RuntheDamnBall

Takeo Spikes and London Fletcher were both great pickups. Gimme a break. Talk about revisionist history. His first draft was terrific, yielding Clements, Schobel and Travis Henry. All of these guys were excellent value. Jennings played well in spots but was fragile. Later, Josh Reed was a solid 2nd rounder. Terrence McGee is one of the best 4th round picks they've ever made. GREAT move getting a first rounder for Peerless Price. There were TONS of failures during the guy's tenure and they started with his coaching picks. But let's be realistic here. It's never all good - or bad.

I don't think so. He will report for at least the last six and get another year of NFL service time.

I don't think it's fair to say that we know the details on any of that. We don't know if the Bills have ever offered a multiyear deal, what the guaranteed money details are, or what the years are. We don't know if he thinks he should be the highest paid safety. Until Parker or Whaley go on the record with any of this stuff - which would be stupid in a negotiation process - we simply don't know. I suspect you're right that the Bills feel they have offered Byrd a reasonable multiyear deal, but I also recall years being a question - that Byrd's camp wanted a chance at one last FA window in his early 30s. As for Keller -- it's a risk, isn't it? A lot of guys take a one-year deal to improve leverage the next season and get a better multiyear deal the following season. It doesn't always work out for the player. And if you don't have crippling injuries that make it difficult on a day-to-day basis.

Lengths of deals aren't so much the thing as the guaranteed bonus money that accompanies said deals, but the principle remains the same. Keller has probably seen his last big NFL payday and will be hoping to catch back on to a roster to rebuild his value and make just a little more money, if any at all. Much as I hate the Phins, this really sucks and is something I don't like seeing happen to anyone.

They were purely the result of his sick moves.

1) He's not a coach. Honestly, if I'm Marrone, I kind of don't mind if Kelly is around enjoying the scenery, but I'm not having him provide counseling sessions for my young QB. These guys get too much information as it is to be worrying about another voice in the room - especially one that hasn't played QB in the NFL in 16 years. 2) Tuel still hasn't seen a first-string defense. 3) Has Brad Smith even taken one practice snap? Disaster QB is called what it is for a reason. It's like when your utility infielder is pitching relief in the 19th inning. You hope for the best and know that the odds are not very good for you. I'm not sure Brad Smith would do much better than any of these other guys who have played QB in high school at this point. He just hasn't gotten QB reps.

Maybin they need a team portrait artist. Hire the man.

Why is he a POS agent? He's doing his job. Byrd wants a long-term deal commensurate with what he feels is his worth in the league. Complicating this is that he has played under 2nd rounder money for the past four years and certainly given the Bills great value on his contract. I think that the money is ridiculous in real-world terms, but the Bills and the league operate in an antitrust-litigation-free vacuum. There is money there for everyone. Byrd cannot freely negotiate his worth with another team, so the only thing he can do is play hardball or forgo a long-term deal and risk getting hurt and losing it all. Honestly, if Byrd and Parker should be criticized for anything, it's that they've wasted that opportunity to get a long-term deal in 2013, and that that risk is on the table even if he only plays six games. At this point, I do not blame him for waiting until the last minute to sign this deal. It's a lot of money, but if he gets hurt badly it could be the last big payday he ever sees. If you are a smart man and you see what happens to guys like Kevin Everett, or the money issues that so many older players have had, you get what you can while you have the earning power.

All that sugar can't be good for your eyes.

I like Southern Rock Opera better, but that's just me.

Not true. 9. Long-term deals can be negotiated, through July 15. Previously, the window for a team signing its franchise player to a long-term deal closed not long after the free-agency period started and then opened again on July 15. Now, the window remains open until July 15. After July 15, the franchise player can sign only a one-year deal with his current team. It can be for more than the franchise tender, and it can include other terms, like playing-time or performance triggers that would prevent the tag from being used again. But the duration can be no more than one year. I would say, why not sign that deal? with one proviso: the Bills are offered the opportunity to match any deal that Byrd gets in 2014. Tell me a good reason why this doesn't work. It's sort of like a modified Transition tag, that is more fair to Byrd than the Franchise tag, and says to the Bills "I want to stay -- it's just a money isssue." If, in 2014, he'd really rather be with said other team for less money, the Bills can get even a late-round draft pick out of it. Get creative. If the Bills offered this in addition to an $8MM or even $9MM one-year deal, it would be the best-faith move they could make. Controlling him for two years and playing hardball with the franchise tag is ultimately going to be counter-productive for both parties. The one issue here could be a reluctance on Byrd's part to play for anything other than a multiyear deal.

We can't have anything nice.

If the coaching staff had just named Manuel the starter already, this never would have happened.

There's nothing wrong with encouragement -- it doesn't strike me that he is not receiving enough. Nor is there anything wrong with sticking to your guns and letting the guy complete camp as the clear victor. It usually all shakes out by game 3, so I see no reason to go and name Manuel the #1 yet. It might make the Bucky Gleasons of the world happy, but on the bright side, if Marrone waits, we have something to complain about. Really, other than "boosting his confidence," what is the reason? You need to go into the season with prepared QBs, so I don't think that reps sharing is an issue yet. I can't think of another good reason other than placating the fans... which should be low on Marrone's list. Good results will please them more than anything.

If EJ is so fragile that this competition that he is winning hands-down is hurting his psyche, we're f---ed. He seems plenty confident whether that announcement comes this week or 6 days before opening day.

Logical, but logic is not the only way decisions are made in NFL locker rooms. There are politics to be sure, especially with rookies. Playing in EJ's favor is the fact that he is super respectful and always working, never taking anything for granted, and impressing in practice. But read prior to the first preseason game what Wood was saying, noting that Manuel was pretty jittery, kind of over-practicing, etc. It's not a sealed deal and you can't as a fan project your hopes on the feelings of the 15-20 guys who actually play with him. They know and remember what it's like to be a rookie. I think you're generally right; again, just saying it is more complex than we can really understand.

I don't necessarily disagree, I just hesitate to take the leap of knowing what's going on in the locker room.

That's a strong argument, but not a persuasive one. We really do not know what goes on behind closed doors. I think you're probably right, but the team could as easily feel that they would be in better hands with a vet. More likely the team is impressed enough with what they see in practice and in the film room to trust EJ.

"Hey Doug, I'd like to make sure our boys get some practice in, but no blitzing, OK?" Do they not do blitzing in practice? How will they ever learn?

This is true. It seemed like Chan and Dick were still installing systems all through camp and that there was never any progress. I like that that the team is winning in the process while still making correctable mistakes.

I'm glad we didn't get this whining loser as our head coach. He has ridden the best RB in the league to some good luck. The sun is setting on guys like this who run a smoke and mirrors defense.

Hey don't worry, safeties are plug-n-play. Just like guards! The Bills' "leverage" will be disappearing... Talk to the man, make some promises, sign a good faith one year deal worth a bit more than the tag value, and get the guy in here to work.

Whining is for losers. Come to play. Sure, nobody wants to get hurt, but you can get hurt letting up and not going full speed as well. If you just want to practice, do it on your home camp field and don't charge fans money.

Yes, but the fact that not a single other suspended player has appealed, coupled with the fact that MLBPA isn't defending these guys, suggest evidence is strong. What is unfair about the A-Rod situation is the unduly long suspension that in truth is a major gift to the N.Y. Yankees.

Not to mention everybody makes a sh-- ton of money, takes what amounts to a 5% fine, and baseball looks exciting again because JACKS. But Bud Selig hasn't been quietly complicit for years and isn't totally using this as a disingenuous PR stunt.