Mario Williams is now a Buffalo Bill

[Uncle Meat]

Oh, okay. So he could potentially become a franchise QB at 30 years old, or he could regress to the mean, as he did halfway (note: 1/2 != 2/3) through last year.

Again, Fitz cracked some ribs when the Bills were 5-2. It's true.

 

[SeymourTrophies]

Fitz cracked some ribs with a hit by London Fletcher when the Bills were 5-2. That's when he started to play bad. I find it hard to believe it a total coincidence.

Anyway, all this "Mario doesn't want to win" because he went to Buffalo is bogus. People act as though their teams were NEVER bad...guess what? They were, and I don't care who your team is: it's true across the board. THIS is how you create a winner, by assembling players like him. The Bills are a team on the rise.

Agreed that the Bills are on the rise, although most championship-winning franchises do it through the draft. We didn't draft well for three years. However, Fitzy has always coughed up the ball a whole lot, even when you thought there was no way he could lose the ball. If it's because of injuries then he's always injured, and you can't expect that to change because the fanbase is optimistic about a DE signing. I've heard a lot of "as long as so and so is healthy..." the fact is that you're going to have injuries. The winning mentality overcomes adversity.

I think it's a confidence issue with Fitzpatrick. Injuries are excuses until you're on the IR.

 

[upstater1]

I am not at all threatened by the Bills. Fitzpatrick can make all the throws but he is a gambler, and he will let you down too. Way too inconsistent for my blood. He's got some Romo in him.

As for the Bills coming back to compete, the trouble starts with Ralph Wilson and moves on down through the organization. He cheaps out in the front office, and then you see what happens. One horrible draft after another.

The Bills can't draft, and that's why they are bad.

And I don't see that changing anytime soon.

 

[JackBauer]

Again, Fitz cracked some ribs when the Bills were 5-2. It's true.

Surely something that has never happened before in the NFL.

 

[patsfanboy]

Fitz cracked some ribs with a hit by London Fletcher when the Bills were 5-2. That's when he started to play bad. I find it hard to believe it a total coincidence.

Anyway, all this "Mario doesn't want to win" because he went to Buffalo is bogus. People act as though their teams were NEVER bad...guess what? They were, and I don't care who your team is: it's true across the board. THIS is how you create a winner, by assembling players like him. The Bills are a team on the rise.

When Tony Romo cracked his rib, he started playing better.

 

[DarrylS]

The numbers are insane, lot of money to tie up for 6 years...

source with knowledge of the contract tells PFT that the deal has a base value of $96 million over six years, including $25 million fully guaranteed on signing. Another $25 million is guaranteed for injury on signing, and the money will become fully guaranteed at a later date.

The deal can be worth as much as $100 million

 

[Uncle Meat]

The Patriots are clearly the best team in position to break your Super Bowl record!

Actually, 4 teams have 4 Super Bowl losses, and New England is one of those teams. Then there is Buffalo, Minnesota, and Denver. Whichever of the four teams losses the next one will have the record. I rooting for ya.

Even though it's a four-way tie, I'd give the crown to the Bills, who lost their 4 back-to-back. Minnesota is also 0-4 in the Super Bowl.

 

[DW Toys]

What would lead you to believe that the Patriots didn't kick the tires?

Why does one think $16mm per year is outrageous? We might have to pay Welker $11mm to stay. Look at what VJax got. I am sorry but it is cheaper than I thought Mario would go.

Now tell me if trading for Jared Allen at $11.6m this year is crazy?! He has two years left $11.6 million in 2012 and $14.3 million in 2013. Redo his contract for two more to spread that out and you have a 6'6" 270 lbs DE younger than Carter, bigger than Anderson and more sacks than both combined so it is not. He has been very durable. A one and a three could get that done(?) as rumor has it. Why? The Vikes shipped out three established older players and are rebuilding with youth. Although not decrepit, Allen at 30 has some years left at a high level. He is not going to see a playoff with the Lions, Bears and Packers in the Vikes way for some time.

The Vikes two biggest needs are OT and WR.

The Vikes desperately need a top WR to go with slot WR Harvin. The Vikes get OT Kalil at their first pick and take our #1 and go get Mike Wallace who is tendered but they now have room to pay him, for a tandem with Ponder. It won't send a negative to their fan base if they week Wallace. They also have some very decent youth at DE, so Allen has some pieces behind him on that roster. They have made some CAP room and if the move Allen, some more. The can fetch something with our third as well.

The Pats wind up with Allen and a first, two seconds and a fourth and it appears a couple of depth pieces for 2012 from FA. I am all in that deal.

Allen is younger than Vince.

One can dream.
DW Toys

 

[Tunescribe]

A couple quick observations:

* The Bills likely will leapfrog the Green Beans as the Pats' biggest divisional threat. They definitely should be better on offense (if their offensive line can be solidified) and their defense is going to be tougher.

