OK, so I'm not the biggest Willis fan in the world...

[lordofgun]

...but if he ran for KC, he'd be a monster...just as good as Larry Johnson. OL has a lot to do with it.

I don't like his personality either, but he doesn't suck, and shouldn't be run out of town. That's ridiculous.

[TacklingDummy]

I agree.

Willis still ran for 1247 yards behind what some consider a pathetic O-line.

[ICE74129]

...but if he ran for KC, he'd be a monster...just as good as Larry Johnson. OL has a lot to do with it.

I don't like his personality either, but he doesn't suck, and shouldn't be run out of town. That's ridiculous.

No he wouldn't, he isn't as talented. he had ONE good season in college then blew out his knee. He has a SH!&&y attitude and would have never played in KC with that attitude. Think about LJ and his tiff with their old HC. he was called a baby and told to grow up. LJ at first got pissed, then grew up, then rushed for 1600 yards in 10 games!

Willis is the most overhyped back in the game today.

[ICE74129]

I agree.

Willis still ran for 1247 yards behind what some consider a pathetic O-line.

No team can make the truck holes Willis needs to succeed. LJ in KC ran through lesser holes than willis needs. You better go back and look at how hard LJ runs. And better yet, see if he has attended offseason OTA's etc in KC in his stint there. This is two years in a row Willis has skipped.

[patmoran2006]

2375 yards and 18 touchdowns in his first two seasons . Behind a horrible interior offensive line that's been improved this off-season.

Not too mention behind one of the worst game-day coaches in NFL history.

Some people on here I truly think are sick in the head to suggest we trade him, cut him, whatever right now. Where is the logic?

And I got news for you, 1300-1400 RB's are NOT a dime a dozen. It is true you don't need a franchise RB to win a Super Bowl, but having one certainly doesn't hurt your chances either..

Lets see what Willis will do with an offense that will actually COMMITT to using him properly before passing judgement.

Not too mention with our young, raw and largely unproven additions on defense, we want to control the clock on offense as much as possible by running the ball. You're going to get rid of Willis and do that with Gates? Funny.

Here's another newsflash: Gates isn't even going to beat out A-Train for the backup job.

Unbelievable.

[TigerJ]

I agree, Willis is a good back, and is going to be around this season, and probably next, but Willis thinks "team" is spelled with an "I." I have a feeling that the Bills coaching staff is going to find his selfish and thoughtless attitude increasingly difficult to live with as they try to build a team concept and bring in players who fit.

[RockStar36]

Regardless of attitude, Willis is a good RB. Not only was the line pathetic last year, but how many times did he get shafted w/ the playcalling. I remember that game in Miami when it was First & Goal and the threw the freaking ball (Miami intercepted it BTW) instead of running Willis into the end zone. How many times did he randomly get pulled so Mike's boy Shaud could go in and get thrown around like a rag doll.

[patmoran2006]

Willis WILL be used more effectively this season.

And for the record, I'm not a big fan of Willis either. Unlike many though, I dont care if he's at OTA or now, though it would be nice if he was. He will come to camp in top shape, he might talk-act stupid, but he's not. He knows he's basically playing for a contract this year.

What does bother me most about Willis is his "whatever" attitude when we lose. Players like Kelly and Thurman they would get physically sick when we lost. Willis needs to take a page from that.

[Buckets]

2375 yards and 18 touchdowns in his first two seasons . Behind a horrible interior offensive line that's been improved this off-season.


Lets see what Willis will do with an offense that will actually COMMITT to using him properly before passing judgement.


.

When he decides to grace us with his presence.

[RockStar36]

When he decides to grace us with his presence.

Say the same thing for the other handful of vets that didn't show for the VOLUNTARY workout.

[ParanoidAndroid]

He's good, but not special...at least he hasn't shown it. I don't want him run out of town either. I just think he's going to pack his bags as soon as his contract is up and it is never to soon to start looking for the best possible replacement.

[RockStar36]

I'm not so sure he is going to pack his bags. I know buying a house can always be temporary, but he did just buy a house in Orchard Park. Or Buffalo....something like that.

[G. Host]

Buying a house does not mean much for many players do it just do it so they do not need to follow rules which would be applied if they were renting. Unless he is having changes made so much that it will be difficult to sell, he will be able to recover almost all if not all pf purchase price even in WYNY.

