Too much is made of "playing for a contender"

[Thurmal]

I hear this "he wants to play for a Super Bowl contender" nonsense all the time anytime we go after a free agent.

You know what? I'd rather play for a team that is mediocre or rebuilding and make $2-3 million more per year, and I'm willing to bet a bunch of NFL players would as well.

If Buffalo shells out some cash (which they can), than they'll get some good free agents.

[Ginger Vitis]

These are the words Nate Clements said when he signed with the 49ers.. And they've never sniffed the playoffs since hes been there

[ddaryl]

lots to be said about the bonus money that comes in playing for a SB contender

advertisements, more exposure etc....

but that only works for the very top FA's. After that no player realy wants to play for a team if they feel that team is dysfunctional. Showing up every day to a dysfunctional situation would make wanting to play a chore (see Carson Palmer, and Barrie Sanders)... which then makes playing un-fun, and who wants to be miserable... Winning is fun losing is miserable

in the case of the Bills we have a 10+ year demon we are trying to fix, that is complicating our reality.. BUT I do feel the dysfunctional label of the Bills is fading with Nix and Gailey, we however are still battling the 10+ year demon

but I agree we will get a decent signing or 2

edit
(LMFAO) Called him Bernie Sanders.. Can't get weekend at Bernie's out of my mind I guess !!!

[psubills62]

I think the best way to go would be to go to a team that is rebuilding, but rebuilding in the right way and you can tell they're going to be decent and contending in the next few years. St. Louis is one of those teams, and I want to say Detroit seems like one as well, but considering their history I can't quite bring myself to say they are.

[Philagape]

I hear this "he wants to play for a Super Bowl contender" nonsense all the time anytime we go after a free agent.

You know what? I'd rather play for a team that is mediocre or rebuilding and make $2-3 million more per year, and I'm willing to bet a bunch of NFL players would as well.

If Buffalo shells out some cash (which they can), than they'll get some good free agents.

That "nonsense" often comes from the players themselves. It's the most common rationale I hear from them: They want to win. Especially from longer veterans, and those who have more leverage.
Obviously this is tied to the Clabo situation. If I'm Clabo, Buffalo would have to like, double Atlanta's offer to leave the team I've been with for six years, a team that's a legit Super Bowl contender, for what's frankly been a joke of a franchise for a decade, which has shaky ownership and economy. And it doesn't help that he's been in the South his whole life.

[El Guapo]

That "nonsense" often comes from the players themselves. It's the most common rationale I hear from them: They want to win. Especially from longer veterans, and those who have more leverage.
Obviously this is tied to the Clabo situation. If I'm Clabo, Buffalo would have to like, double Atlanta's offer to leave the team I've been with for six years, a team that's a legit Super Bowl contender, for what's frankly been a joke of a franchise for a decade, which has shaky ownership and economy. And it doesn't help that he's been in the South his whole life.

Double??? Yeah, like you'd pass on 2-3 million extra to play for a "winner." lol

Money talks, but doubling an OT salary? Yeah, let's blow up the pay scale for RT so a LT can make serious money...

[Thurmal]

That "nonsense" often comes from the players themselves. It's the most common rationale I hear from them: They want to win. Especially from longer veterans

Exactly, established stars that have already cashed a number of big contracts and are more than set for life will take less money to go to a Super Bowl contender.

Most everyone else will follow the money; it just doesn't sound as good to admit as "I want to play for a winner."

[Philagape]

Double??? Yeah, like you'd pass on 2-3 million extra to play for a "winner." lol

"Double" was a rhetorical hyperbole, but if I'd make only 7 mil instead of 9 mil, you're damn right I would.
Especially when there are other little factors like the stability of the franchise. Going from Atlanta to Buffalo would be like being sent down to the minors.
Look at the Jets ... they have guys willing to be paid less because they know they're making a run.

[trapezeus]

the bills 10+ year track record has made them a statiscal anomaly. i would say the original post is correct for a team that has had some success and then had the rebuild, built up to be a playoff team and dismantled and is rebuilding again.

but the lions, bills and bengals, have proved that they simply never get it right for 10+ years. If you are serious about winning which most of these guy are because it's their bodies that get injured win or lose....it's easier to get excited for a winning team than to be in the throws of a crippling losing season.

we have to stop pretending that we aren't the bottom of the barrel. we've cemented this status in the last 4 years.

[Philagape]

Exactly, established stars that have already cashed a number of big contracts and are more than set for life will take less money to go to a Super Bowl contender.

Most everyone else will follow the money; it just doesn't sound as good to admit as "I want to play for a winner."

The rest of my sentence read, "and those who have leverage." That's what it's about. Who was the last free agent who could have played anywhere he wanted choose Buffalo? Spikes is the only one I can think of, maybe Dockery.
The Bills simply do not have equal footing with the rest of the league in so many ways, and so the only way they'll get players that other teams want too is to throw obscene cash at them, and good luck with that happening.

[El Guapo]

I agree we have to pay a premium. No doubt about that. However, in the end, it is about the money.

Players that take a cut to play for the Pats or Jets already have a bank roll. A few years ago, Dallas was getting that kind of treatment.

