9.17 Million Dollar Cap Hit For Mike Williams...

[Bill from NYC]

I have been letting this sink in for a few days now to come to some sort of opinion.

I contend that under any conditions except RT play which resembles that of Erik Williams in his prime, this cap hit is nothing short of a horror show and a literal crisis for the Buffalo Bills football team.

Make no mistake, MW played well last season after he came out of his "funk." Not splendid mind you, but he certainly was a better than average RT. Now, 9.17 million dollars???????? Please. This is a higher figure than that of Walter Jones, Orlando Pace and probably even Ogden. Mike Williams has not even approached their level of play. No, not close.

This contract, as it stands, will prevent the Bills from signing a prominent free agent. It consists of more than 10% of the Bills entire salary cap allotment. It was a bad move by TD, but he has also made some great moves.

I have the feeling that this will be resolved one way or the other before the season. MW seems to have us over a barrel, whereas cutting him would cost us a ton of dead cap money. He also does not have to renegotiate as did Moulds because even if he were to be released (which wont happen), another team will give him a big bonus.

I dont know how this will work itself out, but under ANY conditions, a 9.17 cap hit for Big Mike is nothing short of a football "sin!"

Any thought on what should/will happen?

[San-O]

I have been letting this sink in for a few days now to come to some sort of opinion.

I contend that under any conditions except RT play which resembles that of Erik Williams in his prime, this cap hit is nothing short of a horror show and a literal crisis for the Buffalo Bills football team.

Make no mistake, MW played well last season after he came out of his "funk." Not splendid mind you, but he certainly was a better than average RT. Now, 9.17 million dollars???????? Please. This is a higher figure than that of Walter Jones, Orlando Pace and probably even Ogden. Mike Williams has not even approached their level of play. No, not close.

This contract, as it stands, will prevent the Bills from signing a prominent free agent. It consists of more than 10% of the Bills entire salary cap allotment. It was a bad move by TD, but he has also made some great moves.

I have the feeling that this will be resolved one way or the other before the season. MW seems to have us over a barrel, whereas cutting him would cost us a ton of dead cap money. He also does not have to renegotiate as did Moulds because even if he were to be released (which wont happen), another team will give him a big bonus.

I dont know how this will work itself out, but under ANY conditions, a 9.17 cap hit for Big Mike is nothing short of a football "sin!"

Any thought on what should/will happen?

 

PS: The 9.17 figure is compliments of CP.

246311[/snapback]

 

TD should be absolutely SHOT for this if true.

 

Where are the TD spinners now.

[Bill from NYC]

TD should be absolutely SHOT for this if true.

 

Where are the TD spinners now.

246312[/snapback]

 

I am a fan of the moves TD has made wrt free agency. As for the draft, I am not very impressed, but I suppose it IS early.

The whole MW thing has been a fiasco so far. It needs to be resolved.

[jahnyc]

I agree, this is a disaster. How do we fix this? I don't think it makes sense to restructure because I doubt MW will be willing to take less money in the additional years that we would want to add to the contract. In addition, with MW's past issues, why would we restructure by giving him a cash bonus now to lower the current cap hit? Makes no sense to me. Cutting him also makes little sense. We likely will need to replace J. Jennings at LT, so cutting your starting RT would make filling the holes on the o-line that much more difficult.

[Mark Vader]

I find it extremely doubtful that the Bills would just let this slip by. They must be wholly aware of Mike Williams' cap hit, and I am sure they will do something to fix it. If they do not, I will be shocked.

[BADOLBILZ]

I have been letting this sink in for a few days now to come to some sort of opinion.

I contend that under any conditions except RT play which resembles that of Erik Williams in his prime, this cap hit is nothing short of a horror show and a literal crisis for the Buffalo Bills football team.

Make no mistake, MW played well last season after he came out of his "funk." Not splendid mind you, but he certainly was a better than average RT. Now, 9.17 million dollars???????? Please. This is a higher figure than that of Walter Jones, Orlando Pace and probably even Ogden. Mike Williams has not even approached their level of play. No, not close.

This contract, as it stands, will prevent the Bills from signing a prominent free agent. It consists of more than 10% of the Bills entire salary cap allotment. It was a bad move by TD, but he has also made some great moves.

I have the feeling that this will be resolved one way or the other before the season. MW seems to have us over a barrel, whereas cutting him would cost us a ton of dead cap money. He also does not have to renegotiate as did Moulds because even if he were to be released (which wont happen), another team will give him a big bonus.

I dont know how this will work itself out, but under ANY conditions, a 9.17 cap hit for Big Mike is nothing short of a football "sin!"

Any thought on what should/will happen?

246311[/snapback]

 

The cap hit is large, but that is what happens with a high first round pick later in his rookie contract.

 

Question is whether or not to extend Williams deal. Is he reliable enough to extend? He played better last season, but he also showed up to camp in bad shape and it carried over into poor performances during the early part of the season.

 

The other issue is how much a right tackle is worth. Certainly not what he got in his rookie contract. This was part of the argument when he was drafted.......even if he's All-Pro he's overpaid at those kind of dollars because he's just a right tackle. So, in essence, in a re-negotiation he may be asked to take a "paycut" just as he could/should be entering his prime.

