PFT Post Reminds of Disasterous Tripplett Decision

[SuperKillerRobots]

Criticism of both Marv's strategy and his tactics is justified. Strategically, he focused his best draft day resources on the wrong positions. With three first round picks, on a rebuilding team, he took 1 SS, 1 RB, and only one lineman of any kind (the McCargo bust). That's a bad strategy, worsened by the fact that Marv's first round picks were generally reaches.

 

As far as tactics go: none of the players he took in the first round are currently starters. Both his drafts combined yielded just two current starters: Brad Butler and Kyle Williams. Of those two, the former should probably be upgraded once the team gets a spare draft pick. The scary thing is that, as bad as Marv's drafts were, his free agent signings were even worse. Literally every free agent signing he made turned out to be a mistake. Peerless Price, Larry Triplett, Mike Gandy, Robert Royal, Tuten Reyes, Derrick Dockery, Langston Walker, Melvin Fowler, and probably a few other mistakes I'm forgetting. There's nothing positive on that list to offset its (many) negatives!

 

In all fairness, I think Gandy was a holdover fromt eh previous coaching staff. But either way, he didn't hit on one FA, did he? I do think his draft record is better than you are stating though. The biggest problem may be that he took players who were able to contribute quickly for the most part, but never really had that high of a ceiling. Basically he got guys like Whitner who were what they were when he drafted them and are not better by leaps and bounds now. Same could be said of Williams, Butler, and maybe McKelvin (might be too early to tell here though). It's hard to say whether this is a problem of not drafting the right players or not being able to develop players.

[dave mcbride]

Yep.

Plus Pickett was 2007. Triplett was 2006.

[Orton's Arm]

In all fairness, I think Gandy was a holdover fromt eh previous coaching staff. But either way, he didn't hit on one FA, did he? I do think his draft record is better than you are stating though. The biggest problem may be that he took players who were able to contribute quickly for the most part, but never really had that high of a ceiling. Basically he got guys like Whitner who were what they were when he drafted them and are not better by leaps and bounds now. Same could be said of Williams, Butler, and maybe McKelvin (might be too early to tell here though). It's hard to say whether this is a problem of not drafting the right players or not being able to develop players.

You're right: Gandy was signed in 2005. And we're agreed that Marv's free agent signings were all failures.

 

I'll grant that in my earlier post, I painted a grim picture of Marv's drafts. I mentioned that Marv found no current starters with his three first round picks (including two picks in the top 12). I added that Marv's picks resulted in only two current starters overall--Kyle Williams and Brad Butler--the latter of whom is more like a quality backup than a guy you really want starting.

 

While that description is accurate (the number of current starters from Marv's drafts is not open to subjective interpretation), I'll grant that the description does not take into account the fact that Marv also obtained some guys who are quality backups, such as Whitner, Ellison, and probably a few others. But still . . . increasing a team's depth, while useful, should not be the main draft day goal for a GM whose team lacks starting caliber players at most positions.

 

I think that your description is accurate: Marv got guys who could and did contribute right away, but who had low ceilings. That seemed impressive at first--we got a lot of contributions out of rookies and second-year players en route to consecutive 7-9 records. But now that it's become clear that he did almost nothing to help build this team over the long-term, the initial luster of his tenure as GM has worn off. Now, that time appears quite shabby!

[liverpoolkev]

You're right: Gandy was signed in 2005. And we're agreed that Marv's free agent signings were all failures.

 

I'll grant that in my earlier post, I painted a grim picture of Marv's drafts. I mentioned that Marv found no current starters with his three first round picks (including two picks in the top 12). I added that Marv's picks resulted in only two current starters overall--Kyle Williams and Brad Butler--the latter of whom is more like a quality backup than a guy you really want starting.

 

While that description is accurate (the number of current starters from Marv's drafts is not open to subjective interpretation), I'll grant that the description does not take into account the fact that Marv also obtained some guys who are quality backups, such as Whitner, Ellison, and probably a few others. But still . . . increasing a team's depth, while useful, should not be the main draft day goal for a GM whose team lacks starting caliber players at most positions.

 

I think that your description is accurate: Marv got guys who could and did contribute right away, but who had low ceilings. That seemed impressive at first--we got a lot of contributions out of rookies and second-year players en route to consecutive 7-9 records. But now that it's become clear that he did almost nothing to help build this team over the long-term, the initial luster of his tenure as GM has worn off. Now, that time appears quite shabby!

