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- [00:01]
A
As free agency approaches, are the Bills ready to make a big splash? Colt Beasley's looking for a trade. What's the chances he's back, plus stay or go on defense? And will the Bills have a choice? And when is it time for Brandon Bean to start signing some extensions? All that's coming up on this week's edition of the Buffalo plus podcast.
- [00:26]
B
Welcome back to the Buffalo plus channel, presented by Buffalo Plus. All right, Mike Catalana, Dan Fates, I'm Jenna Cottrell. Before we start and break everything down, please be sure to like, comment, and most importantly, subscribe to the Buffalo plus channel. All right, free agency coming up in the NFL. There's reports out there that the Pugulos are expecting to make a big splash coming up. Mike, what do you think that is? What do you think that can mean for the Bills?
- [00:48]
A
Look, they're going to get the money for the stadium. That's going to happen. So with all that cash coming from the state eventually and Erie county, maybe they just want to show everybody they're going to put the money that they have into the team. I mean, you know, they've spent a lot, they spent a lot on Josh Allen, they're spending on the coaches, the gm, all that stuff. But a splash meaning, like, would you go out there and say, you know, we'll, we'll not say go over the cap. You got to work the cap, but put the cash out there. That's a little bit of the Jerry Jones method where you spend now and you worry about it later. Now, I know Brandon Bean doesn't want to do that, and I know there's ways around that, but I think the idea of a splash, the idea of something to show, you know, maybe it's to show the fans, but Dan, I think it might be to show the league that the Bills aren't going to just sort of continue the path and go that way and maybe make some sort of a move. Not an all in move, but a move that shows they're ready to take another step next year.
- [01:50]
C
Yeah, it's interesting when this report from Dan Graziano from ESPN came out because it completely contradicts what Brandon Bean said at his end of the year press conference where he said, don't expect us to be, quote, big spenders in free agency. And then when I'm at the NFL combine. Yeah, like you had Brandon Bean talking about how he goes, you know, there are ways to, to move money around. And he goes, a lot of, a lot of that had to happen because of COVID and The salary cap and they restructured. And he goes, but when you're doing that, he goes, you're just kicking the can down the road. Like, he goes, you're gonna have to pay for it eventually. And he goes, I've never been a guy that has credit card debt. He goes, that's not how I operate. And he's sitting there and like I said, this was probably two days before this report comes out that he will not mortgage the future just for one to two years. And he goes, I'm not going to be doing all these things. And he goes, and then in. In five years, you're asking me, hey, Brandon, you're $95 million over the cap. Are you going to cut everybody but Josh Allen?
- [02:46]
A
Yeah. Jenna, before you get to your point on it, I was going to say there's ways to do this that aren't necessarily spending right now and putting you over the cap. The Stefan Diggs trade is a good example. You gave up assets, you made a big splash, and you didn't really have to do anything with him money wise. You reworked it last year and we'll talk about an extension now. You can make those kind of deals where right now, or maybe for two years, a guy is on a very workable cap number, but it's a big type player that comes into the mix.
- [03:20]
B
Oh, sorry, Dan. I thought you were going to add something there.
- [03:23]
C
No, I was gonna let you go.
- [03:24]
B
Okay. My thing is, I feel like it's a little bit of recency bias in terms of seeing the Rams win the super bowl, talking about going all in and not saying the Bills are going to do that. But I think there's this kind of trend now of teams being like, what's, let's do this. It worked out for the Rams. Like, maybe this is the way to do it. Maybe this is the next blueprint in the NFL. It's a copycat league, like, of this stuff. And I think too, it's also the pulas wanting to say, like, hey, we want to spend money. We want to make this team really good. I think, too, a part of it is like, the AFC just got so good. Like, if I'm Brandon bean and Sean McDermott, I'm like, Damn. Because the level gets that much harder every year. It seems like with all the quarterbacks and now Russell Wilson going to be in the mix, I think you kind of have to keep up with the Joneses and you have the talent around this team in Josh Allen that can obviously elevate players. But at the same Point, you need to have the pieces that are kind of that unstoppable force that you need. Like, you need Stefan Diggs and guys like that. Because everyone in the afc, you know, it's going to be a bloodbath to get to. To the championship and beyond.
- [04:30]
C
Yeah. And I'm not trying to hear to. I don't want this next comment to seem like I'm bashing the Pagoles or anything like that, but a lot of times when these reports come out, you always have to take one second and realize, like, where's this report coming from? This is also a pretty good PR move by the Bills or by the Pulas. I mean, for them to say, well, we're gonna spend. Oh, we're gonna be in on it. And then if a guy goes, they go, well, we were in, but, you know, we just weren't in at that level. It was like, when it was. Whether it was a J.J. watt, it was like, well, we were in on him. And like, that got fans excited or got the fans talking about it. Last off season, it didn't end up working out, but you could still say, hey, we were, we were in there. We weren't just sitting back doing nothing. Like, like. So I, I think there's part of that, of the Pulas being like, oh, we're gonna, we're gonna, we're gonna do it. And then Bean's like, I'm the money guy. I'm eventually gonna have to work this, and I'm the one that has to get in front of the media because I do that a lot and you guys don't. And I'm not gonna sit here and be questioned by why we're $96 million over the cap or, you know, a hypothetical.
- [05:27]
A
Yeah, yeah.
- [05:28]
B
I feel like that's always the case where you're like, yeah, of course we want to spend big, of course we want to do it up big. But you're like, oh, I have this much money and it's going to cost this much. Like, maybe that won't be the move. Okay, here's the thing. I trust Brandon Bean and his ability to work contracts and to bring in talented players and all the things that go into that. To think that this team is obviously headed in the right direction. Will they make the splash? We're expecting, like, a top tier household type of name. I don't really see that happening. But at the same point, Mike, there's players that I know you've thought of this week that could definitely end up being in Buffalo just Because of what's available.
- [06:04]
C
Yeah.
- [06:04]
A
Look what I said it. When Russell Wilson left Seattle and you know, then they cut Bobby Wagner. You make that move, you know, DK Metcalf and. Yes, you, you could argue that. Well, if you're not going to have, you know, Beasley and you, you need some. Look, you start rolling out Gabe Davis, DK Metcalf and, and Stefan Diggs.
- [06:30]
B
Yeah.
