Bills reportedly concerned Kolb's career over

[BillsVet]

Uh, there is new management in charge. That management brought in the first QB taken in this draft.

 

Do you have trouble tying your shoes in the morning?

 

So you believe that Russ Brandon's management of the organization will be different than a Ralph Wilson led franchise? If so, well, you're entitled to your opinion. I have a hard time believing that it will differ much and Brandon would not have risen to his current position if he didn't learn how the boss wanted things.

 

Problem with the Bills over the lost decade is they've never built a roster. Now, they add a QB, but then let their best OL go and haven't opened negotiations with another former high draft pick. And they're unable to come to terms with one of the best safeties in football. So yeah, they took A QB. But have they ever built a team from top to bottom? It's always add a piece, lose a piece, stir interest with a big name UFA signing now and then, wash, rinse, repeat. That, IMO, is how you remain a 4-7 win team for 8 seasons.

 

And there's nothing like resorting to insults to back your point up.

[GG]

 

 

They 'cut' Fitz because he wouldn't agree to take a pay cut. Would you or anyone else on this board be happy right now if Fitz was still on the roster with his scheduled salary?

 

It's amazing the number of guys now saying the Bills "should have known" Kolb was doomed to a career ending injury. Like I said earlier, the lengths to which some people will go...

 

And he was within his right not to agree to a paycut. Which begs the question, was this "new" administration looking to try to build a winner or save a few bucks in paying a reserve QB who would have provided quality insurance for at least one year?

 

These debates are funny. Even if no one expected Kolb career to end this week, there were plenty of people questioning the kolb signing in the first place given his history, followed by head scratching when Jackson was cut.

 

QBs get hurt a lot. Why leave yourself shorthanded on purpose?

 

[Captain Hindsight]

I think the fact that they dump Fitz was really the issue. They are not paying Manuel starter money yet so they could have kept Fitz and let there be the same QB competition. They are counting his salary against the cap anyway and he had chemistry with the team mates. There was no need to bring in a veteran presence you had one on the team that was more durable and of the the same if not better calibre.

Fitz was one of my favorite Bills. 100% the right move to cut him. Even with our current situation

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

 

 

And he was within his right not to agree to a paycut. Which begs the question, was this "new" administration looking to try to build a winner or save a few bucks in paying a reserve QB who would have provided quality insurance for at least one year?

 

These debates are funny. Even if no one expected Kolb career to end this week, there were plenty of people questioning the kolb signing in the first place given his history, followed by head scratching when Jackson was cut.

 

QBs get hurt a lot. Why leave yourself shorthanded on purpose?

 

It's just bizarre. They have really mismanaged the QB position. most laypersons predicted kolb wouldn't make it through the season (or even preseason), and yet the FO had no real contingency plan.

[A Dog Named Kelso]

I can fully understand and support the move to not confuse the team with the prior regime's QB, a guy that some people on the team probably still have some loyalties towards, and is expensive.

 

A successful coach should be able to manage incumbent personalities and the loyalties that are there along with playing the best possible player. It happens with all the other positions on the team and QB should be no different. Look at Shanahan did in Washington and Fox did in Denver. You should be able to use your current players and manage the egos/loyalties.

 

If he was a distraction then you release him but that was not the case. The FO made a decision to cut his salary or him and that is about money not loyalties. He could have been left on the roster in the same capacity as Kolb was added for. They wanted to save actual cash.

Edited August 26, 2013 by cklapka

[RuntheDamnBall]

So you believe that Russ Brandon's management of the organization will be different than a Ralph Wilson led franchise? If so, well, you're entitled to your opinion. I have a hard time believing that it will differ much and Brandon would not have risen to his current position if he didn't learn how the boss wanted things.

 

Problem with the Bills over the lost decade is they've never built a roster. Now, they add a QB, but then let their best OL go and haven't opened negotiations with another former high draft pick. And they're unable to come to terms with one of the best safeties in football. So yeah, they took A QB. But have they ever built a team from top to bottom? It's always add a piece, lose a piece, stir interest with a big name UFA signing now and then, wash, rinse, repeat. That, IMO, is how you remain a 4-7 win team for 8 seasons.

