OnTheRocks Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 Jaguars Eyeing LeCharles Bentley --Sat Feb 18, 2006 CBS Sportsline's Pete Prisco reports the Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to make a strong push to sign Saints free-agent C LeCharles Bentley when the signing period opens. The team would love to move C Brad Meester back to guard to replace disappointing OG Vince Manuwai, who is a restricted free agent. Bentley would bring nastiness to an offensive line that needs it, and word is the Jaguars have him high on their wish list. The Saints would love to keep him but are believed to be unwilling to put the franchise tag on him. That would be fine with Bentley, who would love to test the market; word is he prefers leaving. Meester played guard his first two years in the league. The Bills, Browns, Jaguars.....the price continues to get pushed up.
Ozymandius Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 Has there been confirmation that the Bills are even interested? I know it makes sense to go after this guy, but that's the thing about making sense; the Bills don't.
SDS Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 Why would Bentley be interested in Buffalo? Many teams will offer him comparable money. Our front office is a holy mess, we've had 4 coaches in 7 years, and our owner/GM have one foot in the hole... Couple the that with the attractiveness of Buffalo as a destination (relative to other NFL cities) and I don't see it happening....
Frez Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 Why would Bentley be interested in Buffalo? Many teams will offer him comparable money. Our front office is a holy mess, we've had 4 coaches in 7 years, and our owner/GM have one foot in the hole... Couple the that with the attractiveness of Buffalo as a destination (relative to other NFL cities) and I don't see it happening.... 606654[/snapback] Marv will be offering a discount to Bills players for Depends and prune juice.
OGTEleven Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 Why would Bentley be interested in Buffalo? Many teams will offer him comparable money. Our front office is a holy mess, we've had 4 coaches in 7 years, and our owner/GM have one foot in the hole... Couple the that with the attractiveness of Buffalo as a destination (relative to other NFL cities) and I don't see it happening.... 606654[/snapback] Woe is me. Poor poor me.
BB2004 Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 The Bills, Browns, Jaguars.....the price continues to get pushed up. 606644[/snapback] I'm guessing he'll go to the highest bidder.
Rico Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 Bentley would bring nastiness to an offensive line that needs it, and word is the Jaguars have him high on their wish list. No one needs nastiness more than the Bills OL. That's why I don't want to draft any pussies like Da Brick or Winston, & I don't want to sign any FA pussies like Mike Pearson either. I want an OL that plays physical & stays physical & won't wilt in the clutch against a tough physical defensive front (see Colts vs. Steelers playoff). Let's get some mean SOB's like Bentley in here! NO MEAN STREAK = NO PICK = NO SIGN
Spanky46 Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 Bentley is from the Cleveland area and made it known in January that he would like to go home and play. I happen to remember a certain LB that wanted to go home and play in Cleveland and we happened to sign him from under Cleveland's nose. It's just a matter of how much commitment the Golden Boys show as far as the money and future plans of the Origanization go. Let's hope they get it done
SDS Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 I'm guessing he'll go to the highest bidder. 606670[/snapback] "highest" can be relative in this case. I don't think he goes to the place that offers him $1 more. It wiill take considerably more $$$ to make Buffalo more attractive than other teams for the top FA's at this point.
Frez Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 If teams want the good players this year in free agency they will have to overpay for their services. I have no problem with the Bills paying extra to beef up our offensive and defensive lines. Get it done Marv!
MadBuffaloDisease Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 Bentley is from the Cleveland area and made it known in January that he would like to go home and play. I happen to remember a certain LB that wanted to go home and play in Cleveland and we happened to sign him from under Cleveland's nose. And apparently Fletcher and Bentley work-out. Hopefully that's a way-in to getting him, not to mention a good deal.
EC-Bills Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 Why would Bentley be interested in Buffalo? Many teams will offer him comparable money. Our front office is a holy mess, we've had 4 coaches in 7 years, and our owner/GM have one foot in the hole... Couple the that with the attractiveness of Buffalo as a destination (relative to other NFL cities) and I don't see it happening.... 606654[/snapback] Somebody is cranky...
