White Linen

The "go route" isn't the cornerstone of ANY offense. That's not the point of needing speed at the WR position. The go route isn't the only route in which you need straight line speed, it's also not the only route you need to get behind defenders. So before you preach to everyone on this board about your ability to evaluate Football, maybe you should take your own advice and you won't be so "perplexed". Have you ever heard Gailey or any offensive coach say "we don't need speed at the WR position, because we only run slant and intermediate routes in our offense"? Of course you haven't. It's the threat of speed that allows the intermediate routes to work. Speed commands safety involvement to guard against the "go route" or any route that is designed to get behind the CB. This stretches out the defense and opens those holes. If you don't have speed as a threat (not a cornerstone), the defensive backfield pinches in thus cramping the ability for the intermediate stuff to work at its best. Hello.

Ralph is too cheap to sign him.

Exactly. Maybin's more like Tracy Gold. Are you sure? I thought Maybin dove and missed him and A. Williams got him. I'll have to go back and look.

I'm going to correct myslef. I went back and watched that play again and Merriman definitely got a hand on him before Dareus cleaned him up. It may have warranted a 1/2 sack.

It's no argument, that sack was Dareus'.

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I totally agree Mason has been a better receiver and it's not close. But I suppose the reason they aquired Evans is for the deep threat. Mason has never been that, especially the last several years.

Contrary to popular opinion I disagree with most of you. I feel what the Bills have been lacking is "high end" talent. Most of the players we have lost don't fit that profile. So I'm of the opinion that letting them go is ok and I certainly don't want to overpay to keep those mid level players here. I for one am glad we didn't have Clements and Peters salaries and that we don't have Poz's. I also believe we are building the aforementioned "high end" talent. We are going to love Merriman, Williams, and Dareus. Guys to build a defense around (high end talent). I think Wood and Levitre are cornerstones on the line (again guys to build a line around). I still believe Spiller is going to be something special and Stevie is on his way, and Freddie is there (guys to build around). With the potential IMO of high end guys like A.Williams, Moats, Carrington, Byrd, and I believe someone will step up out of the other WR corps. Things are looking up fellow Bills fans.

David Nelson isn't leaving the slot WR position. His skill sets don't match up with the outside position. My guess is Easley is who the coaches hope wins the spot, but they know several can. I know the there are several members of the team and some fans downtrodden by the Evans trade. I'm of the thinking this is an incredible compliment to our youngsters whom the FO and coaching staff believe can fill the void left by Evans either by one person stepping up or by a committee.

I think we should be satisfied Lee is gone. I think in the very short term it hurts our overall talent. But who knows Maybe Evans being here would not allow us to fully see what we have in the other receivers. He seemed like a real great person and for that I wish him well. But Evans wasn't so talented that we should get upset over this trade. I know he wasn't making that much money at the end of his current contract, but the good news is that Lee's money will now be given to Stevie. That's a good thing. We are setting up for the future folks, hold and hang on. I honestly believe this FO knows what their doing.

Charlotte, NC area: The Township Grille 10400 E. Independence Blvd. Matthews, NC 28105 Big Al's 631 Brawley School Road # 401, Mooresville, NC Tavern on The Tracks 1411 South Tryon Street Charlotte, NC 28203

Clearly it was Chan's decision alone to switch to a 3-4. And he's also responsible for every player drafted and signing free agents.

I think he does. He knows it wasn't that bad last year and we sustained a bunch of injuries. Based on everyone appears to be healthy and a little bit more experienced it should improve even more this year. Did you know that?

Wrong.

Why? What's the relevance?

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I think what the poster is alluding to is how incredibly injury prone we've been over the last 5 years or so. Then when you hear about players getting nicked up you just assume the worst is inevitable.

Yeah because signing a RT would make us competitive with the Jets and Pats this year. They have their teams built and are signing older FA veterans to win now, which I would too. But to say the Bills aren't building a team because of what they are doing is just amateur hour.

You mean finding someone like Kyle Williams?

Bill I totally agree with you in regards to building strong and talented lines on both sides of the ball. But you say it as if Nix has had ample time to do so. He's had two off seasons. What makes you think Nix hasn't decided to do what we know is needed, because he didn't trade back for Bulaga? So instead of Spiller you would rather have had us draft Bulaga at #9? Assuming we couldn't trade down. We would have had to try and make him a LT, then when he didn't work out move him to RT in 2-3 years, then feel like it was a waisted pick drafting a RT at pick #9. Bulaga got drafted exactly where he should have and made a RT by a contending team. This team cannot afford to be spending first round draft picks on Right Tackles.

This has to be one of the best posts I've read in 6 years on this site. This was perfectly said and depicts exactly how I feel about Nix and where he's taking this team. After all the, as you perfectly said "cartoonish" Front Offices we've had, I can't understand how my fellow Bills fans can't feel and see the difference in Nix.

Well in a 3-4 defense if you have two players who should be great (your words), that's a good start. You call the remainder questions marks, but I see them as so many options who will be the solution? When we go to the 4-3 set Merriman will come down, he might be pretty good, huh? And maybe Moats can develop further. For every reason you feel negative - there's another reason to feel positive.

How do you know they didn't? Say they offered him 10% more and offered 5 years/$27.5 mil, would that be enough? Or how much more should we overpay, 20% - 30% - 40%? Whatever it takes? I agree with Nix that's not how you build a team, that's how you dig a hole for yourself.

... heard it from another who's been messing around.

I don't think he's hands down more talented than Evans. And we don't know what the ceiling is for Johnson to evaluate how talented he is or might be.