The Trent situation was not handled well

[34-78-83]

Right. Cutting your starting QB as of a week ago with the plan of "we'll do something" is "nothing".

 

psst... If you haven't noticed yet, Nix doesn't like to share information, nor does he care to appease the media with "proper" sounding answers that will calm fans little hearts. Based on his history he does know player personnel though...

[RkFast]

You are trying way way too hard to make something out of nothing...

 

IMO, a lot of poeple are. A lot of fans, a lot of columnists, etc. It seems no matter what goes down at OBD, its met with a huge huge amount of second guessing and critique. They couldnt change the type of paint they use for the field lines without a scathing review and 'analysis' oif the decision making process.

 

But as annoying as that can be, its the lay of the land when youve been bad for so long.

Edited September 28, 2010 by RkFast

[Peter]

How did that work for us last year?

 

Well...the Niners just fired their OC 2 games into their season (their 6th OC in 4 years) and no one seems to be b!tching about that.

 

Yep.

 

People defending this fiasco are unbelievable. Players found out that one of their captains, and starting QB 8 days before, gets cut not from Gailey or some other Bills person, but from watching ESPN! Regardless of what you think of Edwards as a QB, this is the definition of a clown organization, pure and simple.

 

Now consider this. Assuming the Bills don't sign another QB by Sunday they have Fitz and Brohm. If, God forbid, Fitz goes down (they are playing a real defense this week remember, not the Pats) that leaves Brohm and who as a backup ... Roscoe is it? Then the Bills have to scramble and sign whoever will agree to come to this team. They don't even have a QB on the practice squad to call up I don't believe. If the Bills cut Edwards just for the hell of it, or to send a message, or whatever other bull **** reasons have been thrown around without being close to signing some other QB then they are every bit the joke organization that the majority of the media is making them out to be. We will know this by Sunday.

[scotty0424]

If you're not going to produce, you shouldn't play. If you're not going to [play, you shouldn't be on the team. This isn't a personal support network, it's the National Football League, and the message here is contribute or hit the road. Anyone on the Bills who wasn't aware of that just got a wake-up call.

[GG]

Whats so bad about cutting a player who had no future with the team? Trent was gone at season's end after being benched. So why not get rid of him and look to bring in someone who might contribute in the future. The teeth gnashing over this is nothing more than people being negative jackasses for the sake of trashing the Bills. And no surprise its the usual suspects are the ones acting irrationally.

 

Anyone whining about getting rid of Edwards simply needs to re-watch the first 2 games of this year. You really want that guy on your roster?

 

The whining is the continuing reinforcement that this franchise is run on an amateur level. I don't think that many would disagree that TE has run out of his chances with the team. But the knee jerk response is not to cut him, especially when you do not have a back up plan. That is not how a professional organization is set up and run.

 

The fans may like their instant gratification, but the league insiders, agents and players are scratching their heads.

 

Then, the fans go away for a week and wonder why this frnachise has floundered for the vast majority of its 50-yr existence.

Edited September 28, 2010 by GG

[Sisyphean Bills]

psst... If you haven't noticed yet, Nix doesn't like to share information, nor does he care to appease the media with "proper" sounding answers that will calm fans little hearts. Based on his history he does know player personnel though...

In Buddy, we trust. Got it.

[CodeMonkey]

psst... If you haven't noticed yet, Nix doesn't like to share information, nor does he care to appease the media with "proper" sounding answers that will calm fans little hearts. Based on his history he does know player personnel though...

We will see.

[dave mcbride]

I'm a Yanks fan, but I remember the late eighties/early nineties when people were happy that Steinbrenner had been suspended. GS is lauded now, but those years set them up long term. Thing is, I don't get the sense that RW is much different than Angelos right now, despite the latter having hired a GM who seems to have some say.

 

Rico mentioned the change in ownership. I think that's the light at the end of the tunnel. Or, the proverbial train coming. Either way, when you watch other successful NFL teams, you don't see these sorts of moves. I'm miffed at the timing and believe this move will not be forgotten by the players. Then again, Chris Kelsay probably won't mind.

