Billsguy

I think Sammy Watkins is a good player, but the price was too high. A great trade for Cleveland. Cleveland did what I hoped the Bills would do. This is close to my worst case scenario. I expected the Bills to avoid making the smart play and they didn't disappoint me.

I agree with you, but I would add Mack to those two. I also expect that the Bills won't get any of them. If they do, it is because they traded away 2015 and beyond. I would hope that some QB's would be drafted early before the Bills pick, but sadly I don't expect any QB's to go in the top 15.

Chris Berman hasn't said anything worthwhile in 20 years! ESPN has some good stuff from a few of their galaxy of "analysts" so I keep the mute button close at hand. On the whole, the NFLN and ESPN are equally annoying and informative. A little here and there from both is acceptable, but wall to wall coverage is unnecessary and obnoxious. The NFL is so greedy it's ridiculous.

It is totally unpredictable, but here are my best and worst case scenarios. Worst case scenario: The Bills trade up by giving up their 1st round picks in 2014 and 2015 plus another 2nd rounder for the opportunity to draft Clowney or anybody else frankly. Why it's the worst? The Bills are not one player away from contending. The trade gives away 3 potential starters for the opportunity to get one. I don't like the probabilities for long term success. I fear this is a definite possibility because I have no faith in the Bills making the smart move. Best case scenario: The Bills trade down and pick up an extra 2nd round pick as a premium for trading 1st round picks this year. They draft Zack Martin OT from Notre Dame (or somebody else highly rated like a top CB) in the middle of the 1st round. Now I think this scenario is very unlikely, but I hope for it. The scenario which won't surprise me: The Bills stay at #9 and draft a reach player who most people think is a late 1st rounder. Probably a safety if history is any guide.

GO AWAY!

Toronto is still the heavy favorite to land the Bills. I would say it looks like 80% likely. The Bills remaining in Buffalo at 20%.

I smell Super Bowl. Bills sign another journeyman.

If you consider the Bucs were going to cut him, the Bucs did OK in the deal. Buffalo takes a gamble, but not the price was not excessive. Time will tell.

I am not too excited by the acquisition of Spikes and Rivers in general, but I am cheered by the fact that Manny Lawson and Nigel Bradham will get a well deserved demotion. The Bills group of linebackers was the worst in the league last year in spite of Alonso's decent play. I think on paper they improved somewhat, but still not contender status. You really don't build championship caliber teams picking up fringe players in free agency.

I've heard this story before. I heard it for the last twelve years in fact. I'll be impressed when they win games.

Time will tell and you may be correct, but history is not on your side. This is a 6-10 team until proven otherwise. The moves made so far still smell like the moves a 6-10 team would make. Bring in average talent that really didn't succeed with mediocre teams. Let's let it play out.

Hard to get excited about the Buffalo Bottom Feeders (aka Bills). Seriously, how does signing part time starters from non-contenders make the Bills contenders? It doesn't make sense. Welcome to Buffalo "Home of the Last Big Contract" for UFA's.

I enjoyed your summary even though most of it is invalid. (No offense intended) I would argue about the big picture. On the whole, you can't build a championship team if your franchise is a bottom feeder. Signing players off the worst teams in the league will not catapult your team into the top echelon of the league. The Bills only hope is that they hit a couple of home runs in the draft. If they continue to bring in borderline free agents, then the future remains bleak!

According to ProFootballFocus.com, a service that grades every player in every game, Williams was the 74th best guard out of the 81 that qualified in the NFL in 2013. He was the 53rd best run blocker according to the service, but just the 76th ranked pass blocker. The Bills formula for success: if the good teams are doing something, try something else. What a dysfunctional franchise!

On the other hand, the Bills re-signed Caussin = Superbowl baby!!!!!

Agreed 100% If the Bills keep the same strategy that they used with Peters, they will go another 12 years without making the playoffs. Peters is a great left tackle and the Bills had him only to let him go because of money. They paid a guy like Kelsay and others, but let an elite OT leave. I would say their priorities were upside down. Hopefully, these were mistakes of the past. Let us see if they get rid of Jairus Byrd in the same way.

Exactly! I favor an update in this area. Some people still think you can "shake off" a concussion or "rub dirt on it" to fix everything. It's 2014, not 1974.

The Bills don't get the pick of the litter when it comes to coaches. They get the leftovers. Too bad Schwartz isn't bringing Suh with him. Let's face it, the Bills are near the bottom of the food chain. The other coach also sounds unremarkable. Oh well, it's the curse of being a Bills fan.

Double crap! He was the top coach on the staff by a mile!

The Bills received more years of ineptitude and frustration. It is no coincidence that dysfunctional organizations find ways to mess it up. It all starts at the top. Incompetent owner hires incompetent people and then repeats the cycle every 2-5 years.

It would be the most national exposure the Bills have received in 14 years. It also might motivate the players to step up their game if they know the cameras are watching. If anyone is familiar with the Hawthorne Effect they know that the process of being observed improves performance. The Bills could use improved performance.

Excellent post. The only problem is the stats are irrelevant. A team is like a body. It's like saying that you have the greatest kidneys and liver in the league, but you have lung cancer also. Where does that leave you? The team is only as strong as its weakest links and the Bills still have several weak links, hence the 6-10 record. The stats don't tell the whole story and can be very misleading. Remember London Fletcher recording a large number of tackles for the Bills every year? The stats didn't tell you that many of them were after large gains by the offense.

I love the optimistic view, but I severely question the faulty logic.

IMHO, the Bills defense was not formidable. If you can't stop the run, your defense is fatally flawed.

The Bills have been irrelevant for so long it is hard to remember when they mattered. The season is going just as I thought. This was a 6-10 team until proven otherwise. A rookie head coach with a rookie offensive coordinator and a marginal coaching staff taking over a team with a rookie QB. I still shake my head at the pre-season optimists who thought this was a playoff team. (for fun go read the posts proclaiming "this time is different") Marrone still hasn't shown me he is an NFL head coach. In fact, it is not even close at this point.