Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

Draft a QB every year like some people request is another way to waste draft picks!

Not really, The 32ndpick in every draft is still selected higher than every 2nd round pick and the 64 higher than and 3rd rounder and so on. So I don't buy "they draft lower" argument and excluding comparing the Bills last selection (assume 7th rounder)against NE's every other selection was still higher than the next round down the Bills selected. I'd think it would go to reason that NE's 2nd round selection should be a better player than the Bills 3rd round pick. So the fact that NE has no one left tells me they didn't draft any better.

I voted mildly optimistic as that was best choice to pick from. Overall long term I'm much more than mildly, but short term, don't expect playoffs this year. Folks in charge certainly seem to have a good handle on things based on what is being said and how things have been done in the very short term. Granted not much experience at the very top, but have people under them with good experience. Conversely not a bunch of people who are use to doing it the old way either which feel is a good thing. How well they do will be decided by QB play which is true for every team in the league. But also don't fualt them if they don't find one as more than half the teams in the league have been looking for one with less than good success. Just as Whaley before them and Nix before that, they can join the league wide club of front offices not lucky enough to stumble onto that guy. Though do feel good about NP, only concern is arm strength.

Are you under contract? Whole different ballgame! Sure what you're saying happens all the time, but not typically for people under contact. You could argue a fireman, or a teacher is under contract and they leave to take other jobs to, but I'd imagine these types of contracts are different and it's a contact exclusively with a person. Plus with the fireman, teacher, etc, if there were budget cuts and they had layoffs, they'd get severance pay, but wouldn't be paid the balance of their contract which again happens here. The one part I don't know is down at a scout level, are they under contract or just hired at will??

No it's just luck more than anything. If they had done such a great job of scouting, they'd have moved up to #2 or 3 to assure themselves of getting him. There were rumors he'd been picked earlier, but he wasn't. Are you telling me that NE did a better job of scouting Brady too? If so they'd have picked him a round or two earlier. QB more than any position just doesn't equate to scouting as too many things just don't translate from college to the NFL!

TP hasn't worked with anyone in NFL front offices prior to him buying the team and having Whaley as his GM. Can't help but wonder if TP was happy with Doug, planned to keep him around for awhile yet, Has DW determine new HC and he picks McDermott. Now McDermott is here, TP has many conversations with him and all of a sudden realizes, wow this is what a smart NFL leader is really like and how bad the front office really is. Decides then to let him go after the draft. Everyone wants to crucify Russ, but he really has limited experience too other than working with Marv and Buddy, neihter of which was a great front office guy, so Russ too could easily have been swayed by Whaley.

Use to be this way. Now the new model is the HC hires the GM and it's someone he's very comfortable working with. This is the direction teams are going in these days. Sorry!

Actually this is becoming the normal model around the league these days, so shouldn't be an issue at all. So just becasue that was publicly stated means it's 100% true. It's amazing how many people around here take things so literally about everything stated. What would you expect them to state publicly at that point.

I'd think the opposite. While I completely agree about great FA pick ups over the years, that was on the scouts finding these "gems". And agree Whaley made the final decision to sign them. Just as on the college side of things, the scouts likely gave him options to choose from, and while the players they picked weren't maybe bad choices, his lack of patience made him give up too much to often to get them. So I think he needed to go more than the scouts. And this draft while he was technically in charge, he likely was laying out the options for McDermott to choose from and wasn't making the final choice. All things considered I was in favor of keeping him, but don't have a problem with letting him go. As to your notion of we're not getting anyone better than Whaley at picking a QB, there is no one better out there at picking QB's If you think there's someone out there who really can find good QB's I have a bridge to sell you, it's about 80% being at the right place at the right time. So are you saying Bill B is better or they should hire his assistant as they know how to pick QB's. How did Matt Cassel work out once he left NE? Jimmy Grap... Lets see how he really looks if he's away from Belichick as I believe he makes them all look great.

Not really, that's typical. From what I've heard over the years front office contracts all typically expire May 1st, after the draft. Teams don't want to lose their continuity prior to the draft and the people spilling the beans to other teams. Just doesn't happen like that at a high level and why would Whaley agree to that. His contract was to be the GM, any other job, he'd need to agree to do it. With everything going on, why would he want to do that?

Doubt Russ needs to worry, Jim O, yeah I'd be nervous if I were him. Do wonder if this happened quicker than planned due to all the leaks. TP just figured, lets get this done now and be done with it as opposed to constantly being questioned about it. If true that he knew he was being fired after the draft, is that really then being fired, or just more an agreement to part ways.