I'm a Yanks fan too, but the Bills don't quite resemble the Yanks ...

[MClem06]

OK this post makes no sense. It's a typical "oh no! we'll get bashed by the media for doing this" knee jerk reaction. WHO CARES!! I like the decision personally. The fact of the matter is that Trent was a "camp favorite" going into the season but once the lights were on and the cameras were rolling he turned into a QB who did not play with confidence, did not perform and deserved to be released. When the press asks the question of why we had him as our starter at the beginning of the season to then cutting him, that is the argument. He DIDN'T perform when the cameras were rolling. I agree that this was most likely a front office move but it was the right move and we don't have time to deal with mediocrity if we intend to win at all this season.

[DC Tom]

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.

 

But you have to admit, there's a certain level of dysfunction in a decision-making process represented by a QB "earning" the starting spot in preseason, then being benched after week 2, and cut after week 3.

 

Whether or not you think cutting him was right or not is irrelevent, frankly. I've never been in an environment where that sort of decision-making wasn't a sign of dysfunction. Hell, when I make decisions in that fashion, it's considered a symptom of mental illness.

[Sisyphean Bills]

By the way, if you are a coach and your plan is that you are going to have a quick hook at the most important position on the team going into the situation and that in following your master plan you will plug and play QBs until you find one, then riddle me this question. Why would you invest all of the 1st team snaps in one guy? If your perfect plan included the possibility that you would just cut the first guy to fail after as few as two games, why would you wait until the 4th week to start getting option #3 up to speed and some reps with the offense? Why start getting your Brohm ready for the clean sweep in late September?

 

I know, I know. Throw away your Socratic questions and just trust the professionals running the team.

[Sweet Lou]

And for the record, myself and others didn't or don't hate Trent Edwards. It was his lack of competitiveness that forced our hand to moderately dis-like him. There is a difference! As a general rule, we americans are a very competitive breed (mostly men) and every little thing is a contest. But not for Trent!! I'm 52 and still compete in Americas toughest sport (mx racing) because I'm a non-stop "competitor" and I'm not doing it for a living. I am doing it because I love it! And that is the difference between Trent and other competitive athletes and why we moderately dis-like him. He has no heart and without that you are a competitor in absolutely nothing.

 

Let's face facts, Trent had one of only 30 jobs in the entire world. And a very coveted occupation regardless of your athletic proess.

How he got the starters job and held onto it for so long is what baffles me. I've said it before (in text) and I'll say it again; Stevie Wonder amongst others could see how poorly this man played. Why can't his followers?

 

Bottom line; It wasn't our decision to cut Trent Edwards. As the fans, it's our decision to back the organization, or find another hobby!

[Ronin]

I understand that TE was benched for this play, but cutting him in this manner will have ramifications. The way this was handled reflects poorly on the front office, and these type of things do impact the perceptions that players have of a team (in this case the Bills). Yes, the media and the experts are already negative about the Bills, including our front office, but there are many reasons that college players and free agents will not be attracted to the Bills, and creating new reasons is not helpful. Overall, the impression is that this team and organization are a mess. Maybe cutting TE was the right move, but it sure makes the team look bad on a number of levels and feeds the impression that our front office and coaching staff are clueless.

 

I have no problems disagreeing with the so called experts, but they seem to be right about the Bills a lot lately. After 10 years of futility, it is becoming increasingly difficult to disagree with the negative perceptions of this team and I am becoming concerned with the ability of the current front office to make good decisions and build a winning team.

Edwards got more benefit of the doubt than Losman did. Kelly Holcomb was better.

Edited September 28, 2010 by TaskersGhost

[Buftex]

Edwards got more benefit of the doubt than Losman did. Kelly Holcomb was better.

 

 

Two years later, and JP is still getting the benefit of a doubt. Not sure what you are talking about. Holcomb was better than Edwards and Losman, but that isn't saying much. I think Fitz is better than Holcomb...

