BillsVet

I'd like to know what some see in Chandler. Four seasons in the NFL and didn't record a reception until last year. Now he's the nominative starter? Sure Gailey isn't one to believe in an all around TE, but if they can't find someone better than Chandler, it'll hurt in short order. Only the offensive tackles group depth is worse.

And they'll be pretty much better than anything Buffalo has if it's an OT. Then again, Buddy is the greatest OL dumpster diver there is and could build an offensive line out of matchsticks, tin foil, and playing cards if he had to.

Their team building approach? Well, the owner has said the fans need to experience some pain and show patience which is probably what the GM has told him. The owner has also said it'll take 3-4 years. Compare that to a team like the '10 Bucs who showed a 7 win improvement from '09 (3 to 10 wins) in a tough division. Or the 2008 Falcons who had a new QB, new HC, new GM and managed to make the playoffs. Or perhaps the '08 Dolphins who won 11 games after being the laughingstock of the NFL in 2007. This mindset that it absolutely takes 3-4 years to turn around a franchise is asinine. Buddy and Chan may have only been in charge since '10, but unless this team wins 8 games in 2011, I consider the rebuild to be failing.

Where's that thread which lists all the heart-breaking losses since the late nineties?

So do I Dave. Not that I expect the Bills to spend like the Yankees. Overdorf actually cut Troy Vincent without telling anyone back in 06 I believe. RW was apparently furious, but Jimmy O. is still there making decisions, so what's changed? It's decisions like this, when you connect the dots, why in-demand HC candidates like Leslie Frazier, Ron Rivera, Jim Harbaugh and perhaps Brian Schottenheimer refuse to interview or later withdraw their name from consideration for the HC gig. NFL people know what's going on at OBD and avoid it like the plague. Slowly but surely the fans are coming to the same realization that their team is a 3rd rate organization and moves like this prove it. Who sets the long term plan is the question that must be asked. Those December home games will be sparsely attended, I can see it.

Have to believe those December home games will be on TV. By that point Buddy and the Rebuilders will be firmly out of the playoffs and they'll have nothing (as always) to play for but pride. At some point, attendance will take a steep drop, either this season or next when it becomes clear Nix and this organization are spinning their wheels.

Yes, their starting OT's are the worst in the NFL. If Buffalo's offense is in any way hindered by the lack of decent OT's, that's directly on Nix for arrogantly assuming his cast-off's and projects would fit the bill. The risk he took in not signing someone a healthy and more accomplished OT this off-season is inexcusable.

If Nix is so sure about Buster Davis, who has fewer catches in his career than Evans had in his poor 2010 campaign, they should consider "retiring" Nix immediately. Just once I'd like to see Buffalo go "all in" to demonstrate that they're capable of showing fans they want to win. The last time they tried during UFA 2007 it resulted in a massive failure and now they're content to sit on the sidelines and trade their promising/proven players for picks.

You forgot the Nixism about always trying to improve the team and having more competition. BN always mentions that, but if this deal is made, how did they actually accomplish this if Buffalo does not get a player for 2011? The 4 year rebuild continues. Changing defenses last season and potentially dealing Evans for low picks makes this seem like Year 0.

Buddy already signed Erik Pears, Colin Brown, Mansfield Wrotto, and drafted Chris Hairston along with Ed Wang. I think the OT position is in good shape.

He apparently did for 2 years and we know how that went. The NFL isn't going to be a 16-17 billion dollar business in 9 years by embracing blue collar folks, so they're taking it upon themselves now to "clean up" as much as possible. It's already difficult for working people to attend games, and now they're chipping away at the tailgating. It may have happened already, but they'll cite improved game-day experience and safety as motivation for making these changes now. Russ "Mr. Smithers" Brandon is toeing the NFL corporate line and implementing changes under the auspices of helping fans. He could run for office with that PR background. Now, if only the team he works for could win more than they'll lose. At some point, this will impact ticket sales, especially when Buffalo is sinking in December and playing meaningless games.

From National Football Post this morning: "The Bills have a crowd at the receiver position after the acquisition of Brad Smith. The former Jet joins Lee Evans, Steve Johnson and Robert Parrish, so don’t be surprised if the Bills part ways with Evans. The veteran had a down year in 2010 with only 37 catches, and he could have some trade value. Interesting parties have been sniffing around." Nice to know Buffalo has a 7 footer, though older receiver on their roster.

