BillsVet

Did Brandon just say it's all about wins and losses? Doesn't he know that it's whether you can say the roster is better? Russ needs to get his facts straight and start reading TBD.

We can only hope Whaley is ahead of the curve on league trends and drafts better than the man he was apprenticed to. If so, the Bills may have a chance. But yeah, before everyone gets all hyped up about every move this off-season, I'll wait for the results. After many years of poor play, it's the only logical response to this organization.

Not accusing you of that. My point is certain people are redefining success and it's a final desperate attempt to avoid blaming OBD. . No one gets credit in the NFL for building rosters and those who state this in lieu of actual on-field results clearly can't be objective and a fan.

Thank goodness the roster is unquestionably better. Wins and losses don't really matter during the perpetual rebuilding at OBD.

You'd think the Bills had won a third of their games these past 3 seasons. Rampant complaining for no reason, right? Who is the GM, Whaley? Someone who's been around for these 3 years of great success. Have we established he's a solution already? As for Nix, he hired his own college scouting and pro personnel director, the former of which came aboard after Modrak got to play in two drafts and received a vote of confidence from the owner. Nix may not be responsible for the 10 playoff less seasons before he became GM. But he didn't end them and if he himself couldn't change that, what evidence is there people he picked will either? Meanwhile, it's guys like Brandon and Overdorf who remain with influence over the football side of the house. Some things never change.

This isn't Texas hold 'em. I get that subterfuge is a part of the game, but Brandon continues to say things which are hardly believable. Like Nix putting a better team on the field (record says otherwise) or Nix would be GM for a long time (16 days to be exact) and that an analytics department would be started (it hasn't been). This is a man who convinces people via a marketing department that things have changed when the front office isn't much different today than when Dick Jauron was fired. We can quibble about truth, but it's clear Brandon is showing that he's put on his big boy pants. But in the process, he has no results to have established any credibility with, thus people are dubious and playing a wait and see game. I for one can't stand Belichick, but he's got results to back himself up with while Brandon has nothing but the Toronto series, 2 years as GM where the franchise was lost in the desert, and a shiny new title he's got from sidling up to RW for years.

Cordy Glenn performed like an erector set at the beginning of the season. Then he fell down when the offense was deconstructed as opponents figured out their scheme. Someone needs to rebuild the erector set so that the offense isn't negatively effected (sic).

The question should be: Do you want to compare an unknown entity (2013 organization) with a known failed entity (2008 organization). And of course, it's like people asking would you trade the 2010 Bills with Gailey et. al for the 2013 version full of hope and change. That's stellar logic there. How about trading the 2009 Bills for the 2012 version? Both had the same record, both had HC's jettisoned, and both were the last season for the GM. So, the question should be, what's changed?

Funny that Nix now becomes a special assistant. It would be like getting a promotion at work when your boss retires and he remains as a consultant. Talk about uncomfortable. Not aware of another team who keeps their retired GM around in an emeritus type role with the team. It's truly bizarre, but the Bills are adept at going counter to what other teams do without setting the pace anywhere.

Russ Brandon, ever the marketeer in chief. I realize he can't be 100% open about everything happening at OBD, but he's told some whoppers to a fan base he courts every off-season. Whatever trust he has should decrease, but it probably won't.

Why? Oh goodness why? DOOMED!

It's a prerequisite this time of year when people realize the TE position is weak. Next thing will be people saying is how a 215# WR can replicate what a 240 pound guy can do in terms of match-ups.

How many good teams have mediocre let alone bad GM's? And how many GM's get to a second chance to rebuild a franchise after their first attempt fails? What has Buddy done to instill any level of confidence that everything will come together now in 2013? It must be May.

Byrd and Parker would not be judged kindly in league circles if they took a deal less than Dashon Goldson's 5 year 41.25M deal with 22M guaranteed. Using that as a baseline and considering Byrd is a better safety, 2M might be a bridge too far. We don't know the nature of the offer or what the player is seeking. I highly doubt Parker will ask for less than what Goldson received and if that's the case, then the agent wants at least 8.25M yearly, but probably more like ~9M per. So the Bills are probably offering ~7M and the agent is balking. Not surprising, but perhaps initial offers. In which case, one would hope this dialogue between sides continues.

I wish you would be more positive.

Crazy as 'ol Buddy on the backroads of Mississip looking for another diamond in the rough. Individual players still don't tell me about a team. Even if the roster is better (and it should be) the record still doesn't illustrate that. Why? The answer, IMO, is simple. Personnel placed into a fluid environment of changing schemes will not produce results. Buddy Nix himself ensured that when he made a few key decisions, namely the defensive scheme change that had guys like Kyle Williams masquerading as a 1/0 tech NT. On offense, he seemed to be building the offensive line for the exact opposite of what Gailey wanted to do. While Nix wanted his 330 pound blockers, Gailey wanted a short quick passing game suitable for his lesser QB's that didn't run the ball from anything but a spread based scheme. And then, they draft their water bug back who wasn't a between the tackles runner. Where is the cohesion there? You can't ever build a team when forcing players into a revolving door or schemes. It doesn't and will not work. Players take time to learn how to play in new alignments, and they certainly aren't set up for success when their talents are not suitable for a scheme.

