A Look Towards the Offseason

[EM Bills Fan 80]

Alright, I know we still have a halfseason to play, but the way things are looking, people are gonna start looking at FA soon. So I was just wondering what type of FA's are going to be available following the season that the Bills may look at. List them here:

CB - Champ Bailey
CB - Shawn Springs
CB - Charles Woodson
CB - Chris McCallister
DE - Javon Kearse
DT - Warren Sapp
WR - Dennis Northcutt
WR - Terrell Owens
WR - Keyshawn Johnson


Name some others, lets try and get a list started....

[ryven]

I dont know who will be cut but if we could pick up charles woodson that would be nice but thats only if we don't get winfield back. by the way has anyone heard what going on with his talks?

[stuckincincy]

Some nice names there but I suspect salary caps would come into play. But it's not too soon to contemplate!

I remember tha days befor FA, when trades were a big part of the fun in the NFL. Alas, all gone.

[R. Rich]

Originally posted by stuckincincy
I remember tha days befor FA, when trades were a big part of the fun in the NFL. Alas, all gone.

...........and with it, gone are the days when the consortium known as Dallas/San Fransisco/Green Bay would dominate the league and win championships. I, for one, do NOT miss that.

[TedMock]

I'd love to get Chris McAllister if we lose Winfield. He's an excellent cover guy, fast and has the height to go up with tall WR's. Plus, he's good in run support. Not as good as AW in run support but he can hold his own. He's also a better cover guy. I think Woodson's overrated.

[R. Rich]

Originally posted by TedMock
I'd love to get Chris McAllister if we lose Winfield. He's an excellent cover guy, fast and has the height to go up with tall WR's. Plus, he's good in run support. Not as good as AW in run support but he can hold his own. He's also a better cover guy. I think Woodson's overrated.

I said this before in another post, but if we have the cap room, and if Winfield wants "Champ Bailey-type money" to stay here, wouldn't it make more sense to just sign Champ Bailey instead? He's the best CB in football. I'm sure it won't happen, but wouldn't that be nice if it did?

[stuckincincy]

Originally posted by R. Rich



...........and with it, gone are the days when the consortium known as Dallas/San Fransisco/Green Bay would dominate the league and win championships. I, for one, do NOT miss that.

Well yeah, there is that. In some post sometimes in the past, I alluded that without FA and cap we would be watching our XXXXX consecutive NYJ-NYG S-Bowl.

Still, trades were fun. Lamonica for Flores and Powell in the '60's. Keith Lincoln from the Chargers. Paul Seymour to the Steelers for Lofton, and so forth.

[WG]

Why are we looking at CBs and WRs?

IMO our first five additions should be DE, DT, OG, C and backup(s) for those.

Partially joking, but mostly serious.

What's wrong w/ Moulds, Reed, Shaw, Aiken, and Campbell?

What's wrong with, even if Winfield leaves, which I doubt he will after this year, we still have Milloy, Reese, PP, and Wire at Ss. And Clements, Thomas, McGee, and Sidney? Yeah, we need one, but IMO our bucks would be better diverted to OL and DL.

What DE, DT, G, and C FAs will be available?

If we can sign a very solid DT or DE and G and C, then draft a DE or DT (whichever we don't get via FAcy) then we'll be in great shape next year. If not, it's gonna be the same old, same old while TD's chasing big name WRs, RBs, CBs, Ss, LBs.

Figure at 6-10 or 7-9 we'll be drafting at between 7th and 12th, we'll have a very solid shot at some great linemen. Plus, we should have the overall 45th (or so) pick too.

Who are the top DL and OL men?

[TedMock]

Champ's outstanding too. I always liked him as well. I admit that I'm a little nervous now after seeing Josh Reed have such a big game against him. I guess 9 out of 10 games that doesn't happen and I know Champ's been playing with some injuries this year. Put your $$ on Dallas this week. Champ's playing hurt, Smoot and the 3rd corner are out and they just signed an undrafted FA to get some time this week against Dallas' very fast WR's. You're right though, for the same $ I'd pay Champ first. Actually, I'd take Champ and McAllister ahead of Winfield. I consider Springs equal and Woodsen way overrated.

