Bruce

Just my 2 cents...and for the record I have as much credibility as any of the prognasticators (i.e.: none, other than opinion)...hopefully the Bills sign Super Mario Williams to be our pass rushing dynamo. Nix has indicated that the DE pool is substantial in the mid-rounds, so I see the Bills then taking a DE in rounds 3-5. That would leave, IMO, LT and WR the next to biggest needs via the draft (providing the Bills don't land Manningham in free agency), where I think that we go for Stanford's LT at #1.

Wow, without breaking the bank, Clark would be a nice complement and add an interesting wrinkle to the Bills 'O'. I'd say kick the tires, and see what happens.

This one makes absolutely no sense to me. Martin was an interesting pick-up due to the injuries we had at the WR position during the season, but nothing more. He was horribly inconsistent as a WR, and dropped waaaay too many balls to be considered atleast dependable. I can't gauge his special teams consistency, but I can remember one play on special teams late in the season where he even cost the Bills dearly with a stupid penalty. Bad, bad resigning. I thought Martin was as good as gone.

I don't believe that every team has a true, #1 Wide Receiver, despite claims to the contrary. When I think of a true, #1 receiver...I think of a player at the WR position that is 100% dependable, catches everything thrown their way and then some, is a game-changer and needs double coverage. A true franchise player. When I think of names, I think of Andre Reed, Jerry Rice, Chris Carter, Eric Moulds, Anquan Boldin, Terrell Owens (late San Fran and Dallas days), Calvin Johnson, etc. Put these guys anywhere on the field, and they are getting it done, and you can always count on them. Lee Evans, for example, was considered our "#1" for close to a decade. I never thought he fit the bill, as he was a very one dimensional player. Deep speed, he had it. Underneath routes, YAC, etc...no way.

Well, I'll concede that. Public relations campaigns have people apologizing for all kinds of things that they shouldn't to save face and wash it away, rather than say nothing and allow charges to fester and grow, unaddressed. I'm not the type naive enough to believe that a simple "I'm sorry" absolves all wrongs nor intent, but in the court of public opinion the issue does seem to settle when the accused comes forth and apologizes. Well, I think it would be a mistake to say that if a player or team does not have a reputation for being dirty, then that means that they absolved from being motivated by a cash pot of thousands of dollars for taking out an opposing player. I honestly did not get any impression of the Saints being dirty- besides, like you said, with the Favre hits. I was walking in to the gym when I heard Damien Woody on ESPN commenting on this and its implications. I had heard of nothing other than Favre and Warners comments after their respective games. And IMO, the NFL is babying QB's way too much. I understand the QB being the flagship position of every team. The marquee position. They are not easy to find, and certainly not easy to develop. It's the games key position. So I can understand- to a point- the NFL wanting to protect QB's. The current rules, IMO, are being slanted to basically giving the QB a red shirt like in practice with specific rules that they are not to be touched at all. What I really think is sinister, if it to be true, is coaches- who are supposed to be respected, experienced, experts on their field but also on gamesmanship- are officially attempting to steer behavior with the intent of being rewarded for injuring an opposing player. On a side note, check out this link: http://profootballta...gregg-williams/ Two important quotes: 1.) "Tim Graham of the Buffalo News reports that multiple former Bills players allege that Williams maintained such a system during his three seasons as the teams head coach, from 2001 through 2003. Former safety Coy Wire told Graham that “[t]here was financial compensation” for inflicting injury. Two other former players speaking on the condition of anonymity said the same thing. “That’s real,” Wire said. “That happened in Buffalo. There were rewards. There never was a point where cash was handed out in front of the team. But surely, you were going to be rewarded. When somebody made a big hit that hurt an opponent, it was commended and encouraged.” and 2.) the oil slick that started just north of the Gulf of Mexico will spread to Washington and to Buffalo. With hundreds of former players now suing the league for the consequences of a career’s worth of concussions, don’t be surprised if more allegations of bounty programs emerges, with the league eventually having to turn over stones in most if not all NFL cities. Similar to the BALCO and steroid scandals with the "home-run derby" of baseball, this could have just revealed the tip of the iceberg. That's an incredible point. That's what I think is being missed here. If true, this is not just head-hunting. I think Charles Barkley is an idiot. Professional athletes, in today's society ARE role models. Now, it can be debated whether any culture wants professional athletes to be role models- and I think that is a valid argument- but they the simple reality is that they are. Whether they like it or not. High school players watch the NFL and college ball. How many current NFL players talk about their heroes of the gridiron growing up? Players that they wanted to emulate? There seems to be a disconnect with fans when it comes to the behavior of professionals and their impact on those who watch that behavior and will follow in their footsteps. If a high school coach were putting this kind of trash out there, he would be gone and face possible criminal charges.

