The Biggest Whiffs In Buffalo Bills History

[Jauronimo]

Ville Leino

[Paulus]

38 minutes ago, Jobot said:

 

Rogers and Brady in the same division would of been something

We would have wrecked Rogers.

22 minutes ago, Irv said:

Shutting down BBMB.

 

 

This board is far better, than what they let the BBMB became. Don't get me wrong, BBMB was good, but not in its final years. 

Edited May 18, 2018 by Paulus

[Another Fan]

I'll say Super Mario since I didn't see him brought up already.  Wasn't a total bust and had good years with Marrone and Schwartz.  Still don't think he ever lived up to his contract 

[Maybe Someday]

Even with all of the whiffs that have been made with players, I have to vote the hiring of Rex as the biggest and most detrimental whiff of them all.  Every team whiffs on a player now and again.  As much as it stinks, it really only affects 1 position…unless you factor in the lost draft picks used to trade up.  Rex basically set back the organization for 2+ years.

[stuvian]

Chan GAiley hired over ________________

[Rico]

52 minutes ago, Cash said:

 

I disagree.  The Bills had recently re-done Aaron Schobel's contract even though he had multiple years left.  This happened after Schobel skipped OTAs for "personal reasons".  We were assured it wasn't a holdout, but then by amazing coincidence, the Bills happened to give Schobel a new contract with better terms.  So there was a precedent that the team would play ball with an upset player who had multiple years left on his deal.

 

Then consider Peters himself.  Yes, he was an undrafted free agent.  Does that behold him to the Bills in perpetuity?  When he signed that contract, he was the starting RT, and it was reasonable money for a starting RT.  But then he was promoted to starting LT, and was excellent in that role.  Once that happened, he became severely underpaid compared to his performance at his position.  Compounding things, the Bills went out and grossly overpaid Dockery and Walker in free agency, making Peters the 3rd-highest paid o-lineman.  You can't have your line set up so that the All-Pro best player plays the most important and highest-paid position, but makes less than two other guys. 

 

Peters probably could've handled it better, and the Bills may have been more amenable if he had been more willing to "play ball", but the team was crazy if they thought he was going to be happy with the salary structure they put in place on the offensive line.

 

All of this is from memory off the top of my head, so my apologies for any facts I butchered.  

Yep. Maybe an inexcusable, horrific, incompetent BOTCH more than a WHIFF.

[Buffalo716]

4 hours ago, BuffaloBill said:

Trading for Bledsoe should maybe get honorable mention here.  You have to think that if a division rival is willing to let a QB come to you there are question marks.  It was not the worst trade ever but one that certainly is on a list of those that did not turn out well. 

 

Drafting of Mike Williams belongs on this list also.  

 

Drew Bledsoes first year wasn’t that bad here. His first year he pro bowled and lead the AFC in passing yards iirc 

 

last 2 were semi lackluster but when was the last time we had a QB throw for 4000+ yards and 24 TDs

 

 

[B Fan in LA]

2005 was a bad year.

Tom Donahoe fired Gregg Williams and replace him with Mike Mularkey

Then, there was the draft................

[PastaJoe]

The biggest issue has been QB.

 

The Bills not making a better offer to trade up to draft Ben Roethlisberger.

[BuffaloRush]

1 hour ago, ganesh said:

Hiring Tom Donahoe as the GM/President.  He literally put this team behind for 20 years with his arrogance.

There were lots of question marks on Rodgers..He was helped with the fact that he could sit and learn behind one of the game's greatest for a couple of years; something he may not have had a chance at in Buffalo especially with the revolving door on coaches

****ty GMs starting from Donahoe to Whaley

 

Was Tom Donahoe any worse than Marv Levy, Buddy Nix or Doug Whaley?  He wasn’t probably equally as bad.  I don’t think that you can he turned everything team back 20 years.  

 

If anything you can call his run distinguishable from the other GM.  I feel that out of the GM’s from 2001-2017, Donahoe might have been the best - Which again isn’t saying much. 

[Rico]

2 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

Was Tom Donahoe any worse than Marv Levy, Buddy Nix or Doug Whaley?  He wasn’t probably equally as bad.  I don’t think that you can he turned everything team back 20 years.  

 

If anything you can call his run distinguishable from the other GM.  I feel that out of the GM’s from 2001-2017, Donahoe might have been the best - Which again isn’t saying much. 

Donohoe was highly respected as a high quality football guy until he was ruined by the micro-managing Ralph. No doubt he was the best.

[BuffaloBill]

If you really think about it, all of the GM and coaching choices since Polian and Levy have been wiffs.  You can maybe cut Wade Phillips some slack in the string but the rest have been busts.  If you do not get these two positions and the QB right you end up in the trash heap of bad to mediocre football teams.

[Gugny]

Rex

Marv as GM

Maybin

Hardy

[Chris from Rochester]

John McCargo

[Mrbojanglezs]

Maybin by far the biggest one in my fandom lifetime. I remember screaming Orakpo before they picked.

[Green Lightning]

4 hours ago, Dave in Bluffton said:

I'll add a few more:

 

Picking Rob Johnson over Flutie.  As much as you hate Flutie, he found ways to win games that were beyond Buffalo's offense without him.

