Nihilarian

Buffalo Bills GM Stew Barber was a complete moron on so many levels. What pissed off Tom Cousineau was that he was invited by the then-Bills GM Stew Barber to dinner in Buffalo...then never showed up, never called...nothing! Then, the initial offering by the Bills vs the Montreal Alouettes was less than half of what MA was offering. Of course, Ole Tom would head up north. This upset the new Bills HC Chuck Knox who managed to build a solid team despite the GM being a moron. Knox had brought his scouting director (Norm Pollom) with him from the LA Rams and those two were given carte blanch to do whatever they needed by the owner. Still, Barber was involved in negotiations and managed to upset many Bills players by lowballing them. I have to say this was partly on the owner's philosophy because, in the end, Wilson didn't want to pay Chuck Knox either, even after Knox rejuvenated the city of Buffalo by making the Buffalo Bills relevant again. The Bills hadn't beaten the Miami Dolphins over the entire decade of the 1970s and in that 1980 season opener in which the Bills beat Miami 17-7, Bills fans tore down the goal posts! Yes, Ralph Wilson gave Chuck Knox a top ten NFL salary when he hired him, (being desperate as he was at the time ) but this was five years later. In truth, my take is Knox grew tired of Wilson and his overly frugal ways and wanted a way out. Wilson being Wilson, hires Kay Stephenson, Hank Bullough as his next two head coaches. Meanwhile, that ex-Rams scouting director (Pollom)wanted to hire a young scout named Bill Polian. Now that the Bills had lost Knox to Seattle and the Bills were losing big time again with back to back 2-14 seasons Bills fans decided they had better things to do on Sunday so the stadium was more than half empty game after game. Wilson was getting desperate again because if things didn't change he knew he would be forced to sell all or part of his beloved team, or move it. Luckily, his GM/VP at that time suffered a serious injury (Terry Bledsoe), so Wilson fired him and promoted Polian to GM. Y'all can thank Bill Polian for talking owner Ralph Wilson into making Jim Kelly the highest paid QB in the league. Jim wanted to be a Raider as Al Davis had sent him on a vacation trip to London with two Raiderettes. Money talks, so Jim signed with Buffalo! Yes, Kelly didn't want to play for the Buffalo Bills when he was drafted by Buffalo and the weather was only one factor as Kelly noticed that the Bills lost Cousineau to Canada over money. I think Bills owner Ralph Wilson was the bigger reason and Polian not only talked Wilson into paying Kelly, but he also talked him into upgrading the stadium, paying top free agents. Let's not forget the 87 trade for Cornelius Bennett on Halloween that helped turn that defense around. Four straight super bowls! I think you can give a lot of credit to Bill Polian for those runs. Now, let's hope Beane/McD does as well.

I posted that Rich Eisen show about 10 times before the draft last year... Sure you don't want the Bills to trade for Josh Rosen when the Cards select Murry #1 overall this draft?

We will see on draft day! If this is a smokescreen or if McD is genuinely interested in building a decent offense. The Bills do need an edge pass rusher, pass rushing, penetrating DT. They also need an offensive line and star WR, TE. Sooo they also need to protect that QB they moved up to draft #7 last year and some receivers, some O linemen. We'll see.

Howsabout none of the above!!! They all suck! If I had to pick a head coach since Marv Levy it would be Wade Phillips. I sure as heck wouldn't want Chan Gailey back in Buffalo and if anyone else in the league thought he was worth a damn he would have a job in the NFL. Gailey had the right idea with running a spread, quick strike offense it's just that he had no idea how to properly implement it. The Chiefs are running a version of the "air raid" spread offense with Mahomes. Now, Gailey could run that he would still have a job in the NFL.

When you think about the importance of bringing in a player of Richie Incognito's caliber in being a pro bowler then that player will be worth over 10 mill per*. That's only 5-6 guys in the entire NFL making over 10 mill, and the Cowboys Zack Martin is the highest paid at 14 mill. (*average pay) Saffold will be 31 this year and his base pay is 5,375,000.with yearly cash 6,950,000. So, it remains to be seen what price the Bills would need to pay to bring him to Buffalo. In my view, it kinda makes more sense to find and draft a top OG considering all the penetrating, pass rushing DTs in the league. The Bills need a top LG who can block those DTs and pull for the run game. I know I'm greedy but I want an all pro, pro bowler at LG to help that center, LT. Center is another position I would want to see a top caliber player like Kent Hull. Build that offensive line right!

