How the state of the Bills franchise has changed dramatically

[Niagara Dude]

15 hours ago, BullBuchanan said:

Frank Gore is 36 and Cole Beasley is 30. What in the hell are you talking about?

You could make a strong case that these signings look like the year Levy was GM and spent money on second-tier level free agents.  None of these guys are elite players other than maybe the center they signed.  The TE Kroft looks like a bust,  like why give a guy that type of salary for less than mediocre results?  We shall see what happens

Edited March 16, 2019 by Niagara Dude

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

5 minutes ago, Niagara Dude said:

You could make a strong case that these signings look like the year Levy was GM and spent money on second-tier level free agents.  None of these guys are elite players other than maybe the center they signed.  The TE Kroft looks like a bust,  like why give a guy that type of salary for less than mediocre results?  We shall see what happens

 

^this guy

 

[Jrb1979]

1 minute ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

^this guy

 

^this guy. ?  A big BILLiever in the hype. A bunch of #2 and #3 WRs isn't going to get it done. 

 

It remains to be seen if these moves will work out. Almost all of them have had injuries in the last 2 seasons. But you keep buying what they are selling. 

 

 

 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Just now, Jrb1979 said:

^this guy. ?  A big BILLiever in the hype. A bunch of #2 and #3 WRs isn't going to get it done. 

 

It remains to be seen if these moves will work out. Almost all of them have had injuries in the last 2 seasons. But you keep buying what they are selling. 

 

 

 

 

And you keep being a miserable, hopeless fool. I'll choose to be positive.

 

 

[Thurman#1]

27 minutes ago, Niagara Dude said:

You could make a strong case that these signings look like the year Levy was GM and spent money on second-tier level free agents.  None of these guys are elite players other than maybe the center they signed.  The TE Kroft looks like a bust,  like why give a guy that type of salary for less than mediocre results?  We shall see what happens

 

 

Can you make a strong case? Do it, then.

 

To me, the only case you could make is that it's similar to most FA classes where significant money is spent without picking up one of the top five or ten guys. And there have been hundreds of FA classes like that across the league.

 

And yeah, some of those FA classes have been awful. And some  exceptionally good. And most somewhere in the middle of the bell curve. 

Edited March 16, 2019 by Thurman#1

[IgotBILLStopay]

This is different from prior offseason optimisms.

 

Two seasons ago we lost the off season by trading down and post preseason trading away Watkins and Darby. And yet we made the playoffs. 

 

The deadweight deadcap overhang and rookie QB thrust into the lineup with a shoddy ÖL and a non bowl college level receiving corps still led to a surprisingly decent 6-10 record. 

 

Now we have a team reloaded with veterans and combined with homegrown talent with very few bad contracts, all draft assets intact and a good coach. Can't wait for the draft and then September.

[Green Lightning]

4 hours ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

Oh, please.

 

You know a point is weak when the writer has to exaggerate so immensely. Produce some links where people the FO said McCarron was an "incredible" value, mentioned a "magic hat," he'd pulled anything out of, or said Star "would be a star." Star's been very good, he's done what they wanted from him, and he shows no signs whatsoever of being being a temporary hole fill.

 

Yes, FA was used to fill holes. This year too. In fact, it's pretty much what FA is for.

 

And blaming Beane for Vontae in light of how he left is just stupid.

 

Yes, when you sign someone you say positive things about him, and that's not just the Bills. But you had to exaggerate what was said precisely because the point is so weak.

 

 

 

 

The good news about Lotulelei is that he's here and doing what they want him to do.

 

The rest of the "duds Beane signed" include Hauschka, Levi Wallace, McKenzie, Foster, Anderson, Gaines, and a bunch of others, some of whom have done well, and others of whom haven't. And he brought them in in a year when they had serious salary cap problems and not a lot of cash to throw around. How come you left out those guys? They don't fit your narrative? How about constructing a narrative strong enough, next time, to stand up to all the facts?

 

As for "high potential for flameouts," nonsense. No more than any other group of FAs.

 

Your last paragraph, at least, makes a lot of sense. I disagree that there's only one thing FA is good for. It's good for a lot of purposes. But yeah, one of the  primary ones is what you're talking about, filling in the gaps so you can draft for BPA.

Spot on Thurman. I've followed this team since 1963. This FO and GM are solid, disciplined and strategic.  Now just win and quiet the fools!

[Elite Poster]

Did we win 10 games already? I didn't know the season started.

 

Until we win some games, none of it means anything. All fart, no *****. 

[ColoradoBills]

It seems to me that this years Free Agency has increased the talent level of the team significantly.

I look forward to that continuing in the draft.