[thewildrabbit]

psst... If you haven't noticed yet, Nix doesn't like to share information, nor does he care to appease the media with "proper" sounding answers that will calm fans little hearts. Based on his history he does know player personnel though...

Yea, the same guy who signed RT Cornell Green for 3 mil per to upgrade the O line... I'm holding my breath for his next acquisition

[Philly McButterpants]

Speaking of shallow thinking: if 6 to 10 teams put a waiver claim in, is he really "worthless"?

 

Teams are never built in late September. Gailey spilled the beans that this wasn't a move to clear a roster spot and bring in someone to help the team. It was purely a dump to get rid of a guy. Even if you suppose a player is "worthless" (which he clearly isn't), how does a plan to replace a consummate pro with nothing but vacuum in late September IMPROVE a team? Answer: it doesn't.

 

God, this is re-diculous. . . He didn't just lose the starting spot. After Sunday, the brain trust decided that he wouldn't even be the back-up. He would have to be the 3rd string QB. That's a big fall. Why leave a guy that will likely have a VERY bad attitude in the locker room, turn all of his buddies into haters as well? Why pay that guy $1.5 mil? Levi Brown can do that making $35K or what ever tiny amount practice squad guys make.

 

There was no way he was ever going to se the field again. Fitz put up 23 points on the Pat*s, on the road, with the exact same players and packages. Time to cut him loose and see if he can get picked up elsewhere . . .

[Peter]

That is interesting:

 

"Official Trent Edwards Haters Sign Up Page"

 

And for the record, myself and others didn't or don't hate Trent Edwards.

 

[The Dean]

But you have to admit, there's a certain level of dysfunction in a decision-making process represented by a QB "earning" the starting spot in preseason, then being benched after week 2, and cut after week 3.

 

 

Football isn't an exact science. I would have preferred the FO made the decision to get rid of Trent before the season started. But given all the variables here, I can understand why they might have decided to give him another shot at the starting role. Sometimes bad decisions are made for good reasons and/or with bad intentions. While I didn't like the decision to start Trent, I gave the staff a pass on that one.

 

As for making the quick decision to correct that mistake, I say "Bravo!" Too many people live with bad decisions because they are afraid of how the admission and correction of that bad decision will reflect on them. I tip my hat to Buddy and/or Chan to dispense with that image garbage and simply do what is best going forward. With a team as screwed-up as the Bills, I expect there may be a few more "odd decisions" and think they should be judged on their merits, and not on the process or whether other teams/HCs/GMs have done similar things in the past.

[jabtot]

I understand that TE was benched for this play, but cutting him in this manner will have ramifications. The way this was handled reflects poorly on the front office, and these type of things do impact the perceptions that players have of a team (in this case the Bills). Yes, the media and the experts are already negative about the Bills, including our front office, but there are many reasons that college players and free agents will not be attracted to the Bills, and creating new reasons is not helpful. Overall, the impression is that this team and organization are a mess. Maybe cutting TE was the right move, but it sure makes the team look bad on a number of levels and feeds the impression that our front office and coaching staff are clueless.

 

I have no problems disagreeing with the so called experts, but they seem to be right about the Bills a lot lately. After 10 years of futility, it is becoming increasingly difficult to disagree with the negative perceptions of this team and I am becoming concerned with the ability of the current front office to make good decisions and build a winning team.

 

Naw....this move was made by Chan Gailey, the new sheriff in town. It makes no sense to keep TE on the roster.

The TE days were done. He was not going to play anymore,even if RF got hurt.

Look it's so obvious...Trent took a bad hit in the Arizona game. Got a pretty good concussion out of it.

It can make you hesitant when you go to throw. You don't want to get hit like that again. It just happened.

[34-78-83]

In Buddy, we trust. Got it.

 

Not sure where I said I trust in him... although I do see the logic in this latest move.

I do hope he continues his success in personnel evaluation though.