You guys do know that Marv was nothing more than overdorf,brandon,littman prop.....................it was those three yes men that ruined this franchise with no revolt because they have their figure head to get blamed ...........until we get rid of those three, which will only come with new ownership ,we will continue to see these so called good teachers instead of good football Coordinators or coaches..............

[BillsZubaz]

Criticism of both Marv's strategy and his tactics is justified. Strategically, he focused his best draft day resources on the wrong positions. With three first round picks, on a rebuilding team, he took 1 SS, 1 RB, and only one lineman of any kind (the McCargo bust). That's a bad strategy, worsened by the fact that Marv's first round picks were generally reaches.

 

As far as tactics go: none of the players he took in the first round are currently starters. Both his drafts combined yielded just two current starters: Brad Butler and Kyle Williams. Of those two, the former should probably be upgraded once the team gets a spare draft pick. The scary thing is that, as bad as Marv's drafts were, his free agent signings were even worse. Literally every free agent signing he made turned out to be a mistake. Peerless Price, Larry Triplett, Mike Gandy, Robert Royal, Tuten Reyes, Derrick Dockery, Langston Walker, Melvin Fowler, and probably a few other mistakes I'm forgetting. There's nothing positive on that list to offset its (many) negatives!

 

I agree with you on everything aside from Mike Gandy. Gandy is a serviceable if not solid starter who has done very well at LT in Arizona. Also, at the time bringing in Dockery and Walker seemed like great moves. We were all applauding that he was finally addressing the Oline. Unfortunately things did not work out, but at the time they were highly sought after FA's.

 

I was a big proponent of Marv. But in hindsight, I have to say that I was wrong and that he was simply not a good GM. I do however, think that his performance would not seem nearly as dismal if he had brought in a coach with a half way decent coaching staff. But again, this was his decision and he whiffed big time.

 

Hopefully Nix does a better job at the helm (Personally I think he is a top 5 talent evaluator in the league.)

[BillsZubaz]

In all fairness, I think Gandy was a holdover fromt eh previous coaching staff. But either way, he didn't hit on one FA, did he? I do think his draft record is better than you are stating though. The biggest problem may be that he took players who were able to contribute quickly for the most part, but never really had that high of a ceiling. Basically he got guys like Whitner who were what they were when he drafted them and are not better by leaps and bounds now. Same could be said of Williams, Butler, and maybe McKelvin (might be too early to tell here though). It's hard to say whether this is a problem of not drafting the right players or not being able to develop players.

 

I don't agree with you on Williams and Butler. Both have improved significantly each year. In terms of McKelvin you may be right. Time will tell.

[Red]

Underappreciated in the pantheon of boneheaded moves over the past few years was the decision to pick Larry Tripplett over Ryan Pickett in 2006 offseason. How many fans believed a 285 lber made sense at DT? Why did our pro personnel dept?

 

Pickett and Ngata in the middle would have gone a long way to masking all of the other absurd personnel decisions that were made over the past few years.

 

Also, a reminder that good players are available every offseason and it might not take as long as some expect to reshape this woeful roster.

 

See:

 

Thompson's offseason agenda starts with Pickett

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/...s-with-pickett/

 

 

I agree with the Ngata thing. At this point, Whitner has done little (besides talk) to justify his draft selection.

 

Ngata was clearly the better choice.

 

I would go further and state that Canadian league sack-master Cameron Wake was being talked to by the Bills last offseason; but he ultimately decided to sign with Miami.

 

Why he was not pursued harder and not given a greater cash incentive to choose the Bills is beyond me.

 

But hey, John Guy is gone.

 

That, atleast, makes me happy.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Could be.

 

Heard the same thing about Pat Williams when he became a free agent. Donahoe offered him more (or same), and he still went to the Vikes.

 

 

That guy is a stud. He is a far and distant #1 on my list of free agancy losses that hurt the franchise. Wish the bills would have kept him for his entire career...

[KOKBILLS]

Let's ignore the fact that buffalo tried to get Pickett, but he turned down our offer and chose green bay instead.

 

Exactly...Was it not down to just Buffalo and Green Bay in the end?

[JPS]

Marv Levy was the General Manager responsible for football operations and, despite the affection for previous accomplishments, WAS A DISASTER AS A GM. Set the Bills back 5 years.

[Gabe Northern]

Plus Pickett was 2007. Triplett was 2006.

 

Come on, man. Think before you post. Try to jog your memory.

 

http://www.packers.com/news/releases/2006/03/17/1/

 

http://www.realfootball365.com/articles/bills/2482