BillsVet

They've had 6 months to get one done with UFA to be Lee Evans and nothing's materialized. Does that mean they're not interested there either?

It's obvious that the NFL, and pro sports in general, are now players leagues. They have more control over their personal situations, i.e. renegotiating contracts, than ever before. The genesis was free agency, when players weren't obligated to play for one team, unless of course they were traded. No owner will admit this is the case, but it is. Whether he wants to admit it or not, Ralph Wilson knows there is a lot at stake this season. The Bills have their highest figure of season ticket holders in 15 years, made a lucrative deal with Ted Rogers that brings another 78M, and revenue sharing. If, and it's a giant if, the Bills aren't a playoff team this season, the fanfare over the Bills will decrease markedly into 2009. Signing your own players goes a long way toward showing the fans you're serious about being a winner.

Raimus, for once you and I agree. Marv said that it's important to sign your own. He obviously learned a lot from Polian, who has retained his very good to elite talent in Manning, Freeney, Sanders, Wayne, Clark, and Harrison while jettisoning the likes of Jason David, Nick Harper, Ryan Lilja, and Larry Tripplett. It just seems the front office is different than when Levy was GM. I can't put my finger on it, but what kind of offer could the Bills have offered Evans that's taken 6 months? Either way, he'll get significant attention in UFA, and I wouldn't be surprised if he got Javon Walker money should he go that route. Let's hope he doesn't.

Overdorf should be taking his cues from whomever is handling the job of GM. I suppose that's Brandon, but it's hard to tell. The Bills go against conventional wisdom and don't have a true GM or VP of Personnel type. It's a bit premature to start blaming, though in most NFL front offices, the GM would be handling these issues with some support staff. Either way, it's not promising that it's taking this long. Kinda like when the jury's out on a case for days and you're the plaintiff. Chances are it's not going well.

5-6 month contract negotiations aren't normal either. I'm not keen on giving Evans a Bernard Berrian like deal, but it's what UFA has decided an experienced and somewhat successful WR can get. Buffalo can either pay him now (w/21M in cap room) or just try to cultivate someone else and take 2-3 more years doing it. The Bills went out just 18 months ago and gave top dollar to Dockery, and it all surprised the heck out of us. While I don't know what Evans is asking for, it seems the Bills are taking another hardline approach toward his negotiations. Unless he wants what Javon Walker got in Oakland, I don't see why they've taken so long. Thing is, how far apart were they to start that's made this drag out so long?

Not including Buffalo, I don't think there's a team in the entire AFC with more pressure to win than Cleveland. The acquired Rogers and Corey Williams via trade, signed Donte Stallworth, and just missed the playoffs last year. Their schedule is brutal, and they play no less than four primetime games this year.

Ryan Grant held out from training camp for less than two weeks and received a new contract after having all of one half season's success running the ball. GB gave him a 4 year 30M deal after Grant intially proposed a 6 yr 40M contract. Not all negotiations are the similar, but it's noteworthy that this thing has lagged with no results for the past few months. After Evans announced at mini-camp that they'd made some progress, I get the feeling it's stalled. That's not to say it's a permanent halt, but I've never heard of negotiations on professional sports contracts lasting 5+ months.

The MMQB article in SI this week highlights the often frenetic pace things take around the opening of free agency. Per King: "I think if you're a fan of the Browns, or if you're interested in the mechanics of how a trade in the NFL gets done, you might want to read my diary of Cleveland's offseason in Sports Illustrated later this week. My favorite part is the contentious trade between Cleveland and Detroit for Rogers, and how Rogers went from Detroit to Cleveland to Cincinnati to Buffalo to Cleveland in about 18 hours. The emotion and anger in the discussions between Millen and Phil Savage will be fun to read. They were fun to report." I'm interested to see the details in the full article of how Rogers almost came to Buffalo. It's also nice that a reporter can go behind the scenes and write on the inner workings of a front office.

There has been a distinct lack of leadership in the front office, most notably a strong leader with a personnel background that knows what they're doing. Donahoe's reign was full of mistakes and the record shows it translated to the field over five seasons. However, when it was time to find another GM with a working knowledge of how a front office works, Wilson went first with Levy and now with Brandon. IMO, the inconsistency in personnel is directly related to the lack of a veritable NFL GM or VP of Personnel. I'm confident Brandon wants to show his mettle and not let Peters or Evans get the better of him. He's versed in marketing and business, but it's not so easy to take that exact mentality and transfer it into how to deal with star football players in the professional ranks. Brandon was thrown into the fire very quickly earlier this year. We won't know how well the free agents will be for a little while and the draft for perhaps another 2-3 seasons. But a Bills team minus Peters and Evans next season will be a U-Turn in the quest to create a respectable football team.

