MAGIC MAN

I think this is GREAT news, not that Golisano himself would be great, but it's great that there is FINALLY a local guy with more than enough money/resources to buy the team and keep it here. I'm sure there will be others. As for Golisano, first, perspectives change, his interest in the Sabres, as many have pointed out, were purely to keep the team from moving and to stabilize the franchise, otherwise, he'd still own them. With the Bills, maybe his heart is in it or maybe he will simply buy the team, secure long term lease and patiently shop for the right long term local ownership, like what he did with Sabres. Everybody should just relax, take a deep breath and let other names surface and take a different perspective on TG.

Based on track record of this FO, he'll sign after the #3 and #5 picks sign. Bills tend to follow, not lead on 1st round picks.

I was high on Duke when we drafted him, likes to hit, is aggressive -- I was surprised he barely sniffed the field last year, in spite of Byrd's looming contract issue and plantar fasciitis injury -- I am a bit perplexed if they are high on him why he didn't play more

Interesting point. I'd take Dalton, Foles and Alex Smith off your list, but might add Cutler and Romo. That says 7 franchise-caliber QB's are on NFL rosters that weren't drafted by their current team as #1 pick. There are 9 that I believe were (Flacco, Roethlisberger, Luck, Rivers, Eli, Newton, Ryan, Stafford and Rodgers). Too early to say on RG3, Tannehill, Bradford and host of others. For simplicity, let's say it's 50/50. What your missing is, by having the 1st pick, you essentially double your odds at getting one, because you can go either route, take one with a 1st round pick or go after one via trade (Cutler), as UFA (Peyton, Brees) or later in draft or undrafted (Brady, Wilson, Romo and Kaepernick). Again, trading the 1 makes it harder, not impossible, but harder.

It's funny, every time I see Dalton I tell my friends he reminds me of that management book, "Good to Great" -- in it, the author says that Good is the enemy of Great --- that, to me is Dalton. He's not good enough to win a SuperBowl, but he's not bad enough to get waived -- so what does Cincy do ? --- if it were me, I would not pay him and I'd try and get a 1st for him in a trade --- --- I'm with you on the Bills roster -- I think there is one BIG question mark, QB ! --- a few small ones, Safety, depth at DE (which could be eliminated once we see Schwartz scheme) and TE. The draft and FA should have solved O-Line (LG and RT); WR; LB and CB ---

I think your scenario is possible -- definitely agree on the contracts these QB's are signing, but when you put it into the context that a team can't win without a good one, it's understandable --- and take a look at what the CB's are getting --- watch out for Gilmore this year, he sees the $$, I expect a big year from him ---- as for Dalton -- I think he is the ultimate QB tease -- I think he is the definition of an average QB, made better by his OC and HoF in making WR (Green) ---- I wouldn't want him because I think he is at his ceiling --- and I loved Dalton while he was at TCU --- Cincy is in tough place --- but if I were Bills FO, I'd rather go with someone with more upside ---

Bradford is intriguing -- some of the others you list are signed well past next year --- would need a young QB to emerge, similar to Brady-Bledsoe that made Bledsoe expendable -- hopefully with better results than what we saw with that trade I'm certainly not suggesting that Ebron would have helped EJ more or has bigger upside or greater chance to succeed than Sammy --- I had Sammy rated higher and think he has better chance --- I just don't think the difference between the two is 1st round pick significant ----

I've become of the mindset that you get one at all cost --- and keep drafting, trading etc until you have one --- it's amazing that there are only 16 or so elite QB's capable of winning a SB ---- ---- I agree moving from 12 or 13 to top 3 is difficult --- maybe impossible, but moving from round 2 (40ish overall) IS impossible --- again --- my issue is that PLUS the face that I don't think Sammy is that much different a player than Beckham or Ebron, in terms of impact ---- ---- if EJ doesn't work out, the only path the Bills might have for franchise QB is the "suck for Luck" or what Sabres are doing for McDavid or Eichel --- --- hell, it's been almost 20 years since Kelly retired --

Who ? . . . Romo by trade ? Pretty slim pickings on 2015 UFA's http://overthecap.com/freeagents.php?Position=QB&Year=2015 --- in my world, franchise QB is the 1st, 2nd and 3rd things on the priority list to build winner --- get one, and the rest is easy to compete for playoffs---- build a decent team around one and you have SB contender --- --- it's an easy recipe to win, but VERY difficult to do ---

But, let's say for sake of argument that EJ continues to struggle like he did last year --- and Bills fail to make playoffs, and are 6-10 or 7-9 --- then what ? There is no chance for a franchise QB in 2015 --- I'm not saying you draft from the position of fear that EJ ISN'T the guy --- but, I wouldn't part with that #1 for any player in the 2014 draft at this stage of the team's rebuild --- instead, sit at 9, and let draft come to you --- or move up a couple of spots for the cost of a 2nd or 3rd in 2015

