Wing Man Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Let me begin by saying that I would embrace having Buddy Nix back at GM next year. Three years ago we had a roster that wouldn't beat most college teams. Now we scream that our team is underperforming because our head coach sucks - no argument there. Many would agree we have many of the pieces together except at QB, LB, and a shut down corner, which Gilmore has the potential to become. The QB anyone would assume would be addressed in next year's draft. A LB or two could be picked up in free agency and/or the draft. The Mario Williams coup last season shows me how aggressive he can be at getting talent for the team. Gailey is his most glaring mistake, but it happens - to this team a lot. You can make arguments about a lot of his draft picks, but even the best GMs swing and miss sometimes. Still, rumors abound (Thurman?) of a housecleaning at One Bills Drive which will be welcomed by many. Some head coaching prospects would want total control of both GM and field ops. The big wild card in all of this is the health of Ralph Wilson. Who's really running the team, Ralph or his daughter? If it's Ralph, you can probably count out any number of GM and head coaching combinations and vice versa. First, here's a compilation of GMs that would make anywhere from a reasonable to a brilliant choice for GM: Doug Whaley - Buffalo, Dir. of Player Personnel This is certainly the obvious choice and the incestuous one as well, and we know how Ralph likes to hire people he knows. Whaley has been with the organization forever and is ready to be plucked by another franchise at any moment. The Bills may ask Nix to step aside to make room for Whaley at GM just to ensure they don't lose him. It's a safe pick, kinda, I think. Nix could get promoted to President of Football Operations or retire altogether. AJ Smith - San Diego, GM Another incestuous move having been here in Buffalo before under Butler. He had a good resume in San Diego before things went sideways after being the most recent victim of Norv Turner. AJ and Norv are about to be shown the door come Monday. He did burn some bridges here upon leaving Buffalo, particularly by bad mouthing Ralph Wilson which reduces his chances. He would be the 2d straight Chargers product in the office. There are more than a few detractors about this choice, however. Nix would surely retire in this case. Bill Polian - Frmr. Indianapolis, Buffalo GM There are people all over Western New York praying for this to come true. Polian has even expressed interest in possibly coming back. Won a Super Bowl with Indianapolis and built Buffalo into a killer team. Of course, he had his own falling out with Ralph, but he did make it on the Wall of Fame this year, something Lou Saban has yet to do. You can dream can't you? Oh, please, oh please, oh please, oh please, oh please!!!!! John Dorsey - Green Bay Dir. of Football Operations This is as much a lateral move from one football rabid small market team to another. A 21 year veteran in player scouting who was promoted this year to his current title. Widely believed to be among the top available talent not presently a GM. He passed on an interview with Indianapolis last offseason. This would be a pick up in the inspiring category. David Caldwell - Atlanta Dir. Player Personnel David will be on a lot of teams' short list this year. Although he's only worked from the college side before this year, he's considered a brilliant evaluator of talent. Tom Gamble - San Francisco Dir. Player Personnel Gamble is burning on the radar of multiple teams. He combines experience on both the college and pro side and even spent seven years as a college scout for Bill Polian in Indy prior to moving to SF in 2005. He has experience in contract negotiations and salary cap management. His father, Harry Gamble, was a college and pro coach and an NFL executive later on in his career. Polian on Gamble: "He's got a complete grounding in the game. He grew up in the game. This is exceedingly important when you consider there are a lot of issues that you have to deal with when becoming a GM that will come up with a team. You're at a big disadvantage if you don't have this experience in dealing with everything. That's why non-football people have a harder time succeeding. Because Tom has so much experience and grew up around the game with his dad, he's going to be more prepared than most. That's a huge advantage." High praise for certain. Competition for Gamble will be fierce and San Francisco may match offers to keep him in house. He'd be a total steal. -- There are other highly touted candidates from the Giants and Ravens that aren't interviewing because there's an understanding that they're a lock to take over the GM spot within their own organizations when the existing GM retires. Of course, if we bring in a big name head coach, he'll likely want total control. If Ralph is really in control, he'll never part with that much money annually for a GM/Coach, IMHO. Realistically, a lot of expensive GM/Head Coach combos have been total busts, so it's hardly a slam dunk solution. We're just starving for a team that resembles an NFL franchise so fan interest in head coaching saviors is intense following more than a decade of incompetent "up and coming" assistants. Part 2: Coaches we're not going to get and more of those brilliant "up and coming" assistants. Part 3: Nightmare scenarios Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAWNDO Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Whaley and Caldwell are the only two I could see as legitimate GM Candidates for Buffalo. I think Polian would come as Director of Football Operations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan714 Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 (edited) I'll take a true no. 1 WR before another corner, but then again Im not Dick Jauron or Buddy Nix. Edited December 29, 2012 by billsfan714 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UConn James Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Whaley has been with the Bills forever?? Dude came here from Pittsburgh FO (remember the pornographic email that he mistakenly sent all around the league including to Goodell?) after John Guy was shown the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Whaley has been with the Bills forever?? Dude came here from Pittsburgh FO (remember the pornographic email that he mistakenly sent all around the league including to Goodell?) after John Guy was shown the door. Hey now - he was just the guy that sent it to the guy that forwarded it to EVERYONE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wing Man Posted December 29, 2012 Author Share Posted December 29, 2012 Well, forever next to everyone else in the organization except for Brandon and Ralph. Whaley and Caldwell are the only two I could see as legitimate GM Candidates for Buffalo. I think Polian would come as Director of Football Operations. I'm sure there will be another exhaustive search that turns up a genuine unknown in about a week, if anything changes at all. Caldwell isn't a bad choice, but getting Caldwell could be difficult given this franchise's record hiring GMs. When Russ Brandon is handed the GM job, it's no wonder the league laughs at us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finhater Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Forever I guess means just under three years with buffalo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 [This is an automated response] This subject matter is being currently being discussed or has already been discussed in a previous thread. Please consider using the "search" function before starting new topics. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts