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Broncos dump cornerback Bly By Mike Klis The Denver Post The Broncos' new management team is finishing up its evaluation of the defense. And the defensive players aren't faring well. The latest casualty was veteran cornerback Drè Bly, who was notified of his release this evening. Bly becomes the Broncos' fifth defensive starter who was cut in the past two days by head coach Josh McDaniels, defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and general manager Brian Xanders. The other defensive starters cut Monday were Dewayne Robertson, John Engelberger, Jamie Winborn and Marquand Manuel. Backup middle linebacker Niko Koutouvides was also released and the Broncos are not expected to re-sign defensive lineman Ebenezer Ekuban, safety Marlon McCree, or middle linebacker Nate Webster, who will become free agents Feb. 27. Bly was scheduled to make a $3.25 million salary plus $400,000 with a workout bonus this year after making a combined $18.8 million the previous two seasons. Any thoughts on at least bringing in Bly for a visit?

I'm on board with the Bills going after the Ravens' C Jason Brown. As a poster pointed out in an earlier post he's a good runblocker who is a solid player against the 3-4 defense. I've been wanting the Bills to get him 2 years ago when he was a RFA. It doesn't hurt that he's a versatile OL. He's more than capable of playing the G position also. Speaking of Baltimore, it wouldn't shock me if the Bills land up snagging up QB Kyle Boller once he's released. The guy was making strides each year and really started showing some moxie in limited opportunities in the '06 and '07 seasons. He would be a clear back-up and would be a very inexpensive investment. This of course would be based on him being cleared medically from his shoulder injury. If I'm not mistaken he has been in direct competition with Losman since his high school and early college days. How ironic that would be. I can't see the Bills going after another WR early in this year's draft. They would be better served to sign a veteran in FA and it looks like the Steelers' WR Nate Washington won't be back with them this year. I wouldn't be comfortable counting too much on Hardy this year and I sure don't want to see Lee Evans get wasted by not having a solid compliment playing opposite to him and I believe that Washington could fulfill this role admirably. He would be acquired at a very good value and is accustomed to playing in cold weather. In addition to all of this the guy is a real burner also. I think that if the Bills could get RB Fred Taylor it would be a shrewd move but I'm not holding my breath on this one. I would love to see Buffalo step up and make a move for RB Derrick Ward. Unfortunately I don't see either of these RBs making their way to Buffalo but I believe that the Bills do need to fortify this position, especially since Lynch doesn't seem to be a player that we can totally rely on. If anybody has a suggestion on who could be a good addition for us at this position it would be greatly appreciated. One team's salary cap casualty/new management could be another team's gain. Not an original suggestion but the former Jet TE Al Baker would be a good one. What better than to sign another player from the division who I'm pretty sure would love to make the Jets sorry for getting rid of him. Last but not least is addressing another DE for a more solid rotation. Newly released DE Kalimba Edwards might fit this need nicely. Here's another veteran player who would be reasonably priced and should be effective as a role player.

Here's the top payroll for CBs: http://content.usatoday.com/sports/footbal...BaseSalary+desc I sorted it by base salary since the bonuses were acting strangely - so this isn't a perfect measure, but it's something. You've got: Asomungah (OAK), McAlister (BAL), Champ Bailey (DEN), Patrick Surtain (KC), Antoine Winfield (MIN), Shawn Springs (WAS), Roderick Hood (ARI), Nate Clements (SFO), Charles Woodson (GB), and Mike McKenzie (NO). In that grou, you have three playoff appearances. That's not far from what you'd expect by random chance: 30% here, while 37% of NFL teams make the playoffs. Offensive line, by this same measure, you go six for ten, including two Steelers. LB is also 6/10 DE is 5/10, RB 5/10, DT is 4/10, QB is 4/10, TE 4/10, WR 4/10, S 3/10. So in the defensive backfield, you have the strongest negative correlation between playoff appearances and top salaries, while the defensive front seven and the offensive line are the strongest. It's one year, so take it for what it's worth, but that's what happened.

Well in fairness (as long as we're all being fair), I believe the main point is that it's a bit easier to draft late where you can cherry pick players who've dropped. I don't agree so much that good teams aren't afraid to reach for players. To support my theory about cherry picking who drops to you late in the 1st round, in the last ten years the Bills have had 5 late first round picks. In 3 instances they took who dropped to them. Antoine Winfield was taken 23rd in 1999. Nate Clements was taken 21st in 2001. Willis McGahee was taken 23rd in 2003. In 2 instances they traded back into round 1 (therefore reached): J.P. Losman was taken 22nd in 2004. John McCargo was taken 26th in 2006. Both of the last two were not rated as highly as the Bills took them so their "conviction that this is the guy" was wrong. Their attempt to reach for a guy they identified as good value was wrong. Based on this, it works better if you take what you're given rather than trying to force the issue. This I think is the advantage to good teams which draft late in the first round. Better risk/reward ratio.