* All this talk about the Bills' "rabid fan base" in the wake of the Mario signing makes me laugh. Anyone who's been to a game there in the last few years can see that it now comprises MOSTLY very young people -- teens and twentysomethings -- who drink lots of beer and get in on cheap single-game tickets. The perpetual availability of season tickets and ongoing dalliance with Toronto also are tell-tale.

Signing Williams was a desperation move to appease a slowly disintegrating fan base.

 

[Banjo]

If Fitzpatrick doesn't work out, they could always trade for Tim Tebow

 

[Elijah T.]

It's a good move for Buffalo's PR, but it also gives the Bills a legit cornerstone player at one of the more important positions in the game.

But they've commited to Fitzpatrick....The model of inconsistency during his three year tenure as starter/backup in Buffalo. He can't make the 'deep out' throw with any form of consistency, he has a wild and violent delivery which compensates for his lack of relative arm strength...He can't rope anything across his body or drive the football. He has mental lapses and is error prone. Fitz has a cycle...one great game, two average games, and then two bad games...repeat...He hasn't progressed since he hit the field.

Secondly, Buffalo has a porous offensive line and a below average secondary. They've tied up huge cap money in three players (Fitz, Johnson, Williams).

Anyhow, Mario Williams was still a great signing for the fan-base though.

It's all good....We'll sign Danny Oblongata for a 2nd rounder, Gregory Stevens, and James Bond.

 

[upstater1]

A couple quick observations:

* The Bills likely will leapfrog the Green Beans as the Pats' biggest divisional threat. They definitely should be better on offense (if their offensive line can be solidified) and their defense is going to be tougher.

* All this talk about the Bills' "rabid fan base" in the wake of the Mario signing makes me laugh. Anyone who's been to a game there in the last few years can see that it now comprises MOSTLY very young people -- teens and twentysomethings -- who drink lots of beer and get in on cheap single-game tickets. The perpetual availability of season tickets and ongoing dalliance with Toronto also are tell-tale.

Signing Williams was a desperation move to appease a slowly disintegrating fan base.

It's been that way with young fans for a decade.

The Toronto experiment has completely failed and Toronto now wants out.

The Patriots game this year at the Ralph was the loudest sporting event I have ever been to, and I have been to a lot of events.

 

[TheComeback]

Again, Fitz cracked some ribs when the Bills were 5-2. It's true.

Tom Brady cracked his ribs 2010, he played on a high ankle sprain in Super Bowl 42, and he had a shoulder injury this year. Funny how I don't hear anyone excusing away the Patriots' playoff losses because of a QB injury.

Maybe it's because everyone plays hurt in the NFL?

 

[makoute]

Lord, what a dreadful place. Gray or grey all about the place.

It's not like you would have to live there forever or year round.

 

[makoute]

Andrew Brandt‏@adbrandtReply

Pay no attention to report of 100M in total value. Pay close attention to report of 50M guaranteed, 19% higher than Peppers' 42M.

Moral of the story, maybe the Pats should have gone harder after Pepper.

 

[makoute]

Crazy deal for a guy who will be 30 halfway through it. Damn, he will be 33 when it ends, that's just nuts.

If it's age, then they signed him in a perfect time, he's coming into his prime at this age.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Moral of the story, maybe the Pats should have gone harder after Pepper.

Great player but how would the Pats have made the money work? Look at what they did over the past two years.

Extended Wilfork for big money
Extended Brady for big money
Extended Mankins for big money
Extended Mayo for big money

Peppers' deal:

The contract is worth $91.5 million with $42 million guaranteed. Peppers will make $40.5 million over the first three years. The number could increase if he makes the Pro Bowl, records a certain number of sacks or is defensive player of the year. Peppers has the potential to make close to $110 million in the seven-year period between 2009 and 2016. They just restructured his deal and pushed out $8m to future seasons.

Julius Peppers Contract, Salaries, and Transactions

Read through all this and explain to me how they pay Peppers AND keep the above players.

They have ample cap space to add to a team that just came off a Super Bowl appearance.

 

[kudzif]

Hes losing a penny for every US Dollar spent in Canada. Maybe another 500k oughta cover it. .

NY and CAN tax rate is kinda close.

Shoulda went to the 'Fins.

I hardly think the agent and Mario forgot to factor in the tax differential when comparing the offers.

 

[reflexblue]

Its to much money for ONE player. In a way Buffalo can afford to throw money at MW, it gets fans in the seats, it gets fans excited and they buy MW jerseys. The Pats who sure could use Williams don't NEED to tie so much money up in one player.

 

[THELAWFIRM226]

I agree with the post above, this is absolutely a PR move. Don't get me wrong, Mario is a good player, but he can't stay healthy and has been on IR the past two seasons. This is a moral victory for the Bills but lets all be honest, who's scared of the Bills? Cuz I sure aint....