BillsVet

Erik Ainge. That trio of QB's is going to be their undoing if they go into the season with as little experience they have there. Perhaps Rex Ryan is trying to turn the Jests into Baltimore North. Awesome defense and hopefully enough offense to score 17 ppg. Frankly, they'll have issues getting the offense going when Thomas Jones is your starting back, with Cotchery and Keller the targets in the passing game. Ryan has sounded like Greggg a little, and while I think he's better than Williams, Mike Tannenbaum is still running that team. And his track record ain't great, particularly on draft day.

He's the a** who posted how the Bills had signed Coles and followed with a thread about a kid getting an autograph yesterday. Some posters clearly don't think and just blurt out their opinions or post lame threads which aren't even remotely funny. The would-be comedians who know nothing about this team abound during this time of year. And they return to the board like the swallows of Capistrano. He's one of them.

I think the point to all of this remains that fans want a move to hang their proverbial hat on. And it's just not going to happen this year. The FA crop was pretty weak to begin with, and improving a team drastically through UFA is hard already. Spending money to appease fans isn't the right way to go about it. OTOH, after falling to 2-8 down the stretch, retaining the lame duck HC, Lynch's legal problems, and dealing with the Peters holdout, Bills fans need something now. Buffalo has been rebuilding over the past 3 seasons and still hasn't had any success. Increasingly the team is viewed as a laughingstock around the league, especially when Jauron was kept around. They're not going to sign a high priced FA just for the fans sake. At the same time, building through the draft is slow and in an era where patience is going out of style, isn't quick enough. Then again, Bills fans have already waited 9 seasons for success, doing nothing in UFA is pushing it for most of them.

He's not starting material, and it goes back to during the season. IIRC, he was put in for Butler while the latter was hurt. He didn't fare all too well, and didn't return to the interior. His role on this team is as a swing tackle and first OT off the bench should an injury occur.

As long as Dick Jauron and his entire staff take a four month cruise beginning around September 1st we'll be fine. Otherwise, the Bills will be fighting their opponents and trying not to be undone by their coaching staff. After what Schonert was talking about this week, I don't think they'll ever be able to maximize what they've got here. Dick Jauron's clock mismanagement will reappear and we'll be saying the same things we did two months ago.

Great avatar. Ralph would be happy if you'd help design Buffalo's 50th anniversary logo.

I think the Bills didn't want a guy who would (not himself) cause a QB controversy if TE wasn't perfect. Don't mind Fitzpatrick at this point.

Fair enough. I'm not big on giving the front office the benefit of the doubt, but I will for some reason. Still wouldn't mind adding guys in the draft to the OL. Hope DJ is listening and doesn't think it's okay to grab another DB. Heaven knows we need studs on the OL and DL.

Not sure if any UFA is paid beneath their value. His versatility is a plus, but I'd rather have a guy with one position that he plays well than 2-3 which are OK. Can't comment on the contract because it may not even be signed yet. I do know the Panthers are drafted Ryan Kalil in the second a few years back. He is now the starting center there. I'd like to say I trust the Bills and their personnel people, but they need to hit on some players first. The margin of error is zero in my book. That said, I think going after Alex Mack would still be a good move if they could move down on draft day.

Wonderful post. I've learned that posting about demanding accountability is pointless because there are fans who don't see their favorite teams as anything more than a casual pursuit. And when you lodge legitimate claims as you have here, they respond by coming up with excuses about how things aren't as bad. Truth is, what event in this decade can anyone point to and say was a great moment in Bills history. There hasn't been a high water mark and frankly some people don't care. Anyone who complains is too hard on the organization. I think though the hard core fans are starting to see that this isn't going away with the current regime.

