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It's nearly two months until training camp opens, but some of the Buffalo Bills' toughest offseason decisions may be made this week.
Since the debut of the National Football League's salary cap, June 1 has become one of the pivotal dates on the offseason calendar. Teams can spread the hit they take against the cap when dumping a big contract after that date over two years, meaning dozens of starters and contributors join the free agent pool every spring as teams scramble to make room under the cap.
For the first time in years, the Bills approach the deadline with some substantial room under the NFL's spending limit. But not enough to sign the franchise's draft picks and have enough to do a little bargain hunting before camp (to say nothing of having enough room to pick up a player or two during the season, if injuries force the need).
In his first year as Buffalo's president and general manager, Tom Donahoe waived running back Jonathan Linton, cornerback Ray Hill and eternal project Victor Allotey in early June. He also made some key moves later in the summer, releasing inside linebacker John Holecek a few weeks before camp and dumping Henry Jones in the final summer cut-down. Those moves helped ease the Bills' annual cap crunch. That wiggle room made it possible for Buffalo to mount the only serious run at their new quarterback, Drew Bledsoe.
By purging some big contracts and restructuring others, Donahoe limited this year's potential June 1 targets, as well as the need to make painful cuts.
Which isn't to say there won't be any. Figure on at least one, and possibly as many as three, former starters hitting the bricks on Saturday or soon after. Here's a look at the potential former Bills, along with their likelihood of ever putting on those new uniforms the team is scheduled to unveil on June 8:
Fina quickly progressed to solid status as a second-year starter, but never blossomed beyond that plateau. Buffalo's No. 1 pick in 1992 wasn't great blocking for the run or pass, but wasn't terrible, either.
At least until injuries started taking a toll in late 1999 and 2000. Miami defensive ends Jason Taylor and Trace Armstrong took turns using Fina as a turnstile both times the Bills met the Dolphins in 2000. The low point came when Taylor, a speed rusher, bulled Fina (who was playing on a bad knee) all the way back into Rob Johnson, taking both the quarterback and his bodyguard to the ground.
It looked like Fina's career in Buffalo had ended last fall, when he was deactivated despite not being included on the Bills' weekly injury list. But when injuries devastated the corps of young tackles, Fina finished the season in his usual spot.
The signings of free agents Trey Teague and Marcus Price made Fina's release even more likely. Buffalo's selection of Mike Williams eliminated any doubt.
Fina could be, to be nice, aloof. His tendency to scoff at any suggestion of deficiencies on the front wall didn't endear him to the media, and his failure to live up to fans' expectations of a No. 1 pick made him a frequent target for their ire.
But on the whole, the Bills got their money's worth from Fina. Even if he's not going to get any more out of them.
Chance of staying: Zero percent.
Butler knew Flowers, with only two years of major-college experience, was a bit of a project. But this is ridiculous. Flowers not only hasn't made anyone forget -- or even want to think about -- Bruce Smith, he fell behind Kendrick Office on the defensive end depth chart last year and hasn't been able to regain his spot.
Flowers' pro career started with promise when he sacked Tennessee's Steve McNair in his first game. And that's been about it.
It's not that Flowers lacks size, strength or speed. What he hasn't shown -- any idea of how to utilize his gifts, or anything approaching the requisite fire to play football at the highest level.
When asked about playing behind a guy nobody drafted the same year he was picked in the first round, Flowers smiled, shrugged and said, "K.O. deserves to start."
That's quite sportsmanlike. And indicative of the just-happy-to-be-here air Flowers has given off since his arrival. The Bills are anything but deep at defensive end, but it wouldn't be difficult to find a young free agent with more desire at a lower price. Donahoe has shown little loyalty to holdovers from Butler's regime and Flowers has done nothing to earn any on his own.
Chance of staying: 30 percent.
The addition of Bledsoe, along with new offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride's apparent interest in devising a two-tight end system to maximize the skills of Riemersma and Moore (a vastly superior blocker) makes it increasingly likely that Riemersma will stay around for a sixth.
If Fina never fully achieved the expectations that come with getting drafted in the first round and Flowers will go down as one of Buffalo's biggest personnel mistakes, Riemersma -- a seventh-round pick in 1997 -- rates as an all-time steal.
Showing a knack for finding open spaces and soft hands once he got there, Riemersma became a factor early in his first season. He's caught at least 25 passes each year, including a career-high 53 in 2001.
That number would have been higher but for an uncharacteristic number of drops. But all Buffalo's receivers seemed to go through that problem last year, a probable by-product of instability at quarterback and the Bills' disjointed offensive system.
The additions of Bledsoe and Gilbride ostensibly solved both those problems. And Bledsoe's best seasons in New England came when Ben Coates ranked as the game's most dangerous tight end.
Factor in Riemersma's pronounced willingness to make his contract more cap-friendly in order to remain in Buffalo and you've got the Bills' best combination at the position since the days of Pete Metzelaars and Keith McKeller. That should be enough to make Donahoe seriously consider how much he wants or needs the cap space created by cutting Riemersma.
Chance of staying: 60 percent.
| Niagara Falls Reporter | www.niagarafallsreporter.com | May 28 2002 |