Bills sign C Spencer Long to 3 year deal

[Reed83HOF]

34 minutes ago, BarleyNY said:

Yet another free agent signing gone awry. Spencer Long was always solid on the interior for the Redskins after he was third-round pick back in 2014. So far in New York, however,  he’s been disastrous. His 14 pressures allowed are more than he gave up in either of the past two seasons, and his 45.5 run-blocking grade doesn’t look much better.

 

https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-2018-nfl-offensive-line-rankings-all-32-teams-units-after-week-9

 

You have to wonder why he dropped off.  Scheme is one reason why. Playing through injury is another. I hope that’s it is one of those and that he’s healthy and a better fit here.

 

It also happens when players stop using PEDs or just get lazy.  I’m not insinuating it’s either of those, only that they round out the top reasons for a drop off this early in a career.  Here’s hoping we got some help. 

He was on the Jets and that team was a disaster last year with a HC that was a dead man walking, coincidentally the jets are possibly an even worse dumpster fire now... 

[CommonCents]

Was Spencer Long the highest paid center at 6.85 last season? That’s what I came across in a Denver article about Paradis. Saying Long was the highest paid above Kelce and projecting Paradis at 6.5 in FA.

Edited February 12, 2019 by CommonCents

[YoloinOhio]

 

[Aussie Joe]

18 minutes ago, Logic said:

I may be in the minority, but I think his pay rate indicates that he IS being looked at as a probable starter. I also think the fact that the Bills list him as a C/G and not just as a G means that they think he has a shot to win the starting center job. Recall Beane's recent comment about "sleeping better at night" if you have a veteran C.

For those counting on the Bills ALSO getting Paradis or Morse: with the signing of Long, I sincerely doubt that's gonna happen. 

 

I think they may still try to go after Paradis or Morse..

 

If they get one of them Long moves to guard...

 

If they don't then Long will be the starting C and they draft one in the Top 50 to take over by 2020..possibly earlier if they get lucky...

 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

3 minutes ago, Logic said:

I may be in the minority, but I think his pay rate indicates that he IS being looked at as a probable starter. I also think the fact that the Bills list him as a C/G and not just as a G means that they think he has a shot to win the starting center job. Recall Beane's recent comment about "sleeping better at night" if you have a veteran C.

For those counting on the Bills ALSO getting Paradis or Morse: with the signing of Long, I sincerely doubt that's gonna happen. 

 

Morse and Paradis are in the market to be the top 2 paid at the position.  Last year Jensen got 4/42 and 22 guaranteed.  They'll want more. 

 

We have the room to get it done - but so do the jets.  The Eagles may lose Kelce.  Vikings will want an upgrade for Cousins.  Browns may want to pair a vet with Mayfield.  I'm not sure that Denver wants to lose Paradis either.  Lots of teams could use upgrades at this position.  Grabbing someone now makes it more likely something we can look at in the draft.  

2 minutes ago, CommonCents said:

Was Spencer Long the highest paid center at 6.85 last season? That’s what I came across in a Denver article about Paradis. Saying Long was the highest paid above Kelce and projecting Paradis at 6.5 in FA.

 

Here are 2018 rankings - https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/rankings/2018/cap-hit/center/

 

Paradis/Morse will want to be paid near the top tier in the league.  There's a market for it this year - so average of 11-13 per year, with probably half of it guaranteed depending on the term.

 

[whatdrought]

Not sure I see this as an upgrade to Bodine.. 

[CommonCents]

2 minutes ago, dneveu said:

 

Morse and Paradis are in the market to be the top 2 paid at the position.  Last year Jensen got 4/42 and 22 guaranteed.  They'll want more. 

 

We have the room to get it done - but so do the jets.  The Eagles may lose Kelce.  Vikings will want an upgrade for Cousins.  Browns may want to pair a vet with Mayfield.  I'm not sure that Denver wants to lose Paradis either.  Lots of teams could use upgrades at this position.  Grabbing someone now makes it more likely something we can look at in the draft.  

 

Here are 2018 rankings - https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/rankings/2018/cap-hit/center/

 

Paradis/Morse will want to be paid near the top tier in the league.  There's a market for it this year - so average of 11-13 per year, with probably half of it guaranteed depending on the term.

 

Thanks I knew it didn’t make much sense. They had Long’s number right but didn’t compare it with anyone but Kelce’s. IMO Paradis is coming in at a bigger number than 6.5. That’s a wishful Denver writer hoping for a discount. 

[Lofton80]

This clip shows a good breakdown of Long's strength and weaknesses from his Redskin days. 

 

http://turnonthejets.com/2018/07/toj-new-york-jets-film-breakdown-spencer-long-2017-short-form/

[N.Y. Orangeman]

You look at the salary list and what David Andrews is signed for and it is criminal.  His agent should be barred.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

7 minutes ago, whatdrought said:

Not sure I see this as an upgrade to Bodine.. 

