Mikedag Posted October 27, 2004 Posted October 27, 2004 I think that once drew finnaly sees the bench and JP takes over the last 5-6 games of the season will be a preview of next year. I liken this bills team to the jets a few years ago when vinny was moved out and pennington took over and players like moss and coles stepped up. Didn't the 2002 jets team start like 2-5 and then win the division going 9-7 when pennington came in. I'm not saying I expect that from jp but I do see the remainder of the season as the start of the new era for this team. The defence as currently constructed has about 2 years left and if jp,evans, and willis and the new coaching staff can get some of the bugs out at the end of this season and start on the same page next year I think 05 could be a big bounce back year. factor in some fa on the oline and a 1st rounder(assuming we can get in the mid to late first with henry and our high #2) this team could be in a good position in 05. Does anyone know what the cap impact is if drew is released in the offseason? Taking that into account what is our cap situation next year?
Guest Guest Posted October 27, 2004 Posted October 27, 2004 I think that once drew finnaly sees the bench and JP takes over the last 5-6 games of the season will be a preview of next year. I liken this bills team to the jets a few years ago when vinny was moved out and pennington took over and players like moss and coles stepped up. Didn't the 2002 jets team start like 2-5 and then win the division going 9-7 when pennington came in. I'm not saying I expect that from jp but I do see the remainder of the season as the start of the new era for this team. The defence as currently constructed has about 2 years left and if jp,evans, and willis and the new coaching staff can get some of the bugs out at the end of this season and start on the same page next year I think 05 could be a big bounce back year. factor in some fa on the oline and a 1st rounder(assuming we can get in the mid to late first with henry and our high #2) this team could be in a good position in 05. Does anyone know what the cap impact is if drew is released in the offseason? Taking that into account what is our cap situation next year? 87125[/snapback] You're forgetting the fact that defenders are in the back field right after the snap! Has nothing to do with Drew! Yes Losman looked good in the preseason against 3rd team defenses, but he'll be running for his life with our o-line and probably will end up hurt. Mike Williams deserves one more year on a short leash, Trey Teague needs to go, Jennings won't be resigned. Thus in reality we're looking at a new Center, Two new tackles and Drafting a decent guard wouldn't hurt. Until the blocking gets fixed - doesn't matter whether we have Peyton Manning back there!
Fake-Fat Sunny Posted October 27, 2004 Posted October 27, 2004 I think that once drew finnaly sees the bench and JP takes over the last 5-6 games of the season will be a preview of next year. I liken this bills team to the jets a few years ago when vinny was moved out and pennington took over and players like moss and coles stepped up. Didn't the 2002 jets team start like 2-5 and then win the division going 9-7 when pennington came in. I'm not saying I expect that from jp but I do see the remainder of the season as the start of the new era for this team. The defence as currently constructed has about 2 years left and if jp,evans, and willis and the new coaching staff can get some of the bugs out at the end of this season and start on the same page next year I think 05 could be a big bounce back year. factor in some fa on the oline and a 1st rounder(assuming we can get in the mid to late first with henry and our high #2) this team could be in a good position in 05. Does anyone know what the cap impact is if drew is released in the offseason? Taking that into account what is our cap situation next year? 87125[/snapback] Clumping platelets has the most up to date Bills cap info which he posts over at Billszone.com. I will leave it to him to explain how he figures it but as best as I can tell Bledso's cap hit seems to be lessened by about a million bucks and small change if he is released in the off-season after June 1. 2005. The difference is actually relatively small potatoes compared to the 4 million or so in dead space we will have either way as Bledsoe signed an extension which may well be formulated as relatively cap friendly (as starting QB money goes) but it only makes fuscal sense if he merits the starting QB job (which he doesn't based on my and many other senses). Still even if his dead space is a bad thing either way, I'd rather thave less dead space than more so even if it only provides us with a bit over a million bucks, i say hang on to him and cut him as a cap casualty before next season but after June 1st. As far as Pennington, your memory is generally correct, but theone big difference is that Pennington took over as starter for Testaverde after sitting on the bench his entire season as a rookie and learning the Jets and NFL offenses. The JP situation is not analagous to the Pennington situation as JP would be thrown in to play without a full seasons benefit of learning his craft which sitting on the sideline or even being the disaster QB affords a player the time to focus on his book learning which along with playing at NFL speeds against pro level talent are essential to becoming a good NFL QB. The particulars of the JP case are that the parts of his game I have the most confidence in are his athleticism and ability to run and his soirited leadership ability and the parts I have the least confidence in are some mechanical problems which are best worked on in practice and his understanding of the pro game which is best worked on in the classroom and upstairs in the booth at Wyche's knee. While the book work, the practice work and playing the game are all essential, given the limitation of any human being to do all three perfectly at the same time, I think he probably develops into a productive QB for the Bills better and more quickly devoting this season to watching the game and listening to Wyche rather than taking on the all consuming functions or practicing at Pro speeds and leading the team. Ironically since he seems to have rcovered fully physically from his injury, i think getting hurt and avoiding the furor up to now of fans demanding that he be played right now (simply ignoring his need to recover from injury) was probably the best thing to happen to him for his development as a contributing NFL player.
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