Article: Are Bills a better team?

[The Answer]

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070328/SPORTS03/703280353

Are Bills a better team?


Trimmer payroll has a steep price — the loss of top players

<!--(SPORTS03) Staff--><!-- --><!-- ArticleByline2 --><!-- STORY TEXT --><!--STORY TEXT-->
Sal Maiorana (smaioran@democratandchronicle.com)
Staff writer



(March 28, 2007) — By not re-signing free agents Nate Clements and London Fletcher, and trading away Willis McGahee and Takeo Spikes, the Buffalo Bills have certainly done a great job getting their payroll in line with this season's salary cap.

The question is, have the fiscally responsible Bills made themselves a better football team? At this point, it would be hard to answer yes.

The latest alteration to the roster came Monday night when the Bills sent Spikes and backup quarterback Kelly Holcomb to Philadelphia for defensive tackle Darwin Walker and a conditional 2008 draft pick.

[jamesiscool]

the loss of top players who didnt produce u mean.

[alohabillsfan]

Answer

RB Lynch
McCauley
Black
Durant

[HHURRICANE]

the loss of top players who didnt produce u mean.

This is such a great point. I would argue that the biggest loss might be Fletcher because he was pretty consistant. Spikes was non existant, Hoclomb never saw a play, Clements didn't play until after the bye and we have a RB who finished 23rd in the league in rushing. Hmmmm.

I love how the media get's all hot and bothered without watching a GAME.

[X-Era]

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070328/SPORTS03/703280353

Are Bills a better team?


Trimmer payroll has a steep price — the loss of top players

<!--(SPORTS03) Staff--><!-- --><!-- ArticleByline2 --><!-- STORY TEXT --><!--STORY TEXT-->
Sal Maiorana (smaioran@democratandchronicle.com)
Staff writer



(March 28, 2007) — By not re-signing free agents Nate Clements and London Fletcher, and trading away Willis McGahee and Takeo Spikes, the Buffalo Bills have certainly done a great job getting their payroll in line with this season's salary cap.

The question is, have the fiscally responsible Bills made themselves a better football team? At this point, it would be hard to answer yes.

The latest alteration to the roster came Monday night when the Bills sent Spikes and backup quarterback Kelly Holcomb to Philadelphia for defensive tackle Darwin Walker and a conditional 2008 draft pick.

So, to recap the March Madness on One Bills Drive:

Clements, one of the better corners in the league, is gone and right now the best guess is that Ashton Youboty, a third-round pick in 2006 who played briefly in three games as a rookie, will get the first chance to win the job. If not him, there's always Kiwaukee Thomas or Jabari Greer.



Fletcher, the team's leading tackler the past five years and the undeniable quarterback of the defense, and Spikes, a true warrior who battled back from a serious Achilles' injury suffered in 2005 to play decently in 12 games last season, are gone.



It would appear that Angelo Crowell will be moved into the middle to take Fletcher's spot, a position he has never played in the NFL, while the depth chart currently shows undersized Keith Ellison and under-used Mario Haggan, a longtime special teamer who has 11 career tackles on defense, as the starters.

And McGahee is gone. He has become public enemy No. 1 in Buffalo after the comments he made in the Baltimore Sun on Sunday saying that he couldn't wait to get out of Buffalo because there was nothing to do there but play video games due to the lack of suitable night clubs, restaurants and attractive women. Those gems came on the heels of his brainstorm that the team should move to Toronto.


Good riddance, and don't let the door hit you on the way out, but McGahee's departure leaves behind the underwhelming trio of Anthony Thomas, Shaud Williams and Fred Jackson as the only running game options.

In breaking down the decisions general manager Marv Levy and company have made, you can see the logic.

Losing Clements and Fletcher via free agency was a given. The Bills were never going to pay the necessary exorbitant salaries to keep them, nor should they have been expected to, especially for Fletcher who is on the wrong side of 30. That was just collateral damage in the business of the NFL.
Trading McGahee was understandable because he didn't want to be here in the first place, and he would have left as a free agent after the 2007 season with Buffalo getting nothing in return. At least he fetched three draft picks as compensation.

And getting rid of Spikes was probably the right move long-term because he clearly struggled last season to regain his form after the Achilles' injury, and the team feels it is unlikely he will ever be the same player he once was, so lopping off his $4.6 million salary was prudent.

However, outside of the $75 million spending spree on Derrick Dockery, Langston Walker and Jason Whittle that seemingly upgraded the offensive line, nothing else the Bills have done bodes well for the upcoming season as they will be weaker in the secondary, at linebacker, and at running back.

The acquisition of Darwin Walker would have been more meaningful if he played the over-the-center tackle position that was manned not so impressively last year by Tim Anderson, John McCargo and Kyle Williams.

