Smiley Dear

This..AND.. Lee was never going to resign with us after this year. We were not going to the playoffs this year with or without Lee Evans, so they traded him for a 4th. Which is exactly what the Pats got for Moss. No one was going to give up more for a homerun threat who has one or 2 good games a year and disappears for the rest. Like it or not that's been Lee's reputation for the past 3 years.

First off let me preface this by saying i love Fred Jackson, and I believe he's the best offensive pkayer the Bills have had since Eric Molds. He's not just an adequate starter but, a highly productive and consistent back running behind a putrid run blocking Oline on a team that rarely has a lead and throws way more often than it rushes. It's very uncharacteristic of FJ to gripe to the media. He's always had to prove himself and beat out other more highly touted players his whole career. Why get angry now; about the preseason no less? I know I'm only speculating but I bet Fred doesn't really want to play for the Bils anymore and maybe he's trying to get traded too. I have no proof. I don't know someone who knows someone deep within OBD, but it makes more sense than Fred Jackson has suddenly decided to become a crybaby.

Fred is the only back who has been consistently productive behind our sorry excuse for an Oline for the past 4 years. If we had a line that could block and we ever had a lead to protect in the 2nd half, we could commit to the run and he would have great stats. Simply put he's the only reliable offensive weapon on this team week in and week out. He's the best offensive player on this team since Eric Moulds.

He's listed as 6' 2", but I bet Chan has actually met him and spoken to him face to face and knows how tall he really is. That being said, I liked him outside too. They already know what he can do at OLB, maybe they want him to learn the inside position too. That way he can play either if someone goes down. I don't think it's a bad strategy to develope someone's versatility. Satan does it in NE all the time. It's preseason and they should be doing things like this. I think it will benefit Moats and the team in the long run.

This Let them try CJ out in preseason. If performs upto expectations then hooray for us... My money is on the FJ to end up being the man yet again this season.

I think their plan all along was for him to be the primary TE this year. All this talk of Nelson developing or signing Boss or Miller is fantasy.

Good find Beerball. How do you consistenly find any and all obscure articles pertaining to the Bills? I've tried googling Buffalo Bills under the news tab, but it doesn't give any of these local news articles. It seems like everyday you find some bits of minutiae to link to. With this lockout dragging on, any new Bills articles to read are welcome. Thanks you.

Tell me about it. I still don't have power. I figured that Russ would be the team exec at the meeting my real question was if Ralph was spry enough to jet over to Chi for a two day meeting. It doesn't sound like he is or he just didn't feel like this meeting was worth the trouble. I hope its the latter. Was Littman the other rep?

I read that each team was to have an owner and a team executive at the informational meeting in Chicago today. Has anyone read if Ralph made the trip? Is Russ Brandon the team exec or did Ralph send Russ and someone else? I'm curious to see if Ralph is healthy enough to travel and still able to manage his business dealings.

I really don't get how how these stats are a reflection of line play. The authors analysis is flawed. (sacks allowed)/(sacks+qb knock downs+ hurries) only indicates how well your qb gets rid of the ball in the face of pressure. A better analysis for how well the oline protected the qb would be (sacks allowed+knock downs+ hurries)/total pass plays. That would tell us how often a defender got to the QB as a percentage of pass plays. Besides, everyone knows that run blocking was the big weakness for our o-line last year. So saying our pass pro was ok is just sticking your head in the sand.

I completely agree

With out question the most prolific back in NFL history.

