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

[Dan]

I don’t think Levi is nearly as bad as many people here think he is. If he walks, he will be missed.  
 

I also don’t think much matters unless the Bills stop playing so tentative on defense.  They all hesitate at the point of contact in an effort to not give up the big play I guess, but always allowing a few extra yards. Some call it soft, I call it tentative/ cautious defensive play. 

[vincec]

Just now, Saint Doug said:

…until it counted. We can’t let that happen again. 

The defense has a lot less talent on it than many people seem to think. McD and Beane have put together a group of decent players who are well coached, do their “1/11th”, and feast of rookie QBs and mediocre offenses. But you don’t beat good QBs and good offenses without big time talent. Tre is a piece of that but I think they need more than him. There’s a reason that no defensive player made the pro bowl besides anti-Bills bias.

[Big Turk]

See ya

[BADOLBILZ]

 

I'd value Wallace around $4M per..........he's very sound but his lack of athleticism limits what they can do on defense.

 

Donte Jackson with Carolina is a zone scheme fit and may be viewed as an ascending talent like Wallace........but Jackson has 4.3 speed.    Also has a connection with Tre White as both were at LSU and White lobbied Buffalo to draft him in 2018.

 

Below is some info from PFF who ranked him 48th best potential UFA for 2022 (Levi was not in their top 100)..........with just a projected 2 year contract the short term numbers could be a bit too big of a hit..........but he might enable them to upgrade the corps with speed.

 

48. CB DONTE JACKSON, CAROLINA PANTHERS

The Carolina Panthers used the No. 8 overall pick on South Carolina standout Jaycee Hornand then traded for two cornerbacks in Jacksonville Jaguars 2020 No. 9 overall pick C.J. Henderson and Stephon Gilmore this season, but they remain steadfast that this doesn’t say anything about their plans for Donte Jackson. It would appear he will at least have a chance to test the open market as Carolina prioritizes signing Gilmore to an extension to mentor their young collection of cornerbacks.

 

Strengths:
-Speed and recovery speed
-Explosive vertical leap
-Zone coverage

 

Weaknesses:
-Man coverage
-Missed tackles
-In-breaking routes

 

Scheme Fit/Role:
NO 2 CB IN A ZONE SCHEME: Donte Jackson has the speed to burn, but is at his best in zone coverage where he can keep his eye on the quarterback and use his athleticism to break on the ball. His best plays come using that speed to attack out-breaking routes. The Steelers or Seahawks run perfect schemes for Jackson.

Recent Injury History:
Jackson battled a toe injury for much of 2020, but he has been healthy so far in 2021(actually finished 2021 on IR). He has yet to clear 1,000 snaps in a season.

 

Contract Projection: Two years, $20 million ($10M per year, $11.5 million total guaranteed)

 

Bottom Line:
Donte Jackson has exceptional speed and athleticism but doesn't have the man-cover skills to match them. He can be a playmaker in the right zone scheme, where he can key the quarterback and break on the football, but is limited to a No. 2 role.

 

 

 

Edited February 7, 2022 by BADOLBILZ

[Turbo44]

He overachieved for an undrafted player but watch him vs kc in the last game and tell me he’s worth $10m.

 

Draft a CB at 25 I collect the comp pick from Wallace singing for $10m elsewhere 

[Saint Doug]

41 minutes ago, Dan said:

I don’t think Levi is nearly as bad as many people here think he is. If he walks, he will be missed.  

His skill would likely be eclipsed by a pick in rd 1 or 2, and at a fraction of the price. We can’t sign all our FAs, especially the role players. He can go elsewhere and get paid. Will work out best for all parties involved. 

[Malazan]

I think Levi gets undervalued a great degree on here, but he's a tough player to value appropriately because he's very solid in many aspects, but has a couple ways he can be exploited. He can't be the number 1, but he's good guy for #2. Someone will likely pay him 9 million, but I don't see how the Bills could afford that for him when a rookie or one of the younger players can likely assume the role without a monumental difference. 

 

Let's just hope they've upgrade Tre White to an adamantium skeletal structure. 

Edited February 7, 2022 by Malazan

[mbs]

With White's injury, Wallace should be the presumptive CB1 week 1. If they don't pick up a premium player in March, I can't see them letting Levi walk in the hope that there's a day-one starter available to them in the draft. He also seems like an archetype for McDermott -- disciplined, available, good tackler, rarely out of place, etc.

 

Like they did with Milano, I think they pay him plenty and lock him up for three or four years. DBs are not the problem, why make them one? Just a slightly back loaded deal with guarantees, my Amazon Prime make cap go brrrrr.

[Doc]

Just now, mbs said:

With White's injury, Wallace should be the presumptive CB1 week 1. If they don't pick up a premium player in March, I can't see them letting Levi walk in the hope that there's a day-one starter available to them in the draft. He also seems like an archetype for McDermott -- disciplined, available, good tackler, rarely out of place, etc.