Trade #11 down and gain and extra 3rd. Rnd #1 C-Alex Mack -California Rnd #2 DE-Connor Brown - Cincinatti Rnd #3a TE-James Casey - Rice Rnd #3b OLB-Gerald McRath - Southern Miss Rnd #4 FB-Brannan Southerland - Georgia Rnd #5 T-Joe Bell - Furman Rnd #6 QB-Mike Teel - Rutgers Rnd#7 K-Pat McAfee - West Virginia FA FS-Nate Ness - Arizona

Ok a little spin to this. Your center is the man who makes the line calls. There are very few that can make the correct calls that will prevent Peyton Manning from looking like John Beck. While a good corner prevents the bomb touchdown, a good center keeps the line blocking the right guys so there is a run game, and pass protection. The gap between a decent and great center is a canyon, while the gap between a decent and great CB is less noticable. A Corner can only do his job if the guys in front of him do their jobs, or he will eventually fail. Where a center is responsible for making sure his team is ready to execute. IMO, a pro bowl center is far more valuable than a pro bowl corner. So, I would rather have a Kent Hull over a Nate Odomes.

I can see it happening this way. Peters and the Bills third round pick for Philly's two firsts. Just a thought. Then Buffalo could trade down with somebody and pick up at least a third I'd think. You left out Nate Clements, Travis Henry, Willis McGahee, the UFA signing of Jason Peters.

I think that Parrish is expendable for a few reasons. First, we have an abundance at the WR position. Signing TO allows Hardy to heal and learn. Reed really showed something last year, especially in the leadership dept. He is very effective in the slot and that is the only spot on offense that Parrish can compete at. Secondly is the salary cap. Parrish is due 2.5 million and another $500,000.00 in a roster bonus. Do we really need him at this price? I wouldn't think that just trading him for a draft pick would be great compensation for us but using him to move up in the draft or in a trade coupled with a draft pick for a veteran player or for a much better pick should net us our best compensation. To answer your question about him being speculated in a trade the answer is yes but really just by fans. I must say though, it is viable for this to happen. Parrish does have value but to the right team. I can see Seattle having interest, due to the fact that they just lost Bobby Ingram (another slot receiver) to KC. There was an overtone that KC might be interested but now that they got Ingram I'm sure that that point is mute. I suggest Seattle because I believe between injury and salary Deion Branch could be a casualty but even if he's not they just signed HoushWhateverHisNameIs. This leaves nate Burleson in the slot AND returning punts. Enter Roscoe Parrish. Now, I did read today that Branch and Burleson are going to be the #1 and #2 receiver and Housh going to the slot but I don't believe it, it doesn't make sense. I will mention this, keep your eye on Jordan Kent. He's a young receiver that they drafted a couple of years back and he's afreak! He didn't play football in college until his last year or two but he's an athlete and was a real basketball star. The other team who COULD have interest in someone like Parrish is Cleveland. Now, I am taking a shot at it but they did just have this whole Donte Stallworth thing blow up in their face, reportedly disgruntled with Braylon Edwards and just released Joe Jurivious. They do have a guy named Steptoe who I don't know much about but they do seem to be in need or are looking to revamp their offensive weapons. Once again, I'm guessing at this. More importantly though this gives them a fair opportunity to recoup their investment from Rogers and still address a need. I don't think that this relationship (Rogers-Mangini-Cleveland) is going to improve. McCargo may have value. he worked very hard in the off season on his bulging disk and Kollar is gone. He might be a big surprise this year, who knows. Cleveland gave a 3rd rd pick and CB Leigh Bodden for Rogers. I think that we can compensate them and not strip ourselves of important resources like first day picks.

