Incognito's Retirement? [update: Now Released]

[apuszczalowski]

Doesn't anyone remember Richies past?

 

Bills probably figured letting him go was safer for all the people in the building then keeping him on the retired list and risking pissing him off and coming back to the offices........

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, Boyst62 said:

My And researched educated "guess" is this.

 

Ritchie wants to play football. He is also getting older and knows he needs to cash out. But he wants to play football and Hates the other bull **** that comes with playing in the NFL. His time away will potentially get him to refocus and maybe try a comeback again

 

Those that knew him knew when he was away last time the biggest reason he came back so strong was she was hungry and could focus on the game and playing the kids sport he loved.

 

4 years in this go round he is tired of the same BS that makes football not fun.

 

Boyst do you think he'll try to play somewhere else this year?

[IDBillzFan]

1 hour ago, Peter said:

 

 

Cheering against the Bills?!? My argument is that I think the Bills would be better if we kept our best offensive lineman.  To me, that sounds like I am taking a good faith position promoting the best interests of the Bills and, in particular, the QB and Shady who will have to play behind this line.

 

As for who outsmarted whom:

Incognito got his release and got to keep his bonus.  In other words, he got what he wanted.  If you want to call this a win for McBeane, that is your certainly your prerogative. 

 

Sometimes, it's not what you get but how you go about getting it that matters.

 

Alternately, it's not what you give, but how you go about giving it.

 

Say what you will about Incognito's ability to play, his instability makes this addition by subtraction. He will not be the missing link in a great line. He'll be a missing link in a bad line. With pretty much a new everything on offense, including coaches, quarterbacks, running backs, etc. The Bills were right and gracious to set him free.

 

 

[Formerly Allan in MD]

Back to the Bills with a revised/new, lower priced contract?

[Lfod]

5 minutes ago, LABillzFan said:

 

Sometimes, it's not what you get but how you go about getting it that matters.

 

Alternately, it's not what you give, but how you go about giving it.

 

Say what you will about Incognito's ability to play, his instability makes this addition by subtraction. He will not be the missing link in a great line. He'll be a missing link in a bad line. With pretty much a new everything on offense, including coaches, quarterbacks, running backs, etc. The Bills were right and gracious to set him free.

 

 

People are taking it hard. I feel sorry for them. They do not understand the new culture yet. They are not used to being winners yet. They are stuck back in the drought mentality of holding on to things that make them think the team is a little better when it wasn't. 

Edited May 22, 2018 by Lfod

[benderbender]

Emotions aside, what how does this move benefit the franchise? Was retaining his bonus money the only benefit?

[The Red King]

...and when he signs with the Pats?  I was hoping for a shaky line in front of Brady.  That team catches all the breaks.  >.<

 

This makes no sense.

[Logic]

I can't see how this is so hard for people to understand.

Beane and McDermott value chemistry and culture above all else. They have shown that they will not hesitate to get rid of ANYONE who they don't think will positively contribute to the chemistry and culture of the locker room.

Richie Incognito, with his erratic behavior, sudden instability, and the drama that his "I'm retired, no I'm not, I want my release, can I come back?" routine was creating, became a threat to the chemistry and culture that Beane and McDermott wanted to build. They thus decided that the best move was to get rid of him, even if it meant "giving him what he wants" and losing some bonus money. People thinking we were going to get a trade asset in return for a 34-year-old guard who has recently displayed erratic behavior are dreaming. I believe that Beane assessed that the tiny silver of potential of getting a 2019 7th round pick in exchange for this guy was not worth the headaches he was beginning to create. 

As to the notion of holding on to Incognito's rights so that his only options are retire or play for the Bills. Why? It was one thing with Boldin, who agreed to play for the Bills, then 10 days into camp retired, then asked if he could be let out of his contract. Beane felt burned by Boldin's failure to honor his commitment and reacted accordingly. With Richie, he had three good years with the Bills and was a key part of their playoff season. Why hold him hostage? Especially given the aforementioned headaches he is creating.

Sometimes, addition by subtraction is necessary to maintain intangible qualities like chemistry and culture. I believe this is one of those cases.

Edited May 22, 2018 by Logic

[HardyBoy]

4 minutes ago, Logic said:

Sometimes, addition by subtraction is necessary to maintain intangible qualities like chemistry and culture. I believe this is one of those cases.

 

Nice post.

 

Anyone know how this plays into comp picks compared to him retiring? If he signs somewhere and say makes the pro bowl, what happens?

[Richard Noggin]

5 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

I would assume there are agent ramifications

I've been wondering about the upside of granting him his release, from the team's perspective. 

 

Your suggestion is interesting: maintain honorable relations with player agents for the sake of future operations. Makes some sense.

[Logic]

1 minute ago, Richard Noggin said:

I've been wondering about the upside of granting him his release, from the team's perspective. 

