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The Bills are said to be all in on Charles Clay per multiple reports out of Buffalo

Just heard Clay and the Dolphins areceive in the final stages of hashing out a new deal that is in the $4 million per year range

^^^Miami Herald reporting Clay's asking price is minimum of $6 mill per season and he isn't close to re-signing with the Fins at this time

If he wants $6 million per year, let him go.   There's a few tight ends in this draft that can produce just like him for much cheaper.  That's a Dennis Pitta type contact there.  The difference is,  Pitta has a Super Bowl ring.

If he goes to Buffalo with their QB situation, he will be a cap casualty in 2 years. No need for a high priced TE when your QB is Mark Sanchez. Hope Miami is stressing that point.

One thing Miami has done right the last two years is properly structuring contracts, and not overpaying players.  Clay is not a player worthy of being highly paid for his position, so if someone else wants to ruin their cap space by overpaying him, go right ahead and let him go.

If the difference is just $5 Million for what we want and $6 Million for what he wants, that seems fine for a known commodity. However, if it's $3.5 to $6, then that's a big stretch.

Fins placed the Transition Tag on Charles Clay today. The transition tag price tag for TE's in 2015 is $7.071 Million

I like Clay but that is too much money I think.

Then they better work out a long-term deal with him and lower that number.  They are probably hoping another team reaches a deal with him so they just have to decide if they want to match it or not. Let the other team do all the hard work and then swoop in and say yes or no.

I'd have to agree. That puts him right around what Greg Olsen earns, and Olsen is a much-much better TE, imo...

Denver is hot for Clay per Mike Kliss the Broncos beat reporter who always breaks news for them. He is reporting Denver would rather pay Clay $6 mill a year than Thomas $8 mill a year at TE.

I heard Denver is looking for a TE that is a capable blocker as well as receiver. With Manning aging they are showing more commitment to the run. It may be just me but I don't consider that Clay's strong point.

I like Clay.  But agree that it wouldn't be wise to throw tons of money at him to keep him.  I actually liked what I saw from Dion Sims last year and I think he has some potential.  At 260+ pounds, he isn't going to be the type of TE that can serve as practically an extra WR like some of the faster Tight Ends in the league.  But he actually has decent hands for a big guy. 

Buffalo beat reporter reporting that the Bills are preparing to make a formal contract offer to Clay in the coming days

Buffalo seems to think they can win it all this year with no QB, because they have A LOT of money on defense that needs to be re-signed next year and the year after. They aren't putting themselves in great cap position.

Rex ran the Jets into the ground he will do the same in Buffalo. Rex thinks cause he got to 2 AFC Championship games with a great defense and no offense he can do the same in Buffalo. He won't. McCoy they gave up too much for and now gave him an extension and a raise. The WR's are good not great. The o-line sucks and he has no QB. Sanchez wasn't great but he was competent. Buffalo doesn't even have that

Exactly. The league has changed too, game managers don't get you to the Superbowl anymore. It's a QB league and they don't have one.

I just hope Rex ruins the Bills before Tannenbaum ruins us.

Clay to Buffalo is being reported as almost done. Fins will have a week to match, after Suh signing not sure they will

Other TE news, Julius Thomas has agreed to a deal with Jax

If they want to blow us out of the water for Charles F'N Clay, by all means. Make him the highest paid TE in the game when you have absolutely no QB.

When 4pm hits I expect all the Charles Clay rumors/drama to be front and center for the Fins.

Clay is in Buffalo house shopping. Either the greatest ploy ever to get Miami to pay up or he is leaving.

Fins are in touch with Jordan Cameron the TE with the Browns who has suffered 3 concussions in 2 years.

I wouldn't touch Cameron, hope Miami doesn't sign this. Disaster written all over it but he is flying to Miami to visit per reports

It would be too hilarious if MIA signed Jordan Cameron.

Dion Sims
Dion Jordan
Jordan Cameron
Cameron Wake

There's going to be a lot of confusion when yelling for either of the two guys in the middle.

If Buffalo wants to dramatically overpay for Clay, then let them. Do Miami that favor.

