BillsVet

Defensive lineman don't sell tickets. But I wouldn't mind Dareus either at this early juncture.

Vernon Davis re-signed earlier this season with SF. Seeing discussion of the TE's, I don't think they want anything more than a scaled down OT to help blocking at this point and for next season. They've got major issues at RT, ILB, OLB, and smaller positional problems at LT, NT, and CB. As much as we want a TE who can out-do the 23 catches their TE's put up this season, they've got more important priorities right now. Besides, the GM brags about being asleep when UFA opens. What makes us think he's changed his mind or the powers that be have given him the budget to pursue anyone worth signing? Season ticket and attendance dropped sharply in 2010, which has probably affected their 2011 budgeting.

Wilson said after the Miami game in Toronto 2 years ago the team didn't have enough talent. At the time, he had a marketing guy running football ops who had Modrak and Guy working for him. Then, after the Miami game you reference, he said the drafts the past 10 years have been "terrible." I don't take a whole lot from the look on someone's face as proof that someone is intent on winning. That said, I don't blame RW as much anymore simply because he's 92 and isn't involved day to day. His principal lieutenants, Littman, Brandon, and Overdorf are running this horror story of a franchise for him. I think Nix takes a lot of orders, and this is a central reason why the Bills couldn't get interviews for their GM and HC openings.

Every team in the NFL has a primary objective to make money, which is entirely reasonable. No owner, whether it's Arthur Blank, Bob Krafts, or RW wants to lose money even if it means winning games. There's a balance here. At the same time, not all teams place as high a priority on winning, and that's where the Buffalo Bills fall, especially the 2006-2010 seasons. Buffalo cut their payroll 20-25M in 2010 and hired a no-name low cost HC, If they don't acquire some quality UFA's and insist on building exclusively through the draft (provided there's a CBA) then the only conclusion anyone should draw is that they think they've got years to work with. Based on declining attendance and season ticket sales, it appears their time is limited. Then again, perhaps that's what they want.

Sure he's big enough to play the 5 tech, but I don't think he'll like it. In all probability, he'll line up at RDE and not get nearly the sacks he did in the 43. Antonio Smith probably handles the LDE, but who plays NT is anyone's guess.

Did Buffalo hire the Marv and Dick show again?

What's funny about these anti-Modrak posts is the timing. If he wasn't fired by Nix last year, what makes anyone think he's going anywhere? They're so deep into the college scouting process that if they haven't axed him by now, it's not happening. No one can fire anyone without RW's approval, Modrak included.

You gotta do some serious crack to talk this way. Second rule is not talking about where the free crack is. It's this and calling Lenny Pastabelly with all your favorite in-hindsight picks from 3 years ago Buffalo missed on.

He's a Buddy Nix draft pick. And because Nix once upon a time drafted Shaun Phillips and Shawne Merriman, it's guaranteed he'll be solid. Buddy is awesome and is the smartest guy in the room. Seriously, a friend of mine does TV sports in the Dakotas. Said Batten will be a player, but must admit he played I-AA and hasn't proven anything in the pros. Banking on late round rookies as impact players is not a reliable way to build a team. Cue the guy who says Moats was a 6th rounder.

TD was rightly fired 5 years ago for going through 2 coaches and severely alienating the fan base on the way to a 31-49 record from 01-05. Ironically from 06-10 Buffalo recorded an identical 31-49 record under 2 HC's and 3 GM's. Whereas TD had control of football operations or as close to it considering the franchise, it's been RW and his people making the choices for the past 5 seasons with equally bad results. Main difference now is the Bills are not attempting to sign the free agents or even having the marginal success in the draft that TD did. Naturally, this begs the question of who should be relieved for this failure? Surely not Chan and Buddy, who were only hired a year ago. Littman and Overdorf clearly have lifetime contracts and Modrak's not going anywhere despite RW's admission that drafting has been terrible this decade. The point is, TD got the ax when it was clear the team wasn't moving forward and the fan base was alienated. Here we are 5 years after Donahoe was sent packing and the team is back to being really bad with a disgusted fan base. Not making any significant changes or free agent signings (provided there's a new CBA) and this is no more than a latent admission the team is content to hang out with the bottom feeders until the inevitable.

Good read and hadn't realized the expanding disparity between passing and rushing TD's. This naturally begs the question of why did Buffalo decide to take yet another RB in the first round? On the surface, with the league so passing oriented, finding players who can throw the ball, pass block, catch, and pass rush seems to be a priority if you can't do any of them especially well. Even Arian Foster, who won the rushing title, seems to be living beneath the radar to most that don't play fantasy football. If Buffalo's top pick isn't geared to helping their passing game or hurting their opponents' then it's a wasted pick.

Ever ask yourself why the Bills are faced with this reality at the end of each season? Maybe this happens more frequently when you name a retired HC and marketing exec as your GM and expect them to figure it out on the job. Maybe if the team didn't draft so poorly year after year after year. Nah, that couldn't be it.

Gailey got this offense from bad to mediocre, while his defense was plain bad from Day 1. Either way, Buffalo needs a massive influx of talent on both sides of the ball to get back to even being respectable. Which leads me to Buddy Nix who did very little in his rookie GM season to give his HC the players to win down the road. UFA was a wash with only Dwan Edwards figuring into their plans moving forward. Their top draft picks failed to get onto the field, and at the end they were forced to go dumpster diving into other teams' practice squads to fill out their roster. In a season of rebuilding, they constructed a few cinder blocks. And I'll believe they are after the name UFA's when I see it. The Bills seem more interested in saving money than spending it, unless of course it's for players who give great post game comments or haven't been good in 3 seasons. Rebuilding one or two players at a time isn't cutting it. With guys aging every year, you've got to do more than that. Their stadium lease expires in 2012, so winning now seems to be an understatement.

What, no kool aid to take intravenously? I don't want anyone to prevent me from feeling happy and hopey! Myth 7 is my favorite. I love the fact that they've got to pay a top pick and if you look at the third pick from '10, they're getting at least 35M guaranteed with QB's commanding more. Then again, the man collecting the information and doing the research has survived through 4 different GMs. Only in Buffalo could Teflon Tom Modrak keep his job. Excellent thread Trooth.

First off, welcome aboard. Second, don't let anyone tell you what you just said is wrong. Re-signing Chris Kelsay, signing Shawne Merriman, raiding other teams' practice squads, it never ends with this franchise. They're a third rate and irrelevant organization and they don't care.

If this team goes CB BillfromNYC won't be the only one who self destructs.

Even with undead Al steering the ship, Oakland is a better franchise than Buffalo is right now. Certainly not by much, but winning 7 games is more than Buffalo will be able to muster without a serious investment on both sides of the ball and in coaches.

This season proves that more than likely you're not going to find quality OT's late in the draft, from the UDFA ranks, off the street, from other teams' practice squads or guys allowed to walk from Oakland. One constant all season was Gailey's lack of confidence in the OL to run block. In many games they were one-dimensional and not good in short yardage. They must invest a high pick in a OT this season, because UFA doesn't yield much.

Thanks Bill for your weekly opinions. It's much appreciated.

Or the 3 offensive points in the last 8 quarters.

When does Fireman Ed get some PT?

Less likely for them to make a mistake when they're higher. For a team the owner terms as "terrible" drafting the past 10 years, they need all the help they can get.

I'm guessing you're not one who sees many shades of gray, correct? It's either black or white, up or down in everything you talk about.

In the past 6 quarters, the Bills are being outscored 51-3 by the opposition. Ouch.

Is the NFL allowed to penalize Chris Kelsay?