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He looked as good as they talked about him last preseason, which was as much or more than Moats, and then Moats ended up getting the actual playing time last year because of injury to Coleman and Batten - both of whom are good enough to keep on our roster somehow, I think, and we ended up liking Moats' potential. Well, Moats kind of disappeared, I thought, last night, and Batten shined. I like that we have young guys that are interchangeable, to some extent. And, all in all, our front seven looked much BIGGER. We're going to have a much, much better run D this year. Can't help but think Wannstedt has had a good effect, and will have a good influence on how these young guys develop. Didn't get a chance to notice Sheppard much, but I'm excited about him, too. We have White, Sheppard, Batten, Moats, and Coleman to look forward to as young linebackers. That is a pretty good group going forward. The Steelers have always seemed to have linebackers - regardless of their draft position - on the roster, developing, and then they get a shot in year two or three and the organization doesn't miss a step. Let's hope our young guys can turn into that type of dependable unit. The fact that we have Whaley from Pittsburgh and Nix from San Diego is enough to suggest they know what to look for in these guys - and, the early returns look good. Immediately Nix looked to beef us up, something which I thought was long overdue, and it now looks like an NFL defense. (I know it is only preseason, but I'm talking merely about their size and athleticism. Our Defensive Coordinator might be the weakest link on that side of the ball, now)

I tend towards optimism with this team, despite perpetual let-downs. I'm no dummy, though. Call me an optimistic realist. Our D will be improved if it stays healthy. Something to consider in the health department. Last year we added two new strength and conditioning coaches. This year we replaced the turf. That was reportedly an issue with the injuries - so, lets hope we're now on our way to being ahead of the curve and to being a healthier team. So, yeah, the Defense will be better. It could be much better - and, I think it depends on how much influence Wanny has, and how much improved our D-Coordinator is. Our offense could be pretty good, too. I really believe, though (realist here), that the lack of additions to the tackle position is positioning us to be one injury away from simply being incapable of affording our QB's enough time to pass. I just can't believe Nix is willing to gamble the season on the health of Bell. So, if we stay healthy I believe we can win 8 games. With the worst kind of injuries, we could be looking at 3 or 4 wins, though. Frankly, the only reason I can come up with for not addressing the tackle position is that Nix is willing to see us lose another year in order to get to where he wants to be long term, and that is a franchise QB. I can hear his southern voice saying, I don't look past our first game, etc. and that they're always looking to upgrade their team (except, apparently, at tackle - which is going to bring heat from everyone this year if he doesn't add someone, at least).

Perhaps, and let's hope, this is nudges Nix to move on getting at least one serviceable backup LT, or swing tackle. That position, and the lack of addressing it, is to me the most glaring weakness of Nix's run so far. It's almost stubborn, or down right self sabotaging to go into this season without NFL caliber backups at the most necessary of positions on the line. Are they that "set in their ways" to mortgage an entire season on the odds of Bell staying healthy all or most of the year?

If we cut any one of Coleman, Moats, or Batten, another team will be in on them within a day. If we're building to be a future powerhouse, why sacrifice future talent for aged mediocrity now?

As a Bills GM Buddy has inherited the pressure of over a decade of previous losing. During that time, there were years we went out and spent money on guys. I don't think it is a total reluctance to bring in FA's - but, there was a point made earlier, that bringing in other team's practice squad guys and cast offs from other teams is virtually the same as bringing in FA's on a philisophical level, with the exception that we aren't paying top dollar. I fear that our tackles will be the ruin of this season for us. But, I'm hoping I'm wrong and that Gailey and Buddy are better at recognizing that stuff (although, persuing Clabo and Colon were signs that the FO might think as we do - I would really like to know why we didn't land those guys).

Yeah, it was BuffaloRumblings. They talked mostly how his body was way too high during the season, but that he learned (was taught) to lower it as the year went on, and did get better with that leverage. Carrrington, too, although he was a quicker study, it seems, and a different position.

From what I've heard, I think Johnny White is going to be good for us, and our 3rd back.

In the beginning of F.A. I was annoyed that Buffalo didn't go out and get a RT, the one position I think - at least, I think one of, if not both, tackle positions will be our downfall this year, but they did, after all, make offers to guys. How much above real value would the Bills have to pay to make the decision to sign someone like Clabo a bad decision? Now, if the Bills merely didn't offer market value to these guys, Tackles and Linebackers included, then I'd go along with you and say the Front Office is too cheap to be competitive. But, I agree with not overpaying to a certain degree, on the basis that other players might expect it, too - which was the worst part about the Kelsay signing, I thought. If we're paying him that much, how can we expect to afford real stars? As it is, I'll give Nix and Buddy another year or two - what choice do I have? Sign off on football altogether? I like the pieces Buddy has assembled so far. And, although we don't appear to have that great of a pass catching TE, we do seem to have a pretty speedy group of skill players, and a Rookie TE I forgot all about, the UDFA.

