Rebuilding the Bills - Free Agency

[Dozerdog]

Rebuilding the Bills - Free Agency
Let's play- "Rebuild the Bills"


This will be a series of Polls to see what the overall consensus on what you- the fan- think the Bills will /or should do this offseason.


While it is impossible to predict what the Bills will do/where the Bills will pick/ how the team will finish, this exercise will attempt to see how the Bills can be rebuilt. Only realistic options will be put forth. (No Bill Parcells for coach, Bring in Brett Favre)


It should be fun- let's seee where it goes!


This is the tough to predict. First- if the cap remained static, the Bills will be about 6 -7 Million under the cap. It has been reported by Lenny P of ESPN that the cap could grow as high as $79 million , $5 -6 Million more than it is now. (Please correct me Clump if I'm wrong)- giving the Bills up to $12-14 million of space. I'll split the difference and make it $10 Million under the cap for argument's sake.


This is a multiple choice poll- select more than one option- but please try to keep the total choices under $ 10 Million


For categories with "Other" like QB - I listed multiple players who might fall in that price range- If a player falls in tha t price but is not listed- vote there anyway (I listed Feely & Detmer under QB's- but his could include other FA QBs)

[HenryRules]

Did not notice this one until after doing round 1 and 2 of the draft. I say CB Vincent, WR Jackson, and DE Hicks.

Regardless of reputations, I think our D is in more need of help than our offense. Offense, we're missing a deep threat at WR (Jackson takes that spot), an RB other than Henry that can be trusted to carry the ball (McGahee), and some new coaching (OL most importantly) ... aside from coaching, I think that those can be rather easily addressed.
I'm quite confident that unless modified, our D will look like it did at the beginning of 2002 (well, not that bad), so I'm going for some playmaking defenders in Troy Vincent and Hicks plus Sean Taylor in the first round. Here come the turnovers!!

[Dozerdog]

I chose to resign Winfield, Sign G Chris Villarial of Chicago, and DE Grant Wistom of the Rams

[gordong]

I'll take Champ Bailey, I like winfield but no INTs with him, I also think Champ tackles as well as winfield plus he is bigger.

Next I take Woody and show teauge to door...

Then I'll take hicks or someone else....Then go and get a backup QB.

Kearse,would love to have him but too many missed games, only going to get worse as he gets older.

I'll throw a curve here how about moulds and bledsoe restructure and bring in Qwens.

[Dozerdog]

If you get Owens,no matter how much restructuring you do, will hamper fixing holes like the O line. I'm concerned that he'd complain about Henry/ McG getting 60% of the offensive plays, and sharing the other 40% with Moulds, Reed, Shaw, & the TE's

[DraftBoy]

Originally posted by gordong
I'll take Champ Bailey, I like winfield but no INTs with him, I also think Champ tackles as well as winfield plus he is bigger.

Ive seen Champ play alot in college and in the pros and Antoine is a better tackler hands down.

[The Spaz]

I picked signing Champ Bailey although I wouldn't mind seeing Antoine stay,Damien Woody for center,Stinchcomb to play Rt after we move Mike Williams to LT and Jonas Nennings to RG. I know it does't address DE whick is a downfall but maybe we get lucky in the draft.:):beer:

[DraftBoy]

Draft and FA is weak in DE's unfortunately.

[The Spaz]

Originally posted by Winfield_26
Draft and FA is weak in DE's unfortunately.

True!

[RedEyE]

Went without resigning Winfield. Hoping that the signing of DE Jevon Kearse will increase the pass rush ten fold allowing the corners to slack a little. Other FA picks; WR Dennis Northcutt and C Jerry Fontenote to increase offensive production.

[Dozerdog]

Intersting so far-

Of 22 voters, half want to resign Winfield, a quarter will be willing to let him go and get a replacement for about the same cost.


Half want Damien Woodey- a guy Bledsoe has worked with in the past-, and more than half think we can address other areas of the line as well.

Most suprising is- with all the Kearse talk earlier this year, only 2 decided to spend the money on him. Half want either Wistrom or another less flashy DE in FA.


So far, it's Winfield comes back, we sign Woodey, another offensive lineman, and a cheaper DE.

