BillsVet

There's the answer. Once defenses figured Gailey and Fitzpatrick out by forcing him to throw outside the hash marks downfield, Fitz proved he couldn't do it enough to hurt opponents. Gailey was particularly frustrated after that game because his QB not once but twice couldn't complete those types of intermediate routes. The broken rib thing sounds like something leaked out in hopes it would explain away why their anointed QB fell off the table post-contract extension.

Well, the buzz word in 2006-07 was progress. And then in 2008-09 it became continuity. This year it's stability. Shouldn't it now be futility after 12 bad to mediocre seasons without a playoff appearance?

It's hard to argue they've got much versatility on defense with their current personnel as most are either 34 or 43 types. You look at guys like Merriman, Dwan Edwards, Carrington and Sheppard they're not offering much in the 43. Same goes for Kyle Williams with the 34, who's best served as a 1 or 3 tech in a 43. In terms of the front 7, the only guys I like moving back and forth are Dareus and Barnett. A hybrid defense in Buffalo is nothing more than an inability to staff either with proper players. Listening to the press conference, Nix talks about having guys 6'4-5 255-260 to rush. He's looking for a Terrell Suggs type who can play with a hand in the ground or rush standing up. When you can't settle on a defense and aren't committed to one, it makes drafting and pro player moves a lot more difficult.

I don't see the Bills drafting a TE high as it's apparently a weak class, nor do I see them addressing the position in UFA. Still, during Buffalo's march to 5-2, after the KC win he was essentially invisible inside the twenties despite 4 TD catches between Weeks 2 and 7. I suppose that's not bad, but his blocking isn't anything to write home about either, so he's not going to get a lot attention in UFA I'd imagine. This would definitely be a position of need, but with pass rush, OLT, WR2, CB, and LB being ahead, the chances of a more versatile threat there isn't happening anytime soon.

Certainly, but the most direct method to attaining a post-season berth is winning the division. And going back the past decade NE has laid claim to the automatic berth almost every year. Problem is, the Patriots knew after SB XLII that they needed edge protection for their QB. And so, they drafted Vollmer and Solder and can feature Gronkowski as well. Their defense and offense may not put up huge numbers like in 2007, but they could be a better team.

I completely understand about needing pass rush. It's priority #1 given the aerial game NE can offer, and the division goes through them until Brady is gone. At the same time, it's frustrating to see all the resources allocated toward the defensive side of the ball and know they need to spend more high picks and UFA dollars there. Unfortunately, they've not found nor developed a single pass rusher in the first two years of this huge rebuild. Being that QBs, pass rushers, and OT's are the bread and butter of NFL teams, I can only conclude the rebuild isn't moving quickly enough. They've so much as said so now that Nix expects a big leap forward in 2012. To me, they're putting all their cards into the upcoming season, which is a huge bet to make.

Hairston needs a lot of work before he can be considered serviceable and Bell is an injury waiting to happen. It'll take a better OLT, WR2, and TE for the Bills offense to improve with Fitzpatrick at the helm. He needs a better supporting cast than what took the field even in Week 1 if the Bills are to compete for a playoff spot.

A team that doesn't lose it's starting QB should never go 1-8 to finish a season. Ever. The Chiefs went 3-4 with Tyler Palko and Kyle Orton getting snaps without Jamaal Charles and missing Eric Berry since Week 1. Buffalo entered the 2012 off-season with questions at OLT, pass rush, WR, CB, and LB. They don't know which defense or aren't letting on it'll be changed, and have to re-sign their top WR. It goes without saying they don't get into bidding wars for top UFA's and if that's the case in 2012, they'll again be banking on rookies to provide the difference. That's never worked. Buffalo hasn't spent big money on a UFA since 2007 and that trend doesn't look to be changing. Still, Nix doesn't hit enough home runs on draft day, particularly in later rounds to make up for his misses. So much for that "top 5 talent evaluator" moniker people attached to him.

It wouldn't be the first time Buffalo drafted the one position they had a strength at.

There is no cap floor this year, but cumulatively the league must spend a certain amount. Per PFT from 7/25: Salary floors: Players accepted a relatively low salary cap in exchange for the raising the minimum teams have to spend. This can’t be underestimated. 99% of the salary cap must be spent in cash in aggregate between 2011-2012. The league-wide number falls to 95% after that. Teams must spend at least 89% of the cap from 2013-2016 and 2017-2020. The Bills can spend less in 2012 and rely on the larger spenders to make up for it. However, Nix said that they'll spend to the cap, which if the number didn't change from 2011, would be spending 120.375M in cash. The cap may be easily massaged, but in terms of money spent that what the Bills will spend per the GM.

Weren't enough touches? Spiller had all of 21 carries in the 10 games before FJ was injured. By comparison, in the 13 games Arian Foster played this season, Ben Tate had 116 carries on a team known for throwing the ball. Sure, the offenses are different, but every NFL team employs a two back system. CJ Spiller didn't play because the coaching staff didn't trust him. So which is it? Was the staff inept and didn't know how good Spiller was or is their 9th overall pick actually not good enough to take carries from the other back?

Panem et circenses. Those Romans knew their stuff.

