Grade Whaley's Job Performance

[DrDawkinstein]

"Common limitation I see in people"

 

I see you don't understand most of those players are Nix guys.

 

"if at first you don't succeed, maybe failure is your style"

 

"Doug Whaley was named Assistant General Manager/Director of Pro Personnel of the Buffalo Bills on February 10, 2010. Whaley oversees the team’s Pro Personnel department and assisted General Manager Buddy Nix in all football-related administrative duties and in the college talent evaluation process until Nix stepped down from the General Manager position on May 13, 2013. Whaley became Buffalo's GM three days later"

 

 

Im not a person that finds much reason to separate the two into different eras. While Nix gets ultimate responsibility due to his title, Whaley had more than just a little influence in starting to turn the team around.

 

Im not even factoring that into my grade or discussion here, but since you brought it up...

 

Nothing is ever black and white (ok, maybe Whaley and Nix ARE black and white, but I didnt mean it like that ). These personnel decisions are one big grey mix of everyone's input. From title alone, Whaley would have had the biggest influence on Nix's decisions. I give him some credit (and some blame), not all of it, but enough to not be naive about his role.

How? A lot of our superstars are Nix grabs. Almost all of them, actually.

 

See above.

Edited April 9, 2015 by DrDareustein

[FireChan]

 

"Doug Whaley was named Assistant General Manager/Director of Pro Personnel of the Buffalo Bills on February 10, 2010. Whaley oversees the team’s Pro Personnel department and assisted General Manager Buddy Nix in all football-related administrative duties and in the college talent evaluation process until Nix stepped down from the General Manager position on May 13, 2013. Whaley became Buffalo's GM three days later"

 

 

Im not a person that finds much reason to separate the two into different eras. While Nix gets ultimate responsibility due to his title, Whaley had more than just a little influence in starting to turn the team around.

 

Im not even factoring that into my grade or discussion here, but since you brought it up...

 

Nothing is ever black and white (ok, maybe Whaley and Nix ARE black and white, but I didnt mean it like that ). These personnel decisions are one big grey mix of everyone's input. From title alone, Whaley would have had the biggest influence on Nix's decisions. I give him some credit (and some blame), not all of it, but enough to not be naive about his role.

 

See above.

Nix was also hired in starting in 2010 (well, technically December 31st 2009).

 

As far as I'm concerned, we're grading Whaley's job as GM, not his old position as one of the team. There's no way to fairly grade his contribution. He may have hated a pick we made and it turned out great. Or the converse. We don't know. Best way to do it is the standing GM gets all the credit and blame unless something is said otherwise.

Edited April 9, 2015 by FireChan

[Dorkington]

Alright, since people are getting all confused about when Whaley had influence, lets just go with the obvious and give him credit/blame for everything since 2010. It's not like Whaley is the only person making decisions as GM, and it's not like he was completely ignored before becoming GM.

[Gugny]

Alright, since people are getting all confused about when Whaley had influence, lets just go with the obvious and give him credit/blame for everything since 2010. It's not like Whaley is the only person making decisions as GM, and it's not like he was completely ignored before becoming GM.

Yup. Might as well end the thread, then fire Whaley. Phew. Glad we collectively solved the "problem."

[PromoTheRobot]

Always? You're telling me that fans don't cite bad W-L records of other guys, then spin the W-L records of ours with, "our defense blew it?" Or, when a vet QB on our team throws for 3000 yards and 24 TD's, we shouldn't run him out of town, but when a rookie throws for 3000 yards and 21 TD's on a different team, he's not good enough? You're the other side of the same coin.

 

Both my points still stand. The QB's that were available to draft in 2014 are worth substantially more than the QB's on our roster. Period. That doesn't mean I'm giving Whaley an F, but to act as though there hasn't been a single available QB better than EJ/Cassel is incorrect.

Of course they are, because you say so.

[FireChan]

Alright, since people are getting all confused about when Whaley had influence, lets just go with the obvious and give him credit/blame for everything since 2010. It's not like Whaley is the only person making decisions as GM, and it's not like he was completely ignored before becoming GM.

