Inside The Bills

Galloway visiting Steelers

With the Bills addressing their receiver position with the weekend signing of Terrell Owens, veteran free agent Joey Galloway is exploring other opportunities. He’s paying the Steelers a visit. That according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The Steelers recently lost Nate Washington to Tennessee as a free agent. Galloway visited with Buffalo last week.

Free agent visitors so far

Since some of you out there are wondering here’s the FA visit count thus far for the Bills. 11 total visits, 3 signed as of Thursday 6:45pm.

RB Fred Taylor – signed with NE

LB Jamie Winborn – still out there

CB Drayton Florence – signed with BUF

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick – signed with BUF

OL Geoff Hangartner – signed with BUF

WR Laveranues Coles – signed with Cincy

RB DeShaun Foster – still out there

LB Cato June – still out there

WR Joey Galloway – still out there

LB Freddie Keiaho – still out there

RB Kevin Jones – still out there

One key question about Galloway and Jones

With WR Joey Galloway and RB Kevin Jones both visiting One Bills Drive today, it’s nice to see Buffalo seeking out other options after Laveranues Coles sign with Cincinnati. However, the one question that every team interested in Galloway and Jones is asking is a difficult one.

Can they still be dynamic players?

Galloway had 3 straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons before last year’s foot injury kept him on the sidelines. At age 37 can he still be a difference maker? That’s a tough one. Everyone has to hit the wall at some point, but Galloway could be the exception to the rule.

I tend to think that Jones will be given more the benefit of the doubt after getting through last season healthy (though he barely saw action) because he’s just 26 years old. Some NFL talent evaluators think he may finally be ready to return to the form that helped him rush for over 1,100 yards as a rookie with Detroit.

But these are the tough questions that NFL GM’s have to answer, and the answers are sometimes harder when you’re eager to improve the quality of talent on your football team.

Other realistic options with Coles off the market

With Laveranues Coles signing with Cincinnati earlier today, the Bills still have other options at wideout.

Joey Galloway, granted is 37, but heading into 2008 he was coming off three straight 1,000-yard seasons. Then his foot injury this past season allowed him to play in just four games. He could help, but I wouldn’t sign him to anything more than a two-year deal.

Trading for Torry Holt is also an idea that I think has merit especially if you can sign him to an extension to lower his $6.55M base salary for 2009. I’d offer a conditional 5th round pick in 2010 that can turn into a 4th if Holt meets certain receiving figures. Heck maybe a 6th that could become a fifth. After all the Bills would be doing the Rams a favor getting Holt off their books.

Of course in the near future they may just release him anyway.