One reason Saffold looked so good was that he had a solid LT next to him in Andrew Whitworth, who just decided he would play another year. Surprising really because of Rams center John Sullivan played so poorly in the second half of last year. Kind of interesting that all five Rams linemen played in all 16 games. Anyway, he would be a huge upgrade over what Buffalo now has at LG. Not really at Richie Incognito's level but at 6'5'' 323lbs he should hold his own. Only one hold penalty last year, 4 false starts.

Yes, late owner, in 1978 Ralph Wilson did hire ex-Rams HC Chuck Knox and make him one of the highest paid head coaches in the league. Mostly because the Bills couldn't have a home preseason game because Bills fans wouldn't attend the games. Attendance was nearing an all-time low and the Buffalo Bills hadn't beaten the Miami Dolphins the entire decade of the 1970s. Chuck Knox turned around a franchise that was a perennial loser into a winner. Now, five years later with the team winning, has been in the playoffs, fans butts have been filling the stadium so... the winningest head coach the Bills have had since the 60s, Chuck Knox left Buffalo for Seattle because the owner refused to give him a rise. Yes, late owner, Ralph Wilson did make QB Jim Kelly the highest paid QB at that time. Mostly because after the back to back 2-14 1984, 1985 season stadium attendance was at an all-time low and the fans that did show up had bags on their heads. Ralph Wilson was getting desperate because he if didn't act quickly he might be forced to sell part of or all of his team or move it. His GM for the 85 seasons Terry Bledsoe had health problems and Wilson fired him and promoted a young, up and coming Bill Polian. Norm Pollom was the scouting director that came with Knox to Buffalo from the Rams is the one who recommended the hiring of Polian. The rest is history What Ralph Wilson found out from those four super bowls is that winning is expensive. Winning costs money as the more the team wins, the more expensive the coaches, players, staff can get. The way the NFL works it's actually less expensive to lose over winning 10 games a season. One of the reasons Barry Sanders quit playing football was he realized the Lions weren't interested in winning. https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2013/01/04/nfl-playoffs-are-not-a-road-to-riches-for-teams/#4b1557685124 "The overall NFL financial model is a socialist one. The NFL splits revenues evenly among teams from national media and licensing deals like other sports. But the NFL is the only sport that also doles out an equal portion of gate receipts to each team ($17 million last season). The NFL's socialist model continues in the playoffs. Playoff home teams in baseball, basketball and hockey keep anywhere from 50% to 100% of ticket revenues, depending on the sport and the number of games in the series. In football, all gate receipts flow to the league. The New England Patriots generate more than $10 million in gate receipts for each home game, but don't see a dime of that." With the NFL revenue sharing and low cost of players, coaches this owner made a profit of 15 to 20 million per and is the reason he was able to have expensive hobbies like horse racing, collecting fine art. Other team owners spending more on their teams ended up selling part of or all of their teams, Al Davis, Stephen Ross. The Ralph is cheap stuff is not a joke. Ralph Wilson was a notoriously frugal owner and there is a real reason over the decades as to why this franchise has almost ignored drafting QBs and have been more intent on drafting RBs, DBs. Hiring the less expensive head coaches, GMs, coaching staffs. In 1979 the Buffalo Bills had the #1 overall pick from the 49ers from the OJ trade and drafted LBer Tom Cousineau. Ole Tom ended up playing in Canada because Montreal Alouettes offered him twice the amount Buffalo offered him, Canada twice as much, really?

