maryland-bills-fan

Buy your own team then.

Can he play right offensive tackle?

L.A. has beaches, Hollywood, mountains & Mexico (close), basketball, soccer and baseball. For football it has semi-pro teams in the PAC10 in USC & UCLA.

No, there is a valid point. Gailey did watch the tape of Edward playing in some other coach's system. (You are dumb as a rock if you think he didn't). He didn't know that Edwards was not salvagable, until he saw Edwards playing under his system, with live bullets being fired. When Edwards showed it was not the system, then he got rid of him quickly. There are parallel examples from the military. A lot of guys who were tough guys or good performers in training, suddenly failed the moment they were in actual combat, saw the dead bodies of people from their own unit and actually realized that somebody was trying to kill them. (You might have read "Red Badge of Courage" in high school- it tells a similar story)

Just a point. Ralph's will will specify what happens to the team after his death. His assets do not become the property of an "estate", who decide what to do with it. It is very unlikely that he will die without a will and that a court will then appoint executors to depose of his estate. There is no reason why the Bills wold have to be sold to the highest bidder. There is no reason why he could not specify that the buyer of the Bills has to keep the team in Buffalo under terms of the sale.

amen.

He didn't want to be here. He would not fit into the culture of a bunch of good old boys, who are dedicated football professionals- he is more of a wanta-be punk rock star. He is not a break-away threat, but a misfit light pounder fullback. He doesn't fit Gailey's offense, which has as one of its building blocks, that the Bills can go to the house on any given play.

NorCalBillsSabres Members Posts: 4 Joined: 02-June 11 Posted Today, 12:03 PM Marcus Easley is like signing a free agent but better. He's gonna kick butt and take names this year. what he said.

· 230.8 yards passing per game (16th in the NFL) · 23 total passing touchdowns (tied for 13th in the NFL) · 57.8 completion percentage (27th in the NFL) · 81.8 quarterback rating (22nd in the NFL The completion % (and QB rating which depends on it) has serious elements of the success of the running game in it. A strong running game causes the LB and safeties to forego placing emphasis on closely shadowing the receivers and risking geting out of position to try an interception. A strong running game keeps the defense concentrating on holes in the line of schrimmage and gives more room for high % completion, short passes to running backs and tight ends. (think T.Thomas). I agree that Fitz misfires on some easy passes, so I expect he will be just average in completion % and INC's. His smarts will compensate for a lack of top-accuracy. With the team we have right now, I'll accept some INC and incompletes in exchange for Edward's habit of holding onto the ball for either forever or until he got sacked. It is easier on my blood pressure.

The union can not have it both ways. If they are being paid to do a job, then they should be paid the same for the same job. All starting QB's should get the same pay and should share any football related extra income. Also, there is nothing to stop a NFL player from carrying out his football profession in some other league. There is nothing preventing a NFL player from changing his job to earn a living.

I hope they put in somethings like a minimum pension for retired players and some health care for retired players.

Ah, I misspelled a word and repeated a word in editing. Notice how the nerds come scrambling out of their mother's basement to point this out! Get a life and contribute something usefull to the forum.

Here is something that I don't understand. Most players have a short career and I wonder why most of the players would want to risk knocking a year plus off of their career if they really do kill NFL football for 2011. The "average" career is under some debate (2.6 years or 6 years for players making the opening day roster?), but it is pretty short. Actually, Iwould be interested in the median career length (e.g. sort all the career lengths by time of career and then take the middle length) because that would show where half the union members were in career length. I would like to include the practice squad players (they are represented by the union as well and often have shorter careers)as well- this would bring down the number as well. If the real career length for over half the union members is 3 years or so, and the union represents the members..... does it make sense that the majority of the players would give up a third of their big career paychecks for the benefit of a handful of superstars who want a couple more tens of million of dollars???? Also, does it make sense that the lower tier players are going to want to be competing with the next year's draft picks for their jobs? It looks to me that the union lawyers are representing themselves and their fat paychecks.

I stutter when I'm drunk.

2011 Draft Rd Sel# Pos. School 1 3 Dareus, M. DT Alabama 2 34 Williams, A. CB Texas 3 68 Sheppard, K. ILB LSU 4 100 Searcy, D. SS North Carolina 4 122 Hairston, C. OT Clemson 5 133 White, J. RB North Carolina 6 169 White, C. ILB Mississippi State 7 206 Rogers, J. CB Richmond 7 245 Jasper, M. DT Jasper is from Tennesee. Tennesee was a border state in the War of Northern Agression and, althought it had a star in the Stars and Bars, it was the last state to seceed from the union and the eastern half of the state was pro-union. All the rest of the players from from solid confederate southern states. Gailey will not be sure if he can trust Jasper and may quiz him on what strain of crowder peas and okra he prefers. You heard it hear first.

