JohnC

Excelslent post; incisive post. With respect to the highlighted area I agree with you that there is going to be a housecleaning. It may not be in one dramatic action but I see it happening in steady increments. Dareus is the type of player that the wrestling coach is not going to be fond of. Players who possess talent without passion and commitment are not wanted in his locker room. McDermott is not the type of person who would have tolerated Mario Williams. Where I am concerned is that I don't like this new HC having almost unlimited authority in the football operation. Yes, there are coaches such as Belichick, Reid and Carroll who have that type of unfettered authority but they earned that role. What I see happening is the new HC selecting front office staff who are too closely associated with him and his thinking. In my view being challenged and presented with a wider array of options is a more creative and enlightened way to running a front office. My biggest disappointment is that I felt this organization learned nothing from its generation of failure. The Bills were in a position to select top tier qb prospects in Mahomes and Watson. Again, the decision was made to pass on the qb and use its lower first round pick on a DB. That's the Jauron/Levy approach to roster building. That troubles me very much.

I strongly believe that if Whaley was running the shop he would have drafted either Watson or Mahomes in the ten spot. The reality was that Whaley was working for McDermott and not the other way around. The irony is that Whaley was good at accommodating the coaches he worked under as this draft demonstrated. (There is a Marrone exception.)

Trubisky was off the board when our turn came up. But both Watson and Mahomes were still available. McDermott who was in control passed on the remaining top two qbs. So what we do know for sure is that the wrestling coach didn't want either of the two qbs because he had the opportunity to select one of them. Was Trubisky their preferred qb? I can't say for sure but my feeling is that McDermott made the decision that he wasn't going to use a first round pick on a qb. So he got the best deal he could for his draft position. I don't know how much credibility to give SalCapaccio of WRG but he stated that he believed that McDermott rated next year's qb class as higher than this one so he felt that McDermott was positioning himself with the added first round pick to be in a good position for one of the qbs in next year's class. If Peterson shows potential the draft strategy may change. Only time will tell.

There are a variety organizational structures that have proved to be successful and there are the same organizational structures that have proved to be failures. Regardless what the structure is what is guaranteed to fail is a system where accountability and responsibility are defused. That dynamic applies to all types of enterprises that have nothing to do with sports. It has been apparent that once McDermott was brought on board Whaley's history with the organization was clearly written. There has never been an occasion that I can remember where the GM was completely silenced and the coach's voice was prominently elevated over the GM's. I have no problem with having a primary voice but when the GM is publicly told to not say anything on behalf of the organization that was more than a public demotion, it was a public castrating. The irony is that it seems that in this draft Whaley did a good job of providing a list of the type of prospects that McDermott would be comfortable with. There is no question that McDermott is driving the bus. However, I get queasy when the role of HC and GM are wrapped into one. In that type of all encompassing setup there is not a counterbalance between the short and long term interests of the franchise. I find that worrisome.

Better to have a low bar than have it on the ground.

If you agree with me on the post I might have to reconsider my position!

On this issue I will agree with you. The owner made some stupendous mistakes. The Rex hire set this franchise back by years. But the issues plaguing this organization have been going on for a long time pre-dating the Pegula era. What I can say positively about Pegula is when he makes a mistake he comes back and addresses it.

With all due respect do you know what isn't pure bunk? Not having a franchise qb for over two decades and being out of the playoffs for 18 consecutive years in a system designed for parity. That is a disgrace and embarrassment. Some good people cope with the ugly truth by ignoring the ugly truth. For the believers it's easier to handle.

The qb issue absolutely has been at the heart of the problem. Who on this board more than I has made that point? What imbecilic organization would allow a full generation to go by with only a few and pathetic attempts to address an issue that mostly determines success. If an organization can't address an issue that plagues it for nearly a quarter century you don't think that it signifies organizational dysfunction? There is more to why this franchise has been so bad for so long that people don't even waste their time mocking it. In a high profile sport and league this franchise is mostly irrelevant and invisible. It's more than not being able to come up with an adequate player for an essential position. It's about the incompetence of the people who have been managing the organization. It has been going on for so long that to many the abnormal has become the normal. And it has been going on for so long that the substandard had become the standard. With Pegula's decisive act that low standard normality is no longer going to be tolerated.