 

Like they did with Milano, I think they pay him plenty and lock him up for three or four years. DBs are not the problem, why make them one? Just a slightly back loaded deal with guarantees, my Amazon Prime make cap go brrrrr.

 

It depends on what he wants, what the Bills feel he's worth, and if they can get a better player for the same or less.

[CaptnCoke11]

For that money or anywhere near it Beane should let him walk.  It’s time to get more athletic at that position.  

[mbs]

3 minutes ago, Doc said:

 

It depends on what he wants, what the Bills feel he's worth, and if they can get a better player for the same or less.

This is my conjecture: he will want to stay, the Bills will want to keep him and every team will put his value at about the same level. If Levi plays for less to stay in Buffalo, it won't be by much. And if the Bills replace him, it will have to be for a significantly better and much more expensive player which I doubt they can afford. I do not expect them to roll the dice in the draft and I don't expect to see a marginal EJ Gaines type replace him.

 

In sum, I expect to see Levi signed, probably for more than the 5 or 6 mil that lots of posters seem to think is a limit and it may be close to 9.

[Mike in Horseheads]

Don't let the door hit ya in the ass Levi at that price

[Matt_In_NH]

I thought he was noticeably better this year, good for him.  I doubt the Bills will extend him for that price, but he has earned it.

[Maine-iac]

In a primarily zone defense Wallace is our best CB until White is healthy and back up to speed.  If you do draft a CB early the contract is going to be easy enough on our cap that signing Wallace for 2 or 3 years at a 10mil per year rate would work.  Not only would we have Wallace but we'd also have that draft pick in case someone got hurt.  The only real alternative is signing a free agent who is unproven in our system or drafting someone who again is unproven and also doesn't give us the depth of signing Wallace and drafting someone.

[QCity]

3 hours ago, mbs said:

This is my conjecture: he will want to stay

 

This is my conjecture: He will be 27 next season and wants to finally get paid, and will go to whoever offers him the most.

 

I don't blame him.

[mbs]

19 minutes ago, QCity said:

 

This is my conjecture: He will be 27 next season and wants to finally get paid, and will go to whoever offers him the most.

 

I don't blame him.

Neither do I, which is why I said in the very next sentence, "if he takes less to stay it won't be by much." And why I finished with, "may be close to 9." The Bills will value him as much as any other team and will pay market value or very near.  He gets paid.

 

What i don't see is them dropping four or six million on some mediocrity nor rolling with Dane and a rookie to start the season.

[Richard Noggin]

11 hours ago, Estro said:

 

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

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

 

A few of those measurables, especially height, arm length, and wingspan, are coveted by many teams. And for a starter who played almost exclusively press man in college (on a top defense), and has since played a heavier zone scheme in the pros (on a top defense)…the guy offers an intriguing blend of youth, experience, versatility, and availability. 

 

Maybe the Spotrac number is a bit optimistic, or maybe Wallace stepping up this season before AND after Tre's injury has finally earned him a serious contract from at least one of the 32 teams always looking for CB help. 

 

 

[BigAl2526]

As a fan, I view Wallace more as a depth player.  If the Bills pay him 9 mil per year, that means they see him as a starter.  I would rather not see that.

[Richard Noggin]

1 minute ago, BigAl2526 said:

As a fan, I view Wallace more as a depth player.  If the Bills pay him 9 mil per year, that means they see him as a starter.  I would rather not see that.

They've viewed him as a starter the last two seasons, though, haven't they? Definitely this past season, at least. Last season (2020) they brought in competition for him (Norman), but they didn't really do that this year, did they (I'm asking sincerely)?

[Chandler#81]

7 hours ago, vincec said:

The defense has a lot less talent on it than many people seem to think. McD and Beane have put together a group of decent players who are well coached, do their “1/11th”, and feast of rookie QBs and mediocre offenses. But you don’t beat good QBs and good offenses without big time talent. Tre is a piece of that but I think they need more than him. There’s a reason that no defensive player made the pro bowl besides anti-Bills bias.

You were rolling with your first 4 sentences, then lost me with the last one. Oliver, Poyer, Milano, Hyde & White we’re ridiculously shunned by the PB. Hell, Allen was only an afterthought ‘add on’ when PB voters realized either Mahomes or Burrow wouldn’t be available. (LOVE that Josh told ‘em to F-off!) Hyde & Poyer are All Pros.

 

Anyway, the Bills really like Levi and I believe they will make a sincere -if significantly less than Sportrac assessment- effort to retain him. If not, we’ll look to the Draft. 
 

Sidenote; how does a defending Division Champ which featured the greatest back to back Playoff performance by a QB in League history drop all the way down to spot 25? 2 additional playoff spots? Only 11 wins? 

Thanks, Jacksonville!😉👍