This Year: It's Time for Marv to be held accountable

[patmoran2006]

Now while I know that Marv Levy is treated like a God by fans of the Buffalo Bills (rightfully so due to his head coaching career), the bottom line is that in 2007 it’s time for him to be held accountable one way or the other based on how this football team does. The honeymoon is over and so are the Tom Donahoe excuses as well. Levy’s now had two offseasons and two drafts to improve this team ... A good GM puts the kind of team together that gets better each year, not the kind of team that is lucky to match a losing-win total of the year before. Winning 7 games in his first year is acceptable. NOt improving in 2007 is not.



It’s almost taboo to mention anything Levy ever does negatively, but the bottom line is that in his two offseasons of being GM of the Bills, he’s made some curious decisions that potentially could set this football team back even further than they were the year before.

Among them…

• Trading up for Paul Poslusny. By moving up for Poz and drafting a QB Project (Edwards) on day one, Levy basically drafted one player on day one who will contribute instead of potentially three. Poz doesn’t just need to be a starter: for this move he needs to be an impact player.
• Trading up for John McCargo last year. Most people didn’t have McCargo graded as a first rounder, Levy did. Granted he was hurt last year, but this year he needs to show he was worth losing a valuable day one pick over.
• By not signing a FA Wr or drafting one, Levy showed a lot of confidence in Peerless Price as a legit #2. He needs to step up.
• Langston Walker, despite being a part of the worst OL ever in Oakland, was given a huge vote of confidence here, and $25 million to boot.
• If it’s not strictly a “financial move”, then Levy concluded that Takeo Spikes’ career as an impact player is over, and dumped him off to Philadelphia for a one-dimensional rotational DT. Hope that Spikes’ best days are indeed behind him.
• Signed Tutan Reyes and Matt Bowens, a pair of waste products who were both cut after only one year and zero positive contributions.
• Made Larry Tripplett his first big free agent signing. Last year, Tripplett grossly underachieved. This year his cap hit is $3.785 million (according to clump). That’s an awful lot of money for someone with 2.5 sacks and zero impact against the run.
• Given a one-dimensional DE like Chris Kelsay $24 million, including nearly $13 million in guaranteed money. It might not happen, but it’s a lock that this will sooner or later (and probably sooner) prompt Aaron Schobel’s agent to demand more money—which as a Pro Bowler he deserves.
• Knowing our schedule is stacked with teams possessing great passing games and WR’s, Buffalo failed to sign or draft a single cornerback this offseason. We’re putting our pass defense in the hands of Terrence McGee, Ashton Youboty and Kiwaukee Thomas at the corner spot.

Among a couple of other “curious” decisions that have been made.

• Josh Reed, a clear-cut backup WR, is counting $2.7 million against the cap this year.
• Ryan Denney, a rotational DE, is making $3.2 million this year against the cap.
• Coy Wire is not only still on the roster, but counts $1.65 million against the cap.
• The most puzzling of all… Craig Nall was given $1.3 million just to sign his name on the dotted line. He couldn’t even beat out Holcomb at any point last year. This year, we draft a QB on day one, likely keeping Nall as a permanent clipboard holder. By the way, he’s counting $1.73 million against the cap this year, ABSURD for a third stringer.

Now if the Bills improve and are better than last year, then Levy deserves a lot of the credit. But if they regress.. again. Then it’s time that the general manager of the football team starts being held accountable for this mess or an organization. Even if his name is the much beloved Marv Levy.

[raphael120]

Re: This Year: It's Time for Marv to be held accountable

Good, honest men even make mistakes, and Marv is not bullet proof. Hey, nothing can take away the fact of getting us to 4 super bowls in one year and pretty much giving the Bills their only lime light since the 90s. He's a great person, and I love him. Again, no one is perfect. And if we DO regress this season, I don't think we'll be calling for Marv's head, but I think Marv will know when he's overstayed his welcome. He's not like Donadope, he'll know if he can't cut it, then he'll leave. I mean, he's really old, as is Ralph...whether we like it or not, theyll not be around much longer.

[TacklingDummy]

Re: This Year: It's Time for Marv to be held accountable

[*]The most puzzling of all… Craig Nall was given $1.3 million just to sign his name on the dotted line. He couldn’t even beat out Holcomb at any point last year. This year, we draft a QB on day one, likely keeping Nall as a permanent clipboard holder. By the way, he’s counting $1.73 million against the cap this year, ABSURD for a third stringer.

Wow, overpaying for a 3rd stringer. Ralph Wilson is cheap.

[ddaryl]

Re: This Year: It's Time for Marv to be held accountable

no

it'll take at least a full 2 years to see where this team is going and where real weaknesses remain.

