Bills' UFA targets

[pioniere]

The UFA list has been released (http://nfllabor.com). Here is a list of players the Bills could potentially target at areas of need. A list of comments is at the end.

 

NT

Hollis Thomas (Car)

Ryan Pickett (GB)

Jason Ferguson (Mia)

Jimmy Kennedy (Min)

Vince Wilfork (NE)

Fred Robbins (NYG)

Casey Hampton (Pit)

Aubrayo Franklin (SF)

 

QB

Dante Culpepper (Det)

Chad Pennington (Mia)

David Carr (NYG)

 

OT

Chad Clifton (GB)

Artis Hicks (Min)

Jon Runyan (SD)

Barry Sims (SF)

Levi Jones (WAS)

 

 

WR

Derrick Mason (Bal)

Terrell Owens (Buf)

Josh Reed (Buf)

Kevin Walter (Hou)

Chris Chambers (KC)

Antonio Bryant (TB)

 

TE

Will Heller (DET)

Ben Watson (NE)

Randy McMichael (STL)

Alge Crumpler (TEN)

 

 

Comments:

 

-- Players are listed in no particular order

 

-- Lots of candidates at NT. Wilfork and Hampton probably won't be available when signing begins. Thomas and Pickett would be great space eaters. Kennedy had 3 sacks in limited playing time.

 

-- Slim pickings at the QB position

 

-- Not a lot of candidates at OT. Clifton could be a great fit. Do Runyan or Sims have any gas left in the tank? Not sure how Jones looked this past season.

 

-- Mason may retire, but would be a great pickup. Walter could be a nice replacement for Reed, who I don't think the Bills should re-sign. Do we bring back T.O.? (Edit: Forgot to add Chris Chambers. He would be an excellent addition)

 

-- TE isn't as much of a need as some other areas, but there's not much good depth there at present. The listed UFAs could be better options than anyone other than Nelson. Watson would be a nice pickup.

[Philo]

I would have to go with nose tackle. We need a guy with 3-4 experience to anchor the D-line next year if we want the 3-4 to be successful.

 

Quarterback would be my number two, but you are correct - slim pickings.

[CarolinaBill]

Levi Jones is lookin pretty good to lock up one of the tackle spots

[DanInUticaTampa]

Jones maybe for RT. But since they didn't go after him last year, I doubt anything changes this year.

 

If we get a stud (or something decent) at NT is FA, that would be great. That is a huge whole on this team and I don't think we should throw a rookie in there. I don't see us signing a guy like hampton or wilfork though. But NT seems to be something we will HAVE to do in FA.

[BillsGuyInMalta]

My REALISTIC wish list:

 

Chris Chambers, WR (Knows Gailey, good friends with Evans...fills the #2 WR role)

Levi Jones, OT (At the very worst, some quality depth. At best, our starting LT)

Cornell Green, OT (Gives our tackles another veteran)

Wade Smith, OG (Another depth pick-up, knows Gailey from time in KC, has played all 5 spots on O-Line)

Ian Scott, DT (Got his career back on track during spot duty in San Diego)

Dwan Edwards, DE (Really underrated player from Baltimore's stout Defense)

Tully Banta-Cain, OLB (All he did was get 10 sacks in his first full year starting)

Joey Porter, OLB (Experience at 3-4, knows the D-Coordinator)

[SawchukBills]

If we can get either a solid NT (assuming all don't get franchised) OR a solid OT drafting will be a bit more straight forward. Let's face it, for next season, we won't find ALL our immediate answers in the draft...we will have to rely on UFAs to AT LEAST hold us over.

 

I'm hoping for a NT in free agency.

[DarthICE]

I don't do any RFA's this year. We need to keep all of our picks and hopefully find a way to pick up more that Nix can use

[The Jokeman]

If the Bills are seriously going to go 3-4, a NT is a definite and it seems like there's quite a few half way decent ones in free agency. I'd love for us to land Wilfolk because of his youth and also take it to the Patriots in the same vein but honestly think he'll be way out of our price range. Instead we might go for an overaged Hampton and/or Ferguson.

 

My REALISTIC wish list:

 

Chris Chambers, WR (Knows Gailey, good friends with Evans...fills the #2 WR role),

I hate the idea of Chambers, he is a Lee Evans clone ie best suited as a #2 WR but teams keep thinking he's a #1 when he's not.

 

Levi Jones, OT (At the very worst, some quality depth. At best, our starting LT)

I don't mind pursing him.

 

Cornell Green, OT (Gives our tackles another veteran)

I thought he was due to be an RFA?

 

Wade Smith, OG (Another depth pick-up, knows Gailey from time in KC, has played all 5 spots on O-Line)

Someone has to replace Seth McKinney, so why not.

Ian Scott, DT (Got his career back on track during spot duty in San Diego)

If we kept playing the 4-3 perhaps pursue him for depth to replace McCargo but don't see him as a starter especially in the 3-4.

 

Dwan Edwards, DE (Really underrated player from Baltimore's stout Defense)

Underrated but overaged.

 

Tully Banta-Cain, OLB (All he did was get 10 sacks in his first full year starting)

Overrated, he strugged with San Fran and that's why he went back to NE where true he excelled but have to wonder if it's the Belechek magic.

