The Big Cat Posted September 5, 2014 Posted September 5, 2014 We're splitting hairs here. I think it's safe to say that a number of players are concerned about EJ's play, as it has the most direct correlative impact on the success of the team this season. The Bills panicked, plain and simple. That's not a bad thing, but it is what it is. It's unfortunate that our front office is incapable of adequately assessing its stable of QBs. - 1 year ago, the front office felt that a rookie 1st round QB did not need a dedicated QB coach - 6 months ago, the front office felt that Thad Lewis is an adequate NFL Backup (http://wivb.com/2014...s-as-backup-qb/) - 6 months ago, the front office felt that Jeff Tuel belonged on an NFL roster - 2 weeks ago, the front office felt that Jordan Palmer (whose QB statistics were worse than that of Brian Moorman) could be a viable backup. Now, Thad has been cut (and no team has claimed him) Jeff Tuel was cut and relegated to the practice squad (after not a single team claimed him) Jorda Palmer has been released and will probably retire Do you think a good front office operation would have handled the most important position in professional sports in such a lackluster fashion? And again, anyone now thumping his chest calling the FO foolish for sticking to Thad/Tuel is engaging in blatant revisionism. Nobody, the FO and the fan base included, expected the two of them to stink so bad. So, again I ask: before they pulled the trigger on Orton (even the most pessimistic Bills fans will say his signing was the best possible move for the team), which available veteran backup should they have pursued?
Dawgg Posted September 5, 2014 Posted September 5, 2014 And again, anyone now thumping his chest calling the FO foolish for sticking to Thad/Tuel is engaging in blatant revisionism. Nobody, the FO and the fan base included, expected the two of them to stink so bad. So, again I ask: before they pulled the trigger on Orton (even the most pessimistic Bills fans will say his signing was the best possible move for the team), which available veteran backup should they have pursued? After Kolb went down last season, the search for a veteran backup should have begun right then and there. It didn't and instead, the Bills populated the most important position in professional sports with an undrafted rookie best suited to selling insurance and a player for whom they traded and was barely of NFL caliber. The FO should have known that Tuel and Lewis makes for a bad stable of QBs. Any good front office would have that foresight. There's no disputing your contention that the front office had no idea they'd suck so bad. Therein lies the problem. The lack of foresight is abominable. I repeat: an NFL front office is and should be held to a higher standard than its fan base.
The Big Cat Posted September 5, 2014 Posted September 5, 2014 After Kolb went down last season, the search for a veteran backup should have begun right then and there. It didn't and instead, the Bills populated the most important position in professional sports with an undrafted rookie best suited to selling insurance and a player for whom they traded and was barely of NFL caliber. The FO should have known that Tuel and Lewis makes for a bad stable of QBs. Any good front office would have that foresight. There's no disputing your contention that the front office had no idea they'd suck so bad. Therein lies the problem. The lack of foresight is abominable. I repeat: an NFL front office is and should be held to a higher standard than its fan base. And yet still, nobody has effectively answered that question either. So, fine. After Kolb went down, who was available to bring in? Who should they have gone after with TC/PS already underway last year?
GG Posted September 5, 2014 Posted September 5, 2014 And again, anyone now thumping his chest calling the FO foolish for sticking to Thad/Tuel is engaging in blatant revisionism. Nobody, the FO and the fan base included, expected the two of them to stink so bad. Excuse me? Maybe you were the only one who felt that it was a good strategy to go into this preseason with the same QBs that were on the roster last year and that's why you think reminding you of that fact is revisionism.
The Big Cat Posted September 5, 2014 Posted September 5, 2014 Excuse me? Maybe you were the only one who felt that it was a good strategy to go into this preseason with the same QBs that were on the roster last year and that's why you think reminding you of that fact is revisionism. I wasn't. Not by a long shot. To suggest otherwise is revisionist. Period.
The Dean Posted September 5, 2014 Posted September 5, 2014 After Kolb went down last season, the search for a veteran backup should have begun right then and there. It didn't I agree with the first statement (in bold). I can't agree or disagree with the next as NONE of us know what Wahley tried to do (unless you two are close and exchange emails or something). It seems clear now that Whaley has been courting Orton for some time. He certainly may have looked to sign others. We don't know. What we know is, he didn't get one until last week. I can't judge if made the right call by not signing someone earlier, as I don't know who was actually interested in coming to the Bills. What trades were discussed, etc. I would have preferred getting a vet backup earlier than last week. But not just any vet backup--any vet, just to say he did it. And I would have hated trading away anything too valuable for one, knowing that one is always available right before the season starts. Knowing that EJ was starting the season as the #1 QB, and will likely be given enough time to demonstrate what he can/can't do, the backup isn't likely to contribute in any meaningful way for awhile. Unless EJ gets injured. Had EJ been injured in preseason, this could have been a big deal. And, if EJ goes down very early in the season (first couple weeks, or so) it still may. But it looks as though the Bills may dodge the bullet on this one. Calculated risk? Or just nobody worth signing/trading for? Dunno.
GG Posted September 5, 2014 Posted September 5, 2014 I wasn't. Not by a long shot. To suggest otherwise is revisionist. Period. Then what exactly are you referring to with this statement? "And again, anyone now thumping his chest calling the FO foolish for sticking to Thad/Tuel is engaging in blatant revisionism." If there was near universal agreement on this site, it was that going into the preseason with EJ, Lewis, Tuel & Dixon was at best, reckless. And if my memory serves correctly, you defended OBD for that roster management.
The Big Cat Posted September 5, 2014 Posted September 5, 2014 Then what exactly are you referring to with this statement? "And again, anyone now thumping his chest calling the FO foolish for sticking to Thad/Tuel is engaging in blatant revisionism." If there was near universal agreement on this site, it was that going into the preseason with EJ, Lewis, Tuel & Dixon was at best, reckless. And if my memory serves correctly, you defended OBD for that roster management. Your memory doesn't since there was little to defend against.
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