BigBuff423

Wow....just, Wow....I really do my best to respect each person's opinion, no matter how divergent they may be from my own...but, Wow...this, baffles me. That's not intended to be disrespectful or insulting, just...Wow...it's extremely hard for me to grasp this perspective...I, just don't get it.... Byrd was out for five or six games last year this team was competitive with a Rookie WR that the BILLS Drafted intending for him to sit for a year or two behind Kolb and learn the system, make some technical adjustments to his feet and throws and grow into the QB they have in mind for him...Starting RT goes down and Spiller's injury lasts the year...not to mention, LG was truly undervalued and misappropriated in talent, which IS their fault...but the team just brought in a better Defensive staff as a whole, i.e. Pepper Johnson and Chuck Pagac, while not compromising on experience and some proven good Defensive schemes with Schwartz, gotten Hostler from the Ravens to help the Offense develop, actually hired a QB coach who just coached Stafford, signed an upgrade at LG, got better depth at the CB and LB position - 2 FREAKING DAYS INTO FA! And you don't see how this team is better than when the season ended??? Not to mention they've unloaded Kolb, signed Ramses Barden that could help in the Red Zone, hired a new WR's coach and are STILL BRINGING IN FAs!! Wow...just....wow Byrd was a good / great Safety, but his absence will NOT dictate wins or losses in general and will not change the course of this team for better or worse...

See kids, this is the effect of many years of LSD....Just Say No.....actually, this could be a Direct TV commercial, "When you're cable goes out, you become a Raiders apologist. Don't become a Raiders apologist, get Direct TV".

Not to mention, it is directly tied to paying for a *POSITION and not a PLAYER, in that such money should be devoted to LT, QB, DE, DB, skills of great impact which can also include Offensive and Defensive Line....Safeties, just aren't worth that much money, regardless of productivity...pay them well, but that type of money just isn't worth it, IMO.....

I'm with the plan the BILLS have thus far....it is very difficult to be patient when this team has shown no signs of life for nearly 14 years and has failed in so many different ways on multiple occasions...it's almost HARDER to fail in all the different ways this team has over the length of time without accidentally tripping into the playoffs...what has been the constant is the degree of excellence the Patriots have had over that same time frame...look at other divisions, they've all had good teams rise to the top within their divisions but in the AFC East the Patsies have just owned it for about the same time the BILLS have just been horrible. The Jets had a couple good years and Miami one good year in all those years, that amounts to three maybe four where the Pats had to really sweat it out to the end, but most years, they've just dominated, much to my chagrin....so, Buffalo struggles, makes really poor FO decisions which results in bad Draft decisions for the most part and then tries to overpay for bad FA moves, see Derrick Dockery and Langston Walker, while also thinking they could just plug in any ole coach, See Jauron and Gailey, while brining in average and sub-par players.....but and this is a HUGE AS* but, when Brandon was given carte blanche to do as he saw fit, his first move was to fire Gailey, bring in a Coach who had been in the college ranks and could relate to younger players but had NFL coaching experience, have a transfer of GM responsibilities in place, begin to use metrics to help balance what football observation and instincts provide, and do what they should have done and that's build through the Draft, for real this time!! The last few Drafts have proven to be solid to good and shows this regime has a good idea of knowing how to Draft, Glenn and Kiko are givens, but there are others and this post is already too long....the BILLS lose Pettine to a good opportunity and instead of being the same ole BILLS and just promoting from within because of "continuity", they go get a good Defensive mind proven in the NFL on several levels in Schwartz, furthermore, they don't stand pat, they bring in Pagac and my favorite, Pepper Johnson, to augment the Defensive scheme and bring out the best in the Defense. Then, not being short-sighted and realizing the Offense needed some coaching help bring in Hostler, a real gem when it comes to maximizing the talent and skills of WRs, and what do the BILLS have? Two young developing WRs and probably a third to follow in May, and he will help coach and scheme an Offense.... Overall point is this: we are all frustrated by the lack of winning and success for the BILLS....we are all tired of watching our beloved BILLS take it on the chin week in and week out, only to have the media ridicule their every move in the Off-Season and have one pundit after another berate them for "stupidity" and for "cheap" moves while pointing to the playoff drought...unfortunately, much like finding yourself in a big hole, there is no easy way out, no magic pill or wave of a wand....it will take time and patience, the two things we fans have run out of, yet it's those things that are required to actually become what we want this team to be: a long-term winning franchise that becomes the veritable model of a champion....you want the road to the Super Bowl to go through Buffalo? Patience, insight, wisdom, and time.....hard pills to swallow, but necessary.