Not surprisingly none of that has anything to do with the trade, which was so one-sided in terms of personnel that it's mind boggling. Meanwhile, the Bills continue to have a huge need at OT with one guy who can't remain healthy and another who's a project. Buffalo's best OL of the entire decade was allowed out the door for draft picks. Question for you is, does having Peters get you closer to the playoffs or not? He's been 1st or 2nd team All-Pro 4 out of 5 years and if you think Peters was the problem on Philadelphia's 2011 team, you're wrong again.

That trade could go down as one of the worst of the decade, and I know it allowed Buffalo to select Eric Wood. Teams don't deal All-Pro OT's for draft picks. Unless they're looking to dump salary and have maligned the player in advance to make said deal more palatable to a fan base. Meanwhile, Peters is 1st Team All-Pro in 2011 by a wide margin and the Bills are debating whether to sign an oft-injured type or start a bad bodied 2nd year man more suited to the right side.

The Bills aren't required to spend any percentage of the cap in 2012, something which, according to the CBA, begins in 2013. It'll be interesting to see if the Bills stay true to their supposed strategy of signing their own with SJ and if Buddy is correct that they'll spend 100% of the cap, which is probably going to be about 125M. That's not their cap hit, but total cash outlay. I'll believe it when I see it after the last 4 free agency periods.

Still probably too many holes to address in one off-season, and that's before they switched to a 40 front. Need another receiver even if SJ is re-signed, another pass rusher who most likely will need to be a hybrid type, a starting offensive tackle, and a starting LB. That's a lot to acquire for a team that typically doesn't engage top free agents. I suspect RW isn't aware of the issues we discuss on TBD and has deferred much of the decisions regarding day to day ops to Littman and Brandon with Overdorf assisting. To blame the elderly owner is pointless as there are others setting the budget and managing the franchise for him. That Nix mentioned Littmann as a cap guy is very telling, in that his name isn't mentioned all that often.

There's no need for an investigation. The drafts from 2006-10 were even worse than the preceding 5 seasons of TD.

If Spiller was good, how did Gailey not know it? His own RB coach has worked for the HC nearly every year since 2002 and I'm pretty sure Nix and Gailey watched plenty of film of Spiller over the last off-season. Spiller didn't get on the field because the HC didn't think he was ready and was OR the the player wasn't really ready and HC was correct. Regardless, it's an indictment of someone in the organization.

RB's taken in the top 10 should never need 2 seasons to adjust to the NFL. Ever. If that's the case, I seriously question the draft strategy and personnel evaluation of that team. Spiller would not have played much beyond the first 10 weeks had FJ not been injured. And now, the GM declares the guy is as talented as they thought and the HC says he will split carries with a more well-rounded RB in FJ. Coincidence or just the team in defense over a pick that hasn't produced until injuries struck? I'd go with the latter.

The selection of Spiller and subsequent use of the player is why Buffalo is forever rebuilding. How can a RB picked top 10 only get a total of 133 touches in 24 career games before FJ's injury be deemed a good pick for a rebuilding team? Either the player wasn't what they thought he was or the coaches not knowing how to employ him. If personnel identified the guy as being worthy of a top 10 pick, they had to believe he was capable of contributing immediately. Somewhere along the way, Gailey and his staff disagreed and made him a spare part. And now Nix says they always knew he could run between the tackles? If that's so, why couldn't the HC/OC figure a way to deploy both FJ and Spiller while the former was healthy? And why did it take an injury to get him on the field?

I'm not going to argue with you. You've been so frequently wrong on nearly every debate I've seen you enter in the past few years it's unfathomable. Besides, I'm still waiting for that baby. Two years of rebuilding and 10 wins. What's there to debate?

There's no question QB, pass rusher, LT, CB and WR are the premier positions in the NFL. In two years of rebuilding, Nix has found little if anything here, mostly taking what was handed to him and getting it to 10 wins total over that time.

FWIW, San Diego never used a first round pick on an OT during Nix's tenure in SD. It wasn't until 2006 when they used a second on Marcus McNeill and otherwise they never used anything before a fifth on an OT during his 8 years there. For all the credit people give Nix for the SD drafts, their picks in 2006-08 haven't been much. Nix basically equaled Marv/Modrak/Jauron/Brandon in the same time period.

The move to a 40 front has to be the result of tabbing Wannstedt DC and no one having the stones to tell Gailey that they've charted a course already. You have to wonder if Buddy's running anything but the scouts, because the scheme they draft for is dictated by the HC and new DC. If someone wants proof that this franchise is a sinking ship, look no further than the way they've handled defense this past decade. Average 34 in 2000, replaced by 43 with Gregg's hiring. Then go to a Tampa 2 when DJ takes over, followed by a move to a 34 with Nix/Gailey/Whaley in 2010. Now back to a 43. Four changes in 12 years if the latest happens, and needing 2 DE's seems to indicate that. Meanwhile, the Steelers have run a 34 for years and seem to do well stocking it.

If the Bills use the draft to fill their top needs this off-season, it's going to be another absence from the post-season. They've had 2 off-seasons to rebuild and banking on rookies is a recipe for failure, especially now that they're most likely going with a new base defense. The GM admitted they need another WR, OT, LB, corners, and 2 DE's. Needing that many pieces after those two off-seasons indicates they didn't accomplish as much as they'd like.