BillsVet

It's very promising before the season starts to bank on NE running away with the division so they can rest their starters at the end of the season. With all due respect, the Bills will need to earn a playoff spot, and that means winning at least 10 games during the regular season. Nothing is worse than getting close at the end of the year and hoping another team wins or loses to gain a playoff berth. If after 2 seasons of rebuilding they can't get into the playoffs and need help getting in, it tells me a lot about where this team is going into the future.

Peters' hernia surgery is starting to sound like he had open heart surgery. To all the conspiracy theorists who haven't had a hernia, it's not a hip replacement either. As a matter of fact, it's a routine procedure which does not take 6 months to heal from. I've had one, and I'm sure others around here have as well. If Chris Brown, one of the team employees says so, then I can't imagine it any other way. Re-signing Peters will be the largest deal in Bills history, easily surpassing Dockery and Schobel. As Buffalo re-ups Evans, I've got a feeling the cost of extending Peters exceeds what the team planned on spending this season.

If by recently Lori, you mean by the past 6 years or so. Greggggg, Meathead, and now DJ came in with a strategy they gleaned from previous experience and proceeded to admit failure by reluctantly acquiring players who didn't fit perfectly into their chosen scheme(s). Here's to hoping things will be different in 08.

Indianapolis remains one of the lowest revenue teams in the league. They've built a new stadium, but it's hard to ignore the core of players they have locked up long term in Manning, Freeney, Wayne, Sanders, and D. Clark. If the Bills are intent on riding this out until next season, it makes me wonder. They have the cap space, and if they think Peters' value will decrease, they're plain wrong. If anything, he performed at a high level for 15 games at a position he'd played for about a half season before 2007. His trajectory is only up, and his pay demands will increase with it. All in all, a front office is there to pick which players to keep, and which to let go. Their success or failure rate is what keeps some teams successful beyond the standard 2-3 year "window." It's why IND, NE, JAC, SD, and others are always in the playoffs, while some teams never are. I trust the Bills, Peters, and most fans realize the franchise doesn't go as far without him.

When was the last time Bill Polian missed on a first round pick? How about AJ Smith? Bad teams repeatedly draft in the top half of the first round. Not surprisingly, bad teams like the Lions, Cards, and 49ers consistently draft poorly, putting them back at the top of the draft. Yet at the same time, when was the last time NE, JAX, IND, or PHI had a top 10 pick they didn't acquire via trade? Go back and check how often the bottom dwellers of the NFL over the past 6-8 years are drafting early. OAK, DET, ARI, SF, ATL, MIA and until recently HOU and CLE make a host of bad picks over the years. They'd get one right every now and then, but overall, their mediocre drafting is the reason they can't get into the playoffs. Your post is pure drivel, because it specifically selects first rounders who haven't lived up to expectations. It's obvious to me you're rifling through a stats page for proof that the draft is a total guessing game.

It is not a guessing game. A select few teams and/or GM's make a heckuva lot better draft picks than bad ones. Polian, AJ Smith, and a host of others consistently have excellent drafts. And that's after having 3-4 years to review a given one. I love how when the Bills make a bad pick that the draft is a crap-shoot. But when they have a "stellar" draft, it's because the front office are geniuses. Which flows into the next point: Buffalo has two what I'd call long term starters in Whitner and Butler. Williams is a wave player, and we know it. Simpson is having an issue remaining healthy, and while it's not due to play, FS is an area this team will upgrage in the next year or so. 2-3 starters per draft is an average one. What constitutes a long term starter is another thing.

Bunkley had issues his first year and barely got on the field. The following season he got the picture and is a starter for Philadelphia. McCargo's work ethic was and still is questioned. Most troubling about the 2006 draft is how it's faring just 2+ years later. There was rampant talk that this draft was amazing, yet if anything, it's been very normal considering the team had the 8th overall pick. In addition, many of those picks merely bridged the gap until someone better could arrive. Ellison, Simpson, and Pennington fit nicely into that category. Whitner, Butler, and Williams will be the only players who are long term starters, and it's ironic that a fifth rounder in Williams is displacing a 1st rounder they traded for.

