How I would approach the 2006 offseason

[Simon]

The first thing I do is not panic because we took a step backwards breaking in a rookie QB and dealing with a bunch of injuries.

The Bills were showing steady improvement until last season and I stay with Donahoe and Modrak as the chiefs for at least one more season. Mularkey, Wyche and Krumrie are also still on the payroll. The only moves I make off the field are the changing out of both co-ordinators. The OC and DC have become so intrumental to success in this cap-driven era of parity that we just can't afford to have two guys with so little experience having such a big hand in what happens on Sundays. TClements and Gray are both gone in exchange for two guys who've been around the block and can call games from more of a position of strength.

 

My first personell move is to break out the checkbook and sign LeCharles Bentley to a contract that he simply can't refuse. Bennie Anderson is out of here and a combination of Gandy/Peters/Preston plays off Bentley's left hip and shores up that side of the OLine. The right side stays the same for now but both Vilarial and particularly BigMike are made very aware that this is it for them; if they're not working hard in the offseason don't bother showing up for camp.

My only other pre-draft move on the Offense is to give Moulds his gold watch and tell him thanks for the decade. Nobody quits on this team and comes back for more. The first day of FA I'm on the phone with Joe Jurevicius to see if we can't get him in here to replace Moulds and serve as a possession guy, a red zone weapon and an occasional downfield jumpball threat.

On defense, the only big move I make before the draft is to see if I can bring Grady Jackson or Ryan Pickett in here. Whichever one I get will look real good next to The Keg. I also adress Nate Clements according to the kind of Defense Jauron wants to run. If it's that chickenspit JGray softzone garbage, I franchise Nate and acution him off ot the highest bidder because great corners are all but useless in that system. If Jauron wants to actually play some football with his secondary, I franchise Nate and do whatever I can to sign him to a longer deal that makes sense for both him and the Bills.

With our major weaknesses shored up to some degree, we now have some flexibility in the draft so we don't have to pigeonhole ourselves into reaching for less talented players just because we have needs which desperately need filled; we still have needs but they aren't so desperate and we are somewhat able to draft from a postion of strength.

 

On draft day I try to trade down about 4-7 slots and pick up an extra first day pick. That would give us 5 day one picks (unless we get an unexpected bonus for the losses of PhatPat and Jennings) and put our first pick in the 12-15 range where we should still be able to nab a real player like Ngata, Michael Huff or Tamba Hali. Regardless of whether we can pull off a trade-down, I fully intend to spend at least half of my Day1 picks in the trenches; one on offense and one on defense. I'd like to spend another one on a safety as both our guys are showing their age; if we don't end up with Huff, I really like Greg Blue and think he and RBaker might be a good duo down the road.

At the end of Day1 we've added a DLineman, one or two OLineman, a tough young safety and a BPA to an already solid roster. On Day2 I go out looking for depth at LB (that will also help on ST's), depth at OL and maybe some more depth at DT or WR, depending on how we plan to approach the remainder of the offseason.

 

I think this would put us in position to challenge for the AFCEast this year with a flexible roster that has some depth to it and a nice combination of youth and experience. The addition of two experienced co-ordinators would reap dividends on Sundays and would have taken a lot of pressure off Mularkey and allowed him to be a better HC than he'd been so far. Aside from the two coaching changes(which I hoped would be long term hires), the Bills would have managed to maintain some continuity and stability, which seem to be becoming even more important the further we get into the cap era. And at the same time we make significant improvements to the roster with minimal losses while still maintaining a relatively sensible cap structure.

 

Thoughts?

Flames?

Funny personal insults?

[Jukester]

Uh, you have Mularkey staying and then Jauron making the decisions.

 

Unless of course you forgot to mention that you hired Jauron as the DC.

[Lofton80]

Well done and in many cases plausible. David Givens of NE would be a nice target if Jarivicious is not available. I am all for dumping Teague and Benny. This team has been soft up the middle for 5 years if not longer. If Bentley isn't available I would target the Ohio St. Center.

[The Dean]

I can't tell if MM is still here in your post or not. I'm assuming you're dealing with the cards dealt so far, as you say "Jauron"...but, you don't seem to accept that we already have an OC.

 

Oh well...

 

As far as your plan goes, personnel wise...it works fine for me. I think we also need a major upgrade at Fullback.

[mead107]

lots of wins , I hope

[Simon]

Uh, you have Mularkey staying and then Jauron making the decisions. 

