whoa who is this kid?' He really stood out." Peters stood out so much in fact that during pre-game warmups prior to last year's final regular season game, Ryan spoke to Bills offensive line coach Jim McNally to pay McNally's star pupil a compliment. "Rex Ryan said, 'Wow. We didn't really see you play, but after we saw your tape we would have voted for your left tackle for the Pro Bowl,'" recalled McNally. Chances are Ryan voted for Peters this season helping the left tackle earn selection to his first career Pro Bowl as the Bills left tackle was the lone all-star representative for the club this season. Peters has taken one of the more unusual paths to NFL stardom, and ironically it was due to his freakish physical abilities. After committing to Arkansas out of high school, the Razorback coaching staff was in such awe of his athleticism for a player his size, they could not decide where to put him. He played defensive end, defensive tackle, offensive tackle and finally tight end in his three collegiate seasons. All the position switching prevented Peters from maximizing his physical skills as he was forced to spend most of his time getting adjusted to the nuances of a new position each season. As a 6'4" 320-pound tight end he ran a 4.9 40-time at the NFL Combine but few people took notice. Peters was passed over by the entire league until Buffalo called shortly after the draft concluded to sign him as an undrafted rookie free agent. He began his career as a tight end with the Bills, but as a member of the team's practice squad after he did not make the team's 53-man roster coming out of training camp. Peters was called up in mid-November and played on special teams and at tight end before transitioning to offensive tackle early in the 2005 campaign. But the transition took place on the practice field. With no NFL game experience on the line, Peters was thrust into the starting lineup at right tackle on national television at New England. The results were impressive. Peters held Patriots pass rusher Willie McGinest to a pedestrian five tackles with no sacks, no quarterback pressures and no quarterback hits. Now in his second season at left tackle, Peters not only handles the opponent's best pass rusher on a weekly basis, he does it with no help. "We left Jason over there by himself," said McNally plainly. If backs or tight ends were used to chip on pass rushers it was typically done on the right side of the formation to assist Langston Walker. Seeing his one-on-one ability on film against the likes of perennial Pro Bowl ends like Jason Taylor and Richard Seymour twice a year, opposing coaches likely had a lot to say about Peters' first Pro Bowl selection. "He's a great player," Ryan told Buffalobills.com. "Hell the tape doesn't lie. This kid has tons of ability. I'm not ready to put him in the Hall of Fame yet, but I am ready to put him in the Pro Bowl." "He just has to continue to play," said McNally. "The only person that can stop Jason Peters is himself. His ability is limitless." From an article naming the top 50 "Franchise Cornerstone" players: 14. Jason Peters [OT, Buffalo Bills, 26] Stats: 2007 Pro Bowl Selection, 2007 All-Pro Selection Peters has gone from an undrafted free agent tight end to a Pro Bowl left tackle with the Buffalo Bills in just a matter of years. Unlike many converted tight ends, Peters has significant weight and strength to a frame that already displays innate athleticism and ability to slide to cut off pass rushers on the edge. Having dominated the trenches in Buffalo, as their lone shining star on the line, Peters has made a name for himself quickly. He’s become a high character, hard-working locker room presence and a role model to the younger players. After joining the elites in the league, Peters is now holding out for a richer contract, an understandable move, though it’s difficult to imagine a mini-camp without the premiere tackle manning the left side. From an undrafted free agent to cornerstone in Buffalo, Peters would be a great building block looking to bring stability to the offensive line. Peter King's 2007 Pro Bowl ballot: T: Jason Peters, Buffalo; Willie Anderson, Cincinnati. Sorry, Walter Jones. It came down to you and Willie. Peters split his time between right and left this season, and the Bills found a franchise tackle. Len Pasquarelli on Peters before the draft at OT and at TE: Intriguing: Before he lined up for a drill at the combine, tight end Jason Peters (Arkansas) remarked that he might be the second-best left tackle prospect in the draft. And he's right because, in time, he could be. It might be a gamble to move Peters to tackle, a position he hasn't played, but he clearly has the skills to eventually be a solid player there. And with the lack of left tackle prospects in this draft, some clubs might be tempted to regard him as a down-the-road tackle. At 6-feet-4½ and 336 pounds, Peters ran a 4.94 at the combine. He would need a lot of work, and individual attention to make the switch to tackle, but it merits consideration. Jason Peters (Arkansas) Vital statistics: 6-feet-4½, 336 pounds, 4.94 in the 40, and 29 "reps" on the bench press. Numbers game: Started in 36 games and career numbers include 28 receptions for 300 yards and four touchdowns. Upside: Incredible movement skills for a man so large and, as noted in the offensive line preview, some teams might consider moving him to left tackle. Tall and massively built, thick all over, pretty good knee-bender. Nifty feet and, when he gets rolling, he is tough to stop. Solid pass protector, can slide laterally, will give some team a player who can "chip" at pass rushers. Adequate receiver with good flexibility and body control. Downside: Since he played in such a run-oriented offense, didn't get much chance to hone his route-running skills, and hands are still inconsistent. Even with his stunning athleticism, will have to shed some weight if he is going to play tight end at the next level. For all his size and speed, isn't all that explosive coming off the ball, and is actually a half-step tardy on a lot of plays. Will overextend himself on some blocks. The Dish: An intriguing guy but someone will have to decide early on whether he is a tight end or a tackle. Probable first-day pick, likely in the third round. For one of the best comprehensive articles on Peters, including all the salary info on other LT's you can handle, read Outside Foxborough: Jason Peters - One of the Ten Most Valuable Properties in Football: Some excerpts: It was last week, though, that Peters was really called into the limelight, when reigning Defensive Player of the Year Jason Taylor paid Peters quite the compliment. The Buffalo News wrote: “He’s probably the best left tackle I face this year,” Taylor said during a conference call with the Buffalo media this week. ” . . . He’s a big, athletic guy who is strong and moves very well. He’s got the size. He does a lot of things well. You don’t see him get beat a whole lot. He’s equally as strong in the run game as he is in the pass game. I think he’s a helluva player.” When one considers the difficulty teams have in locating, acquiring, and keeping a left tackle cheap, Peters’ claim to being an elite left tackle makes him one of the most valuable — and unlikely — assets in pro football. and: "At this point, Jason Peters represents not only a player with a unique path to his job and a interesting skill set, but he’s one of the ten most valuable players in football, when you consider bang for buck. " The guy is very, very good, period.

