Criticism of Nix

[Malazan]

There's a lot of things you can criticize Nix for, but the problem is a lot of it on this board reminds me of this:

 

[Kelly the Dog]

Mine was the "stupid hypothetical"? I was just extended your....hypothetical to its logical conclusion (making an actual pick instead of prattling on about a propsects strengths and weaknesses, which takes less skill than actually making a decision). I'm standing by my position that ore than 1 in a thousand GMs, owners, players, scouts, etc...thought that pick was a reach/poorly thought out/flat out dumb. To claim otherwise is just....foolish.

 

Buddy's not the "Head of Scouting" anymore. He's the decision maker. When faced with key decisions, he's consistently whiffed.

 

If you want to hang your hat on "at least he's not totally incompetent", you can have that. Not sure how it helps.

I would never have taken TJ Graham myself in the third round, with other players there. But he was expected to go in the third or fourth round by a lot of people. NFL.com said he would go in the third. He was a sleeper pick on a lot of boards. So I would bet any amount of money there were all kinds of execs, scouts, GMs, coaches, and owners who didn't think it was a totally incompetent pick. He also, as evidenced above, outperformed most of the #2 and #3 picks in the draft.

[Malazan]

I would never have taken TJ Graham myself in the third round, with other players there. But he was expected to go in the third or fourth round by a lot of people. NFL.com said he would go in the third. He was a sleeper pick on a lot of boards. So I would bet any amount of money there were all kinds of execs, scouts, GMs, coaches, and owners who didn't think it was a totally incompetent pick. He also, as evidenced above, outperformed most of the #2 and #3 picks in the draft.

 

Don't bring your reality in here. The only way TJ Graham would ever be an acceptable pick is if the Bills didn't pick him!

[bananathumb]

• Buddy is stupider about football than Mike Schoop, who is stupider about football than my unborn grand-daughter.
  

[billsfan714]

I honestly dont know how anyone can defend Nix anymore but then again you have core group on here who will defend anything the Bills do. We had people who would vehemently defend Modrak, Ralph, Chan, Levy as GM and on and on. He hasn't improved this team one, I repeat not one game in the W-L record. Aren't we as fans entitled to expect some results after his 3 tenure?

 

1. He crapped the bed on the Merriman signing, blew what over 10 million on this bust who went on IR the first year during one of his first practices. Please spare me the "he tried", he way overpayed for a guy who was clearly done.

 

2. He way overpayed on extending Kelsay. Kelsay a guy who had a career high of 5.5 sacks in a season. Thats not a good player, that's journeyman. Kelsay a leader? exactly what did he ever lead this defense to?

 

3. Chan Gailey was as unispired coaching hire as Jauron was.

 

4. Hes used 50% of his 1st and 2nd round picks on RBs and CBs, that sound familiar these last 13 years?

 

5. His picks are into the podium before any team would have a chance to move up and offer picks. Listening to offers is part of your job as GM IMHO.

 

6. Enough people have mentioned the Williams and Troup picks especially when local boy Gronk was there and we needed a TE. For all the talk about its hard to get some players to come to Buffalo, you know who might want to play here? A guy like Gronk who was borned and raised here, you can throw in Williams from Tampa in that discussion who went in the middle rounds. It would of been nice to see a pick smile when we picked them instead of the disappointment Spiller and Gilmore displayed.

 

7. From the 4-3, to the 3-4 back to the 4-3 and now in year 4 we're going to be a hybrid. Building defenses that are not just bad, but historically bad, and historically bad by Buffalo Bills standards, that a high bar.

 

8. Overpayed for Anderson, we have over 10 million in dead money from Fitz's contract the next 2 years. Hmmm maybe that money could of been used to extend Levitre and Byrd. Byrd still isnt locked up to any deal, just franchised, what happens if he has another good year, doesn't the price go up and isnt there a limit on how many times you can franchise the same guy?

 

9. A previous poster mentioned Aaron Williams and a lot of people thought he wasnt a corner and better suited to safety. My question is this; SS and FS are not the same position and require different talents. If Williams isnt a SS, and is better suited to FS we wasted a 2nd on a guy who isnt a corner and will be backing up one of our stronger positions in Byrd.

