Bob in STL

Another story with a slant. Modrak has been handling the draft and the scouting of college players. This is the job he wanted all along. He left a GM job in Philly for this job and and never wanted the GM job Buffalo. He does not maintain an office in Buffalo, so the "odd man out" comments makes no sense. Overdorf is known as a solid cap guy and was in fact retained by Donohoe, and then again by Levy, for that job. All of a sudden he is paying too much money for average players? I believe that John Guy was hired by Donohoe ... so Donahoe brought in a person that doesn't understand pro talent? All of these guys have distinctly different assignments reporting to the GM, Marv Levy. So what's the problem? I question the direction of the writers story, not the direction of the team. To say that the Bills threw away money on free agent offenaive lineman before the team has played even one down is just irresponsible journalism.

1 - NHL Playoffs 2 - MLB Opening day 3 - NFL Draft

Just to set the record straight. There is no such thing as a Fairchild/Martz offense. Fairchild was a "run first" guy when he coached in college and that is what he wanted to do his entire time in St. Louis. Martz, as we all know, is a pass happy coach. He passes to set up the run. Thank goodness for him he had Marshall Faulk ... a back who could run and catch. Martz thought very highly of Fairchild, which is why he hired him to be the OC in STL. Fairchild and Martz always seemed to struggled on the offensive philosophy. Martz took playcalling duties away from Fairchild at one point, then, when Martz got sick, Fairchild took over the play calling again and the Rams started to feature Jackson and they started to win. Believe me, there is a mutual respect between the two coaches but they do not share the same fundamental philosophy on offense.

What i think your saying is this. If last years draft continues to develop, AND this years draft is just as good, AND Losman continues to develop into a playmaker .... we will have money to extend contracts and we will be good in 2008 and very, very good beyond that. Marv can get it done. Follow the plan and stay the course!

I consider you the draft guru on this board; all others need not apply. You provide lots of good information and you come up with some interesting ideas. Like my chess playing, I can only think 2 moves deep with any competence. Even then ... I go with Willis and then flip a coin between Wade and Leonard. Cheers!

My thoughts. I see nothing to hate. He did not overtly put down the team or the city. He wants to play. He wants to win. Situation normal. Chill out.

I will never understand why people nominate Patulski as the worst #1 pick. He is not even the worst #1 for the Bills, let alone all time in the league. He played for for several years and he even started. He did not live up to the billing of being the #1 pick in the draft but many players have that stigma. I pick Tom Cousinou, Phil Dokes, and Booker Moore are at the top of my list.

I agree that the LBs were a better unit than the DT's last year ... but maybe not for the defense we are running?

Time must have changed. I graduated from RIT in 1981. Buffalo had it all over Rochester in the night life area back then.

Very true. Buffalonians need to get thicker skin. I can remember Dan Dierdork doing this on MNF. Back in the Bills glory years he innocently made a comment about teams not wanting to go to Buffalo late in the season and it came out as another bad weather comment. Dierdork got blasted by the Buffalo media and the fans where hostile to him whenever he came to town. The MNF crew that worked with him never let him forget it and they joked about it every chance they got.

Buffalo's bar, restaurant and music scene is better than Jax, Indy, Cinn, Balt and Stl. I have lived in Balt and Stl. They have nothing on Buffalo/WNY in this area. Jax and Indy are bland to say the least.

I would rate out needs by priority as: 1. LB - especially if Spikes is traded, we will have to replace Fletcher and Spikes, 2. RB - we need one of the top tier rookies to share the load with A-Train, 3. CB - Add some depth/talent 4. DT - at least upgrade with a better prospect than Tim Anderson I would like to see all of these positions addressed in day 1.

The worst thing about his stay in Buffalo is that it sounds like he did not try to get involved in the community at all. The bars and restaurants scene in Buffalo as BETTER than that in other cites if the same size. I have been to many cities in the US and abroad. JP seems to enjoy the city and he is from So. Cal. Willis has never right for the team or the city. Another TD blunder. You think he would be grateful for getting his NFL start as a 1st rounder here. The Bills invested in him and he did not payback.

I agree that she makes some good points, but the posts add a ton to the memory storage requirements.

1. There probably are not too many starting caliber free agents left. If so, certainly not in our positions of need and within our cost constraints. Maybe we make a move for Brown at RB, if the price is right. 2. Like most teams, we might look at more free agents after the draft but those are usually tier 2 guys and roster filler. 3. I think sucess in 2007 is finishing with a better record than 2006 and improving in the key statistical areas. The biggest indicator for success in 2007 is that JP develops to the next level. Everything hinges in him being the man. 4. Yes we are looking further down the road. We do not have the talent to make a run at the SB yet. The playoffs would be a nice surprise ... keyword is surprise. It seems to me that to establish a team as a legitimate contender takes 3 very good drafts. Free agency can supplement and fill holes but it is not the way to build a team.

He is 20 years old? Many believe that he has lots of upside. Mamula and Flowers were workout warriors. Okoye is suposed ot be a football player. Who really knows? Ask again in 4 years.

Right. So 25% of their salary cap is paid to Clements and Gore.

Forget that. Me! I'll stop the run. Put me in coach!

Really! I have never heard of this guy.

Spoken Like a married man!

Your forgetting that the same 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2 car garage home in most cities would cost three times the $175K that you quote. $175k does not get much in most parts of the country. Even here the midwest, real estate is still affordable but the house you desrcibe is $250-400K depending on the town, the school system, etc. If I had a legitimate chance to return to WNY I would have done so. The family aspect alone is something that you cannot put a price on.

My order (modern era): Jim Brown Walter Payton O.J. Simpson Eric Dickerson Gale Sayers Marshall Faulk Earl Campbell LaDainian Tomlinson - and climbing Barry Sanders Thurman Thomas Emmitt Smith Marcus Allen John Riggins

This is almost funny. A first round center. Then we pick a LB in the second round after acquiring Briggs. Then a FB. We actually get five players with 3 picks in rounds 2 and 3 --- now that is a coup. Then a "big clumsy" TE. The 5th round pick for Kelly Holcomb would be great!

I am coming in from St. Louis and I want to see the Pats, or the Jets. I want to see AFC East rivals for the opening day atmosphere. We win and get a game lead on one of them. Let's save Miami for the Nov-Dec timeframe.

Great, now someone will name all the linebacker busts that we drafted since 1960.