Low cost FAs to fill some needs.

[ChanOverChin]

Nix has said himself recently that he is NOT done with signing FAs. Thanks goodness for that. He has to know that he's not going to adequately fill all of the holes that he has created by releasing guys like Fitz/Levitre/D. Jones/Rinehart/Kelsay/Barnett/G. Wilson with just the six draft picks that he has this year.

 

The Bills have an appoximate payroll of $105M at this point in time for 2013. With this year's cap set at $123M and the Bills needing almost $6M to sign their 2013 draft picks that leaves them with approximately $12M to sign their own FAs plus any outside FAs. That's not a lot of cap room especially since the Bills don't usually spend right up to the cap.

 

Thus, at this point, the best approach to filling the existing holes with a viable NFL player is by signing low cost or "value" FAs.

 

Here's a list of those type FAs that are currently available that I think the Bills could look to sign:

 

1. Resign DE K. Moore - He's still young and is a good pass rusher.

2. OG B. Moore - This is a no-brainer. He's a solid player much like Levitre was (minus the gigantic contract).

3. CB M. Jenkins - Big CB who can cover man to man and he's only 27.

4. TE K. Davis - 6'-7" with good hands.

5. Need a vet WR to go with SJ, Graham, B. Smith, and Easley. At the very least I would resign WR D. Nelson on the cheap. He was very productive until he suffered the injury. WR D. Alexander is another guy to look at.

6. ILB B. Scott - Good vet to lead what will surely be a very young LB corps. Knows Pettine's scheme. Sign him only if he comes cheap.

7. FS J. Leonhard - Good player. Can play FS and help on ST as well. Knows Pettine's defensive scheme.

8. I'd love to see the Bills sign another vet pass rusher as well. This is probably asking for too much, however.

 

What the Bills do with their R1 pick this year will tell you what their mindset is for this year. If they stay at #8 overall and draft a QB (G. Smith/Barkley/Nassib) then I think they could be competitive, given the adds mentioned above. If they opt for a player other than a QB though at #8 overall, then I think it's going to be a long year and their mindset will be to build for the future (which is what EVERY YEAR seems to be be).

 

BTW, I think Barkley is the gem in this year's draft..........with Nassib not far behind. Smith is a better athlete than both, but doesn't read defenses as quickly or quite as well, which is critical to having success in the NFL.

 

I would consider Barkley at #8, but not Nassib. If I wanted Nassib, I would either trade back from #8 to the latter part of R1 or the early part of R2 OR keep the #8 pick and trade up to the latter part of R1 or the early part of R2. Nassib's stock is rising steadily. He could easily be drafted in R1.

 

Considering our current plight, I would consider signing and then trading Byrd (who I think is a great player) for a bevy of SF draft picks.

 

Nix needs to learn to make trades. Staying with his 6 draft picks is not going to allow him to speed up the improvement of the team.

[CaliBillsfan]

When this Lop signs someone worthy of all the attention us loyal fans show or someone that can at least help change the norm around 1 Bills drive then ill start believing what hes dishing out.

 

"Nobody sells hope better then the Buffalo Bills!"

 

I Call BS!

[RK_BillsFan]

1. For the right price, sure, he is terrible against the run though, and that worries me

 

2. I'm also fine with this signing for the right price

3. He is ok, and i wouldn't be terrified by this signing, but doesn't make or break anything for me

 

4. TE K. Davis - 6'-7" with good hands. Eh, i'm in no hurry to add another TE to our roster unless our coaches can show they intend to use two TE as recievers a lot .

 

5. I suppose, but again, for cheap.

 

6. No thank you. Brad Jones or the guy from the Jags over him. Hell both if possible.

 

7. Don't think we need him, lets save the money for something else

 

8. We don't really have the space, literally on the line, for a pass rusher. The mark anderson contract is really hamstringing us, but lets hope he can be productive this year.