589595[/snapback]

I was just pointing out that I wouldn't have dumped Mularkey after 2 seasons, but since we did my decision on how to adress Nate Clements' contract will be greatly influenced by the kind of Defense that Jauron is going to run.

 

David Givens of NE would be a nice target if Jarivicious is not available. I am all for dumping Teague and Benny. This team has been soft up the middle for 5 years if not longer. If Bentley isn't available I would target the Ohio St. Center.

I like Givens too, but I'm hesitant to be the first team to give him a contract coming out of NE. It's always hard to tell what those guys will do when they're no longer safely ensconsced in that Patriots system.

And full agreement on Mangold, every time I watched OSU he was beating the begeesus out of people. I don't see us going OLine in Round#1 because the value isn't there around our selection, but I think Mangold would be a great pick early in the 2nd if we can't land Bentley.

[Bill from NYC]

The first thing I do is not panic because we took a step backwards breaking in a rookie QB and dealing with a bunch of injuries.

The Bills were showing steady improvement until last season and I stay with Donahoe and Modrak as the chiefs for at least one more season. Mularkey, Wyche and Krumrie are also still on the payroll. The only moves I make off the field are the changing out of both co-ordinators. The OC and DC have become so intrumental to success in this cap-driven era of parity that we just can't afford to have two guys with so little experience having such a big hand in what happens on Sundays. TClements and Gray are both gone in exchange for two guys who've been around the block and can call games from more of a position of strength.

 

My first personell move is to break out the checkbook and sign LeCharles Bentley to a contract that he simply can't refuse. Bennie Anderson is out of here and a combination of Gandy/Peters/Preston plays off Bentley's left hip and shores up that side of the OLine. The right side stays the same for now but both Vilarial and particularly BigMike are made very aware that this is it for them; if they're not working hard in the offseason don't bother showing up for camp.

My only other pre-draft move on the Offense is to give Moulds his gold watch and tell him thanks for the decade. Nobody quits on this team and comes back for more. The first day of FA I'm on the phone with Joe Jurevicius to see if we can't get him in here to replace Moulds and serve as a possession guy, a red zone weapon and an occasional downfield jumpball threat.

On defense, the only big move I make before the draft is to see if I can bring Grady Jackson or Ryan Pickett in here. Whichever one I get will look real good next to The Keg. I also adress Nate Clements according to the kind of Defense Jauron wants to run. If it's that chickenspit JGray softzone garbage, I franchise Nate and acution him off ot the highest bidder because great corners are all but useless in that system. If Jauron wants to actually play some football with his secondary, I franchise Nate and do whatever I can to sign him to a longer deal that makes sense for both him and the Bills.

With our major weaknesses shored up to some degree, we now have some flexibility in the draft so we don't have to pigeonhole ourselves into reaching for less talented players just because we have needs which desperately need filled; we still have needs but they aren't so desperate and we are somewhat able to draft from a postion of strength.

 

On draft day I try to trade down about 4-7 slots and pick up an extra first day pick. That would give us 5 day one picks (unless we get an unexpected bonus for the losses of PhatPat and Jennings) and put our first pick in the 12-15 range where we should still be able to nab a real player like Ngata, Michael Huff or Tamba Hali. Regardless of whether we can pull off a trade-down, I fully intend to spend at least half of my Day1 picks in the trenches; one on offense and one on defense. I'd like to spend another one on a safety as both our guys are showing their age; if we don't end up with Huff, I really like Greg Blue and think he and RBaker might be a good duo down the road.

At the end of Day1 we've added a DLineman, one or two OLineman, a tough young safety and a BPA to an already solid roster. On Day2 I go out looking for depth at LB (that will also help on ST's), depth at OL and maybe some more depth at DT or WR, depending on how we plan to approach the remainder of the offseason.

 

I think this would put us in position to challenge for the AFCEast this year with a flexible roster that has some depth to it and a nice combination of youth and experience. The addition of two experienced co-ordinators should reap dividends on Sundays and take a lot of pressure off Mularkey and allow him to be a better HC than he's been so far. Aside from the two coaching changes(which I hope are long term hires), the Bills manage to maintain some continuity and stability, which seem to be becoming even more important the further we get into the cap era. And at the same time we make significant improvements to the roster with minimal losses while still maintaining a relatively sensible cap structure.

