Spotrac has Levi Wallace valued @ $9M/yr. Thoughts?

[billsbackto81]

1 hour ago, Bangarang said:

That’s such an insulting offer that would never even get presented. 

It's more than double what he was making annually with 3 extra years on top. I wish my employer would insult me like that. 😂

 

All kidding aside I see your point. Some team will substantially overpay for his services and he's entitled to his payday. 

 

Just don't see it being Buffalo, at least not anything over 5 mil per.

[H2o]

Nope. Not spending $9M on Levi. Draft a replacement, look for a FA bargains to fill depth, and Dane can play #2 CB after getting some good experience this year as well. 

[TheBeaneBandit]

Wonder how much Patrick Peterson has left in the tank? He was coming off a one year deal I believe.

[GunnerBill]

I have done this twice today but again not sure I buy the comparisons that Spotrac has. Ronald Darby, Kyle Fuller and Michael Davies are all guys who can play man. Levi is a strictly zone only corner. 

 

Awuzie is a bit more of a fair comparator although he is more athletically gifted than Levi. He got $7.5m AAV. I think that is Levi's ceiling. Think he will get somewhere between $5m and $6.5m AAV personally.

[eSJayDee]

I saw in-season someone (sportac?) had him valued around $6m/yr.  I'd hope to get him for less than that, but in that ballpark.  How much did Johnson sign for?  I'd say he's worth a fair amount less than him.

Another factor is the salary cap amount.  Yes, it went up, but not significantly.  Maybe, if it's a multiple yr contract, it will escalate along w/ anticipated cap growth?

ie maybe 3 yrs, $5m bonus & $1m, $4m & $6m salaries at the low end, $8m, w/ $1m, $6m, $9m at the high end?  The latter works out to $8m/yr.

[Bangarang]

4 minutes ago, billsbackto81 said:

It's more than double what he was making annually with 3 extra years on top. I wish my employer would insult me like that. 😂

 

All kidding aside I see your point. Some team will substantially overpay for his services and he's entitled to his payday. 

 

Just don't see it being Buffalo, at least not anything over 5 mil per.

The more I think about the more I’m not sure. He was a free agent last year and I don’t recall him having inch of a market. 
 

I could maybe see 2 years for 11 or 12ish mil.

[MJS]

He is absolutely worth that much. He had a great year. Last year was not indicative of anything because of the lowered cap. A lot of guys re-signed with their teams for the security and because there was not much money to go around.

 

Levi Wallace is a decent #2 cornerback. If the Bills don't pay him someone else will.

[MJS]

10 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

I have done this twice today but again not sure I buy the comparisons that Spotrac has. Ronald Darby, Kyle Fuller and Michael Davies are all guys who can play man. Levi is a strictly zone only corner. 

 

Awuzie is a bit more of a fair comparator although he is more athletically gifted than Levi. He got $7.5m AAV. I think that is Levi's ceiling. Think he will get somewhere between $5m and $6.5m AAV personally.

I think his floor is 7, personally. Someone is going to pay him. There are some teams with a lot of cap space this year. Last year with the lowered cap there was not a lot of money to go around.

 

There's always a chance he takes a discount to stay in Buffalo.

Edited February 6, 2022 by MJS

[GunnerBill]

Just now, MJS said:

I think his floor is 7, personally. Someone is going to pay him. There are some teams with a lot of cap space this year. Last year with the lowered cap there was not a lot of money to go around.

 

Until someone shows me the athletically limited, zone specific, corners getting that sort of money I will remain sceptical. And I have always been a fan if Levi and have defended him on this forum and he had his best year as a pro in 2021, no question at all. It is just that his skill set isn't one that generally incentivises teams to part with bigger money deals. I think $7.5m is his ceiling and I think he comes in a bit below that. 

[Mark92]

12 minutes ago, MJS said:

He is absolutely worth that much. He had a great year. Last year was not indicative of anything because of the lowered cap. A lot of guys re-signed with their teams for the security and because there was not much money to go around.

 

Levi Wallace is a decent #2 cornerback. If the Bills don't pay him someone else will.

For a team in Buffalo's situation 9 mil is way too much.  I agree that he is good and I would love to have him back.  He kept the back end chugging the second half of the season.  But..... With limited cap space and being so damn close to a Super Bowl the bills can not and will not keep him at that price.  I think CB in Rd 1 is very likely given this estimate from Sportrac and the fact we don't know how or when White will return.  If one of the top 3 Corners is there it's a no brainer for the value and price.  