 

Also i wanted to note, you are about 9 million short on the Bills cap space. We are carrying over 9 million from last year to this year. So we have about 21 million after saving for rookies. Not a major difference but def enough to take a shot or slightly overpay for some FA

[KollegeStudnet]

Jim Leonhard visited the Bills last training camp, but signed with Denver a few days later

 

Just a little info on Leonhard...he would be a great fit to battle Searcy

[RK_BillsFan]

Leonhard was recovering from knee surgery right? How did he do in Denver, anyone know? I'm not opposed to it, just don't know if he really wants a low ball contract to play for us.

[KeisterHollow]

This draft is going to be tricky - at least, it'll keep many of us on the edge of our seats, I think. It's my opinion that Nix and Co. want to trade down, and there will probably be at least a few takers for that - San Fran, for instance, has the picks to do that, and it makes sense for them to do so, given they don't have a roster that will hold many young, marginal players - they need young elite talent if that youth is to have much of a chance to stick on that roster.

 

Buffalo obviously is planning on taking a QB early. I think they like Barkley, then Smith, then Nassib/Manuel, then Wilson. At 8, if Barkley is there, they'll have to decide whether or not to pull the trigger, or to take a trade down towards the bottom of round 1. If they take that trade, though, they face the risk of losing out, not only on Barkley, but on the 3rd rated QB, too. The Jets would have a very hard time passing on a good QB, since they're in re-build mode.

 

If the Bills are sold on getting a QB who is franchise material - and I think Barkley is - then I'm good with them taking him at 8. However, there are going to be some real studs sitting there, and the temptation to trade down will be big. We'll have to see what they do - it'll be exciting, even if only for a few days.

Edited March 22, 2013 by KeisterHollow

[Rob's House]

My theory is that they think available FAs and camp cuts after the draft will offer the same value +/- as what's available now & would like to go after the best players available in the draft & then patch whatever remaining holes exist in FA.

 

Edit: I also think the cap strategy is long term rather than trying to squeeze in whatever they can this year.

Edited March 22, 2013 by Rob's House

[Canadian Bills Fan]

I think K. Davis has signed with someone

 

 

CBF

Edited March 22, 2013 by Canadian_Bills_Fan

[ChanOverChin]

Keep in mind that the FAs that I have advocated are NOT the ones that I would prefer to have the Bills sign, but players that could be signed from the cap space that we have available while filling some positions of need. Beggars can't be choosers.

 

The Bills will be lucky to get Barkley at #8.

 

While Smith is more highly regarded (and likely to be drafted within the top 5 picks) Barkley's drafting position is much more up in the air because he hasn't been able to show all that he can do yet. I'm very concerned that the Cards will snap Barkley up right in front of us at #7 overall OR some team will trade up in front of us to get him.

 

It's pretty obvious that the Bills are in need of a QB with only journeyman T. Jackson and camp fodder Corp on the roster.

 

If we can get Barkley I will consider the 2013 draft a success.

 

I know some people think we ought to wait until next year, but there is no guarantee that we will be able to draft a top flight QB next year either (unless get earn the #1 spot overall.

[CaliBillsfan]

IMO Barkley is gonna be a good NFL QB, Maybe not Manning, RG3 or Kelly but he has a chance to be a good Franchise QB. I hope the Bills Land him and start moving in the rt direction.

[thebandit27]

Nix has said himself recently that he is NOT done with signing FAs. Thanks goodness for that. He has to know that he's not going to adequately fill all of the holes that he has created by releasing guys like Fitz/Levitre/D. Jones/Rinehart/Kelsay/Barnett/G. Wilson with just the six draft picks that he has this year.

 

The Bills have an appoximate payroll of $105M at this point in time for 2013. With this year's cap set at $123M and the Bills needing almost $6M to sign their 2013 draft picks that leaves them with approximately $12M to sign their own FAs plus any outside FAs. That's not a lot of cap room especially since the Bills don't usually spend right up to the cap.

 

Thus, at this point, the best approach to filling the existing holes with a viable NFL player is by signing low cost or "value" FAs.