Chan Gaily is and was an offensive moron IMO. He was fired as OC after 2008 by the Chiefs for running a pistol offense. That team went 2-14 and his offense was 26th in points, 24th in yards. The only reason the Buffalo Bills hired and promoted him to head coach was that they had nobody else who would take the job. At that time assistant coaches from other teams were turning down requests by the Bills for head coaching interviews. Gailey was the head coach for Buffalo 2010-2011-2012 and he went 4-12, 6-10, 6-10. Gailey then got a job with the NY Jets in 2015 mostly because Fitz was also there and that year's Jets offense was in the top 10 while going 10-6 mostly because of Fitz throwing to Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. The very next season Fitz crashed as he threw 12 TDs, 17 INTs, Gailey also crashed with the offense going 30th in points, 26th in yards and he was promptly fired after the season. Gailey has been out of the NFL since that 2016 season. If his offensive system was so good why has been out of work for the last few years? In Buffalo Gailey chose Trent Edwards over Fitz in the preseason and gave him all the reps in training camp only to outright cut him after two games. Gailey had stated that Fitz, Edwards, and Brian Brohm were all about the same talent wise and that wasn't true at all. Brohm got his shot and stunk, Edwards was shell shocked and stunk. Meanwhile, Fitz had enough experience to read a defense and set presnap protections, then he had a quick enough release that he could find the open receiver and get him the ball before the rush got to him. That open receiver was usually Stevie Johnson who wasn't a precise route runner but that kid could get open against anybody. Gailey ran a shotgun-based spread formation offense with five WR sets in Buffalo that was mostly smoke and mirrors as he only had one decent receiver in Stevie Johnson. Once opposing teams figured out that all they need do was bump Stevie on the line this kept Fitz from finding him quickly. That 2012 offense was 21st in points, 19th in yards. The Bills went 6-10 for the second year and Gailey was fired. After the 2012 season, the Buffalo News was talking with Ryan Fitzpatrick and what effect his new QB coach David Lee had on him. Fitz stated that previously in Buffalo nobody had worked with him on his setup, mechanics. Which meant that Gailey was supremely lucky that Fitz was even on the roster after he cut Edwards and Gailey had very little to do with mentoring him as all he really did was call plays. While Spiller did have one good season running out of the shotgun spread mostly because opposing teams weren't sure if it was going to be a run or pass. Still, one good season out of a player taken in the first round at #9 overall stinks in my view. I think it's safe to look back at those years and say that Buddy Nix sucked as GM, Chan Gailey sucked as HC. Lastly, while I didn't like Nate Hackett as OC in Buffalo under Marrone, in that 2013 season the Bills were #1 in rushing attempts, #2 in rushing yards with Spiller and Jackson. Which was better then Chan had done in 2012.

Buffalo gets a bad rap nowadays because of the "cold weather" and I gotta say it can't be nearly as bad as in Green Bay or Minnesota. I imagine even Cleveland shares this same attitude by many. I think all the losing gives them a worse rap then the weather. It used to be so much worse in Buffalo in the 1970s because of the "love canal" being front page news across the country, the smell from the steel mills and even the air surrounding the city looked yellow because of the mills. Buffalo was the butt of many a late night talk show hosts jokes. All that was before the four straight super bowl runs and needless to say winning really does cures everything. Now free agents wanted to come to Buffalo and NFL players noticed how rabid the Buffalo Bills fan base was and loved the idea of playing in that 80k plus stadium with crazed fans cheering them on. Now, hold on here! It wasn't just about the weather in Buffalo as the NFL coaches, players knew what it was like to play for an owner like Ralph Wilson. Quite a lot of coaches, GMs, players didn't want anything to do with the Buffalo Bills because they saw that the team wasn't that committed to winning over everything else. The owner was a notoriously frugal, hands-on owner and as team president, he was involved in nearly every aspect of the team from the ball boys to what GM was being paid. Wilson was also involved in free agency and the draft as he would at times make the selections. Winning Buffalo Bills head coach Chuck Knox left for Seattle when Wilson refused to give him a raise in pay even after turning around a franchise that didn't win a game against the Dolphins the entire decade of the 70s. Ralph Wilson didn't get along with Bill Polian as both had a fiery temperament and Wilson was even more cantankerous. Polian went on to help take the Panthers to the NFC championship game in only its second year of existence. After that, the Colts hired and promoted Polian to team president and he got them to a few SBs. Wilson didn't want to pay GM John Butler either because when Butler wouldn't immediately sign a new contract, Wilson stated if I can't hire you, then I'll fire you! Butler went on to build a powerhouse in San Diego. Ralph Wilson wasn't the very worst NFL owner, but he was awful close at times. My take is Buffalo is now looked at as a family type town where it doesn't have that nightlife, party town 24/7 of some big cities. A lot of the star players from the 90s chose to stay and live in Buffalo and the weather isn't that big a deal anymore. As I said, I think it's more all the losing. I still relish the scenes from the Bills locker room in 2017 when the Bengals beat the Ravens to catapult the Bills into the playoffs. I can only imagine things will change so much back into that 90s culture should this start winning year after year like they used to do. These new owners aren't anything like the previous owner and look to be 100% committed to winning over everything else. Bills fans are lucky to have them as owners.

