Free Agency..Christmas morning to most...

[noplayoffsagain]

In Buffalo, they arent even a factor in it.

 

Before you guys say its only 36 hours into free agency......look around, all the impact players are signing. Who is left that can help a team with such inferior talent at so many positions...A team that continues to run Elllison out there at LB, then they run safeties out at LB...they do everything except get a LB to play LB.

 

For those of you that believe building through the draft is the way to go, i feel its part of the process, but you have to supplement it with some good FA's. The Bills dont have extra picks, its not like they have 2 1st or 2nd rd picks that can speed up the building process. They have the same amount of picks that almost all other teams have. So there is no competitive advantage for them there.

 

What makes it even more annoying and frustrating is the teams management..I guess Nix deserves the benefit of the doubt for now, but last year, where was Russ Brandon? I think i heard 1 interview from the guy all year during the season. They fired Jauron through a press release, what real NFL team would do that and not have the GM/Pres or owner speak. WE have 1 sports radio station in Buffalo, and as much as i dont care for a lot of things DArcy Rieger does, at least he does a weekly radio show on WGR and so does Ruff. Let the fans hear your thoughts, the reasons why you choose to do certain things....

 

Bills are a freakin joke, i dont know how people buy tickets for that crap.

[DanInUticaTampa]

None of the players that signed with other teams were expected to sign here to begin with.

[Max997]

None of the players that signed with other teams were expected to sign here to begin with.

 

how can they be expected to sign with the Bills if they dont even make an attempt to sign them

 

was Peppers expected to sign with the Bears or did we all think he was going to Washington?

 

the Bills are doing exactly what we all thought they were going to do and thats not much besides a few 3rd tier at best free agents which just isnt going to do much

[offyourocker]

None of the players that signed with other teams were expected to sign here to begin with.

There seems to be a few people on this board that always try to justify the team that sorely lacks talent for not doing anyting in free agency.

Buffalo Bills employees???

[Nanker]

There seems to be a few people on this board that always try to blame the team that sorely lacks talent for not doing everything in free agency.

Buffalo Bills "fans"???

[Pirate Angel]

In Buffalo, they arent even a factor in it.

 

Before you guys say its only 36 hours into free agency......look around, all the impact players are signing. Who is left that can help a team with such inferior talent at so many positions...A team that continues to run Elllison out there at LB, then they run safeties out at LB...they do everything except get a LB to play LB.

 

For those of you that believe building through the draft is the way to go, i feel its part of the process, but you have to supplement it with some good FA's. The Bills dont have extra picks, its not like they have 2 1st or 2nd rd picks that can speed up the building process. They have the same amount of picks that almost all other teams have. So there is no competitive advantage for them there.

 

What makes it even more annoying and frustrating is the teams management..I guess Nix deserves the benefit of the doubt for now, but last year, where was Russ Brandon? I think i heard 1 interview from the guy all year during the season. They fired Jauron through a press release, what real NFL team would do that and not have the GM/Pres or owner speak. WE have 1 sports radio station in Buffalo, and as much as i dont care for a lot of things DArcy Rieger does, at least he does a weekly radio show on WGR and so does Ruff. Let the fans hear your thoughts, the reasons why you choose to do certain things....

 

Bills are a freakin joke, i dont know how people buy tickets for that crap.

There was only one LB that would have been worth signing, Karlos Dansby. He is a good player not great and he got a 43 million dollar contract. This draft is said to be deep with LB and DE that will be conveted to 3-4 linebackers. We have tried building a team by patchwork for years and it hasnt worked.

[FistingBot]

I know we tend to view the world through Red, White and Blue glasses, but if you were a free agent why would you come to Buffalo? It's not the most attractive place to live, the team has no history of success for the last decade or so, we don't have charismatic coaches who can convince someone to take a chance on Buffalo (ala Detroit), and Ralph isn't likely to throw around more cash than some of the other bidders like the 'Skins... most free agents this year are older players who want to win right away. No one in their right mind would look at this team and think it has a chance to win in the near future.

 

...I don't know. I try to be optimistic, but I just can't convince myself that this team is not on a slow spiral to nowhere.

[Endless Ike]

I'm with ya...I'm not expecting or demanding any blockbuster moves...but a team with this many needs for STARTERS (2 OTs, one G, at least one DE, 2 LBs, a WR, QB, maybe another RB if Marshawn is one his way out), has *GOT* to fill some of the holes via free agency. If we're going to do it solely through the draft we're going to be another 5 years from contending for a playoff spot.

