I hope we don't delve too deep into free agency

[Adam]

We have a mediocre bunch and I would say we need to rebuild, but the fact is that we need to START building. This team has no viable core at all. When you start signing free agents to contracts, you are supplementing the core of your team and setting a defined window of contention.

 

If we start expending our salary cap before building through the draft, that window will close before we have a chance to do anything, then we will have to focus on rebuilding again.

 

I understand that it has been 10 years, but this group needs the opportunity to get things right, not to make hasty short term fixes to appease bloodthirsty fans.

[reddogblitz]

OK, say we build in the draft, which Buddy says he believes in. We draft some horses and they come in and are good. In 3 or 4 years they're going to be FAs and want big bucks. See Winfield and Clements. We wont' be able to keep them all. Or, we sign FA to a 3 year contract. How is that different?

 

In the era of FA, every year you have to replace some of your best guys. Happens to every team. Whose Yer Mama? from Cincy to Seattle last year. Coles from Jets to Cincy etc. Moss from Minn to Patsies* a few years before that. Hutch from Seattle to Minn a few years ago. Seattle's still trying to recover from that one. They drafted Hutch and looked what happened. He played there 5 years, became one of the best, and on to purpler pastures.

 

I hope we do delve too deep into free agency

[Rust Belt Nights]

It's all about at the right place at the right time

[John from Riverside]

I think in order to get better fast it HAS to be a combonation of both.

 

You biuld your team mostly through the draft and sprinkle in key free agents that do something particularly well that the team needs (a TE who always runs his routes to the first down, a DE who excels at coming off the edge, a FB who excells at blitz pickup for example) and ALL of your free agents should be guys who fill a leadership role.

 

This team has NO leader at the moment.

[Bob in STL]

We have a mediocre bunch and I would say we need to rebuild, but the fact is that we need to START building. This team has no viable core at all. When you start signing free agents to contracts, you are supplementing the core of your team and setting a defined window of contention.

 

If we start expending our salary cap before building through the draft, that window will close before we have a chance to do anything, then we will have to focus on rebuilding again.

 

I understand that it has been 10 years, but this group needs the opportunity to get things right, not to make hasty short term fixes to appease bloodthirsty fans.

 

 

We should be able to bring in some mid-tier players that can help and not hit our salary structure too hard.

 

If we are really going to play a 3-4 we better find a decent NT and we should get a FA and draft someone just fopr that. I don't see anyone on our roster to play that position.

[Adam]

We should be able to bring in some mid-tier players that can help and not hit our salary structure too hard.

 

If we are really going to play a 3-4 we better find a decent NT and we should get a FA and draft someone just fopr that. I don't see anyone on our roster to play that position.

I think you understood what I meant- a few middle tier guys and maybe one big guy. You don't try to do too much too soon, or you mortgage your future.

[Red]

I think in order to get better fast it HAS to be a combonation of both.

 

You biuld your team mostly through the draft and sprinkle in key free agents that do something particularly well that the team needs (a TE who always runs his routes to the first down, a DE who excels at coming off the edge, a FB who excells at blitz pickup for example) and ALL of your free agents should be guys who fill a leadership role.

 

This team has NO leader at the moment.

 

Certainly true.

 

Sad, but true.

 

TO, though vocal (and hopefully long gone), is a far-cry from a leader.

 

Usually (i.e.- historically speaking), the QB is the leader of a team.

 

I like acquiring Jeff Garcia and Thigpen, maybe drafting Pike in the 2nd, and letting Edwards and Brohm duel it out.

 

Then we can let a true leader emerge.

[Nanker]

I think you understood what I meant- a few middle tier guys and maybe one big guy. You don't try to do too much too soon, or you mortgage your future.

Having consistent top 10 draft picks is what mortgages your future.

The increasingly gargantuan salaries of unproven rookies - many of which become busts - are unsustainable.

In the good old days, The Bills were consistently picking in the high twenties to low thirties, and we added a ton of good players there.

I'd agree somewhat on the FA situation. You can't overspend more than three times in two years.

Art Still, Leonard Smith and Bryce Paup were all good acquisitions - not to mention Steve Tasker - whom Levi stole off the waiver wire.

 

It's got to be a blend. I think Nix can tell if a guy's a gamer just by looking at him. Gailey too. I'm feeling more confident by the day about the guys that are now running the show at OBD.

[Chandler#81]

I think in order to get better fast it HAS to be a combonation of both.

 

You biuld your team mostly through the draft and sprinkle in key free agents that do something particularly well that the team needs (a TE who always runs his routes to the first down, a DE who excels at coming off the edge, a FB who excells at blitz pickup for example) and ALL of your free agents should be guys who fill a leadership role.

 

This team has NO leader at the moment.

 

This.

 

Too many areas need immediate addressing. We've been counting on multiple rookies for years now and we're going to a 3-4 hybrid D. We need different guys as much as we need to say good-by to a few who've proven just OK is OK.