Felonious Monk

It's a fair point, but I don't blame Rex or the players for this one. The Bills had a borderline championship-caliber defense. Whaley brought in Ryan despite the fact that his defense is a 180 compared to what we had. It's not surprising that the team did a 180 in its first year learning the scheme, and less surprising that he's going to dumb it down so the players can catch on. Learn to shoot a hoop before attempting a slam dunk. Curious, is this because the company is cheap and won't spend for a qualified candidate (90% of U.S companies), or is he the best candidate they could have hired?

Sure thing. I had three good friends OD in a 10-year period. To be honest, I wish they were on weed instead of the drugs that ultimately killed them. So glad to read he has turned things around!

My understanding of California's DUI laws regarding drugs: If a police officer has probable cause to suspect that you're driving while impaired by any substance, he or she can order you to take a drug test, be it a swab, blood or urine test. (Swab tests can detect THC, meth, cocaine and a handful of other drugs inside of 10 minutes). Probable cause can be the odor of marijuana or the failure of a field sobriety test. I know someone who claimed police cited his "bloodshot eyes" as probable cause for his DUI stop in Santa Monica. How they saw his eyes while he was driving is another matter... Under California law, once you get behind the wheel and are suspected of being under the influence, you automatically give consent to take a drug test ordered by police -- or so they make drivers believe. Under that same law, the only way law enforcement can force a driver to take a drug test is if there's a car accident that results in fatalities or serious bodily injury. Police will go out of their way to tell drivers that they "have to" take the test, but the driver can always refuse. They leave this part out. Punishment for refusal includes fines, loss of license and jail time IF the driver is convicted. But unlike alcohol, marijuana can stay in one's system for a long time, so I'm not sure how they can tell whether it was from an hour ago or a day ago. I would imagine this is challenged in court all the time, and most related charges result in a plea due to the inaccuracy of the test. I'm guessing the smart move would be to refuse consent. If you do that, they'll need an order from a judge to force you to take it. By then -- if they bother -- there will be little proof that you were under the influence while driving. Most drivers believe that if they cooperate, the charges will be lessened. But they're actually giving police the evidence they need for a conviction.

Best of luck to him. I don't know many families who haven't gone through this with someone they love. It's devastating for everyone involved.

Essentially, someone who likes using pot. AKA "420 friendly."

This song was written for Mr. Gordon.

It's an interesting strategy. Know who you want. If that guy isn't there, trade down. If there's someone you really like, trade up. Doesn't seem like they ever settle for BPA or best player at position of need.

Nice trade for Arizona. Jones won't be expected to turn around the defense by himself (as usually is the case with a trade like this) because Arizona already is stacked. Ranked 20th in sacks last year, they got exactly what they needed. The supporting cast will make him look even better. Belichick is a genius when it comes to identifying other teams' castoffs who fit well in his system. But he's hardly a draft guru, and that #2 doesn't scare me. I like this trade for the Bills.

This doesn't bother me. I think Hogan hit his ceiling in Buffalo, and I don't blame him for it. The Bills never found an effective way to use him and they didn't seem to try very hard to achieve this. The Pats will, and they made that clear with the guaranteed money they offered him. Regardless of how well he does in New England, I will reject the "he would have done that for us" argument for two reasons: He'll have a HOF QB throwing to him and will be playing for a HOF coach who hits more than he misses on free agents he hand picks for his system. He'll be a focal point of New England's office. In Buffalo, there has been no indication that his role would have changed in 2016. Hogan vs. Amendola: Hogan is bigger, younger, quicker, fresher and more versatile. Amendola is signed through 2017, but the cap hit should be minimal if he's cut after the 2016 season. I don't see them keeping him past 2016 because they have a bunch of defensive guys up for renewal after this season. To me, Amendola and Edelman are the same player, and neither is a downfield threat. Situationally, Hogan could be. I'm a big fan of guys who work hard and don't complain. Hogan is a team-first guy and I wish him well.

Agreed. Will be fun to watch!

He's the one I wanted, too.

Brian Griese didn't stand a chance in succeeding a "legendary" QB who retired after winning a Super Bowl. Same team, same situation, bigger legend. I would think twice, too. Good move for Osweiler. For Texas? LOL.

Future Hall of Fame QB Leif Larson. (Being serious: Bruuuuuuuce)

Yup. Overpaying for free agents hasn't exactly worked for them the past 3-4 years. I'm not sure they know that.

Generally agree, although Dion Lewis helped me win at least three games last year in my 16-team league before he so selfishly suffered a season-ending injury. Freddy was a good backup for me for years, but I can't remember the last AFCE running back I drafted early in the past 13 years (AKA ever).

