Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

There's a big difference between a ten mil cap hit and paying a guy in real money. We're way under that cap anyway so likely taking the $10 mil cap hit wouldn't have much effect on what you would or wouldn't do in FA. That said I'm all for keeping him at a restructured reduced salary as I do agree he'd make a good back up & mentor for a rookie. I'd pay him $5 mil for that.

You can always renegotiate the contract, so yes that is always an option. That article also stated he's the 19th highest QB which is probably about where he'd be ranked, likely a bit lower, but as salary's go up, ten mil next year would likely push him down the ranking without ever taking a snap. Then Fitz has to decide if he could get more elsewhere or take the pay cut. Fitz has some leverage as he can point out the cap hit to the Bills if they end up cutting him. But a cap hit is "play money" as opposed to paying him with real money. Personally I'd be fine with keeping him with a new coaching staff who's not wed to him particularly if you bring in a rookie as I do think he'd be a good type for a rookie to learn from. I'd even be fine starting him the first 3 or 4 games, then as soon as he starts losing you games, you go to the rookie. If they brought in someone like an Alex Smith, then less need for Fitz so then more likely he's not back. I'd be OK paying him maybe half that to teach a rookie and eventually he's the backup by mid year. I'd probably rank him as one of the top backups too. I'd also make the contract for not more than two years as likely by the following year the rookie is the starter and $5 mil is too much for a backup.

We already have a solid #2 in Stevie Johnson. We need a #1 I like SJ, he's way over achieving, but he's really a #2

Third string QB's get about five snaps a week once the season starts, the time for him to be ready is mini camps and training camp which he wasn't around to be part of. That's the problem I see with TJ. So why'd they sign him and not keep Young?? Not sure about that, but am guessing there were some type of issues going on that made them dump him

Along the theme of people not really being in the locker room and knowing what is really going on. None of us know that RW doesn't have a plan in place, for whatever reason he refuses to discuss it and lets everyone believe there is nothing in place. Kelly and a few others has hinted at that not being the case. If the Bill's do leave, they won't get another team, Toronto very well may, but I'm certain there will NEVER be another BUFFALO team in the NFL. I do wonder though if changes could be in store this off season!! So far RW has refused to sell the team and appears to want to be the owner of the team until he dies, probably as that is what gives him the enjoyment to live. Considering how it appears his condition has got much weaker, I do wonder if the team is still giving him enjoyment, and if not would he now be ready to sell. It's hard to believe it really is as I don't believe he has been to even one game this season. I'm sure he does hear and read all the comments about him being the reason the team is losing and he's holding it back, it has to hurt him. Would he decide the fun is gone and sell now?? I'll say it wouldn't shock me if it happened. I also do believe if the Bill's hire another coach this will be the last coach RW ever hires. From a financial standpoint, if he holds the team until he dies, it goes to his wife without paying estate tax. If as been rumored she immediately sells the team, she then pays capital gains tax. I suppose that could be where the "plan" that Kelly talks about comes into place. Maybe she's decided instead of selling, she keeps the team as a completely silent owner, and maybe that's where Kelly comes in, he becomes the CEO for like a 5% stake in the team and first right to buy if Mary decides to sell or she eventually dies. Along a similar line, RW leaves the team to some type of charitable foundation he sets up with again Kelly running the team part and all profits after the cost of running the team goes to the charity. Would then NFL like such either of these arrangements, probably not, but the likelihood of them winning in court to have it over turned, is probably low. Or RW does sell the team now, pays the capital gains tax, the money left goes in his pocket, he dies say a year from now, Mary Wilson then gets the money tax free until she dies, then her heirs would get hit with estate taxes which would be the same if RW sells the team now or she sold it after he died. One of them is paying CG tax now and when they both die the estate tax kicks in. I suppose RW plan may be that he 's not going to die!

If they cut him it's $17 mil, if they trade him it's $8 mil, plus the rumors are that the Jet's would pay for part of next years salary so maybe the $8 mil jumps up to around $10 mil. I really don't see Seattle as even if the Jet's were to pay for $2 or even $3 mil of his salary, he'd still get another five or six mil which no team would pay that much for a backup.

Totally disagree with that statement. They want to win as much as any team in the league. The problem is you have a 95 YO owner who use to get over involved, now for about the past 15 months is become under involved. If the Bill's were in a large city like Atlanta, NY, Dallas, it wouldn't matter, RW dies, someone else buys the team and things go on in the same city. Here there are too many unknowns. The Bill's have spent a lot of money on players over the years, just not wisely. The problem has been been RW doesn't seem to want to pay big $$ for coaches and front office types, or may be his accused meddling in the past prevented the team from hiring the best. But not having the best in the front office has caused them to spend the money on players, but again not wisely. Actually there are two people in the organization that I'll agree I'm not totally convinced winning is there top priority and that's Littman and Overdolf (I think his name is). But even there, they are doing what RW tells them to do for the most part.

That's what really scares me about this. How's Cassel done since he's left NE?? But I'd probably take the chance for a 2nd and 3rd in 2014 if you could pull that off. Welker I think is too old for the money he's going to likely get. Edelman and Talib part I like as those are two spots that need improvement though what we really need at WR is a guy with big guy with speed. Is Edelman really that or are we getting more of another SJ?? At RT we have two guys that are both decent, as I've said about almost any area of the team WR, LB line, etc, you don't need great players at all positions. Assuming they resign AL you have four solid positions. In fact I'd much rather see whatever $$ you're going to pay Vollmer, instead give it to Andy L. It's great to "disassemble the Pats", but only if you're absolutely certain it does improve the Bill's. Some of these suggested moves may be more done to spite them!

