Bill from NYC Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 I'm an unrelenting Rex basher. However, anyone who is blaming Rex for Mario's departure is being foolish.I don't see how you can arrive at this conclusion, unless you also think that Willie Mays should have been used as a pitcher.
thebandit27 Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 I don't see how you can arrive at this conclusion, unless you also think that Willie Mays should have been used as a pitcher. I think it's more like Willie Mays prefers playing center fielder, but was asked to play in right field and occasionally fill in at short stop
Chandler#81 Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 Excellent post. He was arguably the second best all around DE in the NFL for the two years prior to Rex. He is also arguably the second best DE in team history. .. Ron McDole, Ben Williams, Phil Hanson & Aaron Schobel say 'Hi!'
Hapless Bills Fan Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 I don't see how you can arrive at this conclusion, unless you also think that Willie Mays should have been used as a pitcher. Because of the salary cap, Bill. It's simple math: 1. The Bills need Big Money to sign their FA OLmen 2. Mario had the biggest money contract with "smallest" dead money hit 3. Mario was going to be cut no matter what, because we need the money The only difference is if he'd been cut after a stellar season, the board would be lit up with people complaining that the Bills can't retain their great players and have to sacrifice one side of the ball for the other and complaining that we should have tried to trade and "get something for him". Instead most people are either indifferent, glad to see him go, or complain about Rex.
Mr. WEO Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 What a shame. It was such a coup for the Bills to land him in free agency. He was such a stud his first few years here. Last year was a big embarrassment and he should be ashamed of himself. I've never watched any player not give a F more than he did last year. How was it a coup? He was let go by the Houston and Buddy offered him the highest pay of any D player ever and there were no other bidders.
GunnerBill Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 How was it a coup? He was let go by the Houston and Buddy offered him the highest pay of any D player ever and there were no other bidders. There were other teams who wanted to bid.... the Bears wanted to get him on a plane to Chicago.
thebandit27 Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 How was it a coup? He was let go by the Houston and Buddy offered him the highest pay of any D player ever and there were no other bidders. This is a massive distortion of history. Houston couldn't tag him because it would've mandated a minimum 20% increase over his $22M compensation from the previous year; he wasn't "let go". He wanted to test the market and they couldn't tag him for $26M. There were indeed other bidders. He was scheduled to visit Tennessee (and Atlanta after that), but Buffalo put the full-court press on and signed him before he got there. It was never an issue of money--he was going to get the richest deal for a defensive player ever regardless of where he signed. It was a coup. Do you not remember the astonishment throughout the media that Buffalo landed the most prized FA on the market?
Bill from NYC Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 Because of the salary cap, Bill. It's simple math: 1. The Bills need Big Money to sign their FA OLmen 2. Mario had the biggest money contract with "smallest" dead money hit 3. Mario was going to be cut no matter what, because we need the money The only difference is if he'd been cut after a stellar season, the board would be lit up with people complaining that the Bills can't retain their great players and have to sacrifice one side of the ball for the other and complaining that we should have tried to trade and "get something for him". Instead most people are either indifferent, glad to see him go, or complain about Rex. At his salary Mario was worthless in a trade. It was however painful to watch Rex destroy Mario's season and turn a very good defense into an undisciplined disgrace.
eball Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 It was however painful to watch Rex destroy Mario's season and turn a very good defense into an undisciplined disgrace. I wonder how long it will take this fall before this statement is proven to be utter nonsense.
Bill from NYC Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 Excellent post. He was arguably the second best all around DE in the NFL for the two years prior to Rex. He is arguably our best free agent signing ever. He is a huge reason why Jerry Hughes and Dareus developed into the players they are. He is also arguably the second best DE in team history. We are not a better team today. But Mario didn't excel in a defense where almost every player got worse. Best of luck to him and he was a major part of one of the best Bills' defense I have ever seen. It's going to suck to watch him be a really good player on a team that doesn't force a crappy pass rush system on him. Good post! Mario was (I think still is) a great player. I do think that the signing of Bryce Paup was at least equal to signing Mario, but I am just splitting hairs.