 

Thoughts?

Flames?

Funny personal insults?

589560[/snapback]

 

1) Agree fully wrt Moulds.

2) Not too keen on your OL strategy because of MW. Finding a RT in this draft shouldn't be the hardest thing in the world to do. How long must we torture ourselves with Williams? Simon, I suspect a problem with this kid that we don't know about. He has always seemed like a great guy. I don't know what is up with him, but he costs too much (as he did from day 1).

3) Nate should (and will imo) remain a Buffalo Bill.

4) Jurevicius would be a great signing.

5) Getting a good safety would be a very smart move. Our guys ARE old, and it seems to becoming a more important position, much like years ago.

6) Your post was stupid.

7) I never could stand you, moron!

 

 

[eball]

I like your middle two paragraphs. They are relevant and the personnel moves suggested could still be implemented. I agree with a large part of what you propose.

 

Your first and last paragraphs, though, are irrelevant and superfluous -- at least to me, it's a waste of breath to pontificate as if TD and MM are still here.

[Rico]

Mularkey....still on the payroll.

 

The right side stays the same for now ....BigMike

589560[/snapback]

I like everything but these 2 parts. MW's just too big of a cost... even if he finally pans out, I don't think he's worth the risk. And MM had to go.

 

And I'd definitely love to see Michael Huff in a Bills uniform somehow, even with our OL/DL needs... if those needs can be addressed elsewhere (FA, other day 1 picks).

[Kipers Hair]

The first thing I do is not panic because we took a step backwards breaking in a rookie QB and dealing with a bunch of injuries.

The Bills were showing steady improvement until last season and I stay with Donahoe and Modrak as the chiefs for at least one more season. Mularkey, Wyche and Krumrie are also still on the payroll. The only moves I make off the field are the changing out of both co-ordinators. The OC and DC have become so intrumental to success in this cap-driven era of parity that we just can't afford to have two guys with so little experience having such a big hand in what happens on Sundays. TClements and Gray are both gone in exchange for two guys who've been around the block and can call games from more of a position of strength.

 

My first personell move is to break out the checkbook and sign LeCharles Bentley to a contract that he simply can't refuse. Bennie Anderson is out of here and a combination of Gandy/Peters/Preston plays off Bentley's left hip and shores up that side of the OLine. The right side stays the same for now but both Vilarial and particularly BigMike are made very aware that this is it for them; if they're not working hard in the offseason don't bother showing up for camp.

My only other pre-draft move on the Offense is to give Moulds his gold watch and tell him thanks for the decade. Nobody quits on this team and comes back for more. The first day of FA I'm on the phone with Joe Jurevicius to see if we can't get him in here to replace Moulds and serve as a possession guy, a red zone weapon and an occasional downfield jumpball threat.

On defense, the only big move I make before the draft is to see if I can bring Grady Jackson or Ryan Pickett in here. Whichever one I get will look real good next to The Keg. I also adress Nate Clements according to the kind of Defense Jauron wants to run. If it's that chickenspit JGray softzone garbage, I franchise Nate and acution him off ot the highest bidder because great corners are all but useless in that system. If Jauron wants to actually play some football with his secondary, I franchise Nate and do whatever I can to sign him to a longer deal that makes sense for both him and the Bills.

With our major weaknesses shored up to some degree, we now have some flexibility in the draft so we don't have to pigeonhole ourselves into reaching for less talented players just because we have needs which desperately need filled; we still have needs but they aren't so desperate and we are somewhat able to draft from a postion of strength.

 

On draft day I try to trade down about 4-7 slots and pick up an extra first day pick. That would give us 5 day one picks (unless we get an unexpected bonus for the losses of PhatPat and Jennings) and put our first pick in the 12-15 range where we should still be able to nab a real player like Ngata, Michael Huff or Tamba Hali. Regardless of whether we can pull off a trade-down, I fully intend to spend at least half of my Day1 picks in the trenches; one on offense and one on defense. I'd like to spend another one on a safety as both our guys are showing their age; if we don't end up with Huff, I really like Greg Blue and think he and RBaker might be a good duo down the road.

At the end of Day1 we've added a DLineman, one or two OLineman, a tough young safety and a BPA to an already solid roster. On Day2 I go out looking for depth at LB (that will also help on ST's), depth at OL and maybe some more depth at DT or WR, depending on how we plan to approach the remainder of the offseason.

