BillsVet

It's funny how this narrative started spreading when EJ was hurt and struggled last year. When Buffalo signed Kolb, it was a very small deal for a starting QB, something like 2 years and 6.1M. Besides, what NFL front office signs the most brittle QB in the league and expects him to start for them? I can only believe Kolb was signed to be the backup and mentor the future rookie (EJ wasn't drafted yet), but not surprisingly didn't make it. The common theme over the 14 years of futility in Buffalo has been a complete breakdown in assessing QB talent and planning appropriately for the position. You don't sign and thus depend on Kevin Kolb to log significant minutes given his injury history. What kind of advanced planning does that demonstrate, especially after he couldn't make it in Philly and Arizona? That's the reason why the organization has to be gutted. It would send a message the new owner isn't satisfied with 6 win seasons and the people responsible for that lack of performance. If the team can't get the QB position right, nothing else matters in personnel.

Who have the Bills selected in rounds 3-7 between 2010 and 2013 that start on this team? In 4 drafts I show only Bradham, who's there because Alonso was hurt. After that, it's Duke Williams or Da'Norris Searcy, the latter of whom got burned bad on that long TD pass. I wouldn't say the Bills are winning the middle to late rounds yet. And the fact some are talking about finding another QB option should underscore they've (once again) badly managed the QB position. This time last year it was Matt Leinart and Thad Lewis coming in when their only option was Jeff Tuel after EJ was injured. Not surprisingly those options didn't work.

You've got to wonder how these moves negatively affected their reputation with the league's players, agents, and executives. The Bills often get ripped seemingly without reason in the media and fans retaliate by calling out those media types doing the criticizing. I've always believed within league circles it was well-known what Buffalo's M.O.'s was, but no one wanted to spell out how bad it was. Either Russ was in agreement to these moves to cut veteran players or was powerless to stop it. That in and of itself reveals everything anyone needs to know that the power structure and organizational priorities were seriously out of whack.

It wasn't just players Buffalo's had a problem acquiring. They had a serious issue finding coaches and front office staff which seems to have improved since Nix was put out to pasture. It's a step in the right direction, but as has already been acknowledged, winning cures a lot of problems. For example a team like Seattle, who after winning year to year, can attract guys to take less money who want a legit shot at a championship. For that reason, they don't have to overpay anyone and can be more flexible with their cap spending.

There isn't anything to demonstrate keeping anyone at OBD for the simple reason they haven't accomplished anything. The caveat remains they've had all of 1 season, although if year 2 isn't a playoff year, it's inconceivable why anyone would invest north of 1B dollars and not clean house. Many of the same OBD lifers should be excised with a new owner coming. The NFL has grown rapidly over the past 10-15 years, as evidenced by soaring team values and television contracts. The Bills, by virtue of existing within this have naturally benefitted. That's not to say everyone at OBD on the business side of the house has remained idle because they haven't. Sure, they've regionalized, but that's not a new concept. Businesses (which the Bills are first and foremost) always look to expand globally and/or into emerging markets. If you're not growing in this business environment you're dying. And the Bills have been doing that for several years. I would hope the next team president comes up through the football ranks and isn't a financial/marketing guy.

I guess this means Rodak is taking over where Graham left off at ESPN. Hater.

The NFL over the last 15-20 years is all about building new stadiums to increase revenue and the most recent CBA basically requires the NFL to do just that. What's ironic is more people are choosing to remain at home and watch the game without all the added costs of tickets, parking, concessions, and their time. There's no doubt the league's popularity has exploded over the past 10-15 years. Yet, there are also other options available, particularly for more budget minded fans who can't get to the stadium to watch. I think the NFL is flying to closer to the sun than ever before.

Yes, I know that others have talked about EJ being okay. I actually expect there to be different takes on him among the media outlets. At the same time, the so-called "negative" fans have been right far more often than have the "optimistic" group. They're usually gone by November and return around January after the season is over. Isn't that how it typically works? Shudder the thought that a team with 9 straight seasons of 7 wins or less need to prove they're better.

The media has a different opinion than (EDIT:do) the team paid journalists? Say it ain't so Joe. I see a trend here in that multiple non-team sources are calling into question EJ's abilities in his second camp, both Rochester and Buffalo based. Of course it's early, but a lot of these guys (while not bonafide scouts) have seen good QB play and knows what it looks like. They have an opinion built from their experience covering camp and games that is clearly not appreciated by those who are non-objective fans. Journalists aren't fans. Journalists aren't paid by the team. When they don't echo what a fan thinks it doesn't mean they're anti-team. Besides, when multiple reporters are observing similar things in the team-appointed starting QB, could it be there's legitimate concern? Or is that they're venomous anti-team mentality creeping into their opinion?

Flacco has a SB win. And he didn't do it a la Dilfer or Brad Johnson who relied heavily on elite defenses. Flacco may not be top 5, but he's got the ability given the 2012 playoff run, to play enough football at an elite level.

When discussing EJ I don't consider him to completely "suck" because it's way too early for that kind of assessment. But it doesn't help that a slew of guys are playing QB at a decent level who have 1-2 years under their belts like Wilson, Kaepernick, Tannehill, Dalton and Foles. These guys were available in 2011-12 when Buddy Nix ridiculously decided they couldn't challenge Fitz. There's nothing I hate worse than seeing guys play well at a position like QB Buffalo could have selected. Buffalo had time with guys like Spiller (who plays a position of increasingly less importance) Aaron Williams (who needed a position change to excel) and Hughes (a reclamation project that has worked out for 1 season so far) that they don't have with Manuel as a QB and the guy who the latest rebuild centers around. Fair or unfair, this 2nd year QB does not have 3 years to show he can play in the NFL. The nature of the business means that he's gotta sink or swim more quickly than we'd like. And, based on early returns, he's not the guy who looks like he can win 10 games in the NFL, i.e. a playoff record.

