Who did SI rate as having the best 2012 offseason??

[judman]

It's the Andy Reid trophy.

 

Love it!

 

When you're a Bills fan staring at an 11 year playoff drought, a good off season is damn good! I'll take it.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

This could change of course, but this is what I think will happen. Chandler Jones is already taking all the first team reps in what we've seen of the camps so far. Pencil him in right now as the day 1 starter. Rob Ninkovich is listed as the SLB on the depth chart, but I don't believe he holds on over Dont'a Hightower. He was the second first round pick of the Patriots and if he's not starting day 1, he will be and very quickly. Far more talent than anyone else they have on their roster at that position. Mayo and Spikes will of course play the other two LB positions. The third starter I guess I should really qualify as a situational starter. I believe you'll see hybrid CB/FS Tavon Wilson on the field in Nickel and Dime depending on what the opposing offenses are doing. I've watched a lot of Big-Ten football and that kid played great against much better teams. Similar to Mercilus. Many had him the 3rd or 4th best DE in the draft. I think he's going to be something special for Houston and could turn out to be the best at his position. Take it or leave it, that's my two cents. The Patriots always seem to find gems later in drafts that turn into starters. Ridley, Gronkowski, and Chung are just some recent examples.

 

He has had some starts. Regardless, if you don't like 2nd rounders, then let's look at 3rd rounders that have been starters. Ellis Hobbs, Nick Kuczar, HOF Curtis Martin, Teddy Bruschi, Todd Collins, Brandon Tate, Greg Spires. That's guys just in the last 10 years. The point is that these guys contributed as starters. Not everyone drafted later are HOF material like Martin, but it doesn't matter with the Patriots.

You're talking about guys that were drafted in the 1990s for God's sake… you're digging into ancient history in attempting to make your point.

 

The Patsies*** drafts have been weak lately… and particularly they are trying to regain their drafting touch since Scott Pioli and Thomas Dimitroff left the organization. It's too early to judge the 2011 draft. The 2010 draft is looking good. But look at the 4 years from 2006 to 2009:

 

Recent highly-drafted busts include 2009 2nd rounders Darius Butler (cut) and Ron Brace (total non-entity), 3rd rounders Brandon Tate (cut) and Tyrone McKenzie (cut), 2008 2nd rounder Terrence Wheatley (cut), 2008 3rd rounder Shawn Crable (cut), 2007 first rounder Brandon Merriweather (cut), 2006 first rounder Laurence Maroney (traded with a 6th rounder for a 4th rounder), 2006 second rounder Chad Jackson (cut), and 2006 3rd rounder Dave Thomas (traded for a 7th).

 

 

So in those four years, the Cheatriots*** cut or traded for next to nothing two 1st rounders, four 2nd rounders, and four 3rd rounders.

 

Put differently, in four recent drafts, the *******s have cut or traded away for next to nothing 10 of their draft picks from the first 3 rounds.

 

No other NFL team can claim such recent horrendous drafting.

 

They need to string together a few good drafts in a row before they deserve any benefit of the doubt.

[eball]

Consider this:

 

http://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/index.ssf/2012/04/new_england_patriots_best_clev.html

 

We've struggled to find actual starters in the 3rd and 2nd rounds (Byrd the exclusion).

 

That's good info, but I wish they had broken it down and listed the actual players/rounds/years.

[Drewgetz]

Yet another thread about our great off season... not that I disagree or am not excited but ugh, getting sick of only having the same thing to talk about. We can only argue our points and dissect stories in so many different ways before we start loosing our minds.

 

 

Any article in a top sports magazine saying the Bills are best at anything is worthy of discussion.

 

Thanks for the post.

 

Cynics go home.

[PromoTheRobot]

This. Who gives a damn if they had a great offseason. Unless it translates into wins on the field, it's all farts in the wind.

 

Go Yankees!

So if the Bills did nothing this off season, you'd be fine with it? I'm just trying to wrap my head around this. We do good things and that is bad? But if we did nothing that is bad too?

 

PTR

[The Senator]

Our Bills are the only team of all 32 to rate an A-grade??? Well, how 'bout that???

 

After the best off-season in the entire NFL, there's only one thing left to accomplish...

19 and 0 baby!!!!!

.

 

Edited July 20, 2012 by The Senator

[mrags]

Really???

 

We all know what happens on the field is most important.

