thewildrabbit

Whaley's job should have been on the line with EJ, the Watkins trade and the failure to build a decent line. So far he has skirted the EJ issue because Nix was technically still in charge, and yet Doug stated it was all him. Terry Pegula is currently being charmed by the snake oil salesman. While there is no question that this young GM has made some brilliant defensive moves (aside from Justin Rodgers). So many players acquired on the offensive side have been lacking talent in every area. Did the Bills really need to give up the 2015 first round pick for a WR when they don't have the franchise QB? If the FO knew that EJ wasn't the guy when they acquired Kyle Orton, then why not draft Derek Carr? The simple fact remains that this GM, scouting dept has failed miserably with the offensive side of the ball in every aspect. Plus the team still doesn't have the franchise QB to lead them to the SB. Guys like Matt Cassell, Josh McCown are bum backups that this team wants to use as bridge QB's. A bridge to nowhere. McCoy is a great acquisition "IF" the FO finally upgrades the O line in three positions, and if not then don't expect much again from the offense this year. I'll bet he will look an awful lot like Spiller. No coach can overcome not having adequate talent.

Winning cures EVERYTHING. It will be difficult for any writer to slam the team once they start winning.

They will be better then they were last year for sure.

Really good post Estro. Kinda surprising this thread has only two pages considering how desperate this team is for some quality upgrades on the line. But then part of it might be that a lot of Bills fans don't like PFF very much, as the truth hurts. Whats funny is Urbik might have graded better then Pears last year, and yet fell on his face hard in a very important game against the Raiders. He has had a tendency to do that over the years, and is a big reason why I can't stand him in a bills uni. If you have that Raiders game TVoed then go back and watch 6:18 in the first QTR where Spiller gets the hand off from Orton, and gets tackled as soon as he touches the ball for a -5 yard loss. That particular play there were 7 Bills on the line blocking 5 Raiders, and 3 Raiders broke thru almost instantly. 49 passes for Orton that game, and 13 rushes for 13 yards says it all. This was against a 2-12 team, and the Bills players on that line folded like deck chairs on the titanic. For me, I don't trust Incognito or Williams to make it thru the season, so in my view the team still needs two quality OG's and a RT. Its going to be interesting this off season to see if the Bills scouts / Whaley can finally remove their heads from their posteriors and get the line upgraded properly. Otherwise it won't matter who the coaches are, or who the RB / QB will be.

It difficult to say right at this time. Once free agency, and the draft is over then we can revisit this. Kiko was a legend in Buffalo and could be a great player. Shady already is but is on the the downside of his career, and very expensive. Everything for Buffalo will depend on how well the O line is upgraded and performs this year in run blocking. For the Eagles it all depends on if Kiko can stay healthy. One thing to make note of is the Eagles under Kelly have had the fewest injuries of any team in the NFL.

That offensive difference maker for the Eagles won't be the same in Buffalo if the FO doesn't finally upgrade that line this off season. Just like Lynch was criticized for not hitting the hole / crease when there was none. The guy made his yards in Buffalo dragging three defenders on him. Spiller was never an up the gut, ground and pound RB the way Hackett / Marrone tried to utilize him. There was a reason why he was always wanting to bounce it outside because there was no opening, and he got tired of trying to run thru his linemen. Even Freddy had a difficult time last year playing behind one of the worst lines in the NFL. It won't matter who the RB or QB is in Buffalo if the FO doesn't make serious changes at OG, RT! Going on three years now, and all I can wonder is if Whaley will ever get this area fixed properly.

excellent job SDS!

sure it is, trade away a top player for an older player who is almost at the 3rd down portion of his career, and not really a pound it up the middle back for much longer. then letting a recent first round pick walk away, and get nothing in return. Philly gets the legend of Kiko, and the Bills won't get a top RB without seriously upgrading the O line in 3 positions.

