2003Contenders

Actually he does have one of the strongest arms in the NFL. He CAN throw the ball with a lot of zip. You are, however, quite right about his over-long delivery, which when coupled with his lack of mobility, make him a sitting duck in the pocket. I would say that he is a cross between Bledsoe and Cunningham WITHOUT Cunningham's legs, of course. Still, not a bad option at all as a backup.

I think the point is well taken that this team clearly lacks depth. By the end of the season, for example, the Bills were down to bare bones at LB. However, the article fails to address the key that it also matters WHICH starters are injured. Is it any coincidence that the pass rush eroded when Schobel, the best pass rusher by far, was sidelined?

Just some random thoughts... 1. In a way, Ralph is fighting a battle on two fronts. The first is against the NFLPA and their intent on maximizing player payroll -- and the second is against the large market owners in the NFL and their intent on not having to share revenue. The previous CBA only guaranteed the players a percentage of the shared revenue (TV contract, ticket sales, NFL merchandise), which didn't hamper the smaller market teams. The new CBA guarantees the players a roughly 60% share of TOTAL revenue. That is no big deal for the larger market teams that command a bigger percentage of the total league revenue. In fact, that percentage is estimated to be less than 40% of the total operating income of a team like Dallas or Washington. Meanwhile, it figures to be more like 70-80% of a smaller market team like Buffalo. Any small business owner knows that you are not going to stay in business long if you spend that much on primary labor, which doesn't even count other forms of labor (coaching staff, front office, admins, etc.) That's why ol' Ralph was one of only two owners smart enough to vote against this horrid CBA that Tagliabu shoved down their throats on his way out the door. 2. To help qualm this imbalance, that CBA allowed for additional revenue sharing -- but the smaller market teams had to promise to do more of their part to help generate more of their own revenue. I am sure that the Jerry Joneses, Dan Snyders and Robert Krafts of the world are very upset with Ralph for NOT selling naming rights to the stadium. Some of these owners probably are doing what they can to try to force the team to move to a larger market. I believe whole heartedly that Toronto deal had NOTHING whatsoever to do with a potential move there -- and much more to do with Ralph's attempt to abide by the new CBA and generate additional revenue. In a way, it was somewhat of a genius move because -- not only did it generate a sizable amount of additional revenue, but it also proved that our Northern neighbors wouldn't be as supportive of an NFL franchise as some thought. No one is seriously talking about the Bills moving to Toronto, since the Miami "home" game. 3. Yes, Ralph does have an agenda. Ralph has shown that he is willing to spend money, when the ROI is worth it. Obviously after crying poverty, he can't afford to blow his cover by throwing out huge sums of cash to top notch free agents or in-demand coaches/front office personnel. That is also why Dick Jauron will be with us for another year. Firing him after he signed a (purported) 3-year extension would have cost Ralph probably $6-9 M, plus the cost of hiring a new head coach (and staff). We may not like that decision, but it was probably a no-brain business decision. It is hard to suggest that a good business decision is a "cheap" one. There probably would not have been much upside to bringing in a new coach this year, either. 2008 was disappointing, but with what looks to be a difficult 2009 schedule on the horizon, it really is hard to imagine any new coach leading the team to a record much better than 7-9. Thus, if the team struggles again in 2009 -- it would make more sense to fire Jauron then. 4. I think that the league is filled with different types of owners. There are those that are great money men, have a passion for winning -- and know a thing or two about the game of football. Jerry Jones falls into that category. So did Al Davis before he went plum loco. Then there are owners like Dan Snyder that are great with money, have a passion for winning -- but don't know the first thing about football. The problem for Snyder is that he THINKS he knows about football. There are, of course, the owners like Kraft who know that they don't know, which is why they hire the best front office people around. I think Ralph somewhat falls into this category as well -- although he has a tendency to meddle. I fear, also, that his commitment to making money also supersedes his passion for winning. He is, after all, a businessman first -- and a football fan second.

How many games did KC win with him?

I love Bruce and he is a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer. But part of me would love to see him get snubbed this year -- just so we could all hear the self serving #78 spend all year whining about it.

