BillsVet

I'm convinced that DJ just never had the players. If he'd have had Tom Brady, there's no doubt DJ would've won at least a SB or 4. His players always played really hard for him and didn't quit no matter how many times his game plans ripped their collective hearts out. Thank goodness someone with real qualifications in two whole seasons thought Buffalo was a top landing spot.

Whenever I think of DJ, I am reminded of this thread from about one year ago: Coward-gate Jauron's flawed wisdom of drafting smaller skill players at the expense of the OL and DL is what makes this team need to rebuild in 2010. No team in the NFL since 2006 was mediocre longer than the Bills: 27-37 in four seasons. Seeing him punt in the fourth to NO at home down 10 with 7 and change was what coward-gate was all about. Anyone giving even a shred of props to the man should remember that game.

What Gailey likes or dislikes is a mystery. His last two NFL jobs (00-01 MIA OC, 08 KC OC) did not put him into a position to have much input for personnel. I would argue his HC stint in DAL in 98-99 didn't either; everyone knows Jerrah Jones has final say on everything including jock straps. The only window is perhaps his recruiting at the college level. But there, he found players and could not win with them. At GT, he favored athletic type players, but that doesn't mean much considering the Bills don't play in the ACC. Maybe because it's down to about 10 days left to draft day that we're having this discussion. But I don't think his time in college will give away what he'll do. After all, Derrick Morgan, Jonathan Dwyer, Morgan Burnett, and Demaryius Thomas do not fit their primary needs.

I hadn't thought about that, but no other division in the NFL features three large markets and one small market team. It's not that small teams can't compete, but Buffalo is no run of the mill small market team. It could be argued the Jets don't have a stellar GM, but the Parcells/Ireland and Belichick/Reese pairings are two of the best in the NFL. BADOL, I'd love to have Buffalo in a division where their foes are staffed with lesser talent in the front office. Say perhaps the NFCW?

Someone should remind Florio that Dick's inability to draft OL and DL is part of the reason he was DFA'd in November. That, and DJ's wimpy game plans, particularly in the home Saints game last season, where he rolled over in the 4th quarter. Of course, it didn't help that the front office, led by the incomparable RW, Smithers, and Jimmy Overdorf could not re-sign Peters after his 2007 season. While it's true Peters has some issues, you don't subtract a LT and then hope guys who've never played the position before. Buffalo has become the proverbial hamster in the wheel-running in circles, but they do replace their wheel every now and then.

I don't think there's a question why Whaley was brought on board. The question remains, how many years will the Bills be in Buffalo? Their stadium lease expires after the 2012 season, and RW is 91. Talking 2+ years down the road is conveniently forgetting there may not be a team, as no one can give insight into what happens when the owner passes away.

Whitner, McCargo, Youboty, Simpson, Lynch, Posluszny, T. Edwards, Wright, McKelvin, Hardy, Ellis, Corner, Fine. Those are the rounds (EDIT: 1-4) picks of the Marv/Smithers led drafts from 06-08. By my count, only 2 of those guys will start in 2010: Posluszny and McKelvin. Neither are OL or DL, and if there's a epilogue on those three drafts, it's that Marv and Smithers were absolutely clueless and relied on an equally clueless Dick Jauron for personnel guidance. There should be no doubt about what to do on draft day: find an OT in Round 1 and a NT is Round 2. No more skill players until those lines are resolved, because right now they both are missing huge pieces.

I wouldn't take a RB in the first round given their propensity for injury and the league being more pass oriented. Not to mention, RB's depend a great deal on an OL, and Buffalo's is a among the league's worst there. TD/Marv/DJ/Brandon used no fewer than 8 draft picks in rounds 1-2 from 04-08 on non-lineman. The exception was McCargo, who is a bust. And some fans wonder why the toughest positions to find, OT's and pass-rushers, haven't been filled yet. Your point is strong, but I think fans begin to like specialty players because their actions on the field are more easily quantifiable whereas OL or DL are not. Homer goober fans would rather build a fantasy team than a real one, and Spiller fits their football needs.