I want to see what happens this year and what we do in the offseason of 2008 to counter our weaknesses and then I will be able to see how the plan is working.

Mid 2008 season is when I believe we can start to analyze and criticize Marv's plan IMO

[patmoran2006]

Re: This Year: It's Time for Marv to be held accountable

I didnt call for Marv's head, and I didnt say he SUCKS as a GM either.. I pointed out some of the moves he's made and for now I will only call them "curious".. EVERY GM makes mistaks, even Bill Polian.. the better GM's who run better organizations make fewer of them, and that's a fact..

but at the conclusion of this season, if this team does NOT improve, then its time for Levy to start being held accountable, and that's the subject of my post.

[raphael120]

Re: This Year: It's Time for Marv to be held accountable

I didnt call for Marv's head, and I didnt say he SUCKS as a GM either.. I pointed out some of the moves he's made and for now I will only call them "curious".. EVERY GM makes mistaks, even Bill Polian.. the better GM's who run better organizations make fewer of them, and that's a fact..

but at the conclusion of this season, if this team does NOT improve, then its time for Levy to start being held accountable, and that's the subject of my post.

You're totally right. Him and perhaps Modrak. But I think Marv is the one making a lot more of the decisions with Modrak presenting him the options. He should be accountable and he will be.

If we do regress this year, I think everyone saying the "Trust Marv" should STFU.

[OpIv37]

Re: This Year: It's Time for Marv to be held accountable

Now while I know that Marv Levy is treated like a God by fans of the Buffalo Bills (rightfully so due to his head coaching career), the bottom line is that in 2007 it’s time for him to be held accountable one way or the other based on how this football team does. The honeymoon is over and so are the Tom Donahoe excuses as well. Levy’s now had two offseasons and two drafts to improve this team ... A good GM puts the kind of team together that gets better each year, not the kind of team that is lucky to match a losing-win total of the year before. Winning 7 games in his first year is acceptable. NOt improving in 2007 is not.



It’s almost taboo to mention anything Levy ever does negatively, but the bottom line is that in his two offseasons of being GM of the Bills, he’s made some curious decisions that potentially could set this football team back even further than they were the year before.

Among them…

• Trading up for Paul Poslusny. By moving up for Poz and drafting a QB Project (Edwards) on day one, Levy basically drafted one player on day one who will contribute instead of potentially three. Poz doesn’t just need to be a starter: for this move he needs to be an impact player.
• Trading up for John McCargo last year. Most people didn’t have McCargo graded as a first rounder, Levy did. Granted he was hurt last year, but this year he needs to show he was worth losing a valuable day one pick over.
• By not signing a FA Wr or drafting one, Levy showed a lot of confidence in Peerless Price as a legit #2. He needs to step up.
• Langston Walker, despite being a part of the worst OL ever in Oakland, was given a huge vote of confidence here, and $25 million to vote.
• If it’s not strictly a “financial move”, then Levy concluded that Takeo Spikes’ career as an impact player is over, and dumped him off to Philadelphia for a one-dimensional rotational DT. Hope that Spikes’ best days are indeed behind him.
• Signed Tutan Reyes and Matt Bowens, a pair of waste products who were both cut after only one year and zero positive contributions.
• Made Larry Tripplett his first big free agent signing. Last year, Tripplett grossly underachieved. This year his cap hit is $3.785 million (according to clump). That’s an awful lot of money for someone with 2.5 sacks and zero impact against the run.
• Given a one-dimensional DE like Chris Kelsay $24 million, including nearly $13 million in guaranteed money. It might not happen, but it’s a lock that this will sooner or later (and probably sooner) prompt Aaron Schobel’s agent to demand more money—which as a Pro Bowler he deserves.
• Knowing our schedule is stacked with teams possessing great passing games and WR’s, Buffalo failed to sign or draft a single cornerback this offseason. We’re putting our pass defense in the hands of Terrence McGee, Ashton Youboty and Kiwaukee Thomas at the corner spot.

Among a couple of other “curious” decisions that have been made.

• Josh Reed, a clear-cut backup WR, is counting $2.7 million against the cap this year.
• Ryan Denney, a rotational DE, is making $3.2 million this year against the cap.
• Coy Wire is not only still on the roster, but counts $1.65 million against the cap.
• The most puzzling of all… Craig Nall was given $1.3 million just to sign his name on the dotted line. He couldn’t even beat out Holcomb at any point last year. This year, we draft a QB on day one, likely keeping Nall as a permanent clipboard holder. By the way, he’s counting $1.73 million against the cap this year, ABSURD for a third stringer.

Now if the Bills improve and are better than last year, then Levy deserves a lot of the credit. But if they regress.. again. Then it’s time that the general manager of the football team starts being held accountable for this mess or an organization. Even if his name is the much beloved Marv Levy.