This trade is worthless to Buffalo if they don't upgrade that line... Now watch Philly sign Spiller, and get to the SB

Cleveland went after him hard, and offered more then Buffalo. Then there is this... "It also helps that McCown is familiar with new Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo. DeFilippo was the quarterbacks coach in Oakland in 2007 when McCown started nine games for the Raiders" http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25084368/qb-josh-mccown-agrees-to-terms-with-the-browns-three-things-to-know Be happy the Bills lost out on this one BB. The guy was 1-10 last season in Tampa with 14 INT's, and 11 TD's

I Really, really want to know who on the Bills staff / FO thought that Josh McCown was the top FA, and tried to sign him. Because whomever that is needs to be fired, or demoted and removed from the talent evaluation process. The Tampa Bay Bucs dumped the guy after a 1-10 season with Mike Glennon playing better. (They learned the hard way, and now Cleveland will as well) Both big WR's in Vincent Jackson, and rookie Mike Evans managed 1000 yard seasons. McCown is a vet bum with a career history of being a bum! Jeez, 17-32 says it all. Even ESPN has stated the man is not a starter and only a decent backup in the right situation. 5.5 mill for a guy with that record is ludicrous.

If Rex actually does what he says he will do in building a power run offense, and a top defense then the Bills won't need a flashy gunslinger type QB! All they need is a guy who can manage the game, and move the chains when needed. The foolish Browns gave up on 7-6 Hoyer, and signed a 1-10* bum in McClown. Cleveland after they played Buffalo last year lost the next four games to finish the year 7-9. Did i mention that those last four games were all against playoff teams in Indy, Cincy, Carolina, and Baltimore. This with Hoyer playing hurt after that Bills game. The last two years Brian Hoyer has gone 10-6 with Cleveland, and that is the best QB performance that team has seen the last 15 years. Hoyer managed to play well without his best receivers most of the year as Josh Gordon only played in 5 games, and Jordan Cameron played in 9. Then neither one contributed very much last year. I think Hoyer is the best stop gap FA QB on the market, and it remains to be seen if he can develop further in a good offense with good coaching. That is provided the Bills actually do build a decent O line this season, as no QB will play well running for his life.

So, this looks like the Browns have now fully given up on Brian Hoyer. IMHO its Hoyer who might possibly be the closer upgrade to Kyle Orton for the Bills. Hoyer went 7-6 last season for Cleveland, and the team went on a downward spiral after they lost starting center Alex Mack. Then the fiasco of the GM texting plays to the Browns OC is right out of stranger then fiction. Hoyer went 10-6 for Cleveland in his two years with the team and that in itself means he was the best QB they have had the last 15 years. Then Hoyer managed to get the ball to some scrub receivers all year as TE Jordan Cameron only played in 9 games, and star WR Josh Gordon played 5 games.

Man 0 man I'm so happy to hear the Bills lost out to the Browns for this signing. I just want to know who the brainiac in the Bills FO was who stated that McClown was an upgrade over Kyle Orton? And which fool in the FO wanted to sign that clown in the first place. The Buc's learned a 5 million dollar lesson the hard way in that he was a decent backup QB in certain situations, and a downright bum as a starter.

I would really like to know who the "we" is in that sentence? Roman, Ryan, Whaley? Because there is some serious stupidity in that statement just looking over Ortons and McCowns career records. One guy went 7-5 last year on a bad offense with some really bad offensive coaching, very young WR's, and almost no run game behind him. Along with a pass happy imbecile calling 40+ pass plays a game, and couldn't build a decent run game to save his life, or his job. . That same QB has a 42-40 overall record with 101 TD's vs 69 INT's. The other guy (McClown) went 1-10 with 11 TD's vs 14 INT's with WR's Mike Evans, and Vincent Jackson who both caught passes for 1000 yards last year. His career record is 17-32 with 61 TD's vs 59 INT's. I have to think EJ is better then McClown! If this is Greg Roman that wants this move, then I don't see the Bills winning many games this year...sadly.

Knowing how things work out for this teams karma the last 15 years, and all the players they can't seem to fit into their specific schemes at the moment. It would not surprise me at all to see the Bills sign McCown as a backup QB. Then when free agency opens they sign a Mark Sanchez. Or perhaps trade for RG3, Bradford or sign Jay Cutler. If Sanchez still stinks playing on one of the best offenses in the league...just imagine what he does behind that craptastic Bills line. Meanwhile Chip Kelly picks up EJ, and sits him, then tutors him properly while removing all the moron stains that Can't Hackett embedded in him. Then watching EJ take the Eagles to the playoffs in a few years would be almost as bad at watching Lynch help the Seahawks get to a SB 2x.

