Will the Bills ever sign Charles Clay?

[HurlyBurly51]

Other than seeing and hearing his name during the small number of Dolphins games I watch each year (i.e., two games against the Bills and an occasional featured game), I don't think I spent even 10 seconds of my life thinking about Charles Clay prior to this offseason. Yet, I've spent the past few days checking every site I know on a routine basis trying to get an update on his status, thought process, etc.

 

Free agency is a really weird time of year. . .

 

Yep

[billykaykay]

 

There are still two TEs on the roster who (athletically) fit Roman's scheme. There's also the draft and my belief the Bills will still land Clay when the dust settles.

Plus the Canisius College kid they signed in January.

[Deranged Rhino]

Plus the Canisius College kid they signed in January.

 

Good call, forgot about him.

[3rdand12]

 

Good call, forgot about him.

Red zone threat. "Go up and get the ball type of player for us "

[Deranged Rhino]

Red zone threat. "Go up and get the ball type of player for us "

 

Absolutely, and I should have remembered him. I love the idea of finding borderline NBA talents and converting them to next-gen TEs. I think the Bills should have a scout or two at D-League games and NBA draft workouts to try to convince some of the guys who may wash out to try their hand at catching a pigskin.

[3rdand12]

 

Absolutely, and I should have remembered him. I love the idea of finding borderline NBA talents and converting them to next-gen TEs. I think the Bills should have a scout or two at D-League games and NBA draft workouts to try to convince some of the guys who may wash out to try their hand at catching a pigskin.

I think its going to be trend actually.

and maybe he can juke ala SJ13 too!

[Bob Malooga]

Their biggest mistake was letting him leave without an offer...there is zero chance they get him now.

And now they have 3 scrubs at TE, none of them who know how to block.

[K-9]

Their biggest mistake was letting him leave without an offer...there is zero chance they get him now.

 

And now they have 3 scrubs at TE, none of them who know how to block.

 

 

Do you propose a gun to the head next time?

 

GO BILLS!!!

[North Buffalo]

Absolutely, and I should have remembered him. I love the idea of finding borderline NBA talents and converting them to next-gen TEs. I think the Bills should have a scout or two at D-League games and NBA draft workouts to try to convince some of the guys who may wash out to try their hand at catching a pigskin.

Big power forward on Fordham, backup center with softhands but build like a linebacker 6'6" gave UMass fits when he was in. Believe he was a senior.

[Bob Malooga]

Do you propose a gun to the head next time?

 

GO BILLS!!!

Can you not read?

 

I would propose OFFERING HIM A CONTRACT BEFORE HE LEFT! It's common sense, he was there THREE damn days.

 

But, now I am curious...did they hold a gun to Mario's head? Because if they did, it worked.

Edited March 14, 2015 by Bubbles from Sunnyvale

[Deranged Rhino]

Can you not read?

 

I would propose OFFERING HIM A CONTRACT BEFORE HE LEFT! It's common sense, he was there THREE damn days.

 

But, now I am curious...did they hold a gun to Mario's head? Because if they did, it worked.

 

Mario wasn't a restricted free agent. It's a much more nuanced negotiation with Clay than it was with Mario.

[xsoldier54]

Can you not read?

 

I would propose OFFERING HIM A CONTRACT BEFORE HE LEFT! It's common sense, he was there THREE damn days.

 

But, now I am curious...did they hold a gun to Mario's head? Because if they did, it worked.

If they had made him an offer before Miami cleared cap space, it would have been easier for Dolphins to match. Now they have a better idea of what to offer him.

[Bob Malooga]

Red zone threat. "Go up and get the ball type of player for us "

Like Ramses Barden was supposed to be? Lol.

 

I doubt Chris Manhertz is a factor at the tight end position, whatsoever.

Mario wasn't a restricted free agent. It's a much more nuanced negotiation with Clay than it was with Mario.

How so, an offered needs to be made, no matter what...only difference is, Miami has a chance to match the offer, Houston didn't.

