BillsVet

So what type of lens does that make the Bills? The reverse peephole Kramer used in his door? Or an eyepatch? So did Marv. TD was three plus years and four off-seasons ago.

Russ Brandon: "Obviously we value character very highly." Guess those draft luncheons are there to fool us about everything they do. Silly us, thinking the Bills wouldn't be interested in players with character issues. I love it.

Here's the definition from Webster's Dictionary: A. deep cleft, ravine B. Buffalo Bills front office

If you enjoy ignoring reality in order to remain optimistic, so be it. I happen to demand success, and in this case I'll take a playoff appearance. Unfortunately, the last time we had one of those something really bad happened. That was more than nine years ago. I gather there are several casual fans who don't really care if the team loses. To them, just having a team is enough. OTOH, a winning season every decade is also enough for them.

Graham raises some interesting points here. Graham on Peters trade

Maybe Roscoe and Moorman can play CB too. I know both are a little small, but with some work in the weight room, they'd be very valuable.

What's not to love? Al Davis let him go in UFA, he hasn't played the position beside 1 NFL game, and he's about 30 pounds overweight. Sounds like a perfect candidate to dominate all those great DE's and OLB's we'll be seeing this season. And people thought Peters sucked. Give it about 6 months.

Please post more often. Especially with that avatar. I think reality is beginning to set in, primarily for fan who knew this team during Polian's time. Buffalo is a far cry from respected anymore, and it's moves like this which leave me scratching my head. I think the Bills are a terminal case at this point. There's no stopping the team moving out the door when the inevitable happens.

You're banking on a guy who's never taken part in an actual NFL game? That's not a comforting idea. Especially playing OT. Man, with that kind of front office running the show, you'd think Buffalo's made the playoffs in the past 9 seasons. The Bills are who we thought they were (that line never gets old) - a team without the management to exercise a vision toward improving. It's why they've gone 7-9 three seasons in a row. If there's one guy who should have been let go this offseason, it was the HC.

Just asking the question. LW is in heading into year 3 of a 5 year deal and will most likely hold out because he's getting RT money. I'm half joking, but this is the NFL folks. Players have a small window to get paid, and Walker's going to be 29 this year. The Bills seem to makes moves without thinking what the consequences will be. First it was Dockery's deal which made Peters deal almost inevitable.

We won't pay Peters 11M per season. OK. Yet the third overall pick will probably command 25M guaranteed. Before you post this sort of thing, and no offense here, ask yourself if RW and Littman approve of this. Those two guys are running the show and setting the budget. There's a reason no one wants to trade into the top 10 from outside that range. IIRC, only Jacksonville has done it in recent years, and that was for a DE in Derrick Harvey.

Where's Sisyphean Bills with his avatar of a white flag? Seriously, people are retreating from reality around here like the french army.

Oakland let Walker go because his lateral movement, for a RT, wasn't very good. Now you're throwing him on the left side and that's going to work? He'll need plenty of TE support, meaning one less guy to get the ball. Just so fans know, the LT generally handles the other team's best pass rusher. Mario Williams, Joey Porter, John Abraham, Peppers, Freeney, Vandenbosch, and others will feast on Walker. Demetrius Bell has played exactly 0 games in the NFL and didn't dress for many last year. He's far from a sure thing, and yet he's being talked of as the starter. Chambers got killed in the away NE game last season, Hangartner is a career backup, and Butler is injury prone. Heckuva starting OL. Of course, they'll blow a first on an OT to replace the guy traded today.

I'm all for the best OT at 11th. If fits nicely with previous seasons plans: trade or let a player go to UFA and then draft their replacement with a high pick. Meanwhile hype the pick as though he'll be a top player their rookie season. Make marketing plan to match, shake and stir. Another cruddy season. McGahee-Lynch Clements-McKelvin Milloy-Whitner Fletcher-Posluszny Peters-another first rounder For those counting at home, Buffalo has used 3 firsts and a 2nd (whom they traded up for) to replace players they allowed out the door. Amateur front offices who are 0-9 in playoff appearances do this. Successful ones like build and use their picks to improve, not replace positions.

Everything will play out in due time. It's kinda like the decision to hire Levy as GM. The move was heralded by know-nothings who had blinders on and saw only the glory days with Marv stepping to the podium. Those same people were so invested in cheerleading for Marv that they can't admit how bad he was. Three years, multiple arrests, three 7-9 seasons, and unrealized expectations later we know Levy failed miserably. So did his hand-picked HC DJ. The Bills may be a memory three years from today, especially the way Rogers is speaking. I'm continually amazed that fans find a silver lining to a franchise that hasn't won, is actively looking to sell more games, and trades their best players. That skid mark may be all we're left with in due time.

