Sisyphean Bills Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 All signs point to the bills not thinking Levitre is worth the kind of cash he's looking for. Marrone is an O-Line guru so they are probably thinking he can coach up who we have or pick up someone in the later rounds of the draft Sounds a lot like what they said about Gailey and QBs. How'd that work out again?
NoSaint Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 The Bills GM........who at last check was still in charge of personnel.......had the stated objective of making the Bills a big, physical team when he took over. He has imported one gigantic OL after the next since he has arrived here. Glenn and Pears are monster sized tackles. Urbik is huge. Sam Young is a giant. And the recently re-signed Colin Brown is a behemoth of a reserve center. Levitre was not a Buddy Nix selection. Levitre is small for a guard. Levitre is a very good player and he is durable, something that has been a big problem with the rest of the Bills OL. If they let Levitre walk we should just trust in Buddy and the man he chose as his mull-again HC choice. When we acquired urbik didnt nix say wood levitre and urbik were his three highest rated interior lineman in that draft
Kellyto83TD Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 I am going to agree with other posters, he isn't going to get an offer from the Bills. At least the FO knows Guards are a dime a dozen if your tackles and Center are in place. No Guard is worth 8 mill per year or what it seems he and his agent are asking for. And in the climate the Bills are in with the fanbase its best not to offer something he and his agent will go to the media and label as 'cheap'
Doc Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 When we acquired urbik didnt nix say wood levitre and urbik were his three highest rated interior lineman in that draft I believe he did.
BADOLBILZ Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 When we acquired urbik didnt nix say wood levitre and urbik were his three highest rated interior lineman in that draft Yes he did. That's why you just gotta' trust the man and not question the organization. I mean, has anyone considered that maybe Nix only wants happy players.......so he doesn't re-sign the ones who gotta have hot women?
San Jose Bills Fan Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 When we acquired urbik didnt nix say wood levitre and urbik were his three highest rated interior lineman in that draft You are correct.
mrags Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 You are correct. that might be correct, but that doesn't mean after a few years of watching Levitre he still feels the same way. Again, a new coaching staff is going to make changes and it sounds like Marrone is more interested in big maulers for a stout run game based on his playing history.aybe he thinks he can coach someone else up to the same or similar for much less money. Maybe he really wants him and AL doesn't want to be here. Maybe they just can't come to a reasonable agreement. Like someone else already posted, can't we just all let this thing play out and see what were working with after FA and draft time happens. Time will tell. I for one am pretty happy with all the moves so far. McGee, Barnett, Kelsey all gone. Wilson was a bonus, and Byrd is here or we get 2 1st rounders. I'm just going to enjoy this ride. I've been hoping for almost all of this since before Chan took over.
earthtobrint Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 Maybe he really wants him and AL doesn't want to be here. Maybe they just can't come to a reasonable agreement. They haven't even been negotiating. The Bills haven't even given him an offer yet. Like someone else already posted, can't we just all let this thing play out and see what were working with after FA and draft time happens. Levitre would become the best guard and one of the best offensive lineman available in free agency (and he's only 26 years old). He'd be long gone by draft time. If you want any hope at all of signing him (or any decent free agent for that matter), waiting until draft isn't even an option. These free agent signings take place in mid-March and Levitre would be in very high demand.
San Jose Bills Fan Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 Virtually everything is conjecture right now as Marrone has been here less than two months and has been pretty unavailable to the media. I profess zero knowledge as to what the new regime might do and I'm making not making any predictions until I get to know them better. I'm trying to deal mostly with known facts and biding my time until things actually happen. The known facts are that Nix did say he liked Levitre (however long ago) and that Marrone had a finesse left tackle with the Jets in Ferguson and an undersized but effective right guard in Brandon Moore. I don't recall Marrone expressing a preference for big maulers. Like you I'm enjoying the trickle of somewhat significant moves (Barnett, Wilson, McGee, Kelsay) and looking forward to more significant moves which will define the new regime and give us a greater understanding of their values. Oh and for the record, I have no problem with the David Nelson and Donald Jones non-situations. I'm just relieved as all hell that they didn't become the 3rd consecutive new regime to offer Kelsay a lucrative extension.
3rdand12 Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 I dont think WE know what Marrone wants. At all. wish we could keep Andy though. I just like the guy as a Bill, long term. wait and see attitude drives me nuts. But thats where i'm at too.