 

I think this would put us in position to challenge for the AFCEast this year with a flexible roster that has some depth to it and a nice combination of youth and experience. The addition of two experienced co-ordinators should reap dividends on Sundays and take a lot of pressure off Mularkey and allow him to be a better HC than he's been so far. Aside from the two coaching changes(which I hope are long term hires), the Bills manage to maintain some continuity and stability, which seem to be becoming even more important the further we get into the cap era. And at the same time we make significant improvements to the roster with minimal losses while still maintaining a relatively sensible cap structure.

 

Thoughts?

Flames?

Funny personal insults?

589560[/snapback]

 

I think this is a solid realistic approach if you can get the guys needed. I really like LaCharles, but think they may tag him in NO. AWholeheartedly agree with moving down if a suiter approaches us - we have too many needs as it stands. Only think I would add - if thee is a quality QB that falls to us in the 3rd, I would consider the investment - kind of like what Atlanta did with Shaubb...

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

Thanks Simon for the thoughtful work. I think your Don't Panic mantra is the first thing that should apply to this whole thing!

 

As far as the details of your thoughts:

 

1) Agree fully wrt Moulds. The Bills have retained Tyke Tolbert who I understand he was dueling with that caused his suspension. Unless Moulds has totally prostrated himself before the team to Tyke and apologized profusely I think this is a sign he is gone anyway. The key though is like the tandem of Moulds/Price the Bills really need two stud WEs in order to make both these players better. Evans is the speed freak (though he has shown good hands also) so we do need to got to the FA wire to find a respected vet who can be a possesion receiver who will either draw coverage away from Evans or feast on single coverage when Evans draws attention from him.

 

2) I also am not too keen on your OL strategy because of MW. Can he even be worthwhile to keep at his enormous 06 salary and under the limitations of the CBA is it even possible to knock his salary down to the level he deserves from his play and prospects. I think it is sad as I think it is quite possible he will go elsewhere and do well, I just think it is contractually impossible for us to keep him.

3) I think Nate will be forced to make a long-term deal which is cap friendly to us or if not he will get tagged and the CB cap number appears to drop precipitiously with the way the Vikes paid Winfield (a huge first year salary that now leaves the cap rather than a huge bonus which is prorated). NC had the bad luck to perform well last year and to suck this year. The Bills can take advantage of this to sign him long-term to cap friendly deal or for one year where he will have every impetus to produce for us, I think he goes long-term for more money than he has ever seen but still much less than he would have gotten after the 04 performance.

4) Jurevicius fits the description of a good compliment to Evans but my guiess is many WRs do so it depends on the market.

5) I agree that getting a good safety would be a very smart move. Our guys ARE old,

 

Regarding the big picture, I am now convinced that despite TD making some exraordinarily good individual moves in his time here, his overall ability to produce was simply destroyed by his reaction to getting run out of town by Cowher.

 

I think he hired GW because he felt GW would not cross him like Cowher (I doubt he felt this way about Lewis and probably Fox though either obbiously now both would have been better hires) and he made sure that even if GW crossed him that he could beat him,

 

Unfortunately, after the GW mistake, TD not only didn't get over this, but he actually got worse. His pick-up of Bledsoe was initially an excellent move, but he needed to quit while he was even (after a great 2002 followed by a horrendous 2003) and not extended Bledsoe.

 

After the oddity of extending him he then added insult to injury with the bad football move of cutting him (actually extending him was the bad football move but once you made that dumb move cutting him actually made the bad move worse as even JP has said publicly that he got the starting QB job the wrong way.

 

Given that TD was getting worse, despite his leading us to some good episodic actions I think logically he needed to go and fortunately for us since Ralph cannot wait he was gone.

 

I think MM actually did some good work here last year with the winning streak and Clements made some great O playcalling choices working with Bledsoe's strenths and weaknesses. However, the reality with MM's quitting and Clements getting the blame they also were both gone.

 

My sense is from a standpoint of non-reality is that I would not have gone down the Marv path as GM (but given neither of us is GM in real life and that the owner cannot be fired except by the Supreme Being and that will happen in its own time) we are not talking about reality here anyway).

 

However, since I think The Golden Boys are givens the decisions they have made strike me as among the best ways to make this work.