 

If I go visit a team and leave with an offer in my hand, I feel a lot better about them wanting me...if I leave emptied-handed, I feel I wasted my time.

Edited March 14, 2015 by Bubbles from Sunnyvale

[3rdand12]

Do you propose a gun to the head next time?

 

GO BILLS!!!

I am okay with something like that.

Like tying his shoe laces together maybe and turning out the lights and changing the time upon the clocks. Hiding car keys etc.

Like Ramses Barden was supposed to be? Lol.

 

I doubt Chris Manhertz is a factor at the tight end position, whatsoever.

How so, an offered needs to be made, no matter what...only difference is, Miami has a chance to match the offer, Houston didn't.

 

If I go visit a team and leave with an offer in my hand, I feel a lot better about them wanting me...if I leave emptied-handed, I feel I wasted my time.

It was a glass half full post by me.

[Bob Malooga]

And putting in an offer 2 days ago, would give them much less time to rework their roster to make room for him.

 

They would've had 5 days to do everything they had to do, the Bills afforded them more time to work things out.

[Deranged Rhino]

How so, an offered needs to be made, no matter what...only difference is, Miami has a chance to match the offer, Houston didn't.

 

 

 

It's night and day because Miami can match and retain Clay so the Bills have to structure the deal in a way that hurts Miami's ability to match and they can only make ONE offer sheet. This means the two teams are playing a very high stakes game of chicken.

 

That wasn't an issue with Mario, they could structure the deal however they wanted.

And putting in an offer 2 days ago, would give them much less time to rework their roster to make room for him.

 

They would've had 5 days to do everything they had to do, the Bills afforded them more time to work things out.

 

That's not correct.

[Bob Malooga]

I am okay with something like that.

Like tying his shoe laces together maybe and turning out the lights and changing the time upon the clocks. Hiding car keys etc.

 

It was a glass half full post by me.

Understandable, but I am not pinning my hopes for the TE position on a former Canisius basketball player...situations like that are extremely rare.

 

Rather sign Gresham and draft Williams, Walford, O'Leary...or if you want a legit TE prospect, draft Jean Sifrin, or sign him as an undrafted free agent.

[Deranged Rhino]

Understandable, but I am not pinning my hopes for the TE position on a former Canisius basketball player...situations like that are extremely rare.

 

Rather sign Gresham and draft Williams, Walford, O'Leary...or if you want a legit TE prospect, draft Jean Sifrin, or sign him as an undrafted free agent.

 

Gresham will most likely not sign before Clay's situation is resolved because he wants to see the going rate. Another reason why it's silly to worry about the timing of something you don't seem to fully understand.

[Bob Malooga]

It's night and day because Miami can match and retain Clay so the Bills have to structure the deal in a way that hurts Miami's ability to match and they can only make ONE offer sheet. This means the two teams are playing a very high stakes game of chicken.

 

That wasn't an issue with Mario, they could structure the deal however they wanted.

 

 

That's not correct.

It is correct, if they offered him on Wednesday, Miami would have until Monday to match it...now they have all their roster reshaping done, and all the time they want since there is no offer sheet.

 

The Dolphins get five days to match any offer for Charles Clay, after the offer sheet is put in by the Bills, Browns or whomever.

[K-9]

Can you not read?

 

I would propose OFFERING HIM A CONTRACT BEFORE HE LEFT! It's common sense, he was there THREE damn days.

 

But, now I am curious...did they hold a gun to Mario's head? Because if they did, it worked.

Ooh. Right for the "can't read" gambit. Nice.

 

The gun to Mario's head was in the form of making him the highest paid defender at the time. I'm sure that Clay could have been tempted by a similar offer, but that would have been absurd.

 

The transition tag on Clay also complicates the issue on several levels.

 

Most importantly, it takes two and there's every reason to believe that Clay's first preference is to return to Miami. It was never a question of simply not "letting" him leave.

 

GO BILLS!!!