A massive conflation of the argument about players "sucking." The ratio of first rounders not being even Pro Bowl selections is greater than 5%, so this is easily a huge reach. CJ Spiller has 2 good seasons under his belt out of 4. He hasn't lived up to being a top half of the first round pick. Aaron Williams, after a position change, has 1 solid season in 3 NFL seasons. Jerry Hughes has 1 solid season out of 4 in the NFL. And it's comparing those guys, who play positions not as crucial to a team's success or failure, with a first round QB. I think the signs are there with Manuel that he's struggling. You need time to evaluate, but the early returns aren't good right now.

Which begs the question, who's hiring all the failed GM's at OBD? And are those people held responsible? Because making decisions out of desperation is not a "vision" for success, yet that's what the Bills have done with their 1st round picks in 2013 and 2014. If Manuel doesn't succeed in 2014 I think a new owner needs to clean house. That is, if the bidding on the team gets finished anytime soon. Only time will tell.

From one Vet to another...

IMO, Buffalo's gone out of their way since Flutie-Johnson to avoid QB controversies. I recognize there was sort of one when they picked Edwards with Losman on the roster in 2007, but otherwise it's been one guy and that was it. Even when Fitz was signed as a UFA in 2009 they were clear that he wasn't a threat to Edwards as the starter. Without a proven starter at the position and everyone over the years echoing the mantra of "competition" it's amazing how little there's actually been at QB for the BIlls. I hope EJ works out but if not, the cupboard's pretty bare.

ESPN must be using TBD as a source on their reports.

I don't see how, if all of this is accurate (and reports are often wrong) that the Buffalo Bills can succeed with the entrenched senior management remaining in place. We had a report in February prior to Mr. Wilson's passing that said the new coaching staff felt hindered by this very group of people. I doubt that feeling among the staff has changed, although coaches may be swept up in this as well. It's reasonable for high level executives to want to keep their positions, but given the track record I would expect a new owner committed to winning to find replacements.

There are still so many unknowns about this process, the price of bids, timelines, etc. One thing I'd expect with the advent of new ownership is new senior management. The Buffalo Bills franchise cannot move forward without new leadership at OBD. That said, today is a day to celebrate Bills history. The process needs to play out and it will in due time.

Not when there's a new GM, as was the case in Cleveland and Jacksonville recently. Besides, when someone spends upwards of 1B they usually want their own people making decisions. Not the previous owner's people. It's going to take a playoff season for Whaley, Marrone, and the rest of the front office and coaching staff to keep their jobs. A new owner probably won't be swayed by an 8-8 record with lots of youth.

I'd like a team leader to be a veteran with a few more NFL seasons completed with the Bills, have a high level of play and be able to motivate people. Average players and rookies aren't the types who command respect from others, so aside from Eric Wood and Fred Jackson, I don't see anyone vocal enough to get people going. And there still isn't one guy on this team at a Kelly or Darryl Talley level right now. Someone needs to step up or else when things get difficult, you'll see no one filling the leadership void. In theory, it should be the QB, but I'm not sure he has the personality to do so. And he certainly doesn't have the on-field to success to command respect. Not yet at least.

Buffalo got the guy with the most legal problems, failed conditioning tests, and semi-untapped potential though.

Yep, they've had bad QB's for years now. Doesn't make EJ better or worse conflating the argument that previous QB's were bad as well.

Then explain why, under the same coach, FSU went from EJ's production in 2012 to Winston's in 2013 at QB. For the record, Manuel (a senior) was 263 of 387 (68%) for 3397 yards and 23 TD's versus 10 INT's. He rushed for 321 yards on 103 carries for 4 TD's. Winston was, as a RS freshman, 257 for 384 (66.9%) for 4057 yards and 40 TD's versus 10 INT's. He rushed for 219 yards on 88 carries for 4 TD's. Stats don't tell the whole story, but it's interesting to note the difference between a RS freshman versus a senior.

In the defense of Spiller, I see the term "home run hitter" being used quite frequently. But on 235 touches last season CJ had only 2 TD's, and yes, I recognize he was dinged up. But therein lies the issue, and that's durability. He's never had more than 260 touches in 8 seasons of D-1 or NFL football. And that's over the course of 3 different coaching staffs (Swinney/Gailey/Marrone) When the Bills dealt for Bryce Brown and paid what they did, it said a lot about their view on Spiller. I expect this will be FJ's last season and so it leaves them with questions. Spiller will be 27 in August and while that's not old, he's not going to get the contract Jamaal Charles got. LaCanfora's point was speculative, but not out of the question. If Brown's doing well it may mean CJ isn't as valuable to this coaching staff.

Moeaki is an "up and comer"? Guy's been around a few years, had 2 major injuries, and according to one observer on this site at camp he's not moving extremely well. Gragg's claim to fame this year has been having to go to the hospital for as a heat casualty. Chandler, by virtue of his contract, isn't thought of highly. But they're content to feature him and not improve the position. The last time Buffalo drafted a TE above the 4th round was Kevin Everett in 2005.