tennesseeboy

SAhh....there's the problem. I have not harped on the idea that Schobel should BE traded. The trade scenario pretty much passed a few weeks ago with the retirement, not playing for us, not coming to camp business. I have harped on the idea that he should have BEEN traded at the time the Bills realized he didn't fit into the 3-4 strategy and was going to retire. Now that we have cleard that up I consider the matter closed.

Davis filling one of the tackle spots. That's a real biggie. Iupati was pretty much hands down the best guard prospect on the board so its not a surprise. Singletary is going to be getting results this year (by fixing the trenches).

I would say the offensive tackles. The expectations for them are low and every defense will be gunning for them. If they can perform even average it will be far better than anyone expects and they will unleash a very potent running game. If they are successful pass blocking we'll get a much better (ok ok..i know the bar is pretty low to date) passing game. I think if these two stand up we we actually (don't laugh..I'm serious) be a real contender in the AFC East.

I know...I'm having a hard time considering what San Jose thinks to be significant as well.

Actually you are sounding kind of high pitched and shrieky with this post. I posited a theory. He should have been traded. He wasn't. I don't have more to add than that. I think I'll pass on the ad hominem attacks.

he's undecided until the conditions are right. If he's retiring he'd be retiring. This is part of the process. We call it a good BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement). He's using it as leverage. It got him out of the Bills situation and it will help him get the best deal in the Houston agreement.

I'm expecting nine wins. That's a stretch goal, but I think we MAY have the talent to do it assuming we get the tackle problem at least partially fixed.

oh he'll sign. Unlike Nix, his agent knows how to deal and how to use time to his advantage. Buddy....take notes and learn.

Without a good solid offensive line we aren't ever going to know how good our quarterbacks are. I just don't know how trent is going to do until he is given time to do something.

ok..I get it..."Get Value" Leave gaping holes. That sounds like how we got all those great defensive backs who kept leaving because we douldn't win....because we had gaping holes.

Not really..he would have started over the two excuses we presently have for tackles. However even if he werent' to start over tackles he would have been the first guy off the bench if either Wood or Levitre got hurt (assuming he didn't beat out one or the other.) The offense would have been better with Bulaga at tackle. I'm not sure the offense is any better with spiller over either Lynch or Jackson.

I suspect a minimum of three would have been interested before the draft. Schobel has always been interested in Houston (the obvious choice) and Seattle and NE are interested. The deal was there. It just didn't get done. End of story.

When did "getting value at nine" take precedence over building a winning football team?

I agree. We have so much new stuff, with new offensive coaches, new defensive set up, new receiver corps, that we can use all the pre-season they give us just getting the basics down. I suspect that will be a huge part of the planning process and this crew should not "breeze through" pre-season. Camp Marv days are a thing of the past.

Frankly we needed another gaurd more than we need a fourth running back.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Let's just consider the possibility that Maybin isn't a very good football player.

The bills should have known from day one that schobel wasn't going to play linebacker in a 3-4. No brainer. Knowing that they should have made a deal well before the draft.

first shortly after the decision was made to go 3-4 the trade should have been initiated...before the AS remarks were made secnd buddy should not have made public statements about poor trade value third AS wanted out of 3-4 as much as anything. the money is not unreasonable for a healthy de who had ten sacks last year on very bad team. I agree once we let it get out of hand with all the bad blood the trade possibilities dwindled.

He had trade value. We just didn't get it.

he'll probably go to Houston but part of it will be money and part of it will be getting to the superbowl and the sine qua non swill be a 4-3 defense. He'll go where he goes, and we'll get nothing in return. Poor planning, Poor game plan. Poor execution.

I don't hink his prediction is that unrealistic. We were a pretty good team last year until the coaching debacle and a remarkable number of injuries on defense. Not playoff calibre mind you..but a eight or nine win team in any event. If the 3-4 works, and with Gailey and stable coaching we might be pretty good....pretty good...not playoff bound, but pretty good...about 20th sounds good.

let's see...if you're going to be a good quarterback should you be able to get the ball where the receiver can catch it? Duh.

Very hard to plan around poor tackles. Cripple your tight end options by putting in a blocking te? Add a blocking fullback? Just robbing peter to pay paul. Limit your play selection? You are going with a limited offensive and a good defense is going to have a heyday with you. In the final analysis these guys we have at tacle had better play professional football to beat the band. It sounds as if Green is doing very well on the run-blocking part of the game and maybe the others will come along. That's the hand we're dealt this year.

I think Schobel intended to play for a few more years, but the 3-4 was what broke the camel's back and made leaving inevitable. The Texans have a leg up, but I'm expecting other teams to make a play for him. In the final analysis its probably the Benjamins and a 4-3 situation that will call the shots.