 

Now its still early, and there's a number of guys out there who can help, but if we walk away empty, we've got problems

[Astrojanitor]

At the very least we need a veteran QB to show our scrubs how to play the game. I have not heard anything about Nix and crew looking at any of the newly free QBs. I was very optimistic with the Nix hire, but I'm beginning to get nervous. Especially now that half of the Redskins are on the market?

 

Now it is my opinion that the Bills have not actually lost out on anyone yet. That deal with Peppers is (if history is any indication) not going to end well. And obviously Ralph isn't going to pony up $92 million for a DT. But things have been way too quiet.

[Paup 1995MVP]

I'm with ya...I'm not expecting or demanding any blockbuster moves...but a team with this many needs for STARTERS (2 OTs, one G, at least one DE, 2 LBs, a WR, QB, maybe another RB if Marshawn is one his way out), has *GOT* to fill some of the holes via free agency. If we're going to do it solely through the draft we're going to be another 5 years from contending for a playoff spot.

 

Now its still early, and there's a number of guys out there who can help, but if we walk away empty, we've got problems

I totally agree. You win with a mixture of guys picked up in free agency and thru the draft. We have holes at TE, OL, WR, DL, LB and QB. I would say that is a good two thirds of the team. Sure we can draft some guys. But are we going to have the majority of our starters as first and second year players? That does NOT win in the NFL. We need some veterans to show how to win. If we can't sign some mid level veterans to bring a sense of stability, and show the young guys how to win, what is Nix even here for? I would have thought we would have guys lined up and down One Bills Drive ready to discuss contracts.

 

To do nothing is pathetic, and will just make me more angry as a fan. The stench of last season, (the whole decade for that matter) and particularly the loss to the Falcons (game I was at) will not go away until some MAJOR changes in personell are made. The less that is done, the more it looks like Nix is another Ralph puppet with no intentions on changing anything. Time will tell though. I hope I am wrong.

[kota]

Why are the Colts, Steelers, Patriots, etc.... always making the playoffs? It's because they draft well. FA isn't much of a factor. People need to stop complaining about the Bills lack of interest in the free agent market. People soon forget that the Bills went out and got Dockery and Langston Walker both of which didn't amount to much.

[noplayoffsagain]

Why are the Colts, Steelers, Patriots, etc.... always making the playoffs? It's because they draft well. FA isn't much of a factor. People need to stop complaining about the Bills lack of interest in the free agent market. People soon forget that the Bills went out and got Dockery and Langston Walker both of which didn't amount to much.

I disagree totally....The reason why the Colts, Steelers and Pats make the playoffs is Manning, Rothlisberger and Brady. thats why. Now dont get me wrong i know they all drafted those QB's, but that was many years ago..They are always drafting in the bottom of the 1st rd and dont have access to "elite" talent through the draft. THey got their QB, then added pieces through FA (example in NE R Moss, W Welker, R Harrison, A Thomas)

 

Now i know many people bring up Walker and Dockery as reasons to avoid FA...just because the Bills miss on most of their FA's doesnt mean FA is something to avoid

[Curse Of Rusty Jones]

I disagree totally....The reason why the Colts, Steelers and Pats make the playoffs is Manning, Rothlisberger and Brady. thats why. Now dont get me wrong i know they all drafted those QB's, but that was many years ago..They are always drafting in the bottom of the 1st rd and dont have access to "elite" talent through the draft. THey got their QB, then added pieces through FA (example in NE R Moss, W Welker, R Harrison, A Thomas)

 

Now i know many people bring up Walker and Dockery as reasons to avoid FA...just because the Bills miss on most of their FA's doesnt mean FA is something to avoid

 

 

I agree with what you say here.

 

Although I do believe you are overreacting here a bit. Keep in mind, the off-season is long and a lot can happen. During the summer, players become available, and Nix does come from the Polian/AJ Smith etc tree, and generally they are not terribly active in this process.

 

Bottom line: We NEED a QB to become the face of the franchise, a guy that we can depend on. Sign all the LB, TE, OL, a field general is needed FIRST, and then things will fall into place. You know why? Players around the NFL KNOW this, agents talk, players talk. If you are set to make big $ and you see we have Trent Edwards, backups, and a RB who is in trouble, one smallish WR, a rookie LT, a RT that retired, and a team transitioning to a new defense with few legit pieces to make that happen...would YOU want to come here?

 

I think not.