Wing Man

Nix won't wash away the existing coaching staff, and he probably shouldn't with a few exceptions. My guess is they promote from within and the Stache is the natural candidate, assuming they change at all. There are plenty of winnable games to lose left on our schedule which could force Nix's hand. This was supposed to be the easy part of schedule and we're making them look like Super Bowl contenders. The team morale couldn't be lower. They talk a good game about how they felt like they were prepared to win, but the results are constantly the same. The Billicks, Schottenheimers, and even Norv Turner are out of our league. Tony Dungy would be an inspired choice.

This season is a complete bust. Anyone who believes the Bills win run the table into the playoffs is demented. Fitzgerald best seconds are behind him and free agents could be running for the door after this collapse. Gailey is on the hot seat, maybe Nix is too. Fantasies of a new stadium are out the window, frozen as a Buffalo winter. Season over. April is right around the corner - okay work with me - let's get right to it. I'm thinking that by April, the pick will be E.J. Manuel from Florida State. Barkley from USC and Geno Smith from WV should both be off the board by 2 or 3. The Bills will eke out one to two more wins, probably by accident, resulting in a somewhat higher draft pick. If we get Polian back, Barkley and Smith are on the table. Tyler Wilson from Arkansas can put up the numbers but he looks awfully raw to me. Manuel 2012 9 games; 161-230 2315yds, 70 comp %, 16TD, 4INT He's no Tim Tebow, he's not going to light it up on the run but would you really want him to. Give me your best guess. No consequences from really bad picks now. I won't be holding this over your heads in April. Promise.

Do the words Donte Whitner mean anything to anyone? We are NOT taking a safety at 10.

I'm always in awe of Nawrocki's analysis. Kuechly is a legitimate possibility at 10.

Nix is high on Gilmore, and short of manna falling from heaven (Blackmon, Richardson (pick-trade), Claibourne, Kalil), I think he'll pull the trigger on Stephon, IMHO.

This is a crapshoot, but I'll take a shot at it. The first two are simple enough. 1. Luck 2. Griffin III 3. Kalil 4. Tannehill - Browns are desperate, McCoy is a bust. They should take Richardson here, but they are the Browns afterall 5. Calibourne 6. Richardson - Rams can't believe their luck 7. Blackmon - Neither can the Jags 8. Coples - Miami screwed again , could take Wheedon in R2 9. Cox 10. Gilmore - Hopefully can start day one opposite Williams or McGee Buffalo needs corners. We won't be resigning Florence or McPenalties (McKelvin) at season's end and McGee who is really good is 32 and prone to injury. This isn't a BPA but a need pick. He's a mild reach but if Gilmore can be built into an NFL shut down corner, we'll be very fortunate.

The first round pick is looking more and more like Riley Reiff LT or Stephen Gilmore CB. Gilmore would be an inspired pick in my mind since after this season we'll have very two CBs under contract and McGee who is 87 years old and injury-prone. I wouldn't be surprised if we drafted CB in the first round this year and next. This assumes that manna doesn't drop from heaven in the form of Blackmon, Claibourne, Kalil, or Richardson (draft-trade, no keepie). Drafting Floyd makes no sense to me at all given the depth of the position in this year's draft. Kuechly wouldn't be a bad pick, but we have bigger holes to fill. Round 2 looks like Bobby Wagner OLB Utah State or maybe Coby Fleener TE Stanford if he's still on the board. Round 3 is interesting. Could go back to CB with Coryell Judie Texas A&M who has the height and frame, or Brandon Boykin who is shorter and less built but is a classic Chan Gailey player since he played multiple positions in college. They conceivably might also reach for Kirk Cousins QB Michigan State. Round 4 Matt McCants LT UAB Round 4 Joe Adams WR Arkansas Round 5 Jarius Wright WR Arkansas Round 5 Jaye Howard DT Florida Nix is out after this year anyway, so there will be a minor regime change in that sense. Gailey needs to come through this year or next. [picks based on 4/20 DraftTek]

80/20

We need a new billboard: DON'T RETIRE, BUDDY! :worthy: :worthy:

I'd take Jonathan Martin at 10 to fill the hole at LT. Regardless if Bell returns or not, I'd cut him and let Hairston develop. It's Hairston's natural position and another year's experience in a backup role will do him good. In a completely unexpected move, I hope the Bills choose the Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler at 41 who we could install at RG opposite Levitre. He'd start immediately and would be a monster at the position. Wisconsin's OL has pushed around the Big 10 (12?) for two years now. At 74, SS Harrison Smith from Notre Dame would be a steal if San Diego doesn't draft him first. WR Jarius Wright from Arkansas would round out my first four picks.