- [06:30]
A
With Josh Allen, you will make it work. I mean, I understand, you know, guys like, they like to play on the outside and there's things you can do, but you would certainly make that work. The reason I brought that up is what are you giving to Seattle? If you were to just saying, make that deal. You're given draft picks, maybe a younger player. I'm not exactly sure what it would be. Probably draft picks. That's when you're also, you know, doing that because he still has a year left on a deal. But maybe then you renegotiate. You push that can down the road. But then you start looking at age in comparison to your, you know, your number one guy, which is Stefon Diggs. And Diggs is how old now? Diggs is?
- [07:09]
B
Diggs is 28.
- [07:11]
A
28.
- [07:12]
B
Going to be 28.
- [07:13]
A
Okay, so you're, you're spreading out the, the ages a little bit. And you'd have Gabe Davis and Metcalf.
- [07:19]
B
Yeah, Metcalf. 24.
- [07:20]
A
Yeah. 24 years old. I'm just bringing up that name. Some people have brought up Tyler Lockett, older. That's more of an Emmanuel Sanders type move, wouldn't you say, Dan?
- [07:30]
C
Much more upside. Yeah, much more upside. Again, I think with, with, with the offense and the, the lack of protection around Russell Wilson, like lock, it's a deep ball threat.
- [07:42]
A
Yeah.
- [07:42]
C
I think we've all seen the highlights of the moon balls that, you know, Russell Wilson throws and lands and in lock its hands, I think he's got more upside. But no, I, I see what you're saying. Like that faction, those are the ones I think this year, because Josh's money kicks in next year. I think this is the year where you can maybe get a little bit more creative and, and then almost per se, kick the cane down the road to next year when, when you really have to make some nitty gritty decisions. And there will be times under Josh Allen, like you look at what New England did, they had like two or three rebuilds under Brady.
- [08:20]
B
Yeah.
- [08:20]
C
And like, so to sit here and be like, well, you got to keep the core together now what Seattle is doing is a full Gut rebuild.
- [08:26]
B
Yes.
- [08:27]
C
But you can retool while changing your identity a little bit. Like the Chiefs had to retool their whole entire offensive line. Like you can, you can move some pieces around like that. Can I throw one out there? That I think would be very interesting. What about Saquon Barkley?
- [08:45]
A
I don't like it.
- [08:45]
B
Interesting.
- [08:46]
C
And I would think, look, I think the Giants need to dump some cash. They're, they're, they're strapped with the salary cap. The Bills could take on running back.
- [08:55]
B
Wow.
- [08:55]
C
The Bills could take a little bit. It's his last year of his deal. You're pretty much. You got Joe Shane, you got Brandon Bean. Maybe they could work something together to say, hey, listen, for this year, let's try and see if Barkley can be a piece of. I don't know, like they. We know they want to improve their running game. We just know they want to do it. They haven't been happy with it going back to when they wanted to possibly go and get Travis etn.
- [09:20]
A
Yeah. The history is just not there because say you make a deal, what are you giving up again? What are you giving up for Barkley?
- [09:28]
C
Even if you're eating cap. I think you're eating cap.
- [09:32]
A
Yeah, you are. But then what's the. What's the play? It's a one year play on him.
- [09:39]
B
Contract.
- [09:39]
A
It's a running back who's had trouble staying on the field. He's not looked the same since his injury. Again. That doesn't mean that have a great.
- [09:47]
C
Medical staff, that great facility that apparently everybody seems to stay healthy in. It's one of those interesting things, you know, Cole Beasley, does he want to go and does Brian Dable speaks very highly. Beasley's getting 6 million. You know that we've said that. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense for Beasley to make 6 million. They can cut him and save about 5.1 million.
- [10:06]
B
Yeah.
- [10:07]
C
Is it. Is it Beasley for Barkley and the Bills have to throw in some picks and eat some cash. I don't know.
- [10:13]
A
Right. The reason you're not trading Beasley, because then you're trading that contract. I think they're gonna. I mean, I shouldn't say it that way. That can happen. Somebody redo it. I don't think they're making a deal for Beasley in that way. They could. How about this? I'll just throw something minor out there. How about you sign Bobby Wagner and trade Tremaine Edmonds? Yeah.
- [10:31]
C
There you go. There's a little. Just A little cat.
- [10:34]
A
How's that? What do you think, Jenna? You like that move?
- [10:37]
B
Well, I mean, what'd you say, Dan?
- [10:42]
C
I hope all of these get clipped for when we're wrong.
- [10:46]
B
I mean, Jermaine Edmonds is young. He's only 24 years old.
- [10:49]
A
Yeah, true. Bobby Wagner's in his 30s, but, man, that guy can play.
- [10:54]
B
I will say, it is always like this time of year where you're like, so I was away. I was on vacation. I. I was not looking for a cable. This is still at a commission.
- [11:05]
A
Oh, you promised everybody.
- [11:08]
B
I didn't say when.
- [11:10]
A
Okay.
- [11:11]
B
But I just. I wouldn't look at my phone often, but I felt like every day I was like, oh, my God. Like, it was like news after news after news. And it's like this time of year, obviously, with free agency now approaching, where you're like, things just get weird in the NFL.
- [11:25]
C
It was Ridley, Rogers, Russ was all. And then Wentz, all within this. This past week of recording. And at the same time we're recording this, some behind the curtain. Syracuse is up 7. Somehow against Duke without Buddy behind.
- [11:39]
B
I don't.
- [11:39]
C
That's on the TV behind me, but we'll just let that go.
- [11:42]
B
I was watching that game and I actually turned it off in the beginning. Like, I know how this is going to go.
- [11:47]
A
Q Scrag. Look at you.
- [11:49]
C
They're up 8.
- [11:50]
A
This is insane.
- [11:53]
B
I'm not going to watch because turning it off was working. So we're going to do. Right. Let's talk about some more players. Oh, also the Cole Beasley happening and then John Feliciano being really well.
- [12:03]
A
Beasley. Beasley happening. Dan mentioned it. Beasley happening. I mean, he's out looking for a trade is what, you know, what they're saying is, yeah, I don't know how you guys feel about it. I look and say, you know, you've already said to him, we're not paying you this. We want you to come back from less. Now, if he was willing to take less, would he have just done that and stayed? I got the feeling is there may not be a deal out there and eventually the Bills release them. There's also teams that are going to sit around and wait for the Bills to cut them if they're going to sign him.
- [12:36]
B
So makes sense.
