mjd1001

I agree. If you want a 'fully guaranteed contract', negotiate for it. You might get a lot less money, but you can get it. It just means instead of a 5 year, $50 million dollar deal with 15 guaranteed...you might get a 5 year $30 million guaranteed deal. It is really up to the players, the agents, and the team how they want to structure a contract. Want more guaranteed money? Take a smaller overall deal. It seems to me the players pushing hard for guaranteed contracts are the ones who want the big deal AND the guarantee.

I know this topic gives us a lot to discuss, but I honestly like it when there is little or no drama surrounding this team. Its nice for me to read about the draft, then have not much going on until the preseason at least.

I want to find out if it is true..like I'm sure just about everyone else does. If it is true, I agree with you. If it can't be proved in court, but the Bills have enough info to believe part of it is true...I also say get rid of him. However, if any 'proof' shows the store is made up, I don't want the Bills taking any action against him to 'make a point'.

which is WHY I used the word 'see'...as in 'see in the present' or 'see in the future'.....not seen as in 'we haven't seen anything yet'

I have some doubts about this D also...mostly centered on the pass rush. I do not see it as consistent...or even league average. They have to show they can put some pressure on the passer.

The Ravens aren't a bad team, but for some reason if I listed teams in terms of who I wanted the Bills to open with, they would be at the bottom. I just have nothing for them. They aren't exciting to watch..I don't care about any of their players really....i just have this image that when the Bills play them, it will be a boring, 13-9 game with 10+ punts. Wish they would have opened with just about anyone else on the schedule.

Ok, I agree with your premise that nothing is wrong with it right now. I had season tickets for 10+ years a while ago and don't anymore. So, I'm good with the stadium where it is...the sport is pretty much the same watching on my TV in the living room. The fact that the Bills have some of the (if not THE) lowest ticket prices in the NFL works for those who go to the games, and I'm glad they can enjoy that. Why do I not go to the games anymore? A variety of reasons..but the biggest one being...whether by myself or with friends over, I enjoy watching the game on the big screen with whatever food and beverages I want...over the stadium gameday experience I used to have. You can make the tickets $10....I even have had some offered to me for free, and I just won't go. I get 99% of what I want/need out of my Gameday experience at home. With all that said...when/if there IS a new stadium....if it comfortable..wider seats and aisles...more restaurants and bar/clubs in it....nicer/cleaner gathering areas...little or no wait to use the restrooms...and just something nicer and different to look at...then I'll go and I'll pay $100-$200 for a ticket for that. Why? Now I'm getting something different that I haven't done or seen before that will get me off my couch and out to a game.

I'm OK with higher ticket prices for a new stadium....not with PSL's though.

I really don't care if he does. What are the odds he will be as good as Brady? Even if he turns out to be 'really good' (which is no guarantee), the Pats will be a lot worse with anyone besides Brady.

At least the Leafs still lost....

I know the NFL pushed the draft back to later in the year to 'keep the eyes' on the NFL longer..to try to get everyone talking about the NFL just about year round.... But it has had the opposite impact on me. I check in on this forum often to scan the posts for headlines...but there has just been too much talk about the sames things over and over leading up to the draft. I have tuned out of ESPN totally, and turned off WGR more than I usually have this time of the year. I can't wait until Thursday night and Friday.

No, not even close. Even if he IS the best RB in the game, the number of games he will win you over the 10th best back in the league...I can't see it being that much.

I did not think it was worth it. Why? I really didn't enjoy watching this team, with the offense as bad as it was against most decent competition. I felt i was under no Illusions of them going anywhere in the playoffs. I would have much rather they had a higher draft pick and missed the playoffs. Did I root for them to lose? No, I didn't WANT them to lose when I watched them (at least not in the way many wanted the Sabres to lose a few years back), but I do not think it was 'worth it'.

I don't know whether the Bills should trade up or not unless we knew the 'grades' they had on who they would be trading up for. If the Bills think the difference between their #1 guy and their #5 guy isn't that much....and that they can 'coach up' any of them to get them where they need, then don't trade up. Buf if they think their #1 guy has 80% chance of being what they need, while their #5 guy has about a 20% chance...then I'm all for giving away multiple picks to move up. But once again, no one really knows how the Bills staff has the QB's rated except for them.

