Here's what I think...

by wagoncircler10 on Feb 15, 2012 11:29 AM EST

Been reading up on a lot of stuff on the site and other sites and wanted to voice my opinion on some topics that have been coming up a lot...

1. All this trade Fred Jackson talk seems pretty bogus. I can see the thought process behind it, get as many picks as possible because we're rebuilidng, but it just never happens in this league. All the points about Fred being 31 and you don't sign backs that old are thoughts going thru opposing GMs heads. Why would they give up a 2nd round pick, or multiple picks on a player they're going to have to sign to a contract, yada yada yada. Jackson is a great player and unlike most 31 year olds he has very little wear and tear on his tires. Spiller looked great when he got the chance but playing 5 games at the end of the season is a lot different than carrying the workload for an entire season. He gets hurt for 3 games, w/o Jackson, and what was a stacked position now becomes a weakness. I think the Bills will embrace having two great backs. Plus Jackson isn't going to have to carry the ball 250+ times now that Spiller has proven he can run in the NFL.

2.The whole Mario Williams free agency thing is just a tease for us fans. If he hits the open market the Bills are screwed. Its just the truth that we can't offer as much as other big markets. I think we would have a better shot at him being franchised and then trying to acquire him that way. If the Texans do franchise him they are going to have to pay him around 20+ million for the season, something they can't do. Similar to Dwight Howard they would be smart to get something out of him if possible. If the Bills offered a 1st and 4th, they are getting an established pass rusher (like we're hoping for with the 1st pick) and giving up an extra 4th which could translate into nothing. Getting him in this fashion would put us in control of a long term contract.

3. The chances of trading down are slim, hate to say it. Being at pick 10 the Bills are in a tough spot to provide teams value. Sure great players are there, but there aren't any real "gamechangers" like there are in the top 5 or 7. Teams aren't going to offer an extra 2nd to get a player at 10 because I dont think anybody has proven to be that valuable. The difference between say Ingram and Mercilus is not a 2nd round pick. I would love to get more picks I just think the past has shown it isn't realistic.

4. SLB has become less and less important the more I read. I think there are valuable guys out there in free agency (help me out with names if you feel so inclined). It's a position that is becoming less valuable as this league becomes more pass oriented. Sure a great SLB would be awesome but it's a luxury we can't afford just yet. Chances are nobody we draft will be better than Sheppard or Barnett an would spend a lot of time on the sidelines and on ST. I'd like to see a DB or TE, a position I think could be on the field more frequently.

5. I would love to see back to back pass rushers if we stay put with our top two picks. Getting say Ingram and Branch could be awesome for years to come.

6. Please resign Stevie. I have yet to hear a good reason why he shouldn't be back with the Bills. If Nix doesn't resign him he has contradicted everything he has stood for from his first days as a GM. Stevie has stayed mum about his contract, progressed each season, and is a borderline #1 WR. He can be marketed too! Watching him give Revis a clinic on how to get off the LOS was just fun to watch. Buffalo has never hesitated to "overpay" or give "bigger" deals to veterans so why start now on somebody who actually deserves it.

7. Love the involvement in free agency off the bat, maybe we'll get lucky and make a Takeo Spikes esq splash this year.

Even though I get frustrated with the Bills by the end of the season, this time of year always gets me jacked up and hopeful for the upcoming season. Go Bills!

Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.

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with the money from last season there is no reason they cannot afford to resign Stevie and Chandler, sign a top FA RE, CB and LT, draft Coples or Kirkpatrick at 10, and with having to deal with Gronk, Hernandez and Keller I think it would be a better idea to sign a SAM in FA and draft George Iloka (6`4`` 230LBS) to play a hybrid Safety/Linebacker role

by forlife on Feb 15, 2012 12:44 PM EST reply actions

good writeup

i love the idea of two pass rushers except one will free up the remainder of the line SOOO…. i think #2 should be a cornerback . this is supposed to be a very deep draft for wide receivers so that can wait . i read all the garbage out there and i agree that Mario is just a expensive pipe dream and Buffalo should continue thru the draft building with youth . i am so sick of others cast offs or worse watching Tom Brady go up and back like we have no defense . Go Bills !!!!!!!!

by ONEREALMAN on Feb 15, 2012 4:18 PM EST reply actions

I agree with you completely. That might seem contradictory, but it isn’t. Aside from already being called a hypocrite, I have already said basically this exact same thing. I simply came to the conclusion that some people might underestimate Fred’s value on the market; but this point is moot, as I too think we will re-sign him. Even if we didn’t- he is already signed through this year.

also agree. There is nearly a 0% chance we could win him over some other contender.

agree. the “dread zone” as I call it (picks 8-14) generally account for more “busts” than any other area. Don’t agree? Look at OUR selections in those spots alone, and you might reconsider.

since the SLB isn’t on the field as much, or is generally pass rushing, I agree here too.

Give me Curry/Hightower over either of those two, any day.

I concur. I can’t understand NOT keeping him. It literally makes no sense to me.

confuses me. Just because we brought in the 1 guy available (sorta)… doesn’t give me the same impression it gives you. We are relatively inactive in free agency, and that is A-okay by me.