The ringing endorsement of DJ ends with the 53rd player on the Bills roster. It does not extend to other teams, and despite talk to the contrary I don't believe the Bills give the impression of a team on the rise. Keeping the head coach may have maintained "continuity" but it certainly did nothing to attract potential players to Buffalo. The Bills could be successful as a small market team. Pittsburgh's done it without huge FA signings. But the main difference between Buffalo and Pittsburgh is simple: Buffalo's front office is made up of people who answer to a micromanaging owner who has his CFO Littman attached to his hip. The power resides in those two people. When it came to retaining DJ, football people did not make the decision. The owner did, and the entire league knows it. That is why Buffalo is irrelevant in today's NFL.

Todd France represents plenty of clients throughout the NFL and the last thing he's going to do is rake a team over the coals for failing to deliver his client in a trade. Furthermore, we all know he's seeking the most money for his player and by extension himself. Even if that's not the case, his primary concern is the player and not biting the hand that feeds him by diming out a future client in the Buffalo Bills.

Trust me, I was there for the Seattle nail-biter, Oakland upset, and the narrow victory against San Diego. They won some games all right.

Does this mean the chroisen one is not the chosen one for second string? I think it does, but try telling that to the Hamdanites.

Thanks Tim. Burning the midnight oil for sure tonight.

Dean, in all seriousness, what's there to be positive about after nine straight non-playoff seasons, the release of the biggest FA signing, a game sold to Toronto for five years, the star RB charged with 3 misdemeanors, holes at C, TE, OLB, DE, WR, LG, no GM, and the retention of one of the worst head coaches in the league? Negative, how can some of us not be? There's optimism, and then there's its distant cousin blind optimism. I can't speak for Dawgg, but there hasn't been a lot to hang your hat on in the last decade. I don't want the Bills wasting money, but until I see results on the field, it's hard to be optimistic about a franchise with a 60-84 record in the preceding 9 seasons.

Unlock the floodgates of criticism. I'd like more information that just Clayon, perhaps Tim Graham can weigh in on this. If they had a chance to trade him, man, that's not good to release him for nothing.

We could put our guys onto the NFL Debate team. That'd show em we're not playing around anymore. DJ could moderate, and I think he'd be a lot like Ferris Bueller's teacher played by Ben Stein. I'll take thermonuclear dynamics for 1000 Dick...

And our HC graduated from Yale. Throw in Levy's influence from Harvard, and we've got the smartest guys in the entire league. Fitzpatrick played behind a terrible line last year, but I figured the front office would go with someone a little older. Maybe they're pushing Edwards a little with another young guy.

I think a lot of people around here feel the same way about you. Posting the Coles had signed today was about as immature a thing as any poster could do. I sometimes wonder if your former avatar was some random adult an the you the little kid. If you've got nothing substantive to say, just stop it already.

1. Dockery is the most overpaid interior OL in the NFL. 2. Washington will still miss the playoffs in 2009. 3. The Redskins are staying under the cap this season, but have to be banking on no cap in 2010.

First, don't worry about Bravo the wonder dog. He's not able to get through to Matt Cassel's mother to verify a report that MC will be traded to the Calgary Roughriders. He's a little frustrated. Second, Dick Jauron is the HC. Overcoming that single fact will be Buffalo's greatest challenge.

I think beyond the big names, the economy is going to have an effect on those vaunted tier 2 FA's. Teams want to win, but there are some strange things happening which may cause them to re-think spending wildly. Frankly, that's not a bad idea. As much as I want them to sign someone, makes choices which aren't knee jerk, but for the long term. Maybe Russ learned a lesson from Marv/Dick on how not to handle UFA.

No he's the a**h*** who starts threads about Coles signing and then sheepishly admits he's not funny. Idiots abound. Great thread Dawgg.

I'm a harsh critic of this organization. But even this is too much. Who precisely did you want them to sign? Haynesworth, Houshmandzadeh? Because if you're waiting for those guys it's going to be awhile, as in forever. I wouldn't mind Coles. He'd infuse some needed dependability at #2WR as soon as the ink on his contract dries. There just aren't any UFA's out there who'll sign for less and play at an All-Pro level. If you're going to complain, give me precisely what you'd do to address their issues.