SF FA guard Mike Iupati (update: going to Cardinals)

[RuntheDamnBall]

Id like to see that money spent on 2-3 guys. We need more than 1 starter and we need depth. Also paying one guy exposes us to too much injury risk

Well, that is where those depth guys -- draft picks and bargain bin guys -- come in.

 

What they really need is some coaching to restore the line. They seemed to block without purpose this season. That, plus premium talent, will win games and will shore up the situation in the inevitable event of injuries. It seemed like they were tinkering from day one, and that guys frequently didn't know their roles.

[ndirish1978]

I think they will let Pears, Rivers, Lawson, and Spikes walk. That frees up another $10 mil., and they are projected to have $17 m available in cap space prior to those moves. They'll need to sign Searcy, Bryant, Wynn, Easely, Hogan, and Hairston. That'll probably cost them around $4mil above their current salaries. Hughes has a $4mil hit this year, so what will it take to sign him? Another $5mil? That leaves a lot of space to sign some other FAs. I assume Iupati would cost about $7-8 mil?

 

Could we PLEASE add Chris Williams to that list?

[Buffwagonscircled]

How about Bryan Bulaga? He is going to be the top tackle available unless he resigns with GB. Bulaga and Iupati top two lineman to go after

Edited December 29, 2014 by Buffwagonscircled

[TPS]

I'm all for getting the best free agents we can but a team can only have so many big ticket players. Something to keep in mind.

I understand. 2016 is the crucial year for them with Gilmore, Dareus, Glenn, and Bradham coming up after next year. They need to make some big moves in FA for 2015 because they will most likely have to let some vets go to sign those 4 in 2016. They need a top flight guard and TE. They should make those splash moves this year and see how far they can go in 2015.

 

Could we PLEASE add Chris Williams to that list?

If they went after Iupati, then I'm sure he'd be gone too. I'm not sure what he saves since he signed a 4-year deal.

[Wayne Cubed]

 

As evidenced by our great success in finding them all over the draft.

 

You mean like Levitre? But yes by all means over pay for the guard position, that seems to work in the NFL.

[Prickly Pete]

It's so simplistic to think that the way to fill a hole is to throw buckets of money at the biggest name free agent at the position. Oh well, I think most people know Whaley is smarter than that.

 

They need to find a couple lineman, but no need to break the bank for one guy.

Edited December 29, 2014 by HoF Watkins

[RuntheDamnBall]

You mean like Levitre? But yes by all means over pay for the guard position, that seems to work in the NFL.

One very good player who slipped to round 2, in a putrid history of Bills guards, seems not to make your point very well.

 

It's so simplistic to think that the way to fill a hole is to throw buckets of money at the biggest name free agent at the position. Oh well, I think most people know Whaley is smarter than that.

 

They need to find a couple lineman, but no need to break the bank for one guy.

If it were "just" one guy, or some guy, or even a guy at Levitre's level, I'd get it.

 

Iupati is a player I've been coveting since college.

[Mark80]

Iupati at LG and Kouandjio at RG. Let's run it down people's throats and allow that to open up the passing game.

 

Yeah, Arie Kouandjio.

[Wayne Cubed]

 

One very good player who slipped to round 2, in a putrid history of Bills guards, seems not to make your point very well.

 

I'm sorry maybe you could point to me where paying premier dollar for a guard has helped a team? Let's go through the last couple years of guards who signed for big contracts shall we?

 

2014:

Wasn't really any "big" FA guards

 

2013:

Andy Levitre(6 years $46.8MM). That really worked out well for the Titans huh?

 

2012:

Carl Nicks(5 years $47.5MM). That worked so well for the Bucs he's not even on the team anymore.

 

2011:

Logan Mankins(6 year $51MM). Well he made it a year further than Nicks, so that's a plus but was eventually traded to the Bucs.

 

2010:

Jahri Evans. This might be the only acceptable case but he resigned with the Saints. Unfortunately they weren't able to keep both Evans and Nicks together so they signed Grubbs in 2012, a lower level guard.

 

 

 

 

 

[Robert Paulson]

we need an upgrade at center as well- all 3 interior positions were poor

[RuntheDamnBall]

I'm sorry maybe you could point to me where paying premier dollar for a guard has helped a team? Let's go through the last couple years of guards who signed for big contracts shall we?

