Tyler Dunne: What's your take on the Jason Peter and Lee Evans'
contract situations?
Ed Thompson: Peters has made a huge mistake. He's sitting at
home deepening the divide between himself and a team that I believe will
negotiate a new deal with him -- if he simply reports to camp. If he was trying
to to squeeze more money from a team that was in cap trouble or that was showing
no good-faith effort to negotiate with players once they reported to camp, I
would understand (but still disagree with) his strategy of staying at home. But
the Bills currently have $21 million in cap space, are actively negotiating a
new deal with Evans, and Peters' dealing with the same team that renegotiated his
contract as recently as 2006 that gave him a $1.5 million signing bonus in
addition to a $1.25 million roster bonus that year.
He's already the sixth-highest paid player on the team at an average
compensation of $4 million per year. People shouldn't lose sight of the fact
that even though the figure thrown around in the media is his current $3.25
million salary, he's received enough money up front that he's actually a $4.45
million cap hit this year. That's still too low for his level of contribution to
the team's success, but should be enough for him to show up to camp with his
teammates and amiably work with the team towards a solution as Evans is doing
even though his average per year is roughly half of Peters' current contract.
Perhaps Peters is also using this strategy as a way to avoid the doldrums of
summer camp, knowing that his spot is waiting for him when he does return. But
if that's part of the reason he's staying away, he's hurting a young offense
that's been showing some real promise, since they need to have their full slate
of players working together on their timing and chemistry to realize their full
potential.
I think Peters will report before the end of camp and a new deal will be
struck because it just makes sense for everyone involved. But if he doesn't
report to camp, I don't see the Bills bending on this issue. They'd be setting a
very bad precedent that could haunt them for years to come with a number of
players.
As for Evans, Buffalo will get a deal squared away soon as he's demonstrated
both his value and loyalty to the team. There's no way they want him hitting the
free agent market at the end of this season, and it's yet another way to show
Peters and others on the team that the offensive tackle's tactic has been a huge
error in judgement.
TD: In your opinion, how important were the recent contract
extensions given to Brad Butler and Kyle Williams – two unheralded players on
the offensive and defensive lines?
Kyle Williams
AP Photo/David Duprey |
ET: Working out a new deal for both Butler and Williams was a very
smart move by Buffalo. They rewarded a pair of player at a time when the club
has the money to do it, when the young players are just starting to demonstrate
their level of talent, and -- perhaps most importantly -- their expectations for
compensation are reasonable since they came in as fifth-round draft picks who
have just one full season of starts and success under their belts.
Butler and Williams were each going to make roughly $450,000 this year, the
third year of their original four-year contracts.
Both players were offered deals that allow them to each bank roughly $2.5
million this season, a deal that's tough to refuse if you're scheduled to make
one-fifth of that this year. But the beauty of the situation is the team didn't
give either one a signing bonus in the new deal, so they're both now under
contract through 2012 with no guaranteed money and less than $50,000 left in
prorated money in each player's deals after this season. The team inserted
plenty of incentives for both players to earn more, including roster bonuses and
bonuses for earning Pro Bowl honors, so it's a win-win contract scenario for both players and for the team.
TD: Safety Donte Whitner guaranteed a playoff berth for Buffalo.
Is he crazy? Or do you see the Bills as a playoff contender?
ET: I really like the Bills' chances of being in the thick of
the wildcard hunt this year. They managed to win seven games last year despite
their reliance on rookies at key positions and the incredible rash of injuries
that would have brought a number of NFL teams to their knees. I think they'll be
one of the teams clamoring for one of the wildcard spots the final two weeks of
the season. If they're healthy and on a roll at that point, Whitner's prediction
could come true. But it's going to be critical for them to get off to a good
start in September.
For more coverage of the Buffalo Bills, visit BuffaloFootballReport.com on the Scout.com network of NFL sites.
A member of the Pro Football Writers of America, Ed Thompson's player interviews and NFL features
are published across the Scout.com network and at FOXSports.com. You can contact him by email
through this link.