Modrak is a pretty straight shooter. You can usually tell from his pre-daft comments which players he advocates. This year, I thought he clearly had his eye on McKelvin from day one, suggesting that he was definitely a top 10 player. Last year he also couldn't say enough great things about Lynch -- almost to the point where some folks thought he was just blowing smoke. I never got the impression that he was especially high on Whitner, JP or Willis. In fact, the year that the Bills took McGahee, he seemed to be all over Rasheen Mathis. I get the impression that DJ identifies the positions (along priority lines) that need upgrading. Modrak provides his list of such players that could potentially fill the voids and assigns a grade to each player. Then, round by round, the FO reaches a consensus on who they want to draft.

Agreed no defensive scheme will succeed if the front 7 can't get pressure on the QB.

A bit unfair, I think. Manning does have a ring, after all. As for the playoff record, I can think of at least two of those losses that fell on the shoulders of a gutless Vanderjagt. When he left the field on Saturday night, the Colts were ahead. Blame the defense for letting the Chargers tie it and for the penalties in overtime. You could also blame the refs if you think the penalties were unjustified.

I don't think so. In fact, history has gone on to show that Collins is exactly what the Bills thought he would be: a career journeyman backup. Mind you, there is a spot for a guy like that in the league, which explains why he is still in the league after 14 years.

OK, I'll bite. Pollyanna time... 1. Free agency. Before declaring 2009 a lost season, let's at least wait and see what the team does in free agency and (to a lesser extent) the draft. A few prudent moves here and there to improve the pass rush, the interior of the offensive line and the TE position could go a long way toward helping this team win a few extra games. The team is in great shape against the cap -- and the decision to retain Jauron saved Wilson millions. There is no reason he shouldn't be willing to pay top dollar for quality free agents. 2. With all of the doom and gloom about how poorly the team played in the division, how about the fact that they actually went 7-3 outside the division? Also, all of those division losses were winnable, as were 2 of the three out-of-division losses. The only game in which they got soundly beat this year was the Arizona game. Yes, I know a loss is a loss, and it doesn't matter whether it was by 1 point or 20 points. My point just is that it would NOT take a significant amount of upgrading to modify the outcome of many of those losses. Another stat of note: .500 on the road. That is a reasonable goal to shoot for every year. It's hard to fathom the team winning only 3 games at home again next season 3. Maybe Jauron just had a bad year? I honestly thought he did a decent enough job the first two years here. The bad coaching decisions are inexcusable, but I don't remember him being so guilty of these types of gaffes in 2006 and 2007. He sure seemed smarter when the team was 5-1 before Trent's mid-season slump. I am sure that he will continue to be out-coached by the likes of Bellichick, but who isn't? 4. The team is a VERY young team. Perhaps the time is ripe for many of the young, core players to grow up. Moreover, wouldn't it be nice if we could get through a season reasonably unscathed by injuries? I wonder how much better the defense would have been with a healthy Crowell and Schobel? Miami probably loses down in Miami if McGee is healthy. If JP Losman had never set foot on the field this year, there is a good chance that we would have won 2-3 more games. Yes, injuries are a part of the game, but it sure does seem like the Bills have had more than their share the past 2 seasons. 5. We get a last place schedule! That only potentially helps in 2 games, but 2 games can make all the difference in the world. 6. The schedule looks really tough, but who's to say how good any of these teams will be?

Not only that, but when he HAD to throw in the 4th quarter against the Pats in Week 17 INTO the wind, I actually thought he displayed some pretty decent arm strength. I really do NOT know where all of this concern about his arm strength comes from. He has demonstrated that he can throw every NFL pass, including the deep out which REQUIRES the most arm strength. He does have a tendency to check down, but I think part of that is because of the nature of the offense -- and part of it is his comfort level in taking the more sure thing rather than gambling for a big play.

2006 was certainly a turbulent year for Jimbo. He struggled through the season to the point of losing the one thing that most separated him from everyone else: his swagger. I'll never forget the horrible game he had against the Steelers on Monday night, where he threw 3 or 4 interceptions, you could really see the confidence slipping away. The following week in practice he hurt his hamstring -- and Collins took over. Playing in workmanlike fashion in a Just-Don't-Lose-the-Game way, Collins led the team in victories over the defending champion Cowboys and Colts. When Kelly got his mojo back a couple of weeks later, the sports shows were going crazy suggesting that it was time for him to step aside for Collins. It got to the point where Marv actually had to come out and give Jim his vote of confidence. Once he got back on the field, he seemed to get back in a groove. Looking back, the whole season came down to the second game against New England in Foxboro. A win there would have meant a division sweep, the division title and a playoff bye. However, with about 2:00 left to play and the Bills just down by 3, Jim threw a pass that was intercepted by a young Willie McGinnist and returned for a TD. The team responded with a Hail Mary TD, but the two-score deficit was too much to overcome in such a short period of time. The Patriots went on to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, while the Bills had to fight for their lives to squeak into the playoffs. That was in Week 17 when they faced the Chiefs -- with the winner moving forward as a Wild Card and the loser staying home. The offense struggled mightily in the first half. Then, at halftime, Jim Jeffcoat grabbed Jim (who was fighting through the Flu) by the collar and reminded him that his mother, who had passed away in the off-season, was looking down at him from heaven. Jim responded with a spirited 2nd half performance, and the Bills beat the Chiefs convincingly. I'll always remember that game more than the "I am Batman" game against the Jags the following week. (In Jim's defense, his Bills had 27 points on the board, and the Jags did not take the lead until AFTER he left the game.) Jim Kelly retired at the perfect time. His heart was still in it, but physically he had taken such a beating over the years and father time had caught up to him. The surrounding cast was on a steep decline as well -- and the offensive line's downward spiral was already underway. In fact, I think there is a good chance that Kelly may have been SERIOUSLY injured had he tried to come back and play again for the Bills in 2007. He was an unrestricted free agent -- and his brother served as his agent. Probably not the best arrangement. In Pittsburgh, Neil O'Donnell had flown the coup, embezzling millions from the Jets. There was talk that Jim would wind up replacing him in Pittsburgh, but I don't think they were willing to give him a long term contract like he wanted, and the specter of coming off the field for Kordell Stewart in key situations didn't sit too well with him. So he and Ralph mutually agreed on a win-win situation, whereby Kelly would walk away in exchange for a couple $ million. He's been a fine ambassador for the Bills ever since.

I hear ya. Also, let's hope that Ralph and the front office use the money wisely that was saved by NOT firing Jauron. Eating the supposed 3-year deal would have probably cost somewhere between $6-9 M, plus the additional $2-3M it would have cost for the new coach in 2009. That's $8-12 M that can be spent on improving the team via free agency. If the FO uses that kind of money to improve the glaring needs in the pass rush and pass catching TE departments, I can live with Jauron returning.

Donte Whitner

Not sure what to make of this. Personally I think that Modrak is a pretty good personnel man. I happen to believe that some of the missed opportunities in various drafts came more as a result of his having been over-ruled by one person or another.

We still don't know how long it is going to take Brady to come back from that knee injury. He may NEVER be the player he once was. Thus, I suspect that the Patriots will try to do everything in their power to try to keep BOTH QBs. (Think the 49ers after the 1990 season, when Joe Montana was nursing an injury -- and Steve Young was the unproven, healthy alternative.) Even if Cassell does make it to free agency, it will be interesting to see how much serious interest there is in him. The New England machine has been grand in recent years with BB able to plug in spare parts as needed. This could deter other teams fearful of making a Scott Mitchell or Rob Johnson type signing.

Hind-sight is always 20-20. Denney's contract was not all that big in the grand scheme of things. The font office did miss the boat with Kelsay, but I think it was because there was some indication at that time that he was ripe for coming into his own, having had similar career stats to Aaron Kampman before his career breakout season. Also the FA market that year was VERY thing at the DE position, and (believe it or not) Kelsay WOULD HAVE received a lucrative offer to play elsewhere.

He actually has found some diamonds in the rough: Reed, Crowell, McGee, Ellison, Butler, K Williams. I am not excited about Parrish, Denney or Kelsay, but you couldn't exactly call any of them a 2nd round bust. The verdict is still out on Preston, Youboty, Poz and the entire 2008 class.

Count me in for the best available player (almost) regardless of position. If we were to go based on position, I would say LB -- either OLB or MLB, since we can move Poz outside if there is a better MLB prospect in the draft. I think that would help set us up for the most immediate impact -- as LBs, RBs and OL are usually the fastest players to make a transition to the NFL. I personally believe that DE is really the most glaring need, but the NFL annals are filled with 1st round DE busts. I would be more inclined to fill the DE need in free agency -- and use a mid-round pick on DE depth. The same goes for the TE position. Royal needs to go, and we would be best served replacing him with a free agent -- unless there is a really good prospect available in the 2nd/3rd round of the draft. And, yes, we do need an improvement at Safety, as DW is playing out of position because Simpson and Wilson are a liability at FS. It would be interesting to see if any of our CBs (Greer, Youboty, Corner) can play FS. I would also look toward free agency for a veteran QB to backup/push Trent. If we go QB, it should be a 6th/7th round option to push Hamden. 1. LB 2. TE/DE (whichever is NOT addressed in free agency) 3. S (player capable of playing FS) 4. TE/DE (whichever IS addressed in free agency) 5. OL (preferably interior help at OG or C) 6. PPA 7. BPA

