Willis McGahee needs a job: Cut by the Broncos

[billsfan89]

McGahee will likely get some team to take a chance when camp injuries happen. Some teams starting or back up running back will get hurt come preseason or camp and they will bring him in. Still the clock is ticking on Willis, likely his last year in the league but a career that has spanned a lot longer than most RB's get.

[C.Biscuit97]

Donahoe's first draft was masterful. Clements, Schobel, Henry and Jonas Jennings in succession was one of the best runs the Bills have ever had on a draft day.

 

The next 4 drafts he definitely outsmarted himself. Midway thru the 2002 season SHOUT magazine actually printed an issue with Bryant McKinnie on the cover. It was almost a foregone conclusion. There has never been a more obvious player/team fit than McKinnie being picked by the Bills with the 4th pick in the 2002 draft. Donahoe seemed to resent the fact that everybody was projecting McKinnie to Buffalo going back 7-8 months BEFORE the draft and all the way thru the process. I remember him being irked in a radio interview where the WGR host was talking about McKinnie like it was a foregone conclusion. At that point it occurred to me that this guy was really not going to test the football gods and NOT take the obvious pick. I was stunned but after that first GREAT draft Donahoe had earned a bit of leeway so it was hard to really attack him.

 

He should have just pulled the trigger and traded up for Roethlisberger in 2004 instead of trying to get Lee Evans AND a QB.

 

Picking Roscoe Parrish with his first pick in 2005 was laughable.

 

I really couldn't imagine him going freestyle like he did in those years if he had still been in Pittsburgh. The environment seemed to breed stupidity.

 

Bills give full control to a "football guy," they are stupid for giving too much power. Yet with every other Bills' GM, Ralph is constantly meddling. You talk out of both sides of your mouth. But hey, any excuse to rip the Bills is a good one.

[BADOLBILZ]

Donahoe rolled the dice and lost... kinda. At 230 lbs and running a sub 4.3 40 prior to the knee injury, if McGahee had recovered that top gear, it would have been a gamble that paid off.

 

I talked about this recently in another thread but McGahee was never the player you are talking about.

 

He was never a sub 4.3 guy. He was much closer to a 4.5 guy than a 4.3 guy. The hype machine was spinning out of control and Donahoe was willing to sell it to Bills fans that way because it helped justify what he was ultimately trying to do, which was build a power running game.

 

I am a lifelong fan of the U, my father was a graduate and we always very closely followed the U. Willis was a reserve FB......fullback...reserve...on the 2000 Miami team and not considered particularly explosive, especially in comparison to Clinton Portis and the all-universe Frank Gore. He had some long runs for the Canes in 2001 that fueled the hype, but that Canes team was physically KILLING people all season and that created some easy opportunities.

 

Very good player? Yes. Generational type player? Not even close. This wasn't Boe Jackson, Herschel Walker, Marcus Dupree...this was a guy who couldn't beat out Clinton Portis.

Edited June 19, 2013 by BADOLBEELZ

[BADOLBILZ]

Bills give full control to a "football guy," they are stupid for giving too much power. Yet with every other Bills' GM, Ralph is constantly meddling. You talk out of both sides of your mouth. But hey, any excuse to rip the Bills is a good one.

 

I know you are still bitter about Russ Brandon having his GM duties stripped but it's not news that most GM's are "football guys" and that most of them fail. Because only a few can succeed. That's the nature of the game. Every week, half the teams lose and a .500 record isn't going to get you a contract extension in too many cities.

 

From everything I have heard, McGahee is a very hard trainer. An old friend of mine works at the University of Miami, in the athletics department. He told me that McGahee and Frank Gore are two of the hardest workers to ever come through the doors, during his time there.

 

Many UM NFL alumni hold their own conditioning and "training camps". Apparently, from a pure conditioning and strength aspect, McGahee and many others feel this helps them more than voluntary workouts with their NFL teams. It may not do much to convince NFL fan experts that their allegence to the team is as strong as the fans, but they are voluntary for a reason...I don't recall McGahee ever being out of shape.

