BillsVet

The Bills HC job was not one that many people were interested in not 2 years ago. The list declining interviews or withdrawing interest are long: Leslie Frazier, Jim Harbaugh, Ron Rivera, Brian Schottenheimer, and Russ Grimm. After two weeks of being shot down, Nix hired the first guy who'd been a HC in the league (albeit it 10 years before) and who'd accept the job. I can't see Gailey sticking around for a HC job without support Given that Jeff Littmann is running the team into the ground. He (Gailey) will never get the personnel to run his system because it simply costs too much. And if Buddy's rapid rebuild is working, it's definitely hard to tell.

Are you referring to the nature of the CBA which specifies that teams must each spend a certain percentage of the cap toward player salaries? Hard to say, because it seems like they're on a succession of one year plans, all of which feature low player costs. At the same time, Forbes reported the Bills as being in the top 10 of NFL earners with 41M in profit which ranks 8th league-wide. There's other things outstanding as well, like the RWS lease agreement with Erie County that expires before the 2013 season. All I've seen is the Bills hired a stadium architect to come up with a cost of remodeling RWS with more boxes, etc. I'm sure this will be the precursor to negotiations for extending the stadium lease which the club probably wants the government to pay for.

Great thread OP. Everything suggests the family has taken over and are setting the team up for sale. When they struggled to find a GM and HC not two years ago that was evidence enough to me that no one wanted to work for them. Given the prestige of being a NFL GM or HC, the only thing I conclude is that people know what's happening at OBD and avoid it like the plague. That is, unless you're desperate to get back into the NFL and don't mind a Jeff Littmann cutting your personnel budget and Jim Overdorf trading your players.

The question was "What happens if they can't re-sign Steve Johnson" and I replied with what I see happening. Buffalo hasn't used the franchise tag on anyone since Nate Clements during the 2006 season, and granted there weren't a lot of players they could have applied it to, but I don't get the sense they will tag Johnson. Just a hunch, but they're going to talk about the young unproven types when Johnson leaves. And if that's the case, I can see them spending a high pick on a WR to appease fans. In recent memory they've used the draft to fill holes created by allowing veterans to leave, thereby cutting costs. JMO.

I guess they pocket more in operating profit. Johnson leaves for greener pastures, the Bills draft a WR who they expect to immediately start while talking up Marcus Easley as being able to replace Johnson.

We're not talking about the 2011 Colts. We're talking about the 2008 Patriots who had a 3 win drop-off from your totally arbitrary figure. They did enough with a backup QB to make the playoffs and for the first time in forever didn't make the playoffs with 11 wins. I never said I wanted someone to provide the value of Jackson, just someone who was a reliable back. You know, like when the Cowgirls lose Felix Jones and DeMarco Murray, a third round pick more than fills in. RB's aren't that valuable, and if you're not prepared to lose one, it's poor organizational planning. Except Buffalo did have a backup acquired via a high pick who can't come close to the starter. Let's see, the Patriots have started 4 guys this season at center and their line didn't fall apart when Dan Connolly and Dan Koppen went down. How do they do it? And why can't Buffalo have one single guy who's snapped the ball at the NFL level behind Wood. Organizational planning again! Demetrius Bell is an injury waiting to happen and anyone can see that. Chris Hairston is a rookie who's not cut out to play OLT in the NFL, yet there he was starting when Bell predictably went down. They haven't seriously addressed the OT position in years and this is what you get when weak players go up against NFL DE's and ROLB's. I guess Ralph is right, you've got to have luck on your side to be successful. If not, you're screwed.

Merriman was picked up off waivers. Pears was a street FA signed late in 2010. These acquisitions are very much different than signing someone off the open market during the first 2 weeks of free agency when the new league year starts.

No kidding. It remains an exercise in futility, and it wouldn't surprise me if they did less than in previous years with season ticket sales probably declining significantly. 2009 UFA: Drayton Florence, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Terrell Owens, and Geoff Hangartner. I'd argue they're spending less in UFA each year.

The Patriots lost their best player in 2008 and still managed to go 11-5. His replacement has not fared well in KC and may be done as a starter. Let's look closely at the injuries that have hurt Buffalo most: Jackson, Wood, and Kyle Williams. The Bills had a 1st round pick to back up Fred who has underwhelmed. Shouldn't the expectation be that he adequately fill in for Jackson given the hype and praise he received from the staff on draft day 2010? Meanwhile, they had no backup OC on the roster, so of course Wood's injury hurt significantly when they were forced to shuffle the left side of the OL. As for Williams, he was mostly their 1 gap 34 NT, where Dareus is playing, thus forcing Carrington to be LDE. And, they placed immense faith in Merriman not only producing, but remaining healthy at ROLB. Talk about setting yourself up for failure. The Bills are like an individual who lives in hurricane country and refuses to purchase homeowners insurance because it costs too much. When the home is damanged in a storm, he complains that he can't fix it now for lack of funds despite making 7 figures.

