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The players that really fit the criteria that get talked about here as to whether they'll amount to anything are -- Steve Johnson (gets lots of love) -- Shawn Nelson (gets lots of love) -- Reggie Corner (is he more than a nickel back?) -- Chris Ellis (very little love) I guess the news in this is that Johnson and especially Nelson aren't on the list If each team has 4 such candidates, that's a pool of about 120 players... none of ours make the cut in the top 25

Others that may qualify as I took another look at the roster are Ellis Lankster (CB), Cristian Gaddis ©, Chad Simpson (RB), Jonathan Stupar (TE), Marcus Buggs (LB), Lydell Sargent (CB), John Corto (S) These are obviously lesser known names than the first group I put up

Football Outsiders put together a list of top 25 prospects on current NFL rosters. The criteria for this list is the following: • Be in the second, third, or fourth year of their pro career • Have been drafted in Rounds 3-7 or signed as an undrafted free agent • Have started fewer than five career games in the NFL • Still be on their rookie contract Here is #11-25 http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/news/story?id=5374008 Here is #1-10 http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/news/story?id=5374109 So guys that are talked about here that would qualify... Steve Johnson, Shawn Nelson (not sure how many starts), Jamon Meredith, Brian Brohm, Chris Ellis, Nic Harris, Reggie Corner (not sure how many starts) Others that don't... Byrd/Hardy/Maybin/McKelvin (drafter too high), Bell/Wood/Levitre (too many starts) There are '0' Buffalo Bills on the list...

Good post,... I like your perspective so this is really a hell of an important year. We'll either come out of it high as a kite or in dumps On offense there's Bell, Wood, Levitre, Steve Johnson, Hardy, Nelson... not to mention QBs On defense there's Maybin, McKelvin, Pozluszny, Byrd All of these guys are 2-3 year guys. If 2/3 of these guys are successful we'll have to feel good for the following year and start living the "upside". If they're a bunch of busts then we truly keep starting over... ugh

OK, so lots of good responses... My question then becomes why are we so down on Demetrious Bell (lets ignore the injury for a moment) The guy seems to define "upside"... young, cheap, highly athletic, has some start under his belt, put in a very difficult situation last year -- learning no-huddle -- last second cut of Langston Walker -- all sorts of other injuries on the line -- 2 other rookie starters -- starting 5 had 0 pre-season games under their belt -- firing OC at start of season with Van Pelt thrown in -- new coaching staff seems to be thinking well of him despite having no ties to a 7th rounder they didn't draft I'm sure I could add more if I thought about it some more. His "upside" seems remarkable, we should be excited about how much he'll improve his second year, but everyone seems to be down on him. I don't know jack about being an offensive linemen and have reviewed no tape of his body of work, so if anyone can explain to me why we're negative about Bell, but ga-ga over the "upside" of a bunch of others, who are backups here or elsewhere I would appreciate it

Now I definitely get why we keep using the phrase....

The phrase "upside" has been so widely and loosely used, I'd like to find out what the definition is for this. I can't even offer one to start the discussion as its nearly lost all meaning for me Its typically thrown out as justification of why we should keep player A over player B... ex. Steve Johnson has more "upside" than Josh Reed or why we should acquire player A... ex. Troy Smith has more "upside" than any of the QBs on our roster Definitions please, this has become a useless phrase!

There may be others on the board that were at this one... Back in the Flutie years, was working in DC area and at PricewaterhouseCoopers. A fellow Bills fan who was also there, got us seats in the PwC box. Only time I've ever been in a box at a game. Bills/Flutie kicked the Redskins tails from pillar to post all game long. As the butt kicking is unfolding we notice that there seemed to be a massive, raucus party going on 2 boxes down, which seemed strange given that the 'Skins were getting killed. We walked down there at halftime and went into the box. It turned out to be the Maryland Governor's box and was filled with Bills Fans. We were told that somebody who was originally from Buffalo had a big role in the development/construction of Fedex Stadium and when they asked him what he wanted at the end, he just wanted the Governor's box when the Bills came to town to host all his friends!!! The box was full and I even ran into a couple longtime childhood friends there. Tim Russert (RIP) even came into the box to watch the 2nd half with the group. Scott Berchold (PR/Comm guy) came in and asked the party if they needed anything. Oh yeah, did I say the Bills destroyed the Redskins that day... its definitely the way to see an away game!! Good thread....

Man, we've gone soft on the Dolphins... this place is getting depressing!

Wang should be a starter on name alone... and we need to bookend him with a Johnson. There's got to be an undrafted scrub RT named Johnson that could it into the line-up

That right there is the bottom line!

I would agree with what you're saying, but Lynch only has a year left on his contract. If he's really not interested in being here, we won't be able to resign him. He's telegraphed his intentions by not showing to the OTAs, hasn't he?

