Article: Bills 2015 offseason wish list

[Rockinon]

Everyone wants a QB. Will the Bills be able to land one with no 1st round draft pick? And out of this year's crop are there even any worthy? It doesn't look good. The only way I see the Bills improving the position is by getting lucky in free agency. Plus, I think this team would be better off anyway with a veteran at the position rather than another promising rookie who could very well crash and burn.

 

IMHO, the area of greatest emphasis should be the OL and TE, though I really the think the TE position is better than most of us think. We all have seen our RBs run wild, just not this year. It really annoys me when people think that the position can somehow be upgraded. We have have some serious talent at the position but there is always someone who wants to dump great in favor of a question mark. We need to run the ball better but that won't happen by removing our running backs. Our big men up front suck. Blocking schemes are getting blown up. You can argue that point until your blue in the face but I'm not budging from my stance on this subject.

 

Back to QB.... I have a notion also that our mediocre QB position can improve by a large margin with better protection. Again this is a blocking problem. I will admit that I am very unhappy with Orton. I have seen him feel a little pressure and throw the ball away rather than do everything in his power to keep a damn drive alive. This really irks me, but at the same time, I also know this is no easy position to play. I'll still take Orton over EJ unless EJ can come out next training camp and show significant improvement. Still if there is a veteran out there who can outplay Orton that is the route I want to go. I don't want a rookie....just don't trust them.

 

Other areas to keep an eye on is defensive line. We may resign Jerry Hughes or let him go in favor of someone else. Also, this defense stinks when Marcel Dareus is not on the field. Someone needs to eat up blockers and I do not like to see Dareus hurt. Defense however is a secondary consideration though. Our offense needs to be corrected.

 

In short....

 

OFFENSIVE LINE

OFFENSIVE LINE!

OFFENSIVE LINE!!!

Edited December 26, 2014 by Rockinon

[Captain Hindsight]

Release: Chandler, Orton

 

Extend: Dareus, Glenn, Gilmore

 

Re-sign: Hughes, Searcy, Wynn, Hairston

 

UFA: Clint Boling, Pernell McPhee, Jermaine Gresham, Sam Bradford

 

Draft: Cameron Erving (2nd), Bryce Petty (3rd)

 

That there's a playoff team

why cut Chandler? He is a decent receiver. Not a game breaker but reliable hands.

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

I'm firmly in the camp that believes that Stl won't keep Bradford at $17M in 2015, and I doubt anyone will trade for that cap hit. The only way they keep him is if he renegotiated, but I think he'd be crazy to do that and pass up a chance to hit the open market.

 

Toss him $9M/year and the chance to play with Sammy, and I think he'd bite.

 

I could see them releasing him, I'm just more wary of the odds that both STL cuts him, and we manage to sign him. Those numbers you mentioned do sound about right, and we would be giving him weapons that STL never did.

 

do your numbers take into account the money still owed to WR Mike Williams??..I read somewhere that he was guaranteed something like 5.2 mil

 

Not if we cut him within 3 days of the league year.

[bananathumb]

Some coaches Belichick can't out-scheme.

[jumbalaya]

We still need a #1 wide receiver. Sammy looks more like a young Lee Evans than a young Andre Reed.

[YoloinOhio]

We still need a #1 wide receiver. Sammy looks more like a young Lee Evans than a young Andre Reed.

thats because EJ and Orton were more like Losman and Trent than Jim Kelly.

[aristocrat]

I like the idea of Clay but I don't think his contract goes near the 9 mil mark. Probably more in the 6 mil range like greg olsen's deal. I like the idea of vincent jackson as well.

[Agent 91]

Not a bad article Yolo. I didn't realize Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas were both unrestricted free agents. I think it is fantasy land to think we would ever sign Julius Thomas but weirder things have happened. Not sure how Julius Thomas would perform minus Peyton Manning.

 

You mean when we signed Mario?

[USABuffaloFan]

Bills need two new starting guards, release Urbic and Pears. I like Hughes but not at $10mil plus a year, last year we had Corbin Bryant, find someone with potential, money needs to be spent on offense. Spiller goes, I like the 3 backs we have. Release Goodwin and find a big target, sign Hogan. I like Gray, not sure about Chandler. Keep safeties and d-backs, keep developing younger players. Most importantly find a QB, prefer a trade for someone like Foles, Shaub, Cousins, etc..

Edited December 26, 2014 by USABuffaloFan

[Agent 91]

Pretty good article. I guess the draft was a good topic, and now that the ownership situation is handled (thanx Pegula's), we should be able to attract better free agent talkent. I like the Denver TE suggestion. Chandler and Marquis.....not usre Lee Smith or Gragg should have a job next year.

