I think the key to the offseason is....

[yordad]

Getting a DT and center in FA/trade.

If we only sign one player in FA it should be Haynesworth. It would be a huge upgrade in the middle of our defense.

Maybe we could trade Losman and Fowler for a good center. The jets need a QB, right? Long shot, but seriously it needs to upgraded, and I just don't see a definite up grade in the draft. I don't have and easy suggestions here, so it will be hard to do. Do you have any?

How many draft picks do we have, and what rounds?

1) CB. We have to get a physical one. Someone who can match up with Moss sooner then later. There is only a couple possibly worth as high as we are picking. We utilize the NFL combine to let one float to the top. So far it looks like Malcom Jenkins is the cream of the crop.

2) WR. There are several tall, physical, speedy, productive ones coming out. Malcom Kelly, Sweed, Bowman, Hardy, in that order; which ever is available.

I think we have two 3rd round picks. Trade them for a second if the top TE is gone. If we don't have two 3rd, then we have two 4ths. Trade up with the 3rd, 4th, and maybe one 7th.

2) TE. Davis or Rucker. Who ever is available. We need a large, immediate upgrade here. In fact we need two upgrades, which brings me to..

4) FB. Is a true FB too much to ask for? One who can be a receiving threat, and carry the ball once a game. It keeps the defense honest. And would be the finishing touch on a formidable looking offense.

5) Best available front seven defender

6) Best available front seven defender

7) Best available front seven defender

I think I'm missing a pick or two.

I think we will have addressed our big weaknesses. Of course we still have a question at WLB. But I think we move DiGi out there. And, the whole O-line would benefit greatly if we somehow got a good center. Allowing us to give Butler a little more time. And, I don't think we can get an economic option that will be an upgrade at DE, so unfortunately our guys will have to do. Of course we have to sign a veteran QB also if we do get rid of Losman. But they are a dime a dozen.

[Ebenezer]

I truly believe this team is 4 players and experience away from being a contender. We need a tall, physical CB as well as a tall WR. Add in a WLB to replace Ellison and a center and I think this team is set.

[G. Host]

Just letting you know you posted this in wrong forum.
NFL Forum is for talk about other teams and NFL in general while Buffalo Bills Zone is for Bills related posts.
This kind of mispost is not uncommon by the way even by veterans.

[G. Host]

Darn. I just noticed that. I hate it when that happens.

Can this be deleted?

A MOD can delete it. Just report http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/images/bzstyle2/buttons/report.gif it.

[Ebenezer]

moved and taken care of....carry on.

[yordad]

I truly believe this team is 4 players and experience away from being a contender. We need a tall, physical CB as well as a tall WR. Add in a WLB to replace Ellison and a center and I think this team is set.No tight end?

[Ebenezer]

No tight end?
Although they can upgrade the position I don't see it as essential to making the playoffs.

[yordad]

Although they can upgrade the position I don't see it as essential to making the playoffs.I think you are right. Heck, I think they can make the playoffs next year with the same squad. But with the sorry state of our TE and H-back, it can be upgraded with a 6th round pick. Not that I'm advocating we do that.

We have picks. We are third in free cap space according to the estimates I saw. We aren't losing any projected '08 starters due to free agency. We can make a run. We can do more then the bare minimum. We don't have to settle for just a playoff berth, IMO.

[yordad]

I think a good TE could easily add 600 more yards, 5+ TDs, and many first downs to this offense.

[Wys Guy]

I think the key to the offseason is.... <!-- Start Post Thank You Hack -->

The key to the offseason is not getting your hopes up over this team which is led by dunderheads and owned by an owner that clearly doesn't give a crap about winning.

[yordad]

The key to the offseason is not getting your hopes up over this team which is led by dunderheads and owned by an owner that clearly doesn't give a crap about winning.Would you rather have hope and fun rather then no hope and no fun?

I'd rather have fun and lose, then no fun and lose. Its OK to enjoy it man. Let loose. Be a fan.

[Wys Guy]

Would you rather have hope and fun rather then no hope and no fun?

I'd rather have fun and lose, then no fun and lose. Its OK to enjoy it man. Let loose. Be a fan.

I guess I'd rather have a team such that I wouldn't have to delude myself every season and talk myself into the notion that if everything goes 100% peachy keen, then we may be a wild card team with "everything" entailing a soft enough schedule so that we can "make the playoffs" not due on the talent we have which is capable of beating their counterparts mano-a-mano, but rather on just being able to constantly pull out close wins against bottom tier teams.

Otherwise, yes, I think I'd merely prefer to not invest too much of my emotions, time, and money in something that is guaranteed to only disappoint me. At that point I'd prefer to merely watch some good football whereever it may be found.

Hope is only hope if there's a real basis for it, not a handful of fabricated ones all built on faulty premises and with known reasons why they won't ha ppen steering the ship while many bury their heads in the sand when they are capable of affecting changes towards improvement by putting pressure on Wilson to make some real changes and good ones instead of just NFL good-ole-boy ones.