- [12:37]
A
It's my belief that he's not on the roster as of next week.
- [12:41]
C
Mike, I thought you had a great tweet that you said, like, how this usually works. Player gets upset.
- [12:45]
A
Yep.
- [12:45]
C
Has to be traded. The team says, we got other things going on if you want to look and let us know, feel free. And then when there's nothing done, they go, hey, we're all good. You're released. And now you can go sign with whoever you want at a. With a different deal.
- [13:00]
A
Unless you're, unless you're Zach Ertz and the Eagles where they did all that and then they kept him all year and he played and then they traded him. But that's. That was a team in a rebuild. It was a little different than Mike's.
- [13:12]
C
Still thinking about Zachary.
- [13:13]
B
I was literally just thinking about that.
- [13:15]
A
Love Zach Ertz.
- [13:16]
B
Gotta get Zach Ertz into this spot podcast somehow. All right, do you want to talk stay or go, or do we want to do extensions? How we feeling?
- [13:25]
A
Well, let's go to extensions since we're, we're going in that direction.
- [13:29]
B
All right, so some of the guys names that popped up, Charmaine Edmonds, we've talked about him, 24 years old, free agent in 2023. Obviously he was in the first round draft. Josh Allen was as well. Salary is 12.7 million this upcoming year. Market value is $13.8 million a year in terms of salary, spot track, expecting a 4 year, $55 million ish around their type of deal. Mike, what do you make of that?
- [13:58]
A
I wouldn't do it. I. I wouldn't do it. And you know what? I got to tell you, this draft, again, it's hard to say about a rookie. This draft is loaded with linebackers, and linebackers don't have value to a lot of teams. But boy, you get a guy relatively, you know, just take that Georgia team. I mean, there are guys that you could bring in. And again, I understand that Jermaine Edmonds has time there, but I look at it this way. If they really believed in him, really did, and you're. He is young, physically, he's a young guy. He's still, you know, what you say he's going to be 24, is 24. But do we not have enough evidence that I give the guy credit? He stays on the field, he plays all the time. We've got a lot of evidence as to who he is. That's not going to change when you just now pay him $13 million a year. Unless they figure they could also look at it this way and say, let's see how he plays. Let's see where we are and then we'll make a decision at the end of the year, maybe he gets big money on the open market. I don't know. At the end of the year, Dan. I don't see a lot of teams paying a fortune for linebackers anyhow.
- [15:06]
C
No, that's why it's funny. When you get to this part of that rookie contract, I feel like you've already said what.
- [15:14]
A
Yeah, it's.
- [15:15]
C
Your actions have already shown what you think.
- [15:18]
B
Yeah.
- [15:18]
C
Because Mike, like you said, you wait. Okay, so if he has a great season now, you're gonna have to overpay for him or somebody else is gonna overpay for him and if he has a bad year, you're going, well, we're just gonna move on. Like, like there's. I, I just don't see a, a scenario where Tremaine Edmonds comes back because like you said, he plays well. Somebody's going to go, man, a 25 year old middle linebacker that we've been dying to get. If we get him here or there, you know, we, we can really take our defense up another level and the Bills will be like, yep, that's fine. And if he stinks and everybody continues to be all over him for being young and all these things, then they move on. So again, they got Josh's deal done, they get all these other ones deals, these other deals done. They don't seem in any rush to get Tremaine Edmonds deal done. And I think that speaks volumes.
- [16:08]
B
I feel like it's a really interesting case study because with Tremaine coming out the same time that Josh Allen was drafted, like they tried to paint them as one, the captain of the offense won. The captain of the defense, like one. The quarterback of the defense as well. Like Tremaine Edmonds has been a guy that's done all the things. Like I feel like he does the off season work that's asked of him. He's a quieter guy, but he's a leader on the field that, all of those things. But it's like you still haven't seen the results you've wanted to see. So how do they approach that? Because that also sends a message in the locker room too, I would imagine, because, and Mike, you made the point last year with Matt Milano. Like you usually only pay one linebacker and obviously the Bills gave Milano a lot of money. I just, I'm curious to see how it does play out because I feel like he's a guy that's been, they've kind of pushed him to be in the spotlight so much and now it's like, what do they, what do they do with him? Because they've had him be an integral part of this team and the fabric of this team and on the posters and all of that. And it's like, that's kind of. It's a little awkward, if I'm being honest.
- [17:19]
A
Well, they've. They've wanted to make it work very badly. They've wanted him to be that guy. And, you know, the thing about him is it's not that he is a bad football player. It's not that you look and go, get this guy off the field. And it's not like I believe there's anybody there, you know, whether it's Tyrell Dodson or anybody else that's going to just jump in or, you know, they did release AJ Klein. It's not like they've got somebody on the roster. They're like, oh, yeah, we'll be fine with this guy. But now we're talking about a commitment here. Now we're talking about, are you going to pay him to stay? The only reason I said about a trade was because if they sort of had made up their mind, they'd have to have a real plan B in place because obviously there's nobody on the roster. But the idea of that, with multiple other moves, freeing up some space, going cheaper at that position, thinking you can get close to that. It's funny, like you said, I don't think the guy is disappointing in any way other than he's plateaued as a player. Do you know what I mean? Like, I don't think, like, he could be if he was really that guy. This is the year where the guy says, look, I'm not coming into camp to play this last year.
- [18:25]
C
Yes.
- [18:25]
A
Yeah, he's. I don't think that's his personality, but also that's what an agent would tell him to do.
- [18:31]
C
Like, well, here's. Here's the other thing, too, that. That I'll throw out there, and something I just thought of, you had Brandon Bean saying, it's important in these drafts not to overvalue somebody and take them ahead of where they should be, because then they come in with this, and it's unfair to them. Expectations. Tremaine Edmonds has come in with the 16th overall pick. Expectations. The Bills moved up to get him, and they said, well, I can't believe this guy's here. We got to go up and get him. And it's kind of blown up in their face. You get Edmonds in the second round, you're going, man, this was a great pick. All these things, it hasn't worked out that way. And to your point, I think we talked about this when it was Milano that linebackers in contracts are kind of like running backs. You kind of scoop up a couple on a two or a three year deal, you hope they play for a couple years and then you move on out. The Bills have. And we'll get to those, you know, as we approach more free agency and even on this podcast. But the fact of they have a lot of questions to answer specifically in the front seven, and this could be one of those years where they start to change the tires. Look, you know, you're gonna have player and Hyde, but they have four defensive ends and two defensive tackles that are free agents.
