JESSEFEFFER

That was Buddy on the infamous phone conversation with TB's Dominic. It was Buddy that said they were open to trading down this year. It was Buddy that said that they had identified a "franchise caliber" QB in this year's draft while most others were saying one did not exist in this class. It was Buddy that said before the draft that he wanted to have a franchise QB in place before he retired. I think it was Buddy's show but Whaley was involved with every big decision they made. The reason this matters is that if this draft sets up their roster for future success, as it very well might, it would define Buddy's tenure as one that "set the table." By the way, most of his defensive picks are looking much better under Pettine's coaching. If EJ is a hit, then he did B work in my book. Gailey made chicken salad with the offense to the point where SJ, Chandler, and the o-line were identified as assets. There was enough right with this offensive roster that a rookie could step in with a chance to succeed. The mess on D may have only amounted to picking earlier in the draft but I have to believe that Pettine saw the roster and liked it enough to think this was a good place to improve his resume.

Here in the Jamestown area, there are significant factions of Bills, Browns and Steelers supporters. Two of this group of three is not like the other (Ralph mucked it up when he passed on a dvisional realignment which would have included these two .) Browns/Bills fans have suffered a parallel NFL existence. Most are too young to have seen their championship teams and they've seen their team either be mediocre to pathetic most years or ultimately disappointing those few seasons when they were actually elite. It's hard to hate fans that have actually lived our worst nightmare. We know them very well, both the good and the bad, because we have suffered through much the same fandom experience. There is no other group of fans more like us than them.

Probability of winning 1 is up to 40% and of winning both at 5% is my guess. Still early in the season and the injury scenarios keep the numbers from going higher. So, I guess I am saying that it's worth more mainstream consideration and, if the probablities keep climbing, puts AD7 in the running for TBD post of the year. If the Bills were to be a playoff calibre team, the pro football writers will be inclined to want to explain it somehow. Two RsOY would help it make sense.

Good point. I'd say the better analogs are Eli and Flacco as they are more of the "modern era." Eli was particulaly mediocre for the majority of his first FOUR seasons. The NY fans and media were after him right up until the Super Bowl run in 2007. I would still question Flacco's new contract as I don't think he's in the elite category. EJ struggled and was indecisive but he didn't turn it over (save for one fumble which could not be reviewed) and managed to have his team tied in the 4th quarter. The giveaways usually accompany such struggles and I think it's a good sign that he managed to protect the ball while having these issues. Eli is a turnover machine when things are going wrong with the Giants offense.

Hmmm. Puzzling opinion. Anyways, here's a link to one compilation of rookie stats: http://draftseason.c...l-rookie-stats/

This thread might be worthy of weekly updates as the season progresses. Based on early season events, the chances of this happening have gone up. Some of the rookie contenders have gotten off to slow starts due to injury or poor play while the 3 contending Bills are still amongst the most likely. I'd say the probability of winning one has gone up to 27% and of winning both has doubled from 1/100 to 1/50.

From the scouting report I read he has a hard time throwing to the left.

Nelson has been limited due lingering knee issues. Naaman has a hamstring problem this week but has not gotten much game opportunity. I think he only moves up the depth chart if there are significant injuries ahead of him no matter what he does in practices. I suspect he needs to play somewhere (CFL?) and be megaproductive to get a decent NFL chance.

Supposedly the new CBA limits practice time to the point where a 4th guy will limit reps for the others to the point where it might hamper a rookie's development. The Bills have TWO rookies to consider. I do not think this was a money thing as they have chosen to throw it away in other areas for less important needs and EJ's "procedure" is not likely a long term issue.

I spend much of my time in an area of WNY that is mostly swamp and flood plain. I understood why the Dolphins pulled him after the 3 series as I have often stopped my car and gotten out to either relocate or assist the turtle to the other side. I do not want that picture of an unsuccessful turtle I could have assisted stuck in my brain as I retrace my route later in the day.

John Beck is notable to me as the single worst QB I have ever seen the Bills play against in a nonstrike NFL contest. Got his first rookie start agianst the Bills and was so bad he was pulled after 3 series. Then there was the 10 sack game in Toronto. I suspect he has a higher career sack rate than Rob Johnson. The only reason I could think that he would have lasted in the NFL this long is that he looks OK when wearing the red "don't hit me I am the QB" pinny in practices. In real games he plays like a turtle crossing a highway.

They only care about launching when the hit is high. This is a bad fine as it was properly targeted. Like Lonnie Johnson, this was a ball carrier looking in a direction other than the one in which he was running.