I'm not criticizing the firing of Whaley---I'm applauding the owner. The firing of Whaley isn't an act of desperation, far from it. It is a decisive act to bring order and coherency to an amorphous and stagnating organization. The Whaley approach was a patchwork approach to building a roster. There was no long term coherent strategy. Decisions were made on a day to day survival mode mentality. I'm far from declaring McDermott as the answer to this flagging franchise. What I can say about him is that he has a blueprint and a vision for the direction he wants to go. You can agree with it or not but there is at least a thought process to what he is doing. The past generation, this organization has been a dismal failure. It had no identity other than being mediocre and boring. The goal was simply to be respectable with no belief that it could be a serious challenging team. Personnel decisions were made on an ad hoc basis with the mind-set to fill holes as they popped up. While teams such as the Pats plan years in advance for replacing players when their expiring contracts were imminent the Bills would scramble to respond as if it was a surprise. The Pegulas have made some big mistakes and it is fair to criticize them. On the other hand they are learning as they gain experience as owners and are not afraid to act when it is called for.

With respect to the highlighted segment regarding TT Whaley was absolutely right in his assessment that he is not and never will be a long term franchise qb in this league. Whaley wanted to completely cut the cord. McDermott does agree with Whaley's long term view of the current starting qb. The difference is that while Whaley wanted a complete divorce and start over while McDermott felt that TT could serve as a bridge qb. McDermott was the authority on this issue. So if anyone doesn't believe that McDermott is the boss in the football operation they are not acknowledging the reality of who is making the decisions. I have had issues with how Whaley has over time performed. His body of work is average to less than average at best. But because of his conclusive negative view on TT I felt that he was ready to finally a decision to use a high pick on one of the top rated qbs with his first pick. That's an approach that I favor. It's my view that McDermott wanted to take a different approach which clearly demonstrates that he is on top of the football flow chart. With his draft day maneuver with KC it appears that McDermott prefers to go shopping for a qb in next year's draft. Which is also an indication that he doesn't have long term plans for TT. It's apparent to me that Whaley, if he remains, will not have the authority to make the final personnel decisions. There is no conspiracy here or an act of an outsider outflanking him. Whaley lost his authority because of his unimpressive work product over the past few years when he was fully in charge. The GM lost his credibility with the owner because the roster he has assembled simply isn't good enough to compete with the big boys.

The trade strategy was worked out in advance. It was a collaboration with McDermott making the final decision. Looking back the qb examination was at the later stages a ruse. It was a show pony charade in which the organization made a decision prior to the draft that they weren't going to use a high pick for a qb in this draft class. Did Whaley and the scouting department do the grunt work in scouting the prospects? Obviously so. But in my view it was McDermott who made the selections with consultations of course. He was the person pulling the lever. If you look at the players selected all of them fit the squeaky clean profile that the wrestling coach is attracted to. Not one of the players selected was character challenged player or a player who had work ethic questions. In this class you won't find a lazy and under-achieving prospect like Adolphus Washington or a player with a history of drug use such as Seantrel Henderson or an immature but talented player such as Dareus or a thuggish player such as IK Enemkpali who Rex fawned over after he cold cocked the starting qb in the locker room. Clearly, Whaley had a more expansive view of who he was willing to consider whereas McDermott has a stricter code of conduct and character test when selecting players who he wants in his locker room. It's obvious to me that McDermott has persuaded the frustrated owner that in the long run his approach will prove to be successful especially in comparison to the prior looser approach that resulted in only continued failure. Whether Whaley stays or goes (I believe he will be let go or have a diminished role) he will not be empowered as a conventional GM. If he stays he will be basically in charge of the scouting department. Based on actions rather than company platitudes it is obvious to me that McDermott is the new sheriff in town.

I protest! Why would you ban one of the few people who agrees with me? That is discriminatory! Just curious, is the "Wizard of Oz" one of your favorite movies?

I don't know whether Whaley is staying or leaving. My impression is that his authority has been somewhat diminished. That's my opinion and far from being a declarative statement. Where I disagree with you are your comments regarding high draft grades and immediate feedback. Draft grades except with illogical drafting and weird picks as was done by Al Davis are for the most part basically meaningless. It is going to take some time to get an accurate assessment on how well the draft turned out. If Pegula is going to let Whaley go, or if not, he probably already has his mind made up and waiting for a more opportune time. If Whaley's authority is eroded or will be more eroded Pegula already has his mind made up on that issue. Going back to my original point the draft grades will have little impact on Pegula's thinking about how he wants to structure and staff the organization.