 

2014:

Wasn't really any "big" FA guards

 

2013:

Andy Levitre(6 years $46.8MM). That really worked out well for the Titans huh?

 

2012:

Carl Nicks(5 years $47.5MM). That worked so well for the Bucs he's not even on the team anymore.

 

2011:

Logan Mankins(6 year $51MM). Well he made it a year further than Nicks, so that's a plus but was eventually traded to the Bucs.

 

2010:

Jahri Evans. This might be the only acceptable case but he resigned with the Saints. Unfortunately they weren't able to keep both Evans and Nicks together so they signed Grubbs in 2012, a lower level guard.

So, two of the four are awesome? Mankins was the heart-and-soul of the team and got traded because of the Patriot way, not because of any serious regression.

[Wayne Cubed]

 

So, two of the four are awesome? Mankins was the heart-and-soul of the team and got traded because of the Patriot way, not because of any serious regression.

 

Have you looked at his cap numbers? That's why he got traded. Back loaded contract. And he signed a 6 year deal and made it through 3 til he got ditched. You can call it the Patriot way but maybe they didn't want so much money tied up at the guard positon.

Edited December 29, 2014 by Wayne Cubed

[RuntheDamnBall]

Have you looked at his cap numbers? That's why he got traded. Back loaded contract. And he signed a 6 year deal and made it through 3 til he got ditched. You can call it the Patriot way but maybe they didn't want so much money tied up at the guard positon.

And what's to stop us from backloading a deal and doing the same?

[Wayne Cubed]

 

And what's to stop us from backloading a deal and doing the same?

 

The Bills have other players to sign... You can only backload so many contracts. They still have cap ramifications.

[RuntheDamnBall]

The Bills have other players to sign... You can only backload so many contracts. They still have cap ramifications.

I think you have your shortlist of guys who you will give big money to, and really, Hughes and Iupati would be the limit for me, as far as that is concerned. I don't think we need major, major upgrades or replacements in many other areas, unless a QB is available. Fitz and Stevie are off the books. Spikes might not be kept. Spiller is probably gone. A RB and perhaps a TE can come in the draft. Who else has to be signed (I'm not being facetious)?

[billsfan89]

There's a real chance given that his HC just left and his team will have a new philosophy.

 

However, we'd do well to remember that players call the shots in FA and you cannot make someone sign with you. It's a combo of offering the best money and getting a buy-in to what you're doing.

 

If the Bills retain Hughes and resign Dareus for the long term its going to be a lot easier to get a big time free agent to come here and be one of the last pieces needed as opposed to in the past where they might have been one of many pieces needed.

[NoSaint]

I like the "b list" for guards in free agency. Established quality starters but not all pros. A notch or two down from iupati and two or three up from Chris Williams

 

Those 5-7m players can have some good value and high performing guys. The 10m guards probably aren't a big enough gap in play to really justify the jump in pay.

Edited December 29, 2014 by NoSaint

[TC in St. Louis]

We have Cyril Richardson, unanimous first team All-American sitting there, in drastic need of coaching, Cyrus, first team All-American tackle from Alabama, needs coaching. These are better athletes than the starters. They need a coach.

Iupati would be great. But without a good OL coach, his talents will be wasted.

[RuntheDamnBall]

I like the "b list" for guards in free agency. Established quality starters but not all pros. A notch or two down from iupati and two or three up from Chris Williams

But isn't Levitre essentially B list by that criteria? The problem is that if something good is in short supply, the price goes up. And there will always be the issue of a guy not fitting wherever he signs as a FA. I think the chances of a premier talent fitting in are better than that "B" guy who may or may not have looked better based on the system / personnel around him.

 

I just don't know how we could say no if Iupati were open to coming here.

 

We have Cyril Richardson, unanimous first team All-American sitting there, in drastic need of coaching, Cyrus, first team All-American tackle from Alabama, needs coaching. These are better athletes than the starters. They need a coach.

Iupati would be great. But without a good OL coach, his talents will be wasted.

But sometimes if your guy is just good enough at winning one on one battles, schemes matter less.

 

I want to see those two All Americans play and succeed, but they clearly aren't there yet, and the road to the pros is littered with college All American failures.

[Bangarang]

 

 

Yeah, Arie Kouandjio.

 

You've already given up on Cyrus? C'mon man