Bill from NYC

Sadly, the above comment is quite appropriate. The previous regime had some of the worst drafts that one could imagine, to the point that 14 year old fans with a couple of draft magazines could have done a better job. And, they brought in free agents who were worthless and expensive. This is not to mention the coaching, which was brutally awful. Things would have been even worse for us last season were it not for the fact that Gailey, unlike Jauron, actually knows how to coach a football game. What we really do need, obviously, is to make the playoffs this year.

OK, fair enough. Most of us are probably a bit TOO passionate about this team, ya know? And yes, the bpa vs need thing is trite, if not fully explained, and this would take page after page to do so. In terms of the draft, I give emphasis to the positions at which it is extremely hard to get great players. This of course would be QB, LT, and pass rushing DE. But, a player such as Dareus, if he gets even better, can make life great for a DE, and I think that this had some influence in terms of MW signing with us. So there are plenty of factors, and I see this. Btw, wrt the steelers, imo a big reason for their success is that they play to their climate. They have a tough qb with a strong arm, and big, strong players on their defensive front. Now, they are trying to shore up their line. It looks like Nix is trying to follow suit. I hope so. I have Bills PTSD from Jauron/Levy lol.

I'm unsure as to why your tone is so defensive and bordering on hostile. You cited "bpa," and switched to "value," which btw is also quite hypothetical. But this is fine. SJB, we are just talking football. It would suck if we couldn't point out facts, and even theories to each other. We don't need a pure consensus. Dialogue is the thing in a place like this.

I disagree with the above. Pitt has had problems with their OL for a few years, this with a star qb to protect. Let's look at their drafts: 2009 - 2nd round OL (btw, Kraig Urbik) 2010 - 1st and 5th round OL 2011 - 2nd and 5th round OL 2012 - 1st and 2nd round OL Btw, this is a huge part of why the Steelers are strong, and I like their philosophy. My point is that the entire "bpa" thing in general is far from etched in stone. When a team has true needs, they must be addressed. If not, said team will wind up like the Bills of the article you posted about the final cuts. A team that puts it's resources into dbs and rbs, is void of talent, and loses football games.

Thanks for a wonderful thread. It isn't a big surprise either coming from a long term great guy such as you. This site was here for me through some of the best and toughest times of my life. It has enabled me to make personal friends, something that isn't really so easy for me to do. And, it has provided me with a forum to express my views week to week on a passion of mine, the Buffalo Bills football team. Yes, there are posters that I truly do miss. Some of them, such as Badolbilz and Lori, know more about this team, and even football in general, than most noted "experts." And where is "stuck in cincy?" In summary, I thank SDS and the mods for doing the work. They provided the opportunity for friendships and dialogue. Maybe we will win some day. It could happen. Then, we will look back upon the days of sorrow, frustration and even anger. I will do so fondly and appreciatively. Thanks again for a great post, and being a long term friend, and may God bless you and your loved ones. GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You see, the bolded above is not true. Losman did try short passes. He would drill them in 110 miles per hour, throw them into the ground like infield practice, or toss them into the stands. Every time he rolled right was a disaster waiting to happen. In this thread you continue to blast Edwards, and I don't blame you. He was a failure. But let's also keep it real in terms of Losman. He too was an awful quarterback, and Edwards, as bad as he really was, had more wins than JP in fewer starts.

Losman always got praise, and always had an army of excuse makers. I am 100% positive that some posters still think he will be good.....some day. You know how I know this? Because I was like this with Rob Johnson, who had an even better skill set than Losman. It took me a long time to get past the arm, mobility, etc. and realize that RJ was simply an inadequate NFL QB. The worst part about JP was that he couldn't deliver wins. The Bills won very few of his starts, and the fumble against the Jets epitomized his horrid career. For all of his limitations, and they were many, Edwards was clearly superior to Losman, who was brutally awful.

I can tell you mine concerns..... Using early picks on defensive backs simply has not worked for us. This is beyond dispute. And, imo we are not strong at LB. If this particular player can break this obvious, contimuous pattern, I too will eat crow.

Thank you my friends! GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your point is taken, but again, KW got a big contract extension and they used a #3 on Dareus. As others have said, this team appears to have been constructed to play in the elements, late in the year. And, to be able to pound the ball on the ground. We shall see how it all unfolds, but it will be, imo, a different brand of football. One we have been deprived of for many years.

Of course not. But his presence will make life much easier for Dareus and KW. Of course, the opposite applies as well.

Let's not get crazy.

Before the rule changes, it was VERY important to run the football, and stop the other team from doing so. This was, in most cases, the key to championships. Yes I know, the 49ers were an exception to some degree. Lately, passing stats are through the roof. Accepting the above as a given, let's take a look at the direction Nix has chosen. Nix dedicated HUGE resources to the DL. He signed 2 expensive free agents, extended KW's contract (Nix did this, right?), and used a #3 draft selection on a player who is hell to run against. And, KW is no slouch against the run in his own right. On offense, we are fielding at LT and LG (assuming Glenn starts), 2 second round picks on the left side. Both of them could have easily gone in round 1. Additionaly, we have a first round center, and a right side composed of mauling types. Nix used the 9th pick of a draft for Spiller (already having a very good back in FJ), and we don't have any spectacular receivers, nor a field stretching TE. And our QB, while efficient, is not considered "elite." If this sounds like criticism, it isn't. I like almost all of these moves, as well as the philosophy. The Bills play in the elements (as do 2 of our divisional opponents), and there will be times when passing won't be much of an option. Gailey, while not young, is more "modern" than Nix imo. He runs a very complex, new era offense. The old school/new school thing just might work. Bottom line? If the defense stays healthy, I think we might be a bit more conservative on offense this year. More running, and less risky passes that wound up being intercepted. I do trust Gailey to come up with some creative passing strategies, but hope that we will be in a poition to pound it out on the ground a bit more. If the Bills don't have all the pieces in place this year, I would be more than OK to watch them pound the s*&t out of their opponents, utilize home field advantage, and make the playoffs. GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am very sorry for your loss.