The GM is the only person making the decisions.

 

We don't know how Whaley felt about drafting Aaron Willaims. We know how he felt about drafting Woods.

Edited April 9, 2015 by FireChan

[Gugny]

The GM is the only person making the decisions.

 

We don't know how Whaley felt about drafting Aaron Willaims. We know how he felt about drafting Woods.

So how can any GM in football be graded, then?

[FireChan]

So how can any GM in football be graded, then?

By the players they actually pull the trigger on.

[Gugny]

By the players they actually pull the trigger on.

Oh, so you're saying that the GM - even though he's taking direction from a team of scouts, etc. - is given credit (good or bad) for every player drafted during his tenure as GM?

[FireChan]

Oh, so you're saying that the GM - even though he's taking direction from a team of scouts, etc. - is given credit (good or bad) for every player drafted during his tenure as GM?

Yes. That comes with the paycheck and title. He can hire and fire every scout he wants, but it's happening under his watch. Bosses are responsible for their employees. GM's have final say, that's why the buck stops with them.

Edited April 9, 2015 by FireChan

[PromoTheRobot]

Yes. That comes with the paycheck and title. He can hire and fire every scout he wants, but it's happening under his watch. Bosses are responsible for their employees.

That's a fair statement. The buck stops at Whaley's desk, right? Of course it's hard to know who approved who during the Nix/Whaley transition.

[Gugny]

That's a fair statement. The buck stops at Whaley's desk, right? Of course it's hard to know who approved who during the Nix/Whaley transition.

And I think that's where the impasse is; many people think Whaley made a lot of the calls, if not all of them, and that Nix was just a figurehead. Some don't believe that.

 

So if we're left with judging him by all transactions made during his tenure as GM .... I'm still giving him an A.

[QB Bills]

That's a fair statement. The buck stops at Whaley's desk, right? Of course it's hard to know who approved who during the Nix/Whaley transition.

No it's not. According to some, anything good that has happened is because of Whaley, and anything bad that happened is because of Nix.

And I think that's where the impasse is; many people think Whaley made a lot of the calls, if not all of them, and that Nix was just a figurehead. Some don't believe that.

 

So if we're left with judging him by all transactions made during his tenure as GM .... I'm still giving him an A.

Then you have low standards.

[Beef Jerky]

I give the guy a C and people act like I put a Billboard up wanting him out... He got a C b.c this team hasn't been to the playoffs still with the talent he added, and he hasn't found this team a reasonable QB yet.

Edited April 9, 2015 by Beef Jerky

[Gugny]

No it's not. According to some, anything good that has happened is because of Whaley, and anything bad that happened is because of Nix.

Then you have low standards.

Odd, seeing how Buffalo has what most are calling a top 3 D, if not the best in the league, as well as the most improved offense in the league.

 

But yeah ... it's just my opinion.

[FireChan]

Odd, seeing how Buffalo has what most are calling a top 3 D, if not the best in the league, as well as the most improved offense in the league.

 

But yeah ... it's just my opinion.

Counting chickens. And we're back to, "which defensive players are the best on our team," and they're all Nix guys.

And I think that's where the impasse is; many people think Whaley made a lot of the calls, if not all of them, and that Nix was just a figurehead. Some don't believe that.

 

So if we're left with judging him by all transactions made during his tenure as GM .... I'm still giving him an A.

Whaley took over for 2013 and beyond.

[QB Bills]

Odd, seeing how Buffalo has what most are calling a top 3 D, if not the best in the league, as well as the most improved offense in the league.

 

But yeah ... it's just my opinion.

It most definitely is. And an uninformed one at that. This defense is built predominantly by Nix who added Mario, Dareus, Gilmore, AW and Bradham. Should also have been Kiko if not for the trade. Kyle and Leo are holdovers from Levy. Whaley has added Hughes and Brown, along with placeholders at the third LB position and free safety.

