Barnwell Grades Bills' Offseason
- In the view of ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, the Bills and Patriots had solid offseasons, while their division rivals – the Dolphins and Jets – weren’t quite as successful over the last few months. Barnwell assigned B grades to Buffalo and New England, with Miami receiving a D+ and Gang Green getting a D.
Bills Eyeing Extensions For Taylor, Gilmore; Team Interested In WR Help?
- After signing Cordy Glenn to a long-term deal earlier this week, Tyrod Taylor and Stephon Gilmore are next in the Bills‘ extension queue. Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News writes that the Bills want to sign their bargain-buy quarterback and standout corner to keep them in Buffalo. Glenn’s extension brought his cap number down to $6.2MM for 2016, leaving the Bills with more than $13.7MM in cap space. The No. 10 pick in 2012, Gilmore’s $11.08MM salary for ’16 is considerably higher than Taylor’s ($3.13MM cap hold). Taylor, who Carucci thinks should hold out for Brock Osweiler money ($18MM AAV) in the forthcoming negotiations, will be a free agent after this season.
- Although the Bills‘ financial attention is now on new deals for Gilmore and Taylor, they would look to add help at wide receiver more than any other position in the late stages of free agency, Carucci writes. Percy Harvin‘s retirement and the Patriots signing Chris Hogan to an offer sheet that went unmatched leave the Bills thin behind Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods. Marquise Goodwin may miss some of training camp should he qualify for the Rio Summer Olympic Games in the long jump — the top three long jumpers at the U.S. Trials advance — and the Bills only drafted Kolby Listenbee in the sixth round. Beyond the obvious veterans available — Marques Colston, Roddy White — James Jones and Jason Avant loom as slightly younger veteran alternatives.
Fitzgerald: Cordy Glenn Big Winner On Extensions
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap was surprised by the big money contracts given to Terron Armstead and Cordy Glenn. While both players came away with sizable deals, Fitzgerald believes that Glenn is the bigger winner of the two with cap hits in ’17 and ’18 that could very likely be restructured. As for the Bills‘ side of things, Fitzgerald isn’t sure why the team traded its future financial flexibility for immediate cap relief when it wasn’t necessary.
Cardale Jones Has 'Long Way To Go'
- Rex Ryan categorized Cardale Jones as a player with “a long way to go,” per an Associated Press report. “He’s got the physical gifts you look for, there’s no question about that,” Ryan said of the former Ohio State starter. “But you also notice that he’s just going through everything like, it’s spinning right now. He’s throwing behind guys. He doesn’t know where he’s going right now with it.” The Bills have Tyrod Taylor and EJ Manuel venturing into their contract seasons in 2016, leaving the franchise’s future unsettled. Jones was considered a potential first-round pick thanks to the tools he showed as a sophomore in the inaugural College Football Playoff, but being benched as a junior damaged his stock and relegated him into the fourth round.
Matt Slauson Visits Bills, Leaves Without Contract
- Former Bears offensive lineman Matt Slauson left his visit with the Bills without a contract, tweets Michael Gehlken of San Diego Union-Tribune. The 30-year-old is also set to meet with the Chargers, who Gehlken says are “very much in the mix.”
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Bills Sign Cordy Glenn To Extension
SATURDAY, 9:55am: ESPN’s Mike Rodak has several more details on Glenn’s new contract:
Glenn’s 2016 cap number currently stands at $6.2MM, a significant savings over the $13.7MM franchise tag. As a result, the Bills save $7.5MM, giving them more than $14MM in total cap space.
The 26-year-old is set to make $3MM in base salary for 2016, followed by bases salaries and cap hits of $9MM/$14.2MM (2017), $9.25MM/$14.45MM (2018), $7.25MM/$12.45MM (2019), and $7.5MM/$12.7MM (2020). The 2017 salary is fully guaranteed, while he’s assured $8MM of his 2018 salary.
Glenn also received a $16MM signing bonus, and he’s set to earn $2MM in roster bonuses from 2017 through 2020.
TUESDAY, 6:14pm: The Bills have officially announced the deal.
5:51pm: Glenn will get $26.5MM fully guaranteed at signing, Mike Florio of PFT tweets.
