cale

I hope they stick to their board as much as possible. I see them trading back into the second half of the 1st to take him. Or at least I hope they do. I'd much rather have a LB taken first unless Geno or Glennon falls to us.

There's audio of an interview with Nix on WGR55 - where Scott Simon asks him - why did you trade for TJ if you weren't going to play him. And Nix says something to the effect of "well we get the players and the coaches decide who plays. You can't just walk into the coach's office and say, 'play the guy' just 'cause you traded for him." I thought it was very telling. I like that they gave the coach autonomy. But why did they did trade for him in the first place, if the HC was "really not that into him" as far as TJ was concerned?

I'm more curious to see who he hires as staff. If the "I know the guy" wins over the "this guy is really a great coach" mantra.

Lowry will probably end up in St Louis with Fisher. Short drive from here. Gray is a fraud.

I had posted a link earlier in this thread that it Pettine's "system" is actually predicated around the players he has at his disposal. I think good DC's in today's NFL play a hybrid system that is based around their core personnel and adjusts to the situation on the ground. I like the Pettine hire...a lot. Here's hoping he turns out to be a super aggressive version of Wade.

This has been floating around the 'net. They were playing a hybrid for a while. Pettine wanted to transition to a 4-3. He has obviously coached a 3-4. I love this. Find the system that fits your players. Not the other way around. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/06/15/jets-shifting-to-more-4-3-defense-to-try-to-generate-sacks/

Now this hire, I LOVE! Good coach. Strategic advantage in the division. I have a feeling we'll be drafting a linebacker in Round 1. Or getting one in FA. Or both.

John, I'm trying. But it's infinitely different calling plays in a vacuum than it is with Belichick, Ryan or Coughlin on the other side. You know, you need to be battle tested a bit. I don't doubt Hackett has the acumen. Look at his pedigree. But to turn over the keys to the offense to someone who is a relative neophyte, I don't know. I predict the "O" will look like world beaters within the relative safety of camp and pre-season. Then we'll struggle while our coordinator learns to adjust on game day in a cauldron of screaming fans and behemoths clobbering his boy, Nassib. I like the kid, but he's gonna be a relative project. He just doesn't set his feet well under high stress. Anything more than a mid second, and we're gambling high stakes poker. I like the nepotism comment. We don't need any of that. I hope we get someone like Pettine, a balls to the wall D coordinator - who is gonna bring an attacking style D. Not digging the first personnel move so far. C

Scott is not a good locker room guy. At least anymore...

These evaluations are all moot and/or academic at this point. Geno's stock has dropped. Glennon's has risen. We won't know much about what the FMV or inflated value of the QBs in the draft would be until the Senior Bowl and/or the Combine. Only then can you reasonably deduce if it's better to trade up or trade for a QB on another team. Given RGIII's injury, I just don't see the Redskins trading Cousins this season unless the asking team is offering something ridiculous. Realistically, I think we're looking at the Alex Smiths and Matt Flynn's of the league. I'd like for us to keep Tavaris around to see what he can do and give him a real shot. C

Interesting reading if you haven't seen this. Like the attention to detail. Almost Belichick-ish... http://www.dailyorange.com/2009/04/the-plan-doug-marrone-prepared-for-his-return-to-syracuse-with-a-detailed-strategy (link from ESPN comments section of Walker's blog)

It's apparent that they went for a Jim Harbaugh Lite (NFL experience, College HC, innovative thinker) type hire. I think the Bills would have pulled a trigger on McCoy if he didn't blow them off.

I was underwhelmed too until I read Scott Pitoniak's blog this AM. I didn't go through the 30 pages of posts, so apologies if this has been posted here: http://scottpitoniak.blogspot.com/2013/01/marrone-good-choice-to-rebuild-buffalo.html At the very least, it's an outside the box hire. I am intrigued. Gonna see how this plays out. Would have much preferred McCoy. But...this makes it interesting. Also sounds like we're going after Nassib at some point.If there is some kind of conspiracy angle, it is that the Bills are gonna milk one regional franchise (SU) to prop the other (Bills). Something may be that they should have done with McNabb. At any rate, this isn't boring. That sound you heard was that of a whole bunch of folks cancelling their season tickets... C

The guy is gonna be a great NFL Head Coach. He is versatile and fits the system to his players. Super smart and gets the most out of his players.

Oh, please. How can this post be pessimistic compared to 13 years of futility? Now *that's* real pessimism. Until this front office even with changes shows us that they can turn things around. Right now the only real data and proof is that this franchise can screw things up pretty well. I'm an optimistic realist. Until this thing moves in the right direction, there is plenty of cause for pessimism. And just because I want this team to be accountable to it's failings, doesn't mean I love it any less. Agree or leave? Yeah, right... C

Kyle Shanahan is a figment of his dad's imagination. That and that he has RGIII.

