Nix's Best Move As GM

[Omar Little]

Put it this way, man: All-Pro running back is traded for Ashton Youboty, or Trent Edwards, or Chris Ellis (all Bills third-rounders). Who wins that trade?

 

Lynch has never been an All-Pro running back. He was a Pro Bowl reserve once. So was McGahee.

[RuntheDamnBall]

Nix needs to fire Mordak and the scouting staff and get some folks who might do a better job spotting talent.

Funny how Modrak had no problem finding good talent when he worked for good organizations like the Steelers and Eagles.

 

There might be some validity to the notion that the scouting team needs some fresh blood, though. Baseball's of course WAAAAY different from football, but that said, the Blue Jays, whom I root for, made a MAJOR effort to upgrade their scouting staff. They're looking to leave no stone unturned and to get as many looks as possible on the same guys. By and large this is one reason people feel they're moving in the right direction.

 

If I were Nix, I'd be going to Ralph and saying: "want to win and do it cost-effectively? I need you to let me hire the largest scouting staff in the league. That'll cost a little money, but it will save us a lot. We're going to unearth players that aren't on other teams' radar, and get good looks at the ones who are, so we minimize mistakes in the scouting process. Never again are we going to draft a guy highly who doesn't have the makeup or hasn't proven himself enough to more than just one of our scouts. And if we can succeed working like this, we won't have to look as much at costly free agents, and waste our time with guys off the scrap heap like Cornell Green just to field a starting offensive line."

 

Now, that's probably a promise that can't be kept entirely. Every sport results in failure for 95% of the teams. But it's a goal that can be worked toward, and I think it'd be the right move for the Bills. They don't need to fire a lot of the guys they have. They do need to bring in many more scouts to really have their bases covered and find hidden gems.

 

Lynch has never been an All-Pro running back. He was a Pro Bowl reserve once. So was McGahee.

He played in the game (and played well btw). Semantics doesn't change the fact that he was viewed to be in the top 5 backs in the conference.

[Omar Little]

He played in the game (and played well btw). Semantics doesn't change the fact that he was viewed to be in the top 5 backs in the conference.

 

Pro Bowl and All-Pro are two different things. I see your point, though. Lynch > typical Bills third-round pick.

[papazoid]

"Chargers G.M. A.J. Smith routinely put together outstanding draft classes in the middle of the decade, but his track record has been spottier the last few years."

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/09/23/ryan-mathews-will-sit-out-sunday/

 

 

hmmmm....maybe because NIX is not there to tell him what to do ??

[Trader]

Nix's best move as GM? Not trading Marshawn Lynch. That's right. Not trading Lynch. I didn't like the off-field issues either but he's has stayed out of trouble, hopefully for good. And no one can argue he runs hard on sunday and has truly earned his yards behind a patchwork O-line. I like Fred Jackson. CJ Spiller has skills but he's not an everydown back and certainly not built to run consistently between the tackles. For my money, Lynch is the best all-around everydown back on the team. The most Nix could get would be a 3rd rounder, maybe even a 2nd. But for me, I'll keep the guy that already has proven he can play in the NFL and is still young.

 

How do you know Lynch will not be traded prior to the deadline? I don't know about Nix as GM yet. I am very on the fence with him. I do like Chan so far.

[RuntheDamnBall]

Pro Bowl and All-Pro are two different things. I see your point, though. Lynch > typical Bills third-round pick.

Fair nuff. You're right, All-Pro is a different vote.

[BuffaloBillsMagic1]

Nix's best move as GM? Not trading Marshawn Lynch. That's right. Not trading Lynch. I didn't like the off-field issues either but he's has stayed out of trouble, hopefully for good. And no one can argue he runs hard on sunday and has truly earned his yards behind a patchwork O-line. I like Fred Jackson. CJ Spiller has skills but he's not an everydown back and certainly not built to run consistently between the tackles. For my money, Lynch is the best all-around everydown back on the team. The most Nix could get would be a 3rd rounder, maybe even a 2nd. But for me, I'll keep the guy that already has proven he can play in the NFL and is still young.

I thought he had just resigned. This is a misleading heading on this post.

[akm0404]

The Buffalo Bills paradox:

 

Won't: Trade away a sought-after player from a position of depth.

Will: Trade away a Pro Bowl player from the weakest group on the team.

[Alaska Darin]

We had a big name GM Tom Donahoe he is the primary reason we are in the mess we now are in. Tom Modrak was brought here by our big name general manager, how do you like his draft recommendations so far?

Tom Donahoe isn't the owner and Tom Modrak doesn't make picks. Other than that, you're dead nutz.

[transient]

Nix best move as GM is not giving in to the wailing and gnashing of teeth that would have him trade every one and no one, bring in every free agent that becomes available just because, and run the organization like a fan. I love that it appears he can hear the message but ignore the personal slights that are thrown in with it, and I love that he appears to understand that this fan-base is thread bare on patience, and yet despite that is refusing to take short cuts in trying to build a winning organization. And it would appear that his coach has the same philosophy.

 

IMO, the difference right now compared to the last 10 years is that we have a strong-minded personnel guy in charge (similar to the late 80s - early 90s!) with a vision for the team (which was thought to be the case with Donahoe, as well, but ultimately was NOT as evidenced by his constant defensive posturing and paranoid anti-fan persona). Unfortunately his team vision, while likely more suited to the climate and the division, is VERY different from what was here, and therefore there are A LOT of needs. Evaluating who is here RIGHT NOW that is serviceable in the role they're in will allow him to determine who needs to be replaced RIGHT NOW, and what he sees and what Chan sees is not likely the same as what the fans see.

 

Some people will get on board with it, and realize it will take time, and some people will scream and shout and bang on the table because they're out of patience because of his predecessors' mistakes. Regardless, IMO the angry mob at the gate will not change the way he's going to do things, and it shouldn't. He seems like the guy who will tell you publicly that he's not the smartest guy in the room with a smirk because the dirty little secret that he'll never admit to is that deep down he KNOWS from a football standpoint he is the smartest guy in the room and he KNOWS he's the right guy for the job, and the ONLY thing that will convince people of that is the result, and ultimately he KNOWS he'll prove it. He answers the questions and plays the media game because it's part of the job (and he actually appears to enjoy it to a point), but he won't tell you what you want to hear because he doesn't care what you WANT to hear, but he will tell you the truth as he sees it and let you deal with it as you will. I also don't get the impression he's big on excuses, and would not be surprised to hear him admit it publicly when he's made a mistake. There is none of the defensiveness of Donahoe or the cluelessness of Levy (the GM) in what he exudes right now, IMO.

 

Only TIME will tell if he's going to be successful, but expecting success RIGHT NOW AFTER 2 GAMES with the mess he inherited is unrealistic, and the only one's who don't seem to realize that are the mob at the gate.

Edited September 24, 2010 by transient