KOKBILLS

The estimated Franchise Tag number in 2014 for Safeties is $8.1...So I'm guessing Parker will be looking in excess of $9 mil annually...

Honest to God unless there is a no-miss QB available I feel this is ALWAYS a good strategy...

Like I posted in another thread Marrone/Hackett managed 1040 LESS yards and 9 LESS TD's from our two best Offensive skill players combined...Now...I understand injuries/missed time from Spiller and Stevie was a factor...But I think that's a pretty staggering statistic...And not in a good way...

My early predictions are still about the same... In no order of preference whatsoever...One of these players will be with the Buffalo Bills by the end of Round #1 2014... Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Eric Ebron, Kelvin Benjamin... Just a reminder...I'm always right...

I know Luck is awful good...But Pagano is one hell of a coach...They turned over 2/3 of their roster in 2012, and outside of Luck and Hilton it's not like they have killed it in the Draft or Free Agency...I just think the guy is the most underrated coach in the NFL...I really, really like him... That's part of the reason why I look at the Rogers situation differently...I have a tremendous amount of respect for Pagano and his ability to get the most out of what he's got...Though I'm still hopeful, I cannot give Marrone the same benefit of the doubt...Marrone came in and got a combined 1040 LESS yards, and 9 LESS TD's from Spiller and Stevie...So which coach would anybody assume has the better methodology, and was more likely to get the best out of Rogers?

Could not possibly agree with this statement more...

Well...I certainly agree there are differing opinions on this subject... Rogers really only played one full season as a starting WR in College...He was undrafted and raw...The idea that he could go anywhere and earn a starting spot as a rookie is well beyond any possible expectation...So I'm not sure that can be considered at this time...It's an impossibility... I'll admit that many of us here are making projections concerning Rogers...No question about it...It's easy to say only 14 receptions is not enough evidence to prove anything...And no question at face value that's true...But it's also true that Rogers has only been on the field for 5 games...And in those 5 games he has 15 receptions for 238 yards and 2 TD's... So...Lets just hypothetically say Rogers plays 16 games with the same production he had in the first 5...His totals for 16 games would be somewhere around 48 receptions, 760 yards, and 6 TD's...Now granted...He's got Andrew Luck throwing him the ball and God knows the Bills don't have that kind of talent at QB...So...Let's take those numbers and cut them in half...That's 24 receptions, 380 yards, and 3 TD's...Those stats are actually ever so slightly better than TJ Graham had as our #3 WR this past year...So...Rogers projected over 16 games, and cut in half, could have been the Bills 3rd best WR in 2013...He has that kind of talent...He's already proved that much... So is it not safe to say there is reason for concern over this? The Bills are VERY likely to use yet another premium Draft pick at WR in 2014, and our HC admitted he was not concerned about long range potential whatsoever when deciding to cut Rogers...To me that's alarming...It certainly is not something that will make or break Marrone...But it's looking like keeping Rogers could have made it a heck of a lot easier on him, and the team going forward...If we have Rogers now maybe the Bills are looking O-Line or LB with that #9 overall instead of WR...These are team building decisions that can go well beyond the initial decision...And I'm not saying it's the same situation at all, but believe me when I tell you there were a hell of a lot of folks right here on this board that said Marshawn Lynch would never amount to anything once we dealt him to Seattle...I look at things a bit differently...You're trying to eliminate needs, not create them or break even...I just think Marrone made a mistake on this one...And furthermore I blame Whaley for not leaning on him a bit to assure Rogers got at least a year to show if he can develop...

What Byrd and his agent think he's worth, or what the Bills think he's worth?...Because there seems to be a bit of a gap there...

Watkins is a stud...He is 6-1, but he plays bigger for sure...Plus he's telling anyone who will listen he's timed under 4.3 on grass...So...He's unquestionably a potential #1 WR in the NFL...Assuming his workouts are as expected, I think the Bills would be insane if they passed on that kid... Are Vernon Davis or Jimmy Graham TE's really? In the traditional sense? Ebron is a TE because he's 6-4-245...But he's really more of a big receiver...If Ebron is drafted that high (and I'm not saying he will be) it will be because of his receiving skills and not because he's a traditional TE...

I don't know Dibs... It surprises me a bit that, with everything this organization has been through over these years, there are some folks who are quick to assume Rogers was some sort of ticking time-bomb while completely ignoring the possibility that our HC simply made a poor decision... I would say, based on what I've seen here over the years, that the possibility was going to be great that Marrone made the wrong call on Rogers...It was my gut feeling the minute I heard rumors that Rogers was on the bubble...And that's why I'm not surprised at all that another NFL HC has managed to get Rogers on the field, and get some sort of contribution out of him... I realize it's a pessimistic view on Marrone...But it's not the kind of thing that I want to run him out of town over either...I would LOVE to hear Marrone come out and say that...in retrospect...he may look at a similar situation differently now based on how this turned out...For me, it's just easy to get to the place where it was the Coaches fault and not the players in this situation...But admittedly that may just be me...

