Report: Bills, CB Florence agree to terms
by Brian Galliford on Mar 3, 2009 8:12 PM EST
in Buffalo Bills News
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PrintProFootballTalk.com is reporting that the Buffalo Bills have agreed to terms with free agent cornerback Drayton Florence. Mike Florio reports that it's a two-year deal worth $6.6 million, with escalators built in that can carry it to $7.3 million total.
So much for the sentiment that free agent corner Jabari Greer might return. The signing of Florence returns Buffalo's cornerback depth chart to five, as Florence will compete with Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin, Ashton Youboty and Reggie Corner for playing time next season.
Florence is coming off of a one-year stint in Jacksonville in which he failed to live up to a deal which was to pay out $12 million in bonus money. Prior to last season, he developed a reputation as an above-average sub-package corner, recording ten interceptions in four years as the Chargers' nickel corner and as a spot starter.
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I like it...
As a nickel back I hope. Good insurance if Buffalo doesn’t sign Greer and McGee walks next year. Although, I hope it doesn’t come to that. He’s never really lived up to starter status.
What does this mean on the Greer front?
John I.
Only out of a contract in Buffalo
I’m certain someone will pay him big dollars. If Foxworth (or whatever his name is) can get 7 M per year in Baltimore, the Greer can easily get 8M per year ith another team.
by CanadianBillsFan on Mar 3, 2009 9:32 PM EST up reply actions
Per PFT:
two-year deal worth $6.6 million that can grow to as much as $7.3 million with incentives
John I.
Yeah, just added that.
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by Brian Galliford on Mar 3, 2009 7:18 PM EST up reply actions
5 CBs plus someone from Ohio State sure to be drafted...
It looks like Greer will find that there’s no room at the inn. While I like Greer and his story free agents sometimes need to jump on the hometeam offer. The teams he’s been visiting aren’t going to budge now that they know that Buffalo’s offer is likely off the table.
Or is it? Youboty finally showed signs of development in 2008 and McGee is getting older. Could either of them be trade bait as some have suggested?
Ohio State CB Washington maybe in the 4th round?
I think he was the kid that jumped through the roof at the combine. The next Buckeye in Buffalo? LOL…
Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.
I wouldn't laught too hard. Fine with me as long as they wait until the 4th round.
Bad boys, bad boys whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do
when they come for you?
a Buckeye at #11
would really piss me off.
Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.
That would not even begin to discribe my feelings :-)
Bad boys, bad boys whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do
when they come for you?
Don’t worry, guys. It’s not happening.
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by Brian Galliford on Mar 3, 2009 7:38 PM EST up reply actions
cool....no CB and no Pettislow at #11.
Bad boys, bad boys whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do
when they come for you?
no Pettislow at #11.
Hey Brian, can you guarantee that one? LOL…
Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.
Yes, I can. Pettigrew, on the other hand, is a different story.
Buffalo Rumblings - all you care to know about the Buffalo Bills and more
by Brian Galliford on Mar 3, 2009 7:45 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I thought G said the Bills were not looking at Pettigrew at #11.
Bad boys, bad boys whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do
when they come for you?
It’s too early to rule anything out in my book.
But they’ve got 10 DBs now. They won’t draft Malcolm Jenkins.
Buffalo Rumblings - all you care to know about the Buffalo Bills and more
by Brian Galliford on Mar 3, 2009 7:49 PM EST up reply actions
Too early to rule out
Chris Wells? James Laurinaitis (Posluszny clone)? Just wondering what you think…
Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.
Ha, fair point. Guess when a Buckeye is mentioned, I just automatically head to DB.
Buffalo Rumblings - all you care to know about the Buffalo Bills and more
by Brian Galliford on Mar 3, 2009 7:56 PM EST up reply actions
And why not? We only have something like 10 years worth of data backing that thought process up!
If the Bills were a drug, I could only hope they were like speed so I could lose some weight as well.
How about Maurice Clarrett and his jailhouse blog?
Who is the last Ohio State player we drafted that wasn’t a DB? Reggie Germany?
~K
"I’m Kurupt with Buffalo Rumblings. I am worth hundreds!"
Never say never
Jenkins plus a draft day trade of McGee (who isn’t from Ohio State!) is still a possibility.
Interesting tidbit...
Florence was born in Waycross, Georgia. Isn’t that where Leodis McKelvin is from?
Cornerback may be the strongest and most diverse position on the roster right now. Can’t wait to see these guys compete in training camp and preseason.
Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.
ive been to waycross many times
actually have a friend that lives there. and worked with a girl that knew leodis. cant count out those ga boys
Bills make me wanna SHOUT!
by silverstreak3k on Mar 3, 2009 7:25 PM EST up reply actions
I think we're set in the backfield
Especially at CB. The five we have are really good for their situation. two good starters in the two Mac’s, a great nickle back in Florence, and Youboty and Corner as depth players. CB might actually be our strongest position
by CanadianBillsFan on Mar 3, 2009 9:40 PM EST up reply actions
I agree I know I’m supposed to be a cynic about the bills but they are building one scary CB core, it’s always something that I admit Jauron knows how to coach since he was one. I think he did a good job easing McKelvin into the role and he got much better as time went on. I’m hoping this move means the Bills have basically who they want at that position and they focus totally in other areas. What do you feel about converting one of those guys to a safety? We seem a little weaker there, maybe it’s just me.
IF I was to convert anyone to safety it would be Youbuty
He was solid in Run/Pass recognition last season, could blitz effectively from the defensive backfield and is a VERY sure tackler. He would be the only I guy I would consider doing that with, but we would need someone like Greer to be signed before I would be willing to move him as I feel he can hold the Nickel spot despite Florence coming here.
If the Bills were a drug, I could only hope they were like speed so I could lose some weight as well.
We could use him in both positions,
moving him around like we did to Whitner last season… ok I know whitner is a bad example, but the multiple role in the secondairy would be good for Youboty, especially with his tremendous jumping ability.
by CanadianBillsFan on Mar 3, 2009 9:59 PM EST up reply actions
well that just it I think Whitner moving around all the time may have contributed to his lack of production because those are different roles. Not defending him mind you but we have so much talent at CB we should move one over full time. Corner can pick up the slack.
Corner could deffinatly pick up the slack
I just have two issues with Youboty at Safety:
1. He’s injury prone, so is putting him in a more physical position such a sage descision?
2. His size. Youboty is tiny for a football player, he would be even tinier for a safety. he’s GENEROUSLY listed at 5’11", but i think he’s closer to 5’9", and he’s only 190 pounds.
I think that issue number 2 is what would stop OBD from converting Youboty to a safety.
by CanadianBillsFan on Mar 3, 2009 10:25 PM EST up reply actions
yeah your right Ashton Youboty really doesn’t strike me as someone who instills alot of fear into the defense but I’d just like to see us apply the talent we have at CB to safety is all. Maybe we will draft one who knows.
I'd rather we draft one
And release Ko Simpson
by CanadianBillsFan on Mar 3, 2009 10:40 PM EST up reply actions
Nah, Leo cemented his spot as the #2 by the end of the season. Florence will fight with Youbuty as the nickel.
Whomever wins, if Greer is gone as well will get an extension if they feel McGee is too broken down by end of the season. This is a true insurance, push our Nickel and Dime backs signing. Heady move by the Bills actually!
If the Bills were a drug, I could only hope they were like speed so I could lose some weight as well.
I think Leo was born ready. He looks like he is going to explode next year. Of course, i did just ese him on a bill board and someone, a socalled “buffalonian” has a theory that once a pro buffalo layer in any sport is in an ad, he starts to faulter. We’ll see
The Bills CAN win every game
I had this theory that any time I got a Bills jersey that guy left or got hurt...
I haven’t bought a jersey since back to back Spielman and Paup broke my heart.
Playing Eternal Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008.
by MattRichWarren on Mar 3, 2009 8:06 PM EST up reply actions
I know of this curse...
It happened with my wife……
for Milloy
Bledsoe
Spikes
Losman
McGahee
this was in the span of 4 yrs….Don’t ask who her current jersey is. It may break your heart!!!
How many years can we go without making the playoffs...eventually the odds go in your favor.........right?!?!?
Poz or Trent...
I have been hesitating on pulling the trigger on the Poz jersey because of this. I am more inclined to go with a historical jersey like Thurman or Bruce because of it.
Playing Eternal Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008.
by MattRichWarren on Mar 3, 2009 8:43 PM EST up reply actions
I have a OSU Thurman Thomas Jersey
How many years can we go without making the playoffs...eventually the odds go in your favor.........right?!?!?
Solid Nickel signing
Not sure what that means for Youbuty, Greer or McGee down the road though. Does this mean we back off of Greer, does it mean we think Youbuty should walk after this season as the dime back? I like Florence as the nickel, but I HAVE to wonder if this isn’t the first move in a series of others?
