On Price...

[WG]

Here's a thought. Since Reed has all the credentials and showed more than enough to suggest that he's at least a #2 and possibly a #1 WR in the NFL, I'm thinkin' that signing Price may not be such a good deal for two reasons.

First, it takes away from bucks that we quite honestly need to spend on D. We absolutely need a DT and an OLB on D and we need good ones. Perhaps not the best available, but one of the tops in each category that's available anyway. We also need a DE direly.

Secondly, if the Bills resign Price, he'll get a big bonus which would essentially prohibit us from cutting him should we desire to do so for a few years. In any event, Reed is signed for 3 more seasons. He's perfectly capable of being the #2, but if Moulds is here, which he will be, and we sign Price for big bucks, then Reed's chances of being that #2 slip away.

I have no idea if Reed has a voidable year, doubtful. But in any case, when his contract runs out after the '05 season, he would likely go elsewhere to where he can start.

Other than the notion that I've felt Price is overrated and a product of a team that dropped back to pass 667 times, he's also costly in terms of his temperament. And how many passes, key ones, have we seen him drop. How many times has he cost us by going off at the mouth or hitting someone.

Meanwhile, Reed has hands like glue and in spite of suggestions that he's slow, still seems to disprove that on the field with plenty of quickness not seeming slow to me at all.

Just a thought before the team goes running out to address offensive issues when we should be pouring our efforts this offseason into defensive issues.

Let Price go, bump Reed up and make him happy. Get some FAs as backups.

[Dozerdog]

For once I agree with you, Wys-


If we can get him back in the 4 Million range, I would do it (about $500,000 more than we gave Riemersma)unless the money is absolutly needed to get Hugh Douglas , Spikes, or someone else.


Otherwise, I'd say no.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Originally posted by Wys Guy
Other than the notion that I've felt Reed is overrated and a product of a team that dropped back to pass 667 times, he's also costly in terms of his temperament. And how many passes, key ones, have we seen him drop.

Meanwhile, Reed has hands like glue and in spite of suggestions that he's slow, still seems to disprove that on the field with plenty of quickness not seeming slow to me at all.



:huh:

Don't these paragraphs contradict each other???

I think Reed is faster than people give him credit. He'll be fine.

[WG]

Thanks EE. Yes, it does. Should have read Price. Will make the change.

Good Catch!! Thanks!

[WG]

Originally posted by Dozerdog
For once I agree with you, Wys-


If we can get him back in the 4 Million range, I would do it (about $500,000 more than we gave Riemersma)unless the money is absolutly needed to get Hugh Douglas , Spikes, or someone else.


Otherwise, I'd say no.

I wouldn't even consider paying him what the market will bear out. If he had put up 2 solid seasons out of 3 prior to this, then perhaps I'd be for it. But to pay a WR that much money, presumably in the $4-6 M range, when he only had one good year on a team that was pass happy and dropped back to throw more than any other team in the league, and dropped as many key balls as he did, I just cannot justify shelling out those bucks.

I really have a lot of difficulty seeing how 30 other WRs in this league wouldn't have also put up 1,200/9 TDs under the same circumstances. I think Reed could have done it as a rookie or come close.

I'd offer Price a contract in the $2-2.5M range and that's it. WRs come and go depending upon where they play, who the QB is, the opps they get, etc. Price had it all going on here. We can find equally capable WRs for less than what it's going to take to sign Price.

[Earthquake Enyart]

And you accuse me of not reading that stuff...:shakeno:

Boy, Lou Grant has his hands full on that front page with all the mistekes there. Mary Richards must not work at the zone.

[WG]

Only if you admitted you didn't! ;)

[venis2k1]

Reed is fast, but he isnt Really fast(the way price is) Reed will not be able to streach the feild the way Price could. Having said this, i agree 100% with you guys about letting price go, and looking at FA for #3.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Well, I disagree. I think he's really really fast, however I agree that he is not really really really fast.

[WG]

Moulds will stretch the field. He can go deep just as well as Price can.

I think we should make a move for a bigger receiver in the 6'2"/215 mold. There are several out there.

Derrius Thompson from the Skins. He's good, I've watched him.

Darrell Jackson is also very, very good and underrated since Robinson became the "go to" guy there. He's not in that size mold though. But he's got some speed.

Gadsen, Frank Sanders.