 

But jeez, The topic was, "who had the best off season", cant we at least allow some discussion on that?

 

If not you might as well shut down the site until the season! Cause all is just speculation until games are played.

 

lighten up a little!

Well put. People here must all be from Buffalo because thier responses are so negetive and miserable. Josh Reed was right ;-)

[MattM]

I think the Bills grade is correct, but will someone please explain how New England gets a B-plus? The players mentioned are, Joseph Addai, Brandon Lloyd, Jabar Gaffney, Donte' Stallworth, Will Allen and Andre Carter. The only guy under 30 is Addai. Go to Pats roster click on each of these guys and look at their past production and ages. How was this a great off season for them?

 

http://www.patriots.com/team/roster.html

 

To paraphrase our hometown boy, Rick James, HGH is a heckuva drug!

 

Looks like the Pats* are just going back to old training methods.....

Edited July 20, 2012 by MattM

[Drewgetz]

Well put. People here must all be from Buffalo because thier responses are so negetive and miserable. Josh Reed was right ;-)

 

I agree, I hate it when this stuff happens, Sorry Josh.

 

Stop turning Buffalo into the next Philadelphia.

We used to make fun of their fans, now some of you are becoming just like them.

 

Go Bills!!

[chris heff]

This could change of course, but this is what I think will happen. Chandler Jones is already taking all the first team reps in what we've seen of the camps so far. Pencil him in right now as the day 1 starter. Rob Ninkovich is listed as the SLB on the depth chart, but I don't believe he holds on over Dont'a Hightower. He was the second first round pick of the Patriots and if he's not starting day 1, he will be and very quickly. Far more talent than anyone else they have on their roster at that position. Mayo and Spikes will of course play the other two LB positions. The third starter I guess I should really qualify as a situational starter. I believe you'll see hybrid CB/FS Tavon Wilson on the field in Nickel and Dime depending on what the opposing offenses are doing. I've watched a lot of Big-Ten football and that kid played great against much better teams. Similar to Mercilus. Many had him the 3rd or 4th best DE in the draft. I think he's going to be something special for Houston and could turn out to be the best at his position. Take it or leave it, that's my two cents. The Patriots always seem to find gems later in drafts that turn into starters. Ridley, Gronkowski, and Chung are just some recent examples.

 

Ok, so they lose a 10 sack DE to us and draft a DE. They pick up a LB who may turn out to be good. They had arguably the worst secondary in the league and they add a situational hybrid CB/FS and this is what makes it a great off season?

[eball]

Ok, so they lose a 10 sack DE to us and draft a DE. They pick up a LB who may turn out to be good. They had arguably the worst secondary in the league and they add a situational hybrid CB/FS and this is what makes it a great off season?

Look, I hate the friggin' Pats* as much as anyone but they did some things they needed to do in the draft and free agency -- namely, they re-stocked with some veteran WRs (Brandon Lloyd was a great signing) and got younger and better on defense. They also added by subtraction with respect to Ochocinco.

 

They are not a perfect team, but the offense will probably not lose a step and the defense can only get better. When you're already at the top of your conference, you don't have to make wholesale changes, just tweaks.

 

The key to Buffalo competing with the Pats* will be how quickly all of the new pieces on defense come together. The blueprint is there for slowing down Brady, and Nix has built the Bills to do it...on paper.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Look, I hate the friggin' Pats* as much as anyone but they did some things they needed to do in the draft and free agency -- namely, they re-stocked with some veteran WRs (Brandon Lloyd was a great signing) and got younger and better on defense. They also added by subtraction with respect to Ochocinco.

 

They are not a perfect team, but the offense will probably not lose a step and the defense can only get better. When you're already at the top of your conference, you don't have to make wholesale changes, just tweaks.

 

The key to Buffalo competing with the Pats* will be how quickly all of the new pieces on defense come together. The blueprint is there for slowing down Brady, and Nix has built the Bills to do it...on paper.

I like Brandon Lloyd but it's also true that he's a 31-year old receiver who has missed 17 games in the last two seasons.

 

It's also true that Matt Light retired and that Logan Mankins had his worst season as a pro in 2011.

 

It's also true that the Patriots are heavily reliant on an aging Brady and Welker and that they lost their best running back in "The Law Firm."

 

This is an offense that could take a step or two backwards.