What texts? This was in Jan 2010! The highest paid head coach was Mike Shanahan in Washington at 7 mill per as HC and executive vice president who signed on Jan 6th, 2010. Pete Carroll was next at 6.6 mill per as he signed a 33 million 5 year deal. Jeff Fisher was making 5.5 at Tenn, Andy Reid was making 5.5 in Philly. As I said, Shanny was already committed to the Redskins but he would listen to a deal that offered him 3 mill per year more. Ralph Wilson was a notoriously frugal owner and there was no way he was going to pay a head coach that much money. Not three million a year over the highest paid head coach at that time. This whole 10 mill per was a ploy by Russ Brandon to get some big names interested and interviewed to see how they would set their staffs. That amount of money was never offered to anyone, ever, period! As it was, Gailey would have been lucky if he got 3 mill per from Wilson.

The thing is... that while it was rumored by the Buffalo Bills that they would offer 10 mill per to a head coach... that was never truly offered to anybody. No way was Ralph Wilson going to pay to pay 10 million per year to a head coach. Cowher didn't take the job because that money was never offered. As I said, Shanahan was already committed to the Redskins and wanted to hear what was being offered and that much money was never offered to anybody. The wives didn't matter in this instance. http://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4792467 When the Bills interviewed Chan Gailey for the Bills HCing job one of the reasons he was hired was because he told the owner he didn't need star players to win. Last point: I can guarantee you one of the things that the Bills loved was Gailey's attitude about how you can win without stars in the NFL. In fact, that's the kind of team he prefers. More than once in his career, he's told coaches he worked with: "You can win the World Series without Babe Ruth.'' In Buffalo, he's going to get that chance. https://www.si.com/more-sports/2010/01/19/mailbag-0 Interesting story about Cowher by Vic Carucci, Looks like the Pegula's really wanted to hire "the Chin". https://buffalonews.com/2018/09/21/one-on-one-coverage-bill-cowher-talks-coaching-flirtations-and-bills/

After the 2009 season while looking for a new HC the Buffalo Bills let slip to the media that they would be willing to spend 10 million a year to a top head coach (this was clearly Russ Brandon). So, this info got Mike Shanahan and Bill Cowher interested enough so that they both interviewed for the HCing job in Buffalo. Cowher had stated he would hire Chan Gailey as his OC so that is a big reason as to why the Bills eventually hired him as HC. Shanahan was already committed to the Washington Redskins HCing job but wanted to hear Buffalo's offer. Realistically this whole thing was a ploy to get NFL people thinking about the head coaching job in Buffalo. Mostly because the entire NFL world knew that Ralph Wilson was such a "hands-on" owner in that he had HC Dick Jauron on the phone for hours daily from his home in Detroit during the season. Nobody that was worth a damn was really interested in coaching in Buffalo because of Wilson. The only guy that really wanted to coach in Buffalo was Marty Schottenheimer and Buddy Nix wanted to hire him and owner Ralph Wilson said no. Probably because he knew Marty wouldn't put up with his constant interference. Needless to say, Ralph Wilson also had much input into free agents and draft picks. There were lots of assistant coaches that wouldn't even take interviews for the Bills HCing job so that's why Nix was forced to eventually settle for Gailey who had been fired as OC in KC. Things are so different now with these new owners who aren't such "hands on" and don't need the team to make a profit to support them.

