The Trent situation was not handled well

[Bill from NYC]

I assume you saw the same pre-season games we all did. Trent looked pretty decent. Should we have cut Trent then because we knew he would suck once the season began?

 

PTR

 

Good point Promo. Despite the fact that I had high hopes for Trent, it was clear that he had to go. The only question I do have is whether or not they could have got anything for him in a trade, and I do mean anything whatsoever.

 

If he is signed tomorrow, it would lead me to believe that they MIGHT have been able to salvage a late round pick. What do you think?

[Nuncha]

Whisenhunt "arrived" in 2007. I would think taking that long, and waiting until just before the season to make the move, would be seen as inept. I guarantee you it would be seen as a colossal screw-up if it happened on the Bills.

 

And I would think you would applaud the move as an effort to stop the death spiral. How can dumping your worthless QB be a bad thing?

 

This was the right move...addition by subtraction. I think it would have made more sense if they had another QB prior to cutting him, but who knows what is in the works.

[LABills08]

If you criticize the Bills for starting Trent, you should be rejoicing in their canning him. But to criticize them for BOTH shows malice on your part. They corrected their mistake. That's a plus in my book. The other stuff is all bulls#it.

 

Leinart, a 1st round draft pick, was the Cards presumed starter at the start of preseason. He was cut a week before the season started. I see no real difference between that scenario and what the Bills did with Edwards, especially when Whisenhunt has had since 2007 to evaluate Leinart.

 

Yes, the Bills are bad and have been for a while. But you are simply hyper-critical, and find any reason to bash them.

 

 

Dean, I generally like your posts a lot. And find myself agreeing with you. But, I have to say, the fact that you don't understand the difference between the Leinart situation and the Edwards situation, is with all due respect, mind blowing.

 

As long as Edwards is not starting, I don't really care one way or the other what happens. Whether he is on the bench costing the Bills money (which otherwise would be going straight into RW's pockets anyways) or off the team, isn't really a big difference.

 

However, what does bother me is this constant cycle of dysfunction that comes out of One Bills Drive. I'm not saying the Bills need to do everything by the book. But, this strikes me as oddly out of place. Like I said, you cut him before the season, thats fine. Or you cut him before anointing him the starter fine. But, if you are going to endorse him as the starter and then cut him two weeks after the fact, I don't like it. Especially when you risk losing the locker room for further losing respect around the league. Some might say, "who cares what other players think" or "its a lie that players don't want to come to Buffalo". I strongly disagree. In fact, I don't have sources with the Bills, but I do know people involved with other teams. And the perception players have towards a franchise, whether accurate or not, do play a large role. Now, of course, it can't get much worse for the Bills. They can (and I believe will) turn this around. But, IMO, this is undeniably a bizarre turn of events all things considered.

 

That's $1,358,824 in savings.

 

Oh yea, thats pocket change. Dude, that covers every receiver we have not named Roscoe or Lee.

Edited September 28, 2010 by Union2008

[BillsVet]

If you criticize the Bills for starting Trent, you should be rejoicing in their canning him. But to criticize them for BOTH shows malice on your part. They corrected their mistake. That's a plus in my book. The other stuff is all bulls#it.

 

Leinart, a 1st round draft pick, was the Cards presumed starter at the start of preseason. He was cut a week before the season started. I see no real difference between that scenario and what the Bills did with Edwards, especially when Whisenhunt has had since 2007 to evaluate Leinart.

 

Yes, the Bills are bad and have been for a while. But you are simply hyper-critical, and find any reason to bash them.

 

Wrong argument about starting or not starting Trent. This decision, as many have said in this thread, should have been made after camp and not until putrid performances 2 games into the regular season. For the record, I was bullish on TE until he lost the job in 2009. He's a good guy from what I can see, but he lacks the confidence of a starting NFL QB. Furthermore, I think he's been shell-shocked and was legitimately afraid of being hit. Guess that happens when the team depends on rookies and cheap UFA's for OLineman.

 

Leinart was a first rounder who could not claim a job he was handed. Edwards was given the job without much challenge from anyone, despite proof that he wasn't better than Fitz.

 

You correct these types of mistakes in the off-season and don't wait until losing 2 ugly games.

 

Dean, I have plenty of reason to remain critical and you know the tale of the tape. 15 years since the last playoff win. 10+ years since the last playoff appearance. 66-94 in the 00s. Rumors that the owner or at the least non-football people still interfere. And they're in Year 0 of another rebuild. Critical? I guess I would like to see a winning season more than once in a decade. Results matter.

[LABills08]

Good point Promo. Despite the fact that I had high hopes for Trent, it was clear that he had to go. The only question I do have is whether or not they could have got anything for him in a trade, and I do mean anything whatsoever.

 

If he is signed tomorrow, it would lead me to believe that they MIGHT have been able to salvage a late round pick. What do you think?