 

I see something in gragg. I think if used split, he could exploit lb coverage

 

Release: Chandler, Orton

 

Extend: Dareus, Glenn, Gilmore

 

Re-sign: Hughes, Searcy, Wynn, Hairston

 

UFA: Clint Boling, Pernell McPhee, Jermaine Gresham, Sam Bradford

 

Draft: Cameron Erving (2nd), Bryce Petty (3rd)

 

That there's a playoff team

 

Bandit!!! Im keeping Chandler over smith any day

[C.Biscuit97]

Release: Chandler, Orton

 

Extend: Dareus, Glenn, Gilmore

 

Re-sign: Hughes, Searcy, Wynn, Hairston

 

UFA: Clint Boling, Pernell McPhee, Jermaine Gresham, Sam Bradford

 

Draft: Cameron Erving (2nd), Bryce Petty (3rd)

 

That there's a playoff team

 

I agree with all of this besides Bradford. What has Bradfird done to justify $9 million? He is a lot closer to Trent Edwards than Brady. His good season of 2013 was made of garbage time numbers when the Rams were getting killed. His yards per attempt for his career is lower than Edwards.

 

My wish list: fire all the offensive coaches and Marrone and get real offensive coaches who know how to develop Qbs.

 

Instant playoff team.

[aristocrat]

I'd keep chandler. Bradford just can't stay healthy and you've gotta find out if he's alex smith or david carr. I'd lean towards carr. Hughes I think signs an avril type deal which would be great for us. The qb situation has to be resolved and I think we're in on jay cutler...if he actually gets moved which I might lean towards that not happening. The only way I see cutler getting moved is if they deal him to tenn who would be ahead of the bears in the draft and the bears think they could get mariotta or if they like winston(I don't).

[pimp on da' net]

i wonder if the lack of QB discussion in that article is because it is from November. I think many felt Orton would be starting next year at that point. But IMO it is OG - QB -RB - TE. And sign Hughes and Searcy.

 

I truly understand the fanbase desire for a franchise QB but the FO has tried to fill this position. In the last two years they have, in addition to what's on hand, brought in Kolb, Leinart, Palmer, Young, Lewis & Flynn. Not all QB's have to be blue-chippers to make it in the league, what about coaching and development?

 

At what point is this a matter of a coaching staff unable to fit a scheme around the talent base? When GB traded for an unknown in (Holmgern) B. Farve & Holmgern again in Seattle w/ Hassleback, Philly-Chip Kelly with Foles, Houston (Kubiac) w/ M. Schaub...this staff doesn't seem to have the expertise or flexibility (scheme wise) to use the talent on hand. IMO, every team is searching for a franchise QB and rarely will one become available through other means, you have to have the staff that identifies the skill set required to make your offense function. First, we need an offensive identity (what is it?) then a quality staff to identify the necessary skill set (so the GM can go acquire) and development (we hired a QB coach & the QB's have regressed).

 

The Bills are trying they just have to keep swinging, IMO. But we need a coaching staff to identify what's needed at the position to move forward.

[BADOLBILZ]

Release: Chandler, Orton

 

Extend: Dareus, Glenn, Gilmore

 

Re-sign: Hughes, Searcy, Wynn, Hairston

 

UFA: Clint Boling, Pernell McPhee, Jermaine Gresham, Sam Bradford

 

Draft: Cameron Erving (2nd), Bryce Petty (3rd)

 

That there's a playoff team

 

That would be an AFC SB contender on paper.

 

That would also be about 5x more positive-active than the Bills have been the past couple offseasons.

 

Here is what it will look like if the last two years are any indicator:

 

Extend Dareus......that's the gem of the offseason.

 

Re-sign Wynn and Hairston and sell Wynn as a future star and Hairston as versatile, veteran depth with starting potential.

 

Sign Gresham......that's the Spikes/Chris Williams move of this offseason. Gresham is kind of an enigma so he fits right in that Chris Williams category.

 

Draft for need.

 

That would be the equivalent of what they've done the past two offseasons.

 

They have done FAR TOO LITTLE.

 

I'm dissatisfied with Marrone/Hackett but the personnel department didn't exactly do whatever it took to get them off on the right foot.

 

If that doesn't change with Pegula in charge this offseason then Marrone might as well have his agent start looking for college HC opportunities next fall.

[thebandit27]

 

 

That would be an AFC SB contender on paper.

 

That would also be about 5x more positive-active than the Bills have been the past couple offseasons.

 

Here is what it will look like if the last two years are any indicator:

 

Extend Dareus......that's the gem of the offseason.

 

Re-sign Wynn and Hairston and sell Wynn as a future star and Hairston as versatile, veteran depth with starting potential.

 

Sign Gresham......that's the Spikes/Chris Williams move of this offseason. Gresham is kind of an enigma so he fits right in that Chris Williams category.

 

Draft for need.

