starrymessenger

CJ will not fail. Take it to the bank.

Bills do have a chance to make some noise this year. They have three very good (in the case of ML, when he feels like it) running backs and although the O-line is not great in pass protection due principally to our LT problem, it should definitely run block quite adequately (Levitre, Hangartner, Green), especially if Wood makes it back at close to 100% this year. Chan will use the running and short passing game to try and control the ball and the clock (a bit like the Dolphins last year). This way he keeps the ball away from the opposition's offence and gives his own D a break in a transition year. The O-line should also be able to suck it up enough to give the QB enough time for long balls or late developing patterns a limited number of times a game. With an expected level of OC sophistication and professionalism not seen here in many years and assuming one of our QBs can execute Chan's gameplan we could raise a few eyebrows.

Disagree about Brees in SD. Have seen a couple of his games back then and again on NFL Network. Maybe not enough to go on but I viewed the replays with Trent comparisons in mind and the thing that stood out to me was the fluidity of DBs throwing motion and release and how well his athleticism was channelled into throwing the football. Much less natural in Trent. Hope I'm wrong but for now agree with Fluffhead.

This article is a cut above the usual drivel we get from the national media (especially at this time of year) and reflects a legit, reasoned view - dont agree with his season record prediction however. I expect a better team than last year, especially in the later stages of the season. That is what we should be looking for and what we should see - noticeable improvement by years end, and an idea of what this team will actually look like when it is truly competitive again.

The case can certainly be made for Peyton being #1 offensive player. Don't see the relevance though if the question is whether grossly underpaid players should get extentions or new contracts since, as you say, Peyton's deal is up and he was never grossly underpaid to begin with.

Sorry. Thought that he was in the third year of a five year deal that paid him 12MM with 7MM guaranteed. And that after upfront payments he was looking at playing for about 500 thousand in "new" money this year. Know that they have been renegotiating while he has missed all team activities so far this year. When you say his contract is "up" I guess you mean up for renegotiation? Certainly it has not come to term. Regardless, the theme of this thread was whether a player is bound by his contract or is it appropriate in certain cases to tear up the document and start over. He wants 30MM. Titans won't pay that. He may hold out yet, Mr Weo, (unless I missed his signing something).

You have made your point and its a good one. In this way Reevis is a lot like Andre Johnson. They both opted for rich contracts that guaranteed security. But do you also think that the best player in the world on the offensive side of the ball should shut up and play for $500,000 this year?

Percocet is a synthetic derivative of morphine I believe. Was on it for a couple of months after hip surgery. Really enjoyed being sick. Problem is the withdrawal symptoms. Not worth the ride. Wonder how ballplayers deal with it. Just take more Percocet I guess. Not a great decision IMO. JR is pathetic.

The CFL has been around for a long time. There was a time, especially before the rise of the AFL and while the NFL itself was smaller, less lucrative, less organized/competitive when a fair number of top player talent made it to Canada. Cookie Gilchrist and others are CFL legends that were good enough to play anywhere. Even more recently, for one reason or another, the occasional great player shows up here, e.g. Warren Moon because back when he graduated the NFL was still in the dark ages re drafting a black QB (even if the guy was great) or Jeff Garcia and a few others, including Flutie who after all was a real QB and not an imposter at the position even in the NFL. Most recently there is Wake, who will only get better in Miami (though of course will not dominate as he did in Canada). Rickie Williams is an interesting case for comparison. When he played for Toronto he was not as effective as he is in Miami. To me he was just playing out his suspension and keping in shape - maybe at 80% of capacity. Even then, when he made his mind up he could put it in a different gear. I remember him with a defensive tackle draped all over him at the opposition five yard line. He literally walked in with the guy on his back. He's a tough runner but he doesn't do that in the NFL. The CFL is fun for us Canadians to have, but it is definitely the minor leagues. Even more so than in baseball since its sends fewer players to the "majors". Talentwise, if the Bills played here they would/should go undefeated and win the Grey Cup (although with them you never know- its hard to win in the CFL). With its three down set the game is more simplified and together with the wider field is more open and pass oriented. It is less sophisticated and technical from the perspective of execution though and there are some things about it that are downright stupid. The difference between victory and defeat can be a punt through the end-zone - the infamous "rouge"- hilarious.

