PDaDdy

Here is an interesting idea. How about an individual player salary cap? It could be a flat number say 10 million a year or it could be based on position where certain skill positions like QB can make 10 million but a Guard say might be limited to 5 million. In addition to this modification the league would also have to grant the right to the players current team to match any offer. This would allow small market teams to be able to keep and pay their homegrown superstars. Currently a small market team that is lucky enough to draft a future star will almost invariably have them lured away when their rookie contract is up. Some teams will always be able to out pay certain teams. Even more importantly, all things being equal salary wise, players flee small market bad weather teams for the big lights of larger market cities. Even pay for even pay would you rather play in Miami or Buffalo? "I'm taking my talents to Miami." It's a no brainer for a young man in his prime with lots of money. This addition would give the little guys a chance to match and prevent poaching by big market teams but without having to match incredibly over inflated salaries. It would almost be like restricted free agency for any player after their contract is up. The playing field would be leveled. If the player did sign with another team there could be some sort of draft pick compensation. Perhaps not as heavy as current restricted free agency but perhaps as good as or better than compensatory picks that are awarded when free agents are lost and do well with their new team. Obviously there would be a lot of details to work out but the concept is a sound one and would make the NFL and players moving around so often seem a little less mercenary and a little more family.

I love this idea. Unfortunately for the Bills it might mean over paying even more for mediocre talent Ralph has always had the cut off his nose to spite his face approach when it comes to homegrown superstars that finally want to get their pay day. He would rather pay the Chris Kelsay's of the world a boat load of cash than pay and keep the Jason Peters, Pat Williams, Antowaine Winfields of the football world.

It's a team sport. There...I said it. lol Nelson to be sure seems like another ufa gem we might have found. What I really wonder about it is is the front office that good at finding late round or UFA gems at the WR position or is Fitz making them look better than they are? WR is definitely not a problem for us in my mind. In all honesty I don't know how we will keep them all involved unless we regularly start running 4 WR sets.

Right on man. That is what I am saying. We have a bunch of good guys and there is this group of people that are all about Stevie Johnson is god Fitz and Lee suck. You would think Johnson is throwing the ball to himself out ther going 1 against 11. Roscoe with his speed and elusiveness were a big factor in some of our success last year. Those 3 guys were working quite well together. I'm not trying to be a jerk but I could start a topic called Buffalo Bills that was generic and then hop on to any thread that anyone ever made and accuse them of being redundant. I'm not in this to get my response count up or whatever some people care about. I am addressing a specific topic that was not in any way mentioned in your thread. We are both referencing the same video but talking about completely different things. A cold day in hell it must be dawg. For the most part we agree on something. I am really happy with SJ and his emergence but he does need to work on his consistency and unfortunately a lot of the stats were in catch up mode in games where we couldn't get caught up to get the win. His TD production was also limited to only a few games with as you mentioned large periods of time where he disappeared a little. Lee has had the same problem as well but suffers from almost constant double teams. When Lee is not doubled like you saw in the video he is VERY dangerous. You just need a QB that can make up their mind and stick the ball in there. Trent couldn't or wouldn't. Fitz is at least capable of it. We need more WR to challenge the defense. SJ is stepping up and so was Parrish until week 9.

I hear ya. I thought this topic deserved it's own thread because of the silly bickering between the Johnson supporters/Lee haters and the Lee supporters is pretty dumb. It did not appear that was the focus of your thread merely that the video existed. If that is your point you might want to change the subject or your initial post to address that. Not trying to create duplication of effort here just focus on the silly fight between the Lee and the Stevie guys like you can't be both and how they were both helped greatly by Roscoe Parrish.

The video below is a perfect example of what Fitz, Lee and Stevie can all accomplish when on the same page. Many have discussed Stevies drop off in the second half of the season only getting TDs in 2 of 8 games after a great start. I think this was in large part due to Roscoe Parrish getting hurt and eventually being put on IR. Lee had some decent games throughout the season here and there but not enough production out of a talented WR. http://www.buffalobills.com/media-center/videos/Bills-Focus-Ryan-Fitzpatrick-vs-Baltimore/bee86eb5-e305-4ec1-856e-fa97cffc11d5 You see what happens when you leave Lee in single coverage. To the HOUSE! The WRs all worked well off of each other and profited from defenders loosing discipline and trying to jump routes and Fitz made them pay. Something that gets lost in the ridiculous Stevie Johnson supporters vs the Lee Evans Haters argument is that Roscoe really had a huge impact in my opinion on both of their performances but in particular Stevie Johnson. Stevie is not a speed burner but when the way is cleared by 2 4.3 speed WRs he eats up single coverage. If we actually have an off season this year and Fitz can get quality reps with Lee Evans to get his timing and comfort level down with him like he had all of the other 2nd string WRs he had such a good rapport with we are looking good for next year. Throw in Easley and the other emerging WR and WR starts to look like a strength if we would stop being so hyper critical of them and the QB. Fitz isn't Peyton Manning, Big Ben or Tom Brady...we get it. He is however a QB that can be very effective and should improve coming into the season as the starter. Stevie, Lee AND Parrish all can, have and should play off or each other. Somebody has to draw the doubles to get the other guys free. Often a defense would rather give you single coverage on a possession WR who is dangerous in the short to intermediate game than a burner that will torch you in the long game.

