vincec

Nix gave some interesting perspective on the backup line positions a few weeks ago. You only keep 7 lineman active on gameday so you would like the two backup linemen to be able to play multiple positions on the line in order to be useful. Hence you would like a player that can play either center or guard and a player that can play either tackle. For tackle they're clearly trying to groom Hairston, which is why he's getting reps on both sides. For center/guard, it's up in the air. Rinehart can play guard but if the center goes out then Urbik would have to switch to center with Rinehart at guard disrupting two positions which is not ideal. I get the feeling that the staff would love to see Rinehart beat out Urbik so that he can be guy at RG with Urbik as the swing interior lineman. If Rinehart can't beat out Urbik and Brown can show that he can play guard then he has a very good chance to challenge for the gametime backup spot over Rinehart, IMO.

It's sooo overdone. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

zzzzz...

The last time I had a bad day due to a death in the family I went to work and kicked a co-worker in the head. It was totally justified though, she didn't have change for the vending machine.

I agree that the OL was pretty good last season. All I am saying is that I don't really see how it has been improved. Depth may be a little better but any downgrade at LT, the most important position on the line, more than compensates for that IMO. If they just perform as well as last season then I'd be happy but I'm not expecting any improvement.

What improvements on the O-line? It looks to me like the only change is that the Bills lost their starting LT and plan to replace him with a rookie. That doesn't sound like an improvement to me. At least not this season.

If you watched either of the two Super Bowl games, I don't see how you can say that Manning was a "low impact" QB. He made numerous clutch plays and ran the Giant offense brilliantly. His performance was a major key not just to their Super Bowl victories but their playoff runs in general. Just because he doesn't throw as much as Brady that doesn't mean that he is low impact. QB is never a "low impact" position in the NFL.

So let me get this straight, we have: Terry Bradshaw Tom Brady Ben Roethlisberger Bob Griese Eli Manning Joe Namath Ken Stabler Here, I have a few: Joe Montana- He was mediocre in his first SB season. Steve Young- Never could win the big one or get out of Montana's shadow except for one season. Troy Aikman- Only looked good because he had Emmitt Smith keeping defenses honest and that Cowboy OL keeping him clean. Shoot, if these guys can win a SB then Fitz definitely has a shot.

All of this is nice, but mediocre QBs don't win championships except in very rare circumstances. Fitz isn't elite and the Bills don't have any elite prospects, unless you believe it's Vince Young. Therefore, the Bills are no where near winning a championship. It's the one big hole in the Nix-Gailey rebuilding plan. They keep saying that they are trying to find a developmental QB but they haven't done it yet. I agree that they are close to making the playoffs however, which should make for an entertaining season.

If Lee can transform a veteran who over seven seasons has a career 76.5 QB rating and who has never led a winning team into a championship QB, then Lee belongs in the hall of fame.

After it was completed, the designers of the Large Hadron Collider realized that all they needed was Mario Williams to punch the opposing particle beams.

Bucs Saints Giants Jets The rest

It's amazing what one marquee free agent signing can do for a teams national profile. I wonder how much press the Bills would be getting if they did everything they did this offseason EXCEPT sign Mario Williams.

This is a homer thread. Fitz hasn't even led a team to the playoffs yet. Manning has won 2 superbowls with two MVPs. Manning is better in virtually every statistical category. This comparison doesn't seem close to me. I like Fitz but frankly, he's no rookie. He's been in this league for 7 years already. He's never led a winning season and has a career 76.5 rating. He's a journeyman level QB. It may be possible to squeeze a couple of playoff level seasons out of him but to think that he could transform into a championship QB at this stage of his career is overly optimistic. He is what he is, more or less.

Yes. Lindy Ruff.

I'm not sure why the Bills don't just use a RB at the QB position out of the wildcat since they NEVER pass out of it. It would make a lot more sense than Gilmore or even Smith. It might be ok in some very limited situations but the only QB who can really run this formation effectively more often than once every three games now plays for the Jets. If I were the Bills I'd show it every two or three games just to cut into opponents prep time but otherwise forget about it.

Really impossible to know without watching the current team but I'd say you're probably right with QB as #1. Too many question marks with Fitz and even if he works out you still need a long term developmental prospect unless you believe that Vince Young will be that guy. I think you're short changing TE however with a P6. Chandler is average and he's about it so I'd put TE at #2. Beyond that I think you'd have to say best available at this point until we watch them take the field.

Don't think that Troup will be there. His injury situation doesn't seem promising to me. I suspect it will be Heard. Otherwise, this is probably right although it would be nice if Merriman looks good so that the Bills could move Kelsay back to LDE and Johnson back to DT with Merriman backing up Anderson.

This is true. We'll see how it all turns out but it hasn't gone well so far.

Bills got hosed. Nelson- out, Batten- about to be out, Wood- 3 years, 2 major injuries. Meanwhile Peters- selected to the 2010 Pro Bowl and 2011 Pro Bowl as a starter and was a 2010 second team All-Pro selection.

Here are some additional facts: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7346254/buffalo-bills-dl-torell-troup-surgery-minor-spine-fracture "Buffalo Bills defensive lineman Torell Troup will have back surgery this week to repair what he called "a minor fracture" in his spine. In revealing then nature of the injury for the first time since being placed on injured reserve two weeks ago, Troup told The Associated Press on Monday that he should be fully recovered in about three months. That's a timetable that will allow him to be ready for the start of spring minicamps. The second-year player added the operation will also address a pre-existing back problem that's bothered him since the start of training camp." I'm no neurosurgeon, but I don't know how many "minor" fractures there can be of your spine, especially when you are 300+ lbs and must slam into other 300+ lb men for a living.

Buddy Nix is the teflon man. The 2010 draft was the Bills worst in the last 5 years. Buddy was the GM, but it's not his fault? Let me guess, it's Ralph Wilson's fault.

I agree with this 100%. People seem to have forgotten how unprepared the team looked over the second half of last season, the complete lack of confidence they displayed and Gailey's total lack of leadership. I still remember press conference after press conference with him saying things like "I don't have the answers", "If I knew what to do I'd do it", etc. I don't think you'd ever hear those kinds of things from Vince Lombardi's mouth... whether he knew what to do or not. Gailey looks like a good OC but as a head coach he's got a lot of work to do. If the team doesn't compete for a playoff spot this season he could very well be on the hot seat given the raised expectations.

No he wasn't. Yes. I love smart ass posts like this when the poster doesn't even know what he is talking about. Don't confuse the poster with the facts is right. I guess making a smart ass comment is more important than being right.

Bills want players who's "arrow is pointing up". Winslow is definitely on the decline, so no. And no to Dallas Clark, BTW.