Aaron Williams message to Byrd

[Saint Doug]

because you can't get better by trading off your best players, or letting them walk

 

Yes, you can. A team simply cannot sign every player it drafts. First, there's a salary cap. And second, if you signed every player you previously drafted, it would negate the purpose of the draft itself.

 

Well run teams, Pitt, NE, Green Bay, have a carousel of players. They don't overpay just because they drafted a player. That's not smart. Now, they also don't overpay for other teams' picks, but draft smartly. If you draft right, you don't need to overpay for your players.

 

As for Byrd, tag him again. Aaron Williams can pick him up at the airport. Welcome back, Byrdman.

[3rdand12]

Yes, you can. A team simply cannot sign every player it drafts. First, there's a salary cap. And second, if you signed every player you previously drafted, it would negate the purpose of the draft itself.

 

Well run teams, Pitt, NE, Green Bay, have a carousel of players. They don't overpay just because they drafted a player. That's not smart. Now, they also don't overpay for other teams' picks, but draft smartly. If you draft right, you don't need to overpay for your players.

 

As for Byrd, tag him again. Aaron Williams can pick him up at the airport. Welcome back, Byrdman.

isn't that contradiction sir

[Saint Doug]

isn't that contradiction sir

 

Correct, but that was more or less written out of spite. In reality, I would tag him and try to pick up a 2nd rounder for him. I certainly wouldn't make him the top paid safety. That's not prudent.

[3rdand12]

Correct, but that was more or less written out of spite. In reality, I would tag him and try to pick up a 2nd rounder for him. I certainly wouldn't make him the top paid safety. That's not prudent.

: )

[DDD]

Byrd does not want to play in Buffalo anymore. He's going to take the highest bid from a playoff caliber team, not an incompetent organization like the Bills.

[ny33]

Byrd does not want to play in Buffalo anymore. He's going to take the highest bid from a playoff caliber team, not an incompetent organization like the Bills.

 

We can tag him and trade him.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

THIS

 

he doesnt. tag and trade .

but you cant just draft his replacement . it will be a step backwards in time..

shame its coming to this.

After he went off the field with the ankle i said goodbye. Its over between us.

 

Perhaps we've already drafted his eventual replacement in Duke Williams, in which case trading Byrd for a pick actually could make us better. One can hope

[Dragonborn10]

Make him the highest paid safety in the league. He has earned it. Trade Spiller.

[PromoTheRobot]

Question: if people consider EJ to be fragile then what is Byrd?

[Dibs]

Perhaps we've already drafted his eventual replacement in Duke Williams, in which case trading Byrd for a pick actually could make us better. One can hope

 

I personally think that would be great. Nothing to do with Byrd or skills or anything like that.......I just like the concept of having a 4th Williams starting on the Defense.

 

On a serious note, I'm assuming that his limited playing time this season would hinder legitimate assessments of him.....but does anybody have any legitimate thoughts about Duke Williams' ability/potential?

[ny33]

I personally think that would be great. Nothing to do with Byrd or skills or anything like that.......I just like the concept of having a 4th Williams starting on the Defense.

 

On a serious note, I'm assuming that his limited playing time this season would hinder legitimate assessments of him.....but does anybody have any legitimate thoughts about Duke Williams' ability/potential?

 

I noticed Duke Williams missing quite a few tackles on special teams and on defense this year. He may not be an NFL-caliber starter.

 

It's funny that despite bringing in mediocre Syracuse assistants, Marrone passed on Shamarko Thomas, a Syracuse safety taken a few picks after Williams. Thomas has been a good safety for the Steelers this year, and passing on him speaks volumes about Marrone.

Edited December 31, 2013 by ny33

[Dibs]

I noticed Duke Williams missing quite a few tackles on special teams and on defense this year. He may not be an NFL-caliber starter.

[DrDawkinstein]

No!!! Not another first round defensive back under any conditions!!!

 

And btw, I am a HUGE Bama Fan and I am telling you that while Clinton-Dix is good, he is nowhere near a #9. Not even close.

 

I didnt say to use the #9 pick on Clinton-Dix. I said to use the pick we get for Byrd to replace the spot with Clinton-Dix.

[DJasper Probincrux III]

I noticed Duke Williams missing quite a few tackles on special teams and on defense this year. He may not be an NFL-caliber starter.

