BillsVet

This thread is proof that now is the time for some posters to stop starting 10+ threads a day.

It's ironic that in the past 5 drafts (2011-2015) Buffalo chose not to take anyone in 3 QB rich draft classes (2011, 12, 14) took what looks like a bust one year (2013) and decided against one in a very poor QB draft (2015). One thing is evident: that teams who are aggressive in pursuing the improvement of the position get their guy more often than a team that waits for the draft or a given player to come to them.

I always wonder about players Ozzie Newsome lets go for nothing. He's one of the best in the business for a reason.

Earlier this off-season Whaley erred in using the word "blame" to describe the drafting of Manuel and part of me wonders if they're gun-shy after that decision. QB's typically define the success or failure of a GM's tenure, but not taking one affords a personnel guy more time. This wasn't a draft that'll go down for QB depth in the later rounds, IMO, but we do know not taking a shot means you're guaranteed to fail. The fan spin-doctors can do their usual thing of conflating the issue and protecting OBD, but neither Whaley nor Nix have figured out the position. Worse, they've only taken one swing and it's looking more and more like a bust.

Littmann as the capologist? Wasn't that Overdorf's responsibility or are you saying that Littmann's presence made him the de facto capologist? I'm not clear by the term "legitimate" when you reference Nix. Had he been a scout previously unlike his predecessor who went from ticket seller to marketing lead? Sure. But Nix didn't devise an overall strategy to rebuilding a football team as evidenced by where the team was in 2013. He badly miscalculated on the QB position, switched to a defense he spent several high picks and UFA dollars to build which (and people can blame the coaching here as well) was not very good by the end of 2012. This despite the resources devoted on that side of the ball. The Bills are still looking for a QB! Nix is also the same guy who chose to begin a major rebuild by taking a RB with his first draft pick. If this was 1973, sure I can see that mind-set. And I'm LMAO with this Merriman attracting other key free agents. Players want to 1) get paid and 2) win, usually in that order. Merriman didn't open up the checkbook and he surely didn't help the team win. This false narrative has been manufactured out of nothing. The Pegula's purchasing the team has prompted much needed change. Finally. But Buddy Nix was 20 years behind the curve. You don't have a team go 22-42 and say someone was successful. You can't justify it. I get that fans will never criticize their team or the people running it, but being a fan sometimes conflicts with objectivity.

The moment Nix was named GM? Has Rod Serling returned to life and brought Vincent Price back with him on a special edition of the Twilight Zone? Nix's teams went 16-32 followed by a 6-10. His refusal to find a QB is what's put the Bills where they are today at the position. If anything, the turnaround probably started when the Pegula's took over from Littmann and Brandon, followed by Rex's hire.

I know you can't bring yourself to criticize this team, but doesn't it make you wince that Whaley's 2 main options on Draft Day 2014 were to trade up for Watkins or take Ebron 9th?

I'll never understand how obtaining a talented NFL WR to make up for the QB is viewed as, from a team building perspective, a great move. The idea that drafting Watkins via a trade up to help out Manuel is absurd, but given that EJM was Whaley's pick as well, not surprising. And this was all done in April 2014 when the only QB's on the roster were EJM, Thad Lewis and Jeff Tuel. Then again, Whaley was acting in his own interest and the team president wouldn't oppose a move to improve both of their positions. For the record, no one argues with Watkins' talent. The issue is, when allocating resources, why you'd go after receivers as San-O points out, when your OL and QB aren't good.

While this is a plausible scenario, they're more than likely moving on from Manuel. I know some people here think EJM just needs better coaching, but waiting until the 7th round or via UDFA seems implausible considering their depth at the position. They need a prospect and it's not Manuel. EDIT: I'm not saying it's Petty, Grayson, or the other 2nd tier QB's. Just that they're interested given the depth.

Let's not stop at Nix. It's time to give credit to Pat McGroder and Terry Bledsoe for their short GM spans which set up Bill Polian for success. If it wasn't for those two guys, Polian wouldn't have improved the Bills as much as he did.

At some point a great artist cannot rework a painting from another mediocre painter. That's Lee and EJM IMO. Mechanics also tend to break down when under pressure, which is another shortcoming in EJ's game. When he's rattled all the instruction he's received goes out the window. I don't expect him to beat out Cassel for the starting job for 2015.