 

10. One 7th rounder on a QB? Hell the Pats have Brady and used a 3rd on Mallett.

 

11. Timing our QB need for the weakest QB class in years---genius.

 

Going into year 4 this team seems to be going backwards and doesnt seem to have a ton of cap room. We have a group of receivers who are probably from top to bottom among the worst in the league. Our QBs regardless of the draft, will be viewed as one of the weakest in the league. Our TEs are Chandler and a couple of guys most hardcore NFL fans in other cities couldnt even name. The LBs nothing special, the corners not exactly all-pros, if Anderson doesnt work we have no blindside DE. Buddy has been given more than a fair opportunity, there is no reason to keep him out of loyalty, this is a results driven league. Either you produce or go. The only baby Nix has shown us is a deformed mutant.

Edited March 26, 2013 by billsfan714

[thewildrabbit]

I would never have taken TJ Graham myself in the third round, with other players there. But he was expected to go in the third or fourth round by a lot of people. NFL.com said he would go in the third. He was a sleeper pick on a lot of boards. So I would bet any amount of money there were all kinds of execs, scouts, GMs, coaches, and owners who didn't think it was a totally incompetent pick. He also, as evidenced above, outperformed most of the #2 and #3 picks in the draft.

Have a link to that statement? Or any statement by any site that corroborates any of that?

 

Because I can recall Mike Mayock sitting there in astonishment when the TJ Graham pick was announced! Mayock fumbled thru his notes looking for something on Graham and then stated he thought the kid was a 4th or 5th rounder. Then the NFL network went directly to a commercial.

 

Nobody had Graham as a 3rd round pick but Buddy Nix! Drafting a supposed burner who can't catch a cold was another useless band-aid move in the long line of useless draft picks / free agents acquired by the fabled backwater hick.

 

 

Not only do I think Nix is a horrible GM, and in way over his head. I also think he isn't a very good talent evaluator in any aspect. Fans here used to constantly complain about how badly Levy / Jauron set this franchise back years, those men have nothing on Buddy Nix....who is making Tom Modrak look brilliant.

 

How on gods green earth can anyone trust Nix to draft the 'franchise" QB this year. A man who let Chan Gailey pick Trent Edwards as his starter in 2010, only to cut him after two starts. Then gave Ryan Fitzpatrick a big unnecessary payday quantifying him as a starting NFL QB. Then didn't even bring in or draft a competent backup to even challenge for the starting QB job. Fitz was "the man" right up until Nix cut him. Gailey was "the man" right up until Nix fired him.

 

Like another poster in this thread stated. I can't wait for the Nix era to end and the Whaley era to begin. It has to be better then the last 3 years. 16-32

[CodeMonkey]

Like another poster in this thread stated. I can't wait for the Nix era to end and the Whaley era to begin. It has to be better then the last 3 years. 16-32

Yeah but be careful about what you wish for. Remember back during Jaurons last year with the Bills? All kinds of statements like "I can't wait for the Nix Jauron era to end and the Whaley Gailey era to begin. It has to be better than the last 3 years.". Edited March 27, 2013 by CodeMonkey

[JohnC]

Yeah but be careful about what you wish for. Remember back during Jaurons last year with the Bills? All kinds of statements like "I can't wait for the Nix Jauron era to end and the Whaley Gailey era to begin. It has to be better than the last 3 years.".

 

It is impossible to evaluate the potential replacement but it is certainly not too difficult to evaluate the current GM. If a 16-32 record is good enough for you then you have very low standards. Not holding someone accountable because you don't know how the next replacement will do makes little sense.

 

The current GM selected the HC who didn't work out. The current GM focused his three drafts on defense that has resulted in it being ranked near the bottom. The current GM has had three full draft years to come up with a qb prospect. He didn't even bother to try. He miscalculated in giving an erratic and weak armed qb a starting contract when he was never more than an adequate backup.

 

There are always the same lame excuses explaining away what can't be explained away: a pathetic record in a system designed for parity. The bottom line is an ill-equipped old scout was hired by a weird owner for a job he was never suited for. You don't send in a checkers player to play in a masters chess tournament.

