No Splashes? Why not?

[richNjoisy]

Rich - The way Nix was putting it was there was no way they'd be even looking at the likes of Clabo with their no big splashes statement. To me Clabo is a big splash. And yes we will have to wait and see but I disagree with the build through the draft sentiment. That is great if you have that kind of time but considering Ralph is no spring chicken and the fact that we've wasted so many high draft picks during the Modrak era I can speak for only myself when I say let's freaking make moves to win not to get gradually better. It is a rebuilding team. I understand that. But I'll take what you're smoking if you really think that Nix's no splashes statement is the way to go. I don't recall naming people when saying overpaying for mediocre players because i do like Poz. Do i think he's a top echelon player. No but he's better than what we have right now.

 

 

Well, I hear ya.Let's see what happens the next few days.

 

Then scream and shout

[Ghost of Rob Johnson]

but we have to spend 30 mil more this season right? where is that gonna go? realistically they have to spend some serious cash unless they redo kyle williams and steve johnson for this year but even that wouldn't cover it.

Between the rookies, UDFAs, Poz & Florence you're probably talking at least $20M. Another $10M or so to 3 or 4 UFAs.

Edited July 26, 2011 by Ghost of Rob Johnson

[MClem06]

There is a reason they are big splashes. They are the players that are some of the best at their positions. Evidently we are not searching for any of those. And no , noone has signed a free agent yet but Nix is covering his butt saying don't get to excited cause we aren't going to do much of anything. Why should we be happy with that as fans? I'd rather him say we're going to spend a boatload of money trying to get some quality players in this club. This team (& Nix's statement for that matter) is Depressing hence the depressing thread jeremy.

[Canadian Bills Fan]

The Bills are building through the draft. Didn't you see the big impact that Spiller, Troup and Carrington had in their first year?

 

Hey now, maybe its a 2 year plan

[mattsox]

It's really incredible that Nix would say that they won't spend big money to bring someone in that we all know can upgrade our team tremendously in places of serious need. (I.E. RT Clabo or TE Miller) With the situation in hand that the Bills have to spend a whole bunch of money, why overpay mediocre players to hit that number? Let's make splashes, evidently the whole cash to the cap routine Ralph has implemented during the depression decade of the past 10 years hasn't worked. Get some players that we know they can ball. Sick of the wait for the next draft mentality when there are great options out there NOW. I was all excited to have free agency start and saying to myself, man the Bills can make some good moves here. Come to find out no splashes is the mentality. We'll be at best a 50% win team at best for the next 5 years.

VENTING.

 

Only to fix this is to get an owner who wants to Win a Lombardi Trophy. Ala the Sabres. If I owned the team and had all the money in the world to make them better, I'd do whatever it took, being as smart as possible of course. First smart thing would be to fire everyone, and rebuild the whole front office and a new GM with Ideas to make this team competitive soon as possible.

[White Linen]

Why do people expect Nix to tell the media exactly what he's going to do? He's been saying for a while that he wants to build through the draft. He's been saying for a while not to expect us to go after top tier free agents. And yet, people are still surprised by this? Why not wait and see what happens before pissing and moaning about all this?

 

+1

[reddogblitz]

I want to build this team up for a decade of playoff runs... avoid the older guys as tempting as they might be. sign young talent, and keep building towards the future. i dont want to sign a few old guys on the backside of their career, and need to replace them in 2 years.

This sounds good, however I don't think it would work in today's NFL. That's because player contracts run out after 4 or 5 years and then some of those players leave. Now you have to fill a hole, not just add to make better. Then what are you adding? Rookies who need a couple of years to contribute. Then they contribute 2 or 3 years and leave. It's a vicious cycle.

 

I see other teams stay good by drafting well AND getting hot FAs. I'm thinking of Philadelphia, NY Football Giants, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, etc. I'd rather see us go that route.

[Thoner7]

OK, I get the build through the draft idea, that has obviously worked for the Steelers and Packers. BUT, the new CBA requires the Bills to spend over 30 mil to get to the salary floor! That’s minimum!!!

 

Who on God’s green earth are they going to sign to get to that minimum? More Cornel Green’s and D’wan Edwards? You could sign 22 Cornel Greens and D’wan Edwards for 30 mil. We honestly have no choice but to make some big splashes. The Packers and Steelers have drafted well enough where they can splash on their own players, the Bills need to splash on other teams players!

 

We should sign 4-5 starters with that 30 mil and call it a day!