Its still too early to declare his assessment of the market and work at Peters' direction a done deal yet (it ain't over 'til its over) but given some of the vitriol spewed last year about how stupid Peters and his agent were in how they played this negotiating exercise, I think a rational assessment of the current situation in negotiation is almost all in Peters' favor. I know there is no requirement and I do not expect any hardcore Bills partisan to be rational, but it is no surprise to me that even with the Bills and Peters reported to be about $3 million apart, I think one needs to realize that this is far closer to Peters' outrageous demand of the top OL contract in the market (which is now over $11.5 million a year that Jake Long signed for) than where the Bills started out which is wanting Peters to honor his existing (RT pay scale) contract. The Bills have moved from the $4 mill a year (which by far is the largest paycheck Peters ever saw but that does not seem to matter in the modern NFL where both teams and players seem happy to get every one of our dimes they can) apparently to 8 and given the situation I think its a pretty safe bet that Peters is gonna get a lot more than $8 million a year. Maybe Peters and his agent got to the current position through their intelligent gauging of the market, or through dumb luck, or through getting a couple of things to go their way and they took advantage of these opportunities, but whatever the reason (my guess is opportunism rather than Peters and his posse anticipating just how this would go) I think it takes real blinders not to see the superior negotiating position Peters is in. The 3 big events in this negotiation IMHO were: A. Peters aimed high and stuck to his guns for the most part last off-season- As with most games of chicken (which in essence what last year's juvenile multi-million dollar face off between the Bills and Peters was) no one really won and both sides should count their blessings they survived this dispute to live again. Peters missed camp by holding out until the last minute (the last minute was he crawled back before being docked a game check which would have been serious money. There was a noticeable effect in terms of his performance in the first half of last year as he got off to a slow start. However, this slow start had no real impact on the important stat of W/L as the Bills won despite the initial inconsistent play of Peters. In the more imaginary world of the media (radio and the web being the loudest) Peters was labeled as lousy. However, since the Bills got off to a fast start without Peters hitting the ground running, and many of his teammates rooting for the Bills to set a precedent of caving into player demands, and since Edwards was not killed due to lame LT play both Peters and the Bills escaped his holdout with their lives. B. Peters made the Pro Bowl- This accomplishment really put Peters in the driver's seat. Many Bills fans made leery of the validity of Pro Bowl selection after watching Ruben Brown get in year after year despite having some not very good years sometimes really devalue Pro Bowl picks. However, the critical issue here is market value and whether he deserved it or not Peters scored a big plus by getting voted in by a mixed and balanced opinions of coaches, peers, and fans. One has to give props to Peters for winning this nod as from a marketing/negotiating standpoint this validated his decision to hold out as even with the slow start he still got the nod from this mixed panel. Even for those who want to claim all they care about is play and not popularity, they actually are ignoring play to claim Peters is a bad player as part of his winning this was that his on field performance seemed to this viewer (and is born out by some statistical analysis that looks at which opposing DL player got a sack) improved in the second half of the season probably as he improved from his selfish holdout. C. Dockery was let go- This created a dual advantage for Peters in that this move not only made some cap room for Peters as the Bills cut him rather than pay him a roster bonus, but it also put the Bills in a situation where they already were replacing their starting center and several back-ups on the OL. While some seem to have their panties all up in a wad over Peters not honoring his contract (hello real world are you surprised) it looks really doubtful the Bills will want to replace the majority of their OL in one off-season which they would have to do if they cut Peters. An even greater departure from reality is that some fans are vocal about wanting to trade Peters for draft choices. This is simply a departure from reality in that actual NFL GMs realize that even though the conventional wisdom is a 1st round pick should be a starter (many Bills fans have been fooled by good picks like Nate Clements becoming a star after the Bills traded down to the last third of the 1st round to get him). It does happen a lot that a later pick becomes a starter, but the actual real world occurrence is that its only a little over 50/50 most years for a first round pick to be a starter at the beginning of the next season. Even if the Bills got 2 1st rounders for Peters (could happen but like franchise player Cassel and others a top vet may only bring later round choices in reality) they are likely writing off 09 in terms of OL play as these rookies learn to become vets. When Dockery got cut the cash registers started going off in Peters and his agents head. The bottomline here appears to me that despite the whines of many fans and media types like Ed Kilgore who have instant stories he would not have to work hard to do his job if the Bills stupidly drew a line in the sand, the Bills will likely wait until after the April draft to ink Peters. As the rookie cap is separate from the vet cap who they pick makes little fiscal difference (our decision to do our accounting based on cap to cash may to some extent link rookie contracts to existing contracts but not by a huge amount) and the Bills can roll over and sign Peters when they choose. However, by leaving the situation unclear they also send misinformation to our opponents so outside clarity probably waits until after the draft. However, in the big picture I give my props to Peters and his agent. They appear to have played this well and even in the worse case the Bills ship Peters and he probably really cashes in as his new team would almost certainly want to sign him for his career. Well played Peters.

I stated a 3rd OR a 4th rder for a pass catching TE. I also don't think that we need a "signiicant upgrade" at this position either, just a compliment. I don't know what you consider a tirade but that was not the intention of this post. I just wanted to explore, suggest and interact on the possibilities of improving this franchise and it's future, that's all. As far as top tier 1st rders go we wouldn't really know about that because we haven't been in the top 10 for quite sometime. The last time I remember was when we selected that memorable OT Mike Williams at the #4 spot. Although there's a difference there is also a corralation between hoarding and being in position to be able to select the proper players. Having multiple picks will allow a team to package choice picks to be able to move up in or into another rd. This permits an administration to be in position to select a quality player who could fit their team's profile. If our administrators are not competent or capable to succeed when they are in the proper position then they should be replaced. Until we are in the right position though then I don't believe that any of the above can be assessed properly. I don't remember Derek Fine being advertised as the TE that we all wanted or hoped for. I do remember the Bills' brass saying that he was a good blend of a blocking and pass catching TE. I think that a big portion of the fanbase have been hoping for a Tony Gonzalez or a Dustin Keller type of TE. I think that if we do address this position early in this draft or trade for an established veteran then it will be for that true pass catcher that so many fans have been craving for. In Denver under the Shanahan regime they also employed TE Daniel Graham heavily also but he doesn't get the headlines like Scheffler because he is used primarily as a blocker. This is who I think Fine most resembles. More picks, more oppotunities. Having more picks is having leverage and leverage is power. Why in the world would anyone resist this theory??! Another way to accumalate more picks or to move up in rds is to trade a player(s). Keeping our salary cap managed is part of this decision process and I for one are not capable of figuring this out accurately. There is one player though that I'm curious about and that is Roscoe Parrish. Initially looking at his role on this team and his salary figure, I'm wondering if Parrish would better serve us by trading him come draft day. I noticed that KC just signed Bobby Ingram. It wouldn't shock me if Seattle were to be interested in Parrish for their slot/punt returner. I realize that Nate Burleson is now manning both of these positions for them but this could be a realistic scenario due to Deion Branch and his salary cost. Branch could be a cap casualty thus moving Burleson up as the #2 WR to Housh. If we didn't get an outright pick for Parrish then maybe just trading draft pick positions with the right team would be just as effective. Just a thought. All the scenarios that you mentioned are valid logic but that's not my point. My point is that in the last several years we are never in position for that blue chip player that is usually found in the top 6 or 7 picks except for that time we blew it on Mike Williams.