Edited March 27, 2013 by JohnC

[Kelly the Dog]

Have a link to that statement? Or any statement by any site that corroborates any of that?

 

Because I can recall Mike Mayock sitting there in astonishment when the TJ Graham pick was announced! Mayock fumbled thru his notes looking for something on Graham and then stated he thought the kid was a 4th or 5th rounder. Then the NFL network went directly to a commercial.

 

Nobody had Graham as a 3rd round pick but Buddy Nix! Drafting a supposed burner who can't catch a cold was another useless band-aid move in the long line of useless draft picks / free agents acquired by the fabled backwater hick.

 

 

 

This is the first one I looked at and it said could go as high as third round.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2011/profiles/t.j.-graham?id=2532850

 

Graham is undersized at receiver but has started sparingly throughout his career for North Carolina State. His value lies in his speed. He is still a developing route runner and can get knocked for being a "track guy" who is unreliable across the middle. Nevertheless, his 40-yard dash time will be important throughout pro days and the combine, and he could be selected as high as the third round.

[CodeMonkey]

It is impossible to evaluate the potential replacement but it is certainly not too difficult to evaluate the current GM. If a 16-32 record is good enough for you then you have very low standards. Not holding someone accountable because you don't know how the next replacement will do makes little sense.

 

The current GM selected the HC who didn't work out. The current GM focused his three drafts on defense that has resulted in it being ranked near the bottom. The current GM has had three full draft years to come up with a qb prospect. He didn't even bother to try. He miscalculated in giving an erratic and weak armed qb a starting contract when he was never more than an adequate backup.

 

There are always the same lame excuses explaining away what can't be explained away: a pathetic record in a system designed for parity. The bottom line is an ill-equipped old scout was hired by a weird owner for a job he was never suited for. You don't send in a checkers player to play in a masters chess tournament.

I do not at all think Nix has done a good job. I'm just saying just because a player/coach/GM sucks doesn't automatically guarantee that the new player/coach/GM is going to be better. Particularly it seems in the Bills case.

It has to be better then the last 3 years.

In the Gailey for Jauron swap case as an example, it clearly was not better than the Jauron tenure.

Edited March 27, 2013 by CodeMonkey

[Sisyphean Bills]

I would never have taken TJ Graham myself in the third round, with other players there. But he was expected to go in the third or fourth round by a lot of people. NFL.com said he would go in the third. He was a sleeper pick on a lot of boards. So I would bet any amount of money there were all kinds of execs, scouts, GMs, coaches, and owners who didn't think it was a totally incompetent pick. He also, as evidenced above, outperformed most of the #2 and #3 picks in the draft.

 

You are talking about TJ Graham, right? He outperformed who? By what measure? Dropped passes? Does anybody else recall a thread a few months back discussing TJ Graham's rating as the worst WR in the NFL?

 

Many people correctly pointed out that Hilton (Colts) had a much better, more effective rookie campaign. To suggest Graham was better than all other 2nd and 3rd round picks smacks of a revisionist viewpoint when the reality was Graham only got on the field by virtue of injuries (Nelson, etc.). Chan Gailey publicly commented that he was not ready to play at one point during the season, and given his play Chan was not wrong. By the way, the run on small-body speed WRs came in the 4th round of the draft.

 

PS: Yes, there is a difference between chasing what was an impact-less player up the board instead of playing it closer to the vest and drafting what amounts to nearly a clone in the late 3rd or early 4th.

[JohnC]

I do not at all think Nix has done a good job. I'm just saying just because a player/coach/GM sucks doesn't automatically guarantee that the new player/coach/GM is going to be better. Particularly it seems in the Bills case.

 

In the Gailey for Jauron swap case as an example, it clearly was not better than the Jauron tenure.