Yes the Carrier Dome is not air conditioned!!

I like Fitz, he can play OK with good coaching that has a game plan highly favoring the run. When defenses don't know what's coming Fitz can move the team, maybe his scatter-arm could even improve. But if the Bill's fall behind in the final five minutes when Fitz is forced to throw the ball 15 to 20 yards or more, he's totally useless. I'd rank him overall 20 to 25, lately maybe even upper 20's but for the final five minutes of a game, would be hard pressed to not rank #32. As bad as Sanchez looks, you still have to respect his arm. Not so with Fitz.

True, but if he were to retire, whatever year it is, I think it would be in May

I think your number is high actually. You could probably get a 1st, 2nd and maybe 4th for this seasons first round and for a second round pick, you get a 2nd and third. Beyond the second round maybe the third, the value of the picks starts dropping to the point of no real extra value. Rookies learn from the guy playing next to him. When they are all rookies it will take much longer. The team would also likely be so bad not sure they'd even be watchable to the point, RW dies, the team could leave.

Remember, they don't give IQ tests when registering for this site.

On paper the Bill's have three other top notch players, you don't need four, so am fine with the players they have at RDE. Granted paper doesn't do anything, but if these guys don't live up to their billing RDE is the least of the problems. I think Sercy could also emerge at safety.

Was Chris even old enough to know those words back then??

1) I'd keep Russ Brandon too, he's not the problem in any way. When he was trying to play GM, yes bad fit, but thta wasn't his fault he was thrown into that position. 3) I'm not sure if 20$ mil would even work at this point. 4) Actually I'd be fine with keeping Fitz to groom rookie. Really dubt he'd have any trade value and by today's contract value $59 mil isn't killing them. I don't see him as the type who'd pout or cause disruptions if not the starter. Let him earn his money being a player/sudo QB coach, think he'd be good in that role. 6) Interesting idea, if they could pull that off I'd be all for it. 7) It's somewhat risky move as haven't seen much of KC, but may be best option. 11) I do think they still have a talented def line in spite of how it's looked all year.

If he's going to retire and fade away likely will be here till May as that's when contracts of GM's and front office run out. If he gets fired, that could happen year end

He knows how to close businesses down, I'll give you that. Respected as what a very good QB, yes front office I don't think so.

Good God NO!!! Bill Polian fine, but along with the respectability likely his son would also come along. From what I've read he's a real piece of work and couldn't get a job in the NFL without Daddy's help. I honestly believe that's why Bill Polian was let go by the Colts. Irsay would have liked to have kept Bill, but knew he couldn't keep Bill and fire the son, so let them both go.

Someone else brought up the Tom Cable name, as far as no names go I kind of like that one. Supposedly likes to run, and the players seemed to like him.

Actually if Nix is here Feb 1st still doesn't mean a whole lot as GM's contracts typically run through May 1st, through the draft. What scares me alot about Polian is I'm afraid it's a package deal with Bill and his kid. and the kid sounds terrible. Personally I think that was why BP got fired in Indy. I think Irsay would have kept Bill, but wanted to fire the son and knew that wasn't going to work so fired both of them.

Actually the odds are against him succeeding. Has nothing to do with Nix, just look at how many teams fail. Since 1995 when Kelly retired, I looked up how many teams went through different starting QB's from one year till next. I defined it as whomever started the most games one year, then if the next year someone different started the most games, that was a change in QB This was the list: 10 different QB's Vikes, Bears, Browns, Fins, Redskins 9 different QB's Raiders Jets, Cardinals, & Bills 8 Ravens, Panthers, Bucs, Bengals 7 Falcons, Cowboys, Chiefs At the bottom of the list Packers Colts, Pats with two each There's some teams with what are considered very good front offices and they couldn't succeed either. It goes back to my argument that you have a league with 32 teams and about a dozen top level QB's The rest just keep cycling through names. That's why I'm sure the Bill's stuck with Fitz, they knew he wasn't going to be mistaken for Drew Bree's or someone like that, but knew the odds of finding someone better weren't all that high and hoped he would have done better than he did.

Sure becasue a bunch of people on this board thinks it's a great idea

The chain gang is on the sideline even more, so guess they'd make an even better choice. First off how many top level hall of famer ex-players do you know of that made good coaches. Typcially they make the worst coaches. Sounds like you're saying because a player was a star and stands on the sideline you think he'd make a great coach?? And then you get upset as in many of the responses people are making fun of you in this thread. And BTW every year there is at least one thread stating Kelly for coach and every year that person gets blasted for the same reasons. Sorry but hard to give a serious response to a question that is this laughable.

That is the strategy, now teams will may feel the need to keep a couple extra guys up towards the line, thus making it tougher to set up a good return. And actually that was why it was a good place for Seattle to run the play, they were way up, if it totally failed and the Bill's got the ball and scored a TD, so what Seattle was still going to win the game. In a 7 point game, you try that and fail it could cost you the game. Whether it worked or not, you still have to now be ready to defend it and it couldn't have hurt Seattle either way in this game. So actually yes it was a good idea running it at that time. The only risk is being ripped for running up the score.