 

Here's a list of those type FAs that are currently available that I think the Bills could look to sign:

 

1. Resign DE K. Moore - He's still young and is a good pass rusher.

2. OG B. Moore - This is a no-brainer. He's a solid player much like Levitre was (minus the gigantic contract).

3. CB M. Jenkins - Big CB who can cover man to man and he's only 27.

4. TE K. Davis - 6'-7" with good hands.

5. Need a vet WR to go with SJ, Graham, B. Smith, and Easley. At the very least I would resign WR D. Nelson on the cheap. He was very productive until he suffered the injury. WR D. Alexander is another guy to look at.

6. ILB B. Scott - Good vet to lead what will surely be a very young LB corps. Knows Pettine's scheme. Sign him only if he comes cheap.

7. FS J. Leonhard - Good player. Can play FS and help on ST as well. Knows Pettine's defensive scheme.

8. I'd love to see the Bills sign another vet pass rusher as well. This is probably asking for too much, however.

 

What the Bills do with their R1 pick this year will tell you what their mindset is for this year. If they stay at #8 overall and draft a QB (G. Smith/Barkley/Nassib) then I think they could be competitive, given the adds mentioned above. If they opt for a player other than a QB though at #8 overall, then I think it's going to be a long year and their mindset will be to build for the future (which is what EVERY YEAR seems to be be).

 

BTW, I think Barkley is the gem in this year's draft..........with Nassib not far behind. Smith is a better athlete than both, but doesn't read defenses as quickly or quite as well, which is critical to having success in the NFL.

 

I would consider Barkley at #8, but not Nassib. If I wanted Nassib, I would either trade back from #8 to the latter part of R1 or the early part of R2 OR keep the #8 pick and trade up to the latter part of R1 or the early part of R2. Nassib's stock is rising steadily. He could easily be drafted in R1.

 

Considering our current plight, I would consider signing and then trading Byrd (who I think is a great player) for a bevy of SF draft picks.

 

Nix needs to learn to make trades. Staying with his 6 draft picks is not going to allow him to speed up the improvement of the team.

 

1. Kyle Moore is still available in FA for a reason...he is weak against the run and a marginal pass rusher. I'd much prefer a role player like Andre Carter, Dave Ball, Lawrence Jackson, or Trevor Scott

2. I like Brandon Moore, but at 32, I'm not sure we should throw $$ at him. I know he's visiting Miami, and had interest from the Lions as well

3. Jenkins has been a liability in coverage the past few years. Better off going with a guy like Tracy Porter, Cedric Griffen, or Brent Grimes

4. Davis signed in Cleveland

5. Alexander would be nice if the $$ is right.

6. No thanks on Bart Scott...Karlos Dansby on the other hand...

7. I'm good with Leonard as a depth player

8. See #1

[ChanOverChin]

Unfotunately, I don't think we have the luxury of signing guys like Dansby or Grimes or Porter. These guys are going to command big money most likely.

 

I'd love to see the Bills sign Dansby and Grimes, but you might as well be wishing for guys like Revis and Welker.

 

Nix is a draft expert (so called). He's not a high quality GM who knows how to make trades, stockpile draft picks, and find stellar FAs for reasonable dollars.

 

Sure he can get a stud FA like M. Williams, but he only had to pay a cool $100M to get him. That's way, way, way overpriced and that's the kind of signing that puts where we are today with having to sign so many low tier FAs to fill many, many positions.

 

The Bills need a GM with experience who knows what he's doing and who can wheel and deal on occasion.

 

The best GM the Bills ever had was Bill Polian. The biggest mistake R. Wilson ever made was firing Polian. Even at Polian's advanced age, he's a much more knowledgeable and better prepared NFL GM.

 

If the Bills don't want Polian as their GM, I would at least hire him as a trusted advisor.

[billsfan89]

I would like Casey Hampton we don't really have a pure NT on the roster. Yeah Darues and D.Williams have played well at NT but I think having a true space eater from a winning team/system would be a good fit. Leonard and B.Scott would be good fits as cheap backups to help teach the system. B.Moore would be a good fit to fill a hole on the O-line for a year or two.

 

Still some good bargains out there but they need to start on it quickly

[benderbender]

I know they're not low cost, but I would kill to have any combination of James Harrison, Brian Urlacher, Karlos Dansby, Victor Butler. Instant LB respect. Well once we figure out if we're 3-4 or 4-3