 

There certainly are no guarantees in business or life for that matter. If elevated would Whaley do a better job than his predecessor? No one knows for sure because it is impossible to know for sure. All you can do is play the odds and do your best to hire the best qualified person for a very challenging position. The problem with the Bills is that under the current incompetent owner (now not involved) there never has been a serious hiring (search)process. The owner had a whimsical decision-making process where he resorted to hiring people he knew and was comfortable with. That inane way to staff your $1 Billion business was a recipe for disaster. What is even more crazy is that this clueless owner kept repeating the same failed hiring process.

 

Will Marrone be another one of the standard failed HCs? I can't say. What I can say is that the hiring process in which he was selected was done in a much more professional and comprehensive manner. I may be reading too much into that particular hiring process but at least it is an encouraging sign. I'm also encouraged that Nix and his staff are belatedly fully engaged and determined to come out of this draft with a legitimate franchise qb prospect. That is also a very promising sign.

[BuffBill]

I would love for fans to quit making excuses for Nix.

Hold your breath, you might look like Barney the dinosaur. Some fans you could put Ryan Leaf in a Bills uniform and some of these fools will say he is Canton bound. Unreal. Fact are facts, Nix is terrible.

[Mr. WEO]

This is the first one I looked at and it said could go as high as third round.

http://www.nfl.com/d...aham?id=2532850

 

"Graham is undersized at receiver but has started sparingly throughout his career for North Carolina State. His value lies in his speed. He is still a developing route runner and can get knocked for being a "track guy" who is unreliable across the middle."

 

Reading that completely unimpressive descriptor, I'm sure whoever wrote it never thought a team needing a QB (and particularly the Bills) would be the one jumping, no leaping, up to the 3rd to take Graham.

 

You've spent much time with your theory of why Nix would reach so high to take Graham (speed receiver to "stretch" the field...... for a QB who can't throw deep, etc) and you have convinced yourself that it was all very logical. No one will change your mind and that's fine, if believing that helps you live with the pick.

 

You are talking about TJ Graham, right? He outperformed who? By what measure? Dropped passes? Does anybody else recall a thread a few months back discussing TJ Graham's rating as the worst WR in the NFL?

 

Many people correctly pointed out that Hilton (Colts) had a much better, more effective rookie campaign. To suggest Graham was better than all other 2nd and 3rd round picks smacks of a revisionist viewpoint when the reality was Graham only got on the field by virtue of injuries (Nelson, etc.). Chan Gailey publicly commented that he was not ready to play at one point during the season, and given his play Chan was not wrong. By the way, the run on small-body speed WRs came in the 4th round of the draft.

 

PS: Yes, there is a difference between chasing what was an impact-less player up the board instead of playing it closer to the vest and drafting what amounts to nearly a clone in the late 3rd or early 4th.

 

As above.

[BuffBill]

Nix came into a rough position in 2010. The awful coach hired forced a 3-4 defense on him that was completely unwarranted, and he had a horrible draft because of it.

 

But, the QB woes fall on Nix, and he has to go. He forced himself into the awful position where the Bills must take a QB in this draft that is weak at the position. No foresight. The team is worse off than when he started.

Nix came into an rough position in 2010? The way he is going, whomever succeeds him, probably Whaley (although I think it would benefit the team if they brought in new blood), is goind to come into a 10X worse position then Nix did. He needs to go, and the sooner the better. Edited March 27, 2013 by BuffBill

[Kelly the Dog]

"Graham is undersized at receiver but has started sparingly throughout his career for North Carolina State. His value lies in his speed. He is still a developing route runner and can get knocked for being a "track guy" who is unreliable across the middle."

 

Reading that completely unimpressive descriptor, I'm sure whoever wrote it never thought a team needing a QB (and particularly the Bills) would be the one jumping, no leaping, up to the 3rd to take Graham.

 

You've spent much time with your theory of why Nix would reach so high to take Graham (speed receiver to "stretch" the field...... for a QB who can't throw deep, etc) and you have convinced yourself that it was all very logical. No one will change your mind and that's fine, if believing that helps you live with the pick.

 

 

 

As above.

I said it made logical sense, which it did. I wanted Wilson, I didn't like the pick at all, and I had never heard of TJ Graham, and I thought he sucked last year. I was just responding to certain posts with facts because I happen to read a lot.