What's crazy to me is the outright ineptitude of past regimes in free agents, drafts. Jauron needed a top LBer to run his Tampa two defense. He had Fletcher, Crowell, Spikes in his first year and that went downhill after that even though they drafted Paul Posluszny who only played in 3 games that year. Poz was there but the rest stunk and ole Dickie never did get his defense up to par. Buddy Nix came in and while the O line was desperate for an LT they drafted an RB they really had no need for at all. Look at those drafts by Nix and so many failed picks. 2010, 9 picks, one decent player. Spiller #1 pick 2011, 9 picks, one very good player @#3 overall Dareus. 2012, 9 picks, two good players in Gilmore, Glenn #1 & #2 2013, 8 picks, two good players in Woods, Alonso both #2 picks Doug Whaley wasn't any better as most of his picks are long gone.

I don't think EJ was a "reach" as I think it was just more a stupid move as Whaley and his staff weren't very good at judging offensive talent. 2014 Two firsts for Sammy when OBjr was sitting there... The Bills traded up to the #4 spot and passed on Khalil Mack, Jake Matthews, Mike Evans and I still recall the Bills FO stating that they needed a big, tall red zone target right after they drafted Watkins, Mike Evans says hello! Look back that 2014 NFL draft and they could have stayed put at #9 and still drafted 12 players better than Watkins in the first round. There was a real reason Doug Whaley and his entire scouting staff were all fired after the 2017 draft. Look at that 2017 by McD with #1 Tre White, #2 Zay Jones, #2 Dion Dawkins, #5 Matt Milano. Then with Beane running the show in 2018 #1 Josh Allen, #1 Tremaine Edmunds, #3 Harrison Phillips with free agents Robert Foster, Levi Wallace. That's like four first round picks! I think they stole Josh Allen with teams bothered by his tweets from HS being released by some unknown source before the draft (Bills) How can Bills fans not be excited about the 2019 Buffalo Bills having 10 picks in the upcoming draft? Plus free agency and free agent walk-ons. I'm hoping that the 2019 Buffalo Bills offensive line looks so much better.

So, if the draft is stacked with blue-chip DT's it would appear that other positions of need are more scarce. with the combine and pro days ahead we the fans still don't have a clear picture of the draft status of most players. The Bills weakest area was #1 offensive line, OC, LG, and with the RG, RT as free agents and not so good players this puts the Buffalo Bills in need of four line starters from free agency and the draft. First and foremost this team needs to protect the QB and build a decent run game. As it stands there are no offensive line players in the top ten save OT Jonah Williams who I hope they draft.

2000 first three picks were DE, DB, LB 2001 first three picks were DB, DE, RB 2002 first three picks were OT, WR, DE 2003 first three picks were RB, DE, LB 2004 first three picks were WR, QB, DT...6 on offense out of 15 2005 first three picks were WR, TE, C although these were 2nd, 3rd and 4th round 2006 first three picks were DB, DT, DB 2007 first three picks were RB, LB, QB 2008 first three picks were DB, WR, DE 2009 first three picks were DE, C, DB ...13 on offense out of 30 2010 first three picks were RB, DT, DE 2011 first three picks were DT, DB, LB 2012 first three picks were DB, G, WR 2013 first three picks were QB, WR, LB 2014 first three picks were WR, OT , LB 2015 first three picks were CB, OG, RB although these were 2nd, 3rd and 5th round 2016 first three picks were DE, LB, DT 2017 first three picks were CB, WR, OG 2018 first three picks were QB, LB, DT... 24 on offense out of 56 Eighteen years of first round picks 10 were defensive, 8 offensive. As bad as the QB situation has been over those 18 years the Bills only selected a QB 3x in the first round. JP, EJ, JA. First-round picks by position, five DB, three RB, three DE, two WR, three QB, one LB, two DT, one OT, one C. To me, it's kind of sad that this shows the team went offensive line only twice in 19 years with a first round pick and that first one was a failed pick at OT. 2000 had Ted Washington 1995-2000 FA 2001 had Aaron Schobel 2001-2009 2nd round pick, Pat Williams 1997-2004 FA 2003 had Sam Adams 2003, 2005 FA 2006 Kyle Williams 2006-2018 5th round pick 2008 had Marcus Stroud 2008-2010 FA 2011 Marcell Dareus 2011-2017 1st pick #3 overall 2012 Mario Williams 2012-2015 FA 100 million 2014 Jerry Hughes 2014-2018 Trade The Buffalo Bills have expended far more money and resources in obtaining top defensive players vs offensive players over the years.