What you are missing is that Evans is not producing as a #1 WR should. His lack of effectiveness and willingness? to go over the middle means he has become one-dimensional and easy to defend. Not only that is bad, but it also reduces the options and effectiveness of the other wide outs. If Evans is always going deep, then somebody else has to always go short or across the middle. We are not that much worse off if we send a younger, cheaper, guy who will be contributing 2-4 years from now on the deep patterns (and might develop into a better player than Evans!), put the extra draft pick in the bank and soldier on. You can't flip-flop your reasoning between "Evans is a #1 receiver, so we need him" and "Evans doesn't do what is needed of a #1 receiver". There are other options for playing someone who is right now certainly a #1 receiver (if it comes to that and it may not).

Heh!!!??? game by game 2010. Number of catches. (by the way, for the season Johnson had about twice the yardage of Evans) Catches per game Evans.......Johnson 4...........3................Edwards was QB 0...........3................Edwards was QB 5...........3 1...........3 5...........5 6...........8 5...........5 3...........11 2...........3 2...........8 2...........7 0...........5 (Evans injured in first half) DNP.........6 DNP.........5 DNP.........5 When Evans was the #1 receiver, he averaged THREE catches a game, when Johnson was the #1 receiver he averaged 5.3 catches a game. (and that with Roscoe Parrish out for the year, so a poorer supporting WR cast to help). Think a bit: which would you rather have 3 or 5 catches a game from your #1 WR? Please, look at the data before speaking with your emotions. I, also have spent a couple of years hoping a bomb to Evans would save a game for the Bills. But the data says that just isn't there. When both Evans and Johnson were both in the lineup, Johnson got more catches and more TD's and more yards. When Evans was out, Johnson got more catches per game as a #1 then Evans did as a #1. What criteria do you want to use???? Time to get with improvement rather than wishing. Facts talk, BS walks.

And Fitz is about middle of the pack. You forgot about all the other holes.

By soft coverage, I mean that the CB opposite him (if he is not the #1 CB) is well off the line, giving him a short pass, but making the long pass to Evans harder to complete because of the buffer. Also, I will grant you that the safety (there is at least one safety playing "center field" in any defense) is shaded to his side of the field, but he has his eyes in the backfield and is cheating to the other WR, slot or to the running play. This hurts the rest of our offense. Evans did miss 3 and a half games. Johnson did not start 3 games, so I don't know how his playing time compared with Evans. Regardless, Evans got only about half the yardage that Johnson got and there are 16 games in the season. You seem to be clearly over your head in implying that Evans output was comparable to S.Johnson. Another comparison is the number of catches each player got per game. Evans.......Johnson 4...........3................Edwards was QB 0...........3................Edwards was QB 5...........3 1...........3 5...........5 6...........8 5...........5 3...........11 2...........3 2...........8 2...........7 0...........5 (Evans injured in first half) DNP.........6 DNP.........5 DNP.........5 So there were TWO games where Edwards caught more passes, and EIGHT games where Johnson caught more passes. (Two games where they both caught 5 passes). Think a bit: which is the higher number? When Evans was the #1 receiver, he averaged THREE catches a game, when Johnson was the #1 receiver he averaged 5.3 catches a game. (and that with Roscoe Parrish out for the year, so a poorer supporting WR cast to help). Think a bit: which would you rather have 3 or 5 catches a game from your #1 WR? Evan's style of play has been called into question by the coach. Evans' role will change for Bills cf: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/03/25/evans-role-will-change-for-bills "It was a tough 2010 season for Bills WR Lee Evans. The veteran wideout had one splendid game: Week Seven vs. the Ravens, where he posted 6-105-3 in an overtime loss. Other than that, however, Evans never caught more than five passes or went over 87 receiving yards in a game and only scored one other touchdown. Then, to add injury to insult, his season ended in Week 14 after an ankle injury forced him to go on I.R. With Evans now healthy, head coach Chan Gailey has new plans for the team's former big-play wideout. Speaking at the NFL owners meetings in New Orleans, Gailey told reporters the role of Evans will change in 2011. "He's been more of a deep threat," Gailey said. "I've got to get him to do a better job of becoming an underneath threat. I've got to do a better job of that." With emerging WRs Stevie Johnson, David Nelson and Naaman Roosevelt set to see their roles increase as well, Evans' place in the receiving corps may depend on his ability to adjust to his coach's request. Buffalo was not very successful throwing underneath last year, averaging 5.49 yards on short passes, which ranked in the bottom third of the NFL. However, using a veteran receiver on more shallow routes could be a major boost to the offense if Evans adapts well." I don't think that the coaching staff suddenly decided in the off-season that they needed to get more crossing routes and short stuff out of the WR's. I think they were trying to get more of this out of Evans last year and he didn't produce. They got good young guys and are a few drafts away from filling all the holes. Evans might be in a different uniform in 2011.