[Texas Bill]

I think Buddy's just saying we're not trying to duplicate the success stories of Dan Snyder and Jerry Jones.

[Jauronimo]

The fact that the Bills have yet to sign a free agent is incontrovertible proof that the Bills DO NOT care about winning! Nevermind that free agency does't begin until 6PM Friday, winners don't play by the rules.

[billsfan89]

I want to build this team up for a decade of playoff runs... avoid the older guys as tempting as they might be. sign young talent, and keep building towards the future. i dont want to sign a few old guys on the backside of their career, and need to replace them in 2 years.

 

If you signed Zack Miller or a quality RT who would they be taking snaps away from. I agree that you don't need to being in 7+ starters in free agency one you don't want to screw up your cap situation, and two you don't want a washed up player taking away snaps from a young player worth a dam.

 

BUT if you don't have quality young players at certain positions why not invest some of that cap space to get better players.

[MClem06]

+1

 

Point taken. I admire those that still have faith in our front office. I myself do not. That does not mean that I don't wish beyond everything else that we will at one point bring back glory to the Bills. I just don't think that this is the right position to take in this free agency where we have an equal chance with everyone else to fill some of the holes we have with high caliber players.

 

The fact that the Bills have yet to sign a free agent is incontrovertible proof that the Bills DO NOT care about winning! Nevermind that free agency does't begin until 6PM Friday, winners don't play by the rules.

 

I know and everyone talking on this thread knows that Friday is the start of FA Signings. The article on Buddy's statement is what the thread is about. The stance that he says they are taking to stay away from big splashes is almost as dumb as your post.

[benbillsfan]

Why do people expect Nix to tell the media exactly what he's going to do? He's been saying for a while that he wants to build through the draft. He's been saying for a while not to expect us to go after top tier free agents. And yet, people are still surprised by this? Why not wait and see what happens before pissing and moaning about all this?

 

1. either he is bluffing (which nix likes to do) and he is looking at some huge fa's...or

 

2. he is telling the truth and taking our 40 mil in cap space (that we have to spend 90 percent of) to sign poz and florence and fitzy..now thats not the huge problem...the problem is you upgrade by the fa period...new england does it all the time...i hate that he is saying this...and to spend 40 mil on players that are underperforming with the talents around them allready...head scratcher

[Jauronimo]

I know and everyone talking on this thread knows that Friday is the start of FA Signings. The article on Buddy's statement is what the thread is about. The stance that he says they are taking to stay away from big splashes is almost as dumb as your post.

Go back and read the thread. You'll see several posters were unaware that FA has not yet begun. In typical TBD fashion I see you took my post, assumed it was a slight directed at yourself, and lashed out. If you knew when the FA period was set to begin, why take such offense?

[thewildrabbit]

I understand your venting but you have to agree the team WAS terrible when Buddy took over. He made it clear from Day 1 his plan was to build through the draft and only make "splashes" when he felt the team was a player or two away and that player was there for the taking. Do YOU think the Bills are at that point? And do you think keeping Poz, Stevie and Fitzpatrick is "overpaying for mediocre players"? Last year was so much of "an evaluation" year. This year seems to be focused on keeping the good players, drafting towards need and strength of the draft class (defensive line and defensive back), and not going too crazy with signing stop gap players. Now, having said that, I'd still like to see the Bills take a stab at signing Tyson Clabo. He young enough. Going after Thigpen - who is younger than Fitzy - is another not necessarily stop gap move. The Bills have the making of a really good YOUNG defense. They MAY have their franchise quarterback. They are looking decent at the WR position. Wood and Levitre are solid in the middle of the line and they THINK they have something in the two guys they signed late last season. Demetrius Bell is is merely o.k at this point.

 

So, if you are looking for 10 wins this season EVEN IF THEY SIGN SEVERAL HIGH PRICED free agents, I'd like to have what you are smoking. 8 wins is a max out ...maybeeeee 9?? That would still be 4 more wins (or 5) than last year. Sorry if you have dreams of better but this is how you build it up and no I disagree strongly wit hyour last sentence, " We'll be at best a 50% win team at best for the next 5 years" ( I assume you mean doing what they are currently doing - building through the draft and resigning their best players, carefully restocking the team through free agency).

 

Go Bills!

 

-RichNJoisy

No I don't agree, it was mediocre! Nix and gailey made it terrible!

