BillsVet

Is anyone, name or not, allowed to say bad things about the Bills? I'm wondering because winning 1/3rd of your games probably means your roster is pretty bad. And considering that there is 1 NFL WR on the roster, TE is thin, they just lost a starting guard, and have little at QB beside journeymen, I'd say Mr. No-Name is fairly right on. Seattle began a turn-around the same year Buffalo started their ill-fated rebuilding attempt. The Seahawks prioritized larger corners, invested heavily in the pass rush, and traded for some RB that another unnamed team took a 4th and 5th for who happened to be in the middle of his career. Why are the Bills unable to rebuild across multiple GM, HC's, QB's, and team presidents? Could it be that their organizational structure prevents rather than permits improvement? We'll see what Marrone gets out of this roster come September, but people above him have a huge say in on-field performance and none of those people have changed.

The name Eugene Parker should ring a bell around here. He's Byrd's agent and just happened to be Jason Peters' representative. Good luck Russ/Overdorf. http://www.kval.com/sports/Former-Ducks--194387051.html Buffalo spent a boatload on UFA's last year in hopes of getting over the edge. Now that Buddy's first rebuild has failed miserably, it looks like they're unable to re-sign one of their own draft picks as those contracts are inhibiting them. And before anyone says you can't sign them all, Byrd has been on the radar for more than just one season.

After 6+ years and 5k+ posts do you have to ask? I guess this is your response when facts get in the way of your optimism for optimism crusade. Sorry if we're not all unicorns and rainbows because you tell us we should be.

There are several people who "bang the drum" on RW going before the team wins again. And for those like you promoting Brandon in his new role as the move to end all moves, why could he not create a winner in his 2 seasons as GM? But things have changed now? As for the Bills stinking, well, if 16-32 isn't that I don't know now what is. Are we only allowed to complain to your omniscience when Buffalo is win-less or picking top 5 three years running?

Turnover in the front office? Where? The same GM is there. The same assistant GM is there. The same college scouting and pro personnel directors are there (both hired in 2011). What's changed? That the owner's golden boy is team president? That a bad HC was replaced with a more unknown entity? Frankly, there's a lot of unknowns. One predictable thing is fans in their homer-dom ascribing far too much credit before anything significant happens. This is another rebuild and it's going to be painful.

Let's be clear. You're citing severely flawed franchises, most of which are drafting top 10 this year, to illustrate Buddy isn't alone in his ineptness? In other words, other bad teams really do what Buddy does, therefore Buddy isn't wrong. Outstanding. And BTW, you didn't answer my question, choosing to hide behind merely conflating the argument. Are we allowed to be cynical when the team team wins only 1/3 of their games? Do tell. I need someone to define my fan-hood for me.

Considering the Browns, Jags, Panthers, and Raiders all replaced the GM's, I don't think the comparisons carry weight. And are we allowed to be cynical when the team wins 1/3 of their games, or are we just not good fans for wanting more? You tell me.

Buddy is the only one who adheres to this plan of build up the lines and insert QB at the end. No other team in the NFL does this. And given that QB's are set up for success better than at any other time in NFL history with PI and roughness liberally called, it makes no sense. The greatest force multiplier on any team is the QB and with that in mind, you get the guy first and, perhaps simultaneously, build the OL. Atlanta did it drafting Matt Ryan and trading up to get his LT. That's how a real GM operates. Buddy's plan has been a flip-flopping horror show. On defense he tried to convert to a 3-4 without the pieces, wasted resources building it, then scrapped that scheme for a 4-3 only 2 years later. He signed core players to contracts like Fitzpatrick and Kelsay who are now gone. Frankly, no one cares about buzz, and it was Buddy himself in that infamous press conference back in early 2010 who said show me the baby. Well, this has to be the longest pregnancy on record.

Even for you this generalizes a lot. Bills fans don't have collective ADD. They just want a winner after waiting so long and it ain't happening in 2013. As for the Redskins, Snyder started getting better when he hired a real NFL HC who brought with him a real NFL GM and got rid of Vinnie Cerrato. And they haven't spent tremendously in UFA, building through the draft and reaching the playoffs. I'd also point out they (along with Seattle) both began their massive rebuilds the same year Nix did in Buffalo. And what of a franchise QB? Do you blame Nix for that situation and the Bills perpetual rebuilding continuing this year?

Completely different scenario in Jacksonville. New GM came in and fired the previous (and failed) GM's HC hired the year before. New GM's typically want their own HC and aren't going to wait around for someone else's guy to succeed or fail. They act now because their rep is on the line. And then there's Buffalo, who do everything in their power not to ensure substantive change takes place. Sure, they'll fire a HC or get rid of a college scouting director who served 4 GM's, but they'll never blow up the operation. They never hire anyone from outside the organization, like Jacksonville did straight to the GM job. And right now no team in the NFL needs a fresh set of eyes on the franchise more than Buffalo. No one.