Nice story cute kid. Looks must come from mom's side of the family tree.

Back to the original thread topic.... I agree that the abbreviated training camp and maybe little preseason is going to make it especially hard on rookie QB's. I don't think it kept the Bills from drafting a franchise QB if they thought one was there, but it probably kept them from "wasting" a pick on a 2nd or 3rd tier canidate this year. Such a guy would get little pro training, practice or evaluation in 2011 and would be starting 2012 about even with that years rookies. That was a good move.

A #1 wide receiver who does not require double covereage should not be the #1. He should hurt the other team every game. Evans and Johnson played nearly every offensive down, but Evans gave us only 578 yards, while Johnson gave us 1078 yards, Nelson gave us 353 yards, Jones gave us 213 yards Parrish gave us 400 yards in half a season. EVANS PRODUCTION 2008 BUF 1,017 yards 2009 BUF 612 yards 2010 BUF 578 yards 2011 ???? 300 yards???? What I see on the roster by description is: Evans: long patterns, primary deep receiver, seldom short or over the middle. Limited flexibility, 37 receptions avg 15.6yards 3 for 40+ two fumbles 4 TD Steve Johnson: best numbers on the team, Evans replacement. Dangerous all over the field 82 receptions, avg 13.1 yards 2 for 40+ zero fumbles 10 TD Nelson: used as a possession/red zone, 3rd wideout (since Evans and Johnson already on the field). Ready to step up as #2. 31 receptions avg 11.4 yards 3 TD Easley: missed last year but looked good late bloomer in college and 2010 training camp. At least quality depth and and likely to move into starting mix in 2011. Parrish: slot receiver with speed 33 receptions avg 12.2 2 TD Donald Jones: bigger slot receiver alternate to Parrish as slot receiver. As a rookie, part time player, gave the Bills 37% of the yards that Evans got and 25% of the TDs. Think about it. 18 receptions, avg 11.8 yards 1 TD Spiller: A wild card in the mix. Gailey drafted him because of the potential to get him into space with the ball and even last year he drew attention when he was on the field. Whether he lines up in the backfield and then splits out wide for a GO route, or goes in motion wide or does the ThurmanThomas little slip out pass,,, he will help the passing game. While it is true that help will work whether or not Evans is on the roster or not, it provides an option to replacd whatever Evans was bringing to the table. Roosevelt(local guy), Huggins(speedy guy who was hurt and cleared waivers), Hubbard (6-2 225), What I think is that Evans has a limited tool set and teams have found that they can neutralize him with soft deep single coverage without a safety over the top AND this is easier because he is not likely to break over the middle and get loose. We would be just as well off by putting a burner who can run a fly pattern OR a crossing route out there in his place. This would mean that we would be developing a young player, who is not going to be further over the hill 2 years from now, and would have an extra draft pick to stock up on LB or OL. The Pasties have made a meal ticket in the draft by trading off still-good players with some milage on their tires, in order to get the ammo to restock. You have to give up something to play that game and I think it is time to unload Evans while he still has some perceived worth.

Lee Evans is a known commodity as a very good speedy wide-out, who requires double coverage in most situations. The Bills are rich in wide receivers right now, but still a draft or two away from becoming a significant factor in the post season. By then, Evans will be on the downhill side of his career and he will have blocked some of the young good receivers on the roster from being developed to see their potential. QUESTION: What do you think about the Bills trading Evans for a draft pick once the league is back in business? I would take a pick in the 80-100 range (a mid second round pick)for him and hope fore a pick in the 60-80 range (early second round). What do you think?

One thing seems to be missed in the previous 7 pages of comments. Gailey/Nix have provided a "policy statement" that their strategy in building the team contains getting good competition at all positions. This pushes players and gives the Bills the possibility that a under-appreciated guy who has the physical measureables and the self-discipline to work to get improve, will become a valuable player. With Troup, Heard and Jasper, we have three big guys, who are hungry and we might get our big nose tackle or even a rotation from them. It is silly to take a fan position that any one of them has to be a sure thing. We have the roster spots to carry out this internal development, a limited number of draft picks and a 2-3 year timeline for completion. It is a plan. These big galoots are rare enough that we are unlikely to get anything else but a journeyman or fading has-been player from a trade or from free agency.

I don't think that the Jests game tells us very much. The Jests are blitz happy and were doing a lot of unusualy things. They were also breaking through places that should have been secure a lot. Hard to say if anybody would have done better.