MadBuffaloDisease

I don't know that anyone is "talking up" Shelton per se, but him being an UFA and free to negotiate a lower salary definitely makes him more attractive. And if the Bills DO go after him, it's because they want him, despite what they've said in the past, and that's good enough for me.

Yep. Didn't make him a sure thing for the Bills, and to hear some people, he wasn't worth a 4th rounder back then OR now.

It will only turn out bad if Shelton plays like a stud for another team this season. To this point though, and as I alluded to above, the Bills made out by NOT trading a really good RB for a guy who would cost $3M a year and would have been released outright anyway.

So if TD had taken the trade, it basically would have been a 4th rounder they accepted for Travis, since that's what the swap of 2nd's was worth points-wise, seeing as how Shelton was going to be cut anyway. So the Bills, if interested (and that remains to be seen), can pickup Shelton for a lot less than $3M a year. They can also trade Travis for MORE than the 4th round pick they would have gotten, in a weak draft. Meanwhile the Cards are pinning their hopes on a 2nd round RB. Nice.

Come on, a 2006 3rd rounder for Travis which can conditionally become a 1st rounder. Previously you could have gotten him for a 2005 3rd rounder straight-up, in a weak draft. Better act quick! Supplies running out!

Shelton isn't getting anywhere NEAR $3M a year, even with signing bonus factored-in. But I also doubt he signs more than a 2-year deal with a team.

Uh, Floyd, wanna pick up that phone NOW? LOL!

What makes you think the Bills will release Travis, much less trade him for a 6th rounder? They'll at worst keep him even if he holds-out just to screw him over, and then wait for a comp pick in 2007. But methinks there will be a team to come a'callin' for his services.

The more time passes, the more RB's will start to drop like flies. Taylor is the latest. There will be more, rest assured.

It is afterall, ALL ABOUT THE RB.

I don't believe anything anyone in the NFL says.

Holding, or NOT holding, is about technique. As long as you keep your hands within the defender's frame, i.e. between his shoulders, it's legal. False starts is more about concentration. Hopefully BA improves in both areas, and loses some weight as well.

I would have rather had Ruben at LG last year than Tucker/Smith. However I think that Ruben needed to move on after what happened in 2003.

We're all pulling for you.

Yeah, get me the 5 seconds of life I just wasted reading this post!

The Bills and Jags have 2 different scenarios. For starters, Willis isn't coming off recent knee surgery and there aren't concerns he'll miss the season (and as far as I'm concerned, his chances of getting injured are the same as any other starting RB on any other team). In addition, there is a very real possibility Travis might sit-out the first 10 games, making him a potential backup moot for 5/8 of the season.

You sign a contract though and you're supposed to HONOR that contract. And when a player doesn't play well, they don't exactly go giving money back now, do they? Should Willis have repaid the Bills for 2003 since he didn't play at all?

Actually it's more like a "siddown, BIIITCH!" than a conventional stiff arm.

Hmmm, strip club...something's raising, but it AIN'T my hand. BTW my wife just called me a "pervert."

Toefield is at best (and he's not even that good at that) a 3rd down back. As for Pearman, he could be good, but he's an unproven rookie. Let me ask you, would you as a fan REALLY want to see your team, one that you thought should have made the playoffs last year and expect them to get their THIS year, go into the season with a guy who should be playing FB, a not-so-good 3rd down back, and an unproven rookie, while HOPING your star RB can make it through the season? I wouldn't.

I thought I heard that he didn't HAVE an ACL in one knee?

Don't worry about what you can't control. Maybe Willis will hold out after a good season, maybe he'll accept his incentive-laden deal that was negotiated in good faith. Who knows?

Well the only REAL question as to whether the Bills take him or not is: how much does Krumrie like wrestling this guy?

Like I said, Jones isn't an NFL caliber tailback. As a FB, it's a different story. But regardless of whether they trade for Travis or not, going into the season with major uncertainty surrounding Taylor's knee or HOPING that Jones can be an NFL tailback, would be stupid.

Based on what? Take a look at his stats last year. He's at best going to be a FB for the Jags.