pimp 2 Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Levitre is our best O-Lineman. If the Bills must overpay, then do it. Besides, the Bills can always restructure his contract in the future. So because he's our best (which is debatable & relative) does that mean you pay him as elite? It all depends on Hackett's philosophy run wise, if its road graders type power football, does Levitre fit that scheme? I don't think that's his strong suit. If it's more trapping & pulling then yes you pay him because that's what he does best, IMO.
Maddog69 Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Will Beatty was great in Deliverance. Nice. That post made me spit out my drink.
Maddog69 Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Someone while make Levitre the highest paid guard in the league. This is my expectation as well. Someone will pay him top dollar. He might not be the best OG in the NFL but he is the best one available this year (just like Mario was at DE last year). I think this will go down like Poz. The Bills will try to sign him but in the end he will go to the highest bidder". I would love for him to stay, but I don't want the Bills to pay him LT money to play OG.
yungmack Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Whether or not Levitre and Byrd are worth what they think they are, the decision facing the Bills is simple and stark: either pay them or lose them. If you pay them, you can use your draft picks and FA money to shore up weak spots. Lose them, and precious resources have to be expended just to tread water. In other words, another year in the never ending rebuilding of the Bills, and continuing mediocrity.
BrooklynBills Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 Usually, when a team goes through major organizational changes, most of the pending UFAs are not re-signed. I am expecting Levitre to be gone and Byrd to be gone or franchised. But here is something interesting to think about: Top Ten Average Salaries for Guards Carl Nicks - $9.5 mil Logan Mankins - $8.5 mil Jahri Evans - $8.1 mil Davin Joseph - $7.5 mil Chris Snee - $7.25 mil Ben Grubbs - $7.2 mil Justin Blalock - $6.4 mil Marshal Yanda - $6.4 mil Josh Sitton - $5.825 mil Willie Colon - $5.8 mil Levitre is not in the same class as Nicks, Mankins, Evans, or Snee. Davin Joseph is a 2 time Pro Bowler with better size. Ben Grubbs was elected to the Pro Bowl once, which is once more than Levitre. Marshal Yanda is a two time All Pro, although he signed his deal the summer before he received those honors. Josh Sitton was elected to the Pro Bowl last season and was voted OL of the Year in 2010. Willie Colon signed his deal as a tackle so i don't think that really counts for anything. All these guys are bigger than Levitre and are members of consistently good offenses. These are all strikes against Levitre. Considering that Grubbs and Nicks signed their deals with new teams, I think Levitre's worth to the Bills on a re-signed deal would be right around the Josh Sitton deal and as high as the Marshal Yanda deal. So around $6 mil, and that's assuming he is considered as good as those players or that the Bills think he is that good.
HeHateMe Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 I agree that we should try to re-sign our own guys but we shouldn't blindly just pay whatever amount it takes to keep them... you have to look at the value to the team and the cap hit to retain them... While good I don't think he is irreplaceable. I wouldn't offer more than 7 Mil per.
Mark Vader Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 So because he's our best (which is debatable & relative) does that mean you pay him as elite? It all depends on Hackett's philosophy run wise, if its road graders type power football, does Levitre fit that scheme? I don't think that's his strong suit. If it's more trapping & pulling then yes you pay him because that's what he does best, IMO. I would say that giving Levitre 6.5M-7M a year is a worthy contract. I'd say he's earned it. Yes I firmly believe he is the Bills best O-Lineman. Look at all of our O-Line players. Eric Wood is a solid at times spectacular player, but injuries are a big concern. Kraig Urbik is another solid player, may not be all-pro, but has more positives than negatives. Erik Pears does a good enough job at RT, like Urbik he is no all-pro, but he's not a weakness either. Cordy Glenn has the potential to be the star of this line, but he's only had one season of experience. Like I said, the potential is there to be great, so we'll wait and see. I also want this O-Line to remain intact, because it has become a strength of the Bills offense. As a unit this line has given good pass protection and run blocking. I would hate to see this unit lose one of it's key players. I am far more comfortable with Levitre at LG, than I am with Rinehardt. Whether or not Levitre and Byrd are worth what they think they are, the decision facing the Bills is simple and stark: either pay them or lose them. If you pay them, you can use your draft picks and FA money to shore up weak spots. Lose them, and precious resources have to be expended just to tread water. In other words, another year in the never ending rebuilding of the Bills, and continuing mediocrity. Could not have said it better.
BrooklynBills Posted February 28, 2013 Posted February 28, 2013 I would say that giving Levitre 6.5M-7M a year is a worthy contract. I'd say he's earned it. Yes I firmly believe he is the Bills best O-Lineman. Look at all of our O-Line players. Eric Wood is a solid at times spectacular player, but injuries are a big concern. Kraig Urbik is another solid player, may not be all-pro, but has more positives than negatives. Erik Pears does a good enough job at RT, like Urbik he is no all-pro, but he's not a weakness either. Cordy Glenn has the potential to be the star of this line, but he's only had one season of experience. Like I said, the potential is there to be great, so we'll wait and see. I also want this O-Line to remain intact, because it has become a strength of the Bills offense. As a unit this line has given good pass protection and run blocking. I would hate to see this unit lose one of it's key players. I am far more comfortable with Levitre at LG, than I am with Rinehardt. Could not have said it better. I thought Pears was awful last year, but otherwise I agree. Also, do not count out a move of Glenn to G. Marrone's Saints O-Line had quick, athletic tackles like Jamal Brown pre-injury and bigger Gs like Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks.
pimp 2 Posted March 1, 2013 Posted March 1, 2013 I would say that giving Levitre 6.5M-7M a year is a worthy contract. I'd say he's earned it. Yes I firmly believe he is the Bills best O-Lineman. Look at all of our O-Line players. Eric Wood is a solid at times spectacular player, but injuries are a big concern. Kraig Urbik is another solid player, may not be all-pro, but has more positives than negatives. Erik Pears does a good enough job at RT, like Urbik he is no all-pro, but he's not a weakness either. Cordy Glenn has the potential to be the star of this line, but he's only had one season of experience. Like I said, the potential is there to be great, so we'll wait and see. I also want this O-Line to remain intact, because it has become a strength of the Bills offense. As a unit this line has given good pass protection and run blocking. I would hate to see this unit lose one of it's key players. I am far more comfortable with Levitre at LG, than I am with Rinehardt. Could not have said it better. I can spend someone else money just as easy but it really comes down to what type of offense Hackett & Marrone wants to run. Like I stated previously just because you think Levitre is the "best" OL on the team. The issue is where is he slotted league wide because that's the comparable, IMO.His strength is in his mobility and trapping...If that's not the offensive philosophy of the new staff or if they want to employ a power running game. This is not his strength, I don't know but they're has to be a reason they haven't completed a deal. Or made him the priority...
Dibs Posted March 1, 2013 Posted March 1, 2013 .....I don't know but they're has to be a reason they haven't completed a deal. Or made him the priority... I'm pretty sure he has publicly stated that he wishes to test the FA market.
Mark Vader Posted March 1, 2013 Posted March 1, 2013 I can spend someone else money just as easy but it really comes down to what type of offense Hackett & Marrone wants to run. Like I stated previously just because you think Levitre is the "best" OL on the team. The issue is where is he slotted league wide because that's the comparable, IMO.His strength is in his mobility and trapping...If that's not the offensive philosophy of the new staff or if they want to employ a power running game. This is not his strength, I don't know but they're has to be a reason they haven't completed a deal. Or made him the priority... Alright, then how big a contract would you give him?
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