thebandit27 Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 Telling us that Fred is a professional who has made some decent coin for himself and his kids and understands this is a business so he is looking at other teams or, perhaps, to retire. To read into this any other way (as the tinfoil hat crowd who want to create a controversy) is asinine. I'll say this: it would surprise me if a guy as competitive as Freddie wanted to retire. I'd expect he'll catch on with a NE, Cleveland, or Houston.
K-9 Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 I'm not sure why it's specious. Couldn't it be that he agreed to a big pay cut but that the Bills didn't want him regardless? The piece pretty much says that this is what happened. And why wouldn't he offer to take a pay cut? It makes perfect sense: no one is going to pay him what the Bills were scheduled to pay him. I know people like Florio less now he's perceived as pro-Brady, but he's not always wrong. It does suck. At the end of the day, I think the Bills would have been a better team with Fred Jackson instead of Bryce Brown (who I think will make the team). But the coaches and GM feel differently. I get it. First of all, I have disliked Florio long before the Brady shilling started, so I have no bias in that regard. It's specious because he's reporting as fact that Freddy would have been willing to take a paycut. Really? Has Freddy said that yet? I agree the Bills cut Freddy for reasons other than salary. It's what I said in my response to you earlier; they didn't want Freddy at any price, reduced or not. I have maintained all day that Brown is only 50/50 to make this club at this time. I'm waiting for someone to confirm that Roman carried three RBs in SF in favor of extra TEs. If that's true, I see him doing that here with the emergence of Gragg and Gray. If Boobie's health is OK, I can see him making the squad ahead of Brown given his stellar ST play and previous experience in Roman's schemes. He also has a LOT of the intangible leadership qualities and is well-liked in the lockerroom. Plus, Brown just doesn't seem like a favorite of Ryan. Finally, given that we are keeping three QBs according to Ryan, I think we keep three RBs: McCoy, Boobie, and Karlos Williams. GO BILLS!!!
Hapless Bills Fan Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 @mikerodak: Aaron Williams said Rex Ryan told players that Bills did "everything they could" to keep Jackson but "timing" wasn't right. I expect that's right. The Bills are going to have to carry a lot of injured players (not to mention Dareus) for the first couple games of the season. WR I think, will be especially thin. If they didn't have so many injuries, they might well have been able to spare him a spot. ... and it starts to get a little ugly: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/08/31/fred-jackson-would-have-done-anything-to-retire-with-bills/ Poor research by Florio. "Done anything to retire a Bill" - come on, if Fred had said "I'll retire now" do you think they wouldn't have set that up? What Fred means, I think, is if his salary were an issue he would have taken a pay cut. I think that means his salary wasn't an issue or at least not the primary issue, the roster cut-down and the # of injured players were the big drivers here. Florio says "Jackson would have more options if the decision had come earlier. While Whaley tried to paint the timing of the decision as a favor to Jackson in his effort to find a new team, the real favor would have been to let Jackson go in March, so that he could land on a team has already made other plans based on the players who were available in March. And April. And May. And June. And July. And August 1 through August 30" This is poorly thought out. No other team was going to line up to sign a 34 year old running back before the start of OTAs when there are flocks of eager young cheap UDFA running backs and they might pick up a gem, and not knowing what Jackson still had. No other team was going to pick up Jackson between August 7 when he was injured, and the Pitts. game when he showed he was healthy. Now is a good time, because the Injury Bug has bitten, teams have seen Jackson play so he's known healthy, and he's a vet who can come in and pick up the playbook quickly. Besides of which, if the Bills wanted to try to keep Jackson and he wanted to try to stay with the Bills, it's legit to try.
dave mcbride Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 First of all, I have disliked Florio long before the Brady shilling started, so I have no bias in that regard. It's specious because he's reporting as fact that Freddy would have been willing to take a paycut. Really? Has Freddy said that yet? I agree the Bills cut Freddy for reasons other than salary. It's what I said in my response to you earlier; they didn't want Freddy at any price, reduced or not. I have maintained all day that Brown is only 50/50 to make this club at this time. I'm waiting for someone to confirm that Roman carried three RBs in SF in favor of extra TEs. If that's true, I see him doing that here with the emergence of Gragg and Gray. If Boobie's health is OK, I can see him making the squad ahead of Brown given his stellar ST play and previous experience in Roman's schemes. He also has a LOT of the intangible leadership qualities and is well-liked in the lockerroom. Plus, Brown just doesn't seem like a favorite of Ryan. Finally, given that we are keeping three QBs according to Ryan, I think we keep three RBs: McCoy, Boobie, and Karlos Williams. GO BILLS!!! Everyone is willing to take a pay cut if the alternative is seeing their salary reduced to zero. That's just common sense.
