Red

I don't care for the single color uni's. For instance, the Ravens wear all black. The Bills have it wearing either all blue or all white. I don't care for either one. I like the way they were looking when Travis Henry was playing: wear the dark blue jersey with white pants. Break it up a little bit.

Whatever. In order to understand where you want to go, you have to know where you are. Assessing the roster of all of its dead weight is part of the process of transition. This is Maybin's 2nd year. He was a reach coming out of Penn State because he had 1 good season (his last). When you look at the roster to try and gain an understanding of why we are as bad as we are, Jauron was heavily rumored as being the deciding factor in pushing for us to draft Maybin. He was a high draft pick, and held out for mucho dineros. At this point, it looks like a waste. Last time I checked, Jauron is gone but his royal boner-ness, the one responsible for the past decade of horrible drafting- Mr. Tom Modrak- is STILL employed at OBD, er...I mean Jacksonville, FL. We finally dumped John Guy. Can we finally lose Modrak? Now, to rewind this all started for me by seeing Maybin being owned by a fellow #1 pick, but a ROOKIE LT on Friday night. OWNED. Then I watched as 2nd string RB's and FB's came in and took their turns OWNING Maybin. Heck, he couldn't even get past the 'Skins 2nd unit LT. It wasn't until the 3rd and 4th tier players came in that Maybin tried his "counter" move, and got that sack. My concern is that after 2 seasons now, he is supposed to have learned something. He should be showing that in some way, he deserves to be in the NFL. Remember, he is not even the starter for us. Watching him on Friday, his technique is terrible. He leans way too much, and loses any kind of leverage great pass rushers need. He has no counter. He has great initial burst, but then it goes for naught as he hits a wall in an opposing lineman. It was a mistake to have wasted such a high pick on him when need players like Oher and Orakpo were available. Is that crying over spilled milk? Perhaps. But after 10 years of beating your head against a wall over bonehead picks, it can get kinda frustrating. Can he develop? I hope so. I want him to be a dominant pass rusher. I'm frustrated because all the Bills have done this decade is strike out on 1st round picks. Big time. 1st round picks are supposed to be players ready to step in and play; to give the franchise a boost at a particular position. To IMPROVE the team. 1st round picks are not supposed to be projects.

That's because Washington's 3rd and 4th line players came in....

Yeah, did you like that? Like that retread Dockery was anything special. I like how Theisman followed up with excusing Dockery from a poor play by saying that he is still learning the nuances of the new offense. C'mon! He's a freakin' veteran for crying out loud!

Well, it would make more sense and allow for a graceful exit of Ralph. It would also prevent an apocalypse should something happen to Ralph while he still holds the keys to OBD. And man, what could be more fresh and exciting for the future of the Bills than a Jim Kelly-led ownership group restoring the Bills to glory? Bring it.

...and sign Jeff Garcia as insurance.

Interesting. This is before the 2 concussions and meddling by Jauron, porous offensive line, and lack of receivers...well, along w/switching offensive coordinators multiple times his whole career, I would assume? Amazing. He talks and looks confident. Authoritative. And from what I understand, the program at Stanford was not very good when he was playing. You watch something like that, and can see why Walsh and Levy liked him. Heck, I want him to succeed. But I think he has been suffering from Tim Connolly-itis. That is, he is playing safe and scared to protect his 'noggin. I can't say that I blame him, but just like with Connolly- if you aren't going to play all out because you are too concerned w/getting hurt, then maybe it's time to move on.

I am one to not throw Trent out just yet. I believe that we finally have an offensive identity w/Gailey, Cortez, etc. It appears that our RB position is stronger than ever. Our OL is still lacking, when will we get a Tight End that can catch and block, and where the heck is our #2 receiver? I liked Brown last night, too. But I have always hated these can the QB posts. I honestly don't think that Fitz or TE may be able to complete the job. I don't know enough about Brohm. But I like the idea of using Brown as an experiment, sign Garcia as #2/insurance, and keep Brohm as a developmental #3. Could we get any worse with that?