 

Your suggestion is interesting: maintain honorable relations with player agents for the sake of future operations. Makes some sense.

After not letting Boldin out of his contract last year, Beane not letting Richie out of HIS contract this year would have been a bad look for the Bills.

 

[B Fan in LA]

8 hours ago, THE SLAMMER said:

9 hours ago, teef said:

i mean, he could have refused the pay cut.  no one had a gun to his head.  

 

How do you know this?

 

I can't believe I'm reading this................Is that really how Russ Brandon got concessionary deals ?

They must have also tied him up on a strong back chair, because Richie ain't afraid of nobody........

 

[Kelly the Dog]

14 minutes ago, Logic said:

I can't see how this is so hard for people to understand.

Beane and McDermott value chemistry and culture above all else. They have shown that they will not hesitate to get rid of ANYONE who they don't think will positively contribute to the chemistry and culture of the locker room.

Richie Incognito, with his erratic behavior, sudden instability, and the drama that his "I'm retired, no I'm not, I want my release, can I come back?" routine was creating, became a threat to the chemistry and culture that Beane and McDermott wanted to build. They thus decided that the best move was to get rid of him, even if it meant "giving him what he wants" and losing some bonus money. People thinking we were going to get a trade asset in return for a 34-year-old guard who has recently displayed erratic behavior are dreaming. I believe that Beane assessed that the tiny silver of potential of getting a 2019 7th round pick in exchange for this guy was not worth the headaches he was beginning to create. 

As to the notion of holding on to Incognito's rights so that his only options are retire or play for the Bills. Why? It was one thing with Boldin, who agreed to play for the Bills, then 10 days into camp retired, then asked if he could be let out of his contract. Beane felt burned by Boldin's failure to honor his commitment and reacted accordingly. With Richie, he had three good years with the Bills and was a key part of their playoff season. Why hold him hostage? Especially given the aforementioned headaches he is creating.

Sometimes, addition by subtraction is necessary to maintain intangible qualities like chemistry and culture. I believe this is one of those cases.

So what happens when Jerry Hughes decides he doesn’t want to play for the Bills anymore. He wants to play for the Pats. He throws a fit and retires. They just let him do it?

[Logic]

27 minutes ago, Kelly the Dog said:

So what happens when Jerry Hughes decides he doesn’t want to play for the Bills anymore. He wants to play for the Pats. He throws a fit and retires. They just let him do it?

That depends. In your hypothetical, Is Jerry Hughes 34 years old with a history of mental instability and recent displays of erratic behavior that threaten to bring unneeded drama to a developing locker room? 

And did I miss where Incognito signed with the Patriots? 

 

Edited May 22, 2018 by Logic

[B Fan in LA]

 

Who's the cat that walks about when there's danger all about?

He's a complicated man, but no one understands him but his woman..................

He's a bad Mother...................

 

[Peter]

1 hour ago, Logic said:

I can't see how this is so hard for people to understand.

Beane and McDermott value chemistry and culture above all else. 
 

 

 

Chemistry

[dollars 2 donuts]

12 hours ago, JohnC said:

Do you know the person who is the most happy that he was represented by Parker? Jason Peters. He ended up with a contract commensurate with his talents, having a long career with a team where when it is over with he will be under consideration for the HOF and to top it off he has a Super Bowl ring on his finger. For those people who believe that an agent should work in the interest of a team at the expense of the player they are representing I say they are being illogical and not understanding that the NFL is a business. 

 

To put things in perspective with respect to the trading of Jason Peters it is going to go down in its inglorious history of being one of the dumbest decisions that this organization has made. This team willingly  paid out gargantuan contracts to wretchedly mediocre players such as Derrick Dockery and Langston Walker but traded a player that they drafted and developed because they didn't want to pay him what he was worth. Stupidity at a stupendous level. 

 

 

Truer words may have been spoken before...but I just can't think of them right now.

 

so let's just go with every word you said.

 

The justifications made over the years for trading away what even then seemed like a future hall of famer have been mind boggling.

Edited May 22, 2018 by dollars 2 donuts

[Buffalo Barbarian]

This sucks, they shouldn't have low balled Ritchie. He was playing at a pro bowl level and they want him to take a pay cut?! I don't blame him for retiring, hope he goes to the super bowl winner.

 

 

[MrEpsYtown]

3 hours ago, HardyBoy said:

 

Nice post.

 

Anyone know how this plays into comp picks compared to him retiring? If he signs somewhere and say makes the pro bowl, what happens?

 

Nothing. Released players do not factor into comp pick formula. Just free agents whose contract has expired. 

[Spiderweb]

1 hour ago, Buffalo Barbarian said:

This sucks, they shouldn't have low balled Ritchie. He was playing at a pro bowl level and they want him to take a pay cut?! I don't blame him for retiring, hope he goes to the super bowl winner.

 

+1