Matt Araiza signs with Chiefs

[Doc]

26 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

exactly--this is the final, missing piece for those KC Super Bowl hopefuls!!

 

lol, this thread is everything I hoped it would be....and more!!

 

Considering you thought he'd never get signed, I doubt this thread is everything you hoped it would be...

[Your Brown Eye]

[zow2]

Bills were in a no win situation, they had to release him. The media mob and fans were out in force at that time.

 

As for Araiza’s comeback.  The Bills care about optics.  The Chiefs care about winning.

[f0neguy]

It’s been a couple of years but what I remember is that he could kick it a mile, just not sure of the direction.  I’m glad he’s getting another chance but I don’t think he’s an upgrade over the Chief’s current kicker.  Any team could have tried to sign him to their roster or practice squad for months and didn’t.  The next time our biggest concern with any team is the punter, it’ll be the first time.

[Capco]

@jkeerie I was being sarcastic and mocking the whole "sky is falling" theme that is dominating this thread.  I thought that was obvious.

[GunnerBill]

29 minutes ago, TheWeatherMan said:

It’s not a downgrade when you consider the salary cap hit of Ariza vs Townsend.  Maybe a 5% drop off in productivity for an 80% cap savings?  

 

It is a downgrade in punting. There is no other way of seeing it. Townsend is the best punter in the league. Whether it makes financial sense is a different question. I understand what the Chiefs are thinking. They are thinking we can afford to get worse at punter rather than some other spots. I get that. But they are getting worse if they swap Townsend for Araiza. 

[BillsPride12]

2 hours ago, QLBillsFan said:

Total speculation on my part. My thought is when the Bills grilled him about his involvement in the case , he may have not told them everything. I’m not saying he was guilty but perhaps the Bills got a bit blindsided by some aspects of the case. Otherwise the Bills are just incompetent as he is clearly better than who they have had since. 

I've seen a couple different insiders report on this before and it always felt very plausible to me.  The Bills felt like his camp wasn't completely upfront and honest about what his situation was and felt like they were embarrassed in front of the Nation over this story.  I get being pissed he signed with KC but he was never coming back to Buffalo and I agree with the Bills front office on this one.

[BillsFanForever19]

59 minutes ago, BillsFanSD said:

People like you are the reason why there was a media distraction. Nobody was willing to apply the slightest amount of critical scrutiny to a story that was shady af from the very beginning.

 

I'm sorry, how does the bolded make me the problem? My man, you are out for blood and blinded by rage.

 

For the record, in that "pitchfork" post you are referring to, I never said he was guilty or innocent. At most, I said the allegation doesn't look good. And it didn't. But I never condemn someone until all the facts are in and a case plays out. I wanted him to be here more than anyone. I still have my 'Punt God' Nike spoof shirt I bought after the Draft around here somewhere. I was sad when we had to let him go.

 

How exactly is me pointing out that the situation went beyond just the "pitchforks" make "people like me" the reason it was a media distraction? I got news for you - if no one took out their "pitchforks", if no one said a single word - the media would have still went as wild as they did. What people said on this board had no barring on EVERY national news outlet, sports or otherwise, running with the story as soon as it dropped.

 

The "pitchforks" coming out or not coming out wouldn't have changed a single thing. Beane still would have had to answer to the media and probably Roger Goodell. We still would have had to use 2 active roster spots for 2 straight year on Punters. 

 

Go ahead and take a bow for being in his corner the whole time. My point is your argument - is moot. Pitchforks or no pitchforks on this board, the situation would have played out the exact same way. Here or on another team.

Edited February 23 by BillsFanForever19

[ToGoGo]

Bills fans and local media blew it on this one. 
 

Bad karma. 

[TheWeatherMan]

37 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

It is a downgrade in punting. There is no other way of seeing it. Townsend is the best punter in the league. Whether it makes financial sense is a different question. I understand what the Chiefs are thinking. They are thinking we can afford to get worse at punter rather than some other spots. I get that. But they are getting worse if they swap Townsend for Araiza. 

For all we know Ariza is an upgrade at a fraction of the cost.  Chiefs are up against the cap and have multiple big time free agents they want back, all of which are significantly more important than a punter.  Including financials, there’s “no other way of seeing it” this is an upgrade. 

Edited February 23 by TheWeatherMan

[boyst]

3 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Ugh. Really? It took the entire year for his name to be cleared. What did you want the Bills to do? They definitely couldn’t play him.

Grow a pair of balls and respect the way the legal system works that we all appreciate for Von Miller, evidently.

 

The team is a giant hypocritical joke because they haven't done anything with Fraud Miller.

[Bob Jones]

3 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Ugh. Really? It took the entire year for his name to be cleared. What did you want the Bills to do? They definitely couldn’t play him.

Way back when, once he was eligible to be put on the practice squad, they should have done that.

 

And they certainly should have signed him last week, or as soon as they were able to (by league rules).