My take is that this was Chan Gailey's player he wanted at #1 as he was his "waterbug"! While I also believe that Ralph Wilson was on board for this pick as he loved to draft RBs, DBs. Gailey saw this kid first hand as HC at GT while Spiller played against him with Clemson. Spiller was never noted to be an every-down back getting 20-25 carries a game. Although, he should have gotten that many touches a game From the press conference after being drafted by the Buffalo Bills. Wilson calls Spiller "a special guy" and says "the Bills have been a dull team over the last 10 years". Ralph calls the Bills "lucky" to get "one of the best players in the country." Asked him if he was fastest guy in the draft; Spiller responded, "yes sir." Spiller's Clemson team was 1-1 going up against Chan Gailey's Georgia Tech squad. Gailey at the microphone now referencing Spiller: perseverance, character, hard work, versatile "If you ask any defensive coach they'll tell you [how hard it is to play against that kind of speed]." Also said the blockers are going to be better because Spiller is so talented. From what I recall for that first start was that Spiller was named the starting RB as Lynch was nursing a knee injury and Fred Jackson had his hand in a cast. Spiller's full game stats were 7 rushing attempts for 6 yards. 4 receptions for 8 yards. The Bills quickly found out that Spiller couldn't block, couldn't find a hole and wasn't very good in the passing game either. Walterfootball.com had Spiller going #14 in the first round to Seattle. NFL.com had Spiller tagged as the first RB off the board. Spiller did have a pro bowl year in 2012 in 16 games with 9 game starts as Fred Jackson was the lead back until an injury shortened his season to 10 games. Spiller seemed to excel running the ball out of the shotgun snap in a spread formation. Mostly because as the opposing defense is spread out as well, all the RB needed to do was break a tackle and it was off to the races. His longest run that season was for 62 yards. It really was ridiculous to spend a #1 pick that year on a "scatback" type RB when they already had Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch at RB. Meanwhile, the team had previously traded away a superstar at LT In Jason Peters and replaced him with a 7th round pick in Demetress Bell. The team desperately needed a quality LT that year and didn't draft one until the 5th round. Kind of a big reason why Fitz spent the first half of 2010 running for his life and the season ended at 4-12.

For years I kept reading here that the Bills talent level has improved since Buddy Nix and yet the win level never really improved. Only two 9-7 seasons in 2014, 2017 with Kyle Orton passing, Tyrod Taylor running at QB and both with very different ways to get to that record. Now, we all know why this team took a nosedive this past year from 9-7 to 6-10 and it all starts and ends with the offensive line. Most Bills fans knew and stated this would be a bad year once the team lost Woods, Incognito. While the stats don't really show how bad the run game went into the toilet because the QB was the leading rusher. (631 yards, 8 rushing TDs with a 7.1 yards per attempt) Even with those astounding YPA numbers by the QB, the overall team sucked big time with a 21st in the NFL in YPA!! This down from 2017 in which the team was 14th in the league in yards per rushing attempt with Tyrod having a 5.1 YPA. Down again from 2016 when the Buffalo Bills were the #1 team in the league in YPA, #1 in rushing TDs, #1 in rushing yards with LeSean McCoy a 5.4 YPA. If this team is going to do better than 9 wins this season they need to drastically improve the talent on that offensive line. They need to bring back that top run game from 2016 with an influx of quality talent at just about every position on that line. Most importantly find a top center and left guard as they had with Woods, Incognito and replacing Miller, Mills at RG, RT. The solution for getting back to the playoffs is simple, yet not easy to find that superior quality offensive line talent. And a quality #1 WR, slot WR, TE too.