[http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/132595-fox-merriman-article-plus-a-repeat-of-nix-philosophy/page__view__findpost__p__2206017[/url] To respond SJBF: The ability to remain objective should not be confused with being negative. And I vehemently disagree that having the audacity to criticize a franchise that has promised more and delivered less is somehow what "losers" do. This is argument suppression at its finest. It's one thing for someone to criticize, be wrong, and go away. Problem is, the criticizers seem to be more right than wrong and each season affirms it's the non-objective crowd that either goes on a board hiatus or manufactures excuses for why things didn't go well. I want to see it on the field before I heap praise onto an organization, regardless of who the GM or HC is, that has been without any significant success going back more than a decade. If that's negative, well, so be it.

Cash to the cap and the NFL salary cap are exclusive of one another. The salary cap is not calculated using Buffalo's strategy, which is basically an accounting method to cover up that they're below the cap. Actual cash paid out is a much different figure than a cap hit, especially when bonuses are involved. The Bills immediately apply a bonus payment to the year it was paid, whereas the cap amortizes that amount over the life of the contract. When a player is released, the bonus is immediately charged to the team's next league year's salary cap and the team has dead cap money. Regardless of C2C or the actual cap, the Bills are indeed closer to the cap floor than the max. Last year most teams did this to position them for the coming labor strife, but with a CBA in place, teams like Carolina are spending freely again.

Saying the Bills team building philosophy is the same at Pittsburgh's because they both build through the draft is absurd. It's like comparing the business plan of Wal-Mart to K-Mart in that both are department stores, but one has a lot better plan and has been much more successful at it than the other. Mike Vrabel and Rodney Harrison ring a bell? Not winning SB's is enough to indict an organization that routinely wins 10 or more games and is still looked, 10 years after their first win, as a legit SB contender? So you're trying to bring down the Patriots in an attempt to make Buffalo look better. Now that's a stretch. Only because the team hasn't done anything in 11 years. I would say a fan is justified in demanding more when the record is what Buffalo's has been.

They have to win 8 games this season for this rebuild to show it's working. With draft picks signed for typically 4 years, inching their way to success isn't going to cut it when 10 out of 16 teams don't make the playoffs. It wouldn't hurt if the 2010 and 2011 rookie classes begin starting or getting plenty of snaps in a rotation. Last season it appeared Gailey was afraid to play his young players.

This is the year that Chan's plan for the offense is proven correct or incorrect. I just laugh when I read how this offense doesn't need a TE, because basically the top NFL offenses all have one who can run the seam and make plays in the passing game. Slot receivers do not offer that matchup advantage, especially if it makes the defense have smaller nickel CB or SS cover the TE. Choosing to go with TE's who are essentially smaller OT's is something that must be discussed if Chan's offense doesn't break out. Of course, he may need the extra blockers with the OT group they've got.

I cannot understand how any scouting report on this guy didn't talk about his body type and the obvious inability he has to add bulk and bulk strength. Unless of course DJ simply ignored them and figured Maybin would fill out. I think based on this, his max body weight is around 235 or so, which is too small at his height for being a SAM, or being a LOLB or ROLB in a 34. Besides, I don't think he could ever have the quickness to be a WLB either.

Levy also tried to draft high football character players in 2006 and 2007. Besides Kyle Williams, all of those players are now on other teams or out of the NFL. The 2009 draft's first 4 picks produced 2 starting interior OL and a FS. That's fine, but those are hardly the positions that are force-multipliers on the field and remember, Buffalo had a distinct need for 2 guards with Dockery being released and Butler moved to OT. The Bills still have questions about their QB, both OT's, and their pass rush. When they acquire/have answers to those positions, they'll be a much more successful team.

Because the LB corps was weak and fragile to begin with and they added no one that can be healthy most of the time. Otherwise, to quote Kevin Bacon in Animal House "all is well!"

What do we expect from a GM who makes fun of the Oakland Raiders at his introductory press conference and then claims he got 35 calls a day from people wanting to be HC at Gailey's PC?

Moats' biggest issue last year was playing the run. Not surprising considering he was a college FCS DE. Like the guys potential, but moving guys back and forth is not the best way to develop your younger players. Especially those having to learn a new defense in the pros.

Kinda like Shawne Merriman?

Tim Graham just retweeted that Burnett is negotiating with Dolphins and the Crowder release was not a coincidence. Buffalo loses again.

More Miami rejects. Last season it was Torbor and Ayodele and now they're looking at Crowder, who has missed time with knee and groin injuries? Can we look at Roger Dorn while we're at it?