- [19:43]
A
Yeah.
- [19:44]
C
Like, that's a big change.
- [19:46]
B
Yeah.
- [19:47]
C
And so if you want to start making moves or you're at least one, you know, one year down the road, like Brandon Bean says he likes to do where you're drafting for things you don't necessarily need right now, but you could use in the future, like what he said with Gabriel Davis and a wide receiver. You take a linebacker or two in this draft and say, hey, listen, that's Jen.
- [20:06]
A
I was going to say that's a really good point Dan made because as a general manager, while we, we think in terms of the windows now and you play. Yes, he can make moves. It doesn't mean all 53 guys on the roster are made for this. Yeah, right. You, you, you know, look, at some point they're drafting a safety. Right. It doesn't mean that guy is coming in to replace Jordan Poyer.
- [20:31]
B
Yeah.
- [20:32]
A
But at some point there are Micah Hyde. At some point they're doing that. And you want to do that a year earlier.
- [20:38]
B
Yeah.
- [20:39]
A
Because you want the guy. You don't necessarily, when you're this type of team too, when you're a really good team, because you're saying to yourself, all right, you know, this isn't going to last forever. I don't know. I, you know, Bean tells us some Dan, you talk to him at Combine, he tells you some stuff, doesn't tell you everything. But I would be dying to know what he really thinks about Tremaine Edmunds. Now, they may sit there and go, look at all he does for us. It's invaluable to our defense. I don't know, maybe they say that. I don't see it. And I think he's replaceable. Certainly at the high number, he's replaceable.
- [21:16]
B
I think he's certainly replaceable, but I think with the changes that Dan mentioned, maybe you want someone that, you know, can operate in the defense. Huh?
- [21:30]
C
Rip the band aid Off, Jenna.
- [21:32]
B
Okay, I'm just. I'm just playing devil's advocate here. Like, maybe you do want someone that, you know, can play to a certain. The thing is, like, I don't think Tremaine Edmond, like you said, he's not a bad football player. I just think when you look at, like, those standout plays, you. You kind of are like, oh, there's not really a lot of those. Like, there's not really high impact plays. You're like, wow, Tremaine Edmonds was fantastic. And maybe it's also because he was a first round pick and you're judging him based on those expectations, but.
- [22:02]
A
Yeah, but. Okay, you say that. All right, go ahead. Name the play he's made.
- [22:09]
B
No, I know. I literally asked you to guys to do that.
- [22:11]
A
I always say every time this comes up, I go, I know. He had a safety in one.
- [22:14]
C
Cleveland.
- [22:15]
B
Yeah, Cleveland.
- [22:16]
A
Okay.
- [22:17]
B
That was 2019.
- [22:19]
C
Hey, great in the huddle.
- [22:21]
A
We'll always have Cleveland. He was.
- [22:23]
C
He's great in the huddle.
- [22:25]
B
The Bills lost that game.
- [22:26]
C
Yeah. What do they always call it? The execution? The operation. He's great in the operation in the huddle. Yeah, that's what. That's when you know it's the most backhanded compliment possible. Yeah, I just say something that's great about him. Not his instincts, not his speed, not his play. You're like, he knows how to call the play in the huddle like nobody's business.
- [22:48]
B
I feel like it's like when you have a friend that's just kind of around. You know what I mean? Who are you talking about?
- [22:56]
A
We want names. Who's this person you're talking about?
- [22:59]
B
No, but, like, you know what I'm talking about. Yeah, that person's just, like, around, and you're having, like a dinner party and there's only a certain amount of seats, and you're like, well, do we invite them? I don't know.
- [23:09]
A
And you're the one. You're the mean girl that says don't invite them, aren't you?
- [23:13]
B
Yeah, I am.
- [23:16]
A
Okay.
- [23:16]
C
More first, Regena.
- [23:17]
A
If somebody's listening to this, they may think this is like a bashing. Edmonds. And it kind of has been a little bit. I'm talking about where he stands now with a team where you're looking with cap issues and trying to, you know, move your money and deadline spur actions. Right. Andrew Brandt's line says it all the time. Deadlines coming up next year, and it is. Right. And so you got to say, is he part of the Long term future and I mean that's for the next three to five years. Is it?
- [23:47]
C
And at what price?
- [23:48]
A
And at what price? Which is the biggest part of it?
- [23:50]
B
Again, spot track four year, expecting a four year, around $55 million deal.
- [23:54]
A
I'll change the topic very briefly on him. If he was a free agent now, what would they be doing?
- [24:05]
C
Drafting a linebacker?
- [24:06]
A
Yeah, I think they'd be signing a veteran, drafting another one and letting him walk. I, that's my opinion. If he was, if his contract was ending right now, yeah, that's what they would be doing.
- [24:17]
B
I think that's a fair assessment. Okay, other guys, Dawson, Knox switching to the offense, 26 years old, coming off a career year free agent next season, salary this season, two and a half million. Market value 8.3 million a year. Spottrack has it around a three year, 25 million dollar deal.
- [24:38]
C
I'd like to see a little bit more. I guess maybe, I guess that's where I'm at. I don't know where, where Dawson is on, on extensions mid season, but maybe that'd be something. I don't know. Bean I know doesn't like to do a ton of this stuff, but I would just like to see a little bit more. I guess that's where I'm at. It's crazy to think that, you know, you talk about why first round picks and all these picks are so important, like these contracts from players come up so, so quickly and some of these guys have had with the pandemic, have not really had training camps or mini camps like this is. He is right in that boat of a tricky one to figure out coming off a career year. But you're wondering is, is that a.
- [25:19]
B
Flash in the pan?
- [25:20]
C
A little bit?
- [25:21]
B
Yeah, I don't, I don't think it is. But he had a great season last year. But I think there was more to be desired. Yet still, still, I think that's fair.
- [25:31]
A
I think you're right and I would say that he's a guy that they probably feel like they're going to, they probably want to, they know he'd want to stay. I mean obviously we can all tell he and Allen are pretty tight. You're not going to ever pay crazy money for a tight end. I was looking at the franchise tag numbers. The only two positions that were under double, you know, double digits under 10 million were tight end and running back. So you're never really like huge numbers that you're paying. So I think Dan's point maybe is a good one. Maybe it Is comes into this year. I mean look, he doesn't have any right to stand there and go, I like, I demand this. Yeah, he's Dawson Knox. Like he had one good year but I think they like a lot and I think he's trending in the right direction and I think maybe that is a mid season move.
