Which cuts surprise you the most?

[The_Philster]

Forked from: The Cuts Are In (http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showpost.php?postid=1624675)


I was honestly suprised about Rashad Baker getting cut. I noticed he was playing quite a bit in the preseason and seemed to be doing OK. When they moved Vincent down to the slot it was Baker who was in there...That was a bit surprise too.There's questions with a lot of the cuts, but if you could narrow it down to the 2 or 3 most perplexing cuts, which would it be?

[The_Philster]

Narrowing it down to 3
Rashad Baker cut over Bowen...why couldn't Bowen be placed on the PUP list? (sorry, but Wire is too strong on special teams to be much of a choice to cut)
Eric King over Kiawaukee Thomas...King's shown more, IMO. I had expected Thomas cut Tuesday
Lionel Gates over A-Train...I hope A-Train recovers his past form, but he hasn't shown it so far (Shaud shows the least out of the 3 at RB...but shows the most in terms of versatility)

[BuffaloBillsStampede]

I dont think they can be put on the PUP list if they passed the physical going into camp. I think I heard that on NFL radio because they were talking about someone else that got hurt during camp, but they couldn't do it for that reason.

[ShadowHawk7]

Wilson, Baker, Hunter, and King were all disappointed cuts in my opinion.

[justasportsfan]

wilson, gates, baker.

[Michael82]

Baker, Gates, Ezekiel

[ParanoidAndroid]

I would think that Baker would be more useful than Wire. I'm not on the Bills staff, but from the outside, I would think that Ko Simpson would be better than Wire at SS and Baker would then be our FS if we had to go that deep. Wire still plays like a LB...too bad he couldn't put on 15 pounds.

[bflojohn]

It seems to me from ALL the 53 man rosters that floated around that John DeGiorgio over Liam Ezekiel was a stunner! Kiwaukee Thomas over Eric King doesn't shock me in the least. King was ALWAYS a step slow, even last year. Greg Jerman was a very average O-lineman and the rookies ALL making it might just point up how well Jim McNally has brought along the kiddie corps. I didn't foresee Pennington or Merz, but I'm pleased they showed up and competed for the spots. The youth movement is good, IMO! I feel bad for only one guy and that's George Wilson. Any other time and he earns a spot, without a doubt. He is destined for the practice squad again. I did think that Lionel Gates was neck-and-neck even with Anthony Thomas. Guess NOT!!

[BSXIII]

The biggest surprise for me is that Coy Wire is not on that list.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

I think the reason that Wire survived was because, with Bowen out, the Bills wanted to keep a veteran SS to backup Whitner until Bowen is ready to play and, of the options available (Baker, Leonard, Wire), Wire offered the team more on STs than the others. Depending on the seriousness of Bowen's injury, I would not be surprised to see Wire cut once Bowen is able to play again and can take Wire's place on STs as well as behind Whitner. I just don't think that the team wanted to go without someone behind the rookie at SS.

I also think that K.Thomas got a huge assist in making the roster from Youboty missing so much time in OTAs and the preseason.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

I was most surprised that the Bills did not keep either Geissinger or Jerman as backups on the offensive line and decided to go with the three rookies instead---pleased, but shocked nonetheless, especially with Merz making the roster.

It's not like I wanted the Bills to keep any of the offensive linemen that they cut: Jerman stinks and probably played himself off the roster with a horrid performance against the Lions, Geissinger showed little or nothing, and Thomas was a non-entity. But, I didn't think that they would take the risk of going into the season with only Preston as a backup with any experience. It's a risky move, but indicative of how little depth they felt that they had and how much better they felt that their rookies could be than the veterans that they already had.

With Peters moving to LT when Gandy went down in practice last week, according to C.Brown's blog on BB.com, it appears that McNally must feel that he would be better off with Butler backing up at RT and Peters at LT than by keeping Jerman for either position. It also tells me that they are afraid that someone might be interested in Pennington if they were to cut him and/or that they like Pennington an awful lot. Of course, you can teach a lot of things, but you can't teach 38" arms, so that's probably a big part of what they see in Pennington. So, while I was surprised that they cut Jerman in favor of Butler and Pennington, I certainly can't argue with the move at all.

Perhaps the single most surprising move for me was that they kept Merz over Geissinger. Not that Geissinger has done much of anything, but simply because I didn't think that Merz had done that much for his part to justify them going with the rookie over a guy with some experience. But, then again, I didn't see Merz and Geissinger in practice, so I will have to defer to McNally's judgement on this one. But, considering that it leaves them with little experience behind the starters on the offensive line, I must say that this one did shock me and was the biggest surprise for me.

[Dr. Lecter]

I thought Gates would beat out Williams.

And the PUP list is only for those who failed their physical at the start of camp. Stampede is correct.

But the biggest shock is Wire making the team. His coverage skills for Cover 2 are lacking and his ST contributions are over-rated.

[Historian]

The shock is that I'm not shocked.

Its same-old, same-old at 1BD.

Keep the dead wood. Keep he same guys that have stunk for the last four years.

I'm not happy. I thought Jaron was a decision maker.

[mysticsoto]

The shock is that I'm not shocked.

Its same-old, same-old at 1BD.

Keep the dead wood. Keep he same guys that have stunk for the last four years.

I'm not happy. I thought Jaron was a decision maker.


??? I'm surprise to hear you say this. I feel like the got rid of alot of deadwood. The Oline backups like Jerman & Geisinger are gone in favor of fresh meat. Eric King is gone in favor of fresh meat. Fast Freddie & Wilson are gone in favor of new fresh meat. The only area you can complain about keeping deadwod is at safety. And the obvious reason is b'cse of Bowen's injury...