 

And there's nothing like resorting to insults to back your point up.

So, yeah, they took a QB. That's different than any team they've had since Tom Donahoe was here.

 

They've built up the lines quite a bit, which was a perennial problem during the team's worst years. It took way too long but Nix did bring in a piece here and there. They built through the draft, added UFAs and free agents like Urbik, Chandler, big ones like Mario, Branch, Lawson. What do you want? I see a method to the team's work here.

 

I don't like the way the Byrd thing has gone but the fact is that he is here, he is cost-controlled and the team is exercising its rights as per the CBA. Byrd is not just a guy they have to treat well, he is an asset that they can't give away for nothing and can't sign to an ungodly contract.

 

I'm really not sure what all the complaining is about, is all. They've addressed QB of the future, they continue to address the OL, they picked up two defensive contributors in FA, they retain a lot of draft picks. Complaining doesn't really make your point. It nullifies it. Back up your claims that this team hasn't done the right things, and I think you'll get a less cranky response. This injury to Kolb doesn't change the fact that they brought in a vet QB they liked to push Manuel for the job. It just hasn't worked out.

 

A successful coach should be able to manage incumbent personalities and the loyalties that are there along with playing the best possible player. It happens with all the other positions on the team and QB should be no different. Look at Shanahan did in Washington and Fox did in Denver. You should be able to use your current players and manage the egos/loyalties.

Maybe they evaluated him and decided he can't run the pace of offense they want to work with. Who knows? Do you? I'm just saying, I am not sure I want the poster boy for the last regime potentially running the team again. The Brandon crew is selling change, and they had to make good on that. EJ is their big selling point, and he will remain so despite this period of uncertainty.

 

Look. The grass is always greener, but Fitz can really throw some duds out there, and you and I don't know exactly what kind of pay cut they wanted him to take. They took a different path, didn't work out. Onto the next one.

[BuffaloBill]

 

Fitz was one of my favorite Bills. 100% the right move to cut him. Even with our current situation

 

 

Agreed. He was not going to ride the bench in Buffalo.

[NoSaint]

 

So, yeah, they took a QB. That's different than any team they've had since Tom Donahoe was here.

 

They've built up the lines quite a bit, which was a perennial problem during the team's worst years. It took way too long but Nix did bring in a piece here and there. They built through the draft, added UFAs and free agents like Urbik, Chandler, big ones like Mario, Branch, Lawson. What do you want? I see a method to the team's work here.

 

I don't like the way the Byrd thing has gone but the fact is that he is here, he is cost-controlled and the team is exercising its rights as per the CBA. Byrd is not just a guy they have to treat well, he is an asset that they can't give away for nothing and can't sign to an ungodly contract.

 

I'm really not sure what all the complaining is about, is all. They've addressed QB of the future, they continue to address the OL, they picked up two defensive contributors in FA, they retain a lot of draft picks. Complaining doesn't really make your point. It nullifies it. Back up your claims that this team hasn't done the right things, and I think you'll get a less cranky response. This injury to Kolb doesn't change the fact that they brought in a vet QB they liked to push Manuel for the job. It just hasn't worked out.

 

 

Maybe they evaluated him and decided he can't run the pace of offense they want to work with. Who knows? Do you? I'm just saying, I am not sure I want the poster boy for the last regime potentially running the team again. The Brandon crew is selling change, and they had to make good on that. EJ is their big selling point, and he will remain so despite this period of uncertainty.

 

Look. The grass is always greener, but Fitz can really throw some duds out there, and you and I don't know exactly what kind of pay cut they wanted him to take. They took a different path, didn't work out. Onto the next one.

 

Agreed all around. The only thing I didnt like was cutting Jackson early. Not a catastrophe but I think it was closing a door too early.... Not the most important door around, but at that position I didnt like it closed. As long as ej is healthy day 1 and makes it through the first month or so it won't make a huge difference but is worth questioning the process, even if Manuel and kolb stayed healthy..... But ej is the cornerstone piece, and you can't ignore that just because this week hasn't gone well.