EJ has played in what,14 regular season games with morons coaching him! This makes no sense to me to jettison a first round pick after so little playing time. I don't know who the "we" is in the we feel McCown is an upgrade over Kyle Orton. But they had better re watch the Buc's games from last year in which McClown went 1-10. He threw 11 TD & 14 INT's. A 17-32 career player!!That statement tells me there is some serious stupidity in the Bills FO. Mike Glennon is a better QB. The ONLY way this might seem like a viable plan is if the FO thinks they can land a Jay Cutler or Eli Manning. Even then EJ hasn't been given enough opportunity to play under good coaches IMO. Forget McClown, and keep EJ.

Interesting to note the Bills could have drafted Smith, and instead chose DB James Williams out of Fresno St just one pick in front of him in that 1990 draft. I know the Bills already had Thurman, and I just couldn't help think of what that Bills offense would do with both Thurman, and Emmitt in the backfield. Anyway, I remember Emmitt Smith at Florida because he always had a rushing avg higher then 5.0 each year. 5.9, 5.3, 5.6. The kid was a beast.

I agree about the Trent Edwards discussion concerning the "severe" concussion Edwards suffered in Arizona, and so many fans just don't understand what happens after that type of play. If that same hit happened in a current game the player would not only have been flagged for a helmet to helmet hit, and he then drove him into the turf. Wilson probably would have been fined and perhaps even suspended. Then Edwards would have been forced to sit out several games due to the latest concussion protocols. Think of a deep bruise on your body, and think of what happens when you get hit again on that same spot. Player are sometimes benched because of those deep bruises and what can happen as a result of getting that area hit again. Only this time realize that its a human brain suffering this bruise. Sometimes after a serious severe concussion symptoms don't manifest right away, and then when they do they can linger for months. With each hit you become more susceptible to damaging the brain. If you have ever been "knocked out" in a fight, or in a car accident then you have suffered a concussion! The more times you have been concussed, then the more susceptible you become to getting them. To the fans that simply don't recall that start of the 2008 season in which the Bills started 5-1, and so many fans in this forum were frothing over how good Edwards could be. Many were comparing him to a young Joe Montana, and even Bill Walsh stated he thought Edwards could become a top QB. Edwards finished that season 7-7, and if not for that concussion the Bills might have found their QB IMHO. But then, it has never been just about the QB for the last 15 years, as its always been a very poor supporting cast around him. Mostly bad lines. The 2007 year the Bills had 28 year vet line coach Jim McNally, as the man who developed Bengals LT Anthony Munoz, and a Bills walk on TE into one of the very best LT's in the league. McNally retired at the end of 2007, and as usual HC Dickhead Jauron promoted a Bills assistant to the job in 2008. In terms of EJ, he had an absolute moron as his offensive coordinator the last two years and then didn't even have a veteran QB or a QB coach to lean on his first year. Then last season that moron of an OC went pass happy during the Chargers game in week 3. Asking EJ to throw 40+ times a game behind that craptastic O line was even beyond moronic for the moron . The man was so stupid he couldn't figure out how to build an effective run game so he threw the 2nd year QB under the bus, and then ran over him multiple times. EJ looked truly horrible in the next game against the Texans because in this game EJ was forced to throw 44 times, and right into the fierce pass rush of JJ Watt. Anyone recall how poorly Tom Brady looked against the Chiefs in their week 4 41-14 drubbing, and how the dynasty was over? Contrary to the Marrone / Hackett belief the 2nd year QB can't do it all by himself. EJ has only played in 14 regular season games so far, and its still early to decide his fate especially considering who was coaching him. Hopefully new Bills OC Greg Roman will build a power run game to help support the QB, and actually make first downs with the run game. That is provided the Bills build a better O line for 2015.

At the game in my season seats with my kids. A lot of my friends around me were leaving at half time and asked me if I was going to leave. I told them nope, I'm going to stay and boo them off the field at the end of the game just like I cheered them on when they won. So a bunch of us stayed, and had the one of the most exciting game experiences ever. The stadium was somewhat empty after the half, and once the Bills started making the comeback I noticed that some were back in their seats by the third quarter. I asked a few what happened and they said they needed to scale the fence because they weren't getting let back through the gates. Funny stuff. I still have the gameday mag, and drill the Oilers sheet they gave out at the game.