I agree with Code Monkey's logic. I think the issue all of us on the anti-trade side of this argument, is as follows: If EJ isn't the franchise QB, your next shot at an elite 1st round QB is 2016. Like it or not, the jury is out on EJ and his risk of failure is pretty high. That, in and of itself makes the trade high risk. The other part of the trade I struggle with is whether the delta between Watkins and the player that would have been available at 9 was worth the price of a 2015 1st by itself (not factoring in EJ's performance). So, is Sammy that much better than Ebron, Beckham, Lewan or Mosley ? Those are 2 BIG IF's and questions that are very rational. Lastly, I personally think you make this type of high risk move when you feel you are a player away at a particular position to compete for a Super Bowl. All rational though says the Bills are not at that point, yet. Now, the FO might think they are, but OBJECTIVE analysis says otherwise. While every one likes to pooh-pooh national media, I am hard pressed to find anyone outside the Bills fan base who is on board. NOW, in the end, the Bills FO might be right, EJ is the guy and Sammy is a star and this was indeed the right time to "roll the dice". I hope that's true, but a betting man would not take that wager, so why did Russ and the Doug's ?

I just saw this, too. They predict the Bills at 6.5 wins, good enough to tie Cleveland. This would be a Cleveland dream scenario as they would have 4th and 5th pick in 2015 draft and a Buffalo nightmare scenario.

Too soon to say. Whaley bet his short tenure on the Watkins trade and Bills making playoffs THIS YEAR.

+1. Simply the best.

Maybe we'll hear more from Jacobs now that the Bruins are eliminated, I suspect he was trying to keep a lower profile to avoid distractions.

In what sense ? Do you think as part of a pre-planned transition plan with an already identified new owner ?

I suspect it has a lot to do with WHO the new owner is, but, I find it hard to see any person that spends a billion dollars on a team and not putting his own people in charge of the key positions. While, I think it'll happen for performance reasons, I'd be surprised if it didn't happen simply because of that.

We do have Duff's down here now. The first non-WNY location.http://www.duffstx.com/ Wings are identical to WNY, they even serve Loganberry, Labbatt's and Beef on Wick. Not sure the locals appreciate the quality upgrade, but the transplants sure do !

Got it -- but, I actually like the rookie class, only BIG issue with draft if what we gave up for next year, which is significant. Texas has it's good and bad, believe it or not, the weather sucks here more than WNY --- except, of course in Dec, Jan and Feb

I said "performance on field", last I checked NONE of the rookies has played a down in the NFL. Hope that's clearer. I am not blaming the rookies, they are hopefully part of the solution to the on-the field lack of success. Oh, BTW, what's your beef with TEXAS ?

Agree, I think Byrd not resigning had as much to do about Byrd wanting out as anything. Although, the tagging process probably contributed to his opinion, as does his agent whispering in his ears. Either way, by the time Watkins is ready for an extension, there will be a new owner, and most likely a new set of financial guidelines

I was going for incompetent and/or underachieving, not EVIL. I think Brandon is very pro-WNY and that's good. I think like most executives, he's self-centered and self-promoting, which is what I'd expect from almost everyone in that job, so, I don't fault him on that front.

No problem. As I've said, I have a lot of respect for your posts, and a lot of others on this board, even when I don't agree with them. Nobody denies Seantrel's athletic potential, but with Kuoandjio and Richardson in hand, the Bills didn't need to roll dice on a character issue, under performing OT in the 7th -- it wasn't about the draft pick, I wouldn't have signed him as a UFA. I just don't like what the guy brings with him in terms of baggage. Hopefully, he'll be a changed man, and if not, he gets cut quickly and without issue.

Wow that's quite a stretch your trying to make, especially since I never mentioned my opinion of this year's draft. Not that you asked, but, I'll offer it anyway. For the most part, I like our draft, I think rounds 2-5 were very good. I don't like Seantrel in the 7th because I think he can do more harm than good to the team. I thought we over paid for Watkins, although I think he was the best WR in draft, you don't give up 2 1's for anything but QB, and even though RB wouldn't admit it, I think it was a move born out of fear for his job. I like the Brown trade, but didn't like the rumor we were trying to move up into round 2 for a RB, if that was the case, what were we going to give up, 2015's 2nd ? -- that would have been scary.

To believe that, you have to agree that his short tenure as GM was not his fault, and he had little or nothing to do with the GM or HC hires/fires over the 2006-2013 time period. I don't think either of those are 100% accurate, although I will concede the point that he didn't have complete control over that time, I do believe he had an impact with the on-the-field product, I guess we can debate how much of an impact that was.