Bills get an "A" in Free Agency

[HHURRICANE]

I have been listening to various sports outlets and apparantly alot of teams are now panicked by how weak this years FA market. Certain teams have left their restricted FAs without enough comp and now teams are scrambling to get bodies.

It is now time to give the Bills a much better grade and heres why:

1) Letting Nate walk was the right decision. Anytime a player leaves it is going to leave a hole. I think the Bills were stupid to let Pat Williams and Winfield walk but this isn't one of those cases. Nate was not worth 80 million dollars. PERIOD. So stop *****ing.

2) Dockery was a great signing. He really was the only one available because Steinbach wanted to play for his hometown and Dielman ended up wanting to stay with the Chargers. The Bills got the best available LG and he's a legitimate starter. When was the last time that we could say that about a lineman.

3) Whittle and Walker might not look like much at first but going into last years pre-season we not only had a crappy line but we had no depth either. Matter-of-fact the whole team was lacking depth. Great teams have depth. Pittsburgh's 2nd string D manhandled us in a must win game a few years ago. Even if you don't like the Walker move it's another player competing for a position. You have legit backups and starters at every positon on the line.

4) I am not a huge Kelsay fan however with the addition A-train and K. Thomas signing the Bills were smart not to fight the battle on every front. Kelsay knows the system and in hind sight signed a very reasonable contract. The Bills have planty of holes and keeping continuity counts.

The Bills did a great job and deserve some credit. If the draft goes our way than this FA period will look like the draft that we supposedly didn't do well in last year.

[Jan Reimers]

Re: Bills get an "A" in Free Agency

I think we were wise to let Willis and Fletch go, too. We didn't make the playoffs with them - it's time to bring in better players at their positions.

[Saratoga Slim]

Re: Bills get an "A" in Free Agency

I have been listening to various sports outlets and apparantly alot of teams are now panicked by how weak this years FA market. Certain teams have left their restricted FAs without enough comp and now teams are scrambling to get bodies.

It is now time to give the Bills a much better grade and heres why:

1) Letting Nate walk was the right decision. Anytime a player leaves it is going to leave a hole. I think the Bills were stupid to let Pat Williams and Winfield walk but this isn't one of those cases. Nate was not worth 80 million dollars. PERIOD. So stop *****ing.

2) Dockery was a great signing. He really was the only one available because Steinbach wanted to play for his hometown and Dielman ended up wanting to stay with the Chargers. The Bills got the best available LG and he's a legitimate starter. When was the last time that we could say that about a lineman.

3) Whittle and Walker might not look like much at first but going into last years pre-season we not only had a crappy line but we had no depth either. Matter-of-fact the whole team was lacking depth. Great teams have depth. Pittsburgh's 2nd string D manhandled us in a must win game a few years ago. Even if you don't like the Walker move it's another player competing for a position. You have legit backups and starters at every positon on the line.

4) I am not a huge Kelsay fan however with the addition A-train and K. Thomas signing the Bills were smart not to fight the battle on every front. Kelsay knows the system and in hind sight signed a very reasonable contract. The Bills have planty of holes and keeping continuity counts.

The Bills did a great job and deserve some credit. If the draft goes our way than this FA period will look like the draft that we supposedly didn't do well in last year.

I agree that as of now we had a very decent free agency. I'm still a little torn on Fletcher, and I'm really hoping Walker pans out to justify the fairly large contract we gave him, but otherwise I feel pretty good about things. I wasn't really expecting that much out of free agency, and Dockery for me was a pleasant surprise.

You forgot to mention the McGahee trade though. While it left us with a hole at RB, I think that needs to be included as a job well done by the front office for scoring three draft picks--especially when you compare the paltry return the bears got for Thomas Jones.

[patmoran2006]

Re: Bills get an "A" in Free Agency

The Bills do not get a A in free agency.. Put that pipe down man.

They've done NOTHING to improve their defense; if you think their defense is BETTER because they dont have Fletcher and Clements, then IM going to question whether your posting this at this early hour from your home or from your local tavern after a few too many whiskeys.

They deserve props for addressing the OL right off the bat, especially since its ALWAYS our biggest weakness. but have done absolutely nothing since that.

Had they signed 1-2 defenders who could've made an impact for us,then a "A" might be considered. But right now, they get a "C"

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: Bills get an "A" in Free Agency

Tell me how it is possible for any team to sign 3 impact players in FA? How many have?

It does not happen. There is too much competition from other teams.

Giving them a 'C' based on the REALITY of how FA works is stupid. You say you don't want them to sign every big name FA, but now you come and say they did not sign enough.

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: Bills get an "A" in Free Agency

BTW, I think an A is too high.

But anything lower than a B is being unrealistic.

[patmoran2006]

Re: Bills get an "A" in Free Agency

How much money did Cato June signg for?
How much money did Griffith sign for (FB )
How much money did Rod Hood sign for?
How much money did Dewayne White sign for?