[WG]

We can make due w/ a $1.5 CB and no additions at all at WR, RB, TE, LB, and S. Heck, we stocked the team this past offseason w/ all those positions while almost completely ignoring the lines.

Can't do that again.

Of course on Draft day I'll be waiting for Donahoe to pass up a guy at the #8 overall while explaining to Bills fans that he wasn't worth a #8, only a #12 or something silly like that.

If we draft another slow-type DE in round 2 I'm gonna throw wings all over the restaurant!

[TedMock]

Originally posted by Wys Guy
Why are we looking at CBs and WRs?

IMO our first five additions should be DE, DT, OG, C and backup(s) for those.

Partially joking, but mostly serious.

What's wrong w/ Moulds, Reed, Shaw, Aiken, and Campbell?

What's wrong with, even if Winfield leaves, which I doubt he will after this year, we still have Milloy, Reese, PP, and Wire at Ss. And Clements, Thomas, McGee, and Sidney? Yeah, we need one, but IMO our bucks would be better diverted to OL and DL.

What DE, DT, G, and C FAs will be available?

If we can sign a very solid DT or DE and G and C, then draft a DE or DT (whichever we don't get via FAcy) then we'll be in great shape next year. If not, it's gonna be the same old, same old while TD's chasing big name WRs, RBs, CBs, Ss, LBs.

Figure at 6-10 or 7-9 we'll be drafting at between 7th and 12th, we'll have a very solid shot at some great linemen. Plus, we should have the overall 45th (or so) pick too.

Who are the top DL and OL men?

I agree, we need DL help first. If AW is gone I'd like to sign a big name young corner though. DE's are easily the most pressing need IMO, followed by 2 interior OL. I think Price and Sullivan are versitile enough to play G & T but I don't think we can afford to start both. We need at least 1 guard possibly followed by a center depending on how we shuffle our current line.

[WG]

Well, they're not playing Sullivan now. So what makes you think they're gonna play him next year? By then, having sat a year, who knows what he'll be like. Might get outta condition and overweight and lose it. Who knows, odd things happen under similar circumstances.

But even if AW left, why does everyone seem to believe that having a decent CB would be more important than generating a pass rush? B/c we all know we're not gonna have the bucks to up grade both lines the way we should, find a QB replacement for Drew, replace (or re-sign) Winfield.

We're gonna have to make our choices. IMO we won't even have enough resources, cap and draft picks, to completely revamp our lines to the extent necessary let alone all that other stuff.

[R. Rich]

Originally posted by TedMock
I agree, we need DL help first. If AW is gone I'd like to sign a big name young corner though. DE's are easily the most pressing need IMO, followed by 2 interior OL. I think Price and Sullivan are versitile enough to play G & T but I don't think we can afford to start both. We need at least 1 guard possibly followed by a center depending on how we shuffle our current line.

Now you're talkin'!

I've been saying that we need to stock up on linemen with our draft picks and in free agency.

Here's what I'd do:

1. Look to acquire a big time pass rushing RDE in free agency.
2. Look to acquire a standout C in free agency.
3. Use our first pick in the draft on the best DT available, hopefully that will be the best DT overall.
4. Use our second pick on the best OG available in the draft, which could be the best G overall or at least one of the top 5.
5. Use our third pick on either a QB or another G.

Of course, whatever happens from now until draft/free agency time could affect this, but this would be my game plan. We would then address major weaknesses on both lines and be in much better shape.

[Miami_Vice]

Surtain is better than Bailey, but I wouldnt expect you Bills fans to confess that :)

[WG]

And to think, we could have had Eric Steinbach instead of McGahee. ES is having a decent season in Cincy.