The Bills haven't selected an OT in the first three rounds of the draft since big Mike in 2002. There isn't a team in the entire league that doesn't look for their OT's strictly in the late rounds, on other teams' PS, or off the street like Buffalo does. Bell has proven unable to stay healthy, Hairston needs a lot of work physically, and Pears is slightly above replacement level. If that's acceptable to the team, it'll be hard to compete. If Gailey is going to be behind in games and forced to call as many throws as he does, it stands to reason they'll look for better options at both OT positions.

Can't help but remember the Bills went after Tyson Clabo so hard when UFA opened up in February, only to be left waiting at the altar when he re-signed with Atlanta. Pears is definitely a step up from Cornell Green and the other retreads they've had in here like Mansfield Wrotto and Cordaro Howard they tried last year. At the same time, I would hope the plan is not to be content with a Hairston/Pears LT/RT combination for 2012.

He's probably leaving because the baby's due date keeps getting delayed. Brandon's doing a heckuva job so far. 41M profit in 2010 despite being one of the league's smallest franchises and losing 20% of their season ticket base. I'm sure Littmann's proud too.

Only in Buffalo would Demetrius Bell and Chris Hairston count as significant injuries to an offensive line. Meanwhile, the Patriots have started four guys at center this season. It's practically criminal to enter the season with Hairston as your swing tackle and Bell starting given the latter's injury history. Or, not having a backup center. Or expecting your best guard to double as a OLT. The list goes on and on, and we're not even talking about Spencer Johnson having to play OLB when Merriman got hurt. Sense a trend here?

No one's conflating the argument, but rather, I'm pointing out that the roster is and will never be complete enough to win. I used the example of Demetrius Bell as another rookie people wanted to believe in who does not have what it takes to be a good player. He further represents the team-building approach this team undertook when it plays rookies out of sheer desperation because they refuse to acquire depth. This was the case in 2009 when Bell, as an untested 2nd year man with no game experience, was forced into the lineup when a player was cut and another traded. My definition of objectivism is not standing in the middle of the road, able to fall on either side of the debate at a whim. At some point, this supposed "negativity" you speak of should be expected when we're debating the merits of a team now 9-20 in the last 2 seasons and sliding further away from success. You can throw big words out there and seemingly make a statement without really saying anything. The fact remains that this team is going nowhere and shows no sign of doing so anytime soon. Ownership does not support personnel, who clearly have major issues and aren't helping out the mediocre coaching staff with players. Call it negativity, call it whatever, but in my book objectivity is about falling on one side of the debate, not avoiding it and seeking to suppress other's arguments because what they say isn't self-fulfilling.

This kinda destroys that argument of "profitability barely being acceptable compared to league averages." Forbes Bills Profitability The team is being set up for sale, with expenses kept at the bare minimum for the most part. If it weren't for a salary floor, I wouldn't be surprised if Littmann, who controls more than we'll ever know, wouldn't go Rachel Phelps and just slash payroll to nothing. That's all this has been, RW's family getting this team as attractive for sale as it can be. EDIT: It's why the contracts they're handing out typically are low in guaranteed money or have out-clauses, like Fitz' and K. Williams'.

Goodness that's rich. Objectivity? Searcy and Hairston have started less than 8 games combined and you see something there? Let me guess, you saw something in Bell 2 years ago too, didn't you? Is it "slash and burn" to note that this franchise is winning less than 39% of their games for an entire decade with no sign of improvement? BTW, homerism isn't objective either.

It's threads like this which demonstrate how much of an early vacation the homers are taking this year.

The only person Ralph hasn't tried for GM that he trusts is himself. Why not follow the Jerrah Jones/MIke Brown/Al Davis model of the owner managing personnel?

Is his version of purple drank ovaltine?

You realize that Denver had the second worst record in the NFL last season and now leads their division? Cincinnati picked 4th in 2011 and now is 7-6. Or how about the 49ers having 10 wins and claiming their division? Just because Buddy Nix says it takes 3-4 years to rebuild doesn't mean it really does. This franchise is not set up to win more than 7 games a season. And since 2001, they've done it twice with the last coming in 2004.

I cannot see Peyton Manning accepting a trade to NFL Siberia. I think the chances are greater Bill Polian comes back to the team as President/GM.

Buddy's bluster is muted when his teams have to actually play the games. He's above his pay-grade as GM of a NFL team and it shows with his terrible decisions with Merriman, Spiller, and re-signing Fitzpatrick. Doesn't help that Littmann and the Detroit crew are cutting him off at the knees with their minimal budget. And I love how Detroit appears headed to the playoffs and Houston made it this week. That leaves our own Buffalo Bills with quite possibly the longest playoff-less streak in the NFL.

At this point it's his people in Detroit running this show into the ground. RW has always been a guy more interested in making money off his toy and being a friend to the players.

John McKay would be in favor of his team's execution

RW sells the team? Sorry, I couldn't resist!