K-Gun10 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 found this interesting http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=cr-w...o&type=lgns thoughts?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I 90 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 The minute Dockery signed I wondered about Peters (re Ledell Betts). He has enough career ahead of him that he should be happy for the help but did the Bills pay 7 million to their ENTIRE offensive line last year ? Strange days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeBillsDrive Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Teams must not be happy with the Bills over the Dockery deal. It's changed the math on what a guard should be paid in this league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fewell733 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Teams must not be happy with the Bills over the Dockery deal. It's changed the math on what a guard should be paid in this league. It really started with Hutchison last year and now the salary cap situation is all screwy. Also it seems like these commentators are quick to notice that the guards haven't been to pro bowls, or aren't considered superstars (few guards are) yet- but they fail to notice that these guys are all between 26 and 28 and about to enter into the prime of their careers over the next 5 years. They don't blink at huge contracts for guys approaching (or on) the downside of their careers or guys that have one huge year, but then are totally stumped by teams forecasting who will be dominant in the next few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeBillsDrive Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 It really started with Hutchison last year and now the salary cap situation is all screwy. Also it seems like these commentators are quick to notice that the guards haven't been to pro bowls, or aren't considered superstars (few guards are) yet- but they fail to notice that these guys are all between 26 and 28 and about to enter into the prime of their careers over the next 5 years. They don't blink at huge contracts for guys approaching (or on) the downside of their careers or guys that have one huge year, but then are totally stumped by teams forecasting who will be dominant in the next few years. Good point in connecting this to back to Hutchison. Boy I bet the Seahawks are still kicking themselves for not being more aggressive last year in re-signing him. Seahawk fans are still bitter about it on their boards a year later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2020 Our Year For Sure Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Good point in connecting this to back to Hutchison. Boy I bet the Seahawks are still kicking themselves for not being more aggressive last year in re-signing him. Seahawk fans are still bitter about it on their boards a year later. Actually, there was nothing Seattle could really do about it. After they put the transition tag on Hutchinson, Minnesota signed him to a contract with a poison pill in it. The deal he signed with the Vikes was for 7yrs/$49M including $16M guaranteed. But there was a stipulation in the contract that stated that if Hutchinson was not the highest paid offensive lineman for his team, then the entire $49M was guaranteed money...while the Seahawks had Walter Jones who would've been higher paid and made that stipulation relevant if they matched the offer, the Vikes obviously didn't have a lineman that would qualify. Seattle didn't really have a choice but to decline to match and let Hutchinson go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBilliever Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Money. Talks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ganesh Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Good point in connecting this to back to Hutchison. Boy I bet the Seahawks are still kicking themselves for not being more aggressive last year in re-signing him. Seahawk fans are still bitter about it on their boards a year later. I don't think it was a question of the hawks being aggressive. The problem was the Vikings introduced a poison pill in the contract mandating that Hutchison contract should remain the highest paid on the OL, meaning if Walter Jones got a new contract, then Hutchison would get a newer one....The hawks did not want to get into that kind of bad situation and hence gave up. Ideally, they should have just signed that contract with Hutchison without allowing him to get to FA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turftoe Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Over the past 5 yrs or so there has been a pretty big influx of very good and very large and very athletic defensive tackles. The guard position has become more critical than in the past. You can't just put an unathletic snot slinging blob in there anymore and expect to be successful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACor58 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Over the past 5 yrs or so there has been a pretty big influx of very good and very large and very athletic defensive tackles. The guard position has become more critical than in the past. You can't just put an unathletic snot slinging blob in there anymore and expect to be successful. I couldn't agree more. For people claiming that guards are now overpaid, look at Shaun Alexander's YPC last season. As soon as Hutchinson left, it dropped from 5.1 to 3.6. Walter Jones also suddenly looked human. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-Gun10 Posted March 6, 2007 Author Share Posted March 6, 2007 I couldn't agree more. For people claiming that guards are now overpaid, look at Shaun Alexander's YPC last season. As soon as Hutchinson left, it dropped from 5.1 to 3.6. Walter Jones also suddenly looked human. he was also coming off an injury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACor58 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 he was also coming off an injury. He only averaged 2.7 YPC in the 1st game, 3.4 YPC in the second game, and 2.4 YPC in the game that he was hurt. The dynamics of compensation have changed, as front offices have realized that interior lineman are more valuable than running backs. You will probably not see a RB other than LT or LJ sign a huge contract in the next few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 He only averaged 2.7 YPC in the 1st game, 3.4 YPC in the second game, and 2.4 YPC in the game that he was hurt. hell one only need look at the BILLS OL to see what the impact of having marginal guards has been. When's the last time a Bills passer has been able to set up in the pocket and not have someone immediately in his face almost half the snaps? ALL OL positions are important. Same with the DL. To me, the most over-rated positions are on the fringe, CB, WR, Safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricojes Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Teams must not be happy with the Bills over the Dockery deal. It's changed the math on what a guard should be paid in this league. Some team would have signed him to similar money had the Bills not signed him. As the cap goes up, so do contracts. look at Schobel who is now very underpaid at 3 mill per year, at the time of his signing it was a huge deal. Just the nature of the beast. In the article the yahoo from yahoo sports wrote he states, "Many talent evaluators have long considered guard a non-essential position". He obviously has not followed the Bills line the past few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACor58 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 hell one only need look at the BILLS OL to see what the impact of having marginal guards has been. When's the last time a Bills passer has been able to set up in the pocket and not have someone immediately in his face almost half the snaps? ALL OL positions are important. Same with the DL. To me, the most over-rated positions are on the fringe, CB, WR, Safety. Absolutely. Except for Bob Sanders. Indy's defense is much, much better when he is playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-Gun10 Posted March 6, 2007 Author Share Posted March 6, 2007 Absolutely. Except for Bob Sanders. Indy's defense is much, much better when he is playing. and pitts with troy p. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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