BeastMode54 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I would LOVE to see Peppers or even Suggs with the Bills next yea, but I have serious doubts that we will pony up enough money to get either of them. But what about Birk. If we could sign him to a two year deal with incentives, is this a possibility? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazed and Amuzed Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I would LOVE to see Peppers or even Suggs with the Bills next yea, but I have serious doubts that we will pony up enough money to get either of them. But what about Birk. If we could sign him to a two year deal with incentives, is this a possibility? Ask yourself this: Why in the hell would a top tier FA come to Buffalo? Because of the coach? Because of the owner? Because of the winning tradition? Your turn... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Ask yourself this: Why in the hell would a top tier FA come to Buffalo? Because of the coach? Because of the owner? Because of the winning tradition? Your turn... $$$$$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. Rich Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Ask yourself this: Why in the hell would a top tier FA come to Buffalo? Because of the coach? Because of the owner? Because of the winning tradition? Your turn... 'cause of the money? Next... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeastMode54 Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 Is TKO the lat "big" name free agent to sign with us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lofton80 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Injury prone vet would be a money risk. Worked out with Mawae and the Titans in similar situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazed and Amuzed Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Is TKO the lat "big" name free agent to sign with us? Only if you don't count Dockery. People can say what they will about Donahoe but he was one reason for a big name FA to come here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Frankly, I think our strategy of being super active in free agency has not helped. Many good teams in the league use the draft and then grab a few spot starters, back-ups, or moderately priced starters in free agency. I think we should do this, even though it might make for a less exciting offseason. If center is a need, then let's draft one. Based strictly on a needs analysis, if we can draft and hit on DE, DT, and C on the first day of the draft, then we solve our key problems. Then maybe we go after mid-priced free agents at TE, LB, safety for depth or competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubes Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 If center is a need, then let's draft one. Based strictly on a needs analysis, if we can draft and hit on DE, DT, and C on the first day of the draft, then we solve our key problems. If we can do that, then we also get an award for best draft ever. How many teams hit on all three first day picks and plug all of their major holes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeastMode54 Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 The thing that I wonder is which position in the draft is known as being most NFL ready for our positions of need. Can a Center come in and be immediately effective, a TE, or a DE. To me it seems as if DE is very difficult to make an immediate impact from college to the pros. Maybe we should try to sign a veteran pass rusher and draft for other needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VOR Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 'cause of the money? Next... Money talks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazedandConfused Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Frankly, I think our strategy of being super active in free agency has not helped. Many good teams in the league use the draft and then grab a few spot starters, back-ups, or moderately priced starters in free agency. I think we should do this, even though it might make for a less exciting offseason. If center is a need, then let's draft one. Based strictly on a needs analysis, if we can draft and hit on DE, DT, and C on the first day of the draft, then we solve our key problems. Then maybe we go after mid-priced free agents at TE, LB, safety for depth or competition. Overall, I certainly agree that good players obviously have to come from somewhere and the nature of the draft is that better players tend to get drafted (and drafted in the top 10). However with this obvious proviso, the draft is simply overrated. It is helped by the tremendous marketing which the NFL and ESPN provide for the draft as a tool for fantasy football fans. Yep, a Peyton Manning does come along every once in a while, but the best players are more like the extreme of Tom Brady who is most notable from a draft perspective in that 30 over teams had a shot at him 5-6 times and simply passed on taking what has turned out to be the best player in football for several years until he got hurt. Sure the Bills should emphasize the draft as a means of getting players, and sure there is some 20/20 hindsight which one can say woulda/shoulda/coulda about which player they should have taken. However, I just do not see any kind of reasonable changes which this team would have made to do a better job at drafting players since the faux pas of wasting their #4 on Mike Williams (and even this error saw the #3 choice actually taken in this draft be a disaster and the alternative best reasonable choice at LT McKinnie prove to be an idiot who while not as bad as MW was clearly also a problematic player and no walking revelation. The problem with the draft for this team right here and right now is that it simply seems incredibly unlikely in a real world where about 50% of 1st round choices are not even gonna be starters after a year that the draft simply holds little likelihood of answering this teams problems to produce the Miami-like from 1-15 to the playoffs results we fans badly want. The simple fact is the Bills will not need to invest in the draft or any single method as the way to build a winner, but instead have to succeed in using