 

1. The owner must be prevented from meddling and making poor football decisions like:

 

a. Making the handshake deal with Jimbo and assuming he would last far longer than he did.

b. Feeling so bad about paying RJ millions to sit he forced/allowed him to play (RWS already messed up with overseeing Butler panic and make dumb decision afer dumb decision in their search for the new Jimbo)

c. he made a seeming good move getting an experienced and competent guy in TD as GM+ after Butler screwed him. However, TD simply proved to be too bruised after getting fired in Pitts by a guy he hired and from the bad hiring of GW to other passive/aggressive acts, the ultimate buck stops with the owner.

 

Since one is not going to fire the owner or IMPOSE your will and vision on him as Jerry Sullivan wants, the soft approach of having a bright guy like Marv to handle him seems like the best bet for a football guy to manage the impulsive owner. Marv strikes me as lacking seriously in GM experience as he has never directly negotiated contracts or managed the salary cap in the post Marv as HC world. Nor do I think Marv has run a successful business anywhere near this size.

 

However, Marv is better positioned than most to rein in the guy who writes the checks.

 

2. The Bills do seem to be in a position to supplement Marv's failings. Giving Modrak even more authority should give Marv a supplement for his GM inexpeience. Hiring Sherman as HC and expecting him to do this strikes me as a bad strategy that almost certainly would not have worked. Modrak came here because of his friendship with TD so he well may not work out either. However, Modrak seems like a guy who was a friend of TD but always has had his own agenda, if it works for him for it to work with Marv, this may be a great experience supplemnt Marv desperately needs/

 

3.Hiring Jauron was a much better hire than hiring Sherman. I'd rather have folks that are at least competent who are not as good as Sherman than have a more competent HC who really thinks he should be a GM somewhere who ends up clashing with his bosses if he takes the Sullivan approach od imposing his football wil and vision on his bosses.

 

Jauron is way far from perfect or like most HCs not even good in some situations. However, his episodes os success at lower level jobs and 2001 as NFL HC of the Year shows he can be very competent in the right situtaion. With the proper supplements for his failings I think he is a good hire. His main failing is on the O side and Fairchild has a good record of success such that I think this Jauron failing can be overriden.

 

4. The DC hire looks like the best one to make as well. Fewell is far from the best DC candidate out there, but better DCs like Bates look to me like he would have been a disaster in a drive-by visit for him as DC here. He seems to want to recreate the feeling he had as interim HC at MI, and that goal is not very well reached with him running a Jauron D here.

 

He is another very competent guy who i think would have been a disaster working in the world created by The Golden Boys.

 

That's my 1-1/2 cents in respose to your great post.

 

1. A competent man who adds value to the TEAM because he will fit in well with the existing staff.

2. A competent man who can call the defensive plays well.

3. A competent man who adds value to the TEAM because he will fit in well with the existing staff.

4. A compotent man who is a good teacher who helps the players perform.

5. A competent man who adds value to the TEAM because he will fit in well with the existing staff.

6. A compotent man who can diagnose first half play (and also diagnose things on the fly), choose changes in the Bills D to block the opponent, and implement these changes over the half (or on the fly) so that we make good adjustments.

7. A compotent man who adds value to the TEAM because he will fit in well with the existing staff.

[Simon]

despite TD making some exraordinarily good individual moves in his time here, his overall ability to produce was simply destroyed by his reaction to getting run out of town by Cowher.

 

I think he hired GW because he felt GW would not cross him like Cowher

 

This is anargument which has just never made any sense to me.

One of the first things Donahoe had to do when he took over in Pittsburgh was replace Chuck Noll. So he went out and hired a fresh, headstrong, upwardly mobile young assistant who was well thought of in league circles. It turned out to be a good hire as the Stillers had a lot of success and Cowher is by far the longest-tenured coach in the NFL.

Fast forward to his first order of business with the Bills which is finding a coach. What does he do? He goes out and hires a fresh, headstrong, upwardly mobile young assistant who was well thought of in league circles. Now if Donahoe was really worried about a repeate of the Cowher situation, do you really believe for a second that he would make the exact same kind of hire?! The idea is patently ridiculous. He wanted to experience the same kind of success he had with his first hire, so he went out and found the same kind of coach in attempt to duplicate that success.

When that didn't work out, what did he try next? Gee, he went out and hired a fresh, headstrong, upwardly mobile young assistant who was well thought of in league circles. The exact same kind of coach he had selected in his first two hires!