Meanwhile, Jason Peters was just voted to another All-Pro team and out of the last 7 years he's been on the field, he's been 1st or 2nd team All-Pro every year. The decision not to re-sign Peters is arguably the worse personnel blunder from 2000-2009. And it was in part precipitated by giving lazy Derrick Dockery a massive contract he wasn't worth. Thank goodness the Pegula's bought the team.

Brown certainly improved, but Kiko wasn't expendable because of Brown. Kiko was expendable because he doesn't fit Rex's defense, plain and simple. More specifically, 235# LB's aren't big enough to play the scheme. And I'm sure you'll compare weight of Kiko to Bradham, but that raw data doesn't include the players themselves. Kiko wore down in 2013 and may not be as durable like Brown and Bradham appear to be.

Lot of symbolism, not much substance. It seems like EJ's talked to or worked with every QB who's played in the NFL since 1970. And does this mean he's done with George Whitfield? How many coaches/mentors does this guy need? And will EJ be attending the Manning QB camp now?

The question isn't so much whether EJ needs to improve these pieces of his game, it's whether or not he's improved much at all after his time in the NFL. They worked with him on footwork, release, et al. because that's what he needed work on. If EJ can't improve those fundamentals, he's not going to be a starting QB in the NFL. As for personal QB coaches, well, Brady had one in Tom Martinez and EJ's used George Whitfield Jr. I'm sure others have enlisted this kind of help.

Are you saying that Russ Brandon is bad at making football decisions, specifically on HC's then?

I don't need to see EJ go through another training camp and regular season to know he doesn't have "it." The basics a QB needs to enter the NFL with aren't there, specifically accuracy, touch on passes, an ability to read defenses, throwing receivers open et al. Most people understand EJ was a project, but after 2 off-seasons and regular seasons, there isn't a whole lot of improvement there. People blame that on Marrone and his staff, but it's more than that. But I know there will always be those who will wait until the bitter end before declaring the player incapable of being good. I just don't subscribe to that rationale. This phenomenon occurred with Losman back around 2006-07. People wanted him to succeed, held onto every small success tightly, but ultimately the guy didn't pan out.

This, to me, is the crux of the argument about EJ. He can do things once in awhile, but not consistently enough to ever be a good NFL QB. And I see the blaming of Marrone continues, as if the player was an innocent bystander and his success or failure was predicated primarily on the game plan. Some guys have all the physical attributes you look for but don't have the recognition skills. I think EJ fits into that group, but that probably makes me a "hater."

Great PR move saying that as GM he's mad about something that serious fans know is an issue. Clearly a pre-emptive shot in case the OL struggles. There's a guy in Washington DC who does it all the time this way. And rarely found culpable as well.

I remember when winning the free agency period was widely panned around here when teams like Dallas and Washington were getting credit for it. That said, with more OL help it'd be about as complete an improvement on offense as they could make this off-season.

A HC's job is to win now. A GM's job is to win now and plan to win later. It's important to get value as often as possible, particularly for GM's who need to look down the road a few years. And sometimes what's good today won't be good tomorrow. I get why they've signed guys like Mario, Clay to an offer sheet, and traded for Watkins. From a value perspective they weren't/aren't the best moves for the long term. It's also easier to correct mistakes in the NFL by cutting players, which happens frequently. That is, if the contracts aren't too burdensome in the future.

Increasingly over the years, no. I can live with Cassel. But the interior OL still needs some help and that will mitigate most improvements at the skill positions (and they needed them as well) that they make. We'll have to wait and see what the next level of UFA's, which are now singing, will offer.

Just because the Bills were bad drafting in the 3rd round for most of this millennium isn't enough of a reason to trade your 3rd this year. Especially when you don't have a 1st or 4th. I ask the question again: Is Dan Snyder running this team? Because he was widely criticized (and rightly so) when trading picks was discussed in previous drafts.

McKenzie probably isn't cut out to be a NFL GM. I guess the issue I have is Mark Davis inherited a mess and clearly has no clue either about being an owner.

The point remains you try to win now and keep an eye on the future. That's what a GM is there for, not to go all-in at the craps table with your mortgage payment. Mathis turns 34 during the season and missed 7 games last season. If he's released I get the signing. But no way would I trade more than a 5th for him. Being that desperate for guards and using a 3rd is mind-bendingly stupid.