Mike Williams versus the "cap"...

[Bflojohn]

The relatively short history of Mike Williams in a Buffalo Bills uniform has been somewhat "rocky", at best! The fact is now obvious that his future isn't likely to be out on the edge, so question #1.... Does he HAVE TO take a pay cut due to the position change? #2.... IF this little experiment doesn't pan out, is OLG his last move before his uncerimonious departure from Buffalo? It seems to me that the Bills braintrust is ALL but announcing the (permenant) switch that McNally predicted in training camp!

[Mikie2times]

The relatively short history of Mike Williams in a Buffalo Bills uniform has been somewhat "rocky", at best! The fact is now obvious that his future isn't likely to be out on the edge, so question #1.... Does he HAVE TO take a pay cut due to the position change? #2.... IF this little experiment doesn't pan out, is OLG his last move before his uncerimonious departure from Buffalo? It seems to me that the Bills braintrust is ALL but announcing the (permenant) switch that McNally predicted in training camp!

498347[/snapback]

 

Williams makes a lot for a RT, or a LG, but when you look at the overal investment in the line the Bills will still be in great shape. Of course we hope he takes a pay cut, but I'm just trying to point out that it won't kill us if he doesn't. I would also like to add that Mike Williams (When healthy) is the Bills most dominating lineman. We often lose sight of that becuaes of his draft position, and large contract. I hope eventually we can just renegotiate him to a long term deal, one that provides some major up front cap relief.

 

By the way did anybody see what happend when he was injured? Most guys would be done the year, the guy is truly banged up.

[RJsackedagain]

Williams makes a lot for a RT, or a LG,  but when you look at the overal investment in the line the Bills will still be in great shape.  Of course we hope he takes a pay cut, but I'm just trying to point out that it won't kill us if he doesn't.  I would also like to add that Mike Williams (When healthy) is the Bills most dominating lineman. We often lose sight of that becuaes of his draft position, and large contract.  I hope eventually we can just renegotiate him to a long term deal, one that provides some major up front cap relief.

 

By the way did anybody see what happend when he was injured? Most guys would be done the year, the guy is truly banged up.

498348[/snapback]

so who exactly is good on the offensive line again???

 

A. Teague - no

B. Anderson - no

C. Gandy --- average at best

D. Peters --- unproven

E. Villarrial --- average at best

[Mikie2times]

so who exactly is good on the offensive line again???

 

A. Teague - no

B. Anderson - no

C. Gandy --- average at best

D. Peters --- unproven

E. Villarrial --- average at best

498351[/snapback]

 

Bennie would be gone, along with Teague. What exactly has Gandy done that says he's average at best? This guy is still raw and at the very least has brought the LT position a solid cost effective player. CV has been hurt all year, last year he was a great addition, now he sucks? Obviously the Bills want to try Peters out at RT, in one game he played he did a great job. A guy that’s played 1 game at RT his entire life, and plays that well probably has decent potential.

 

This isn't Madden, the Bills can't or won't just switch out all 5 starters, nor should they. We have a couple bad apples, and it just happens when you have a bad apple on the offensive line it makes the entire line look bad. We need to keep some cohesiveness, remove the bad apples, and replace them with guys that have a history, or potential to perform. Give or take a couple off-season additions and this line is not as bad as it looks.

[Mark VI]

I believe Clump the cap specialist has already answered this question. It's too big of a cap hit to cut Williams. It would probably be best to extend him a couple years and spread his current contract out, if Guard is his future.

[clumping platelets]

I doubt "Big Mike" is going anywhere. I bet he's signs a new deal after the season.

 

Bills have to much invested in him to give up on him. Moving into OG may have been destined from the beginning

[Nanker]

He's tall for a guard.

Maybe he can play small.

[macaroni]

Williams makes a lot for a RT, or a LG,  but when you look at the overal investment in the line the Bills will still be in great shape.  Of course we hope he takes a pay cut, but I'm just trying to point out that it won't kill us if he doesn't. 

