Gonzalez to Bills?
My cell phone has been blowing up all day from friends asking about the rumor that the Bills are pursuing a trade with Kansas City to get star tight end Tony Gonzalez, who wants to play for a Super Bowl contender. That's not happening in K.C. anytime soon given their current youth movement. All we know for now is that the Bills are one of several teams to inquire about the future Hall of Famer.
There were reports that the Chiefs wanted a first-round draft pick, but I'm hearing they would take a third rounder. Gonzalez is still very productive at age 32, but probably has only a couple of good years left. If the Bills think he's the missing piece of their offensive puzzle, he would make a good short-term investment. At the very least, he would upgrade a position that has lacked a playmaker for years.
Gonzalez signed a five-year, $35 million contract extension in 2007 with more than $17 million in guaranteed money. But his base salaries are quite reasonable for a player of his caliber ($1 million this year, $4 million in 2009, $4.5 million in 2010 and $5.75 million in 2011).
By the way, some of my friends thought something was up when they checked the Bills website and saw Fred Jackson's name was deleted from the team's roster and depth chart. The team claims it was a computer error. Trading Jackson to the Chiefs doesn't make sense anyway because they recently gave starting running back Larry Johnson a big contract and used draft picks the last two years on Jamaal Charles and Kolby Smith.
If the Bills really are interested in Gonzalez, they better move quickly. The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, and the Giants, Packers, Eagles and Buccaneers also have inquired about him, according to various reports.
Coach Dick Jauron will no doubt be asked about the trade rumor today after practice, so stay tuned.
---Allen Wilson