5:33pm: It’s a five-year, $65MM deal with $36MM guaranteed, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The left tackle will receive $19MM in 2016 and $30MM total in his first two years, according to a source.
5:22pm: The Bills and Cordy Glenn have agreed on a new five-year deal, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. Glenn signed his franchise tender in early March but the two sides have been working hard to hammer out a long-term pact. Financial terms of the deal are not yet known.
The 26-year-old Glenn has been a quiet stalwart in Buffalo the past few seasons and has started 61 games since being selected in the second round in 2012. Glenn rated as Pro Football Focus‘ No. 10 overall tackle and fifth-best left-edge protector last season, and had been considered one of the top priorities for the Bills heading into free agency, along with fellow offensive lineman Richie Incognito.
Having been one of the NFL’s most cap-strapped teams heading into this offseason, the Bills had to make several other roster moves to help accommodate the franchise tag for Glenn and additional offseason business. At the outset of the offseason, the club restructured Corey Graham‘s contract, and cut several veteran players, including Mario Williams, Kraig Urbik, Leodis McKelvin, and Anthony Dixon.
In the long term, the Bills have managed to reduce Glenn’s 2016 cap hit by inking him to a longer-term extension. Had he played out 2016 under his old deal, Glenn would have carried a $13.7MM cap hit. Glenn is a client of Pat Dye, an agent with a track record for guiding franchise tagged clients towards extensions.
Now that Glenn has been taken care of, the Bills will likely try and work out deals with teammates Tyrod Taylor and Stephon Gilmore. Both players are entering their walk seasons.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Slauson Still Deciding Between Bills, Bolts
All along, Matt Slauson has planned on visiting both the Chargers and the Bills and he will not rush his decision, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego tweets. After wrapping up his visit with San Diego on Wednesday, the center/guard is now meeting with team brass in Buffalo. Slauson doesn’t have a deal with the Bolts yet, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything one way or the other.
Taylor, Gilmore Extensions Will Be Challenge For Bills
- While the Bills made the right call in extending left tackle Cordy Glenn, working out new contracts for quarterback Tyrod Taylor and cornerback Stephon Gilmore may be a little trickier, as Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News writes.
Matt Slauson To Visit Chargers, Bills
In the wake of his release from the Bears’ roster, veteran offensive lineman Matt Slauson didn’t waste much time setting up visits as he looks for a new NFL home. According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Slauson has visits lined up with the Chargers and Bills.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets that the visit to San Diego is taking place today, with a trip to Buffalo expected to follow. Other teams could be in play for Slauson as well, according to Biggs.
Chicago’s primary left guard since 2013, Slauson played with the Bears for the last three seasons, starting all 37 games in which he played. However, after the Bears signed Manny Ramirez and Ted Larsen in free agency, then selected Kansas State guard Cody Whitehair, Slauson became expendable, and was cut by the club following the draft.
As Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter links) notes, Slauson has some connections to members of the Bills’ coaching staff, including head coach Rex Ryan and offensive line coach Aaron Kromer, who previously coached the 30-year-old with the Jets and Bears, respectively. Buffalo, having created some cap room after extending Cordy Glenn, is looking at Slauson as a possible right tackle, a source tells Rodak.
The Chargers, meanwhile, having a coaching connection of their own to the ex-Bear — new assistant offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo was Slauson’s offensive line coach in 2012 with the Jets.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bills GM: Contract Talks For Taylor, Gilmore, Glenn Up Next
- Now that the draft is out of the way, Bills GM Doug Whaley says that he’ll shift his focus to getting extensions done with the team’s key players in contract years. “Negotiations took a hiatus for draft weekend,” he told WGR 550 (audio link; transcript via BuffaloBills.com). “We’ll regroup this week and set a game plan through to the minicamp. I’ll sit down with Jim Overdorf and reach out and see if we can just keep the lines of communication open.” Earlier tonight, of course, Whaley reached agreement on a massive new deal with left tackle Cordy Glenn. Tyrod Taylor and Stephon Gilmore are also slated to hit the open market after the 2016 season and Whaley says he’s “supremely confident” that he can fit all three players on extensions under their salary cap heading into 2017.