It is impossible to lower one's shoulder to deliver a blow without the head being lowered as well. They want the target zone lowered and that's what this was. The shoulder hit to the upper body violently snaps Willie's helmet forward. A helmet to helmet hit would have snapped it backward which was not the case here. Wilie's body sort of contorts into the letter "c." But the NFL has shown a problem understanding basic Newtonian Laws of Motion and human anatomy in other instances. As for the use of "defenseless," this should never be applied to a player in possession of the ball and running with it, imo. By the way, this hit reminded me of Sharper's on Lonnie Johnson which I have never heard anyone say was dirty under any set of rules. Just that it was befitting of a certain Warner Bros. cartoon character that always felt like his brilliantly developed plans were succeeding right up until disaster struck.

Let's see how Buddy's defensive picks look in Mike Pettine's D. Jerry Hughes for Sheppard might be historic--in the realm of Lewis for Seymore. If they still look underwhelming, then the Nix legacy will be as well. If the D is top 10 in the near future, Marrone is a hit and EJ justifies his draft position, then Nix will be properly viewed as the man who set the table. "History is written by the victors." Winston Churchill

It is highly probable that the Bills organization put more time into evaluating this years' QB class than any other NFL entity. Buddy looks right about Cordy Glenn and they could be just as right about EJ. This buys them some credibility in my world if not Todd McShay's.

Maybe the analogous talent infusion that makes the difference will be Alonso, Lawson, Hughes and Dowtin.

Here's a different take. According to Football Outsiders, the Houston Texans D was ranked 31st in 2010, 6th in 2011 and 3rd in 2012. Maybe the biggest difference was more maturity, better health or JJ Watt but, in my opinion, the biggest reason for this rather abrupt improvement was Wade Philips. So, the question becomes, if the 2013 Bills can be a top 10 defense under Mike Pettine (that's where the NJ Jets were every year and I think the Bills have more talent) what kind of record could they have?

Naaman is a Buffalo guy so he gets the benefit of many favorable appraisals here but I go further with this. Every dropped third down pass that would have converted a first down is nearly the same as as turnover. Every incorrect route run is a potential interception. Buffalo's offense last year suffered when TJ Graham got more playing time due to injuries. I'd rather have a WR with the utmost in reliability rather than one with a supposedly higher ceiling. I'd love for Naaman to get a chance to prove me right.

Did you check out the link in post 23? If accurate, Naaman is more of a 4.4 WR now rather than a 4.6 sec.

From Vic Carucci @ clevelandbrowns.com For the second day in a row, wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt put on a show by catching the ball well. One of his receptions was for a 20-yard touchdown on a nice pass from Brian Hoyer.

From dawgsbynature,com Brownies: Mayor Frank Jackson was in attendance and talked with Browns owner Jimmy Haslam. ... WR Travis Benjamin caught a long pass by QB Brandon Weeden. ... WR Naaman Roosevelt has reportedly been making some very athletic catches in camp lately. ... Just like the previous week, the Browns had a Lions helmet on one of the blocking sleds this week. ... The Browns were not in full pads again.

From the CantonRep • Browns wideouts David Nelson and Naaman Roosevelt both went to camp with the Bills last summer. Nelson won a starting job but blew out a knee in the season opener. Roosevelt was cut Aug. 31. Roosevelt has been conspicuous in practice this week, showing some veteran savvy and great hands. Nelson has struggled to make it back from knee surgery and is not expected to play against the Lions Read more: http://www.cantonrep.com/browns/x1592818973/Browns-notebook-Banner-scolds-Kosar-for-comments-on-Rams#ixzz2bzrKEZCy

Remember back to Buddy's taped conversation with Tampa Bay GM Mark Dominic? He made the statement that FItzpatrick would have to "do something" about his contract or the Bills would because that was too much money to pay a guy that was going to compete for "probably a backup" position. If you think that 1) Buddy was being honest, 2) that they had already targeted EJ and confidently decided that he would be avaialble to them. that 3) Buddy knew he was stepping down after the draft and would have no say in who the starting QB is and that 4) Kevin Kolb is no better than the equal of Fitz then the conclusion left to make is that Buddy was revealing the mindset of Doug Marrone. All this talk about EJ's raw QB skills and having to earn the job is just to lower expectations and to foster the idea that everyone's spot on the team is earned. But since this is the NFL and there are preseason exhibition games to play, it is difficult to manipulate the competition to favor one over the other. It is more likely that want EJ to continue to work on his mechanics and it much more difficult to do so when pressured on a consitent basis. They are spoon feeding him to see what he can handle and if the mechanical work they have done on him continues to holdup.

Pears was decent in 2011 and hurt throughout training camp and into the 2012 season until they finally shut him down. It was a groin/sports hernia injury (?) and it prevented him from anchoring on his blocks. Defenders pushed him around rather easily which lead to some of Fitzpatrick's more infamous throws of 2012. A healthy Erik Pears as a starter is fine with me.

I thought I'd see if I could find a camp report on Naaman. Here's one who liked what he saw: http://www.cantonrep.com/browns/x1592809001/Borderline-dirty-at-Browns-training-camp?rssfeed=true