Guess I'm completely confused as to why the Bills are being called classless for keeping Whaley through the draft and firing him the day after? From what I've seen prior, that's pretty much standard procedure in the NFL, typically front office contacts expire May 1st for that very reason. I'm pretty much favored keeping Whaley around, but if he is fired tomorrow, it's pretty much normal operating procedure in the NFL from what I see.

Don't disagree with anything you stated, though not sure by next week if Whaley will be here or not. Either way, does appear McDermott is more calling the shots which may be what Whaley needs. He can find talent, but tends to make too many big moves that don't work out, so having someone to keep him in check may be all that's needed. Or wouldn't be shocked if he and everyone else in FO is gone either by May 15th.

I agree with this, recall reading in the past a pick for the following season is downgraded by one round so would be the equivalent of a 2nd rounder. However in this case, think it was very strategic by the Bills to give them the flexibility to move up to almost anywhere in the draft. So if Taylor bombs we'd have many more loses than wins, likely by somewhere mid season or later they'd bench him and maybe give Jones a good look. By the end of the season we could easily have a top ten pick again IF Taylor bombs. Combine a top 10 with a second 1st rounder, likely could move up to a top 2 or higher pick if throw in a 2nd or 3rd rounder too. If Taylor does well and feel we're OK at QB could get 2 players, maybe trade one to move up a few spots. So I think in the case of Buffalo flexibility for next season's draft is a good thing and am happy with the position they are in.

Hmmm..... A low round pick, so you're suggesting a 1st rounder?? can't get any lower than that I suppose. This type of discussion always confuses me at the draft!

Why fire him or let him resign now and give up any information he has accumulated to other teams. FO contracts typically run through the draft so firing him next week would make perfect sense.

I think the opposite. We'll likely start off slow with many new players, but as season goes on, players figure things out, last 4 of 5 games home and home with Miami and NE could be tough and may not win any but will fight to the end, but by the end of the season, teams will be happy when the game is over and done with us and things will be looking up for 2018.

From what has been written and spoken over the years, think Hank Bullough has him beat on that one! (at least in the eyes of Fred Smerles)

I'm not against Whaley like many here are, however, lets see if he still has a job by May 1st. Teams typically keep GMs around till after the draft as they did all the scouting and don't want that knowledge going to another team. Could be ultimately McDermott is making the picks, or at a minimum, he is approving the picks by Whaley. If that is the case, Whaley himself probably knows he'll be out of work in a couple of weeks.

This had nothing to do with Dan was before his time, but all the coaches you mention were hired since around 1970. What about before that? If I remember right, they may have been the only team in the NFL who had never won a championship, and that was when there were only about 10 to 12 teams in the league. Certainly the bad years were all on Art, maybe when Dan got involved things were straightened out? Last 50 year, they've been a model organization, prior to that, not so good.

Comp Picks!! We're talking about Comp Picks?? Not real picks! Comp Picks! Not a real pick! No We're talking about Comp Picks! Really Comp Picks!

For all the negative comments, this wasn't publicized, Kelly stated something to the effect this was in the works for over a month, beyond when the new communications guy came in. So they weren't doing it for attention. Don't know how he will work out as a coach, but agree certainly has a good approach. Kind of funny first time having a coach younger than all those players.

Is CK even able to throw much or is he still very limited due to rehab??

Are you complaining or celebrating??

Moved in the mid 70's from the NYC area where I was a Jet's fan. Also liked the Giants too. In Baseball I was a Met's fan and hated the Yankee's, In football liked both but if the Jet's played the Giants rooted for the Jets. From the mid when I arrived till around 1985 still rooted for the Jets. In the late 70's many of those years the Bills were real bad and didn't always sell out at home which would make me happy as often then the local TV stations would then televise the Jet's game instead. Rooted for the Jets' to beat the Bills in that one playoff game, in 1980 or 81?? Interception by the Jet's in the end zone at the end of the game won it for them. Around 1984, the Jet's and the Bills both hit the skids so became hard to follow either. Kelly arrives the end of 86, all the media hype, couldn't help but get caught up in it and followed them ever since and have rooted for them to beat the Jets whenever they've played. Can say I've rooted for the Bills to beat the Jets more times than I ever rooted the other way. Back then was much harder to follow an out of area team without the internet and no Sunday Ticket for out of area games. Since 2008 moved to North Carolina but still follow the Bills and root for them. Only reason I have ST is to watch their games. With sites like this, easy to follow the same team even after moving. Probably if Al Gore had invented the internet prior to when I moved to western NY in 1976, I would have still followed and rooted for the Jets as now is the case with me still following the Bills. But back then was much tougher to not just root for the local team.