akm0404

Well, Fitzpatrick is currently the 10th highest rated QB in the AFC, so it seems pretty cheesy to vote for him. Williams (particularly) and Johnson deserve some attention though.

Of the NFL quarterbacks with higher QB Ratings than Ryan Fitzpatrick, and their draft position: Michael Vick - Round 1, #1 (2001) Philip Rivers - Round 1, #4 (2004) Aaron Rodgers - Round 1, #24 (2005) Matt Cassel - Round 7, #230 (2005) Ben Roethlisberger - Round 1, #11 (2004) Tony Romo - UDFA Drew Brees - Round 2, #32 (2001) Matt Schaub - Round 3, #90 Kyle Orton - Round 4, #106 (2005) Jay Cutler - Round 1, #11 (2006) Joe Flacco - Round 1, #18 David Gerrard - Round 4, #108 (2001) Matt Ryan - Round 1, #3 (2008) Matthew Stafford - Round 1, #1 (2009) John Kitna - UDFA Payton Manning - Round 1, #1 (1998) Eli Manning - Round 1, #1 (2004) Josh Freeman - Round 1, #17 (2009) --- Ryan Fitzpatrick --- Sam Bradford - Round 1, #1 (2010) Carson Palmer - Round 1, #1 (2003) So yeah, it looks like pretty much all quarterbacks better than Ryan Fitzpatrick were selected extremely high in the NFL draft. Of the 21 highest rated QBs in the NFL this season, 13 were first round picks. Enjoy!

Oh, that was my mistake btw - the iPhone interface for this message board doesn't include the little sub-headline field, so I couldn't see the part about premier defensive player. Was a bit confused

Sorry man, but for every Brady, there are at least ten great quarterbacks selected at the top of round 1 of the NFL draft. Just because you CAN get an elite quarterback in round 6 doesn't make it the best or most predictable way. I don't want the Bills to select the next Ryan Leaf or Akili Smith either, trust me. But I'd rather they tried and failed to procure elite top-5 quarterback talent than throw up their hands and say it's too hard to hit on a QB and keep rolling out everyone else's leftovers.

I ask you the same question with regard to your OP.

What you talkin' bout, Willis?

He wasn't very good. Seemed like a nice guy though - just never really made an impact and was always injured. Good luck to him.

No, every rookie doesn't have to be a starter and a big playmaker in their first year or they are a bust. It just happens that the really high overall selections that aren't starters and don't make plays in their first year turn out to be busts more often than not. All I'm saying is that time after time, other teams get huge impact out of their rookies, and those players turn into superstars. For the Bills, it seems that year after year we are told to be patient, and that the superstar breakout year is just around the corner. But the corner never seems to be turned. It stinks. I hope Spiller turns into a superstar. But I really wish it didn't feel like we are going to play the Maybin next-year-he-is-going-to-breakout game yet again.

See, that's always the song and dance number for the foolishly optimistic Bills fans. It's like a mantra. "Just wait. Give him one more year to show something. This is his breakout year. We just need to be patient. Give him 3 years. Next year will be different. Just wait and see. Be patient. Next year. It takes time. Just wait." Blah blah blah. We have to wait for our rookies to develop and become good at some date to be determined, while nearly every other team gets meaningful, IMPACT performances from their rookies every single year. Why do we always have to wait for the lightbulb to come on with our guys? You realize it doesn't have to be like that, right?

Well, how about we start with providing elite-level quarterback play. Not 20th best quarterback play. Not 'merely-better-than-our-last-stiff-qb' play. Nobody hates Fitz or even dislikes him. We love him. We want him on the team. We appreciate his fire and passion and leadership. We just want a Pro Bowl quality top 5 quarterback in the NFL, because we see that year after year after year the top 5 quarterbacks almost ALWAYS make the playoffs and compete for championships. The 20th best quarterback usually watches from home. We want a championship, right? Or is getting back to 7-9 good enough now?