The 29-year-old former third-round draft choice by Arizona out of Tennessee is a seven-year veteran who has been a starter in Philadelphia the past five seasons, but who was probably going to be the odd man out in a revamped tackle rotation.

Walker plays the same position as Buffalo's big-splash free agent of a year ago, Larry Tripplett, the so-called "three-technique" tackle who lines up over the outside shoulder of a guard.

General manager Marv Levy said "Darwin gives us depth at a position that we needed it." Depth is great, but what the Bills really needed was a run-stuffing starter next to Tripplett. Unless the 295-pound Walker, who had 36 tackles and 6 sacks last season, or 2006 first-rounder McCargo — who missed most of his rookie year with a foot injury — becomes that player, the run defense doesn't figure to be much better, especially with a linebacking corps that won't have Fletcher and Spikes.

In all likelihood, the Bills are done wheeling and dealing in free agency, and won't be pursuing any more trades, so that leaves the draft as the last vehicle to upgrade this team.

Suffice it to say, the scouts better have done their homework because this is a team that will need some of those rookies — preferably a linebacker, a cornerback and a running back — to step in immediately and contribute.

SMAIORAN@DemocratandChronicle.com (SMAIORAN@DemocratandChronicle.com)
~The Answer

Wait a minute...

So, the media, who always wants "answers" that are painfully obvious..and also well proven...sees us trading 2 highly regraded players, and not resigning 2 other highly regarded players as risky? Wait....what a novel idea...man, Im so glad the media is here to save us from ourselves...ignorrant asses...Have they EVER stated something that we havent already thought/worried about? Thats not "news: its called..."olds".

The other truth is that the media wont stick their neck out. They wont say that it could all work out if they make the right draft picks...they wont take a risk like that.

The media doesnt have the nards to state what we want and need to hear, they state ONLY what we know already. He hopes we know what we need fron the draft? DUHHHH! Thanks for stating the painfully obvious, YET AGAIN.

FU media!

[Jan Reimers]

We have gotten rid of two players - Fletcher and Clements - who are worth nowhere near what they would have cost us; a RB who grossly underperformed and had a ridiculously bad attitude; an injured, struggling LB whose Pro Bowl days are over; and a pathetically weak armed 3rd string QB.

Jeez, people, when are you going to stop listening to the media, wake up, and understand what the Bills are doing to improve this team?

[X-Era]

We have gotten rid of two players - Fletcher and Clements - who are worth nowhere near what they would have cost us; a RB who grossly underperformed and had a ridiculously bad attitude; an injured, struggling LB whose Pro Bowl days are over; and a pathetically weak armed 3rd string QB.

Jeez, people, when are you going to stop listening to the media, wake up, and understand what the Bills are doing to improve this team?

This is exactly right, but we still need to follow through by replacing these players with great prospects....We will, IMO, but it will happen at the draft.

[Jan Reimers]

This is exactly right, but we still need to follow through by replacing these players with great prospects....We will, IMO, but it will happen at the draft.
Absolutely. We are not building this team with the Drew Bledsoes, Lawyer Millolys, Troy Vincents and Sam Adams of the world.

Marv doesn't sign has-beens with big names. He drafts young guys with big futures.

[HHURRICANE]

We have gotten rid of two players - Fletcher and Clements - who are worth nowhere near what they would have cost us; a RB who grossly underperformed and had a ridiculously bad attitude; an injured, struggling LB whose Pro Bowl days are over; and a pathetically weak armed 3rd string QB.

Jeez, people, when are you going to stop listening to the media, wake up, and understand what the Bills are doing to improve this team?

Great post Jan!!!!!!!!

[feelthepain]

understand what the Bills are doing to improve this team?


What would that be?? Does the coaching get any blame for the season last year?? Just because you get younger doesn't mean you get better. You need a of mixture of youth and experience. You have no starting LB your D-line is small and the Bills so far have done nothing to improve the run D. They also have added just one overpaid avg. G to an offense that was 27th overall last year. What is it you're seeing??

[patmoran2006]

the loss of top players who didnt produce u mean.
Wrong.

Nate Clements was one of the best defensive players in the NFL the second alf of last season. Was he playing for a contract? yes he was... Should the Bills have paid him that money? No they shouldn't. But dont say he didnt produce.. He was sick the second half of last year and he was STILL the best defensive back we had.

Some of you guys are so ignorant to what Fletcher did in Buffalo it's mind blowing. I'll say it for the 10,000th time. How many MLB's in the NFL not named Urlacher DONT make most their tackles 6 yds down the field when anchoring a cover two defense? The defense is often DESIGNED for the MLB to drop back into the middle of the field. To boot, he had a trio of cheesy poofs at DT playing in front of him. Oh, and he still had FOUR interceptions, and scored two touchdowns. Not too shabyy for a guy who "didnt produce".

Spikes, I'll give you.. and McGahee, well truthfully outside the Jets game I think he tanked on purpose on his way out.