Also, why is it allowed for teams to essentially add in poison pills and front loaded contracts? Ii thought we did away with that nonsense?

That's not a poison pill front-loading a deal

I know they are two different things, but I thought the league got rid of both of those types of things?

Choosing to pay a player more outright is not a "poison pill" in any sense of the term.

Remember, right now Clay is only under contract to Miami for 1 year at ~$7M.  So if BUF offered him just 1 year at $9M, that would already be a superior deal (and not a poison pill).  The fact that they are offering him additional years does not change that.

Saints wanted Pouncey and pick #14 this year for Jimmy Graham. Fins said no.

I would have given them Pouncey and a 2nd rounder. Or #14 and a future second round pick. But Pouncey and pick #14 is just too much to give up.


Jordan Cameron is in Miami and the short time Hickey has been in Miami as the GM, only 2 players who have visited with the Fins at their headquarters haven't signed with them. So, odds are Cameron signs. We will see

So instead they got Unger and #31 but gave up a 4th as well.  Its a better deal for them than Pouncey and #46.

They must have been hard up for a center...

Clay and Fins talking turkey right now per NFL Network trying to iron out a deal. Guess Clay doesn't want to go to Buffalo and Cleveland and I guess the Fins weren't impressed with Jordan Cameron's medicals at the end of the day

Jordan Cameron left Miami and signed with the Browns

I wasn't referring to a larger contract as a poison pill, I was talking about extremely front loading a deal so a team couldn't match the offer. Poison pills are different, like when New England offered Welker large bonuses for playing more than 2 games a year in Miami.

As far as Clay goes, who wants to go to Cleveland or Buffalo over Miami? Almost all the time you go to the team who pays you the most, but we have no state income tax. That's a big factor, not to mention it's easier to produce with an actual NFL QB and not whatever the hell Cleveland and Buffalo have. Much more likely to be cut in Year 2 or 3 with poor numbers due to a poor QB from those teams than in Miami.

Cameron is signing with miami tonight. initial media report was wrong

Cameron plus Sims sounds fine to me. You can't break the bank for a player like Clay, although I do hope that Cameron isn't getting the same money as whatever Clay gets.

Cameron just signed with Miami.

Clay flying to Miami to work on a deal.

Could Miami have BOTH Clay and Cameron. HOLY SHIT!

2 Years/$15 Million for Cameron. Wonder what Clay will get from Buffalo now that they know we almost definitely won't match their offer? Certainly has to hurt it.

Clay is in Miami and waiting on an offer from the Bills that they told him will come today or tomorrow. Bills probably will lower their offer to Clay now that they know Miami is out of the picture

Why is Miami out of the picture?

The news is trickling in bit by bit but reports are Clay flew back to Miami on the Bills owners private jet. The Bills told him they will offer him a deal today or tomorrow they just want to structure it right so it doesn't negatively effect their cap this year and beyond, which is the cause for the delay. Why would Clay sign for 1 year $7 mill in Miami by signing his tender when the Bills will give him a multi year deal with more than $7 mill guaranteed. The ONLY reason Miami hasn't removed the transition tag/tender is to just mess with Buffalo's head some. I mean Clay could sign it at any time and come back to Miami for 1 year at $7 mill but for him that makes little sense when he is about to be offered a long-term deal with more guaranteed money.

I don't know if you're right on this Mike.  Multiple media sources state that Miami is still working on a long term deal with Clay and has left the transition tag there in hopes of getting it done.  They speculated that it was a concern with Cameron's durability and wanted Clay as insurance.

I don't think its "to mess with Buffalo's head"

Buffalo may still win out, but if they reduce their offer it will probably piss him off.  I wouldn't be surprised if the Dolphins had Clay and Cameron locked up before the end of the day.

Look I hope they re-sign them, and obviously this is a fluid situation with a lot of misinformation out there. But they are leaving it on him to mess with Buffalo there is no doubt about that. Cause they open themselves up to risk by leaving it on him. Cause if he signs it he kills their cap for this year and eats up every last cent of cap space they have and forced them to cut players to just sign their draft picks. 

