Lets look at Willis a different way

[User Manuel]

I think we should keep Willis, at least for now, and here is why:

1) It is a contract year and Willis is a contract sort of guy. His agent is blustering to a point, but he knows Willis needs numbers to get the contract he wants. Willis might briefly hold out, bu tmy guess is that Willis knows he needs to come to play and play hard. Who cares what he says, right now he is an asset we need to build up in value, not tear down.

2) I cannot see us getting anything for him now unless someone decides to gamble and gives up the farm (maybe the Raiders) so what is the point of just getting rid of him to get rid of him. He's cheap and better than most alternatives right now.

3) If he has a huge season we can always sign him and keep him or transition or franchise him and then work out a deal with another team to get maximum return. Think Peerless, well, Peerless when he used to be good.

4) If he is a total pain in the butt or becomes destructive just bench him or send him home. He doesnt represent much of a cap hit. He suffers as then he is designated as an underperforming malcontent. Someone would sign him the next season, but not for much.

5) If he decides to sign a reasonable contract do it and then that friendly contract gives us options later.

The Bills have all of the leverage in this situation, they should use it. The only way Willis gets what he wants is to blow up on the field and become that "best back in the NFL he is always talking about." If he does we benefit, if he doesn't we say adios and move on.

No matter how it works out, we win.

[Jeff1220]

Re: Lets look at Willis a different way

I agree that the Bills have all the leverage and could use it to their advantage. I don't think the Bills should be going out of their way for Willis though...they already did that when they drafted him. He hasn't responded to that as we all had hoped.

[ICE74129]

Re: Lets look at Willis a different way

Look Its time to quit putting up with this guy. Get a more team oriented and higher character guy in here that works harder for the TEAM and lets move on.

[Jan Reimers]

Re: Lets look at Willis a different way

Look Its time to quit putting up with this guy. Get a more team oriented and higher character guy in here that works harder for the TEAM and lets move on.

I agree, ICE.

No matter how much we improve in other areas, I don't think we'll ever be a quality team with the very average - an mostly unmotivated - McGahee at RB.

[Mitchy moo]

Re: Lets look at Willis a different way

I think Willis gives us another year and runs like a banchee during it, then he would have a reason to get a new big $$$$$ contract. His #'s as said before are average at best.

[Forward_Lateral]

Re: Lets look at Willis a different way

It's tough to question Willis' work ethic. It's also tough to question his character, considering some of the dead-beats that have played for Buffalo, and never had their name dragged through the mud. Nobody seemed to mind when Travis Henry was bangin 16 year olds, and nobody seemed to mine that EMO had his seeds spread out all over God's green earth. It's funny how when a guy has a season that's not up to standards, how quickly the media jumps on him and finds things to rag him about. It's also funny how Willis gets labeled as a "non-team" player. How has this been proven? Because he had a crappy year? If that were the case, half of the NFL would be selfish. The guy wants to be the best, that doesn't make him selfish. He said he WANTS to say in Buffalo. If people want to critique is play, that's fine, he had a bad year, but don't throw his character under the bus because he had a bad year.

[ICE74129]

Re: Lets look at Willis a different way

I think Willis gives us another year and runs like a banchee during it, then he would have a reason to get a new big $$$$$ contract. His #'s as said before are average at best.

See Skoob I don't care. The man is non motivated unless it has to do with money. Get me a kid in here like Adrian Peterson or someone else in the 2nd round that will somewhat appreciate being in the NFL and will stay here most of the time and work his bippy off.

I would love nothing more than to find a joseph Addai type cat that can come in and be the 3rd and missing link to our new 'tripplets'.

[OpIv37]

Re: Lets look at Willis a different way

It's tough to question Willis' work ethic. It's also tough to question his character, considering some of the dead-beats that have played for Buffalo, and never had their name dragged through the mud. Nobody seemed to mind when Travis Henry was bangin 16 year olds, and nobody seemed to mine that EMO had his seeds spread out all over God's green earth. It's funny how when a guy has a season that's not up to standards, how quickly the media jumps on him and finds things to rag him about. It's also funny how Willis gets labeled as a "non-team" player. How has this been proven? Because he had a crappy year? If that were the case, half of the NFL would be selfish. The guy wants to be the best, that doesn't make him selfish. He said he WANTS to say in Buffalo. If people want to critique is play, that's fine, he had a bad year, but don't throw his character under the bus because he had a bad year.

