Bills talking to Fitz about a contract? Johnson to get Franchised?

[Dr. Lecter]

According to Jeremy White's twitter both are under consideration

I hear #Bills are talking to Fitz about a contract...Also, consider this potential scenario "Stevie Johnson - Franchise tag". Worth it?

[Dujek]

Re: Bills talking to Fitz about a contract? Johnson to get Franchised?

Not sure Stevie Johnson is worth a franchise tag, though if the money is there and it's the only way to keep him until a deal gets done then I'd probably do it.

Pay Fitz now before he throws for 3,500 yards and 30TDs, like he would have done last year if he'd played 16 games...

[ddaryl]

Re: Bills talking to Fitz about a contract? Johnson to get Franchised?

I believe Johnson is a solid person and when his time does come do the Bills will give him a sweet deal, and Johnson will give the Bills and Bills fans a home town discount... In other words Steve gets a sweet raise but doesn't break the bank and force the Bills to have to make big decisions on key core players in the near future to offset a huge contract..

but if the contract negotiations don't go wrap up in the short term, they will use the franchise tag to ensure they don't let the asset walk away.

I imagine the Bills are going to offer extensions to a few players and try to get favorable deals early before the asking price escalates. Steve Johnson is rolling a huge dice IMO, if he does get injured he will lose money, If he has a down season he'll lose money.. If he stays healthy and produces he'll make bigger coin, but the question every player has to ask themselves is a bird in the hand better then 2 in the bush ???

[mikemac2001]

Re: Bills talking to Fitz about a contract? Johnson to get Franchised?

Fitz wants to be QB for the bills and chan

i am not worried about him switching teams for money it doesn't feel like his style

[Mahdi]

Re: Bills talking to Fitz about a contract? Johnson to get Franchised?

I believe Johnson is a solid person and when his time does come do the Bills will give him a sweet deal, and Johnson will give the Bills and Bills fans a home town discount... In other words Steve gets a sweet raise but doesn't break the bank and force the Bills to have to make big decisions on key core players in the near future to offset a huge contract..

but if the contract negotiations don't go wrap up in the short term, they will use the franchise tag to ensure they don't let the asset walk away.

I imagine the Bills are going to offer extensions to a few players and try to get favorable deals early before the asking price escalates. Steve Johnson is rolling a huge dice IMO, if he does get injured he will lose money, If he has a down season he'll lose money.. If he stays healthy and produces he'll make bigger coin, but the question every player has to ask themselves is a bird in the hand better then 2 in the bush ???

Why should he give the Bills a discount? Did Larry Fitz do that? Will Calvin do that?

Stevie should ask for every penny he can get, and the Bills should give it to him.

[Night Train]

Re: Bills talking to Fitz about a contract? Johnson to get Franchised?

No knee jerk reaction to talks with various players (Fitz,S.Johnson,Fred Jackson) either way.

Just get these guys extended and treat them with respect during the process. They are obviously core guys.

[trapezeus]

Re: Bills talking to Fitz about a contract? Johnson to get Franchised?

one week all. do we not remember the jauron extension? and like i said in another post, even if they come to an agreement and either of those guys drastically outperform what they are given, they'll ask to be pushed up to market. Thats the world of unguaranteed contracts.

So there is litereally no risk to the bills to do nothing but chat at this point. if they break out they'll pay the price. if they don't, they offer less at the end of the year. it's just worth telling players that they want to get a contract.

[mikemac2001]

Re: Bills talking to Fitz about a contract? Johnson to get Franchised?

i hope freddie does get a pay increase....dude battles hard i wouldn't give him the house but a nice 3 yr deal will keep the RB situation solid for a few years

fitz will resign

and stevie will want to be paid this is the only one that worries me

[wmoz11]

Re: Bills talking to Fitz about a contract? Johnson to get Franchised?

Remember that franchising a player doesn't necessarily mean that we have to pay that number. It buys us more time to negotiate with the player on a long-term deal. Worse comes to worse, he's still a member of the team at that high salary.