We still have flexibility. Ellerbe is still on the roster. Right now, Wheeler still counts against the cap. Designated as post June 1st cuts, those guys will open up almost $12 million in cap room.

And as of right now, Clay's tender already counts against the cap.

The HYSTERICAL trade for Stills has cleared $6 Million in cap space for us. So, they can make it work with Clay if they want to. It really is up to him, if he signs a heavily front loaded deal, then he wants out of Miami.

Reporter Tim Graham is reporting the Fins have told Clay they are moving on and will not be re-signing him as they can't play this waiting game any longer. Clay to the Bills will happen very soon per reports

Would've preferred that he stayed, but he clearly wants to play for whoever offers him the most money, so let Buffalo be the team that overpays him. Sims did well and we got Cameron.

Tannehill in a matter of a month has now lost Clay, Wallace, Hartline, and Gibson. Fins need weapons bad! Real bad. Plus they need 2 Guards still. This offense needs a lot of work at the moment. It has regressed terribly.

Cameron and Stills are nice, but still. They need more weapons at WR badly, they can get by at TE with Cameron and Sims if need be

As Miami has painfully taught us, consistency isn't always for the best. Tanny lost Wallace but gained Stills. That's either a push or a gain considering he didn't have a great repoire with Wallace despite what the media says.

Hartline was terrible. Gibson was terrible. They were warm bodies that need to be replaced,but nothing a 6th rounder can't do. If healthy, Cameron is an upgrade over Clay who was hurt all season.

Not saying we definitely improved offensively, I just don't think we lost either. I would rather have a Left Guard than another name receiver. That's a huge necessity I hope we address in Round 2 after we take Linebacker with our first pick.

No argument about needing receiving targets. I really don't see Gibson as a huge loss, as he only had 29 catches for 295 yds last season, but not resigning Clay hurts. I think, between the rest of free agency and the draft, Miami pretty much needs a minimum of two more receivers, and 3 would be even better.

There are still quite a few viable free agent WRs still out there:

Michael Crabtree
Cecil Shorts
Dwayne Bowe
Greg Jennings
Reggie Wayne
Denarius Moore
Stevie Johnson

A couple of TEs I like are still available as well:

Jermaine Gresham
Jacob Tamme

Wayne is shot. Nothing left
Crabtree looks like Wash or SD per reports
Bowe and the Browns are close
Stevie Johnson visited with SD and has a visit with the Pats Monday

Jennings is in play for Miami and realistic. Shorts to Miami has been rumored (has hamstring issues though)

End of the day I would sign one Vet WR cheap, move up in Rd 1 to get Parker or Cooper. Use the cap space we now have a bunch of on Safety and OG

In the end, if he signs with Buffalo, it's because they couldn't figure out how to front load his contract to kill Miami while also not killing themselves. So, score one for their incompetence.

I think Buffalo may also believe Miami is posturing, which is why they will probably still go very high and very front loaded in the hopes that Miami doesn't match.

Fins today have $20.8 mill in open cap space. If Clay goes to the Bills and the Fins don't match it jumps to $27.8 mill

Damn, sure wish we had this last week when the Niners OG was available. With this much space, we can sign Jennings. I really don't know who is left on the market that can help us. Rather take the room to help restructure some contracts to improve our situation for next season rather than sign crap players just for the sake of it.

Dear God, where the hell is Buffalo's offer for Clay? It's been over a week now and he passed a physical and everything, what is taking so long? We have the cap room now, they can't screw us. Just show your cards and let's go.

This is so crazy that I bet he signs with Cleveland instead.

Buffalo thought this would be so easy, especially after the Suh deal. Then Mr.T  put Miami in a situation where they have just over $20 mill of cap space and the Bills now have to over pay or just give up. They thought they could screw Miami cause Miami's cap situation was a mess after Suh, but clearly it isn't. Miami got rid of Wallace and Ellerbee and now are in outstanding cap shape this year and moving forward . Buffalo has to pay Clay $8 or $9 mill a year (which is insane) to get Miami to say...screw it he's yours, but then they have to actually pay him that!! Or, they need to waive the white flag and move on.