 

McGahee's uncle owned a gymn in Miami. He is a fitness buff. No question he was a hard worker, but as others have stated, it's not about whether he is staying in condition. It's debatable how important it is for a RB to be at OTA's but not being there is a "me before team" move.

[Malazan]

I talked about this recently in another thread but McGahee was never the player you are talking about.

 

He was never a sub 4.3 guy. He was much closer to a 4.5 guy than a 4.3 guy. The hype machine was spinning out of control and Donahoe was willing to sell it to Bills fans that way because it helped justify what he was ultimately trying to do, which was build a power running game.

 

Very good player? Yes. Generational type player? Not even close. This wasn't Boe Jackson, Herschel Walker, Marcus Dupree...this was a guy who couldn't beat out Clinton Portis.

 

Except his official combine time was 4.28...sooo...yeah,

 

Also, Bo...not Boe....not sure how someone can not know the name of one of the greatest backs to play the game.

[BADOLBILZ]

Except his official combine time was 4.28...sooo...yeah,

 

Also, Bo...not Boe....not sure how someone can not know the name of one of the greatest backs to play the game.

 

In the interest of not allowing you to deceive readers.....Willis McGahee obviously did not participate in the NFL combine. He didn't even PLAY in 2002.

 

He had a mythical performance at an on-campus test in 2000 and that was eaten up by many but scoffed at by those at the U.

 

As for my "Boe" Jackson spelling, I type that name "Boe" several times per day so it's just instinct. Well aware of the correct spelling.

[transient]

 

I talked about this recently in another thread but McGahee was never the player you are talking about.

 

He was never a sub 4.3 guy. He was much closer to a 4.5 guy than a 4.3 guy. The hype machine was spinning out of control and Donahoe was willing to sell it to Bills fans that way because it helped justify what he was ultimately trying to do, which was build a power running game.

 

I am a lifelong fan of the U, my father was a graduate and we always very closely followed the U. Willis was a reserve FB......fullback...reserve...on the 2000 Miami team and not considered particularly explosive, especially in comparison to Clinton Portis and the all-universe Frank Gore. He had some long runs for the Canes in 2001 that fueled the hype, but that Canes team was physically KILLING people all season and that created some easy opportunities.

 

Very good player? Yes. Generational type player? Not even close. This wasn't Boe Jackson, Herschel Walker, Marcus Dupree...this was a guy who couldn't beat out Clinton Portis.

I'll concede that I'm not someone who followed the 'Canes. I remember the hype surrounding McGahee's sophomore season. Regardless of how dominating the team was, you're talking about a 1700+ yard season with 28 rushing touchdowns. Suggesting that he should have supplanted Portis as a freshman in 2000... by that logic, Barry Sanders underachieved as well. Before the knee injury he was projected as a top 5 pick, regardless of whether his 40 was 4.28 or 4.45. Looking at the rushing stats on this website, http://www.totalfootballstats.com/RushingLeaders_Career.asp?id=98 , assuming they're accurate, suggests you're significantly underselling McGahee, especially when you adjust for games played. His yards per carry, TDs, and yds per game dwarf Portis and Gore, and are on par with Edgerrin James.

Edited June 19, 2013 by transient

[thewildrabbit]

I'd rather see the Bills give Michael Turner a shot then Willis again. The Bills need a thumper for the goal line, and Turner knows how to get the ball in the endzone

[dave mcbride]

Except his official combine time was 4.28...sooo...yeah,

 

Also, Bo...not Boe....not sure how someone can not know the name of one of the greatest backs to play the game.

he didn't go to the combine!!

[Phil Hansen Forever]

I hear Applebees is hiring

I'm sure Dave & Busters would hire him too, since he spent a lot of time there.

 

I will say, he learned to use a condom so props to him for that!

He could teach Travis Henry about how to use them too.