"Less and less violent"? Really!?!? How so? Perhaps for certain positions, like the QB position. Heck, there is even the pantied-pansy tier of pro football, where if your name is Brady you can whine your way to penalizing the other team. How much money is the NFL spending on concussion research every year? New helmets designed to reduce concussions? Public awareness campaigns? Player awareness campaigns? OK, so if you look at 60's football there are no more defenders using things like head slaps and straight arms to bring down offensive players; and things like stomping on tackled players and breaking fingers in the pile up are practically non-existent (sorry, Romo). But where is the technique used for tackling? Where is the form? I would counter and say that defenders try to consistently go for the big hit so they can make a name for themselves. A name earns respect, and earns a big pay day if it is consistent. Similar to all of the stupid sack dances players do these days, it is almost like professional wrestling with their own unique sack dance. Go back and look at the 90's games with Bruce Smith- especially in normal/ non-playoff type games. He had his sack dance, but it was mild compared to the showmanship that goes on today. Regardless of the stakes of the game. Saying football has become less violent is just irresponsible and out-of-touch. Less violent than what? Bodyweights are larger and moving faster due to heavy HGH and steroid abuse that the forces involved in a "tackle" are more violent than ever. Simple physics. Larger mass moving at a faster speed then suddenly stopping....if measured in terms of force, does that sound less violent or more?

This is more wretched than Belicheat, and even worse than the players use of HGH and anabolic steroids. This is worse than cheating. This type of thing should have no place in any sport- professional or amateur. Paying an incentive to go above and beyond with "kill shots" is criminal. Apparently, Albert Haynesworth never got these memos from Williams (since he played for both the Titans and Redskins under Williams), as he was only motivated by a big pay day. Nonetheless, the very moniker of "kill shots", or an emphasis on taking a player out of the game is exactly the kind of ridiculous football that is shown on TV today. Defenders at the Pro level should be the soundest technique-wise tacklers on the planet. Instead, we see knuckleheads, diving head first with helmet-to-helmet hits with the goal of giving the other player a concussion, and/ or knocking them out of the game. It's wrong for players to be doing it. But for it to be officially sanctioned by a coach, and known by the head coach, serious penalties should be in order. Williams should be suspended for the year. Favre and Warner should be allowed to sue Williams and Peyton. On a side- does anyone remember the Bills game against the Dolphins in Miami this year? Their secondary was viciously going after our WR's, to the point where they knocked 3 of them out of the game. I watched other Dolphin games and did not see this type of missile tackles, aimed at maximum damage. I was disgusted that it was dissolving into simple head hunting. Well, let's just say that both Gregg Williams and Sean Peyton have both issued public apologies for their behavior in supervising and sanctioning these activities. If this was a minor issue, neither one apologizes for much of anything. This is a huge admission that this was exactly what is being claimed.

Judging by the criteria from Upshaw, he does not sound like something that the Bills would be looking for. We need a consistent pass-rushing threat like Von Miller from last year. Someone to demand extra attention and create mismatches along the D-line and make our secondary look better. 1 player such as this could solve these issues. I love the idea of Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus on the field at the same time. That should give opposing teams fits like Pat Williams and Ted Washington used to do. But we need outside pressure on a consistent basis. Nix states that free agency is an option. The Giants have announced they would be willing to trade Osi U. Who was the best CFL DE last year? Are the Bills looking for the next Cameron Wake in the Great White North? I think we go LT in the first, and find a couple of passrushers in rounds 3-6.

This happens every year, with every team. This is the nothing more than the sporting media that covers football trying to create sizzle to warrant them having a job as clearly everything coming out right now is completely fabricated by them. Ofcourse no team is going to reveal their true intentions- unless you sit at #1 like this year and are leaning towards the rebuild with Ryan Luck as your QB (though I don't believe that the Colts have actually committed to that), or the Rams who sit at #2 and are publicly shopping the pick to acquire more as their team is in total disarray. I think that there will certainly be enough quality players available at #10, Nix is not going to be telling us who they want, but they are also victim to the choices of the other 9 teams in front of them. If 3 of those 9 teams take LT's, then alters the talent available at #10. There's no mystery. The team has a plan. No one is privy to those conversations or draft boards (and rightfully so), so to us it is a surprise. I believe the Bills top needs to be pass rushing DE, LT, and CB. I think that we'll see one of those 3 positions- most likely LT- selected by the Bills at Round 1.