- [26:16]
B
Yeah, yeah, I could, I could see that. I'd be curious how Bean would handle that because that is midseason deals are obviously tricky because.
- [26:25]
A
Yeah, but I mean that's, you know, you put it in the hands of the agents, they all want to get it done. It works cap wise for them. They push it off into, you know, into the next year. They see a little bit from them. So yeah, yeah, I think they can get that done.
- [26:38]
B
All right, Stefan Diggs, 28 years old, he's not a free agent until 2024. Salary this year, 12.5 million. Market value 22.1 million a year. Yep. Spot track estimates a four year, 88 million dollar.
- [26:53]
C
Yeah, the bills, remember I kept saying guys, that's why you signed Josh Allen, like get it done before somebody else gets paid. And if Aaron Rodgers deal is what Ian Rapaport is reporting, which Roger says isn't true, but four years, 2200 mil, $200 million. Josh's deal looks like an absolute steal. I mean it is comical think that like Josh's biggest year is like 34 million or something like that. His big year, which is just comical to think that Rogers is 50. This is Stefan Diggs. The Chargers just signed Mike Williams to a three year 60 million dollar deal. So that just bumped up Stefan Diggs. Like you said, the market value is now 22 million because he's got to say I'm better than Mike Williams, arguably the best wide receiver in the game. And so the price of Stefan Diggs just went up and they restructured his contract. They've got it, they've got, they, they made signing bonus money. He got cash in his pocket to restructure during COVID They need to get this done because his cap hit goes way up next year, I believe.
- [27:55]
B
Jenna, let me check.
- [27:57]
A
I think it's. Yeah, you know, it's interesting with a guy like Diggs because they didn't pay a signing bonus with him. First of all, he was a fifth round pick so he never really got one with Minnesota. So they just took on a salary. I got the feeling when they reworked that deal, it was setting it up to get reworked again this year. But at some point we're going to see A restructured deal.
- [28:18]
B
His cap hit this year is almost 18 million.
- [28:20]
C
Yeah.
- [28:21]
A
You're going to pay him. You're going to.
- [28:22]
B
You're going to restructure 18 million.
- [28:24]
C
Yeah, you got to rework that.
- [28:26]
A
And I think it's going to happen. I think that's going to happen before free agency starts. You almost have to. You can't agree with that on the books with 18 million. I figure right now they have to clear about another $20 million of.
- [28:40]
C
Yep. They want to get 25 to work with. 25. 26ish million.
- [28:44]
A
Okay. So that would maybe be a little. Because I think they're what, 2 million under something. Ye. But you got to sign your draft picks and you know that you still have a little time on, but you got to get under if you're going to start. Because you can't make these deals and officially sign guys unless you have the cap room starting on the 16th. So. Yeah, I think the digs thing. I think at any point, in fact, you know, it could be today. Like, at any point, they're going to. You're going to see a rework deal for Diggs because he's still in his prime. He's Josh's number one target, and you're not taking that away from him. Yeah.
- [29:15]
B
I mean, he's. He's been fantastic in Buffalo and he's been fun to watch. All right, stay or go. Let's talk about the defense a little bit. There's a lot. There's a lot of players for a.
- [29:27]
C
Number one ranked overall defense. There are so many question marks.
- [29:32]
A
Yeah.
- [29:32]
B
That's why I'm saying with Tremaine, like, maybe you do want that stability because there's so many question marks.
- [29:38]
C
You just want to keep inviting that friend over for dinner when, like, they're sitting at the folding table, like, you're like, oh, like, you're like, scooch over. Can you guys all scooch in? So we all have room for. For so and so to show up.
- [29:49]
B
Yeah. But maybe the free agent you thought was gonna come in wasn't. Maybe they have other plans that Bean's.
- [29:55]
C
Got a bunch of plans.
- [29:57]
B
I'm just saying.
- [29:58]
A
Well, the other thing we have to keep in mind, too, is the Bills have now become one of those teams where a guy would look at it. Like I mentioned Bobby Wagner. Okay. Because he just got cut by Seattle, you know, Would you want to play for the Bills? You're darn right you would right now, because that's people believe. Yeah. Well, I was trying to clean it up for you, you know, because there's, there's a team that can win. So I do believe there are veterans out there that you can get that would want to play in Buffalo.
- [30:29]
C
Agreed.
- [30:29]
B
For sure. Yeah, I don't think. All right, veteran veterans. All right, let's talk about, let's talk about Jerry Hughes. Okay. 34 years old, been with Buffalo since 2013. Market value contract expected to be around $3.3 million. Maybe a two year deal, 6.6 million. Mike, maybe I start with Dan. Yeah, go ahead, Dan. What did the Bills do? Because this is a guy that's been huge for. Longest 10 year bill, longest tenure bill. He helped McDermott and Bean kind of be the, the new guys in town. He helped them get acclimated, bought into the process, has been a part of the team.
- [31:18]
C
Yep.
- [31:19]
B
Gonna be 34. Like what, what do they do, you think?
- [31:23]
C
Well, somebody's asking me the other day, like, what do I think the Bills need to, to get over the hump. And to me it's, it's something that Bean has been chasing for the last three years. You need that pass rusher. You need somebody whether, I guess it could be Rousseau and you could have guys grow into that role. But when you, when you get ready to face a team and you guys say, we can't let this guy beat us, the Bills have had nobody in that realm of saying when opponents go to, you know, look at the tape or their game plan against the Bills, nowhere do they say, oh, we can't let Bill, this guy beat us. And that's where, I don't know, can that $3 million be better spent on finding a, a pass rusher? Is that Aus Campbell? Is that one of the bigger name tickets? Is that go to Chandler Jones? I don't know. Those are, those are the questions where it's that risk, reward. Look, Jerry Hughes has meant so much to the Bills.
- [32:17]
B
Yeah.
- [32:18]
C
You know, he's longest 10 year Bills player has kind of been that de facto leader since Kyle left.
- [32:27]
B
Yeah.
