NEWS: TD puts the ball in Prices court

[Tatonka]

Bills | Price to Decide Own Future? - posted at KFFL (http://nfl.kffl.com)
8:28 PT: Associated Press reports the Buffalo Bills are letting WR Peerless Price decide his future with the team. Team president Tom Donahoe said if Price’s main objective in free agency is money, then he’s better off hitting the open market. However, Donahoe said the team is hopeful he’s looking at the big picture and everything the offense has to offer. Both sides have expressed an interest in remaining together. Price’s agent, Tim McGee, said he’s not optimistic of that happening at this time but he’s not ruling it out.

i like this move. he takes blame off of himself for all of those who are screaming resign price!.. now if price doesnt resign, TD can say, well.. he had the option, but he decided to go after all the money he could get his paws on, instead of trying to win a championship...

kinda funny i think..

still dont think it will work.. price is a me first guy... he is gone... unless he realizes that there are not alot of teams out there that can offer him that much money..

i was looking at that the other day.. the redskins and falcons are supposed to be the two biggest teams interested in him, but the falcons are having to resturcture and cut people just to sign Brookings..

and the redskins are gonna cut steven davis among others due to salary cap reasons.. dont tell me that they can just throw a 12 million dollar signing bonus at him.. i am truely starting to believe that he will not get anything close to what he thinks.. and he wont make as much as moulds for sure... rightfully so

[Tatonka]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/news/2003/0214/1509183.html

this is from ESPN today.

Friday, February 14

Bills GM says he's not going to break the bank for Price

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press


ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -- The Buffalo Bills warned Friday that they're not ready to ''break the bank'' to sign receiver Peerless Price.


Team president Tom Donahoe said it's ultimately up to Price, who is eligible to become a free agent in two weeks, whether he wants to stay in Buffalo.


''If his main objective is money, he's better off on the open market,'' Donahoe said. ''But we're hoping he's looking at the whole picture. This offense has a lot to offer.


''Peerless has to make up his own mind, what's important to him and what he places value on.''


Both sides said they would like to reach an agreement, but Price doesn't know how the Bills can afford to re-sign him to a long-term deal.


''I'm not optimistic at this time, quite honestly. But, you never know,'' Price's agent Tim McGee said. ''It may be unrealistic because it may not be cost-effective (for the Bills).''


McGee is seeking ''market value'' for Price, who established several career highs last season -- the final of a four-year contract. Price finished second on the Bills -- behind All-Pro Eric Moulds -- with 94 catches for 1,252 yards and nine touchdowns.


However, the Bills need salary-cap room to address other needs -- particularly on defense -- if they intend to build off of the 8-8 record of last season. And Moulds already is in the midst of a six-year, $40 million contract.


''We have more than one guy to sign. And we're not going to break the bank for one player,'' Donahoe said. ''As much as we like Peerless, we can't do that from a team standpoint.''


Donahoe hasn't ruled out using the team's transition or franchise player tag on Price. That decision would have to be made by the NFL deadline next Thursday.


The franchise tag would guarantee Price a one-year deal worth about $5 million, averaging out the salaries of the league's top five receivers.


The transition tag would guarantee Price a one-year deal worth about $4.5 million, averaging out the top-10 salaries. Under a transition tag, Price would be allowed to accept offers from other teams, with the Bills holding the right to match them.

[Tatonka]

doesnt sound like TD is gonna spend the money on Spikes either to be honest.

[Romes]

Originally posted by Tatonka
doesnt sound like TD is gonna spend the money on Spikes either to be honest.

I disagree. I think he is making it sound like he wants to save up to get Spikes and then still have enough money to fill a few other holes. Although, you really cannot determine TD's intentions from those few remarks.

[Tatonka]

'We have more than one guy to sign. And we're not going to break the bank for one player,'' Donahoe said. ''As much as we like Peerless, we can't do that from a team standpoint.''

read that again..

[Romes]

Yeah, Tatonka that was the quote I was looking at. I guess you could interpret that your way. When I read it I thought it ment that he wasn't going to break the bank on Peerless because they have more than one hole to fill on defense. I think CP showed that even though Spikes will be expensive, we would still have some room (especially with the release of Reimersma).

[Tatonka]

i think he is saying that this is a team, and we are not going to blow a ton of cash on one spot, when as a team, we have so many needs..

i mean.. specifically, he says they are not going to pay a lot of money (ie. break the bank) on ONE player...

that is the statement that makes me think that.. that one player is not going to get a ton of money..

of coarse this is just speculation as to what he means.. but i hope i am wrong.. i want spikes.

[Romes]

On the other hand TD is using all the cliches in the book when it comes to an expensive player going into free agency. We heard all the same things last year with Sam Cowart and Rob Johnson. To me those words are just a round-about way of saying good-bye to Price.

[Tatonka]

actually... i want claiborne and maslowski over spikes.. but i would take any combination of the three to be honest..

[Tatonka]

your probably right.. i still dont know that TD has ever been willing to spend a ton of cash on any one guy... i think him signing moulds was a huge surprise, after seeing his track record...

we shall see.

[THATHURMANATOR]

I don't really like claiborne or masalowski. I wouldn't be happy with getting those two over the many other solid backers. I would be happy with Peterson, and Barber. Also regarding TD's comments I think IMO what he is saying is that he can't afford to have 2 wrs making huge money.

[kgun12]

TD has never broken the bank on free agents. I look for us to get some help, I just think by the middle of March we will all be bit@hing about his lack of production. (Big Name Players). I think he will bring in quality people just not the ones we were hoping for. I hope I'm wrong, but be fore warned!

[Mr. Miyagi]

I think TD is setting the guilt on Price. If Price leaves, he will only make himself look like a greedy bastard. All that "we won't spend a lot of money on one single player" crap is just an excuse. Look at the gigantic contract we inherited for Drew. Look at the huge deal we gave to Moulds. TD will spend the money if he wants to. Right now he's just using a tactic to tone down Price's ego. Eventually he'll give Price a respectable way out, like a nice contract but not a huge one. Everyone will be happy then.

Price had a breakout year last year. And he owes it all to our offense. He will not do as well as the #1 guy somewhere else. Just look at his numbers pre-Drew. Nowhere near where they are now. His agent is trying to cash in on his breakout year, but anyone can see that he's not worth as much as he's asking when you take him out of our offense.

My prediction: Price will agree to stay and gets a decent contract equivalent to a top 20 WR money. Nothing more.

[Tatonka]

drew at 5 mill a year is a bargain.. that is not breaking the bank,. we really didnt inherit a huge contract for him..

and moulds deal is tiny for his caliber.. he turned down more money to stay.. his contract doesnt look like moss though.

and i wouldnt be happy with barber or peterson.. so i guess we just have different opinions on the LBs we want thurm

[ArcticWildMan]

TD has shown he will spend money on proven talent. While Moulds, and Drew and even Fletcher don't have monster contracts, they are anything but cheap.

Price will have to be willing to accept around 3 mil a season or he'll be gone. TD will not spend top dollar on him when Josh Reed has shown he can play and speed receivers are a dime a dozen.