Sisyphean Bills

Thanks for this link. That definitely clarifies what you were talking about above as well as new information I hadn't seen before. Yeah, that was more of my original point as well. I mean how often do you see NFL teams cut a player in the middle of a trade negotiation because the paperwork wasn't/couldn't be filed? While we could rationalize it by saying Dockery wasn't worth much anyway, there was clearly sincere interest in him from more than one other team. The situation just smacks of amateurism. If teams can be organized enough to work out trades on draft day in the minutes they are on the clock, then it stands to some reason the Lions and Bills could've made this deal happen. Both clubs failed in this case to make their rosters better -- the Bills got no compensation and the Lions didn't get a player of interest because he decided to go to a better team he was more familiar with.

2:00pm and 3:30pm (I don't care which one you want to use) are before 4:00pm. Thus, your assertion that the Bills had "no time to file" is patently false.

It's ironic that stating a fact like every position on the OL has a new starter penciled in (including TE) or Hangartner was a utility backup in Carolina is "pessimistic" while stating some other fact like Hangartner tested extremely well on his Wonderlic or he's played several different positions (which can also be stated as he was a utility backup, or a player that the Raiders kept trying to replace, or a rookie or young player being moved to a new position out of necessity) distinguishes someone as "optimistic". If there truly was no cause for any concern then there would be no reason to start yet another thread that cherry-picks a few scant subjective arguments like "they all finish blocks" and "are smart guys".

What makes you say that? Now, if you had said Melvin Fowler (or even IQ Preston), you'd have been on to something.

If you are going to insist that was the actual offer, could you provide the link?

Here's a simple fact to consider: an NFL team can't just go up to a player for another team and start discussing working out a trade. That's called tampering and verboten. So, if we are going to pretend the Bills front office had nothing to do with the way this went down, then who do you point the finger at? The Lions for not getting the ball rolling earlier with some tampering? Dockery for being way overvalued for his talent level and taking a ridiculous contract? Unless it was Pres. Obama's fault , we have eliminated everybody else.

Don't worry, the Bills won a playoff game in 1995. Even a 7th rounder is more than nothing. Which is what the mighty Bills scored. Oh, except for the all important "we're further under the cap than you are ... na na nah" competition. The trophy for that is shaped like a toilet plunger.

Thanks for all the links. I had a recollection of hearing that the Bills had arranged for Dockery to fly to Detroit for the physical -- I think I heard that on NFL Network. You are correct that he was in Detroit the same day he hit the waiver wire because the Bills essentially released him by not paying him the roster bonus by Friday and by not filing the trade paperwork by 4pm. My bad on that order of the timeline. But, it's pretty clear from the overall timeline of events that "strangest 24 hours" is a kid glove euphemism for the Bills front office's major bungling of an opportunity. My objection to your original post was your attempt to absolve the Bills of any blame by claiming Detroit was in some way tardy and it was the Lions that blew it. One of the articles you linked said that Detroit had agreed in principle on Thursday. I recall also hearing it explained that Detroit officials thought the deal was done with Dockery and were caught off guard to find it wasn't and tried to get him to stay at their facilities and even desperately offered to sweetened the pot a bit to try and close a deal. But, he bolted to Washington. I never read anything that said that Detroit, dysfunctional team that it is, was the team that failed to fax in its trade paperwork. Indeed, it fits the overall mosaic perfectly. The Bills have a group of decision makers, so when something comes down to the wire and needs an urgent decision, they have the extra step of arranging a meeting for a straw poll, and if some of the inner circle is taking a nap or in the head...

They did not want to pay Dockery his roster bonus because he was an average LG and not worth the richest contract in Bills history that the same people gave him. So, they decided he had to be off the roster. Dockery was flown to Detroit and was doing a physical at the time he was cut by the Bills. I don't think that happens, as he was under contract, unless the Bills knew about it. Any way one slices it, the Bills botched it. Dockery could have been traded but they left themselves too narrow of a window and no options. So, the Redskins swooped in and snapped him up amid the cluster.

You're apparently forgetting about all the championships, Hall-of-Fame caliber superstars, brilliant and cutting-edge coaching, awesome draft hit rate, and deft cap management the Bills have schooled the rest of the NFL on the last decade or so.

Sorry that I agreed with you.

No need to be a dick. I was following up to billsrcursed assertion that Byrd played some S. He did not play S in college.

Don't look now, but the black helicopters are circling your house.

You wouldn't happen to be one of those that was "happy the Bills passed on Ngata", would you?

Jairus Byrd was a 3 year starter at CB at Oregon. He did not play S.

You realize that if this is true, then a majority of current NFL players would have to have an intense dislike for the Buffalo Bills franchise. Why? What would fuel such hatred? Buffalo's inferiority complex?

It's not impossible that the 100% brand new line will struggle and, coaching for their jobs, things could get bugutley quick.

Yeah, but hopefully Maybin can put the package together in a few years. The Bills need him as a situational pass rusher sooner.

Other than your fervent wish, there is no evidence that some of the owners won't blow out the top and bottom of the salary cap in short order. Teams like the Bills and Packers are just as likely to fall out of the bottom as the Redskins and Cowboys are to blast through the top. The League pushed the deal hard for labor peace. Rather than a strike or a lockout, they were willing to push forward a deal based on poor economics. The NFLPA and the owners are going to be doing a lot of posturing. But, the NFL will struggle if the NFLPA thinks that the owners deserve no revenue and/or should even support the players with other independent revenue streams. When they say "global economy", they don't mean "everyone except NFL players" and they don't mean that television contracts can continue to rise while media companies hemorrhage money.

At 6'1" and 226 lbs., he's ideal.

The uncapped year doesn't seem like an advantage to either the players or the league. There is no minimum or maximum in team payroll. Players will lose a list of paid benefits and free agency will be more limited. For example, the years of service to become a UFA increases from a minimum of 4 to 6 years. Teams will have additional tags to use on players. Playoff teams have additional restrictions on the number of players they can sign. Guaranteed salary is reallocated into this year. There is no signing bonus deferment when a player is dumped...

How good is he on Friday?

Barry Sims was the Raiders LT. Walker played RT and G. (The Raiders also drafted Robert Gallery as a franchise LT, which didn't work out, but nonetheless is a historical fact.) We will see how great a LT Walker is soon enough.

Gandy has actually played LT in the NFL. Walker has not (not counting a brief emergency) and for damn good reason. And the Eagles had 2 higher 1st round picks.