BarleyNY

It's so tempting to see a player like this at such a position of need and want to squeeze him under the cap. But the more I think about it, the dumber that would be. I've been critical of the Bills FA spending already - and some of those players (like Clay) are young enough to be around for awhile if they are worth it. Mathis would be going after an expensive, older player who would really start to majorly mess up the cap situation and likely wouldn't be here in 3 years. F that. The only thing I give him a pass on is wanting out of Chip Kelly's kingdom, I don't blame any player for that at this point.

I'm not going to argue anymore. What I wrote is correct. The Bills can push off the cap hit of two years' prorated signing bonuses until next offseason if they designate him as a post June 1st cut. The total cap hit is the same, however. It is either $2,625,000 in dead money with $725,000 cap savings if cut pre-June 1st or if post-June 1st it would be $875,000 in dead money and a $2,475,000 cap savings in 2015 plus a $1.75 cap hit and dead money in 2016. That cap hit just doesn't disappear and the Bills gain little by pushing it off because the're already set to be in a crunch next season (and because of carryover allowances).

That's fair. If we had our QB it would be different.

You are mixing up the numbers. The first one is dead money, the second is cap space saved. (Just look at the prorated signing bonus numbers.) Even if they'd designate him as a June 1st cut then they just push off some of the signing bonus hit until next season. June 1st designated cuts are still accounted for as if the player is not cut until that date. It just removes risks associated with the team being on the hook for salary if the player gets injured, paying for work out bonuses, etc. - and it gets the player on the market sooner.

http://overthecap.com/player/chris-williams/2179/ Cutting Chris Williams only saves a very little bit of space this season. $725k would be the cap reduction. (Incidentally another player making $585k would move up into the top 51 and that money would be deducted from the cap space, netting $140k savings. That player would fall back out if another player like Mathis was signed.) His dead money would be $2.625M. Still, it would be worth it just to save space in 2016 and beyond. He's expensive dead weight.

Sadly, this is correct. It would be worth it though.

I agree on the coaches. I wonder if the HGH testing is making it harder for some of these teams to replenish their rosters. For example there are a lot of rumors - and facts - out of Pittsburgh, including former team doctor Rydze, Worlids, etc. I took the question as which teams took the biggest step back this offseason. Big Ben has covered a lot of issues on that team along with Brown. But they lost a lot on defense this offseason: Polamalu, Worlids, Kiesel and both starting CBs (even if they weren't great). The offense only lost Lance Moore so that will keep them competitive and they'll still do ok as a team because of it, but that defense just took a big hit. I did not care much for their draft so I don't see much help there.

Chipper is going to leave that team a red hot mess.

1. SF - and it's not even close Others that have had notable net losses (in no particular order): Pittsburgh Baltimore New Orleans Denver (thanks to losing their LT) Detroit Cleveland (if Josh Gordon's suspension is included) Here is a link for some team by team info: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2474992-recapping-every-teams-key-additions-and-losses

The atmosphere of the HO is going to be off the hook. It'll be like a playoff game. The exuberance of the fan base is overwhelming and, I think, a bit premature. The gnawing question of competent QB play keeps getting glossed over, but at least it gets mentioned. Ditto the OL. The issues of a new coaching staff implementing new systems and an influx of new players, many of whom are pricy or come with baggage, is totally ignored. The Bills have some real talent on the team and a great front 7, but there is a lot that has to come together reasonably quickly for them to make a deep playoff run. This team is good enough to make it into the playoffs, but I want more than that. I want a team that can win (or at least compete for) a title and with what we have at QB and the suspect OL in front of any of them I am not optimistic for that. I see a year a lot like 2014, maybe just a bit better. Maybe a bit worse depending upon the learning curves and how quickly the new cogs mesh. The best scenarios might involve the team clicking and then going all in for a QB next offseason.

There are degrees of success. The minimum level of success is making the playoffs and looking like we should be there. Of the two choices given I'd take the second. A first round playoff spanking will be quickly forgotten, but finding a FQB would mean the very real possibility of a SB run starting next season - and for those of you keeping score, a SB victory is the ultimate goal.

Perhaps it could go next to the "Great Job!!!" banner.

I've been using overthecap.com but they both bear out the same thing although the numbers are a little different.

Correct. Sorry, was going from memory of the last time this came up. Still, there's no room for a guy like Mathis.

No, they really couldn't fit him under without freeing up some real cap space. That $6M the Bills currently are looking at will have to cover unsigned draft picks, a full 53 man roster (under Rule of 51 now), a practice squad and any in-season additions due to players going on IR. Also forget about some magical contract structure that pushes the cap hit off until next year as that looks even looks tighter. Plus there's the little matter of upcoming free agents needing signed. Players like Dareus. He's 300 pounds, isn't he? That seems like a reasonable weight for a guy who plays LG and would be required to pull. Even in a power scheme you need guys who can do that

They do play that card a lot, but with good reason. Their support sucks and Florida already had two established teams when they were added. Jax should never have gotten a team to begin with. The only reason they haven't moved yet is that the NFL has them pegged for moving to London when the time is right.

I'd think the Bills would still be very interested in acquiring a guard the caliber of Mathis. He'd be a big upgrade. They're just way beyond the point of being able to afford him.

Mathis is doing a tremendous impression of Bill the Cat in the photo you linked.

Without a quality QB on the roster why go all out everywhere else - except the OL, that is? I see them getting into the playoffs, but not seriously threatening to make it to the Super Bowl.

I should add that having an owner who is wealthy enough to be able to care much more about winning rhan making a profit is great. You are right that the Pegulas are very welcome in that respect. But that doesn't mean spending in FA like they have recently is the answer. History shows us that it isn't. I disagree about the recent drafts having been "as good as anybody's". They haven't been good and filling holes left by them is the reason the Bills have been spending so much.

This is actually a very big worry for me. How often does building a team through expensive free agents work? Take out the rare instances where a franchise QB was gained (like Brees in NO) and the answer is "pretty much never". I'm all for keeping our own and supplementing that through moderately priced and cheaper FAs, but we've burned some real money on FAs that aren't proven difference makers. For the record, Mario is certainly a proven difference maker. A team can make a move like that occasionally as long as they get it right, but they can't make it standard practice to fill every hole. It starts with drafting and I don't see great drafting. The best addition the last few years was Watkins and it took 2 firsts and a fourth to get him. How many other holes got filled with a quality player via the draft these past three years? All I see is Woods and Kiko. I like Woods, but we just added Harvin for one year at $6M. I loved Kiko, but he got traded away for a piece of the Shady deal. Then we paid Shady like a FA. Sigh. I'd love to think that this won't come back and bite us in the ass, but I expect that it will.

I'm with eball on this. Exactly what good does Spikes do a team if he's suspended? Or in jail? The only no brainier is staying the hell away from this moron. And it isn't like stupid behavior is out of the norm for this guy.

The NFL has a good system. There's no need to change it. Capping what one player can make only makes sense in a league with a soft salary cap (like the NBA). Since the QB position is so much more valuable than any other I don't see a soft cap as a good solution in the NFL. Teams will make mistakes giving certain players over-inflated contracts; that's just part of the game.

That's just outstanding.

I think it is wrong. If a team or any other organization wants to honor veterans, police officers, firemen or anyone else I am good with it. But exchanging money for it and presenting it as genuine makes it dirty and dishonorable.