Not only that but they have an elite scouting staff that can find quality O linemen later in the draft and when they see someone they like early they draft them. Nate Solder was the 17th pick in the first round for the Patriots in 2011. The thing is Buffalo did draft Center Eric Woods in the first round, OG Andy Levitre in the second round in 2009 and both worked out well. Like with Jason Peters, this franchise didn't want to pay Levitre the going rate so they let him walk...then didn't adequately replace him. It wasn't until 2012 that Buddy Nix drafted Cordy Glenn in the second round and that pick also worked out well. Jason Peters is still playing LT for the Eagles. Now just imagine what a line with Peters, Incognito, Woods, Levitre, Glenn would have looked like. McD drafted Dion Dawkins in the second round in 2017 to replace Jordan Mills at RT and then Glenn got injured and went out for the season so Dawkins moved over to replace him at LT. Glenn played the first two games. When the Bills have used a first or second round pick on an offensive lineman they have worked out without question. It's all these players they draft after the third round that usually don't work out. As for veteran free agent linemen, the Bills have been burned big time doing this in the past as this is what pissed off Jason Peters that he demanded more money after the team brought in high priced free agents Derick Dockery, Langston Walker who both stunk and were being paid more than Peters. Anyone else recalls Whaley's attempt at free agency O linemen in Chris Williams who signed a four year 13.5 million dollar contract with 5.5 million guaranteed ...the guy lasted a whole 3 game starts before being benched and cut after the season. Buddy Nix also had a bite of the crap apple O linemen in Cornell Green who he signed before the 2010 season and lasted a whole five games before being benched/outright cut. Another 5 mill wasted. I'd rather see the team use the resources to build the line through the draft. Problem is they need to draft a OC, LG, LT and move Dawkins to RT or LG.

My take is that teams for whatever reason attempt to build the defensive line before the offensive line and use more resources on the defense. This looks like what the Buffalo Bills have done for almost two decades as each regime change required different defensive schemes and they kept rebuilding the defense over and over while neglecting the offensive line. The crazy thing about the superior talent on the offensive line is "IF" you find the right players they usually tend to last eight years or more. Eric Woods played nine seasons. Richie Incognito played roughly ten seasons. Andy Levitre is still playing for LG Atlanta after 10 seasons in the league. Teams just need to put the resources into their lines. The Indy Colts went from 22nd in the NFL with their offensive line to drafting an OG with the 6th pick and then went to #3 in the NFL. Thus giving Andrew Luck the time to throw for 4461yards and 39 TD passes. while being sacked a mere 18 times. That number is down from 56 sacks in 2017 with Jacoby Brissett at QB. The Colts have three first-round picks at LT, LG, OC and a second round pick at RT. The top five offensive lines in the league in 2018 were Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Indy, NE, Philly and the next five were Rams, Packers, Saints, Titans, Ravens. Just a note that the Patriots managed to neutralize the best defensive line player in the league in DT Aaron Donald who had 20.5 sacks in the regular season and only one hit on Goff in the SB. Like someone else stated the Buffalo Bills was pretty good with Glenn, Incognito, Woods and just needed better talent at RG, RT.

I never said that. In my first post in this thread, I said. "If this franchise goes defense with that #1 pick at #9 the ONLY position I can see that need for is a pass rusher." Meaning an edge rusher. Nobody (me) ever said that the team must draft an offensive line player with that #9 pick. However, last year the Buffalo Bills went need for their first two picks in QB Josh Allen and LBer Tremaine Edmunds. How did that work out? I'm in the Indy Colts camp in that they went OG with the 6th overall pick last year in Quinton Nelson and the kid went on to be first team all pro and made the pro bowl. That offensive guard also helped the Colts go from being PFF 25th best O line in 2017 to the 3rd best O line unit in the league. The Colts have three first round players on their line in LT, LG, OC and a second rounder at RT. That improvement in the line was a big reason as to why QB Andrew Luck threw 39 TDs and was sacked only 18 times all season. In my view, it's just as important or perhaps even more important to field superior talent across the offensive line vs the defensive line. The reason being is the top priority of the franchise should be to protect the most valuable player on the team in the franchise QB. The Bills have fielded superstars on the defensive line over the course of many, many regimes with little success and yet the last time this franchise was a viable playoff team they had a very solid offensive line.