Acantha Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 Why would Bentley be interested in Buffalo? Many teams will offer him comparable money. Our front office is a holy mess, we've had 4 coaches in 7 years, and our owner/GM have one foot in the hole... Couple the that with the attractiveness of Buffalo as a destination (relative to other NFL cities) and I don't see it happening.... 606654[/snapback] Then why even bother? Why would anyone want to come here? There just isn't a point anymore. Sell the team to LA and get it over with.
SDS Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 Then why even bother? Why would anyone want to come here? There just isn't a point anymore. Sell the team to LA and get it over with. 606782[/snapback] nice straw man... the point is that many teams will want the services of the top FA OL and we will be bidding for their services behind the 8-ball. I assume people will freak when we don't land him or Hutch, but I think it is unrealistic that we will get either of them. This org has to work it's way out of a deep hole. That doesn't mean don't try - it only means that we may not succeed in landing the best of the best right off the bat.
Bill from NYC Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 This org has to work it's way out of a deep hole. That doesn't mean don't try - it only means that we may not succeed in landing the best of the best right off the bat. 606852[/snapback] The above is precisely why the draft means more to the Bills than to many other teams. We don't have a sunny warm climate, nor Paul Allen for an owner. I agree that our chances at signing Hutch appear to be slim. Guys as good as him are rarely let go by their respective teams under any conditions. If he DOES become a ufa, the Bills would have to make him the highest paid OG in NFL history to get him, or so I think. In the "old days," you claimed that we gave Ruben too much cash as a ufa to play OG. In retrospect, you were right. That said, were it up to me, I would offer Hutch 35 mil. over 5 years with a 15 mil signing bonus. Would you?
Acantha Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 The weather excuse is bull. There are a lot of teams in this league that are in cold cities that most players don't want to live in, and top free agents go everywhere. GB, New England, NY, Denver, Cinci, Minnesota, Cleveland (a team Bentley has said he wants to go to) all have cold weather and will all be players in FA like they are every year. Too many people seem to be under the impression that TD is still here. His cheap approach to FA is gone. As far as anyone here knows, Marv/Modrak are going to be overspending on everyone they bring in. Is that good? Of course not, my point is we don't know. A few players have said they want to play for Jauron. They like the guy; like how he coaches and treats the players. He may not be considered the top coach in the league, but I don't think he's going to drive players away from Buffalo. Yes, we have a new front office. So what? Players want to get paid. As long as Marv isn't telling players they have to take LESS to play in Buffalo (ahem), we have just as much shot as bringing these guys in as ALMOST every other team. ALMOST = Of course players will want to play for the top 4 or 5 teams (Pitt, Indy, NE, etc...) IF the money is close. But those teams can't take everyone. Buffalo can be a player in FA if they want to.
Chalkie Gerzowski Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 Free agency will be slow for the Bills. I don't think the big names will be arriving just yet. Put yourself in Bentley's shoes.....same money.....Jacksonville or Buffalo?
MadBuffaloDisease Posted February 19, 2006 Posted February 19, 2006 Free agency will be slow for the Bills. I don't think the big names will be arriving just yet. Put yourself in Bentley's shoes.....same money.....Jacksonville or Buffalo? Put yourself in Derrick Mason's shoes...more money in New England....Baltimore it was.
Acantha Posted February 20, 2006 Posted February 20, 2006 Free agency will be slow for the Bills. I don't think the big names will be arriving just yet. Put yourself in Bentley's shoes.....same money.....Jacksonville or Buffalo? 606885[/snapback] If I'm Bentley? Buffalo. It's a couple hour drive home. Given what Bentley has said, if all the teams in comepetition all offered him the same contract, Cleveland would be the team standing in our way. Buffalo will have to outbid Cleveland, and I don't think that's out of the realm of possibility. And to go on record, I don't really care if we get Bentley or not. There are a few different routes the Bills can take this off-season, he is just one. I just don't think that players will not play for the Bills just because they are the Bills. If the money is in line with the other offers they get and the deal feels right, they will come.
Chalkie Gerzowski Posted February 20, 2006 Posted February 20, 2006 That would have to be a personal choice of his.....but I wouldn't be pining to play for the Cleveland Browns because I have a relatively short trip up I-90 to visit family and friends.
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