He was mentioned in trade talks to get him in for off-season workouts. With one example, OLT's aren't traded for picks just before the NFL Draft. When people talk of _year plans, it's kind of funny. There may be a lockout in 2011, and the owner's age impacts anything the Bills do. Buffalo hasn't picked a long term GM in forever, and Nix hasn't changed that. That's not a coincidence.

If the Bills take Spiller and neglect their OT and NT needs, it's more of the Marv/DJ method: more skill positions and neglecting the lines. Only difference is now Nix and Gailey are doing it. OT's and DT's aren't typically found in the low rounds, and passing on them in a draft with plenty of them would be a colossal mistake.

Kevin Smith was banged up last year, and his long term health is in question after sustaining a torn ACL and separated shoulder.

If it is indeed Lynch on the block, there's another knock on the Levy/Smithers/Jauron era of the Buffalo Bills. Their 1st round picks in 06-07 are a big part of why this team is rebuilding again in 2010. Besides drafting more skill players and skimping on lineman, Whitner, McCargo, and Lynch have been disappointments or merely pedestrian. It was reported Ralph wanted Lynch in 2007's first round. If so, it's further proof needs to be seen and not heard on draft day aside from agreeing with the people he hires. Lynch-Bills (bottom of link)

2007 Dolphins: 1-15 2008-09: 18-14, 1 playoff appearance 2007 Falcons: 4-12 2008-09: 20-12, 1 playoff appearance If it's smoke and mirrors to do what ATL and MIA have done, sign me up. Going from (EDIT: top) 3 pick in 2008 to winning no fewer than 9 games their next 2 seasons. By the way, Miami's Tony Sparano has the same record in his first two seasons with that rebuilding Miami team as Chan Gailey had with the fading Cowboys dynasty of the late nineties. For some reason, Bills fans have adopted a defeatist mentality. It's almost as if rebuilding itself means the new folks at OBD are given another free pass for 2-3 years. It was like that when Marv was hired. And while I'm aware they haven't been the ones running the show for the past 10 years, Nix, Gailey, Smithers, and old Ralphie should have a sense of urgency given the failure to reach the playoffs in forever. I feel like Dick Jauron himself is posting on TBD, given that it's hard to win in the NFL.

It's downright laughable to hear Bills fans say that their team doesn't need to win next season and it's impossible to win now. Just because TD, Marv, and those HC's are gone doesn't give the team a free pass for another 2-3 years. Heck, they might not even have that with the owner being 91. The goal should be to win now AND rebuild for the future. Didn't the Dolphins, Jets, Falcons, and Ravens do that in the past 2 seasons? And if that's the case, even the casual uninformed goober fans that inhabit TBD should ask for that as well. Unfortunately, when you hire anything different than what was previously in the front office or at HC, it's an automatic 2-3 year extension for them to succeed to some fans around here. Those people are merely happy to have a team. There's a bad trend emerging, and it's lowered expectations year after year. It's worked out so well, especially since 2006.

It's not just the AFCE, it's the entire AFC since the early part of the decade. When you've got perennial playoff teams like NE, BAL, PIT, IND, and SD, Buffalo's chances of making the playoffs are remote. That's one of the reasons Buffalo's drought goes as far back as it does. What has destroyed Buffalo's rep across the NFL is their absurd hirings at GM from 2006-2009. Levy and Smithers were both unqualified to be NFL GM's, and the league knew it. It also doesn't help that RW is 91 and far past his prime to be owning a NFL team.

Todd McShay: The guy's a bum, but everyone else ranked him high so I have to. Where's my tan in a can cream?

Ralph makes bad football decisions. Plain and simple, there it is. But Mort's importance is falling with Schefter on board at ESPN. Mort is just not the source he once was. I recall him announcing Shanahan was negotiating with Kansas City while Herm Edwards was fired. Of course that was garbage, but Mort announced that in January 2009. When it comes to the Bills, they've seen their reputation bottom out and some people enjoy piling on. It doesn't help that Buffalo's owner is in his 90s, has consistently mediocre to bad teams, and just hired two guys off the beaten path in NFL circles.

