T. Graham's new Peters article

[atlbillsfan1975]

But the GM questioned whether it would be a prudent investment to give Peters the money he seeks because of perceived dedication issues."

Great the word is out. Joking. But seriously. Other GMs are watching this and wondering the same thing a lot of us are. If the Bills do just pay Peters, whats to think he will live up to the contract. I am right with the other poster who says any deal with Peters will have to contain very heavy fines for missing workouts and practice. Also comming in out of shape, or to heavy.

[Magox]

Good article Tim, it's nice to see an outside perspective evaluate what Peters' more realistic true value is. Btw, I loved the "but the sides are farther apart than Bill O'Reilly and Keith Olbermann." line. Good stuff

[Lofton80]

Very good article. Seems like Peters does very little to help himself by not showing up to particiapte in offseason workouts.

It hurts him from the contract standoint with Buffalo and hurts him with his value to a trade partner. Parker must be giving him bad advice.

[Dan]

What Peter's has accomplished is to go from being an undrafted TE to becoming one of the best LTs in the game. Football contracts are renegotiated all of the time and it's only because of Peter's exponential rise to probowl LT staus that his last renegotiated contract was quickly out of step with his talent. That's supposed to be a good thing if this were any other NFL team that took care of their best players. But on the Bills he gets the back hand of a tightwad owner who refuses to pay the going rate to his only player that has actually accomplished something of note. Trading Peters to save money is shameful and Bills fans who are backing the owner had better not complain when Fitzy is starting the majority of games after the Trent "china doll" Edwards has been broken to a million bits.

That's one way to look at it. Of course, the flip side is.... here's an undrafted TE, that was shaped into a starting LT. He was given a new contract worth $4mill/yr (roughly) when he had yet to prove anything; which he immediately wanted out of once he proved something (forgetting that he was arguably overpaid for the first 2 years of that deal). So, now he's a starting left tackle with all the talent in the world, but hasn't finished a season in 2 years (i.e. opts out at the first sign of injury) and has demanded to be the highest paid lineman in the league or he won't perform (i.e. more concerned with money than play).

 

IMO, both of those 2 items seriously cast doubt on him. Yes, he has talent. Yes, he may be the best LT in the game. But... will he continue to develop that talent and actually be the best LT in the game after he gets $12mill/year? That's the sticking point, IMO.

 

No one is arguing his talent or potential. What's causing some fans (and GMs apparently) to balk is the concern over his motivation and commitment to continually improve.

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

The research for this article started before the owners meetings, where I had access to scores of NFL decision-makers. It was there that I realized how highly Peters is thought of as a player. We're talking the Peyton Manning of his position when it comes to ability.

And now you know how he got voted to a 2nd Pro Bowl.

[JinWPB]

Tic-Toc,Tic-Toc............... it's Friday and Jason still haunts OBD. What , no more from the source deep inside????

Looked for the post but I quess it was deleted or merged. 10 hours and counting down.

[spartacus]

No one is arguing his talent or potential. What's causing some fans (and GMs apparently) to balk is the concern over his motivation and commitment to continually improve.

 

lack of motivation and commitment to improve

 

I guess you are right

 

4 years ago, he was an undrafted TE prospect

 

then he magically woke up 1 morning and he was a Pro Bowl LT with absolutely no effort put in to "improve" himself

 

I see your point

 

My guess is NFL GMs are drooling at the prospect of stealing an elite LT for a couple of picks from a clueless franchise, and spinning things to the press to make it happen

[The Dean]

I think this says it all with regards to Peters:

 

 

 

What Peters has accomplished more than anything else is create a huge cloud of doubt around himself. He's clearly more worried about making money than playing football. So what happens when he gets that money? If your only motivation for playing well has been to make money, what happens when you finally get that mega contract? I'm certain that's why no one is rushing to give him the most money any NFL lineman has ever gotten.

 

 

I understand the concern, but think it's more for public consumption than an honest assessment. Peters played hard for four years, at minimal compensation (relatively), for the Bills.

 

He has had one holdout.

 

I think his history suggests he will come to play.