And that is another good point: coming out of Penn State it was widely known that Maybin was somewhat of a raw prospect. I know he's young. And as already mentioned, the rest of his draft class is mostly taking time to develop as well. But somebody on here called his play spastic, and I would have to agree. He puts himself out of position. If he's busting his butt to put himself out of position, what good is that effort? My gripe is that at this stage of the game, he should have learned SOMEthing. He looks worse than a rookie. He looks every bit as raw and undeveloped as one would when they step on a college football field for the first time. The only issue is, he was drafted #1, held out and was awarded big bucks for it. To date, we have seen nothing other than a quick initial burst. For the money he is being paid- at this point- IMO he is a bust. Does that mean he can't improve? No. Does that mean that one day, he may become a Pro Bowl talent? No. But for all of the money he is making, for his idiotic website, haircut, and attitude, the Bills certainly deserve more than they are getting. And I agree that not only Jauron (who was rumored as having pushed this pick) is responsible, but Modrak should have been able to talk some sense into us taking a player like Orakpo or Oher over such an unproven, raw prospect such as Maybin.

Good points, and duly noted. You would think that he would possess more skill at this point, though, as you mentioned. The bull-rush is just plain ridiculous. And he is so off balance and over extended doing that, I don't know why coach Sanders is not beating him silly until he learns how to counter. But you are right on the projects on that list. Basically all of them need time. I stand corrected.

And that, ultimately, says it all. I agree that he does appear to be an absolute moron, and am not sure why the NFL network would be so desperate to hire him. He does have a responsibility to EARN his paycheck, and that includes providing something tangible to go off of. For instance, as mentioned here, if he dislikes the Bills so much, then explain your point of view. Pontificate. Expand on those ideas. Fill the 30 seconds with something of value. But, they were on the Bengals case for a long time, too. Everybody laughed at the 'Bungles'. Now, our record is not as bad as theirs was, but we have achieved about the same amount in the past decade as they did. Maybe it's our turn. Atleast until we have something to turn the tide.

Yes, and it will be interesting to see how this plays out in the season. I have, on more than one occasion on these boards, pointed to how similar these 2 franchises have been this decade. But this past offseason will be an interesting point of separation. Washington went big-time, as Snyder usually does. They got a proven GM in Allen. One of the top 3 coaches available in Shanahan. Went out and traded for a RT, and drafted a starting LT with their 1st round pick. They traded for McNabb- who, ironically, turned down a better offer from the Bills. They were shrewd in the free agent market compared to years past. They have a plan. Buffalo went nickel-and-dime, as Wilson usually does. Nix has been around, and I believe in him and that he will finally turn the Bills around. But we did nothing to address the offensive line. Our LT position is still a weakness 2 seasons after Peters was traded away. We were spurned by Shanahan and Gruden, could not get Cowher, and were left to table scraps when we got Chan Gailey. I like his approach, and believe in him too. But it was hardly a premiere signing. We did nothing to address the QB vacuum, and as I mentioned earlier McNabb chose the 'Skins over us. Jeff Garcia is still out there, but we seem uninterested in his proven track record of success. We have done nothing to improve our pass rush, as Maybin is a colossal bust at this point and Schobel has now retired. The Bills really need to be actively talking with teams about trades (Simpson and Bell make Lynch expendable), and attacking the waiver wire all year long. It will be interesting to see how these 2 teams perform this season, and see which one is better and improved themselves the most.

I think you're grasping at straws, and I would be interested to hear what your opinion is on keeping Trent at QB. Arguably, all of your points could be used with Trent, as well (though I feel Trent has shown atleast some signs of life to be worthy of one more shot at redemption). To pin this on coaching is ridiculous. Or scheme. Granted, its the first preseason game, but when a rookie LT owns your supposed future stud pass rush OLB, not scheme-wise but p-h-y-s-i-c-a-l-l-y dominates him, then the same occurs with the second unit...its not coaching. Maybin was abused physically by rookies and second stringers. IMO, from what I have seen in the past, is that the "braintrust" is giving Maybin his chance to show what he can do. Not as a developmental project, but as a last hoorah. The guy has done nothing to justify his outlandish contract or high draft status. He's been an embarrassment. He can't even get a good haircut. Just because he gets more playing time does not mean that he is necessarily being invested in for development. They might be saying that they've "seen everything they need to, he's not good enough, but let's give him the preseason to change our minds". Let's also not forget that this is his second season with the team. He should be getting better. He should have gotten stronger, smarter, etc in the offseason, and should be showing some kind of improvement on the field. In other words, Trent Williams may be physically a better player than Maybin, but Maybin should have a bit more experience at this point to be able to teach Williams a little something. But Maybin was OWNED. And the way he overextends himself and leans on offensive linemen when he is rushing, is silly. He is so off-balance, a skilled tackle would let Maybin take himself to the ground. He does have a great first step and initial rush, with long arms. Besides that, he's a big '0' at this point.

