Any Quality Centers Available via FA?

[patmoran2006]

?
Or this is a position that will need to be drafted?

[Devin]

I dont remember seeing much in the way of FA or draft to be honest. But I havent gone over all C prospects yet. Draftboy might know.

[Yasgur's Farm]

I haven't seen any quality FA centerage available... I say we try and grab Ryan Lilja from Indy to solidify the interior and draft a franchise center.

[Mahdi]

Jeremy Newberry the C from the Raiders is the only player I want in FA. He made them into a running team.

[DraftBoy]

Id look towards the draft, thinking maybe a Steve Justice from Wake Forest around Rd 4 or 5 could be a good pickup. I honestly dont think we'll be doing much of anything in FA anyways.

[Mahdi]

Id look towards the draft, thinking maybe a Steve Justice from Wake Forest around Rd 4 or 5 could be a good pickup. I honestly dont think we'll be doing much of anything in FA anyways.
Neither do I ,,, but if we get one player I want Newberry,,,, the rest through the draft.

[YardRat]

I could see us signing Stepanovich from Cinci or Goodwin from NO. I'd take Newberry as long as we also drafted a C late Day 1, early Day 2.

[bflojohn]

Jeff Faine from the New Orleans Saints is an unrestricted free agent. when he went to N.O., I think that he helped solidify their OL. Remember, going into last year, many football people thought their OL was horrid! It just goes to show how important to line play a solid center is, IMO!!

[djjimkelly]

ive heard lacharles bentley wants to be a starter in cleveland look for him to be on the move considering how well their o line played without him and how much he makes

i believe hank fraley is the center there right now

[Mr. Pink]

ive heard lacharles bentley wants to be a starter in cleveland look for him to be on the move considering how well their o line played without him and how much he makes

i believe hank fraley is the center there right now

You've heard wrong. Bentley if back with Cleveland next year, meaning he can play in the NFL, will line up at guard.

If Cleveland was interested in releasing him, they would have already done so.

If Bentley is indeed released, traded, waived...it's going to be because his career is over.

[Goobylal]

You've heard wrong. Bentley if back with Cleveland next year, meaning he can play in the NFL, will line up at guard.

If Cleveland was interested in releasing him, they would have already done so.

If Bentley is indeed released, traded, waived...it's going to be because his career is over.
Pretty much. I believe Bentley reduced his salary and/or bonus, meaning he's a lot cheaper for them, so if he's gone, it means he's done.

Faine and Newberry would be the best choices in FA while in the draft, there are no Mangolds. Then again, Mangold isn't looking so great this year, without Pete Kendall next to him.

[djjimkelly]

You've heard wrong. Bentley if back with Cleveland next year, meaning he can play in the NFL, will line up at guard.

If Cleveland was interested in releasing him, they would have already done so.

If Bentley is indeed released, traded, waived...it's going to be because his career is over.

i guess your more on top of this then the browns beat writer i heard on sirius yesterday

[The Jokeman]

?
Or this is a position that will need to be drafted?

Looking at free agency here's a run down of the UFAs:

Amano, Eugene: Career Backup/also plays G

Faine, Jeff: Replaced Fowler as the starting C in Cleveland, now starts in NO. I'm not sure would sign but arguably an upgrade over Fowler.

McCollum, Andy: 14 year veteran, no thanks.

McKinney, Seth: Started for Cleveland due to LeCharles Bentley's injuries, prior to was starter for Miami but signed with Cleveland as a backup two years ago. Wouldn't call an upgrade but if seeking veteran depth an option.

Newberry, Jeremy: 10 year veteran so not much upside but does offer better size than Fowler at 315# and plenty of starting experience. I'd give a chance to compete for the starting job, at worse a backup. Favor over McKinney.

Romberg, Brett: Been a career backup in the NFL, might make a better case for the CFL due to his Canadian roots. Though maybe Ralph brings him in to back up Fowler in hopes to draw more Canadian fans.

Stepanovich, Alex: has been a starter since being drafted since 2004. Yet injuries have limited him the last few years and didn't do much for the Bengals this year. Offers more size then Fowler but not sure if is an upgrade as his strengths are as a run blocker yet the team's he's been on haven't been great running the ball.