[don137]

Reed did everything that was expected of him this past year. I agree that the Bills can not afford to pay Price a high premium because the defense has too many holes. There were a lot of veteren receivers available last year in FA and I don't expect this year to be any different. While I think Price is a good receiver he also very immature which hurts him and the team at times.

[Patrick76777]

It all boils down to what the market will allow. If there is a rush to sign Peerless, we won’t resign him. If he’s around for a few weeks and teams are not making a play for him, the chances increase greatly. Remember, the past few years, WR’s have not been big players on the FA market.

[WG]

Yeah, but the top few always are. It's the whole lot of 2nd-tier WRs who are. Actually, I think Price is in that 2nd-tier, which matters not. But the rest of the league doesn't. So he'll go quickly or at least have several teams interested.

I'm thinking Cincy, Philly, Washington, Dallas maybe, Tennessee maybe to "bring him back home."

His only competition as perceived top WRs is David Boston, who I'd take an a NY second over Price, but nonetheless is the only other "top WR" available.

What makes GMs good in FAcy is getting players at a lesser price that can play at the same level as others who cost more. Ie., Darrell Jackson is at least capable of doing what Price did here. His first three seasons in this league were by far and away better than Price's first three. He was consistent too. So he's the type of WR that TD should look at. He'll come at a fraction of the cost of Price and would be just as good if not better.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Don't kid yourself. Darrell Jackson is going to get big $$$.

[WG]

You think so. I figured he was gonna come in under the radar. Maybe I'm wrong. He's not a high profile WR however.

[Voltron]

I can't believe I am in agreement with Wys. I think this is 2 X in one week! This is getting eerie :lol!:

Good point all.


I think Reed will come back stronger next year and be a force in the middle. He seemed to have no issues going through the middle this year at all. He has good hands and he can break tackles to get more yardage. Reed will be the :pimp: Daddy next year!


:up:

[Billz_fan]

I agree with letting Price go to. My main reason is money though. I just don't want to pay him what he is gonna need. Also if he were to stay and get big enough bucks then Moulds is gonna say "Hey wtf" ?? I want more to.

There are times I want Price to stay in a bad way though :( Like when im watching a JJamezz's higlight video of him out running other teams secondarys. Makes me jump up and throw a fist in the air everytime. :D

In the end I say let Peerless do what he has to do. Get some FA backups, put Josh in as #2.

AND DISCOVER THE TIGHT END THIS YEAR ;) Which btw is a spot we may try and improve on this off season. But thats another topic since we really don't throw to them anyway :D

[TedMock]

Wys, I completely agree. I like Price but Reed showed everything you want out of a number two receiver; great routes, great hands, strong, breaks tackles and on the field quickness. It's true that he's not flat out fast but he doesn't need to be with the way he sees the field. I live in the mid-atlantic region where all I see is ACC and SEC football. I watched Reed quite a few times at LSU and he's been highly impressive each time. I always felt that Rohan Davey was a way overrated QB and it was Reed that made him look good. He had around 96 catches his senior year and was voted top receiver. I like him. I'd still like a guy to go down field as a third wideout, a real burner. I know Moulds is more than capable of that but I think he needs the ball more than that. Another Don Beebe type. 40-50 catches with a 19 yard average.

[kgun12]

Wys I also agree!
Here's a question: how many speed recievers does Tampa have? Reed is good at making a short catch 15 to 20 yards, his YAC is very impressive. I brought this up before, but it's worth saying again, ANDRE was not that fast, but I think he did ok, haha. The guy I would like to see come in would be Kevin Dyson from Tenn. YES he is from GW old team but who gives a s#$t. He would be a perfect #2 and has good speed.

Having said all that, I don't think we spend alot of money on the O side of the ball. Get a great D in place! Our O has more than enough weapons to win a championship, but our D isn't. Load up this off-season on D, Than in the draft if there is a WR or TE that looks good in the 2nd -4 rounds go for it. But fix the D.

[jdbillsfan]

I think it would be great to have him back as he seems to be getting better and better every year. He is still young and Bledsoe and Moulds love him, which is more important than you guys thinking he has a bad attitude.

Of course 2nd and 3rd WR's are easier to get than top tier defensive free agents which is more of a priority, so if we lose price I hope it is because we are getting guys like colvin, spikes, claiborne, c. hunt type guys, not B. Jenkins, E. Robinson, R. Huntley type guys.