I've been saying for a while now that I think the Bills take a big receiver in the 1st round...I think it will come down to who they prefer between Evans, Ebron, or Benjamin (assuming he comes out...and maybe with another trade down)...Ebron will be listed as a TE, but he's not a traditional TE at all...He's a match-up guy...Kind of like Vernon Davis (though he does not have Davis' top end speed...I read that Ebron has been timed at 4.57)...I also seriously doubt Watkins slides to #9 once he runs for scouts...But if Watkins did fall he would immediately be a consideration... I don't think the Bills Draft Defense in Round #1 this year so I'm not really even considering Mosley...Not that I don't like him...I just believe the Bills priority is going to be building around EJ and giving him as many pieces they possibly can to be successful...

Then we disagree... The Bills made him an offer that would have put him in the top 5 among Safeties in the NFL...Byrd and his agent wanted him to be the top paid...He can say anything he wants...Actions speak louder...He's not going to come out and say it anyway...I think the only way Byrd considers staying in Buffalo is if they overpay compared to his true market value...If he really wanted to be in Buffalo a deal would already be done... Now...Maybe he's changed his mind/stance after this past season...I doubt it though...And honestly I don't see why anyone would be really surprised about it considering Byrd grew up and payed College ball on the West Coast...

IMHO this has been the real issue all along...

Panthers... Lived in Charlotte for 20 years...But REALLY started following them more when my Nephew became a fan and they drafted Cam...

Good talk!!!

Read an article just now that Benjamin is leaning towards coming out... It's going to be interesting to see what happens with the two big WR's, Benjamin and Mike Evans...From everything I can gather Evans is clearly the favored prospect of the two...at least at this point of the evaluation process...I like both of them for the Bills need at WR...But with Benjamin there may be the opportunity to trade down a few spots and still land him...Right now Evans looks to be ranked in the 10-15 area, while Benjamin is a late 1st-early 2nd...Of course a lot can change over the next few months...But I'm loving the fact that the Bills may have a chance to get a big, match-up nightmare receiver in the 1st round...

I would actually be pretty surprised if Spiller's second contract is with the Bills...

It's a matter of perspective... If you agree with Marrone, the way he decided to build this roster, and the decision he made than fine...It was the right decision... If you believe that a 6-10 team that was...at least at times...in desperate need of play-makers at the WR position...And is still in desperate need of playmakers at the WR position, so much so that the odds on favorite for their #1 pick in the upcoming Draft is a WR...Then I doubt you can assume it was the right decision... I'm not even saying I know that it was the wrong decision long-term...But I am saying that right now It's no where near cut and dry...Not even close IMHO...

He has not had a positive drug test in almost 2 years from what I can tell...He was 20 years old when he messed up at Tennessee...By all accounts the pot smoking is a complete non issue now...It usually leaks out if a player like Rogers tests positive anywhere along the line...No such leaks that I can find...Don't get me wrong...Rogers had massive maturity issues at Tennessee...But by most accounts he has done nothing but mature since that situation...He's still just a kid...Kids make mistakes...But I think if you look at it objectively Rogers is a kid that could have completely thrown it all away...Instead he straightened up enough to play in the NFL...He's obviously not a finished product...But he certainly seems to be moving in the right direction... Totally agree with this take...

This pretty much sums up how I feel on the entire situation...

Like I said trying to upgrade a 5th or 6th WR that gets paid nothing and actually produces on the field is stupid Roster management...Again assuming he's not causing trouble of course... He's played in 5 games and has 238 yards and 2 TD's...you don't think that's 3rd or 4th WR numbers? On the Bills it is...That's 100% for sure...

Assuming the kid is working hard, showing up on time, etc...Why would a team try to upgrade a 5th or 6th WR who can produce like a 3rd or 4th and gets paid like a 7th? Most teams don't think like the Bills...And that's why most teams go to the playoffs every now and again...

That's fair... But again...To my knowledge Rogers has not failed an NFL drug test, and unlike Lynch is in no danger of being suspended...He has not failed any drug test dating back to College as far as I can tell for about 2 years now...And I've tried to find evidence to the contrary... His HC at Tennessee Tech indicated that he would be watched closely while he was there..."Would I say Da'Rick has got things that he'll have to do more than just the regular players on the team? Yes," Brown said. "But I won't go into those. That's between he and I. That's going to do nothing but help him. If this was my son that had gotten into something that he regretted, then I would love him and be hard on him at the same time and say, 'Let's get through this together and get it corrected."

I think that is a perfectly fair assessment... It's my opinion that...for better or worse (we'll see in the long run)...Marrone is 100% set in his ways...And that pretty much sealed Rogers fate early on...Marrone is not going to be flexible with a kid like Rogers...He said quite clearly his specific philosophy is to ignore who may be the better player down the road...And that may very well work to his advantage (though it's hard for me to see how)...We'll see though...