My obsession with this team's progression

[The_Real]

I've watched this team all year long and hated on them. Not so much on this board but in general I've written of their players, the Owner, the coaching staff all of them. Well, I guess it's time to embrace this team and stop being a hater. I don't know all of the personalities like I remember the 90's teams but it has become apparent to me that this group of guys really does care. About one another and about building a winner.

 

I have a couple things I'd like to discuss and I hope to hear from you guys on your opinions. I haven't written off this year but the realist in me has doubts that we can slip into the playoffs. Even if we do win out, which will not be easy with a hot Tennessee team and a monster in Baltimore we still need a TON of help.

 

So are you ready? Here we go:

 

 

- Does anything that we accomplish get negated if we allow key free agents to leave? London Fletcher, Mike Gandy and Nate Clements are the three names that come to mind. What happens if we lose all of them?

 

- Now that we have a quarterback, do we have a running back? I don't question his ability, I question his want or willingness to be a buffalo bill. Sometimes I think he wishes the spotlight was brighter. Also, players in football negotiate with a year left, that's this year for Willis... So, is he staying?

 

- Has the offensive line improved enough for you to feel comfortable with them going to 2007? Big name Offensive linemen are not available via free agency so I honestly don't know if we have a choice... What's your take?

 

- The achilles heal for this team is the defensive line. Lately they've gotten better but the Bills need to affectively stop the run. As a Bills fan I salivate at the idea of having Dwight Freeney opposite Schobel. What do you think?

 

 

Let's chat....

 

 

 

The Real

[DrDawkinstein]

-we MUST keep fletcher, clements and kelsay. not too sure about Gandy

 

- ive said in other posts that any money that would have gone to McGahee should be used for Clements. we can find a number of guys who will hit a hole and run hard in the cold if Willis doesnt want to. and it doesnt seem he does.

 

-no, i dont want a freeney-type pass rusher who ends up 12 yards upfield and out of the play all the time.

 

EDIT: being second in cap room and all of ralph's talk about wanting to win, there is no excuse for not spending the dough to keep our FAs and not putting out the highest quality product possible

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

Why MUST we keep Kelsay? I'd like to see him back here, but losing an average lineman who only plays about half the snaps isn't going to make me give up on next year.

[DrDawkinstein]

i never said id give up on next year. what i meant was to keep the team together and guys who are quality team players and to keep some consistency. same reason i feel it important to keep gandy, im just not sure they cant upgrade.

 

remember why all the players HATED being here during the TD days? they felt used because of the way the administration never re-signed people. Kelsay is a quality player who has stepped up repeatedly for the franchise. he deserves a contract. not a HUGE contract neccessarily.

 

its more about keeping the players focused, dedicated and happy.

[Koufax]

My glass has been half full since before training camp. I think over the last few weeks somebody topped it off while I wasn't looking, because it is at least 3/4 full now. Playoffs this year are a nice dream, but what is tremendously valuable for next year's team is playing games that count late in December.

 

That is a huge thing for these kids, and if Price hadn't gotten his feet down in Texas (or any of a million other little things that could have gone against us recently), this team would be 6-8, still progressing, still talented, but without the opportunity to play meaningful games to end the season. Having that opportunity is a huge windfall for us, and I hope we can keep it alive one more week.

[bluv]

I think Clemens, FLetcher, and Gandy should be resigned for reasonable prices without breaking the bank and that where we really need an upgrade is at DT and WR. Anderson/Williams should be coming off the bench to spell a quality run stuffer. Price is not a big enough threat or gets open consistent enought o draw attention away from Lee. As far as the O-line goes there is not a draft pick that would make an immediate impact plus the free agent pool is not that great so I'd stick with what we have as they have developed chemistry and have played well for the past 5 games. Next year we need to keep the players we have and make a few minor upgrades at WR and DT and we should compete.

[The Poojer]

my biggest sense of good things was hearing beurlein and criqui talk about how much last season impacted JP and his determination and willingness to correct his "shortcomings"...too many young people at that high a level of accomplishment are resistent to admitting failure and working on it...ryan leaf and jeff george come to mind immediately...I think this speaks volumes about our starting QB...I have stuck with him the entire way and am happy to see this for him, the team and for us, the fans!!!!

[Sen. John Blutarsky]

Gandy stays

 

Fletcher stays for reasonable dollars (Spikes or Crowell can slide inside and Ellison has shown well and fits the scheme tremendously),

 

Clements walks though I'd franchise him anyway then trade even if we don't get much because we have the cap space to afford that move (if Snyder and Greggo want him that bad they can give us something in return even if it's a #1 in '08)- you don't let assets walk for nothing, at least collect the pick. Serviceable DB's are available, particularly for zone defenses.

 

Kelsay stays for reasonable dollars though I wouldn't be surprised if a 3-4 team makes a good offer for him and puts him at OLB. Isn't Kelsay restricted? If so make a qualifying offer and if someone wants to give up a #1 or #2 (depending on the size of our qualifier) take it. Again, assets don't walk away when you have the space to keep them.

 

This is an important off-season, we need to be prudent with our cap space - I like Fletcher but he's an over 30 small, speed linebacker and we already have his replacement in the system. The end of his deal could be an albatross if we go too high and give him 4 or 5 years. I'd go three max. Clements is a nice player but he's not worth 10 mil per year, you can have two big upgrades at other positions for that amount of money. Gandy stays because he's not worth that much on the market and he's been good at LG, why look for another LG when we already have one who will be cheaper?

 

Clements will get 10-12 per, Steinbach will get more than 4-maybe 5. Conservatively that's 14 million of cap space for two guys. I'd rather keep Gandy at 2 - 2.5 and take the other 12 million to look for a corner, a #2 WR, and veteran depth at tackle.

[marauderswr80]

We need to keep Fletcher, Clements, if we dont its like we are starting all over again and to be honest this franchise cant have that!

 

This is the year Ralph has to spend, or I should say get the best for his money.

 

I have no seen enough of Youboty to have any confidence he can take over for Clements! Clements is in a zone! He might be hitting his prime and to be honest this defense needs that along with his leadership......

[Catholic Guilt]

A diamond in the rough is Carolina Dlineman Mike Rucker. He tore his ACL yesterday and probably won't return to Carolina because he's due a huge off-season bonus. I'm sure the Bills could get him for a decent market rate.

[bizell]

A diamond in the rough is Carolina Dlineman Mike Rucker. He tore his ACL yesterday and probably won't return to Carolina because he's due a huge off-season bonus. I'm sure the Bills could get him for a decent market rate.

870995[/snapback]

 

32 coming off a torn ACL at the end of this year? how's that a diamond in the rough?

 

no thanks.