What are the odds of the first QB taken in a draft being better than the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th? It depends on a lot, how 'deep' is the draft...is there a big difference in an given year between the best QB and the 5th best...and other things. But if you look back at every NFL draft from the year 2000 until last year, what are the odds that each QB taken in a given slot turn into a good QB or a Star? 1st QB taken in the draft: 5 Stars, 9 good starters, 4 busts or journeyman 2nd QB taken: 3 starts, 2 good starters, 13 busts or journeyman 3rd QB taken: 2 stars, 3 good starters, 13 busts or journeyman 4th QB taken: 1 Star, 0 good starters, 17 busts or journeyman 5th QB taken: .5 star, 3.5 good starter, 14 busts or journeyman Some might argue with my exact classification, but I was considering a 'star' as a QB that has the ability to carry a team and make multiple pro bowls. Maybe not a hall of famer, but a franchise guy. Of the recent guys, I classified someone like Deshaun Watson as a star. A 'good starter' would be someone like Andy Dalton. Now, in the above list, all of the QB's taken (especially the 3rd, 4th, or 5th ones) were not First rounders...so I decided to go back and just look at all the 1st round QBs taken after pick #5 and see how they did... 1st round QBs taken in the top 5: 6 Stars (28.5%), 9 good starters (43%), 6 busts or journeyman (28.5%). It was hard classifying the QBs taken in the last 2-3 drafts, some could go in either the star or 'good starter" category. 1st round QBs taken after pick #5: 3 Stars(11.5%), 6 good starters(23%), 17 Busts or journeyman(65.5%) Every Draft is different. It is very hard to compare one draft to the other for that reason...but one thing is for sure...is that drafts often do NOT turn out how we think they will before the draft occurs, so I thought looking at the numbers might give some perspective. (BTW, my numbers may be off by 1 or 2, as I did most of the counting in my head..but they are close)

I'm still not a huge fan of the Bills paying ANYTHING to get to that #2 pick. Maybe the guy(s) who are available at 12 aren't that much below the guys taken at #2 or #3. I mean, there have been guys taken in the top 5 at QB who were thought to be almost sure things that were busts...and guys that were 'reached' for that had flaws that turned out pretty good. What if (in reality) the first QB taken has a 60% chance of being a star, the second guy has a 50% chance, the third guy a 45% chance, and the 4th and 5th guys a 40% chance. IF that is the case (and it seems like that is what a lot of drafted QB's turn out to be), then I'd WANT the first guy, but I'd rather have the 4th or 5th guy than to trade multiple #1's and a couple #2s. For all we know, the Bills may be in an all-or-nothing mode for the 1 guy they identified......OR....they may think they can turn ANY of their top 5 rated guys into what they want and don't have much of a preference.

I agree. At some point...you have to think talent and potential may never be reached. Watkins may just be a slightly above average pro receiver. It wouldn't be the first time someone with so much talent didn't reach expectations..Braylon Edwards, Charles Rogers, Peter Warrick, Troy Williamson..etc.

I had no idea who JF was at all until I got a few posts into the thread....not even the initial poster mentioned his name.

Um..No. Take a look at the Pats picks over the years...if you are being honest they draft pretty much the same as everyone else. I read a post on here a few years ago linking to an article that said they actually draft WORSE than the average team. I'm not sure why everyone says/thinks they draft better than everyone else. NE is the team they are becasue they have a good coach, and great QB, and a decent team around them.

Wood is a great buy (it seems) and an above average center. He does have a couple bad games a year, but overall was a plus for the team. With Wood gone...Incognito maybe gone? (or at least he is getting older), Glenn maybe gone, we could be looking at a HUGE question mark for the ENTIRE line next year.

I thought Donald Jones was OK at the job...I think he gradually got better as time went on. He didn't bother me as much as others on this board. I do wonder about Murphy and how long he will do the show. He is 63...while not 'old', 5 days a week of the show and the prep he does during the season is a lot for some people.

If there are other stores around that offer similar products that you do NOT have to pay for..just deal with a few ads to see while you walk around.....then I'll 'shop' there. There is enough Bills news out there from other sources to not need to pay for it from the BN. A few times I saw some headlines on their page that I wanted to click on...found out it was behind the paywall, and just moved on to other sites/forums and got most of the same news.

I'd be happy with either as long as the Bills don't trade up. Keep both 1st round picks...get a good/great position player with one pick...and take one of the QB's with the second. That is my IDEAL scenario..if it is available.

I'm not 100% against Smith in Buffalo. I'd take him for a year or two. I have heard opinions from a few people that he is slightly better than Tyrod. I'd take that. The question is, for what? a 4th rounder or lower. Picks in rounds 1-3 I expect contributions from in year 1. a 4th..not so much..so that is what I'd give up for Smith. Anything more than a 4th....let whoever is offering that take him.

Its saying the same thing over and over..but with Cousins, it is all about how much you have to pay for him. 4 years and $70 million or less. Wow, great move for the Bills, sign me up and use those top 4 picks to fill other holes. 5 years $120 millon.....Eh....I think it is overpaying but it is the market rate I guess....OK with it. 7 years $180 million...no way.