 

 

I don't buy this preseason garbage. I'm sorry, this idea that "Trent Edwards had everyone fooled, again" just doesn't float. He played 2 decent games (1st game was awful and last game he didn't play). Nothing stand out, just decent. Sure, fans might have been like "okay, not that bad". But, if the coaching staff actually finished the preseason saying "yep, Trent's our guy", then I just can't see how they would see two bad games and release him.

 

They knew what the fans knew all a long. That Trent just didn't have it. Evidence is in how fast they cut him in the regular season. The question is, why did they sell this whole charade?

[No Cease Fires]

Huh? Why all this talk about how this looks bad for the Bills. We already look bad. The way to start looking good is by winning some damned football games. Getting rid of dead weight seems like an okay place to start.

 

Repercussions, my ass. You mean all those free agents who so desperately don't want to play for us still don't want to play for us? What a catastrophe. The way you attract these guys is by fielding a decent football game, not by hanging onto worthless players to save face.

[Peter]

How depressing . . . .

 

Dean, I have plenty of reason to remain critical and you know the tale of the tape. 15 years since the last playoff win. 10+ years since the last playoff appearance. 66-94 in the 00s. Rumors that the owner or at the least non-football people still interfere. And they're in Year 0 of another rebuild. Critical? I guess I would like to see a winning season more than once in a decade. Results matter.

[Bill from NYC]

That's $1,358,824 in savings.

 

Maybe this is why it happened so soon. The above is approx. $1000,000 per week. I guess this is worth more to Ralph than trying to get a 6th or 7th round pick.

[LABills08]

Wrong argument about starting or not starting Trent. This decision, as many have said in this thread, should have been made after camp and not until putrid performances 2 games into the regular season. For the record, I was bullish on TE until he lost the job in 2009. He's a good guy from what I can see, but he lacks the confidence of a starting NFL QB. Furthermore, I think he's been shell-shocked and was legitimately afraid of being hit. Guess that happens when the team depends on rookies and cheap UFA's for OLineman.

 

Leinart was a first rounder who could not claim a job he was handed. Edwards was given the job without much challenge from anyone, despite proof that he wasn't better than Fitz.

 

You correct these types of mistakes in the off-season and don't wait until losing 2 ugly games.

 

Dean, I have plenty of reason to remain critical and you know the tale of the tape. 15 years since the last playoff win. 10+ years since the last playoff appearance. 66-94 in the 00s. Rumors that the owner or at the least non-football people still interfere. And they're in Year 0 of another rebuild. Critical? I guess I would like to see a winning season more than once in a decade. Results matter.

 

 

+100. I'm all for optimism. For the past 10 seasons I've always thought the Bills are going to "surprise some people". And guess what, I'll have that same feeling next season.

 

But, its about time this organization earns our faith. Fans have every right to be suspicious of the crap this organization pulls.

[Mr. WEO]

Thanks for the injection of reason into a thread that sorely needed it. Jerry Jones did say that he probably pulled the trigger on Gailey too quickly. I doubt there's any reason for Jones to say it if he didn't mean it. What would he care?

 

As for Aikman, he was one more concussion short of permanent brain damage and had clearly lost what made him the QB he was in the early 90's. Easier for Aikman to blame Gailey than to accept his own demise.

Jones had the opportunity to correct his "mistake", yet he didn't even interview CG before he hired Wade. His "admission" was a worthless "Chan's a great guy" throw away compliment.

[evilbuffalobob]

A player (college or pro) with a head on his neck, and a neck on his shoulders should appreciate that fact that the new regime is about performance on the field, progression in professional skill, and being men- tough and fearless. The game of football is war. We don't need guys who enlist because they want to cook for the boys and see them naked in the shower... we need infantrymen, fighters, skilled specialists and generals who battle alongside their troops. Trent is none of these things, and never will be (except a prep cook).

 

So beat it with the feel sorry, democrap view, special touch, pink lace hankerchief poetry. This is (American) football.

[Buftex]

Thanks for sharing.

 

 

From what I heard, perhaps one of the best liked current Bills players, Brian Moorman and George Wilson (two team captains if I am not mistaken) were among the most vocally upset by the way things went down with Edwards. FWIW... there is a sense, among many, that Trent has become a scapegoat for a lot of inadequacies on the offense.

 

My own two cents... a lot of these guys have been playing together, and underachieving together, for 4 or 5 years. It is only human nature to form a strong opinion about the problems with a team, when things aren't going well.

 

The notion amongst Trents' supportive teammates was that he was a tireless worker, who led by example, and should have been treated a little more respectfully. He was released early in the morning, and gone before any of his (former) teammates and coaches showed up for work. He wasn't given the opportunity to speak with anyone. And, he was pretty upset.