For what it's worth Pat Kirwan has ranked 35 current NFL QBs on NFL.com and he has Fitz at 18. That's mediocre for sure but it also lends credence to the argument that Fitz is a viable starter and can improve. I for one don't understand the certainty of some when they predict his failure this year. I don't think he'll developed into Peyton Manning but I could see him being Eli with a better supporting cast. Sorry I would have just linked to it if I only knew how. See below: Group A (1-5) 1. Tom Brady, Patriots: Three Super Bowl rings and four appearances in the big game to go along with the most touchdown passes in 2010 (36). 2. Drew Brees, Saints: Tied for second in TD passes (33) and one of the great leaders in the NFL. 3. Peyton Manning, Colts: Tied for second in TD passes (33) and the guy who will probably break Brett Favre's passing records. 4. Philip Rivers, Chargers: Led the league in passing yards with 138 fewer throws than the next closest QB in passing yards. 5. Aaron Rodgers, Packers: The Super Bowl MVP and someone who made Packers fans forget Favre. Manning overlooked by peers Eli Manning has a Super Bowl MVP, a lifetime 64-46 record, has never missed a start. Those are just some of the reasons he should have made t the top 100, says Pat Kirwan. More ... » Does Romo deserve spot in top 100? » Can Vick repeat 2010 performance? Group B (6-10) 1. Eli Manning, Giants: Underrated with 4,000-plus passing yards and fourth in touchdown passes (31). 2. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers: A two-time Super Bowl champion and three appearances on Super Sunday during his seven-year career. The essence of a winner. 3. Tony Romo, Cowboys: He has to stay healthy this year and improve on his 1-3 postseason record or he will fall from this group. 4. Matt Ryan, Falcons: A rising star with 66 touchdown passes and just 34 interceptions in his first three years. 5. Michael Vick, Eagles: Turned his life around, and not only recaptured his career but has improved as a quarterback. Group C (11-15) 1. Sam Bradford, Rams: He averaged 39 pass plays a game as a rookie, completed 60 percent of his passes and threw more touchdowns (18) than interceptions (15) without a top wide receiver. Freeman or Flacco? The debate between picking Josh Freeman or Joe Flacco comes down to weighing potential against results. Elliot Harrison examines the case for both young quarterbacks. More ... » Young QBs crack top 100 2. Joe Flacco, Ravens: All he's done is lead his team to the playoffs in his first three seasons. He has 60 touchdown passes and just 34 interceptions to go along with a 4-3 postseason mark. 3. Josh Freeman, Buccaneers: A rising star who reminds me of a young Warren Moon. Cool under pressure with a big arm. He led his team to 10 wins in his first full season as a starter. 4. Carson Palmer, Bengals: He might retire, but he still threw for 3,970 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2010. If the Bengals ever change their mind about trading him, we will all see what the rest of the league thinks of his ability. 5. Matt Schaub, Texans: Probably belongs in Group B but winning has to be part of the equation to move up. He threw for 4,370 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. Group D (16-20) 1. Matt Cassel, Chiefs: The trade for Cassel proved to be a great move by the Chiefs. Very efficient quarterback in 2010 with 27 touchdowns and just seven picks. He gets a new receiving weapon in Jonathan Baldwin this season and is probably headed to Group B or C next year. 2. Jay Cutler, Bears: He takes too much criticism for his "body language." The accusations after his knee injury in the NFC title game are just an example of his bad image. Another year under offensive coordinator Mike Martz and he's headed up from Group D. 3. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills: The Bills know what they have in Fitzpatrick and passed on adding a quarterback in the draft. Get him some more protection and targets, and he will improve on his stellar 2010 production. 4. Kyle Orton, Broncos: Played in 13 games and still threw for 3,653 yards. He might get traded when the lockout is over since a number of teams will want a QB with a 32-29 career record and 12,000-plus passing yards. 5. Mark Sanchez, Jets: Impressive start to career with a 23-14 record, including the playoffs, but needs to improve on his passing with only 29 touchdowns in 33 regular-season games. Group E (21-25) 1. David Garrard, Jaguars: While he will probably be replaced sooner or later, he will not go down without a fight. He has a winning record in the NFL and has thrown 35 more touchdowns than interceptions. 2. Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks: He had seven touchdowns to one interception in the playoffs and still has some tread left on the tires. He's a free agent and hopefully he stays in Seattle. His 11 postseason games, including a trip to the Super Bowl, is the kind of experience a team will need if the lockout goes deep into the summer. 3. Chad Henne, Dolphins: He is another quarterback in a long line trying to erase the memory of Dan Marino. This could be his last chance to keep a starting job and 27 touchdown passes in 27 starts isn't going to cut it. 4. Donovan McNabb, Redskins: His best years are behind him and the 2010 stop in Washington was a bad experience. He can still play, but needs another change of scenery. 5. Matthew Stafford, Lions: He has to stay healthy to move up a few groups. He looks like he's stronger and healthy, which means he could ascend next season. Group F (26-30) 1. Jason Campbell, Raiders: He threw 13 touchdowns in 13 games last year and really needs a big season to step out of the obscurity he seems to be floating along in his five-year career. Let's see if a new coach, Hue Jackson, takes him to the next level. 2. Jon Kitna, Cowboys: Even though he might be a backup, did you notice how well he played last year when he had to start for Romo? Kitna's going back to the bench in Dallas, but he has a better chance of winning games in 2011 than a number of starters. 3. Kevin Kolb, Eagles: He'll be a hot item if we ever get to where trades can happen. The West Coast coaches believe he's the next Hasselbeck or Schaub. A backup with limited experience who can come in and be the face of the organization. 4. Colt McCoy, Browns: The West Coast system is perfect for McCoy. Between Pat Shurmur and Mike Holmgren, McCoy should be productive this year. 5. Vince Young, Titans: He is 30-17 as a starter and has to find a new place to play in 2011. If he cleans up his reputation as a worker, he still has a bright future. Harbaugh sees something in Smith Alex Smith has been a disappointment since entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick in 2005. Bucky Brooks examines what new 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh sees in Smith. More ... Group G (31-35) 1. Andy Dalton, Bengals: With Palmer probably retired or gone, Dalton will get a chance to play, and with A.J. Green at the end of his passes to go with a solid running game, he should have a promising rookie season. 2. Shaun Hill, Lions: Another backup who played better than some starters around the league a year ago. He led the Lions to two late wins. 3. Cam Newton, Panthers: If he doesn't get into camp soon and get some coaching, he will not have a chance to win as a rookie. He has the talent, but it will be a tough year with a weak supporting cast. 4. Tim Tebow, Broncos: He didn't play poorly when he got his chance last year. As one general manger said, "I should have known he would do a decent job on the field the way he competes." This is a deciding season for his future in Denver. 5. Alex Smith, 49ers: He was starting to come around when Norv Turner was his offensive coordinator back in 2006 and I'm hoping Jim Harbaugh can do the same thing for Smith now. His 19-31 record with more interceptions (53) than touchdowns (51) is a heavy burden to carry around.

