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BillsVet

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Everything posted by BillsVet

  1. The same group, minus Donahoe, has been running the team the past decade. Results are less than satisfactory to put it mildly. I'd be the first one to say they're on the right track, but it's been three consecutive 7-9 seasons. Before that, 31-49 in the five years of TD. If they'd gone 6-10 in 06, and followed that up with improvements in the "W" column, there wouldn't be as much animosity toward the front office.
  2. I don't want to turn this into anything but a sports thing, but unlicensed handguns are a serious issue in this country. And that's coming from someone who has a permit. Most crimes are perpetuated with them. I hope ML gets his act together and begins hanging out with better folks. The gun thing, IMO, is far more serious than striking the pedestrian. But the idea of him carrying illegally is not a step in the right direction. I'd sure like him to be available sooner than the fourth game of the season, but he's got to realize he's hurting the team by doing these sorts of things.
  3. It's strange this is happening now, considering we're on the home stretch to the draft. IIRC, Schefter was criticized either last year or 07 for giving draft pick results earlier than when they were announced. That's the only public criticism I've heard, although a myriad of things may happen behind closed doors. Either way, it seems he has sources everywhere. Certainly an odd time for him to disappear. Perhaps NFLN is looking for someone else or downsizing.
  4. He admitted his guilt for carrying an unlicensed and loaded firearm. The commissioner is working to erase this sort of behavior from the league. I think the days of a slap on the wrist has ended. I disagree. ML was in possession of a loaded and unlicensed firearm. He already has a previous (unpunished by the NFL) issue from last year. I believe the commissioner wanted to send a strong message that 2 incidents in 2 years will be met with a firm punishment. He was lucky not to receive a suspension last year. ML may turn out to be a model citizen. But at this point his actions appear like he's going the other way.
  5. I don't think Bell is ready to be a full time starter. IIRC, he was able to do 9 reps of 225 at the combine last year. I'm sure in a NFL weight program he's gotten a lot stronger, but he was a project on draft day 08. He still needs another year, and let's remember he hasn't played one game at the professional level. If you're banking on an untested 2nd year man who played at a low level D1 level program to come in and replace Peters, that's naive. Nothing personal, but this notion of just putting a big guy in there is short-sighted. Peters is far stronger and while his 08 season was sub-par, he can run and pass block. I don't think Bell is anywhere near that level right now.
  6. It won't make things better, but with RW going into the HOF, it's ironic that his hand-picked money man initiated the firing of the best personnel man in the past 30 years. Then again, Polian told Linda Bogdan she should shut her (edit: mouth). The more I hear about Polian, the more I like him. It takes guts and confidence to tell the daughter of the owner where she needed to go. Littman controls the direction of this franchise. But money people are a dime a dozen compared with great talent evaluators. Teams with good talent evaluators win. Teams like the Bills who don't have them are perpetually rebuilding.
  7. The problem Buffalo has every season has too many positions to improve, and not enough resources to do it with. We could not have expected the team to do this in 2006 alone, but by 08 it should have happened. The bigger picture here is that despite allocating so much to the OL, it's still a work in progress. Some teams can have plenty of picks and free agent money to build their franchise. In the end, not all teams can realistically do it with their current management teams. I have serious doubts that Ralph, Littman, Brandon and Jauron will allow personnel people like Modrak and Nix to take the players necessary to ensure Buffalo enters an off-season without glaring issues. As much as there has to be cooperation at different levels, I'm sure most owners don't interfere in personnel matters. But it is what it is in Buffalo, and continued mediocrity is the result. The OL, pass rush, LB corps, TE's, etc have not been solved adequately after 3 drafts and 4 FA periods. Obviously no team enters any draft without needs, but some go into it with more pressing needs than others.
  8. Do the research here because "some" is in actuality very few. In 07, Joe Thomas (CLE 3rd overall) played quite well and should have been a pro-bowler. Joe Staley (SF 1st) from that draft has also played well at LT. Tony Ugoh was a converted OG (IND-2nd) that year as well. In 08, top pick Jake Long was impressive. Beyond him, only Ryan Clady (12th overall) of Denver and Branden Albert from KC was a fine or decent starter respectively. From the 06 draft, only Marcus McNeill (SD 2nd rounder) and Jeremy Trueblood (TB 2nd) have played well. 2005's top LT, Jammal Brown (NO 1st) has done well, along with Michael Roos (TEN 2nd). That's 10 LT's from 4 complete drafts. More than 90 players were drafted at OT in that time. So the odds of a pick becoming outstanding at the position are slim to none. No one beyond the second round has been even above average. If Peters is dealt and Buffalo uses a first to replace him, that doesn't really make the Bills better for this year, no matter how many picks they acquire. I suspect Andy Reid wouldn't be keen to deal any decent players.