This is a perfect example of what we should be doing to get Lee Evans more involved. Surgical is how I would describe the plays they have highlighted. Of course these are the good plays not the warts but it shows what they can do.

Evans was WIDE open when Trent was here. Maybe you didn't have the sound on on the games but even the announcer would comment on Trent not seeing/not throwing to him. Jim Kelly even made the quote when the guy is open you have to throw him the ball. Don't put Trent's ball less weak armed performances on Lee. Lee was able to get separation. The problem is Trent couldn't throw the ball far enough by the time he did due to a weak arm or already having checked down to a RB.

Stevie is turning into a damn good WR but Lee is still better imo. He is not 10x better though that is just crazy. Sadly I think being outspoken is what gets these guys noticed. Kyle Williams was our only probowler and is a lunch pail work horse kind of guy. If anyone should be on that list it is him.

Fact. Evans is and was the #1 WR getting double teamed every play. Fact. Stevie Johnson was the #2 who greatly profited from being an unknown and working with single coverage. Fact. Steve Johnson scored 1 TD his last 6 games Fact. Steve Johnson scored a TD in 2 of his last 8 games (3 TDs against CINCY week 11) I don't want to overtax your brain but can you think of a scenario where the stats being accurate and the statements I have made above are also accurate. They are not mutually exclusive. I will never dispute statistics but I will use my brain and think about what it is they are actually saying. STAT: Trent Dilfer won 1 superbowl. STAT: Dan Marino and Jim Kelly ZERO superbowl wins. CONCLUSION: Trent Dilfer is a better QB than Marino or Kelly. "Survey Says.....ANNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!" No freakin way he is a better QB even though he has more superbowl wins. See how facts can be misleading when used irresponsibly? Stevie Johnson is developing into a really nice WR but please don't try to look at his performance vs Evans in vacuum and not consider things like who is drawing the coverage, time spent with the QB, injuries, etc. It freakin galls the hell out of me because I wanted to see what Evans could do with Fitz and a whole off season of work together. Well, we know how that is going. Sad as it is to say JP was the only guy that was really able to take advantage of what Lee brings to the table. You have to have the QB who has the cannon to get him the ball and use that speed. Otherwise he is relegated to drawing double coverage deep more of a decoy than every play threat. That being said it appears that there is a concerted effort to get Lee more involved. Fitz wants him more involved. Chan wants him to run some routes that he hasn't been asked to do before. I hope we can really get this thing back on track and be a surprise team for 2011.

The emergence, hopefully, of the first receiving threat opposite Lee Evans since Eric Moulds left should finally provide Lee some freedom to roam or Johnson should get even better at taking advantage of single coverage. Time together should help immensely as most probably don't think that Fitz and Lee likely had VERY little work together being on 2nd and first string respectively. *As a note before any haters break a leg jumping at the chance I am for the most part discounting TO. Edwards was so bad that everybody sucked. Many of us knew that Trent didn't have the arm or the balls to throw a deep ball to Evans. For a short time TO was a security blanket for Trent as he figured he would be less exposed throwing to a BIG WR short who could out muscle a DB in single coverage. I see a hater already stepped up. Should have read farther down in the thread. If your QB doesn't have the balls or the arm to throw deep to your deep threat whose fault is it? Personally I'm not so sure anyone figured out Fitz. What did they figure out? He got the line in the right protection, ran for his life when it didn't hold up and threw to open WRs when others were double covered. On another note I think Stevie's performance fell off right around the time he started blaming God for his drops.

Bills fans keep talking up Bell because they hate Jason "Probowl" Peters. If Bell isn't or doesn't become great they could be faced with the ugly truth that getting rid of him was big mistake and that Bell might not be starting LT material. This hatred is so great and blinding they even call into question the integrity of the probowl itself. Coaches and players largely are who determine probowl bids. I'll take their word over some faceless nameless internet forum blow hard.