The rest of the league disagrees with your assessment: Buffalo's new linchpin lineman has gone from what many league talent evaluators viewed as an NFL project to a Pro Bowl caliber blind-side protector, with potential to spare. "He's very, very talented," said Bills offensive line coach Jim McNally. "His potential is unlimited. He's close to 350 pounds and he can run as fast as you want him to run. He's strong, good agility, balance, direction. He has all the tools." The problem last season was the rest of the league had not yet been fully exposed to what Peters put on the field on a weekly basis. Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan didn't know who Jason Peters was last year until after Pro Bowl voting had taken place in mid-December. While watching tape of Buffalo's offensive line in preparation for their 2006 season finale with the Bills, Ryan's eyes were drawn to number 71. "I never knew him from anybody," said Ryan of Peters. "But I was watching the tape and I was like, 'Whoa who is this kid?' He really stood out." Peters stood out so much in fact that during pre-game warmups prior to last year's final regular season game, Ryan spoke to Bills offensive line coach Jim McNally to pay McNally's star pupil a compliment. "Rex Ryan said, 'Wow. We didn't really see you play, but after we saw your tape we would have voted for your left tackle for the Pro Bowl,'" recalled McNally. Chances are Ryan voted for Peters this season helping the left tackle earn selection to his first career Pro Bowl as the Bills left tackle was the lone all-star representative for the club this season. Peters has taken one of the more unusual paths to NFL stardom, and ironically it was due to his freakish physical abilities. After committing to Arkansas out of high school, the Razorback coaching staff was in such awe of his athleticism for a player his size, they could not decide where to put him. He played defensive end, defensive tackle, offensive tackle and finally tight end in his three collegiate seasons. All the position switching prevented Peters from maximizing his physical skills as he was forced to spend most of his time getting adjusted to the nuances of a new position each season. As a 6'4" 320-pound tight end he ran a 4.9 40-time at the NFL Combine but few people took notice. Peters was passed over by the entire league until Buffalo called shortly after the draft concluded to sign him as an undrafted rookie free agent. He began his career as a tight end with the Bills, but as a member of the team's practice squad after he did not make the team's 53-man roster coming out of training camp. Peters was called up in mid-November and played on special teams and at tight end before transitioning to offensive tackle early in the 2005 campaign. But the transition took place on the practice field. With no NFL game experience on the line, Peters was thrust into the starting lineup at right tackle on national television at New England. The results were impressive. Peters held Patriots pass rusher Willie McGinest to a pedestrian five tackles with no sacks, no quarterback pressures and no quarterback hits. Now in his second season at left tackle, Peters not only handles the opponent's best pass rusher on a weekly basis, he does it with no help. "We left Jason over there by himself," said McNally plainly. If backs or tight ends were used to chip on pass rushers it was typically done on the right side of the formation to assist Langston Walker. Seeing his one-on-one ability on film against the likes of perennial Pro Bowl ends like Jason Taylor and Richard Seymour twice a year, opposing coaches likely had a lot to say about Peters' first Pro Bowl selection. "He's a great player," Ryan told Buffalobills.com. "Hell the tape doesn't lie. This kid has tons of ability. I'm not ready to put him in the Hall of Fame yet, but I am ready to put him in the Pro Bowl." "He just has to continue to play," said McNally. "The only person that can stop Jason Peters is himself. His ability is limitless." Yeah, screw this guy, who needs talent like that? Besides, the last time we had a pro bowl LT was Will Wolford and who needs that? By now, we are all used having our Sundays free after December. Signing Peters could really mess that tradition up for all of us. Imagine having to watch the Bills play in February. Who needs it?