DE is a bigger need than DT imo. Kelsay is old and not very good. And DEs are harder to get than DTs. Also, I am not at all thrilled with our LBs, TEs, or WRs. Our best LB isn't young, and Sheppard is a question mark at best.

Well e-man, he does have more to prove. The comments, while encouraging, do indicate that there were problems. And this is his third year. That said, it would be wonderful for this team if Spiller could step up and win us a game.

Yes, but this could make it tougher to sign him now and lock him in to a long term deal. I hope that AL is the type to opt for security, because he is clearly one of our best players, and would be extremely hard to replace. Our LT situation isn't etched in stone, and playing next to AL, a talented, experienced, veteran, will make life a lot easier for Hairston and/or Glenn. Jmo, but AL is a player that the Bills simply cannot afford to lose.

My displeasure with the selection seems to have led you to interpret my comment above as an attack. It wasn't. But to compare Spiller to Faulk is WAY out there imo. How many backs in the history of football would Faulk have sat on the bench for? And as good as he is, Fred Jackson isn't one of them.

Marshall Faulk is a top 10 all time back. Spiller doesn't start. Case closed. Carrington? Beast? I have high hopes for him but he consistently fails to make plays.

The truth is that Levy was hired as a GM, and no other team in the league would have hired him. Levy then hired a head coach that no team in the league would have hired in this capacity because he is not competent to the head coach of an NFL football team. I am NOT one to worship Gailey/Nix and all of their moves, but they are true football people. And let's just say that while I think that Marv was/is a good man, motivator, and one who could soothe egos, I am less than enamored with him as a football man. The above is simply my opinion.

FTB, no offense, but you seem to be hung up on the word, "bust." And I'm not sure why. Is it some sort of defense of Levy and or Jauron? Although football is the consumate team game, individual players do need to step up and win games for the team. Can you think of a time where Donte Whitner did this for the Bills? Dareus did. He took over the Redskin game last year and kicked everybodys ass. EA really is right. The Bills first round picks have not produced enough to make an impact/win football games for this team. Do you really not see this? You simply cannot plug in defensive backs and rbs behind poor lines and expect to win, let alone neglect the importance of the qb position. Things look better now, and this directly coincides with the departure of Levy and Jauron.

Taking it a step further, there might (in hindsight of course) be 20 players selected after Whitner in the first 2 rounds that would have been better for the Bills. That draft was a great one.

John, I readily acknowledge that Gailey/Nix are clearly superior to Jauron/Levy. It isn't close. And in another post, I did give them more room in terms of drafting Gilmore, because they did shore up the foundation. I give them even more room because the Dallas trade threw a monkey wrench into this draft. I am still amazed that they moved down that far for so little, and this made trading down seem WAY less likely. But in all, you are almost correct. I hated the Spiller selection. But Gilmore was semi-excuseable because of the solid UFA additions. And, they did shore up the foundation to a degree. The future has question marks, but it IS less cloudy imo. A player to watch is Hairston. I love the fact that he saw action last season. He looks very strong, and if he develops balance/footing, Glenn will have to play well to start. What happens with those 2 (and of course Fitz) will dictate our future needs imo. Then again, McKelvin might be leaving after the season. We might have to jump on another first round corner under any conditions.

The above is true, but also worth a look imro. The jets and eagles were 2 recent teams who spent a boatload of money on the secondary. As we know, this didn't work. Revis will take up at least 10% of the jets salary cap, and he wants another raise! Now, is Revis the best corner in the game? I think he is. But they had to play with Sanchez's contract (and give him a raise/extension) just to stay under the cap, and imo Sanchez really isn't so good. Additionally, with the rule changes, teams are lining up 5 wide sets. In this scenario, your "shutdown" corner is covering 1 of 5 receivers, unlike the "old days." Not only that, in a zone many times corners will be giving up their receivers at a designated place. In that sense, it might now actually make sense to let a star studded corner walk in these new times. I liked the Brooks selection, and will be interested to see how Menzie plays on the Chiefs. We now employ a #10, #11, and the 2nd pick of round 2 in our secondary. I fail to see why we must devote so much to the secondary, but this of course doesn't make me correct.

What difference does it make if the team is losing? If you don't want to call Whitner a "bust" at #8, that's fine. But drafting him didn't help the Bills win football games. They used him as their first building block to rebuild an ailing franchise. And they passed on players such as Ngata, Mangold, and others who there is no debate about wrt their skills. I think the message EA is sending is that if a team devotes 50% of their best resources to RBs and DBs, said team will consistently lose. Is there really any doubt about this?