CSBill Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Skelton for Mario? What ? We could have had Skelton for Mario ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRT88 Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Byrd gets interceptions...turnovers are much better than a quality blocker, and harder to acquire. The front office didn't know that Byrd was going to pull this. I disagree 100%. DB's are much easier to find than good O-linemen and the game today is built around offense. You knew you were gonna draft a QB in this years draft, why lose pieces on the O-line that can help that young QB. As far as the didn't know thing, what they don't talk to the agent and inquire about what he is looking for. Once the guy starts talking top safety money, then you have got to realize the process might get ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSBill Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 cuz the FO is stupid So Barbarian, I know its early, but I'm still not getting the Jonny Football as the 1st pick -- it it time to update the draft board? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ganesh Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 had the Bills tried to Lock up Levitre before last season started, that figure might have been more like 5 years 28-32 million and that would have been worth the price. instead we sit on your butts and do nothing and lose a great LG. More like a very good LG. We use the word great too loosely around here. The last great players to have walked on the field of RWS was Bruce Smith, Andre Reed, Thurman Thomas, Jim Kelly etc.. Even the father of all LGs in Buffalo Reuben Brown was only a very good LG. I disagree 100%. DB's are much easier to find than good O-linemen and the game today is built around offense. You knew you were gonna draft a QB in this years draft, why lose pieces on the O-line that can help that young QB. As far as the didn't know thing, what they don't talk to the agent and inquire about what he is looking for. Once the guy starts talking top safety money, then you have got to realize the process might get ugly. LG and RG are also as easier to find as DBs. The ones that are hard to find are LT and Center. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_Formerly_of_Roch Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 (edited) So EJ has been sacked once in two games, CJ ran for 100 yards this week and Freddy ran well in both games. Somehow hard to believe the line struggled. Would they have been better with AL, sure, but no team can or has 5 top notch lineman on their team. You can get by with one or even two not so great if you have others around him that are above average. I think between Woods, Glenn who are both maybe in the top 20% and Ubrick maybe top 50%, you can afford to have a weak spot. Go watch Colin Brown's performance in the last two games and tell me Levitre isn't worth having on this team. I watched every snap he took last game (2nd time around) and he was getting steamrolled consistently. Specifically watch the 3rd quarter, EJ was getting flushed out or pressured EVERY snap by that Rookie pushing Colin around. We could have afforded him easily (yes i said it, go look at our cap numbers) and we made a mistake by letting him go. Especially with a developing rookie QB who needs to feel OK that his blindside isn't being protected by cheap replacements. Stupid move. In hindsight, the team would have signed Levitre (no tag), then done a sign and trade with Byrd and grabbed a 2nd round 2014 draft pick and another conditional one. Our defense is playing just fine without Byrd but our O line misses Levitre badly right now. Yes that was the going price, assuming he was willing to sign here. As was pointed out, he made it known he wanted to test the waters. How do you know the Bill's didn't make an offer like this BTW? I know it wasn't posted here so then it couldn't have happened. had the Bills tried to Lock up Levitre before last season started, that figure might have been more like 5 years 28-32 million and that would have been worth the price. instead we sit on your butts and do nothing and lose a great LG. Edited September 19, 2013 by Ed_Roch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-8 Forever? Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 To tag any offensive lineman, you need to pay them tackle money. Guards are not worth tackle money. It's one of the flaws in the franchise tag system. This . Very perfect answer. And left guard is the least important O Line position. And I think they knew Levitre was dinged up. Just my sense. I think we end up losing them both, because Byrd's agent is unreasonable to boot. Welcome to the NFL> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in KC Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 I was in favor of re-signing Levitre. I saw how we struggled for years and years with crappy o-line play (Trey Teague, Mike Pucillo etc.) and thought we needed to overpay Levitre because we didn't want to jeopardize the development of our young new QB. Knowing what I know now, that he had issues with his knee, and Manuel is coming along fine, not getting killed, I think we did the right thing. We still need a better LG, but I'm fine with Brown as a backup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALLEN1QB Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Go watch Colin Brown's performance in the last two games and tell me Levitre isn't worth having on this team. I watched every snap he took last game (2nd time around) and he was getting steamrolled consistently. Specifically watch the 3rd quarter, EJ was getting flushed out or pressured EVERY snap by that Rookie pushing Colin around. We could have afforded him easily (yes i said it, go look at our cap numbers) and we made a mistake by letting him go. Especially with a developing rookie QB who needs to feel OK that his blindside isn't being protected by cheap replacements. Stupid move. In hindsight, the team would have signed Levitre (no tag), then done a sign and trade with Byrd and grabbed a 2nd round 2014 draft pick and another conditional one. Our defense is playing just fine without Byrd but our O line misses Levitre badly right now. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 More like a very good LG. We use the word great too loosely around here. The last great players to have walked on the field of RWS was Bruce Smith, Andre Reed, Thurman Thomas, Jim Kelly etc.. Even the father of all LGs in Buffalo Reuben Brown was only a very good LG. Thank-you. GO BILLS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simpleman Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 As others have mentioned, Lev wanted more than he was worth, more than a good, but not great LG is worth. He was a good LG, not a great one, like Bruce Smith was at his position. The problem was not the choice of the front office of who to tag, they underestimated how much Byrd's agent could completely muck up the whole affair. The problem is that the Bills did not make plans or properly set their priorities on replacing Lev with another good LG who would get the job done. They tried to get out of this too cheap,and it bit them. But then again, I guess it depends on your point of view. If it is all about the bottom line, maybe it worked out just fine for them. While for the fans and people who care about the "game", not the "business" of football, it turned out the worst it could have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill from NYC Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 even that contract isn't close to tackle money, Clady just got 5 yrs $52.5M compared to Levitre's 6 years $46.8 Correct, and Levitre only got 10 million guaranteed. The Bills could have guaranteed his first year, and every year after that would have been their option. TB did a deal like this with Revis. The thing is, the Bills have a ton of cap room sitting there. It would have made perfect sense to pay a very good guard such as Levitre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webster Guy Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Byrd gets interceptions...turnovers are much better than a quality blocker, and harder to acquire. The front office didn't know that Byrd was going to pull this. Byrd has a grand total of 9 interceptions over the last THREE YEARS. I don't get it, sorry. Even big old London Fletcher had 5 last year. Once a guy makes the pro bowl everyone thinks it means they become better players. He had an amazing rookie season but I'd rather have Levitre right now and so would EJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Speaking of clady, he was the other holdout til the deadline when his deal got done. Now that he's sitting on IR I'm guessing he's glad he stepped on some toes to get it done, even if it wasnt ideal at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Correct, and Levitre only got 10 million guaranteed. The Bills could have guaranteed his first year, and every year after that would have been their option. TB did a deal like this with Revis. The thing is, the Bills have a ton of cap room sitting there. It would have made perfect sense to pay a very good guard such as Levitre. Bill, you keep saying he only got 10m guaranteed. 10.5m was his signing bonus. He got another 13 million guaranteed, which amounts to having half of his 46m guaranteed. http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/tennessee-titans/andy-levitre/ GO BILLS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsBytheBay Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 (edited) One sack, and over 100 rushing yards in two games? I think we did fine. Not to say Levitre wouldnt be better, but at 9Mil guaranteed, I'll pass. Next year we have to pay a lot of players who will have a larger impact. Byrd has a grand total of 9 interceptions over the last THREE YEARS. I don't get it, sorry. Even big old London Fletcher had 5 last year. Once a guy makes the pro bowl everyone thinks it means they become better players. He had an amazing rookie season but I'd rather have Levitre right now and so would EJ. 1. Fletcher is a GREAT football player. I don't see how a big year for him is a bad year for some one else. 2. You relize that Bryd kinda has a revis island effect...people don't go deep on his coverage. 3. EJ has been touched once, and took credit for it, and has been aforded all day to throw. Edited September 19, 2013 by JaxBills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tennesseeboy Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Interesting and a positive dilemma to have more than one quality player and have to decide which one to franchise. The assumption going in was probably that you would be able to sign a long term contract with the guy you franchised, and that there wouldn't be an injury issue. Me...I'm a firm believer in the adage that great teams are built from the line of scrimmage back, and hence would have leaned toward Levitre. That being said at the time of the decision there was as much reason to keep a quality safety as there was to keep an exceptional offensive lineman. In retrospect Byrd is being a jerk and we should get rid of him for a good tight end and low draft choice if that can be worked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meatloaf Sandwich Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 had the Bills tried to Lock up Levitre before last season started, that figure might have been more like 5 years 28-32 million and that would have been worth the price. instead we sit on your butts and do nothing and lose a great LG. "Let me make things up to support my comment." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Hindsight Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Byrd has a grand total of 9 interceptions over the last THREE YEARS. I don't get it, sorry. Even big old London Fletcher had 5 last year. Once a guy makes the pro bowl everyone thinks it means they become better players. He had an amazing rookie season but I'd rather have Levitre right now and so would EJ. He also forced 4 fumbles last year. Byrd is a good player and tagging him was the right move , even with his boo boo foot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 I disagree 100%. DB's are much easier to find than good O-linemen and the game today is built around offense. You knew you were gonna draft a QB in this years draft, why lose pieces on the O-line that can help that young QB. As far as the didn't know thing, what they don't talk to the agent and inquire about what he is looking for. Once the guy starts talking top safety money, then you have got to realize the process might get ugly. Correction: the game is built around passing and stopping the pass. It's not built around offense. Two of the league's best defensive teams were in the Super Bowl last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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