 

People will call me crazy but I would not trade our roster for theirs. I would not trade our roster for the Jets roster either.

 

I see the Bills trajectory as going steeply up while the Pats******* and the Jets are slowly declining.

 

Wishful thinking? Maybe.

 

 

[eball]

I like Brandon Lloyd but it's also true that he's a 31-year old receiver who has missed 17 games in the last two seasons.

 

It's also true that Matt Light retired and that Logan Mankins had his worst season as a pro in 2011.

 

It's also true that the Patriots are heavily reliant on an aging Brady and Welker and that they lost their best running back in "The Law Firm."

 

This is an offense that could take a step or two backwards.

 

People will call me crazy but I would not trade our roster for theirs. I would not trade our roster for the Jets roster either.

 

I see the Bills trajectory as going steeply up while the Pats******* and the Jets are slowly declining.

 

Wishful thinking? Maybe.

San Jose -- don't tell anyone, but my post was an effort to dispel the notion I'm a blind homer who believes the Bills can do no wrong. I agree with a lot of what you just wrote but it's not considered "realistic" to knock the Pats* just yet.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

San Jose -- don't tell anyone, but my post was an effort to dispel the notion I'm a blind homer who believes the Bills can do no wrong. I agree with a lot of what you just wrote but it's not considered "realistic" to knock the Pats* just yet.

I forgot that you try to be "optimistically objective."

 

I won't let on to the others.

 

 

[chris heff]

San Jose -- don't tell anyone, but my post was an effort to dispel the notion I'm a blind homer who believes the Bills can do no wrong. I agree with a lot of what you just wrote but it's not considered "realistic" to knock the Pats* just yet.

 

I am not knocking the Pats, I am knocking the grade given to their off season in this article. If the Bills had the same holes to fill as the Pats and the Bills made the same off season moves, the article would read as follows:

 

"Bills have another head scratching off season. To fix their lack of talent at WR they brought in an aging group well past their prime. To fix the RB position they signed a back that has not rushed for 1000 yards since 2007! They lost a 10 sack DE and replaced him with a rookie, rookies rarely get 10 sacks. They did little to shore up the worst secondary in the NFL, Will Allen really? And a situational hybrid CB/FS doesn't seem like remotely enough. Grade D- Minus."

[Mr. WEO]

You're talking about guys that were drafted in the 1990s for God's sake… you're digging into ancient history in attempting to make your point.

 

The Patsies*** drafts have been weak lately… and particularly they are trying to regain their drafting touch since Scott Pioli and Thomas Dimitroff left the organization. It's too early to judge the 2011 draft. The 2010 draft is looking good. But look at the 4 years from 2006 to 2009:

 

Recent highly-drafted busts include 2009 2nd rounders Darius Butler (cut) and Ron Brace (total non-entity), 3rd rounders Brandon Tate (cut) and Tyrone McKenzie (cut), 2008 2nd rounder Terrence Wheatley (cut), 2008 3rd rounder Shawn Crable (cut), 2007 first rounder Brandon Merriweather (cut), 2006 first rounder Laurence Maroney (traded with a 6th rounder for a 4th rounder), 2006 second rounder Chad Jackson (cut), and 2006 3rd rounder Dave Thomas (traded for a 7th).

 

 

So in those four years, the Cheatriots*** cut or traded for next to nothing two 1st rounders, four 2nd rounders, and four 3rd rounders.

 

Put differently, in four recent drafts, the *******s have cut or traded away for next to nothing 10 of their draft picks from the first 3 rounds.

 

No other NFL team can claim such recent horrendous drafting.

They need to string together a few good drafts in a row before they deserve any benefit of the doubt.

 

Plenty of teams do. Look at the Bills over those years. '06: Whitner/MaCargo/youboty--a total wash. '07: Lynch (traded for a 4th)/Poz (not resigned)/Edwards (cut after 2 weeks after new HC names him starter), '08: McKelvin (starter but little postitive impact)/Hardy (cut)/Ellis (cut), '09: Maybin (huge bust)/Wood (legit starter, missed much of his career so far)/Byrd/Levitre, '10: Spiller (starter by default so far)/Troup (zero impact, now falling down the depth chart)/Carrington (backup).

 

If the pats drafts suck and their FA signings suck, how did they win the AFCE 8 of the last 9 seasons and play in 2 SBs since the crappy drafting in 2006 began? It's all Brady?

