Should We Show Stevie The Money?

[DraftBoy]

This is built off the thread from the other day asking for Top 10 NFL WR's.

Here is the reason I asked;
http://www.buffalobillsdraft.com/2011/12/should-we-show-stevie-the-money/


Quickly think of the top ten WR’s you would name in the NFL in no particular order. That’s exactly what we did here over the past day in an effort to gauge where people would rank the best of the best and figure out where our own emerging star at WR sat.

[DrGraves]

I truly believe that the Bills do not have any chance to resign Stevie.

[Mahdi]

Now the guy who wrote this is talking some sense and is saying exactly what I have been saying.

Stevie is right now in the 12-15 range of receivers with more room to improve on that.

We drafted him, developed him and he has become a bright spot on a dull team. Pay him and let him grow in this offense and if we can get better play from Fitz or get a better QB and a more legit #2WR and TE he can really take off and become one of the most productive in the game.

[DraftBoy]

Now the guy who wrote this is talking some sense and is saying exactly what I have been saying.

Stevie is right now in the 12-15 range of receivers with more room to improve on that.

We drafted him, developed him and he has become a bright spot on a dull team. Pay him and let him grow in this offense and if we can get better play from Fitz or get a better QB and a more legit #2WR and TE he can really take off and become one of the most productive in the game.

We need another WR on the outside, Im not as worried about whose #1 and whose #2 as I am in finding a WR who can work deep, has good size, and can help take some attention away from Stevie.

I also want a burner in the slot who can take the top off the coverage.

[tampabay25690]

We need another WR on the outside, Im not as worried about whose #1 and whose #2 as I am in finding a WR who can work deep, has good size, and can help take some attention away from Stevie.

I also want a burner in the slot who can take the top off the coverage.

DB sounds good, problem is if Fitz is are QB for years we dont need a guy that is going to run deep on the sideline....But I hear what you are saying and agree.........

By the way I want (3) hot 20 year old girls under my tree on Sunday too....

I do like Michael Floyd in the 1st round.......I know you have some say about him.,.....

[DraftBoy]

DB sounds good, problem is if Fitz is are QB for years we dont need a guy that is going to run deep on the sideline....But I hear what you are saying and agree.........

By the way I want (3) hot 20 year old girls under my tree on Sunday too....

I do like Michael Floyd in the 1st round.......I know you have some say about him.,.....

Fitz isn't the QB so I'm not worried about that.

Yea you and me both buddy.

I do too and have no issue going WR in the first round for the record. A lot will depend on where we end up picking. I'll have a new mock out on Tuesday.

[tampabay25690]

Fitz isn't the QB so I'm not worried about that.

Yea you and me both buddy.

I do too and have no issue going WR in the first round for the record. A lot will depend on where we end up picking. I'll have a new mock out on Tuesday.


I dont think Fitz will be here either.
I think Stevie gets franchised and they try to work out a deal and Fitz gets let go to save some $$$ to work on Stevie's deal.
I would luv RG3 but it all depends what the teams ahead do.
If RG3 is there for WASH he is gone IMO......
Im pushing for WASH to win out............
WR in the 1st is fine with me along with, OLB/DE, CB, QB.......

[don137]

I think he deserves to be paid in the top 10-15 range. He is a very good receiver with a journeyman QB throwing to him. We can't let every decent player leave the team. It gets old.

[RedEyE]

There is no debating that SJ is the most productive receiver the Bills have. To lose him at this point would be a set back.

The point is simple here. Pay him. Doesn't matter if the Bills think he's #1 or not. He is our best current option and the Bills have bigger fish to fry at other positions.

Bottom line is if this team wants to put together a winning team, they are going to have to start paying players.

Opening the check book is the only sure fire way to lure FAs. Once the Bills start consistantly winning, the allure of a winning team then becomes more opportunistic to FAs. Its then the Bills FO can start being more particular with the contract aspect of the game.

Right now the Bills need to focus on bigger issues. Give SJ the money and rid yourself of having to fill yet another team hole. That's not to say they should sign him then forget him. But it takes the pressure off having to look for someone immediately.

[DraftBoy]

There is no debating that SJ is the most productive receiver the Bills have. To lose him at this point would be a set back.

The point is simple here. Pay him. Doesn't matter if the Bills think he's #1 or not. He is our best current option and the Bills have bigger fish to fry at other positions.
Bottom line is if this team wants to put together a winning team, they are going to have to start paying players.

Opening the check book is the only sure fire way to lure FAs. Once the Bills start consistantly winning, the allure of a winning team then becomes more opportunistic to FAs. Its then the Bills FO can start being more particular with the contract aspect of the game.