You know how to build a foundation? You make selections that pan out. I agree with you that needs were being addressed in this draft but there is nothing wrong with that if the picks are quality picks. Missing on high picks such as the EJ and Kujo picks set you back, regardless of the position because you then have to go back and address the same areas. When you openly admit that the qb that you are entering the season with is nothing more than a bridge qb then you are not invested in immediate success. You clearly are taking a longer view on roster building. Trading down and accumulating picks, especially adding a future first round for the next year, tells you that this is more than a patchwork approach toward building a roster. My position for a long time is that if you want to accelerate the rebuild process you make securing the qb a priority. This staff under McDermontt doesn't believe that this year's crop of qbs is good enough. Many of us disagree and many agree. Only time will tell.

This is not a full throttle rebuild but it is the type of renovation one does while still living in the house. When an organization readily admits that the current qb taking the snaps is simply a placeholder qb then that tells you that the organization doesn't have high expectations for the upcoming season. Whether one agrees with the draft approach (I don't. Preferred taking a qb in the first round.) there seems to be more of a plan and coherency to how the draft is being managed. Anyone who thought that with the introduction of a new coach that this was going to be a quick fix is misguided. There seems to be more of a direction than a patchwork approach to addressing the roster.

The end result is that the Bills don't have a franchise caliber qb on its roster. The waiting for perfection is a mind-set that has resulted in us passing on players who are now leading their teams into serious areas where we have not entered for almost a quarter century.. Ask the Raiders if they are glad that we didn't trade down in the first round and take Carr? Ask the Seahawks if they are happy that we passed on Russell Wilson in the third round? Ask the Redskins if they are happy that we didn't take action in the third or fourth round when Cousins was available? None of the above mentioned qbs were considered elite prospects. All of them are now entrenched franchise qbs. The Bills had the opportunity to draft Mahomes or Watson. Neither is a perfectly clean prospect but the reality is few prospects fall in the category of being fail proof. Regardless how many picks the Bills got for the trade down, if Mahomes or Watson turn out to be starters down the road either one of their selections would have been more valuable than the picks received in the trade. We can go in circles on this issue for months on end with no agreement. Only time will tell who is right. But the position the Bills and you are taking in this draft is the same dithering position that has resulted in this team not having a franchise qb for more than a generation. The strategy you are adhering to i.e. When in doubt do what you always do is an attitude that has led this franchise to generational irrelevancy.

You have either distorted or misunderstand what I have been saying on this qb issue for months. Let's stop with this false premise that the qb we select has to immediately start. That has never been my claim. My consistent position regarding this qb crop, and almost all qb crops, is that they shouldn't be starting right out of the gate. Buffalo is in a good situation for adding a quality prospect with TT as a bridge qb. That's what TT is, nothing more. But that isn't a bad thing. He is serviceable and adequate enough to buy time for the younger player to learn and earn his way into the lineup. There is a context that you and others seem oblivious of. The Bills have not had a legitimate franchise qb in more than two consecutive decades. It's not surprising that the team's wretched record has directly tracked our deplorable qb situation. Your recommendation to continue slumbering through the years and wait for the perfect situation that never comes is an approach that has been scrupulously followed by this flaccid organization. What has it got us? An ignominious non-playoff streak! Over the years the Bills have had more than a few opportunities to select credible qb prospects who could have changed the trajectory of this dead-lining franchise. Instead of vacillating and dithering don't you think it would make more sense to demonstrate more urgency and aggressiveness in actually addressing the issue? The Bills were in a good position to take a calculated risk in selecting either Mahommes or Watson. They did what they usually did: They passed on the opportunity for others teams to seize on. You make think that is a smart way to go but not I. It was dumb!

