What do you think will happen with Jerry Hughes?

[What a Tuel]

Whaley was on WGR about 10 days ago and pretty much said Spiller and Searcy are gone. He said Rambo and Duke Williams would be competing for starting safety. On the other guys, I can promise you that you will never, ever have to worry about finding the cap room to sign any players on your roster without having a 15-20 million dollar QB on the roster. We are not finding one of those guys unless we draft them and that contract is not coming up until 5 years after he is drafted. So we likely have 5-7 years minimum before we have to worry about our cap situation. Whaley better make some big moves in free agency because Hughes was flat out great last season and if he isn't resigned it is a huge loss. Also getting nothing for him via tag and trade or at least making play for you one more season under the tag, which he already said he would do, heading into year 16 of the streak, would be an absolute failure.

 

I am as optimistic as the next guy about Pegula. We are lucky to have him as an owner and I think we will have success under him. That said I don't understand why everyone wants to give Whaley a free pass. While he has made some good moves, his asset management is still highly questionable. Traded an extra first and a 4th to move from 9 to 4 and draft Watkins in maybe the deepest draft ever for receivers. Went on the cheap signed Chris Williams to be the starting guard which was highly questionable from the get go and so far has proven to be a poor decision. Hughes looks like will walk for nothing and most media insiders have us taking a running back in round 2 in a deep running back draft and with it being the most easily replaceable position in football.

Yes it is convenient to go with the argument that Hughes was only good because of the people around him but if you actually watch the film you know that is not true. We will still be great at the pass rush but we won't be clearly the best in the league unless we sign someone comparable to Hughes. When you do something better than anyone else, you should try to keep that going.

 

Can you link to that Whaley interview? I don't put it past them to let Searcy and Spiller go, but the way you react to things, I would rather listen myself.

 

Saying we have 5-7 years before we need to worry about our cap situation is absurd. You always have to worry about your cap situation and plan ahead. That is the worst kind of planning to blow tons of money just because you have it. You need to get a return on your money. Maybe signing a less expensive but still impact DE means maybe we sign Revis, or McCourty. We don't know yet, because Free Agency hasn't started yet.

 

Give Whaley a free pass? Why are you giving him a hard time? The Watkins trade? Really? He actually saw what he wanted and paid what he needed to get it. Isn't that exactly what you want him to do with Hughes? Because you know extra cap money couldn't be used in Free Agency to sign an impact Free Agent the same as a 1st round draft pick at 19 overall would? I would argue we might get more worth out of free agency this year with the extra cap money rather than the 19th pick.

 

And then to cap it all off you are blaming Whaley for a pick he hasn't even made yet. Whaley has done a fine job so far, and maybe you disagree with the moves the team makes, that is fine, and it is your opinion but the way you throw it around as established fact and doom for all is a bit inflammatory. This is why people are telling you to relax.

[Canadian Bills Fan]

If he wants north of $8-9M a year I would rather use that money to extend Dareus

 

 

CBF

[Proteus]

If he wants north of $8-9M a year I would rather use that money to extend Dareus

 

 

CBF

You can do both.

[Beef Jerky]

You can do both.

Nah would rather bring in Hardy and extend Dareus.

[dave mcbride]

yes. It's why you only tag certain players you consider absolutely vital to what you do. As I said in the other Hughes thread, I love Hughes and would be elated to keep the line together, but I'm really surprised anyone expected he might be tagged. He's a great player in his own right. I don't believe he is simply a result of the other three. But that doesn't take away the fact that he didn't become even halfway decent until he played with them, and he hasn't shown he can perform against the type of double teams other guys get who are the lynchpins of their respective lines. That's why JPP and Justin Houston get tagged, and Hughes doesn't. This is a good article ....

 

@ranacashSN: A good look from @Jason_OTC on price points for pass rushers in free agency http://t.co/ddKrcLD0yj

 

He is a great player and the Bills clearly want to keep him. He isn't, however, irreplaceable. Dareus and Mario fall into that category.

I don't think franchising him was necessarily a wise decision given the huge hit, but I also thought that if we didn't he'd opt for FA - as is his right. No easy answers here.

