If I am Ralph I am looking for a way to cave to Peters

[Pyrite Gal]

The blocking performance tonight was a plucky effort with a few successful plays to point to.

 

However, the performance tonight shows how like most NFL teams we are in very extremely bad shape if we have to depend on the OL back-ups to be starters.

 

The injury last week to fill-in back-up at LT Walker merely demonstrated that even if one choose to judge his play adequate at LT (a judgment with some validity based on the OL showing some strength on run plays at points in the first three games) one needs to overlook that not only is Walker playing out of his best position, but that his back-up Chambers is not starter material.

 

Add into that the problem that not only has our starting QB been knocked out of the OL but his back-up JP was also forced out of the line-up by injury. Now tonight Hamdan actually looked pretty good, but it was clear the Lions had identified the blitz as the preferred D against a 3rd string QB blocked for by 2nd and 3rd string OL players. Not only did the pressure game produce two safeties in less than a half of play, but our disaster QB saw his blocking wither under the rush and we confronted a double disaster leading to the Bills who could have made this game at least competitive had to essentially not play football at the end of the game. Our main goal was clearly to allow JP to escape with his life.

 

The sad thing is that I think Ralph will once again prove to be a businessman rather than a sportsman do the curmudgeonly thing and refuse to show Peters the money.

 

One certainly needs to run this sport like a business (though avoiding signing Peter is still strangely judges to be a precedent when quite frankly few if any Bills (unfortunately) are going to be able to make a case that their case is similar to that of a Pro Bowler who started at a UDFA base salary. Unless this future FA is seen as a top quality player at his position AND his position is as difficult as LT to fill AND his base salary even with the extension is so small as not to even remotely to be an accurate statement of the players worth IF there were a free market, there simply is no precedent set by giving Peters a big raise in exchange for agreeing to be a Bills for life (and passing a physical before the contract is good.

 

What used to be a sport that also happened to be a business is now a business that also happens to be a sport.

 

This is one vote for Ralph choosing to be a sportsman rather than a businessman as his first priority. He cannot ignore the fiscal impacts on the team, but we have sufficient cap room that he can sign Peters to a rich deal and though the team's profit will be effected, it seems pretty clear we can both show Peters the money and still maintain a reasonable fiscal stance for the team.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

Good thing you're not Ralph.

[DonInBuffalo]

The Bills aren't going to show Peters a dime until he shows up and takes a physical. For all they know, he weighs about 450, walks with a limp, and would miss the entire 2008 season just getting himself back into shape.

[I 90]

This is one vote for Ralph choosing to be a sportsman rather than a businessman as his first priority.

 

If only I could vote on that. Ralph's got this year pretty much sold out with a couple of built-in excuses ready to roll if things go sideways.

 

He runs a perpetual optimism machine rather than a football team. He might be the best there is. He isn't sweating this or worried about saving face.

[BillnutinHouston]

From your post the only basis of your position is what you saw from the OL in the 4th preseason game. Are you also concluding that because the stadium was half empty last night that attendance will be markedly down this year during the regular season?

[PNW_Bills_Fan]

If only I could vote on that. Ralph's got this year pretty much sold out with a couple of built-in excuses ready to roll if things go sideways.

 

He runs a perpetual optimism machine rather than a football team. He might be the best there is. He isn't sweating this or worried about saving face.

 

Did you drink the rest of what was in the glass?

[BuffaloBaumer]

I can't believe someone actually took the time to analyze that meaningless game where 21 out of 22 starters sat. I can't believe I just wasted my time typing this.....

[keepthefaith]

The blocking performance tonight was a plucky effort with a few successful plays to point to.

 

However, the performance tonight shows how like most NFL teams we are in very extremely bad shape if we have to depend on the OL back-ups to be starters.

 

The injury last week to fill-in back-up at LT Walker merely demonstrated that even if one choose to judge his play adequate at LT (a judgment with some validity based on the OL showing some strength on run plays at points in the first three games) one needs to overlook that not only is Walker playing out of his best position, but that his back-up Chambers is not starter material.

