Everyone else is doing it

[frogger]

Let Ayodele, Ellison, McCargo and Whitner walk.

 

re-sign everyone else, including Poz, Wilson, Youboty, Florence and Wrotto.

 

Sign-

Wayne Hunter OT, was swing tackle for the jets, and filled in well for damien Woody during playoffs. 29 years old.

Keyaron Fox-could start inside or add depth, played at GT

Thomas Howard-good cover LB, could start at ILB or just be used on passing downs.

Randy McMichael TE-played for Wannstedt in Miami

Shaun Cody 34 DE-added depth

Notice the trend, no huge stars, no huge contracts

 

1-with the new palmer situation in Cinci, our pick becomes more valuable, so we trade down to the team that wants to get the best QB in the draft.

our Pick Von Miller, let us not forget the 34 defense is a Linebacker defense, I can't see drafting a player that's responsibility is to protect the LBs. Miller could be our Matthews, Suggs or Ware. He is a excellent pass rusher and good enough in coverage. He has played LB in college. Opposite Merriman or Moats could be fun.

 

2a-Mike Pouncey-Guard, allowing Wood to stay at Center. He will slip into the 2nd, the team that might bite is Pitt, my response to that is Jonathon Scott is their starting LT. Bell(much improved)-Levitre-Wood-Pouncey-open

 

2b-to move up to the 3rd pick takes a 2nd rounder, I am hoping a QB emerges...

Gabe Carimi- after he runs a poor 40, and only does the 225 21 times, people will question his abilities, we get a steal. could start at RT day one. Next year if we get a QB he'll have time behind the line. That open spot, at RT, looks a little bit less open now

 

3- Kendrick Ellis NT to protect the LBs, this would allow Williams to move to RE, lined up in the 3 tech, where he could best penetrate. Stroud still holds the LE spot. Troupe and Ellis battle for NT

 

Trade our 4b, next years 3rd and Roscoe Parrish for a 3rd

3b Mark Herzlich-The feel good player of the draft is now in Buffalo. I think he beats out the Vets to start at the other ILB. Prior to Illness he would have been a 1st round pick, but now a mid 3rd.

 

4a-DJ Williams-when you are 6'2" 235 pounds and you play TE you don't get picked high in the draft, he falls to the 4th. He is a good blocker despite size limitations. Gives Buffalo an over the middle target.

 

5-Andy Dalton-QB, all he did in college was win

 

6-Jay Valai-safety back up, short but will hit, and a potential special teams star

watch

 

7- Allen Bradford RB, a big RB

[bowery4]

So many things on your list I don't like. I will just say I am happy you are not the GM, Roscoe is staying, I doubt they trade down, reading Buddy's interview today it won't surprise me if they take a WR or a CB if they think he is the best player. I honestly pretty much agree with those decisions as we get better by taking the best playmakers. Yes we need Dline and LBs and a RT and TE.

 

I just think we will see a lot in FA too. your let walk list I guess I am ok with but I hope we get much better at LB positions, we will also need to draft or get another safety if Whitner goes. There are better players we should try to get than your list to sign though. If they plan on keeping Wood at center (another thing I got from Nix's interview) I would hope they go strong after Mankins. There are also better LBs and TEs in FA this year. I think they have to really try to make some of those upgrades.

I guess I think the team needs a lot and don't see that they will or can get it all done in one year. Hoping they will do a lot but to compete in our division is still going to be tough, I expect we will see a bunch more changes this year but to improve to a 10 win team and a playoff run is still 2 years away.

[frogger]

I just don't foresee buffalo signing a big named free agent. To start, buffalo does not have the lore of good weather, a recent winning history and a large market. buddy will build through the draft and pick up familiar players to the coaching staff and people he once scouted. The big names would be ex chargers, two possible players would be cromartie or Jackson.

 

Free agent guards typically don't workout in buffalo...see panos and DD.

[Rockinon]

So many things on your list I don't like. I will just say I am happy you are not the GM, Roscoe is staying, I doubt they trade down, reading Buddy's interview today it won't surprise me if they take a WR or a CB if they think he is the best player. I honestly pretty much agree with those decisions as we get better by taking the best playmakers. Yes we need Dline and LBs and a RT and TE.

 

I just think we will see a lot in FA too. your let walk list I guess I am ok with but I hope we get much better at LB positions, we will also need to draft or get another safety if Whitner goes. There are better players we should try to get than your list to sign though. If they plan on keeping Wood at center (another thing I got from Nix's interview) I would hope they go strong after Mankins. There are also better LBs and TEs in FA this year. I think they have to really try to make some of those upgrades.

I guess I think the team needs a lot and don't see that they will or can get it all done in one year. Hoping they will do a lot but to compete in our division is still going to be tough, I expect we will see a bunch more changes this year but to improve to a 10 win team and a playoff run is still 2 years away.

 

Both you and the OP make some valid points. The thing is, a lot of people on this board tend to zero in on one thing and just can't seem to see past that. (A. We need a franchise QB. B. We need a big DT. etc...) Thing is, both FA and the Draft are a crap shoot at best. Your competing against all the other teams in the NFL to improve your team. The thing that impresses me about the OP is that he is looking at other options that many here are not. The thing that I don't agree with is that this team really does need to find impact players. I'm hoping that we go after some hard hitting LBs myself(first over all pick? maybe....maybe not). I just want to see the run stopped because I think it is the #1 glaring weakness of this team. How we get there does not really matter, because the variables are always changing. There is no such thing as fixed formula that will work.

 

I think Nix is not one to allow himself to be fixated on one player. He wants impact players and is willing to find them wherever they may be available and that's a good thing. His pickup of Chan Gaily and now Dave W. are good moves. His pickup of Dwan Edwards and Shawne Merriman on the open market are good moves. His pick up of Carrington, Moats and Troupe in the draft are good moves. The thing is, he seems to be looking for ways to improve at every corner. We'll just have to wait to see what he has up his sleeve next.

[mattsox]

I just don't foresee buffalo signing a big named free agent. To start, buffalo does not have the lore of good weather, a recent winning history and a large market. buddy will build through the draft and pick up familiar players to the coaching staff and people he once scouted. The big names would be ex chargers, two possible players would be cromartie or Jackson.

 

Free agent guards typically don't workout in buffalo...see panos and DD.

 

The Bills MUST go after Big Name Free Agents in order to improve the team. I know this goes outside the box/Buddy Nix's thinking, yada, yada yada.

The excuses are BS. We need BIG help in order to compete in this division/league. Yes you build through the draft, but the Bills Need to persue Big names in order to attract others down the road. The whole landscape needs to change. In order to change the culture and the way the NFL sees the Bills, it MUST CHANGE.

Edited January 26, 2011 by mattsox

[Green Lightning]

The only big name FA I'd love the Bills to chase is David Harris. He'd be a monster addition. Mid range pick ups after that are fine as we are building via draft.