 

It's funny that despite bringing in mediocre Syracuse assistants, Marrone passed on Shamarko Thomas, a Syracuse safety taken a few picks after Williams. Thomas has been a good safety for the Steelers this year, and passing on him speaks volumes about Marrone.

Or Shamarko Thomas' concussion history.

[Utah John]

I think Byrd is a competitor who wants to win. I think he was out the door for sure at the end of the loss to the Falcons in Toronto. I think he looked around at this cheapskate organization that gives up a home game for a few million dollars, which it does NOT spend on better players, and figured his best chance to win is to leave.

 

I'm really disappointed that it's headed this way, but I do not blame him. Maybe the Bills can use some of that Toronto cash to pay him what he's worth, but I think the money's going to Ralph's kids, not the team.

[bbb]

Make him the highest paid safety in the league. He has earned it. Trade Spiller.

 

The Bills aren't going to do this. They think he's good, but not the top safety. They offered him somewhere around fifth safety money...........I personally thought he should get top safety money this year, because I thought he was outstanding the last few years, and it's just the way timing works...............But, I wasn't as impressed with him this year. He was solid, but I didn't think much more than that.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

 

 

Well tackling is something I imagine could be improved in a young player by good coaching. It's possible Duke is simply more of a project than some of our earlier picks. I'm interested to see if Donnie Henderson can mold something here.

[Thurman#1]

Tag him!

 

Bills hold all the cards here, so he isnt leaving for nothing in return. Absolute worst case scenario is we tag him and trade him and use the pick on Clinton-Dix.

 

Doesnt matter what Byrd's intentions are, there is a system in place he has to be processed through, and in this particular case it favors only the Bills (as long as Whaley has the balls to stand strong).

 

 

Don't see how you get this at all.

 

Assuming they can't re-sign him ...

 

Their choice is to trade him before they lose his rights (and obviously that wouldn't work out without Byrd coming to an agreement with the new team on a contract before the trade), let him go or franchise him.

 

Since they can withdraw the franchise tag, franchising him is very possible. I presume that's what you're talking about when you say everything is on the Bills side.

 

So they franchise him. Then they have three possibilities.

 

1) Trade him. This would be the one really good option. Especially if teams are bidding against each other, this could work out well. Or not. What happens if nobody makes any good offers? Probably you have to take the best and move on. But you have to at least pretend that you're willing to ...

 

2) Play him. You'd be paying him $8.3 million, for a guy who would be outright furious at the team. Assuming - and it's a major assumption - that he plays every game and has a great year, he's been a one-year rental on a team that isn't going to be competitive for a championship next year.and there's now zero chance of getting anything for him in trade, because franchising him the year after would cost in the neighborhood of $16 million. So he's gone and you get nothing for him. If we were the Packers and had a solid shot at a Super Bowl title this year, this might be a good option. Since we might make the playoffs but are extremely unlikely to make a run there, it would be a waste - a massive waste - of resources. You'd also lose the chance to play his replacements and figure of either getting them some seasoning or figuring out that they suck and need to be replaced. Bad option.

 

3) Wait for a while. Things don't work out in terms of trades and you think you're not going to get $8.3 million worth of service out of Byrd next year, so you withdraw the tag and get nothing for him. Horrible option, obviously. Bad use of resources.

 

 

Don't know where you get the feeling that the Bills have the stick hand. They're even this year. Both have a ton of leverage, but if anyone has an advantage, it's Byrd.

 

It could be posturing, but I doubt it. I don't think A. Williams would get involved in it. Byrd must have told him he has no intention of coming back.

 

 

Or just as likely Byrd could have told him he'd love to come back but simply has seen no signs that the Bills are going to be willing to pay him what he can get somewhere else.

Edited December 31, 2013 by Thurman#1

[filthymcnasty08]

If we lose Byrd, do next to nothing in FA and proceed to enter 2014 opening day 20+Million under cap……sell/move the team guys (ownership/mgmt), you will lose hearts and minds for good. Unless Byrd is just done and will not sign here, every effort should be made to keep him.

 

I just have a feeling that we are going to hear the rhetoric from Russ….."We made what we felt like was a good offer…..shucks…..we really wanted Jairus to be a Bill for life……" Then some cost-efficient sleight of hand……Look kids! Michael Vick!……ooooooooooohhhh! Get yer tix now! Told ya we're committed.

[aristocrat]

Question: if people consider EJ to be fragile then what is Byrd?

 

a guy that before this season had missed two games in 4 years...the opposite of fragile