I felt the same way overall. The few bright spots- for me- come from individual players (none of which were with the Bills last year). Chad Simpson and J. Bell looked awesome. HEck, Chad Simpson was fierce! Donald Jones and Nelson at WR look good. QB Levi Brown, in his brief appearance, showed some swagger and confidence that I have not seen since Kelly- and I like the way he throws and delivers the football. Bills that were on the team last year in Jamon Meredith played reasonably well at LT. Drayton Florence was getting good pressure on those extra point kicks the way the Bills special teams used to under DeHaven. The 1st team run defense looks better, and more solid at the point of attack. The offensive line was not terrible. But boy, does Maybin suck! And our second team defense was owned. What happened to the secondary? We have absolutely NO pass rush.

I'm not discouraged, and actually think that the starting D- considering we were without Poz, Kelsay, etc- played much stronger against the run, and was much stouter at the point of attack that we might be better. I'm terribly frustrated with the drafting of Aaron Maybin, and if he was cut it would not disappoint me in the least. He was simply man-handled by a rookie LT, then was severely abused by the 'Skins 2nd team RB's and offensive line on every play. He did not show life until the 3rd unit came in. I'm excited about the play of RB's Chad Simpson and J. Bell, and think that maybe Marshawn might be a good bait to use for a trade to acquire a solid LT. I liked the play of WR's Donald Jones and Nelson. Nelson looked sweet on that TD, and on a couple of passes. But a bad night for WR Chad Jackson. We need to be scouring the waiver wire until the start of the season. Our second team depth on defense was destroyed by the Redskins second teamers. The defensive secondary- our supposed strength- was embarrassed last night. And we have no pass rush. Losing Schobel is not going to help.

I could not agree more. We saw the same game, and came away with the same conclusions. For me, I think that there were a few bright spots; but the were mostly player-wise. The players that really stood out for me were not with this squad last year. They are: 1.) RB Chad Simpson- Looked as fast as Spiller, with more bulk and power. Ran with tenacity. IMO, makes Lynch expendable for the right draft pick/ player. 2.) RB J. Bell- Deceptively good player. Does not look sensational, but got it done. Combined with Simpson, Lynch should be traded for a solid LT. 3.) WR Donald Jones- Not exciting, but looked impressive overall. 4.) WR Nelson- This guy, for a rookie, was making alot of plays, and got open in the end zone for Fitz to throw a TD to. How long has it been for us to have a WR with enough sense to get open when the Bills are in the Red Zone and the QB has to scramble? It was nice to see. He looks slim out there, but got it done consistently last night. 5.) QB Levi Brown- When he came in, he reminded me somewhat of Jim Kelly. I'm basing this solely on that intangible swagger, confidence, and gun-fighter appearance he had, and he throws a nice ball. Granted, it was garbage time against the Redskins 3rd and 4th string players, but he instantly came in and had that cool look, I haven't seen since Kelly. It's early, but we might have a good one here. 6.) CB Drayton Florence on extra points/ field goals- I have not seen this since Marv Levy and DeHaven used to be with the Bills- a rush CB coming around and actually breaking through on extra points and field goals. Since the 'Skins did not kick a field goal last night, I am only referencing the extra points. But in case no one else noticed, Drayton was ripping around the corner on every kick and making it close to the kicker. I can remember the Bills of old actually blocking a few like that in the glory days. Why have we not had that since DeHaven left? Finally, the offensive line played ok, and the starting defense played pretty strong initially. My low points? 1.) OLB Maybin- tossed around like a rag doll by a rookie LT. Tossed around like a rag doll against the 2nd unit of the Redskins. Barely showed life against their 3rd string offense. Huge, huge, HUGE let down for such a high draft pick and contract. 2.) RT- Chambers- how does this guy still have a job? He should have been on the same train out of town with John Guy. 3.) Defensive secondary- what the heck happened? 4.) No pass rush- the D-line and LB's seemed to play better against the run (1st teamers), but could generate no real pressure. With Schobel gone, what are we going to do? 5.) Depth of 2nd team- these are mostly the hold-overs from last years team, but what a let down in terms of production. IMO, they got beat out by all of the new 3rd stringers.

I could not agree more with Maybin not being able to play in the pro game at this point. Here is a guy that was drafted so high, held out, etc, and has done nothing since. Worse than nothing, he showed absolutely no signs of improvement from last season, as he only looked somewhat proficient when he was playing the 'Skins 3rd stringers. Against the 1st and 2nd teamers, he looked terrible. Thanks, Jauron. When both Oher and Orakpo were available....

Ok, if the other post asking if Maybin is a bust when it is only his second year is premature, then trying to compare a late pick QB who has never played a "live" down of NFL football in his life to a Super Bowl winning QB such as Brady is just plain certifiable. It is the same as dreaming about a draft, when it takes 3-5 years to see if those players can even perform at a consistent level in the NFL!

That is probably the most coherent and intelligent posting on what would happen to the Bills should Ralph pass than anyone I have ever heard talk about this subject. And that includes WGR, Channels 2, 4, and 7, ESPN, Tim Graham, the Buffalo News, and all of the gossip sites out there too (TBD, Buffalo Rumbling, etc). Good job, man! This makes the most sense for a potential owner. The Bills are a viable franchise because they are in solid financial shape. This makes them attractive to a potential suitor. Question: to play the negative side, would anyone suspect that this is why the team has been mediocre for the last decade? Could this possibly explain the "cash-to-cap" philosophy as being one of not what is best for the team on the field, but what is best to make the team attractive overall to unforeseen circumstances? Ralph's wish to get the house in order, kind of like getting a will and life insurance and affairs in order? Not to be morbid here, but this makes a lot of sense as to why the Bills, after the Super Bowl years have been content to settle for 2nd rate. For the health and viability of the future of the franchise, play it conservative just in case.

I am certainly no Maybin fan at this point, but it is a tad to early to call him a bust. Let's give him this and another season. IF after the 2011 season (if there is one) he is still a bench warmer, then yes, I would say he was a joke.

I'm not certain that Brohm might be worth hanging onto for developmental possibilities, but certainly Thigpen, IMO, would be a better option at #2 than Fitzy.

The Patriots are famous for this as well (read: Ty Law, Lawyer Milloy, Seymour, etc). I think the Bills are right to adapt the same approach, and was always shocked when people blasted the Bills for doing the same thing in the Jason Peters trade. Peters did not want to be in Buffalo and/or thought himself greater than the TEAM to the point of handicapping the offense by his absence while demanding a new contract (despite having already signed one). He would offset the salary structure of the team at the time, and after 2 years of the same garbage needed to be dealt. And Eric Wood has more fire and plays with more passion than Peters had in the entire time he was in Buffalo. I don't fault Revis for wanting to be paid according to his ability, but if it hurts the team that is the NY Jets, then he should be jettisoned.

I'm excited to not only be living in DC for this one, but to see the new look Bills. Granted, its the first preseason game, and alot of the starters are already injured. But I am hoping to see a much more consistent offensive attack that not only can move the chains, but also score. I'd like to see Spiller, too.

I'm not concerned about Wood ( ) Now, I am a bit concerned that we have so many injuries and so many players will be out of the first preseason game. Our depth is already shot at the offensive line and inside LB positions?

Just because he used to be great and won a Super Bowl with the Rams, does not mean he has still got gas in the tank. Now, if the news was that the Pats were cutting their LT Lyght, then I would say "Get 'r done!!!"