Ive been following the Bills for years, and despite the current negotiations with Johnson, I genuinely think that Buddy Nix is prepared to spend Buffalos large cap space this offseason. I say this because over the past 2 seasons he has been locking up a lot of our best players for longer term deals(See Fitz, Kelsay and Williams. Pozluzny had injury issues and Evans wasnt producing. Im almost OK with both of those) But I know that he isnt going to go crazy on anybody. So saying all that, here is my thoughts on Buffalos offseason and the roster

QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick

FB: Corey Mcintyre

HB: Fred Jackson NOTE: Jackson will get his deal but dont expect anything over a 2 year extension worth mid range money. Jackson is over 30 and HBs hit a cliff around 30. There are a lot of HOF backs that were 1 or 2 downders before they hit 32(See Jamal Lewis, LT, Jerome Bettis)

LT: Demetrius Bell / Chirs Hairston NOTE: Im really on the fence about this one right now. Bell has been steadily improving as an OT, however Hairston showed that he has the potential of being excellent in his playing time

G: Andy Levitre

C:Eric Wood

G: Craig Urbik/ Chad Rhinehart

RT: Erik Pears

TE: Scott Chandler NOTE: Again, even if he makes it to FA, I doubt he makes much money on the open market. I think the team will bring him back on a medium contract

WR: Steve Johnson, Donald Jones, David Nelson, Marques Colston, Marcus Easley, Derek Hagan, Brad Smith NOTES: I dont care what the media is saying, Stevie Johnson will get resigned. The 2 parties are meeting at the combine and I expect significant progress out of that. Now, at the same time I can see the Bills picking up another possession WR and Colston fits the bill. We need a speed receiver, and I see Marcus Easley getting playing time in that role with Brad Smith should he stay healthy(which reports say he is) At the same time, I doubt that Parrish returns. Hes not a great route runner, his speed is dropping off and hes undersized.v Something that might happen though, is if Dwayne Bowe manages to hit the open market, hed probably be very open to Buffalo. Hes career high numbers came when Gaily was his OC and there is a very similar system in place hereAnother really crazy scenario I can see is the return of Lee Evans. The Ravens probably dont want his$1 million bonus, especially if hes going to be a slot receiver on the team(They might not be over the championship game yet either) He could very well be back in Buffalo in which case either Easley or Hagan are out.

EDIT: I also hadnt realized that Pierre Garcon was a free agent and would be an excellent addition to the WR corps, particularly with his speed down the sideline. Hes very underrated and could come cheaper than other WR options

DE: Quinton Couples NOTE: This is the only draft pick Im going to predict, because after pick 15 or so, youre just guessing. I think the Bills pick up a DE here and Im thinking Couples. If Im wrong, and we dont pick up a DE, then I can see Spencer Johnson or Shawne Merriman starting here, and I dont like either

DTs: Kyle Williams & Marcel Dareus

DE: Chris Kelsay

SLB: Kirk Morrisson/ Arthur Moats NOTE: I can see the Bills resigning Morrisson to take this role. Hes more of a 4-3 backer and was a consistent producer until last year. Moats is another good candidate

MLB: Kelvin Shepphard

OLB: Nick Barnett

CB: Brent Grimes/Aaron Williams/Drayton Florence/Leodis Mckelvin/Reggie Corner NOTE: I can easily the Bills picking up a CB in FA despite Routt going to KC. A person like Grimes(should he get out of Atlanta) would be an excellent addition to the team. There are a lot of CBs out there, and while I dont see Carr coming to Buffalo, someone like Finnegan or Ross could easily fill the space Grimes holds now on my list. Of course, if we sign a corner, another will be let go and its most likely Mcgee. Hes aging and has injury issues. He can still play in the slot, but his contract is for more than a slot corner is worth. Hes a cap casualty. Another thing you will notice is that Williams has jumped Florence on the depth chart. I loved what Williams did in a short season and he can be an elite corner with another year in the pros. In reality, hes the slot this year, but im in charge of this post and I say hes the #2!

SS: George Wilson

FS: Jairus Byrd

As a side note I see contracts coming for Jairus Byrd, Andy Levitre and Fred Jackson before week 6 next season as we use up any extra cap and try to lock up the teams future going into 2013