- [32:27]
C
And it's kind of been that glue guy. It's just a tricky situation of, of what is left in the tank. I, I guess that's really what it comes down to. And I would be really. I like Jerry. I like him. I don't want to upset Jerry Hughes or Gary. And I know he wants to come back. I know he wants to continue to play. That is what Brandon Bean said. They have been involved in negotiations. You wonder if that is another one, Mike, where you can say, hey, listen, I know your cat value is 3 million. Would you come back at half that? I don't know.
- [33:00]
A
Well, I look at it this way. First of all, there's some metrics out there that say Jerry was still their most effective pass rusher, which is an indictment on the pass rush. And I like the fact that a guy at his age in the NFL, which is, you know, especially at a play position like defensive end, you. He's got a lot of miles on him that he still has that. But let's be honest, he's not going to have a ton of suitors. He's not going to have everybody. He might have teams that would want to sign him to a one year deal, but not at a big number.
- [33:28]
B
Yeah.
- [33:29]
A
So he's going to have to come back at the Bill's number. I think he is. Does he want to go somewhere else? I don't think so at all. I think the guy has been a Bill this long. I think he'd want to be here for part of this to end. I think he might be a guy that sits there for a little while and you see how they rework things and then eventually comes back. That's just a guess. I can't imagine he's a priority. And that's not about him, you know?
- [33:53]
B
Yeah.
- [33:53]
A
And Jerry, if you're watching, and I know you love Buffalo, plus I know again, there's a point where it's, it's. They've got to get younger and more impactful if they can. Now, like Dan said, maybe he's got a plan for somebody's going after in free agency. It doesn't work out and then it's like, jerry, how you doing? Brandon, come on back. You know, But I think that's what he's gonna do. He's gonna sit and wait.
- [34:19]
B
I think I'd be surprised if Jerry isn't on the roster because. Because I totally hear what you're saying. Dan and all the money. First of all, Brandon Bean's job, that's like, it's tough because it's a business, but there's also the personal side of things as well. That's a tough line to kind of negotiate and walk through. It's fun, fine line, but I feel like the Bills will make it work. I feel like, again, I think that kind of says a lot in the locker room if, if, depending on how things would go in terms of the money. But I, I feel like Kumbaya.
- [34:53]
C
That's like.
- [34:54]
A
Yeah.
- [34:56]
C
But that's what I'm saying. Like, it's a little Bit of like, oh, we're friends, come on.
- [35:00]
B
Like, Bills will say, this is the number we want you at. And I think, like Mike said, there's not a lot of suitors. And I think Jerry Hughes wants to be in Buffalo. And because of that and then making it work, that's why I don't think they're going to go out and pay him. I don't think it's going to be. I would expect it to be a one year deal. That type of thing. Nothing crazy. But. Yeah, I just think he wants to play in Buffalo more than he wants the money. He's made a lot of money in his career. Whether that turns out to be the case, I don't know. Obviously, he's got kids.
- [35:31]
C
If the Texans were any better, and if you would.
- [35:34]
B
It might. It might be.
- [35:35]
A
I mean, you end up with the Texans. When the Bill say, no, I'm saying.
- [35:41]
C
Like, like going home. I know he has a home in Houston. Houston area, somewhere around there. Went to tcu. That, that, that could also be one of those, like a Rob Gronkowski where it's like, I've made my money. I've had a great career. I just kind of want to be home and finish it out. I. Yeah. Again, I think, I think that if you're going into another season with Jerry Hughes as one of your starting ends, I think there's a problem.
- [36:09]
A
Yeah.
- [36:09]
C
I don't think you're a Super bowl contending team with Jerry Hughes as one of your starting ends. And that is where I just think the friendship, the thank you for your time. You have been so impactful. We need to get better.
- [36:23]
A
Yeah. This. There's no friendship here. It's show business, not show friends. Jerry Maguire, Come on. But, you know, it's. It's. Yeah, it's. Yeah, there's a point where they all know.
- [36:37]
C
Everybody knows it.
- [36:39]
A
And look, you know, and. And I'm not saying. I don't think this even comes into play at all. How they handle dealing with him is a different story. Yeah, but they're not. They're not just throwing around contracts here to bring a guy in. You got limited space, limited money, and that doesn't mean Jerry Hughes can't play and have an impactful role coming off the bench.
- [36:59]
B
Yeah.
- [37:00]
A
You know, you limit his snacks and all that stuff. But as long as your other DN isn't 34, and you know what I mean, like, you've got. I mean, seriously, that is. It's 68 years old between the two defensive ends. Right. Isn't that what they were like, or 66, whatever it was last year?
- [37:15]
B
Yeah.
- [37:16]
A
You can't have that.
- [37:17]
B
I'm not saying he would be a starter. I would. I would imagine that wouldn't be the case, but if you're gonna pay a.
- [37:23]
C
Backup defensive end $3 million.
- [37:25]
B
Well, that's what I'm saying. I don't think it would be 3 million. I think it would have to be less than that.
- [37:29]
A
Okay.
- [37:29]
B
I think it would have to be. And unlike Gronk. Gronk has won Super Bowls. Like Jerry Hughes still wants to win. I get being home completely.
- [37:37]
A
At least Jerry's not doing those stupid.
- [37:39]
B
Commercials, the USAA ones.
- [37:42]
A
I'm special.
- [37:46]
B
Okay. I think Jerry is definitely an interesting Keith case study. Yeah, there's a lot of. A lot of details. Hurts my heart. All right. Another guy, Mario Addison, 35 years old, made 10.1 million in 2021 free agent.
- [38:02]
A
10 million.
- [38:03]
B
You know what's weird? I feel like the Bills at defensive end, they have old guys and they have young guys, and it's like, no, nothing in between.
- [38:13]
A
Well, he's certainly not going to make 10 million.
- [38:15]
B
No, no, no, no.
- [38:16]
A
I. One over, the other is back. Right.
- [38:19]
B
That's why I agree with that. And I think it would be Jerry.
- [38:22]
A
Okay.
- [38:24]
B
Some of the metrics. He was the most impressive Bills defensive end, which again, is not great in terms of that.
- [38:33]
A
Oh, no, it's bad.
- [38:35]
B
But yeah.
- [38:36]
C
Hey, here's a stat for you. I just looked it up real quickly. Who was the last Bill to have double digit sacks and in what year?
- [38:48]
A
Oh, I think I know this.
- [38:49]
C
Hold on, because this is wild.
- [38:51]
B
Is it Mario Williams?
- [38:53]
C
Nope.