YES

You are so fighting a losing battle. I think it's pretty clear who doesn't watch the game or perhaps you can't see the forest for the trees. Fitz was so important to what we did accomplish on the offensive side of the ball it is laughable you could assert otherwise.

I would like to see him aim to be the NFL total TD leader past 30. I love Fred Jackson but people are obsessed with yards and yards per carry and seem to have completely forgotten about TD production.

Great points. I think everyone just bought the Steeler's line isn't that good thing without actually looking at it. Big Ben does face a good deal of pressure at times but that is partly because he holds on to the ball forever and usually ends up making the play dragging players behind him. What scares me is we need a RB that can score TDs.

I like this idea. We have had so many other problems that normally I could almost care less about TE but it might be a way to improve the OL, the running game and the passing game all at once. IMO the problem now is that we have too many young WR who are showing flashes not to mention Marcus Easley our 4.3 6'4" WR was supposedly looking like a probable starter before being put on IR. We ran a lot of 4 WR sets to take advantage of that depth and Fitz's ability to utilize it. When we actually do run a 3 WR set one of the TEs you mentioned could be a big help. I just don't know how often we would actually run 3 WR sets to make it worth it if those TEs come with a big price tag.

Because we don't score rushing TDs. If we added up yards per carry to determine the winner at the end of the game that stat might mean something. That being said our yds/carry wasn't ranked that high because our line opened holes it's because Fred Jackson is a good cut back runner and made something out of nothing. If our line could open a hole Spiller would have had a half dozen TDs last year and Freddy would have had more than an embarrassing 5. The Steelers have big ben. Not many QBs can throw dimes with 3 guys draped on him. You can't use the exception as the rule.

Here we go with the offensive line is awesome probowlers down the row. It's that crappy QB that can't get them to open holes in the run game. News flash Fitz coming in part way into the season last year was the best QB since Jim Kelly with mention of 1 year for Bledsoe and some Flutie Magic. The guy put points on the board and he had that line looking a HELL of a lot better than Trent Deadwards ever did.

Guarded optimism is a good thing. Some people just like to take a dump on anything positive and make fun of the fan support of this guy. The Bills perhaps unlike any other team have turned undrafted fodder into valuable starting material. In a normal year this guy would have likely been picked up as an UDFA. I have high but realistic hopes for this guy. He played in some tiny little town and never really had access to the big programs and I think he even had to move around a bit due to some academic issues. This isn't some guy that was in a major program, had his nutrition right, got the proper coaching and just couldn't get it done. This guy has all the attributes of the classic sleeper. Nobody heard of him. Way out of shape but with off the charts athleticism. Switched around from position to position. He could quite literally he could be the diamond in the rough. I think it is very possible that this guy can get on the active roster and get some rotational short yardage play. Anything beyond that would be like hitting the lottery but we have done it before at several positions.

Normally I am for giving people another chance as I'm not an unforgiving holier than thou a hole but I am on the fence with this guy. Unlike many I think this type of stuff goes on MUCH more than actually is discovered and reported. I don't like the fact that a teammate(s) came out and said that they didn't want the guy back. He could be an amazing talent and was rumored to run in the 4.3's which is ridiculous for a young man of his size. If we even approached this guy he needs a life coach or mentor to guide him and show him the error of his ways. He would need to ride pine and study his butt off for 2 years before he could be trusted as a starting QB. All that may not matter a single bit because Buffalo fans love, love, love to run less than squeaky clean players into the ground that don't fit the blue collar dying steel town good old boy image. IF we got him our fans would probably raise the pitch forks and torches, poison the city against him and run him out of town before he ever took a snap.

Let's hope he's not Pat Williams! That would make him another no name we developed into a pro bowler then refused to pay market value to retain his services. Teams don't get better by constantly letting their home grown great/probowl talent go!!!! Instead of overpaying average players try fairly paying probowlers. You would be amazed at how much better your team becomes.

George Wilson is the guy in my opinion. He and Byrd in the secondary in 2009 were pretty damn good. That being said they weren't stepping up to put any crushing blows on anyone but they roamed the secondary and made some great plays.

If I'm not mistaken he has also been put on IR 2 of his 4 seasons.

What are you talking about? 42 of the last 48 is correct but 25 of the last 27 is wrong. He played 26 of the last 32. That doesn't even take into consideration his 2007 year when he played 3 games out of 16!!! All in all over his career he has played 45 out of 64 games. That means Poz has played about 70% of the games since being a Bill. http://www.nfl.com/players/paulposluszny/careerstats?id=POS250036