I agree with some of what you are saying but have a different perspective on some other parts of your position. Let me start by being positive about this usually stolid organization. To its credit it is taking a more strategic rather than the typical Whaley patchwork approach to building a roster. That is a good thing. In my opinion this roster is going to be significantly altered over the next two years. With respect to the qb issue I am not arguing that the Bills aren't desirous of pursuing a high end qb prospect. Where I disagree with you and those who criticize my stance is that waiting another year provides little assurance. Let me offer a hypothetical argument to better explain my position. If this year there were two or three elite prospects do you really believe that we would be in position to select them, even with offering up additional picks? If those type of special prospects were available in this draft neither Cleveland or San Fran or Chicago or the Jets would make a deal giving up the right to draft a coveted qb prospect. Let's look at the Buffalo franchise. It is not wretchedly bad but it is not unfair to say that it is wretchedly mediocre. This team is built to win between 6 to 8 games at best. The record over the past number of years indicates it is a middle of the pack type team. Counting on using our acquired picks to be in a better position to move to the top of the draft is a dicey gamble. The basis of disagreement I have with the majority of people on this site is that I strongly believe that this draft had good qb prospects such as Trubisky, Watson, Mahommes and maybe some other. Many people want better options. My standard response to that exacting standard is to say: Don't let perfection be the enemy of the good. What I find telling is better run teams such as Houston and KC felt that the qbs that we were willing to pass were good enough for them. Or another way of looking at is is winners usually have more credibility than losers.

If there is a Luck or Manning type prospect it is unlikely that a team in position to draft such an elite prospect would be willing to do so. You also have to factor in what are you giving up and are other teams bidding up the costs? The Eagles got Wentz last year but they gave up a lot. It's got to be stressed that making plans to select a qb in upcoming years doesn't mean that you can get the hopeful deal done.

What kind of beer do you drink? When making a selection to you focus on quality over quantity? You do realize that the older you get the more your tummy will protrude and your expanding arse will soften when your pattern of drinking gets to the level of over indulging?

I don't think that the stockpiling of picks is going to be used to move up to get an elite qb prospect in a subsequent year/s. Most teams who are in a position to take a top tier qb prospect desperately need a qb. So they are unlikely to do that type of deal. My judgment is that the Bills are making deals to acquire more picks because they want to rework the roster and change the structure of the cap so they will be in a better position to get good bargain free agents. What's going on is over the next couple of years this roster is going to be undergoing major changes.

There is another side to this situation that does make some sense. The incoming HC/GM, McDermott, has done a review of the roster and concluded that this roster needs to significantly be reworked. And because of the poor ratio of talent to cap status that there needs to be an infusion of cheaper draftees added to the roster. Make no mistake this is a rebuild. Maybe not a major rebuild but at least a secondary multi-year rebuild process. I don't believe that McDermott believes that TT is a long term option but he believes that he is a serviceable option for where his team is at. Doug Whaley lacked the objectivity to accurately assess his roster. He made decisions based on the assumption that his team was close to being a playoff team. It's not and never was. The Whaley foolishness of gratuitously giving up picks in the hope of crawling to be a playoff team had more to do with his own misjudging of his handiwork than properly evaluating the roster he created. On the positive side at least recognizing of where this team is actually ranked is a good starting point. There is no quick fix to getting back to being respectable. It's going to take time and patience.

The qbs we passed on, Mahommes and Watson, both were selected by teams that moved up by paying hefty prices to make the acquisitions. Both Kansas and Houston are consistent playoff teams with Houston in a position to be a very serious playoff team. The Bills have not had a franchise qb for more than two decades. You act as if not taking a chance on prospects that are coveted by more respected franchises is an act of valor and a cause for celebration. It's not. The Bills are not a playoff team. It appears to me that they are in a moderate rebuilding mode trying to undo the damage done in the previous years by mediocre staff. The CB the Bills took is a quality selection. On balance the Bills let go a top tier CB, Gilmore, only to follow up and refill the hole that we created. So where is the upgrade. One minus one is zero. The Bills are built to be a six to eight win team this upcoming season. Next year the same discordant song will be song that because we are not in position to select the top qb prospects that we should wait for the next year. You may find the Jauron/Levy approach to roster building appealing but for me it is the same bland recipe that has contributed to our ignominious streak. You might find that to be a reason to be joyful and hopeful while I find it to be embarrassing and sad.

If we come up with a good qb prospect you won't here me complaining. Odds of hitting on a qb go up with the higher rated player.