 

I'm also looking forward to the chance of a winning record this season.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

OP I love the entusiasm but wow.

Mario Williams was a superstar and played great while with Buffalo. Trent Murphy was a PED suspended guy coming off knee surgery who was severely overpaid and sucks.

Rex was a disaster hired by Pegula not Whaley.

McDermott so far is all talk just more sophisticated than Rex. It is MBA and Toyota Management lingo nothing more. He gets blown out routinely. He played for a tie in OT and started Peterman on the road with the playoffs still in reach.

The OL is still a mess but to be fair is an unknown more than anything now. Morse looks good but he graded as an above average center who was just made the highest paid in the league. The rest of the OL signings are not stars and it is hard to know if they are any better than Mills/Miller.  

 Beane sounded great defending Buffalo and it felt sincere.  But he just said again draft is not for needs after he gave up multiple players and picks to draft the QB and MLB the team needed. 

Lastly, none of what the OP or my post includes matters. It is about one player, Josh Allen.  Don’t tell me it is a team. Jacksonville has SuperBowl talent destroyed by one terrible QB.  Beane’s legacy just as every GM since Polian will be determined by the QB.  I wanted Allen over all the other QBs so I’m all in with Beane on this one. 

I just dont give him a pass on the rest of his moves.

 

[BullBuchanan]

16 minutes ago, Ethan in Portland said:

OP I love the entusiasm but wow.

Mario Williams was a superstar and played great while with Buffalo. Trent Murphy was a PED suspended guy coming off knee surgery who was severely overpaid and sucks.

Rex was a disaster hired by Pegula not Whaley.

McDermott so far is all talk just more sophisticated than Rex. It is MBA and Toyota Management lingo nothing more. He gets blown out routinely. He played for a tie in OT and started Peterman on the road with the playoffs still in reach.

The OL is still a mess but to be fair is an unknown more than anything now. Morse looks good but he graded as an above average center who was just made the highest paid in the league. The rest of the OL signings are not stars and it is hard to know if they are any better than Mills/Miller.  

 Beane sounded great defending Buffalo and it felt sincere.  But he just said again draft is not for needs after he gave up multiple players and picks to draft the QB and MLB the team needed. 

Lastly, none of what the OP or my post includes matters. It is about one player, Josh Allen.  Don’t tell me it is a team. Jacksonville has SuperBowl talent destroyed by one terrible QB.  Beane’s legacy just as every GM since Polian will be determined by the QB.  I wanted Allen over all the other QBs so I’m all in with Beane on this one. 

I just dont give him a pass on the rest of his moves.

 

This is what I didn't want to burn the energy to type. I think some people are impressed by McD and Beane, because they've never heard this schtik before. In my line of work I see niave and inexperienced execs extoll it continuously. They're basically saying, trust us - we know what we're doing and no we don't have key performance metrics to back it up. Spoiler: They don't know what they're doing. 

 

I've seen this movie a dozen times.

Edited March 16, 2019 by BullBuchanan

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

16 minutes ago, Ethan in Portland said:

OP I love the entusiasm but wow.

Mario Williams was a superstar and played great while with Buffalo. Trent Murphy was a PED suspended guy coming off knee surgery who was severely overpaid and sucks.

Rex was a disaster hired by Pegula not Whaley.

McDermott so far is all talk just more sophisticated than Rex. It is MBA and Toyota Management lingo nothing more. He gets blown out routinely. He played for a tie in OT and started Peterman on the road with the playoffs still in reach.

The OL is still a mess but to be fair is an unknown more than anything now. Morse looks good but he graded as an above average center who was just made the highest paid in the league. The rest of the OL signings are not stars and it is hard to know if they are any better than Mills/Miller.  

 Beane sounded great defending Buffalo and it felt sincere.  But he just said again draft is not for needs after he gave up multiple players and picks to draft the QB and MLB the team needed. 

Lastly, none of what the OP or my post includes matters. It is about one player, Josh Allen.  Don’t tell me it is a team. Jacksonville has SuperBowl talent destroyed by one terrible QB.  Beane’s legacy just as every GM since Polian will be determined by the QB.  I wanted Allen over all the other QBs so I’m all in with Beane on this one. 

I just dont give him a pass on the rest of his moves.

 

?

1 minute ago, BullBuchanan said:

This is what I didn't want to burn the energy to type. I think some people are impressed by McD and Beane, because they've never heard this schtik before. In my like of work I see niave and inexperienced execs extoll is continuously. They're basically saying, trust us - we know what we're doing and no we don't have key performance metrics to back it up. Spoiler: They don't know what they're doing. 

 

I've seen this movie a dozen times.

