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For the Buffalo Bills organization, all the way from management down to the players, the 2002 season quintessentially defined the age-old conundrum about whether the glass is half-empty or half-full.
The team's 8-8 record represented five more victories than the previous season but still earned the Bills a last-place finish in the AFC East. On the flip side, that mark was just one game shy of the record posted by the New York Jets, the division champions, and by the wildcard Cleveland Browns. It was only a half-game worse than the accomplishments of an Atlanta Falcons franchise that is widely touted as the NFL's most exciting young team.
|  | | Bills team president and general manager Tom Donahoe, left, had a busy offseason. |
So, in hindsight, what does it mean?
"It means," said team president and general manager Tom Donahoe, "that we have to keep getting better. This is a tough division every year. We still have a lot of work to do."
At this juncture of the offseason, however, considerable work has already been completed that could result in the Bills' first playoff appearance since 1999. Not surprisingly, most of the heavy lifting has occurred on defense, where Buffalo was statistically ranked No. 29 against the rush in '02, had a league-low 19 takeaways and surrendered an average of 24.8 points.
Never one to maintain the status quo, Donahoe has added at least three new starters, and as many as five, to the defense through free agency. Since he and Tom Modrak, the team's assistant general manager, comprise arguably the best personnel tandem in the NFL, count on the Bills acquiring another contributor or two in the draft later this month.
All that fresh blood should allow head coach Gregg Williams and defensive coordinator Jerry Gray more flexibility in remedying the shortcomings of a unit that, over the past two seasons, has surrendered two of the three highest points totals in franchise history.
"You've got to be pleased with what we've done so far," Gray allowed. "It's a pretty strong start."
The beginning came in the pre-dawn of Feb. 28 when, less than two hours into the free agent signing period, the Bills added strong-side linebacker Jeff Posey, who had eight sacks for the Houston Texans in a breakout '02 season. The Bills made one of free agency's highest-profile strikes in getting Takeo Spikes, the former Cincinnati star and "transition" free agent, who will start at weak-side linebacker. And then, last week, Buffalo signed tackle Sam Adams, one of the NFL's premier interior run stuffers.
There have been some less-publicized deals as well: Signing free agent Izell Reese to a modest deal two weeks ago adds a versatile veteran to the Bills secondary, a guy who could start at one of the safety spots and, at worst, figures to play a lot in "sub" defenses. Defensive end Keith McKenzie, who signed a minimum-salary contract, is a proven pass rusher when healthy. And the team signed former Tampa Bay standout end Marcus Jones late last season, ostensibly to secure his rights while he rehabilitated from his latest knee problems, in the hope he can regain his previous form.
So far, in workouts, Jones ("Knock on wood, he's been excellent, at least in what we've done to this point" Donahoe said) and McKenzie have been pain-free and could contribute to a defense that generated just 31 sacks in 2002. Indeed, if fully recovered, Jones could start at left end.
But, cautioned Donahoe, it's still far too early to prognosticate on how all the changes will affect the Buffalo defense. What he will acknowledge is that the franchise has addressed many of the priority areas with which it entered the offseason. Most league observers felt that, if the offensively explosive Bills could upgrade on defense, they would be a viable playoff contender in 2003.
The consensus leaguewide is that Buffalo has, to this point, enjoyed one of the NFL's most productive offseasons.
"Yeah, but this is the easy part, throwing around money," Donahoe said. "People tend to be impressed when you do that and we've spent our share. But you still have to go out and play."
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| Gruden |
"Fourteen hours one-way. It's not like you get up or pull off (the road) and get a sandwich. That's a long time. Maybe we should get a treadmill. Or sit back and listen to (Warren) Sapp tell stories for about nine of those hours. That'll be a treat."
-- Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden on his team's flight to Tokyo for a preseason game against the New York Jets.
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Donahoe has, indeed, dipped into owner Ralph Wilson's coffers in trying to provide a legitimate complement to the Drew Bledsoe-fueled offense. But only for Spikes, a veteran beaten down by all the losing years in Cincinnati and anxious to demonstrate his playmaking skills for his new employer, did Donahoe and the Bills have to dig deep.
