Bills Offseason Moves

Fitzpatrick is not going to get cut; it would still be too much of a cap hit.  It is, however, very likely that the Bills will try to renegotiate his contract.  With no other QB's, (other than B. Smith, if he counts as a QB), on the roster, the team cannot start from ground-zero.  Fitz will never be better than a slightly sub-500 QB, but he is better than nothing.

The team will almost certainly draft a QB.  I hope that they wait until the second or even third round.  They are also going to need to bring in at least one FA.  Fitz is a smart game-manager; he would be an almost ideal back-up.  I think all the QB's will be given a real shot at competing for the starting job.  If Fitz wins that competition... well, it is never too early in Buffalo to start talking about next year.

I'm not concerned with trading a draft pick for Alex Smith. Being concerned about this assumes the Bills would have actually made an intelligent pick with it and we all know that's not going to happen so it's really like giving up nothing.

Smith could work in this system. As more of a game manager type (although he and others see it differently) he could thrive with a Bills offense that will have multiple elite RB options and should have a decent O-line. Get another legit threat besides Stevie and finally a TE and the Bills O could be dangerous.

So now the Bills have released George Wilson and Nick Barnett to create cap space. A defense that is already horrifying just created more holes that they will surely try to replace with cheaper and better alternatives. Cheaper doesn't usually equal better. But it can if you have brilliant minds making personnel decisions...

i think that if they bring some of the Jets players its gonna be a good thing to teach the new system to the players..

Eric Winston is a player who the Bills should target, he was just released by the Chiefs. The Raiders are rumoured to be releasing Rolando McClain who would be a great for at ILB for the Bills. I know he has had some off field issues but he is a good player and has potential to be even better.

In his draft year I would have loved it if McClain had fallen to the Bills.  Now, I guess we were lucky he did not.  After his troubles in Oakland he will either learn from it and mature, or he'll soon be a former NFL player.  The Chargers are going to release Takeo Spikes.  Takeo had very nice things to say about his experience in Buffalo.  With or without McClain, the Bills are going to need veteran leadership at LB.  Perhaps they'll make a run at both of these players.

McClain for me makes the most sense. #he is solid to good already and has the potential to be very good. He is young enough and has the talent that make it worth taking a shot at him. He and Sheppard would form a good pairing in the middle of the Bills D.

Signing McKelvin long-term at $5MM per makes a lot of sense.  He's getting paid back-up CB money and he's a great return man.  The team could choose to carry two QB's on the roster and look at B. Smith as an emergency third-stringer.  If he does not show more accuracy between now and the end of training camp he could be gone just as easily.

McKelvin is too old to be called a project, (even if he weren't a first round pick).  On the other hand, he has not had the most stellar defensive coaching.  It will be interesting to see if Pettine can coach more out of him; if he starts to show lofty draft pick performance, then this contract will be a steal.  I do not expect this from McKelvin, but it is worth noting.

I was mildly surprised that the Bills cut Fitz outright.  His cap hit will not give them any more money towards potential FA's.  If they had waited until June they could have spread the hit out saving $7MM from this year's cap.  Fitz got a lot more mileage, (and money!), out of his NFL career than most Harvard grads.  I would not mind if the team were to bring him back to fight for the back-up role at a much reduced cost.

Back-up to whom?

The Bills are such morons. Anyone excited by Fitz being cut is prematurely celebrating. What is the master plan they now have to fill another gaping hole on the roster they just created?

In THIS draft, what is more likely...the Bills outsmart everyone and choose a gem in a lowly-rated QB class that becomes the franchise QB for the future? Or they go early and add another stupid pick to the QB bust scrap heap that keeps growing bigger? My $$$, and I'd bet big, is on the latter.

Cutting Fitz was a business decision because the Bills can suk with or without him.  They'll be grooming a rookie QB this year.  Expect the team to play below the lofty level that they've shown this decade.

Losing Levitre is worse, because he was a very dependable OL.  Now we need to be concerned - again - about getting the O-line to gel with each other.  2013 is the lost season before the draft.

does the Bills r waiting for the players to be free to make a move or what?, it looks that they want the first pick of the 2014 draft...
thanks buddy 

I sure hope they aren't waiting for that. Players might contact the Broncos to see about playing for them, but nobody (that's actually good and wants to win) is going to seek out the Bills.

nobody (that's actually good and wants to win) is going to seek out the Bills.

No, I think that all is quiet on the Bills' FA front because players are probably not even responding when the Bills call.  It looks like it is going to be a rough year at the Ralph.  And, that is rough by the Bills low standards.

Meanwhile, the team has one QB on the roster, (Brad Smith does not count).  Surely, the team is not planning to draft two QB's ... or are they?  J. Campbell just signed with the Browns for two years.  Kolb is available and Matt Flynn is available in trade.  There will be competition for him so the Seahawks have the leverage and will probably get too much for him.  Carson Palmer may become available, as well as Colt McCoy.  (Vince Young!?)  This is not an inspiring group but at least they have started NFL games.   They may have to overpay but I expect the team will make a hard push to sign one of them.  If they can get a Fitz-like season out of one of these then the pressure will be off to draft a QB in the first, or even the second round.

This is getting miserable. Whatever we say about the Bills sounds like grasping at straws.  Actually, any positive spin on them right now IS grasping at straws.

I'm looking for a Bills fan to participate in a mock draft this Saturday.

If you're interested just reply to this message and I will give you the link.

Thanks

We're really just now entering phase II of the off season.  There have already been some high profile cuts around the league.  And, that is likely to accelerate.  The Bills may still be able to find some help on the OL, LB, and defensive backfield, and perhaps even at WR to narrow the yawning holes on this roster.  That is the best, IMO, that we can hope for.  There will be holes, for sure, and the team is likely to vie for a high draft position, but a few veterans may help make the team competitive and fun to watch.

Clabo probably just used the Bills for leverage to get his contract from the Falcons a couple of years ago.  He may, however, know enough about Buffalo to know that the fans are some of the best in the NFL.  Some players want to play for a team that is the focus of a city.  He would be an upgrade over Pears, and would give the team much needed depth.  He's just an example.

mcclain, dansby, Bart Scott, any cb, any wr, Brandon Moore... there r plenty of names that can help right now