Maybe Buddy did try to do something (though I doubt it). According to Jason LaConfora, a 3-4 team (unnamed) showed strong interest in Albert, who apparently vetoed any discussions even though they agreed to line him up as a DE, not NT. In Albert's mind I'm sure that the issue of his 20M bonus is quite independent from any assurances he may have received concerning the position he would be playing. As a purely contractual matter he is almost certainly right. He probably feels besides that he would have gotten the same money from somebody else who would not be messing with his game - so why would he pass up what he was legally entitled to because of something they decided to do? Not defending Albert, but imprudent owners wind up getting what they deserve.

If we give up anything of value for Gaither we have to sign him to a deal. Teams are loath to write big contracts/extensions this year because of the uncertainty surrounding the CBA next year, even if they are sure they like the player. So we cant really offer anything of real, tangible value and therefore Gaither plays out the season in Baltimore.

Ok fair enough. Not saying he is a good quarterback and indeed in reality he has not got a Lossman/Russell type arm, but I did think he could make all the throws which I have some doubt about in Trent's case. I thought the dinking and dunking was more a reflection of his lousy receiving corps and resulting Mangini game plan.

Wrong Bill. You get Trent with a beter arm, aka JP Lossman.

Seems so simple really. Best thing for him and for the team is for him to show up, bring some good attitude and show everybody that he can still play. Ignoring his HC is definitely not good attitude. There is a meaningful role for him here this year as inside power runner. He needs to grab that and "run" with it because its all he has left for now. Whats standing in the way again is his immaturity and an exaggerated sense of his ability. Bills won't likely cut him or give him away, so what else is there for Marshawn to do?

...and just wait till you see what he can do on a football field. Has a real chance to be the one people most remember from this entire draft class.

Would only play for the Bills because he could never get that kind of money from anyone else and not worth it to him to play for anything less. So what exactly does Aaron want?

Agree with your comment re their O-line. Would go further though and say KC and VY are just plain flat out better playmakers than Trent under center. I don't wonder so much what ML or FJ would have done behind that line and in that system. I am more intrigued with knowing what Spiller could do (not that we will ever find out any time soon).

Remember that. What surprised me even more was Kurt W just shrugging it off. Tough guy.

Roscoe needs to find a good professional touch football league to play in.

My thoughts exactly.

Have no fear. CJ Spiller is no Roscoe Parrish. He is the real deal. There is a reason why they nearly fell over themselves in their haste to get to the podium.

What worries me most about Easly is his small hand size. Agree that it can be silly to harp on a detail like this, but the problem is his greatest drawback as a reciever so far has been his tendency to catch the ball into and with his body rather than with his hands, which suggests a connection.

Get over it. Marshawn is a mystery and Fred is 30 years old. I look forward to reading your posts when CJ lights it up, which I have no doubt he will do.

Funny, I always compared him to Oher, who the Bills could/should have picked ahead of Orapko or Maybin. Bills pass rush/pressures were not that bad last year without Maybin. LT was a disaster.

Their ability to play football actually has nothing to do with where they are from. It has to do with the opportunities they had to pass through at least a college program. By the time they reach the NFL they are trained football players, not rugby or track & field guys. Even Christian Okoye played college ball, and certainly Ngata, the rugby player, did. Bob Hayes was a star football player at Florida A&M (which Usaim Bolt was not). Every now and then somebody gets the bright idea that accessing a good gene pool (or a great individual athlete) gets you what you want. Jamaicans are known to be great athletes so why not enter a Jamaican bobsled team in the winter olympics! They made it down the course in record time, but upside down under their sled. Conversely, if there are not many Afro-American players in the NHL it is not for want of athletic ability. P.K.Subban is loaded with talent and has a chance to become a great player. But his father had him on skates when he was 2 years old and he grew up in the hockey hotbed of southern Ontario. Its as much about exposure and opportiunity than it is about athletic ability, and all are prerequisites (not to mention mental toughness and fearlessness Trent). I strongly doubt that this rugby player will ever see the NFL from field level.