If there is a high pick on this team who has been set up for success this season, it's McCargo. He looked overweight to me the other day at SJF, and if a player can't be trusted to keep themself in shape, what does that say? Bill Kollar seems like a guy who doesn't mince words, and he came about as close to saying McCargo ain't cutting it right now. McCargo to show something in the pre-season games, and if not, he'll be parked on the bench this year more often than not. Williams and Stroud will get more snaps as a result of McCargo's inconsistent play, and the DT rotation will suffer.

I'm not so sure the Bills can afford to play without him. You and I both know he'll report, but he's sure scaring a lot of fans, specifically those who realize without him it's Walker at LT and Chambers starting at RT. I still believe no long term deal will happen this year, given how much the team will have to earmark for Evans. Peters can report in "good faith" and still play for his current salary. I've got to believe that Peters think he needs more than a "we'll see" approach for him to show up.

What does Peters care about getting credit for a season toward being a UFA? He's seeking a long term deal which would, at it's conclusion, give him somewhere in the neighborhood of 8-10 seasons of NFL service. This isn't Devin Hester revisited, who knew the game was up, and his holdout carried very little in the way of a threat. Peters already has a long term moderate sized NFL contract, and is a little better off than Hester's 445k per rookie deal. NFL stars typically get 2-3 decent contracts, and this would be Peters second. If it's six years, he'll be 32 if it goes the entire way.

Superior play at LT is almost a necessity, it's not the financial landscape, it's the specialization of the offensive and defensive line positions. I've been to practice, today as a matter of fact. And I noted in my previous post that it was Walker's first day at LT so I didn't expect to see him dominate. The conclusion any knowledgeable fan can reach is that Walker isn't the type of player who succeeds at the most demanding physical position on the OL. Chambers is certainly not starting grade, and this holdout has the potential to significantly affect the success of the entire offense. Offenses take time to gel, and this training camp is no different. The defense is rounding into form, and has given the offense problems. That said, I think missing their best OL is a bigger problem than most fans realize. Peters' issues with the front office and vice versa do not fit into the minds of blue collar fans like most of us here. Most fans see it as pure greed and the inability of a player to fulfill a contract. It's far more than that, and in the business of pro football, players know they've got a small window. For the fortunate few who have superior talent, it can be taken away at any moment. I think Peters oughta report, but he's not, and everyone knows why. Despite what anyone says, Peters is healthy. It doesn't take 5 months to come back from a hernia, and the idea he's hurt and hiding in the shadows at home is the biggest conspiracy theory I've heard in a long time.

Anyone who's been to practice and watched Langston Walker at LT today knows Peters' leverage grows with each day. Walker's athleticism is a shred of what Peters offers and will not neutralize edge rushers. It's understood this was Walker's first full day at LT, but his lateral movement isn't there for a OLT. There is an amazing domino effect which taking place, with Walker now changing positions and a career backup inserted at RT. I think the team's frustration is born out of the realization that they cannot yield to the new deal demands for principle (and pride) reasons, yet not doing so means their team (at least on offense) will not nearly be as successful. The team may need to relent sooner than they imagined, although maybe it'll take a few pre-season games to impress on fans what the coaching staff knows right now: that Walker's move to LT will be a rough transition for him, the QB, and the entire offense.

No, but they go shopping together. At the grocery store.

Two games come to mind in 2006 that NC could have or actually did make a difference in. The first came at Detroit when Buffalo lost 20-17. McGee covered Roy Williams for three quarters, allowing 9 catches for 140+ yards. DJ and Fewell finally had NC cover Williams in the 4th. RW made only 1 more reception. The second occurred at NY in Week 14. With Buffalo holding a 14-10 lead, NC intercepted Pennington and returned it for a TD to give Buffalo a 21-10 lead (and big momentum shift) which held. NC has recorded 5 TD's in 7 pro seasons, and as an earlier poster noted, has repeatedly stopped opponent's top receiver. NC was a superior CB, and a player who should have been retained in early 2006. He's durable, and compared to the resources allocated to replace him, was a better value. One which received 22M guaranteed and with FA becoming as high priced as it is, will probably being reasonable if all things continue. Then again, when's the last time a highly regarded CB reached the market?

