Ron Wolfe to Buffalo rumours re-surfacing...

[Buftex]

"As for Donahoe, Bills fans and media have been clamoring for a change, and it’s now expected that owner Ralph Wilson will pull the plug on his GM’s tenure after five seasons. The Bills have a 30-48 record under Donahoe, and, should the Bengals and Jaguars make the playoffs this season, the Bills would join the Texans as the only AFC teams not to make the playoffs in the past five seasons.

 

Wilson’s choice to succeed Donahoe may already be on the staff in Buffalo, with assistant GM Tom Modrak, the ex-GM of the Eagles, arguably the top candidate available. Word is Modrak would be more likely to keep head coach Mike Mularkey (Donahoe’s second head-coaching hire with the Bills) than if someone from outside the organization were brought in.

 

We hear Wilson, who at 87 wants to win sooner rather than later, would also not be averse to bringing in a big-name GM such as Ron Wolf, who is reportedly interested in returning to the NFL for the right price (including a piece of team ownership) and the opportunity to further his son’s career in the NFL. (Eliot Wolf is employed as a pro personnel assistant with the Packers.)

 

Word is Wilson has been unhappy with the direction of the team since this past April’s draft, questioning the wisdom of Donahoe’s decision to select WR Roscoe Parrish with the Bills’ top pick (a second-round choice) and then following up that pick by selecting TE Kevin Everett in the third round when the Bills had more pressing needs along the offensive and defensive lines after the free-agency departures of OLT Jonas Jennings and DT Pat Williams."

[cåblelady]

So.........who is this Ron Wolfe guy?

[JoeF]

I know this keeps popping up..but the guy is 67 years old...he probably has zero interest in the business side of the game.

 

So PFW is envisioning something like this:

 

Ralph agrees to grant the Wolfs (Ron and Eliot) the right to help transition the franchise to the next ownership group...Bob Rich, Jeremy Jacobs, Tom G., Bass Pro Shops whomever over the next three years and grants Wolf about 5% of the team (that's $25 million on a $500M franchise). The new owner would be smart to continue to take on the Wolfs as a minority partner and let them run the team--Wolf runs the football side and Brandon takes on a SVP Sales, Marketing and Facilities role (Tim Russert would be a cool minority partner as well).

 

Not sure I buy it..Wolf has been pretty convincing in his statements regarding being retired for good.

[JoeF]

So.........who is this Ron Wolfe guy?

541169[/snapback]

 

9 year GM of the Packers--when they were good. Retired at 62 in 2001...didn't leave because he couldn't get along with a jet jaw coach who spit a lot....his biggest talent win--seeing the talent in Brett Favruh when he was sitting the bench in Atlanta...

[Corp000085]

I know this keeps popping up..but the guy is 67 years old...he probably has zero interest in the business side of the game. 

 

So PFW is envisioning something like this:

 

Ralph agrees to grant the Wolfs (Ron and Eliot) the right to help transition the franchise to the next ownership group...Bob Rich, Jeremy Jacobs, Tom G., Bass Pro Shops  whomever over the next three years and grants Wolf about 5% of the team (that's $25 million on a $500M franchise).  The new owner would be smart to continue to take on the Wolfs as a minority partner and let them run the team--Wolf runs the football side and Brandon takes on a SVP Sales, Marketing and Facilities role (Tim Russert would be a cool minority partner as well).

 

Not sure I buy it..Wolf has been pretty convincing in his statements regarding being retired for good.

541174[/snapback]

 

 

that has me sold...

[Crap Throwing Monkey]

Word is Wilson has been unhappy with the direction of the team since this past April’s draft, questioning the wisdom of Donahoe’s decision to select WR Roscoe Parrish with the Bills’ top pick (a second-round choice) and then following up that pick by selecting TE Kevin Everett in the third round when the Bills had more pressing needs along the offensive and defensive lines after the free-agency departures of OLT Jonas Jennings and DT Pat Williams."

541166[/snapback]

 

That makes the concern sound so shallow and superficial. I think the concern's probably less about one single draft and more that, of all the offensive linemen Donahoe's drafted for the Bills, not one is starting on the Bills' line.