[K-9]

If he wants north of $8-9M a year I would rather use that money to extend Dareus

 

 

CBF

$8-9m gets it done from the team's point of view as it allows us flexibility moving forward in free agency this year. I can't blame Hughes for thinking he's worth more on the open market. The $14.8m cap number to tag Hughes would have been a dereliction of duty.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Edited March 3, 2015 by K-9

[Deranged Rhino]

$8-9m gets it done from the team's point of view as it allows us flexibility moving forward in free agency this year. I can't blame Hughes for thinking he's worth more on the open market. The $14.8m cap number to tag Hughes would have been a dereliction of duty.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

100%

[thebandit27]

$8-9m gets it done from the team's point of view as it allows us flexibility moving forward in free agency this year. I can't blame Hughes for thinking he's worth more on the open market. The $14.8m cap number to tag Hughes would have been a dereliction of duty.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

I continue to think that Hughes' number is $12M per...less than Robert Quinn (who put up a 19 sack season between two 10's), more than Everson Griffen (who got $8.5M per without ever topping 6 sacks in a season), and same as Chris Long (has had 2 double-digit sack seasons out of 7).

[K-9]

 

I continue to think that Hughes' number is $12M per...less than Robert Quinn (who put up a 19 sack season between two 10's), more than Everson Griffen (who got $8.5M per without ever topping 6 sacks in a season), and same as Chris Long (has had 2 double-digit sack seasons out of 7).

I'd be shocked if he got that from us.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[YoloinOhio]

I'd be shocked if he got that from us.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Me too. But, I honestly don't know what to expect with the new owners.

[NoSaint]

 

I continue to think that Hughes' number is $12M per...less than Robert Quinn (who put up a 19 sack season between two 10's), more than Everson Griffen (who got $8.5M per without ever topping 6 sacks in a season), and same as Chris Long (has had 2 double-digit sack seasons out of 7).

im going between 10-11m --- a step back from hali, but ahead of guys like griffen.

Me too. But, I honestly don't know what to expect with the new owners.

i think all we can expect is cash wont be an issue, so doug will be able to make the call he feels is right.

[dave mcbride]

im going between 10-11m --- a step back from hali, but ahead of guys like griffen.

 

i think all we can expect is cash wont be an issue, so doug will be able to make the call he feels is right.

I'm saying 12+ simply because the cap is going up. If revenues rise, so must players' salaries as per the CBA. I'm going to say 12.5-13 per.

[NoSaint]

I'm saying 12+ simply because the cap is going up. If revenues rise, so must players' salaries as per the CBA. I'm going to say 12.5-13 per.

if teams start going all in with an anticipated jump in the cap of 15m next year - id have a hard time disagreeing. so far, only a couple seem to be showing that willingness - but that may change quick with free agency.

[K-9]

Me too. But, I honestly don't know what to expect with the new owners.

I think the new owners won't be deterred by anyone's price tag, unlike the strict budget and bottom line expectation under Mr. Wilson and Co. But it's not just a question of an open wallet. They want to make certain moves in free agency this year and that's gonna drive the money decisions. That's not to say that they won't give Hughes whatever he wants eventually, but they need to see how their other free agent plans shake out first. If they can't sign bigger targets that will free up more to give Hughes.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[YoloinOhio]

Some team could go this route instead of Hughes

 

@caplannfl: The #Eagles will be releasing Trent Cole after both sides could not agree on a revised contract, a league source confirmed.

[DJasper Probincrux III]

Amazes me that so many people think the Bills will let a 26 year old top pass rusher walk.

Because their track record says otherwise?

[Deranged Rhino]

Because their track record says otherwise?

 

What track record? This is a new ownership group at the beginning of their first UFA season. They don't have a track record yet when it comes to retaining their own players.

[Rob's House]

my QB sky is falling. Is that enough "doomed" for you from me or does my pass rush sky also need to fall in order for you to not label me a sarcastic typical homer?

No, you have to be negative about everything. Rex, Whaley, and Pegula have run this team into the ground for the last 15 years and you're going to stand here and agree with them on something? Ho-mer!

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

with Shady's ~$9mil salary .... hard to tell it adds complexity

[YoloinOhio]

Changed my vote. Hoping for a good to great replacement!