Right now the Bills need to focus on bigger issues. Give SJ the money and rid yourself of having to fill yet another team hole. That's not to say they should sign him then forget him. But it takes the pressure off having to look for someone immediately.

I wholeheartidly disagree with the bolded. You don't just pay a guy because he's our best current option. That's how we get locked into guys like Fitz long term.

I have zero option paying Stevie, I just think it should be for less than he's reportedly asking for.

[Lone Stranger]

I don't believe the Bills have any option in this matter and must "Pay the man".

The Bills can not afford to create any more holes on the team.

[better days]

We need another WR on the outside, Im not as worried about whose #1 and whose #2 as I am in finding a WR who can work deep, has good size, and can help take some attention away from Stevie.

I also want a burner in the slot who can take the top off the coverage.

Well, Marcus Easley could be that big fast receiver the Bills need if he can stay healthy. He was looking very good last preseason before getting injured.

[RedEyE]

I wholeheartidly disagree with the bolded. You don't just pay a guy because he's our best current option. That's how we get locked into guys like Fitz long term.

I have zero option paying Stevie, I just think it should be for less than he's reportedly asking for.

So what's your resolution? Let him walk and utilize the poorer talent on the team and take the rick of hitting FA?

My point is that the team already has enough "projects". They cannot afford to hit the FA market in need of every base position. You have to cut your loses somewhere and I don't think the Bills can afford letting SJ go with hopes of drumming up talent eslewhere at that particular position.

This team cannot afford the luxury of being particular. I respectively disagree with you. I think they have to bite the bullet on this one.

[DraftBoy]

So what's your resolution? Let him walk and utilize the poorer talent on the team and take the rick of hitting FA?

My point is that the team already has enough "projects". They cannot afford to hit the FA market in need of every base position. You have to cut your loses somewhere and I don't think the Bills can afford letting SJ go with hopes of drumming up talent eslewhere at that particular position.

This team cannot afford the luxury of being particular. I respectively disagree with you. I think they have to bite the bullet on this one.

I laid out my resolution in the piece. Id pay Stevie but I'm not breaking the bank for him.

Teams can always afford the luxury of being particular.

[ThunderGun]

Yes.

He's not elite, but he's a solid #1 WR. He's also easily the best WR we've had since Moulds. He actually reminds me quite a bit of a young Moulds...I've said that since that TD he scored in his rookie year...I think it was against Denver.

He may not be the most mature kid in the league, but he embraces the fans, he works hard, and he makes the team better.

[ThunderGun]

Here are some of the WR's who signed contracts last year:

Santonio Holmes - 5 year, $45 million = $9 mil/year
Sidney Rice - 5 year, $41 million = $8.2 mil/year
Miles Austin - 7 years, $57 million = $8.14 mil/year
Steve Breaston - 5 year, $25 million = $5 mil/year
Santana Moss - 3 year, $15 million = $5 mil/year

Now, Stevie is obviously worth more than Breaston and Moss, but not as much as Santonio or Rice, imo. I'd put him around the Miles Austin range. When you figure in the fact that the contract values go up every year, I'd think Stevie would end up getting around $8 mil/year on the open market.

[Extremebillsfan247]

This is built off the thread from the other day asking for Top 10 NFL WR's.

Here is the reason I asked;
http://www.buffalobillsdraft.com/2011/12/should-we-show-stevie-the-money/ If you want the Bills to spend a first rounder on a receiver to replace him, then no, let him walk. If you don't then the answer would obviously have to be yes. This team simply isn't talented enough at that position to let him go without an adequate replacement. There just isn't one on this team. JMO

[Mahdi]

Here are some of the WR's who signed contracts last year:

Santonio Holmes - 5 year, $45 million = $9 mil/year
Sidney Rice - 5 year, $41 million = $8.2 mil/year
Miles Austin - 7 years, $57 million = $8.14 mil/year
Steve Breaston - 5 year, $25 million = $5 mil/year
Santana Moss - 3 year, $15 million = $5 mil/year

Now, Stevie is obviously worth more than Breaston and Moss, but not as much as Santonio or Rice, imo. I'd put him around the Miles Austin range. When you figure in the fact that the contract values go up every year, I'd think Stevie would end up getting around $8 mil/year on the open market.
I think Stevie is better than Santonio or should at least get what he is getting.

[ThunderGun]

I think Stevie is better than Santonio or should at least get what he is getting.

Honestly, I think it's close. Santonio is faster, but Stevie is more physical. It's an apples/oranges comparison, imo. But I do think that Stevie is probably worth about what Santonio is worth. I figured I was being a homer though, so I decreased my estimation a little bit.