[chris heff]

Plenty of teams do. Look at the Bills over those years. '06: Whitner/MaCargo/youboty--a total wash. '07: Lynch (traded for a 4th)/Poz (not resigned)/Edwards (cut after 2 weeks after new HC names him starter), '08: McKelvin (starter but little postitive impact)/Hardy (cut)/Ellis (cut), '09: Maybin (huge bust)/Wood (legit starter, missed much of his career so far)/Byrd/Levitre, '10: Spiller (starter by default so far)/Troup (zero impact, now falling down the depth chart)/Carrington (backup).

 

If the pats drafts suck and their FA signings suck, how did they win the AFCE 8 of the last 9 seasons and play in 2 SBs since the crappy drafting in 2006 began? It's all Brady?

 

Yes it is all Brady. I don't think this is the same Pats team that won with Matt Cassel. If you take Brady off this team they very well could become last years Colts.

[MattM]

I like Brandon Lloyd but it's also true that he's a 31-year old receiver who has missed 17 games in the last two seasons.

 

It's also true that Matt Light retired and that Logan Mankins had his worst season as a pro in 2011.

 

It's also true that the Patriots are heavily reliant on an aging Brady and Welker and that they lost their best running back in "The Law Firm."

 

This is an offense that could take a step or two backwards.

 

People will call me crazy but I would not trade our roster for theirs. I would not trade our roster for the Jets roster either.

 

I see the Bills trajectory as going steeply up while the Pats******* and the Jets are slowly declining.

 

Wishful thinking? Maybe.

 

In addition, I thought I'd read somewhere that Mankins also may be on PUP to start the season due to his SB injury and Brian Waters, their other guard who's 35 or so, hasn't made up his mind as to whether he'll be back. If that's the case, combined with the Light retirement, you could be looking at a very different O-line this year. As we all know, O-lines can take some time to jell, so what was always a Pats* strength could turn into a weakness. If their line does indeed stink this year, even with Brady, I don't see how they win more than 10 games this season.....

Edited July 20, 2012 by MattM

[San Jose Bills Fan]

If the Bills had the same holes to fill as the Pats and the Bills made the same off season moves, the article would read as follows:

 

"Bills have another head scratching off season. To fix their lack of talent at WR they brought in an aging group well past their prime. To fix the RB position they signed a back that has not rushed for 1000 yards since 2007! They lost a 10 sack DE and replaced him with a rookie, rookies rarely get 10 sacks. They did little to shore up the worst secondary in the NFL, Will Allen really? And a situational hybrid CB/FS doesn't seem like remotely enough. Grade D- Minus."

Absolutely.

 

Teams that are perennially good are given the benefit of the doubt.

 

Teams that are perennially bad are not given the benefit of the doubt.

 

I believe that the Bills are a team on the rise and that the Cheating Bastards***** are a team in decline but apparently until that happens, we have no right to express this view.

 

I also strongly agree with you that the Cheating Bastards***** would tank without Brady.

 

As I pointed out upthread, their drafts from 2006 to 2009 resulted in 2 first round busts, 4 second round busts, and 4 3rd round busts. No team in the NFL drafted more poorly than did the Cheating Bastards***** during those years.

 

http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/147769-who-did-si-rate-as-having-the-best-2012-offseason/page__view__findpost__p__2508844

 

 

 

This is not the same kind of team which won 11 games without Brady in 2008.

 

I agree if Brady were to go down, it would be catastrophic for them.

[eball]

I am not knocking the Pats, I am knocking the grade given to their off season in this article. If the Bills had the same holes to fill as the Pats and the Bills made the same off season moves, the article would read as follows:

 

"Bills have another head scratching off season. To fix their lack of talent at WR they brought in an aging group well past their prime. To fix the RB position they signed a back that has not rushed for 1000 yards since 2007! They lost a 10 sack DE and replaced him with a rookie, rookies rarely get 10 sacks. They did little to shore up the worst secondary in the NFL, Will Allen really? And a situational hybrid CB/FS doesn't seem like remotely enough. Grade D- Minus."

This is absolutely brilliant, and dead on.

 

That the Bills have received such high marks on their offseason -- knowing anything the Bills do is usually met with bemused skepticism by the national media -- should tell us something. It certainly has impacted the sharp gamblers, who continue to push the Bills' win total higher in Vegas.