Bill from NYC

With all of the respect on earth, I am going to strongly disagree with the bolded. Fitz has a good enough arm to make most throws. He also has the coordination to adjust his body and step into passes that he needs to really air out. I am NOT complaining about Fitz's arm, but to characterize it as "excellent" is very far from true....again, imo. When I think of "excellent" arm strngth, names such as Marino, Bledsoe, Bert Jones, and Elway come to mind. Perhaps we are speaking on different terms. Btw, I don't think for a second that a qb needs a hall of fame arm to be good, or even great.

I couldn't agree more.

Very true! Hangartner played very well also imo.

George Wilson. Go ahead and edit your post!

1) I can't put it into words, but there is something I like about George Edwards as the Bills DC. Sounds weird, no? I guess I respect the fact that he has been able to somehow keep games close with so little talent. 2) It is time to say thank you and goodbye to Rian Lindell. If not now, certainly before next season begins. 3) I am actually impressed by the Bills receiving corps. Seriously impressed. 4) Fitz is worthy of pages of discussion; I really am impressed by him. The accuracy issues will always linger, and this is really what seperates him from a Tom Brady. Think about it.....they are both smart and neither has a "great" arm. I guess my overall feeling is that if it was OK to draft Spiller when we were completely OK at running back, it's more than OK to draft Ryan Mallett if he is there when we select. 5) George Wilson stepped up and actually took control of this football game. He made key tackles and a beautiful pick. Kudos to him for a great performance!!! 6) It's been a while since I have seen someone improve as much as Stevie Johnson. He was dropping passes galore and has morphed into a perfect compliment to Evans. In the credit where it's due department, he was an absolutely great draft selection. 7) I respect those who were hoping for the #1 pick, but it really feels great when the Bills win a football game. I mean.....why are we here? 8) For those who want to ditch Hangartner and put Wood at OC, please allow me to float out the possibility that Hangartner might be the better player of the 2. 9) GREAT to see Troup and Carrington get some time. Imagine if they can improve at 1/2 the rate of Stevie Johnson? 10) Sorry if this sounds pompous, but if anyone really thinks that Jauron is even fractionally as good as Gailey (w/l record notwithstanding), you really need to brush up on football. 11) Congrats to Bills Fans, the greatest fans of any team in any sport!!! 12) GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think for a second that you would want me to do it, but I would be willing to. My pet peeve is posts about family members of another poster.

I think that the chances of us getting Mallett betweeb 5 and 8 are quite slim. Others disagree, but I think that Jones is going to trade up and grab him. I just hope that he doesn't make the trade with Ralph, but it wouldn't surprise me even a little bit if this happens.

It was ill advised in this PC world, but is it enough to chastize the kid? TO just said that Fitz "runs pretty good for a white guy." How many here are offended by this? I sure as s--t am not. Who cares what these guys say as long as they are not advocating violence?

I didn't expect one of the top LTs to be there, so I was all about Rolando McClain. Once he was gone at #7 I wanted Brandon Graham. R.Rich and I were back and forth before the draft, and I had said early on that I liked Bulaga as a RIGHT Tackle. The Bills ran up to the podium, shunning any chance at a tradedown offer. To this very day, I would rather the Bills have had an opportunity for Bulaga and an extra 2nd, OR Graham than Spiller in terms of what this team needs to be good. This by no means indicates that I am correct, but I am answering your question.

While I understand that this question is rhetorical, in the case of the Bills it is more sad than anything else. A team would have to try to screw up worse than the Bills during the Levy/Jauron era. Unlike most, I hold out against hope for Troup and Carrington, but think that the Spiller pick was SO outrageous, that it points to Ralph. Posters on this board would have drafted better than the Bills in the last several years, and this is without the benefit of a scouting team. The Bills need to improve on this abysmal record of selecting so-so, let alone bad football players with premium picks. I cling to the hope that Nix can do so if left alone.

This post should be more about owner interference than Shanahan. We, as Bills fans, should know this.

The RT position speaks for itself. I think that Levitre is playing better than Wood. Much better. Hangartner is decent, about midrange imo. Bell needs a lot of help and isn't strong enough. Lots of people are thrilled that he doesn't totally suck any more (and he does not), but he needs to improve to be considered a good left tackle. The above is unacceptable and will not make the Buffalo Bills a winning football team.

