Chris Kelsay Re-Signs

In a somewhat surprising move, the Buffalo Bills on Monday announced the re-signing of defensive end Chris Kelsay (pictured left) to a multi-year deal. It is not team policy to release the financial details of new contracts, but ESPN's John Clayton reports that the deal pays $5.75 million per year with $14.5 million being guaranteed over the life of the contract.

Kelsay will join fellow ends Aaron Schobel, Ryan Denney and Anthony Hargrove (who is still an RFA) in what is sure to be an interesting end rotation in 2007. Entering his fifth year in the league, Kelsay will be counted on to improve on his '06 career high in sacks (5.5). Having a dominant pass rush is the most important part of running a successful Cover-2 scheme; Kelsay needs to become a more consistent pass rush threat to help Buffalo achieve that goal.

Was He Worth It?
I've always liked Kelsay as a player. He's an extremely hard worker, plays the game with passion and overall plays well against the pass and against the run. But I could be saying the same things and talking about Denney. Kelsay is a good defensive end, but he is not a great one - the Bills, more than anything, need a dominant pass rusher.

For weeks, I have been lobbying for the Bills to use their top draft choice on a pass-rushing defensive end. I made the point that adding a player such as Clemson's Gaines Adams, Florida's Jarvis Moss or even a second-tier talent such as Purdue's Anthony Spencer (he of the ugly mohawk) to boost the Bills' pass rush. Schobel gets a lot of sacks, but he is not a truly dominant pass rusher - teams don't necessarily have to stack their game plan to stop him game in and game out.

That option is now tossed to the wayside. The team has a bundle of money tied up in Schobel, Denney and now Kelsay - each got at least a four-year deal worth $12 million. That alone may prevent the team from even tendering Hargrove high enough to keep him from signing an offer sheet elsewhere. With three solid ends already on the roster, it's common sense to use that money on other positions of greater need. This is wasted money.

I doubt I'll ever understand this move. But I like Kelsay, and I think he can get better. Most of all, I trust in The Marv. I've got my fingers crossed on this one...