[Historian]

Josh Reed
Coy Wire
Sam Aiken

How much longer do we carry these guys?

Seriously?

[mysticsoto]

Josh Reed
Coy Wire
Sam Aiken

How much longer do we carry these guys?

Seriously?

Josh Reed probably saved his spot by having a good game for the last preseason game. He'll likely backup the slot position. In that sense, he'll be moved to backup over starting as in previos years.

Coy Wire's reason for making the team is obvious and could be let go at any moment once Bowen heals.

Aiken had a great preseason. He stepped it up as a receiver, and has continued his great ST ways. He is exactly what you want in a backup WR! If Wilson had turned up his ST play, he'd be on the team also!

[YardRat]

Until somebody better comes along...which, apparently, they haven't yet.

Linebacker (Haggan, Stamer) is the only position where I can see the same old/same old philosophy apply.

[Historian]

For the umpteenth time....

Josh Reed lights it up in PSG #4...then goes into hibernation for the next 16.

Drops everything between the 8 and the 2, and no coaching change, system change, whatever is going to change that.

You watch.

[Jan Reimers]

Special teams play obviously had a lot to do with the cuts. Haggan, Stamer, Wire and Aiken are the heart of our STs, and guys like Neufeld, Davis, Digiorgio, S. Williams and K. Thomas might have won very tight position battles because of their special teams' ability.

[mysticsoto]

For the umpteenth time....

Josh Reed lights it up in PSG #4...then goes into hibernation for the next 16.

Drops everything between the 8 and the 2, and no coaching change, system change, whatever is going to change that.

You watch.


I don't like Reed either, but I can see their logic. Reed will be the slot receiver backup. Wilson is more slated to backup the #2 WR position and they gave that to Davis b'cse he can contribute on ST. As for J. Smith...well, I guess I do prefer Reed over him...

[The_Philster]

Josh Reed: 4 yrs, $10M; 2M SB

[Historian]

Josh Reed: 4 yrs, $10M; 2M SB

That's exactly my point.

Thanks Phil.

[John Doe]

I think that this was one of the more surprising overall final cuts in memory.

I was surprised that all three of the rookie offensive linemen draft picks made the team. At the start of training camp I thought that only one would make it. If these guys actually develop then this draft may go down as the best in franchise history.

DeGiorgio was a surprise, but I actually don't think that he will replace Fletcher if an injury were to occur (I think that Ellison would get the nod before he does).

Baker was a surprise, particularly when the coaching staff was so pleased with him at the start of training camp.

King surprised me by being axed. I thought that he played well last year, but if they have found someone better, then so much the better. We were very undersized there.

The majority of the posters here (including me) thought that Wire would be cut. I also thought that either Stamer or Hagan were due to go, but when you bring in Levy as GM and elevate your special teams coach to "Assistant Head Coach" then this should not be much that shocking.

Shaud Williams over Gates - few if any saw that coming including me.

Keeping Davis over Wilson did not surprise me.

[JoeMama]

That's a bummer about Rashad Baker.

He was a gamer.

There were points where I felt the Bills defense looked better with him at free safety than Troy Vincent.

Now that Ko Simpson appears to be Vincent's successor, I guess the coaches felt Baker was expendable.

Not a great move, in my book.

I'd love to have Baker around as a competitor/backup to Simpson for the next few years instead of Vincent, who's probably on the fast track to retirement by the end of the season.

[YardRat]

I can't argue if it just comes down to money...I agree Reed got a better contract than he should have, but let's wait and see how he plays this year.

I can't wait until he makes a big third down catch for a first to keep a drive alive, scores a YAC TD, or throws a key block to spring McGahee for a long run and see all the 'THAT'S why we kept Reed' posts.

Josh doesn't necessarily excel at any one faction of the WR position, but he probably has the most complete all-around talent out of all our receivers at this time.

[SABURZFAN]

Josh Reed
Coy Wire
Sam Aiken

How much longer do we carry these guys?

Seriously?


they'll all be gone by next year.

[TigerJ]

No surprise to me that my three votes went to the three highest vote getters. So I guess it's no surprise that they were a big surprise, or something like that. Regarding Bowen, I think the deal is if he's hurt during training camp, PUP is not an available option. PUP can only be used for players who come into training camp unable to play due to injury, surgery, or illness.

[Night Train]

This was a 5 win team in 2005. There are no surprises.

After the next off-season, another 10-12 of these marginal talents still left on this roster will be gone too.

I'm upbeat and do believe the Bills are going in the proper direction. They'll be exciting and maddening at times this year but that's expected.

The roster still shows blemishes in the depth department. Prime example being the OL.

I won't panic if the Pats blast us and hope to see steady signs of improvement as the season progresses, barring a major injury.

Go Bills !

[Devin]

Gates, Wilson, Baker.

[Drive 4 Five]

I guess I must be the only person on this entire forum who actually likes Shaud Williams.

:scratch:

[Drive 4 Five]

I was surprised to see Rashaud Baker's name on that list. Other than that? No big surprises here.

[mysticsoto]

I guess I must be the only person on this entire forum who actually likes Shaud Williams.

:scratch:


No you are not. I like him too. He bulked up last year to improve his blocking and did so admirably. He is a different type of runner than Willis and A-Train which provides for a good change up...and lastly, he has experience and is shifty - and has shown much more than anything Gates showed against 2nd and 3rd stringers. If Gates can't shine against second hand quality, I much prefer Shaud who has been there with 1st stringers.