Miami now saying they refuse to negotiate with Clay is great. Pretty much telling Buffalo he's yours if you want him  make your offer. I expect something done Monday or Tuesday but Buffalo was playing a game of poker here and Miami has called their bluff.

Thank God for those two trades. I feel Wallace will work out well in Minny and both teams "won" the trade, but hot damn did Nawlins get hosed and save our asses.

I don't think Buffalo is still working the numbers because they employ people to do that and they've had a long time now, only idiots wouldn't know how to structure the contract by now. So, I guess they are just nervous about their offer, knowing Miami can match it. Like you said, either overpay by a good amount or Miami can re-sign him. This can all be posturing on Miami's part and Buffalo knows that.

Either way, it really has gone on long enough. I have no idea what the Bills are telling Clay that has made him not force their hand yet and presumably killed his other suitor's interest, but I'd love to hear it if it ever comes out.

Vic Carruci now reporting this afternoon a 90% chance Clay signs with the Bills

I think that's just his agent playing the papers and hoping Miami ups their long term offer. After all, he can't just choose to sign with Buffalo, Miami has a right to match. So, what's the hold up?

Clay just wants the most money, which is fine considering careers are short in this league, but his agent probably lost him his top suitor in Miami, so he better be careful Buffalo doesn't lowball now.

I think its Rex working the local Buffalo reporters feeding them this stuff. And they are eating it up cause he is new in town and hasn't burned them yet. That's my guess

I don't think Clay is going to Buffalo. If they were serious about signing him they would have already offered him a contract. The fact that Miami can just match it and keep Clay I think has Buffalo spooked. If they go too low Miami will just match it and if they go too high Miami will simply let Clay go to Buffalo and they'll have overpayed for him.

I think his agent is really to blame, I am sure Buffalo has presented an offer sheet already, but Clay probably wants more money. That's really the only logical reason left.

It's a game of chicken.

Buffalo cannot make Clay an offer that the Dolphins cannot match because the Dolphins have more cap space.

Buffalo is hoping Miami removes the tender but Miami is not going to do that.

Bingo.  I think that's it.  I think they are hoping that, after signing Cameron, Miami would drop the transition tag.  I'm glad they haven't, if nothing else, to screw over a division rival.  They have to break the piggy bank for Clay, or else Miami will keep him. 

Screw Buffalo.

One reporter yesterday said he believes this will go till July when Clay has to sign his tender

Miami has a tight end. Buffalo does not.

Actually, Miami has two tight ends and Dion Sims is an excellent blocker who started to show some last season in the passing game.

Advantage Miami.

And Miami has enough cap room to continue making other moves. Not major moves mind you, but depth moves.

And it wouldn't be all that terrible for the Dolphins if the Bills broke the bank for Clay.

http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/if-ryan-gets-his-way-bills-will-acquire-clay-20150317

Yep its Rex that is the driving force behind the Bills pursuit of Clay. No doubt now that he is leaking everything to the media. Also YAHOO reporting Bills trying to figure out a way to have a HUGE cap hit in Year 2 of the deal, same year Miami has Suh getting a boatload of money cap wise. Problem is the Bills are having trouble making it work on their end for year 2 of the deal

The Dolphins will have more than $20 million in cap space in 2016 and roughly an additional up to $50 million in cap flexibility.

Good luck, Bills.

One of my best friends is a Bills fan (buffalo native of course) and all I can say is I hope we fuck them in the best possible way.

Clay signed with the Bills 5 years $38 mill $20 mill guaranteed. Clay gets $24.5 mill in the first two years

Fins have 5 days to match

No thanks.

$12+ million in each of the first two years and and average of $7.6 million in a deal that's just begging to be renegotiated by year 4 is just too much of a risk up front and too much pay overall. For Clay.

Essentially the Fins lost Clay over $1.2 mill. Cause if they would have franchise tagged him it would have cost them $1.2 mill more than what they were willing to pay him this year on the transition tag.  Aponte and Tannenbaum messed this one up BIG TIME!

