Drayton Florence Released

[billsfan89]

I just hope he doesn't end up in the division. San Diego seems like a good fit for him he had success there. Can't complain about his time here. He was at times our best corner. He did have some ugly times but he never played in front of a good pass rush.

[BuffaloRebound]

Florence was either hot or cold during his stay in Buffalo.

 

When he was bad, he was oftentimes getting flagged for multiple pass interference calls in a single game; thus costing a practical football field in penalty yards. He would be abused with holding calls, hands to the face, etc.

 

When he was good, he was returning INT's for TD's.

 

There never seemed to be a middle ground.

 

For the amount of his salary, and for the mercurial nature of Mr. Florence, I think that this is a wise move.

 

Now if we could only shed Kelsay....

 

Merriman, Kelsay, Edwards, and Johnson are all scheduled to make in the $4m range this year as back-ups. Can't see more than 2 of them making the team. Carrington and Troupe probably get another year, and the team seems to like Heard too. My guess is Edwards is definitely gone and Johnson will have to take a pay-cut. Probably gotta keep Kelsay around because you can't rely on Merriman to play a whole season, but Kelsay is probably making $3m more here than he would for any other team.

[DefenseWinzChampionshipz]

UMMMMMM OK... Quick question... I don't recall a trading deadline or a date where Florence had to get paid today so my question is, couldn't we have traded him? Is he not worth somebody's 5th or 4th round draft pick next year?

[ny33]

UMMMMMM OK... Quick question... I don't recall a trading deadline or a date where Florence had to get paid today so my question is, couldn't we have traded him? Is he not worth somebody's 5th or 4th round draft pick next year?

 

Why would Florence be worth a 4th or 5th when Asante Samuel is only a 7th? I know Samuel's contract is bad, but Florence isn't cheap, either, and certainly the worse of the two.

[DefenseWinzChampionshipz]

Why would Florence be worth a 4th or 5th when Asante Samuel is only a 7th? I know Samuel's contract is bad, but Florence isn't cheap, either, and certainly the worse of the two.

 

So then make it a 7th... I would have taken even a bum off someone's PS to try out and release if it didn't work. I guess it was a friendly gesture to let Drayton seek the team HE wants. I don't know. I'm ok with cutting him. I am. I just would have at least tried to see if there was a trade partner. Then again maybe Buddy DID try. Who knows...

 

My other question is, being that he was still under contract, by releasing him do we take a cap hit?

[Malazan]

I thought they should have kept him through camp. I think that putting Florence, McGee, and McKevlin all on the block would have pushed them in camp. By cutting him this early while it does free up practice time for Williams, Gilmore, and Brooks. I think that it maybe makes McGee and McKelvin a little more complacent. I know McGee just re-did his deal and McKevlin is younger and has shown more upside. But I thought Florence could battle those two and really push the others.

 

It is considered really bad form to release a guy late when he can't latch on somewhere else.

[Arkady Renko]

A few thoughts.

 

I always liked his leadership and big play ability. I hated his propensity to be forced to make costly penalties. I wonder, though, whether he would have had a lot of success this year because of the improved pass rush. Improved pass rush leads to more opportunities for turnovers...

 

A see a lot of people falling into the maligning of Chris Kelsay. According to PFF, however, Kelsay was the best LB on the Bills last year. Furthermore, Drayton Florence was ranked behind 100 other CBs. That goes well beyond the starters on other teams.

 

http://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2012/02/24/fantasy-off-season-idp-depth-chart-outlook-%E2%80%93-afc-east/

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Completely disagree.

 

Peters wanted a huge contract and Philly gave it to him. They're paying him $60 million. Now that he ruptured his Achilles, he will have missed 22 games since he joined the Eagles only 4 years ago. He averaged 1.5 holding penalties and 5 false starts per year. He has given up an average of 4 sacks per year while with Philly. To put those statistics into perspective, Demetrius Bell had 0 false starts, 0 holding penalties, and gave up only 1/2 a sack last season. Chris Hairston had 2 false starts, 1 holding penalty, and gave up 4 sacks. In other words, Bell and has pitiful contract put up better numbers than Peters. Hairston and his pitiful contract put up the same numbers as $60 million Peters.

 

In exchange for Jason Peters, the Bills received the Eagles 28th overall pick. With that pick the Bills selected Eric Wood. He is a Pro Bowl Center and we signed him to a $9 million contract.

 

We effectively traded a good LT who wanted $60 million for a good Center who signed for $9 million. And our LT's are putting up similar or better numbers than Peters is in Philly. I would say the Bills made a very prudent move.

I think we've established that being nominated to the Pro Bowl is not the same thing as being a Pro Bowl player, much less an All Pro.