Both Nelson and Raji are good players who will add a lot to the teams which pick them (though Nelson seems a bit of a reach for a first day pick). However, the whole premise behind what the Bills seemingly want to get out of their two picks seems a little off. The simple likely occurrence is this: The draft should give the Bills good players (good players tend to get drafted) but outside of the first 10 players taken overall (my definition of an elite player) the draft is crapshoot and a team will be doing extremely well (due to their skill and luck) if even their first round player is a starter for the team at the end of his first season. I know the conventional wisdom is that a 1st round choice should be a virtual immediate starter for a team and certainly should be a starter by the end of his rookie year. However, just because this is the CW does not make it true. The truth is slightly over 50% of first year draftees are starters on the team's depth chart in their second year (this is based on my observations as a longtime NFL watcher and actual statistical analysis of one year a few back of the results of what was generally viewed as a very strong draft class). When one took the time to examine the depth charts at the start of the next year (it would be great if someone took the time to do that for last year's class and I among others would be grateful), I think it was 18 of the 32 players chosen in the first round were starters in their second year. In fact there was a strong bias to these starters being players taken with the first 10 picks (an obvious finding actually as not only are these players demonstrably good, but the teams which tended to have the first 10 picks were weak and had openings. It certainly can happen that a team will strike gold and find a starter taken late in the first (Nate Clements is an example). A team can be extremely good at picking players and find a starter like Pos in the second round or even amazingly pick a starter like Williams on the second day. However, back in the real world of this sport driven by fantasy drafts (isn't all we see or seem but a dream within a dream) the real world consists of not infrequent picks like a Mike Williams (if you think this was an unusual waste of a #4 simply remember that this draft also included Joey Harrington who was a waste of a #3) and that even when your team is good or lucky enough to get a Pos in the 2nd he missed most of his rookie year actually with a broken arm. The draft is a very entertaining thing. Between the advent of fantasy leagues and Mel Kiper figuring it out and theorizing is a whole industry. However, if the expectation or conventional wisdom is that the Bills are going to get a difference maker for next year from their 1st and also their second pick, the simple fact is fat chance. The Bills have actually done an extremely good job drafting under the current regime. When Marv came on board to lead the braintrust and with his leavings which are the current braintrust, they simply have produced outstanding results in the real world as not only have the majority of their first day choices become team starters and leaders but in the first three years which one must wait to accurately judge a player Lynch made the Pro Bowl, McKelvin not only has gotten significant PT at CB but is one of the best KR guys in the NFL and Pos has led the team in tackles. Sure there have been disappointments and arguably busts like McCargo, but even these failures have been directly compensated for by the teams ability to find starters like Williams on the second day. Williams is no great player but again like it or not, the simple fact is he won the starters job on a team which demonstrably improved with him starting from the horrendous 5-11 which "won" them an actual elite pick to a more solid though mediocre 7-9. If the premise behind these picks is the one stated that the Bills are looking for a second rounder to be the difference maker they need, then this is a premise which may work out but almost certainly will not. The Bills it is to be hoped will draft good players who with good coaching and a fair amount of good luck will become not only solid contributors but league leaders for the team (a good example is Eric Moulds who by most measures was a "bust" his first two years but proved to be the best athlete on the team an a legitimate Pro Bowl level player until his mental meltdown when a younger better performing Evans knocked him down in importance to the team's play. It is to be hoped that the Bills get lucky and good with the first pick (having a more consistent pass rush would help immeasurably and Raji might do it though the likelihood is that like Stroud and Williams as a rookie he will do well to simply prove to be adequate). It would be a strike of incredible good fortune to have a second round drafted TE prove to be a vertical threat which allows him to be a difference maker for the Bills (though if this happens, particularly with a first day reach like Nelson it would be downright extraordinary). The thing is not to hope for some silver bullet from the draft, but instead to see the Bills mix and match all the player acquisition and improvement resources available to them (use FA to get a center who can add value to the current line, I have seen different reports of whether Birk is going to be available) (use trade to get Tony Gonzales as we should have done this past season if we want a TE who stands a very good chance of giving us the vertical threat we need right away0 (look for a UDFA to strike gold with as we did with the signing of Peters or Jackson) (develop players already on the roster into quality players who can do even more for us I like Bryan Scott and think he can do even more). The simple truth has been that even with us drafting pretty well the last three years all it has gotten us to is 7-9 and quite frankly with a #11 choice I think that is all we will get out of anything the draft has to offer us for the 2009 season as well. Draft and draft as well as we can but if you are looking for a difference it likely will be FA or even trade that is going to be the more critical element for this team to become a TEAM.