He hasn't chosen any route. He asked for a new deal and the team told him no. He said to call back when and if they change their minds. It wasn't a choice between showing up and getting a new deal and not showing up. It was a choice between showing up and getting no new deal or holding out and hoping the team changes their mind resulting in a new deal. Option one had zero chance of resulting in a new deal and option two has at least a chance of resulting in a new deal. Holding out has worked out for many players, many of whom had just as little leverage as you think Peters has. He should be rewarded for making the pro bowl and being one of the bets LT's in the league and certainly the best offensive lineman on this team. The performance the team got from him last year was worth about 7-8 million on the open market. He was paid half that at best. So we already got a bargain year out of him. The teams wants another and he wants to get paid what he is worth. Some think we should keep getting twice the performance for 1/2 the cost out of him and some of us think he should simply get paid based on merit. If they had started dealing with him in February like they did with Schobel in 2007, conceding from the git-go that a new deal was justified, there never would have been a need for him to hold out as there wasn't with Schobel whose basic deal was done before camp. Overdorf stated that they went to Schobel themselves, and did so early because that is what you have to do to keep veteran players who make the pro bowl. Despite the team's good faith in starting to deal in Feb. of 2007, Aaron still skipped the firts 4 practices in March just to show that he meant businsess and would hold out if they didn't get the deal actually done. In contrast, the team's position has been no deal for Peters this year, period. That doesn't leave a heckuva lot to talk about now does it? Peters' only choice was to play another year on his current contract or at least take a stab at a hold out and see what happens. It is a harsh reality but every snap Walker and Chambers take carries with it the possibility of a serious injury. If they were lost for the season, where would be without Peters coming back? He still has plenty of time to show up before missing a game pay check and clearly doesn't give a fig about the fines accumulating. So this costs him essentially nothing and there is always a chance that something breaks in his favor while he waits. If it doesn't, he just comes in before losing any real pay.