So not to say Fletch and or Clements should've been resigned, but it's really ignorant to say they didnt produce, because they sure did.

[OpIv37]

the loss of top players who didnt produce u mean.

I keep hearing that. What I'm not hearing is who we have that's any better.

[OpIv37]

Wrong.

Nate Clements was one of the best defensive players in the NFL the second alf of last season. Was he playing for a contract? yes he was... Should the Bills have paid him that money? No they shouldn't. But dont say he didnt produce.. He was sick the second half of last year and he was STILL the best defensive back we had.

Some of you guys are so ignorant to what Fletcher did in Buffalo it's mind blowing. I'll say it for the 10,000th time. How many MLB's in the NFL not named Urlacher DONT make most their tackles 6 yds down the field when anchoring a cover two defense? The defense is often DESIGNED for the MLB to drop back into the middle of the field. To boot, he had a trio of cheesy poofs at DT playing in front of him. Oh, and he still had FOUR interceptions, and scored two touchdowns. Not too shabyy for a guy who "didnt produce".

Spikes, I'll give you.. and McGahee, well truthfully outside the Jets game I think he tanked on purpose on his way out.

So not to say Fletch and or Clements should've been resigned, but it's really ignorant to say they didnt produce, because they sure did.

Nate was also playing for a contract year in 05 and he SUCKED that year. And he sucked in most of 06 too. He had a few games at the end but did nothing at the beginning.

I think Nate is a loss because we don't have anyone equal or better, but seriously, the guy is NOT a top corner- he's definitely not in the top 5 in the league and may not even be in the top 10. He's completely overrated and the contract he got is obscene.

[patmoran2006]

I agree with the article. sal is a great writer.

and I think the article has merit.

"Are the Bills a better team" should come down to how you perceive that.

Are they a better team as in they are building a core of young, unselfish players that will play hard for each other? Are they a better team as in having these young guys develop that they will be able to maintain a new, solid core for the next several years?

Then the answer is yes.

But "ARe they a better team" as in this football team is better than it was last year? A better team as in they are closer to overtaking New England and/or the Jets and becoming the team to beat in the AFC EAst in 2007? Are they a better team as in at least if nothing else you can expect a winning season this year?

Then the answer is no, they're not.

[patmoran2006]

Nate was also playing for a contract year in 05 and he SUCKED that year. And he sucked in most of 06 too. He had a few games at the end but did nothing at the beginning.

I think Nate is a loss because we don't have anyone equal or better, but seriously, the guy is NOT a top corner- he's definitely not in the top 5 in the league and may not even be in the top 10. He's completely overrated and the contract he got is obscene.
yes, but I didnt talk about 2005, the first half of 2006, whether Nate is a top 5 CB in the league or worth the money he got from SF..

the subject was are we a better team, and my reply was Nate was one of the best players in the NFL the second half of last season (which can be debated of course). But what can't be debated is he is far superior than any DB on this roster right now.

And I wouldnt ever paid him that money either.. that might be the only move along with Dockery I HAVENT *****ed about this offseason at all.

[mchurchfie]

We have gotten rid of two players - Fletcher and Clements - who are worth nowhere near what they would have cost us; a RB who grossly underperformed and had a ridiculously bad attitude; an injured, struggling LB whose Pro Bowl days are over; and a pathetically weak armed 3rd string QB.

Jeez, people, when are you going to stop listening to the media, wake up, and understand what the Bills are doing to improve this team?
:bf1:

[Statman]

Absolutely. We are not building this team with the Drew Bledsoes, Lawyer Millolys, Troy Vincents and Sam Adams of the world.

Marv doesn't sign has-beens with big names. He drafts young guys with big futures.
You mean McCargo and Youboty?

The same guys that brought you and us the last number of drafts are still conducting them.

Don't kid yourself into thinking that Marv is doing anything more than being a mouthpiece and facilitator for this organization. He's not.

[mchurchfie]

Wrong.


Some of you guys are so ignorant to what Fletcher did in Buffalo it's mind blowing. I'll say it for the 10,000th time. .
I know exactly what I saw out this guy for a couple of years now...he was the biggest lie on defense. Too small, too slow, and never ever came up with the big play when it counted. He was the one I was most glad to see go, some of the last remnants of the TD/Williams era....good riddance!

[OpIv37]

We have gotten rid of two players - Fletcher and Clements - who are worth nowhere near what they would have cost us; a RB who grossly underperformed and had a ridiculously bad attitude; an injured, struggling LB whose Pro Bowl days are over; and a pathetically weak armed 3rd string QB.

Jeez, people, when are you going to stop listening to the media, wake up, and understand what the Bills are doing to improve this team?

See, here's the problem.

There are two steps to improvement.
1. Get rid of the guys who are no longer useful
2. Add new players who are equal or better and contribute more than the players are gone.

