JoeF

How much cap room do we think Law is going to take? Let's just say for yucks.... 5 years, $10 million SB, $25 Million term of the contract....I think this is high--I think he settles for a contract more like Milloy's -- to play with his old buddy.... Salaries are: $1 Million $2 Million $4 Million $4 Million $4 Million Remember this is the second 8 figure bonus for Law and he would be in his late 30's late in the contract. Cap hit this year is $3 Million under this scenario.... Leaves us with $2.4 million in room.. We trade Henry for a pick..saving $1.2 PP is definitely cut so another $1.5 million is saved Clements is traded for a pick (Low first if he extends, second if he does not) saving about $3 Million now from his escalated salary) Williams extends two years turning base into bonus. The savings for the next two years is say $2 million a year or so... So you have $7.7 savings---$2.5 million to the rookie pool...$5.2 Million to address the rest of our needs.... and our draft looks something like.. 2nd round - 2 picks 3rd round - 2 picks 4-7 - 1 pick each I probably just gave Clumpy a heart attack with all my errors--sorry man.. We are in a two-three year window to win it all if we do this--if we crap out its another 5 year recovery process--but you know--Ralph ain't getting any younger...

Nice tribute in your avatar Matty. One of the most intriguing minds of our time. I guess I view especially the second one as significant. You could sense today that JP understands he has a lot to learn and he is doing something about it. I sure hope Wyche gives him two years and not just this year. They appear to be almost like father and son.....Yoda and Luke.....whatever and grasshopper from Kung Fu.....

Bledsoe--okay I can buy this one. Milloy--We were I think 8-3 with Lawyer in the lineup this year...he will be effective for the remainder of his contract. He cost us nothing in terms of picks or players...and got Coy Wire out of the first team D.... Batting .500 in personnel decisions isn't bad....

The only way this could possibly be true is if we were contemplating trading Nate Clements.....Law has 2 maybe 3 good years left as a corner...we would have the "senile secondary" in 2 years with Law, Milloy, Vincent. All of Nates salary escalator would be cap savings I think--Clumpy will correct me if I am wrong--but its base salary not a bonus. I doubt this is true...but with TD you never know.

Noone.....He will see the field a lot if he plays out his contract with the Bills. I am saying at least 8-10 carries a game..and if injury happens, he is the feature back again in a heartbeat. It may be the quickest road to get him the lucrative contract he seeks.

One of the reasons we drafted Anderson is that he lasted longer than anyone else ever had on the Krumrie test at the Combine...that shows some strength and stamina.

Even more reason to redo Williams...

My family and I wish you a day full of good things tomorrow......

These guys make enough to buy winter homes in other markets..the issues you mention are all secondary to ownership, franchise management, coaching ..the money is relatively equal everywhere or its rounding error differences in most cases. I think, with obviously some bias, we are attractive. An up and coming head coach, two young innovative coordinators--lots of guys with playing and extensive coaching experience on the staff.....I don't think our location is that much of an issue....

Oh shoot I forgot to give my answers--sorry to break protocol and reply to my own post.. 1) C and D--C sadly happens everywhere 2) C and D again 3) B 4) A 5) B 6) B 7) D There are no correct answers...

A short quiz: 1) At One Bills Drive today, there was: A) a snow day B) a teacher workday C) a game of corporate grabass and suck up in the President and GM's office D) hard work by the Personnel, Coaching and Management staff trying to entice free agents to visit the bills. 2) The Bills President and General Management was seen-- a) opening an upper level window preparing to jump b) measuring floor to ceiling and determining proper rope length c) Feeling a little sad about losing a LT who is above average and injury prone and a 32 year old DT who is a warrior but may have a market value beyond what the Bills want to pay d) Making crank calls to Hadley Englehard 3) Pat Williams is: A) a "sign at any cost" star b) a good 32 year old DT who will help plug a hole for some contending team c) Not a Bill anymore so who gives a sh-- 4) The Bills in the last 2 years have: A) Won almost every competitive situation they have been in when it comes to a targeted free agent (Spikes, Vincent, Villarial, Milloy, on and on) B) Proven that noone wants to play in Buffalo 5) In the 2005 offseason, the Bills: a) are a desparate team on the verge of extinction b) a good team with some needs but if managed smartly the cap room to address these needs. 6) It would be stupid for fans to assume: A) The bills have a plan for free agency, the draft, trades that will address their starting and depth needs B) The bills do not have said plan. 7) An NFL team that retains 9 of its 11 offensive starters and 10 of its 11 defensive starters (including all of its 4 pro bowlers) and has already named the replacement for one of the missing offensive starters is.. A) in piss poor shape B) headed for a 3-13 season C) Headed into the abyss D) in okay shape for next season Thank you for your time--I hope this is a worthwhile quiz...

I vote No.... Shelton's cap hit is $3 million for this year and he is nothing special... We can sign both a G and C for contracts in the 5 year/17 million range with bonuses in the $5 to $6 million dollar range and get 2 for 1 and move Teague to LT. Contracts would look something like: Bonus $6 million, Salaries $1m, $1.5 million, $2.5 million, $2.5 million, $3.5 million Cap hit this year is $2.25 million and we get 2 for 1....get a young LG and a C--and honestly I think Teague will account himself well against speed rushers--his troubles are with brute strength guys.... This would be a serious upgrade to the line...Teague is talented--he accounted for himself very well last year...and once you can snap and set quickly his reflexes and base are transferable back to LT--where he really wants to be anyway....Just MHO..

