GA BILLS FAN

What I would do is exactly what the Bills did with Wood and Kyle Williams -- when you see you have a good player you extend him BEFORE his contract year --- both Byrd and Levitre should have been extended much earlier --- the crap that some people on this board suggest that the Bills can't afford to give a guard so much money or a safety that much money, is just that CRAP --- let's all take a step back and look at this FO --- it's been 13 years since a playoff --- we are on rebuilding project #5 in that time span --- until we find ourselves in cap hell --- until we consistently draft talented players that develop and need/want/deserve to get paid -- if you draft a guy that turns out to be a winner --- extend him --- On the positive side, there is room for optimism in the recent drafts --- Dareus is stepping up and looking solid, A Williams looks to have found his position in SS; Glenn, Spiller, Alonzo, Woods, Gilmore and Carrington all look like the real deals --- so don't screw these guys up -- when the time allows for an extension, do it ----

The Bills Byrd issue pales in comparison to what Tamp is going through with Josh Freeman --- what a disaster that situation is --- as bad as we think the Bills are sometimes, be thankful we are not Tampa or Jacksonville or Oakland or . . . . .

I thought the same thing, WHY would he ever describe his injury as CHRONIC ??? . . . .

Exactly --- we all watched Urbick, Aaron Williams, Spiller, Freddie etc. etc --- limp their way back onto the battlefield . . . . it says a lot about football character . . . with him practicing in full, maybe he felt a little embarrassed, or maybe one of the leaders (Freddie or Kyle) sat down and talked to him --- who knows what's in that mind of his --- I also don't like his statement "I'm ready to play, but it's up to Coach Marrone" --- ****, has he been hiding in a cave these past few weeks, does he not realize that at one point in Sunday's game the Top 5 DB's on this team were not on the field due to injury --- Gilmore, Brooks, A Williams, McKelvin and oh yes, Byrd --- amazing ---

Saying the injury is not responding to rehab and placing him on season ending IR is basically telling the 31 other teams that he has a chronic condition --- it will cut in half his guaranteed money if he becomes a FA and probably knock his base salary down by 25% --- if they go this far, if I were the Bills, also say that "we have decided not to use the franchise tag and will not be offering Byrd a long term contract" ---

Agree, similar questions should be posed to Whaley and Brandon, who, like you said, won't answer --- I have to think if the Bills were comfortable with a 1-year and approx. $7M, they would have been okay with that same amount for multiple years --- but it's possible they are not --- As for Parker, his reputation is taking a hit --- GM's talk and I think he overplayed his hand -- after all, Byrd was a non-exclusive franchised player and there wasn't one rumor on any team contacting the Bills to negotiate compensation to work out long term deal --- so, I think Parker told Byrd, he could get Top 5 multi-year money and it's not out there --- and based on Byrd missing at least 4 games, probably at least 5, I suspect his market value will be lower than the point it was last summer --- as for Carrington, I feel for him --- Parker passed on a multi-year offer and told him to play out the last year of his deal --- not sure Bills will re-offer that same money or not -- but I suspect his free market value is limited without any track record as proven starter ---- Agents can afford to play games with their clients as long as they win significantly more than they lose --- their risk is spread over many clients --- the few that lose get burned --- I think Byrd and Carrington might both fall in that category

My BIGGEST issue with what Byrd said is using the word "100%" -- he chose those words carefully and deliberately --- few professional athletes ever are at 100%, especially in football

Has anyone in the Buffalo media tried to pin Byrd down on this injury issue ? --- They could ask the direct question, "are you making more out of this injury to get back at the Bills for the franchise tag ?" --- unlikely --- or go the indirect route --- "Last year, he had a similar injury and played with it by taking shots, why not do the same this year ?" . . . . "You say, you won't play until you are 100%, have you played at less than a 100% in the past ?" --- "Would you play at less than a 100% in the future, for instance, if another teams signs you to a 5-year $45M contract ?" ---