That's very telling, as are the last two years of free agent RBs. An article/video I recall from last year really puts free agent running backs into perspective for me. The article begins with the following: "Last year's list of free-agent running backs was a mild disaster. Not this time around." Watching the accompanying video clip today, I couldn't stop chuckling. It's 6+ minutes on the five "top" free agent RBs of 2015. The talking heads made them sound like they're Canton-bound. Then the 2015 season played out. The following lists reinforce what I've seen the past few years, and I fully admit I've done a 180 on the issue of FA running backs: Thanks, but no thanks. I have no problem recycling the position every five years unless we happen to find one who is elite (like Peterson). I say this fully believing Marshawn Lynch was the exception, not the rule. I'm not proclaiming Shady to be a god, but if anyone finds a name below you'd rather have on the Bills over our top two running backs, I'd love to know who and why. I'm not too worried about Forte. 2014 RB FREE AGENTS (Source) 1. Chris Johnson (Signed two-year, $8M deal with NYJ) 2. Ben Tate (Signed two-year, $6.2M deal with CLE) 3. Rashad Jennings (Signed four-year, $10M deal with NYG) 4. Darren McFadden (Re-signed one-year, $1.75M deal with OAK) 5. Andre Brown (Signed one-year, $645K deal with HOU) 6. Knowshon Moreno (Signed one-year, $3M deal with MIA) 7. Maurice Jones-Drew (Signed three-year, $7.5M deal with OAK) 8. Donald Brown (Signed three-year, $10.5M deal with SD) 9. Ahmad Bradshaw (Re-signed one-year, $855K deal with IND) 10. James Starks (Re-signed two-year, $3.17M deal with GB) 11. LeGarrette Blount (Signed two-year, $3.85M deal with PIT) 12. Anthony Dixon (Signed three-year, $3.5M deal with BUF) 13. Toby Gerhart (Signed three-year, $10.5M deal with JAX) 14. Michael Bush 15. Jonathan Dwyer (Signed one-year, $795K deal with ARZ) 16. Peyton Hillis (Re-signed two-year, $1.8M deal with NYG) 17. La'Rod Stephens-Howling 18. Justin Forsett (Signed one-year, $730K deal with BAL) 19. Jackie Battle (Re-signed one-year, $855K deal with TEN) 20. Bernard Scott 21. Felix Jones 22. Ronnie Brown 23. Willis McGahee 24. Phillip Tanner 25. Kevin Smith 2015 RB FREE AGENTS (Source) 1. DeMarco Murray (Signed 5-year, $40M deal with PHI) 2. C.J. Spiller (Signed 4-year, $16M deal with NO) 3. Ryan Mathews (Signed 3-year, $11M deal with PHI) 4. Mark Ingram (Re-signed 4-year, $16M deal with NO) 5. Justin Forsett (Re-signed 3-year, $9M deal with BAL) 6. Frank Gore (Signed 3-year, $12M deal with IND) 7. Shane Vereen (Signed 3-year, $12.35M deal with NYG) 8. Stevan Ridley 9. Roy Helu (Signed 2-year, $4.1M deal with OAK) 10. Reggie Bush (Signed 1-year, $2.5M deal with SF) 11. Pierre Thomas 12. Ahmad Bradshaw 13. Darren McFadden (Signed 2-year, $3M deal with DAL) 14. Knowshon Moreno 15. Ben Tate 16. DeAngelo Williams (Signed 2-year, $4M deal with PIT) 17. Steven Jackson 18. Chris Johnson 19. Antone Smith (Re-signed 1-year, $1.4M deal with ATL) 20. Jacquizz Rodgers 21. Trent Richardson (Signed 2-year, $3.85M deal with OAK) P.S. LMAO @ LaDanian: "head above shoulders"

He's not the only reason our D sucked last year, but nobody can convince me that he didn't quit on the team. I'd rather see him hurt us two games a season than 16.

This. Let's say we finally make the playoffs this year. Is this a guy you want on your team? A prima donna who might or might not feel like giving his all in that game? Can you imagine how this board would explode if he takes plays off and we lose the game we've been craving for 17 years by, say... a field goal? I'd rather have a hungry rookie or FA who is half as good, but has heart and tries 100% of the time.

Haven't been this wrong about a SB prediction since -- I can't remember when. Grats to Manning! Von Miller's contract is going to be ridiculous.

This. And there are so many QB-needy teams drafting before us. If they don't reach for a QB in the first, they will in the second. As I've written in other posts, I think this is the year QBs who any other year would go in the 5th and later will go in the 2nd or 3rd. Guys who other years would go undrafted will be taken in the later rounds. Obviously, this strategy rarely works out. We've got a QB who established chemistry with our best (or soon-to-be-best) player, and we have Shady, Karlos and Clay coming back. If TT and Sammy can maintain that type of production through a season -- not just a month -- it will open things up for the other guys, and we could be in for something special in 2016. I don't get -- and never will get -- why TT is slammed so hard here.

I miss the "Buffalo cab driver." I know some are convinced that it was Butler, but I remember him (or her?) being around for a few years after John left for San Diego. I'd take the cabbie and NGU over any of these clowns, but unfortunately, the clowns are all we're left with these days. I read mock drafts from Kiper and McShay like this: "Oh, at 19 Kiper/McShay say the Bills will select _________________." I then ensure I pick some other guy when ESPN's Draft Challenge rolls around. In fact, I've found that if I pick players for each team contrary to the "experts," past the usually obvious 1-3, I do much better. The real reason they do all of these mock drafts is so they can say, "I had this guy going to this team in my third mock draft... It made sense then and it makes sense now! I was right!" It gives them five chances to be "right." What if we did that at work? "Sorry, Client X -- We had the correct item ready to ship to you on February 1, but it just didn't work out that way when we shipped it on February 3rd." We'd still have jobs, too... Right? When I was substantially younger, I looked up to Kiper and McShay. Now I believe they have fewer true sources than you or I -- or anyone on this board. In fact, I take that back, slightly. They have sources who intentionally blow smoke, knowing they'll run with it. That's worse.

Why only 31 picks when there are 32 teams? Oh yeeeeeeeeah...

Do Hankerson and Gillislee count, or just guys from January? I think Hankerson was added the last week of December. Gillislee was PS, but activated in December. Regardless, we've already found one seemingly good RB sifting through the clearance bin, and I wouldn't be surprised if another name or two on that list surprise.

I thought we had Zac Dysert as our developmental QB, but I see he's back with Miami. Given the large number of QB-needy teams drafting ahead of us, the really sad free agent list and the lack of decent QB prospects in the draft, I think QBs -- who any other year would go in the 5th or higher -- will go early in the 3rd. I just don't see a single QB in this entire class as a franchise QB. Anyone in particular you like as that developmental guy?

Not sure why, but "embrace your inner Patriot" -- to me -- is synonymous with "choke your chicken."