- [38:53]
A
No double digit sacks.
- [39:00]
B
Is it Marcel?
- [39:02]
A
It wasn't Shaq, was it? No, he never got to double digits.
- [39:06]
C
The year was 2016.
- [39:08]
B
2016.
- [39:12]
C
And I'll give you the answer, and you wouldn't have expected it. Lorenzo Alexander.
- [39:18]
B
Wow.
- [39:19]
A
Well, if Jenna was running the team, Lorenzo would be back this year.
- [39:22]
C
He'd still be here.
- [39:23]
B
Stop it.
- [39:25]
C
In 2017.
- [39:26]
A
He is a nice man.
- [39:27]
C
Holy cow. In 2017, the bill sack leaders were Shaq Lawson and Jerry Hughes with a whopping four apiece.
- [39:35]
A
Oh, that's. That's all I had. In 2017. Yeah.
- [39:39]
C
In 2020.
- [39:41]
A
Right.
- [39:42]
C
The bill sack leaders were AJ Klein and Mario Addison.
- [39:45]
A
Five and a half, right?
- [39:47]
C
Five, five each. Jenna, you need to retool like. Like to just be like, come on back, guys. Let's run it again. Four times.
- [39:56]
B
I feel bad for Brandon being. Because that's like. That's really, like 2 million a sack.
- [40:03]
C
He's getting $2 million a sack.
- [40:05]
A
Can you imagine Jenna as the. As the gm?
- [40:08]
B
She'd be going, oh, honey, oh, honey, we'll make it work. I know I'm a bit of a softy.
- [40:18]
C
I just can't believe these sack numbers. Like we've known, like, oh, they just. Sacking is, you know, sacks aren't everything. You gotta. It's just pressure on the quarterback. They ain't getting that.
- [40:27]
B
Yeah, no, that's what's the most upsetting part is they have devoted so much capital to that and they still haven't seen the bottom line.
- [40:34]
C
And in 2019, Jordan Phillips had nine and a half. So that was the other one.
- [40:38]
A
Jordan Phillips was the guy I was thinking of.
- [40:41]
C
He got paid by Arizona.
- [40:43]
A
Yep.
- [40:44]
B
Yeah. So also, there's some rumors about Shaq wanting to come back to Buffalo. Shaq Lawson.
- [40:49]
C
Shaq wanting to come back. There's mutual interest. Jeremy Fowler is saying, but they are not even at the stage of talking about a contract. And again, another guy. Okay.
- [41:04]
A
Shaq's like, Shaq's trying to get in the party. He keeps knocking or he's texting everybody. What time you guys getting together?
- [41:10]
B
Yeah, like, where can I meet? Yeah, that's.
- [41:15]
C
I don't know. I think that. I think that says all you need to know. And again, there was, you know, oh, like the Bills had a chance to sign Shaq in the middle of the season and didn't. If he comes back. Okay.
- [41:27]
B
Yeah, all right. Like, no, I, I agree with that.
- [41:30]
A
But getting, Getting a guy like Shaq Lawson at a low number, a one year deal is smart football. Correct him or someone like him, you know, signing him to a big deal is not so Rex.
- [41:44]
B
That was Rex.
- [41:45]
A
Yeah.
- [41:47]
B
All right. I'm kind of gonna jump around just to some, Some players of interest. Harrison Phillips.
- [41:53]
A
Yeah, I'm bringing him back.
- [41:54]
B
26 years old, made1.1 million in 2021. Market value, $5.4 million on spot track.
- [42:01]
A
Yeah, I'm signing him. I think he was effective. I don't think Star appeared to help him at all when he was in. I shouldn't say that's wrong way to say that help him as much. I. I think Phillips flashed a lot more. I think next to Ed, it's a good place. I think you can get him at a good number. I'm bringing him back.
- [42:22]
C
I agree with everything Mike said.
- [42:23]
B
Yeah, I agree. I feel like that season after.
- [42:26]
A
It's.
- [42:26]
C
The culture fits the process.
- [42:29]
B
Oh, yeah. Yeah. I think after his injury, when he Came back, there were kind of more question marks, but I think this year he's really. He looked like himself. He looked like the player.
- [42:38]
A
Good point. Yep.
- [42:40]
B
All right. Justin Zimmer, 29 years old.
- [42:43]
A
Yeah.
- [42:44]
B
Made 1,000,020, 21. McDermott, we know, love him, loves him. He's coming off that ACL injury. He made the big play against the Patriots two years ago. As Dan has done stories on that. I feel like.
- [43:01]
C
It'S tough. It's tough because he tore his ACL much like Harrison Phillips did. And we have seen that it took Harrison some time to. To get back to there. Like, everybody thinks it's Adrian Peterson. Like, you can get back with those big guys to trust that knee again. It takes some time.
- [43:18]
B
Yeah.
- [43:19]
C
So I don't know if, if he's a pre, you know, he could get a job, but again, you're looking at 30 now coming off an ACL surgery. It. It's tricky. I go, he was productive when he was on the field. Again, another guy fits the culture in every sense of the way of McDermott. But I don't know if. I don't even think he's worth a million coming off that surgery knowing that the window for him to recover could be longer.
- [43:48]
A
Yeah, I think he's one of those guys. I think beans, probably my guess is there, you know, you have contact with a guy like that, you talk to his agent, you have people knowing how he is on his rehab. You got him out there. If somebody pays him, you like Justin Zimmerman, you wish him luck. Who did the story with his parents? Dan did. Yes. Great family, made a huge play, all that stuff. But you can't. You got. You're juggling all this at the same time. He's not a priority. Yeah, but would it surprise me if he signs a three year deal with the Cleveland Browns or somebody? No. Would it surprise me if he comes back to the Bills at some point in, you know, the middle of April? No. I mean, this is that kind of guy. So he's. I put it to you this way. When he was playing for what he was making is a very good roster spot.
- [44:36]
C
Yes.
- [44:36]
A
But the question is, will he be back to that?
- [44:39]
B
Yeah. Yeah, I think that's very fair. All right. Vernon Butler, 28 years old, made seven and a half million in 2021. Dan, what do you think? Oh, Mike. Yeah. Yeah.
- [44:51]
C
We'Re all good.
- [44:52]
B
Yeah, I think. Yeah, I would agree with that. Fa Obada, 30 years old, made 1.1 million in 2021.