498348[/snapback]

 

I read somewhere .... I can't remember where so I don't know how accurate it is .... that Williams is the highest paid player on the team. Now I'm no capologist .... but exactly what would motivate him to take a pay cut .... especially if the cap hit would prevent the Bills from getting rid of him.

 

Also what happens if we finnally get a "good" LT, and he demands "LT type" money, and as an aside ...... shouldn't any of the "skill position" players who are up for a new contract expect to make as much (or more) than a guard????

 

And our guy Peters ...... playing for undrafted free agent money ..... if he is sucessful ..... can we say renegotiate ..... could we blame him ...... I see bad things in the not too distant future of this team ...... bad things

[UConn James]

As I understand it, the NFLPA rules doesn't allow contracts to be reduced in these offseason deals by any more than 10 percent, I think even if the player changes positions. There's not too much left on MW's contract, so I would guess he plays it out and based on how he does at LG, signs a more sensible contract next time or is cut free (which I highly doubt happens).

 

For the cap, is this good, is this bad? It just is. Look, we're not paying our QB $18M/year like some other teams --- there's a bigtime savings there. Teague is going to be gone. It's unclear what's going to happen to Moulds.... Peters isn't in a position to renegotiate for a couple of seasons, if he turns into a solid starter at RT at all (knock on wood).

 

Other players aren't necessarily going to look at the LG and say, "Wah wah. He makes more money than I do!" (If BRUUUUUCE were still here, tho....). TD holds the checkbook and whatever he's willing to part with, they can either take or leave. That simple. Say what you want about him evaluating personnel, but I don't have a problem with TD's management of the cap and fiscal matters. He does what needs to be done there, and it's largely out of his control to set prices; and he juggles the balls pretty well, considering.

[d_wag]

Moving into OG may have been destined from the beginning

498368[/snapback]

 

what did you mean by this comment? do you think the bills always planned to move him to guard at some point?

[bills_fan]

You know, I was thinking about our potential line next year, and it could be much improved. Think about it, if MW restructures and Peters can play LT, we'd have a huge and athletic left side. Preston, hopefully, can man the C spot. The right side would be Villy (who is a very good G when healthy, and nasty) and possibly a FA RT. They cost less than LTs, and it would free up our 1st round pick for DT, and later picks for LB and S. Our D would get younger and our line would be solid. maybe it would look like this....

 

LT Peters

LG MW

C Preston

RG Villarial

RT FA - Perhaps Jon Runyan who is a FA at the end of the year? He's a nasty blocker, paired with Villy would be awesome.

 

I can dream right???

[TigerJ]

Right now Buffalo has an overpriced center in Trey Teague and an outrageously priced guard in Mike Williams. Teague will be gone after this season, I think. This is how the line may look next season:

 

LT - Mike Gandy - cheap, but apparently very adequate and may get a bit better

LG - Mike Williams - extremely expensive, but he could be dominant at the guard spot. I think the Bills will try to get him to make some accomodation to bring his cap numbers down.

Center - Duke Preston - cheap, but he might be pretty good

RG - Chris Villarrial - fairly priced, not cheap but not too expensive. He's starting to get long in the tooth but probably has a decent season or two left in him at least.

RT - Jason Peters - bargain basement, but if Jim McNally is right in his assessment he could soon be the best lineman on the Bills. The only question is when will he decide he ought to be paid more and demand a new contract?

 

Given that the Bills have inexpensive players at four of the five starting positions in that scenario, they can obviously afford Mike Williams' salary for the time being. The only question is how soon they will want to try and get him to accept a pay cut since his salary is out of line with that of even very good guards, and will Williams balk at that?

[RJsackedagain]

 

LT -  Mike Gandy - cheap, but apparently very adequate and may get a bit better

LG - Mike Williams - extremely expensive, but he could be dominant at the guard spot.  I think the Bills will try to get him to make some accomodation to bring his cap numbers down.

Center - Duke Preston - cheap, but he might be pretty good

RG - Chris Villarrial - fairly priced, not cheap but not too expensive.  He's starting to get long in the tooth but probably has a decent season or two left in him at least.