[TimGraham]

lack of motivation and commitment to improve

 

I guess you are right

 

4 years ago, he was an undrafted TE prospect

 

then he magically woke up 1 morning and he was a Pro Bowl LT with absolutely no effort put in to "improve" himself

 

I see your point

 

My guess is NFL GMs are drooling at the prospect of stealing an elite LT for a couple of picks from a clueless franchise, and spinning things to the press to make it happen

 

The NFL is loaded with players who bust their asses until they get the big payday.

 

The GM I quoted already has two tackles. He isn't interested.

[The Dean]

The GM I quoted already has two tackles. He isn't interested.

 

 

That makes sense, then.

 

BTW, nice job hitting all the high spots.

[Billsguy]

I believe Tim Graham did just say that.

 

I also believe a real life GM said this (quoted from the article):

 

"One AFC general manager agreed Peters is a premium tackle and -- in theory -- well worth the Bills' asking price of multiple draft picks, including first- and third-rounders. But the GM questioned whether it would be a prudent investment to give Peters the money he seeks because of perceived dedication issues."

 

"Once you give him the money, I'm not so sure he plays up to it," the GM said.

 

Peters is getting horrible advice. It's pretty obvious.

 

 

"One AFC general manager agreed Peters is a premium tackle and -- in theory -- well worth the Bills' asking price of multiple draft picks, including first- and third-rounders. But the GM questioned whether it would be a prudent investment to give Peters the money he seeks because of perceived dedication issues."

 

"Once you give him the money, I'm not so sure he plays up to it," the GM said.

 

 

Exactly right. Peters is a dope. He is doing everything wrong. The Pro Bowl award he got last year was the worst thing that could happen. Now he is even less motivated and apparently dumber.

[billsfreak]

Me personally, I hope we dump Peters and the sooner the better, if for no other reason than I am tired of hearing about him and his whining and his holdout. He isn't now and never will be worth what he is asking and his work habits and dedication are far below his physical talents, and that will keep him from ever being worthy of a Pro Bowl selection. Note I said worthy, unlike last season where he would have beent he last LT to go to the Pro Bowl based on performance.

[Mickey]

The research for this article started before the owners meetings, where I had access to scores of NFL decision-makers. It was there that I realized how highly Peters is thought of as a player. We're talking the Peyton Manning of his position when it comes to ability.

 

The preparation and dedication part is where the conversation changes. Will he play when he's hurt? Will he play when he gets the money? Those types of questions.

 

I still got the impression any team gladly would deal with those concerns because they'd love to have him.

Actually, if history means anything, when they redid his contract the last time, ie, paid him more money, he worked his tail off culminating in his 2007 season where he was the best in the league. The year they wouldn't negotiate with him and he didn't get $ commensurate with his performance and position is the only time he had an off year.

 

If LT's really are as important as everyone says they are, this guy is worth his considerable weight in gold. As bad as contract demands are now, they will be worse when the top LT in this year's draft signs his contract raising the bar that much higher. The best time to get a deal with Peters is now and if they don't resign him by the draft, I don't think he will be signed at all.

 

I think the Bills know they have him contractually wrapped up and that the only thing he can do is inflict another long hold out on them, showing up again just before opening day to avoid losing a game check. They endured that last year and to save the money, are willin gto do so again this year. But Peters won't be as good a player if he misses camp again and there is no way, once this contract finally ends, he will ever, ever sign with them at any price.

 

If the team's main goal was to win, he'd already be signed. 7-9 teams who haven't seen the playoffs in a decade have no business risking the services of the only player on their roster ranked among the elite at his position.

[John from Riverside]

The thing that seems painfully obvious to me is:

 

- It doesn't matter how good Peters is

- It doesn't matter if the bills cant find the perfect offer

 

IF HE WONT COME IN AND PLAY then the organization is allowing itself to be held hostage because they wont move on from Jason Peters and decide who is really going to man the position.

 

Want to know what will REALLY irk me? Is if the Bills do end up trading him which is not a win or a loss sitation but then the team he goes to gets him to take what we are NOW offering. I will forever hate him if that happens.