 

But I have another comment on this post.

 

You can't assume that Peters would have ruptured his achilles had he stayed in Buffalo. So I guess you mention it to weigh it against his future contributions.

 

However for the record to date, Peters has played in 42 of 48 games for Philly.

 

Wood has played in 33 of 48 games for Buffalo over that same period.

 

Neither player is guaranteed to play another game in the NFL although it looks more likely that Wood will play sooner than Peters.

 

But when you write: "Now that he ruptured his Achilles, he will have missed 22 games since he joined the Eagles only 4 years ago" that's putting a bit of spin on things.

 

I thought the Bills handled the Peters situation very amateurishly (Dockery and Walker contracts) but I don't mourn the loss of Peters either.

 

Regardless it certainly is debatable whether dealing him away was a good decision.

 

 

 

 

 

Back to Florence, he seemed to be a good year/bad year player and it seems like he twice had excellent seasons after which he was awarded a lucrative new contract, only to bomb and subsequently get cut the following year.

 

I might be wrong on that but I seem to remember that.

 

Anyways, Florence is a good man and a good football player.

 

And I'll always think of him as a good Buffalo Bill.

 

All the best to Drayton and I hope he joins Meachem and Roscoe in San Diego. We'll hold onto Merriman for the time being.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

ProFootballTalk @ProFootballTalk1mThe Bills have released CB Drayton Florence, per league source.

No biggy if he doesn't sign somewhere else than we can bring him back latter at a reduced rate.

[outsidethebox]

There are some posters on this great site that belittles every player cut or traded away to other teams as being garbage, better off with out them. Then there are posters like myself who think the exact opposite, "How can they let so and so go?!" " we are doomed!!".

I am learning to become more rational in my thoughts. I hate to see Florence go, but he did seem to regress last year. I hope he catches on with another team,he seemed to be a good person and a great teammate. Good luck Drayton.

[JimBob2232]

I am always surprised when stuff like this happens. In most other sports you could trade guys like this, even if its for a low round pick. Im not faulting buddy, as I know florence had no trade value, but it seems "release and sign somewhere else" is alot more prevalent in the nfl than the "trade and renegotiate contract".

 

I guess the root of the issue is the "non-guaranteed contracts".

[Bruce]

Merriman, Kelsay, Edwards, and Johnson are all scheduled to make in the $4m range this year as back-ups. Can't see more than 2 of them making the team. Carrington and Troupe probably get another year, and the team seems to like Heard too. My guess is Edwards is definitely gone and Johnson will have to take a pay-cut. Probably gotta keep Kelsay around because you can't rely on Merriman to play a whole season, but Kelsay is probably making $3m more here than he would for any other team.

 

 

I would have to agree. As much as I would love atleast a semi-resurgence of Merriman- if he does not get something together this year or ends up on the scrap heap of injuries again I would say he should be shed.

 

Dwan Edwards, IMO, does not fit the bill anymore, and for his salary should be cut. I'd be surprised if he is still on the roster come September.

 

Spencer Johnson still has some play left in him, and I don't think that he would be a total loss to keep on the roster as dependable depth for the next 1-2 seasons; but as you mentioned a pay-cut should be in order.

 

Carrington I think has developmental upside, and I am interested to see which direction he goes. This year should be a crucial year for him, as he has now been in the league long enough to have learned and grown.

 

Troupe looks like a bust at this point to me. If he can't put together an injury-free season with improved performance on the field, then he should be cut.

 

Kelsay, as much as I like the effort, is not worth the contract. However, if the Bills shed Edwards and possibly Merriman while restructuring guys like Johnson and Troupe, I would not be against keeping Kelsay for another year or two.

[NewEra]

Good luck to you Drayton!! I always liked him, although last year was a down year for him. Seems to have a good attitude and was a leader on the team. With the addition of Gilmore and Brooks, I figured Florence, McGee or mckelvin would get cut. McGees restructured deal and mckelvin being on the last year of his contract seemed to make Drayton the odd guy out. He'll play elsewhere and I wish him the best.

[Williams+Williams+Williams]

If Revis played for the Bills the past two seasons he would have sucked too. When QBs can hold the ball for 5,6 or more seconds it becomes a lot harder on the corners. Don't like the move. Florence provided veteran leadership. If you have to make a cut then cut the weak link (McGee).

 

With that said, I think there's more cuts coming.

 

Good points. Hard to play corner in the nfl without a pass rush. Seemed to be a great leader and team guy. Does anybody know the difference in his CAP number from Mcgee's? McGee might be on his way out as well. How many cb's have the Bills kept on the roster in the past?