The aggregate cost for adding six new defenders, in terms of compensation for 2003, was $17.73 million. The combined '03 cap charges for the six new players is a palatable $7.255 million, with Spikes the highest, at a reasonable $2.5 million. While the Bills doled out $9 million in upfront money to pirate Spikes away from the Bengals, the club spent just $3.45 million in signing bonuses for the other five defenders it acquired.
Last year's gamble on Jones cost Buffalo just $185,000, the prorated portion of his base salary, hardly a costly wager if his knees are sound and he indeed can turn back the clock a few years. And the Bills simply waited for Adams to lower his price, knowing they were bidding against themselves, and that he was anxious to join close friend and fellow defensive tackle Pat Williams in forming one of the league's best and beefiest inside duets.
While advertised as a contract commensurate in value to those signed by some of the other top defensive tackles, Adams will have to play well for the deal to be worth that much. The signing bonus is just $1.5 million and the mammoth tackle will make just $2.5 million in 2003. Having operated from what he calls "cap jail" the past two offseasons, Donahoe has been prudent in not wrecking the Bills' future finances, and in getting a handle on market values for individual players.
The result, he hopes, will be rewarding.
"We've worked hard but we've also been fortunate," Donahoe said. "When the Bengals put the ("transition") tag on Takeo, for instance, we didn't know if we could do enough to get him. But some things went our way. In dealing with (Adams), it was obvious he was close with Pat Williams, and he really liked (defensive line coach) Tim Krumrie. On Marcus Jones, heck, we just signed him on a wing and a prayer, but it looks like it might work out for us. If it all comes together, yeah, maybe we've closed the gap now in our division."
And maybe, too, the glass will be more than half-full in 2003.
Around the league
LeBeau key acquisition in Buffalo: One key Buffalo pickup that usually is overlooked when enumerating all the defensive acquisitions, but isn't being downplayed by Donahoe, is the addition of former Bengals head coach Dick LeBeau as the new assistant head coach. Entering his 45th consecutive season as an NFL player or coach, LeBeau figures to be an important sounding board for Gregg Williams and his staff. "Having him around, it's huge, no doubt about it," Donahoe said. "He's very subtle. He won't step on anyone's toes. I wouldn't have brought him here if I thought that was the case. But he's definitely going to help us on defense and with special teams." During a Thursday workout session, Donahoe related, LeBeau made a simple suggestion to special teams coach Danny Smith about a certain technique he felt might be beneficial. Smith immediately warmed to the idea. "That's how Dick works," Donahoe said. "There's no ego involved. Everything is a suggestion not like, 'Look, you ought to be doing it this way.' He's here because he wants us to be better. And having him here definitely is going to help us get better."
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| Leftwich |
Passing all the tests? The shape of the top 10 in the 2003 draft should come into much better focus after next Monday's audition by former Marshall quarterback Byron Leftwich, who will work out at a Florida high school, in a session that will be very well attended. Because the fractured left leg he sustained during the season has precluded him from any kind of workout, Leftwich has been a sort of wild card in the upper reaches of the first round, and Monday will answer a lot of questions about where he stands in his rehabilitation. To that end, ESPN.com has learned that all 32 teams this week received a letter from renowned Birmingham, Ala., orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, who has examined Leftwich several times in recent months. In the letter, Andrews apprises the teams that Leftwich is cleared to perform "all drills" and that he has experienced "no leg pain." He further consuls that there will be "no further removal" of surgical hardware from Leftwich's left leg, which has been broken twice in the past two seasons. Essentially, it is a clean bill of health for Leftwich from one of the country's most respected orthopedists, and is meant to quell any lingering concerns about physical viability of the young quarterback. Based on the results of his workout, Leftwich could go anywhere from the first choice in the draft to the 10th-12th pick overall. He is scheduled to visit with Cincinnati officials, ESPN.com has confirmed, a day or two after the Monday audition.
Help needed in Philly: We'll preface our remarks on the Philadelphia Eagles' defensive right end situation, where the team lost starter Hugh Douglas and was unable to lure Green Bay restricted free agent Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, with this: There are few people in the NFL we respect, or like, more than Eagles team president Joe Banner and coach Andy Reid.
