RuntheDamnBall

Just like Andrew Luck, right?

It is really smart to base your opinion on a player on an exhibition game played with a cast of players you are unfamiliar with, with different coaches calling plays you may or may not be used to running. Also, Geno Smith didn't play in the Senior Bowl, but don't let that sway you from your expert opinion.

Cool. I like sticking with our limitations at the most important position in football.

They will report to training camp in the best shape of their lives. Total gym rats.

As someone who possesses inside info on both of these players, I can report that they take it one game at a time, and put in the hard work so they can execute on gameday.

He's actually convinced me that the Bills should bring in Jerry Rice.

Wait, it WAS on like a MOFO then?

The Fitz excuse factory keeps on chugging along... How about, "if the guy could hit a deep out of more then ten yards for once in his life, the Bills are in the playoffs?" Stop thinking about the #8 pick and ask if any QB available will be an improvement over Fitz. I think you can make that case for smith due to his accuracy and the much better arm, and maybe Barkley because we don't know what his ceiling is. We've seen Fitz hit his.

Nassib is a winner and Geno Smith is not. But Barkley is a winner but he isn't because he's like Fitz. Jesus Christ.

I recognize it's a business. But when you run a business you have to keep your good people and be good to them lest you end up with an inferior employee. And even if you get a replacement who is potentially superior in the long run, you are devoting resources to the new employee that you can't use elsewhere.

And it's not going to pan out if they don't try. If they don't get a QB in rounds 1 or 2 it's proof that they are too afraid to make a mistake to legitimately advance this franchise.

Mike Mayock couldn't possibly be wrong. Sincerely, Robert Ayers That's why you do all the interviews and vetting, no? I mean, unless Russell was muuuuuuuuch better at lying to make himself sound smart and dedicated than he was at eating himself out of house and home and lazing around (his specialties), doesn't that stuff come through in the vetting? Since the Raiders had that pick we can't say that Russell was unequivocally the top choice. They don't seem to value character too much...

Because Rob Rang (maybe? and if so, who is he?) felt Smith looked "discouraged" in the loss to K-State, this means he's a soft guy who can't lead? Come on. We have no idea what was going down on the sideline. Maybe he didn't like the plays being called. Maybe his teammates weren't on the same page. Maybe he was discouraged that his defense couldn't stop a toddler from breaking free for a TD. Maybe he had an injury. Maybe he was pissed at himself. I am not excusing him. I'm just saying that any of these things could be true, and I'm not prepared to take some guy named Rob Rang's word for it when neither he nor I was down on the sideline. Edit: To that end, I have seen Brady act like a little f---ing girl on the field and on the sideline, and he is one of the greatest of all time.

Austin is an iffy #1 due to size. If he were 6-3 with those results and speed he'd be a top 5 pick. I quibble with the notion that Smith isn't worth the #8 pick. The question is: is he worth the only pick the Bills have in the first round? Draft pick value games should be very secondary, and potential value to your team has to be the driver of the conversation. Warmack looks awesome but the Bills could just keep the excellent guard they have without creating a hole and welcoming rookie mistakes on the OL.

I'm beginning to feel the same way. I am partial to Smith but just want a QB to set the future in motion for the Bills. They've been treading water at this position since it became clear that Losman didn't have it.

DJ was no great shakes but Fitz almost got the dude killed a couple times.

If you refused to cut every draft pick regardless of achievement, you'd have a team full of suck. You want the best guys to make the team and you want it to be hard to make the team. Draft picks are great but, hell, Lee Smith was a Patriots draft pick that they cut unceremoniously. Do you think the Pats are wondering if they prematurely ditched another Gronkowski? I will bet you 50 bucks Mark Asper and Tank Carder do not start more than 10 games apiece in this league. Even that would not be all that special by NFL standards, and yet more than is expected of the average 5/6 rounder.

That's a fair statement. I think what you can bring up about USC is that their recruiting power gives a QB weapons (and protection) that aren't at hand for a lot of college QBs, and that the polish there might indicate a lower ceiling. In other words, WYSIWYG. But you make a fair point, and these players are really individuals on their own trajectories, in the same way that Aaron Rodgers shouldn't have been unfairly branded based on the history of Tedford-groomed QBs.

Sarcasm? Seems to me that Stevie wouldn't be doing this if these guys weren't actually on the radar of the Bills. Right? That said, it could go either way. You don't exactly want to kill your negotiating power by begging for guys to sign with the Bills. I think until they get good, it will always be a tough sell and they will probably have to overpay regardless. I miss the days when the fans could win over a guy like Takeo Spikes. If there is any player in Bills history that I am more sad for, I can't think of one.

They have someone nearly that good who won't have to learn the ropes in the NFL, and a gaping chasm at QB. This team has to stop creating its own holes. If Levitre positively won't sign here for competitive money, fine, but they sure as sh-- better be doing everything they can do to keep him.

Seriously? Nov-Dec he had 67% completion pct. 16 TDs vs 4 INTs 7.9 YPA He led the offense to over 30 points in 5 of the 8 games you're referring to. 49 in the game against a clearly better Oklahoma team. When will this lunacy stop?

You mean "drive killer" offense if Fitz is still behind the wheel.

Yes, but OTOH Eli's game really went to the next level once Cruz was brought on. Food for thought. I don't think he is going to make Fitz good (we've seen his ceiling) but he could benefit most QBs that we bring in.

I would do this if they really think their QB will be there in round 2 (and likely not in Round 1). They're not ideally positioned to do so (guess who is? SF). But they could do it and it might be worth it.

Your point about McGee is the most telling. I think it's probably a good bit softer than "Chris, we're planning on cutting you." I suspect it's something more like, "we recognize your service, but given your injuries and the new system, no roster spot is a given, including yours." OTOH, Kelsay has been a lot more durable than McGee, and while McGee gave all he had it's clear they can't depend on him. I tend to agree that there were things the Bills shouldn't have been depending on Kelsay for, but he was at least available. It's too bad. McGee was clearly a more useful player, when healthy. I'd love to see it work out for him wherever he ends up. SF could probably use him. Is that back-handed enough?