WhitewalkerInPhilly

No need to get snippy. And my relationship with my tissue box is private

Heh, either way it could be a full contact sport I was being slightly hyperbolic, but I really am getting excited and I need my fix.

I'm currently 6 months without football. I must look like an afterschool special on the dangers of freebase.

Oh? Please post that link!

It actually means a lot hearing things from outsiders. Locals (ourselves included) tend to need a heavy dose of skepticism when hearing good news after getting burned for 13 years straight.

I've been thinking this! TJ seems to have having a lot of chemistry with EJ, and Woods has the size and blocking skill to be great as a slot receiver. With Chandler and Spiller in play, we could run a whole host of plays really effectively. It's interesting to note that the OL is looking gassed. They're really going to need to get into shape if the plan is to keep with this up tempo offense. Any notes on who is standing out at QB?

This is great to see Thanks for mentioning EJ's fumble and overthrows, they weren't mentioned in the highlights. Still, listening to talk, and some of the highlights it does look like he's showing why he was drafted so high.

It would be nice if he made it, and finally lived up to what we were hoping. I'm not counting on it of course, but it would be good to finally see it in play, especially considering his body size makes him a really nice fit to have a prototypical Nose Tackle. Even with all my skepticism, a small part of me would love to see Dareus, Carrington and Troup to all come alive on defense along with decent rookie outings from Manuel, Woods and Rodgers.

I'll say this: there is very much a financial incentive for Byrd to come back for week 1, as opposed to training camp. Veterans get paid ~$1700 per week of camp. This is in comparison to the $406,823.53 he'd be making per game. It costs Byrd very little, and is the most leverage Parker can manage before his client really starts cutting off his nose to spite his face.

I've played around with a few, but last offseason someone at Bleacher Report wrote a joke article about the 2012 NFL season if it was written by George R.R. Martin. In it, Shawn Merriman is one of the Whitewalkers. It's getting a little old, but we'll see...maybe a King in the North reference, considering how last season went...

You know, while the honeymoon is still ongoing with Marrone, I think we might have been ok with picking up Pettine instead. Of course, he probably wouldn't have wanted Manuel so early, so it's kind of hard to say. I do worry a little that if he does a really amazing job we might lose him when offered a spot for another team...of course, that would mean that the Bills are doing really well. I may take that. I sometimes like to bet against what I want to happen. MOW 'EM DOWN! Fair point, though I am going to give Pettine the benefit of the doubt for now. I'm happy about Bradham returning, and a big fan for swapping out Sheppard and Barnett for Alonso and Lawson. Mario was decent against runs to the outside last year. Whether this is an appreciable increase in talent, or if the scheme is sufficient to stop the run...I don't know. But I'm excited to see.

Oi vey...it feels like a waste, but I'm not shedding too many tears. To be honest, edge rusher is looking kind of stacked these days, and it looks like we can the same or better production out of some of the younger, cheaper guys so I'm not shedding any tears. Hairston being gone, however, is a bit disturbed.

I can respect the issue of getting injured in a franchise tag year...which is why I have even less respect for Parker. It's in his best interests to do what is best for his client, not leave him in the lurch because he feels he can add one million more a year. Of course, there is another question: what is Byrd sits out for the maximum amount of time, but gets hurt his first week back because he hasn't gone through conditioning? He'd have given up half a year of guaranteed salary, only to know that he's getting much less in this round of negotiations.

I'm a little shocked, considering the Patriot's situation at receiver. After losing Welker, Lloyd, Hernandez and Woodhead, and with Gronk possibly on PUP would have figured there were desperate. Hell, I would even say that the Bills have more talent in their receiving corps.

"It's going to be War."-Doug Marrone Ok, I think we finally have the right attitude going into the season. I'm a little surprised that he doesn't feel Rodgers will contribute much this season, but there is a big difference between "Immediate impact season 1" and "Talented player who needs more time to develop" so I would be ok with the latter.

I'm not sure if I adaquately phrased this...I severely doubt that such an event will occur. The Bills do have options, now, even if Byrd is still the best player. unless safety is the one position that makes the defense not work and top 5 money sounds entirly fair consideing what we've seen from the man.

I think there also is a very real question of 'will this equal a holdout'? the truth is, if Byrd wants the big bucks, it behooves him to sign the tender. Parker wants his client to be the best paid free safety in the league, and at this point the bills don't think he's worth that much. If he wants to shop for another team to pay that much, he's going to have to prove he's the next Ed Reed or Eric Berry. Byrd has been on one of the worst defenses in the league most of his career, so if he wants the money, he'd better hope Pettine is good enough to turn a talented group of underachievers into a top 5 unit. What's the other option, sit out, lose half your money and pray the defense is so bad that your presence is the only thing that can turn it around?

They probably have other things they're talking about right now... But I agree, suddenly that game is looking like a contest. Look at their top receivers from last year in order: Welker? Gone. Lloyd? Gone. Gronk? On his fourth surgery and questionable to play week one, never mind at full strength. Hernandez? Released and likely still in jail. Woodhead? Gone. Their two free agency pickups at WR have been Amendola (who I like matched up against Gilmore) and Donald Jones. Yes, our Donald Jones is now their z-receiver. While I liked him, I would never accuse the man of being a superstar. Brady might have the ability to play up other receivers, but his best tools are gone. Mike Pettine must be getting stopped in practice because he's drooling...and the players might have mistaken him for a rabid bulldog. This is a comparison I like. If the Bills show half the talent we're hoping from them, I want to see the Pats pass game shut down, and Brady getting hit like a pinata. When Brady takes hits, he starts losing it and you see those 4 INT games. I don't even need to imagine what that will be like. Does anyone remember Week 1 in 2009? For the first half, the Bills were pretty dominant on D, getting to Brady and getting a pick 6 and everyone on ESPN couldn't shut up about how Tom Brady was coming off his ACL. When they came back to win, no one talked about how McKelvin had fumbled the kickoff, it was all about how amazing Tom Brady was. I think this was where I really started to hate the Pats.

Sanchez: Come on, why does nobody take me seriously. They all seem to think that you only keep me around because you have have an unhealthy desire to keep me around. Rex: *quickly hits a key on his computer* Sorry, what was that Mark?

He is currently questionable to start the season, and that will depend on his rehab from his fourth surgery this year. He just had it a few weeks ago, so being ready for training camp is a question mark.

True. I think we also have to mention that Brady is, indeed, getting older. He's still very skilled, but he'll be 36 when the season starts. Favre was 37 when his last season with the Packers began and people were telling him that it was getting time to retire then, and especially afterwards. A younger Brady...I wouldn't have any doubts, but people are already whispering that Brady is seeing ghosts. Let's see how he is without Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Hernandez and an oft injured Gronk.

A deep and abiding hatred of the Patriots* coupled with surprise and happiness that a professional athlete is being held accountable for a serious crime.

Ok, I'm trying not to be having a little schadenfreude...and utterly failing.

Well, it's still young, and Beerball hasn't been through yet but Hernandez getting released is pretty breaking news.

Holy crap...maybe I'm just too jaded of players skating away most of the time for committing crimes, so Hernandez getting the boot is a bit of a shock. If the Pats are doing this with one of their best remaining players, it seems that they have real reason to suspect that Hernandez wouldn't be playing. Well, we're two for four, with Gronk still questionable for when the Bills play them (at home!) Week 1! Just imagine, Brady without those three facing Pettine's scheme fully realized.