BillsVet

http://espn.go.com/n...kers-financials GB had a relatively small profit even with this kind of guaranteed money. Teams themselves need to generate more revenue from their stadium and game-day and with the proliferation of HD I'm not sure that's trending in the right direction for owners. Aside from teams being a status symbol, I wonder whether a NFL franchise will continue being as lucrative. Then again, there are a lot of smart guys like Gundlach positioning themselves to purchase the Bills. They must know something.

Because I'd like to see honest and open debate about this football team. And as the years have passed that's become an endangered species, replaced with those who rarely, if ever, question the team. Worse, a clear intolerance has developed of those who have a contrarian opinion and back it up with data. I'm not sold on EJ. I'm not sold on this coaching staff. And for the media to express doubt is not altogether outrageous. It's been said here for years: Winning answers questions and the Bills haven't done that. And every year we see people who get excited only to be left disappointed. I'll temper my expectations based on the questions I have of this team and their decisions.

The old appeal to ignorance argument. Classic TBD tactic. BTW, how many NFL teams drafted a QB in the first round since 2009 and then subsequently sat him his rookie season? It's not like they were paying Kolb starter money...he was on a 2 year deal for something like 6.1M total. That's backup money. This narrative of Kolb to be the starter was echoed early last season only after Manuel struggled and Lewis (later Tuel) had to play. Kolb was brought in to start? Well, let's say he was and Manuel, their first round pick was going to backup. What team in a 2013 NFL world really signs Kevin Kolb to start? This was a guy who'd been a starter for 2 teams from 2010-2012 and didn't finish one of those seasons and managed to start all of 19 games during that time. So, either the Bills signed Kolb to backup EJ or they were delusional to sign him as a starter and expect him to play a significant amount of time. It's decisions like this that have produced 22 wins in 4 seasons.

Woulda, could, shoulda. You could make the case a PI penalty gives them the Carolina game. Or the 5 Flacco INT's home versus BAL to get a 3 point win. Most NFL games are close and good teams win those games. The other thing is, during the off-season they made a conscious decision to go with a rookie QB and back him up with a journeyman on his 4th team in 4 seasons, then saved a roster spot for a rookie UDFA. Depth planning at QB was horrendous last year, and when injuries happened they were short handed. Call it hindsight is 20/20, whatever, but the Bills didn't have a decent backup option at QB and I'd argue their starter wasn't prepared to start either. And why, after the 2013 UFA period which had several CB's available, did the Bills go into the season with Justin Rogers and UDFA Nickell Robey as their primary depth at the position? And that's starting McKelvin who didn't show a lot from 2008-2012. Making bad personnel moves has an obviously direct correlation to these close games. When you make bad decisions in personnel it eventually shows up on the field. Kinda like going with Colin Brown at LG. See a pattern?

Expectations aren't as high outside of the fan base. The media sees a 6-10 team that lost their best DB and now a starting LB this off-season from a unit that struggled in 2013. On offense, there are some additions, but once again they're banking on youth (EJ, Watkins, Woods, Kouandjio). Not to mention they've got a new defensive scheme, the new DC, and new offensive coaches there to "assist" Hackett. Are the Bills better than the 6-10 team they were last year? And, are the other AFC East teams better, the same, or not? Tempering expectations seems to be appropriate.

Rookies don't struggle as much playing QB in the NFL like they did even 5 years ago. I didn't expect him to come in and throw for 4,000 yards with 25 TD's, but there are inconsistencies in his game that aren't easily improved. At this point (and cue someone to call my credibility into question because I'm not a NFL QB coach) I see someone who's more of a thrower than a passer. By that I mean he's just trying to get the ball there and lacks timing to his passes. EJ completed about 58% of his passes, but his YPA (6.4) was exceptionally low as well. I know they didn't ask him to make as many throws as the top guys, but it's concerning to have a low completion percentage and YPA combined. Perhaps that'll improve, but I see someone who struggles with touch on all his throws and if his mechanics don't improve the consistency won't be there in year 2.

Are we really going to cite a game against the Jaguars for proof EJ played well? He made some throws last season, but apparently people have forgotten the Pittsburgh and Tampa games where he was plain dreadful. Consistency is what I don't see from EJ.

Agree completely. New stadiums are the best way for the NFL to increase revenue, which is not coincidentally an objective of the latest CBA. IIRC, players wanted a greater percentage of revenue during the last cycle of contract negotiations. The league, as a result, promised and needs to get total revenue to I believe 19B by 2020, which obviously provides players with greater revenue. Unfortunately, this cycle of stadium building cannot continue in every market. Of the 31 NFL stadiums, 20 will have been built since 1995 when Minnesota's opens in 2016. Another 4 (GB, CHI, KC, and NO) have undergone extensive renovation. Only Oakland, San Diego, Buffalo, Miami, Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Saint Louis have stadiums built before 1996, so clearly the league has taken a path that almost requires franchises get new homes. There's no doubt that the group-think about a new stadium goes back to expanding revenue.