That said, it might be overly optimistic for the pair to believe that Derrick Burgess or N.D. Kalu can adequately fill the void created by Douglas' departure to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Burgess is a high-energy defender, a third-round choice in 2001 who had six sacks in situational duty, but is coming off two foot surgeries in eight months. Early reports are that Burgess, who can be a wild man when he gets it revved up, is near-fully rehabilitated. But foot surgeries are dicey things and there are no guarantees yet that Burgess will be, or stay, whole in '03. Kalu posted a career-best eight sacks in 2002 as a part-time player. But was last season the aberration, or the four years that preceded it, when Kalu averaged just 2.6 sacks? The Washington Redskins once felt Kalu, 27, was destined to be a big-time sack guy, playing opposite Bruce Smith in the "nickel" and with LaVar Arrington on his shoulder. But he never developed into a consistent pass rush threat for Washington and, in truth, was a disappointment. Maybe at this point in his career, with increased playing time, Kalu will finally live up to those past pass-rush expectations. And, then again, maybe not.
None of this is to suggest that the Eagles should have met Gbaja-Biamila's gaudy price tag and, in hindsight, he had no intentions of signing a restricted free agent offer sheet in Philly anyway. Nor is it to suggest the organization overreact to the panic that has set in among its loyal fans. What it does hint is that the team will make some sort of move before training camp to address the lack of outside speed. The Eagles could use the 30th pick in the first round to grab one of the defensive ends available at that point. An educated guess, too, is that Philadelphia will take a long look at Jacksonville defensive end Tony Brackens when he is released by the Jaguars after June 1.
Breaking down KGB's deal: There are some Green Bay veterans a big chapped at the huge signing bonus, $11 million, that the Packers paid Gbaja-Biamila this week to retain the prized restricted free agent. But those same players probably would have been griping had management permitted "KGB" to escape. Sure, the seven-year, $37.3 million deal the Packers awarded Gbaja-Biamila is a lot for a guy who was just a situational pass rusher before a spate of injuries last season forced him into the starting lineup. But in a league where guys who sack the quarterback are hot commodities, it's hard to overlook those 25 ½ sacks Gbaja-Biamila recorded the last two years, and harder to imagine what the Green Bay defense would do without an outside rush threat of his ilk.
In truth, the deal is for three years and a total of $15 million, certainly in line with what a proven pass rusher earns these days. After the first three years, the contract probably will be restructured, since its value escalates to an average of $5.57 million after that. As for the $13.25 million in guaranteed money, well, that claim by agent Bruce Tollner, who has learned well from mentor Leigh Steinberg how to make numbers do whatever you want them to do, will pass most truth-in-advertising scrutiny. But there is a little bit of numeric manipulation involved in the guaranteed figures. The deal calls for the base salaries in 2003 and 2004, of $650,000 and $675,000, respectively, to be guaranteed. In addition, $925,000 of the $1 million base salary for 2005 is guaranteed as well. But so what? By the very nature of the deal, the base salaries for at least the first three seasons of the deal are unofficially guaranteed anyway. Here's why: To release the player before that time would result in a pricey cap hit. It's the same as a team that guarantees the base salaries in the first few years of a No. 1 pick's contract. The act itself is superfluous, since no team releases a first-round pick for at least three seasons anyway. The rest of the base salaries in the KGB deal are $3.85 million (2006), $5 million (2007), $6.15 million (2008) and $7.3 million (2009). There are springtime roster bonuses of $675,000 in 2004 and $1 million in 2005.