Okay, here is the run down: 1973: Dennis Shaw 1974: Gary Marangi and Scott Hunter 1975: Gary Marangi 1976: Gary Marangi 1977: No other QB listed on the roster 1978: Bill Munson and David Mays 1979: Bill Munson and Dan Manucci 1980: Dan Manucci and David Hum 1981: Matt Robinson 1982: Matt Kofler 1983: Kofler and Joe Dufek 1984: Kofler and Dufek Marangi was the only guy to ever generate much talk that he could replace Fergy. He came off the bench a few times early in his career and played like gangbusters but whenever he got a start, he was worse than awful.

Gary Marangi was one. James Harris was another. I think Dennis Shaw might have for just a year (Shaw was a starter in his rookie year and won rookie of the year but got seriously hurt the next year after which Fergy took the job and Shaw, I think, recovered enough to back him up for one year). I don't recall us having a long term back up during the Fergy years, just a parade of guys. Harris went on to bigger things and was the first black starter in the NFL, I think for the Rams. I recall a guy named Dan Darragh but I think he backed up Kemp. Marlin Briscoe, the WR, was the 3rd string QB at one point before we lost him to another team.

And I thought I was the only one carrying Jason's love child. Haven't you heard? Wanting the team to get one of our best players on the field is tantamount to an admission that you have spent way too much time in Jason's pants. So stay away from him girlfriend, there are already 6 or 7 of us baby momma's ready to give birth to a pro bowler haunting the board.

You could be right. Certainly having Marv in there when they extended Schobel and Brandon when the Peters issue came up could tell us all we need to know why the situations are being handled so differently. I think you accurately describe the team's dilemma. It is the flip side of what happens when good fortune shines on you and a player unexpectedly and spectacularly outperforms his contract. You would think that would be a good thing. Lot of teams would love to have that problem. I imagine the Patriots had to cross that bridge when an unheard of 6th round draft pick was named the Super Bowl MVP. I only hope we have these problems every year.

No, just the guys who make the pro bowl. Just the guys who are considered, by their peers, to be among the top 5 in the entire league at their position. Oh, and just the guys playing a position that is universally considered to be critical if we are to believe salaries for LT's and their draft positions league wide. That same absurd extension could be, just as weekly, applied to your side of the argument. Rule #1: Players who make the pro bowl aren't worth keeping, we don't need the, and if we simply paid them the going rate for their position and skill levels, the team would fold. Just answer me these questions: Did Peters make the pro bowl? Yes or no. Did he make the pro bowl deservedly? Yes or no. Is LT considered by many to be the most important position on the line when you have a right handed QB? Yes or no. Does Jason play LT? Yes or no. Is his salary below that of other pro bowl LT's? Yes or no. If below, is it significantly below? Yes or no. Do you believe pay should be based on performance? Yes or no. Do you agree that there is no other player on the team who made the pro bowl at a critical position who is significantly underpaid? Yes or no. Do you agree that there hasn't been more than two or three players, including Peters, over the last 8 years if not more who fit the criteria described in the last question? Yes or no. If you answered "yes" to all of the above, then we agree on the basic facts and that paying Peters this year doesn't exactly support your petulant point that all those who support that outcome think we should pay every disgruntled player a "gazillion dollars".

Good Gawd, I hope not. Is Dusty Ziegler available?