Who's still our #2-3-4 WR's?
* Is Royal still the best tight end on this team?
* Who's going to take over should we trade Spikes or he gets hurt?
* Is Kiwi Thomas or Ashton YOuboty really starting? Is that un upgrade over what was here?
* How's that backfield doing with Anthony Thoma and Squid Williams?
* What fullback is blocking for them again?

You want to grade an "A"? LMAO, umm okies.
they improved in ONE position. That warrants a C

k..

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: Bills get an "A" in Free Agency

I said a 'B', not an A.

As for RB, you know that is the easiest place for rookie to play. And FB? Who cares?

June would be nice, but the lack in interest around the league makes you wonder, does it no?

[Saratoga Slim]

Re: Bills get an "A" in Free Agency

I said a 'B', not an A.

As for RB, you know that is the easiest place for rookie to play. And FB? Who cares?

June would be nice, but the lack in interest around the league makes you wonder, does it no?

I'm saying "B" too.

As far as Cato June and the several other FAs that seem like they'd be a good fit, skill wise in the Bills' defensive system, you've got to remember that there's more to the equation than simply what the guys can do on the field--and I'm not talking about money.

Guys like June, Hood, Harper, etc. may look great for us on paper and may have been affordable, but there's a subjective element as well that may explain why they weren't brought in. Look at a team interviewing free agents like any other company trying to fill a position. A particular candidate might have a great resume with perfect credentials for the job in question, but if the interviewer doesn't like 'em, and doesn't think they're going to get along with the other people in the workplace, the guy's not going to get the job.

[Bufftp]

Re: Bills get an "A" in Free Agency

I think they grade out a Q.
Lots of Questions yet to be answered.

[patmoran2006]

Re: Bills get an "A" in Free Agency

I think they grade out a Q.
Lots of Questions yet to be answered.

Disagreed.
The topic was a "Grade A in Free Agency". Pretty much all of the free agents are gone. ANything we do in the draft would be unrelated to the subject.
Grade: C (and I'm being somewhat generous)

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: Bills get an "A" in Free Agency

Did you ever post your off-season plan and what you would have done with REALISTIC ideas?

[Saratoga Slim]

Re: Bills get an "A" in Free Agency

Did you ever post your off-season plan and what you would have done with REALISTIC ideas?

Yes, he did, I think two of them. And I've got to admit both were pretty realistic--at least from out here where we can't see what's actually happening in FA negotiations, what FAs are even interested in coming here, and who our brass thinks is going to fit well on a personality basis with the guys we have here.

[patmoran2006]

Re: Bills get an "A" in Free Agency

Did you ever post your off-season plan and what you would have done with REALISTIC ideas?

I actuallly do not have a problem with most of what Buffalo has done.
I loved the Dockery signing, I like the Thomas and Thomas resignings, though their roles on the team should be different than what they currently are. I agreed 100% on letting nate walk as well.

I have a problem mainly with three things (in order)

1- Kelsay: He's not only not worth the money, he's not very good. He's a good pass rusher in obvious passing downs and he's horrible against the run. Denney is far less snaps last year actually had more sacks, and we also tendered Hargrove. I dont see the defense benefitted one drop by bringing back a guy who was a huge part of the run defense problem, not the solution. They could've taken his $ and signed someone of prominence elsewhere (perhaps Travis Henry would be a monster with this new OL) or resigned Fletcher. REgardless, he's barely better than Denney/Hargrove and his contract is going to drive Schobel's through the roof.

2- Fletcher: He's so sickeningly underrated by the fans here. The knock on him is he made too many tackles 7 yds past the line. Find me a MLB in the NFL not named Brian Urlacher in a cover two who makes a lot of tackles up close. the MLB in a cover two has a lot more responsibilities in pass coverage than in other defenses; and on top of all that he made a lot of big plays (4 picks and 2TDs last year) and was the unquestioned leader of this defense. He only got $25 mill from Washington, it would've been wise to resign him, even if he didnt play out the contract from getting too old. Fletcher + a healthy Crowell + spikes was a good LB tandem, and if Spikes gets back to where it was, it was a GREAT combo. Ellison is solid depth, soemthing we have NONE of at the spot. This move angers me, as now we pretty much HAVE To use an early pick at LB, even if someone else good is on the board at another position.

3- Walker: We judged TD large in part based on his drafting of Mike Williams and a couple of bum FA signings (Anderson mainly). Well guess what, it's Marv's turn now with this one. $25 million and there's already talk about a camp competition. YOu dont pay someone STARTER money in FA if he's not going to start for sure.. He better start, and he better be a hell of a lot better than he looked in Oakland, or IMO that's a reflection of HORRIBLE GM management and talent evaluation.

This is a medicore team that will fight to hover around .500. They may be best served to go out in the draft and try to get weapons for Losman and try to out-score teams. It's probably the only realistic chance we have to be a playoff team. any rookie drafted in the defensive front seven will do little if any to help us in 2007; history shows that.

[patmoran2006]

Re: Bills get an "A" in Free Agency

Did you ever post your off-season plan and what you would have done with REALISTIC ideas?

sorry.. repeat