vincec

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.

I don't know if Jackson is any good, but I've seen enough to know that Young and Thigpen aren't. So as long as it's a 6th or 7th, I have no problem with it.

I'm still concerned with the offense, especially the OL, but I don't think that people here are giving enough credit to the Steelers. I mean, they had the #1 defense in the NFL last season and are among the best every season. The Bills starters made some plays, picked up some first downs and scored a TD. Decent performance, not great, but did you really expect the Bills to light it up vs Pittsburgh's defense?

Well, since Lebeau consistently has the best or among the best defenses in the NFL maybe the Bills should start copying what he's doing.

I wish that the Bills would've given Potter a chance to win the position outright instead on just being a kickoff specialist. He was kicking FGs very well from the training camp reports but it seems that they had decided before he even got there that if he was going to make it then it would just be as a kickoff specialist. Now the Bills are going to have to cut someone at another position if they want his leg on the team. Frankly, I'm not sure it's worth it. I don't think kicking it out of the end zone is such a big advantage to kicking it high and down to the 1 yard line. The Bills covered these very well last season and you always have the chance for a turnover.

Finally. I was starting to wonder if I was watching the same game as everyone else.

I say Gilbert, IF the Bills keep 9 DL. It may only be 8. I saw the Steelers go to max protections on that drive so the problem was that 3 WR were able to get wide open vs 7 in coverage or the QB was able to make great throws. If the Bills coverage can't hold up 7 vs 3 then they will have to start to blitz more, which Wanny does not like.

People have been picking on the DL for the pass rush "disappearing" during the long Steeler drive before half time but I remember several maximum protection passes vs 4 man ruses where the receivers still got wide open or Roethlisberger threaded the needle. That's on the DBs. You can't expect 4 men to beat 7 in protection quickly. You expect that 3 WR can't get open vs 7 in coverage. If the coverage can't hold up then the answer is to blitz to keep the pressure up, but usually when a team has to max protect vs 4 it's not good for their passing game.

The Bills have lost 8 of their last 9 regular season games and now 3 straight preseason games for a total of 11 losses in their last 12 games. I know these games don't count in the standings but it's hard to feel confident about a team when they lose every time they take the field (and often look bad doing it).

His draft record is not as strong as some people pretend but he has done a good job with free agents, IMO. I just don't see a strong MLB candidate on the roster right now. It's got to be a top priority come draft day.