[RedEyE]

Teams can always afford the luxury of being particular.

Because that has worked so well in the past?

[OpIv37]

This is the problem that I have with this article and the Stevie Johnson situation in general:


The biggest part about building through the draft is keeping the players you’ve drafted and developed, just ask New England.

The biggest part of building through the draft is DEVELOPING. That part has to come before "keeping players you've drafted and developed," obviously.

And this is where the Bills fail. Stevie is not a complete receiver. He's immature and doesn't keep his head in the game at crucial times (the penalties, and the drops). And contrary to what the article says, NO ONE has forgotten Stevie's performances against Revis. In fact, at least on this board, you can't even mention his name without someone reminding you.

On the contrary, it seems that people conveniently forget the times Stevie has disappeared against far lesser CB's than Revis.

The point is this: when teams like NE keep the talent they developed, that talent is far more developed than the talent the Bills have "developed."

And that's the situation with Stevie. As usual, the "talent" the Bills have "developed" is not true top talent by NFL standards. The Bills' problem isn't keeping the talent they've drafted and developed: it's drafting and developing talent.

[DraftBoy]

Because that has worked so well in the past?

If at first you don't suceed, try again and again.

Maintaing the status quo that is short of perfection is never the answer.

[DraftBoy]

This is the problem that I have with this article and the Stevie Johnson situation in general:



The biggest part of building through the draft is DEVELOPING. That part has to come before "keeping players you've drafted and developed," obviously.

And this is where the Bills fail. Stevie is not a complete receiver. He's immature and doesn't keep his head in the game at crucial times (the penalties, and the drops). And contrary to what the article says, NO ONE has forgotten Stevie's performances against Revis. In fact, at least on this board, you can't even mention his name without someone reminding you.

On the contrary, it seems that people conveniently forget the times Stevie has disappeared against far lesser CB's than Revis.

The point is this: when teams like NE keep the talent they developed, that talent is far more developed than the talent the Bills have "developed."

And that's the situation with Stevie. As usual, the "talent" the Bills have "developed" is not true top talent by NFL standards. The Bills' problem isn't keeping the talent they've drafted and developed: it's drafting and developing talent.

Context.

To say Stevie isn't developed given what he was a UK and where he was drafted is a far jump from reality. Is he developed into the perfect #1 or an elite WR? No but that doesn't mean he was ever supposed to either.

[OpIv37]

Context.

To say Stevie isn't developed given what he was a UK and where he was drafted is a far jump from reality. Is he developed into the perfect #1 or an elite WR? No but that doesn't mean he was ever supposed to either.

I didn't say Stevie hasn't developed from where he was.

I said he isn't developed into a true #1 WR.

Of course, that doesn't mean this team won't try to use him as one. Josh Reed was a #3 WR that this team tried to use as a #2, and Lee Evans was a #2 that we tried to use as a #1.

It's easier to just pay Stevie as a #1 than it is to try to find or develop a true #1, so that's probably the way the org will go. And we know what the results will be, because as always, you can't do the same thing and expect different results.

[ServoBillieves]

Stevie will hold out, there's no doubt about it. I would like 13 to be back on the roster next season, but I don't think he wants to be back here.

Sad, since we've turned late round/undrafted nobody's in to stat and yard makers... But hey, they move on to greener pastures.

[OpIv37]

Stevie will hold out, there's no doubt about it. I would like 13 to be back on the roster next season, but I don't think he wants to be back here.

Sad, since we've turned late round/undrafted nobody's in to stat and yard makers... But hey, they move on to greener pastures.

well, that's another point: does he even want to be back? He saw how our QB carousel screwed up Lee Evans' career, and if he was paying attention, he knows we did the same thing to Eric Moulds.

[ThunderGun]

I didn't say Stevie hasn't developed from where he was.

I said he isn't developed into a true #1 WR.

Of course, that doesn't mean this team won't try to use him as one. Josh Reed was a #3 WR that this team tried to use as a #2, and Lee Evans was a #2 that we tried to use as a #1.

It's easier to just pay Stevie as a #1 than it is to try to find or develop a true #1, so that's probably the way the org will go. And we know what the results will be, because as always, you can't do the same thing and expect different results.

This is what I'm afraid of. We've done it time and time again, so there is no reason to believe that it won't happen one more time.

I hope that we pay Stevie, but also draft a freak WR in the draft.

[BillsOwnAll]

I hate him as much as the next guy but wes welker not getting 20 votes really makes this list mean nothing to me.