So far, treading water in FA and trade aquisitions

[CountDorkula]

 

 

He is going nowhere behind this O line. Bills better have some answers or Whaley is going to really start looking foolish.

 

Incognito says sup.

A healtyh Chris Williams says hi.

Not Having Marrone and co here is an instant improvement.

 

 

BUT THAT FIRST ROUND PICK THOUGH. WHALEY SUCKZZZZZ!!!!!

[kota]

NOt sure how you can say it's a wash when comparing two players who are on opposite sides of the field but ok. NICE POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dezertbill]

I know that it's very early in free agency, but some of the enthusiasm seems to have faded.

 

So far, we're maybe breaking even when comparing last year's team to this years; specifically,

 

 

- Cassell for Orton - maybe a slight plus

 

McCoy for Kiko - maybe a slight plus - I don't buy the argument that our defense was great last year without him... it's still an elite young talent going out the door - one which would've made our defense even better

 

Incognito for Searcy - wash

 

Kept Hughes - we're supposed to keep our own good players - wash

 

adding Felton - I suppose a plus

 

 

If we address TE (Clay) and upgrade guard and add a good linebacker, we could probably say we're better than last year from and overall talent perspective. However, none of these have happened yet.

 

Right now, about the same as last year, with no first rounder...

 

 

 

I think the Bills have done a great job thus far restructuring this franchise

 

Obtaining arguably the most productive 26 year old RB in the league in a trade for a 2nd year LB that is coming off major knee surgery (his 2nd in five years) I feel is far from a push.

 

While Alonso was a hit with fans and played (at times) at a high level, one solid year in which he had 4 sacks and 1 FF in the first four games of the season, and zero sacks and zero FF the rest of the way doesn't make him a slam dunk for future success. He also played behind a pretty solid d-line last time I checked. I don't think Philly's D line will rival Buffalo's.

 

Buffalo's success will depend on the running game, and acquiring a player in McCoy who had as many rushing yards as all RB's on the Bills last season combined is a huge boost. He also was a lot healthier

 

Cassel's stats are better than QB's that Rex Ryan teams have reached deep into the playoffs with in the past. Players like Trent Dilfer, Tony Banks, and Mark Sanchez have worse stats and turned over the ball more than Cassel. Matt Cassel isn't going to be asked to win many games with his arm. He'll be paid to play smart and not turn the ball over. With that being said, the team still expects EJ to make strides as a 3rd year pro, which honestly I see happening. Cassel is more of an insurance policy.

 

Keeping your own good players isn't a slam dunk by any imagination, especially a player that was as highly sought after as Hughes. Buffalo had a huge mountain to climb with the money that Jacksonville and Oakland had to spend. Hughes knew that one of those teams would overspend (I.E. Lee Smith signing for 3 years $9 mil in OAK) but Buffalo still got it done. Huge credit to Whaley to keep the d-line intact. K Williams extension is another huge plus. Ask Detroit about keeping their key FA players after Suh left for Miami.

 

Felton is also arguably the best FB in the league, and I'm sure Adrian Peterson will confirm. He blocked for a 2000 yard rusher and is at the top of his game. Getting one of the best players at his position to play a style that is so critical to the team's success speaks volumes.

 

If Charles Clay was a FA he would have already been signed. The only delay is structuring the contract so Miami cannot match. That's why he is looking for homes in Buffalo. He's a better blocker than Chandler and has twice as many TD receptions over the last two seasons than the Bills current TE which makes him more of a red-zone threat. In Buffalo's run-heavy offense those are important upgrades.

 

FO said the market for OL dried up fast. With Iupati signing with Cards and Bulaga and Boling re-signing with their former teams, that's understandable. Bills are looking for quality players, not just signing a name to make fans feel warm and fuzzy inside. There are players such as Jahri Evans who are due to get cut and I'm sure the Bills will be high on. Others will pop up as well. Buffalo has also been able to get starters in the draft after the 1st round, and I expect rounds 2-4 will bring in players that will compete at OL.

 

FA is only 24 hours old. I disagree that this is the same team that ended the season week 17 in New England. It's improved in a lot of key areas (including team model and philosophy) and I expect that to continue. Not every day is going to involve a splashy signing. All I care about is the product the Bills put on the field in2015. So far they are off to a phenomenal start, and I expect the job to be done by the time summer comes around and be ready for playoff football come January.

Edited March 11, 2015 by dezertbill

[Heitz]

Did the tailgate already start or something? Are you guys drinking heavily at Hammers?

 

Everyone that agrees with the OP, hop in the bus that is this thread and we'll push it off a cliff...

 

[BarleyNY]

this must be your 2nd account OP.

A retort worth of a 5th grader. You're really growing up! Feel free to chime in with an actual arguement - if you are capable.

[Nanker]

[Tenhigh]

The premise of all the Kiko-McCoy trade talk is the Bills getting some line help and an upgrade at tight end. But if they do that, they would have been fine sticking with Fred and whoever else they got in free agency. Not to mention still having Kiko.

 

Not sure if people realize that McCoy has played behind a top notch oline his whole career and has been coached by smart offensive minds. Darren Sproles actually had a much better rushing average than him last season. I can't think of another running back who has been as fortunate as McCoy. He's good, but he's not as good as most here think.

 

Put him on the Bills last year, and how do you think he would have done with our 32nd rated offensive line? Lower your expectations about him being the difference-maker here because it's not going to happen. The offense will still suck and be carried by the defense again. But we do have an easier schedule, and the defense (barring injuries) has the potential to be even better under Rex, so anything's possible.

What do you want to bet that he won't be a difference maker?

[billsfan89]

Its 48 hours into free agency the team is very active on Charles Clay and Percy Harvin. Still plenty of good players out there to be had. If the Bills sign Clay and grab a guard in round 2 that plays at a good level I think its pretty clear that the offense will have been upgraded. Let alone adding in Harvin and other players possibly.

[K-9]

I'd say that the OP is fair in his assessment that the team is status quo talent-wise from last season, but:

- Talent acquisitions aren't over yet and

- Ryan is a huge upgrade over Marrone

Ryan over Marrone is huge.

 

And McCoy is our best RB since TT. We are infinitely better at the RB position than we were last season. Now the "dime a dozen" crowd, which has a hard time delineating talent, will argue that but I bet we won't be able to find any of them when they see the impact of a difference maker at the position.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Jukester]

I'm happy with the offseason... so far. Having said that and taking our D into account, the #1 need in my book is offensive line (yes, more than QB). They've brought in Incognito but we obviously need more and nothing so far in FA. Still hoping that we'll land someone otherwise the draft it is.

 

Shore up that O-line and I'll be ecstatic with what we've done.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Jukester