silvermike

Also, we'll have to see how the deal is structured, because we're not familiar with what cash-to-the-cap contracts look like. Obviously, if it's a three year deal that goes $6M, $6M, $6M, that's pretty straightforward. But it could be $6M, $6M, $1M, $1M, $1M, so that he gets a 'signing bonus' of $12 million over the first two years, and PFT's source reported that. Stay tuned. Also, it's worth noting that he plays a key position for our defense, and there aren't any comprable replacements with Smith and Allen off the market.

Let's see - getting an extra first rounder in 2006 cost a 2nd and a 3rd. So figure Willis is worth about the same as Travis (e.g. a third), and it'd probably take our second to get the Giants first. Pricey.

Yeah, really sh------- planning to not have the extra hundreds of millions of dollars available to dole out signing bonuses. I guess the way to most improve the team is move to LA and run a bigger profit.

I'd really like to see the Bills end up with a later first so they can grab DeMarcus Tyler. Seems to be a better fit for what we need - a run stuffing DT and more picks. That might net you a second or even a 2008 first.

Free agents will weigh offers made to them by other teams, particularly those with salary cap space and a need at the position. I don't know why we even bother reporting these things anymore.

When was the last time the Pats threw a large amount of money at any unrestricted free agent?

Following that first link: Either that's a poorly managed website, or Marv moved like lightening to bring TV back.

Miami has quarterback problems, Aaron Brooks is a veteran free agent with playoff experience... pleasepleasepleasepleaseplesaeplease sign him, Cam. I dare ya.

http://www.nflpa.org/AboutUs/TroyVincentBio.aspx the goal is $1 billion in net worth - maybe he should buy the Bills.

I like Troy, nonetheless. I wonder if he'll be coaching by September.

I'll note that this news came shortly after Lance Briggs went off the market. The top Cover-2 LB is gone, and now the Bills are talking about extending their guy. Hmmm...

Nice to see the next Hines Ward, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Plaxico Burress, Donald Driver and Reggie Wayne are all coming out this year. We can wait until the third round or draft a more modest, Eric Moulds type on day two! Seriously, though, Craig Davis is interesting as a late 2nd-early 3rd round pick, should we be in a trading mood.

For what it's worth, you can't get cut for an injury, so if you do get a career-ender, you are probably paid the balance of your contract, or at least some arranged settlement. I'm not exactly sure how it works - there must be an insurance side of things as well. Now, that doesn't mean you get paid squat if you get injured in the last game before your free agency, or something like that. Or while playing under a franchise tender, etc. (woot! 1000 posts)

Drew and London must have gotten some bad whiffs of the market for his services if he's changing his tune and talking about coming back now. Interesting.

Except that this is Perry Fewell's Cover-2, not Dick Jauron's 4-3.

You can talk about someone's draft status before they play a down. Now that Williams isn't a rookie any more, who cares when he was drafted? He showed promise last year, the coaches like him, and that's what we're basing it on. The success rate for 5th round picks isn't what we should be looking at any more, it pales in relevance to the success rate of DTs who started as a rookie, or some similar measure.

There is no estate tax in 2010, before it zaps back into existence the next year. So the exact timing of when Ralph (or any other wealthy person) dies is really important, in a terribly gruesome kind of way. The solution? Ralph should fake his own death in the year 2010, and secretyl manage the team from an underground location.

Who say? You say!

Well, lucky for him it was 81 and not 86.

Hire more scouts!

Screw that, it's an awesome social experiment. Nelly should take it on tour. Football stadiums, political rallies, everything. Who causes the most violence for a dollar? Men or women? Democrats or Republicans? Cityfolk or rurals? Then film it, send it to Fox, and let America fall apart a little more.

Really, there are 32 DC jobs in the league. Granted, most of them are full, but you don't think there was at least one that would have made room for Rivera?

We did NOT have one of the worst defenses in the league last year. We gave up 19.4 points per game, 10th in the league. The run defense was terrible, no doubt, but we made it up in the passing game, where we placed 7th. Admittedly, some of that is from teams not getting into passing situations. It wasn't a dominant defense by any stretch, and it certainly wasn't good *enough*, but it wasn't terrible and it wasn't one of the worst. Add to that the fact that Whitner, Simpson, Youboty, Ellison, McCargo, and Williams are almost certain to improve after a full year in an pro system, Hargrove should pick it up as he gets used to being in Buffalo, and the team's defense will be pretty good. In any case, it's the offense that causes problems. 3rd worst in the league in yardage, one of only six teams to average less than 100 yards per game on the ground, and abysmal on 3rd downs.

Bold moves are trades - Rodney Harrison probably deserves top five billing.

There really are two categories of free agents - one for guys like Warner and Bulger, who came out of nowhere to become stars. The other is for the guys I listed: established players who succeeded after their big payday.