Any speculation on contract?

[Oaf]

Price is not an issue first of all.

Why one year? Why 6.5 guaranteed? Why not an incentive or option based contract?

[Dr. Lecter]

Price is not an issue first of all.

Why one year? Why 6.5 guaranteed? Why not an incentive or option based contract?

It would be guaranteed after the first game anyway, so why not?

[venis2k1]

We are a Brian Waters away from having a competent offense.

[T-Long]

We couldnt let him leave. I am estatic right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SeatownBillsFan21]

me too^

[LifetimeBillsFan]

1 year at $ 6.5 million is an excellent deal for the Bills.

They are getting a receiver who is better than Coles for less money.

Once the season starts, the deal is guaranteed no matter what and the Bills didn't sign TO not to have him playing, so how the deal was structured doesn't matter.

Whatever you want to say about TO's mouth (and I am NOT a fan!), he has a reputation for having a superb work-ethic. I would not be surprised for some of his work-ethic to rub off on some of the Bills young WRs. (On the flip-side, they do run the risk that his "me first" attitude and mercenary approach to the profession could also rub off on them as well.)

A one year deal buys the Bills young WRs time to develop and shouldn't discourage them from doing so, knowing that it is only a short-term deal. It also gives the team the chance to see how Hardy and Steve Johnson come along and determine whether they will be ready to take over from TO after a year (they should be!).

TO tends to behave himself pretty well in his first year with a team. With only a one-year deal and knowing that this could be his last chance in the NFL, he should be on his best behavior, knowing that he might be able to comand big money again on the FA market or from the Bills if he has a good year.

Having TO paired with L.Evans on offense could make the Bills more attractive to other FAs who may now see the Bills as more serious contenders in the AFC East.

So, why only sign him for just one year? For the last three reasons cited above and because TO is starting to get up there in age and there were some signs last season that he may have lost a step and no longer be able to be the dominant WR that he has been in the past. If that is the case, the Bills don't want to tie up a lot of money in him for a long time or discourage their promising young WRs from working to take over the job from him. For better or worse, TO will bring attention to the Bills and can make them better on the field, which should help them to bring in and lock up good players who will help to make the team better even after he is gone. Having him around for only one year minimizes the possible damage that he could do in the lockerroom as well: he will know that he is "on a short-leash" and the other players can ignore him if he acts up knowing that he will only be around for a year.

It's a risk for the Bills, but to get a WR that will be able to take attention away from L.Evans and give the Bills young WRs a chance to develop for the same money that L.Coles walked away from is a pretty good risk for the Bills to take at this point.

It could turn out to be a disaster, but the Bills had to do something to shake things up this offseason and bringing in TO, even for a year, will definitely shake things up.

[X-Era]

We are a Brian Waters away from having a competent offense.

Im thinking its gonna be Simmons or Hangartner (assuming a Bentley signing) manning our LG spot.

[mysticsoto]

All very true points LTBF. I never had any doubt about TO's skill level. What I wondered is how much he would want. I never thought TO would go for a 1 yr deal and never would I have believed that he would do it for a measly $6.5 Million. He's making less than Coles... Unbelievable. Moss I believe is making $9 million this year and Bernard Berrian was around $8 million - so the fact that we got him so cheap and for 1 yr is something I can't believe. The 1 yr is fantastic b'cse it allows some time for Johnson and Hardy to develop, AND it allows us to get rid of him next year if he becomes a headache without any cap hits or losses.

I just cannot believe that the Bills got such a good deal on this. When I 1st heard the terms of the contract...I was speechless. And here I thought TO's agent would be taking us to the cleaners...

[The Spaz]

Im thinking its gonna be Simmons or Hangartner (assuming a Bentley signing) manning our LG spot.

What is the obsession with Bentley. The dude has the most ****ed up knees in the USA. If he could do anything he would be on an NFL squad right now. Not sure if you were serious but if you were that's how I feel about the guy...lol