  9. His threads are like unwrapped presents of coal. Of course, with Obama's talk of getting rid of coal, it might not be a bad thing to get coal for Christmas. It still doesn't make these threads any better though.
  10. There's no doubt that Stroud improved the team's run defense. I think he had something to prove after his final season in Jacksonville with the steroid (read: banned substance) violation. That, and the Jags traded him away for a 3rd and 5th. Only concern here is he's 31 when the season starts. DT's can play awhile because they don't need sheer speed. Pat Williams comes to mind, and I'm sure the front office remembers that Donahoe debacle.
  11. I think it's okay to be somewhat nervous. Then again, the draft is about 2-3 years down the road, not for players in 2009. The Bills may have some issues addressing all of their needs. And once again they'll be heading into the draft without enough picks to handle all of them. Every year it's hope for the best and expect the worst. Hopefully DJ's input is minimized somewhat and Modrak/Nix can have more say.
  12. Dansby is the same guy who thinks he'll cash in next year when there is no cap. I'm sure agents are telling their people that a one year deal isn't bad for 09. Unfortunately, UFA will take longer with not cap (6 yrs I believe) and teams have no floor they must spend to. That being the case and coupled with the potential for a continued recession, players may be overestimating their worth on the free agent market. Parker may be a tough agent, but how many teams at this juncture would be willing to pay the price he's allegedly demanding from Buffalo? 11.5M is big money for just about any position, even with most teams beneath the cap. I'd further add that there aren't as many teams looking for a highly priced LT. In the AFC, I can't think of one team with space and the absolute need. Over in the NFC, sure, STL, SEA, perhaps PHI, and maybe DET may want him. But they know the price will be steep. At this late point in the UFA season, I think the market has dried up more than the Peters camp would like to admit. Especially with the price they're supposedly demanding.
  13. If only the Bills could make Mort STFU. Winning some games would do that, but we've got to wait about 5 months. It's popular to rag on Buffalo, and Mort is not going to stop until the team wins. But even he should admit Donahoe's failure to land a front office gig since his firing is proof-positive that he over-reacted and lost control. Hence, no one will hire him beyond being a "consultant." I'm surprised Mort hasn't gotten him a job at ESPN by now.
  14. Had TO not been released, the Bills off-season plan would have been a backup QB, former backup OL, a released DB from Jacksonville, and someone from KC defense who Michael Turner carried for 5 yards. I like the TO signing, but let's be serious here. The Bills rebuilding plan has been so bad and slow that they have to sign TO and kick the tires on Jason Taylor. With each off-season, Donahoe is less at fault for the state of this team. Atlanta and Miami overcame bad regimes in one season. OTOH, the Bills had three off-seasons and one of the easiest schedules in the league last year and couldn't improve. If they couldn't improve with those facts, it's going to be tough sledding this year. DJ and has assistants will not change their ways because DJ allegedly stuck his neck out to get TO. I still think Brandon was behind this more than anyone. But that's speculative.
  15. I suppose we should close down TBD because the majority of posters here didn't play pro football. And no one can complain about the front office because no one's been a GM, let alone a scout, pro personnel director or director of college scouting.
  16. The Bills are putting out the usual pre-draft non-sense about certain players being starter worthy. At the same time, if LT becomes another position of need, you're correct that the OL becomes filled with rookies and journeymen. This is the same thing Donahoe attempted and it backfired on him. I do not believe the Bills front office is capable of out-maneuvering other teams on draft day. They are predictable or just downright bad and the man allegedly running the entire front office has not been in personnel very long.