RT - Jason Peters - bargain basement, but if Jim McNally is right in his assessment he could soon be the best lineman on the Bills.  The only question is when will he decide he ought to be paid more and demand a new contract?

498509[/snapback]

I'd like to see this line play for a few games --- it could have potential

[RJsackedagain]

Bennie would be gone, along with Teague. What exactly has Gandy done that says he's average at best? This guy is still raw and at the very least has brought the LT position a solid cost effective player. CV has been hurt all year, last year he was a great addition, now he sucks? Obviously the Bills want to try Peters out at RT, in one game he played he did a great job. A guy that’s played 1 game at RT his entire life, and plays that well probably has decent potential.

 

This isn't Madden, the Bills can't or won't just switch out all 5 starters, nor should they.  We have a couple bad apples, and it just happens when you have a bad apple on the offensive line it makes the entire line look bad. We need to keep some cohesiveness, remove the bad apples, and replace them with guys that have a history, or potential to perform. Give or take a couple off-season additions and this line is not as bad as it looks.

498359[/snapback]

Vill and Gandy are average NFL linemen = they get the job done, but they are not all-pros. I have no problem with both on the line, but they aren't difference makers --- which is what Williams is supposed to be.

Besides how raw can Gandy be, he's been in the league for four-plus years and started two in Chicago?

Peters is raw, Gandy is a veteran. http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/235212

[Guest BackInDaDay]

Moving into OG may have been destined from the beginning

498368[/snapback]

 

what did you mean by this comment? do you think the bills always planned to move him to guard at some point?

498423[/snapback]

 

I think OG is a little town outside of Univ of Texas where all their under-achieving Offensive Tackles settle down. Leonard Davis already has his spread picked out.

[HurlyBurly51]

I believe Clump the cap specialist has already answered this question. It's too big of a cap hit to cut Williams. It would probably be best to extend him a couple years and spread his current contract out, if Guard is his future.

498363[/snapback]

 

I didn't see that assessment, but I thought the News mentioned his cap hit would be $5M if released. Otherwise, his cap hit next year will be in the $9M range, so you'd actually save $4M against the cap if they released him. They already approached him about his salary this year and he declined any concessions, so I'd say he's gone because there is no way in hell we pay $9M for a guard next year.

[Bill from NYC]

I didn't see that assessment, but I thought the News mentioned his cap hit would be $5M if released.  Otherwise, his cap hit next year will be in the $9M range, so you'd actually save $4M against the cap if they released him.  They already approached him about his salary this year and he declined any concessions, so I'd say he's gone because there is no way in hell we pay $9M for a guard next year.

498788[/snapback]

 

I think that much depends upon how well he plays at LG, but I would tend to agree.

[JCBoston]

The right side would be Villy (who is a very good G when healthy, and nasty) and possibly a FA RT.

 

Why would you do that? I heard those FA RTs mostly stink.

[Rico]

I doubt "Big Mike" is going anywhere. I bet he's signs a new deal after the season.

498368[/snapback]

On your latest cap page (training cap update) that I could find, you list:

 

Cap hit if MW was cut after 6/1/05 = $5.5M.

Total current cap hit for 2005 season = $5.5M

A wash if he was cut next year before the deadline for any roster bonus to kick in (3/1/06 ?), correct?

 

Now I know there are other players (eg. Moulds) that have to also be addressed, but:

If the salary cap increases significantly next year as projected, why would MW still be considered "untouchable" (by some around here) if he still refuses to restructure/take a paycut?

 

Also, let's say you give him a new deal. So far, it looks pretty clear that he's not interested in anything that will cost him any money currently scheduled to come to him. IMO TD would have to move most or all of the $$$ left on his current contract forward in the form of a bonus and add several more years and $$$ to the end of the contract to lessen the current cap hit. I call that Butler-nomics.

 

Thanks as always for your hard work, most excellent resource!

[clumping platelets]

Try this LINK for my thread at BZ

 

Try this LINK for the thread I posted here at TSW