Bills Mailbag: Making sense of the new stadium deal

Dale Slisz asks: I get the new stadium in Orchard Park, I really do, but in your opinion, why isn’t a dome on the horizon? Was it simply the money factor or more the supposed strategic advantage of the weather factor? It seems to me that the explosiveness of Josh Allen under a dome would make a whole lot of sense.

Jay: You mentioned the two primary reasons, Dale. Let’s say the decision was 75% money and 25% “Buffalo football weather” – whatever that means. It’s clear the cost of the project was a major point of emphasis for all sides. That isn’t a surprise. That’s the only justification needed. Even at $1.4 billion in construction costs, an open-air stadium was the cheaper option.

I found it interesting that in conversations with some league personnel last month at the NFL scouting combine, they found it surprising some Bills fans were in favor of a dome. The cold and snow that Buffalo is known for has become synonymous with Bills football, it seems. Are there some members of the Bills’ organization and the fan base who would prefer the stadium remains in the elements? Sure.

Would a dome be better for Allen? Absolutely. The lifespan of this stadium will far outlast Allen’s career, though, so basing any decisions on what gets built based on the current team’s offense is short-sighted. Would a dome be better for fans? Most would agree that it would, because let’s face it, sitting in the rain, snow and bitter cold that so frequently greets home fans has to get old. I’m guessing here, because I sit in a heated press box, but I’m fairly confident that’s the right take.

Again, I’m guessing again, but I think the players and coaches want a dome, just like most of the fans. Unfortunately for them, their voices don’t carry very far in this conversation. To borrow a line from Hamilton, none of them are in “the room where it happens.”

Brenda Alesii asks: Since you’ve been to many stadiums around the country, what features and amenities have you seen that would be most attractive to Bills fans in the new venue?

Jay: No. 1 on my list is the catering staff from Cowboys Stadium. I still have dreams about the Thanksgiving dinner we were served there in 2019. Last on my list would be the pools at the Jaguars’ stadium, which really gross me out. Seriously, though, the design elements of the new stadium that would matter most to me are different than the average fan because, again, I’m spoiled by sitting in the press box. If that were not the case, what would matter most to me for a good experience would be good sightlines. That’s something that Highmark Stadium has. Being close to the action and making it loud, so fans can really affect the game, should be a top priority in the design. The Jumbotron should be big and utilize the latest technology. I love it when stadiums play other games either before the game starts or at halftime, so I’d like to see that. To cut down on concession lines, some stadiums allow fans to order food and drinks from their seats. That would be a nice touch in a new stadium, as well. Another element I’d like to see is a dedicated museum, similar to what the Packers have in Green Bay. Perhaps the Bills’ Wall of Fame can be reimagined into a Hall of Fame of sorts.

Jeff Miller asks: How many scouts are on the Bills’ staff? Could you please explain the draft board? It seems obvious that all salaries in the Bills’ organization, from the players up to themselves, come out of the Pegulas’ pocket. No wonder they didn’t want to pay toward the new stadium. They could hardly afford it. I’ll pause here for readers to roll their eyes, gag, guffaw, or laugh uncontrollably at the dripping sarcasm. But seriously, it shows the profitability of the NFL. I find it rich that the Pegulas’ “contribution” comes from PSLs, and the league’s “contribution” comes from the visiting team’s seat fees.

Jay: The Bills list 17 members of their player personnel department on the team’s website. That doesn’t include General Manager Brandon Beane. As for the draft board, you’ll have to be more specific, but in general, it’s exactly what you’re picturing – a huge board with the players ranked. As those players are drafted, the names are taken off the board.

As for the cost of a new stadium, you’re 100% justified if your take is no public money should be used for a billionaire’s playground. I totally get that. With that being said, this is life in a small market. If Buffalo wants to have an NFL team, it was going to have to pay. Could New York and Erie County have threatened to call the Bills’ bluff – that some other city would “pay handsomely” for an NFL team of its own? Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Western New York native, surely wouldn’t want to play that game. Selfishly, I make my living covering the Bills. It would be disingenuous of me to say I don’t care what happens to them.

By now, we all know public money being spent on a sports stadium does not provide adequate return on investment. It’s not an economic driver. It is, however, a necessity for communities like ours that want to keep our team. Maybe one day that will change, and governments will begin to push back against handouts for billionaires. We’ve seen that happen in California, with the Chargers and Raiders relocating. It's not reality, yet, in Western New York.

William Reuter asks: Do you know why it was shifted from county to state control on the stadium? Only thing I was surprised on.

Jay: Like everything else, follow the dollars. Erie County is currently spending about $7 million per year on operating and capital assistance to the Bills. That obligation will go away under the new agreement, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said. The county, of course, is paying $250 million toward the cost of construction of the stadium, but after that, it “will no longer be in the football business,” Poloncarz said. 

