In the same column in Tuesday’s Buffalo News, the Bills are lauded for their fiscal responsibility when it comes to Paul Posluszny and berated for not trying to win at all costs.
Let’s start with the bad news.
Jerry Sullivan calls the Bills “embarrassingly cheap,” noting that the team is never within $10 million of the salary cap despite not amortizing their signing bonus money for cap purposes.
“A few years from now, [G.M. Buddy Nix] might have a real contender. But if you think the Bills are fully committed to winning right now, you’re kidding yourselves,” Sullivan writes.
We actually like the moves Buffalo has made, picking up Brad Smith, Tyler Thigpen, Nick Barnett, and re-signing Drayton Florence. But the Bills were outbid on tackle Tyson Clabo, who would have greatly helped a position of need at a relatively low price. The same price the Bills gave Langston Walker a few years back. (Yikes.)
There is no denying the tackle situation is a problem, but the Bills were smart to replace Poslusnzy with Barnett for much less money.
Sullivan calls Poslusnzy an “average linebacker on his best day” who couldn’t cover a crockpot. He got $42 million from Jacksonville, including $15 million guaranteed.
The Jaguars spent almost $37 million guaranteed and $99.5 million overall on Posluszny, Dawan Landry, and Clint Session. The Bills may be better off being “embarrassingly cheap.”