 

Think about that. Not one. Not Mike Williams, not Jonas Jennings, not Marques Sullivan, Mike Pucillo (vomit), Ben Sobieski, Dylan McFarland, Duke Preston, Justin Geisinger. Of the current starters, three are other people's draft picks (none higher than the third round), one's an undrafted lineman, and one's an undrafted tight end. In fact, of ALL Donahoe's draft picks, not one is currently starting anywhere in the league (though Jennings is on IR...I suppose he would be starting if he were healthy, particularly on that putrid SF team).

 

But yeah...I'm sure it's all about picking Roscoe Parrish. Ralph wouldn't look at Donahoe's entire draft history...

[/dev/null]

So.........who is this Ron Wolfe guy?

541169[/snapback]

 

maybe he's related to Dick Wolf (the guy who produces the Law & Order franchise)

[Stl Bills]

My Roomate works part time for PFW because his Dad owns it--Hub Arkish. However to be honest this board usually has more inside info on the Bills than does PFW. Who wrote the article, do you know? When my roomate Arthur graduates he automatically gets a full time job with PFW, lucky bastard. If that was me, PFW would become Bills Digest 2--good thing for PFW I'm not Hub's kid.

[bradjames24]

the Bills would join the Texans as the only AFC teams not to make the playoffs in the past five seasons.

541213[/snapback]

 

 

My god that is depressing

[MadBuffaloDisease]

That makes the concern sound so shallow and superficial.  I think the concern's probably less about one single draft and more that, of all the offensive linemen Donahoe's drafted for the Bills, not one is starting on the Bills' line.

 

Think about that.  Not one.  Not Mike Williams, not Jonas Jennings, not Marques Sullivan, Mike Pucillo (vomit), Ben Sobieski, Dylan McFarland, Duke Preston, Justin Geisinger.  Of the current starters, three are other people's draft picks (none higher than the third round), one's an undrafted lineman, and one's an undrafted tight end.    In fact, of ALL Donahoe's draft picks, not one is currently starting anywhere in the league (though Jennings is on IR...I suppose he would be starting if he were healthy, particularly on that putrid SF team). 

 

But yeah...I'm sure it's all about picking Roscoe Parrish.  Ralph wouldn't look at Donahoe's entire draft history... 

I think the Parrish and Everett picks were "the straw that broke the camel's back" more than Ralph suddenly turning sour on TD because of those picks. And the above which you mention is a good reason why Ralph has become fed-up with TD, along with other stuff (mainly the poor record and lack of playoffs).

[GG]

  In fact, of ALL Donahoe's draft picks, not one is currently starting anywhere in the league (though Jennings is on IR...I suppose he would be starting if he were healthy, particularly on that putrid SF team). 

 

541182[/snapback]

 

I'm sure Alan Faneeca would have something to say about ALL those draft picks

[Kelly the Dog]

That makes the concern sound so shallow and superficial.  I think the concern's probably less about one single draft and more that, of all the offensive linemen Donahoe's drafted for the Bills, not one is starting on the Bills' line.

 

Think about that.  Not one.  Not Mike Williams, not Jonas Jennings, not Marques Sullivan, Mike Pucillo (vomit), Ben Sobieski, Dylan McFarland, Duke Preston, Justin Geisinger.  Of the current starters, three are other people's draft picks (none higher than the third round), one's an undrafted lineman, and one's an undrafted tight end.    In fact, of ALL Donahoe's draft picks, not one is currently starting anywhere in the league (though Jennings is on IR...I suppose he would be starting if he were healthy, particularly on that putrid SF team). 

 

But yeah...I'm sure it's all about picking Roscoe Parrish.  Ralph wouldn't look at Donahoe's entire draft history... 

541182[/snapback]

Seriously, what is the difference if you draft a player or you sign him as a free agent? Zero. A GM's job is to field a team under the salary cap. If anything, FA is a much better way to know talent because it is less of a crap shoot that the draft is. TD's problem has been the OL he has brought to the Bills in his tenure have not performed, it is not that he hasn't drafted OL well. In TD's tenure, the Bills LB's overall have performed rather well. But his drafting of them has been terrible, if you count that only Crowell has played and he has played very erratic. But Spikes and Flether and Posey overall have played quite well. So TD's handling of linebackers has been good. His drafting of LBers has been poor. If his FA signing of Teague and Anderson and Gandy and Villarial had produced a solid line, his drafting of OL would have been immaterial. A GM's job is acquiring a roster under the salary cap and drafting has no greater bearing than FA signings. For all the success the Patriots have had with a 6th round pick Brady, it is their FA signings that have won them the SBs.