Short answer: It's fun; Longer answer: Having played team sports, it's no different than being in any type of close group of people (i.e. an office, a club, neighborhood etc.); not everybody gets along all the time -- I suspect when you have guys like Spiller / F Jax limping back on the field --- Urbick getting taped up and back on the field, A Williams with multiple injuries in that game getting back on the field, there is no doubt in my mind there is animosity and resentment building between Byrd and some of his teammates --- not all of them, as I'm sure a lot see and understand the business side --- what does it mean for the team (which is all I and others really care about) -- not a whole lot, I'm sure guys on the Ravens hated each other last year and they won the SB --- however, on a young team, trying to create an identity, especially on defense, it could mean more --- in Byrd's case, he was in a position as the best player in the secondary to take on a true leadership role, I suspect that ship has sailed and for him that's unfortunate --- like I've said before, his agent has cost him a lot of money with this ill-conceived strategy --- mark my words, there is no way he gets 5 years and $40M plus next year in FA

The way A Williams is playing and McKelvin was playing, he might also realize he could be part of a potent secondary -- all of a sudden a secondary with Gilmore-McKelvin-A Williams and Byrd looks pretty good --- with Leonard/Searcy/Robey and Brooks spelling them ---- not too shabby, who would have thunk it

Does anyone think Spiller's statement "I'm playing if I'm 85-90%" is a shot or dig at Byrd's RIDICULOUS statement that he can't play until he is 100% ???

Great idea, I'm surprised fans didn't start a chant, or at least a make shift sign "Make Byrd clean up the Turd"

I think he has a hang nail, so he's only 99.9% healthy, not quite 100% yet

Not without pay, unions would appeal and win --- few years ago, TB did that to Keyshawn and he was still paid

Think about how much money Carrington now stands to lose --- I believe Bills right now hold him in the highest regard -- bad advice on that one from Parker --- as for BTyrd -- this so-called injury is costing him serious money --- he either has a chronic condition or will be labeled as a trouble maker if he doesn't --- again, Parker is costing him serious money

Why don't we trade Gilmore for a new trainer while we are at it -- I love sarcastic posts

I agree with most (not all) of what you said --- my thoughts -- it IS MORONIC to look at one game, especially game #3 of the rookie year of a QB and try and project forward to a full career and draw any concrete conclusions, so don't wave the RED flag based on that game and start calling for drafting another QB in 2014 --- having said that, what the Jets game told me about EJ, is you better at least wave a YELLOW flag --- while it was one game, it was ONE VERY BAD ONE --- his throws were off the mark, his "presence" in the pocket was weak, his decision making was awkward and his zip on the ball was not good --- most of all, he didn't display the confidence we saw in games 1 and 2 --- so, in the trajectory that will he this 16-game season, EJ regressed --- he was bad and he needs to rebound and get better --- or that yellow flag will soon turn red

This FO deserves nobody's "benefit of the doubt" --- earn a playoff berth once a decade first

Keep telling yourself that. Last year he took shots to reduce pain so he could play, implying (at least to me) that it wouldn't make condition any worse, so why not do that this year ?

I think the issue most people have with BTyrd is that when he says "I won't play until I'm 100%". we are all (in my opinion) rightfully interpreting that to mean, "I won't play until I'm 100%, because I will not jeopardize the quality of my play when I am being evaluated for potential long term FA contracts AND I am so pissed off at Russ Brandon's penny pinching crap that I won't give him the satisfaction" --- granted, we don't know what's in his heart / mind --- but last year, I do not recall (please correct me if I'm wrong), with the same injury, he ONCE uttering those words "I won't play until I'm 100%" --- oh, BTW, rarely are players in the NFL 100% ---

I've had a couple root canals, one got infected afterward, so that one was worse-- the other one I had was better than watching that crap game---

Agree 100% (before January 2013); however, Brandon made it clear that HE was in charge --- either way, you are right, a new owner would be the only one capable of firing Brandon

If what Levitre said back then is even 1/2 true, what an indictment to this FO --- again, Brandon is the problem -- get rid of him and we might have a chance --- isn't 13 years enough misery for one fan base

Correct --- if you are "forward thinking" FO, you identify talented players BEFORE they hit FA year and extend them --- what is astonishing about Brandon is that he stood up in front of all Bills fans and proclaimed the Bills were going in a new direction to rebuild the tarnished brand, blah, blah, blah . . . . or we should say BS, BS and more BS !!