[RyanC883]

1 hour ago, Limeaid said:

 

I have been hearing that people expect him to be replaced with 1st round CB.

I cannot see Beane investing another 1st round pick on CB when he is paying for one not on rookie CB contract and has paid for Johnson.  

Major reason for 1st round players is 5th year option but I do not see advantage here.  Maybe a 2nd round pick as CB.

 

it’s likely that BPA in Rd. 1 is a CB.  I just want BPA.  We could upgrade/add to most positions.  Need a day 1 impact player. 

[bubba2018]

For 9m no. Appreciate his hard work but he’s walking for that much.

[thenorthremembers]

2 hours ago, Estro said:

I love spotrac.com, Mike Ginniti does a great job & I really like his market valuations for FAs to be.

 

He's very thorough in his breakdowns, but I think hus value for Levi is off.

 

Levi coming off of a steady 2020 season hit FA and ended up coming vacation to the Bills on a 1 yr deal that payed him a little more than $1M.  1 year later coming g off another steady year, spotrac now has Levi valued @ $9M per year.  Doesn't seem to pass the sniff test.  Levi has been a steady, solid player, but it appears no one valued him last year even @ the $2.5-3M range so I don't see how he's suddenly going to find 3x or even 4x that much on the open market.

 

I think hes worth a lot more than the $1M he played for last season, but I'd be surprised if he finds north of $6M on the open market. Don't forget teams don't love slow corners and Levi is a very limited athlete by CB standards. I think the Bills will offer him a 3 year extension in the $4M per year range and hold firm.

 

If he finds $6M or better on the open market, give me the 5th round comp. pick & find a FA vet to replace him.

 

Levi's measurable at the combine listed below, there's a reason he went undrafted

https://www.mockdraftable.com/player/levi-wallace

 

Its very accurate.   Measureables aside he is a starting corner in the NFL and has been shown to be reliable, smart and hard to replace.

 

Granted he isnt a man cover corner but he is for sure a 8 to 9 million dollar a year guy.

[NewEra]

No chance we pay Levi 9M.  If we’re going to pay a corner 9M I hope that corner has better wheels.  
 

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2022-nfl-free-agency-rankings-cornerbacks

not that pff, is that great, but they listed 18 free agent corners.  Levi not even mentioned.

 

I’m thinking 5M aav is fair for both sides.  Part of the reason we played a prevent with 13 secs is Levi’s lack of speed. I have no doubts 

[Buffalo716]

40 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

I have done this twice today but again not sure I buy the comparisons that Spotrac has. Ronald Darby, Kyle Fuller and Michael Davies are all guys who can play man. Levi is a strictly zone only corner. 

 

Awuzie is a bit more of a fair comparator although he is more athletically gifted than Levi. He got $7.5m AAV. I think that is Levi's ceiling. Think he will get somewhere between $5m and $6.5m AAV personally.

To his defense Levi absolutely improved his man coverage this year 

 

I think he's squarely a top 40 corner in the league 

 

I wouldn't pay him 9 mil but he vastly improved his ability to mirror guys in man coverage.. he is 10x better than a few years ago

[billieve420]

Bye Levi nice knowing you.

[GunnerBill]

2 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

To his defense Levi absolutely improved his man coverage this year 

 

I think he's squarely a top 40 corner in the league 

 

I wouldn't pay him 9 mil but he vastly improved his ability to mirror guys in man coverage.. he is 10x better than a few years ago

 

I agree he has improved but I still don't think he is a guy you can take in a scheme that is more hybrid or man coverage heavy. If it is a zone scheme that mixes the odd man look in, sure those teams will be looking at him. That is more what I see Awuzie as. But he is naturally more athletically skilled than Levi (though there is an argument Levi has the more consistent NFL tape). 

[LABILLBACKER]

2 hours ago, Special K said:

I don’t see the Bills spending that much to keep him....his replacement will likely come in the draft.

We've seen the last of Levi.  I'm almost 100% sure we draft Tre's counterpart @ 25. Wallace was commendable yet usually unspectacular. He's worth no more than 4-5M and that's generous. Of course the same could be said for Edmunds. 

[Buffalo716]

7 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I agree he has improved but I still don't think he is a guy you can take in a scheme that is more hybrid or man coverage heavy. If it is a zone scheme that mixes the odd man look in, sure those teams will be looking at him. That is more what I see Awuzie as. But he is naturally more athletically skilled than Levi (though there is an argument Levi has the more consistent NFL tape). 

Agree

[FarrellsFinest]

Sounds about right for a starting CB. We should net a few comp picks next year