[Johnny]

got a lot of respect for Ron Wolf.....it'd make this Bills fan happy

[jahbonas]

Seriously, what is the difference if you draft a player or you sign him as a free agent? Zero. A GM's job is to field a team under the salary cap. If anything, FA is a much better way to know talent because it is less of a crap shoot that the draft is. TD's problem has been the OL he has brought to the Bills in his tenure have not performed, it is not that he hasn't drafted OL well. In TD's tenure, the Bills LB's overall have performed rather well. But his drafting of them has been terrible, if you count that only Crowell has played and he has played very erratic. But Spikes and Flether and Posey overall have played quite well. So TD's handling of linebackers has been good. His drafting of LBers has been poor. If his FA signing of Teague and Anderson and Gandy and Villarial had produced a solid line, his drafting of OL would have been immaterial. A GM's job is acquiring a roster under the salary cap and drafting has no greater bearing than FA signings. For all the success the Patriots have had with a 6th round pick Brady, it is their FA signings that have won them the SBs.

541247[/snapback]

Good points on free agents vs drafting...but also where TD fails incredibly is scouting/missing on the talent on his own team (where he has film and 1st hand experience). He told Ted Washington he was too fat for this league...Ted immediately went on to help Urlacher with the Bears and then was Key to Patriots superbowl defense.....then he does not understand how important Pat Williams was to this team...Williams was not that expensive and then goes to be NFC defensive player of the year candidate. The 'Package' of big Ted & Pat made us special...TD said bye bye to both and welcomed Sam Adams (so please don't claim $$ was key issue) and drafted tiny Tim Anderson....surprise surprise we now have the worst run defense in the league after having 9 years of steady/great run defense anchored by the efforts of Big Ted and Pat. TD is either incredibly poor talent evaluator....or far more likely...(as he did with Ross Tucker)...released talented players because they were locker room leaders or talked with local press...this was more important to TD than their play on the field......and for this we cannot fire TD fast enough

[Amstel]

I want a GM who will promise to draft and sign ONLY Offensive and Defensive Linemen.......

[Kelly the Dog]

Good points on free agents vs drafting...but also where TD fails incredibly is scouting/missing on the talent on his own team (where he has film and 1st hand experience). He told Ted Washington he was too fat for this league...Ted immediately went on to help Urlacher with the Bears and then was Key to Patriots superbowl defense.....then he does not understand how important Pat Williams was to this team...Williams was not that expensive and then goes to be NFC defensive player of the year candidate. The 'Package' of big Ted & Pat made us special...TD said bye bye to both and welcomed Sam Adams (so please don't claim $$ was key issue) and drafted tiny Tim Anderson....surprise surprise we now have the worst run defense in the league after having 9 years of steady/great run defense anchored by the efforts of Big Ted and Pat.  TD is either incredibly poor talent evaluator....or far more likely...(as he did with Ross Tucker)...released talented players because they were locker room leaders or talked with local press...this was more important to TD than their play on the field......and for this we cannot fire TD fast enough

541293[/snapback]

Gregg Williams was the guy who said we don't want any fat guys. Pat Williams was very expensive and will get zero votes for defensive player of the year (although, in retrospect, we should have overpaid for him). Ross Tucker was not released because he was outspoken, that was made up by Jerry Sullivan who a week later wrote a feature length article about Tucker and didn't mention a word about that, because it wasn't true.

[BuffaloRebound]

After the Pittsburgh debacle last year, Ralph singled out Pat Williams for how well he played that game. Ralph never does those kinds of things. Then, Donahoe lets him walk and the defense falls apart (to be fair, the Spikes injury also had a lot to do with it).

[Sound_n_Fury]

(as he did with Ross Tucker)

541293[/snapback]

 

You had me right up to here. Enough of the Tucker can play stuff, IMO.

[/dev/null]

I want a GM who will promise to draft and sign ONLY Offensive and Defensive Linemen.......

541297[/snapback]

 

So you want a 320lb DL CB or a 300lb OL playing WR?

[Rico]

Ross Tucker was not released because he was outspoken, that was made up by Jerry Sullivan who a week later wrote a feature length article about Tucker and didn't mention a word about that, because it wasn't true.

541340[/snapback]

I don't think that came from Sully... first time I saw it on this board was here, referencing this column by Paul Hamilton of GR.