I'm an analytics guy. I love this forward thinking approach. It's more than just saving money. It's using big data to drive how you strategize the approach of an organization.

The best thing about this restructuring is that Brandon becomes Littman's boss. Does anybody have video of the PC? Or at least audio?

We should look at Billick. I'm for keeping Nix if we re-assign him to scouting/personnel. He doesn't want the GM gig anyways. Doubt he'll take the demotion but worth a shot.

Don't like Lovie as an option. Underachieved in Chicago. Lost the team a bit. I have no idea why Billick isn't an option. Guy is smart and fits what he has to the players he has available. Also fiery when needed and tempered when the situation calls for it. I like the McCoy talk. I also think Mike Nolan should be a call. We shall see.

You know if it isn't Reese. I'd rather go after a young GM like Costa from Baltimore or Marc Ross from the Giants. Casserly is an odd fellow. I don't think he has the people skills. Reese now works with the Patriots. C

This team needs to hire Bill Polian as a consultant, Floyd Reese as GM and Brian Billick as coach. I don't know what to do about the QB position, but between those 3 I'm sure they'll make the right decision.

Your points are well taken. And I don't necessarily disagree with your observations re the KC environment and that he wasn't singularly responsible for Cassel's regression. But my bigger point is folks want to crown Gailey some kind of offensive genius. When the truth is that he is basically an above average coach. He isn't all that. He ran the triple option in college and could not win at Georgia Tech. Again I like him as a person and I see why the players don't want him fired. He basically is running Camp Marv without the production. As for Fitz who is now "on the fritz" I'll go out on a limb and say Martz has and did get more production out of a passable QB. Don't you think that the three most recent QBs (Cassel, Fitz, Thigpen) he has had have noticeably regressed (further?) under his watch? As for Bray, living in Nashville we see a lot of UT. Bray will destroy the franchise that drafts him as the franchise QB. He is the second coming of Jimmy Clausen and the third coming of JP Losman. I haven't seen Glennon play much but what I did see I liked. I really like the kid from Arkansas, he is dealing with a cr*ppy situation and led the team respectably. Still hard to judge if he is a franchise QB or not. I also like Georgia's Aaron Murray. He's got some fire. But both those guys need some significant developing. The guy that I like as a potential franchise type QB player in college is Old Dominion's Taylor Heineicke. Kid is outstanding. My only concern is that the level of competition he plays against is kinda ho hum. But he has vision, an arm and leadership. Holy moly kid can play. I think this team needs to bring in Bill Polian as a consultant, Floyd Reese as GM and hire Brian Billick as coach. I think he'll get us to the playoffs and make players and coaches accountable. They'll hate him. But respect his coaching. Right now. That's what we need. C

My only question is who develops these guys? None of them are NFL ready. Look with the exception of Luck and possibly RGIII this year, I'm not confident our organization would have gotten the best out of our draft picks. I think we do great with WRs and OLs now, and possibly DBs and RBs. But QBs - our track record isn't that great. I am absolutely convinced we would have made Russell Wilson a basket case with this coaching staff. I still think it's funny how Green Bay coveted JP Losman and then "settled" for Aaron Rodgers. I think focusing on who we're gonna draft at QB next year without figuring out who is going to develop them, is putting the cart before the horse a little bit. Everyone wants to make a big deal over Gailey being responsible for Kordell Stewart's development. But his recent record is being demoted at KC, Cassell and Fitz regressing. Trading for and thinking Tyler Thigpen is the answer at backup QB. I like Gailey. But as a coach he's had an unhealthy obsession with the spread offense. Especially since he has had a pure stud at RB this year. His decision making in how to make this offense "go" is just nuts. He is a pure system guy now. Not a "how do I put the player in the best position to succeed" guy anymore. If he honestly believes that Thigpen is a better option at backup QB than Travaris Jackson and can't get him enough snaps all year, we've got a hell of a problem. All for picking the best QB available, but we better have a plan to get them to the next level. Right now I'm not convinced we do.

I've said this before. We can get the best players. "Re-organize" etc. But it really is the culture. When we jettisoned Polian, Butler and Wade, they jettisoned the culture of winning. None of them were "yes" men. And guess what that got them? The door! No wonder independently minded executives don't make a bee line for the Bills. Until the owner makes a commitment to changing the culture, it ain't gonna happen. Unfortunately, I do think he is set in his ways. And nothing is gonna change until there is change in ownership or control either through sale, successsion or death. And just to be clear, I am only wishing for some kind of organic change of ownership that keeps the Bills in town. So I'll just tune them out - for now. C