BigPappy

I would have to say yes. Despite what anyone thinks location is not a factor when a player is a FA. There are 2 reasons a player agrees to sign with a team in FA. Money, and surrounding talent. You can offer a guy sick amounts of money, but if he knows he is going to be on a loosing team because a lack of talent to compete he's not signing with your team, not unless the money is obscene like what Mario got. At the same time, take a FA player that just won the Super Bowl. You know the talent level on the team is there,,,,I mean, you just won the Super Bowl! You don't offer enough cash for him to stay, say goodbye, cause he will be gone. BigPappy

GG, No, I understand you and I agree with you 100 percent. You have to be looking a few years ahead. That's why I said it didn't make sense to draft a 5th or 6th round draft choice as a replacement for EJ if he failed this year as the original post that i replied to stated. If your drafting a prospect in the 2014 draft...fine by me, but then you should be drafting him for the 2016 season not the 2015 season. If that his how things are going to be ran...also fine by me, then start JT in 2015 which would be his 3rd year as a pro and see how he does. As for the 2014 "prospect" QB, he may be able to contribute in 2016 like you say, but unlikely in 2015 since he would see little to no play time this year, next year (2015) if he started would be for all intensive purposes a rookie year for him, and the start of his actual development since in all likely hood, unless he really came into camp on a freight train and really impressed coaches to be the #2 or #3 guy he would probably be placed on the PS anyway. BigPappy

GG, I understand your logic, and don't necessarily disagree, but that wasn't really the point of my reply. As a prospect draft choice he like your previous years draft choice will need to develop which puts him a year behind your "prospect" QB draft choice from the previous year. But i was commenting on the posters logic of using a prospect draft choice as a replacement to EJ should he fail this year. Your chances of taking a 5th or 6th round draft choice that you target as a QB prospect and having him learn the offense well enough to start his following year are so remote it's not even funny. It happens, but not often. By using that logic, you end up rotating QB's every couple of years with no continuity and no one has a real chance to develop and since this team has played at the level of mediocrity for the last 15 years, they don't really have the opportunity to draft that Home run QB as you called it. BigPappy

Who say's we are in trouble if EJ goes 4-12 this year? He played in 10 games last year, two of which he didn't finish. So for argument sake, he has played in 9 "full" games. That's one game more than half a season. Who's to say he doesn't come into year 3 and light it up with a full season of experience behind him. The average rookie QB takes 3 years to develop into a good starting QB. Are there exception...of course, both on the good side and the bad. Peyton Manning is one that obviously comes to mind on the good side. He was great from the get go. Then you have a guy like Vince Young, he played pretty well his rookie year, but tanked it after. He couldn't turn the corner. But let's name a few QB's that started out on the bench because they needed to develop, or started out their career playing just okay football and are now considered some of the greatest QB's of all time. Hmmm.... Brett Favre, Drew Brees, Tom Brady. So tired of people yelling fire in the crowded theater just because a player starts out slow. When EJ was drafted, the FO said that he would need to develop. He hasn't even started his 2nd season and you are looking for his replacement. Give me a break! Nothing against sharing opinions, but use some logic........PLEASE! BigPappy

Proteus, I am not sure I understand your logic here. Why take one of these guys when you already have JT of TL in the barn. JT was a prospect player when picked up as a unsigned FA last year. Thad was coming into his second year (or third, i forget), and both now have a full year under the offense. Personally, to me Thad is your guy to come in when your starter gets hurt, he by all accounts thus far, plays better when thrown into the game. He played IMO horribly when he was taking 1st rep snaps after EJ went down. As for JT, last year was his rookie year. As an undrafted FA signing with little to no experience, did we really think he would preform well in his first NFL start. I know I didn't. My point is, we really don't know what we have with JT yet. I am not saying that he will be a great QB, or that he will be a good one for that matter. I'm just a fan, what the hell do i know about assessing his talent. But... he's a 2nd year pro now and by all media accounts anyway...is looking like he is taking that next step in his progression as a QB. So the question is, why waste the draft pick on another "prospect" QB when you already have one maybe two already? BigPappy