They will this season without a gate attraction. TO did more for the fan base than many want to realize. I don't know Wes Bunting from the man on the moon, but it's funny when someone makes a fair point and then becomes the collective target of many on TBD. Sure it seems odd that Buffalo takes Tebow 9th, but stranger things have happened. Besides, a mock is nothing more than an educated guess of many teams looking at many players in a frenzied first few rounds. For the record, there are plenty of scouts who didn't play football, heck, Bill Polian started in the late 70s as a scout with KC. Some have a talent for spotting talent without even having played, but on TBD they can't possibly have an opinion. This is the most predictable form of argument suppression, and it's in play once again.

Not surprisingly, fans on this very board talked up the team, despite the poor quality of their opponents. They were beaten harshly in the Arizona game, but rebounded to beat SD at home. From there, it was all downhill against the leagues 2nd easiest schedule. I've always felt the Bills haven't added to their talent based, but used the draft to replace departed players. Regardless of individual player, merely replacing is not good enough to compete in the NFL. Teams do not historically ride the rail of mediocre for too long; they either become bad or become good. Somehow, the Bills haven't become either.

Hey, back in the magical 2006 draft, they had Whitner, Simpson, (EDIT: K. Williams), and Ellison starting. What a great draft, though conceivably none of those guys start in 2010. I think it's funny to merely talk about starters. Finding starters at RB, LB, OG, and S isn't as challenging as locating QB's, OT's, NT/DT, and pass rushers. Yet, Buffalo drafted plenty of the first group from 06-09, and never found much in the latter. It's a heckuva lot easier to find certain positions, especially when you use high picks. As good as Levitre and Wood are, I would expect guards taken in rounds 1 and 2 to be outstanding.

I've never made the point that McNabb would be a sales/marketing move. Definitely head and shoulders above what the TO signings was and would command respect league wide. Indicates a desire to win-now. Look, I'm former military and I don't like hearing that someone tried repeatedly but continues to fail. At some point, you've got to succeed. Trouble with Buffalo is, their reputation seems to precede them and they come away empty handed. You didn't take a cheap shot, and I don't take anything you say that way. I suppose I shouldn't follow this team as closely, but I want them to win and they've done nothing in my mind during this extremely critical offseason to show that. McNabb wanted to go to a team with a vision, not one back into rebuild mode for the third time in 10 seasons. Can't say that I blame him.

Reality is really an endangered species at TBD. I don't care about not getting McNabb...it's the fact that a high quality player made it known he didn't want to play here even if he did get an extension. Oh I'm sure someone will come out and say DM is a jerk and screw him anyway. Instead of ripping DM, how about asking some questions about this Bills team that hasn't proven one thing in 10 years? This is about the team and their rep being so low that big name NFL people make it known they don't want to coach or play there. When that will dawn on the homer fans is anyone's doubt. Anyone ever wonder why this team can't attract proven people for GM, HC, or even a starting QB? We keep seeing the same thing over and over again, but apparently it's not enough. In order for the Bills to get back to respectability, they need to climb a mountain in the Himalayas. And that ain't happening anytime soon.

Trying is one thing. Succeeding is another. It's time to admit the Bills reputation across the league is barely above the Raiders. McNabb indicated he wanted an extension, and the Bills were willing to do it according to one reference. So he goes to a team that hasn't given him one. There is no substitute for victory...

Skill players can be quantified with statistics, whereas an OT, even QB in certain cases, cannot be. There's a reason this team leans on skill players and has from TD through Marv, and then Brandon: they sell tickets. Of the last Bills' last 9 first rounders, 7 were non-lineman. And the two lineman, Mike Williams and John McCargo, were big busts. Any Bills fan who continues to believe another skill player will make the difference hasn't been watching. Even if Spiller has Chris Johnson type talent, he doesn't have a Titans-like OL to run behind.

We've seen guys like Kris Dielman and Jeff Saturday go from UDFA to the Pro Bowl as interior OL. Rare is the OT who can make the transition to the pros from late round/UDFA type and be a solid starter. The only one I can think of off-hand, particularly LT, is Jason Peters or perhaps Donald Penn. OT's need to have better lateral movement and aren't hidden on the interior OL.