Groundhog Day

(Note- this is long and boring and is more for my sanity than anything else.  I wrote a condensed chart of my draft and free agency ideas at the bottom if anyone's interested in just skipping ahead.)

I've made my utter despair about Buffalo's coaching staff pretty clear to my pen pal, Brian Galliford over the past two seasons and he's informed me that he's not interested in my frustration over this travesty going forward.  Fair enough.  I won't re-hash the mind boggling game day decisions over the past three seasons and I'll leave the coaching situation at this- Horrible gameday management aside (and really, that's the most important role for a HEAD coach anyway), Jauron's overall philosophy of how football should be played in terms of offense and defense is completely pathetic.  This roster is completely of Jauron's making.  We've seen him for three years and we know what we have in him and what his teams will look like.  Going back to his days in charge of Chicago, Jauron's teams play to "stay close" and ultimately lead to a subpar offense, bad QB play (no matter who's behind center or calling the plays), paired with a defense that doesn't make big plays in terms of sacks or turnovers and prides itself on avoiding disasters for 60 minutes at the expense of giving up a boat load of yards underneath.  None of this offseason stuff matters until Wilson pulls the trigger on this coaching staff.  I totally agree with those of you who have written that the problems with Buffalo go further up than Jauron, but seriously, it's probably unrealistic to ask for Wilson to get out of the way at this point.  The front office structure is a mess, but the best we could hope for now is to see Wilson bring in someone better than Jauron to handle that portion of the "inner circle".  Personally, I'd like to see Wilson fire Modrak, Guy, and Jauron today and bring in a GM/president to hire a new personnel department and coaching staff of his liking.  But frankly, there's no chance Wilson will be willing to relinquish the power it would take to pull this off.  So we're stuck with the backwards front office we have currently and can only hope that Jauron's place in the "inner circle" is manned by someone more competent by the end of January.  My endorsement right now is Rex Ryan who is ready to be a head coach and has experience getting production out of both 4-3 and 3-4 fronts.  I think he could make the most out of our current personnel while simultaneously molding the roster as he sees fit.

As far as the roster goes, here's my take:

QB: I think I'm not sold on Trent Edwards but that I want him back as the starter for one more year.  The fact that he's "green" doesn't really matter to me when I watch young QBs like Flacco and Ryan this season and Brady, Roethlisberger the Mannings, etc.  play much better football in their first and second seasons earlier this decade.  I think the days of having to be ultra-patient with quarterbacks are gone forever.  They get it early or they don't get it at all in most cases.  In regards to Edwards, I'll give him this- He was outstanding early this season before reverting back to his 2007 form before and after his groin injury.  The fact that he was so good for the first 6 games of the seasons leads me to believe that he has the ability to play in this league and maybe a new coaching staff would be able to get him to produce at that level for a full season.  I'd like a grizzled, veteran backup added as a free agent and I'd give Edwards another year.

RB: I think that obviously, Lynch and Jackson are the brightest spots on this roster.  I'd consider adding a cheap veteran for depth behind them this offseason as Lynch has now missed games in both his two seasons and there's no guarantee that Omon can play in this league.  Also, if Buffalo employs a FB next season, I'd like to see them bring in one that they actually like or else don't play one.

WR: I realize that last year I wanted a WR and disagreed strongly with the DE contigency among this fan base as the draft approached.  My reasoning was that Schobel, Kelsay, and Denney were already tying up a ton of money and that they would bounce back from their injuries in 2007 and play well in 2008.  I was wrong.  This team needs line depth on both sides of the ball before anymore skilled position players are drafted in the next two years.  I still believe Josh Reed is too small, slow and unproductive to play a major role in an NFL offense, but you know what?  I'm more disappointed in Roscoe Parrish at this point than Reed.  I'd look to trade Parrish for a 3rd or 4th round pick and I'd bring in a veteran WR on a cheap one or two year contract to play with Evans in the starting lineup until either Hardy or Johnson can take the job through their play.  Reed's connection with Edwards makes him a serviceable #3 for next season, but for the love of God, he can't start in the NFL.  There has to be a cheap alternative out there in free agency.

TE:  I think Robert Royal sucks.  Derek Fine and Derek Schouman appear to be aqdeqaute situational NFL TEs, but Buffalo needs finally to find a true starter in the first three rounds of this year's draft.  I think this team needs to concentrate on the lines in nthe first two rounds, so grabbing a pass-catching TE in the 3rd round of the draft seems ideal to me at this point.

OL: I think we need to start over here and I know you guys won't agree with me.  Levy's intentions were in the right place with this line, but despite their pedigree this line just isn't good enough.  I don't "hate" Jason Peters, but I really do think he's wildly overrated.  That being said, he's a young LT with two Pro Bowls on his resume.  I'd try to trade him for two first round picks to a team that thinks it's a player away this offseason.  I'd cut Derrick Dockery too and take the salary cap hit nopw rather than later.  I'd sign a better LG and draft a LT and C in the first two rounds of the draft (assuming Peters was traded).  I just don't think this line is good enough to keep marching the same group out there, regardless of their salaries.  In rounds 5-7, I'd try to draft 1-2 interior linemen for depth.

DL: I think this team needs a pass rush.  I'd like to see the Bills cut Kelsay and draft a DE in the first round of the draft.  I don't think we can count on Ellis ever being anything.  Denney's OK for depth and we have to pray Schobel comes back strong for another year or two.  Even if he does, this team will probably need to draft a DE high in each of the next two drafts.  As far as the interior goes, I'd draft for depth behind Williams and Stroud.  Maybe look for a monster 3-4 nose tackle in the 4thn round that would give this team the ability to play a few 3-4 fronts next season.

LB: I think Posluszny played poorly most of this season.  I think Kawika Mitchell struggled more than people think because they were blinded by three phenominal games he had (Seattle, San Diego, Denver).  I think Keith Ellison wil be selling life insurance in 2009.  I'd move Posluszny to the the strongside where he wouldn't be slowed down by having to "run" the defense and I'd spend money on a MLB in FA.  I think Mitchell spent some of this season "free-lancing" and with a better MLB, he could play well like he did some of the time last season on a much more consistent basis. 

DB: McKelvin needs to start next season based on his improved play down the stretch and the investment this team made in him.  That being said, I don't want to see another DB drafted in the first round as long as I live.  LINES, LINES, LINES, from here on out in Buffalo, please.  Whitner is not a difference maker and probably is too small to play strong safety.  Ko Simpson is a joke.  I'd sign a veteran strong safety and move Whitner to free safety understanding that's he merely adequate and will never be the great player we all hoped he would be when Buffalo drafted him 8th overall.  I'd draft a CB late in the draft to play behind McGee, McKelvin, Youboty, and Corner in 2009.

In summary:

Rex Ryan- Head Coach

Cut:

1. Kelsay

2. Dockery

3. Royal

Trade:

1. Peters

2. Parrish

Don't re-sign:

1. Greer

2. Losman

Free Agency:

1. MLB

2. LG

3. SS

4. WR

5. backup QB

Draft

1a. DE

1b. C (after trading Peters)

2. LT

3. TE

4a. DT

4b. OLB (after trading Parrish)

5. G

6. CB

7. C

Go Bills.