As just mentioned - I think it might be primarily a matter of our TE's needing to stay in to protect right now, due to our inexperienced, or unproven, O-line. If we had either a really decent O-line or a TE who was really good at both, they might go after him (although Zack Miller was good at both - I just think they see the line as needing fixed before they add that element). Gailey has said as much, that he wants a TE who can do both well, and that they don't come around too often. As it is, I see TE the last position we strengthen, unless one falls in our lap.

I remember hearing as much about Batten and Coleman last offseason after the draft as Moats. All three of those guys looked to have similar potential - in that they were each later to non drafted guys who showed some promise physically, but who had to prove it. However, Batten got hurt early and when Coleman got hurt he was performing just as well as Moats was. So, maybe the coaching staff, seeing as Moats is going to be behind Merriman regardless in the lineup, and they already know that Moats is capable as an OLB in a pinch, maybe their giving Batten and Coleman a chance to prove themselves at positions that are more to their natural capabilities, as opposed to Moats, who physically - according to Gailey - is more suited to ILB. If he doesn't work at ILB, I doubt he gets anything but moved back to OLB, because if we cut him, another team would snap him up in a minute.

I guess we'll see just how important team chemistry is in Football. I could see them having a bit of a hard time gelling in the beginning, but coming on strong. Then again, those corners are going to make it awfully difficult for people to pass on them.

When I looked at the schedule recently I thought 7-9 or 8-8, but on second thought, if the Pat's are all wrapped up on Jan 1st, there's a chance we walk away 9-7. Of course, an injury to say, our LT, might be all it takes to really set us back, or even Fitz, because for all the experience Chan has with Thigpen, Fitz is, I think way ahead of him here.

If he's that big and stays nearly that big, I wouldn't be surprised to see Williams and him switching positions eventually.

It was mentioned last year during and shortly after draft time that Carrington was big, strong, and able to get after the QB for a potential 3-4 end, and Troupe was said to have an amazing, no end motor, a guy who played every snap hard to the end. Well, both Carrington and Troupe were quiet last year, mostly, although I think Carrington looked a little more promising. The thing with Troupe, though, is he got better as the year progressed, as his technique improved. Now, with a lot more strenth, with both of them knowing more of what they're in for - I do think both of those guys are fixtures on our line for the next 4-5 years. And with Troupe's motor, he'll fit right in with what they're trying to do.

In the beginning of F.A. I was a little mad that we seemed incapable of signing the guys we wanted, but in retrospect, I like that we're giving manageable contracts to guys instead of being way too over-invested in just a few players. Especially when considering our young guys - it's nice to think that we'll be able to keep the young guys we like, that we won't be in a situation in a year or two where we're right on the verge of where we want to be and then we've got to get rid of a few guys that might be key. Still, the way we've been signing people - to modest contracts, I think we can still go out and get a Zack Miller - which really puzzles me that we haven't heard anything about that guy yet - or maybe luck into a LT/RT that gets cut somewhere down the line.

I might be the only Bills fan on here who thinks this way, but, if the Bills really want to move to a 3-4 defense permanently, and not go back and forth with the hybrid style, then Williams looks like a potential trade candidate in a year or two. I think he's the exact player to represent the Bills, but, when you look at pure 3-4 bodies/talent, I think people overlook Carrington - he's a big, fast, powerful dude who is going to cement himself as a 3-4 end (and who, I think, is fast enough to play 4-3 end in hybrid, as well). Now, we could see Carrington, Williams, Dareus. But, I think Williams true position on a football field, the position where he is most able to succeed, is as a 4-3 DT. Chances are one of the other NT's we have will be better able to simply clog up the middle. Of course, the coaches might prefer, for the next 4 years, to rely on the similarity of Williams and Dareus in order to switch from NT to DE, and go with a more penetrating 3-4 style, like Dallas was doing.

I've got to say, I'm all for bringing in any talent that is superior to what we already have, and my thoughts on F.A. is - if you have a rookie or 2nd year guy who is potentially going to be a starter, and a good one, like Sheppard, then you only bring in a F.A. if that player is very good, because if you're merely bringing in a vet who is only better by virtue of experience, then you're stunting the potential growth of the rookie. That's why Tatupu would be a nice choice - there cannot be too many good linebackers on a 3-4 team, and as someone recently posted, we're probably going to see a lot more injuries this year.

I can't believe anyone would look at those Patriot's moves and say they were nothing much. That team is going to be a powerhouse. And, it's good for us to get the best competition we can. We're going to have to be very creative this year in attacking that Defense of N.E.'s - because, for the most part, Bellicheck is always one or two steps ahead of us. When we can get our ---- together enough to compete with those guys, not to mention the Jets, we'll be ready for anyone. And, we did go toe to toe with Baltimore and Pittsburgh last year. I think it's just a matter of Bellicheck's familiarity with our personnel and with our schemes.

