It's been there for a year - WHAT?

[Hapless Bills Fan]

It's been there for a year? Won't return this season?

 

How could this guy clear two physicals with an unhealed year-long injury?

 

Did Nix and Gailey know about this and persuade the team's doctors pass him through?

Do they have some kind of agreement with Merriman to stay past this season?

 

Linky

 

I'd like to have the benefit of the doubt that there's a plan here, just like to know what it is.

[Doc]

Merriman was brought in mostly to be a mentor for the younger guys, and reports are that he's doing just that. I think that playing would have been an added bonus, but that's looking highly unlikely at this point.

[John from Riverside]

If it would have been a bad thing if he stays and plays for us next season?

[Hapless Bills Fan]

If it would have been a bad thing if he stays and plays for us next season?

 

It would be a fine thing if he stays and plays for us next season, I'd just like to know what is the plan

We pay him and let him heal up for 12 months so he can go play for Miami or NE*

 

Merriman was brought in mostly to be a mentor for the younger guys, and reports are that he's doing just that. I think that playing would have been an added bonus, but that's looking highly unlikely at this point.

 

Doc with all respect, there are guys on a football team who are paid to mentor younger guys. They're called "position coaches"

There are also guys on a football team who mentor young guys by setting an example, showing how it's actually done in a way coaches can't.

They're on the active roster and they play on Sunday.

 

Give up a roster spot and bring someone in "mostly to be a mentor for the younger guys", that's sad on Bill's defensive coaching staff if it's true.

[Munch]

Merriman was brought in mostly to be a mentor for the younger guys, and reports are that he's doing just that. I think that playing would have been an added bonus, but that's looking highly unlikely at this point.

 

Merriman was brought in to play, and help one of the weakest LB corps in the NFL, not give pointers to the young guys. He told us he was ready to play, and obviously he lied.

[gobillsinytown]

Merriman was brought in to play, and help one of the weakest LB corps in the NFL, not give pointers to the young guys. He told us he was ready to play, and obviously he lied.

The type of injury he has takes a long time to heal, and can be very tough to come back from. I doubt he lied. After rehab, the only way to find out if the injury has healed enough is to go out on the practice field and find out. When he did, he discovered that it's not ready. In the meantime, he has value because he's been successful enough to understand the finer points of rushing the passer from the linebacker position, and young enough to relate to the linebackers on the roster. If the injury heals up enough for him to play this year, he'll provide an extra punch in passing situations as a rush linebacker. If the injury doesn't heal, then he's most likely done. The 2011 season is still in doubt, so no one is planning anything beyond the end of this year.

[MarkyMannn]

Merriman was brought in mostly to be a mentor for the younger guys, and reports are that he's doing just that.

 

I would have rather seen Darryl Talley come in. For $1.8m for a couple months work, I'm sure he would have

[Munch]

The type of injury he has takes a long time to heal, and can be very tough to come back from. I doubt he lied. After rehab, the only way to find out if the injury has healed enough is to go out on the practice field and find out. When he did, he discovered that it's not ready. In the meantime, he has value because he's been successful enough to understand the finer points of rushing the passer from the linebacker position, and young enough to relate to the linebackers on the roster. If the injury heals up enough for him to play this year, he'll provide an extra punch in passing situations as a rush linebacker. If the injury doesn't heal, then he's most likely done. The 2011 season is still in doubt, so no one is planning anything beyond the end of this year.

 

I know its a tough injury, but you have to know its not ready. No one knows their body like the person, and its not like he practiced for 2 weeks and then it happened. It happened his first day back. He said in his press conference hes ready to go. There is no way he didnt know this was still there, and a major issue.

 

I would have rather seen Darryl Talley come in. For $1.8m for a couple months work, I'm sure he would have

 

+1

[1B4IDie]

Merriman was brought in to play, and help one of the weakest LB corps in the NFL, not give pointers to the young guys. He told us he was ready to play, and obviously he lied.

Press conferences are filled with empty rhetoric and posturing.

He postured that he was ready.

Its silly to be upset with him over empty rhetoric. The real question is how trained medical personal miss the injury.

 

If he is acting as a coach it could be helpful. It definitely seems like Edwards can use all the help he can get. Based on the way Merriman presented his comments in the press conference he seems to have his wits about him and say the right thing.

I really don't think it seems likely that he is invested in this team if he is really out for the year unless he is trying to prove his worth as a LB coach.

Edited November 27, 2010 by Why So Serious?

[Sisyphean Bills]

This is Shawne Merriman, right? The guy that thought he could play a full season on a blown knee?

 

He wanted to believe he was 100% and can still play at an elite level and the Bills brass wanted to believe him.

[Munch]

Press conferences are filled with empty rhetoric and posturing.

He postured that he was ready.

Its silly to be upset with him over empty rhetoric. The real question is how trained medical personal miss the injury.

 

If he is acting as a coach it could be helpful. It definitely seems like Edwards can use all the help he can get. Based on the way Merriman presented his comments in the press conference he seems to have his wits about him and say the right thing.

I really don't think it seems likely that he is invested in this team if he is really out for the year unless he is trying to prove his worth as a LB coach.

 

I am not upset with him at all. I am not the one paying him to sit, and I never believed he would stay in Buffalo longer than he had to anyways, so from my perspective its nothing lost/nothing gained.

 

The 2nd part of the sentence is 100% true. You would think that thats something they would find pretty quick and easy, once he started making "football moves" and cuts. That part does concern me a bit- I mean how hard was this physical to pass? Maybe they needed something to help the fans stay on board at that time, and were willing to overlook a few things to get the name. My guess is we'll never know, but to get injured almost immediately when you step on the field, raises plenty of red flags, not just with Merriman.