 

I mean - he definitely hurt his stock last year.  But Long signed last year for 4yr 27.4 and Bodine signed for 2yr and 5.  Clearly there was some level of a discrepancy in their skills.

[BillsVet]

2 hours ago, gonzo1105 said:

The Bills depth on the offensive line is terrible. As it sits right now, the Bills are starting Russell Bodine, Vlad Ducasse, Jeremiah Sirles, Dawkins, and Teller with Ike Boettgger and Conner McDermott as the primary backups. It is straight up pathetic.

 

My guess is the Bills will try him at Center and if he can't handle it they will use him as a swing Center and Guard backup because they do need some former starting depth as well as starters.

 

Long's contract isn't huge, but it's not depth either. I would expect he could play RG in that scheme. 

 

1 hour ago, TheyCallMeAndy said:

Teller was pretty good last year, you can pencil him in at RG at the moment, if I was a betting man

 

I'd guess then that you lose a lot of money.

 

33 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

I’m hoping Dawkins stays at LT and has a quality LG next to him like he did his rookie year. No fault of anyone but Richie, but imo losing RI next to him had a big impact on Dawkins play year 2.

 

If this team is serious about having a solid offense, they'd consider moving Dawkins to LG and drafting a LT. I've never subscribed to the theory that a LT's drop in play is as directly related to a LG next to him as some make it out to be.  

 

And, the Juan Castillo effect of going easy on the OL is over. 

[White Linen]

22 minutes ago, Putin said:

Allen is doomed 

Almost 5 million a year for this clown ??? 

 

 

It could be a contract with little guaranteed money.  We need to see the details first.  Low guarantee would essentially make it a prove it deal that we could get out of if he doesn't play well.  IMO, it's a good signing this time of year as a safety net. 

[Pbomb]

This was the one guy I was hoping the bills would get. If we don’t make another move I will still consider this a successful free agency 

[mjt328]

Going into the offseason, we needed (at the very least) starters at Center, Right Guard and Right Tackle.

That's assuming Wyatt Teller progresses in his second season, and Dion Dawkins proves his sophomore slump was a fluke.

And if the starters are bad, what does that say about our depth?

 

To bring in a guy with 4-5 years of starting experience at multiple positions, at a reasonable contract, more than a month before Free Agency even starts - you really can't hate on this move.  At the very least, he's depth and competition.  Maybe a center.  Maybe a guard.

 

I've said it before.  Even if we are VERY aggressive in Free Agency, there are no guarantees we get the guys we target.  The market for O-Line this year is not great.  And we don't have enough draft picks to address every position we need an upgrade in.  It's good to have a solid backup ready just in case we strikeout getting the guys we really want.

 

 

 

[Misterbluesky]

2 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

 

Peck should just stick with his UB football and Beat The Champ gigs.

[Mat68]

Basically, Buffalo is hoping for the guy from Washington not the guy who played in NY.  Seems like there were mitigating circumstances to explain some of his poor play.  I wouldn't pencil him in as a starter but has the ability to play g or center.  Gives them some flexibility in FA and the draft.

[Logic]

2 minutes ago, Misterbluesky said:

Peck should just stick with his UB football and Beat The Champ gigs.

Maybe so, but I don't think he's wrong here. I think the Bills DO look at Long as their probable starting center in 2019. Beane's recent quote about it being "easier to sleep at night if you have a veteran center" has me thinking Long will be the guy. They may draft a protege in the mid rounds, but it wouldn't shock me in the least if Long is starting at center come opening day.

[Captain Hindsight]

Not every player is going to be all pro. I like the move, much better than sitting on their hands like in years past

[YoloinOhio]

An average of $4.3 million per year would have made him the 18th-highest-paid center in the NFL in 2018 and 33rd on the list of guards. It’s a low-end starter’s deal or a high-end backup deal, depending on your perspective.

As far as the Bills are concerned, with the lack of players on their second contract, the average annual salary currently places him as the 8th-highest number on the 2019 Bills. That’s more of an indicator of the Bills than this contract. 

Until we get the guaranteed money figures, it’s hard to tell what the contract actually says about his future with the team. It could be all salary with little guaranteed money and the Bills are using him as a safety net or that he’s first in line to start at guard or center.

Edited February 12, 2019 by YoloinOhio

[eball]

2 hours ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

I freely admit I know anything about the oline.  Is he good?  Because I don’t imagine the Jets cutting a good o linemen or was it just about money?

 

can anyone of you oline guys give me an honest assessment?

 

I don't know if this means anything or not, but he played his worst game of the season against the Fish so Gase saw it first hand.

 

This looks to me like a veteran addition to the OL who will be given a chance to compete at both C and G.  Nothing promised, and the contract is likely to be structured in such a way that they could cut him during camp with little cap worry.