We'll be in the playoffs in 2007

[kernowboy]

I thought it was time for some positive thinking .....

Whilst at present we are a mediocre side, a few astute changes can be hugely transforming.

Starting with the offensive line, I believe Butler will be a player. I think Preston or Merz will adequately replace Villarial. I think Peters would make a fantastic LG (not sure if he could be LT) and I think we will only need to use a 2nd round pick for a quality LT who will cover the QBs blindside for 10 years consider how deep that position is. We will have a good line next year

I think a big NT can be picked up in the draft or free agency and transform the line. He maybe someone like Justin Harrell. He maybe from a small school like Damion deRossa of Saginaw Valley. He'll be a big Kelly Gregg for us. He will transform the line. With maybe Dan Bazuin in the draft and Hargrove bedded in we will have a good line next year

Though TKO, Fletcher-Baker and Clements will leave we have two replacements already inhouse in Ellison and Youboty. A LB in the draft like Posluzny and we wouldn't notice that they've left.

I believe Marv and Dick will target a top TE like Graham or Stevens and will get him. They will realise we need a much bigger No2 receiver and with the cash from TKO/FB/Clements we will get him.

I think JP will continue to improve and I hope McGahee won't sulk about his contract, and having laid the foundations, 2007 will see the end of the playoff drought. We will have a decent line and good offensive weapons and an upgraded defence with a years experience of the Tampa2 system.

Even if we only get a wildcard and get knocked out at the first time of asking, we will still be able to consider Kyle Wright at QB and Kyle Bell at RB if we need to upgrade over JP and if Willis decides to leave.

See its not all bleak

[HHURRICANE]

I hate to rain on your parade but I really think we are 2 drafts away from a playoff run. There is not nearly enough talent currently on this team!!

[Inetpub]

With all the "I think","I believe","I hope" in your post, thats alot of IFS. Im waiting for the "I know" and "For a fact". Those are real numbers. With the vets leaving at the end of the year, this team will be VERY young and raw. Look more at 3-4 years.

[alohabillsfan]

With all the "I think","I believe","I hope" in your post, thats alot of IFS. Im waiting for the "I know" and "For a fact". Those are real numbers. With the vets leaving at the end of the year, this team will be VERY young and raw. Look more at 3-4 years.

I was thinking the same thing!

[ICE74129]

I hate to rain on your parade but I really think we are 2 drafts away from a playoff run. There is not nearly enough talent currently on this team!!

bull ****. FREE AGENCY! Marv and Ralph are gonna have a **** load of cap room and damn well better be willing to pay for top friggin talent this offseason. If they don't the fans will be letting them know about it.

We did the mid tier FA Crap this offseason, time to get better talent in here.

[kernowboy]

Oh we won't have much depth but with proper conditioning there is a strong chance we will be a playoff team.

Veteran leadership on offence can come from Fowler, Peters, Graham (if he signs) and Evans. On the defence it can come from Crowell, Schobel, Denney, and McGee

Like for like a lot of our players would not be shamed by direct comparison with their peers. The problem is they are individuals rather than a team. That is where the coaching comes in.

And what is wrong with being very young? If you are good enough then you are old enough !!

[Mr. Miyagi]

With all the "I think","I believe","I hope" in your post, thats alot of IFS. Im waiting for the "I know" and "For a fact". Those are real numbers. With the vets leaving at the end of the year, this team will be VERY young and raw. Look more at 3-4 years.
We are all just fans, so there's no "I know"s and "for a fact"s. Even Marv and Dick couldn't possibly know "for a fact" if a younger guy can come in and replace Fletcher and see no dropoff, or whether a free agent TE will be targeted "for sure".

So if it's going to take cold hard facts on something nobody could know in order to convince you, then you're gonna stay a cynical outsider critic instead of being a true fan who believes with his heart.

[Inetpub]

So if it's going to take cold hard facts on something nobody could know in order to convince you, then you're gonna stay a cynical outsider critic instead of being a true fan who believes with his heart.
Oh I believe. But its going to take more than a glimmer of hope or a needle in a haystack to say to me that it might happen. Bring me results and produce something for me to say "YES WE WILL BE IN THE PLAYOFFS NEXT YEAR". Otherwise, as a fan, ill just hope they can make it to the playoffs. All I was saying in my post was that he is too early. Nothing this year has panned out well so how are you going to make this team a full contender next year with the angry vets leaving? I guarantee it wont be easy and unless we do a bigger cleanup this offseason, dont expect a 11-5 record next year.
So before you question a fans mentality, please consider what the post is about. I just want to see results before I am willing to say yes we are full contenders. Look at it this way. Some of you believe in Santa Claus. I want to see facts that he lives before I am going to say Santa came down my chimney.