 

Joey Porter, OLB (Experience at 3-4, knows the D-Coordinator)

Stopgap but might be worth pursuing if Schobel retires but is he really a free agent as thought Miami ended up not cutting him because of cap concerns?

[CarolinaBill]

Jones maybe for RT. But since they didn't go after him last year, I doubt anything changes this year.

 

If we get a stud (or something decent) at NT is FA, that would be great. That is a huge whole on this team and I don't think we should throw a rookie in there. I don't see us signing a guy like hampton or wilfork though. But NT seems to be something we will HAVE to do in FA.

It's a new day in the decision making department remember. Guy is gone, so maybe now somebody will have a different view of what jones can bring.

 

This draft is really deep on Dlineman, I dont think this team will throw 10mil at wilfork or hampton, both look like they may get franchised, so we will probably see 2 guys taken in the draft, I like thomas and williams.

[John from Riverside]

Given the acl situation with Bell, the retirement of Butler AND the need for a left tackle I think they should both take a Left Tackle high AND bring in a free agent......

 

I like Meradeth at RT but that still isn't enough......Levi Jones for right tackle and drafting a left tackle would be a good idea

[Gotta Dream]

Give me someone fat and active, with a good motor.

 

ala: Pat Williams, Ted Washington.

[first_and_ten]

The UFA list has been released (http://nfllabor.com). Here is a list of players the Bills could potentially target at areas of need. A list of comments is at the end.

 

 

Thanks

[first_and_ten]

Given the above list, the Bills have slim pickings at WR , OT and QB...they better draft pretty good

[maryland-bills-fan]

I'm expecting Galley to dump a heck of a lot of or present players and add a boatload of people that we haven't heard of from the FA pile. The Pasties have a lot of cast-off players (Morris at RB!) that somehow Bellycheck gets performance out of and they are always in the hunt. Galley is an old seasoned pro and talent evaluator- he will mine suprising gold from other people's trash heaps and everyone will be slapping their heads saying that they knew that guy was undervalued. The draft should be for quality players with upside and potential. I'm expecting a mild trade down in the first round and then picking one of the top 5 OT's or a NT in the first.

 

Let me serve myself another glass of Kool-Aide.

[YOOOOOO]

Get a FA NT & LB....either Dansby/Hollis or Pickett/Porter

 

 

Draft LT 1st round(Bulaga)

Draft NT 2nd round(Cody)

Draft LB 3rd round(Norwood)

[LynchMob23]

And don't forget, much like Porter and Adalius Thomas, there will be a ton of vets front offices don't want to pay at their current salary and will cut. An uncapped year is the best time to clear that space, because there's no penalty. So while the list of official FA (barring Franchise/Transition tags) is good, we'll have another 60+ (assuming 2 dumps at least a team) to work with.

[jtl3302]

Is Gabe Watson a UFA? If he is, he might be a nice addition. Living in Viking country, Jimmy Kennedy really impressed me when given the opportunity. However, he played DT in 43 so not sure if he can handle nose. Not real impressed with the QB options, might consider trading for Campbell or Kolb. Not real impressed with OT options either, need to replenish through draft(any possibility Levitre slides outside to RT and Wood and Incognito man guard positions?). Finally I'd GO AFTER DANSBY HARD!!!!

[SouthGeorgiaBillsFan]

Given the acl situation with Bell, the retirement of Butler AND the need for a left tackle I think they should both take a Left Tackle high AND bring in a free agent......

 

I like Meradeth at RT but that still isn't enough......Levi Jones for right tackle and drafting a left tackle would be a good idea

 

I couldn't agree more with your assessment. After watching last year you would think that people would understand how poor a decision it was to disregard the O-line. The conundrum is that where last year we seemed to have all the pieces in place *except* for a solid O-line heading into the season, this year we are in equally bad if not worse situation regarding the O-line, and on top of that, we are most likely going to lose our solid core of WRs, our defense is completely porous and we utterly lack the personnel to make the 3-4 work.

 

Some fans may finally get their wish for a top 5 draft pick, because with a new coaching staff, a defensive scheme for which we cannot in any way field adequate players, the worst O-line in the NFL yet again, no QB (which is pretty irrelevant at this point since a good QB would just get pummeled here anyway), Lee !@#$ing Evans as our likely "#1" receiver (that says it all right there), and on top if it all, our one redeeming quality which was special teams will be without the highest regarded special teams coach in the NFL.

 

I would not be surprised if we are the worst team in the league for the next 2 or 3 years. At least the Lions are improving. We are de-proving.

 

But yea, glad we got rid of Jason Peters though. THAT made us better. Woot.

[Ghost of Rob Johnson]

Barring franchise tags, NT seems to be the one position that has legitimate starters available this offseason.

[pioniere]

It's a new day in the decision making department remember. Guy is gone, so maybe now somebody will have a different view of what jones can bring.

 

This draft is really deep on Dlineman, I dont think this team will throw 10mil at wilfork or hampton, both look like they may get franchised, so we will probably see 2 guys taken in the draft, I like thomas and williams.

 

Exactly. Just because the last front office didn't act on Jones doesn't mean this one won't. I also see us taking one of the less expensive NTs available, rather than trying to spend a ton of money on Wilfork or Hampton. I think Hollis Thomas would be a great pickup at NT if we can get him.