The mans talent on the field is undeniable, and he has the ability to be a top OG. If he can keep his head on straight he could be a great acquisition. The guy has been a head case everywhere he has played, and even he knows he has a big problems. After he wasn't resigned by the Bills he noted it was a low point in his career and then when in for counseling. What really got him into trouble in Miami was that he didn't like it that the big money first round pick at LT was getting the QB killed every game. It wasn't just him either as when Martin was in the Dolphins lunch room and then went to sit at the table where all the O linemen were sitting. After he sat down the entire line got up and left. This is what prompted Martin to quit the team, as he then knew the entire team didn't like him. Just know that the problems with this player go deeper then just other people as he took a baseball bat to his new Ferrari... http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/richie-incognito-reportedly-bashed-own-ferrari-bat-175041897--nfl.html I hope the Bills have a contingency plan in place when things go south, and I hope it doesn't include Pears or Urbik. EDIT: Lets not forget that there was a Raiders lineman Barrett Robins that quit on the team the before the super bowl due to mental issues. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/28/barret-robbins-doesnt-remember-much-about-the-super-bowl/

Mike Shanahan is a known QB guru, aside from John Elway SB's, he also brought along nobody's like Jake Plummer, Brian Griese well enough to get into the playoffs. Plummer wasn't a fluke either as he took Denver to the playoffs three years in a row, and one was a 13-3 season. In Shanhan's first season in Washington he took a 5-11 team to 10-6, and he went to the playoffs with the #4 in points, and #5 in yards offense. The defense under DC Jim Haslett was 28th in yards allowed. The next season they went 3-13 because RG3 couldn't play well enough in the pocket under center. The defense somehow managed to get worse, and was 30th in points allowed in 2013. Shanahan then lost a power struggle in Washington when he told the owner that RG3 wasn't learning the pro style offense quickly enough, and wanted to sit him. So the Skins owner fired Mike, and hired another offensive minded OC in Jay Gruden Then Gruden told the Redskins owner the very same thing that Shanahan had told him about RG3. If Shanahan can't get RG3 to perform up to NFL standards then I highly doubt anyone can at this point. The very last thing I would want to see is a QB who has strong tendencies to run every other play, and is injury prone. Then imagine him trying to attempt a pass behind that current Bills line....disaster! No Thanks! Dunno why Bills fans want to see someone worse then EJ brought in. Anyway, the one guy I'm thinking of that nobody is talking about is Miami backup QB Matt Moore From an article in 2011, http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2011-05-26/matt-moore-may-be-best-young-qb-on-free-agent-market The Dolphins coaching staff, FO seem to have a lot of confidence in Moore. http://espn.go.com/blog/miami-dolphins/post/_/id/5791/its-now-or-never-for-ryan-tannehill

Turk Schonert just breathed a sigh of relief over his call for a Losman roll out. I gotta wonder if that Seahawks OC keeps his job this year for that call.

This~ The Bills have how much cap space, 16 mill or something like that? To use that much money on a singular player for the #4 defense when the offense is so bad is just lame. The Bills need 3 of 5 improved on the o line, a QB,a TE, a RB who can carry the rock 250 times a year to make that ground and pound work.This Bills FO needs to comprehend that the offense needs to actually score to win games. I guess watching Brady the last 15 years the Bills FO has embedded in their brains that they need to stop him or shut him down when very few team have done that. Ryan is 1-7 against Brady-Belichick in his last four years with the Jets...and almost doesn't count.

Who needs to draft a RB in the first when they can trade some goober for a future HoF RB with a 4th. The Seahawks secondary is so good because that is Pete Carroll's forte, and unlike some coaches he is clearly knowledgeable in that facet. The Seattle GM wanted to draft Wilson in the 2nd round, and since the rest of the NFL is pretty clueless they were able to still draft him in the 3rd. Some teams actually have scouts that can properly evaluate talent in all areas of their team, and sometimes they just get lucky.