[kernowboy]

Whitner has panned out, Simpson has panned out, JP is playing better than last season stats wise so whilst not panning out is moving in the right direction, Ellison and Crowell are panning out, Evans is proving he can be a No1 WR, McGahee is proving he can be a top 5 RB .....

Even where we are being horrible, it is clearly demonstrating to Marv and Dick what they now need to do. They need to draft a stud LT, they need to get bigger at NT, they need to splash the cash on a top TE, and they need to go for size at No2 WR

Rome wasn't built in a day but it can be built more quickly than the more pessimistic would believe.

Its called Parkinson's Law. If you think it will take 5 years it almost certainly will. If you think it will only take 2 years, it may take a little longer but not the worse case scenario

[Mr. Miyagi]

Oh I believe. But its going to take more than a glimmer of hope or a needle in a haystack to say to me that it might happen. Bring me results and produce something for me to say "YES WE WILL BE IN THE PLAYOFFS NEXT YEAR". Otherwise, as a fan, ill just hope they can make it to the playoffs. All I was saying in my post was that he is too early. Nothing this year has panned out well so how are you going to make this team a full contender next year with the angry vets leaving? I guarantee it wont be easy and unless we do a bigger cleanup this offseason, dont expect a 11-5 record next year.
So before you question a fans mentality, please consider what the post is about. I just want to see results before I am willing to say yes we are full contenders. Look at it this way. Some of you believe in Santa Claus. I want to see facts that he lives before I am going to say Santa came down my chimney.
You want facts and results?

It's only Week 7. Step off the ledge.

[alohabillsfan]

All right I will play along,

LB Lance Briggs, UFA, Chicago Bears BUY HIM!
WR Drew Bennett, UFA, Tennessee Titans BUY HIM!
LT Leonard Davis UFA Arizona Cardinals BUY HIM!
OG Eric Steinbach, UFA, Cincinnati Bengals BUY HIM!
DT Vonnie Holliday, UFA, Miami Dolphins Make a run, do not see to many other options!

Draft RD 1 DT Thomas Florida
RD 2 DE/LB
RD 3 LT
RD 4 CB
RD 6 RB
RD 7 DE/LB

[Mr. Miyagi]

LB Lance Briggs, UFA, Chicago Bears BUY HIM!
I'm with you.

WR Drew Bennett, UFA, Tennessee Titans BUY HIM!
Nah.

LT Leonard Davis UFA Arizona Cardinals BUY HIM!
Yes!

OG Eric Steinbach, UFA, Cincinnati Bengals BUY HIM!
:scratch:

DT Vonnie Holliday, UFA, Miami Dolphins
He sucks. :down:

[kernowboy]

Briggs and Steinbach won't be available. Davis, Holliday and Bennett are marginal upgrades

TE Daniel Graham - sign him 6ft3 257lbs
WR Ernest Whiford - sign him 6ft4 223lbs

in the draft

R1 draft down for Posluzny
R2 LT like Doug Free
R3 DE like Dan Bazuin for the left
R3 xtra pick Justin Harrell DT
R4 CB
R6 RB hopefully Garrett Wolfe or Clifton Dawson
R7 small school DT like Damion deRosia 6ft6 325lbs

If we get a compensatory 3rd rounder we take Alan Branch R1 if he comes out and use 3rd supp for a LB

[patmoran2006]

LOL.. there is no way Chicago is letting Briggs go.

Steinbach is a possibility, but he will command some bucks and I doubt Wilson will shell out a signing bonus on par with what some bigger spending teams will do to get a quality guard.

[alohabillsfan]

Briggs and Steinbach won't be available. Davis, Holliday and Bennett are marginal upgrades

TE Daniel Graham - sign him 6ft3 257lbs
WR Ernest Whiford - sign him 6ft4 223lbs

in the draft

R1 draft down for Posluzny
R2 LT like Doug Free
R3 DE like Dan Bazuin for the left
R3 xtra pick Justin Harrell DT
R4 CB
R6 RB hopefully Garrett Wolfe or Clifton Dawson
R7 small school DT like Damion deRosia 6ft6 325lbs

If we get a compensatory 3rd rounder we take Alan Branch R1 if he comes out and use 3rd supp for a LB

What will we get a 3rd round comp pick for?

[patmoran2006]

I hate to rain on your parade but I really think we are 2 drafts away from a playoff run. There is not nearly enough talent currently on this team!!
agreed

[kernowboy]

Having now realised we won't get a compensatory pick, I would like to see us trade down in R1, hopefully getting an extra third rounder for doing so.

[jmb1099]

Oh my God! Someone starts a positive thread and you guys (and you know who you are) swarm it like sharks in a feeding frenzy...damn