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| Turley |
Pace-ing themselves in St. Louis: Even after awarding Kyle Turley a $10 million signing bonus, following the trade that brought him from New Orleans, high-ranking St. Louis Rams officials assured ESPN.com this week the club still wants to sign fellow offensive tackle Orlando Pace to a long-term contract. There have been a few unfounded rumors the Rams would consider dealing Pace, and the club most frequently mentioned is Houston, but the St. Louis hierarchy dismisses those whispers as little more than idle talk. The Rams are confident that no other team will sign Pace as a "franchise" player, because no team in its right mind will meet the outrageous demands of his agents, and no club will surrender two first-round draft choices as compensation. The Rams are ready to provide Pace a contract similar to the one Turley signed, perhaps even worth a bit more, and remain cautiously optimistic an agreement can be struck at some point in the summer. At the same time, the Rams are ready to simply "freeze" Pace, if need be, and force him to either sit out or play for the one-year qualifying offer of $5.734 million. The latter would mean the club will tie up over $8 million in cap room for its starting tackles, but St. Louis officials are girded for such a hit.
The Turley deal, in addition to the $10 million signing bonus, includes base salaries of $530,000 (for 2003), $535,000 (2004), $3.65 million (2005), $4.4 million (2006), $4.65 million (2007) and $4.9 million (2008). There are workout bonuses of $5,600 each in 2003-2004 and of $100,000 each 2005-2008. The cap charges are pretty modest for the first two seasons, $2.358 million this year and $2.36 million in 2004, before spiraling to $5.572 million in 2005.
Seau could give Miami veteran lift: Although the Arizona Cardinals are making noise about actually trading for San Diego linebacker Junior Seau before April 15, when he is due a $2.7 million guarantee that has scared off most potential suitors, look for the Chargers star to wind up in Miami sometime later this spring. The Dolphins brass realizes that Seau is a player in decline -- with just 27 "big plays" over the past five seasons -- but still feel he represents an upgrade over current weak-side starter Derrick Rodgers. Almost as important to the Dolphins as what Seau can bring the team on the field is what he will represent off it. Said one Miami veteran: "They're tired here of the late-season collapses and they feel like (Seau) is the kind of character guy who would be good around the locker room. They feel like, 'Hell, Junior Seau isn't going to let anyone quit on him.' Maybe they're right. I've got a hunch, from what I'm hearing around here, that we're going to find out."
No Springs in Seattle: Anyone who regularly reads the "Tip Sheet" should not be surprised by the absence of cornerback Shawn Springs from the Seattle voluntary workouts this week. As noted here a month ago, Springs would not mind being dealt to a new team, where he could land a new contract. A first-round pick in the 1997 draft, Springs is an anomaly, a veteran who has actually played out his entire career under his original contract. The seven-year contract Springs signed as a rookie has never been restructured, extended, changed in any way. Had he not suffered a spate of hamstring injuries, and become the perennial Pro Bowl performer he appeared to be early in his career, that certainly would not have been the case. Springs is due a base salary of $2 million for 2003 and, were the Seahawks to trade or release him, there would be no residual carryover on their cap.
Who's No. 3? When it comes to identifying the No. 3 cornerback prospect in the 2003 draft, after the tandem of Terance Newman of Kansas State and Washington State's Marcus Trufant, beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. There are as many as four cornerbacks -- Eugene Wilson (Illinois), Sammy Davis (Texas A&M), Andre Woolfolk (Oklahoma), and Dennis Weathersby (Oregon State) -- who could go off the board after the first two. Any of them could be taken in the first round and all could slip to the second stanza. But the likelihood, since Newman and Trufant are all but certain to be chosen among the top 10 players, is that at least one or two more cornerbacks will squeeze into the first round. Which ones? "I can't tell you right now," said one NFC personnel director. "They all have strengths and weaknesses. It's a pretty decent group overall, but everyone knows who the cream of the crop is already, and after that we're all still trying to decide who's next."
Redskins stay in the news: Contrary to published reports, Washington sources tell ESPN.com that the franchise is not negotiating with Dolphins restricted free agent strong safety Arturo Freeman. And, they insist, they won't chase Freeman even after the case of Jets return specialist Chad Morton, who signed an offer sheet with the Redskins and is contesting the "match" by New York officials, is ruled upon next week. Redskins brass has talked about Freeman and evaluated him, regards him highly, in fact, but feels it will cost too much to pry him loose from the Dolphins. The team gained one starting safety, Matt Bowen, through restricted free agency this spring and that will probably conclude its foray in that department.