You don't see players doing that for the Giants who recently won a Super Bowl. Players left Indy all the time for better pay.

I believe building a winning core from the draft is the answer. Then you don't have to pay a premium. The problem is, we have been the most inconsistent drafting team in the league for ten years. I'm not sold on the 2009 draft, but I am sold on the 2010 draft. Another strong year like that, and we are fielding a good team. Free agency can make you incrementally better, but it won't turn your team around when you are in as bad of shape as we are.

[ChristopherWalken]

I don't know. A true competitor doesn't like losing and I would rather have a guy that likes to compete versus collect a paycheck.

These decent FAs when they get a little long in the tooth they tend to prefer spending their remaining days with a "contender" versus a team in their 11th year of rebuilding....

Its hard to blame 'em.

[Philagape]

Clabo signed for 5, and a reliable source (Blame Canada) says the Bills offered at least 7.
Shot at a SB > money

[Thurmal]

Clabo signed for 5, and a reliable source (Blame Canada) says the Bills offered at least 7.
Shot at a SB > money

And Brad Smith left the Jets, who are better than Atlanta and have been in the championship game two years in a row, for Buffalo because of more guaranteed money.

If what you're saying is true, that Clabo left at least $10 million on the table, then he is a moron. The guy made the Pro Bowl as an alternate once, he's not a world-beater and should've cashed in when he could. Stupid.

[Demon]

And Brad Smith left the Jets, who are better than Atlanta and have been in the championship game two years in a row, for Buffalo because of more guaranteed money.

If what you're saying is true, that Clabo left at least $10 million on the table, then he is a moron. The guy made the Pro Bowl as an alternate once, he's not a world-beater and should've cashed in when he could. Stupid.

Dude, did you even see how much dough we spend on Brad Smith??? For his career stats, he may be the most over paid player in the league right now!!

[Thurmal]

Dude, did you even see how much dough we spend on Brad Smith??? For his career stats, he may be the most over paid player in the league right now!!
Man, nothing can top Kelsay making $6 million/year. At least Smith is a playmaker.

[Philagape]

And Brad Smith left the Jets, who are better than Atlanta and have been in the championship game two years in a row, for Buffalo because of more guaranteed money.

If what you're saying is true, that Clabo left at least $10 million on the table, then he is a moron. The guy made the Pro Bowl as an alternate once, he's not a world-beater and should've cashed in when he could. Stupid.

Brad Smith didn't get an offer from the Jets.

[Mike]

I hear this "he wants to play for a Super Bowl contender" nonsense all the time anytime we go after a free agent.

You know what? I'd rather play for a team that is mediocre or rebuilding and make $2-3 million more per year, and I'm willing to bet a bunch of NFL players would as well.

If Buffalo shells out some cash (which they can), than they'll get some good free agents.
__________________

I think that a Player would prefer playing for a winner. Playing for a SB contender would be even better, But there are No Guarantees that your team will win SB no matter how good they are, just ask Moss.

So the real question is, would a player prefer 2mil extra per season plus the recognition and prestige that goes with that along with being top dog on new team or get 2mil Less and play on a SB contented where you will be one of the guys, have less prestige/recognition, and No Guarantee to Win it all?

I think its a matter of preference and a matter of age. Younger players would more often go for the cash and rebuilding and recognition while older players who have been there might prefer to sing with a top SB contender to get that trophy and has alluded them throughout the years.

[Demon]

Man, nothing can top Kelsay making $6 million/year. At least Smith is a playmaker.

haha you are right.

[Buddo]

The assumption that it's all about the money, just doesn't hold true.
Clabo being an immediate case in point.
But I'm sure there are a lot of other instances around also.
It's easy to simply look at big numbers and say, well for that difference I'd go, and anyone else who doesn't is an idiot. That's nothing more than an opinion, and takes no consideration of any other circumstances.
In this day and age, in the NFL, you can quite easily reach a point where $ aren't the overriding factor, because no matter where you go, you are getting enough of them for both your immediate, and future, needs. That lets the 'other considerations' into the argument, and in the case of players with families, they get their say.
Imho, players these days, can quite easily reach a 'price point' where they will be prepared to stay somewhere, and actually be less bothered by how much extra another team may be offering. That could be for any number of reasons, family, upheaval, competitive team etc., but with the sorts of money we are talking about for decent vet FAs, an awful lot of them will hit a 'price point', where they would be happy to stay.
It can also work the other way round, as well. Some other consideration sways a player to move, rather than just the money.
Seems to me atm the Bills are getting the wrong end of the stick with both situations. Clabo gets a better offer, but decides to stay at Atlanta due to whatever. Poz gets an offer $ wise he's comfortable with from the Bills, but decides he wants to play in a 4-3 again, so ups sticks for the same money.
Sucks, but there isn't realistically, much that can be done about it.
TBH, I wanted Clabo, and am a lot less bothered by losing Poz, but I can see why it happened, and it isn't necessarily the 'fault' of anyone specifically.

[psubills62]

Brad Smith didn't get an offer from the Jets.
Don't know if an official offer was out there, but they did try to get back in on him late in the process.