Chuckknox Posted March 9, 2009 Posted March 9, 2009 A very entertaining / exciting off season, the best in a long time for the Bill. :wacko: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: How much $$ do the Bills have left to work with? Are they trying to make Jason Peters happy or are they just going to ignore him or trade him? The recent moves should give the Bills a new attitude on the field this year.
seq004 Posted March 9, 2009 Posted March 9, 2009 A very entertaining / exciting off season, the best in a long time for the Bill. :wacko: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: How much $$ do the Bills have left to work with? Are they trying to make Jason Peters happy or are they just going to ignore him or trade him? The recent moves should give the Bills a new attitude on the field this year. I hope so. We still need a LB, TE, DE LT and were not going to get that all done on draft day. I heard Thurman saying more was coming but haven't read anything yet.
robkmil Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 I hope so. We still need a LB, TE, DE LT and were not going to get that all done on draft day. I heard Thurman saying more was coming but haven't read anything yet. so exciting!!!
ax4782 Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 I hope so. We still need a LB, TE, DE LT and were not going to get that all done on draft day. I heard Thurman saying more was coming but haven't read anything yet. Why exactly do we need an LT? I'm almost certain that Peters is going to get his new deal. That being said, the other positions you have listed are critical. I think the Bills will sign one of the three LBs that came to town on free agent visits by the end of the week. I don't have any inside information, I just have suspicions. I also think the Bills are still looking to bring in Kendall Simmons to play guard, but only time will tell. As for the draft, I see Buffalo taking the best defensive end available with our first round pick, then grabbing either a TE or a C in the second and whichever of those we didn't pick in the third. After that, they'll draft for depth at positions of need on the OL, DL, and at LB. Another possibility that I would like to see would be to agree to a trade down from #11 for an additional second or third rounder.
Fingon Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 The only problem that i foresee, is the FAs asking prices not being in line with our goals. I'm inclined to think that most of the players we are looking at are only short term solutions, but they want long term deals.
ax4782 Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 The only problem that i foresee, is the FAs asking prices not being in line with our goals. I'm inclined to think that most of the players we are looking at are only short term solutions, but they want long term deals. I think you're right on with this analysis. The only one we might consider giving a longer term deal to would be Keiaho. He's still pretty young, but has solid veteran experience after playing with the Colts in the same defense we run. He also knows how to win and get to the playoffs. The same could be said about June, but I think Keiaho is the better option. That being said, I like them both and sort of hope we can snag both of them. We need serious depth at LB and getting these two veteran guys on the team would give us a heck of a rotation and take away some of the injury worries we've had in recent years at the position.
davefan66 Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 I think you're right on with this analysis. The only one we might consider giving a longer term deal to would be Keiaho. He's still pretty young, but has solid veteran experience after playing with the Colts in the same defense we run. He also knows how to win and get to the playoffs. The same could be said about June, but I think Keiaho is the better option. That being said, I like them both and sort of hope we can snag both of them. We need serious depth at LB and getting these two veteran guys on the team would give us a heck of a rotation and take away some of the injury worries we've had in recent years at the position. I don't know if we need both, but if Peterson did reject the Bills offer, then sign Keiaho. What I would like is a stud pass rusher that would take some pass rush pressure of the linebackers. Don't think much is available FA, need to draft at that position early.
BillsNYC Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 Entertaining offseason? The last 48 hours have been, before that watching a rock was more exciting. Good offseason? Besides TO, they signed a backup C/G to start at C, and sub average QB with a Buster Bison head as backup QB. Still need LB, DE, LG, TE....and that's just the starters, I think we need a FS as well. The Bills made one good signing, the team is 7-9 at best, even if they hit their first 2 draft choices. I pray they don't think that since they have TO, they can get a bunch of 3rd tier players for the above positions.
Fingon Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 Entertaining offseason? The last 48 hours have been, before that watching a rock was more exciting. Good offseason? Besides TO, they signed a backup C/G to start at C, and sub average QB with a Buster Bison head as backup QB. Still need LB, DE, LG, TE....and that's just the starters, I think we need a FS as well. The Bills made one good signing, the team is 7-9 at best, even if they hit their first 2 draft choices. I pray they don't think that since they have TO, they can get a bunch of 3rd tier players for the above positions. So you don't think Edwards will develop? because if he does, we are easily 8-8 or better.