ROUND TWO 33. Detoit Lions: Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State Not only do the Lions get their quarterback of the future here, they also get the quarterback with the most upside in the draft. 34. Kansas City Chiefs: Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech A physical freak who, on talent alone, is worthy of a top-10 pick. 35. St. Louis Rams: Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest The Rams need to add talent to their cornerback position, and Smith can come in and start from day one. 36. Cleveland Browns: LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh McCoy gives the Browns a more dynamic and explosive threat on the ground. 37. Seattle Seahawks: Ron Brace, DT, Boston College The undersized Seahawks defensive line needs to add some girth up front; Brace fits the bill. 38. Cincinnati Bengals: Shonn Greene, RB, Iowa The kind of blue-collar running back the Bengals need in order to take pressure off their passing attack. 39. Jacksonville Jaguars: Max Unger, C/G/T, Oregon The Jaguars need help across the offensive line, and Unger has the versatility to fill any of those roles. 40. Oakland Raiders: Jamon Meredith, OT/OG, South Carolina An ideal fit at either guard or tackle in the Raiders’ zone-blocking scheme. 41. Green Bay Packers: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU Should become an immediate starter in the Packers’ new 3-4 defense. 42. Buffalo Bills: Shawn Nelson, TE, Southern Miss The kind of vertical threat the Bills’ offense desperately needs at tight end. 43. San Francisco 49ers: Jarron Gilbert, DE, San Jose State An ideal five-technique defensive end who has been soaring up draft boards the past couple weeks. 44. Miami Dolphins (from WAS): Louis Delmas, S, Western Michigan The class’ top safety prospect should instantly upgrade Miami’s secondary. 45. New York Giants (from NO): Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers Expect the Giants to address their receiver position in the second round with a big target like Britt. 46. Houston Texans: Coye Francies, CB, San Jose State An impressive corner who was a real standout at the Senior Bowl and is starting to climb up draft boards. 47. New England Patriots (from SD): Jairus Byrd, CB, Oregon An instinctive zone corner who should fit in nicely in the complex New England defense. 48. Denver Broncos: Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia The kind of athletic rush linebacker the Broncos need for their 3-4 defense. 49. Chicago Bears: Sen’Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn A quick-twitch lineman ideal for the Bears’ one-gap scheme. 50. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee The Buccaneers need to infuse young talent along their defensive line. Ayers fits the bill. 51. Dallas Cowboys: Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma The kind of big, physical lineman the Cowboys seem to build their offensive line around. 52. New York Jets: Asher Allen, CB, Georgia A tough, instinctive corner who will help upgrade the Jets’ secondary. 53. Philadelphia Eagles: William Moore, S, Missouri An eventual replacement needs to be brought in for FS Brian Dawkins. 54. Minnesota Vikings: Nate Davis, QB, Ball State With a lack of talent at the quarterback position, expect the Vikings to take a shot on Davis at the end of round two. 55. Atlanta Falcons: Fili Moala, DT, USC A big, physical lineman who might be able to fill a need at nose tackle for Atlanta. 56. Miami Dolphins: Derrick Williams, WR, PSU Williams adds some much needed talent and depth to the Miami receiving corps. 57. Baltimore Ravens: Connor Barwin, OLB/DE/TE, Cincinnati A hard-working, blue-collar athlete with an ability to play on both sides of the ball. 58. New England Patriots: Troy Kropog, OT, Tulane A smooth pass blocker who adds much needed youth to the Patriots’ offensive line. 59. Carolina Panthers: Chase Coffman, TE, Missouri The Panthers have lacked consistent production from the tight end position since Wesley Walls. 60. New York Giants: Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut The Giants may need to find a replacement, or two, for running backs Derrick Ward and Brandon Jacobs. 61. Indianapolis Colts: Juaquin Iglesias, WR, Oklahoma A smooth route runner who should fit nicely in the Indianapolis offense. 62. Tennessee Titans: Evander Hood, DT, Missouri An explosive tackle who might end up replacing Albert Haynesworth if he isn’t re-signed. 63. Arizona Cardinals: Paul Kruger, OLB/DE, Utah The type of hybrid pass rusher the Cardinals love to use off the edge. 64. Pittsburgh Steelers: Herman Johnson, OG, LSU A massive in-line blocker who should create some big holes in the Steelers’ run game.