 

That would be the equivalent of what they've done the past two offseasons.

 

They have done FAR TOO LITTLE.

 

I'm dissatisfied with Marrone/Hackett but the personnel department didn't exactly do whatever it took to get them off on the right foot.

 

If that doesn't change with Pegula in charge this offseason then Marrone might as well have his agent start looking for college HC opportunities next fall.

 

I too am hoping they've learned from their mistakes...I am slightly more optimistic than you seem to be about that though...perhaps it's because this regime appears to believe that they're close.

[BADOLBILZ]

I too am hoping they've learned from their mistakes...I am slightly more optimistic than you seem to be about that though...perhaps it's because this regime appears to believe that they're close.

 

Aside from the hiring of Dick Jauron....the offseason of the Marrone hiring was probably my low point in optimism for the team.

 

Not because of Marrone or his coaches......but because of their inactivity wrt personnel improvements. Year one is not an exploratory season any longer, that is the BEST time to turn your team around.

 

New coaches that players haven't quit on yet, new schemes that opponents have no film on, fresh attitude. Gone are the days of 3 year re-builds.

 

They did the same thing with Gailey and it threw his whole tenure out of sync. You couldn't evaluate his coaches until year 2 and by year 3 the players had given up on the coaching staff.

 

Not a big fan because of his crap offense but I gotta' give Marrone some credit.....last year the team kinda' went limp after the KC loss....they showed up for about half of the remaining games.

 

But this year they maintained pretty steady level of intensity despite 3 home losses...some disgusting QB and OL efforts...and an uphill playoff battle.

 

Anyway.....back on point......I hope you are right but that is A LOT of big contracts. I also think a lot of teams would be all over Bradford at $9M. Perhaps I am wrong but as a fan I feel QB desperation. Maybe in the offseason the rest of the league will decide they would rather try to win by running that ball than throwing money away on middling QB's but I see a lot of need and no supply. I can't envision the Rams letting Bradford go. You could be right but with nothing in reserve I can't imagine it. They are as close to winning as the Bills if not closer.

[BringBackFergy]

 

 

You mean when we signed Mario?

Exactly

[machine gun kelly]

We need to start over again at the Guard position. I personally would like to see all of them go. The draft with Kuandjo, and Richardson was a bust so dump them. I agree with another TE, and also draft a RB.

 

If we could simply resign our talent, and Kiko comes back, we really don't need to do anything on defense. So we'll have quite a bit of money to find some durable talent, but don't expect a guy north of 30, or overpaid star as coming here. Whaley will get more serviceable guys like he did these past two years. He needs a solid draft this year. We have no chance for any decent QB.

[8-8 Forever?]

Amen. Doesn't look like we're gonna miraculously find a pro bowl QB this off season, so fix the running game. Resign Hughes, Searcy and hopefully Wynn and Bryant. Spikes will be a luxury. I'd be all for resigning Spiller of we can add 2-3 good lineman and especially if Hackett is let go. Fire Pat Morris. Fix the run game and keep this D intact.

Without a dynamic QB/OC/HC team, this team is going nowhere but 8 - 8 again. Defense and a run game doesn't get it done the way the rules are now. Hate to say it, but Pegulas have a big chore ahead and a lot a money to spend to get these top positions filled with top people. Hate to say this as well, but I don't think top top people are coming to this particular franchise/location at any price. but we shall see.

Edited December 27, 2014 by 8and8Forever

[frogger]

 

 

One down year and people are all over Cordy....the guy was a monster prior to this year and stoning some of the best pass rushers in the league.....lets get a Dom LG to play next to him is my vote.

 

Wood by his own admission didnt play well this year.....but he had crap playing along side of him......

 

People forget.....Urbik is just a "ok" guard that we picked up off the scrap heap.....lets make a concerted effort to get better quality OGs

 

 

 

and instead of replacing Chandler.....lets get a quality TE go WITH Chandler

Urbik is a good back up, being able to handle the three interior position, Glenn showed up to camp out of shape, he looked sloppy all season, he is so gifted that despite this he was still our best lineman, he's nearing the end of his 1st contract, I'd ask him to show up at around 320 to 325, I fear his weight was around the 345-360 range all season.

I feel the same about Richardson, I've seen him man handle people, I am talking about a guy a legendary MLB and brother of an NFL executive compared to Larry Allen, maybe the greatest guard I've ever seen play. I think he's starting material, I don't think he's ready, he needs to get lighter, his junior year he was superior to his senior, between the two years his weight increased.

Henderson is a freak, he just needs to refine his footwork, he's athletic and strong but his footwork is lacking, I know it will be addressed.

I can't agree with John more about chandler, how great would it be to have two TEs, I personally like Chandler, the giant lumberjack creates match up issues and is the first to greet teammates after they score.

Edited December 27, 2014 by frogger