We got the first part down, we're definitely struggling with the second part.

It scares the **** out of me that our only option at LB is finding someone in the draft who can start from day 1.

[justasportsfan]

You mean McCargo .


Oops. Spoke to soon in the other thread. Dead horse.

You must probably live close to redskins area if you think that a player should be graded after 5 games which is probably why they keep rebuilding with high profile players only to fail.

Bellichick would love your way of thinking.

[jamesiscool]

See, here's the problem.

There are two steps to improvement.
1. Get rid of the guys who are no longer useful
2. Add new players who are equal or better and contribute more than the players are gone.

We got the first part down, we're definitely struggling with the second part.

It scares the **** out of me that our only option at LB is finding someone in the draft who can start from day 1.

free agency isnt over. no one outside of harper (who is on the downside of his career) was worth signing for the money that we had available.

LB
june
thomas
briggs (sort of)

those were the only LB's that were worth signing IMO and we werent going to pay them waht they wanted. june signed for cheap but he wasn't an attacking LB and i believe the FO didn't feel too strong about him.

CB
harper......

what other FA CCB's do u want us to sign who didn't want the money that we DIDN'T HAVE. if we're pressed up against the cap now imagine if we would have signed someone who we would have overpaid.

Free agency isn't over so I'm not guna start *****ing about what this team hasn't done. save it for the season.

James

[ublinkwescore]

Great post Jan!!!!!!!!

I think we're back on the same page again - I haven't groaned you since I've been off work.

[ublinkwescore]

What would that be?? Does the coaching get any blame for the season last year?? Just because you get younger doesn't mean you get better. You need a of mixture of youth and experience. You have no starting LB your D-line is small and the Bills so far have done nothing to improve the run D. They also have added just one overpaid avg. G to an offense that was 27th overall last year. What is it you're seeing??

Do me a favor, and see how our O ranked after the bye week compared to the rest of the league - throw out the first half of the season please...

[ublinkwescore]

And TDummy is trying to be funny again...

Don't forget to groan this one too Tdummy.

[Jan Reimers]

You mean McCargo and Youboty?

The same guys that brought you and us the last number of drafts are still conducting them.

Don't kid yourself into thinking that Marv is doing anything more than being a mouthpiece and facilitator for this organization. He's not.
I know you are an expert in these things, but are you really giving up on McCargo and Youboty after one year?

[feelthepain]

Do me a favor, and see how our O ranked after the bye week compared to the rest of the league - throw out the first half of the season please...


The Bills had one more win the second half of the season then they did the first half, they lost their final two games. Bill fans love to trash MM as if he was a big factor in Miami's season, but then ignore the fact that Fairchild had anything to do with the Bills season. The Bills were 7-9 and if it wasn't the talent or the coaching in Buffalo what exactly was the cause for 9 loses and only 1 win against a winning team?? Did the NFL cheat and give the nine wins to the teams the Bills lost to?? It had to be either coaching or talent or both, since the Bills lost quite a few starters this offseason and replaced them with little or nothing, how have the Bills improved?

[OpIv37]

free agency isnt over. no one outside of harper (who is on the downside of his career) was worth signing for the money that we had available.

LB
june
thomas
briggs (sort of)

those were the only LB's that were worth signing IMO and we werent going to pay them waht they wanted. june signed for cheap but he wasn't an attacking LB and i believe the FO didn't feel too strong about him.

CB
harper......

what other FA CCB's do u want us to sign who didn't want the money that we DIDN'T HAVE. if we're pressed up against the cap now imagine if we would have signed someone who we would have overpaid.

Free agency isn't over so I'm not guna start *****ing about what this team hasn't done. save it for the season.

James
FA isn't over officially but it's over. There is no one left that would be a big contributor. Any other FA signings from this point forward will be for depth or camp competition- that's it.

[justasportsfan]

I know you are an expert in these things

statman and expert? This guy had undying love for Rob Johnson even after he was gone from the NFL. I think he's still hoping he'll come back from surfing.

[justasportsfan]

FA isn't over officially but it's over. There is no one left that would be a big contributor. Any other FA signings from this point forward will be for depth or camp competition- that's it.
what if the bills trade for turner?

[OpIv37]

what if the bills trade for turner?

that's a trade, not an FA signing. It would be a good move and it would fill a hole for us- one less thing to worry about in the draft.

But seriously, I don't think that will happen. His price tag and the Chargers' compensation are too high.

[Jan Reimers]

statman and expert? This guy had undying love for Rob Johnson even after he was gone from the NFL. I think he's still hoping he'll come back from surfing.
It was a sarcastic oxymoron.

[justasportsfan]

It was a sarcastic oxymoron.
I knew that , I just wanted to kick him in the nuts.

[Jan Reimers]

I knew that , I just wanted to kick him in the nuts.
Assuming he has any.