His situation is unique because is a QB. The money is an order of magnitude beyond what a WR, an OT or even DB would command if franchised. There is no precedent for this. That and the fact that he is Matt Cassel, NOT Tom Brady, will make it very difficult for the NFLPA to make a persuasive argument that he should be treated like Nate Clements, for example. I'm guessing that's what the Pats are assuming.

Eric Alexander LB RFA 6-2 240 4 Patriots 49 Expert's Take Jon Alston LB RFA 6-0 225 3 Raiders 57 Expert's Take James Anderson LB RFA 6-2 235 3 Panthers 49 Expert's Take Eric Barton LB UFA 6-2 245 10 NY Jets 64 Expert's Take Monty Beisel LB UFA 6-3 244 8 Cardinals 56 Expert's Take Darryl Blackstock LB UFA 6-3 255 4 Bengals 50 Expert's Take Rocky Boiman LB UFA 6-4 236 7 Chiefs 51 Expert's Take Michael Boley LB UFA 6-3 223 4 Falcons 76 Expert's Take Keith Brooking LB UFA 6-2 241 11 Falcons 74 Expert's Take Ricky Brown LB RFA 6-2 235 3 Raiders 63 Expert's Take Kevin Burnett LB UFA 6-3 242 4 Cowboys 59 Expert's Take Khary Campbell LB UFA 6-2 224 7 Redskins 58 Expert's Take Channing Crowder LB UFA 6-2 250 4 Dolphins 75 Expert's Take Angelo Crowell LB UFA 6-1 246 6 Bills 70 Expert's Take Donte' Curry LB UFA 6-1 240 8 Panthers 45 Expert's Take Karlos Dansby LB UFA 6-4 250 5 Cardinals 85 Expert's Take Andra Davis LB UFA 6-1 250 7 Browns 62 Expert's Take John DiGiorgio LB RFA 6-2 229 3 Bills 58 Expert's Take Isaiah Ekejiuba LB UFA 6-4 240 4 Raiders 49 Expert's Take Keith Ellison LB RFA 6-0 229 3 Bills 56 Expert's Take Player Pos. FA Type Ht. Wt. Exp. 2008 Team 2009 Team Grade Comment Troy Evans LB UFA 6-3 238 7 Saints 56 Expert's Take Heath Farwell LB UFA 6-0 235 4 Vikings 58 Expert's Take Alfred Fincher LB UFA 6-1 238 4 Redskins 49 Expert's Take Keyaron Fox LB UFA 6-3 235 5 Steelers 56 Expert's Take Andre Frazier LB UFA 6-5 245 4 Steelers 54 Expert's Take Tony Gilbert LB UFA 6-0 248 6 Falcons 48 Expert's Take Roderick Green LB UFA 6-2 255 5 49ers 55 Expert's Take Kris Griffin LB UFA 6-3 245 4 Browns 48 Expert's Take Clark Haggans LB UFA 6-4 243 9 Cardinals 59 Expert's Take Tyjuan Hagler LB UFA 6-0 236 3 Colts 53 Expert's Take Marques Harris LB UFA 6-1 231 4 Chargers 51 Expert's Take Napoleon Harris LB UFA 6-3 253 7 Vikings 68 Expert's Take Leroy Hill LB UFA 6-1 238 4 Seahawks 79 Expert's Take Brian Iwuh LB RFA 6-0 235 3 Jaguars 53 Expert's Take Larry Izzo LB UFA 5-10 228 13 Patriots 49 Expert's Take Rashad Jeanty LB RFA 6-2 245 3 Bengals 66 Expert's Take Brandon Johnson LB RFA 6-5 245 3 Bengals 63 Expert's Take Freddy Keiaho LB RFA 5-11 226 3 Colts 69 Expert's Take Jason Kyle LB UFA 6-3 242 14 Panthers 40 Expert's Take Paris Lenon LB UFA 6-2 235 7 Lions 59 Expert's Take Player Pos. FA Type Ht. Wt. Exp. 2008 Team 2009 Team Grade Comment Ray Lewis LB UFA 6-1 250 13 Ravens 80 Expert's Take D.D. Lewis LB UFA 6-1 241 7 Seahawks 59 Expert's Take Wesly Mallard LB UFA 6-1 230 6 Seahawks 52 Expert's Take Darrell McClover LB UFA 6-1 226 5 Bears 48 Expert's Take Robert McCune LB RFA 6-0 245 2 Ravens 48 Expert's Take Willie McGinest LB UFA 6-5 270 15 Browns 61 Expert's Take Ryan Nece LB UFA 6-3 224 7 Lions 58 Expert's Take Mike Peterson LB UFA 6-1 238 10 Jaguars 75 Expert's Take Carlos Polk LB UFA 6-2 262 8 Cowboys 54 Expert's Take Bart Scott LB UFA 6-2 240 7 Ravens 78 Expert's Take Adam Seward LB UFA 6-2 250 4 Panthers 52 Expert's Take Cody Spencer LB UFA 6-2 245 5 NY Jets 47 Expert's Take Takeo Spikes LB UFA 6-2 242 11 49ers 69 Expert's Take Gary Stills LB UFA 6-2 250 10 Rams 57 Expert's Take Terrell Suggs LB UFA 6-3 260 6 Ravens 86 Expert's Take Dontarrious Thomas LB UFA 6-2 241 5 Vikings 56 Expert's Take Zach Thomas LB UFA 5-11 242 13 Cowboys 66 Expert's Take Pat Thomas LB UFA 6-1 237 4 Chiefs 56 Expert's Take Jonathan Vilma LB UFA 6-1 230 5 Saints 77 Expert's Take Rian Wallace LB RFA 6-3 235 3 Redskins 48 Expert's Take Player Pos. FA Type Ht. Wt. Exp. 2008 Team 2009 Team Grade Comment Nate Webster LB UFA 6-0 232 9 Broncos 61 Expert's Take Sam Williams LB UFA 6-5 260 6 Raiders 53 Expert's Take Coy Wire LB UFA 6-0 228 7 Falcons 49 Expert's Take Pierre Woods LB RFA 6-5 250 3 Patriots 53 Expert's Take

