Sep 28, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback EJ Manuel (3) throws as Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) defends during the first half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
In honor of the long list of prop bets that Vegas releases for the Super Bowl, we’ll take a look at some interesting questions facing the Buffalo Bills. Much of the offseason discussion has centered around the quarterback position and impending high profile free agents. Bills fans – we want your opinion on how you think the team might handle both of the following scenarios.
Will the Bills sign free agent quarterback Mark Sanchez?
Yes: -200
No: +120
My view on Sanchez is fairly straightforward. Of all of the unrestricted free agent quarterbacks available, it makes the most sense for both the Bills and Sanchez to connect. The fact that Sanchez is considered one of the premium free agent quarterbacks shows you that high profile, talented quarterbacks, rarely, if ever, hit the open market. Most clubs will lock up their starters, even if their guy is middle of the road, knowing how difficult it is to find even average quarterback play in the league. (See: Alex Smith) Sanchez’s history with Rex Ryan makes him an obvious candidate for the Bills given their current quarterback situation. E.J. Manuel could wind up the opening day starter for the third year in a row, but he will undoubtedly need better competition in camp. Sanchez has proven to be a solid team first guy, and possesses enough veteran knowledge and experience to add value to a club even as a non-starter. Based on these factors, and knowing the Bills are one of Sanchez’s best options if he wants another shot at starting, I am leaning towards betting “Yes” for this prop, even with the 1:2 odds.
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Will the Bills lose both C.J. Spiller and Jerry Hughes once free agency opens?
Yes: -200
No: -150
The prevailing thought is that the Bills will try and re-sign at least one of these players. As the offseason wears on and the buzz of the coaching staff changes has settled, Bills fans now anxiously await to see how the new regime will handle its first tangible personnel milestone – free agency. Contract extension talks for Hughes date all the way back to before the draft last year, but the news has been relatively quiet lately. At a time where fans are hoping to hear news of the team making progress in what could and should be a fairly sizable payday for Hughes, the buzz has been minimal. In another piece, I wrote about how losing Hughes would be a sizeable blow to the Bills defensive line, given their lack of depth at defensive end. However, it’s fair to wonder if the Bills are not willing to shell out more big money to a fourth defensive lineman. I had always believed that Spiller would be as good as gone, but he should come at a much lower price than Hughes. The league has shown a devaluation of the running back position over the past few years, and while Spiller should get a nice contract based on his skill-set, I cannot envision a team breaking the bank for his services. I don’t think the Bills can afford to lose both players, so even if Spiller is their second priority, he should still be just that – a priority. With both props paying less than even money, I’ll take the better bet and sway towards saying “No,” and that the Bills will make a concerted effort to sign at least one of the two.
Note: Prop bets are created by the writer for the purpose of this article, and are not to be considered live for action.