[Ebenezer]

Otherwise, yes, I think I'd merely prefer to not invest too much of my emotions, time, and money in something that is guaranteed to only disappoint me. At that point I'd prefer to merely watch some good football whereever it may be found.


then I think you have found your answer....switch teams :::

[Wys Guy]

then I think you have found your answer....switch teams :::

Alas, I think we'll all be doing that soon.

Sounds as if you're mistaking me for someone that has the power to affect this team, what it does to improve itself,

Otherwise, if the choice then is to be happy with the slop that keeps getting slid underneath the cell door and call it a meal, or to continually criticize this organization until someone that knows what they're actually doing makes a series of important GM/coaching hires that are not obviously flawed, or at the very minimum at such astronomical odds for success, thereby leading to putting out a product worth paying for and investing one's time and emotions into, well, I'll opt for the latter.

Just as fans can express their enthusiasm, those that don't see that bowl of swill getting slid under the cell door as a five-star cordon bleu as you and others may, with promises of mushroom gravy and a side of mashed potatoes the next night, and rather see it for what it is, also have a full right to piss, moan, ***** and do whatever else it is that fans may do when they've been schnookered.

Who are you or anyone else to tell me how to react to a team that is perpetually bereft of solid leadership and even further from performing to a level even remotely indicating that they are playoff ready?

Just curious!

We've been thru "this drill" with the Bills for over a decade. You know what Jauron is, or should. You know what Levy is, or should. (as a GM) You're beginning to see the skid marks of their track record, or should be able to. Yet, the brown-nosing with the team's media and marketing department continues.

At least we know who actually deserves this team and its perennially pathetic putouts.

[Wys Guy]

Sounds to me like fan message boards are full of people ill to deal with reality and even more reluctant to put some pressure on the powers that be to make some changes.

If the fans here wouldn't merely toe the party line each April and then again in August, along with the regional media that is continually wrong about when this team is "going to turn it around" and "make the playoffs," then perhaps the team (Wilson) would be forced to make some changes.

In my mind it kinda begs the question of who the true fans really are.

[Ebenezer]

Who are you or anyone else to tell me...

I'm a level headed fool who mildly goes about my business while you're the level headed intellectual that goes off on everything associated with this team including the water boy and towel girl...face it, you're never happy with anything remotely associated with this team and you ***** about it all, all the time. At that point I feel more than free to tell you that if you find the taste that disgusting that you can find another team to root for. You'll save yourself the obvious heartache and us the obvious disturbance of your force......

[yordad]

Not that I'm advocating you switch teams, but that is the one thing you control. Why do you root for the Bills if you hate the entire front office, coaching staff, and team?

I do like that you are not satisfied. No fan should be. But, if you feel so strongly that there is no light at the end of the tunnel, I hear the Pats are short on fans. Then you could enjoy some hope.

But, some people enjoy not enjoying. To each his own.

[The Jokeman]

I truly believe this team is 4 players and experience away from being a contender. We need a tall, physical CB as well as a tall WR. Add in a WLB to replace Ellison and a center and I think this team is set.
Not to mention the existing players to play up to the level they've played at this year. I know it may go without saying but is a key component to continued success.

[jamze132]

Wys picks his battles... When someone tells him something he doesn't like although it might be true, he will either run away or come back with more ammo and still not get anyone to see his point because all they do is revolve around negativity.

Why doesn't he stop *****ing about everything Bills? No one knows. I assume he is a die hard fan that is a little lost right now...

[Night Train]

The key to the off-season is figuring out how to stop the run. We will never make the playoffs unless we face up to it.

[EDS]

The key to the off-season is figuring out how to stop the run. We will never make the playoffs unless we face up to it.


Agreed. I think the Bills needs are as follows:

1. DT
2. LB
3. WR
4. TE
5. C
6. CB

[Night Train]

Agreed. I think the Bills needs are as follows:

1. DT
2. LB
3. WR
4. TE
5. C
6. CB

Can't knock that.

[colin]

we have some good big men/de's on our team.

i'll take an upgrade on the interior of either line, but minni has had what, a total of 6 or 8 pro bowlers on both of the lines over the past 2 years and are worse than we are.

sure it all starts in the trenches, but it doesn't stop there.

our weakness is perhaps one O lineman (either c or rg), and one DT. i'll always take a passrusher or stand out lineman, but adding more and more big men will not add to our team as much as other positions.

wr, lb, db.
those are the guys who while not the big guys, are the guys who make the plays.

wr's catch the passes, db's defend against the passes, and lbs make the tackles. we are near the bottom of the nfl in all those positions. guys coming back of the ir will help, but a stud at each position (which is possible in the offseason IMO) will do more for our team and an interior lineman on each side of the ball.

a stud at each of those positions along with an interior lineman is what we need to really kick ass.

i'll take briggs, the highest rated CB at our first draft spot, and i really think we need to trade for larry fitz or chad johnson. a stud wr added to a team that can block and get qb play (not to mention our solid rbs) can be the spark needed to make an o great.

we have enough picks to move up or shotgun for a DT and a C or G. of course i'll also take suggs and haynesworth in FA, but first things first

[yordad]

No center. No TE. No FB. I don't think we did everything, but I think we did alright.