If this is true and the compensation for Dennis Dixon is only a 5th, then I think he's the best bet. He's young and mobile with the potential to develop into a good starter and has none of the baggage VY brings with him. I'm surprised the Steelers didn't offer the maximum tender.

I love these threads. There's one every off-season. I thought I was Steelers fan when I moved to Medina, NY. It's understandable since it was 1978, we were moving from Johnstown, PA, and I was only 8. My dad took me to my first Bills game the following year. It was a December game and there was 6 in of snow on the aluminum benches at Rich. The Bills lost to Denver 19 to 17 on a last second field goal and I was genuinely disappointed. We went to the seasonopener every year after that. I watched every televised Bills game and listened to Van whenever the games were blacked out, which was often in 1984 and 1985. Yet I still thought the Steelers were my favorite team until 1986 when the 3-7 Bills hosted the 3-7 Steelers. After suffering through 35 loses out of the past 42 games, I was physically unable to root for a Bills loss. I cheered like hell as the they managed to pull off the upset. I realized that day that its easy to love a team when they are good and usually win. Fans love their team just as much when they aren't winning. Those fans are rewarded expontentially when the team does turn it around. I've been a die hard ever since. Ive lived Cleveland, St. Martin, and London, and I've always found a Bar or Casino willing to show the Bilks Game. I live in Chicago now and used to watch all the games at the coolest beer and shot joint in the city, Delilah's. I have kids and Sunday ticket now. Still never miss a game. I read this message board several times a day. Whenever my 3 year old sees any sports logo anywhere, he says look dad it's the Buffalo Bills. Sorry this was so long, but love talking about the Bills.

He bought a professional football team for $25k

I'm not a financial or tax expert but I'm pretty sure it has to do with the capital gains tax. Since Ralph paid something like 25- 50k for the Bills, when he sells them he's subject to a capital gains tax on essentially the whole amount. The Bills are estimated to be worth over 600 mil. Then when he dies his heirs will then have to pay estate taxes on their inheritance. If Ralph passes along the team intact, and the heirs then sell it, they will have to pay the estate tax on the value of the team, but no capital gains tax is owed, since they did not purchase the team.

Can you teach dirty? Wilfork is one of the dirtiest SOB s in the NFL and when he takes a cheap shot at our QB, I want someone who will even the score on Brady. I still can't believe that we didn't gave someone take a run at Brady (penalty & fines be damned) when Wilfork blatantly took out Losman's knee. Dickie J declared himself a giant pussycat that day.

This thread was created within a minute of the other 2. Do you think they were already posted when I presses "start new topic" or do you think we all got the text from the Bills at about the same time? This thread woll obviously die out or the MODs will marry all three into one. Why do you feel the need to be an obnoxious a-hole about it?

Why this year? Why not last?

+1

I'm voting for Demaurice Smith.

Now thst the NFLPA has decertified, what's stopping the NFL owners from setting up a universal pay scale or some other artificial ceiling on player salaries. Then they could lift the lockout and tell the players if you want to play in the leaguetheses are our new rules. I'm sure some players would elect to retire, but the vast majority would report eventually, especially if the salaries were still fair. My hunch is that if the NFL had won the decision to keep the 4B war chest, something like this would have played out. I think decertifying was still a risky move by the players.

I personally have no qualms about masturbation.

This