I am hoping that we can agree to disagree. While it is true that qbs sometimes drop in draft rankings (Leinart is a good example), I think that someone with the talent Mallett has will be far more likely to climb. Besides this, do you really think that Dallas will pass on him? As for playing well behind our OL, you raise a good point. I make the case that this is all but impossible for any QB. People will point to Fitz having good numbers, but the team is losing. Not only that, he takes horrible hits week after week, whereas finishing the season in one piece is all but certain. Many posters are excited because Bell no longer completely sucks but that isn't enough, and the situation at RT is deplorable. My point is that the OL will need to be seriously addressed under any conditions. The Bills need a ton of help at LB as well, and they used to be able to find players such as Covington in round 3, and Holocek in round 5. I think that Nix, if left alone, can find players who will help this team. Bills fans no longer have Levy/Jauron focusing primarily on the secondary and special teams. If Ralph will step back, our needs can be filled imo. He did however make statements about the QB position, so I would think he will go that way. Last year he spoke of "excitement" and we got Spiller. One thing for certain is that it's going to be interesting.

The thing to remember about Bulaga is that we could have drafted him AND received at least another 2nd round pick in return for trading the number 9. Is this speculation? I suppose so, but Philly sure did give up a lot to move up for Brandon Graham. Now, couple this with the fact that it took about 50 seconds for the Bills to go flying up to the podium and waste a #9 on Spiller, and you have a strong reason why this team is weak. The Bills were strong at running back, and imo McKelvin (another very shaky pick) is at least as good as Spiller at returning kickoffs. Going after a small part time running back was stupid, and quite suspect in terms of winning football games. When Ralph fired TD he said he was going to get "more involved." I know that I cringed, and things went down from then on. However, this year he is going to force them to draft a QB. I hope he decides on Mallett.

Agreed. Bell has improved and I will never dispute this. Still, he gets a ton of help and 3 years later, still seems to have a lot to learn. RT speaks for itself.

I agree with the above. If Fitz was still a backup, he would probably be the best backup in the league. As a starter, I would place him somewhere around 20. For example, I am really not sure if Sanchez is better than Fitz. He does deserve credit for putting up points with a lousy OL and virtually no defense. Starting Fitz in 2011 wouldn't be the end of the world I suppose, but I would mind seeing Ryan Mallett on the sidelines getting ready.

Sadly, many posters on this board were WAY more on target wrt the draft than the people calling the shots for the Bills, especially in the Levy/Jauron era. As crazy as it sounds and as frustrating as it is, this is the truth.

Best wishes to JP!

The above is a superb post. I fully agree with your take on the gamble of taking a qb, as well as needing to strengthen the weak OL and front 7 that Levy/Jauron left us. With very early picks, it would seem quite possible to make good progress on both. I know how you feel, but at least Troup and Carrington were taken at positions of need. Spiller? My feeling are well known on that selection. This time around, even if Ralph butts in again, it will almost certainly be for a QB. LAST season Gailey/Nix said that we needed OL help. Certainly they will go in this direction too, and LBs are traditionally not so hard to find. Maybe I am just trying to hold onto hope.

If the above is true, how do you think this would effect the Bills wrt the draft? Do you think he would trade away the top pick to save money? I have the strong sense that he will draft a QB to make more money. Btw, we need one.

The Bills are not where they are because of Gailey. Levy/Jauron destroyed this team with bad free agent signings and absolutely wretched drafts. And as far as Jauron in a coordinating role, isn't it interesting that he couldn't land a job as such?

We won't know until we see who they draft in 2011. Every single fan knows what the team needs, so it should be obvious to those who run the team, including Ralph. Still, it was similar circumstances in 2006 and look at just how much that draft crippled this franchise. My guess is that Nix/Gailey are much better football people than Dick Levy. They, imo, will have a firm handle on how to draft the right players. I think it comes down to whether or not Ralph will let them do their jobs, and with a top 5 pick, look for him to meddle that much more. In summary, if you think that Ralph will stay out of the draft and free agency, be confident that the team will improve, especially if they keep losing and pick 1-5.

They wouldn't have to wait long imo. Imagine Mallett in Dallas throwing 75 yard bombs at will in front of that SW crowd. It would be great for the NFL too. I hope that Ralph orders Nix to draft him, and I suspect that he at least might.

You are WAY off imo. First of all, Jones is an Arkansas alum and he would jump all over Mallett. In fact, if the Bills pick first I think he would offer half of the planet to trade up and take him. Next, Romo is a so-so QB, and injured to boot. He is not worth anything close to a first round pick.

Great stuff Rich! Reading your comments, one would think that we need more productions from 1st round draft picks.