Edited September 28, 2010 by Buftex

[LABills08]

Huh? Why all this talk about how this looks bad for the Bills. We already look bad. The way to start looking good is by winning some damned football games. Getting rid of dead weight seems like an okay place to start.

 

Repercussions, my ass. You mean all those free agents who so desperately don't want to play for us still don't want to play for us? What a catastrophe. The way you attract these guys is by fielding a decent football game, not by hanging onto worthless players to save face.

 

 

I agree with all that. I just would have preferred Edwards were released back in August so that I could at least find reason to believe that the Bills had some semblance of new direction. Instead, it feels like more reactionary decisions. At least the Trent decision has a net neutral effect aside from locker room discontent.

[Rob's House]

That's $1,358,824 in savings.

If that's the real reason that sucks. Trent is probably finished, but he came in here, played behind the worst line the NFL had to offer for 3 seasons, got his brain scrambled, and they cut him for what might well be the last year of his NFL career to save a few bucks?

 

It might have been the right move, but I can't help but feel bad for the guy. Even though he's finished IMO.

[Sisyphean Bills]

This was so abrupt that it seems that Edwards and his agent had to have some hand in the process. Timing is everything in professional sports and its stands to reason that TE would like to get out of Buffalo as quickly as possible. And Buffalo was only to happy to accomodate him.

Gailey completely denied that. He said that Trent did not want to be released and was not at all happy about it.

[The Dean]

+100. I'm all for optimism. For the past 10 seasons I've always thought the Bills are going to "surprise some people". And guess what, I'll have that same feeling next season.

 

But, its about time this organization earns our faith. Fans have every right to be suspicious of the crap this organization pulls.

 

Certainly understandable. But if you simply criticize every move the team makes, because they have underperformed for years, you lose your objectivity as an observer. (I'm not suggesting you have, yet.)

 

Knee-jerk negativity is as useless as knee-jerk optimism. I believe the criticism over the Edwards release is simply knee-jerk negativity.

[dave mcbride]

66-94 in the 00s. Rumors that the owner or at the least non-football people still interfere. And they're in Year 0 of another rebuild. Critical? I guess I would like to see a winning season more than once in a decade. Results matter.

 

Coincidentally, the team represented by my avatar is 62-94 right now. They've been playing decently of late, though, so they might end up with the same exact record as the Bills very soon.

Edited September 28, 2010 by dave mcbride

[Sisyphean Bills]

Also, I think this says it all:

 

I'm telling you. This decision came from up above Nix.

Completely agree. Gailey never said that it was entirely his decision. He actually praises Trent as a professional and for having given everything he had to give to the team. Who does that after a very abrupt about-face decision? Nobody. If this was the Raiders, Al Davis would be snarling and fuming, contradicting himself as he spins laughable conspiracy nonsense.

 

Everything about that press conference said this wasn't truly Chan's decision, but something that came down from on high.

[LABills08]

Certainly understandable. But if you simply criticize every move the team makes, because they have underperformed for years, you lose your objectivity as an observer. (I'm not suggesting you have, yet.)

 

Knee-jerk negativity is as useless as knee-jerk optimism. I believe the criticism over the Edwards release is simply knee-jerk negativity.

 

You might be right. I probably would think less of this if the Bills had demonstrated some semblance of competence in the past 10 years. I should probably cut Nix and Gailey some more slack. It could be worse, like when Jauron decided to stay overly loyal to players.

 

For me, its not so straight forward. I'm happy that the Edwards adventure is over. But, the way in which it was done makes me worried. It leads me to believe that something weird is going on behind the scenes. I might be totally wrong, maybe it was simply a mistake by Gailey to so easily have entrusted Trent with the offense. But, it just doesn't add up to me. I wanted to see an executed vision put forth by Gailey and Nix. Maybe I'm living in fantasy land to think that transitions happen smoothly. And maybe this is just a case of Gailey and Nix making the hard decisions.

 

But, at the moment it just comes off like more reactionary decision making. And, I felt essentially the same way after it was reported that Fitz was replacing Edwards, so it doesn't have to do with him being released. It just has to do with the erratic decision making and my suspicions that there is still unneeded tampering going on from those higher up than Nix.

[Rico]

From what I heard, perhaps one of the best liked current Bills players, Brian Moorman and George Wilson (two team captains if I am not mistaken) were among the most vocally upset by the way things went down with Edwards. FWIW... there is a sense, among many, that Trent has become a scapegoat for a lot of inadequacies on the offense.

 

My own two cents... a lot of these guys have been playing together, and underachieving together, for 4 or 5 years. It is only human nature to form a strong opinion about the problems with a team, when things aren't going well.

Wasn't Edwards a team captain too?

 

Your take makes sense to me. I do think the situation wasn't handled very well at all... but I don't really care anymore either, I'm just waiting for new ownership.