Bills RB may have his best value this offseason. Matt Bowen
On Wednesday, the NFP’s Joe Fortenbaugh wrote about the possibility of the Bills making a deal with the Chargers — who are in the market for a running back — by sending Marshawn Lynch out west for cornerback Antonio Cromartie.
The Bills have talent at corner, but with a new GM in Buddy Nix and a new head coach in Chan Gailey, everyone on the Buffalo roster is for sale. That’s just the reality of the NFL when changes are made in the front office and on the sidelines. I’ve been on those teams, and everyone is on the block as the roster will be completely turned over within a couple of seasons.
Is Lynch a possibility to change uniforms? Of course, and even if you don’t want to hear about the idea of the Bills using Lynch to add to the secondary, what about the idea of actually moving their former first-round pick?
Since Nix took the job in western New York, he’s been analyzing the roster, and once Gailey was hired, the real evaluation process began. Every player will be broken down. Do they fit Gailey’s scheme? Can they stay healthy? Are they a fit from a locker-room perspective? Can we dump their salary? Are they a part of our future? What type of value do they have?
The last one may be the most important when we talk about Lynch. In my opinion, Fred Jackson is the starting running back of the Bills. He’s physical, can break tackles and has a running style — a slashing style — that enables him to slip through holes and penetrate to the second level of the defense. Plus, he’s accountable on Sundays.
That isn’t a knock on Lynch because the former Cal star is a dynamic running back and has a skill set that should be enticing if he’s floated on the open market.
And that’s the real story here. Jackson was more productive than Lynch in 2009, and I expect that to continue in 2010. He’ll see more touches and will be more involved in the game plan.
Now is the time when Lynch may have his best value.
And with 2010 being an uncapped season — and a big question mark for 2011 — if the Bills have any inclination to trade the running back, this is the exact offseason to do so.
We know there will be plenty of teams that will listen and probably multiple teams that will call back with an offer of their own. Lynch is young, he’s shown that he can carry the load as a feature running back (two 1,000-plus-yard seasons), and he can catch the ball out of the backfield.
The off-the-field issues? They may cause some teams to hesitate, but if you want Lynch and you see him as your No. 1 option in the backfield, you’ll soon forget those headlines.
Buffalo will have to decide what its options are in the backfield and what it needs in return if it does try and move Lynch. This is a team with question marks and a team that could use an extra player at a position in need — such as QB — or an extra draft pick for April.
Is it time to float his name out there and see if there are any takers? That’s up to Nix and Gailey, but this is the offseason for trades and speculation on ways that every franchise can make a big move.
And it never hurts to see what you can get in return at this time of year.
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For a look at eight potential trades involving RBs, check out this article from Bleacher Report.
Would the old man in Buffalo get rid of that Lynch after giving him a signing bonus? Guy is cheap...
Might as well include Whitner in that deal also. Time to clean house in Buffalo.
I think San Diego could use both Lynch AND Whitner (I'm not a big fan of Weddle).
Could there be a blockbuster trade concocted with picks, Weddle and something else? I don't know what San Diego's depth looks like at LT, but McNeill is due a new contract too - maybe he's a potential trade target for Buffalo?
If San Deigo got an upgrade at safety, I think they could move Cromartie a bit easier (and probably slip Paul Oliver in there as a more zone-type CB).
I guess we're really playing Madden Football right now thinking trades are going to happen a lot more than usual with the CBA situation. I still might have to see trades happen before I believe them.
I don't see AJ Smith and Buddy Nix talking about anything anytime soon. It's not like Buddy's exit from San Diego was graceful.
Sign and trade: Green Bay sends Tramon Williams, AJ Hawk and a 3rd rounder to Buffalo for Lynch, and 4th and 7th round picks.
@Bob: You must have missed that Green Bay needs Tramon Williams for next season as Al Harris might not be ready to go at the start of the season or maybe ever again. Apart from that he is the only younger CB Green Bay has who looks a bit promising for the starting role.
Furthermore Ryan Grant is a very decent RB (1200 yd rusher, NO FUMBLES). The only reason to part with him might be his contract in the future, but right now Lynch won't be an upgrade.
Agreed Christian. I know we don't like Hawk at ILB and Chillar looks like he'll take over based on his new contract. But this is way too much to give up for a RB to split carries with Grant plus 2 lower draft picks and makes no sense at all. Keep Williams and use the 3rd round pick on OL or another CB for the future.
But we should really be talking about Marshawn Lynch, since that is what this thread is about.
On the Lynch topic:
I agree that it might be possible that the Bills will ry to trade him. 3 reasons come to mind:
1. Fred Jackson can carry the load and was the more reliable back for them.
2. The Bills have needs at other positions.
3. No lower cap space might get the Bills to get their books in order.
If Lynch hits the market there will be suitors for him for sure (Chargers, Redskins, Seahawks to name some). But it's truly tough to speculate if someone ants to pay the right price.
I didn't really look into Lynch for the draft a few years ago even though GB was one of the teams that was in the market for a starting RB. After seeing him more of him (more highlights than games here in GB), i'm so glad the 1st round of the draft fell the way it did even if Rodgers didn't drop to #24. Lynch doesn't look to have a whole lot of agility or much spark. I realise that Buffalo's OL hasn't been too good the past few years but if Jackson can do it, Lynch should fare much better than he has. I think the trade with SD would work really well, but i'm not so sure Buffalo wants a "Shawn Kemp" on their rooster. That's really not who you want your young players to look up to when their just starting out.
NFP heart throb Derrick Ward would be a nice pick up for the bolts.
NFP heart throb Derrick Ward would be a nice pick up for the bolts.
Christian's right. Fred Jackson is better than Lynch and the Bills are struggling in many other areas. They need to see what they can get out of him before he gets arrested again/suspended.
Mr. Murder: I respect some of your posts on this site but on what do you base your comment about "Please don't do AJ Smith any favors right now"? Are you a jealous Donks fan? AJ Smith may have a gruff, no-nonsense personality but he has built the Chargers into THE dominant team in the AFC West and I suspect you are so filled with envy that you cannot reationally justify your comment.
deljzc: You are way off on Weddle. Granted, he missed the tackle on Shonn Greene's long TD run in the playoffs but he is a ballhawk and the best is yet to come from this smart, young player. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. He was also playing hurt for the last 5 games of the season. Plus, he is one of AJ Smith's favorite players so don't hold your breath on Weddle being part of any trade any time soon.
Shannon Sorenson: Nix's exit from SD was because he didn't want to take orders from Spanos' young son who was promoted to Director of Pro Personnel NOT because of any problems with AJ Smith. But your point is well taken. Derrick Ward was overrated when he was with NYG and I thought Cadillac Williams was the best RB in Tampa last year, not Ward.
The Lynch/Cromartie trade would be a perfect fit for both teams. If Lynch goes to SD, the Chargers get this generation's version of former Charger great RB Chuck Muncie. If Cromartie goes to BUF the city will reap the added benefit of re-populating the species. Cromartie may be athletically gifted but his biggest mistake was listening to anything Deion Sanders had to say about playing the CB position.
Feb 18, 2010
08:20 AM
Lynch put Lynch on the trading block a couple of seasons ago. Please don't do AJ Smith any favors right now.