[Sisyphean Bills]

I am not upset with him at all. I am not the one paying him to sit, and I never believed he would stay in Buffalo longer than he had to anyways, so from my perspective its nothing lost/nothing gained.

 

The 2nd part of the sentence is 100% true. You would think that thats something they would find pretty quick and easy, once he started making "football moves" and cuts. That part does concern me a bit- I mean how hard was this physical to pass? Maybe they needed something to help the fans stay on board at that time, and were willing to overlook a few things to get the name. My guess is we'll never know, but to get injured almost immediately when you step on the field, raises plenty of red flags, not just with Merriman.

Well, they don't set up a press conference when they sign Joe Klopfenstein, do they?

[jr1]

A lot of doctors are star !@#$ers and will lie

[San-O]

It's been there for a year? Won't return this season?

 

How could this guy clear two physicals with an unhealed year-long injury?

 

Did Nix and Gailey know about this and persuade the team's doctors pass him through?

Do they have some kind of agreement with Merriman to stay past this season?

 

Linky

 

I'd like to have the benefit of the doubt that there's a plan here, just like to know what it is.

 

 

He's been out injured all year with that achilles, and calf, since week 1.

 

It wasn't a secret out here.

 

 

http://www.nfl.com/injuries?week=1

[billsfan in n.h]

I would have rather seen Darryl Talley come in. For $1.8m for a couple months work, I'm sure he would have

DAMN STRAIGHT

[mrags]

Maybe the Bills brass looked at it as an opportunity. If Merriman is healthy, he plays, and helps this defense. If he doesn't play, maybe he comes in next year and we have one less LB to draft or pick up via FA. If he doesn't play and walks at the end of the year, we SHOULD be entitled to a compensation (or what ever it's called) draft pick.

[bowery4]

This still seems like a good move by the F.O. (to me) if he can play this year and he has anything left it may show or not. In some ways it doesn't really matter, if he ever plays this year.

 

He may have made an agreement that he would sign with us next year even if he didn't see the field. Since Buddy has a pretty long history with him in SD and by the sounds of it knows him pretty well, I think they may have had an honest talk about his "future" before they signed him for the rest of this year. Personally I don't care either way (it is not like his roster spot is more valuable than Maybin's or McCargo's.

 

I doubt he became a con artist just because he was bad for a while and bothered by injuries. Maybe he was just very unhappy with AJ Smith (like that never happens).

Maybe him sitting is in the plan because they want to be able to have him practice if he can. Even if they passed him for his physical (and shouldn't have) and he doesn't come make it on the field this year for the Bills. It could just be that they gave him a 1.6 mil or what ever it is to secure his spot on the roster next year as a bonus (which would be skirting the rules a bit, I think but this is one way to do it).

 

Lets face it, if he can still play and he plays anywhere like he did a few years ago, he is worth keeping around in what ever way they can. We could be the first in line in the FA market for him now because he just got a big bit of commitment from the Bills. If it doesn't work out that way, well it is still cheaper than the Green at LT experiment and he was never a former probowler. We don't lose from it RW does and he would be the pissed one I would think if it fails. Some players never make it back from a achilles injury and if they do it is a very long process, that is why London Flecter went if I remember correctly.

 

One last thing we have been playing better D since he has been here not doing anything.

[AReed Deep For 7]

him and stroud should get back on the juice together and actually look like NFL football players......... and it wouldnt hurt that little high school muscled maybin either. haha

[spartacus]

Merriman was brought in mostly to be a mentor for the younger guys, and reports are that he's doing just that.  I think that playing would have been an added bonus, but that's looking highly unlikely at this point.

 

it would be cheaper just to hire good coaches that know what they are doing

 

 

 

 

 

 

[thurst44]

This still seems like a good move by the F.O. (to me) if he can play this year and he has anything left it may show or not. In some ways it doesn't really matter, if he ever plays this year.

 

He may have made an agreement that he would sign with us next year even if he didn't see the field. Since Buddy has a pretty long history with him in SD and by the sounds of it knows him pretty well, I think they may have had an honest talk about his "future" before they signed him for the rest of this year. Personally I don't care either way (it is not like his roster spot is more valuable than Maybin's or McCargo's.

 

I doubt he became a con artist just because he was bad for a while and bothered by injuries. Maybe he was just very unhappy with AJ Smith (like that never happens).

Maybe him sitting is in the plan because they want to be able to have him practice if he can. Even if they passed him for his physical (and shouldn't have) and he doesn't come make it on the field this year for the Bills. It could just be that they gave him a 1.6 mil or what ever it is to secure his spot on the roster next year as a bonus (which would be skirting the rules a bit, I think but this is one way to do it).

 

Lets face it, if he can still play and he plays anywhere like he did a few years ago, he is worth keeping around in what ever way they can. We could be the first in line in the FA market for him now because he just got a big bit of commitment from the Bills. If it doesn't work out that way, well it is still cheaper than the Green at LT experiment and he was never a former probowler. We don't lose from it RW does and he would be the pissed one I would think if it fails. Some players never make it back from a achilles injury and if they do it is a very long process, that is why London Flecter went if I remember correctly.

 

One last thing we have been playing better D since he has been here not doing anything.

 

Well said. And people should stop assuming that absolutely no one wants to play/live in Buffalo. How many players have stayed in the city after their playing days? It seems like the whole 90s bunch found a home in the Queen City. (hell, i've been out of buffalo for over a decade, it's not my birthplace, and i have no plans on coming back to live, but i still initially wrote "here") Maybe, Merriman likes it here...or perhaps he'll want to help the team return to its former glory. Or he doesn't and will follow the money. However, ultimately, we don't really know.