- [45:03]
C
Yeah. Like, again, that could be a shaq that, that could be a Shack guy. That could be any guy that we don't know of. Like, we didn't really know who FA Ibada was before the season. Those are the guys that, that pop up and you sign them for a million and you hope to get a couple sacks out of them.
- [45:17]
A
Yeah, and it's limited. These guys get limited guaranteed money. So whatever they get, you know, it's like for that year. And it's, it's, it just is. That's the way of this league. That's what makes it hard on these guys. You know, the contracts are. What did somebody say? The contracts are more later years are more of an ex. A, a suggestion than they are what they actually pay them. So these contracts are nothing. Yeah.
- [45:43]
B
All right. Levi Wallace.
- [45:46]
A
I love Levi.
- [45:47]
B
27 years old, made 1.75 million in 2021. Market value on spot track, $9.6 million a year. Expected three year deal, around 28 million.
- [46:00]
C
If I'm Levi, I'm coming to the Bills and said, I gave, I gave you discounts. Yeah, pay me. I think, I'm sorry. I think, I think Levi holds a lot of cards in this situation. I think he's actually got leverage of the system. They know him. He has proven them right every step of the way.
- [46:22]
A
Yeah. And I think somebody's going to pay him.
- [46:25]
B
I do too.
- [46:26]
C
That should be the Bills because they got, they got a deal on him for the last four years.
- [46:32]
A
And you know what, Dan? I agree with you on that. Except in the NFL, it's about, like, it's about what are you doing going forward and the value of that position. And I just said, I love Levi. I love Levi as a starting corner at a million dollars a year. I'd like him at 3, 4. All of a sudden now he also knows you sign somewhere else. Now you're, hey, starting Bill's corner for the last four years. We're giving him 9 million a year. You got to show up. Not that he doesn't show up, but I mean, the expectations change, but you get paid and this guy has not gotten paid. So I think somebody's, I think in free agency, you know, J.C. jackson's out there, players like that that are looking for the big payday. I think somebody's going to step in quickly and sign Levi. And I, I love him back, but I think somebody's going to sign him.
- [47:26]
B
I felt like he got a really bad rap. Like a lot of Bills fans would get so mad at Levi, but I felt like he did a good Job. Like, I feel like it's really tough to be the corner opposite to Trey White and that's a tough spot to be in because you know you're going to get picked on. And then also too, after Trey went down, like, I felt like he really did a good job of stepping up to the plate with the expectations that were around him.
- [47:47]
A
I, I had somebody saying, messing me messages going, do you see him trying to chase down Tyreek Hill?
- [47:52]
B
I'm like, everyone, yeah, it's Tyreek Hill.
- [47:57]
A
No one chases him down. Now look, the whole last play and the, and the, the Gronks. I mean, the Kelsey and. Yeah, and what he was playing on that defense. Again, that's when Bean is talking about not weighing too much into that last play and the last game. But I think he's getting paid. Corners are valuable and he's a veteran who plays who's on the field. I think somebody else is playing him.
- [48:21]
C
Well, Jenna, you talk about, you think he's gotten a bad rap amongst Bills fans. I think it's always, constantly been the fact of, well, we can always get something better than Levi. And then it's like, it, like, yeah, Levi's pretty good. I think, I think we're done with that conversation of can Levi Wallace be. Is he good enough to be a starting corner in the NFL? He is. He's proven it. He's proven it the last three years on one year nickels and dime deals.
- [48:47]
B
Yeah.
- [48:47]
C
If I'm the Bills, I'm. I'm paying them.
- [48:50]
B
Yeah, I think you're right. I think he holds a lot of cards. I think he has a leverage in this situation and he knows that he can get paid whether it be in Buffalo or elsewhere. That's someone that I'm interested to see how this goes down the line because I think he could garner a lot of money and I think it depends.
- [49:06]
C
On where to me Levi Wallace's deal is way more important to me than, than a Dawson Knox restructuring right now.
- [49:12]
B
Like that.
- [49:13]
C
Like he, he was so I, I just, again, I, I know I once referred to him as the ugly penny, but like he is constantly won every single starting job and has done everything the four and then more.
- [49:25]
B
Yeah.
- [49:26]
A
Isn't it an old penny?
- [49:28]
C
Is that what it was?
- [49:29]
A
Right. It's not an ugly penny.
- [49:32]
B
I like ugly better than old. Mike, that brings up a good point. Whose contract do you feel like is the most important for the Bills? Like where. Who do you prioritize?
- [49:43]
A
Oh, prioritize. I, I honestly. Well, they're gonna have to make a decision there. Right. Because when you start looking around, you're going to. All right, we. We have Dane Jackson. Right. And we have Trey coming off his knee.
- [49:57]
B
Yeah.
- [49:57]
A
Right. And you just, you know, you signed Saran. Saran Neal. But, I mean, they need corners, right? They. They do. So I'd say that's important, I think, and not that I need. I mean, I think it's going to get done. I think restructuring digs is important.
- [50:12]
C
Yes.
- [50:13]
A
That's a money thing. He's not going anywhere. Yeah, they'll get that. I think they'll get that worked out. But I would say figuring out what you're doing at that other corner and to Dan's point, with all the volatility on the D line, is, are you. It's not a guy on the roster, because all these guys. Honestly, you could make an argument that of the guys who will be free, Levi's got the most buzz around the league. I would think.
- [50:39]
C
100.
- [50:40]
B
I would agree with that.
- [50:41]
A
Yeah.
- [50:42]
C
Even more than Tremaine, I'd argue.
- [50:45]
A
Well, because of the position he played.
- [50:47]
C
Yeah, because of the position. Yeah.
- [50:48]
B
Yeah, Yeah. I think that's fair to say. All right, NFL free agency coming up. We'll have plenty more content on Buffalo Plus, Please be sure to, like, comment and most importantly, subscribe. Dan's wearing his Atlanta Brave shirt.
- [51:02]
C
There ought to be a baseball season.
- [51:03]
A
Yeah, well, hey, you could be champs for two years.
- [51:07]
C
I know. Defending, we're. It just. We're raining. It just keeps going.
- [51:11]
A
Yeah.
- [51:11]
B
Back to back. All right, well, thank you so much for watching or listening wherever you find us. Like I said, please be sure to, like, comment and subscribe for Mike and Dan. I am Jenna. We'll catch you next time on Buffalo Plus.