If he really wanted to avoid a repeat of how his tenure in Pittsburgh ended, he would have gone out and hire some retread who was just happy to have a job and would do whatever he was told. Instead, he wanted to experience a repeat of the success he had in Pittsburgh so he went out and made the exact same kind of hire he had 10 years earlier.

This seems so obvious to me that it boggles my mind that others don't see it that way and continue to think that he somehow did things differently because he was afraid of his previous success, when in reality he did things exactly the same way every time he's ever hired a head coach!

 

despite his (TD) leading us to some good episodic actions I think logically he needed to go and fortunately for us since Ralph cannot wait he was gone.

I disagree strongly with your use of the word "fortunately", and would be interested to revisit the topic about 3 years from now.

Hopefully we'll both still be around and you can take the opportunity to tell me what a nonsensical fool I was.

 

Cya

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

This is anargument which has just never made any sense to me.

One of the first things Donahoe had to do when he took over in Pittsburgh was replace Chuck Noll. So he went out and hired a fresh, headstrong, upwardly mobile young assistant who was well thought of in league circles. It turned out to be a good hire as the Stillers had a lot of success and Cowher is by far the longest-tenured coach in the NFL.

Fast forward to his first order of business with the Bills which is finding a coach. What does he do? He goes out and hires a fresh, headstrong, upwardly mobile young assistant who was well thought of in league circles. Now if Donahoe was really worried about a repeate of the Cowher situation, do you really believe for a second that he would make the exact same kind of hire?! The idea is patently ridiculous. He wanted to experience the same kind of success he had with his first hire, so he went out and found the same kind of coach in attempt to duplicate that success.

When that didn't work out, what did he try next? Gee, he went out and hired a fresh, headstrong, upwardly mobile young assistant who was well thought of in league circles. The exact same kind of coach he had selected in his first two hires!

If he really wanted to avoid a repeat of how his tenure in Pittsburgh ended, he would have gone out and hire some retread who was just happy to have a job and would do whatever he was told. Instead, he wanted to experience a repeat of the success he had in Pittsburgh so he went out and made the exact same kind of hire he had 10 years earlier.

This seems so obvious to me that it boggles my mind that others don't see it that way and continue to think that he somehow did things differently because he was afraid of his previous success, when in reality he did things exactly the same way every time he's ever hired a head coach!

I disagree strongly with your use of the word "fortunately", and would be interested to revisit the topic about 3 years from now.

Hopefully we'll both still be around and you can take the opportunity to tell me what a nonsensical fool I was. 

 

Cya

590294[/snapback]

 

I think that the difference in TD's hiring to not get fired is best seen in two ways.

 

The most important was not who he hired but how he managed this hire.

 

I have used the words passive.affressive to describe how TD seemed to protect himself from and beat GW. He seemed quite happy to allow GW to make the Bills bed as lon as it was GW who took the blame, Hinsight being 20/20 GW made some obvious errors in his first year or two and TD just let him make them or evem when they disagreed ojn new hires he would let GW have his way.

 

It said a lot to me when it was revealed when GW got canned that apparently TD had advocated that Sheppard be replaced with Clements and it was GW who pushed Kevin Killdrive.

 

Killdrive proved to be so resistant to change from his way once opponents got film of the Bills O and BB provided a roadmap for exploiting Bledsioe's weaknesses, I am simply flumocled why TD did not insist on his choice or why he did not force GW to rein in and change Killdrive when the O was obviously ineffective (at one oiubt I think they went 8 straight quarters with no offensive YDs.

 

TD seemed to bring in his friends to be resources (our RB coach in 03 was a former OC friend of TDs, but this resource went unused when GW should have taken the O away from Killdrive like NY did with Payton that year and we did with Clements this year.

 

It was particularly strange his management style when GW did wander into GM terrirtory. I found it simply embarassing when GW annonced publicly that Larry Centers would be a Bill as long as he wanted. Within 7-10 days of this pronouncement Centers was cut and Gash was signed/

 

GW either lied or was simply out of the loop on a major personel decision. I think it is obvious that what was going on here was a bit more complicated that TD still likes new guys,

 

The second issue which raises questions about interpreting the GW/Cowher hires as simply being the same TD commitment to first timers is to look at the first timers TD passed on.

 

The Bills opening was the final HC job open. Among those interviewed by TD were GW, John Fox and Marvin Lewis. Again in hindsight TDs choice of GW over these two was simply a huge mistake (given the on the field record of the Panthers under Fox, the Bungles under Lewis and the Bills under GW.