 

?

[DJB]

4 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

What was wrong with the Mario Williams signing? 

 

Guy was a very good player here and ultimately lived up to the contract. 

 

McBeane are under .500 to this point. Can we wait till we get at least to that point before we start singing their praises? 

 

We vastly overpaid and we should have been rebuilding not adding Mario.

To me looking back it feels like a pure Russ Brandon publicity stunt

[Buddy Hix]

18 hours ago, Virgil said:

 

There isn’t a single fan who isn’t tired of that look you get when you say you’re a Bills fan, who isn’t tired of being favored to lose most games, or the natural media bias against us.  

 

Does it matter, maybe not to some.  But we want to be the Bills of the 90’s again. The place where no one wants to play in December 

I hate “that look” and the fact I get it despite being 45 mins from the stadium. 

Edited March 16, 2019 by Buddy Hix

[RochesterRob]

6 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

There is no doubt the franchise has changed dramatically.  Yes, they haven't won yet, but the FRANCHISE has changed dramatically.  To wit:

 

1.  Ralph Wilson is gone.  Great man, but not a successful owner.  Was willing to spend only inconsistently.  He insisted a positive bottom line, and that insistence got in the way of team building.  Pegulas are completely different in that regard.

 

2.  Russ Brandon is gone. 

 

3.  Brandon Beane has a clear focus, and he is extremely disciplined.  He approach is thoughtful.  For examole, McD wants Allen to focus on the short passing game, so Beane's gets one of the best short-game receivers in the league.  Great focus.

 

4.  McD is organized and has a system. His players love it and want to play for him.

 

5.  The Bills are all in on a great young QB.  Yes, he still must improve, but the Bills haven't had this kind of talent in the building since Bledsoe or maybe Kelly.

 

That's dramatically different. 

  I can't get too down on Ralph wanting a positive bottom line over the years.  It was the only way Ralph was going to be a part of the NFL long term.  Ralph could see as a younger man during the 1970's the league evolving into an entity where ownership would be dominated by those that could own a team as a rich person's hobby.  It would not be possible given Ralph's other comparatively meek ventures that he could stay in as an owner if teams were run at a loss to buy top shelf coaches and players.  People here would say "damn Ralph's passion for paintings and horses.  I would move to Buffalo and buy a house next to the stadium so I could put every spare penny into the team."  The trouble is that any one of us here after walking a few miles in Ralph's shoes might feel different about the team in terms of approaching it with a fan's point of view.  They would most likely say that "I should be entitled to some personal reward for the work that I have performed in terms of building the league up."

 

  The Bills have had talent other than Kelly or Bledsoe over the years but it takes a special talent to make it a NFL QB.  Todd Collins had the physical tangibles and knew the playbook but he could never lead the team.  Losman could relate to his offensive teammates and chuck a ball but could not read the tougher NFL defenses.  I see people beefing about younger QB's that only a couple years ago they were complaining that the Bills missed out on those same players and therefore were incompetent.  Being a Star Trek fan I can only think about Commodore Stone's quip to James T Kirk as Kirk was about to face court martial.  "You and I have done something that very few men have done prior which is to command a starship."  Which is to say if being a QB was easy as plucking one off of a tree and running him through a class then every NFL team would have a franchise QB.  But we should know that is not the reality of it.

[DJB]

52 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

?

 

They got arguably the best pass rusher in the league at the time. The problem was the rest of the team lacked any talent at all.

 

Hence the unnecessary reason to sign him im the first  place.  Thanks for supporting my first statement that we should have been rebuilding instead 

[machine gun kelly]

20 hours ago, The Wiz said:

Just curious, why does it matter what anyone outside of Buffalo thinks? 

 

Wiz- you seem to be a good guy.  Probably a third of this board are Buffalonians of origin, but have moved away for business or other reasons.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

17 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

 

Wiz- you seem to be a good guy.  Probably a third of this board are Buffalonians of origin, but have moved away for business or other reasons.

 

So what?

 

I wear my Bills hat pretty much daily, and without remorse. What's an Eagles fan gonna say to me? Nothing I'll care about, I'll tell you that.

 

 

[LOVEMESOMEBILLS]

2 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

?

 

They got arguably the best pass rusher in the league at the time. The problem was the rest of the team lacked any talent at all.

While I don't agree we "vastly" overpaid for Mario, Watt was easily the best pass rusher from 2012-2014 amassing 50.5 sacks compared to Mario's 38, Justin Houston had 43 during that stretch as well. Also we had plenty of talent on the whole DL, not just Mario, the rest of the team lacked talent.

[reddogblitz]

We'll know it's  changed when we win a home playoff game.