 

Even though Florence didn't have a solid 2011, I can't help but like the guy. He was a team player.

[dogma+]

What list are you talking about? He was on the ballot last year and he finished fourth behind Tim Tebow in the balloting. The top three QBs go to the game, with a third of the votes between the fans, coaches and the players. Yes, it is the fan ballot but that is really the only one there is. We don't know if he was considered by the coaches or by the players for their third of the voting, but it is likely the same ballot. In fact, Terrell Suggs came out last year and said he voted for Fitzpatrick on his ballot instead of Tebow.

 

I didn't realize that. My apologies.

 

He sure was nominated! He came in 4th in voting for AFC quarterbacks. Congrats on your new Pro Bowl status Fitzy!

 

[dogma+]

I think we've established that being nominated to the Pro Bowl is not the same thing as being a Pro Bowl player, much less an All Pro.

 

Who is we? Others have come to that conclusion but I surely haven't. I spent the better half of my life around other BLESTO Scouts and NFL FO personnel and I can tell you first hand that NFL teams use the nomination list as a general guideline of the upper echelon players of they league. The final Pro Bowl roster is never used as an indicator of anything. In fact, most NFL GMs will tell you that it is useless because at that point it is simply a popularity contest. When speaking of upper echelon players, we refer to them as "Pro Bowl Quality players", not simply a list of Pro Bowl selections.

 

Therefore No, we haven't established anything. Other's have their opinions. I have my beliefs based on my life experiences and i'll stick with that.

 

You can't assume that Peters would have ruptured his achilles had he stayed in Buffalo. So I guess you mention it to weigh it against his future contributions.

 

The only way to evaluate a trade is to evaluate a players performance with their current team VS what the trading team received in return. Even if Peters played every single game, he still wouldnt be playing at the level his contract indicates that he should. Demetrius Bell had a much better season than Peters in 2011. And made 1/5th of what Peters made.

 

But when you write: "Now that he ruptured his Achilles, he will have missed 22 games since he joined the Eagles only 4 years ago" that's putting a bit of spin on things.

 

That's simply fact.

 

Back to Florence, he seemed to be a good year/bad year player and it seems like he twice had excellent seasons after which he was awarded a lucrative new contract, only to bomb and subsequently get cut the following year.

 

Florence didn't bomb last year by any means.

[Fan in San Diego]

I think we've established that being nominated to the Pro Bowl is not the same thing as being a Pro Bowl player, much less an All Pro.

 

But I have another comment on this post.

 

You can't assume that Peters would have ruptured his achilles had he stayed in Buffalo. So I guess you mention it to weigh it against his future contributions.

 

However for the record to date, Peters has played in 42 of 48 games for Philly.

 

Wood has played in 33 of 48 games for Buffalo over that same period.

 

Neither player is guaranteed to play another game in the NFL although it looks more likely that Wood will play sooner than Peters.

 

But when you write: "Now that he ruptured his Achilles, he will have missed 22 games since he joined the Eagles only 4 years ago" that's putting a bit of spin on things.

 

I thought the Bills handled the Peters situation very amateurishly (Dockery and Walker contracts) but I don't mourn the loss of Peters either.

 

Regardless it certainly is debatable whether dealing him away was a good decision.

 

 

 

 

 

Back to Florence, he seemed to be a good year/bad year player and it seems like he twice had excellent seasons after which he was awarded a lucrative new contract, only to bomb and subsequently get cut the following year.

 

I might be wrong on that but I seem to remember that.

 

Anyways, Florence is a good man and a good football player.

 

And I'll always think of him as a good Buffalo Bill.

 

All the best to Drayton and I hope he joins Meachem and Roscoe in San Diego. We'll hold onto Merriman for the time being.

 

revision. Drayton got cut from the Jags, then we signed him.

Edited May 5, 2012 by Fan in San Diego

[Bill from NYC]

My other question is, being that he was still under contract, by releasing him do we take a cap hit?

 

If so, it would be small. His signing bonus (which probably wasn't huge) would accelerate and count towards the cap, but his salary does not, so they probably do get some cap relief.

[Kelly the Dog]

 

 

 

The only way to evaluate a trade is to evaluate a players performance with their current team VS what the trading team received in return. Even if Peters played every single game, he still wouldnt be playing at the level his contract indicates that he should. Demetrius Bell had a much better season than Peters in 2011. And made 1/5th of what Peters made.

Jason Peters was first team All Pro. That is the very best in the NFL.

[dogma+]

Jason Peters was first team All Pro. That is the very best in the NFL.

 

Do you know who decides the All-Pro team? I'll give you a hint. They type for a living. Not evaluate talent.

Edited May 5, 2012 by dogma+