Dr. K Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 I still can't get over the Bills letting Levitre walk, then letting Rhinehart (a much lesser talent) go. With the Kolb-for-Fitz switch, the dumping of the young wide receivers (leaving them next to nothing on the roster to work with), I just see this franchise spinning its wheels. The draft is just going to be about plugging holes they created after the end of last season, with players no better and likely worse. You draft and develop a guy like Levitre, then just let him go. Same story as Antoine Winfield, Nate Clements, Ted Washington, Marshawn Lynch, Jason Peters, yada yada yada. I have generally been a positive outlook guy on this board, for many many years. I basically avoid hating on specific players and I don't like that form of fan behavior. But I have never been so bleak about an upcoming draft and season. I really hope they prove me wrong, but I have no confidence in this new management. I just have the fatal feeling that this loser franchise will never be good.
BillnutinHouston Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 If you were in charge, how much would you have paid Levitre to stay?
mrags Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 Ill never understand why anyone makes these posts. We Didnt make the playoffs with these guys, what makes you think we're actually getting worse without them? The suicidal posts about the management needs to stop. It is what it is, a younger FO with new coaches. There are going to be some changes.
NoSaint Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 Every team has to let guys walk every year. They also have to replace them. The good ones choose the right spots, the bad ones the wrong. Levitre, at that price tag, is likely the right move.
Storm Front Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 Yeah, Levitre's success may have been because he was with the Bills. A lot of O-linemen have trouble changing teams and gelling with their new fellow linemen. Look at Jason Peters and Detress Bell. A team like the Bills can't afford to pay huge money to an above average lineman. Good for Levitre for getting the big payday. As a former lineman and a man who understands that the game is won in the trenches, there is no way Marrone will neglect the Bills' O-line during his tenure.
Captain Hindsight Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 Every team has to let guys walk every year. They also have to replace them. The good ones choose the right spots, the bad ones the wrong. Levitre, at that price tag, is likely the right move. This^ I'm not losing sleep over Donald Jones and David Nelson. Nelson was a fine player, but he wasn't fast to begin with, how will he be with a bum knee (and no hot girlfriend) and Jones just broke his ankle again while I was typing this. The OP seems to forget we retained Byrd, McLovin and Stevie. All of whom would have gone to other teams and been paid, well.
KeisterHollow Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 I also have a hard time seeing the roster moves these past few months as "spinning the wheels". There's been so much turn over in the Front Office, so much youth and energy added; Marrone certainly isn't going to take a step backward, or stand still - he's going to maybe get rid of some guys who he believes would be wasted spots on his unit, because he's got other talents in mind. Levitre was purely money, and they don't always deny these guys a contract (although, one of Nix's faults is certainly that he doesn't renegotiate contracts early enough). Marrone would have ensured they kept Levitre if he thought he couldn't replace him AND get better as a unit. I still wouldn't be surprised to see that Jet Guard come in for a year or two... And, Pettine sure as heck didn't come here to make himself look bad. This is Pettine's first shot beyond the shadow of Rex Ryan - he is going to want to come out swinging. So, I don't see these moves as "status quo" by any means. I see them as a first step, a cleaning house, and a preparation for a lot of NEW TALENT. I'm a fan, so this should be taken accordingly, but I am envisioning this team coming out like the Rams did with Kurt Warner - no one saw them coming.
swnybillsfan Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 losing levitre was inevitable. dude got paid superstar money, i like andy, but i am extremely happy that buffalo did not give him that contract. nelson and jones were better stories than the are players, and are ultimately replaceable. there is a good chance that some of the players that were not retained did not fit along with the direction that the new coaches want to go, and there is also a good chance that a decision was based on production vs. cost. (i believe this falls under the analytics dept.) so ultimately, this is another push on the ol' reset button and it's probably going to get worse before it gets better.
Maddog69 Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 Levitre got overpaid. I'm fine with not signing him. Rhinehart sucked. I'm fine with not signing him. That said, I'm concerned with the lack of signings since we have lots of holes to fill. That being said, I do expect them to add a few more UFA's heading into the draft and beyond. I wonder if they are focussing on re-signing key players to extensions (Byrd, Spiller, Wood, etc) before committing money and cap space to UFA's.
Haven Moses Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 I'm not worried because it looks like Marrone can still go strap up the pads and go.
The Big Cat Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 I'm not worried because it looks like Marrone can still go strap up the pads and go. Straight up Mike Tice style, yo.
JohnC Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 Every team has to let guys walk every year. They also have to replace them. The good ones choose the right spots, the bad ones the wrong. Levitre, at that price tag, is likely the right move. I have little quarrel with the moves the Bills made this offseason. They are basically culling the roster, a process all teams go through in the offseason. The Levitre departure was inevitable and a product of the cap system that all teams have to deal with. The team I have watched this offseason and am most impressed with is Baltimore. They were forced to severely adjust their roster with the high priced signing of Flacco yet were able to rebound with a smart pick ups such as Dumerville and Huff Ozzie Newsome is simply one of the best GMs in the game. He understands the system and knows how to smartly work it. He doesn't panic and he doesn't reach. He simply is one of the best GMs in the game.