 

Add into that the problem that not only has our starting QB been knocked out of the OL but his back-up JP was also forced out of the line-up by injury. Now tonight Hamdan actually looked pretty good, but it was clear the Lions had identified the blitz as the preferred D against a 3rd string QB blocked for by 2nd and 3rd string OL players. Not only did the pressure game produce two safeties in less than a half of play, but our disaster QB saw his blocking wither under the rush and we confronted a double disaster leading to the Bills who could have made this game at least competitive had to essentially not play football at the end of the game. Our main goal was clearly to allow JP to escape with his life.

 

The sad thing is that I think Ralph will once again prove to be a businessman rather than a sportsman do the curmudgeonly thing and refuse to show Peters the money.

 

One certainly needs to run this sport like a business (though avoiding signing Peter is still strangely judges to be a precedent when quite frankly few if any Bills (unfortunately) are going to be able to make a case that their case is similar to that of a Pro Bowler who started at a UDFA base salary. Unless this future FA is seen as a top quality player at his position AND his position is as difficult as LT to fill AND his base salary even with the extension is so small as not to even remotely to be an accurate statement of the players worth IF there were a free market, there simply is no precedent set by giving Peters a big raise in exchange for agreeing to be a Bills for life (and passing a physical before the contract is good.

 

What used to be a sport that also happened to be a business is now a business that also happens to be a sport.

 

This is one vote for Ralph choosing to be a sportsman rather than a businessman as his first priority. He cannot ignore the fiscal impacts on the team, but we have sufficient cap room that he can sign Peters to a rich deal and though the team's profit will be effected, it seems pretty clear we can both show Peters the money and still maintain a reasonable fiscal stance for the team.

 

 

I think it's very important for the Bills and the entire NFL that the front office stay very firm with Peters. Don't give in. Players holding out and then getting what they want sets a very bad precedent for the league. Only way to eliminate holdouts is to not give in to them. Stay the course, Bills. Let the man sit for as long as he wants.

[cody]

I think it's very important for the Bills and the entire NFL that the front office stay very firm with Peters. Don't give in. Players holding out and then getting what they want sets a very bad precedent for the league. Only way to eliminate holdouts is to not give in to them. Stay the course, Bills. Let the man sit for as long as he wants.

 

This would only work if the majority of other teams did it too.

As long as 90% of the teams negotiate with holdouts, the few, if any, that don't will be at a disadvantage.

[Captain Hindsight]

The Bills aren't going to show Peters a dime until he shows up and takes a physical. For all they know, he weighs about 450, walks with a limp, and would miss the entire 2008 season just getting himself back into shape.

Agreed The Bills have taken the right stance here. If peters had proved he was healthy and shown up to camp with his team like all these other high character guys did, he may have had a new contract by now. The only thing that wiorries me is if Jason peters is like sick or something, no one has heard from him and that is a little discomforting

[DieHardFan]

blah, blah... it seems pretty clear we can both show Peters the money and still maintain a reasonable fiscal stance for the team.

They certainly can but that's not the point.

 

Personally I'm still old school enough to believe that you should stand by your word especially since he was a risk to sign. Unfortunately that's not the way the scumbags in the NFL play it.

 

Peter's refusal to negotiate in good faith is the point and the Bills should hang tough until he does.

[cody]

I'm still old school enough to believe that you should stand by your word

 

Businesses must adapt or die.

[DieHardFan]

Businesses must adapt or die.

Yeah, I'll use that argument on Judgement Day.

[Lurker]

Good thing you're not Ralph.

Ditto...

[cody]

Yeah, I'll use that argument on Judgement Day.

 

Maybe I'd rather the Bills won the superbowl

[BillsVet]

If only I could vote on that. Ralph's got this year pretty much sold out with a couple of built-in excuses ready to roll if things go sideways.

 

He runs a perpetual optimism machine rather than a football team. He might be the best there is. He isn't sweating this or worried about saving face.