 

Nix himself stated that the team was "not that far away" as he took over a team that was 2 years removed from 7-9. Juaron scuttled the O line by cutting G Dockery and RT Walker, trading away LT Jason Peters and not replacing any of them.

 

All Nix needed to do was replace the players Jauron cut and shore up the run defense with a decent LB or 2. Although he tried to fix those positions, instead he only made them worse with the players he brought in.

 

Don't expect this team to go anywhere lead by Nix & Gailey

[Heitz]

No I don't agree, it was mediocre! Nix and gailey made it terrible!

 

Nix himself stated that the team was "not that far away" as he took over a team that was 2 years removed from 7-9. Juaron scuttled the O line by cutting G Dockery and RT Walker, trading away LT Jason Peters and not replacing any of them.

 

All Nix needed to do was replace the players Jauron cut and shore up the run defense with a decent LB or 2. Although he tried to fix those positions, instead he only made them worse with the players he brought in.

 

Don't expect this team to go anywhere lead by Nix & Gailey

You're continued anti Nix and Gailey rants are getting old. The record might not have reflected it, but if you don't think last years team effort was one of the best we've seen in years, you're not watching the same Bills team as most of us...

[benbillsfan]

I know and everyone talking on this thread knows that Friday is the start of FA Signings. The article on Buddy's statement is what the thread is about. The stance that he says they are taking to stay away from big splashes is almost as dumb as your post.

 

 

yea...i understand the post as well...and everyone here does know when free agency begins..this post has to do with what our gm is saying before a tightly packed, race to sign free agents when other teams mouths are salavating at the chance to get upgrades at positions...and our gm comes out and says...just to let you know were not signing sh**...i get the op and i agree with it!

[apuszczalowski]

i just heard Buddy talking on the radio, and he said again, don't expect them to make a huge splash in FA (He also said they think they have their LT already). He is going to be out there signing guys, but not big name/money guys that he says hardly ever work out (I doon't know how he can say that, seeing the success Washington has had)

 

The plan is they are not looking at rushing into making this team successful for a couple years, they want to build the team to be successful for a long time, and their method is similar to Pittsburgh and Green Bay. Draft well, build from within, top off with the occasional FA when the team is ready to compete. The current coaching and front office is sticking with this, even though the fans want to win now and blame them for previous failure beyond their control. Its a slower process but can yeild much greater rewards then the quicker instant gratification that the fans want just because they haven't been satisfied for a while.

 

He isn't saying they won't be going out to get good players, just that they won't be going out and getting into bidding wars and over paying for the top name guy available just because the fans think he will help out this year

[Hplarrm]

I want to build this team up for a decade of playoff runs... avoid the older guys as tempting as they might be. sign young talent, and keep building towards the future. i dont want to sign a few old guys on the backside of their career, and need to replace them in 2 years.

There has got to be some happy medium though which involves "making a splash" by signing a player who is older. The Bills NEED older players for several reasons:

 

1. Older players who have had success should have it as part of their jobs and a reason you pay them the big bucks above statistical output teaching the youngsters what it takes to win. Guys who routinely are first and last on the practice field demonstrate an ethic that can add substantially to success.

 

2. Players get hurt and this is part of the business. An older player who can step in when a more talented youngster gets hurt are crucial to the game. The Bills should sign these players and it will make a splash.

 

3. Both winning and losing are contagious. It is simply a stupid strategy not likely to succeed for a team to build exclusively through drafting talented youngsters. A team needs to demonstrate to its current players that it is willing to make even an extra effort to win IF it is really going to expect or demand of its players to make an extra effort themselves.

 

If the Bills simply sit on money that they could (or even have to) spend to meet the salary cap then you should not be surprised if the players simply make the almost effort that the front office shows in how they spend their dollars.

[BuffOrange]

Why do people expect Nix to tell the media exactly what he's going to do?

 

They don't. Nobody expects to hear "we're looking to pick up Zack Miller but we're only going to pay him $X which may not be enough to outbid the Chiefs".

 

What is expected from virtually every competitive organization ever however, is a generic blurb like "we'll keep our options open and explore every possible avenue to improve our football team if we can". This was a staple of the Donahoe era which - say what you will about his draft choices and taste in QB's (and there's a lot of negative things to be said there) - at least translated into some impact FA acquisitions.

 

It is a bit disappointing to hear that we're apparently content with what we have. Maybe/hopefully it's just lip service and it's not the end of the world, but for now it's all there is to talk about and it's not an encouraging thing to ear.