[Dozerdog]

Also, very interesting to note that for all the Bledsoe heat tossed around in here, hardly a sniff for a veteran replacement and/or veteran back-up

[clumping platelets]

I assume the number is for "2004 cap hit"


I spent $10.5 million

Re-sign Winfield and added DE Wistrom and G Villarial

[R. Rich]

Given your terms, here's what I did:

*Re-signed Winfield ($4M)
*Signed C Cory Withrow ($2.5M)
*Signed WR Dennis Northcutt ($1.5M)
*Signed DE Eric Hicks ($2M)

Right at $10M, and we've addressed the pass rush, the center position, a playmaking WR, and we've kept together a pretty solid pair of corners.

[Dozerdog]

Originally posted by clumping platelets
I assume the number is for "2004 cap hit"


I spent $10.5 million

Re-sign Winfield and added DE Wistrom and G Villarial


You are correct , sir! How were the estimates on the players? were they realistic?

[The_Philster]

I like the idea of re-signing Winfield based on the fact that it will keep the unit together...builds on chemistry. I don't know if we'd get anyone else if we let him walk. The last starter at CB we got via free agency was Mickey Washington. Everyone else has come via the draft and undrafted free agents if I remember correctly.
Thoams Smith
Jeff Burris
Marlon Kerner
Ken Irvin
Antoine Winfield
Nate Clements...all draftees
Dainon Sidney was brought in to compete at nickel but is currently 5th on the depth chart behind McGee and Thomas.
I guess what I'm saying is, we've a history of drafting at CB better than getting one through free agency.

[Dozerdog]

Looks like a general consensus here- of 31 votes, a little under 2/3rds want to resign Winfield at CB, while about 1/3rd want o go with a different CB at the same or cheaper price.

The next area everyone is in agreement in is addressing the interior OL- and the overwhelming favorite is Damien WWoodey- who can move back to the center spot he lost in New England (He's now at guard) If Woodey is not available, folks would be happy with either Stinchcomb/Timmerman/Fontenote.


The third area people are willing to shell out some cash in was at DE. For all the Kearse talk going on the boards for a season, he only received 2 votes. Wistrom/Hicks were popular

[Dozerdog]

Oddly, Replacing Drew immediatly was not a priority

[shelby]

i didn't opt for a veteran QB. i have a feeling Bledsoe stays.

My choices: CB TBuck/Troy Vincent--i would love Antoine to stay,but these are adequate replacements if we don't re-sign Winfield.

C Damien Woody, and give Teague a boot in the ass:wave:

DE Grant Wistrom

[Tatonka]

Originally posted by Dozerdog
Oddly, Replacing Drew immediatly was not a priority i didnt pick a vet qb because i know that there is no way in hell that it will come true.. so mine as well not waste my time... this team will be stuck with that ****box qb for at least 1-2 more years.. i am just praying we draft his replacement.

[TedMock]

Bledsoe's here for at least one more year. The smart thing to do is put OL talent in front of him. It'll give us more rushing yards and hopefully the new coach utilizes the play action more and the sprint pass less! We can get a QB in the draft to sit the bench for a year or two. That's fine with me because I don't think ANY of the QB's in college are ready to start this year. But, there's an unusual amount of raw/project talent. I picked Woody, Stinchcomb, Hicks and a CB to be named later. I love Winfield but you can get a quality CB like Chris McAllister for 2-3 mil instead. I think a DE is a bigger priority which is why I'd like to see Hicks here.

[ryven]

here is my FA pck ups:

CB Winfield

OL-C Damien Woodey

OL Matt Stinchcomb

The funny thing is that I could not bring up any of there stats up on NFL.com but they also have woody listed at G but I know he has played center and Stinchcomb plays C but if we can move him to guard and put woody at C we would have a much improved line we also could pick a gaurd up in the draft 2nd or 3rd round and get him ready to take over for brown when the time comes. I say lets keep winfield because he is a smart player and wont make to many dumb plays and why mess with the secondary.

[ryven]

withrow wouldn't be a bad choice but he seems a bit small but I guess that doesnt mean much.

[ShadowHawk7]

Stitchcomb, Baliey (or Winfield, same cap hit), Woody, and Hicks. Sign like that and we should complete it with Sean Taylor at SS, an 2nd round DT, 3rd round WR, 4th QB, and 5th OG

[Frez]

I resigned Winfield.........
added Darrel Jackson and Damien Woody

[Michael82]

I re-signed CB Antoine Winfield, helped our pass rush with DE Eric Hicks, and added a solid #2 receiver in Darrell Jackson. I will draft the OL in the first round and 2nd round.