 

I don;t know about Fox but it seems quite likely that TD was not comfortable with Lewis and my sense is that this was probably because Lewis could easily pull a Cowher on TD if push came to shove.

 

From letting GW do flat out dumb things like hire his inexperienced buddy Vinky as OL coach and replace him with the equally inexperieced Ruel who proved so bad he got canned to his final year when every coach was signed for 2 years except for GW, it follows that TD was clearly setting things up so he had the power and GW did not.

[Simon]

I have used the words passive.affressive to describe how TD seemed to protect himself from and beat GW. He seemed quite happy to allow GW to make the Bills bed as lon as it was GW who took the blame

So you're suggesting that TD's method of keeping his GM job was to put a poor product on the field? I'm sorry but nothing I've ever ingested could possibly give me that vivid of an imagination.

 

TD seemed to bring in his friends to be resources (our RB coach in 03 was a former OC friend of TDs, but this resource went unused when GW should have taken the O away from Killdrive like NY did with Payton that year and we did with Clements this year.

A coach bringing in people he's familiar with? Perish the thought.

And on the 7th day the GM rested. It is not his responsibility to tell the coach how to deploy his resources. His job is to give him the tools and let the coach do the coaching.

 

I don;t know about Fox but it seems quite likely that TD was not comfortable with Lewis and my sense is that this was probably because Lewis could easily pull a Cowher on TD if push came to shove.

I've read several comments from people I trust who claim that Marvin Lewis' wife wanted nothing to do with Western New York. I have to place more stock in those ascertations than I do a theory that flies in the face of reality.

 

From letting GW do flat out dumb things like hire his inexperienced buddy Vinky as OL coach and replace him with the equally inexperieced Ruel who proved so bad he got canned to his final year when every coach was signed for 2 years except for GW, it follows that TD was clearly setting things up so he had the power and GW did not.

Bob Beamon is watching in awe..........

[AKC]

On defense, the only big move I make before the draft is to see if I can bring Grady Jackson or Ryan Pickett in here. Whichever one I get will look real good next to The Keg.

589560[/snapback]

 

 

Pickett has surely made a strong statistical showing in the middle of that line, but do you have no concerns that over the course of his career the Rams have moved from a middle of the league rush D steadily down into the toilet?

 

No doubt adding a starting quality vet playing a 1-technique and kicking Sam out to exploit the opposite A and B gaps could be the nucleus of a dangerous line if in fact, as you mentioned, we bring in a young turk like Ngata to give us a full rotation ( and the flexibility to shift to a 3, 2 or even 1 down line set situationally). Anderson would continue to contribute as the 4th guy and we could allow the narrowly skilled and far too often injured Edwards to "test the waters". I'll bet he sinks- head first.

[dave mcbride]

The first thing I do is not panic because we took a step backwards breaking in a rookie QB and dealing with a bunch of injuries.

The Bills were showing steady improvement until last season and I stay with Donahoe and Modrak as the chiefs for at least one more season. Mularkey, Wyche and Krumrie are also still on the payroll. The only moves I make off the field are the changing out of both co-ordinators. The OC and DC have become so intrumental to success in this cap-driven era of parity that we just can't afford to have two guys with so little experience having such a big hand in what happens on Sundays. TClements and Gray are both gone in exchange for two guys who've been around the block and can call games from more of a position of strength.

 

My first personell move is to break out the checkbook and sign LeCharles Bentley to a contract that he simply can't refuse. Bennie Anderson is out of here and a combination of Gandy/Peters/Preston plays off Bentley's left hip and shores up that side of the OLine. The right side stays the same for now but both Vilarial and particularly BigMike are made very aware that this is it for them; if they're not working hard in the offseason don't bother showing up for camp.

My only other pre-draft move on the Offense is to give Moulds his gold watch and tell him thanks for the decade. Nobody quits on this team and comes back for more. The first day of FA I'm on the phone with Joe Jurevicius to see if we can't get him in here to replace Moulds and serve as a possession guy, a red zone weapon and an occasional downfield jumpball threat.