This guy is full of crap! and a p.o.s.! nothing he say's is ever true and vomits promises out of his mouth that he never follows through on. Not to mention, there is no way he has the cake to put up required to buy the franchise. Also, KDiggz is correct, the lawsuit that is coming his way with the city of Rochester is bad. He was given huge tax breaks for buying the old Irondequoit Mall for developing. Came up with a grandiose plan to show the public....then nothing happens, for like 2 years. He wasn't even paying the taxes or at least not all of the taxes on the property. His tax payment deadline came and went and the town never saw a dime. And while all this is going on, he says he is having trouble getting financing for the development. So, if the guy can't get financing for a property development project, where in the hell is he coming up with the money to buy an NFL Franchise that will sell in the neighborhood of a BILLION dollars! PS, I am from Rochester and although I do not live in the town of Irondequite it's a touchy subject for me and thousands of others in my area.....Okay, my rant is over. BigPappy

I think the winning bid will be Pegula at 1.35 Billion. I do think that Bon Jovi's group will bid 1.5, but knowing that they are a Toronto group Mary Wilson stays with the local guy and gives it to Pegula. BigPappy.

YoloinOhio, You took the words right out of my mouth. BigPappy

Just looking at Tampa's QB line up makes me want to vomit if I was their coach. But Houston is a very close second. While Fitz is not a stellar QB, he can be serviceable if the Houston O line holds up. If Fitz was not on the team, I would put them ahead of TB in the bad QB line up. BigPappy

My Bad Bandit, I must have missed it. Seems most everybody here gets their knickers in a twist when you bring up Donald Trump, the tread is growing to fast to keep up with all the posts. BigPappy

Bandit, "Most successful business men--who have large inheritances--..." is not what I meant. I actually typed what I meant. Ask any highly successful business man or woman and you would find my statement to be true. I know this because I have seen and heard it said countless times by business owners that make it big. I am not really sure how you see it relevant that he inherited his money. He attended Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy league business school. Whether he inherited 200 million or borrowed it from M&T Bank is irrelevent. He still took 200 million dollars and turned it into Billions. All that said, he really is not my first choice in ownership either. My choices are Jacobs or Golisano. BigPappy

Hazed, While I understand the point you are trying to make, your examples are poor when comparing them to Trump. Furthermore, I think you were missing point of his comment. Firstly, I would say that comparing Donald Trump to Paris Hilton, Kanye West and Justin Bieber is just plain silly. Paris Hilton has done nothing but live off the wealth of her family. Some may say, well gee she created her own clothing line and stared on a reality show and yada yada yada. To those who would I say bull S*it! She got the reality star for acting like a rich jack hole living an out of control life style, and the young public eats that stuff up. Networks want to make money, and people can't help but watch when they know the car wreck will come and its only a matter of when. As for her clothing line, she does not make cloths! I will repeat that, She DOES NOT make clothing. She is paid by a clothing manufacturer to put her name on a label. I will group Kanye West and Justin Bieber together since they are both musical artist and I use that term loosely cause imo they suck. Again, how do you compare two people who stand up on a stage and sing for a living to someone who has continued to build wealth through real estate and other business ventures. You can't. You are correct when you say any idiot can be a millionaire or even a billionaire. That said, you would have served your point better by siting people like John D Rockefeller and Henry Ford. Both were poorly educated with no backgrounds of business or economics, but built enormous wealth in business and didn't do it standing on a stage singing and grabbing their crotch. Arguably, you missed the point of his post. He can correct me if I am wrong and if I am wrong I apologize, but I think he was trying to say was that you can't build as much wealth as Trump has and be an idiot, especially in the manor in which he has done it. As a side note, using the term "Poorly educated" does not make you an idiot, and i was not trying to make any connections between the two. I used John D Rockefeller or Henry Ford as examples due to the simple fact that they built a business through hard work and dedication to what they were trying to achieve, not because they were good at something. Flame away everyone. BigPappy

Sorry, most successful business men....or women would say no, it is not failure. It is merely a set back. BigPappy

Sorry, but I would bet the Farm and all it's cattle that this DOES NOT happen. For better or worse this team is all in this year on EJ. If they take a QB it's in round 3 - 7. BigPappy

The only way we trade up is if Clowney or Mack fall to around the 5th slot. Even then I just don't see D.W. trading up. If Mack is there at 9 we will grab him. Clowney will definitely be gone before the 9th pick. If both are gone, we trade down to 17 with the ravens and pick up an extra 2nd and 3rd\4th rounder and we pick Ebron or the best OT available. Everyone is high on picking a WR, but I think Marrone and D.W are happy with their receivers and will at least for the 1st round not be looking in that direction. BigPappy

