biggerdaddynj

Since no one seems to have brought up which practice squad players they might like the Bills to take a look at, I thought I would start this sure fire, high octane, high interest discussion. The reason it came to mind was because I noticed the Packers promoted QB B J Coleman from their practie squad (I wanted the Bills to grab him late in the draft but GB beat us to the punch) and the Niners just promoted Cam Johnson an OLB/DE from VA from their practice squad--another guy with talent. We could haved used help from either guy. In stark contrast, our reserve signings have been very dull. When I recently looked over the practice squads, I noticed some guys who are perhaps worth a look---TE Chase Coffman ATL (former Mackey Award winner) and DE Braylon Broghton NO (raw ability), to name a couple. I also saw a couple of potentially intriguing guys slip by us: I really liked WR Chris Owusu the former Stanford burner who TB picked up even with the potenial head injuries and the Jets signed CB Donnie Fletcher BC and SS Antonio Allen So. Car. After cheking the pactice squad lists to find out who was signed, I ran across an interesting article that highlighted WR Dale Moss from So. Dakota St. another guy who is raw but has the tools you like 6'3-213lbs--4.41. Can some of you guys out there with a litle more knowledge and some opinions to share join in the fun??? FAs and resignings are easy pickings--this is were the real fun is at! Hope the Bills turn over every stone because Lord knows we need some help and the guys we signed to reserve deals didn't seem to be players who might have hgher ceilings (IMHO--but I'm just an arm chair fan, nothing more, nothing less!!). I know, I know. Most of these guys won't ever pan out but there have been some stars--Tony Romo, James Harrison , Arian Foster to name a few....

Byrd and Levitre are much, much bigger priorities. I'm frankly not that worried about McKelvin. He was a flop. Remember, McKelvin was the 11th pick in the '08 draft--the 11th pick!!!! I'd rather see what Brooks can do. There are plenty of CBs available in FA--let's get one who knows Pettine's system so we have someone for our young CBs to turn to for help. As for return men, that's the one area we seem to have luck. I recall reading that TJ Graham (please don't get me started with that pick!)--set a school record for KRs at NC State and also returned punts. Let's get some production out of him!!! If not him, I'm sure we have someone else who can return kicks. Move on from Leodis, his return skills are not something this team can afford to overpay for. IMHO we have other priorities we need to spend $$$ on.

Marrone and Pettine will bring a much-needed change to the culture that has been losing Bills football. There was a reason we were cautiously optimistic about our chances last year--we re-signed the right guys, upgraded our pathetic pass rush in FA and (aside from taking Graham over a QB in the 3rd) we drafted pretty well (the experts agreed). So, with a solid roster why did we fail? Perhaps the answer was a lack of leadership. We'll find out this year....

I love looking to next year but I have to chime in on one thing that even a dreamer liked me can't buy ... there is NO WAY anyone, even AZ, would give us a 4th round pick for Fitz, let alone the 2nd (that's certifiable) or 3rd that some folks dream of getting. I'd be thrilled but it's very naive to think pro personnel don't see what us amateurs see, i.e., Fitz is nothing more than a mediocre starter at best. Why wouldn't AZ do what we all think the Bills should do--draft a QB (albeit a day late and 50 million dollars short) and sign Vick or perhaps trade for Flynn, Cousins, etc... Google Fitz and his weaknesses are what you'll find documented. If Buddy can convince someone to give us a 3rd (please, no mention of 2nd) he'll have paid us back 25¢ on the dollar. I'll take that at this point.

Agree with you 100%. Nearly everyone had Dareus as the number two pick going to Denver. I was one of the many who loved Dareus falling to us (we were getting destroyed on the ground so he appeared to be just what the doctor ordered).

I was devastated watching that 2007 draft. The Niners nabbed Willis one pick before us--broke my heart!

The refs stole the game from them. Aside from the excessive celebration call, they got bent over and over! Had they won, we would be closer to drafting higher, that's the real travesty. At least Cassel makes Fitz look passable!

Not only did he suck with KC but I recall his rankings when the Raiders cut him loose after giving him a big payday a year earlier and he was awful there too. I'd rather give the young guys a chance to play to see what they can do (after all, the season is sadly lost). However, please remember they have no pass rush to give them a fair chance and the coaching apparently blows too!

As others have said, I like Fitz and want him to succeed. However, he just doesn't have what it takes. That said, everyone else is right about the issues with the woefully under-performing defense and the poor play calling. Seems to me there are four people to blame (excluding Ralph because we're stuck with him so bitching about about the pathetic organization that he allows to exist won't do any good). The easy and most transparent scapegoats: Fitz, Chan, Wanny and Nix. Gonna see if I can figure out how to start a poll (to see who everyone thinks is the most responsible for our losing season).

When we have a real owner who is capable of leading the organization we will have a chance. Until then, this will be a second rate organization (on its best day). Sorry Ralph.

Since we do have some talent on the team (look at that D-Line), it's clearly a case of infusing the right attitude and some much needed leadership. Players love to play for the Ryan boys--with Chan losing his team, it's time to bring in some new blood. I'd still give Buddy another year--takes a few years for a GM's plan to come to fruition. If he gets us the QB, some WRs who are threats and nasty LBs, I think we're there.