I agree with the majority of this. I would have preferred using the 3b on Poz instead of the 3a, but I still support the decision because at that point he was the best option at LB and we were desperate for LB's (and in a way, still are).

I definitely agree that the Edwards pick is questionable.

I'd say signing Price to a $10 million to start with was questionable. Also, both him and Reed have backloaded contracts that will hit us hard in '08, so even though it's really early, WR is looking like our biggest concern for next off-season. At least one, and possibly both, will be gone in '08. Hopefully one of them steps it up and makes himself worth the contract- then we can look for a #3 instead of a #2, but I doubt it.

And you forgot Robert Royal. Last year's FA class as a whole was pretty bad- Fowler and K Thomas were ok, A Thomas was a pleasant surprise- the rest has been a big disappointment so far.

[casdhf]

Re: This Year: It's Time for Marv to be held accountable

It's clear that we're not going to spend to the cap, so who cares what the 3rd string whatever is making.

[SquishDaFish]

Re: This Year: It's Time for Marv to be held accountable

Well Mr Negativity while I do agree with some of your post I dont totally agree. So far I think Marv is doing a fine job. O-Line has always been a problem since he left coaching I see that progressing. Talk to me next offseason about McCargo and maybe Ill agree with you or alot of people are going to eat crow. Every GM makes mistakes noone is perfect. But I agree with Ddaryl talk to me next offseason if we are not filling the remaining problems then Ill totally agree with you.

[Brandon]

Re: This Year: It's Time for Marv to be held accountable

Most of it I agree with. I still think that Marv made the right call on Posluszny.

As far as the salary cap impacts of guys like Denney, Wire and Reed, one thing to keep in mind: the salary cap is now around $110 million. With the 51 highest paid players counting against the cap, this means that the average player accounts for a little over $2M of room. In that light, those three guys are actually a decent deal for a little less than $8M in cap space. They give the Bills three solid contributors for around 7% of their total cap allocation.

[OpIv37]

Re: This Year: It's Time for Marv to be held accountable

It's clear that we're not going to spend to the cap, so who cares what the 3rd string whatever is making.

well, if they're only willing to spend a certain amount of money, there are better ways to allocate it- ie, rather than giving Coy $1.65 million, give him the league min (I believe $675,000) and use the extra million on a better starter or better second stringer. Or find someone equal to Wire's ability who will play for the league min.

The end result is the same bottom line, but better starters or better second string depth.

[patmoran2006]

Re: This Year: It's Time for Marv to be held accountable

I never said NOW. . I said at the END OF THE SEASON..

and as for Marv's "attention to the lines" that Donahoe never gave us..

Here's a FACT..
Of the 8 Picks in rounds 1-4 the Bills have made with Marv Levy in charge over the past two years. We have taken exactly ONE defensive lineman and exactly ZERO offensive linemen.

That's 1-for-8 total... So that's one thing about Levy being so different than TD that go out the window right now.

[Stewie]

Re: This Year: It's Time for Marv to be held accountable

jesus christ, it never ends.

[PromoTheRobot]

Re: This Year: It's Time for Marv to be held accountable

I didnt call for Marv's head, and I didnt say he SUCKS as a GM either.. I pointed out some of the moves he's made and for now I will only call them "curious".. EVERY GM makes mistaks, even Bill Polian.. the better GM's who run better organizations make fewer of them, and that's a fact..

but at the conclusion of this season, if this team does NOT improve, then its time for Levy to start being held accountable, and that's the subject of my post.

What caca, Pat! Most of your points are based on what "might" happen, or what pundits think a player will become. From what I see, most pundits are wrong. They are just lucky no one pulls out their old articles and hold them accountable for the drivel the spew. You included.

You think two years is enough time to turn a franchise around? Let's look at the Sabres, shall we? In 2003, did anyone think Darcy Regier was a good GM? Did anyone think Lindy Ruff was Coach of the Year? The pundits were conviced they were idiots. And yet...

I suggest you get of Marv's back and let the man do his job. I seriously doubt you could do any better.

PTR

[OpIv37]

Re: This Year: It's Time for Marv to be held accountable

What caca, Pat! Most of your points are based on what "might" happen, or what pundits think a player will become. From what I see, most pundits are wrong. They are just lucky no one pulls out their old articles and hold them accountable for the drivel the spew. You included.

You think two years is enough time to turn a franchise around? Let's look at the Sabres, shall we? In 2003, did anyone think Darcy Regier was a good GM? Did anyone think Lindy Ruff was Coach of the Year? The pundits were conviced they were idiots. And yet...

I suggest you get of Marv's back and let the man do his job. I seriously doubt you could do any better.

PTR

it took less than two years for the Jets and Saints to turn it around.