San Jose Bills Fan Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 I dont think WE know what Marrone wants. At all. wish we could keep Andy though. I just like the guy as a Bill, long term. wait and see attitude drives me nuts. But thats where i'm at too. No. None of us have any idea. If I were forced to make a guess, I would say that Levitre (and Byrd) were totally committed to seeing their value on the open market and told the Bills so. I believe that Nix and Marrone want to retain both players and will do everything they can to make that happen. Franchising Byrd was the first and most obvious play. The Bills have a number in mind for Levitre. If it's very close to what Levitre is offered in free agency there's a chance that he'll re-sign with the Bills. That is my guess.
papazoid Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 i'm shocked Levitre has not heard from the bills....... at a minimum I would have expected the bills to have tried to sign both byrd AND levitre, in hopes of signing either one and then using the tag on the other.
San Jose Bills Fan Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 i'm shocked Levitre has not heard from the bills....... at a minimum I would have expected the bills to have tried to sign both byrd AND levitre, in hopes of signing either one and then using the tag on the other. I really don't know what to make of Levitre's statement. I find it very difficult to believe for instance that the Bills and his agent haven't at least had a few discussions.
purple haze Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 They have someone nearly that good who won't have to learn the ropes in the NFL, and a gaping chasm at QB. This team has to stop creating its own holes. If Levitre positively won't sign here for competitive money, fine, but they sure as sh-- better be doing everything they can do to keep him. It's business. If he wants more than what the Bills think he's worth then they should let him walk. Maybe Levitre wants more money than the Bills think is reasonable for his talents. Maybe Marrone agrees with that take after watching the film. Maybe Nix/Marrone/Hackett want a different type of OG (i.e. bigger and a mauler) for the system the Bills will run. Maybe the Bills are willing to let Levitre see what he can get in FA. It's no guarantee he will get more money than the Bills would give him which means he might wind up back in Buffalo. I think what's happening is what I suggested all along. Byrd was seen as more valuable because finding an all around safety who creates TO's is harder to find than another OG. I also think the Bills want to spend money on impact players: WR, LB in FA. Kraig Urbik is a good guard, taken off the Steelers PS and signed at 4 million a year. Rinehart also pulled off a PS has played fairley well when he plays. And he's big. They might just resign him and keep it moving.
NoSaint Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 I really don't know what to make of Levitre's statement. I find it very difficult to believe for instance that the Bills and his agent haven't at least had a few discussions. Yea, it's so extreme that its not believable at its face value. Where things really sit, who knows.
holmz56 Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 This tells you whom they will take at No.8 ! OG Womack Alabama !!
papazoid Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 This tells you whom they will take at No.8 ! OG Womack Alabama !! who is a fantastic player, I would be very happy with the pick, but levitre is playing at a pro bowl level. losing him and picking Womack, at best is a wash and doesn't make the team better. i'm a huge levitre fan, I would have tagged him instead of byrd, even at the higher OL tag $$
RuntheDamnBall Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 It's business. If he wants more than what the Bills think he's worth then they should let him walk. Maybe Levitre wants more money than the Bills think is reasonable for his talents. Maybe Marrone agrees with that take after watching the film. Maybe Nix/Marrone/Hackett want a different type of OG (i.e. bigger and a mauler) for the system the Bills will run. Maybe the Bills are willing to let Levitre see what he can get in FA. It's no guarantee he will get more money than the Bills would give him which means he might wind up back in Buffalo. I think what's happening is what I suggested all along. Byrd was seen as more valuable because finding an all around safety who creates TO's is harder to find than another OG. I also think the Bills want to spend money on impact players: WR, LB in FA. Kraig Urbik is a good guard, taken off the Steelers PS and signed at 4 million a year. Rinehart also pulled off a PS has played fairley well when he plays. And he's big. They might just resign him and keep it moving. I recognize it's a business. But when you run a business you have to keep your good people and be good to them lest you end up with an inferior employee. And even if you get a replacement who is potentially superior in the long run, you are devoting resources to the new employee that you can't use elsewhere.
Chris in Syracuse Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 They are not going to offer him anything. What they will do is pick the maximum amount that he is worth. Then they let him hit free agency. They don't want a bidding war and they don't want to offer more than they have to. If they can beat the offer while staying below their max then he will stay. If not good luck.
jjmac Posted March 2, 2013 Posted March 2, 2013 I am going to agree with other posters, he isn't going to get an offer from the Bills. At least the FO knows Guards are a dime a dozen if your tackles and Center are in place. No Guard is worth 8 mill per year or what it seems he and his agent are asking for. And in the climate the Bills are in with the fanbase its best not to offer something he and his agent will go to the media and label as 'cheap' Where did you get that number?
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