In the Kelly years that team was an absolute machine. What does it take to get back there. I think Wilson was correct in saying their just isn't enough talent on this team (paraphrasing). I look at players on that Superbowl team and the nucleus was 1st rounders that got paid very well in that day like Kelly, when he signed in 1986 he was the highest paid player in the league. The trade made for Bennett in which he refused to sign with the Colts because of money he got in Buffalo...Bruce the 1st player overall in 1985, then we had some good second rounders with Thurman, Nate Odomes, Beebe. etc. There was also a 4th round gem in Reed but for the most part Wilson did something he seems unwilling to do now which is overpay. Not that he's cheap, I don't agree with that.

That's right Dean. Back in early 2006, we still had TKO, London Fletcher, Nate, no DTs at all (to the point where signing Larry Tripplett amounted to an upgrade), and that's just the defense! What about Mike Gandy, Benny Anderson, Mike Williams, and JP on offense!? That's just the players too. What about the abysmal rankings they had in each meaningful catagory? Back then they couldn't do anything expect get lucky. Now, though they lack a true identity, can at least do a few things right on a semi-consistant basis.

I can only think of recent mistakes. I gave JP the benefit of the doubt way too much. I undervalued how good Fletcher was. I thought Lynch was going to be a mistake. I assumed everything Marv did was gold, until I looked closer ( as GM ). I undervalued Josh Reed for a long time. I overvalued Nate Clements. I laughed at the Flutie aquisition. I loved the Rob Johnson move. I believed Mike Williams was going to be one of the best ever.

I happen to think that Bennett deserves at least some HOF consideration, as is. He not only had a great career in Buffalo, but was credited for being the heart and soul of the Falcons defense a few years ago, when they made it to the Super Bowl. I think he is a very underrated, and under appreciated player. I think Bills fans were pretty rough on him at times, toward the end. They guy played hard, game in game out, and played injured very frequently. The guy just had an amazing knack for big plays, at the most opportune times... I don't think the Bills have had a guy with that knack since, except for maybe Nate Clements... as much talant as there was on those Bills defenses, IMO, they weren't coached all that well. They relied on Bennett and Odomes a little too much, to steal games. One of the reasons they don't get mentioned as one of the great defenses. In fact, the defense prior to that, in 1988 was far more disciplined, and dominant. That slo-mo NFL films shot of he and Talley walking off the field, looking dejected as hell, in the waining moments of Super Bowl 28 kind of epitomizes that period of Bills football for me...

Oh irving is just a gem to listen to on the radio. He gives english speaking people lessons on the proper way to pronounce skrake instead of straight. There is also his ever popular view on how romo's grandma must have been down in the slaves shack back in the day cause tony can't have those kind of moves on the field unless he was part black. Then there's Nate the two time fellon who gives his view on how much weed he could fit into the trunk of a volkswagen. Don't see Emmit being part of that kind of show.

Just like Nate Clements was a couple of years ago. I hope I'm watching ESPN and here this, "We have breaking news coming in from the NFL at this hour. John Clayton is reporting that Albert Haynesworth, the bohemoth DT from the Tennessee Titans, has signed a FA deal with the Buffalo Bills. The terms are not yet disclosed, but he is now officially off the market. We suspect he is now the highest paid DL in the NFL. We'll give more details as we get them."

I'm not talking about keeping him. I think I've been quite clear and in the thread about Kelvin Hayden that the idea is: TAG AND THEN TRADE HIM. There are multiple teams in need of a solid cover CB with plenty of cap room. Teams like KC, TB, MIA, DET, and SF have room to use for a CB and 25M+ to spend. After today, there are three fewer options in UFA this year now that Dunta Robinson, Nnamdi Asomugha, and Dunta Robinson are unavailable. The Giants also placed a 2nd round tender on one of their CB's today. Every year the board underestimates how much players get in UFA. We may think collectively that 9.9M is too much for Greer, and it is. But the market, not fan opinion, dictates how much is spent on these guys. No one ever thought Nate Clements would get the deal he did. No one thought Bob Sanders would get the contract he did. Or Adalius Thomas. And no one around here saw the Bills signing about the 4th best guard in UFA for 49M over 7 years. Be prepared to be surprised when Greer signs a deal somewhere around 35-40M over 5-6 years after 2/27. Tagging and trading won't be that bad of an idea after he moves on to greener pastures.