GG Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 This is a massive distortion of history. Houston couldn't tag him because it would've mandated a minimum 20% increase over his $22M compensation from the previous year; he wasn't "let go". He wanted to test the market and they couldn't tag him for $26M. There were indeed other bidders. He was scheduled to visit Tennessee (and Atlanta after that), but Buffalo put the full-court press on and signed him before he got there. It was never an issue of money--he was going to get the richest deal for a defensive player ever regardless of where he signed. It was a coup. Do you not remember the astonishment throughout the media that Buffalo landed the most prized FA on the market? In a typical self loathing Buffalo way, what do you think was the reason he flew to Buffalo first instead of the other places?
thebandit27 Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 In a typical self loathing Buffalo way, what do you think was the reason he flew to Buffalo first instead of the other places? I have no idea how they convinced him to do so...probably by promising to meet demands regarding scheme etc. Trust me, the guy knew he was getting a $100M deal and that half of it would be guaranteed. No question other teams would've given it to him.
GG Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 I have no idea how they convinced him to do so...probably by promising to meet demands regarding scheme etc. Trust me, the guy knew he was getting a $100M deal and that half of it would be guaranteed. No question other teams would've given it to him. I think we'll also find out a lot more of the back stories and non-dollar terms of that deal that Bills agreed to that other teams perhaps would not have. The guy has proven to be a me first player in a consummate team sport. Again, one game changing series per season did not justify the contract and the discord he created. Sayonara
JohnC Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 I don't see how you can arrive at this conclusion, unless you also think that Willie Mays should have been used as a pitcher. Gotham Bill, You know better than most how I rank Rex as a HC. I consider his hiring a set back that has to run its course. That's the reality of the situation that can't be altered. The Mario salary is simply unsustainable. No amount of contract manipulation is going to satisfy MW and be workable within our cap situation. There is another side to the Mario situation that has to be faced. He quit on the team. It may not be obvious to you but it is to me. Did Rex place him in a bad work situation? Absolutely. On the other hand: Tough shiiiit! If the HC makes an egregious mistake it's his mistake. You can't respond by going through the motions as a statement of your disdain for the HC and what he is asking you to do. The jettisoning of a highly paid veteran player who arguably is on his downside is nothing unusual. It is part of the fabric of the NFL of today. Every team in the league is going through the same challenging talent to price tag ratio issues. Every team has let very good players go in order to keep their talent or bring in additional talent. It's part of the excruciating decisions that all GMs and franchises have to make. Mario has been an extraordinarily effective player for us. He was well worth the high price tag. Mario on the Bills has run its course. It's part of the life cycle that can't be avoided. Mario doesn't have much of an endearing personality. He approaches the game as the organization does. It's about business. Sentiment is not part of the calculation. It's not about the heart----it's about the calculator.
Sisyphean Bills Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 In a typical self loathing Buffalo way, what do you think was the reason he flew to Buffalo first instead of the other places? It's not difficult to understand. In this business, negotiations are handled by agents. Agents with cell phones with extensive contact lists programmed into them. Mario visited the Bills first because his agent understood there was mutual interest and had already worked up the outline of a deal with the possible landing spots. If Mario was highly likely to have received better offers from dozens of other teams, his agent would've steered him to those better offers. This was nothing more than an agent doing his job and doing it well.
26CornerBlitz Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 Six potential landing spots for Mario Williams Mario Williams immediately leapt into the top 10 of our free agents list after he was cut by the Bills on Tuesday. Where could he end up? Conor Orr and Kevin Patra assess Williams' options.
C.Biscuit97 Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 Ron McDole, Ben Williams, Phil Hanson & Aaron Schobel say 'Hi!' The first 2 guys were before my time so I can't really comment on them. Phil Handen got double digit sacks once in his career and got the benefit of playing across from one of the greatest DEs in the NFL. And I was a big Schobel fan but he wasn't close to as dominant as Mario was.
eball Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 I hope it is proven to be nonsense. But right now how can you argue otherwise? The Bills' defense was not a disgrace last year; it was middle of the pack. Mario's season wasn't destroyed by Rex; Mario decided he didn't want to try.
C.Biscuit97 Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 Good post! Mario was (I think still is) a great player. I do think that the signing of Bryce Paup was at least equal to signing Mario, but I am just splitting hairs. I was young for the Paupera but I remember him having a dominant first season (DPOY?) and then kinda of fading. I think Mario was far more consistent. Either way, he was a really good player for us prior to this year. And while some might question his effort, he was right about the defense. It's embarrassing what happened to our pass rush and the players should have been unhappy.
ricojes Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 I can see Carolina going after him to replace Allen. I think he would take less, which he'll have to anyway, for a chance at a SB....
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