Bills' Re-Signings, RFA Tenders Offer Insight Into Free Agency

by Brian Galliford on Mar 3, 2011 11:30 AM EST in Buffalo Bills Opinion

On Tuesday, the Buffalo Bills made several decisions regarding their impending free agents. Clearly, the decisions to re-sign guard/tackle Mansfield Wrotto and safety George Wilson were the most significant moves made. It's what the Bills did with tender offers amidst league labor distress that is particularly interesting.

The team's decision to tender restricted free agent offers to Donte Whitner and Paul Posluszny may end up being meaningless for the two defenders, as a new CBA - whenever it is agreed to - will almost certainly make them unrestricted free agents, and the tender offers moot. What this does signify, however, is that the Bills have at least mild interest in re-signing both players.

Three more players that received tender offers - tight end Scott Chandler, wide receiver Felton Huggins and long snapper Garrison Sanborn - were all likely to be restricted no matter what the new deal looks like, so this signifies that the Bills had serious interest in bringing them back.

For a trio of 2006 draftees - John McCargo, Ashton Youboty and Keith Ellison - the fact that the team did not tender offers to the likely unrestricted free agents is mildly significant: either the Bills have no interest in bringing them back, or they don't believe they'll have much competition for those players' services on the open market. For three more players that will likely be restricted regardless - Brian Brohm, Jonathan Stupar and Quinton Ganther - the news is pretty ironclad: the Bills don't seem to have much interest in bringing them back regardless of what the new labor deal looks like.

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Brian Brohm

I really thought when we grabbed him that we stole something from Green Bay. It is pretty sad that he isn’t even a capable backup for this team. The guy has a cannon but his feet are stuck in cement.

Maybe he will do better with his third shot in the league, but it’s obvious he doesn’t fit the style of QB Gailey is looking for.

by Falls4Life on Mar 3, 2011 11:40 AM EST reply actions

Brian,

Why does the McCargo group mean there likely aren’t teams interested or the Bills aren’t interested and the Brohm group doesn’t interest the Bills, period?

by garcia76 on Mar 3, 2011 11:49 AM EST reply actions

Whitner and Posluszny were part of that group, too – restricted under last year’s CBA rules, unrestricted under “normal” rules. The fact they got tendered, and the others didn’t, is indicative of the fact that the Bills either a) simply have more interest in retaining Whit/Poz than the others, or b) believe they increase their chances of retaining their services by tendering them offers.

Editor-in-Chief, BUFFALO RUMBLINGS®
@BrianGalliford

by Brian Galliford on Mar 3, 2011 12:04 PM EST up reply actions

Ah, yes, of course, thanks

by garcia76 on Mar 3, 2011 12:15 PM EST up reply actions

There is no such thing as a stupid question, but plenty of stupid people who ask questions.

by garcia76 on Mar 3, 2011 12:16 PM EST up reply actions

WR?

Why are the Bills trying to re-sign Felton Huggins? The guy has never produced on the field. The Bills currently have at least one too many WR to make the final cut as it is in 2011. The way I see it, Lee Evans is 1, Steve Johnson 2, Roscoe Parrish 3, David Nelson 4, and then a three way tie for 5 between Donald Jones, Namaan Roosevelt and Marcus Easley. Given that Easley was drafted by Nix/Gailey last year in the 4th round, the Bills will likely keep him at five. Most teams would carry just 5 receivers on an active roster and maybe a sixth if deemed inactive. Idk, what are your thoughts?

by DynamicHero22 on Mar 3, 2011 12:21 PM EST reply actions

Felton Huggins is a guy that made a lot of plays over the summer last year, and Chan Gailey really liked him. It’s just a depth thing, giving him one more shot. He’s got some talent. Not sure why that’s a big deal.

Editor-in-Chief, BUFFALO RUMBLINGS®
@BrianGalliford

by Brian Galliford on Mar 3, 2011 12:53 PM EST up reply actions

Plus you need more than 7 WR's for camp anyhow

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Mar 3, 2011 1:09 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Excellent Post

This is exactly Bills WR situation but believe me, consider Felton Huggins as our next biggest surprise. He’s extremely talented and I like his speed, hands, elusiveness and especially his last extra step. Just watch what he’s got:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4050323916794000634#

by takadata on Mar 4, 2011 1:27 AM EST up reply actions

Stupar? Really?

I find it hard to believe that Stupar wouldn’t be wanted on this team given that he’s been pretty much our only standout TE despite the injuries. Not to mention that our TE crew is painfully lacking in depth.

by Khegobier on Mar 3, 2011 12:24 PM EST reply actions

It hasn't been spoke of much but,

IMO the Chix crew is high on the two TE’s they picked up late last year. Chandler being one of them.

YOU ARE OUT of you kuku fufu mine craker laker Flaber baber FUNKI chunki brain. WE want to winn every year -- abayarde

by VanScottM on Mar 3, 2011 12:42 PM EST up reply actions

TE, RT, and ILB are the three positions that we have been trying to find veteran help for a long time

without having to commit to high draft choices and/or even develop rookies over the course of time. Stupar was our starting TE much of the season last year because he knew the position well and wasn’t injured… however, he was no threat in the passing game and was only marginal in running game. David Martin was the opposite. Scott Chandler has the ability to be both types of TE’s for you. There is a huge question mark whether or not Shawne Nelson can be a TE on this team or in this league. I think most of us as fans believe he should be able to do it, but hasn’t yet for many reasons and Gailey/Whaley/Nix might be looking at other options. I don’t believe drafting one very high is that option either.

by dabillsr1 on Mar 3, 2011 1:22 PM EST up reply actions

McCargo, Youboty, Ellison

Thanks for all your help… you had your chances and filled in admirably when called upon. Tough to stand out and look good on bad defenses… but you were not “difference makers” enough to keep around.

by dabillsr1 on Mar 3, 2011 1:25 PM EST reply actions

I kinda hope we re-sign Youboty at the minimum for depth. We will probably need him and he is a veteran now familiar with the system.
I know he is not a starter. Sign him for depth.

"Adversity is an opportunity for heroism." Marv Levy.

by SERGEANT MAJOR THOR on Mar 3, 2011 7:17 PM EST up reply actions

Wrotto

The Wrotto signing/extension is mildly surprising to me because once he lost his starting RT job to Pears at the end of the year… I assumed this guy was not the answer nor good enough for depth. The coaches obviously believe he can be a good depth player because he can fill in for several positions at guard or tackle. I wonder where Wrotto is compared to Wang and Urbik on the depth chart (knowing that they are probably not starters) and who would get to dress or be inactive on game day if both make the team?

by dabillsr1 on Mar 3, 2011 1:29 PM EST reply actions

Yeah, I’d say Wrotto is going to fill a position very similar to Kirk Chambers. He’s a decent backup at both guard and tackle positions, which is great for active roster management.

by Krenn on Mar 3, 2011 1:55 PM EST up reply actions

The Bills have a lot of guard depth, but their only true “swing” depth – guys that can play guard and tackle – is Wang. And that’s shaky, at best. As a depth signing, Wrotto makes a ton of sense.

Editor-in-Chief, BUFFALO RUMBLINGS®
@BrianGalliford

by Brian Galliford on Mar 3, 2011 1:58 PM EST up reply actions