What have the Bills done that has impressed you?

[folz]

1. Fired Dick Jauron

2. Hired Nix as GM--No it's not a given he'll be a great GM, but he has alot more experience than Russ, has had

success in the league and we had one of our best drafts in a long time last year when he returned

which makes me optimistic for this coming and future drafts.

3. Hiring Whaley--Also has good experience in the league and brings some youth to the room, with these two our FO

football IQ is much higher.

4. Firing of John Guy--nuff said

5. Hiring of Gailey--as others said a wait and see approach is in place here, but I do like the attitude difference from

DJ, he has better offensive knowledge to help the O which DJ couldn't, and hopefully he and his

staff will be able to better evaluate our own players and not let good ones sit on the bench

6. Hiring back DeHaven--couldn't have gotten a better replacement for April to keep our teams strong

7. Gailey will be calling O plays rather than first timer AVP (hindered by DJ)

8. Hiring two good strength and conditioning coaches and putting an emphasis back on that. We all know what we lost

with Rusty leaving and the injuries of the last 3 years can't continue if we are ever to be successful.

9. Dumping the Tampa two and getting a bigger, tougher D. Bigger, stronger players should also help in the injury dept.

10. FA has been quiet, but I do like the Davis and Edwards pick ups--no they aren't the kind of guys to put us over the top,

obviously we are still a ways from that anyhow, but they are definitely good adds for the team.

 

 

So, no, we haven't significantly changed our roster by making any really big FA aquisitions, we didn't get one of the top Superbowl winning coaches, we didn't get a big name GM, and yes, we still have a lot of holes...but I think those who don't at least have a little bit of hope that we are heading in a better direction are underestimating the significance of some of the moves I listed above. And even if you didn't love the Nix and Gailey signings, are sceptical of switching the defense, and hate what we have or haven't done in FA, numbers 1, 4, 6, 7, and 8 should at least give some hope I would think.

 

I really feel like this team will be a better team this year than last...last year's team was a mess to put it mildly and yet they still won 7 games. We definitely have a ways to go, but I will support the new guys until they prove otherwise...but what makes so many people think we have become a worse team? Our head coach last year stunk, our OC was fired just before the season, we had a first time OC calling plays who didn't even have the preseason let alone the entire off season to get ready, our head coach was fired in the middle of the season and we had a lame duck interim coach, then you add in the injuries, the QB shuffling, the lack of offense, etc., etc...how, seriously, how could this upcoming season go worse than that?

[Bob in STL]

A little help, please.

 

Some of you seem to be satisfied with the direction the team is going. Please explain why.

 

All I have seen in staff changes and player acquisitions has been underwhelming. Am I missing something?

 

 

1. I like Buddy Nix even though he comes off a bit clumsy to the press. His skill as a talent evaluator is recognized around the league. He may lack management polish but we have Brandon and Whaley for that.

 

2. I think Gailey will be a good coach for us. He already has shown more fire than Jauron ever did. I think he can get the flag out of his pocket and onto the field with authority. He has a proven track record as a NFL coach and as an OC. He ran an entire program at GT. He appears to be dedicated and very professional. He wants to make "The Ralph" a hard place for visting teams to play in ... not a novel idea but something the previous coaches did not stress.

 

3. I think we brought in a good diverse staff of experience and some new potentially bright coaches. We lost a few good coaches when Jauron got tossed but that is normal on a regime change.

 

4. I like the players we added to the defense and the change to a 3-4. Admit there is still much to do.

 

5. I like the restraint. I wish we could have brought in a big name LT or NT but there were none.

 

6. Bringing in Whaley from Pitt was a really good move. Adding an Ast GM and a proven Pro

Personel guy with big upside. He was one of the up and coming execs that most "experts" thought we should have interviewed for the GM job. Don't overlook this guy.

 

7. Two conditioning coaches and a renewed emphasis on conditioning. Gailey obviously sees something wrong with the number of injuries we have had. Better conditioning and tougher players ... expect to see that. (I thought the TV removal sends a message too).

 

This draft will tell us a lot about the new regime.