 

Letting Pat Williams go in free agency.  Defense went downhill after that move.

 

Choosing JP Losman in draft instead of moving up a couple spots to get Roethlisburger.

 

Drafting EJ.

 

I'll stop there as the list goes on and on.

Rob Johnson had the game won in Tennessee. All we had to do was cover a damn kick.

[BillsBytheBay]

Aaron freaken maybin

Aaron freaken maybin

Aaron freaken maybin

3 minutes ago, Mrbojanglezs said:

Maybin by far the biggest one in my fandom lifetime. I remember screaming Orakpo before they picked.

Me too.

[I'm Spartacus]

In 1967, Lamonica was traded to the Oakland Raiders with Glenn Bass for Art Powell and Tom Flores.

Way to go Ralph (Lou Saban?)

[lookylookyherecomescookie]

2 hours ago, Irv said:

Shutting down BBMB.

 

  

I was looking up names of past Bills in an attempt at humor and saw that Matt Kofler died way back in 2008.  What did he die of? 

 

 

Embarrassment?

[Fadingpain]

5 hours ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

I like the OP selections a lot except I think the CJ Spiller was a bit harsh though, CJ was not a terrible player, he had one incredible year, 1200 yds rushing averaging 6 yd/carry plus 450 yds receiving, had a few very good years as well.

Yeah but it was and remains a colossal error in judgment to have selected him 9th overall, notwithstanding his upside which you nicely summarize.

 

I really like the OP's examples.  Not sure what I could add to his list in terms of whiffs with the same magnitude.

 

Can't overstate what mistakes EJ, Sammy, and Rex were.  

 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Oops.  Almost forgot.  Those damned red uniforms.

[RoyBatty is alive]

23 minutes ago, Fadingpain said:

Yeah but it was and remains a colossal error in judgment to have selected him 9th overall, notwithstanding his upside which you nicely summarize.

 

I really like the OP's examples.  Not sure what I could add to his list in terms of whiffs with the same magnitude.

 

Can't overstate what mistakes EJ, Sammy, and Rex were.  

 

I think as a second rd pick cJ would have been fine, i just think as far as the multiple number of whiffs the Bills have had I dont think CJ in rd 1 would make my top 50.  Just look only at some of the 1st rds we have had, just since 2000, Mike Williams, Aaron Maybin, Erik Flowers, EJ Manuel, JP Losman..none of these guys should have been drafted at all

Edited May 18, 2018 by RoyBatty is alive

[bbb]

6 hours ago, Ned Flanders said:

Tom Ruud and Bob Nelson, two high LB picks from Nebraska in 1975...neither panned out.

 

 

Nelson, though, had some real good years for the Raiders.

 

I know his son a little bit and Bob and Tom are still real good friends. 

[SouthNYfan]

6 hours ago, Dave in Bluffton said:

I'll add a few more:

 

Picking Rob Johnson over Flutie.  As much as you hate Flutie, he found ways to win games that were beyond Buffalo's offense without him.

 

Letting Pat Williams go in free agency.  Defense went downhill after that move.

 

Choosing JP Losman in draft instead of moving up a couple spots to get Roethlisburger.

 

Drafting EJ.

 

I'll stop there as the list goes on and on.

 

Nobody chose LOSEman over Ben.

I believe it had been confirmed we had a trade in place with the Texans, who pulled back at the last minute because they really wanted a CB, and their #1 choice was taken, and they didn't want to miss on their #2 CB choice, Robinson I believe.

(Similar to our Denver trade this year that was pulled back when Chubb slipped, although we still got the guy we wanted)

JP was a panic reach after Ben, our target, was gone, but we would have had him with the Texans trade, ahead of Pittsburgh, if things had played the way we wanted.

[JimKellyTryouts]

For recent Bills history, it starts and ends with the Rex hire. No FO decision on an individual player had as much of an impact on our team as a whole as Rex's horrible tenure here. We're lucky we a) got out of it quickly and b) ended up getting on heck of a coach in his place.

[machine gun kelly]

We’ve covered this so many times I say, shut down this thread mods.

[BuffaloBill]

15 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

We’ve covered this so many times I say, shut down this thread mods.

 

 

It’s the offseason, we tend to cycle through the same stuff every year.  

[Irv]

2 hours ago, lookylookyherecomescookie said:

Embarrassment?

 

OK - that's nasty.  The man is dead.   

[Rob's House]

3 hours ago, Green Lightning said:

Rob Johnson had the game won in Tennessee. All we had to do was cover a damn kick.

The Bills had the game won. All Rob Johnson did was suck.

[BillsFan17]

Not retaining Winfield really chapped me.

 

Dick Jauron insisting on A Train over Fred Ex.

Edited May 18, 2018 by BillsFan17

[nedboy7]

Let’s hope Allen is not on this list soon. Cause if he ain’t frencheyes he is on this list. 

[Bill from NYC]

9 hours ago, BuffaloRush said:

Interesting topic from WGR this morning.  Jeremy White was talking abou the biggest whiffs in Buffalo sports history since 2000.  He used both the Bills and Sabres but for the sake of this discussion we’ll focus on just the Bills.

