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We know what the situation is here - we're going to pick up our franchise qb next year. So, with this year, I would certainly give a chance to a guy like Jeff George or Jeff Garcia, for instance. Assuming we could block marginally well for them, it wouldn't hurt, and it could help. I'd take either of those two and get rid of Fitzgerald. Why not? If they outperformed the others, give them a shot for a year, maybe two. Let them chase their dream and meanwhile mentor the younger guys. I'd love to see an older but healthy and capable QB be given the chance once more - Favre isn't the only old QB who can play. I'm especially convinced Jeff Garcia could pull it off. If I recall, he played pretty good right up until he stopped - without much of a decline.

It's not just the Dolphins that came from nowhere to be good. Other teams have done it in the past. There are pieces that will make it possible for us, though. I've said it before - if our O-line plays like last year, then we aren't going to win six games, even. So, our tackles need to do a better job, and our whole line needs to be better; can you imagine our line as it seems right now trying to block a blitz happy Jets team? What gives me confidence that a turn around can happen, and that we could see 8-8, or even 9-7: Gailey - he's got arguably a better team and he seems a much better coach, and an offensive minded one, so, if Jauron can get us close to the playoffs last year, then it's not unimaginable that Gailey can do it this year; Health - if our team stays healthy, then right there we should have a few more wins than last year; Attitude - players are buying into it, and a team that thinks it can win can win a lot more than the unemotional group we had last year; and finally - the way Gailey is limiting the media from practices already tells me he is the kind of coach who will have some surprises in store for our opponents. Last year's team was predictable to a play. I think we'll be much harder to plan for, and Gailey's shown he can work with average talent. Add to that it's Gailey's and Nix's chance to prove themselves, too. These guys have pride - they're not going to let this team get walked on. All things considered, I think we'll be a team that is capable of standing up and playing with anyone from here out.

If he could show that potential - if, if, if, I know - but, he's fast. Yeah, we'd have to bump another WR, but he's young, too. People have been knocking our WR corps all pre season - I like it. I like our rookies this year. Hardy is the guy I'm down on the most, and he's still got potential. In my opinion, look at the Vikings as an example of how a recieving corps can be mediocre or good depending on who's throwing the ball. If we had Peyton tossing it around, we'd probably have two 1000 yard recievers - and maybe a TE, too. What excites me the most about Chad Jackson is his speed. I'd like to have a similar thing as the Rams recent superbowl teams had happen with us this year - the offense surprise everyone, and I think we have the tools for that to happen - speed at WR, the 50+ yard touchdown deep ball speed, and then the RB's as WR's, and then the shifty Roscoe and Spiller open field speed. If our tackles play good this year, I think our RB's and WR's will prove to be set for a few years.

It'd be tough to imagine a worse offense. In some ways it's additon by subtraction. I like our offense at most areas except tackle - and that, in turn, might really hamper our QB's. If we get decent play from our tackles, I think we have an offense that can wear down an opposing defense.

I think when you have a very uncompromising, arrogant person in charge you're likely to see mild people below them - N. Turner, is a good example. Schottenheimer was too strong a personality for their partnership to work. I think if you have to choose which of the two positions is better suited by a strong personality, the Head Coach, IMO, is the better spot for it - like R. Ryan. You don't need the outspoken, almost taunting quality of Smith in a G.M. - I think that probably hurts negotiations at times. But you do need a firm, confident, no nonsense coach. When I look at our Bills of recent memory - we've not had, since Williams, a stern, stubbornish coach, and we haven't had much to speak of with a G.M., either. I think our current mix is a good one, though. They seem to be more of a team than you see many other places, with Nix obviously in charge, but not looking for any attention or publicity - he's quietly, unassumingly doing what needs be done in the background, and letting Gailey run the show.

They've got to be sweating it out now. They're supposed to be S.B. contenders this year. They can't go into the year with no corners, or no matter how good they are everywhere else, they'll get torn up. This just might make holding out on bidding high for Gaither a smart move. They might be much more willing now to deal him for an already decent CB, or maybe a promising one. Anyway, this vulnerability will certainly lead to them looking to make a move, which could only benefit us if we are interested in adding him.