Not sure if this has been covered or not yet....but with all of the Lee Evans lovers in Bills land...definitely looks as though the Bills got the better of this deal as Lee Evans has been released by the Baltimore Ravens. He was a due something like a $3.25 million dollar bonus, so they cut him. I don't know if he would fit back in the Bills plan as the "speed"/ #2/ "ultimate decoy" receiver, but I thought it interesting that after the trade was made the Evans lovers wanted to impale Nix and parade him around Lafayette Square.

Speaking of pass rushing, edge rushers....I can think of Cameron Wake as one player that has been a really good find as of late for the rival Dolphins... Along with draft and free agency, does anyone else think that the Bills should be looking every year at the CFL to find their best pass rusher and bring them in 'til one clicks?

Y'know, From the original pic I was going to say she's pretty hot for a 55 year old, and why not give it a shot? Walking around on an average day, there are more fat, sloppy, 20+ year old fatties walking around that would dream of looking like that at 20! But then I looked at the obviously untouched photos...and the age is really clear. I would have to agree. Nice for 55. NOT a Cowboys or any NFL team cheerleader.

Darn it, I just read McKenzie's article that the Sabres should be in the Kings' Dustin Penner sweepstakes because it is exactly what we could use. Trade Sekera and Stafford for Penner.

Case in point- remember those old high school Health classes talking about the evils of anabolic steroids? One of them, if you recall, was that anabolics help increase muscle tissue, but do nothing for connective tissue like ligaments and tendons that keep muscle tissue attached to bone. When these muscles get so big and begin to produce more force than the surrounding connective tissue can support, tears happen. The Achilles being a TENDON, is a perfect example. I would be interested in an independent, 3rd party (because I don't trust the NFL to police itself- case in point, Landry is clearly on steroids and HGH) study done over the course of the past 5 decades to look at the type, severity, and recovery time from injuries. I argue that the NFL today sees more anabolics/ steroid-related injuries (biceps tears, tricep tears, pectoral tears, achilles tendon tears, etc) than in any point in history. I would love to research the types of injuries from the 60's, and compare them to the types of injuries of today.

Dude, this is TOTALLY HGH with Steroids. I don't understand why everyone is so afraid to call a spade a spade. Does anything about that look natural? How about the jaw line? The forehead? Steroids have these effects with the mandible, and tend to have users resemble the fascial characteristics of cro-magnon men that men of the 21st century. The swelling of the abdomen is also a tell-tale sign of HGH use. Human Growth Hormone helps in recovery and in reducing bodyfat to an absolute minimum. One problem with HGH though is that everything tends to be stimulated from it- including organs and intestinal bulk. He may have little bodyfat, but look at how that gut swells/ bloats. Bodybuilding tells a great tale. Look at it from the 40's and 50's, before anabolics destroyed it, and there was some great variety in physique. Look at pics from the 60's and 70's, and take the champions of those days at their word (Arnold, for one) of using anabolic steroids, and you can tell the difference in physique. These guys were ripped and looked as though they were built out of rock. Then in the late 80's and early 90's, physiques began to take a turn for the cartoonish. HGH was added to the mix of anabolics, and now you had cartoon muscles that looked like they were plastic. Heck, go look online and look at pictures of natural cows, then look at cows that are given rBGH (recombitant Bovine Growth Hormone). Ridiculous, but the muscle structure looks exactly like what Landry looks like. It ain't natural, folks.

Part of what makes this fun is that fans can sit back and pretend to be in the position of GM every year and compile a draft board based on what they would like to see happen. Very rarely are we right, and this goes for the entire NFL. This is just kicking the tires. In Nix's latest interview, he stated that there is depth for pass rushers in the later rounds. I see us taking the LT from Stanford 1st. Then perhaps a corner 2nd, and probably 2 pass rushers in rounds (DE, OLB?) between rounds 3-6. However, I also see the Bills also bringing in proven pass rush talent via free agency or trade. I don't think that they will compete for Houston's DE, but I've read where the Giants are looking to move Osi via trade, and there are several others that have proven themselves in NFL games that I believe we will sign one of them.