Sure, fine. But in the NFL, 3 years is an eternity. Looking around the league, teams are rebuilding and doing it for the long haul in 3 seasons. Seattle, Washington, Atlanta, Cincinnati, et al have done it. It's reasonable to expect in the age of free agency that a franchise go from being a division doormat to making the playoffs in 3 years. Why does it take the Bills longer? I look down at the roster and see a big youth movement, many of whom aren't NFL proven. And shouldn't we expect the roster to be better after 4 off-seasons of rebuilding? Four 1st round draft picks, millions of UFA dollars, and plenty of the blue light waiver wire/practice squad signings Buddy is famous for should mean things are better, right?

You mean the one non-personnel men Levy/Brandon and their HC Jauron built versus the Nix/Gailey edition? Let's be real clear here. We were told Buddy would straighten things out and he himself talked about doing it in 3-4 years because that's how long it takes to do it right. Well, we're into the 4th off-season with the 2nd HC, 2nd starting QB, about the 4th defense and expectations (outside of the homerific view) are not high. But I'll answer the question anyway: I'd rather have the 2010 team, minus the absurd decision to switch to a 3-4 (which later brought us the infamous 5-2) in favor of a 4-3. This would have allowed the team to address both sides of the ball, rather than Nix pouring resources into an ill-fated defense which they then scrapped in 2012.

Expectations in 2010 were far different than 2012. Everyone knew Buffalo was rebuilding off the Jauron/Levy/Brandon years and 2010 figured to be a long season. In 2012, expectations were high with Mario signing, the money spent on other players, and the third year of Nix/Gailey. They then fell flat on their face despite the GM talking about taking the next step, i.e. playoffs. As a result, the rebuild which started in 2010 failed by 2012. The evidence comes in the form of a new HC and drafting a new QB in the first round. At this point, which metric would you suggest using, aside from W's and L's, to indicate success or failure? If 2012 (Year 3 of the Nix rebuild) did not result in a playoff season, one can only conclude they didn't meet their goal started when the rebuild started in 2010. Moving the goal posts to re-define success is an argument made out of homer desperation.

No. The part driving people nuts is that Nix is rebuilding off his first rebuild that failed miserably. If you can't see the folly in that I don't know what to tell you. If results are optional, then NIx is your man.

The problem for most in evaluating the LT position remains that success there can't be easily quantified. Whereas every other position on the field has statistics, offensive lineman remain the only group who don't. Sure, PFF or other sites can give grades, but fans aren't typically studying that in-depth. And most barely watch OL play during the course of a game. A team may not need an elite LT like they would a top QB, but no one can argue having a Walter Jones or Orlando Pace is bad. The next question is are they worth the money they'll make? Some here didn't think Peters was worth 10M per, but did credit the Bills for their offer, which I'm not sure was every publicized and was probably around 8.5M. It's still a matchup game and who can win those one on one battles. With pass rushers getting faster, I'd want a LT who can stop that guy from getting in my backfield. It's different now than when Chris Doleman was stymied by Steve Wallace 25 years ago, but the concept is very similar.

My bad on Dareus' deal. As for Peters, that agent didn't tell him to stop working out during the off-season, but the holdout was their big leverage against the team. It helped that their backup and other option were to play Langston Walker out of position, only to put Bell in when he wasn't ready. And it's looking like that's happening again, with Searcy being more of a SS and the two rookies not battle tested either in the pros. Should be interesting, but I don't expect to see Byrd before Week 1 much.

It seems there are three ways to go about publicly getting a new contract with Buffalo, illustrated by 3 high-profile players: 1. The Kyle Williams method: See a third overall pick get signed to a large rookie deal (brought on by the player's agent and the then system in place. Play ball with the team and negotiate behind the scenes. Emerge with a nice contract before the season begins. Continue playing well while dealing with injuries. 2. The Aaron Schobel method: Watch fellow DE (Kelsay) get re-signed to a decent deal (4 yrs 23M) just before UFA in 2007. Conduct a quasi-cold war in OTA's and mini-camp. Don't go against the team, but go on record as expecting a new deal. Sign largest Bills contract on eve of 2007 season. Retire after '09 season. 3. Jason Peters: Watch as you're paid less than Dockery and Walker. Continue playing All-Pro caliber football. Agent opens up negotiations somewhat publicly and team reciprocates. Acrimony a result of both sides seeing who's bigger. End up getting traded for essentially Eric Wood just before 2009 draft. Go on to 2 more All-Pro teams. I don't know what Parker will do this time, but he doesn't have the most cordial relationship with Buffalo. Perhaps that's because he drives a hard deal, but the Bills can't be pals with every agent. I get the impression Brandon thinks he can negotiate more in public as though it were a stadium lease deal. Unfortunately, negotiating with players is much different than what he does marketing the franchise and I'm not sure he appreciates that.

Dickerson a blocker? He's an H-Back type who'll probably compete with Gragg for a job.

I'll bet they get at least 35 calls a day for jobs in that department. And you would not believe the names.