LynchMob23

One or both feet, actually is what the article says. So some of those 3/4 are valid.

I think, at 11 if there is no pass rusher or DT available, getting a lineman isn't the craziest thing in the world. In fact, if they do that, we'll actually have a little OL depth, which isn't a bad thing at all. The question is, do we insulate ourselves at LT, get a RT/LG combo player or just take the best lineman regardless?

Especially when he's in the slot and not on the line to begin with...

Well, if one of them (probably Freeman) is left standing at 11, we'll have a chip. If Freeman, Oher and/or Smith are both there, we got a chance to get pizz-aid in traded picks. But, we would need help to move to get what we want out of this draft too: 1-10 (not in order, just a list): Raji, Stafford, Sanchez, J. Smith, E. Munroe, Orakpo, Maclin, Crabtree, Curry, Brown or Maybin. If that happened, we'd have Brown or Maybin (whomever's left) to pick, Andre Smith, Oher, Beanie...we'd have people interested in one or all. If we traded back to the highest bidder, we could then pick up a Larry English or...A Mack or...Pettigrew without it being seen as a "reach" - and get some picks in the 2nd or 3rd we could use on Line Depth and replacement starters at OLB and SS. And still get a guy for pure pass rush (like Sidbury) in round 2 or 3.

I think that project or not, but if he's there at 2 and we didn't pick a rusher at 1, they'd pick him up. Keep in mind, the Bills have in place Ellis, most likely to replace Kelsay in 2010. Whomever we get at DE, if they are good enough, will bump either Denney or Schobel - or play alongside Schobel, who may get to play out his contract as we draft his replacement next year. But that's down the road. IF they draft Barwin, are you telling me from watching his pure pass-rush ability this year if anyone here watched UC that he couldn't hand fight and claw his way to a few sacks?

Pittsburgh had four Superbowl wins in the 70s, which, along with the "we are family" Pirates allowed a depressed market/fanbase to buy season tickets to the point where there is a waiting list. Many reasons exist why they were successful, but one key reason was the willingness of Mr. Rooney to scout historically black colleges and universities in the south for talent. After the departure of coal and traditional markets for the region, bio-tech has come in and filled the void. Coupled with two new stadiums they built for the Pirates and Steelers they bankrupted the city for several years. So, they can charge a high rate for the tickets, because of the new stadium and the previous historical success of the Steelers. That allows them to play it cheap with most free agents. Buffalo, has not had that. We had the 90s SuperBowl years - which were awesome - but after that, the middle 90s and oughts have been filled with an occasional visit to the playoffs and then none at all. Some think that Ralph is cheap because he doesn't spend on Free Agents, but think about how much he spent between 00 and 06 on Free agents compared to other teams and still NOT make the playoffs.... If Toronto brings in more money, they bring in more money. But unless Buffalo finds that niche of the 21st century to make it more economically viable sharing will be the only thing that keeps them mainly in Buffalo. Heck, have a game in Toronto and one in the Carrier Dome a year pre-season - that should ensure the team is regional enough with the two proposed games in TO a year. Of course, if Jimbo and the consortium buy the team, they'll just pump money into the team staying in Buffalo and not use the streams available in TO at all....Or if another buyer buys the team, they won't consider moving the team out of some misplaced sense of loyalty to a region/fanbase they may not have an attachment to.

Unless they fire April any time soon, I think Parrish stays. If anything, we'll get rid of him off his name once he's a few years into the contract and have someone in the wings to replace him.

Hey, depending on the post (or poster) the Bills are the laughingstock of the league...why not let Canada have another chuckle in their house?

With KC, Cleveland, Seattle, Green Bay and San Fran needing a LB/Pass Rusher, if Maybin is there he can just be that guy for a year that runs around like a kamikaze on blitzes in a 4-4 alignment until he can handle mentally and physically the rigors of being an all-round DE/LB. Andre Carter comparisons on Moving the Chains definitely aren't a bad thing for him either...

It takes two to tango with a contract. And if they got him to push someone out of a ST spot, that's enough, given the one year contract. Also, we have 3 guys that could play outside including Poszlusny (if he has to move for a draftee...Maualuga for example). Opening day is almost 180 or so days away...

Also, remember that we had a trade with Rogers on, UNTIL he demanded a brand-spanking new contract right before it was going to be consummated. Then we cut bait and looked into big Marcus.

Laughingstock is definitely something bandied about far too easy 'round here. The Bills, when we lose, are just like Seattle. Irrelevant to the general football population. Laughingstock? Not really at all - just because some folks are getting razzed by fools at work doesn't make the Bills a laughingstock. You, maybe. Not the Bills. And of course, like previously mentioned, don't forget that the cap is a little more fluid than that - we have to re-sign Peters, we'll have Kelsay, Denney and a few other people off the books next year and assuming the cap status vis a vis the CBA, it may not even matter when we have to re-sign Edwards, Lynch, McGee, Whitner, Walker or Poszlusny.