+1

wouldn't it be interesting if the BILLS signed Pettigrew and the Lions signed Chandler??

Lamar Houston, Geoff Shwartz, Lesley Woodyard (and move Kiko outside, trade back and Draft Mosely for ILB)....anything else would be gravy in my opinion....

Unless they were to release TJ Graham....and, the BILLS could certainly use a great KR/PR as I would rather not see Flash Goodwin doing that, only to save him for the Offense, IMO

Incredible show!! Acting, directing, writing...just pheonmenal....it won't be the same actors, but look forward to next season...it was dark and intriguing while also being witty at times...great stuff!

If possible, would really like to see Schwartz 2.0 come to Buffalo to help this Offensive line and give EJ some real veteran help and size, while Drafting another Guard...IMHO, Offensive line outside of Wood and Glenn was the worst unit on the field, closely followed by the WR corp...so, getting a proven guy in Schwartz and then spending a 3rd on a Guard would be great....I know the BILLS like that J.J. Ugga (sp?) but they NEED another proven Guard to do it all, run and pass block that isn't beyond his best years yet....

Thad is okay as a backup, but if I had my druthers for who would be the Vet to be the back-up, it would be Chad Henne. Dude got off to a rough start in Miami, Drafted by Bill Parcells, but that woeful Jags team had a much improved passing Offense when Chad was in the QB position and he's exactly the type of QB I think Buffalo could benefit from...he played at Michigan and demonstrated some real potential but got mixed into that mess in Miami and then went to Jags who are a train wreck at this point....I like Chad to be a guy that if EJ were to go down on injury, could truly keep this team going toward a winning season, which is what I want...I'm sick of seeing injuries keep this team watching the playoffs instead of playing in them....

With the BILLS bringing ILBs in for visits, it seems they are pretty bent on getting some Veteran leadership for that MLB spot...which, makes sense. That would seem that the BILLS want to get a Vet MLB to pair with Kiko, and probably a young OLB via the Draft...that's of course speculation based on just two FA visits, but considering there are others and that it's the same position in 2 days, speaks to what their plans may be, IMO... If you haven't read the write-up on Mosley done by Bleacher Report, it is well worth the read...the article really makes you like the kid and hope the BILLS find a way to put him on their team...somehow!

So, if I understand you correctly - and I'm not saying I do, I'm just asking the question - you think NFL owners are the only entrepreneurs getting tax breaks that help them reduce their overall cost and therefore can afford other things, including personal luxury? Or that players are not people "who are beyond wealthy", and specifically in this case Jairus Byrd is about to reap a pretty lucrative contract, if from no one else the BILLS? In your first post you side to another poster, "you are siding with the owners", and to that I would respond with, well...Yes. I side with them when issues of "fairness" or "market value" are considered and discussed....

In the words of Barbara Bush: JUST SAY NO!

In full disclosure, I'm fine with Byrd not playing for the BILLS, would have preferred something in return for him leaving, but eh...what's done is done....however, it gets to me sometimes how fans, and not just you as an individual so I'm not really taking issue with you personally just the opinion you represent - forget what it takes to be an owner...do they make the profit? Yes...but let's remember, it took an owner to buy a team, build a stadium, organize a structure to keep it running and took ALL the risk when the team was founded or in Jerry Jones' case when he bought it...I don't like Jones as a football guy and to me is a meddlesome owner, but he did pony up the dough to buy the Cowboys and then is taking all the financial risk with it...along with Ralph, who some keep saying is "cheap" which, is wearing thin IMHO....furthermore, in nearly every other arena of industry and business the American people stand and clap at the entrepreneur who takes a risk and then becomes a multi-million / billionaire but in football or sports we somehow vilify the owners? Really? Do you think Microsoft or Apple could exist without the menial and low-wage labor of unskilled people or the middle to upper management of educated and ambitious people? Or Wal-Mart or Pizza Hut or Domino's or Netflix or ....you get the point, in nearly every capitalist structure of business there is an owner / leader / management group that takes the risk of starting something, works hard and is driven for it to succeed and then depends on those they employ to make that product / service profitable...so why are the NFL owners made out to be horrible individuals?? Should they make the majority of the profits?? YES!!!! They took the risk and forked over the millions / billions to have a Franchise and so while I love players like Kelly, Thomas, Reed, Bruce Smith, Kyle Williams, Eric Wood, Freddy Jackson, et. al, their skill-set is to play...they have talent and work hard and fill a specific profitable niche so they are rewarded HANDSOMELY for it, to the tune of millions...good for them...Go with God and hopefully bring home a Lombardi Trophy to Buffalo...but can we dial down the vitriol for Ralph and other owners who are reaping rewards on their investment and realize in a somewhat capatilist socieity, it is the owners / entrepreneurs who have the biggest profits because it comes with the biggest risk.....for those who disagree, go take out a 2nd mortgage on their house, borrow from their family, sell all investments and assets to gain cash liquidity and leverage every credit dollar they can muster to start a restaurant or new technology company and come back and tell me (us) the brass set it takes to gamble your future and the welfare of your children's future against your ideas, work ethic, and market demands you can't possibly predict....also, you say the "game depends on players"...and to a point you are correct, but there are only 32 owners, and last I checked there were over 2,000 players and many more who WANT to play...Jerry Rice was once asked why he practices so hard and why he trains so viciously and said, to paraphrase, "I get paid to practice...I play the games for free". His mind-set was to APPRECIATE the joy in playing the game and work for the opportunity to play a game he loves, we need more of that perspective and less of this entitlement bulls*it that is coming through professional sports more and more as years go on....

No thanks....I think the BILLS should have done the transition tag, even if it was for a 2nd Rounder - which I think they could have gotten, but at this point it's all moot...let Byrd go, use the money to rebuild the O-line and allow the young and developing Safeties to show what they can do next season...

I don't know if this is sarcasm and considering there is no verifiable indication that it is in fact sarcasm, I'll assume it is not and that you're serious....in fairness of full disclosure, I am not a season ticket holder...that said, I hated watching the BILLS home game in Toronto on TV...and no I wasn't there, but if we want the BILLS to be a winning organization, then they need to keep their home games...well, HOME! Now, the NFL is mandating this global NFL experience so games are outsourced to London requiring one team to forfeit a home game, but that's a bit different in that the NFL is making those decisions....second, it's not like those teams will go to London every year (unless you're the Jags) so it shouldn't be on-going...you're entitled to feel however you want and be displeased with paying for an extra game, but then...don't be a season ticket holder and simply pay for the games you WANT to attend, however many that may be....I for one, live a pretty good distance away and prefer to watch the game in high-def, my beer is my own, my food is my own and I can stay warm when it's cold and cool in September when....ya, it never really gets hot, but you get the point....either way, my point is most of us fans WANTED the Toronto series to be killed because we love seeing the BILLS play in home unis at the Ralph and to see that home crowd cheer....and this season for sure, playing at HOME made a real difference in their record....

If that's the exchange - Byrd-less for Toronto nixed - count me as a satisfied fan.

Raiders: 7 yrs, $74 million, $44 million guaranteed

I agree that is a near guarantee that Mack is gone by 9, but that said...there is a handfull of QB needy teams and teams that really do have specific players targeted...it happens every year, someone in the top 10 gets Drafted and everyone says, "Whaaaaaaat??!!" which causes an unforeseen change in the way teams Draft and players that are available...so while I don't "think" Mack makes it to 9, you just never know...and with that scenario, given Byrd's departure and now more FA money available, it makes me wonder even more if the BILLS stay put at 9 or trade down...ESPECIALLY if Mack is still there at 9....

I'm not endorsing James Jones as a FA pick-up in any way, but the reason why some of us are comfortbale suggestion that "type" of WR is because, I for one, we believe the BILLS will Draft their No. 1 WR in the Mike Evans / Jordan Matthews / Donte Moncrief sort....so, over-paying for a "#1" WR when the Draft is very deep this year in big, fast, pass-catching WRs, would seem to be a poor allocation of funds and value...just IMO...

I've been banging the Bryant drum since the Combine and after I watched his highlights, but...I think 3rd might be a bit too high...love the kid and in another thread said he'll be my guy that next year or two years from now I'll come back and say, "I told you (whoever that is) so!"...but still think he's probably 4th to 5th Round due to Junior year status and only one productive year...that's not a knock on him but with DeAndre Hopkins and now Watkins getting all the love, only so much pigskin to go around...

Voted....out of the available players, I took Robinson...that said, assuming Mack is not there, I would hope the BILLS can slide down some spots and pick up more Draft picks - like they did last year - because this talent pool is DEEP!

From what I can see through some quick Google information, Cowboys have a pick in each round except the 6th...but, someone might be able to answer that more definitively.... From what I can see through some quick Google information, Cowboys have a pick in each round except the 6th...but, someone might be able to answer that more definitively.... From what I can see through some quick Google information, Cowboys have a pick in each round except the 6th...but, someone might be able to answer that more definitively....

Still impressive in my mind...