I agree with some of what you say her Lt Dan. I am not convinced that Ebron is worthy of a #9 over all either. In my earlier posts I actually said that I thought we would trade down and pick up Ebron in the pick 15 or 16 area. I also agree with you on Cordy. He is definitely a stud player and he will get better yet and we could pick up a quality OT in the 2nd or even the 3rd rounds. I am also with you on the QB situation with the "ask me again after the season" quote. He has talent for sure. Arm strength, fast with his feet and he's smart. I just want to see it come together this year for him to be convinced he's the guy. But here is where we start to differ in opinion. Bradham is an unknown still. He has talent for sure, but i don't think he's in the top level LB. As for Spikes, there is nothing to prove that he is anything more than a 3rd down rusher and instead of the 3 down lb that we need. As for the DT, Dareus is looking at possibly being suspended for 4 games with his arrest, and Allen Branch is almost 30 and a mid level guy at best. Only 8 sacks in his career. Everyone is entitled to opinion and everyone has one. FWIW, this is mine. I am not a Football expert by any means, like many of you I just love football. BigPappy

Not that many holes? TE, OT, LB, DT, and many would argue QB. Not me as of yet, but many would. That is 4 possibly 5 depending on your view point. Then add WR as many claim is also a hole. That makes 5 possibly 6 roster spots that we are missing key players. I call that a lot of holes. Ramius, you are correct. Just because I myself or any other person on this board say there are a lot of holes to fill, it doesn't mean the Bills organization believes that this is the case. But it also doesn't mean their right. BigPappy Well said All Pro!

I have to agree with you All Pro. We just have too many holes to fill to be competitive and betting valuable draft picks to grab Watkins isn't something I see D.W. doing. We have a boat load of really good, fast receivers for EJ. Unless Mack is available at 9 by some miracle I see us trading down 6 or 7 slots and picking up and extra 2nd and 3rd round pick and then grab Ebron is Round 1 and an OT and LB in Round 2. I know Ebron is a top tier TE but I think he will still be available at pick 15 or 16. FWIW IMHO BigPappy

Now that there was funny! BigPappy

This Times a 1000. I will not say that there is no way that Whaley does something that stupid and gives up our second round pick when we have some many needs, but I will say its highly unlikely. We already have the mother load in receivers. Yes some are un proven yet, but their coming into their sophomore year of pro ball and should take that next step in their game and so should EJ. IMHO i think the smart play is Ebron or an OT at 9 unless by some miracle Clowney is still there. Not that I think he will be, but if he is you have to grab him. BigPappy

The estimated value of a product has nothing and I mean nothing to do with how much that product sells for. Value is placed by the buyer, and how badly he wants to buy the product. Especially in a unique market like the NFL. The Browns sold for 1 Billion dollars! The BROWNS! Granted we feed off the same bottom they do currently, but I thing we are in better shape financially, and well as our front office. My point is, This team will not sell for anything near its "Estimated Value". Several have stated the number 1.25 Billion, and in my humble opinion, it's probably in the ball park of close. As far as the OP's initial comments, while I believe that your friend told you this information and he believes it to be true, it's more likely that the Bon Jovi financial team is putting out dis information just to get an idea as to where other potential bidders are in their bids, and your friend has been fed the information for this purpose. if they can get any of them to bite and go public with what they are going to start their bidding at all the better for them. BigPappy

This actually increases your chances of winning JR since you wont be competing with all of the continental United States especially if they really would be giving the tix to the one that comes closest if no one gets them all correct. BigPappy

I agree with you. The issue i have with Bon Jovi is his close relationship with the Rogers family. I could see him and his group of owners moving up to Toronto and I for one definitely don't want to see that happen. I would rather see the Bills go anywhere other then Toronto if it came down to the Team leaving. BigPappy

I think your right. It's a smokescreen. I just don't see Whaley spending picks to move 8 spaces. If anything with as deep is this draft is, he will want to move back and pick up an extra pick in round 2 or 3. Both Whaley and Nix before him have said they wont give away picks to move up. I just don't see this happening. period. JMO though. BigPappy

Having Duff's Wings at a Bills Football game.....Priceless! BigPappy