We need a BIG change in the culture of the team--retreads ain't gonna do that, in a few years maybe Mangini would be worth a shot but he won't get players to play for him until he wins, so that leaves (gag) a guy like Rob Ryan. He can show these quitters how to play like men and will surely find ways to use all of those apathetic, unmotivated and underachieving weapons on def. As someone else pointed out he'll have to bring in a real OC and I'm sure he'd bring on someone like himself not some old fart whose been around the block Russ Grimm was poised for greatness perhaps they'd be a good tandem... Then we draft an f'ing QB even if we have to trade up--Skins seem happy with RG III (NOT THAT I ADVOCATE TRADING THAT MANY PICKS!!!). We're close--the QB, some WR help and LBs. And the change in culture!

We have talent--where is the strong veteran leadership to call out players who aren't performing up to snuff or who are not going 100% based on minor injuries that others play through just fine. Where are the coaches who tell these guys that if they don't play up to speed they're losing their jobs to someone who plays with heart? The team is a reflection of its leadership--weak and ineffective. It's a Mickey Mouse franchise that needs a game changer in ownership, to hire a REAL coach (imagine Cowher here???) and then to draft a franchise QB even if that means trading up (which we won't have to do if we keep giving up so many points and yards every game). We're close on paper. We just need to find the Wizard to give us a heart!

First you need a qb who can actually throw a pass where a receiver can catch a pass! Calvin Johnson would be Mini-Me in a Bills uniform. As sad and crazy as it sounds, Tavaris Jackson would be better than Fitz if he knew the playbook and had half the reps (sad state of affairs for us Bills' fans). And I personally love the Fitz story. Too bad he's nothing more than a second-stringer.

I love Fitz but he ain't got what it takes. Which we already knew. The saddest part of the day was seeing what we thought were our two biggest defenseive strengths--the new d-line and our up and coming secondary--play like crap. Super Mario can't manhandle a stiff like Austin Howard and the Jets WRs, who are potentially as weak as ours, looked like studs. Good thing we had John Potter kicking--great use of a roster spot. What a game changer!!! Remember Stevie was a 7th round pick!

This off-season was outstanding--re-signed players we needed, FA was a dream come true and the draft was very good (I reserve the right to disagree with the Graham pick until proven otherwise). My only complaint was not bringing in a legit #2 WR. I know there weren't many out there (in FA) but I think we could have addressed the need (in FA or via the draft). If that's all I can find to complain about, that speaks volumes about how well things went. As for QB, we're building a solid foundation for whoever we end up drafting next year to be our franchise QB. Our future is brighter than that of many other teams.

"The Bills organization embarked upon a new direction on December 31, 2009 by naming Buddy Nix General Manager and making him responsible for all football operations." http://www.buffalobills.com/team/roster/Buddy-Nix/8c210bdd-5c03-4698-9e8a-b287b9fcbc72 It's been less than 2 1/2 years and all this pessimistic, beaten down Bills fan can say is that he's really digging the direction "Buddy Love' has embarked on. And to think, this is only the beginning! As long as the Confederacy keeps producing football players, our Not so Nutty Professor will continue to get us closer and closer to a shot at redemption. Buddy will get us our franchise QB next year. You mark my words. The clues are there for all to see from Stevie to Chandler to Super Mario (with a Mark Anderson bonus that none of us expected)) to the draft (I forgive him for reaching in the 3rd--it's the least I can do for Super Mario) and now Freddie. There is a plan in place and it's a damn good one (we're getting good players with some 'tude!). We can and will compete with Fitz and then we'll have a very nice foundation in place for our franchise QB to assume control of in 2014.

This is a sign that we're growing up!!

ESPN Insider cited the Bills as having the most improved D line in the AFC: http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7889623/pittsburgh-steelers-ooffensive-line-offseason-most-improved-units-nfl Nice to see us get some positive press (sure, it was a no-brainer but it's still nice).

ESPN "(Really Deep) Insider" Todd McGay has us drafting 17th and taking Logan Thomas (V. Tech) as our franchise QB. Poor Fitz--we have a tremendous off-season and all he's gonna hear is about how we're a QB short of being contenders. I know it's the nature of the business and all that but he is a good dude. Guess the ball is in his court to shut us all up ... and I personally hope he does!

I still want a big WR on this team (and I could've sworn Buddy said he did too a few months ago). So here are a couple of UFAs who might fit that mold. (1) Dwight Jones UNC: I know he's a bonehead who imploded but I'd be up for giving him a shot. He's 6'3" 230 lbs and ran a 4.55 40 yds at the Combine (where he had issues listening to the position coaches). Stats last season: 79 recs. 1,119 yds and 11 TDs. 2nd team all-ACC. (2) Gerell Robinson ASU: 6'3" 227 lbs. Ran slow 40 at Combine 4.62. 77 recs. 1,397 yds and 7 TDs (785 yds came in last 5 games of season--against Boise St. he had 13 recs. for 241 yds). Senior Bowl invitee. Some info. http://mobile.houseofsparky.com/2012/4/25/2972403/2012-nfl-draft-profile-gerell-robinson Dolphins signed Jeff Fuller from Texas A&M (probably to make Tannehill feel loved).

Here's a nice little cheat sheet of UFAs from Gil Brandt : http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/09000d5d828ba719/article/top-undrafted-freeagent-list-led-by-washington-rb-chris-polk?module=HP11_content_stream

Chris Owusu. Was medically cleared and apparently "only" suffered two concussions not three as was reported.

Buddy must have loved Potter's pro day results: 40 yd dash: 4.93 Bench press reps (225): 9 (only 3 reps behind Sean Spence) Vertical jump: 30" Broad jump: 9' 3" 20 yd shuttle: 4.32 3-cone drill: 7.10

With GB's track record of drafting QBs, I'm confident he will. He'll then sit and learn from Rodgers and we know how the storyline goes with back-up QBs in GB.