 

This goes back to someone's post in another thread which emphasized how Ralph talks about being competitive, not necessarily being a Super Bowl team, let alone a playoff team. The fans purchased 56k+ season tickets, know there is a favorable schedule, withstood the Toronto thing, and has waited through 8 non-playoff seasons. That's a strong fan base if there ever was one.

 

Regardless, Ralph has a strong personality, as evidenced by his stance on the recent bad CBA for owners. I don't see him caving to anyone, especially a 26 year old. He has or will collect his revenue sharing, ticket money, and Toronto pay to play funds. He's in the driver seat, and unfortunately, NFL owners cannot guarantee a winner on the back of tickets. He has no requirement to earmark 50M+ for a player with much of it guaranteed. And he won't.

[Steely Dan]

Ralph giving Peters a contract and saving face can't be done until later in the season and if Peters plays to a pro-bowl level this year.

 

The Bills aren't going to show Peters a dime until he shows up and takes a physical. For all they know, he weighs about 450, walks with a limp, and would miss the entire 2008 season just getting himself back into shape.

 

That's my worry. There may be more to his injury than we know and the FO doesn't know either. That's why there is no extension without showing up to camp.

 

I think it's very important for the Bills and the entire NFL that the front office stay very firm with Peters. Don't give in. Players holding out and then getting what they want sets a very bad precedent for the league. Only way to eliminate holdouts is to not give in to them. Stay the course, Bills. Let the man sit for as long as he wants.

 

I don't think it affects the league. Just the Bills.

 

Agreed The Bills have taken the right stance here. If peters had proved he was healthy and shown up to camp with his team like all these other high character guys did, he may have had a new contract by now. The only thing that wiorries me is if Jason peters is like sick or something, no one has heard from him and that is a little discomforting

 

Agreed.

[Zulu Cthulhu]

Our starting QB was "knocked out of the OL"? Don't really know what you're talking about here, but the linemen had nothing to do with TE banging knees with Lynch. Losman bruised his thumb, so what? All five of those OLmen last night were fringe players, second, third, fourth stringers. I don't know why I keep getting sucked into reading your long-winded posts -- I guess I'm expecting at least some profundity and wisdom in such a long post; alas, I never find any.

[BillsVet]

That's my worry. There may be more to his injury than we know and the FO doesn't know either. That's why there is no extension without showing up to camp.

 

I don't think it affects the league. Just the Bills.

 

As has been mentioned numerous times, the probability he has a catastrophic injury and refused to communicate on this basis is a conspiracy theory. It's too bad enough around here have bought into. The only thing left now is for the National Enquirer to run an article confirming Peters is now the Elephant man and isolated in a room to hide it. Can anyone imagine a player concealing an injury during contract negotiations? It's impossible, and would permanently harm any agent doing so.

[Mickey]

Ralph giving Peters a contract and saving face can't be done until later in the season and if Peters plays to a pro-bowl level this year.

 

 

 

That's my worry. There may be more to his injury than we know and the FO doesn't know either. That's why there is no extension without showing up to camp.

 

 

 

I don't think it affects the league. Just the Bills.

 

 

 

Agreed.

The "no extension without showing up to camp" meme has been debunked, the team's position is and has been: no extension this year, period. That is why they didn't negotiate with him in February, long before camp or in any of the months since and before camp started. If they were willing to give him a new deal this year, I see no reason why they wouldn't have started those negotiations in February of this year as they did with Schobel in February of 2007. In that case, they actually approached Schobel first even though he had 3 years left on his then current contract. Despite that good faith on the part of the team, Schobel skipped out of the first 4 practices in March of 2007 to send the team a message of what was to come if they didn't get the deal done. It was (save for a few details), and before camp so holding out never became an issue for him.

 

As for the injury, Peters was checked out by the team doctors after the surgery. This was confirmed by Brandon himself so whatever the results of the surgery were, they are well known to the team. I have yet to see anyone post a single example of a sport's hernia ending a career.