On defense, the only big move I make before the draft is to see if I can bring Grady Jackson or Ryan Pickett in here. Whichever one I get will look real good next to The Keg. I also adress Nate Clements according to the kind of Defense Jauron wants to run. If it's that chickenspit JGray softzone garbage, I franchise Nate and acution him off ot the highest bidder because great corners are all but useless in that system. If Jauron wants to actually play some football with his secondary, I franchise Nate and do whatever I can to sign him to a longer deal that makes sense for both him and the Bills.

With our major weaknesses shored up to some degree, we now have some flexibility in the draft so we don't have to pigeonhole ourselves into reaching for less talented players just because we have needs which desperately need filled; we still have needs but they aren't so desperate and we are somewhat able to draft from a postion of strength.

 

On draft day I try to trade down about 4-7 slots and pick up an extra first day pick. That would give us 5 day one picks (unless we get an unexpected bonus for the losses of PhatPat and Jennings) and put our first pick in the 12-15 range where we should still be able to nab a real player like Ngata, Michael Huff or Tamba Hali. Regardless of whether we can pull off a trade-down, I fully intend to spend at least half of my Day1 picks in the trenches; one on offense and one on defense. I'd like to spend another one on a safety as both our guys are showing their age; if we don't end up with Huff, I really like Greg Blue and think he and RBaker might be a good duo down the road.

At the end of Day1 we've added a DLineman, one or two OLineman, a tough young safety and a BPA to an already solid roster. On Day2 I go out looking for depth at LB (that will also help on ST's), depth at OL and maybe some more depth at DT or WR, depending on how we plan to approach the remainder of the offseason.

 

I think this would put us in position to challenge for the AFCEast this year with a flexible roster that has some depth to it and a nice combination of youth and experience. The addition of two experienced co-ordinators would reap dividends on Sundays and would have taken a lot of pressure off Mularkey and allowed him to be a better HC than he'd been so far. Aside from the two coaching changes(which I hoped would be long term hires), the Bills would have managed to maintain some continuity and stability, which seem to be becoming even more important the further we get into the cap era. And at the same time we make significant improvements to the roster with minimal losses while still maintaining a relatively sensible cap structure.

 

Thoughts?

Flames?

Funny personal insults?

589560[/snapback]

my one serious caveat here is the notion that the bills suffered from the injury bug. sure, they lost one good player and a crappy one, but all in all they had fewer injuries than most teams in the league. the pats lost close to half their lineup, yet they persevered. generally, my sense is that all teams lose at least 2 or 3 players every year. the point is, it's not an excuse. they were a crappy team.

[Buckeye Eric]

This team took a step back NOT because of Losman!! They took a step back because the players could not execute on game day.

 

The OL could not execute, which left Losman's inexperience exposed. Holcomb's experience alternatively, hid the execution problems with the OL. The OL could not run block, which killed the run game, which put more pressure on the passing game, which again exposed inexperience.

 

The players get the big bucks to play a game thay have been playing since they were 8. They should be able to play the game despite coaching and despite scheme.

[AKC]

This team took a step back NOT because of Losman!!

 

They took a step back because the players could not execute on game day.

 

The OL could not execute

 

They should be able to play the game despite coaching and  despite scheme.

591438[/snapback]

 

On part one I agree completely- targeting Losman shows a lack of understanding of the game that's become far too frequent around here with the QB-QB-QB- crowd.

 

 

On the second part though, our O Line was good enough to finish in the top of the league in first quarter offensive production, falling steadily after that as games wore on. That's far more indicative of poor sideline coaching. Look at it this way- how could some awful OLine unit open up games dominating their opponents, only to get measurably less effective as the game goes on? If you're bad athletes or bad players you never excel to begin with.

[Bill from NYC]

Look at it this way- how could some awful OLine unit open up games dominating their opponents, only to get measurably less effective as the game goes on? If you're bad athletes or bad players you never excel to begin with.

592666[/snapback]

 

How about out of shape slobs such as Anderson and Williams fading as the game wears on? Or perhaps an old, injured Villarial not being able to last until the end?

[JinVA]

On the second part though, our O Line was good enough to finish in the top of the league in first quarter offensive production, falling steadily after that as games wore on. That's far more indicative of poor sideline coaching. Look at it this way- how could some awful OLine unit open up games dominating their opponents, only to get measurably less effective as the game goes on? If you're bad athletes or bad players you never excel to begin with.

592666[/snapback]

You bring up an excellent point. While I agree it could be the sideline coaching, it could also be the Bills conditioning program or it could be a couple of weak links on the line that don't bring their best for four quarters of play.