[KnightRider]

I have been letting this sink in for a few days now to come to some sort of opinion.

I contend that under any conditions except RT play which resembles that of Erik Williams in his prime, this cap hit is nothing short of a horror show and a literal crisis for the Buffalo Bills football team.

Make no mistake, MW played well last season after he came out of his "funk." Not splendid mind you, but he certainly was a better than average RT. Now, 9.17 million dollars???????? Please. This is a higher figure than that of Walter Jones, Orlando Pace and probably even Ogden. Mike Williams has not even approached their level of play. No, not close.

This contract, as it stands, will prevent the Bills from signing a prominent free agent. It consists of more than 10% of the Bills entire salary cap allotment. It was a bad move by TD, but he has also made some great moves.

I have the feeling that this will be resolved one way or the other before the season. MW seems to have us over a barrel, whereas cutting him would cost us a ton of dead cap money. He also does not have to renegotiate as did Moulds because even if he were to be released (which wont happen), another team will give him a big bonus.

I dont know how this will work itself out, but under ANY conditions, a 9.17 cap hit for Big Mike is nothing short of a football "sin!"

Any thought on what should/will happen?

246311[/snapback]

 

What player in the 2002 draft should we have taken? The only other two that might be contributing more would be Roy Williams and Dwight Freeney. I'm not sure either one of them is worth 9.17 either.

 

Just be glad we didn't take Harrington...

[San-O]

The cap hit is large, but that is what happens with a high first round pick later in his rookie contract.

 

  Question is whether or not to extend Williams deal.  Is he reliable enough to extend?  He played better last season, but he also showed up to camp in bad shape and it carried over into poor performances during the early part of the season.

 

  The other issue is how much a right tackle is worth.  Certainly not what he got in his rookie contract.  This was part of the argument when he was drafted.......even if he's All-Pro he's overpaid at those kind of dollars because he's just a right tackle.  So, in essence, in a re-negotiation he may be asked to take a "paycut" just as he could/should be entering his prime.

246331[/snapback]

 

 

He was # 4 overall I think when drafted. TD must have envisioned him as

a starting LT at some point, which will never happen. I think this is yet another

case of TD drafting a guy and hoping to turn him into something esle at the

Pro level. Just doesn't seem to work. I would also be interested to know where

WM falls in terms of RT salaries.

[DC Tom]

TD should be absolutely SHOT for this if true.

 

Where are the TD spinners now.

246312[/snapback]

 

Yeah, imagine that...a top-5 pick has a hideously large cap hit late in his first contract. Why, I bet that never happens to any other GMs...

[Fezmid]

Millbank was right, MW is the next whipping boy.

 

WTG Millbank!

 

CW

[KnightRider]

Millbank was right, MW is the next whipping boy.

 

WTG Millbank!

 

CW

246338[/snapback]

 

My guess is it will be JPL as soon as he throws a non garbage time INT...

 

It's always the QB... (unless he is named Lonnie...)

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

Assuming these numbers are correct, I think one of the things it indicates is that the way TD seems to place value on first round picks in the draft (at best they are a tool to use and in many ways using this tool to minimize the damage done to your team by picking a 1st rounder is a good way to think about them).

 

TDs record with use of the 1st round pick is this:

 

2001- traded down for needed extra help as recovery from the cap purge was the first order of business. Still getting the first CN chosen with a lower pick and to have that CB make the Pro Bowl is a pretty nice job, though already the pressure is mounting to extend the contract of this pick.

 

2002- Perhaps the biggest drafting miscue of the TD era was the selection of MW who ironically was the consensus pick to make to fill the Bills needs and has generally been regarded as a better pick than the hold-out and disappointing (one MN paper is talking about them cutting hm this year even though they have tons of cap room) alternative choice McKinnie. TD does begin to show that he views 1st round choices as a simple commodity as he trades the 203 1st rounder for Bledsoe. Bledsoe not only initially pays off big time in 2002 but the Bills essentially got something in the present for nothing in the present as TG found a way to gain value in 2002 for a 2003 pick.

 

2003- Again TD thinks outside of the box and scored big in the draft for the Bills, He did this by turning PP who we were owed nothing for into a 1st round pick which he surprised everyone by choosing WM. The choice turned out to be nothing short of brilliant as the conventional wisdom viewed this pick as illogical because we already had an RB coming off a Pro Bowl year, when in fact it was quality of Henry's play that made the selection of WM doable so he could sit with little real pressure to start him.

 

In addition by signing a wounded player, TD was able to slot a #3-5 rated player (if WM recovered which he has to date) at $23 money and get him to sign a unusal deal for a draft pick which rewards WM for playing well and reduced the Bills risk if he did not produce,

 

An extra piece of notable 1st round pick manipulation was that few would have complained if TD had used the #23 pick on Chris Kelsay who filled a need beyind those who feel he should have traded up for a DE. However, by reading the market correctly due to the rush on DL picks in the first, he was able to get Kelsay with a second and Kelsay broke into our starting line-up in his second year.