Just a few things here... -- Lynch is good, but I don't think we can conclude that Campbell sucks. I think the jury can still be out on him and he might be successful in the future, but I'll concede that Lynch has been the better player. Though Lynch sucked it up as much as Campbell last year. Also QB will always remain a premium position that teams are desperate to fill, so would be a premium over an RB in most cases. -- Lynch's was a pro-bowl alternate I believe (isn't that correct?), not directly selected. He was barely over 1,000 yards 2 years ago. 1K is not a good barometer, it averages to 63 yards/game. He's had very few 100 yard games and when he has its been because of a single big run. Lynch is barely at 4.0/yds per carry. -- Expendable is simply a matter of having another player there. It doesn't matter who it is. Same way that the Ravens may be looking to trade Gaither... we would not be breaking new ground, as a rebuilding team to have a tandem of a 29 year old who is averaging 4.5+yd/carry and has little wear/tear on his body as he started late coupled with a rookie who was the top rated back in the draft. Of all positions that's the lowest risk. Teams position to ride rookie backs all the time. -- I agree that OTA's are voluntary... for Bruce Smith in the prime of his career, coming off multiple Super Bowls. It is belligerent to skip them with a fledgling team, that hasn't been in the playoffs for a decade, trying to find its way with a new regime, installing a new system, yearning for leaders,........... NOT VOLUNTARY!

The reality is that the market for Lynch is less than a 4th... that's what the Redskins got for Jason Campbell. Similar enough story, with Campbell having several advantages. Similarities to Campbell: -- Both were first round picks, who are still young players -- Both teams moved in new directions making them expendable (Spiller and McNabb) Advantages to Campbell: -- He's a QB, teams need them more than a RB -- Regardless of whether he's a franchise QB, he's continued to improve each season as has been discussed on this board, While Lynch was worse last year -- He's never been in trouble, while Lynch is one mistake from a large suspension -- He has a strong team attitude, had gained the respect of his team through diversity and has a far better leadership presence than Lynch -- Lynch had started to skip voluntary OTA's with a new regime that's trying to turn the team around. This indicates an aggressive, belligerent attitude toward the team that picked him in the first round and put up with all his nonsense So if Campbell gets dealt for a 4th, our best situation for Lynch is a 5th... possibly less. IF we were offered a 3rd for him, we should have taken it in a heartbeat... a 2nd is delusional

I was just looking at the Dolphins schedule... if we can knock them off the first week, they follow with Vikings, Jets, Patriots, Packers, Steelers, Bengals, Ravens.... they could start 1-7 if they don't beat us. Looks like AFC East has tough schedules all around

I agree, this is a very difficult schedule, no real easier stretch to it. We should certainly expect sub-.500

Agree completely that winning is the KEY... recall back in the Super Bowl years, even Adam Lingner, our Long Snapper had his own radio show.

How exactly do you "prove" it???

Since only so much impact can be expected from this year's draft, we have to look at who's on the roster that may be key players. Here's a possible start, this is a lot to have to go right, so we should expect a poor season... Offense -- QB, HUGE issue, I'm just not sure Trent Edwards can stay free of injuries and doesn't have damaged confidence to enable throws downfield -- WR, Hardy / Johnson, one of them has to step up big -- OL, Wood has to be able to return from injury and further improve -- OL, Rookie Pick or Bell needs to be able to play LT well Defense -- LB, Maybin needs to be able to convert and excel at OLB -- CB, McKelvin needs to be able to return from injury and be shutdown corner Special Teams -- We need to get McKelvin and Parrish back to having a big-time return game Coaching -- We need far better in-game decisions than we've seen from our last 3 head coaches,... use of time outs, 2 minute drill and half time adjustments -- Strength/conditioning coaches fix the overwhelming injury problem on the last few years and very few lost game injuries of starters/key reserves How's that for a list to start?? If we can do all that, we'll be good

Thank you!!

2nd funniest post this off season... The first one still has to go to the Brandon Spoon thread of wimpy football names and someone came back with Lucious Pusey http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1205061football1.html High laughter at both though!!

Let put a numerical example to this so we can all be clear.... Let assume player is given the following simple 3 year contract that includes $3M Signing Bonus, $1M in Year 1, $2M in Year 2 and $3M in year 3 NFL rules allow that contract to be counted against the cap as follows amortizing the bonus over the life of the contract: -- Year 1 $2M, ... Year 2, $3M, ... Year 3 $4M The Bills would account for the player in their internal budgeting as -- Year 1, $4M, ... Year 2 $2M, ... Year 3, $3M the entire bonus counting in the first year That overstates the first year of the contract and limits other signings whenever signing bonuses are paid. They could achieve the same thing by not paying a signing bonus, making the first year of the contract guaranteed and giving the entire bonus amount as salary. I don't think the Bills do that. I think they're amortizing the signing bonus contract per the NFL rules, while voluntarily limiting further signings when they've reached their salary + signing bonus cap level (cash to the cap) for a given year, simply as an internal budgeting process.

I agree,... I was hoping it was Nix reading the rest of it, until I got to the last line.

That was good for about 1/2 hour of laughing to myself!!

I'm surprised the ESPN story wasn't discussed here. While not advocating for Morhinweg in any way, the story put together a compelling case...