It's ironic the Bills were talked about around here for signing their own, (K. Williams, Kelsay, Butler) but those deals pale in comparison to anything Evans will get. The Bills spent some big dollars in 07 on Dockery, Walker, and Schobel. This season, they've only given out small to moderate contracts to K. Williams, Butler, Stroud, Mitchell, and Johnson. As much as this team needs role players and above average types, every team needs to find and keep their own stars. I don't understand why this Evans contract has lingered into the regular season after no less than 5 months of negotiations.

I wouldn't even mind if some of the name players left, and the team continued to win. There just isn't a winning tradition, and watching the highlights from the late eighties and nineties is getting old. The NFL's new commercials of "what about now" seem to be especially relevant to the Bills. Evans may not have the numbers of a Moss, Owens, or Wayne, but he's the best receiver on this team by a longshot. Replacing him will take time and considering their other options are Parrish, Reed, and Hardy, I don't see it being a good idea to let him go. I've heard so much about continuity, there's no reason not to keep him.

Seeing Williams named the starter at the 3 Tech RDT does beg the question about McCargo. It also makes me wonder why the Bills signed Spencer Johnson. Don't get me wrong, I like what he brings to the team. I just don't see him getting major minutes at DE where Denney and Ellis will be the principal backups to Kelsay and Schobel. He'll no doubt be part of the DT rotation, and certainly in on passing downs, but at 17.5M it's a steep price to pay for a situational pass rushing DT.

One of the greatest articles I've ever read about the evolution of the LT. It's lengthy, but an indication of how having someone who can be left alone in pass pro is so valuable to an entire offense. Left Tackle SI article from 2006

He's been converted from TE to OT. Maybe the team thinks they have a trend working. When I heard he had a rotator cuff injury, it seemed inevitable that it would be a season ending thing. At camp, I saw him get tossed around, and I think most of it had to do with his weight being in the 270 range for a position that most play at or above 300 pounds. He never seemed to be much as for being a TE. Maybe he'll be cut if and when Peters returns. Then again, maybe they'll have him revert back to TE.

It's not one or a group of teams responsibility to manage salaries and ensure other teams don't have to spend more. The Vikings have spent a bunch of money this year, and I'm sure their first goal is to get into the playoffs and make some more money, not keep other teams spending down. They also made the Hutchinson deal in 06, and the market has been set. It may not be fair to you, but it's the NFL's economic reality. The truth is, no team can realistically plan 2-3 years into the future. There may be a loose framework established, but ask the Cowboys if they thought Tony Romo would be a franchise QB in 2004. Or how about Willie Parker going from Pittsburgh's 3rd stringer in 04 to being a standout RB by 06? Strange things happen which surprise even the best front offices. Peters is a fine example, and while I'm not going to comment on the current saga, no one in 2004 could have predicted he'd be selected to the Pro Bowl at OLT. Even savvy personnel people can't predict who'll come out of nowhere. And it's certainly not a league wide responsibility to keep spending down. The cap already does that. If there's any question, check the MLB and NBA salaries, where 10M a year is only a decent sized contract, not a giant one.

The opener will be a decent test for an improved Bills team - on paper. It's been talked about for so long, but running the ball and stopping the run are still huge things the team hasn't done well in a long time. Without putting too much into pre-season, there were some issues running the ball. I'd like to see the OL, with or without Peters, put that notion to rest. They'll have the benefit of not seeing a few Seattle guys like Babineaux and Bernard, but Tatupu and Kerney remain from a decent defense. The defense has the size to finally hold up at the line of scrimmage and keep opponents from running the ball down their throat. Stroud should be setting the table each game for the LB's to make some plays. I always tired of hearing how previous Bills teams wanted LB's to run to the ball and make plays. The difference was a stout front 4 to control the LOS, and now they have that - on paper. As a reasonable Bills fan, I've got to be cautiously optimistic. The schedule seems to favor them, and they've got more size in the defenses' front 7. As improved as the defense seems to be, if the offense cannot put at least 20+ on the board each week, there will still be issues.

Larry Tripplett also cut by the Seahawks...guess no return to Buffalo for him. To think, Marv and Dick gave this guy 5 year 18.5M just two seasons ago.

