msommer
Footballguy
I think there were three reasons for the Bills trying to trade for another RB during the draft and ending up with Brown just afterhumpback said:The Bills will have nothing to lose except the most important thing- games. I agree that FJax and Spiller will have incentive to run hard and do well, but it's still going to come down to production. They aren't going to play more just because of their contract situation if they aren't producing on the field.Bracie Smathers said:I don't think the conditional pick figures into things much but I do believe that contracts figure into how teams plan to use players.humpback said:IMO you guys are over thinking this- the Bills are going to play the guys who they feel give them the best chance to win in 2014. The Pats ran Blount because he was very effective, not because they planned on letting him go or wanted to "save" Ridley.
In the case of CJ Spiller the team is paying him top-five NFL RB money and last year they said they planned to 'run him till he pukes' which would align with the sort of salary they were paying him but he got injured and wasn't as effective down near the goal as F-Jax was and... well he simply wasn't producing enough to justify his salary.
F-Jax is running solidy, not fantastic but solidy but he will turn 35 in 2015 and he's making a pretty high salary for his age. So I think the Bills have absolutely nothing to lose by running them both hard this year. If either of them get injured they have Brown. If one blows up then they would re-sign them. If one or both under perform they can play hard ball in renegotiations.
I think contracts matter. Probably moreso in this particular situation than others since two good RBs are entering their contract years.
Its an interesting situation considering all of the variables but make no mistake, the contracts will be the key to who stays or goes next year. We know coaches don't look at contracts when drawing up game plans but the players certainly know they will have to run like their hair is on-fire to stay and get extensions.
Bottom-line. I think both CJ and F-Jax continue to start and both have extra-incentive to run hard. Add the coaches won't have the govenor on to keep them fresh by limiting carries. Likely at least one of them is gone next year which positions Bryce Brown well for 2015 and their is always the possibility he gets a shot this year but I think 2015 is his best shot.
1) Insurance against having no RBs with knowledge of the system when Jackson and Spillers contracts are up, to not overpay for said experience
2) Insurance against injury
3) To try for an upgrade. Remember this is not an exact science and Brown was not their first choice, Hyde was.
These all protect the team and improve it, regardless of the outcome of 2014 and the current salaries.
I also think the best two healthy RBs will take the vast majority of the snaps in 2014. And I think the Bills will do their best to resign Spiller next off season, provided he makes it through this season well.
As for Jackson, if he is still running strong in 2014, he stays as part of the two headed beast over Brown. But RBs don't age like good wine so the odds are stacked against him. Still a strong year combined with modest salary demands and Bryce might be left waiting in the wings in 2015.
But it's not what I expect.
luv