The Big Men Arrive
The Bills dropped the bombshell their fans have been hoping for today. They pulled the trigger on the Marcus Stroud deal. If he is healthy they got a steal. Third- and fifth-round picks for one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL is a dream come true. Is he still one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL? Stroud said he's determined to prove it.
"I want to show you guys I've still got a lot left in the tank," Stroud said.
Meanwhile, they also added Spencer Johnson, a 286-pounder who can share time with John McCargo. Johnson gave Minnesota good play as a backup the past four years.
The thing is, even if Stroud does not return to his Pro Bowl form, this was a risk worth taking by the Bills. Giving up a third and a fifth is not a high price. They don't have to pay him a big signing bonus. He's already signed for three more years. So if he gets hurt, they've really lost almost nothing. Plus: Where else were they going to find a big defensive tackle? There weren't any others available in free agency. Kris Jenkins, acquired by the Jets, wanted to go to a big market. He would not have been happy in Buffalo. Even if they drafted a guy in the first round, there's a good chance that guy would have taken a year or so to make a big impact, if ever. (See Ryan Sims, No. 6 overall, Kansas City.)
Well, what's the reaction from Bills Nation?
---Mark Gaughan