CB's, LB's, WR's, RB's, and QB's depend on the lines for success. NC, like any CB in the league, depends on a pass rush. While this is all elementary, some still don't understand this simple facet of football. Neither SF or Buffalo had much of a pass rush while NC was with each team. Same can be said for Champ Bailey, who had a motley crew of DL rushing the passer. They couldn't stop the run either and Denver missed the playoffs. Certain positions are simply more important than others. The building blocks required for a team's success start with a QB, solid OL, and a pass rush. Everything else is secondary, including CB's. Repeatedly drafting high DB's, RB's, WR's, and LB's is worthless without the guys up front to make them look good. The Bills, since the beginning of Donahoe's time, have repeatedly drafted skill positions, leaving them with gaping holes on the OL and DL. TD, ML, and RB have turned to free agents and risky trades to solve the OL and DL issues. This results in elite CB's not putting up the numbers many want them to. There is no corner in NFL history that can play well without support.

Arguing in a black and white world that posters like eball and VOR live in is like trying to eat cereal with chopsticks. According to them, anything can be explained with select statistics, team or individual. Here's one statistic that matters. How many games have Clements and Fletcher missed in the previous six seasons? Out of a combined 192 games, they've been on the field for all of them. Here's another item: Compare the Bills starting CB situation in 2006 to 2008: In 06 it was McGee and Clements. This year it'll most likely be McGee and either Greer or McKelvin. Look at the resources Buffalo used to replace NC versus what it would have taken to retain him. NC's cap for the following three seasons is 19.4M combined and would have allowed the Bills flexibility with their first round pick this year. Not to mention he's durable and plays at a very high level. In his wake, the Bills used 3 picks on corners this season, signed a FA in Will James, and doled out a decent sized contract to their first rounder. There can be no doubt that McKelvin was picked to start, either this year or next. The price to replace NC is not surprisingly closer than most fans realize. Between draft picks, first round size contracts, and FA's, the Bills continue to opt for the cheap-now decision and pay for it in the long term.

Good NFL front offices know what players and which positions are more easily replaceable. It's why clubs like NE, IND, and SD are continually at the top, despite the same cap restrictions that all teams have. These are the ones who draft lower in the first round and come away with talent late into the draft. Teams are made up generally of a few stars and plenty of supporting talent. Buffalo's young, but players like Peters, Schobel, and Lee Evans are the three most talented players on this team. Guys come and go, but eventually a team must decide which players they'll keep whatever the cost. They're the franchise cornerstones. It's why I think Crowell will hit FA, and Buffalo will find a replacement. He's not a bad player, but LB's can be replaced and Crowell isn't a world-beater. Anyone who follows the Colts knows that Polian lets LB's go and finds studs in the draft to replace them. Not all front offices are equal and until the current version in Buffalo demonstrates some success, they'll be regarded as below average to poor given the same people have been running the show (minus Donahoe) since 2001. IMO, Brandon is a newcomer to the personnel side of the franchise. All the puff pieces in the world cannot hide whether the FO knows what it's doing and ultimately, what happens on the field determines if they've got the right plan.

Buffalo keeps at most 5 CB's on the roster. Three are for sure-McGee, McKelvin, and Greer. It's too early to tell on Corner and Cox, but DJ likes experience, and even though he's had issues, Will James may be a good bet. I think it comes down to Corner or Cox. I don't see Youboty surviving the finals cuts. I would hope the Bills didn't spend 3 picks on CB's (as SB has pointed out) because they felt the position was good. It's time for Youboty to put up, and I don't see it happening. He's frequently injured, and not grasping the defense. He could not reclaim the job from a former UDFA in Greer, and it's apparent the coaches aren't big on him, hence the 3 picks on CB's. Why would anyone trade for him, with Buffalo all but saying they're not happy with his play by virtue of the draft. As for Simpson, I don't recall anyone saying he's been the steal of the draft. Even at safety he's not the best late round pick, as Dawan Landry and Antoine Bethea have been better at the position. Bethea's been to a Pro Bowl.