Yea, we'd be "stuck" w/ a solid cover corner who can tackle and is a total team guy. Yes, it is A LOT of money for any corner, but aren't we sick of developing top cb's, only let 'em walk for nothing? (See Winfield, Antonio or Clements, Nate). Top corners are very difficult to get your mitts on. After Greer gets top 10 money elsewhere, which he will, we'll be one injury away from serious problems. And we had 2 injuries last year, not one. AND, McGee is a FA after next year....Still look like a good idea to let a very good corner walk for nothing? He's gone, unfortunately.....

Forget it. Talking about losing players like Greer without compensation is too much for some people. Building a NFL team is a big picture type of conversation that loses too many before it even starts. Many have already pointed out that most of our top picks are replacements for players allowed to leave in UFA. Usually, people bite on a given reason why one player needed to go, but rarely can someone show how in the long term it was a good move. From a team building perspective, Buffalo has used 3 firsts and a second rounder in 3 drafts to replace players who were already performing well but allowed to leave. They dumped Milloy for Whitner, traded McGahee and drafted Lynch, allowed Fletcher to go and drafted Posluszny, and finally let Nate Clements go only to draft McKelvin a year later. It's little wonder they've been mediocre year after year. But try telling that to the residents of TSW who believe a few more players in UFA and the draft will put this team into the playoffs and over the likes of Parcells, Belichick, and the Jets. Regardless of who's on the team, it's going to be an issue overcoming the HC and his unimaginative gameplans.

I recall Marv Levy saying they'd made a contract offer to Nate Clements a few years ago. Unfortunately, you never allow top players to even come close to free agency without a contract. They low-balled Greer, and spun it to make it look like they were interested. They knew when the contract was offered that it wouldn't be accepted. Why was it not offered back in October if they liked him that much?

Mike Williams was more than dominant at Texas. The idea that Texas players vs. Alabama players are somehow less ready for the NFL is kind of ridiculous. Here's some backup. Here is the list of Alabama players in the NFL Mark Anderson Chicago Bears Wesley Britt New England Patriots Fernando Bryant Pittsburgh Steelers Anthony Bryant New York Giants Matt Caddell St. Louis Rams Simeon Castille Cincinnati Bengals Tim Castille Arizona Cardinals Jeremy Clark New York Giants Brodie Croyle Kansas City Chiefs Kenneth Darby St. Louis Rams Wallace Gilberry Kansas City Chiefs Cornelius Griffin Washington Redskins Roman Harper New Orleans Saints Jarret Johnson Baltimore Ravens Anthony Madison Pittsburgh Steelers Evan Mathis Cincinnati Bengals Le'Ron McClain Baltimore Ravens Kindal Moorehead Atlanta Falcons Antwan Odom Cincinnati Bengals Charlie Peprah Green Bay Packers Ramzee Robinson Detroit Lions DeMeco Ryans Houston Texans Chris Samuels Washington Redskins Justin Smiley Miami Dolphins Kenny Smith New England Patriots Deshea Townsend Pittsburgh Steelers and Texas: Cedric Benson Cincinnati Bengals Justin Blalock Atlanta Falcons Tarell Brown San Francisco 49ers Jamaal Charles Kansas City Chiefs Tim Crowder Denver Broncos Leonard Davis Dallas Cowboys Phil Dawson Cleveland Browns Derrick Dockery Buffalo Bills Jermichael Finley Green Bay Packers Brandon Foster Indianapolis Colts Cedric Griffin Minnesota Vikings Michael Griffin Tennessee Titans Ahmard Hall Tennessee Titans Casey Hampton Pittsburgh Steelers Tony Hills Pittsburgh Steelers Michael Huff Oakland Raiders Quentin Jammer San Diego Chargers Derrick Johnson Kansas City Chiefs Nate Jones St. Louis Rams D.D. Lewis Seattle Seahawks Cullen Loeffler Minnesota Vikings Derek Lokey Kansas City Chiefs Frank Okam Houston Texans Cory Redding Detroit Lions Brian Robison Minnesota Vikings Shaun Rogers Cleveland Browns Aaron Ross New York Giants Bo Scaife Tennessee Titans Jonathan Scott Buffalo Bills Lyle Sendlein Arizona Cardinals Chris Simms Tennessee Titans Kasey Studdard Houston Texans Limas Sweed Pittsburgh Steelers David Thomas New England Patriots Nathan Vasher Chicago Bears Ricky Williams Miami Dolphins Roy E. Williams Dallas Cowboys Rodrique Wright Miami Dolphins Vince Young Tennessee Titans Selvin Young Denver Broncos