[boyst]

2 hours ago, QLBillsFan said:

Total speculation on my part. My thought is when the Bills grilled him about his involvement in the case , he may have not told them everything. I’m not saying he was guilty but perhaps the Bills got a bit blindsided by some aspects of the case. Otherwise the Bills are just incompetent as he is clearly better than who they have had since. 

Did you listen to schop and the diabetic mouth? The diabetic mouth was ranting about how this guy needs to be executed. It didn't matter what anyone thought. He was just a punter and didn't deserve the respectable treatment that the saint Von Miller has gotten for his 5th legal issue!

 

I wish that fat***** bulldog posted here. He needs neutered.

2 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

I'll take it a step further - there isn't a team in the NFL that wouldn't have done the same. You can be mad about it and say "nuh uh - it would have been just us because we're dumb", but I supremely doubt it.

 

It was terrible timing and a terrible situation. Since it happened before he entered the league, the option to put him on an exempt list didn't exist. We would have had to use a 53 man roster spot on a guy who wasn't here and another spot for another Punter for two straight seasons, if we wanted to wait everything out. All the while it being a media distraction hanging over our heads for all that time.

 

NO team in the league would have done that. And it was far from just us who had pitchforks out. It was a national story picked up by even non-Sports outlets. Every NFL fanbase and every media outlet had the same "pitchforks" out.

 

Is it unfortunate it played out as it did and KC reaps the possible rewards? Yes. But this idea that we should have waited it out and never let him go - isn't really a reality. Whoever drafted him if it wasn't us, would have had the same thing happen in their house and would have done the same thing.

Sometimes in a room full of ######s who do stupid ***** a man has to stand up and do what's right. Glad terry is half of a man and this organization cares about PR more than anything. One day, I hope real men can step up and lead this world.

[jkeerie]

38 minutes ago, Capco said:

@jkeerie I was being sarcastic and mocking the whole "sky is falling" theme that is dominating this thread.  I thought that was obvious.

Nothing is obvious on this board, Capco.  The opinions by some are so extreme most especially when it comes to the Chiefs vs Bills.  I'm glad we can count you among the more level-headed.  A punter is not going to move the needle much considering Townsend was solid and consistent.  

[BillsFanForever19]

3 minutes ago, TheWeatherMan said:

For all we know Ariza is an upgrade at a fraction of the cost.  Chiefs are up against the cap and have multiple big time free agents they want back, all of which are significantly more important than a punter.  Including financials, there’s “no other way of seeing it” this is an upgrade. 

 

There's 'no way' of seeing replacing a guy who's an NFL All Pro selection at his position with a guy who has been out of the NFL for two seasons, has a half of a training camp, 1 Pre-Season game, and 1 Pre-Season Punt as his combined total NFL experience, as anything but an upgrade?

 

I know we're all emotional right now, but I can see a number of ways it isn't.

[stevestojan]

4 hours ago, KDIGGZ said:

The Chiefs are our daddy. I'm so depressed 

Not sure why you’re getting the eye roll reactions. It’s true. And while it’s just a punter, that almost makes it worse. 

[BillsFanForever19]

5 minutes ago, boyst said:

Did you listen to schop and the diabetic mouth? The diabetic mouth was ranting about how this guy needs to be executed. It didn't matter what anyone thought. He was just a punter and didn't deserve the respectable treatment that the saint Von Miller has gotten for his 5th legal issue!

 

I wish that fat***** bulldog posted here. He needs neutered.

Sometimes in a room full of ######s who do stupid ***** a man has to stand up and do what's right. Glad terry is half of a man and this organization cares about PR more than anything. One day, I hope real men can step up and lead this world.

 

Okay, so you would have used 2 roster spots on 2 Punters for 2 straight seasons? 

 

This wasn't just Bills PR either. It was NFL PR. 

Edited February 23 by BillsFanForever19

[SCBills]

I didn’t think Gabe Davis would end up in KC, but now I’m pretty certain he’ll be there on some 3/30 type nonsense. 
 

Chiefs just flexin now.  Everyone knew whoever signed Araiza was getting a talented punter and massive headlines.  KC enters the chat and kicks the wall in like the Kool Aid guy. 

[Scott7975]

Love giving free draft picks to the Chiefs. Thanks Buffalo media for applying the pressure on the Bills to get this kid cut.

[TheWeatherMan]

1 minute ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

There's 'no way' of seeing replacing a guy who's an NFL All Pro selection at his position with a guy who has been out of the NFL for two seasons, has a half of a training camp, 1 Pre-Season game, and 1 Pre-Season Punt as his combined total NFL experience, as anything but an upgrade?

 

I know we're all emotional right now, but I can see a number of ways it isn't.

If saving $3M+ per by signing Ariza instead of an all world punter (with a potential minimal drop off) allows you to re-sign or sign an impact player, it’s a major upgrade.