MRW

A. Whether or not it was the right pick, I see no reason to think the Spiller selection was anyone but Nix/Gailey's. If it had been Wilson's orders: 1. As others have pointed out, Spiller was not a big name that everyone was clamoring for. In fact the reaction of many was "HUH?" 2. One point that I haven't seen made is that I don't believe for a moment that Nix would've rushed to get the pick in if Wilson was forcing him to pick a player he didn't want. Instead I think he'd take his time, listen to offers, and try to find a way to convince Wilson to go another way. This theory of yours doesn't stand up to any scrutiny.

For Father's Day he got his father a mug that said "You're my favorite dad in the world!"

If the talent evaluators on the Bills can't pick good OL, then why would burning even higher draft picks on their crappy evaluations make sense? If they actually did find good players last year in Levitre and Wood (the first year that Nix was back in the fold, FYI), why discount that they might be able to find good players at other points in the draft?

Definitely agree with you that Poz/Davis are the opening day ILBs. It's way too early to say whether Maybin makes the transition to become a viable OLB. I think he'll get every opportunity, but it would not surprise me at all to see Mitchell get the nod, given his experience actually playing LB at the NFL level. Not sure how well his skillset matches up with what you want at OLB, but then again those two positions are a gigantic question mark on this roster.

I'd be careful about reading too much into it. Brown specifically mentioned that Mitchell was limited due to injury.

You mean the article from April 2009? I'm not sure that I agree with you 100% on your police work there.

So when he said "all those players you just listed either did not warrant a top 10 selection, were at positions we did not need, or would not have fit our scheme" you instead read "all those players you just listed were at positions we did not need". Interesting.

I'd forgotten Ellis was even on the team, what are his chances of making the transition to LB? A guy like Maybin will stick around because it's only his second year and the team isn't going to want to cut a high draft pick that early, but Ellis hasn't made a mark at all up to this point so I have to think he faces an uphill battle to make the roster.

It does indeed, you're right about that, and I'm not a fan of the crowd that likes to tear down anyone who doesn't think the Bills are headed in the right direction any more than I like their counterparts in the negative camp. But when it's all said and done I'd rather read an article pumping up the potential of the latest draft picks, the possibilities for the team to turn things around, etc. etc. than yet another condemnation of the FO and ownership. I can't do anything about how the team is run, but the day I can't muster some hope for things to be different this year is the day I just quit following the team. Reading some of the posts that people make about the team, it makes me question if they derive any joy from anything, let alone the Bills. I do wish that people on both sides would just learn to use the ignore feature if they can't disagree without being disagreeable, though.

Here's my question, if the outlook is really that bleak, why are you following the team at all? I'm seriously not trying to play the "true fan" angle here, but sports are meant to be entertaining. If you can't find enjoyment in the team at all, then what do you get out of it? If the team stinks, I'd rather be able to look at their latest loss and try to find some good in it - at least enjoying some of the individual plays. Ultimately, IMO, wallowing in how bad the team is turns what should be a diverting pastime into just another negative in people's lives. Nothing wrong with being a realist about the team's prospects, but I find myself increasingly annoyed at the idea that foolish optimism about a sports team is some sort of character flaw and needs to be brutally corrected whenever possible.

Depends, do you mean a touchdown for the Bills or just a touchdown being scored by someone?

If the pick was made at Wilson's behest, I think Buddy would not have been so eager to get the pick in and would've waited a little longer. And everything that's been said since then shows obvious enthusiasm about Spiller from Nix, Gailey, et al. So yes, I think the Spiller pick was entirely about winning games. Frankly, if the interest were selling tickets, why didn't they reach for one of the many QBs on the board at that point?

Unless they're far better, yes. Right now no one in the Bills' sorry pack of QBs has distinguished himself in any way, so I'd expect they'd keep the youngest guy over the least impressive of the 3 veteran QBs.

I'm a fan of the Bills because I grew up in WNY and they're a connection to my youth, it's as simple as that. I don't think I need to apologize for hoping for the best for the team year after year. They're a bad team, but they're my team.

Spiller is also a home-run threat catching the ball out of the backfield, so I expect to see him significantly in the mix in the passing game. If he pans out as advertised that may make teams a little less aggressive going after the run.

Certainly a possibility, although if Brown shows decent potential I'm not sure they'll take the chance with him. This is a QB-hungry league so if they see anything out of him I think they'll keep him on the active roster.

I'd be shocked if Fitzpatrick ended up cut. What seems most likely to me is he is the #2 this year, although I wouldn't rule out the possibility of him starting. Whoever shows the least between Edwards and Brohm is gone, and Brown is the #3. Yeah, Fitz is not very good, but he showed a willingness to make all the throws, unlike certain other QBs on the roster, and he's smart. If he does end up starting, it's bad news because it means none of our QBs are worth a damn as a starter and we'll be searching for one in the offseason, but at least he won't hold back the rest of the team the way (IMO) Edwards did.

What? The secondary was the strongest unit of the D last year and is coming into next year completely unchanged (with the exception of getting players back from injury). Why do you think it's suspect, especially as opposed to the front 7?

I wouldn't say I feel "confident" as there are a lot of guys being asked to take on new roles, and I'm not sure how well they will adapt. Just because Maybin appears better suited from a size perspective for an OLB spot doesn't mean he'll be any good. How will Stroud do as a 3-4 DE? Etc. etc. But I do think that this defense, once it clicks, will be much less aggravating than the D we've seen the last few years. They've added players who have a lot of potential, and I think they clearly identified and filled the areas of biggest need. Once the games start we'll get a much clearer idea of who still needs to be replaced. It should be interesting.

I'd go with idiototic.

You're talking about 2-14 Detroit here, that just got done picking pretty much at the top of the draft? Just checking, because from where I'm sitting, talking about that team like they've turned things around is... let's just call it amazingly premature.

Zero percent upside.

If the Bills could sign him to the practice squad, I'd say go for it. Or if there was such a thing as the NFL minor league. But as it stands all it would do is take away from practice time for a QB who will actually contribute. You mention our QBs aren't good - they aren't - but a guy like Fitzpatrick is on par with a guy like Gradkowski, who replaced Russell last year and actually gave Oakland a semblance of professional QBing. I'm sure someone will be enticed by the name and his stock coming out of college, but the guy doesn't give a damn about applying himself to his profession, and there's no way this FO goes anywhere near him.

Please tell me you see the irony in posting this.

I'm sensing anger here, is something upsetting you?