Royal will come away with the starting nod when the dust settles. He's the most experienced, and if DJ has taught us anything, it's that he'll go with experience versus talent. Hanging on to veterans past their prime has been a facet of his coaching style since coming to Buffalo. Schouman has little experience and lacks the bulk to handle strongside LB's. Courtney Anderson is a big body, but after unsuccessful stints in Atlanta and Detroit, he's probably just training camp fodder. Fine is still a rookie, and played in a quasi-spread offense at Kansas. For him to come away with the starting job, it'd be a big surprise. That's not to say Fine and Schouman have no NFL future, but expecting a super rookie (Schouman) and Fine to be starting NFL caliber TE's in their first season is out of the question. Royal comes away with the job by default, despite having below average hands. He had two key fumbles last season, and few Bills fans can forget him unable to get two feet in-bounds against Tennessee 2 seasons ago. This is a position the Bills will upgrade very quickly, though Royal has 2 years on his deal after 2008.

Both Peters and the Bills have some sort of leverage. I do think he'll eventually report, and Buffalo will feign interest (at least this year) in re-upping him at some point. Obviously they're working toward extending Evans, but I'm confident they know that having a LT who can neutralize opposing pass rushers is imperative. I'm not certain it'll happen this year, but Peters must be patient. Either way, he's the difference in OL play and there's no doubt that Edwards has a lot of trust for someone like Peters. As much as some have heralded Chambers as being capable of handling the job, he's not nearly the answer. With success comes the paychecks commensurate with it. Players like Peters, Evans, et al will inevitably become commonplace and ultimately lead the Bills to pay their players. The NFL is increasingly becoming a players league, and paychecks are following in short order. For the Bills to be successful long term, they'll need to extend their stars and draft well year after year. There is no question that Buffalo needs Jason Peters. I'm hopeful the team realizes they need him for long term success because the position he plays is so essential.

No player in the NFL has better nicknames: "The Hefty Lefty" "The Pillsbury Throwboy" "Lord of the Ring Dings" and quite possibly the best one... "He Ate Me"

Patience is a virtue. Maybe his agent is Eugene Parker. Either way, he won't be the last first rounder signed and we'll see him on the field in due time. I would venture to say the FO is busy right now working on Evans contract, McKelvin, and deflecting all the noise regarding Jason Peters.

It'd be easy to compare the situation with Peters, but that's for the other 12 threads going on. Evans has been very professional throughout this process, and it really only when he said a few things after a mini-camp or OTA did it get more notice. I believe he'll be re-upped in short order, but just the fact he's keeping the issue out of the press is a comforting.

I don't think anyone's arguing that he's a bad guy, but it's readily apparent that he's not nearly the athlete that it takes to play LT successfully in the NFL. He was out of football in 2006, and signed a street FA deal with Buffalo. He's the only NFL experienced OT on the roster outside of last years starters. What's more, the other OT's in camp are street free agents, UDFA's, and late round draft picks. It's absurd to think these caliber of players can neutralize the premier pass rushers they'll face this season.

It's worth noting that in a perfect world, Peters should be at camp right now. No question about it. The NFL is not a perfect world though, and Peters stands to earn 3.25M this season. By comparison, Michael Roos of Tennessee just inked a deal that averages 7.1M per, and he's not nearly the player that Peters is. Joe Thomas, by virtue of his rookie deal last year, earns roughly the same. Three years ago, Walter Jones signed a 7 year 52.5M deal, which is probably a lot closer to what Peters seeks, by probably not nearly what he's going to need. FWIW, the argument that Peters is in the league solely because of the Buffalo Bills, well, that's purely simplistic. Everyone's most hated GM picked him up, and ultimately Peters himself asked Mularkey how he could play. He went on to become a starter on the OL, and has only improved his play since that time. So much so that he's handled the most difficult line position and become the most dominant LT in the AFC. The point is, Peters has worked very hard and combined with superior physical abilities is the best Bills OT since Will Wolford. It's not just the Bills who have made him.