In a non - Whitner specific response, I'm wondering where all the Bill's money is going to? I know a team can come up with creative ways to spend 30 million, or whatever Buffalo had - it was one of the highest totals to spend in all the NFL. Anyway, when I look at Philly, for instance, at who they've signed, and then look at who we've signed - I wonder, if it is necessary to spend it all, where is it going to go to? Right now it looks like we still have plenty to drop on a TE, RT, and another LB even, if we keep making such modest deals.

I absolutely agree. There is a real trend lately towards dominant D-lines, or at least a move to emphasize those players - look how successful Minnesota was with the Williams wall, and Detroit just wrapped up the makings of a sick line, Buffalo with Williams and Dareus - two potential pro-bowlers (and I really like Carrington as an up and comer), and New England now with Haynsworth and Wilfork. Our Bills F.O., through the draft, mostly, has in two years put together a D-line that will be good for a long time. They also appear to have solidified and added depth to a secondary that wasn't bad - to the point where we have depth and very dependable players there, I think. So, our D will really come down to the health of the vets (Barnett and Merriman) and the play of our second and 1st year guys at Linebacker. There are things to like about this defense, especially if Dareus is close to what Suh was last year, which will only make Williams numbers, not to mention everyone elses, that much better.

I'm saying I hope Merriman isn't finally healthy because he was able to do, these past months, what he was doing years ago when he was successful, but won't be able to do any longer. From what I've read, players had no oversight in that regard these past months, and how long does something like that keep a player strong and healthy before it wears off?

I briefly perused the stadium wall and didn't see anything quite on topic, so excuse me if it's already been mentioned. Over the last few weeks I've wondered, in the wake of all the information coming in about the lockout and the lack of normal NFL regulations and rules during the lockout period, just how many of the older players wanted to drag out the lockout for more than just the reported Profootballtalk reasons (which were to make the lockout go into camp time so the rookies and younger guys couldn't replace the vets this year, thereby assuring some vets a new contract or another full season of salary) - well, my intuition here is in reference to a certain recent Bills linebacker, who despite his sizeable reputation has yet to produce anything for us, nor stay healthy virtually at all. It's my thinking that a lot of these older, or injury prone vets might have taken advantage of the lack of oversight during this lengthy layoff to rejuice, so to speak. Now they are finally really "healthy". Certainly it happened with some of them. I just hope the health isn't short lived, or liable to wear off as the season progresses.

Our doctors will certainly give him a check over - if they believe he's healthy enough, then I'd guess they'd make a real aggressive attempt to sign him. The fact that they're playing Moats at ILB, that they're on record as wanting Poz and missing, and then missing on Burnett - if they were happy with their ILB's or with the numbers there they wouldn't still be checking guys out, and, at this point, the options are dwindling. So, I'd guess it will hinge on the physical. One thing the Bills do have is good doctors.

I've said previously that the F.O., by now, should have a timetable on when they are going to "arrive", instead of always, "rebuilding". Of course, they'll never come out and say, "we don't expect to win much this year, and maybe even next year we'll still be out of the playoff picture, but we're hoping that 2 years from now we'll be able to compete." They don't say that because, even if that is their thought, it wouldn't sell tickets. Nevertheless, that seems to be the attitude. And, from a fan's perspective, there is one consolation to losing, IMO, and that is being able to grab the prize of next year's draft. I know there are a lot of posters here who laugh or rage at people who "plan for next year", but, looking at this F.O., if they're not planning on winning this year - a.k.a, "it's not going to be rebuilt in 2 years", then to me, that's pretty much the same as planning ahead for next year. Maybe they do think they'll put the finishing pieces together next year. Maybe they are right in saying they have the guys now to be competitive. The only thing that makes me question that is the fact that they've been going after gusy at ILB and RT and have been losing out on them, which makes saying "we've got the guys to win with now" seem rather like a compromise. I'm holding out hope they are still targeting guys to be dropped, or improvements out there that we'll see added in the weeks to come.

Ha, ha! As much as I'm a fan of big defenses - when I look at Buffalo right now, with the personnel we have, I think we're much better suited for the 4-3. In fact, I think we'd have one of the better defenses in the league if we had K. Williams, Dareus line up at DT's, both very good penetrators and good enough together to stuff the run easily, while using guys like Edwards, Carrington, and Kelsay as DE's. Moats, Merriman, Batten, White, Torber, Davis and Sheppard, not to mention Coleman - there's a starting 4-3 linebacker crew in there somewhere. But, it's the D-line I like most about the 4-3 with us. And, that's mostly because as good as K. Wiliams is, I just don't think he's proven big enough to anchor a 3-4 as NT. Dareus looks more suited than him for it. Let's hope our 7th rounder, or Troupe, show enough promise to take over for that role.