Washington wouldn't mind trading for Dolphins restricted free agent defensive tackle Jermaine Haley, who became a bit extraneous last week when Miami signed veteran Jeff Zgonina to be the No. 3 guy behind starters Tim Bowens and Larry Chester. Toward that end, owner Daniel Snyder will stay in contact with agent Drew Rosenhaus and monitor the Haley situation. But the three-year veteran tackle is scheduled to meet with Green Bay officials on Monday and the Packers might be more inclined to sign him to an offer sheet than the Redskins are right now. The Skins don't want to overpay in this case, even for a player they like, and are concerned that, despite being in the league just three seasons, Haley already is 30 years old. One note on Freeman: The New Orleans Saints, loaded with cap room and draft choices and seeking to upgrade at safety, are seriously interested in the three-year veteran.
Center of change: Coaches talk all the time about the importance of the center position but, once again, this spring has demonstrated the hub spot isn't nearly as vital a priority as teams suggest. There figure to be at least a dozen franchises, and that includes both Super Bowl entries, that will have new starting centers in 2003. The dwindling free agent pool, which likely won't get much play now until after the draft, includes a number of centers who were starters for their teams in 2002 but who are still looking for employment. The list includes Todd McClure (Atlanta), Jeff Christy (Tampa Bay), Andy McCollum (St. Louis), Gennaro DiNapoli (Tennessee), Jerry Fontenot (New Orleans) and Rich Braham (Cincinnati).
No workouts for Ward: For a guy who has just four punts returns of over 20 yards in his career and averaged only 26.5 receptions in six seasons, unemployed veteran wideout Dedric Ward must be pretty certain about his future. Released by Miami earlier this spring, Ward was called by the Redskins this week, and asked if he would come in for a Friday workout. Washington is seeking a return man for punts and felt Ward might be willing to fill that chore and also provide the team a veteran No. 4 wide receiver. But Ward responded by informing the Redskins that, at this point in his career, he doesn't feel that he should have to work out for any team legitimately interested in him. Kind of like the aging Hollywood star, no longer on the "A-list," but convinced that auditions are beneath him. Washington will look elsewhere, perhaps to free agent punt returner Jeff Ogden, or more likely to the draft.
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| Jones |
Next step for Jones? In the wake of the Emmitt Smith signing, this news is hardly unexpected, but ESPN.com has confirmed that Arizona Cardinals officials have granted the representatives for tailback Thomas Jones permission to seek a trade. The implication is that, barring a deal, the former first-round draft choice will be released later this spring. The odds of a trade being consummated are remote but agents Tom Condon and Ken Kremer of IMG Football are performing their due diligence, calling teams around the league, just to see if they can find a club willing to surrender a low-round draft choice for the former University of Virginia star.
The two also represent San Francisco wide receiver J.J. Stokes who, as ESPN.com first reported Thursday, also has permission to seek a trade. The seventh player selected overall in the 2000 draft, Jones has entered each of the last three training camps with the Cardinals as the starter, and failed to hold onto the job. In three seasons, he has started only 15 times, and has rushed for just 1,264 yards. Most people felt Jones would be a 1,200-yard rusher every year of his career. That's why, when he is released, Jones will probably draw interest from at least a few teams. People can rip Arizona for what seemingly is another ill advised first-round pick but, truth be told, there are a lot of teams that felt Jones was a can't-miss prospect in 2000.
Mack could start for Texans: It's hard to fathom why tailback Stacey Mack, the former backup to Fred Taylor in Jacksonville and a player some personnel people felt might be among the top 30 unrestricted free agents this spring, didn't generate more interest on the open market. But the fact he didn't certainly proved to be a windfall for the Houston Texans, who signed Mack earlier this week, and landed a potential starter for the paltry price of a $175,000 signing bonus and $530,000 base salary.
Mack, 27, has been a solid back, although he had some fumbling problems in the past. In 2001, when he started 10 games in place of the injured Taylor, he rushed for 877 yards and nine touchdowns. He will battle second-year veteran Jonathan Wells for the starting spot with the Texans and, while the two have similar styles, Mack possesses a little more wiggle and big-play potential. Mack is certainly counting on winning the starting job, putting up solid numbers, and then going back into the free agent market next spring. He rejected a far more lucrative offer to stay with the Jaguars as Taylor's caddy and the New York Giants were preparing a proposal, said to be for four years and $7 million, to try to land Mack as the backup to Tiki Barber.