Good God--a whole almost 9 hours and no word.....panic, panic, panic, panic.....so far we have lost a QB that had taken us as far as he could...and not overpaid for a 3/4 time LT (who is really about 1/2 time left tackle when you consider his readjustment games after injury) and a 32 year old DT whose tackle numbers dropped 35% this year from the last two years....and I am not so sure we will lose both of them...since I am not John Clayton I guess I am okay with the strategy so far.....

Cowart worked out so well for them. Let them have a 3/4 season left tackle for full time money...I really like Jonas but he is not exactly durable.....they better sign Marcus Price to...

not to be a smart ass JDG...but we will probably see him once a year---he will be injured the other time.....

I think you are being overly nervous.... 1) the defense---When we lost Ted Washington it was devastating....Pat Williams' loss, if it happens, will not be as impactful, because we have upgraded the talent at just about every other D position. I wish we had a number of plays chart--you would be suprised how much Bannan and Edwards have seen the field the last two years in our #2 ranked defense...all Anderson has to be is stout and able to hold his ground. Ohio State Champion wrestlers have a habit of being able to do that..... 2) We need a LG and LT or C (yes Center)--if we keep Jonas, we can't afford to upgrade LG--I would rather get both a good to very good pass blocking LT (look at the schedule next year--we have about 10 games against top 10 DE's) and knock the snot out of you LG. This way Tucker becomes depth for all 3 interior line positions. I would like to see Marcus Price return--but his knee might be a chronic thing--so I will trust the coach's judgement there. By the way--that good pass blocking LT might be Trey Teague......and then we upgrade LG and C..Teague has problems with brute strength but does pretty well with finese and quickness 3) We need depth help at QB, RB, TE, nickle/dime CB, DT, drop LB and oh yeah a new K would be nice...some of this can come from the Draft but DT, QB , RB probably have to come from free agency...but look we needed a fullback last year and we found a street free agent who almost made the pro bowl... so the question is--with about $8 Million in cap room (trading Henry, cutting Pearson-but then accounting for the draft ) can we fill LG, LT/C, back up QB, Back up RB and back up DT---the answer is probably yes.....and if we redo Mike Williams--we get Nate in the fold early and we shore up 06 as well...

I think Mike Doser called Henry's agent Hardly Everhard....real name is Hadley Engelhard

March 1, 2005 Regarding Henry The Cardinals no longer have interest in Bills halfback Travis Henry. They seriously considered trading tackle L.J. Shelton to Buffalo for Henry, but they have changed their minds for two reasons. First, they see a great crop of running backs available in the draft. Second, they wanted Henry to play out the final year of his contract before giving him a big contract extension. Henry preferred to get his money now, and that's not a sell for the Cardinals. http://espn.go.com/nfl/clayton/qhits.html From the man who gave us Fassel is a done deal......

I agree J from H--its past midnight in frickin India--what the hell are they doing at OBD--drinking Starbuck's and watching Million Dollar Baby???? Good God--we're not getting any better...to quote Angelo Wright the great philosopher TD is on the clock,....

Roth's picture is a tad on the negative side....I do probably think both sides are trying to get what they can from the other..... Green probably wants Travis to extend 3 years at a reasonable salary and bonus...probably about $3M per average and he wants to wrangle a 6th or 7th from TD. TD wants a straight up deal. We'll see who gets what they want--but I, like BGIM, think this will get done.

I think you are about right VA. I just checked Clumpy's cap page--he has Sam for $375K in amortized bonus which would be a $1.5 million signing bonus for a 4 year contract $250K in incentive bonus which I assume is playing time/probowl, etc. That would be $625 K in bonuses--if that was annual it would be $2.5 million total...

Is that a baseball in your pocket or are you just happy it's Spring Training.

What was Angelo Wright's counter offer to TD? Was there one? There is a danger in making the TD "low ball" assumption here with only one side of the story. There are just as many examples of TD paying for people (Moulds, Schobel)... Remember Wright was the same agent who wanted $5 Million a year for Adams and ended up with $2.75 to 3 Million...Adams signed a four year deal by the way--here are his salary numbers according to the nflpa website...These I don't think include amoritized bonus. 2003 750000.00 2004 2000000.00 2005 2000000.00 2006 2000000.00 If we get the Travis Henry deal done with the Cardinals for Shelton....Pat will sign... something like 4 years, $15 million, $6 million in bonus money....salaries of $1 million, $1 million, $2.5 million and $4.5 million.. he is gone after 07...

The only spikes the Raiders will sniff are the fake ones on the whacko Raider fan's shoulder pads...Trade Takeo---yep--good idea..he's been such a huge disappointment.....

Guys--what if Denny Green is reading this board Come on now..Its marketing gentlemen, marketing I tell ya... Travis has blinding speed--the roadrunner to everyone else's Coyote. He is one of the best blitz pick up backs I have ever seen. He has hands like Lynn Swann and finally, he picks up the tough yard (never trips).. and Denny--you can have all this for a tackle you have evaluated as an underachieving lard butt. Such a deal, such a deal....better buy while the buying is good...