Right there with you in this sentiment though-

Even though I get frustrated with the Bills by the end of the season, this time of year always gets me jacked up and hopeful for the upcoming season. Go Bills!

"He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy."

~Socrates

by ThaRealTruth on Feb 15, 2012 4:57 PM EST reply actions

i numbered those correctly, i know it.

those should be 1-7, to address your post.

"He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy."

~Socrates

by ThaRealTruth on Feb 15, 2012 4:57 PM EST up reply actions

Signing SJ

I alone won’t be least bit surprised if Buffalo doesn’t sign SJ. RW is on record stating Fitz just needs receivers that can catch, to me implying he isn’t thrilled about parting his money to SJ. We shall see. Who exactly has Buffalo signed to large contract other than Fitz in recent yrs? Oh yeah Kelsay:)

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

by buffalobacker on Feb 15, 2012 9:06 PM EST reply actions

Think he was implying receivers other than nelson and johnson

With the first pick in the 2012 draft the Indianapolis Colts select Robert Griffen III

by Gpluehri on Feb 15, 2012 9:27 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

could be either

moral is: if you want better QB play, get him better receivers. I think that makes sense, and since we aren’t going to be replacing Fitz this season, we may as well use these picks to help him play better. Maybe that means a target, maybe that means, a better defense. Neither hurts us. What COULD hurt us, is using a pick too early on a QB (though we already know, the earlier the better) that doesn’t bring any impact. This is why I for one, won’t be surprised when we don’t draft a QB this year.

"He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy."

~Socrates

by ThaRealTruth on Feb 15, 2012 9:45 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah

Signing Fitz means no QB in first or second I’m quessing. Its a shame, really.

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

by buffalobacker on Feb 15, 2012 9:58 PM EST up reply actions

maybe, maybe not.

depends if we can locate a reasonable backup, and building up the offense/ and defense, before investing in a QB of the future, isn’t the worst plan.

"He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy."

~Socrates

by ThaRealTruth on Feb 15, 2012 10:24 PM EST up reply actions

NFL Present

A QB offensive ruled game. D doesn’t have as much of a effect as in past just by league rules alone that help offense and hinder D. We are like light yrs away from relevance in NFL. Management and history of failure is damning. We need new ownership, local and committed to keeping team in Buffalo would be nice. But i’ll deal with move to just see team gain relevance. Please RW let it go.

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

by buffalobacker on Feb 16, 2012 1:30 AM EST up reply actions

disagree.

defense isn’t as insignificant as every one says. At least in my eyes. Good running game equals fresh defense equals less strain on QB. Good QB means quick to score, when you manager to score; but failing to score makes you the Saints, losing to the Niners.

"He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy."

~Socrates

by ThaRealTruth on Feb 16, 2012 1:52 AM EST up reply actions

The way the fitz contract is setup

It would make perfect sense to draft a qb in the first or second fitz guaranteed money stops in 3 years

With the first pick in the 2012 draft the Indianapolis Colts select Robert Griffen III

by Gpluehri on Feb 16, 2012 12:44 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

I don't think Fitz's contract is the reason we won't draft a QB high...

The new rookie salary structure makes it so that you can have a 1st round QB sit and develop for a year or two without it being a financial disaster.

The reason we won’t draft a QB is that Nix and Chan are entering year three without much success to brag about so far. They need the team to improve in 2012 to keep their jobs in 2013, and using a 1st or 2nd rounder on a QB that sits on the bench isn’t the best way to achieve that.

I’m not supporting this approach. I want Tannehill at #10, but I realize that’s not happening.

by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Feb 16, 2012 12:54 AM EST up reply actions

i agree with all this

well, except the last statement. I have different hopes, based on the rest of what you said. I do see Gpluehri’s point, as I feel you do, but I just think that with improvement this year, that next year makes way more sense. (besides, don’t you want Barkley, or Landry Jones, Tyler Wilson, or even Geno Smith, more than Tannehill? I sure do.)

"He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy."

~Socrates

by ThaRealTruth on Feb 16, 2012 1:00 AM EST up reply actions

I don't like the "look who's available next year" approach

Unless we go 1-15, we’re not going to be in position to draft Barkley and who knows what we’ll think of Jones, Wilson, Smith, Bray and the other QB’s in the draft a year from now, or whether they’ll even be available.

The opportunity to draft a franchise QB is a rare one, which I think should be taken when it presents itself. The likely scenario though is that next year at this time, we’ll be debating which of the 2nd tier QB prospects we want our new GM to take.

by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Feb 16, 2012 8:56 AM EST up reply actions

that's cool

i am not sold on Tannehill.

"He is a man of courage who does not run away, but remains at his post and fights against the enemy."

~Socrates

by ThaRealTruth on Feb 16, 2012 4:04 PM EST up reply actions

Kinda Agree

I think owner has more control than is feasible, only explanation for franchises demise for a decade and counting. theres gotta be a reason why Buffalo is destination zero outa 100, zero being cold day in hell I go there. Geesh Kudo’s to new regime for turning fodder into hopeful. It will take a exceptional FO to overcome ownership.

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

by buffalobacker on Feb 16, 2012 1:35 AM EST up reply actions