I've got nary a problem with either Schobel or Kelsay, but since they were the references for not drafting Barwin, plus once "high motor" is mentioned things get assumed. Much like now, but ironically for the opposite...Neat.

Athletic Enough to play TE and DE...unlike Schobel or Kelsay in college. Ran a 4.48 by some watches http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/foot.../riser.sliders/ ...unlike Kelsay and Schobel, who ran at best in the low 4.6s. Other than being white, I don't see a similarity. Barwin is known for closing speed IN ADDITION TO being a high motor guy.

Like the idea Tipster, but since the 5 mil is guaranteed, I don't think that would matter for them much cap wise. It's already on the books for them to pay regardless of a trade. As far as McCargo and Parrish, I think they love Parrish too much (especially after extending him modestly last off-season). McCargo they might trade, but I think under Sanders he may be in a situation (assuming his back heals) to flourish.

It probably is 10 million in cap dollars and around 24 in cash-to-cap dollars, which means almost all of that C2C money is going to Peters...

Also, by having a guy like Florence who can be the nickel or dime back, we truly can field five defensive backs that we could trust and our weakest corner (let's say Corner for this) is still as good as or better than their fifth best wide receiver. And with a dimeback instead of Whitner in, he can play a true free safety role instead of being that extra db all the time. They can still use him occassionally as a corner with someone like a McGee as FS...or someone else...keep people guessing!

Thanks for the kind words. I've been volunteer coaching here and there in my area in order to eventually coach professionally and I figured I'd pass along what I know as I learn it. I do know with a cover 3, there are man principles once you pass the 15-17 yard threshold, because there isn't a route that is past that, so it's got to be a 9 (go) route. Matt Bowen, former Bill does a great job explaining man coverage on this article: http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/2009/0...at-man-defense/ In it, he mentions another max length for the routes, but with the advent of Martz principles (Arizona) there have been more 15-17 yard digs in the pass game.

It's easy for them to back off now Mike - all of the guys they have brought in linebacker wise haven't signed yet because we're the only game in town for them. Heck, Crowell came back in and many thought he'd never do that! And as far as the linemen, I haven't heard Shaffer or Goff or Simmons or anyone else that is out there that can play guard with a veteran's touch even visiting other teams. In phase 3 of FA they all know they're only getting a one year deal and the closer to the draft it is, the cheaper it will be. Heck, after the draft it'll be a fire sale on veteran FAs!

Yep. We play traditionally Cover 4 and then cover 3. We very rarely play the tampa 2 as many attribute, but we still utilize the LBs in the voids, which makes it look like from TV - "oh, it was between the lb and the safety, must be tampa 2." Jabari Greer confirmed it for me when he was on Sirius a few weeks ago. Because they're so far off, there is only one play that they would allow on them short and that is the slant. Technically, the linebacker needs to haul tookis and get there to kill anyone over the middle, but because of Ellison's lack of size it was a little touch and go. Another way you can look at it is the two picks Leodis got - one was where he had a low/high stretch (someone short and someone mid-range). If it was a cover two, he would have jumped the shorter route, instead he trailed the medium and when the ball was thrown, bam - int. On the pick six, because he's in a cover three, you can use man principles (which he was great at in college) and jump the route.

They actually got it backwards - his best year (prior to FA) was in a zone scheme in SD. Then the man scheme in Jax went horribly wrong and now he's in Buf, where he'll do a lot of cover 4 (which we use more than the 2 everyone things we use).

FA: 1) I would trade a 4th for Tony Scheffler and give him a 4-5 year extension to make sure this isn't his only year in Buffalo. 2) Extend Peters, somewhere around 9-10 mil a year, ensuring he and his agent back off the 11.5/year with performance incentives that would allow it to reach that only if he allowed- less than 8 sacks that season, went to probowl or team went more than round one in playoffs. 3) Sign either Mike Goff or Shaffer to be veteran starter/depth at guard. Challenged by draftee. 4) Sign Bertrand Berry to a one-year deal and cut either Kelsay/Denney or a Linebacker (not until late in camp). Buffers us against being the last to the dance for the pass rush roundup in the top ten. Draft: Depends really on what happens with the top ten. Once that shook out, I'd look for in rounds 1,2 and 3 a Pass rusher, guard and safety. Round 4 is gone for Scheffler. Rounds 5-7 would be depth and maybe a Fullback to push McIntyre.

You are right there Beerball, but once they sign (prior to signing their contracts) they are members and therefore the money (to them) is going to a member. Some of the rank and file guys would prefer it go to a vet, but the "get that money while you can" attitude overrules that at times. I think Ross T wrote an article about it a bit ago...

They support it, at least philosophically Labatt, because it's money going to a player that's in the NFLPA.

I have seasons in 201 in the rockpile - and I know that I was thinking of switching to a family friendly section, because every time I take my fiancee with me, I wind up shoving drunk guys out of the way as they're falling down the stairs or catching someone else's girlfriend as she gets plowed into a wall...