BillsVet

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.

I thought the "getting cute" ended with Donahoe. Unfortunately Marv and Dick tricked everyone but Mike Mayock with their stunning moves in Round 1 of 2006. Based on their track record of taking the safe pick in the first round, I could see Buffalo going with Robert Ayers. He's more of an overall DE, not a pass rusher, not just a 3-4 end. I wouldn't like it, but it is likely with this front office. He's a LDE in a 4-3 with average pass rush ability-should fit in quite well with Kelsay and Denney.

I can't wait to see the split screen with Mort, Clayton, and Schefter. Those three fighting it out to break football news should be interesting TV. Then again, is there really that much football news (especially post draft) for ESPN to have those three along with Michael Smith?

Aaron Curry outta Wake Forest. He'll be gone, but at 11 I'd like to see Everette Brown. In the second, would like to see either Eric Wood or Alex Mack.

Hypotheticals are worthless in this case, but keep on believing what a team's record would have been like if they didn't have a certain player. You have no idea. I'm sure you also thought Tom Brady's injury would have made the Patsies 1-15 with Matt Cassel at the helm, right?

Just how long have you been watching this team? What gives you hope? Is it DJ, lack of a GM, 90 year old owner who can't guarantee the future of the team, personnel issues at LG, TE, OLB, lack of a pass rush, or Marshawn, Ko, and Donte getting arrested? I'm glad your optimistic, but let's be serious. I've watched this team since the late eighties. And never have I felt more down about where the franchise is now. You're entitled to your optimism, but hope without action is nothing. Still love the TO move. But had he not been released, your offseason (after a third 7-9 straight season) would have been Drayton Florence, Geoff Hangartner, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Pat Thomas, and Seth McKinney.

Fine post here. I believe there's a growing section of fans who find it harder to believe the cosmetic changes being made will vault this team into the playoff hunt. The front office does a wonderful job of selling tickets, but the on-field product fails to be as advertised. Your take on the coaches and GM is spot-on. It almost seems like management will find a way to keep the same sad-sack people around and spin it to be necessary. But if, and it's an if at this point, they falter again in 09 there'll be no excuses. 10 seasons without a playoff appearance is an eternity in the salary cap era. Keep posting.

I certainly understand about a veteran, but at the RB position it's overrated to need someone with experience. The Giants didn't have an issue giving 7th round pick Ahmad Bradshaw carries late in 07. Tashard Choice filled in for Dallas last year and there are plenty other examples of rookies getting PT. At this point in FA, unsigned guys obviously aren't inking big deals. So it'll come down to finding the most desperate RB who the front office thinks can play. I'm not big on DeShaun Foster, who averaged 3.1 ypc with SF. Rhodes went for 3.5 ypc, but caught 45 passes. If he'd take veteran minimum I wouldn't worry about it.

The nerve of fans to complain about a divisional game that could impact making the playoffs. It's a neutral site game in effect, and some fans aren't happy about it. You may not remember, but Pennington was throwing in a controlled climate environment. I can't for a minute believe he'd be just as effective playing at RWS. The felons could very well have won, but it would not have been the way they did at RC. I'm pretty sure you go to the games, and I do as well. But I'd rather have that game and I don't buy that it's keeping the franchise solvent. I don't blame any fans for being teed off that it's not going to be in the elements at RWS. I hate division opponents more than any other team.

Whenever Polian lets someone go, there's usually a good reason. This search for another RB tells me the brass isn't high on Xavier Omon. If a RB isn't getting PT at the beginning of their career in obvious situations (as in Lynch's suspension) something is wrong.

Marginalization through generalization.

Ask Marv Levy. He oversaw the front office when these moves were made and signed off on them as GM. Or so we're told. Marv was a fine coach but utterly overmatched as a GM. As time goes by, those two years set the franchise back more than we thought. Even though it's not a guarantee to success, having a GM from the personnel ranks is what all good franchises have. And Buffalo doesn't.

He's got DJ's version three years running. On second thought, it's more like summer camp. He's booked again for late August.

It's not enough to know the game and proceed to embarrass the franchise off the field. We can argue about what type of character Levy demanded, but I doubt he wanted guys who could play the game and were loose cannons off the field. Character isn't limited to just on the field.

T19 If RB was the sole decision maker on this team, I'd say yes the roster is being reshaped. Then again, when you're coming off three consecutive 7-9 seasons, keeping things the same would probably not work either. DJ is on the hot seat, the makeup of the front office has not worked, and if this season doesn't result in a playoff appearance, everyone should be canned or re-assigned.

I enjoy the draft as well, but it's wrong to expect the first and second rounders to come in and contribute right away. Few rookies do that, especially at certain positions. Every season the Bills need their top picks to come in and contribute. I wouldn't be averse to trading a 3rd or 4th, but unless something big comes up, trading away first day picks isn't what winning teams do. Ask Washington about that. Buffalo needs to rely more on Modrak and Nix than people like Brandon who aren't personnel people. I just find it funny that after three complete seasons of rebuilding Buffalo still needs impact players. I guess the plan is over four years, not three, to getting a good team on the field.