ax4782 Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 Entertaining offseason? The last 48 hours have been, before that watching a rock was more exciting. Good offseason? Besides TO, they signed a backup C/G to start at C, and sub average QB with a Buster Bison head as backup QB. Still need LB, DE, LG, TE....and that's just the starters, I think we need a FS as well. The Bills made one good signing, the team is 7-9 at best, even if they hit their first 2 draft choices. I pray they don't think that since they have TO, they can get a bunch of 3rd tier players for the above positions. Hangartner started at center for 15 games while with Carolina for one of the better OLs in football by the numbers. The guy is an upgrade over both Fowler and Preston. He's a legit starter on a line as big as the one the Bills have, and played well against some of the bigger NTs in the game. As for Fitzpatrick, he was not the best QB available in FA, no question, but he is good enough to step in if Trent gets hurt. Anyone who could win even 4 games with that horrible Cincinnati team last year can't be THAT bad. He's not a starter, no question, but he's better than Losman who came in and won NO games. Don't forget the Bills also signed Drayton Florence, who, while not having a great season last year, was the top free agent CB on the market the year before based on his production in SD. He's a very good signing and should allow McKelvin one more year to develop into a superstar. TO helps the Bills a lot on offense. It opens up the running game as teams will be harder pressed to stack eight on the line of scrimmage with single coverage on our top three wideouts, all of whom are capable of making plays all over the field. Part of the argument for drafting a TE so high was that there weren't very many talented receivers available in the draft this year after Crabtree, and that Reed wasn't good enough at the number two. Therefore, you needed a big, pass catching TE to give Trent another target. With To and his production, I see that as more of a luxury now than a necessity, though it is close to the line. As for 3rd Tier FAs, I would say that Bills haven't entertained anyone in that category. At LB, June and Keiaho are both very capable starters who would shore up a rotation that desperately needs another veteran presence and a solid draft choice in the first three or four rounds. Kendall Simmons would be a huge pick up at guard, and I still think that the Bills have a solid shot at signing him. Buffalo is likely to focus on the defensive line in the first round, likely taking Orakpo or Everette Brown if they are available. If not, I think LB is a good possibility, and that they go after Ayers in the early second round, or trade back into the late first to get him. After that, they will get some OL help, likely in the third and/or fourth round. There's no reason to think they are finished in FA and that they won't make some smart draft choices in the early rounds. Give the FO some credit. This is a big signing, and one they knew they had to make. Why is it that people complain the FO does nothing, then when they do something big, they complain that they did something big to help the team. Let's see how it plays out between now and the end of the draft and see where the team's needs are. After all, every team in the NFL has weak points.
BuffaloRebound Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 T.O. or not, Brady is going to put up 40+ points against that pathetic pass rush. The worst part about it is the Bills spend top dollar on their defensive ends and get nothing for it. Now that they got a legit playmaker on offense, the Bills must get a pass rusher on defense. I really hope there is a plan to address this. I don't see how Brandon can cut dead weight like Dockery and Royal, and be fine paying Kelsay and Schobel like premier defensive ends. Schobel probably gets another year due to his injury, but no pass rush means no playoffs and you can't rely on a rookie no matter how high you draft him to significantly improve the pass rush.
BillsNYC Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 Hangartner started at center for 15 games while with Carolina for one of the better OLs in football by the numbers. The guy is an upgrade over both Fowler and Preston. He's a legit starter on a line as big as the one the Bills have, and played well against some of the bigger NTs in the game. As for Fitzpatrick, he was not the best QB available in FA, no question, but he is good enough to step in if Trent gets hurt. Anyone who could win even 4 games with that horrible Cincinnati team last year can't be THAT bad. He's not a starter, no question, but he's better than Losman who came in and won NO games. Don't forget the Bills also signed Drayton Florence, who, while not having a great season last year, was the top free agent CB on the market the year before based on his production in SD. He's a very good signing and should allow McKelvin one more year to develop into a superstar. TO helps the Bills a lot on offense. It opens up the running game as teams will be harder pressed to stack eight on the line of scrimmage with single coverage on our top three wideouts, all of whom are capable of making plays all over the field. Part of the argument for drafting a TE so high was that there weren't very many talented receivers available in the draft this year after Crabtree, and that Reed wasn't good enough at the number two. Therefore, you needed a big, pass catching TE to give Trent another target. With To and his production, I see that as more of a luxury now than a necessity, though it is close to the line. As for 3rd Tier FAs, I would say that Bills haven't entertained anyone in that category. At LB, June and Keiaho are both very capable starters who would shore up a rotation that desperately needs another veteran presence and a solid draft choice in the first three or four rounds. Kendall Simmons would be a huge pick up at guard, and I still think that the Bills have a solid shot at signing him. Buffalo is likely to focus on the defensive line in the first round, likely taking Orakpo or Everette Brown if they are available. If not, I think LB is a good possibility, and that they go after Ayers in the early second round, or trade back into the late first to get him. After that, they will get some OL help, likely in the third and/or fourth round. There's no reason to think they are finished in FA and that they won't make some smart draft choices in the early rounds. Give the FO some credit. This is a big signing, and one they knew they had to make. Why is it that people complain the FO does nothing, then when they do something big, they complain that they did something big to help the team. Let's see how it plays out between now and the end of the draft and see where the team's needs are. After all, every team in the NFL has weak points. Your argument for Hangartner...you could substitute his name for Tuten Reyes. Not saying the folks we've brought in are 3rd tier...but we haven't signed any of them. My fear is we sign 3rd Tier folks who we are yet to bring in. When they had June, Peterson, etc in we didn't know we'd be going after TO. For TE, it might be a luxury this year, but TO is only here one year. Better to get one now and give him a year to develop that push it off til next year. The poster said we've had a good offseason so far. We could have one, but other than TO we have a long way to go.
