SuperKillerRobots

Exactly what I was thinking. Imagine if this turns into a big thing between them. Maybe Action Jackson just wants some of the national spotlight.

If he isn't good in coverage, what is he going to do for the Bills? He lost his job last year because he couldn't cover LBs. Maybe if he is better suited to play zone, but I'd rather stay with the guys we have and see who comes out on top.

I think you are pretty much right in saying that 13 team scannot run the 3-4 because there isn't enough personnel to go around. One reason the 3-4 defenses (especially those that we play) look so good is because they have superior talent. When you have that, it doesn't matter what scheme you play. The 3-4 in its current iteration is supposed to be flexible enough to use the same personnel to do pretty much everything, with the exception of needing to add another DB against 3-wide sets. To be able to this, you need players that can do many things well, which is hard to find. How many 3-4 NTs are actually out there? Probably not many. How many OLBs can be a DE/OLB depending on whether they have to guard the run, rush the passer, or cover someone? Not many. Those are the two positions that make the scheme work as it should, but there isn't anywhere close to .5 of those players per team. The other thing is that when you don't have the personnel to run a 3-4, you get killed moreso than with a 4-3.

This is the best offseason thread yet. Maybe the real key is to have really disgusting facilities for the visiting team.

That's a gem. You can have any opinion you want on Whitner and by all means at best the jury is still out on him, but when you compare him to Coy Wire, a linebacker-turned-safety-turned-linebacker, I have to laugh. Wire was a fringe player and STer in his best days with the Bills, while Donte has been a starter pretty much since day one. There's no sense in being vindictive towards a player because he was drafted high and doesn't play up to the expectations you had for him on draft day. What about the story of Josh Reed? The guy was almost run out of town and since then he's gotten better and better to the point now where he is a very reliable receiver. These guys are all assets and to advocate cutting ties with them because you don't think they were worth their draft slot, while not taking into account what they do well, is poor management.

I live around the block from the Gate and can say that it is certainly one of the best bars in Buffalo to get wings at. I do like the Anchor Bar for wings and they do have decent pizza. I don't drive, so I don't get out to the burbs too often for Duff's.

Yeah, what he said.

1. I agree completely. They have to try on that last possession of the half and first possession of the 2nd half. 2. Agree mostly. They have had some good adjustments in games (especially the first few), but then they seemed to stop making good moves or made too predictable moves.

I'm probably in the minority here, but I generally like the idea of deferring. It speaks volumes about what you think of your own defense in that you expect them to come out and stop the opposing team. I started to have a problem with it when they kept doing it while we were losing last year because why not try something new? If they defer against the Pats if they win the toss, I would think logic says you put the offense on the field, so you don't go down 7 right off the bat, but if they feel they can pull something out of their asses scheme-wise for that game, then I'd be all for it. I wonder if DJ's defensive background plays a part in his decision-making. Any good, confident DC would probably prefer to go out first and try to dictate to the offense. If they feel like they can do that, then they should. In the end, the only problem is when the other team scores on the first possession, otherwise it looks like a good call.

So is cocaine addiction

The guy had 11 people in his head according to CB! He can go anywhere he wants - he wouldn't make our team now anyways. I loved the guy while he was here, but he's nothing more than your 3rd or 4th DE and a STer.

Yeah I read that and that has to him being nice to a teammate. I can't imagine anyone who watches Ellison play is all that happy about him starting. He'd be great as the first guy off the bench.

I think it's actually indefinite. By the way - nice signature. Goddamn Basij beating women.

Breakfast of champions!

He never has had enough money - lots of assets, but no cash.

Only individuals can purchase NFL teams - not corporations. I think the last I heard was that NFL owners groups tend to have one lead individual/investor with about $400mm in cash and then the ability to finance about $600mm. This would be approximate to the type of group it would take to bid on an average team. You could probably get the NFL to swing a "two lead individual" setup, which could include two people (Galisano as one?) with about $400mm and then you could get 15 Larry Quinns who would put up collateral and sign for the loan based on the deposit ($400mm) of the other two. It's doable, but you need the other money man (assuming Galisano is one of them).

No. Wait, Yes... I mean no. I don't see your point. What the hell is the difference between need and need by position? Maybe your point is that contending teams have deep enough rosters that they don't have a dire need for an influx of young talent and are more likely to take established talent to get them over the hump with the rest of the contenders. I would agree with that because it stands to reason that contending teams have deeper rosters than those that do not contend (or pretend, as you say). A team like the Pats* is more likely to get a Junior Seau than the Bills because he isn't the difference for us, whereas he certainly could be the missing bit-piece for them.

No, he's getting Will Jamesed in training camp.

Why not? Don't we still have the other S. Johnson? Or was it three we had last year?

I'm having trouble seeing Thomas make the team at linebacker. He hasn't seemed to distinguish himself up to now (though it's only OTAs) and there is a lot of underwhelming/unproven competition there. I think Corto would be a good ST option over Thomas, if they think Bowen/Harris/Ellison are going o keep him on the bench. The only way I see Thomas making it is if Bowen is looked at as more of a STer than LB when training camp gets under way.

I don't know about you, but if had a guy who killed someone, we'd be a lot scarier on defense. Let's hope they go out a little bit in the wrong part of town and Ray teaches Aaron how beat the bejeezus out of people. Maybe Ray teaches him to not get caught too. Maybe he has to do a little hard time, but if they plead guilty he might be out by mid-season. That 6 to 9 months in prison where he'll be used to fighting for his life and to not get raped should really help his mental state. He'll be batshit crazy - the first week he comes back, he gets flagged for a personal foul for taking a bite out of a guy's leg after the play ends. Seriously though, this can only be good. Moulds finally started putting it together after he and Rice started working out in the offseason. Those habits rub off.

The team can only have 80 players under contract at one time, which they had before the releases. The un-signed rookies don't count against that number until they sign their deals. Since SF signed a few players taken one spot before our players, the FO probably anticipates the signing of our draft picks to be quick - at least for the late rounders. They probably thought those five guys were not going to make the team, but had a chance to make another team, so they let them go so as not to stiffle their slim chances at an NFL roster.

Rookie mistake john - you should know better than to indulge crayonz

I think if Jenkins impresses that much, they keep 7 and look at cuting back on FB or DB. Jenkins has special teams value and unless that can be replaced by one of the rookies, he will look pretty good to the coaches.

I was just responding to your first post in which you asked why Bills fans fall in love with the scrubs. I'm not saying you're wrong in your assessment that these guys aren't making the roster - most will not. In fact this year, the chances are even lower I think because the roster is far deeper than it has been in previous years, which means that those spots are hard to come by. With that said it's hard to not like guys who work real hard at this and probably don't look at it like a paycheck, but more of a passion. I'd rather have a whole team of guys like that personally, but the truth of the matter is that hard work alone is not going to get you very far in the NFL - as sad as that is. There's nothing better than winning at the casino and then going to Canada to celebrate - it's really why this place is so freakin great!