^ I disagree. I don't think he was even worth the $7 million or whatever the transition tag was at.

Then WTF did they tag him for?

To buy time to work out a SENSIBLE extension, the complete opposite of what Buffalo just did.

This makes the Suh deal look like a steal.

Yeah, this is laughable. Clay is now the 4th highest paid TE and he wasn't Top 10 in even one category last year. We all knew with Miami's new cap space that Clay would walk only if Buffalo were retarded and they definitely went full retard on this one.

$24 Million over 2 years for Charles Clay? HAHAHAHA

Let Clay walk.  He is being paid more money than some of the til TEs in the league who have actually done something.   Buffalo overplayed their hand here and they're gonna pay, in more ways than one

This is crazy talk.  By your same logic, Detroit "lost Suh over" [the cost of a 1-year franchise tag] - [the amount they offered him per year + prorated signing bonus].

Miami didn't know they were going to get Stills and unload Ellerbe's contract in one swoop.  They didn't know they would be getting rid of Wallace.  They didn't know they'd be signing Cameron.  And you're saying they should have committed ~$9m to Clay for 1 year?

Clay after 2013? Sure, franchise. Clay after 2014? No, thank you.

Much like with Jake Long in 2012, we did the right thing by letting him go. It MAY hurt in the short run, but it was the right call. Like the Rams, let Buffalo overpay for injured mediocrity.

Suh's Franchise tag was 120%. Clay's wasn't not to mention one guys was tag # was over 20 mill the other guys was around 8 mill. Bad comparison

Tagging him gave them time to work on a reasonable contract or attempt to force any other team after him to overpay. The latter worked perfectly.

Tough to believe they tagged him because it gave them time to work out a reasonable contract when a couple weeks after you tag him you go public with..."we have stopped talks with Charles Clay and will no longer negotiate with him"

The Dolphins never said this publicly. One guy tweeted it...

The same guy who has broke every story correctly in this Clay process down to the numbers of the deal

There have been several people breaking different aspects of this story.

This particular aspect was debunked by sources close to the Dolphins.

This seems like such a stupid contract, even for the Bills.  Good deal for Clay in the short run, but in two years he may be out of the league after playing on a team with no QB.  Not to mention he's going to be called on to do a lot of blocking.

The Bills have the money to blow so they can do this. Their offensive skill positions are really upgraded if they do get Clay.

The Bills essentially guaranteed Clay $24.1 Million in 2 years, because the only way he doesn't collect that is if they cut him after Year 1 and then eat $8 Million guaranteed to bring his 1 Year total to $20 Million. Clay did not finish Top 10 in ANY offensive category last season.

Buffalo went full retard here. Would've liked to keep Clay, but you don't pay Gronk money for slightly above average talent. Let the Redskins and Bills do that.

All of this.  BUF overplayed their hand in this deal.  Let BUF have him for an un-godly price.  Right about Jake Long too, hows that working out for ya, STL???

Good point about the blocking.  IIRC he wasn't too stellar at blocking, though he had bigger play ability than Sims.  Ol' Rex Ryan is gonna call upon him to man up.  We'll see if that happens

Clay is gone. Fins went public this morning saying they are NOT going to match the offer. Clay is a Bill

good ..  .. 2 years .. 24 mil is crazy for clay

Thank you.  Armando Salgeuro saying "Face it, Clay, Cameron and Sims is way, way better than Cameron, Sims and probably a draft pick."  Fock that. 

The dude played his cards right and got paid.  Good for him.  Having said that, he's not worth the $$$ that a top-flight TE in the NFL should get paid.  He's middle tier, low teens at best. 

He's gonna shit when Coach Ryan asks him to block, block some more and then block even more. Enjoy the Hole on the Lake.

When was the last time a Rex Ryan TE put up elite numbers?

............

um...

I can't think of a single one.

But they sure are paying him as such.

Rex Ryan doesn't pay any attention to offense. He hands that off to the Offensive Coordinators and lets them do their thing and Rex just puts his focus on the defense. So his OC's have ignored the TE's.