  17. With each game, the 06 draft looks worse. Top 10 picks who are shifted to another position for any reason, be it another player, scheme, whatever is never a good thing. Anyone worth a shred knows building a defense starts on the DL. But there were people on this board too concerned with protecting Marv Levy and his legacy. The past three seasons have proven Levy's tenure as GM was a failure. These are the same people who fervently believe Whitner was a solid pick, McCargo isn't a bust, and Youboty could be a starter. They don't criticize Dockery too harshly, because it was an "attempt" to solidify the line, even though it cost 20M over 2 seasons for a fat lazy guard. Those people aren't in abundance like they used to be, but you're right, Ngata was the better pick.
  18. When it comes to trades, some fans completely ignore cap ramifications and see names only. That's apparent here. Peppers ain't coming to Buffalo under any circumstances, given the cap hit. But some fans openly dream about name players because it makes them feel good. I can see the Bills trading down if they get the right offer. They've got about 4 needs and 2 first day picks to fill them with.
  19. I'll be the first one to say Edwards struggled, many times against the 3-4 defense in the second half. And while his play left something to be desired, he wasn't getting any help from the coaching staff. Aside from the KC game, Buffalo's offensive game plan featured little aggressiveness or ability to adjust. Those 3-4 defenses always seemed to confuse Buffalo. Over the past 3 seasons, I've rarely seen many pass plays called into the EZ. In the RZ, I've rarely seen the go for the throat mentality. It was on display at home against Seattle, but after that it disappeared. The one constant to all of this is DJ. Despite a change at OC, it's clear that aggressive play-calling is not on display. Predictability is their watchword, and something every DJ has a big share of. The idea that he get better or is done is downright laughable. He's heading into his second season of starting. If he gets the time to throw, and is trusted by TS and DJ to do so, then he should be throwing for 3500 and 20 TD's. If he doesn't, his NFL career ain't over. The QB position can take 3-4 years before a guy is capable of playing well. Philip Rivers and Drew Brees come to mind.
  20. Begin with a 4th. He's disgruntled, and Denver is cleaning house in McDaniel's first year. With the donkeys in sell mode, you might be able to get him for a song. Besides, 2nd and 3rd round picks are where you make your money in the draft. Forking them over all the time is what franchises like Washington do. This year's draft seems to have a lot of talent in the 2nd-3rd round who could be good down the road.
  21. All valid points. But you've got to understand posters like Alpha are on a personal crusade to bash Edwards because after 23 career starts he's not an All-Pro. To them, QB play is solely responsible for all the faults on this team.
  22. Trading 2 1sts and a 3rd is tantamount to insanity. It's easy to give up top picks when it's not draft day. But ask Phil Savage how he feels about the draft last year when the Brownies had to wait until the 4th to pick.
  23. Mr. Excuse Maker. Funny you should show up to defend the Bills philosophy. Their record these past three seasons is worth backing, isn't it? At this point, I've got to believe you're an employee of the team. The point to all of this is simple: Buffalo hasn't won enough to say their way of doing things is a practical example of managing a front office. As for teams who keep coaches, who did the Patriots keep with 3 straight losing seasons? And the Titans? Referencing (I believe) Jeff Fisher's record more than a decade ago is a poor comparison. But don't let that absurd analogy get in the way. He only went to the SB by his fifth full season in the league. In DJ's fifth full season his record stood at 35-45. I suppose the next thing you'll say is because I haven't been the GM of a pro football team that I don't have any room to complain. Being forced to start a first round QB? That's downright hilarious. No less than 15 other teams in the league are "forced" to start former first rounders.
  24. I think the Bills philosophy is to keep sailing the ship straight. Find every way to avoid making major changes and hope the team does well enough, meaning 8-8 or better in 09, to keep the front office the same until RW passes. Ralph is 90, and the Bills haven't made an administrative change since Donahoe was fired. I'd argue the Brandon era is an extension of Levy's tenure as GM. Modrak, Guy, Overdorf, Brandon, and the man behind everything Littman are still running the show. Jauron is still the HC, despite the fact that 31 other teams would have fired him by now.
  25. Dean, the results aren't there to prove this point. The consensus based approach has produced three consecutive 7-9 seasons. This season Buffalo will struggle to make the playoffs, although it's not out of the question. The question is not about experience, just experience in the right place among the "senior football" people. If Brandon is making decisions, it's a gamble to think he's going to learn quickly enough on the job. In a division with the free spending Jets, Belichick and Parcells, that's not comforting to me.
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