Hapless Bills Fan Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 Translation: we only have so many roster spots at the position, and try as we may, it was evident that the younger guys need the carries over Fred. You may not agree, but that's what he appears to be saying IMO That, plus the "timing" bit I think has to do with injuries at other positions as well
ThrowingFitz Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 Where ever he lands I hope he gets some playoffs under his feet. Regardless of what team he plays for he will always be a Buffalo Bill.
K-9 Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 Everyone is willing to take a pay cut if the alternative is seeing their salary reduced to zero. That's just common sense. Did Freddy offer to take a pay cut or was the onus on the Bills to offer a paycut to a player they were going to cut, regardless? Florio is full of crap. GO BILLS!!!
YoloinOhio Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 I'm not sure what else Whaley could have said in the presser? Karlos is 12 years younger, a ton faster, and hella cheaper? I hate seeing him go, think he can still play, but it's more from a leadership standpoint. Someone new will need to step up.
Homey D. Clown Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 No matter what the reason, no matter how much the move makes sense, this still is the saddest day in Franchise history to me, right next to the passing of Ralph Wilson, and the announcement of Jim kelly's bout with cancer. Thank you Fred for giving me something to believe in when there was so very little to cheer for over the last 10 years. I wish you all the best, and I hope you find a place within the organization, Buffalo just wouldn't be the same without you.
dave mcbride Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 First of all, I have disliked Florio long before the Brady shilling started, so I have no bias in that regard. It's specious because he's reporting as fact that Freddy would have been willing to take a paycut. Really? Has Freddy said that yet? I agree the Bills cut Freddy for reasons other than salary. It's what I said in my response to you earlier; they didn't want Freddy at any price, reduced or not. I have maintained all day that Brown is only 50/50 to make this club at this time. I'm waiting for someone to confirm that Roman carried three RBs in SF in favor of extra TEs. If that's true, I see him doing that here with the emergence of Gragg and Gray. If Boobie's health is OK, I can see him making the squad ahead of Brown given his stellar ST play and previous experience in Roman's schemes. He also has a LOT of the intangible leadership qualities and is well-liked in the lockerroom. Plus, Brown just doesn't seem like a favorite of Ryan. Finally, given that we are keeping three QBs according to Ryan, I think we keep three RBs: McCoy, Boobie, and Karlos Williams. GO BILLS!!! The Niners kept 4 RBs in 2012 and 2013: Gore, Dixon, Kendall Hunter, and LaMichael James. Bruce Miller was their FB. They had 3 and a half last year, it appears.
VABills Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 As a long term vet, Fred doesn't have to clear waivers. He's a free man now. If he was in such high demand, someone would have signed him already.
dave mcbride Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 Did Freddy offer to take a pay cut or was the onus on the Bills to offer a paycut to a player they were going to cut, regardless? Florio is full of crap. GO BILLS!!! This is semantics and you seem to be letting your animus towards him get the best of you. As I said, it's common sense to say you'll take a big cut if the alternative is no salary at all. It's not as if there are other teams out there who are going to break the bank for him. He's looking at vet minimum pretty much everywhere.
LB3 Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 As a long term vet, Fred doesn't have to clear waivers. He's a free man now. If he was in such high demand, someone would have signed him already. Or he's received offers and isn't willing to sign just anywhere.
4merper4mer Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 The Niners kept 4 RBs in 2012 and 2013: Gore, Dixon, Kendall Hunter, and LaMichael James. Bruce Miller was their FB. They had 3 and a half last year, it appears. Was Lattimore on IR?
NoSaint Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 As a long term vet, Fred doesn't have to clear waivers. He's a free man now. If he was in such high demand, someone would have signed him already. its been all of 5 minutes. he may look at his kids, the prospect of moving with school about to start, his bank account, feel some of those aches his body surely has and decide to retire for all we know. but someone will likely make him an offer, if they havent reached out already.
Buffaloed in Pa Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 Like I told you all. But thanks Fred for the memories.
4merper4mer Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 Like I trolled you all. But thanks Fred for the memories. Fixed
eball Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 This is semantics and you seem to be letting your animus towards him get the best of you. As I said, it's common sense to say you'll take a big cut if the alternative is no salary at all. It's not as if there are other teams out there who are going to break the bank for him. He's looking at vet minimum pretty much everywhere. Florio's article could be entirely true -- and if so, it just reinforces that the Bills didn't want Fred on the roster at any price because they like the other four backs more.
Buffaloed in Pa Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 Fixed cry baby cry. Like they say, its a business.
DrDawkinstein Posted August 31, 2015 Posted August 31, 2015 ... and it starts to get a little ugly: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/08/31/fred-jackson-would-have-done-anything-to-retire-with-bills/ Well if he wants to retire as a Bill so badly, then he should go for it!
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