Willis is not a team player because he only shows up when he wants to. Look at how hard he plays against the Jets when he has personal motivation, versus how he dances behind the line instead of hitting the holes hard against all the other teams. Look at how he goes and works out and parties with his buddies in Miami instead of working out with the team and learning the new offense (just a thought- maybe he would have played better if he had understood the offense better). Look at how he shoots his mouth off to the media about being the best in the NFL and moving the team to Toronto.

Then he has a piss-poor season and starts whining about a new contract? **** this guy.

I think we should keep Willis for one reason and one reason only: because we already have a lot of holes to fill and I don't want to add RB to the list. That being said, if an RB falls into our lap via the draft or trade, we should take it and trade Willis for whatever someone will give us. The guy is worthless to us.

[M]

Re: Lets look at Willis a different way

I think Willis gives us another year and runs like a banchee during it, then he would have a reason to get a new big $$$$$ contract. His #'s as said before are average at best.

Yeah, but after he gets a new big $$$$$ contract, he'll be back to his average?? Thanks, but no thanks.

[OpIv37]

Re: Lets look at Willis a different way

Yeah, but after he gets a new big $$$$$ contract, he'll be back to his average?? Thanks, but no thanks.

exactly.

Face it people- for whatever reason, this guy does not want to play for the Buffalo Bills, despite the fact the organization took a HUGE chance on him with his knee injury.

He'll go someplace else and light it up, but he'll never light it up as long as he plays home games in Orchard Park. Somebody else can have him.

[Forward_Lateral]

Re: Lets look at Willis a different way

Willis is not a team player because he only shows up when he wants to. Look at how hard he plays against the Jets when he has personal motivation, versus how he dances behind the line instead of hitting the holes hard against all the other teams. Look at how he goes and works out and parties with his buddies in Miami instead of working out with the team and learning the new offense (just a thought- maybe he would have played better if he had understood the offense better). Look at how he shoots his mouth off to the media about being the best in the NFL and moving the team to Toronto.

Then he has a piss-poor season and starts whining about a new contract? **** this guy.

I think we should keep Willis for one reason and one reason only: because we already have a lot of holes to fill and I don't want to add RB to the list. That being said, if an RB falls into our lap via the draft or trade, we should take it and trade Willis for whatever someone will give us. The guy is worthless to us.

Willis didn't whine about his contract, Rosenhaus said they'd seek an extention.

Willis played hard every down. He might not have the field vision that he should, and he might not be the brightest bulb (not knowing it was 4th down in one game) but he does play hard.

[Forward_Lateral]

Re: Lets look at Willis a different way

exactly.

Face it people- for whatever reason, this guy does not want to play for the Buffalo Bills, despite the fact the organization took a HUGE chance on him with his knee injury.

He'll go someplace else and light it up, but he'll never light it up as long as he plays home games in Orchard Park. Somebody else can have him.

He said that he WANTS TO stay in Buffalo. Is he a liar now too?

[YardRat]

Re: Lets look at Willis a different way

I have my doubts whether Willis will go 'full bore' this year, anyway, even if it is a contract year. He appears to me to be more of a 'I'm dinged, so I can't go back into the game and risk a real injury and a big contract this off-season' than a 'I've got to give 110% effort 100% of the time so I can cash in'.

[OpIv37]

Re: Lets look at Willis a different way

Willis didn't whine about his contract, Rosenhaus said they'd seek an extention.

Willis played hard every down. He might not have the field vision that he should, and he might not be the brightest bulb (not knowing it was 4th down in one game) but he does play hard.

did you watch the same games I did? There were several games where he danced behind the line and got tacked for losses numerous times. Then A Train spelled him and got positive yardage on every play, so it wasn't the blocking that was the problem....

[OpIv37]

Re: Lets look at Willis a different way

He said that he WANTS TO stay in Buffalo. Is he a liar now too?

well you just said it was his agent, not him talking about the contract....


I think he's in it for the money. He doesn't really want to play in Buffalo but he will if that's where the biggest paycheck is. Look at it from the perspective of one of the other 31 NFL teams: he's been in the league 4 years- was injured one year, then had a good year, then a mediocre year then a bad year. He's worth even less outside of Buffalo. Meanwhile, Buffalo has cap room and a lot of holes- they don't need to add RB. It's a calculated move to get paid.