Nobody doubts the Bills need up front. They have to make that line better and turn over every stone to do so. But forcing yourself to pick an offensive lineman at #9 regardless of your board would be a huge error. If, for example, you believe Ed Oliver to be the second coming of Aaron Donald and a center to be the next Eric Wood then you'd be crazy to take Eric Wood over Aaron Donald. Yes the Bills need at C is greater than their need at DT but you don't pass on perennial all pros for a guy who is less than that unless that guy is a Quarterback. 3 C'mon man, which one of those Rams linemen was making 135 million with 87 million guaranteed? Not one of them made the pro bowl or was an all-pro like Donald is... The sole reason that Rams offense was as good as it was in 2018 in being the #2 offense was because of Goff and Gurley who both made the pro bowl and Gurley a first team all pro. Now Gurly was clearly injured late in the season and wasn't the same player in the playoffs. If you clicked the link I posted you would have read that Patriots backup QB Brian Hoyer recognized the offensive plays/playcalling Rams OC/HC Sean McVay was running because he was running Shanahan's offense that he ran in Cleveland, same nomenclature. "Rams head coach Sean McVay was a tight ends coach for Kyle Shanahan with the Redskins from 2010-2013. When Shanahan was the offensive coordinator for the Browns in 2014, Hoyer started 11 games for him. After watching Manning's episode, he realized McVay's offense was the same as Shanahan's offense he ran in Cleveland. Hoyer continued to give the Patriots' defenders tips in practice. If the safeties showed they were playing up, Hoyer told Devin McCourty the quarterback is just going to catch the snap and throw it deep. The biggest piece of knowledge he gave the Patriots defense centered around blitzes." From Hoyer: The biggest play in the Super Bowl was when Flores called a blitz in the fourth quarter with a 10-3 lead. The Rams were driving towards tying the game, but in the face of all-out pressure, Goff threw a bad pass and Stephon Gilmore easily intercepted.

The point I was attempting to make about Rams DT Arron Donald, that the second highest paid defensive player in the NFL who had 20.5 sacks in the regular season. Had only one solo tackle with 4 assists and one QB hit that entire SB. This player is a 4x first team all pro, pro bowler. The Rams defense only had three hits on Goff all game. A big a deal as this player is... he basically was invisible in that super bowl. He didn't change the outcome of the game. He wasn't the same force in the biggest game of his career as he was in the regular season. The reason is simply that the Patriots have a very good interior offensive line that double, triple teamed Donald. That last sentence is what leads me to hope that this new Bills regime doesn't follow the error of past regimes in thinking that they need to spend that first round pick on an interior defensive line player and instead look to build the very best offensive line they can. Find an offensive center as good or better than Eric Woods. Find a left guard as good or better than Richie Incognito. Upgrade that right tackle position and perhaps that left tackle position. Build a quality offensive line that will properly protect their new franchise QB. There are currently projected six offensive line players that could go in the first round this year. No reason not to build the very best line they can. On another note, as for the Patriots defense looking so good. They might have an inside as to what the Rams were doing on offense from their backup QB Brian Hoyer. https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/patriots/breer-brian-hoyer-recognized-rams-offensive-scheme-his-days-browns

So, because the Rams offense which was #2 overall in the NFL in 2018 fell on their face in the super bowl you are touting that Patriots defense that was 20th in yards allowed is a strong reason defense still wins? It was the Rams game to win and their offense went into the toilet as they forgot to run the ball which was their strong suit all season. Then being down by only three points the OC went pass happy. (sound familiar?) The Rams QB Goff with 4600 yards passing and 32 TDs choked about as badly as any QB I've ever seen in a Superbowl. I don't give the Patriots defense props for Goff's poor play. At least we agree that the Bills are desperate for offense and I'm hoping that most of those 10 draft picks go for offense.

I agree. The 2018 Bills defense was #2 in yards allowed and 18 in points allowed. Meanwhile, the offense was 30th in both yards, points. This franchise is desperate alright and that is for offensive players. The Bills need a #1 WR, #1 TE as they have told Clay he is no longer in their plans. The offensive line needs a complete makeover with at least four position upgrades. Offensive center being the most important, then LG, RT, RG. Dion Dawson might remain at LT but then again they might choose to upgrade that position and move Dawkins to RT, OG. If this franchise goes defense with that #1 pick at #9 the ONLY position I can see that need for is a pass rusher. On another note, the very best DT in the league was Aaron Donald with 20 sacks and how much impact did he have in the SB? The 2014 Buffalo Bills had the #4 overall defense and were the best sacking/pass rushing team in the NFL that year. Point being is, the defense isn't going to have that much impact if the offense is among the worst and the defense can't get off the field.