I think a bigger question will be: what happens if Edwards has a relatively good year - not great, but good - like top 15 QB. Do we go after one of the QB's next year who is supposed to have greatness potential, or, do we stick with Edwards and give him an extension, which might cost us quite a bit. Can we be very comfortable with the idea that Edwards will be good from year to year, now that we've seen him break down? And, if we do decide to keep him - if he has a great year, say top 8 QB, then what do we do with the contract? Because he's due. I"m of the opinion that we go after, and hard, the best QB we think is available in next year's draft. Keeping Edwards or not, I don't think the two should effect each other. Then, we can have a back up plan, and a mentor, and development time. Here's for hoping good things from Edwards.

We could be one of the teams with an "offer already on the table". Perhaps Nix and company have been making attempts at getting players, and maybe they've just been a little less appealling than what other teams have offered?

If our guys don't perform this year, if we look at all like last season, the fans are going to probably forget about anything else good that might come of this year, because with such weak O-line play as last year's, there's no way we can win games. I just don't think people will be forgiving of Nix and Gailey if the line is terrible again this year, because they passed on both the draft and F.A. to address it. Not saying it will be bad, or that they don't bring in someone still - I think Tampa has a guy that's close to being traded or lost to F.A., for instance... just that if we do fall apart there, there won't be any excuses for them, except that they were willing to sacrifice a year to "just see" what we've got. The Steelers weren't willing to do that. For me, it comes down to Nix being either willing to lose a year, as I said, or he really believes in these guys, or that the O-line is more a unit than one player. We'll see.

After everything I've read and heard from Nix and Gailey, I just don't see any way this team goes out there opening day against Miami and isn't ready to play. I think we'll be a physical team, steady, and I think he's got to be, and have been, behind the scenes, rubbing his hands together, as it were, making up good game plans and plays that'll utilize the weapons we've got on this offense. I'm really looking forward to the regular season, because I think we're going to see a pretty different offense than what will be shown this training camp and pre-season. I think he's keen enough to know what will work with our players, and good enough to use it all, in a surprising fashion.

I really like Kelsay's work ethic, but he has never been above average - he's always just been what you'd want out of a rotational guy, or second stringer - consistently average. So, his exit will now make way for one of the younger guys - Batten or Coleman, hopefully, to step in, if they aren't considering Moats for an outside spot. I really like these three. Now, someone here mentioned the rave that Bowen got previously, etc., but, these guys, I think, are different in that they aren't small for their position - they are clearly the right size, and clearly have the right physical skills to perform in this defense that we're running now. So, I want to see them - the guys who got drafted specifically for this defense, as opposed leftovers who aren't, perhaps, in the long run, as good of fits - get chances to play, because I think they're going to be our future, and they might as well get some exposure now. The Steelers have had success with young LB's. New England's Mayo, and San Diego's rookie LB from last year - young LB's, like RB's, can come in right away and play good.

There's a post on BuffaloRumblings saying, player texted it's Edwards...

With that kind of talent, what's stopping them from getting him? Would it be a waiver thing, or highest bidder, or some kind of supplemental, highest bidder type choice. If it's simply a matter of offering him the most, we should go for it. It'd be a shame not to. We've got so much young talent on our team. Imagine this kid with Nelson, Johnson, Easley, Hardy, and the rookies, plus Lynch and Spiller - long term, plus our O-line is all pretty young. All we'd have to do next year is get our QB, if one doesn't pop out of the group this year, and likewise with a Tackle. We've got to be turning over these stones, man!

I'm saying Brohm, Edwards, Fitz, and Brown last. I think it should be this way because Edwards does need to prove that he can be consistent, and Brohm needs a vote of confidence. It would probably help his confidence to start him as the starter, and if he falters it won't be for lack of coaching confidence. Anyway, that seems like the best line-up as far as I'm concerned. I'd really like Brohm to prove he's got a lot left of what made him a promising rookie - if he came on strong, that'd change our chances dramatically this season, allowing us to be multi-dimensional. Any strong QB play would help in that regard, but it'd be nice to have Brohm show 1st round talent and for us to have him.