 

2004- TD chose Evans who filled a definite need for us (ironically one left by our past speed receiver being traded for a pick who became WM and Reed (a consensus first rounder who slipped to the 2nd round in the 2002 drat) failing to equal his first year showing. Evans is viewed as a success by almost all filling out need and being among the best players available at the time.

 

He continued his wheeling and dealing with firsts by dealing our 2005 1st for a 2004 1st who became JP Losman. Again this has proved to be agreat move as not only is the 2005 class of QBs viewed as a weak one with their not being anyone who equals the raw talent of Losman at the Bills position (or maybe in the entire draft) but Losman is a raw talent who needed at least a year of practice before he was able to start (which he will) at the time a 2005 pick would have been able to.

 

Overall the totals are these

 

6 total 1st round picks on his time in Buffalo (the extra is ATs pick he acquired and turned into McGhee.

 

6 starters acquired with these picks and also two draftees he got in the second round who were talked about as 1st round talents (Kelsay, Reed) who became starters for this team in his 5 years.

 

Of these 6, 2 qualified for the Pro Bowl (Clements this year and Bledsoe acquired in a trade for the 03 choice his first year) and most of us feel that WM and Evans are probable Pro Bowl talents and we hope JP proves to be one.

 

Even if you consider the MW pick and contract a failed effort on TDs part (the jury is still out as MW s deal can and should be renegotiated and his play improved last year to a level which is still inadequate as he should be playing well enough to switch sides to LT and this maneuver would be risky because though he is better he is not quite there (yet).

 

Still overall, I think TD has to be given plaudits for his handling pf the 1st round pick resource. I think if one looks back in a few years (first you will look to see whether we made the playoffs or won the SB under his leadership and since we have not so far he is a failure as a GM so far) if you want to take apart the individual aspects of his work its hard to imagine a GM doing a lot better handling the 1st round pick than TD has to date.

[clumping platelets]

[Bill from NYC]

Millbank was right, MW is the next whipping boy.

 

WTG Millbank!

 

CW

246338[/snapback]

 

As I see it, it will be up to him. If he reports to camp out of shape or has a bad year, yes, he will catch some grief.

He needs to be very focused and play extremely well (as he did in some games in 04) for that salary, but whipping boy?

He did not sign himself to that contract, and as I said, TD has done his job pretty well imo. If MW beats people up in 05 and has a pro bowl type season, people will praise him, and for that price, this is what fans have a right to expect imo.

[Nanker]

2002 was the year TD should have traded down for a 1st and a 2nd.

 

The Jints picked 14th and took Jeremy Shockey and WR Tim Carter in the 2nd.

Hell, Denver took Clinton Portis in the 2nd that year at #19.

 

Remember the "Miracle Worker" Anne Sullivan, oops - Jim McNally was OL coach in NY. Don't you think the Jints would have taken McKinnie or MW at #4. Yes they would have. And, they'd have been very smug about it too.

 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. OL was a NEED in 2002. Well, guess what? It's STILL a need.

Fat Boy Mike hasn't been the Be-all, End-all answer. We could have paid some other tackling sled a lot less than what we're giving him - and we'd have a TE with an attitude and another quality player.

 

Should'a traded down, I say. Should'a traded down.

[todd]

TD should be absolutely SHOT for this if true.

 

Where are the TD spinners now.

246312[/snapback]

 

Right here, baby. He signed a rookie contract that was slotted per position and there is littel wiggle room in that. I challenge you to find an argument as to how rookie contracts could be changed. Go ahead. Give it your best shot.

[DeeRay]

This contract, as it stands, will prevent the Bills from signing a prominent free agent

 

PROVE IT!!! according to the latest figures, the bills are approx. $14 m under the cap. you think that aint enough under the cap to sign a prominant FA??? well, if it aint, then how much under do the bills have to be to grab a "prominant" FA?

 

granted the cap numbers are ridiculous for a RT, and even worse an underachieving RT.... but, let's face it, that's the price you have to pay for a #4 pick. Most every Bills fan supported the drafting of MW... who should the bills have taken, McKinnie??? If Mike Williams turns out to be a bust, it's no one elses's fault but his own... all of the scouting done on him league wide had him in the top 7.

[Albany,n.y.]

246370[/snapback]

 

Your chart as of 1/14/05 says MW is a $5,896,875 cap hit for 05. Which info is correct?

[Nanker]

Right here, baby. He signed a rookie contract that was slotted per position and there is littel wiggle room in that. I challenge you to find an argument as to how rookie contracts could be changed. Go ahead. Give it your best shot.

246406[/snapback]

 

No shot. Like you say, there's no real flexibility at all.

That's why he should have traded down.

Happens all the time.

[Fezmid]

No shot. Like you say, there's no real flexibility at all.

That's why he should have traded down.

Happens all the time.

246451[/snapback]

 

Which would've been all well in good if another team had wanted to trade. TD said that he did want to trade, but there there were no suitors available. So it was between making a pick or forfeiting your pick. I think he made the right decision.

 

CW