Bills to Make Heavy Push to Sign Remaining Picks Beginning

[Dozerdog]

Bills to Make Heavy Push to Sign Remaining Picks Beginning Monday
Chris Brown - Friday, July 12, 2002

http://www.wgr55.com/news/billsnews.cfm?newsID=569294#

Orchard Park, NY (WGR 55) – With training camp 12 days away for rookies (July 24th) the Buffalo Bills still have six of their ten draft picks unsigned. It’s been a slow signing period league wide with just 53 of the 261 drafted players under contract. But Bills GM Tom Donahoe, on WGR Sportsradio 55 Friday with Mike Schopp, is still confident they’ll have everybody in before camp starts, “That’s always my expectation. We’re going to work very hard at it as we always have. A lot of teams have a lot of work to do over the next ten days and we do too.”

Donahoe and Vice President of Business Administration, Jim Overdorf, plan to get serious negotiations underway next week, “We’re going to go hard and furious at it on Monday,” Donahoe said, “and our goal is to get everybody there (training camp) on time so we can get off to a good start.”
MORE.....

[gonzo1105]

Well i'm pretty sure the next one to sign with be the last 7th rounder Pucillo dont expect Wright to receive a contract and hopefully Reed would be after Pucillo

[SoCalBillsFan]

any estimates on how much Mike Willaims will cost us?

[gonzo1105]

probably a 7 year deal worth around 40-42 million with an 8 million signing bonus

[Pride]

7 years at 42?? I would be happy with that actually

I hate it when we sign draftees to 3-4 year contracts, and lose them as soon as they blossom.

[Pride]

I am hoping that MW will be there the first day. If he is, we know we have a guy who is willing to work with and for us. A guy who appreciates the fact he needs every single learning experience possible to earn his 40-50 mill contract.

Will it happen? doubt it, but it sure would make a statement if he was.

[colin]

$6 mil per would be less than what many picks, including olinemen, have gotten at his draft position.

Will contracts be a bit smaller around the NFL for rooks, anyone know?

[lordofgun]

I'm hearing that the cap for rookies has remained nearly the same...at least for the Bills. So Donohoe says that the rookie contracts will be nearly identical to last year's figures league wide. That's probably why picks are so slow to sign this time around...their agents want more than last year's picks received.

[Pride]

One could argue that the signing of rookies at the same price as last year might actually be the endall for exploding contracts. Anyone have any figures to compare the rate of increase in rookie contracts over the years? Maybe next year will be the first decline.

One can only hope.

[gonzo1105]

I was just going on what last years # 4 got Justin Smith. He received a contract in that range last year

[John from Hemet]

I think it is absolutely imperative that we get Mike Williams into camp on time...he is going to be such a big part of our offense this year....and you see what happens when guys like Orlando Pace (who I think is a comparable talent) end up with lengthy holdouts over money....Pace was just a average player in his first year.....because he didn't hit the ground running....

I think that with Mike Williams on this line we have a chance to be DOMINANT UP FRONT

[lordofgun]

Totally Agree John! Welcome to the boards!

[Shiny Chicken]

well what's more important, getting MW in on time or getting him to sign a multi-year deal?

I'd really like to see him in training camp on time... but not at the expense of making sure we get to keep him around for quite a few years.

[John from Hemet]

actually...the rookie contracts are pretty standard....I think there is give and take of about a year.....

I actually dont think any of this is going to be a problem....Mike Williams is a high charactor guy...and I can see him looming over his agent "yeah...get the money so you can get your commission....but make sure I am in camp ON TIME...I need to set a example for the rest of these rookies"

[SoCalBillsFan]

I would like to agree with you John, but only time will tell :) I wouldn't be surprised if there was a small holdout