Say we resign Greer, and then we trade McGee to KC along with our 4th for Waters. KC NEEDS a CB, and McGee would also give them a return man they need. Next, we now have Greer and McKelvin as our #1 and #2 CBs, along with Youbuty and Florence as our Nickel and Dime backs, with Corner as depth. We then let Youbuty walk after the year is up and we still have 4 CBs.
If the Bills were a drug, I could only hope they were like speed so I could lose some weight as well.
If we resign Greer,
then the trading of McGee plus our #4 for Waters becomes a very real possibility.
Bad boys, bad boys whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do
when they come for you?
possible
but is that what KC wants?
Bills make me wanna SHOUT!
by silverstreak3k on Mar 3, 2009 7:26 PM EST up reply actions
Good question,
but at least the Bills are in a position to say no if the price is too high.
Bad boys, bad boys whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do
when they come for you?
I was so proud of him, the way he way played in preseason and early last year, and then he got hurt. Showed playmaking, ball skills, great open-field tackling, blitzing, confidence, attitude, etc. May never be the elite cover guy that McKelvin can be, but he showed a lot in a little time last year.
Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.
Youboty was the best tackler on the defense. He routinely stopped the ball carriers momentum right then instead of letting him get another yard or two.
Youboty is progressing
Lets hope his injury isn’t recurring and he doesn’t lose what was gained previous
The Bills CAN win every game
Youbuty stepped up last year when he saw how many CBs the Bills drafted
He THRIVES on challenges and competition it looks like, and I think we’ll see a beast come this TC.
If the Bills were a drug, I could only hope they were like speed so I could lose some weight as well.
hopefully youboty can turn into a solid #2
then we extend him and let Mcgee walk, while Leo becomes the #1. I think this move for Florence is a stop gap to play him at nickel, while Corner develops.
Don't forget to pay the troll toll...
I like your thinking.
Corner may develop faster than we think. We’ll find out if Florence is another William James.
Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.
Greer is gone
I’m certain this means Greer is gone. Sounds like the Bills offer expired or He notified the bills he is moving on to another team.
Great signing. This will create competition and allow the cream to rise to the top. If florence stinks, its only 2yrs. McGee is up after this season. Youbouty has 1 yr left i think. Leodis is looking solid so far. Corner looks to be good depth. This allows us to have options next season, and the CB play this season will make the decision for OBD next offseason.
How many years can we go without making the playoffs...eventually the odds go in your favor.........right?!?!?
Youboty is up after this year too
so we’ll have some decisions to make thats for sure
Don't forget to pay the troll toll...
This is why I don’t think Greer is completely off their radar. With 2 guys positioned to test the water next year, Greer may still be a long-term hope for them.
"Buffalo Bills Football 2009 (sponsored by Labatt): A Future as Uncertain as the Beer You’re Drinking"
"It's not delivery, it's DiGiorgio!"
by TheAfghanTwilight on Mar 3, 2009 7:51 PM EST up reply actions
I agree
We could always sign Greer and then let McGee go next year, especially if we view Greer and McGee in the same light. The cost for CB is only going to go up next year so it might be beneficial to have a crowded defensive backfield this year and move on next year.
by hilliarddavid on Mar 3, 2009 7:53 PM EST up reply actions
Florence big hit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWyYtinSsl8
Wikipedia reminded me of the playoff penalty incident against the Pats, as well as a fine for an illegal hit.
Sweet home Orchard Park.
But we need Kevin Jones!
hahahahahaha
Great plays don't make great players; great players make great plays.
I don't care how much he was fined or penalized...
I hope he gets to pop the Pats all day.
Playing Eternal Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008.
by MattRichWarren on Mar 3, 2009 8:08 PM EST up reply actions
Let's hope this flurry of activity fires up the fan base...
no more “Why haven’t we done anything yet” business. My co-worker today – we signed a back-up QB and a Cetner I’ve never heard of before. :-) I love this place.
Playing Eternal Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008.
this isnt
exactly big news. Jauron must love Florence’s potential to become a big play guy….I like our secondary….