I'm going to suggest something out of the box. What about Dre Kirkpatrick at #10? The Alabama CB could be the shut down corner we've been looking for and would shore up a bleeding secondary. We could pick up Vinnie Curry (DE-Marshall) or Zebrie Sanders (LT-Fla St) at 41.

Hairston? No, no, a thousand times no. Bell is no left tackle, years of trying hasn't made it so. We need to draft a franchise LT at 10, whether Reiff, Martin, or Adams. Hairston was over his head and Fitz paid hard and often. Another year of experience would be useful, but not as a starting LT. Let him give someone else breathers when necessary to get it.

I guess I'm gay I need a donut or 12

Tempting

WGR550 is reporting from an unknown source that both Meachem and Williams are expected to be signed within the next 24 hours. This news would not surprise me given the inspired front office move to corner the Mario Williams market by jetting him directly to Buffalo. This is the sort of professional football front office maneuver that, in the past, would occur right after G. Gordon Liddy defected to the USSR. My interpretation of today's events are that Nix, Gailey, Wannstache, and whomever else has FINALLY got through to Wilson that he can't take the $#%&@*% money with him and he owes it to himself to make a run for the Lombardi Trophy. More importantly, they have convinced him that they are the people who can bring it to him if they can get financial latitude.

The quarterback rating numbers reflect nothing approaching the effectiveness of a quarterback's game. Too many intangibles: Leadership, ability to read defenses, offensive line play, penalties, even your own defense can affect the quarterback's situations. Given Fitz's performance in the last half of the season, 18th likely overstates his effectiveness at the position. Trent Edwards finished a season with a QBR higher than Big Ben one year. I don't recall Trent being that good ever.

Slam Dunk. :worthy: +1

If Nix goes, I'll be sad to see it. You can't rebuild a football team built by a marketing geek in just two years. He was faced with some miserable personnel decisions due to injuries this year but his successful draft ratio is 50% ( 50>0 ) and I always get the sense that he's watching and biding his time until he can fire some players down there on the field. Maybe it's just not knowing what Whaley might or might not accomplish, but I like Nix and I'm far from dissatisfied so far. Even Spiller is coming around. If he repeats his defensive oriented 2011 draft, he'll give Wanny some nice tools to work with. Two straight #1 picks that are successes are unheard of in these parts. Edwards (DC) was a dud, but he's history and we move forward. Go Bills!

Where's nevergiveup when you need him?

Miami, NY Jets, New England x2 - The Usual Nightmare Relived Home Jacksonville - If we can't beat the Jags at home, it's time for the fans to move to Toronto or LA Tennessee - Beat Baltimore, lost to Indy. Which one shows up? Kansas City - Will be looking for payback for Week 1 2011 St. Louis - Interesting matchup of two teams who overpaid for and are stuck with a franchise QB. Will be more interesting to see Blackmon in the pros Seattle - If Bills are half as good as they played in the second half, its a W Away Houston - Not likely a win for a team that went 1-7 this year on the road Indianapolis - First look at Luck. Won't matter in the long run, they committed the colossal sin of firing Bill Polian. W Cleveland - It's a loss, probably in the winter. I don't want to talk about it... Arizona - Competitive. Someone explain to me why we didn't snag Fitzgerald when the opportunity was there? SanFrancisco - One hit wonder? Lots of what if's for 2012. What Bills team will walk out of training camp next year?

Lost opportunity

7-9. Won't happen.

The permanent stay was granted by the eighth circuit court of appeals, 2-1, with the court's assumption that the league would prevail on appeal. I'm so not feeling the love.

Sweet. Go Michael Go.

There is a God!