BillsVet

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.

I want this team to be healthy so there aren't as many excuses if they fall short of a playoff spot. Although with Alonso going down they're off to a bad (unlucky) start. Training camp battles are nice for debate during camp and journalists looking for a story, but I just don't see the importance when the regular season begins.

Who cares? The guy isn't going to dress unless someone gets injured.

Byrd hasn't missed any regular season games for New Orleans yet. What's odd here is (like always) fans get ticked when a good player leaves their team for a big contract. Happened with Peters, happened with Levitre, et al. Buffalo still didn't have a replacement on the roster and if one thinks Aaron Williams as that guy, well, how does one feel about Search, Duke Williams, or Meeks starting? That's 5 NFL seasons of experience there and less than half a season worth of games started. Who cares what Byrd does now? This Bills saved some cash and are going with younger, cheaper and less proven options. We all "payed" attention to this long ago. It's only pre-season. That was during NFL free agency.

Wow, that escalated quickly.

Lies, damn lies, and statistics.

I can't help but think a guy's speed (typically validated by 40 time) is more mesmerizing to fans than it should be. The Bills have made it a point to draft speed going back to Nix's first draft (2010) and now have some blazers. That's nice in theory but if it's not translating onto the field you've got a lot of symbolism (home-run hitters) over substance (game-plan, QB, results). If the Bills lined up their five fastest offensive guys, I'd be confident they'd beat teams in a sprint competition. But an offense is about more than raw speed. Case in point, Spiller's scored 17 TD's from scrimmage...and the Bills are 8-9 in those games over 4 seasons. Lots of speed, not as much on results.

I think the same could be said of the 2006-2008 years when the team had K. Williams, Whitner, Lynch, Peters, Posluszny, and others. Who said, potential means you ain't done nothing yet?

Spiller won't be extended and he's not in Jamaal Charles' category. If reports are correct, Bryce Brown was a guy the current front office liked a year ago and this probably will be Jackson's final year. Re-signing RB's to big money long term contracts is fool's gold. I doubt CJ fits into the mold of what Marrone wants to do, and it's anyone's guess who the HC and GM will be come January.

I find it ironic that Buddy Nix could have selected Seattle's, San Francisco's, Cincinnati's, and Philadelphia's QB's between 2011 and 2012. But what risk is it to Doug Whaley? He may well be out of job in January if new ownership takes over and then it's on their hand-picked guy at GM to go into 2015 with little at QB should EJ fail.

Making decisions out of desperation is not a good plan when you're building a NFL team. When Buddy Nix, because he couldn't look bad for re-signing Fitz, subsequently avoided taking a QB like the plague in 2011-12, it set up 2013 and absolutely having to take Manuel. I don't understand why this team, who preaches competition at every position, doesn't like it at the QB position. Manuel has had no competition and the team's gone to lengths to make it so. Same could be said when Fitz was the starter for 2011-12. Same can be said when, upon taking over in 2010, Gailey admitted to Trent being the unquestioned starter. I think senior Bills management is deathly afraid of any QB controversy, and I wouldn't doubt it's the effect of the Flutie-Johnson situation.