After the TE position being a void on the Bills for the past 10 years or so since Riemersma left for Pittsburgh, I think that it would be a tremendous mistake for the Bills to nickel-and-dime Chandler so that he finds opportunity elsewhere. Heck, I would argue that Chandler was a HUGE part of the 5-2 record, especially in the red zone with his height and catching ability he was a mismatch for defenders and opened things up for others as well as himself. IMO, unlike the previous poster you don't let a proven commodity go like Chandler so that you can sign someone else's TE. I think Buddy Nix said it best at the end of the season when the topic of Chandler's free agent status came up and he stated that Chandler has got to have realistic expectations on a contract, based on the team he is playing for and his abilities and history thus far in the league. I completely agree with Nix's assessment. Chandler has proven himself an outstanding asset to the Bills offense. But again, he is valuable to the Bills. He was cut from 4 different teams prior to signing and starting for the Bills; and that has got to be in his head. If he understands his value to the Bills, and understands his history with the other teams in the NFL, then he will resign with Buffalo. However, if he has delusions of grandeur and thinks himself a starter on the Patriots, for example- despite the fact Gronkowski and Hernandez are there- he will have a rude awakening and may even be out of football in 2-3 seasons if he chooses the "grass is greener" scenario. He has excellent value. His skills are tremendous. But he is most valuable on the Buffalo Bills. I didn't read that in his statement. He sounds like a professional, who realizes that it is now time for business. You may have scanned over it, but he stated that he would like to be back in Buffalo. I mean, the guys been cut from 4 different teams, I'm sure he would like some stability and he even stated that he sees the Bills improving with the right coach and QB in place. I just hope that Overdork doesn't pinch pennies on Chandler, because for the Bills Chandler really opened things up in the red zone and reestablished the TE position for almost a decade of it being missing, and his value is with the Bills.

I'm not getting this post. Sure, Donte became a Grade A Douche when he was here, what with his tweets and playoff "guarantees". But watching him in the playoffs with San Fran this past year....was no joke. He laid some WR's o-u-t! If he would have played like that for us and kept the silly tweets to a minimum he'd probably still be here. Watching the video, I think that he's 100% right. Of all positions, the QB is the one where leadership is expected. The QB should be the absolute last one to make any negative comments to the media. I'm glad that we don't have Donte anymore, and think he is playing really well now for San Fran.

Yeah, it seems to me like a response to the Buffalo News article- which seemed pointless to me, atleast. Now...I'm not adept at anything Twitter....but is there any possibility that he could have mistakenly posted notes as part of a negotiation with an agent or player like Routt?

When I used to live in Los Angeles, CA...I loved MNF...because it started at 6pm and I could watch the whole thing. Now that I'm back east, I'm too tired to watch a whole MNF game unless the Bills are playing, and having to work the next morning causes me to have to go to bed early to avoid feeling like a troll the next day. I like Gruden, he's entertaining and brings a tremendous amount of excitement and enthusiasm to the job. Jaws was not bad, but his specialty is the QB position and sometimes he can be a bit too stuck on the position as he does not offer much otherwise. Tirico is boring. The 3 of them together was actually not that bad.

What is this, 1960's backwoods Tennessee? I can hear the Deliverance banjo now...

I can't tell if you're joking, but I live in the Washington DC metro area, and Haynesworth was a cancer as soon as he arrived. He was a terrible mood in the lockerroom per the players, had a terrible work ethic that brought everyone down, and began to even have off the field incidents with the groping of the breast of a waitress and with a road rage incident, both of which ended up in court. The guy had a career year...his last on the Titans roster where he was playing for the next big league contract. The Bills would be better served putting little Nathan Gerbe at NT over 'Fat' Al. Serious 'PASS'.

Please eliminate this joke of a "game". And who's brilliant idea was it to move it to BEFORE the Super Bowl, when arguably most of your most priced Pro Bowl players are playing in? And didn't Jared Allen make some wise-crack in the week leading up to the Pro Bowl this year? Something about learning the value of playing at 50%.... It's a joke of a game, and it has not been serious since back in the early 90's when the Bills and the AFC were starting to end the dominance that the NFC had for something like a decade. But those rivalries of AFC/ NFC don't even exist anymore, so the Pro Bowl is nothing more than million dollar athletes dialing it in on their Hawaiian vacation. Football is violent. The physical mauling and pounding take a toll, and I can understand how from a players perspective that if the game doesn't matter, than you don't go 100%. Its nothing more than a glorified preseason game. I don't see anything wrong with voting on an All Pro team, but actually attempting to pretend to play a game has grown stale. +1 I like this idea best. I watch the NHL awards ceremony. I don't watch all-star games. Maybe some kind of trophy per category/ position (like the Heisman), and name it after a legend of the game. Walter Payton for RB's or something. Make it classy, and maybe even have some sort of monetary award attached to it that will have the players taking it seriously. Perhaps the money that they would have made "playing" in the Pro Bowl could be used as a cash reward for winning.

Well...ahem...it's true. Those 2 drops in the 4th with seconds to play were terrible. I can't stand Brady, but she's not wrong.

I don't see the Patsies paying for a WR on the wrong side of 30...but Welker is their go-to guy besides Gronkowski. Randy Moss was getting long in the tooth playing for NE. I think this might be similar to what we see all of NE's free agency situations become...if the player truly wants to stay, then they'll sacrifice dollars to remain. But if Welker gets an inflated sense of value of his skills, then I don't see the Pats entering into a bidding war for him.