Every year the Bills crank out the press releases and tell us to buy season tickets. They make moves, sure, but when it comes to winning on the field they never quite match the spin. 2006: Marv's hiring, 10 UFA's signed 2007: Dockery, Walker, trade of McGahee 2008: Stroud trade, Mitchell, McKelvin 2009: TO, Peters trade, Admit it, you've been fooled into thinking these moves will translate into wins on the field. And three years running they haven't. Three years under this regime and 0 playoff appearances. Why does anyone trust they'll make the right move more often than not. Admit it, if they don't make the playoffs you'll be upset

KFBD, you've always been kinda the voice of reason around here. This is a tough issue, because it involves one of Buffalo's most maligned players in light of the holdout. I see this team just treading water and hoping that draft picks and/or untested players like Demetrius Bell are going to step up and perform at an average level. Andy Reid is the de facto GM, and he was rumored to have been out the door had Philly not made the playoffs. Our HC misses the playoffs three straight seasons and the team retains him. In the end, I think Peters wanted out, and this was his method of forcing the issue. I think he'll get decent money, but perhaps not 11M. And if that's the case, we'll have our answer.

When will fans realize management is the key to winning and putting people in a position to win. When we needed a HC change, the Bills remained the same. The Eagles have a winning model proven over the last decade: they build from the OL and DL outward. The question everyone needs to ask themselves is this: Do you trust the Bills front office or Philadelphia's? And bear in mind the people in Buffalo are generally the same people who are 0-9 in playoff appearances. Philly? Seven playoff berths out of the past 10 seasons.

How many draft picks are impact players in their rookie season outside of the RB position? The answer is very few. Draft picks are nice in theory, but we're back to square one: creating an area of need and using the first round pick on it. It's what the Bills have done in 2006, 2007, and most likely in 2009.

The entire thread begins and ends with your post here KFBD. Philly's front office is plain better than Buffalo's. And it's not even close.

Andy Reid and Tom Heckert aren't going to give up a guy like Trent Cole. Buffalo will probably get a backup or starting type OL and a 2nd or 3rd. He's obviously not getting what Cutler was dealt for. Just have to wait and see. But the Bills don't have the leverage here, no matter what anyone thinks. The market just isn't big enough for a guy who wants 11M+ per season, LT or not. Gotta agree with your though CT.

Very true. But to pin this solely on a myriad of politicians since the 60s in shortsighted. RW's been barking about things since those years, and he could have addressed it without dragging things out. He didn't, but still complains. IIRC, RW said after the move was made that additional revenue from the Toronto arrangement would not mean more spent on players. He's a businessman, and the cap minimum has risen 21M since 06, but to say they're not spending more bothers me. Yet they want me to support the deal in TO.

One step forward and two steps back. Sung by Paula Abdul, practiced by Bills management.

Small market teams can be and are successful in the NFL. But they've got to have capable front office management that can negotiate their way in the draft. It also means being able to evaluate pro personnel in order to replace aging vets when it's time. Finding talent is difficult, especially with 31 other competitors out there looking under each rock for players. Knowing who to retain and who to keep is on par or above that. I believe Polian, Jerry Reese, Belichick, Parcells, Ozzie Newsome, Kevin Colbert, Pioli, AJ Smith, Andy Reid, Ted Thompson, and Tom Dimitroff are some of the best talent evaluators in the league. I don't think Buffalo is above average in overall drafting, but I'm too negative for some Buffalo needs better management, and the only thing that could change that would be a disaster of a season. I don't want that to happen, but it'll be interesting to see how the Bills draft this year.

But you won't be surprised with this current front office. I'd be livid as well, but not surprised. Not after three years ago when Buffalo selected a safety and corner with 2 of their top 3 picks. And yet three years later we're still talking about improving the DL and OL. Funny how some things never change. When 80 year old Marv Levy reported for duty as GM in January 06, he needed someone to rely on for help during the offseason and crafting a team. I think it was obvious Levy was looking for someone like himself and DJ fit the bill. DJ "advised" Marv on a lot of things, and the picks that year represent DJ's personnel control. Let's also not forget that DJ had personnel control in Chicago before GM Jerry Angelo showed up. DJ and JA didn't get along when the latter began making decisions on players. So it's safe to believe DJ probably wanted some control when he came here. I also believe involving Modrak into the "inner circle" and dropping stories about TM liking Cutler was a way of saying DJ wasn't as good in personnel as they thought and his opinion didn't carry as much weight. He's still there, but not like Draft Day 06.