 

I don't care what the draft analysis said other than he could go in the third round, because that is all I was referring to, because that is all I was talking about in that particular post.

 

And explain to me how a team desperately needs a speed WR, tries like hell (but fails) to get a speed WR in the first day of FA, then drafts a lightning fast speed WR in the third round is somehow illogical and stupid?

 

The choice of Graham, who still may turn out to be good, but who was infuriatingly bad last year, was the mistake. Which I have said pretty much 100 times.

[Luxy312]

Nix has been pretty bad in most aspects, but I won't ding him on his early draft picks. Gilmore may be the best cornerback of last years draft. He plays the best wide out on the field every down and that's at HIS request. Cordy Glenn is a legitimate starting left tackle. Is it any wonder that Fitz took so few sacks? Dareus and Spiller are studs. Not a doubt in my mind. They may have missed on 2nd rounders Williams and Troup, but how many teams can say they find starters in every year in that spot? None. But for his drafts, free agency has been a failure. Coaching choice has been a failure. He deserves the criticism he's received and I'm glad to see him go.

[Kelly the Dog]

You are talking about TJ Graham, right? He outperformed who? By what measure? Dropped passes? Does anybody else recall a thread a few months back discussing TJ Graham's rating as the worst WR in the NFL?

 

Many people correctly pointed out that Hilton (Colts) had a much better, more effective rookie campaign. To suggest Graham was better than all other 2nd and 3rd round picks smacks of a revisionist viewpoint when the reality was Graham only got on the field by virtue of injuries (Nelson, etc.). Chan Gailey publicly commented that he was not ready to play at one point during the season, and given his play Chan was not wrong. By the way, the run on small-body speed WRs came in the 4th round of the draft.

 

I didn't say ALL, I said MOST, which he did. Read post #72.

 

And I think it's almost herculean to catch 31 passes from the worst QB in organized or disorganized football, including peewee, street and intramural, who has never thrown one good pass, to teammates put together by a totally incompetent GM who knows absolutely nothing about talent, and coached by the worst coach ever. Frankly, TJ was practically Megatron out there under those circumstances.

[hondo in seattle]

We as fans will always second guess our GMs and coaches. It's part of the fun of being of being a fan. But the idea that we have posters who could be better GMs than Buddy is amusingly ridiculous.

 

Lots & lots of jobs appear easy when looking in from the outside. But even guys who devote countless hours to this stuff like Kiper and McShay are not being offered GM jobs. Matt Millen, who seemed to know a lot about football, was a far worse GM than Nix.

 

If the average fan was made GM, chaos would ensue. Scouts and other staff would quit because they'd rather go work for someone competent. Draft boards would be a joke. Other GMs would be calling to make poor-value offers to see if we were gullible enough to make the deal. And sometimes we would.

 

I'm not a Buddy apologist. I see no evidence so far to suggest that Buddy is above-average NFL GM. But I think some people here are overestimating their own abilities or underestimating the professional expertize involved in the NFL personnel field. If we fired Nix to replace him with a better GM, I'd be thrilled. If we fired Nix to replace him with someone on this board, I'd be suicidally despondent. I'm sure we're all good in our own fields of expertise. Football personnel is Buddy's field of professional expertise, not ours. He's not an idiot. He's just not as smart as many other NFL GMs.

[GG]

I said it made logical sense, which it did. I wanted Wilson, I didn't like the pick at all, and I had never heard of TJ Graham, and I thought he sucked last year. I was just responding to certain posts with facts because I happen to read a lot.

 

I don't care what the draft analysis said other than he could go in the third round, because that is all I was referring to, because that is all I was talking about in that particular post.

 

And explain to me how a team desperately needs a speed WR, tries like hell (but fails) to get a speed WR in the first day of FA, then drafts a lightning fast speed WR in the third round is somehow illogical and stupid?

 

The choice of Graham, who still may turn out to be good, but who was infuriatingly bad last year, was the mistake. Which I have said pretty much 100 times.

 

Of course, if that's the logic backing Graham's selection, then Nix's line that Lee Evans didn't fit Gailey's offense was a flat out lie in why he was released.