Fan in Chicago

And what exactly are we doing with the money we spent ? I know it is early in FA but the lack of movement besides Lawson is concerning. Levitre's was a hole that did not need to be created. The money saved is far less than the service we lost. If we use up a pick to replace it, that would have been one we could have used to fill a much more needy hole. No matter how we explain away being net negative in the personnel department, the fact is that we are poorer and unless there is action soon we will have a depleted corps of players. Sure, many of them deserved to be cut. But maybe Kelsay, Wilson would have been depth if we found better ones. Nelson was still a #3 or #4 at worst. SOme say analytics, some say patience. I see the continuing pattern of inaction followed by selling us on hope of some bargain bin FA and draft picks. For once, I would like more action on the FA front (ya I am not ignoring MarioW). Would i have killed our FO to sign a few out of Levitre, Nelson, Vasquez, Ellerbe, Dustin Keller, Amendola ? The reconciliation and patience with Nix and co. is unbelievable seeing what we have over the past 3 years. Yet, many here somehow think it will be different this time.

Dude is just getting in shape so he can play and leave for a fat contract next year. Thats his motivation

I didn't realize that we are actually agreeing on several items. I too would have liked Nelson back for ~ $1.5 million per, Levitre for up to $8 million per. Both numbers would have most likely gotten them re-signed. Agree with cutting Fitz but that is about all I agree with recently.

So only pro-bowlers get paid top-5 money ? Do we have a replacement in mind or will we now depend upon Wood alone to handle pressure up the middle ?

Great response. I would have responded similarly if I did not have anything meaningful to add to the conversation

For arguments sake, John, what would you have recommended ? After last season it was eminently obvious that the franchise was not moving forward and indeed there were plenty of indications that it was regressing. After three years of rebuild, we were stuck in neutral. Unable to consistently win division games, becoming irrelevant by the half point of the season. Would you have recommended staying the course with Gailey, Fitz, Wannstedt ? At some point, you have to cut your losses. There have been some good moves made by the FO but not enough and not in the key departments to build a winner. In year 4 of Buddy's regime, we are still struggling to fix the defense and have become desperate for a QB in a reportedly unspectacular draft class. Patience is fine and I had offered plenty of it to Nix and co. during the first 2 years of their tenure. But when he did not see Fitz's limitations and insisted on going BPA with no consideration to drafting a QB in his third draft, my doubts started becoming a certainty - that he just does not know how to build a winner. How long did it take him to realize that a superior QB is a key to winning ? And if you say he already knew that, then why did he not make any major moves to address it ? I understand patience but cannot ignore recent history either. We cannot keep doing the same things and expect success to magically drop into our laps.

Why do I not feel like celebrating ? I wish I could share in said thrill.

Does not retaining David Nelson and Levitre add or subtract from your happiness ? I for one, want talent added and mere subtraction does not give me any great pleasure. Fitz had to go I agree. But there have been a lot of questionable moves and non-moves till yesterday. And , I have come to hate the word VALUE. We will ride the value horse to the NFL basement yet again. Was Vasquez that expensive ? Would paying $8 MM/yr (ignoring the TN no-tax) been such a problem for the Bills ? Yes, but we have tons of cap room. Congrats -we can take that head room and make a serious run at Manziel.

Ofcourse. It is only right that FAs do so, they owe it to themselves. I am just surprised that the Bills pegged his value at less than $7.8 MM/yr

I guess I am too upset. Historically the Bills have struggled to staff the OL and I hate to break up one of the most competent units we had in years. I don't see to many better available options out there but am willing to wait (have no choice anyway) Ignoring the condescending tone of your post, care to specify in what way it did not make sense ? How many of them are available to help the Bills this season ?

You keep guys like Levitre. Period. You let guys like Fitz go. And if it is a question of money (which I am not sure we are short of), Levitre > McK (as I said earlier). Which I suppose is what you are saying. There is simply no way to reconcile our way out of this loss. IMHO, this is a loss of Pat Williams, Ruben Brown and Antoine Winfield proportions - something we will live to regret or allocate resources (draft pick) which could have been used in so many other areas.

