$35.9 MILLION!

[Michael82]

I found an article that had the Bills listed at $35.9 million under the salary cap. So my question for Ralph or Buddy is this...how are you going to get to the Salary floor if you already lost Posluszny and might lose Florence. What are you going to spend the money on? I know that Buddy always said that he doesn't like making a splash in free agency, but he might have to now.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6786350/reggie-bush-potential-cap-casualties

[Michael82]

The question is, who's worth a huge contract right now, especially when u can't even bring the player to your facility and give him a physical, plus gauge his interest in person... ?

[Night Train]

I would have thrown up if they used a huge chunk of that on the subpar Poz.

Let's give this a few days and shape the lineup the right way, long term. Play the kids, since this is a 4-12 team with no untouchables.

[Buddo]

Plenty of time to use up the $. We also have a fair few guys who we can extend, or give new deals to, during the course of the year. Johnson, Parrish, maybe Fitz and a couple of others no doubt.
ATM, while I'd like to see OT depth at least, and a proven TE, and we could use (now) extra LB help, we aren't in so much strife yet, as to justify going out and panic buying. We might need another vet CB if Florence does go, but there's still plenty of time available - and still plenty of players too.

[tampabay25690]

People need to relax.
They will make some moves.....
We lost a ILB that couldn't cover **** and was injured more then he plays...
We will survive..
Lets see what they start doing today...

[Night Train]

Next complaint from the "fans".

Florence reportedly getting a big offer from the Jets. He's 30 and gets big $$ in maybe his last contract to play with an obvious SB contender.
Love the guy but put yourself in his shoes. He gets his $$ AND gets a shot at a ring. Not much of a choice.

Conclusion - Nix blew it. :rolleyes: ...and the blame game continues over base logic.

[X-Era]

Next complaint from the "fans".

Florence reportedly getting a big offer from the Jets. He's 30 and gets big $$ in maybe his last contract to play with an obvious SB contender.
Love the guy but put yourself in his shoes. He gets his $$ AND gets a shot at a ring. Not much of a choice.

Conclusion - Nix blew it. :rolleyes: ...and the blame game continues over base logic.I'm fine with anyone leaving from this team provided you equally replace or upgrade the spot.

I'm not as high on Florence as many, he had way to many penalties for my taste. To me this is about making the overall talent level better.

Time for Nix to step up. If we equally replace or upgrade these guys, I'm good.

[BoyILuvLoznStupidly]

They will extend Fitz and Steve Johnson's contracts and the rest will be used to sign the draft picks. This will leave them close.

Is that 35.9m 100% of cap or 89%?

[Philagape]

Weddle (drafted by Nix), Clabo, Burnett, Kevin Boss ... still plenty of items in the store if they are up to a shopping spree.
I really hope Nix's draft-only philosophy isn't for its own sake. You can't just dismiss a legit building tool on principle. With a salary floor, they have to spend somewhere, and you can't just keep re-investing in a losing team.

[X-Era]

They will extend Fitz and Steve Johnson's contracts and the rest will be used to sign the draft picks. This will leave them close.

Is that 35.9m 100% of cap or 89%?It needs to be 99% this year and next, then it goes to 89%... the cap floor is 119.2 mill.

Stevie is a likely resign if we don't sign anyone significant.

[BoyILuvLoznStupidly]

It needs to be 99% this year and next, then it goes to 89%... the cap floor is 119.2 mill.

Stevie is a likely resign if we don't sign anyone significant.

I didn't know it was 100% for the first two years

[trapezeus]

My issue is that this team comes off clueless. Like the only thing the think tank could muster up was how to get revenue sharing.

I'm fine with Poz and Florence leaving. But for godsake pretend like you thoughtout that this was a possible scenario and have a plan

Again look at the sabres. Went after Richards, but had a good backup plan when they couldn't get him.

Bills are stale.

[Philagape]

My issue is that this team comes off clueless. Like the only thing the think tank could muster up was home to get revenue sharing.

I'm fine with Poz and Florence leaving. But for godsake pretend like you thoughtout that this was a possible scenario and have a plan

Again look at the sabres. Went after Richards, bit had a good backup plan when they couldn't get him.

Bills are stale.

Right now there is only one legit pro franchise in Buffalo. The Bills have to prove otherwise. Right now they're no better than the Bengals. Even the Jags showed they are trying, although they gave an elite contract to a mediocre LB.
The Sabres made a statement that the players they have now aren't good enough to be a real contender, and they're using every tool they can to improve.
If the Bills do nothing but give big money to their own players, they are not a legit NFL team. The FO is not good enough to rely on the draft alone.
If I were another NFL owner, I'd be pissed that I have to share revenue with teams like the Bills that won't even try to spend it wisely.

[The Compromise]

The article shows that Green Bay is also $62M under and how "they can use the cap space" in the blurb about Barnett.

These must be well under the current 45 man rosters. Or 46 or whatever it is now.

[The Compromise]

If I were another NFL owner, I'd be pissed that I have to share revenue with teams like the Bills that won't even try to spend it wisely.

OTOH it's one team that you know has removed itself from serious competition from the start of the season.

