BillWalton

I'd play JP the rest of the season because at this point it is a win-win situation. Either: 1 - JP makes a miraculous turnaround and we find out we're set at QB. 2 - More likely, JP continues to be aweful, the Bills continue to lose ensuring a better draft pick, and we can end the Losman experiment knowing he had two seasons (with a third having the sole responsibility of learning the offense) to show even a glimmer of promise.

JP was a first round pick and we gave up an additional 2nd and 5th for him.

The report said that Tampa was looking to trade McFarland (who is going to turn 29 in December) for Clements AND a draft pick. I would have done the deal if it was strickly a player-for-player deal, but Tampa was asking for way too much.

The saddest thing about Thomas is that he was projected to be a top 10-15 pick last year...until he blew out his knee playing DLine in the bowl game. He could have been right in our wheelhouse LAST draft. On the bright side of things, we do have an undersized safety and an unproven DT to show for our two first round picks.

Runningback is the easiest position to replace in the NFL, hands down. Unless a guy shows he has something special then you should just let him go. And Willis hasn't shown to be that type of player. Regarding Thurman's comments; I think he just pointed out that Willis was in the perfect position to set a tone for the rest of the game and he didn't go it. Whatever the reasoning behind running out of bounds was, the fact of the matter is that he could have made a statement, but Willis isn't that kind of player/person. We don't have anyone like that on the team now that Spikes is ruined. We have absolutely no swagger, and it's because of the "Ho-hum" attitude shown by players who should be leaders on this team (e.g., Willis and JP). I'd kill to have a player like a Shockey/Ray Lewis/Joey Porter on this team. Their confidence and intensity are infectious, and that's exactly what this lifeless team needs before all of the young guys are corrupted by this losing atmosphere.

And there's the "small" problem that he is predicted to be a 1st round pick, and won't even sniff the 3rd round like in this guy's mock.

I think we lost our toughness when we changed to these new sissy uniforms.

I've been begging for a while on buffalobills.com's boards for someone to upload that clip if they could find it. Thanks! Now if there was just some way to track down wgr's audio clips last year about Bruschi...

It's a lose-lose situation for the Bills management. If they decide to resign him to a deal, fans will realize in a year or two that London has lost few steps, and blame the Bills for resigning a clearly aging player. If they let him go (the tough, but smart decision in my opinion) then fans will say it's the same old "Cheap Bills." The MLB, perhaps more than any other position on this defense, needs to be extremely fast and athletic. I know most people will point to his amazing INT a couple of weeks ago as a sign that London still has it, but reality says he's going to be 32, entering his 10th year in the league, and won't be cheap. He racks up tackles, but so does every single starting MLB in the league. I'm guessing we do the wrong thing and resign him for "leadership" and "credibility" when we'd be better off spending the money shoring up the oline with veterans who can play immediately and drafting a MLB (which is a very deep class) that can have an immediate impact. I've heard of plenty of rookie LBs who enter the league and tear things up immediately (Vilma, DJ Williams, Karlos Dansby, etc.) but even most "stud" olinemen take years to develop.

I think our answer is Eric Johnson. He's an unrestricted free agent next year, and San Fransisco has no need for him with Vernon Davis now. He had a high of 82 catches (45 for 1st downs!) in 2004, but got injured in 2005.

Well if I said I was sick and tired of watching lazy black guys with no heart on the offensive line and would prefer to draft white players instead, wouldn't that come off as slightly racist? Like I said in my previous post, Schobel is as athletic as defensive ends come. He excels as a pass rusher, and has put up huge numbers his entire career while playing every game (49.5 sacks in 86 games). Kelsay and Denney, on the other hand, don't excel at anything (24.5 sacks in 96 games). I know Kelsay and Denney have split time in the past, but combined they don't put up half the sacks that Schobel has. Yet people group Schobel in with the 2 because he's white as well, which isn't fair.

When Schobel came out his computer numbers were: 6-4, 263 lbs, 4.68 40 time, 38-inch vertical, 22 reps on bench Derrick Burgess's numbers were: 6-3, 264 lbs, 4.85 40 time, 40-inch vertical, 24 reps on bench That's the same Derrick Burgess who had the most sacks in the NFL last season, but Schobel had better-to-equal "athletic numbers" than Burgess! How can you not call Schobel athletic when he's 265 lbs and runs a sub-4.7 40?! Draft bust Jamal Reynolds, considered the best pass rusher in that draft, ran a 4.70 40 with a 32-inch verticle. The fact that Schobel doesn't quit on plays and trys to chase down RBs 20 yards downfield is because he has a high motor...but he's also as good an athlete as any DE not named Julius Peppers. http://home.att.net/~ninerfanatic1/NFLdraft/DE.html

Well I agree that we need better defensive ends than Schobel, Denney, and Kelsay, when did it become acceptable to use racism against white people? Everytime I hear people rip on our DEs because they're white (or anyone for that matter), I think of the this great article by Rick Reilly.: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_ga...life_of_reilly/ Maybe you should read it.

DE LT LB Besides that, I'd let Nate and Gandy go and try to use the money saved by going after Asante Samuel and then Eric Johnson, a receiving TE from San Fran who isn't wanted there anymore with Vernon Davis in town. I don't exactly know how restricted free agency works, but I know Matt Schaub was only a 3rd rounder and I would gladly give one up and pay him money to replace JP. Cut Villarial, Shelton, Denney (or Kelsay), Anderson, and Fletcher. Fill in depth with our other 3 picks left (Another OLineman, FB, and a BIG WR)

I hate the Patriots as much as anyone else...but you have to realize when you've been SONNED.

Youboty hasn't played a down in the NFL and you'd be cool with having him as your #2 CB? Or Greer who currently rotates with Thomas as our nickel corner because each has a glaring weakness? We'll need a vet to replace Nate until Youboty is ready to start, whether it's Samuel or someone else.

Here is the only list of 2007 free agents I could track down. It's not complete or up-to-date with recent resignings, but it's fairly useful. Might as well not even bother thinking about guys who are restricted free agents. http://www.footballsfuture.com/2007/nfl/freeagents.html I'd go after Asante Samuel if the price was right. He'll certianly come cheaper than Nate, and it's unlikely that Youboty will be anything more than a nickel CB next year. Besides at CB, I don't see any standouts at our need positions for next year (#2 WR, FB, LT, RG). Most likely will just have to build through the draft once again.

With Spikes getting hurt (and older) and Fletcher a free agent (and older) I wouldn't be surprised if we took a linebacker with our first pick, then an olineman in the second. Davis fits the profile of guys Marv/Jauron like on defense: successful at a bigtime college program, fast, and instinctive. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Buster Davis from Florida State is a London Fletcher clone...just faster. Would love to see him in a Bills uni next year.

Without a doubt it's the Patriots for me, going back to the '98 Debacle in Foxboro. It was the game where the Pats converted a 4th down when not one, but both feet of the WR were out of bounds. Then on the ensuing play pass interference was called on a jump ball in the endzone, virtually handing the game to them. Wade Phillips pulled the team off the field for the extra point in protest. Just to rub salt into our wounds, the Pats snapped the extra point, handed the ball to Vinatieri, and he ran it in. Hated them ever since then, and will never get over it.

He did bring in Peters, Gandy, and Villarial/Preston though. Donahoe's biggest failure was his inability to put even a semi-competent staff together (except Bobby April).