Edited August 26, 2013 by NoSaint

[Nitro]

I wish Kolb well and hope he recovers with no symptoms but he needs to think of life after football. Don't want to see him risk his future and return to football.

[ALLEN1QB]

Sadly I think Kolb is done. Hate to see anyone go out like that. Good luck to you man.

[PromoTheRobot]

They 'cut' Fitz because he wouldn't agree to take a pay cut. Would you or anyone else on this board be happy right now if Fitz was still on the roster with his scheduled salary?

 

It's amazing the number of guys now saying the Bills "should have known" Kolb was doomed to a career ending injury. Like I said earlier, the lengths to which some people will go...

 

Don't you know? All the top NFL franchises use three bald psychics floating in a pool, like in the movie Minority Report. Ralph's just too cheap to make the investment.

 

PTR

[beerme1]

Fitz was one of my favorite Bills. 100% the right move to cut him. Even with our current situation

 

Amen. And BINGO was his name o and all that. Great guy. Great Bill but no use for him here by me.

[RuntheDamnBall]

Agreed all around. The only thing I didnt like was cutting Jackson early. Not a catastrophe but I think it was closing a door too early.... Not the most important door around, but at that position I didnt like it closed. As long as ej is healthy day 1 and makes it through the first month or so it won't make a huge difference but is worth questioning the process, even if Manuel and kolb stayed healthy..... But ej is the cornerstone piece, and you can't ignore that just because this week hasn't gone well.

Yep. I did see zero reason for letting TJax go at the time. I understand their philosophy - only so many reps to go around, want to give him a shot at catching on with another team, maybe didn't like how he looked or prepared in the offseason activities, but I don't know. Kolb does have enough of an injury history, and anything can (and does) happen in the NFL as regards the other QBs. It would have been better to keep him on board and jettison some other guy who wasn't going to make it anyway.

 

I guess it has meant a lot of good practice time for Tuel, which is the only, and I mean the ONLY saving grace of all of this.

[Best Player Available]

Good luck to Kolb. He's a player in a violent sport. Like him or not, he actually made it to the NFL.

 

If this regime collapses. And still cannot identify a bona fide QB, Should say EJ fail, I'm all for naming a blind squirrel as the next GM in 3 years. The Bills FO and their loser QB picks defies all reasonable logic.

[RuntheDamnBall]

Good luck to Kolb. He's a player in a violent sport. Like him or not, he actually made it to the NFL.

 

If this regime collapses. And still cannot identify a bona fide QB, Should say EJ fail, I'm all for naming a blind squirrel as the next GM in 3 years. The Bills FO and their loser QB picks defies all reasonable logic.

EJ, after three months, is a loser QB pick? That's adorable.

[GG]

 

 

Don't you know? All the top NFL franchises use three bald psychics floating in a pool, like in the movie Minority Report. Ralph's just too cheap to make the investment.

 

PTR

 

So what would you call a strategy that called for going into training camp with a QB who never lasted a full NFL season, one talented but very raw rookie and an undrafted kid who was benched in college?

[jahnyc]

Whether it is their fault or not, the Bills picked the wrong guy to compete for the starting QB position or to be the competent back-up. That is where we are. Now we need to see whether EJ is the QB of the present and future, which may take at least two years to fully play out.

 

Really difficult to find both a future starting QB and a veteran QB to challenge for the starting QB position in one offseason, particularly when the draft for QBs is the worst in years and the veteran QB market is weak.

[PromoTheRobot]

So what would you call a strategy that called for going into training camp with a QB who never lasted a full NFL season, one talented but very raw rookie and an undrafted kid who was benched in college?

 

Please produce the thread where you, or anyone, predicted Kolb would not last training camp?

 

PTR

[Best Player Available]

EJ, after three months, is a loser QB pick? That's adorable.

Can you read? Where did I say that?

[GG]

 

 

Please produce the thread where you, or anyone, predicted Kolb would not last training camp?

 

PTR

No one predicted that he wouldn't last through training camp. But it was a near certainty based on his history that he wouldn't last the season. That's why the bills got lucky that they need to hit reset button now and not in week 9. But that doesn't excuse the awful strategy by the front office.