the multiple methods of player acquisition most likely led by the immediate payoffs of a revolutionary FA acquisition who adds value to the players already existing on this team, AND get good and lucky in the draft, AND make another Peters like hit from UDFAs and even make a key trade (where is the next Welker?) to build a winner. Be as good as we can be in the draft, but a lead focus on this as the way we are gonna make a difference and the other methods of player acquisition are just nice things to do strikes me as a recipe for continued failure for this team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VOR Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Overall, I certainly agree that good players obviously have to come from somewhere and the nature of the draft is that better players tend to get drafted (and drafted in the top 10). However with this obvious proviso, the draft is simply overrated. It is helped by the tremendous marketing which the NFL and ESPN provide for the draft as a tool for fantasy football fans. Yep, a Peyton Manning does come along every once in a while, but the best players are more like the extreme of Tom Brady who is most notable from a draft perspective in that 30 over teams had a shot at him 5-6 times and simply passed on taking what has turned out to be the best player in football for several years until he got hurt. Sure the Bills should emphasize the draft as a means of getting players, and sure there is some 20/20 hindsight which one can say woulda/shoulda/coulda about which player they should have taken. However, I just do not see any kind of reasonable changes which this team would have made to do a better job at drafting players since the faux pas of wasting their #4 on Mike Williams (and even this error saw the #3 choice actually taken in this draft be a disaster and the alternative best reasonable choice at LT McKinnie prove to be an idiot who while not as bad as MW was clearly also a problematic player and no walking revelation. The problem with the draft for this team right here and right now is that it simply seems incredibly unlikely in a real world where about 50% of 1st round choices are not even gonna be starters after a year that the draft simply holds little likelihood of answering this teams problems to produce the Miami-like from 1-15 to the playoffs results we fans badly want. The simple fact is the Bills will not need to invest in the draft or any single method as the way to build a winner, but instead have to succeed in using the multiple methods of player acquisition most likely led by the immediate payoffs of a revolutionary FA acquisition who adds value to the players already existing on this team, AND get good and lucky in the draft, AND make another Peters like hit from UDFAs and even make a key trade (where is the next Welker?) to build a winner. Be as good as we can be in the draft, but a lead focus on this as the way we are gonna make a difference and the other methods of player acquisition are just nice things to do strikes me as a recipe for continued failure for this team. Pyrite gal, is that you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 If we can do that, then we also get an award for best draft ever. How many teams hit on all three first day picks and plug all of their major holes? Fair point. But how many FA signings do we hit on? I think we missed recently on guys like Dockery and Posey. Look at a team like the Panthers-- great line and great running game, all largely built from the draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 The thing that I wonder is which position in the draft is known as being most NFL ready for our positions of need. Can a Center come in and be immediately effective, a TE, or a DE. To me it seems as if DE is very difficult to make an immediate impact from college to the pros. Maybe we should try to sign a veteran pass rusher and draft for other needs. Good thought. I think TE's, like WR's, take a few years to develop too (although Carlson sure looked good this year). We can easily get a TE in free agency who is cheap and an upgrade from Royal. Then we keep Fine and Schouman to see if they can develop. I don't understand why DE's take time to develop, but now that you say that, I can't think of many rookie DE's of late making immediate impacts (except kearse). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJPearl2 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Is TKO the lat "big" name free agent to sign with us? Yeah, but he came from Cincy. And compared to Cincy, Buffalo looks great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 However with this obvious proviso, the draft is simply overrated. Gotta disagree with you. The reason top teams stay on top is their ability to repeatedly draft well to replace the FAs that get enticed away by the "if we sign this guy who's been a star on a winning team, it'll put us over the top" wanna-bes. The draft's a crapshoot, but if you manage it well, it's also a cheap labor pool that allows good teams to stay good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marauderswr80 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I think Buffalo will be some what active, its only saving grace their is with the fan base. I honestly can see Buffalo trying to land a big fish this off season. I mean do they have any other choice? The last thing they can afford is to have a very slow FA market in 09. Season tickets are going to drop like a rock as is, imagine if they sit there and do nothing in FA..... I wont be shocked to see Buffalo go after 2nd and 3rd rate FA's like usual......I dont see any signing being bigger then Mitchell last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeSpeed Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I heard a rumor that we are not going after any free agents, and were planning on skipping the draft completely. It has something to do with continuity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I am hating on the leadership of the bills as much as anyone right now.....but money cures the free agent problem. Ralph will have to overpay though...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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