I don't like F. Sanders. I would rather have M. Jenkins who is younger and more productive at this point. D. Jackson will probably not be too far behind P. Price's salary.

[kgun12]

JD I didn't say anything about attitude. I just think in the era of the NFL, you get great on D and have an OK O. Like i said name the speed WR on the Bucs? How about NE last year, and the Ravens the year they won the SB. Now look at the Defenses.

THATS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. Make this the best D in the NFL, with the money we have over the next couple of year this is where we spend it!

[Tatonka]

i dont know why we are even having this coversation about darrell jackson. he is a RFA. he is a big name receiver. casual fans may not know of him, but i promise all the nfl front offices do. he will make a chunk of money. and he wont be leaving seattle.

if you are going to talk about receivers that we cant get, namely RFA receivers, you mine as well talk about us getting Laverneous Coles.. he is a RFA.. and we have about the same chance of getting him to come to buffalo... which is none.

[Tatonka]

btw.. good post wys.. i agree completely.

[The Natrix]

I disagree with you as far as him being overrated. It is very easy to point to Moulds, the system, etc, as the reason for his success. I think he has been great for the past TWO seasons and I am not sure I remember all these drops you speak of. The only one that sticks in my mind is the lions game, but who cares since we won. Price has blazing speed, he runs crisp routes, he seems like he has a passion for the game, and his YAC ability is only matched by a few (Randle El, S. Moss, TO.)

That being said, I am in complete agreement that we should let him walk. Price is a #1 in this league. Therefore, why do we need him? Moulds is #1, Reed should be #2. Clearly, there is no place for him on this team. Also, if Gilbride gets his act together and starts pounding Henry, game in and game out, then the WR position as a whole will be utilized less often

I really like Price, but the only way we should sign him is if he comes dirt cheap, which won't happen. However, I think the main reason for his departure will be to be the #1 and raise his game to the next level, not money.

So, in short, I think it makes way to much sense to let him walk

[WG]

Thanks T!!

I didn't realize that Jackson was an RFA. That changes things.

I wouldn't mind getting Dyson in here either except that he's been hurt an awful lot over the past years. I don't think we are in a position to be tinkering w/ injury risks given the lack of depth we have at WR.

Moore will be fine at TE too. He played very well on a team that was loathe to pass in Tampa under Dungy who was allergic to offense. He's got his extermination crew hard at work in Indy already.

In spite of that, Moore put up some decent seasons. He's got much surer hands than JR and can block too. So we're set at TE, especially since Drew only pitched to the TEs for 3 completions/game out of an average 38 attempts or so. So he wasn't using the TE anyway. I see no sense in spending big bucks on a position that Drew won't use. We do need a backup however.

[WG]

He had a huge drop in the G.B. game Natrix. There were many others.

[Romes]

Instead of investing in a FA WR how about just bumping Charles Johnson to #3?

He has decent size 6'0" 205. He didn't get many chances this year because of Moulds, Price and Reed. He does have experience as a starter. Also by bumping him to #3, would allow us to spend that much more money on defense. Instead of paying for another #3 receiver.

[WG]

Either way, we'd need a 4/5. Rone, who knows what he is. We should grab at least one off of FAcy for $1-1.5 M.

[Tatonka]

charles johnson is a UFA too...

i wouldnt mind resigning him though.

i really think a guy like Martay jenkins would be good due to

1) speed.. he has alot of it
2) return ability.. we need it.

then we draft someone as well.

[LABillsFan]

I agree except for one thing, for every Reed and Price there will be a draft pick to replace them. The game has changed and it's not about who can do what for the team, It's about who can we get for a lesser amount and be just as good. Moulds and Price could be the best duo if they choice to stay together, just like Clements and Winfield, but there's just one thing,...The MONEY!!!!
For every player worth his weight in gold there is a player worth gold willing to play for, or a draft pick signed for silver. Don't buy into the theory that the Bills will spend the money just to keep Price. The league isn't built around teams keeping players for long term contracts, it's 3-4 years, earn your stats and then either stay and contribute of leave and we'll find somebody else. What do you think is going to happen when the Bills' secondary's contract is up. Stay tuned.

[The_Philster]

Sad but true, LABillsFan