[Night Train]

Re: Bills talking to Fitz about a contract? Johnson to get Franchised?

one week all. do we not remember the jauron extension?

That was after 6 weeks, with the Bills sitting at 5-1.

Then the Titantic pulled away from the dock .

[Beebe's Kid]

Re: Bills talking to Fitz about a contract? Johnson to get Franchised?

The idea that players are going to come up to free agency, and give the Bills the hometown discount is absurd. They may be good guys, but this is how they earn their living.

If you cold get hurt tomorrow at your job, and your career ended...which means you wouldn't be able to earn any more money, would you take the better deal for you and your family, or would you give a discount to the people that exposed you to great amounts of risk, at an extremely discounted rate?

Players give hometown discounts when they are signed early, because they get the security of some guaranteed money, and it is showing of commitment from the team, which is reciprocated.

That usually doesn't happen when you wait it out until right before free agency. I like these guys too, and if Buddy and Chan like them, it is time to write some checks.

Franchising Johnson is nuts, for what it's worth. Applying the franchise tag to anybody is ****ing crazy, and will take money from the team that they didn't need to spend.

If the club put a fair number, with some guaranteed money and some term behind it, Stevie would ink today. Same with Fitz, and same with Freddie.

I am going to go out on a limb and say that they are going to blow it with Freddie. They are going to be scared to invest in an older RB, especially w/ Spiller's cost. I think that will be a huge mistake, but I have an feeling that is the way that is going to play out.

[psubills62]

Re: Bills talking to Fitz about a contract? Johnson to get Franchised?

Pretty much what I've expected. As long as they sign Fitz and Bell to reasonable extensions - and no, I don't think they'll overpay either thanks to just one week - they can franchise Johnson. And not only will that give us until around June to sign Johnson to a new contract, but it will give us a whole extra year to sign him.

[Stewie]

Re: Bills talking to Fitz about a contract? Johnson to get Franchised?

The idea that players are going to come up to free agency, and give the Bills the hometown discount is absurd. They may be good guys, but this is how they earn their living.

If you cold get hurt tomorrow at your job, and your career ended...which means you wouldn't be able to earn any more money, would you take the better deal for you and your family, or would you give a discount to the people that exposed you to great amounts of risk, at an extremely discounted rate?

Players give hometown discounts when they are signed early, because they get the security of some guaranteed money, and it is showing of commitment from the team, which is reciprocated.

That usually doesn't happen when you wait it out until right before free agency. I like these guys too, and if Buddy and Chan like them, it is time to write some checks.

Franchising Johnson is nuts, for what it's worth. Applying the franchise tag to anybody is ****ing crazy, and will take money from the team that they didn't need to spend.

If the club put a fair number, with some guaranteed money and some term behind it, Stevie would ink today. Same with Fitz, and same with Freddie.

I am going to go out on a limb and say that they are going to blow it with Freddie. They are going to be scared to invest in an older RB, especially w/ Spiller's cost. I think that will be a huge mistake, but I have an feeling that is the way that is going to play out.

You're right if you're comparing a six figure contract to a low seven figure contract.. or even low seven figure for high seven figure.. but once you get to eight figure contacts, that goes out the window. They can take care of their families forever with that kind of money. And at that point, what's best for the family shifts to other questions, like where their families are, where their friends are, where the schools are.

[justasportsfan]

Re: Bills talking to Fitz about a contract? Johnson to get Franchised?

Why should he give the Bills a discount? Did Larry Fitz do that? Will Calvin do that?

Stevie should ask for every penny he can get, and the Bills should give it to him.

IMO, Kyle Williams gave the bills a discount compared to what he could have gotten elsewhere.

[BillsWin]

Re: Bills talking to Fitz about a contract? Johnson to get Franchised?

Just pay them. We aren't hurting for money and if we really are building for the future, you have to pay your own players. If you keep letting them go and then trying to find their replacements through the draft you will keep spinning in circles.