15 minutes back I was disappointed and now that I have had time to think about it, I am incensed that we did not pay Levitre $8 MM/yr to keep him. Sorry but this is an utterly idiotic non-move.

Think about how many years it took us to get a guard like Levitre and then tell me again how easy it is.

Which is my point - Byrd was a good keep. If it was about money, I would have let McK walk and used the money for Levitre. ANd, next year hasn't happened yet so we don't know if we will keep Wood. Again, for durability alone, Levitre > Wood. We also let Fitz go and (no cap expert) saveed money if not this year at least in the out years. What exactly are we planning to do with the money ? This is only one hour into FA, but history has shown that we make shockingly underwhelming moves in FA (and please don't point to a single MarioW signing to prove me otherwise)

Considering the closest rated would (IMHO) Ben Grubbs and his $7.2 MM/yr, I would say the 8 mil wouldn't have been overpaying by much. The loss in performance will be a lot than the 0.8 MM we could have paid to retain him. I am with Bill on this one - huge loss. Whatever happened to 'keep your own' ? We keep McKelvin and let Levitre go ?

I thought the Bills should have signed him for 5 yr/$40 MM. I am surprised the Bills did not beat that offer. On record here to say I am extremely disappointed.

Come on, John, I respect your football knowledge. I also get that you did not like his performance as GM (neither have I) but to pick this thread and this event to beat on him is rather ridiculous. In no way does this illegally tapped phone call further the case against his performance as a GM.

No where does he say or imply that. He says we are set at tackle. And also laments that it has been difficult to sign our own guys - something the Tampa GM agreed with.

I have been going to Texas for work for almost a year now and I can tell you that the above sentence does not literally mean what it says. That is Southern speak for "I am in trouble regarding the QB situation and have to do something to solve the problem"

Handcuffed ? He clearly says that 'he has to do something else we will have to". How does this equate to saying Fitz is handcuffing him ? The FO has ultimate power in almost all cases. As to your second point, do you expect the FO to come out and say negative things about your starting QB ? And admit it, throughout last season there was hardly a clear better choice. TJax should have been played but IMHO, isn't much of an upgrade. If NIx had bashed Fitz in the press, it would have first of all come across as incredibly unprofessional and secondly would have indicted Gailey's assessment of QBs - both items which no sane GM will do in public. Nix has much to be blamed for over the past 3 years but this tapped call is not one of them

I just heard the entire conversation and struggling to find what is so 'incompetent' or 'embarassing' about what the two said. It is a very harmless conversation. What I did find surprising is that Nix thinks Fitz is fighting for a BACKUP spot which means he is valuing him as a marginal 2 on the depth chart. Quite telling. Also, the complaining about guys not wanting to sign may indicate that he is trying hard to get Levitre to sign - nobody else of note is waiting for a contract with the Bills

As we are speaking hypotheticals - I wouldn't be against that trade if (1) The Qb we want is gone by #8 and (2) the next best QB option is valued towards the end of the first round. With so many needs (yet again), I am sure we will find plenty of positions to choose from - QB, LB, WR, DE True but I am hoping rumors of a gentle shift in power to Whaley is true and perhaps Marrone would be a bit more forceful in stating his preferences

I have never heard of him so I don't want him. Just talk to me if they have LeRon or Jones in their names. In seriousness, this is one 'bring him for a look' I wouldn't mind for a reasonable price. Depends on what the coaching staff is thinking for Aaron Williams, we may have a logjam at safety. Also Bryan Scott may be full time LB (just guessing)

So you want to reward him for his game losing screw-up? Look I have come around from my hate for the guy's lack of football instincts. I would like to have jim back for his special team skills and being a nickel corner. But not a lot of money. IMHO, anything more than 4 mil per year will be too much.

For some reason I saw this and am thinking this is good news regarding the Levitre negotiation. People are freaking out over the lack of information and hanging on to Levitre's last statement several days back as reason to move closer to the edge. Maybe silence is a good thing and is intentional as you say. Perhaps we will wake up the next few mornings with the successive news of Fitz being kicked to the curb and Levitre signed to a 5 yr/$40 MM w/15MM guaranteed. Whaley not having a say kind of surprises and disappoints me as I thought he is slowly taking charge. You new around here ?