Tyson Clabo was reportedly close to a contract with the Falcons, but now rumors are linking him heavily to the Buffalo Bills. That's kind of like ditching your gorgeous prom date for the girl with the handlebar mustache and the wildly spinning eye.
I jest. The Bills are a team I have a lot of fondness for, having followed them closely for much of my life thanks to my best friend's fascination with them. They're a team I would like to see get better, and Clabo would unquestionably make them better.
But I do wonder if Clabo isn't just using them for leverage. He's rumbled before about playing for a contender, and the Bills just aren't a contender at this stage. If he's more interested in chasing down money than a legacy--and believe me, I understand that--then the Bills would make sense. If not, then he's just trying to squeeze extra dollars out of the Falcons, who aren't exactly flush with cash.
Look, I'm not going to hold a cynical money grab against Clabo. I'm not going to hold him chasing more money against him. I do hope he doesn't drag this out, however, because the Falcons need to be able to move on their remaining free agents as quickly as possible, and it appears they're waiting on Harvey Dahl and Justin Blalock until they get Clabo's situation resolved. The only way he could piss me off, really, is by delaying to the point where they're in danger of losing all three.
UPDATE: I should note, in all fairness, that Clabo has indicated in the past that he hasn't been thrilled with the way the Falcons have addressed his contract situation the last couple of years. Respect can be a powerful motivator, and I don't mean to imply that he's a bad person for checking out the Bills. I just really, really don't want this to drag out.
What do you think Clabo is up to?