MRW's Good Opening Free Agency Weekend

by MattRichWarren on Feb 26, 2009 7:32 PM EST Comment 10 comments

What can we consider a good Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for the Buffalo Bills once free agency kicks off in about 4 hours? This is not to say what is most important or what should be addressed the entire free agency period. This would be a good weekend for me:

1. Sign Matt Birk or Jason Brown to play Center

Birk is my favorite option here because of his price tag and experience. He could add a lot of things to this team, and not just on the field. If Birk is re-signed by the Vikes I would join the bidding war that is Jason Brown. His number could get too high for me but I want my cards at least in the game.

2. Get a Vet QB scheduled or in for a visit

They don't have to sign on Friday or Saturday, but they should at least be invited to a sit down. My preference is Damon Huard or Charlie Batch but many guys fit the bill will be fine. The Vet QB train is not a fast one and a deal is likely unrealistic this weekend unless the Bills have one guy targeted.

3. Sign one more position need

Guard, OLB, DE. For the record, while important, I don't consider a #2 WR a position of need yet. Too many other spots have glaring holes while WR #2 is a nagging hole that could be fixed by a new TE and/or James Hardy.

At guard there are a few names out there but if they dump one high-priced free agent why would they pick up another? Seems unlikely but it's a need nonetheless. Maybe OBD considers Chambers this guy. To gets re-signed, his price likely just went up. If he signs and they name him the starter at guard or something like that I will be OK with the set-up.

When Channing Crowder re-signed, my leader for the OLB spot vacated by Crowell came off the board. There are other serviceable candidates out there and we could get one.

The situational (read: pass rushing) defensive ends out there don't thrill me but we have a pretty long list of needs. Kurupt may get a little woozy but signing a DE would at least knock our needs list down to a more draft-manageable number.

If this "good" weekend comes to pass we will have filled two glaring needs, Center and OG/TE/OLB/DE. That brings our total needs down to three, a number we can address in the draft. That is my goal for this weekend, to get the roster improvements manageable.

If they can upgrade at FB, CB, SS, WR, DT, and RB it will be a bonus. All in all, though, those won't make or break this weekend for me. We'll see how it all plays out (but I'm going to sleep tonight and let you guys stay up late. I have a pep rally and charity basketball game tomorrow. :-)

This FanPost was written by a registered user of Buffalo Rumblings. Its views do not necessarily reflect the views of Rumblings' editorial staff, but are just as valued as our own.

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You can’t just sign some scrub DE and say ‘done!’ and avoid it in the draft. We need youth in addition to talent at the position, as well.

If we sign any position as a fill-in type, it’s gotta be LB where we can still get a productive enough player on the cheap. I think we’ll probably get a G too.

~K
"I’m Kurupt with Buffalo Rumblings. I am worth hundreds!"

by Kurupt on Feb 26, 2009 8:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think you're right about youth at DE.

I was hesitant to even put it on the list here. We just need something on that list to be addressed. Otherwise we’ll have a list that is way too long heading into the draft.

Playing Eternal Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008.

by MattRichWarren on Feb 26, 2009 8:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Even after signing a position of “need” in free agency, the Bills could still draft at the same position, and would be wise to do so.
If we get Birk or Brown, I would still draft one of the top 3 centers if they are there in rds 2 or 3 when we pick. especially if the Bills have a specific target they rank the best. That could potentially be our future center, and also competition for the left guard spot.
Unless they dump Kelsay, they may not approach DE in free agency. He is a good back up, he is just not starting caliber. So we might have that as our pick at #11, and maybe draft 2 like they did with Corner last year, depending on what they think of Ellis, which probably isn’t much.
It may be possible that they go the trade route for DE like they did for Stroud. That might be something to look for. Then DE isn’t a glaring need for the first round of the draft, and the Bills go LB?
I also hope we don’t go for Daniels at all as far as TE. It may be better to just draft another, but not at #11

The Bills CAN win every game

by killascript on Feb 26, 2009 10:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

But we have so many bigger fish to fry

I don’t think they can blow a high pick on a round 2 center when they have so many needs, though. They will certainly draft another C but how high? If they sign Birk how many years does he have left? Draft his replacement in a mid-round. Why would they sign Brown in his mid-twenties and draft another young starting-type center? That doesn’t make sense to me.

They probably won’t address DE in free agency. There is nothing I am hearing that says they will I just listed it as a need. I also don’t see them trading for a DE.

The Bills will not, emphatically will not, try to go after Owen Daniels following his tender offer.

I am anticipating TE and DE to be addessed in the draft with Center depth. If they don’t sign an OLB they will also need to upgrade there.

Playing Eternal Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008.

by MattRichWarren on Feb 27, 2009 8:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs