Red

I have not seen any value to Stroud since he came to the Bills. I think he had 1 strong game when he arrived, and if I am not mistaken it was against the Jags the year he was traded. Since then, he's either been a non-factor or an average player. I don't oppose a trade- I just don't see him having any value. I say cut him. The Jags ran to his side all day long today, and gashed us for several 5+ yard gains.

So, we're supposed to believe that the Bills are the sole party in any deal? Let's see if I understand this correctly: I'm a team that needs, say a RB, and knows of a team with a high quality RB that might be available I, the team in need, don't call to inquire, I wait for the other team to call me first? This is kinda like when a job opportunity opens up, and I sit at home waiting for them to call without even sending in a resume. This is all hogwash. If a team wanted Lynch, they would call Buffalo and make an offer. They would inquire about what the Bills would be looking for in a trade. Not sitting on their collective laurels waiting for opportunity to find them. What is disturbing if it is true, is the value Seattle was offering in April being a 3rd round pick. Now we settle for a 4th and a lower conditional pick in 2012? Truly, the Patriots we are not (see trade of Seymour to Oakland and Moss to Minnesota). Dude, seriously.... ...I'm no Willis McGahee...but you've got to get out more. I took the liberty of emphasizing the key point, IMO. So, it sounds like Modrak might be the true problem, no? This guy has remained employed at OBD but even with a decade in his pocket he can't scout to save his life. When we finally get rid of this dead weight Donahoe holdover?

Well. I will say that the big difference is that the Pats are clearly getting the best of the deals. Wasn't Seymour traded to Oakland for a 1st round pick? Didn't they trade a 4th round pick to Oakland for Randy Moss, then trade him to Minnesota for a 3rd? In our case, Lynch was a #1 pick, and we get a 4th and a conditional for him? I applaud the team for finally admitting to itself its problems, but we are not getting good bang for our draft pick buck, and this, atleast to me, makes another case for Modrak to be sent packing.

Does no one have character and class anymore? Isn't Favre's wife a breast cancer surviver? If this is the case, what kind of heartless @$$ (besides Michael Vick) could do something like that? And as nice on the eyes Jenn Sterger and her $11000 breasts may be, she is a complete example of the 'Reality TV' mentality of today. She has no talent, nothing of any significance to add to improve the world, but manufacturers a synthetic image to get more attention for herself. Ala Paris Hilton or any of the Kardashian's. Why does anyone care? These people are fake, hollow husks that are emotionally bottomless pits where seeking more and more attention for themselves is their sole focus in life. Charlie Casserly is on that horrid NFL pre-game show on CBS, stating that she won't speak to the NFL about the allegations. Why not? Were you involved or weren't you? Who made the allegations? But by keeping it alive and denying the NFL its rightful investigation into the conduct of one of its players, she sure is keeping the fire and controversy alive for her career. Which is exactly what she wants. She is fizzling out on the VS. sport show, and must find a way to break out to get more press for herself. She is a complete 'Look at me' personality. Whatever happened to hard work? Why is manufacturing drama and controversy, no matter the moral ugliness of it all, the way to achieve stardom? Are people really so deplorable that any despicable action is overlooked if the offender has double D's? This is wretchedly like that mexican "sports" broadcaster and her allegations from a week or so ago as well (which, coincidentally, is also from the Jets). Have we as a society really sunk this low? Yet another situation in the sporting world where there is not one positive side. Is there a difference between killing 1 man or killing 12? Is murder, murder, or now must it be somehow quantified to deem it conduct reprehensible of any responsible adult? "Well, he ONLY killed 4 people, NOT 20!" C'mon! Trying to somehow justify a horrible act by comparing it to monsters is ridiculous. Using this logic, Jeffrey Dahmer was a saint when compared to Hitler, Mao, or Stalin.

Ah, hey Dumbo...the 'Haters' as you call them have moved on. These players are long gone. Like you should be. Let. It. Go.

Yeah, I don't think that these assessments are valid, either. #1, I trust Nix and Gailey will get it right. The biggest move that drove me nuts was the Kelsay extension. Thankfully, somebody in the media has a pair and asked why he was extended. Listening to Nix, I guess that explains his value. Its NOT from production on the field. That is refreshing. Its because Kelsay exemplifies the traits they want new players to have. I get that. This team is so desperate for leaders, that Chris Kelsay suffices. Fine. It reassures me that his extension is not based on talent or some horribly skewed view of his potential as a player. Our defensive staff is working with what they have. They are switching to a 3-4. Last time I checked, Kansas City was abysmal when they switched last season, too. To the point where they just did not have the personnel to run it. Sound familiar? KC seems to be doing good this year. #2- We need to fire Modrak. As long that boob is running the draft, we can compile the entire NFL's 1st rounders, and he would still make the wrong picks. This is going to be a long, true, rebuild. I was hoping 3 seasons, but now I'm thinking of 5+. Have patience, Daniel-san.

Well, you are echoing what I have been saying for a long time now: that the reason that the Bills are in their sad state is because they have had horrible people making personnel decisions. Yes, that includes Modrak. The Bills have basically been chasing their collective tail this past decade. They allow a proven player to walk, a a player that no doubt could be a cornerstone of your team (Winfield, Fletcher, Williams) and LEAD your team for the next few years for a lesser skilled player. The learning curve for a rookie is about 2-3 years. Why couldn't we retain those veteran, solid, HEALTHY vets who are STILL performing at a high level and build around them? Then we have John Guy in a position of trying to correct Modrak's ineptitude of poor drafting by being an even bigger idiot when making free agent decisions. Dockery, Royal, Walker (Langston), Walker (Darwin), Triplett...just plain terrible. Incognito. How does he not have value? We got outbid for the services of Cameron Wake in Miami. Maybin was our choice instead of Orakpo or Oher. Whitner instead of Ngata. The Bills are always playing catch up WITH THEMSELVES!! Through poor drafting, terrible free agent signings, and no developmental program they have taken 1 step forward and 3 back. They shortchange their own plan. Then we sign some boner of a player to an extension like Chris Kelsay. I mean, nothing personal against the guy himself- but his play on the field has not warranted an extension. Then we balk at Jason Peters. Now, I don't agree with Peters and a player holding a team hostage when they are already under contract, and I'm glad we got Wood for Peters, it does not make sense in terms of talent of the player.

Injuries, salaries, opportunities. Plus we have needs too. Perhaps we wanted to see what kind of team would take the field this season. If it was more of the same, then we're getting rid of it all (makes me wonder how Modrak and Kelsay can remain employed and get extensions). Those are the only 2 that don't make sense. Otherwise, I am fully onboard with all of these moves thus far. But I also posted in another space that we have been close to greatness, if only we had made better decisions. Cameron Wake. Orakpo or Oher instead of Maybin. Ngata instead of Whitner. Keeping Fletcher, Williams, and Winfield. Keeping Incognito. Drafting TE's Pettigrew and Gronkowski. Indeed, we'd be a much stouter, talented, and more successful team than we are right now. But because we're not, it should all be up for grabs.

And that really says it all. I can understand waiving Edwards, trading Lynch, coming to an agreement with Mitchell to let him go, saying 'see ya' to Hardly. These are all players (with the exception of Lynch) that have been spotty at best for us. Edwards did not work out, so why prolong the inevitable? If they are all equal in terms of ability, then what difference does it make? We make progress as a roster closing up the Edwards tent, moving on, and giving Brohm and Brown as much work as we can. We turn the corner. Mitchell was not a stud LB. He was respectable. But he would be out of position, blocked off the ball, etc. For 2 seasons in a row now, we have injuries creeping in. Not good for a position like LB. Hardy should reflect the poor scouting of Modrak and Co. How Tom Modrak still has a job at OBD is beyond me. But we finally parted ways. I was pleased. Lynch, for all of his talent, began to grow restless in Buffalo. He seemed to me to be starting to suffer from McGahee syndrome. "I'm better than this city", etc. Terrible symptoms of arrogance and inflated self-importance. Throw a little DUI and canadian bashing with your SUV and its clear he was distracted. What makes me mad is that it is for UNDISCLOSED draft picks. So, we have to wait to find out what we got out of this deal. He was a 1st rounder. I sure hope that we got atleast a high 3rd with maybe a 4th or 5th for him. Anything less, and we were robbed. But if Modrak and Co. are still doing the scouting, I don't think 20 1st rounders is going to make a difference. But the Kelsay deal makes no sense. We got RID of John Guy and his stupidity. Kelsay has done nothing to justify being a ball boy. I thought Whaley was supposed to bring Pittsburgh-like experience to our free agent dealings. This is hardly steel city thinking. The Kelsay extension makes absolutely no sense.

I was thinking after watching the 'Fins/ Pats game last night. Incognito looked pretty devastating. I don't know why he was not retained. Gailey was quoted as having made some comments to the announcers that we just are not big enough on the offensive line. Incognito at G, Wood at C, Levitre has been decent. Hangartner in reserve along w/Urbik. What's not to like about that? Incognito destroyed Ty Warren (atleast I think it was him) on a few running plays and took it to the second, and third level of the defense on a few others. Why wouldn't we want some nasty in our blocking? In the same game, Dolphins DE Cameron Wake was a beast in the second quarter. The Bills were one of I think 3 or 4 teams in pursuit of the former CFL star; but Miami got the goods. I can't help but think how our pass rush would be helped by him. How could we not throw more money out there than the Dolphins? Watching the Pats game vs us, I was impressed by TE Gronkowski. He ran, caught, and blocked well. Plus he's a local boy. He would have been a nice pick up. Brandon Pettigrew also seems to be blossoming in Detroit. He went in the 1st, but he would have been a nice one for us. Imagine those 2 on our team. Then I think about the bungling of allowing London Fletcher, Pat Williams, and Antoine Winfield to leave. Drafting Whitner instead of Haloti Ngata. Maybin instead of Orakpo or Oher. This team would be remarkably different if we had made better decisions on all of these players. We'd have a monster pass rush with Wake and Orakpo at opposing ends. Ngata and Big Pat in the middle. Williams to spell relief or be part of the rotation. Our secondary would be just as strong. LB would have Orakpo, Fletcher, Poz, and maybe a high round draft pick. Our offensive line would still need a tackle, but we'd have the TE mystery that has plagued this franchise since Metzalaars retired come to an end. Riemersma was pretty good, but since then the position has been a big '0'. Our O-line would be maybe a solid free agent LT- Levitre- Wood- Incognito- Oher. Young, nasty, and tough. What kills me about all of this- is that none of it is a reason- it's all within reality that these players were either ours, or within our grasp had different (i.e.: better) talent evaluators been at OBD. Indeed, how much different of a team would we be with better personnel moves

Well, I would be mad, except you had to know that going into this season it was going to take some time. I was horribly upset after losing to Miami and then getting slaughtered by Green Bay. But after going to New England and putting up the fight they did last week, I have resumed the proper perspective for the next few seasons. There are some signs that we are changing, though- and they have been greater than just the fight from last Sunday. Letting go of Trent Edwards was a huge sign. I just read today that we also released Mitchell from IR, allowing him to become a free agent. They let WR James HardLY go this summer. Now, with the exception of giving Kelsay an extension (which is obviously NOT from game tape or results on the field) and keeping Modrak in the scouting ranks, this team is making moves to correct past errors. It's going to take time. Spiller is an exciting player that should only get better. We need about 2 good players on the offensive line, a really good TE, a #1 receiver. We need a franchise QB to take this team back to the playoffs. Defensively we need a pass-rushing DE and a strong LB to help out our strong secondary. This is not going to happen overnight. But, with some better drafts than we have had this decade (LOSE MODRAK!!), and some good free agent signings by Whaley, in about 3 seasons we should be much better and possibly threatening to get back to the playoffs. Though we don't have too many young players to get excited about, the cuts of Edwards, Hardly, and Mitchell are refreshing. That's a realistically sad conclusion- but one that I think is true. My wife and I both left Buffalo in '99. We briefly returned in '08, but the poor job market, taxes, etc forced us back to greener pastures. But for us we identify with the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres. It goes deeper than just sports. Its a part of who we are. Its our town. Those are our teams. Buffalo has long since been drained of manufacturing. But so has the country. The problem is, Buffalo has done nothing to replace those lost titans. While the country boomed, Buffalo barely had a pulse. I think you are right. The Buffalo/ Niagara region's ticket to the big time is the Bills and Sabres. Without them, there would be nothing.

If QB were not available, or if the guy we want is not available when we pick, then I would say pass-rush DE who can play 4 whole downs of football would be priority. My list would be as follows: 1.) QB 2.) DE who can get to the QB and 3.) a franchise LT. In terms of importance, I would say that sums it up. I'd love to see a solid TE, #2 WR, and a really good LB in the mix, but we could fill that out with some shrewd drafting (might be difficult if Modrak is still in charge of scouting) in the 2-7th rounds. BTW- how would 'circling the wagons' and dreams of a Super Bowl for Buffalo fare with a QB named Luck?

I agree with you, but don't give Modrak a free pass. You can join the chorus of morons and insist that Modrak is just being out-voted when it comes to the draft room in April, but I ain't buyin'. If nobody listens to Modrak's advice, then why should he get a paycheck? And where are Ralph, the coaching staff, GM, etc getting their information on who to pick from, exactly? Aren't the scouts and ultimately Modrak in charge of compiling all college information so that our war room can make the selections in the first place? So if the coach, GM, owner, etc deviate from the plan...they have to deviate somewhere. Who is compiling that information? Isn't Modrak in charge of that? To put it all on Littman and Overdork- while I feel they are largely responsible- is to say that our draft picks this decade have been good.

I tell 'ya one thing as a former Florida resident...he better shave that mop off his head because he'll melt in the Florida heat. On a side note: 1.) how nice must it be to laid off from one job, then to go home and wait by the phone and actually have somebody call YOU within 4 hours of having been let go. 2.) he seemed like an albatross has been lifted from his neck. Time will tell, but we'll find out if he has talent or not by what happens to his career from hear on out. For the Bills sake (and us fans), I sincerely wish him well but hope it ends like Losman's.

I agree on the Fletcher, Williams, and Winfield stuff!! There are 3 cornerstone guys...if we had held onto them...drafted Ngata instead of Whitner...Orakpo instead of Maybin....maybe even lured Cameron Wake to Buffalo and not Miami...wow!! What a 'D'. No running or passing on us! Ngata, Williams, Schobel, and Wake. Mean D Line. Orakpo, Fletcher, Poz. Nice LB's. Winfield, McGee, McKelvin, Bryd...I'd take that secondary.

THANK YOU!! My sentiments exactly. Too bad there isn't a Levitra drug for impotent scouts...something to turn a dud into a stud! I think Modrak would be a good candidate for a free trial. Side effects include selecting 6 out of 7 picks that turn into Pro Bowlers, finding undrafted college free agents who become Hall of Famers, and having a 4 hour boner because of it.

I can't believe that they did this. What tape are they watching on Kelsay? Certainly not game tape...

Yeah, I really noticed this in the Patriots game. I saw where Cordaro Howard even came in to play for Green at RT on a couple of plays- but he was so embarrassed on a pass rush I don't think we'll be seeing him there again anytime soon. Urbik came in at LG for a couple of plays... On the one hand, it is a sort of confirmation that we are not going anywhere this season, and the staff is aware of it. Similar to releasing Trent. Or the talks of trading Marshawn. This team is being built from the ground up, and no one is safe. I like it. Now if we could only find a way to lose Modrak....

I concur. I love Fred Jackson. But Fred is getting older. Marshawn and Spiller can be a cornerstone of the franchise for years to come. And I do love Marshawns thrashing, refuse-to-go-down style.

Oh c'mon. Trent would be a superstar if he played against our D. We can't rush the passer, Poz would be injured again, and our offense would struggle to score.

IMO, if QB is gone, then our next needs are pass rushing DE, and LT. But I don't know enough about college football to even begin to suggest who the top DE is in college, or at LT.

Dude, first off- I love the avatar. Second- give me a freakin' break! "Not drafting O lineman early on"???!?!?!? There are so many freakin' holes on this squad, what difference does it make if you start on the defensive line (Troupe and Carrington) or offensive? Both lines need everything you can get. They've been neglected since Pat Williams was allowed to leave. And what makes you think that Mr. Boner himself- Tom Modrak- in all of his stupidity would succeed on picks 2-7, anyways? This past decade, with the exception of the 2009 draft (Nix's 1st year, coincidentally), where has Modrak done good anywhere consistently? Nix is taking over a mess. It takes time to build a franchise, and we are all tired. Tired of being lied to by management. Tired of getting our hopes up every season only to have them crushed. Tired of being sold a bill of goods from the Bills marketing department, only to find that we bought a vanilla frosted turd every year. Trust me, I am with you on the frustration. But I truly believe that Nix, Whaley, and Gailey have us moving in the right direction. This one feels different.

Let's not jump to conclusions. But I must say that this is a sound approach. Let's see what we have. We have these guys on the roster, let's see if any one of them can compete and get "it" done. Then we can finally move forward as a franchise. What we are witnessing now is the gutting of the franchise. I say keep it coming. Though I am really confused over reports of Kelsay being offered an extension.... I think you are correct.

I say cut him!

I agree. Why hang onto mediocrity? I sincerely had hoped Trent would rebound. When the regular season began and the same old Trent came out, and now after seeing Fitz against the hated Pats we have a better idea that our offensive suckitude- atleast in part, had Trent's name attached to it. Now, Fitz is not the answer. He is a used band-aid of a temporary solution. We will need an infusion of talent at this position (which makes me even more frustrated that Garcia was not signed for 1-2 seasons). Developing Brohm sounds exciting. But I don't get the "big time" feeling from him either. I think that the Bills need to finish cleaning house and get rid of the idiot responsible for all of these bad picks for the past decade: Tom Modrak. Improving our scouting ranks will go a long way towards improving our talent on the field. But for the short term, I like the decision making. It sends a strong message that nobody is safe. Hardy was released. Now Edwards. Players are being rewarded with playing time for effort (Parrish, Lynch, Jackson, and Spiller). This is the true cultural change that the Bills have needed. Nobody is good enough on this roster to be sacred. Untouchable. They all need to forget about Club Jauron, because that is long gone. Gailey is doing a nice job. Now I'd like to see the Bills get rid of dead weight Modrak, and I want to see Whaley and Nix work some magic.