ToGoGo

The problem does not start with Rodak. Remember James Walker? His problem wasn't being negative but that he knew nothing about the Bills and offered zero insight. We can rally to get rid of Rodak, but they're just going to give us another Walker clone. This feels like a misguided lynch mob. If we truly want change, we need to start at home with Schopp and Sullivan, not focus on a regional guy.

Bills were always in the position of power. We could sign whoever we wanted, but the Dolphins hands were tied in fear of what we would offer Clay. It was a matter of time before somebody inside the Dolphins organization panicked. No need to sacrifice the team for a TE when you have many other pressing needs. I don't remember the Bills ever entering into a contract situation like this the last 10-15 years. There's a new guy in the building who is a master negotiator. I have a feeling it's Pegula.

I don't buy that the Jets are going to go from 4-12 to playoff contender with a slight upgrade at QB and an all-pro cornerback. There are 20 other players on the field. If Vick played all 16 games last year, I think they go 6-10, 7-9 max. Is Fitz that much better?

I think Incognito is a big a-sshole and a bully, no need to make him look good because he's on our team. But Martin needed to stand up for himself and didn't. He wasn't cut out mentally. That said, everything Incognito does from now on will be watched and scrutinized very closely. I don't think it's going to happen again, at least not on the scale we saw.

The QB situation was good enough to make the playoffs last year short of some poorly timed penalties and turnovers. We're better this year with a slight downgrade at QB. We also have a coach who's been to the playoffs before and isn't going to blow it due to a losing attitude. Our odds are better to make the playoffs this year. Also, don't forget the logjam in the wild card race last year. It probably won't be as competitive this year. If we even have the exact same year we'll probably make the playoffs.

We have the best vibe around our team. Jets vibe still feels stale. Dolphins made some big moves but something about them feels like the wheels are spinning.

Terrific catch. It says something about the quality of in-depth reporting, that despite this story being beaten into the ground locally, you are the first person to make that connection to Tannenbaum. I have a little theory that one of the biggest reasons Rex came to Buffalo was to stay in the AFC East and play Belichick twice a year. From what I know about him, it seems very important to him to "beat" his rivals. It would also explain why the Dolphins just won't let go of Clay and are willing to play dirty to impact the Bills cap situation. Tannenbaum seems to be a man of grudges. His rivalry with Rex has been cited as the #1 reason for the Jets downfall. Seeing as how petty Tannenbaum is being with the Dolphins already, I'm beginning to suspect he was a bigger problem than Rex.

I agree. I moved to Miami this year and watched a good amount of Dolphins games on TV. Tannehill is going to be a top 7-10 QB in this league. They're set at that position.

Don't forget we need to submit an offer sheet that Clay will actually accept. We may be negotiating with him as we speak, meanwhile structuring the offer so that the Dolphins are unlikely to match it.

Are you talking to me? I'm trying to help protect one of our most likely insiders from other posters who like to make them feel unwelcome. Are you trying to misunderstand me? If someone says something concrete, and in your heart you don't want to believe it, then add a "maybe" to the front of it.

We can't choose what kind of communication and manners we expect from our insiders. They are who they are. Leroi's posts are vague and....different. He prefers to just drop what he knows rather than explain. I wonder how much of the replies he even reads.

So how does that discredit it? Everyone talks different. In that case, translate it in your head as a "probably" or "possibly".

Why not? Some of the "insiders" are just regular people. Ever have a friend tell you a secret that you were really excited to tell another friend, even if it's not concrete? Totally understandable.

I don't doubt that. I read one poster on Buffalo Rumblings mention that it's a PR move to avoid cutting Freddy now, in order to get fans excited for the season (and avoid a negative headline). Then cut him before, during, or after training camp.

Exactly. "Insiders" are not men in black type characters with suits and briefcases. They are regular dudes who are friend of a friend, or are related to one of the 20 or so people that have access to info in the organization. They get pieces of info like "we don't really like EJ, we're probably going to cut him". They don't get really accurate info. Honestly, I think we should be happy with scraps and crumbs of insider info, because we get an idea of what's really going on, and it gives us a step up on the media.