Yeah, I like Nix and Gailey. Nix, to start with. He might be old, but he's in really good shape for his age, and he doesn't sound like a guy who has trouble thinking, rather, he sounds like he knows exactly what he wants, and when he answers questions he takes a second to think clearly on how to express the straightest answer. He seems honest and he seems to know what it takes, what types of talent, and he's not making any excuses. He's there now, he's not responsible for the past, but he's on the hook for this season and the next. It's refreshing. I think he'll be regarded, in a year or two, as a real sharp G.M. - like his quick response to being one of the GM's who seem to be united in restricting their F.A. acquisitions - he said, not me, if we need someone, and they're a definite upgrade, we'll try to get them, but we're not going to retard the process by adding players who are no better than what we've got. And Gailey - he's organized, creative, and fundamentally sound. He's got guys teaching, lots of teachers, which these young players need. You see a well coached team, and Tennessee and Patriots come to mind, and it doesn't seem to matter what names are on the field, they all play their positions as they're supposed to, and as a team, they succeed. I think that's how the Bills will be, consisitent, sound, and tough - together as whole units. And, I think we'll be a team other teams will have trouble with, because we have more talent than people give us credit for, and our team will be so new, not a lot of people will know what to expect out of us. It should be a fun few years to come.

Yeah, there's always an upgrade when another team lets a player go. Usually, I don't agree with it. Sometimes, though, like with the recent post about Matt Jones in Cinci - a player like that I'd take a look at, at least. But, I like our young LB's and I'd like to see them get a chance. I like Poz, Mitchell, and Davis, too. Maybin might be good at the position. So, we've got talent now, I think. More or less, there are a few positions where we don't have depth - like QB, Tackle, and Center, to name three, where we might find other teams let a player go that might be a real upgrade for us in those areas. But, we are pretty deep in other areas, I think, when you consider we'll lose a bunch of guys to the 53 man cuts. With our roster, I think we've only got room, reasonably, for two or three new faces before we start to chance losing yount talent.

If he does come back, I sure hope he's in it for real, and capable of being a dominant OLB. Because we've got some good potential in Batten, Coleman, Moats, and Maybin. I don't want to see one of those guys axed because Schobel needs to account for a spot on the team. Man, that would be bad, bad game if he played it like that. So, I think and hope if he comes back, he'll give it his all.

I think it's more like this - he's saying to himself, "I can come into camp at any time I choose, learn or not learn the system, and as long as I show up, they're on the hook to pay me 8 million. If they don't want to trade me, maybe I'll just show up when I please and if I can adjust, then I do, but it'll be on my terms. If they don't like it, they can cut me, or trade me." I really think this is his way of fighting them. Why would they want to pay him 8 million if he shows up late, hasn't put in anywhere near the time everyone else has, and maybe isn't that good at OLB? To me, it's a silent war between player and team, and the side I'm leaning on here is the Bills. Schobel signed a contract. He commited himself to playing. If he didn't want to play, he should've said so before the draft. Really, by doing this, he's putting the team on the hook for 8 million or so that could be going somewhere else - like a good LT, or a pretty good QB salary. For that kind of money, I think you owe the team everything you can give them.

I have to agree - the Music City Miracle robbed our Defense that year of establishing itself as one of the better defenses of the decade, I'd say. We were very hard to run on. We smothered people. As for our current defense - I think it will evolve into a hybrid 3-4 that, as players get more accustomed to their roles, we'll see a lot of shifting pre-snap, seeing odd allignments - you know, we could bring one or two of our LB's up to the line in various situations to create pressure or stop the run. With our current group of personnel, I think we have excellent talent, but that we have to find the right schemes for all these guys to shine. We could see a good mix up with our safeties, depending on the down and distance, and we could see a good mix up with our LB's, too, depending on situation. What I'm saying is, even though we have a 3-4 defense this year, I think it will look like a bunch of different defenses throughout the course of a game, and the season. And, I think we'll be very opportunistic, right up in the top of the league in turnovers, and I think we'll finish in the top ten overall in defense. That's saying a lot considering some of the powerhouses we'll be facing this year.