They didn't do that with Schobel, they went to him and his agents in February of 2007 conceding from the get-go that they had to give him a new deal. Peters was checked out medically by the team after his surgery and certainly, any new deal would have the same contingencies regarding the players medical condition that they all have. His absence from camp is not the problem. The team isn't lying about renogitaing if he comes in, fact is, they never even made that claim. That is the one being made on this board but if you go back to what the team has actually said, and I have posted those quotes over and over, they made it clear that they insisted that he honor the deal he made 2 years ago. The Bills have had a chance to negotiate a new deal for him, they could have done it or at least started to do it in February. All they have to do right now is call Parker and ask for a meeting, I guarantee Parker will answer the phone and be at that meeting, early, and with new pens. Why hasn't Parker talked to the media? Because it is the respectful, smart move to make. He wants to make a deal with the team, not win a popularity contest here at TSW. The fans have no say in this so why seek their support? Why call a press conference and embarass Brandon or anyone else in the front office? That will only harm Peters' cause. The agent's job is to get the team to want Jason more than they want the money he is asking for. Ticking them off and turning Peters into a supersized Chad Johnson or T.Owens would be counterproductive.

Bingo in the fireside room. Exactly correct. Is Peters willing to miss a game paycheck? Is the team willing to lose this guy for a few games maybe for good? I dunno. I wish the team would save me from the drama and sign him. Others wish Peters would save us the drama and show up and play under his existing contract.

That is one way it could go. Another is that he sits for the season or until the team figures he is worth more to them in a trade than sitting home accumulating fines. When the smoke clears, he will have a titanic contract from some new team which makes those fines a joke. We will have some face saving extra picks. Edwards will be on IR by week 6, JP by week 10. Oh, and we will have sent a message to rookies that they better hold out for a great initial first deal since they can't count on an extension if they make the pro bowl and veteran free agents will not bother booking a visit to western NY come February. The team will have proven that they are as tough in the negotiation room as the team is weak on the field. You do not make a team better by losing its best players.

We have not argued any such absurd thing. All we have said is to do for Peters what they already did for Schobel who was made the highest paid player in team history with one NEW deal and then got an even better NEW,NEW deal just a year or two later when he still had 3 years left on his existing contract. Perhaps you could post links to all your prior posts lambasting Schobel as a peckerhead for doing exactly what Peters is doing now? Or are you just going to point out that Aaron parts his hair on the left and Jason wears a crew cut hence the situations are justifiably different? Our point, once you boil away all your venom, hysteria and personal attacks is pretty simple, we want the front office to find a way to keep one of our best players on the team and producing the top level performance he has show he can produce. I guess that makes us a bunch of used trojans for such crazy, crazy ideas.

Feeling entitled is not really the point. We want a winner, all of us do. Therefore, I want the team to make the moves that I think will help us win. The team, in turn, wants me to think they are going to win so that I buy tickets. If they make moves that appear to me to hurt our chances of winning, then they risk losing my fan dollars. I totally understand why the team is doing what they are doing with Peters. I don't like it but I don't think they are looney tunes, greedy, or evil. So many on the other side however have insisted on casting Peters in the role of a fat, lazy, stupid, greedy, selfish, cry baby peckerhead. And I am the one in Peter's jock for pointing out the simple fact that the reason there is no new deal for Peters isn't because he held out, it isn't because he got hurt, it isn't because no one had his agent's phone number and it isn't because he hasn't proven his worth. It's because, simply, the team doesn't want to pay him all that extra money and had calculated that they don't have to. Revolutionary argument I know which can only be explained because I am carrying Peters' child. Ohhhh, I just felt a kick. Want to feel my tummy?

Very funny. Lets suit Russ up at LT. Maybe his huge sac will make up for the lack of girth, muscle, speed and balance.

Actually, he came to Buffalo after the surgery to be checked out by the team. So much for that point. Second, they have had contact, Brandon himself has admitted to having had more than one discussion with Parker, albeit only brief discussions. So much for that point. Further, with Schobel, the team went to him in February of 2007. Overdorf, in talking about how Schobel's deal came about, emphasized the importance of going to the player early. So, unless Brandon doesn't have Parker's cell phone number or email address, your point about there being no communication is silly. Do you think that if Brandon called Parker and asked for a meeting to begin negotiations that Parker wouldn't return that call at warp speed? Pull you pants back up, clean Brandon off and fetch him the phone.