I am not saying the Bills should dump Willis but if someone would come along with a great deal by someone who overrates him, Bills should look at it seriously getting rid of the headache of the player and the agent.

[patmoran2006]

And your prepared to start the Levy era as GM with Anthony Thomas or Gates are your future back?

Unless we got an offer that blew the Bills away, which isn't going to happen, you take your chances with Willis.

I will say this though. I don't see him staying in Buffalo past the life of his contract (2 years). I don't think he's a fit for Buffalo as a football team or a town in general. But there is no way I do anything with him THIS season other than start him.

[Bill Brasky]

...but if he ran for KC, he'd be a monster...just as good as Larry Johnson. OL has a lot to do with it.

I don't like his personality either, but he doesn't suck, and shouldn't be run out of town. That's ridiculous.
LOG, you would be a monster if you ran for KC.

I wouldn't have a prob with Willis, but every game I watched last year he just seemed to show no heart. He wouldn't break tackles going down after first contact, wouldn't make any moves to get extra yardage, had no burst through holes... it wasn't like he was getting nailed in the backfield... he hasn't busted a long run since he's been here... these are basic things that even the most average RB's can pull off. Adding his attitude to the mix I think he is just asking for the fans to turn on him.

It also doesn't explain his drop-off from the previous season, it wasn't like the line was drastically overhauled during the offseason... esp when he piled up more yardage and TD's in fewer performances

[patmoran2006]

To the best of my knowledge, 11 vets weren't at this camp.

[ICE74129]

Regardless of attitude, Willis is a good RB. Not only was the line pathetic last year, but how many times did he get shafted w/ the playcalling. I remember that game in Miami when it was First & Goal and the threw the freaking ball (Miami intercepted it BTW) instead of running Willis into the end zone. How many times did he randomly get pulled so Mike's boy Shaud could go in and get thrown around like a rag doll.

Shawd was put in because Willis was out of shape and cant handle a full load. We went with a pass because willis can't break the LOS like other backs unless there is a hole big enough to run a semi though.

Willis is an average back.

[G. Host]

Shaud is a better blocker than Willis and is better at catching balls out of backfield.; Shaud came into camp in much better shape adding a lot of solid muscle Hopefully he (Willis) is in full season shape and can take the entire load and can learn (or demonstrate) he can catch/block. I am not expecting him to be Thurman or Edgar James but at least serviceable.

[RockStar36]

To the best of my knowledge, 11 vets weren't at this camp.

I'm glad someone else realizes this. Now what I need to figure out is why Willis is the scapegoat, meanwhile these other vets get a free ride.

[G. Host]

Willis is the "scapegoat" (which is another way of saying 'It applies but I do not like it') because he was not in camp last year either. This is not the first or last time it will happen.

[RockStar36]

You're right, it won't be the last. He's from Miami. Those players workout together in Miami. It will be the same thing for Ed Reed, Andre Johnson, etc etc......

[ParanoidAndroid]

What gets me most about Willis is not that he missed the VOTA's but rather that he talks beyond his accomplishments (to put it mildly) and doesn't seem to have much concern for the Bills. My hope is that he leaves it all out on the field and decides he wants to stay in Buffalo, but he doesn't seem to give much love when he's asked about his team. When you see his interviews, you can almost sense that he already has plans to take his career elsewhere. Maybe that's just me. :idunno:

[ICE74129]

You're right, it won't be the last. He's from Miami. Those players workout together in Miami. It will be the same thing for Ed Reed, Andre Johnson, etc etc......

What you continually fail to comprehend is he isn't in the same class of athlete as the two you mentioned. Never has been, never will be. He is a product of HYPE.

[RockStar36]

I don't fail to comprehend anything so keep on digging.

Someone said that he didn't show last year as well as this year, and I said that he probably never will because Miami guys train on their own in Miami.

I am getting real sick and tired of having every post I make spun around and turned into an argument on how you hate Willis. You hate him. Good. Move on. Christ...

[Throne Logic]

I'm glad someone else realizes this. Now what I need to figure out is why Willis is the scapegoat, meanwhile these other vets get a free ride.

A large part of why Willis gets the most crap is because of the high-profile reason he wasn't there. Of the other 11, how many were on TV promoting themselves?

Not that I'm making an argument for either side of this. Just how I see it.