Archives for May 2014

‘”My whole job for 11 years in Pittsburgh was the trade phone in the draft room so I have a base of knowledge of what is right and what is equitable and what’s not,” Whaley told Buffalobills.com. “I’ll have (Senior VP of Football Administration) Jim (Overdorf) check the trade chart if I’m not sure, but in most instances it’s a gut feeling based on past experience.”‘

‘He was signed as a future free agent on Jan. 14.’

‘Playing most of the season in the shadow of Eagles RB LeSean McCoy, Brown made news in 2012 when he started for the injured McCoy and ran for over 100 yards in two consecutive games. He rushed for an Eagles single-game rookie record with 178 yards and two touchdowns versus Carolina, and then built on that the following week with 169 yards and another two touchdowns. After just those two starts, he had two of the top 15 rushing performances in Eagles history, and became the 5th NFL rookie since 1960 to have back-to-back 165 yard rushing outputs.’

‘”We do not anticipate bringing in another arm,” Whaley said about the potential of adding another quarterback to the roster, another sign the team is fully committed to Manuel. “At this time we’re very confident with the guys we have on campus.’

‘The Bills weren’t six players away from making the playoffs last year. By my count, they were six plays from finishing 10-6 or better. Instead, they stayed true to form and found ways to lose. Still, they looked like they were on the verge of figuring out how to win under Doug Marrone.’

‘But clearly, their best ticket to job security is for the Bills to end their 14-year absence from the post-season.’

‘Surprising: No safety, and GM Doug Whaley’s willingness to part with a potentially high first-rounder next year for Watkins.’

‘Like a gun-slinging quarterback, Dealer Doug went for broke in his first draft as a GM. We’ll see if his bold start results in a bold end to the Bills playoff famine.’

‘Overall, it was a strong draft for the Bills. Watkins will get a lot of the attention, but fans shouldn’t ignore the offensive line depth Buffalo added with three selections in this year’s draft. That’s important, especially if E.J. Manuel is going to be a successful NFL quarterback. You need him to stay healthy and provided him with a good offensive line is key to making that happen.’

‘”I remember watching him at Tennessee, and he was unbelievable as a freshman,” Bills Director of Player Personnel Jim Monos said. “He had some problems, went to Kansas State and the Eagles got him in the seventh round. They gave him the ball a little bit in 2012 and you can see some real ability. This guy has size, speed and he is an explosive playmaker.”‘

‘For the first time ever, no running backs were taken in the top 50 picks.’

‘We talk about GMs as architects. But you need to see a design. You can see one after Whaley’s two years in charge. Even the most skeptical Bills fans can take comfort in the fact that Whaley isn’t playing it safe, that he’ll shoot for the moon to realize his football vision.’

‘The Bills are so desperate to make the playoffs that you can’t help but believe they compromised their standards for character. They’re not searching for choir boys, but they also don’t want troublemakers, either. Marrone obviously feels an inherent need to rescue certain players and turn them around.’

‘So, yes, consider the possibility of upgrading Ralph Wilson Stadium, but start looking now for that billion dollars. There is no room in this country for the Boise Bills or the Bangor Bills or, heaven forefend, the Brooklyn Bills.’