Ed Helinski asks: So what’s left for the Bills to accomplish right now after a flurry of free-agent signings and a stadium deal? Is there anything left to top those, like maybe a trade or two, or will we to have to wait for the draft to see the next waves of eye-opening things?

Jay: My guess is things will be relatively quiet until the draft, but Beane has surprised us before. According to records kept by the NFL Players’ Association, the Bills have about $1.3 million in space under the salary cap. In other words, Beane’s not kidding when he says the team is “out of money.” If the team was to swing a trade, it would need to free up space to fit the player it acquires under the cap. There has been plenty of speculation the Giants are shopping cornerback James Bradberry, who has a long history with Beane and Bills coach Sean McDermott. Bradberry would fill a need for the Bills, but it would require some cap gymnastics. Speaking of that …

Ron Garbe asks: Do the Bills have any other players on their roster that they can restructure/extend their contracts to come up with some money to sign a cornerback?

Jay: Quarterback Josh Allen, left tackle Dion Dawkins, cornerback Tre’Davious White and safety Jordan Poyer have big-money deals that could be restructured to free some space. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs also has a big cap hit, but his contract has already been restructured, so the best way to free up money by lowering Diggs’ cap hit would be to offer him an extension.

Jeff Rochwarger asks: Given the fact we need a cornerback(s), beside attempting to trade up in the first round (for the Giants’ second first-round pick?), are there any cornerbacks out there who have a year left on their contract before they become an unrestricted free agent for big money in 2023 with teams who need/want draft picks? Basically, is it possible to buy a "rental?”

Jay: Green Bay’s Jaire Alexander fits this description perfectly, but it’s doubtful the Packers would move him, given they also are Super Bowl contenders. Cleveland’s Denzel Ward is also entering the final year of his contract, but it’s doubtful the Browns would trade him to an AFC contender.

As mentioned above, Bradberry will be a free agent after the 2022 season, but there’s almost no chance he plays this season for the Giants, who might be forced to release him if they can’t find a trade partner because of his contract. He is scheduled to make a base salary of $13.4 million this season. He doesn’t fit the “rental” mode, because he wouldn’t come on a cheap contract.

I like the idea, Jeff, but it’s tough to figure how the Bills could make it work. Players on rookie contracts are valuable commodities, so it would be relatively concerning that a team would be willing to give up a good one. It would take a perfect scenario of a team thinking it’s not going to be able to re-sign the player and being open to the idea of rebuilding this year through the draft.   

Darren Fitch asks: Based on your mock draft, what would the Bills have to give up to move up, say, six spots to grab Philadelphia’s pick and get one of the top three cornerbacks most experts seem to think are elite?

Jay: The Bills’ No. 25 pick is worth 720 points. Philadelphia’s No. 19 pick is worth 875 points. The Bills’ third-round draft pick, No. 89 overall, is worth 145 points, so that gets pretty close to a value match. The Eagles have a whopping three first-round draft picks, so there is a good possibility they’d be willing to bump down a few spots in the first round if it means adding another top-100 pick. I don’t mind the idea for the Bills. I’m not a huge fan of trading top-100 picks, but in the right scenario, adding a player who could step into the starting lineup could be worthwhile. I’d be more in favor of packaging some of team’s five Day 3 picks to try to move up into the top 100. The chances of all eight of the Bills’ draft picks making the 53-man roster are pretty low. Of course, given that the Bills are going to need to hit on their draft picks to continually restock the roster with affordable talent, a strong case can be made that never trading up is the right move. That has not been Beane’s style, though. If the right move is there for a player he wants, he’s been unafraid to make it.  

Liebz asks: How are they going to sign their draft class?

Jay: See above. The easiest way for the Bills to free up money under the salary cap without subtracting from their current roster is to restructure a contract. Keep in mind that the Bills don’t need to worry about fitting their entire draft class under the salary cap at the moment. In the offseason, only the top 51 salaries on a roster count against the salary cap, so that means if the Bills keep the eight picks they are scheduled to make, only the players chosen in the first four rounds would even impact the cap based on the rookie salary schedule. Those four players would add just a bit more than $2 million to the team’s cap. It’s also important to remember that rookies don’t need to be signed right away. They can participate in minicamp without being signed. The real deadline to get a deal done is the start of training camp, so they don’t miss any practice time. That gives Beane plenty of time to make the moves necessary to free up the required cap space. The top-51 rule changes at the start of the regular season. At that point, all the players on the active roster and the practice squad begin to count against the cap, so the Bills were going to need to free up space either way.  

Thank you for all of the questions this week. As a reminder, they can be submitted via Twitter to @JaySkurski, or via email, jskurski@buffnews.com. Enjoy the rest of the weekend!