Mort is an excellent reporter, but I think he has allowed his friendship with Donahoe to place him in a somewhat biased position as it relates to the Bills. Unlike many on this board, though, I am not a TD hater. I think he did a number of good things for the organization, and his track record in the personnel department was probably average-to above average. Yes, he made some blunders as has been fairly noted. But he also struck paydirt regularly -- and did a very good job of attracting free agents. I would categorize his biggest failures in this order: poor coaching hires, letting signable free agents get away (most notably Pat Williams) and failing to properly address the OL (although he tried with the drafting of Mike Williams). I think he also had a tendency to allow the salvageable parts of the team to evaporate, while trying to fix the obviously broken parts. I think he often underestimated just how much improvement this team needed, when he (for example) took the unnecessary risk of drafting Willis McGahee at a position that did not require immediate attention. The bottom line is that the team failed to make it into the playoffs a single time during his tenure as GM, so his being fired was not out of bounds as Mort seems to believe. Of course, since Mort and TD were such good friends, you would have to believe that Mort may have been privy to some of the behind-the-scenes dealings that went on between Ralph and TD. In other words, perhaps some of the decisions that we now blame TD for (especially the head coaching decisions) may have been forced upon him by Ralph.

In my mind, Duke Preston has two more games to prove to me that we don't need an upgrade at Center. I thought he looked VERY good Sunday against the Jets.

Yes, and reportedly played most of that half with a groin injury, which is consistent with his unusual inaccuracy that day.

I didn't say it was OK. I said it is not unusual for a young QB to struggle against a team that has seen him before and can better gameplan for him. Do you think it is a coincidence that Trent is 6-0 this year against teams that had not seen him before -- and 0-4 against teams that had? (Throwing out the Arizona and SF games in which he was hurt)

It really is hard to say. I do believe that if we had a GREAT coach, then perhaps 2-3 of the losses we have now would have gone the other way. However, there is some flawed logic with assumptions that we make about things. Allow me to play devil's advocate for a moment. Take the Browns game, for example. I, too, was frustrated with the way that Jauron decided to sit on the ball once the offense got it close to the 30 yard line. However, do we have any assurance that Lindell would have made the kick, even if it were 10 or more yards in? Yes, I know that he was perfect at that point from within 40 yards, but his very next kick (against SF), which was less than an extra point try, was a miss. In some ways, I give the coaching staff some credit for helping this young team regroup and in the position to win after losing the turnover battle 4-0. I give Jauron a free pass in every game in which Losman played a major part. That means the Arizona, 49ers, Toronto, and most recent Jets games. JP is clearly uncoachable. Yes, blame Jauron for the 2nd and 5 call if you like, but there is no way that a 5th-year QB can make that sort of mistake. (I am also not excusing our very own Pro Bowl LT for whiffing on a block either.) Aside from that one call, I actually thought the Jets game was pretty well coached. The offense finally forced the running game, and the defense made the necessary adjustments after the first couple drives. And, remember, even after the ill--fated 2nd and 5 call, the offense STILL had two more chances -- and Losman did the impossible by turning the ball over 3 times in roughly 2:00. Trent clearly hit a mid-year slump, which is not uncommon for a 2nd-year QB who is playing against familiar opposition for the first time. Is it any coincidence that every game that he lost this year [discounting the Arizona and SF games in which case he was out of the lineup by the 2nd half] has come against teams that had played against him before? With a more stable, secure option at QB (at least a reliable veteran backup like Brian Griese or Kerry Collins), a genuine pass rushing DE, and an upgrade at one of the LB positions -- I suspect that Jauron would look a whole lot smarter than he does now.

Actually, looking back, I wonder if the Bills may have been interested in Matt Schaub in the 2nd round (he went early in the 3rd to the Falcons) if they hadn't traded up for Losman. Assuming that they didn't draft a QB that year, I suspect that they would have taken a close look at Aaron Rogers with that #20 pick in 2005.