The team is worse off because Brandon didn't get him a deal despite knowing for 6 months that he wasn't coming to camp without one. Yeah it hurts the team Sherlock, but that is precisely his leverage. You blame the player, I blame Brandon because Peters really is worth waaaay more than he is getting and the precedent set with Schobel leaves no justification for not doing the same for Peters. Get your head out of Brandon's pants for a second and you might realize that his job is too keep our best players on the field. Peters is the best lineman we have had on this team in a decade.

Instead of chanting "deeeefence" we can chant "froooooont awwwwwfice". Yay.

The "we have no idea how the surgery went" meme has been disproved. Brandon saw Peters when he came in to get checked out by the team after the surgery. Not even Brandon has tossed that issue in the pot during his misleading press conferences. You know, the public whining he did while supposed punk and whiner Parker and Peters had enough respect to keep their yaps shut.

Actually, he had just made his first pro bowl, finally. Peters made it a lot earlier in his career than Schobel did and as much as I like Schobel, no one has ever considered him to be dominant at his position. Peters is already being talked about as one of the best in the game. Peters is younger and is going to get even better. It is likely all downhill from here for Schobel, he isn't getting any younger. The situations are not exactly a like but for every factor you can cite for Schobel, there are just as many in favor of Peters. The treatment they have received is vastly different, their situations are not. It doesn't make sense. All I can think is that Brandon thinks Marv made a mistake with Schobel and doesn't want to repeat it with Peters.

If it has even reached the point where numbers have been tossed around. Doesn't sound like they even got that far. I think that if they were at a point where they were just trying to find the right number and had already conceded that he should get a new deal, he would have come to camp. No way for us to know for sure. Could be that Brandon thinks Levy was wrong to extend Schobel with 3 years left on his existing deal and doesn't want to make the same mistake.

The team will not negotiate with him, they have made that clear. They went to Schobel in Feb. of 2007 just after the deal with Kelsay made it clear that Schobel was underpaid, especially considering he made the pro bowl. They then spen the next 6 months negotiating. Even so, Schobel skipped the firs 4 off season practices in March to send a message. He did that even though the team had already conceded he deserved a new deal and were negotiating one. All reports are that the team has no intention of extending Peters this year. The only quote anyone can come up with to the contrary is a mention that with regard to an extension the team would "never say never". I don't know what people base their belief on that the team is willing to get him a new deal if he just does this or that or whatever. The have said clearly that they expect him to honor the comittment he made to the team two years ago. They wanted to negotiate, they could have done what they did with Schobel, call his agent in February of 2008 and start talking. They could have done a deal in Februar, in March, in April, in June and in July. The reason they didn't is because they don't have to and don't want to. The team might be right to take the position they have but don't blame Peters for the financial decision the team has made not to extend him. If you think he shouldn't get a new deal then it should be easy to side with the team. If you think he should, then that is the team's fault at this point. His if they offer a good deal and he refuses.

I think it is the team that handled it better. According to Overdorf, they approached Schobel's people as early as February of 2007 and started negotiating a new deal for him, acknowledging from the get-go that he deserved one. For whatever reason, they have no intention of extending Peters the way they did Schobel and it has nothing to do with what Parker or Peters has done. I think it might be because Marv was running the show in February of 2007 and Brandon has been running the show since January. Otherwise, I have no idea why they are treating Peters so drastically different than they did Schobel. I know, I know, I know, the situations are not exactly alike to the thousandth decimal. They are close enough though and for every difference people can cite justifying better treatment for Schobel, the other side could cite just as many in favor of Peters.

A rookie cap makes sense. Neither the players nor the teams can afford to waste money on draft busts while they hunt for the coin to pay the guys that deserve it and have proven it on the field.

Shhhhh....... You are questioning the wisdom of the mob. How dare you?