Is it just me?

[X-Era]

We are a touch over a week away from the start of training camp and all three of our top picks are still unsigned.

We are too young a team to afford not having these guys ready to go day one.

As I said a few weeks ago, this is Russ's first chance to make a statement by getting his guys signed and in camp on time.

Am I the only one who's been thinking about this?

Get er done!

[Al the Bills Fan]

Re: Is it just me?

I was thinking that myself earlier today (and by thinking i mean sitting on the can) Sign em Russ!

[Confused]

Re: Is it just me?

We will be Ok. calm thy self.

[Ebenezer]

Re: Is it just me?

I think we have this thread every year.

[gil]

Re: Is it just me?

outside of jake long, how many 1st round picks have agreed to contracts - how many 2nd rounders?

if we're going to have a freakout thread, let's check out the rest of the landscape to see where we compare

[gil]

Re: Is it just me?

I think we should completely FREAK OUT!

Pk	Player	Pos.	Team	Status
1.	Jake Long	OT	Miami	Signed; 5 years, $57.5 million
2.	Chris Long	DE	St. Louis	Unsigned
3.	Matt Ryan	QB	Atlanta	Signed; 6 years, $72 million
4.	Darren McFadden	RB	Oakland	Signed; 6 years, $60 million
5.	Glenn Dorsey	DT	Kansas City	Unsigned
6.	Vernon Gholston	DE	N.Y. Jets	Unsigned
7.	Sedrick Ellis	DT	New Orleans	Unsigned
8.	Derrick Harvey	DE	Jacksonville	Unsigned
9.	Keith Rivers	LB	Cincinnati	Unsigned
10.	Jerod Mayo	LB	New England	Unsigned
11.	Leodis McKelvin	CB	Buffalo	Unsigned
12.	Ryan Clady	OT	Denver	Unsigned
13.	Jonathan Stewart	RB	Carolina	Unsigned
14.	Chris Williams	OT	Chicago	Unsigned
15.	Branden Albert	OG	Kansas City	Unsigned
16.	Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie	CB	Arizona	Unsigned
17.	Gosder Cherilus	OT	Detroit	Unsigned
18.	Joe Flacco	QB	Baltimore	Agreed to terms; 5 years, $30 million
19.	Jeff Otah	OT	Carolina	Unsigned
20.	Aqib Talib	CB	Tampa Bay	Unsigned
21.	Sam Baker	OT	Atlanta	Unsigned
22.	Felix Jones	RB	Dallas	Unsigned
23.	Rashard Mendenhall	RB	Pittsburgh	Unsigned
24.	Chris Johnson	RB	Tennessee	Unsigned
25.	Mike Jenkins	CB	Dallas	Unsigned
26.	Duane Brown	OT	Houston	Unsigned
27.	Antoine Cason	CB	San Diego	Unsigned
28.	Lawrence Jackson	DE	Seattle	Unsigned
29.	Kentwan Balmer	DE	San Francisco	Unsigned
30.	Dustin Keller	TE	N.Y. Jets	Unsigned
31.	Kenny Phillips	FS	N.Y. Giants	Unsigned

[Goobylal]

Re: Is it just me?

There was a blurb on ProFootballTalk about how there is going to be a special ruling on guaranteed salaries in future years, because the salary cap goes bye bye in 2011. This would mostly affect 1st and 2nd rounders.

[Ebenezer]

Re: Is it just me?

The simple solution is to keep the cap, guarantee players second contracts and lower rookie salaries...

result - decreased rookie cap, more security for players and pay for those who deserve, smaller total contracts and probably a savings on the salary cap...which would benefit teams like the Bills.

[SABURZFAN]

Re: Is it just me?

I think we have this thread every year.

we do.

[X-Era]

Re: Is it just me?

we do.

I wont do it every year, just the first year of a new GM/COO whatever the hell the title is.

[DraftBoy]

Re: Is it just me?

Its a tougher year since 2011 is uncapped, nobody wants to be locked in much further than that year.

[OpIv37]

Re: Is it just me?

the whole system was broken even before the uncapped thing.

Since there's no rookie salary cap, there is no baseline for rookies to sign. So every player and team waits for other picks that were picked close to them in the draft and use that to start the negotiations. But that means no one wants to go first. So teams drag their feet until the last possible second before signing guys, and it causes a lot of first rounders to miss camp time. It's frustrating but it's not entirely the FO's fault.

[patmoran2006]

Re: Is it just me?

it is just you.

But to give you possible indication of what Hardy may look for. Devin Thomas just signed.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8...to-4-year-deal

[Michael82]

Re: Is it just me?

My prediction....

Ellis will be signed sometime at the start of this week. Hardy and McKelvin will be signed by the weekend.

[Dujek]

Re: Is it just me?

Breakdown of all the teams' signing status can be found here.

The Bills are no worse off than anyone else.