Running on the cheap: Talk about reducing the price at tailback: The Cowboys were slated to pay Emmitt Smith a base salary of $7 million for 2003. Instead, the club will spend just over $1 million on his possible replacements. Troy Hambrick and Michael Wiley this week signed one-year qualifying offers with the club, the former for $450,000 and the latter for $605,000.
By the numbers: Johnson's restructuring: The consensus belief around the league was that the Tampa Bay Bucs realized a cap savings of about $2.5 million when they finally completed the restructuring of Keyshawn Johnson's contract this week. Not even close. According to NFL Players Association salary documents, the 2003 cap charge for the Johnson deal, which runs through the 2007 season, only dropped by $1.68 million, from $6.857 million to $5.177 million. Johnson was scheduled to earn a base salary of $3 million this season, with a roster bonus of $2 million due April 1, for a total of $5 million in compensation. Under the reworked contract, Johnson accepted a new signing bonus of $2.1 million and his base salary was reduced slightly to $2.9 million. The same $5 million, in essence, just distributed differently. Had team management dropped Johnson's base salary to the minimum for a seven-year veteran, $655,000, and paid the balance of $4.345 million in a signing bonus, the cap savings for 2003 would have been nearly $3.5 million. But such a move would have bumped Johnson's already stratospheric cap charges for the ensuing years of the deal even higher. As it is, the team likely will have to further rework the contract in the future. The new cap charges for the rest of the contract: $8.277 million (2004), $9.777 million (2005), $11.277 million (2006) and $10.92 million (2007).
Oben a deal for Bucs: The Bucs used some of the cap room created by the Johnson restructuring to retain starting left offensive tackle Roman Oben and, with the market slow for the veteran blocker, Tampa Bay landed him at a bargain basement price. Oben's four-year contract totals $4.655 million. It includes a signing bonus of $700,000 and base salaries of $655,000 (for 2003), $1 million (2004), $1.1 million (2005) and $1.2 million (2006). The salary cap charge for Oben's contract is just $830,000 for this season and, even in the final year of the deal, 2006, it is only $1.375 million.
Punts: Several personnel directors noted this week that they now feel Andre Johnson (Miami) has moved ahead of Charles Rogers (Michigan State) as the No. 1 wide receiver prospect in the draft. … The same seems to be true for Kentucky defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson, who despite being a bit shorter than most teams like, has edged past Penn State star Jimmy Kennedy on many draft boards. … Last week in this space we reported that free agent tight end Rickey Dudley had all but agreed to return to Tampa Bay for the '03 season. Looks now like the deal, if it occurs, will not come until later in the spring. … Seattle defensive tackle John Randle has accepted a $2 million reduction in his base salary to help the team be able to sign more free agents. … Shy at fullback, the Bengals have moved versatile Chris Edmonds to that position of need. It marks the third different position for Edmonds in three NFL seasons. He entered the league in 2001 as a linebacker and was switched to tight end last year. … Buffalo would like to extend the contract of Brian Moorman, arguably the best young punter in the league, but the two sides haven't been able to get together on the numbers yet. … If the Saints don't re-sign unstricted free agent center Jerry Fontenot, they will likely move left guard Kendyl Jacox to the middle, and not right guard LeCharles Bentley. … Teams looking at free agent linebacker Jamir Miller of Cleveland, who missed all of 2002 because of an Achilles injury suffered in camp, mostly regard him as a situational rusher. Some teams feel Miller can play defensive end. … The Lions Mike McMahon won't beat out Joey Harrington for the starting quarterback job, but he won the admiration of the new Detroit staff by winning the conditioning challenge the coaches instituted last week. … Don't count on suspended wide receiver R. Jay Soward returning to the league anytime soon. The former Jacksonville first-rounder (2000), is on a one-year suspension for repeat violations of the NFL substance abuse policy, but apparently has not yet met NFL standards that will allow him to apply for reinstatement.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
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