BillsVet Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 I also have a hard time seeing the roster moves these past few months as "spinning the wheels". There's been so much turn over in the Front Office, so much youth and energy added; Marrone certainly isn't going to take a step backward, or stand still - he's going to maybe get rid of some guys who he believes would be wasted spots on his unit, because he's got other talents in mind. Levitre was purely money, and they don't always deny these guys a contract (although, one of Nix's faults is certainly that he doesn't renegotiate contracts early enough). Marrone would have ensured they kept Levitre if he thought he couldn't replace him AND get better as a unit. I still wouldn't be surprised to see that Jet Guard come in for a year or two... Turnover in the front office? Where? The same GM is there. The same assistant GM is there. The same college scouting and pro personnel directors are there (both hired in 2011). What's changed? That the owner's golden boy is team president? That a bad HC was replaced with a more unknown entity? Frankly, there's a lot of unknowns. One predictable thing is fans in their homer-dom ascribing far too much credit before anything significant happens. This is another rebuild and it's going to be painful.
KollegeStudnet Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 Here is thinking outside of the box; Maybe, Levitre did not want to be a Buffalo Bill anymore. ...and wanted to move on to another team
Kellyto83TD Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 I still can't get over the Bills letting Levitre walk, then letting Rhinehart (a much lesser talent) go. With the Kolb-for-Fitz switch, the dumping of the young wide receivers (leaving them next to nothing on the roster to work with), I just see this franchise spinning its wheels. The draft is just going to be about plugging holes they created after the end of last season, with players no better and likely worse. You draft and develop a guy like Levitre, then just let him go. Same story as Antoine Winfield, Nate Clements, Ted Washington, Marshawn Lynch, Jason Peters, yada yada yada. I have generally been a positive outlook guy on this board, for many many years. I basically avoid hating on specific players and I don't like that form of fan behavior. But I have never been so bleak about an upcoming draft and season. I really hope they prove me wrong, but I have no confidence in this new management. I just have the fatal feeling that this loser franchise will never be good. What was our record with all those players we released? We sucked. When you suck as long as we have anyone is expendable and damn near all the personnel needs to go. Why are guys like you still pining for a good guard? You can find a guard in round 3 or later. There will be FA guards available later in the offseason. And the kid was VASTLY overpaid. Hell NOT re signing him and dumping tons of money into a guard was the first damn good move we have made in awhile. Some common sense seems to have kicked in. We need a QB and we will take one in this draft. Then fill in around him. What we need to see is great COACHING with the talent that we do have. Once that and QB are addressed then we will really know where we are.
Mango Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 The draft is just going to be about plugging holes they created after the end of last season, with players no better and likely worse. You draft and develop a guy like Levitre, then just let him go. Same story as Antoine Winfield, Nate Clements, Ted Washington, Marshawn Lynch, Jason Peters, yada David Nelson, Donald Jones, Andy Levitre, and Chad Reinhart are nowhere near the caliber of player that you just mentioned. I'm not happy with this teams roster at all, but these aren't similar situations at all.
Cheddar's Dad Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 I still can't get over the Bills letting Levitre walk, then letting Rhinehart (a much lesser talent) go. With the Kolb-for-Fitz switch, the dumping of the young wide receivers (leaving them next to nothing on the roster to work with), I just see this franchise spinning its wheels. The draft is just going to be about plugging holes they created after the end of last season, with players no better and likely worse. You draft and develop a guy like Levitre, then just let him go. Same story as Antoine Winfield, Nate Clements, Ted Washington, Marshawn Lynch, Jason Peters, yada yada yada. I have generally been a positive outlook guy on this board, for many many years. I basically avoid hating on specific players and I don't like that form of fan behavior. But I have never been so bleak about an upcoming draft and season. I really hope they prove me wrong, but I have no confidence in this new management. I just have the fatal feeling that this loser franchise will never be good. Might I suggest 1 shot of Jack Daniels, I shot of Triple Sec, 1 shot of Sweet & Sour mix, and two shots of Coke poured over rocks. We call it Tennessee Tea. Call me a long time Bills fan.
The Big Cat Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 Turnover in the front office? Where? The same GM is there. The same assistant GM is there. The same college scouting and pro personnel directors are there (both hired in 2011). What's changed? That the owner's golden boy is team president? That a bad HC was replaced with a more unknown entity? Frankly, there's a lot of unknowns. One predictable thing is fans in their homer-dom ascribing far too much credit before anything significant happens. This is another rebuild and it's going to be painful. This coming from one of the guys who banged loudest on the Ralph's gotta go before anything changes drum. As far as I'm concerned, the FO change that needed to happen did. Also, all signs point to Nix stepping down after the draft. But I know how you operate--unless it's saying "the Bills suck," smart fans have to wait and see. Here is thinking outside of the box; Maybe, Levitre did not want to be a Buffalo Bill anymore. ...and wanted to move on to another team News reports would suggest the contrary. I know because I got in a Twitter pissing match with Tim Graham about it. Boy, that guy's a piece of work.
Santana Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 I mean you have to understand, you can't keep every player. I have a feeling that it wasn't Buffalo's fault but rather the fact that Levitre and Rhinehart wanted to move on. As far as the receivers go, I liked them both but wasn't in love with either one. Every guy that got released is replaceable especially the WR's with this draft class being filled with talent at that position.
The Big Cat Posted April 10, 2013 Posted April 10, 2013 Remember how inept we were when Lee Evans was released?
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