Wade, John: Developed into a full time starter in Tampa Bay after being a bench player for year's in Jacksonville. No he's 32, if looking for a one or two year answer while develop someone behind him might be worth pursuing but not sure this regime would part with Fowler.

Wiegmann, Casey: Started the last seven seasons in KC, and has a history with Jauron in Chicago but at 34 his best years are behind him so I'd pass.

[patmoran2006]

Looking at free agency here's a run down of the UFAs:

Amano, Eugene: Career Backup/also plays G

Faine, Jeff: Replaced Fowler as the starting C in Cleveland, now starts in NO. I'm not sure would sign but arguably an upgrade over Fowler.

McCollum, Andy: 14 year veteran, no thanks.

McKinney, Seth: Started for Cleveland due to LeCharles Bentley's injuries, prior to was starter for Miami but signed with Cleveland as a backup two years ago. Wouldn't call an upgrade but if seeking veteran depth an option.

Newberry, Jeremy: 10 year veteran so not much upside but does offer better size than Fowler at 315# and plenty of starting experience. I'd give a chance to compete for the starting job, at worse a backup. Favor over McKinney.

Romberg, Brett: Been a career backup in the NFL, might make a better case for the CFL due to his Canadian roots. Though maybe Ralph brings him in to back up Fowler in hopes to draw more Canadian fans.

Stepanovich, Alex: has been a starter since being drafted since 2004. Yet injuries have limited him the last few years and didn't do much for the Bengals this year. Offers more size then Fowler but not sure if is an upgrade as his strengths are as a run blocker yet the team's he's been on haven't been great running the ball.

Wade, John: Developed into a full time starter in Tampa Bay after being a bench player for year's in Jacksonville. No he's 32, if looking for a one or two year answer while develop someone behind him might be worth pursuing but not sure this regime would part with Fowler.

Wiegmann, Casey: Started the last seven seasons in KC, and has a history with Jauron in Chicago but at 34 his best years are behind him so I'd pass.
Well done. That's how you answer a post.

[patmoran2006]

To sum it all up.

We're probably stuck with Fowler in 2008.

[yordad]

Well done. That's how you answer a post.Rather than quote the big post, I'll just quote you/this and say, "agreed".

If fact, I'll summarize (with my own twist of course). There isn't a sure up grade in free agency. Their isn't a sure up grade in the draft (and, maybe only one with an NFL future).

Center is one of two positions I think we need an answer for, prior to the draft. But, it is the only position I see no answer for. We will have to get creative, IMO.

Now, I don't play Madden, and I know it would be rare, but I think they have to swing some kinda trade (Ok, warning: I have a crazy suggestion). If DJ, Marv, and/or Wilson have no intentions of letting the new offensive coordinator pick a starter, and they plan to go with Edwards no matter what, then maybe some JP and Fowler for a ManGold type has a 1% chance of happening.

I just don't see an available upgrade. It is hard to waste moves and money on a possible, fractional upgrade.

[Kerr]

Unless a better one gets released in the offseason it'd be between keeping fowler, newberry or faine.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

Newberry is good, but didn't he miss a lot of playing time due to injuries when he was with the 49ers? Unless I am mistaken, that's why they let him go.

I don't think that there is an immediate upgrade available for next season, although there might be a couple of guys that can be picked up late in the draft (Justice from WF being one) who might be able to develop into decent players down the road. Besides which, I think that the Bills will probably want to keep their starting five offensive linemen together as a unit, if at all possible, going into next season. Continuity--something the Bills have not had at all in recent years--is very important to offensive line play and I think that the coaches will want to see if the group that they have now will be able to take their play to the next level next season after playing together for most of this season.

I do, however, see some changes coming with the back-up linemen. After being put on notice at this time last year by Marv Levy, I seriously doubt that Duke Preston will be a Bill next season if the team can find a suitable replacement (including some of the guys like Gaddis and Merz who have not played much this season) for him by the end of training camp. I also think that Chambers could perhaps be playing for his job as the primary OT backup this weekend--Matt Murphy was getting time ahead of him at OT before he got hurt and that could be a sign that they feel that Murphy could make a switch to OT full-time and be a better option than Chambers.

[YardRat]

Continuity is nice, but the consistency with which the center of the line gets man-handled needs to be addressed. I'll sacrifice continuity for an upgrade at one position.