spartacus Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 Entertaining offseason? The last 48 hours have been, before that watching a rock was more exciting. Good offseason? Besides TO, they signed a backup C/G to start at C, and sub average QB with a Buster Bison head as backup QB. Still need LB, DE, LG, TE....and that's just the starters, I think we need a FS as well. The Bills made one good signing, the team is 7-9 at best, even if they hit their first 2 draft choices. I pray they don't think that since they have TO, they can get a bunch of 3rd tier players for the above positions. you are correct. as usual, the Bills OL will be a sieve. they cut Dockery who was serviceable but overpaid -- so what - who else were they going to pay? there is no one available better than Dockery Simmons has a blown out Achilles - to rely on him as your answer at LG is high risk. They will pay the same they would have paid Dockery in 2009 but get a guy that can't play anymore Hangartner is a backup who was let go because he is not good on a good line. He will start for the Bills because their OL is bad. TO will be wasted as Trent runs for his life and that's assuming they actually extend Peters before the draft. More likely they will demand he shows up at camp before they seriously negotiate. If not, they will need to start some other scrub at LT
ax4782 Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 you are correct. as usual, the Bills OL will be a sieve. they cut Dockery who was serviceable but overpaid -- so what - who else were they going to pay? there is no one available better than Dockery Simmons has a blown out Achilles - to rely on him as your answer at LG is high risk. They will pay the same they would have paid Dockery in 2009 but get a guy that can't play anymore Hangartner is a backup who was let go because he is not good on a good line. He will start for the Bills because their OL is bad. TO will be wasted as Trent runs for his life and that's assuming they actually extend Peters before the draft. More likely they will demand he shows up at camp before they seriously negotiate. If not, they will need to start some other scrub at LT Actually, Carolina let Hangartner go because they were way over the salary cap and couldn't keep him. To suggest that he was let go because he was stinking up the joint is completely wrong. Carolina didn't want to let him go, but there were a lot of people that became cap casualties on that team that they didn't want to leave either. Hangartner is better than either of the two men he is replacing and would do a more than adequate job as a left guard. Carolina has had one of the better offensive lines in football, so to suggest that anyone on the line is below average is silly. As for Simmons, when he visited, he was put through the usual physical and passed with flying colors. Injuries happen, and this was a bad one, but that doesn't mean the guy can't play, and I don't think that it'll cost the Bills seven mil a season to sign him. As far as I can tell there haven't been any other takers, so the Bills may be his only option. As for Peters, both sides have said they are negotiating the new contract. Whether or not it gets done before the draft is irrelevant. As long as Peters knows he's getting more money, he'll show up. To suggest doom and gloom prophecies before the two sides have had a chance to really get the work in is premature. I wouldn't be surprised if the Bills didn't try to draft two good OLs in the draft. I think DE is the top priority, but Alex Mack may be there in the second round, and I think the Bills will draft him if he falls to us in the second, and there are a couple of guards who are excellent run blockers that are likely to be available in the third and fourth rounds. Suggesting that the line is going to be horrible next year because we sent one underperforming player packing is a chicken little argument. Let's see where the team is after the draft and FA are over before predicting another year of football Armaggedon.
ax4782 Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 Your argument for Hangartner...you could substitute his name for Tuten Reyes. Not saying the folks we've brought in are 3rd tier...but we haven't signed any of them. My fear is we sign 3rd Tier folks who we are yet to bring in. When they had June, Peterson, etc in we didn't know we'd be going after TO. For TE, it might be a luxury this year, but TO is only here one year. Better to get one now and give him a year to develop that push it off til next year. The poster said we've had a good offseason so far. We could have one, but other than TO we have a long way to go. The difference between Reyes and Hangartner is that Carolina let Reyes leave. Hangartner was a cap casualty for a team that was unbelievably over the cap. They wanted to resign him, but they didn't have the money to do that and to try and keep Peppers and Delholme. Also, Reyes didn't have the track record as a starter that Hangartner does playing either at the Center or the Guard position. I understand the point about TO. My only response to that is, doesn't one have to think that Hardy and Johnson will be that much better next season after another year to prepare and learn behind to of the better receivers in the game today. Both have a ton of raw talent, and both showed flashes of their potential at the end of the season. A TE is not going to come in and light up the scoreboard on day one. Receivers and TEs take time to develop, much more than one season. We have other needs that we should look at, like the OL and DL and LB that need much more attention this draft. Also, I wouldn't give up on Fine. He showed promise later in the season and he has solid hands. With TO, I bet he could have a great year. Not saying he is the long term answer as a starter at TE, but worth giving a look this season.
BillsFan-4-Ever Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 A very entertaining / exciting off season, the best in a long time for the Bill. :lol: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: How much $$ do the Bills have left to work with? Are they trying to make Jason Peters happy or are they just going to ignore him or trade him? The recent moves should give the Bills a new attitude on the field this year. Other then the TO signing and there's NO guarantee he'll heolp... I'm VERY dissatisfied with this offseason.
pBills Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 Other then the TO signing and there's NO guarantee he'll heolp... I'm VERY dissatisfied with this offseason. There is no guarantee that any player signed will help.
The Senator Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 We are doomed, I say...DOOMED!!!! (Honestly, waking up in the morning must really suck for some people.)
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