Elite talents demand playing time with eye-popping performances. You think AP and CJ wouldn't have beaten out Fred Jackson? Only disappointing backs have excuses made about not being able to pick up the blitz. Nobody cares that Chris Johnson is a tiny guy that can't stone blitzers. They are too busy boggling over his obviously electric talent, not talking about how he needs to work on his vision.

He will be a perfect mentor for our QB of the future. We need elite level play out of the most important player on any team in professional sports, not a plucky 'good enough' guy. Get a top 5 QB, make the playoffs nearly every year for a decade. It's worth trying for.

Why must one side of a legally binding contract not just unilaterally break the terms and renege on their promise?! I don't understand!

Are you on drugs? Please seek help.

There doesn't have to be a choice. The Bills are flush with cash and are way way way under what would have been the cap this year, if it weren't an uncapped season. We are fine cap-wise. The notion that we need to dump salary is absurd.

Guys - OP is clearly using the term pansy in a relative fashion. Obviously, Lee Evans would thrash any of the losers on this message board, should he be fixing for a fight. It is a fair comparison between Lee Evans and other NFL wide receivers. Some are tougher, more hard-nosed competitors than Lee Evans is. There are more fiery, demonstrative leaders. Compared to those guys, Lee Evans looks a bit pansy-ish.

Um, what?

You can read from Lee's body language and demeanor that is isn't a super fiery win-at-all-costs type of guy. Also, he doesn't get double-teamed frequently. That is a myth. Still, he is an NFL-quality player on a team with few, so firing him seems to be short sighted. We are also far below what the salary cap would be if it were a capped year, so we have no need to dump player salary. He'll never be a superstar though - just doesn't have the fire.

If any NFL running back gets behind the defense, it's going to be a TD 95% of the time. Reason: running back is moving at full speed toward defender who is either stationary, moving forward to tackle, or moving laterally. Problem is, he can't get behind the defense.

We do not have salary cap issues. We are way under. We do not need to cut salary for any reason. We also do not need to cut/trade our better players. That is hardly how a team recovers from a lack of talent.

It always matters who your quarterback is. He is the most important player on your team, the face of your franchise, and one of the key considerations for potential free agents. Elite quarterback play transcends all else in the NFL. Playoff teams can almost always be predicted by looking at the best NFL quarterbacks. The teams without fight for the scraps. Look at the Patriots - middle of the road offensive line, seriously terrible defense, non-existent patchwork running game. Marginal receiving corps with no star power. But they do have that one guy, so it's all good. Having your quarterback not be the worst player on your team shouldn't be good enough. Demand more. Keep trying until you have an elite quarterback and watch how suddenly your coach only gets fired the year you DON'T make the playoffs.

1st Round Picks: running themselves out of the NFL since 2001. Man up and blame C.J. for being a wasted pick, not Bills fans or the offensive line or the coaches. Future superstars FORCE their way onto the field with eye-popping performances. So far in this thread we've heard how he'd be great if he could learn to run between the tackles or learn how to have better ball-carrier vision or learn how to pass block. Quit the excuses and show me on the field.

Sorry dreamers, but Luck will be the #1 overall pick and the Bills don't have a chance to get it. Luck is a special talent and the extremely rare case that whoever picks #1 despite need will select him. That team will enjoy being a perennial competitor for championships in the middle and back half of the decade. I will definitely be jealous.

Seems like a an empty threat at this point. It's the NFL - which running back has no chance of scoring when they get the ball? That isn't really a compliment, it's the job description.

I wonder what the people who are butt hurt over others posting about how much the Bills stink expect to see on a Bills message board these days. I mean, they seriously are horrible. With a decade of utter, historic futility behind them. With their only bright spots being an underrated high-motor defensive tackle and a journeyman back-up caliber qb with a hobo beard. You say the realists are closer to insanity for wanting better, but I'd probably call y'all insane for expecting people to debate the 'bright spots' of a trainwreck.