OldTimer1960

As I understand it, Grimm could interview at the beginning of next week (after their game), but he turned down the opportunity.

I'm thinking that the interviews are being handled like prank calls: Nix: Hello, do you know where the Bills play? Recipient: "Buffalo?" Nix: "I will give you $36,000/year if you would like to coach them" Recipient: "Uh, no thanks they suck on Madden 2010"

Wow, I want to be as positive as the previous two posters, but I don't see any legitimate way to spin this. The Bills' HC job is not desireable. I think it is time to call Haslett and Trestman. First one to answer their phone wins the job.

How big of a joke is this theam when Russ Grimm, who depserately wants a head coaching position turns down an interview? It looks like the first candidate that will take the Bills' call will be hired and this guy won't take the call? It is pretty clear that NOBODY within the NFL respects anything going on here. Just to be clear, I am a life-long Bills fan and wish I could be optimistic, but when nobody-asst coaches turn down the opportunity to get a big promotion with your team it isn't a good sign.

Whitner's selection was a major error. The Bills desperately needed a DT and both Haloti Ngata and Broderick Bunkley were sitting there when their pick came. Instead, the Bills reached for the 2nd rated SS in the draft after the Raiders took the top SS candidate (michael Huff) a pick or two earlier. Now, I won't say that Whitner was a major major reach, but the Bills had no business picking a safety when the two top DTs (THE position of need for them) were sitting on the board. What do you suppose the Bills would need to package with Whitner to get Ngata now? (I'd venture to say a 1st and Whitner might get us Ngata). Too bad, blown opportunity.

Totally unfair point of view, but: If the Bills hire Russ Grimm or Ron Rivera it will look like a total clusterf**k. What was it with: 1. the big splash "being interested in" Cowhere, Gruden and Shanahan 2. making a big deal of how important it is to hire a head coach with head coaching experiences ...AND... 3. making a big deal of how important it is for the successful candidate to put together a top staff of assistants. Neither Grimm nor Rivera are the "big splash" Neither has head coaching experience We don't know for sure, but since neither has been in coaching for a long time (both former players), it wouldn't seem that they've got the connections to hire a top staff (and Grimm, in particular, could be unavailable due to the playoffs until most NFL assistants who have lost their job have found new gigs. We also have to assume that Buffalo is not a "hot spot" where it would be easy to lure an assistant away from another team where he already has a job). None of the above means that Grimm or Rivera couldn't be a good head coach, but it would sure look like the Bills "settled" for one of them if they hire them. Just my frustrated $.02 worth... I'd have preferred that they never flirted with Cowher, Gruden, Shanahan and Billick at all if they didn't think that there was a chance that they could hire them.

I am not sold on Tebow. I love the work ethic and attitude with a winning track record, but I just don't see an NFL caliber passer when I look at him. I see a guy with a slow unorthadox delivery that does not have a strong arm on top of it. I also see a player who hasn't had to read complex defenses and make throws into tight windows because his receivers are often wide open. Now, I wouldn't necessarily bet against him with his attitude, desire and effort to succeed, but I would not spend a 1st round pick on him.

Hiring a coordinator from a playoff team is going to be a problem. I would not want to see them in a position where they have to wait deep into the playoffs - possibly after the Super Bowl in order to get one of those guys. That is just a recipe for a weak staff of assistants as the assistants worth a damn will have already been snapped up by teams who get their new coaches in place earlier. That being said, it is a balancing act. Of course, you don't want to settle for a lesser candidate to be your head coach just because he is currently available to hire rather than wait for a better candidate to fall out of the playoffs.

I can't see how taking a QB with the Bills' first pick would be a consideration - unless it is some Randall Cunningham/Fran Tarkenton clone who can run around behind the very shaky OL. My $.02 worth is that this draft must be about shoring up the OL and significantly improving the run defense. On the OL, I think that the main missing piece is a legitimate LT. Assuming that Eric Wood can come back healthy, I like the C and Gs in Hangartner, Wood and Levitre with Incognito in the mix, too. I would *hope* that Brad Butler can come back and play RT and I'd want to find a mid level veteran RT to compete with Butler. On D, they need to decide whether to stay 4-3 or go to a 3-4. They'll need 1, possibly 2 starting calibre LBs and one could come on the inside pushing Poz to OLB. I am not saying Poz isn't doing a good job inside, but he is small for an NFL MLB. If they go 3-4, they need a NT and a DE (at least 1). I don't know if Stroud or Kyle Williams could play NT effectively, but maybe one of them could play one of the DEs in a 3-4. I know that it is difficult to find a trading partner in order to move back in the first round, but if they can do so. I think it would be advantageous to them to trade back and stock pile picks in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds. They don't need flash as much as some tough SOBs on the OL and D to make this team at least competitive and those kind of guys can often be found in those rounds. Grab some veteran QB as a stop-gap in FA or via trade (but don't give away much) and fix the D and OL first. Next year they can work on the skill positions...

But the trick is, you kind of have to decide your path before the draft because FA is open and mostly over before the draft in April.

I think that arm strength is the question. I am not stating the he does not have an NFL capable arm, but that is what the knock was on him coming out of college according to the various draft publications I saw.

Really? One LB away from a top-10 defense? Wow, I must be watching the wrong games. I don't want to come across as totally negative, but this defense is not very good. I agree that there is lots of talen in the secondary (if healthy) with McKelvin, McGee and young Jairus Byrd, but Whitner/Scott/Wilson at the other safety spot is nothing to write home about (IMHO). I think DE is still a glaring problem. Kelsay is sort of OK and Schobel is still a decent pass rusher when healthy and if he doesn't retire. I can't say that Maybin is a bust after one lost year, but his total lack of playing time in a lost season could lead some to believe that the coaches see absolutely nothing in him. I think two new starting LBs are needed - unless the team goes to a 3-4 then maybe 3 new ones. Kawika Mitchell might be adequate at one OLB, but Ellison/Harris/Scott/whoever else has played there are not answers on bottom third NFL defense let alone a top-10 D. If Stroud can stay healthy, they may be OK at DT, but you have to wonder if the DTs had some part in the woeful run D.