MARVelous
Bills Off-Season Thus Far
However you want to look at it, I think the Bills have had a good off-season thus far. Some may say that we didn’t spend money to bring in the bigger names like a lot of other teams did, especially ones in our own division, but I feel as though the front office was smart. They stood firm in the fact that they weren’t going to overpay for anyone just because he was a free agent. We filled a need at C with Hangartner, backup QB with Fitzpatrick, and signed Florence to a 3mil a year contract instead of paying the good, but injury prone Greer to some ridiculous contract. If the Bills can fill one of the 3 possible needs left; 3rd RB, LB, or WR, with June, Coles, Jones or whoever it may be, I will be totally fine with the off-season thus far. We didn’t make a huge splash, but didn’t overpay for anyone. We still have the 11th pick in the draft and McKelvin turned out to have some value there. If they draft the rest of the holes that are left from free agency, namely defense as defense adapts quicker to the pro game then offense does, I like the 2009 Buffalo Bills to fly under the radar and be a solid group.
Thoughts?
I agree, we have had a SOLID offseason so far
Lets hope we can fill a couple of more holes (OLB I expect to be it) in FA, and we go from there. IF we get Waters and Coles, this would be an offseason NEVER expected by me.
If the Bills were a drug, I could only hope they were like speed so I could lose some weight as well.
I hope the suggested OLB FA can rush the passer. That would ease my DE worries a bit. It seems like that is the hardest position to solidify right now.
Sweet home Orchard Park.
Pretty decent signing. I think Florence is a quality nickel back, hopefully he won’t have to start. That’s where he doesn’t belong, but he makes our 5 and 6 DB packages better now. I like that he has size too, should be helpful going against guys like Welker, Camarillo and even Stuckey in the slot. Having starting experience is also a positive trait.
Getting Florence for a few years at $3.5M or so might be better than Greer for 4 at $7M per. Gives us some more flexibility to bring in a starting LB or G still.
Assuming some pretty significant improvement out of Leo this offseason, a CB rotation of Leo and McGee as starters, with Florence and Youboty as the 3rd/4th CB’s really gives us a nice group. Throw in a young guy with some potential in Corner, and it’s a good looking bunch. Hopefully, we won’t have to put Whitner in coverage at all this season because of the quality depth at CB, assuming they stay healthy…..
~K
"I’m Kurupt with Buffalo Rumblings. I am worth hundreds!"
Nice signing
I have to admit that with the NHL trade deadline coming, I have been out of the loop on the Bills. That being said I am pretty happy with their off-season so far. I hope they keep improving the team but like this signing a lot.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
http://www.tsn.ca/tradecentre/
don’t know what happened there
by CanadianBillsFan on Mar 4, 2009 8:09 AM EST up reply actions
no they spelled it the international way
everyone else in th world writes like that, it’s only americans that have a funky way of spelling things. drop a letter here, flip thse too there… i have trouble keeping track what language i’m writting in sometimes.
by CanadianBillsFan on Mar 4, 2009 8:52 AM EST up reply actions
lol ok
and come to think i’ve it, i don’t think i’ve ever seen centre spelled with er at the end.. ever… really
by CanadianBillsFan on Mar 4, 2009 8:58 AM EST up reply actions
was charges so high on hi like this link said ?
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/weblogs/chargers/2009/mar/02/cromartie-block/?chargers
I doubt it
If there were any truth to that, the Chargers would have offered him a long term deal for more money. The fact that he took a 2 year $7M deal with the Bills shows that the Chargers weren’t really that interested in signing, which in turn means they weren’t about to trade Cromartie if Florence returned. At least that’s how I see it.
~K
"I’m Kurupt with Buffalo Rumblings. I am worth hundreds!"
The Chargers NEVER let contract/trade/transaction info get out.
Someone was lighting a fire under Cromartie’s butt.
Once again, the Bills are faced with a competitive secondary and little pass rush. I will add that Florence is a bigger deal than Will James, so that is fine.
Proud member of the 'Outer Circle.'
Hopefully, this FO will finally admit that the pass rush is an issue and proactively go out to improve it during draft weekend….
~K
"I’m Kurupt with Buffalo Rumblings. I am worth hundreds!"
There's still a draft...
and 2 years of offseason left. Were you expecting them to break the bank for Haynesworth? Outside of him and maybe Canty there wasn’t much out there. Haynesworth was the only game changer.
Bown and RAK yes. Not sure bout Maybin. If they are gone what about trading our first round for Peppers!!!
I still want them to grab Raji.
"Buffalo Bills Football 2009 (sponsored by Labatt): A Future as Uncertain as the Beer You’re Drinking"
"It's not delivery, it's DiGiorgio!"
by TheAfghanTwilight on Mar 4, 2009 7:10 AM EST up reply actions
I would too, but I expect him to be gone by the time we pick.
Bad boys, bad boys whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do
when they come for you?
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