Gotta have something to hype for 2013. Coaching changes and last year's big ticket UFA probably don't carry over into 2013.

But do seasons of 2-5 wins really affect the franchise that negatively if you can promise hype and hope later? 2001 and 2010 were the first years of a rebuilding and everyone knew it. Didn't keep the fans from coming. And when it's clear a rebuilding plan didn't work, like by mid-season 2012, you reinvent yourself with a new HC, hype the GM in waiting, move some deck chairs around and just like that you're new. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I think casual fans happy to have a team just like having something new to point to. Brandon's delivering, and if that doesn't work, well, they can do something like get a QB.

We will see if Brandon truly wants to implement a more data driven decision operation versus scouts providing all input. Most likely it's somewhere in the middle. Nix meanwhile continues to stand out front and explain himself while Russ remains in the shadows As for the 2009 draft, I don't see Brandon being the one who orchestrated that. After all, by late 2009 he was admitting how the GM job was beyond him, prompting the Bills to promote Nix from within. He knew he was clearly not set up for success given that he had absolutely zero experience in personnel. Buffalo drafted for straight need in the 2009 and got some guys who filled those needs. They needed two guards badly, taking two of the highest ranked interior OL in Wood and Levitre. They needed help at safety, taking Byrd. They needed a DE and took Maybin. And given that the 2008 draft was dreadful, I think it was pure luck combined with drafting easier to fill positions like guard and safety in 2009 that made that year.

I still see Nix's remaining for the 2013 draft as part of Brandon's overall plan. It's not something some can wrap their arms around, but Nix will be the scapegoat when things inevitably aren't good this year. After all, the current GM owns this roster, hired the previous coach, went with the now released QB and now they're moving on from him. Nix does more for Brandon hanging around than he would be gone. Strange as it may seem, that's the modus operandi I see taking place.

Brandon is very adept at selling this franchise to the fans. He realizes it'll take more to sell it to a new HC, which he apparently did with Marrone. How much analytics is driving decision making is clearly debatable at this point because it's so early. It's good to have more data, but who is analyzing it right now is highly questionable.

The Patriots didn't want Welker, knowing that players at positions like WR which require speed and quickness are wont to break down after 30-31 years old. Belicheck and Floyd Reese decided retaining him at his price was not the most value added decision and let him sign elsewhere. They then signed a lesser known and younger player who they believe can adequately replace Welker's production.

He can manhandle Winston Justice with a good wrist. 7 of his 10.5 sacks this season came against IND, STL, JAX and AZ. Buffalo needs better production in key moments from their best known player.

You're extremely adept at conflating the argument. All GM's make mistakes on draft day, but some are worse and as such have teams that reflect this. Is Nix equal to an Ozzie Newsome, Jerry Reese, Ted Thompson, Kevin Colbert, Thomas Dimitroff, John Schneider or Trent Baalke? No, and yet those men have all made mistakes on draft day.

Nix was southeast regional scout from 93-00. Not sure he worked much for Polian. Whaley's an unknown despite what some want to say. He may turn out to be a Jerry Reese type or not, but assigning credibility is something people with little to hang their hat on do. I understand that, but it's clear that Nix couldn't get it done and they're undoing what he did from 2010-12. I do often wonder why Whaley left a successful franchise where he admittedly wasn't going to be GM for a GM apprentice job in Buffalo for someone who isn't the talent evaluator many fans claimed.

It's collusion this year if teams still operated like the Cowboys and Niners did circa 1995. Teams have come a long way with the cap and have adjusted accordingly to the point of not handing out all the big contracts and, when doing so, spreading the hit out a more evenly.

I am continually amazed at how short memories are on this board. Seems like after the Lombardi is awarded people magically forget what prevents this franchise from becoming even average. Sure, the defense was completely putrid in 2012. Yet it's the QB play most responsible for Buffalo remaining anchored at the division basement. How many game-ending turnovers does Buffalo's QB have to make before we remember why they are 16-32 in their past 3 seasons?

We have not yet begun to dumpster dive yet. Not even close. Buddy found Kraig Urbik AND Erik Pears AND Shawne Merriman. Why have people lost faith already?

31 other NFL teams allowed him to languish on a practice squad pretty much all of last year rather than add him to their 53 man roster. I think Easley is what he is: a fringe NFL player. Any team needs 3 viable receiving threats. Buffalo has 1. Maybe they're planning on going wish bone this season.

Nix couldn't figure out that three years of tape on Ryan Fitzpatrick should predict his future ceiling, not 3 games. He's not a savvy man. Not on who to re-sign or who to draft. His claim to fame is not completely missing in the first round and perhaps his skill at dumpster diving on the UDFA and waiver wire given the likes of Erik Pears and Kraig Urbik. Aside from that he's a half-step up from his two predecessors who weren't personnel guys, one of whom is now his boss.

Colon blows.