Random thoughts

[SouthernMan]

The Bills are 4-2 in their last 6 games! This is their first year under a new coaching staff, and maybe now they're finally getting in the groove. Signs of a team that is a year away from being in the thick of it? Could this be this regime's 1987?

 

Jusy think...they had 3 games against 3 AFC division leaders (Indy, Sandy Eggo, and New England opening day) losing all three by a combination of 7 points.

 

One more good draft and a few decent FA signings and we might be filling all the seats again next year at at The Ralph and talking playoffs. Maybe we'll be on the ascent while New England is on the way down and we can start thinking Division winner again.

 

How different would the playoff picture look right now if they didn't give hapless Detroit 1 of their 2 victories?

 

The Bills AGAIN have what looks like one of the toughest schedules, and yet still have a decent chance to go .500.

 

How do they seem to get the toughest schedule year after year? This year they had Chargers, Colts, Bears, Ball Tim More, and Patriots twice. WTF?

 

Anywho...happy Monday morning.

[MadBuffaloDisease]

The Bills are 4-2 in their last 6 games!

And the 2 losses were to a couple of the best teams in the NFL, any by a FG or less.

[pBills]

Just look at the cap room we have as well.

 

The salary cap is expected to increase to $109 million per team (up from $102 million in 2006) and Alex Marvez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that Buffalo's projected cap room of $39.7 million ranks behind only San Francisco's $42.1 million.

[Max997]

to play devils advocate, the Bills were 6-0 in their last 6 games at one point in Mularky's first year and that didnt turn out too well

 

I do however think this team is finally heading in the right direction but they still have a lot of holes to fill and are probably two years away at least. You cant build and O-line and a D-line in one offseason not to mention the problem they could have with LBs....do they replace one of or both Flecther and Spikes

[pBills]

Big difference between the two is that now we will have money to spend on free agents AND Marv loves to build using the draft. Good mix to have, for so many years they were creating cap room... now we will have it. And a ton of it.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

Big difference between the two is that now we will have money to spend on free agents AND Marv loves to build using the draft.  Good mix to have, for so many years they were creating cap room... now we  will have it.  And a ton of it.

862731[/snapback]

We'll see if Ralph gives Marv, Modrak and Co. free reign to actually use it.

[pBills]

good point. If anything, it would be a great time to do it.

[Gordio]

to play devils advocate, the Bills were 6-0 in their last 6 games at one point in Mularky's first year and that didnt turn out too well

 

I do however think this team is finally heading in the right direction but they still have a lot of holes to fill and are probably two years away at least. You cant build and O-line and a D-line in one offseason not to mention the problem they could have with LBs....do they replace one of or both Flecther and Spikes

862728[/snapback]

 

There is a big difference between that team & this team though. That team was built around aging over the hill players with their best years behind them(adams, bledsoe, milloy, moulds etc...). The core group on this team is young players that should only get better next year. We are watching this team grow up right before our eyes

[eball]

to play devils advocate, the Bills were 6-0 in their last 6 games at one point in Mularky's first year and that didnt turn out too well

 

I do however think this team is finally heading in the right direction but they still have a lot of holes to fill and are probably two years away at least. You cant build and O-line and a D-line in one offseason not to mention the problem they could have with LBs....do they replace one of or both Flecther and Spikes

862728[/snapback]

You really are a glass half-empty guy, eh? Two years away at least? You're saying it's not reasonable to expect a playoff run until 2009? Rebuild the DL? Schobel and Kelsay/Denney have had great years. We don't know what McCargo can do b/c he got hurt. Re-sign Fletcher, Clements, and go after OG and LB in the draft and free agency. It's not rocket science, and it certainly shouldn't take another two years to accomplish.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

You really are a glass half-empty guy, eh?  Two years away at least?  You're saying it's not reasonable to expect a playoff run until 2009?  Rebuild the DL?  Schobel and Kelsay/Denney have had great years.  We don't know what McCargo can do b/c he got hurt.  Re-sign Fletcher, Clements, and go after OG and LB in the draft and free agency.  It's not rocket science, and it certainly shouldn't take another two years to accomplish.

862747[/snapback]

Why does everyone have it in their head that linebacker is a priority? Ellison has shown himself to be a solid player whenever given the opportunity and looked especially sharp yesterday. If we get Fletcher-Baker back in here we'll have 4 quality linebackers, 2 of which are younger players. In my view the linebacking core is much like the secondary this offseason. If we can re-sign the big-name UFA, we don't need to address it any further.

[SouthernMan]

to play devils advocate, the Bills were 6-0 in their last 6 games at one point in Mularky's first year and that didnt turn out too well

 

I do however think this team is finally heading in the right direction but they still have a lot of holes to fill and are probably two years away at least. You cant build and O-line and a D-line in one offseason not to mention the problem they could have with LBs....do they replace one of or both Flecther and Spikes

862728[/snapback]

 

I think it's become cliché to talk about rebuilding the D-line, but really, how much are we talking about here?

 

Kelsay/Denney/Schoebel are doing fine on the outside. As far as the inside goes, Tripplett isn't spectacular, but he's steady. We still have Kyle Williams and McCargo, both of whom look promising in their first year. Tim Anderson, again, not going to make any probowl ballots, but he's been slowly coming along and has made some plays. Like most teams, they could use some depth, but that's a luxury, not at the top of the priority list. If we address the D-line, I would hope it would be in the form of a good run-stuffing DT. When Big Ted, Sam Adams, or Pat Williams were plugging up the run game, that's when the Bills were ranked in the top 2 or 3 defenses. Stopping the run IS the key to being a dominant defense.