If I were another NFL owner, I'd be hoping for as many teams on my schedule like the Bills as possible.

[DraftBoy]

To note we have till December to get to the 89% level, we do not have to spend it this offseason, we could re-up some young players and front load their deals (like Stevie) to reach the floor.

Which if I had to guess appears to be the current strategy.

[Philagape]

OTOH it's one team that you know has removed itself from serious competition from the start of the season.

If I were another NFL owner, I'd be hoping for as many teams on my schedule like the Bills as possible.

That's the other side of the coin. I'd like having one less team to worry about, but I sure wouldn't respect it

[trapezeus]

Bills are going to struggle to sell tickets by having a golisano approach. "we let players leave, we didn't replace and want you to pretend we'll get to a better record than 4-12". It's so pathetic. I liked the lockout where we were on par with the other 31 teams.

[Michael82]

Weddle (drafted by Nix), Clabo, Burnett, Kevin Boss ... still plenty of items in the store if they are up to a shopping spree.
I really hope Nix's draft-only philosophy isn't for its own sake. You can't just dismiss a legit building tool on principle. With a salary floor, they have to spend somewhere, and you can't just keep re-investing in a losing team.

I figured that with all the money they are under the cap and the mandatory floor that the team would spend some money to make the team better, but now I'm concerned because of what Buddy said yesterday.

[Philagape]

I figured that with all the money they are under the cap and the mandatory floor that the team would spend some money to make the team better, but now I'm concerned because of what Buddy said yesterday.

I'm more concerned with these rules I wasn't aware of before, that they can remain under the floor until December. I wonder if Russ Brandon typed that rule himself.

[baalworship]

I would have thrown up if they used a huge chunk of that on the subpar Poz.

Let's give this a few days and shape the lineup the right way, long term. Play the kids, since this is a 4-12 team with no untouchables.


Exactly. I would rather win 6 games with a young, up and coming team then win 8 games with stop gap mediocrity like Poz.

[CAbills]

Everyone take a deep breath. I would of liked to resign Poz but not for 7 million. Its freaking day 2 of being able to negotiate with people. Players havent even been released yet.

I am waiting to see how the team looks after Free Agency is completely done. If the current roster is what we go in with next season, then I will FREEEAKKK OUT. But I am willing to atleast see how it plays out.

[Ed]

So does anyone know approximately how much cap space we'll use to sign the rookies? That will at least be a small chunk. Personally, if we are going to give extensions to current players, the first guy I would like to see get a big raise and locked up long term is Kyle Williams. He's the most deserving and would be the best investment.

There are still a ton of free agents out there and we don't have a full roster, so they're going to have to sign some people. Let's wait and see what happens once players can actually start signing contracts. For all we know the Bills may already have some tentative deals in place.

[Ingtar33]

My issue is that this team comes off clueless. Like the only thing the think tank could muster up was how to get revenue sharing.

I'm fine with Poz and Florence leaving. But for godsake pretend like you thoughtout that this was a possible scenario and have a plan

Again look at the sabres. Went after Richards, but had a good backup plan when they couldn't get him.

Bills are stale.

losing 2 of your best 4 defensive players in the last 2 years is a good thing, or something you're ok with?

dude. you're playing too much Madden. You can't lose those parts to a defense, and just stick anyone in. Not unless you have one hell of a scouting department, which the Bills haven't had since Butler took it with him to San Diego.

Was Poz an elite LB? no, but he was the best one we had on the team, by light years. Florence struggled at times, but in general has been the best and most consistent and capable DB we've had since Winfield left town. We simply can't afford to lose both of them (in reality we couldn't afford to lose either of them, losing both would make it almost impossible to field a better than 30th rated defense)

[X-Era]

I do not consider it coincidental that now that the Poz hunt is done we are talking about Clabo or Colon.

[Michael82]

I'm more concerned with these rules I wasn't aware of before, that they can remain under the floor until December. I wonder if Russ Brandon typed that rule himself.

That sounds like a Ralph/Buddy rule. :ill:

[Michael82]

losing 2 of your best 4 defensive players in the last 2 years is a good thing, or something you're ok with?

dude. you're playing too much Madden. You can't lose those parts to a defense, and just stick anyone in. Not unless you have one hell of a scouting department, which the Bills haven't had since Butler took it with him to San Diego.

Was Poz an elite LB? no, but he was the best one we had on the team, by light years. Florence struggled at times, but in general has been the best and most consistent and capable DB we've had since Winfield left town. We simply can't afford to lose both of them (in reality we couldn't afford to lose either of them, losing both would make it almost impossible to field a better than 30th rated defense)

Good post, Ingtar!

[kingJofNYC]

#Jets Santonio Holmes will only count $2.45M against 2011 cap. $1M base salary, per source

Does the cap even matter when a big market team can pull **** like this?

[Ed]

Does the cap even matter when a big market team can pull **** like this?
It matters eventually. All the guaranteed money has to hit the cap at some point.

[X-Era]

It matters eventually. All the guaranteed money has to hit the cap at some point.It's not real IMO. The bonus wasn't added in.

Reports are 5 years 50 mill with 24 mill guaranteed... that's not the right cap hit #.