Rebuilding the Bills.

[Justice]

You're the new GM of the Buffalo Bills. The situation you're walking into is, one of, if not the worst situations in all of football. You have a 90+ year old owner, whom isn't the cheapest in the league, but he is one of them, you have a horrible FO and scouting team in place, and your head coach is a career loser. Your roster is also filled with undersized guys that are not built to play in a rough and tumble town such as Buffalo. Problems are many.

 

Your first move is an easy one. Fire Jauron. This guy doesn't have what it takes to be a head coach. He's loyal to his assistant coaches and players to a fault. His game day decisions are equally inept to his ability to game plan for any given game, be it big or small, and just down right sucks as a head coach. He needs to go.

 

You remove this guy and bring in a tough coach with experience. The last thing you need is a first timer. We've already had enough of those guys, from Perry Fewell to Turk Schonert on down to Van Pelt, that strategy obviously doesn't work. Not for this team. This team needs an experienced bunch that has been to the championship before. They know what it takes to win. I realize that no one has ever won a Super Bowl with multiple teams and that's okay. At this point, given the futility of the Bills the last ten years and all, the playoffs alone will be sufficient.

 

I'd bring in Chucky. He has the leadership and toughness qualities that Jauron lacked. He'll get in the players' faces if he has to. He'll hold people accountable and bench people, if need be. He also has experience in the cover 2, if that's where he decides to go with the defense.

 

Which brings me to the tough task of deciding what direction should said coach go with regarding the defense? Do I stick with the current philosophy and maybe retain Perry Fewell or do I blow it all up and start from scratch, which is an extremely tough job given the structure of the team as it stands now, opening myself to a long and arduous task that will force me to make tons of roster decisions and take at least three years to get right?

 

If you go for the roster blow-up and switch to a 3-4 you will have to make decisions on Schobel, Kelsay, and Ellison, amongst others, and bring in a top flight NT for the 3-4 alignment. Our safeties are also undersized and will need to be replaced as well. You cant pull this kind of thing off over night, this will require some time.

 

As for the linebackers. Maybin will have to move to OLB and another OLB will have to be brought in to man the other OLB spot. Poz and Mitchell, if healthy, can take on the MLBer duties. Bigger depth players will have to be brought in at LBer, as well.

 

Now on to the D-line. Stroud, Johnson, Denney, and Willams can play DE. The Bills don't have a suitable NT currently on the roster. A couple of them will have to be acquired. As you can see, this job wont be easy.

 

Next up is the job of deciding the fate of the front office. I'd keep Brandon on as a marketing guy and maybe Buddy Nix, but that's where that ends. Everyone else must go. Especially John Guy, that guy needs to get fired more than once, if that's even possible, and bring in the best of the best available. Spare no expense on personnel guys. Spending more money on the FO will save you money on wasted draft picks as well as in free agency. If you're hitting on your draft picks the only free agents you have to worry about are your own.

 

Now that you're done deciding the fate of your head coach and assistant coaches, your front office and some of your defensive personnel, it's now time for the offense.

 

This is Buffalo. You need a big armed QB and a tough as nails offensive line. Nothing else will work unless you get a dome, which isn't happening any time soon. Trent Edwards isn't going to cut it. Your next major decision is do you use your top 5 pick in the draft on a QB or do you sign one via free agency? Or both?

 

I'd go a different route. Instead of losing a high pick on a QB, which could be used on the O-Line, I'd try to acquire one of Philly's QBs. Either Kolb of McNabb will suffice. I'm sure the Eagles will be willing to part with McNabb if they don't win it all this year and go on with the younger Kolb. It'll probably cost us a 3rd and a 5 for McNabb. More than worth it. McNabb will give this team another 6 wins on his own. I'd love to have him and he has at least 3 more years to go, during which time I draft his future replacement.

 

If you go in this direction, TO will most definitely be free to leave, and I'm okay with that. We still Have Evans, Reed, Hardy, and Johnson to work with at receiver. We also have two talented backs in Marshawn Lynch and Freddie Jackson. Nelson at tight end can also be a factor, although I'd like to see an upgrade via draft or free agency. McNabb has the weapons to put up some points.

 

Where the Bills need the most help on offense is the offensive line, particularly the tackle position. Wood, Levitre, and Hangartner will only get better.

If the Bills go with the strategy of trading for a McNabb, you can use your top pick on a LT. Either Butler or draft pick/free agent can man the RT spot. Add this to an experienced offensive coordinator and our team can score some points.

 

These moves, IMO, will improve the Bills in the short term and amke us a force in the long term. It's about time Buffalo Bills football mattered again.