Best Player Available Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Just to be clear Alex Smith was fantastic that year in SF. He completed 70.2%, 193 yards per game, 13 TD, 5 INT and a 104.1 rating. He had struggles leading up to that point but was great that year (and has been good since). Hindsight being 20/20 I wish the Bills had signed him. You have to believe Roman had a lot to do with him finally figuring it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Hindsight being 20/20 I wish the Bills had signed him. You have to believe Roman had a lot to do with him finally figuring it out. I wanted him here at the time (think that he was traded for a 2nd but don't remember). They could win a Super Bowl with him under center. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 But, But, who should they have gone after the last two years? Oh wait! I mean since EJ was benched, and the FO knew after three games last season that he wasn't the answer then why not try for a top FA QB or draft one this off season? Well, they could have tried a trade for one but they didn't have a 2015 1st round pick because they needed to draft that once in a generation WR last year. So trading up for one of the top two was out of the question, and I presume the FO had no faith in Garrett Grayson taken by the Saints in the 3rd, or Sean Mannion taken by the Rams in the 3rd. Then there was Bryce Petty in the 4th or Brett Hundley in the 5th. The Bills didn't have a Nick Foles to trade the Rams for Sam Bradford so I guess they were indeed stuck in QB purgatory. Never mind that there were other possible free agent QB's like Brian Hoyer, Josh McCown, Ryan Mallett, Christian Ponder. All of these guys must be worse then Matt Cassel, right? The bigger picture seems to be that GM Doug Whaley was "all in" on EJ when he drafted him, and again "all in" on him during the 2014 draft when he used two first rounder picks a fourth on a WR. Shoot, because if he had known EJ wasn't the man then he could have beaten the Raiders to Derek Carr or the Patriots to Jimmy Garoppolo, right? Bottom line here I have serious doubts that anyone currently employed by the Buffalo Bills would know the difference between a good college QB prospect and a bad one. Simple as that! Mentioning Raiders rookie QB Derek Carr I seem to recall that rookie QB playing in all 16 games last year, and he played on one of the very worst teams in the game. Yet that rookie looked darn good at the end of the season by beating the #4 defense in the league!! Then making that defense look quite ordinary even tho that team had the best pass rush in the entire league! Carr went 17 of 34 for 2 TD's and NO Int's. Imagine that! Isn't that what a promising rookie should look like by the end of his first season by beating a team with a top defense on the verge of the playoffs? I highly doubt this thread would even exist if EJ had played that well at the end of the season against a team with a defense as good as the Buffalo Bills were last year. PS. I still have faith that EJ can still develop into a starting NFL QB if coached properly this season, and circumstances allow his further development...even if nobody in the Bills FO does. The Bills FO basing their current opinions given them by the previous coaching staff of clowns? Jesus Christ....some of the people on this board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Bottom line here I have serious doubts that anyone currently employed by the Buffalo Bills would know the difference between a good college QB prospect and a bad one. Simple as that! PS. I still have faith that EJ can still develop into a starting NFL QB if coached properly this season, and circumstances allow his further development...even if nobody in the Bills FO does. The Bills FO basing their current opinions given them by the previous coaching staff of clowns? These two statements in the same post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXBILLSFAN Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I'd be real curious how aggressive the Bills were in trying to land Foles, Bradford and/or Cutler, while all are flawed, all are significant improvements over what we have. I also think the NFL has made the QB too important. I know, sounds like sour grapes from a fan of a franchise without a franchise QB, but, if you think about it, no other team sport is in this position. Sure, in hockey, the goalie can be that important in a single game, but, let's face it, you can find a goalie you can with rather easily. The fact that only 15-20 people at any given time can play the position effectively, yet, you can't win without one is troublesome. I think Pegula will give he current plan a go for a year or two (maybe 3) before he realizes he needs to blow this up and get into the Top 3 to have shot at franchise guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewildrabbit Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Jesus Christ....some of the people on this board. NFN, I have never, ever advocated firing Doug Whaley. As I have stated in the past I think the entire Bills org, IE Whaley knows his stuff on the defensive side of the ball, and is somewhat wanting for the offensive side. My thinking is the Bills really, really needed that football czar to help a young GM reach his full potential. Polian might have been the perfect answer in not staying around for long and yet the young GM could pick his brain as to what exactly he looks for in a college QB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickedface Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 part of me wonders if this is a move to fire up the qbs to get one to really push himself to separate from the pack. it doesn't make any sense to say this otherwise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I'd be real curious how aggressive the Bills were in trying to land Foles, Bradford and/or Cutler, while all are flawed, all are significant improvements over what we have. I also think the NFL has made the QB too important. I know, sounds like sour grapes from a fan of a franchise without a franchise QB, but, if you think about it, no other team sport is in this position. Sure, in hockey, the goalie can be that important in a single game, but, let's face it, you can find a goalie you can with rather easily. The fact that only 15-20 people at any given time can play the position effectively, yet, you can't win without one is troublesome. I think Pegula will give he current plan a go for a year or two (maybe 3) before he realizes he needs to blow this up and get into the Top 3 to have shot at franchise guy. Lets look at them Foles - At times this guy looks worse then any QB we have........what would we have to give up for him? Bradford - injury prone....injury prone....injury prone.....what would we have to give up for him Cutler - how much of the cap is this guy going to eat? Also lets keep in mind that it takes 2 to tango.....the other teams might just have decided not to deal with us on those QBs. We just dont know what goes on behind the scenes. What we DO know however is that Doug Whaley is not afraid or timid of making deals.....and he has shown that. NFN, I have never, ever advocated firing Doug Whaley. As I have stated in the past I think the entire Bills org, IE Whaley knows his stuff on the defensive side of the ball, and is somewhat wanting for the offensive side. My thinking is the Bills really, really needed that football czar to help a young GM reach his full potential. Polian might have been the perfect answer in not staying around for long and yet the young GM could pick his brain as to what exactly he looks for in a college QB. Fear....I realizing you were mostly hyperboling with that quote but just step back and think about it for a minute You are saying that pro football people...not armchair qbs but pro football talent evaluators......dont know what a good qb looks like. Just stop and think about that for a minute... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San-O Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Excuses are already flowing. We are in purgatory because Whaley neglected the most important position on the field and refuses to admit the huge mistake that was EJ. Imo Ol' Buddy and the Bills organization have basically refused to address the position for years also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewildrabbit Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 (edited) Fear....I realizing you were mostly hyperboling with that quote but just step back and think about it for a minute You are saying that pro football people...not armchair qbs but pro football talent evaluators......dont know what a good qb looks like. Just stop and think about that for a minute... Scouting prospective college QB's is not an exact science, and many, many teams with highly paid scouts / evaluators fail all the time. However, there are some brilliant offensive football minds in the NFL, and those men can actually see the difference between the players who will become starting QB's in the NFL and those who won't. This franchise has been beset by ineptitude for years, and years by bad player evaluation, and in some areas they still appear to be. I believe Bill Polian is one of those men who can see that QB talent, and right now Doug Whaley & co is looking like not. Like I posted earlier, that someone in the Bills FO stated that EJ had the stature of a big man, and yet doesn't throw like one. Where was that critique when they were evaluating him? Edited August 6, 2015 by FeartheLosing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Jesus Christ....some of the people on this board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Scouting prospective college QB's is not an exact science, and many, many teams with highly paid scouts / evaluators fail all the time. However, there are some brilliant offensive football minds in the NFL, and those men can actually see the difference between the players who will become starting QB's in the NFL and those who won't. This franchise has been beset by ineptitude for years, and years by bad player evaluation, and in some areas they still appear to be. I believe Bill Polian is one of those men who can see that QB talent, and right now Doug Whaley & co is looking like not. Like I posted earlier, that someone in the Bills FO stated that EJ had the stature of a big man, and yet doesn't throw like one. Where was that critique when they were evaluating him? Where was Mr. Polian picking when he drafted all of his QBs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach Tuesday Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Fear....I realizing you were mostly hyperboling with that quote but just step back and think about it for a minute You are saying that pro football people...not armchair qbs but pro football talent evaluators......dont know what a good qb looks like. Just stop and think about that for a minute... Two decades since Kelly retired dude. Two decades... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Where was Mr. Polian picking when he drafted all of his QBs?Well, Polian was able to identify Peyton Manning & Andrew Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Well, Polian was able to identify Peyton Manning & Andrew Luck. I thought Grigson picked Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Two decades since Kelly retired dude. Two decades... I also feel this frustration..... But Doug Whaley was not the GM for those 2 decades.....that is where people seem to loose sight of. You cannot blame on GM for another's failures. For that matter....this team doesnt even have the same ownership anymore. I know it feels like one big beating......but it really isnt. The team is on the upswing. We might have the best D in the league. We had a winning record last year. Just gotta put it all together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I thought Grigson picked LuckI think that you are right my timeline is off. Maybe we should hire Grigson as he is able to identify franchise QBs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I think that you are right my timeline is off. Maybe we should hire Grigson as he is able to identify franchise QBs. HAHA...well played. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeYouToTasker Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Excuses are already flowing. We are in purgatory because Whaley neglected the most important position on the field and refuses to admit the huge mistake that was EJ. Imo Let us know when EJ gets cut before FA please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewildrabbit Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Where was Mr. Polian picking when he drafted all of his QBs? Lets not forget that Polian also drafted QB Kerry Collins for the expansion Carolina Panthers with the #5 pick in the first round. Polian was hired away from Carolina after two short years, after the man built a team from scratch that went 12-4 in its second year of existence. Collins eventually did manage to get to a SB with the NY Giants. Polian was also essential in signing / bringing in QB Jim Kelly for Buffalo, and making him the highest paid QB in the NFL at that time. He was also instrumental in drafting Bruce Smith, and negotiating his first contract. Then later on when the Broncos offered two first rounders for Bruce ole Bill kept him in Buffalo when others wanted the picks. Polian also knew the difference between Peyton Manning, and Ryan Leaf when the Chargers where foolish enough to make him the very next pick in the draft. There is a reason why the man is being inducted into the pro football hall of fame this year! Oh BTW, exactly how long did it take for Polian to find a QB good enough to take all four teams he was GM / president of to the playoffs? I'll tell ya, two years with all four teams! Some want to keep deflecting the fact that here we are in year three of the current GM's reign, and even he acknowledges the team is still devoid of the single key player needed for a SB run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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