They don't like that somebody else is getting props and attention.

Insider info is insider info. No matter what you do, things change. I believe Leroi on Fred Jackson. Then Pegula stepped in. If I told you that I might break up with my girlfriend (and I honestly planned on it), and you told people, and then I decided that me and my girlfriend should give it another go, are you not an insider?

He definitely lost a step. But I think all that meant was that his days as a #1 guy are over. He still has the toughness and smarts, not to mention blocking and receiving skills.

If we win one Super Bowl during Fred's time here, he would be on Jeter's level. However, because he didn't, due to zero fault of his own, he's on a slight level below which is still Wall of Fame good. That's just the way it goes. He's definitely a Buffalo legend. I get people's argument on Jeter's 4 championships, but come on people. It's not like the Yankees had the highest payroll in Baseball with no salary cap during every year of Jeter's career. Is Henri Richard the greatest player of all time because he had 11 Stanley Cup rings? Is Mark Rypien a better QB than Jim Kelly? I was just thinking the other day, Fred would've been a huge part of any Super Bowl winning team of the past decade. On the Patriots, Fred would be considered a living legend along with Brady and Wilfork. Here, Bills fans say things like "Jeebuz. At what point exactly did FJ reach God-like status. It's like Brian Moorman back in the day....". Yes, what a wonderful example. Fred Jackson is exactly like Brian Moorman. I'm gonna go bang my head against the wall.

Absolute insanity. He constantly gets extra yards that nobody else does. There have been several times over the years that I wondered if Freddie EVER loses yards. In one of the last games this year, forget if it was the Patriots game or Raiders game, Freddie absolutely bulled his way to a first down or close to one during a very close game that I think we ended up losing. Even if he's lost a few steps he still has that IT that nobody else on our team has. He's a total Bills great that will be a very involved if we end up making the playoffs. I assure you that he will win a roster spot over Dixon, Powell, or even Brown eventually if you give him a chance. Willpower always beats talent long term. Another poster on here with insider info said that Freddie told management that he will do anything it takes to stay on this team, even if it means scoring 10 TDs. Bryce Brown has proven almost nothing on the NFL level. The only thing he's accomplished is blowing his unbelievable natural talent in college. And you are going to put him ahead of one of the toughest guys in franchise history? Thank God Terry stepped in. I assure you that Rex Ryan and Greg Roman don't know ANYTHING about who Fred Jackson is if they are ready to cut him already.

What successful teams in the past have employed this very strategy? I'm honestly asking, I'm curious what our ceiling is.

Fred has the strongest willpower on the team. He's an incredible locker room presence. Cut his workload down and he will be an incredible third down back that will get you that first down or TD that nobody else can. Have him take a paycut, cut his workload, whatever it takes. He's got at least another year left in him. It would be a big mistake to let him go right before a serious playoff run season.

I don't think you're an idiot, but I disagree with a few points. I don't think TE is a major need, but we definitely have a need for an upper echelon tight end. I think Chandler is underrated around here. You forgot about Incognito. I'm also not sold on Glenn and Henderson. Really hoping Kouandijo takes that next step.

Thank you. Everybody is so caught up in arguing about "the value of the RB position" and salaries and declining skills that everybody forgets how awful our run game was as soon as CJ went down. It completely handcuffed Hackett and Marrone and forced them to lean on a coward QB who already mentally checked out a few weeks earlier. I'd argue we didn't make the playoffs for the following reasons, in no particular order: red zone inefficiency, bad penalties at critical times, poor running game. Consider one of those major issues fixed. Now we just need a QB as good or better than Orton. And with a RB like McCoy, maybe we can get away with a QB slightly less talented than Orton.

I don't really have an opinion on it since I don't know the cap well enough to know if it's possible but.......Would this not be (on paper) the greatest defensive line in NFL history if we got Suh and kept Kyle as a back-up?