vincec

So Pears isn't on the injury report at all? Is he anticipated to start? After no preseason at all and one weeks practice with the first team? Hmmm...

Everyone should read through this link because what was ruled is nothing like what many posters are writing about or that the players are tweeting. Apparently, the panel simply ruled that this case involved both a "pay for performance" scheme and an "intent to injure" by players, and Goodell made his ruling considering both of these factors. However, under the CBA Goodell can only suspend players for the "intent to injure". "Pay for performance" schemes, while in violation of the CBA, are not within his purview to punish. Therefore, the panel vacated the suspensions and sent the case back to Goodell to re-evaluate it without considering the "pay for performance" aspects- only the "intent to injure". Ideally, I'm sure that they're hoping for a settlement but if not then Goodell can simply say that he believes that there was enough proof that Saints players were intentionally trying to injure opposing players and therefore they should be suspended, and suspend them again (although presumably for less time).

Why so cynical? Maybe the Jets would just like to see what Hagan's got at WR. They're not exactly set at the position.

FYI. You can dress 46. There is no more emergency QB.

Hopefully, the Jets offense won't have the stuff to really put the LBs to the test. I think that the defense and special teams will be fine, it's going to be up to the offense. If they can win the battle vs the Jets D then I feel really good about winning.

I thought the NFL did away with the "emergency QB" rule last year. They just added another roster spot for the games. The "emergency QB" could only come in at QB anyway, and if he did they your other two QBs could not re-enter the game. Was I asleep when something changed here? I understand what you saying about Smith, however. My only question would be that if the Bills were forced to go to their third QB option how confident would you be with Brad Smith taking snaps? Would he be better than Thigpen? Or if you didn't want to have a third true QB how much different would it be if you just put Fred Jackson back there and ran the wildcat with him?

a) the Panthers are planning to play a lot of 3-4 b) Edwards was better than Carrington, but also more expensive and with less long term potential.

I'm not a Smith fan. I think the Bills need at least 5 real WRs. I also thought that they should've given Potter a shot to win the kicker job outright and possibly cut Lindell. But saying all that, the only two players that they cut that I was hoping to keep on the team were Gilbert and Carder because of their developmental prospects. It looks like Gilbert will be on the practice squad and I suspect that there was something behind the scene with Carder. So they didn't really lose out on anything that they can't scoop up off the waiver wire as needed.

As I've always said, the goal is to convert draft picks into contributing players, not the opposite. As far as the draft goes, Nix drafted Dareus but all the other key contributors on the team were either acquired before he got here (F Jackson, S Johnson, K Williams, E Wood, A Levitre, R Fitzpatrick, J Byrd) or were free agents (Chandler, M Williams, N Barnett). Spiller contributes some but for the 9th overall pick you might expect a little more. We'll see if this year's draft class is any better but Nix's best work to date has been in FA not the draft.

I agree with this 100%. I think that the Bills have generally improved, especially on the DL but unless there is improvement in QB it's not going to result in many more wins. And the QB is the same.

Should've been Peter Pan.

If no one would've signed him then what's the harm in releasing him with the other cuts yesterday? He still would be there to resign next week right? The only reason to wait until the day before the game to cut him is if you think that someone MAY sign him and want to limit his chances to make a move to a better situation. That's disrespectful, IMO. I'm going to give the Bills the benefit of the doubt and believe that they intend to keep him for at least the first part of the season, and at his full salary.

It's just no way to treat a solid team player. They release Merriman early, claiming to give him a chance to catch on with another team, and then they shaft Thigpen by not giving him that same opportunity, or even the same chance that they are giving the guys they just cut?

When did Chan and Buddy stop saying that Brad Smith was the third QB? They've been saying it all through training camp and preseason. Now they have three QBs and only 4 WRs so Brad Smith is a WR. If this was going to be the case, they should've kept Easley instead.

I keep hearing this mentioned but I'm still trying to figure out why in the world Thigpen would agree to this. Why would he agree to give up most of his salary only to be cut anyway after the Jets game? Also, I think it would show remarkable disrespect to Thigpen if the Bills cut him right before the opener so that he didn't have a chance to look for a long term opportunity with another team before having to resign with the Bills for a pay cut.

This is what I've seen as well. To be honest, I can't say I don't like it though.

I doubt that. Probably the reverse is more accurate. Can somebody please confirm the salary implications of cutting Thigpen after the Jets game? My understanding is that he gets his full salary if he's on the roster opening day and it's a good chunk of change, so why would they cut him after one game?

McKillop and White should be cut too.

Frankly, Bradham hasn't impressed me this preseason either but I guess you got to keep somebody.

Personally, I would cut B Smith. He is a third string QB who can't throw the ball, a return man who is slow (probably the third or fourth best returner on the team), a WR with no speed and mediocre route running and the team's second best wildcat RB (after F Jackson). He makes a ton of money for this. The only reason that he is "versatile" is because Gailey uses him in all these roles, not because he is good at them. I would also think hard about keeping Potter. On average, the Bills opponents started their drives on the 21 yard line last season. Is one yard really worth a roster spot? I would also cut McGee. The guy has just broken down physically. I know all these guys are supposed to make the team, but can the Bills really keep 4 QBs, 2 kickers and a DB who will only play half the season (at best)? What will happen to the young, developing players at the other positions?

Thigpen will be auditioning for the rest of the league. If he plays well then it may land him another job after he is cut in Buffalo.

This is crazy. So the Bills may keep 2 kickers, 4 QBs and a CB who will inactive until week 4? Seems like a lot of wasted roster spots to me.

Actually I think the Jets D matches up pretty well vs Buffalo's offense. Buffalo has one strong WR and the Jet can put Revis on him. Yes Stevie did well in one game last season and he might make some plays here and there vs the Jets but I doubt the Bills can make a living throwing against Revis. The Bills have a rookie at LT and either a first year starter or a player who hasn't played all preseason at RT. The Jets have one of the most complex and effective blitzing schemes in the NFL. Plus the Bills haven't been to effective vs much simpler blitzing in the preseason. The Jets are at home so crowd noise will further hinder the tackles and line communication in general. The Bills will need to run the ball effectively but they are not really a running team so they would have to go against character to do this and I don't think Chan will. Finally, the Bills starting O and Fitz in particular hasn't looked stellar this preseason. I agree that the Bills D matches up well vs the Jets O so this is going to be a defensive battle with a few big plays deciding things. That worries me when we have so much youth in the defensive secondary, but they're just going to have to hold up for the Bills to win.

Why are so many posters so happy that Vince Young has been cut? It just shows that his signing was a failure and that the QB position is as shaky as ever with the backup spot in flames. I would've been a lot happier if he lit things up. It would've been a lot better for the Bills. I'm sure it will be the same with Jackson. Half the posters will predict that he will fail and then root for him to so that they can post another "I told you so" on the board.

I hope you're right but all signs from Gailey indicate that Smith is making the team. I don't get it because I can't see anything that he provides that the Bills can't get better from another player, including the wildcat (F Jackson). For some reason Gailey is stuck on him. Not that I am all that excited about keeping Young since he apparently sucks. I'm still looking for the young, developmental guy we were promised.