 

Naturally, they need to start thinking about linebacker, with aging vets, injuries, etc.

 

The positions I'd ilke to see filled would be a stud anchor at Center, a Tight End who demands a lot of attention from the LBs (hopefully opening up the run game)and another wideout that could compliment Evans. Price has played well this year, and Reed has managed to show some good hands, but neither is going to take the heat off of Evan.

 

The special teams is solid. I think the defense will be fine with some minor tweaking. A couple of big league weapons for Losman could put them over the top.

 

I don't think they're necessarily 2 years away as one of the replies suggests. A littles seasoning and continued progress by the guys already in place, some luck on the injury front, and a few spots to be filled by FA and a strong draft, and the Bills could be a top contender with a young team.

 

Man, what a different attitude after a good win.

[MDH]

Why does everyone have it in their head that linebacker is a priority? Ellison has shown himself to be a solid player whenever given the opportunity and looked especially sharp yesterday. If we get Fletcher-Baker back in here we'll have 4 quality linebackers, 2 of which are younger players. In my view the linebacking core is much like the secondary this offseason. If we can re-sign the big-name UFA, we don't need to address it any further.

862780[/snapback]

 

Spikes is not a quality LB at this point and Crowell is borderline. Everybody wants to point to the DTs as the reason that the run D has struggled but it has been the LBs fault as well. Ellison is great in coverage but I'm not willing to put all our eggs in his basket and hope he's a legit NFL starter (though I do like what I've seen from him). I wouldn't mind the Bills taking a run at Briggs this offseason.

 

The Bills have to sign Fletcher and Clements. If they let both go they'll be starting almost from scratch on the D again and you'll see another 6 player defensive draft with minimal results next year. You can't lose 2 of your best 3 D players and expect to field a solid unit the following year.

[MadBuffaloDisease]

to play devils advocate, the Bills were 6-0 in their last 6 games at one point in Mularky's first year and that didnt turn out too well.

Good point. But that was an extremely weak schedule. And the Bills won't know if this winning streak means anything until next year.

[34-78-83]

Spikes is not a quality LB at this point and Crowell is borderline.  Everybody wants to point to the DTs as the reason that the run D has struggled but it has been the LBs fault as well.  Ellison is great in coverage but I'm not willing to put all our eggs in his basket and hope he's a legit NFL starter (though I do like what I've seen from him).  I wouldn't mind the Bills taking a run at Briggs this offseason.

 

The Bills have to sign Fletcher and Clements.  If they let both go they'll be starting almost from scratch on the D again and you'll see another 6 player defensive draft with minimal results next year.  You can't lose 2 of your best 3 D players and expect to field a solid unit the following year.

862791[/snapback]

 

Sorry you were unable to see the last two games. Give the guy some recovery time, geez.

[MDH]

Sorry you were unable to see the last two games. Give the guy some recovery time, geez.

862812[/snapback]

 

Which is why I said "at this point". His last two games were pretty good but having two good games in a season doesn't give me a lot of hope. Let's see how he finishes the season.

[NHBills]

I'm having a hard time getting excited about all of the cap room we're going to have come spring.

 

From what I've read it seems we had quite a bit of unutilized cap money this past year, right? Is it just that Wilson is cheap or was it just that there wasn't anything we were interested in spending big on? What happens to the remaining cap money, does it go into Wilson's pocket?

[ganesh]

You can't lose 2 of your best 3 D players and expect to field a solid unit the following year.

862791[/snapback]

 

Agreed 100%. You have to re-sign your own good players.....It is time to use some of that cap to get at least remain on PAR. However, if we do re-sign Clements that takes out of the bidding of any of the star players like a Briggs.

[SouthernMan]

  What happens to the remaining cap money, does it go into Wilson's pocket?

862943[/snapback]

 

 

That doesn't exactly make sense. That's like saying you saved 25% on $40 Rob Johnson jerseys, so you put $10 in your pocket. You didn't make $10, you just didn't spend it.

 

Same with Wilson. He'd have to take it out of his pocket, only to put it back in.

 

So, next time you see Wilson at training camp, standing on the sidelines playing pocket pool, you'll have some insight into what's actually going on down there. He's just putting his wad back where it belongs.

[apuszczalowski]

I'm having a hard time getting excited about all of the cap room we're going to have come spring. 

 

From what I've read it seems we had quite a bit of unutilized cap money this past year, right?  Is it just that Wilson is cheap or was it just that there wasn't anything we were interested in spending big on?  What happens to the remaining cap money, does it go into Wilson's pocket?

862943[/snapback]

I think it was only around 10 mil. I don't know why people think Ralph is just being cheap and doesn't want to spend it. its not like this team was only 1-2 players away from a SB run and Rlph wanted rookies in there. Most teams Re-building like the Bills are don't spend up to the cap until they are only a couple players away from making a huge run. They develop younger players and keep cap money free by not giving out huge bonuses and contracts to mediocre players so in future seasons they aren't dealing with deadcap money.

 

If Ralph were as cheap as everyone here would like the world to think, he would have packed up and sold the team to make money years ago instead of staying in Buffalo and making a small profit off the team.

[Matt in KC]

Is it just that Wilson is cheap or was it just that there wasn't anything we were interested in spending big on?  What happens to the remaining cap money, does it go into Wilson's pocket?

862943[/snapback]

Maybe Ralph is saving up so he can dump a big up-front bonus to.... Nate?

 

There's been a lot of talk about small market teams not being able to offer bonuses like the (Redskins) big market teams. Certainly not spending $10M in a rebuilding year has to help the cashflow....