[Paup 1995MVP]

What Peter's has accomplished is to go from being an undrafted TE to becoming one of the best LTs in the game. Football contracts are renegotiated all of the time and it's only because of Peter's exponential rise to probowl LT staus that his last renegotiated contract was quickly out of step with his talent. That's supposed to be a good thing if this were any other NFL team that took care of their best players. But on the Bills he gets the back hand of a tightwad owner who refuses to pay the going rate to his only player that has actually accomplished something of note. Trading Peters to save money is shameful and Bills fans who are backing the owner had better not complain when Fitzy is starting the majority of games after the Trent "china doll" Edwards has been broken to a million bits.

Peters is overrated. So he made the probowl, big effing deal. If anyone watched Peters play at all last season they saw a slow, fat disinterested player who let us down bigtime last year. Why on earth would the Bills want to pay a guy who does not bring it game in and game out, who has held out and has not given any type of commitment to the team 10 plus million/year? It is never going to happen. We have not won with the guy, maybe we will have far more continuity without him. Because it is the Bills FO, they are automatically in the wrong. Get over it. Peters is never going to play another down for the Bills. Why do you think any other team would pay a guy who held out all offseason $10 mill/year with at least 2 years left on his contract. You do that in Pittsburg or New England, you are GONE. No questions asked. The Steelers let Alan Faneca walk, and he has had a much more productive career than Peters. Look at NE with Deion Branch, and many other guys. I think the Bills are playing this perfectly.

 

The hate for the Bills front office is just god awful ridiculous.

[PromoTheRobot]

People complain about the Bills FO being dumb yet these same people will hand over record money to a player who has gained a reputation league-wide as being more interested in a big payday. If we can't trade him for what he's worth I say bench him for two years. Don't let him play a single down.

 

PTR

[Ray]

Peters and his agents have managed to create a lot of doubt about the guy's willingness to play and work hard. Yes, he was voted to a Pro Bowl but he was the LT that gave up the most sacks in the NFL last year.....hardly a guy who deserves 11M per year. The Bills hold ALL the cards here. He is under contract for two more years. The Bills can keep him at a VERY reasonable amount of under 4M per year. They also can get similar production that they got from Peters last year. Anyone who watched him saaw a big drop off in his play. If Peters and his agents want to play this game for another two years and then see what the market is in the offseason in 2011 then fine.....but sounds like a bad strategy. I'd pay him 8M a year but not more. Didn't really notice much of a difference for the games he wasn't there.....that should be the biggest indication.

[Magox]

Me personally, I hope we dump Peters and the sooner the better, if for no other reason than I am tired of hearing about him and his whining and his holdout. He isn't now and never will be worth what he is asking and his work habits and dedication are far below his physical talents, and that will keep him from ever being worthy of a Pro Bowl selection. Note I said worthy, unlike last season where he would have beent he last LT to go to the Pro Bowl based on performance.

when was the last time you heard him whine? do you have a link for it?

[Kelly the Dog]

The NFL is loaded with players who bust their asses until they get the big payday.

 

The GM I quoted already has two tackles. He isn't interested.

Maybe he's just jaded because one of his tackles doesn't bust his ass anymore.

 

Just kidding. Thanks for the insight, TG. I always thought that both the Bills and the rest of the league knows how good he is. It's hard not to if you watch every play. If you just watch the highlights and see him giving up a sack, you may think he stinks. Not that he can afford to give up these sacks, he can't. But he's a great player.

 

I also think that a lot of these players are not only after the actual cash but almost just as much about the bragging rights. I think Peters would be a LOT happier if he is offered a little more than Jordan Gross and a LOT more disgruntled if he is offered a little less than Jordan Gross. Which is why I think 6-60-65 gets it done.

[1billsfan]

People complain about the Bills FO being dumb yet these same people will hand over record money to a player who has gained a reputation league-wide as being more interested in a big payday. If we can't trade him for what he's worth I say bench him for two years. Don't let him play a single down.

 

PTR

 

So because of one anonymous quote from another team's GM (which of course we all know is the gospel truth), now Peters has a "league wide" reputation as being more interested in a big payday? You just keep right on buying into the drivel coming from One Bills Drive.

 

It's no wonder why Ralph gets away with this cheap-ass way of doing business. After a decade of futility he's still got fans guarding his big fat wallet.