 

Remember a whiff doesn’t necessarily have to be all draft busts.  It more about getting some of the really big and important decisions completely wrong.  Also it’s important to consider the negative impact on the organization.  For example, signing Shawn Merriman was a whiff, but it didn’t really impact the team that much.

 

Here are my choices and I keep everything current so this is only since 2000.  

 

Hiring Rex Ryan - this was JW’s top choice and mine as well.  Rex did some major damage in Buffalo.  Terrible hire.

 

Trading for Sammy Watkins - this was an agressive move by a bad GM that backfired.  Whaley basically pushed all his chip to the table and gambled with this move on both Sammy and EJ.  He’s now out of a job.  This move was so reckless it drives me nuts

 

Re-signing Ryan Fitzpatrick to a long-term deal 

Prospector Buddy Nix thought he found gold...except it was fool’s gold.  The quick decision to extend Fitz, committed the team to a QB that was a fringe starter and resulted in them passing on other choices like drafting Russell Wilson.  This was the start of QB purgatory.

 

Drafting CJ Spiller

This was a foolish move when the team had 2 good RB’s in Fred and Marshawn Lynch.  CJ also never turned out to be much as a starting RB.  

 

Marv Levy as GM

A terrible and selfish choice by Ralph Wilson.  This move would ramp the drought into high gear.  

 

Lets hear some of your choices!

 

 

Nice list! What strikes me is the one that made the most sense was Fitz. That's just sad.

 

I have a few to toss in:

1) The 2006 draft, even though they lucked into Kyle Williams, who was probably taken as an afterthought.

 

2) Not keeping Jason Peters.

 

3) Leotis McKelvin in round 1.

 

4) Giving Derrick Dockery (as I recall) a 48 million dollar contract.

 

[artmalibu]

I dont think Fitz should be on the list.  We havent had a QB as good as him since.  With him the playoff drought would have ended sooner!!!

Edited May 19, 2018 by artmalibu

[lookylookyherecomescookie]

2 hours ago, Irv said:

 

OK - that's nasty.  The man is dead.   

You're right, I just couldn't resist

[Green Lightning]

3 hours ago, Rob's House said:

The Bills had the game won. All Rob Johnson did was suck.

Come from behind drive with a beautiful TD pass to Moulds. Flutie apologists seem to forget DCs figured him out and he needed to sit.

[B Fan in LA]

7 hours ago, BuffaloRush said:

Was Tom Donahoe any worse than Marv Levy, Buddy Nix or Doug Whaley?  He wasn’t probably equally as bad.  I don’t think that you can he turned everything team back 20 years.  

 I feel that out of the GM’s from 2001-2017, Donahoe might have been the best - Which again isn’t saying much. 

 

I agree that Tom Donahoe was a better GM than Marv, Buddy, and Doug, although I didn't like him when he was here.

Tom Donahoe didn't crawl into a hole and disappear after he was fired in Buffalo.

He's now working for the Philadelphia Eagles as the Senior Director of Player Personnel and just won a Super Bowl.

Marv Levy spends his days looking for his glasses, Buddy Nix is trying to remember where he put his phone, and Doug Whaley

is probably going to a shrink to figure out why nobody likes him.

 

[Rob's House]

1 hour ago, Green Lightning said:

Come from behind drive with a beautiful TD pass to Moulds. Flutie apologists seem to forget DCs figured him out and he needed to sit.

Huh?

 

He didn't throw any TD passes in that game.

 

His 134 yd, 3 fumble, and 6 sack performance (one for a safety) was impressive; I just don't think it's enough to crown his ass.

Edited May 19, 2018 by Rob's House

[Green Lightning]

16 minutes ago, Rob's House said:

Huh?

 

He didn't throw any TD passes in that game.

 

His 134 yd, 3 fumble, and 6 sack performance (one for a safety) was impressive; I just don't think it's enough to crown his ass.

That's right, but he did throw a couple long passes to Moulds to setup scores. And with one shoe on he completed a key pass to get as close enough for the field goal to take the lead. Johnson wasn't grea, but Steve McNair was worse and was held to only 76 yards passing. It was a defensive game all the way. I think Flutie would have got stuffed.

[KD in CA]

It would be a lot easier to come up with a list of hits.

[metzelaars_lives]

15 hours ago, Dave in Bluffton said:

I'll add a few more:

 

Picking Rob Johnson over Flutie.  As much as you hate Flutie, he found ways to win games that were beyond Buffalo's offense without him.

 

Letting Pat Williams go in free agency.  Defense went downhill after that move.

 

Choosing JP Losman in draft instead of moving up a couple spots to get Roethlisburger.

 

Drafting EJ.

 

I'll stop there as the list goes on and on.

EJ Manuel sucked.

 

EJ Manuel was a perfectly fine pick at the time.  It was literally the worst draft ever and they had already traded back.  It’s not like they missed out on someone else.  I’d even go so far as to say it was a good pick at the time.

Edited May 19, 2018 by metzelaars_lives