Question is, can he get to the RB? Thought it was noteworthy that in the BN when they talked about Hughes, the writer made mention of the fact that during mini-camp pass rushers and WR's have an easier time with there being less contact.

What difference does their draft status make now? It's a lot of symbolism over substance at this point, particularly for those who are on their second or third team like Rivers, Lawson, and C. Williams.

Why then didn't they bolster him with these individuals last season? It stands to reason that someone with NFL experience above the quality control level would understand a rookie OC couldn't possibly handle OC duties along with being QB coach for a raw rookie. You can avoid reading into the hiring Hostler and a new QB coach in year 2 of the Marrone era. I choose to chalk it up to a latent admission they didn't resource the offensive side of the ball in terms of coaching experience.

Hiring Hostler to be "Senior Offensive Assistant" and the QB coach from Detroit should say everything about what Marrone thinks about his OC's abilities. He couldn't outright fire him after 1 season, but then again the HC made a decision to go with a guy who'd never coached a position in the NFL as his OC. I frankly don't care they knew each other from SU, the NFL is obviously a whole new ballgame and not only was Hackett the OC last season, he was charged with coaching a rookie QB. Seems like a awful lot for someone who last worked in the NFL as an offensive quality control coach. Most fans understand new HC's bring in guys they're familiar with. Marrone's taken that to another level with the college to pro hires, but it could end up costing him his job.

The real question is how simplified the offense will be for the QB. Because last year the rookie QB said he had it down in mini-camp and by the end of the year they were scaling back the playbook for him. Sometimes simple is good, but the more game film opposing DC's have of Buffalo, the harder it is to be simple.

That 2011 draft just keeps getting better and better. First round pick surrounded by all pros and buffalo's pick has more arrests that pro bowl selections.

I still cannot see a new owner or group putting down 1B and having to contribute to a new stadium while taking in "only" 35-40M per. That's a poor ROI on perhaps spending more than a billion dollars to purchase the team and put toward the new place they'll play.

44k ST sold is still a 21% drop from the high in 2009. It's hard to see this as success with the NFL riding such a popularity wave this century.

Aside from the whole "brand in tarnished" issue, he's done an outstanding job over the years. For comparison's sake, the team in 2008 and 2009 had about 55-56k ST's sold.

I don't understand the hate for departed players and incessant following of those deemed not to "earn" their contract. I could care less what Byrd, Levitre, or Jason Peters does now. They're gone.

Is there anything between a tape measure HR and a bunt? Because I'd take a ground rule double out of this team rather than banking on the cleanup hitter popping one into the bleachers in the bottom of the 9th. It's like going to the craps table with $50 left and throwing it down hoping to make enough to pay the mortgage. There are calculated risks and then there are bad ones.

With the first pick in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select...

Well, Andre Johnson will be catching passes from Ryan Fitzpatrick in all probability this season. They've got a solid defense on paper with a top OL and RB. I wonder why Johnson is so disappointed?

Trading for Bledsoe and signing Dockery to the then largest UFA contract to that point wouldn't be what I'd call plugging holes. They were serious attempts at getting the team over the hump. I'm miffed how anyone who expresses some skepticism about the Bills given their track record is somehow negative. You're also not investing upwards of 1B in the team.

To guarantee they remain, Whaley and Marrone need a playoff season and most likely a win there to keep their jobs. Anything less and a new ownership group that just invested perhaps 1B or more hires their hand-picked people. The same can be said for senior management, including Brandon and Overdorf, but they'll probably get a nice severance package from the sale. I've seen nothing concrete the NFL is going to add another playoff team in 2014, only 2015 at this point.

If only they had known that Colin Brown and Doug Legursky were so bad. If they had, the line would have been much better. Chris Williams was a first round pick who's on his 3rd team in 7 seasons. Urbik was on the practice squad in Pittsburgh when Buffalo scooped him up. It wouldn't surprise me if Cyril Richardson beats out Urbik as the latter's contract isn't tiny for a RG.

First, you haven't rebutted my point but have chosen to lay in the tall grass after I present my argument. Decisions made before Whaley and Marrone were hired to their current jobs significantly influenced the moves of 2013 and 2014. The team building strategy in 2010-2012 made the last two off-seasons what they were. Every team that begins to rebuild attempts to get a QB as quickly as possible given the short window to overhaul a roster. The fastest way to rebuilding is to get a very good to outstanding QB. When Buddy NIx eschewed the position in 2011 and 2012 when some good ones were on the board, it set up 2013 and 2014. No one knew the 2013 QB class would be weak, but you have to strike while the iron was hot and Nix chose other positions. In fact, IIRC, Nix talked about building the team and then getting the QB. Problem is, no one does that anymore because teams don't have enough time to rebuild for 3-4 years as Nix said it would take to finish the job. And no, I don't consider Boldin or Crabtree #1 receivers. Very good, but not on par with Calvin Johnson, Julio Jones, AJ Green, and perhaps Andre Johnson.