FWIW, Anderson lost his job to the now-franchised Stacy Andrews on the Cincinnati OL. He acknowledged that wear and tear doesn't allow him to be a regular starter like he used to be. As cheap as Cincy is, and Mike Brown makes Ralph Wilson look like a big spender, it's not surprising considering he couldn't play at a high level consistently anymore. He'd be a depth guy, capable of playing a few games. Anderson and Andrews He's a name, sure. But as a player his skills no longer match the regard his name used to.

New regulations from the Federal Transit Administration prevent publicly subsidized transit organizations from competing with private companies such as First Student (formerly Laidlaw) and serving a specific group of people like those going to RWS. The main reason is that publicly funded transit can severely underbid private companies, especially considering the former don't have to pay taxes like the latter does. RTS was fortunate a federal judged ruled in February in their favor, as their routes to provide this service to the city school district were specifically designed for the school kids and not really public. First Student took the matter to court, but ultimately was found not to have the resources to do what RTS does for the city school district. The downside is, no further routes for events like the Lilac Festival, Bills training camp, to RWS, and anything which caters mainly to a segment of the populus are permitted. The rules are ambiguous, and unfortunately I haven't heard of anyone from the private sector willing to do this service. If there is, they can't possibly do it for what RTS used to charge.

Didn't they just give another guy a contract who happens to play the rush LB position that Merriman occupies? To me, they're preparing for life after him.

The better a team gets, the more their players cost. Buffalo will have plenty of tough decisions in the next few years as guys like Edwards, Posluszny, Crowell, McGee, Lynch, and perhaps Whitner will need or want new contracts. There's no way to sign them all and some will not remain. Polian deals with this every year, and finds a way to replace talent. Guys like Jason David and Cato June leave, and they have already drafted their replacement in a Marin Jackson or Freedie Keiaho type. At the same time, Indy made sure to keep Manning, Freeney, Sanders, Wayne, and Harrison for the long term. Buffalo has decided to spend far less than the cap, which has become a growing trend in the NFL. It's also important for the personnel people to provide Wilson with sound advice about who to open his wallet to and who not to. Evans has been decided on, primarily because they lack of threat at WR, but I've got a feeling people like Crowell and McGee are players they believe are replaceable. Regardless, Peters should be re-signed at some point. He's too valuable to their selected franchise QB and team success. They have money to work with, but they're not ready financially to do it this season. If he departs this team via trade and can play at his current level, the front office immediately becomes one, if not the worst in the NFL. After all, I keep hearing about now and playing well now. Draft picks don't help this season.

Defensive Tackle Importance Defensive End Importance "You talk in any sport about your strength up the middle," Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy said. "Those guys are right in the middle, right at the ball. The closer you are to the ball before it is snapped, the more impact you can have. I go back to my initiation as a player in the NFL in the '70s and being with Joe Greene at tackle in Pittsburgh. He created total havoc. And fear." No less an authority than Tony Dungy preaches what we all know. Finding the right player in the middle is difficult, and it's clear only a few in the NFL today are difference makers. OTOH, Carucci believes DE's are the player to have on defense, and I would certainly agree they're important. The Giants overwhelmingly demonstrated it during the Super Bowl. Either way, defensive line play sets the stage for the rest of the defense to function and succeed.

As has been mentioned numerous times, the probability he has a catastrophic injury and refused to communicate on this basis is a conspiracy theory. It's too bad enough around here have bought into. The only thing left now is for the National Enquirer to run an article confirming Peters is now the Elephant man and isolated in a room to hide it. Can anyone imagine a player concealing an injury during contract negotiations? It's impossible, and would permanently harm any agent doing so.

This goes back to someone's post in another thread which emphasized how Ralph talks about being competitive, not necessarily being a Super Bowl team, let alone a playoff team. The fans purchased 56k+ season tickets, know there is a favorable schedule, withstood the Toronto thing, and has waited through 8 non-playoff seasons. That's a strong fan base if there ever was one. Regardless, Ralph has a strong personality, as evidenced by his stance on the recent bad CBA for owners. I don't see him caving to anyone, especially a 26 year old. He has or will collect his revenue sharing, ticket money, and Toronto pay to play funds. He's in the driver seat, and unfortunately, NFL owners cannot guarantee a winner on the back of tickets. He has no requirement to earmark 50M+ for a player with much of it guaranteed. And he won't.

Unfortunately it takes a hard hit to Hamdan for people to realize Bell has a long ways to go in his NFL career. He's not even close to being a NFL starter.