 

On the offense, there are only two competent linemen (Glenn and Wood) and neither is from Whaley. They paid an arm and a leg for a star receiver with no QB to get him the ball. Woods was a Nix guy. Fred was a Levy guy. The rest of the offense sucked. Including all three of the linemen Whaley drafted last year.

 

As for the offense being "the most improved in the league", we'll have to see that once the season starts. It can be argued that they overpaid for all three of their big additions in Clay, McCoy and Harvin. Their biggest two issues on the team were QB and oline, and Cassell and Incognito are not going to fix that.

 

He gets an A for spending a lot of fracking money like a teenager with Daddy's credit card and possibly hurting our cap situation a few years down the road. But as for results, he's a C- to D+ at best.

[Gugny]

It most definitely is. And an uninformed one at that. This defense is built predominantly by Nix who added Mario, Dareus, Gilmore, AW and Bradham. Should also have been Kiko if not for the trade. Kyle and Leo are holdovers from Levy. Whaley has added Hughes and Brown, along with placeholders at the third LB position and free safety.

 

On the offense, there are only two competent linemen (Glenn and Wood) and neither is from Whaley. They paid an arm and a leg for a star receiver with no QB to get him the ball. Woods was a Nix guy. Fred was a Levy guy. The rest of the offense sucked. Including all three of the linemen Whaley drafted last year.

 

As for the offense being "the most improved in the league", we'll have to see that once the season starts. It can be argued that they overpaid for all three of their big additions in Clay, McCoy and Harvin. Their biggest two issues on the team were QB and oline, and Cassell and Incognito are not going to fix that.

 

He gets an A for spending a lot of fracking money like a teenager with Daddy's credit card and possibly hurting our cap situation a few years down the road. But as for results, he's a C- to D+ at best.

And which QB, pray tell, would you have preferred Whaley pursue?

 

Knocking him for the Watkins pick is silly.

 

Woods was his pick. As was Alonso - who was damaged goods (actually damaged kind of goods) - but Whaley still managed to trade for a major upgrade at RB. You also left out P. Brown, Meeks and Duke Williams.

[FireChan]

And which QB, pray tell, would you have preferred Whaley pursue?

 

Knocking him for the Watkins pick is silly.

 

Woods was his pick. As was Alonso - who was damaged goods (actually damaged kind of goods) - but Whaley still managed to trade for a major upgrade at RB. You also left out P. Brown, Meeks and Duke Williams.

Meeks has like one career tackle, Gug. Brown is good. Duke had been rotational. He did find Robey though. And get Graham.

 

Nix deserves major props for the comerstones of this D, IMO. Mario/Dareus/Bradham/Gilmore/Searcy/AW is no joke.

[thebandit27]

Reading some of these responses about how he deserves an A or nothing less than a B is mind-boggling.

 

Perhaps a better question would be, who on this roster do you give Whaley credit for adding?

Giving him an F is a bit much. He's done some good things. And finding a QB is predominantly circumstance and/or luck.

 

But I guess it all depends on when you think he took over from Buddy. The funny thing is, people like to give him credit for Kiko and Robert Woods but blame Nix for EJ.

 

Depends...are you assigning the 2013 draft and FA season to Nix or Whaley? If we want to start since Whaley took over as GM in May of 2013, then he gets credit for:

 

Bryce Brown

Sammy Watkins

Percy Harvin

LeSean McCoy

Charles Clay

Richie Incgonito

Seantrell Henderson

Preston Brown

Corey Graham

 

Plus credit for re-signing Jerry Hughes, extending Fred Jackson and Kyle Williams, and hiring Rex Ryan.

 

Nix would then get credit for EJ, Eric Wood, Robert Woods, Cordy Glenn, Mario, Dareus, Bradham, Gilmore, Robey, and Aaron Williams.

 

Now, if we're giving Whaley credit for the 2013 draft, after which Nix retired, then EJ and Woods move onto that list as well. Plus, I think it's readily apparent that the Jerry Hughes trade was all Whaley, given that Nix was replaced less than a week later.

 

I'd say that's an awfully good job.

Edited April 9, 2015 by thebandit27