It's not really logical to say that losing Peters lost us only one game. Sure, our overall record went down by one, but had he been here, our line might have been totally different, and we might have avoided some of the pitfalls we experienced last season, and came out on top of some of the close games, and maybe finished 9-7; with that reasoning his absence might have cost us 2 wins. You never know either way. Anyway, when I look at our situation with Gailey and our O-line and recievers and such, an analogy of sorts comes to mind. What if Jauron was coaching Green Bay two years ago? Two years ago they finished what? - 6-10 or something? Their O-line was terrible, their QB was running for his life, and yet, a year later they have virtually the same offense and are one of the best teams in the league. You never know what someone else could have done with our talent, and without the injuries. So, when people say we don't have recievers, we don't have tackles, etc., I know where they're coming from, but I'm holding out hope that a different staff, with different ways of coaching and play calling, can make the same group look totally different, and end up with totally different results. Here's hoping that Gailey can accomplish the same type of turn around as Green Bay did (they even swithced to the 3-4, and year one were one of the top 3 defenses). In fact, I think our team's changes will resemble that of Green Bay's and that of Miami of a few years ago.

I don't know that Schobel and Maybin would be playing opposite each other - one on each side - or, if Maybin would then be Schobel's back-up? As for Schobel showing up out of shape - that's one thing these old all stars know how to do - is stay in football shape. They know what it takes for their bodies to remain physically conditioned enough to make through a normal season, and when they show up, they show up to play. If he does wait until middle of camp to come, then I'd bet he'll be put in the back of the rotation and have to work his way up. Someone here mentioned older DE's transitioning to OLB's in their later years and being successful. Examples don't come to mind, but it'd be encouraging to know it has happened before.

They are looking at depth for the Guard position, which is good, because we need depth everywhere. I think they planned on making the defense a respectable unit first and foremost, and couldn't pass on Spiller because he's a once-in-a-generation kind of talent. They knew the tackle positions were questionable, but they also knew they might have talen there - it just depended on health and how these youngsters play in game situations. So, I think they were counting on evaluating the tackles in pads, and if they needed to add a veteran, then they will, for a season or two, until their young guys are ready, or until they can draft a replacement. I'd say we'll see the line shift a little between now and pre-season, and that we'll maybe even see an addition of a veteran G, and Tackle.

I don't know how the contract situation works - but, it seems like if wanted to play for another team - if he was free to sign with anyone, there'd be a bunch of teams looking to get him - so, it seems like we don't want to let him go for nothing, and that leaves another team giving us something for him, or him trying to adapt to an OLB role. I can see the Bills not wanting to just give him away, when there'd be a line of teams looking to pick him up. It's a tough situation. I'd still like to see how he could play at OLB. He's what, 265 lbs or so?

There was a recent article that stated Spiller's touchdowns - in college, some 50+ touchdowns, almost half of them are from more than 50 yards out. To me that indicates he's much quicker - to get separation, than most other players, and that he's got the follow-up speed to continue increasing the gap. Chris Johnson comes to mind - someone who just looks obviously way faster than everyone around him, like a Madden player 10 pts faster than everyone else.

I know there was a similar post just closed - but on BuffaloRumblings they are suggesting just that - Schobel now closer to returning than retiring. It doesn't surprise me - because if he wanted to retire, he'd probably have done it much sooner. Why wait until training camp and beyond, especially when there's a new defense to learn, when coming to camp late would only, most likely, prevent him from starting. To me, it is a dramatic difference between our LB corp with Shobel and without him. I'd like to see if he can adjust to it. Certainly, if they shift from 3-4 to 4-3 out of the 3-4 allignment, pre-snap, then he'd be a good DE candidate to line up anywhere - certainly the opposition's O-line would have to account for him. So, is it a better unit, 3-4, with him, or is he not really suited for it?