So we released alot of players and got two?!

[HHURRICANE]

Not reallly overly impressed.

So you are telling me that we are making the playoffs by replacing Tripplett with Stroud and DiGorgio with Mitchell and than drafting some rookie WRs?!

Sounds like another 7-9 season to me.

[eyedog]

Look at it this way, all the guys we released all sucked and the two we brought in can play at a high level. I'd say we are +2.

[HHURRICANE]

Look at it this way, all the guys we released all sucked and the two we brought in can play at a high level. I'd say we are +2.

This I agree with. However, I still feel that WR is a luxury pick in the draft. I'd rather see this need filled in FA and focus on getting a Harvey, Gholston, Ellis, or Dorsey in the draft who would have more of an impact early than a Kelly.

[zone]

We will sign a WR.

[zone]

Any receiver we draft will not be able to produce like we need now.

[eyedog]

This I agree with. However, I still feel that WR is a luxury pick in the draft. I'd rather see this need filled in FA and focus on getting a Harvey, Gholston, Ellis, or Dorsey in the draft who would have more of an impact early than a Kelly.

I agree. In no way do I want to take a wr or cb at #11.
I don't think they will go dt now due to Stroud and Johnson, but I would like to see them take the best d-end available.

[ptd86]

you say it like stroud isnt a enormous upgrade from tripplet, and mitchell isnt a big upgrade from digorgio, you dont think a huge pro bowl dt can change much? it makes every position better, plus were healthy again, everyone just looks for bad things does it hurt to be positive?

[Tatonka]

um.. why do people keep saying digi replaced by mitchell?

ellison/wire/hagan/stamer is replaced by mitchell

digi is replaced by posluzny.

tripplett replaced by stroud

mccargo for kyle williams

spencer johnson is now the 3rd/4th DT, potential upgrade.

how can anyone say our D is not light years better?

[HHURRICANE]

you say it like stroud isnt a enormous upgrade from tripplet, and mitchell isnt a big upgrade from digorgio, you dont think a huge pro bowl dt can change much? it makes every position better, plus were healthy again, everyone just looks for bad things does it hurt to be positive?

It's a team game and we still don't have enough quality people on this roster.

We basically replaced our big FA signing from two years ago.

[gil]

we released "a lot" of players? Peerless, Triplett and "lost" Webster, Gaines, Aiken

I agree we're not there yet, but let's not get crazy about what we've lost...

[SquishDaFish]

Digi isnt even replaced he is still here.

[YardRat]

Not to be picky, but we've acquired three players and all are upgrades over those who left.

I can understand your tone to a point though, because I also feel if we don't sign a couple of more players (WR and TE specifically) we may have taken two steps forward on defense, but we've also taken at least one step back on offense.

[Tatonka]

digi was replaced in the starting lineup is what i meant.

[RockStar36]

We've improved and still there is reason to *****. Get a grip.

[Mitchell55]

Not reallly overly impressed.

So you are telling me that we are making the playoffs by replacing Tripplett with Stroud and DiGorgio with Mitchell and than drafting some rookie WRs?!

Sounds like another 7-9 season to me.





Dude. Are you a bills fan??? You just posted 1 about us needing to trade up to do anything and now you bashing us again. Suck it up. And that is pretty stupid to say that a we will be 7-9 because we are replacing backups with great proven starters.

[ptd86]

It's a team game and we still don't have enough quality people on this roster.

We basically replaced our big FA signing from two years ago.



What exactly were your expectations? there wasnt a lot of talent in free agency? you wanted the bills to go crazy and give huge money to guys like pace for no reason? there wasnt great corners in free agency or de's, justin smith is garbage now and got 45 million.. people like you can never be happy and just root for the bills even when they do something good.. i guess we should of been the raiders of the offseason, instead of making good solid moves, we still have a draft to add talent

[justasportsfan]

:rofl:


We upgraded therefore we're moving sideways. Hilarious. So if we kept guys like Wire with an injury , we'd still be 7-9. Why bother drafting good players if good players like Stroud (when healthy) and a linebacker like Mitchell who played well in the most important game of the year (sb) just moves us sideways.

Might as well trade down for more picks so we won't have to pay high contracts to high draft picks in the future. But wait, someone said in another thread that if we want to win we should trade up. :huh:

[Dr. Lecter]

We improve at three positions, will have other players back from injury, still have more time left in FA (IT IS NOT OVER!!!) and the draft and made no movement forward???

Huh?

[OpIv37]

The only concern I have right now is that ST has taken a bit of a beating over the last two seasons- we lost Everett, that long snapper who's better than Neill (forgot his name), Aiken, Jonathan Smith, Hargrove, Wire etc.

But the D is definitely better with the guys we've added, and that's not even counting players coming off injuries. So far, we lost dead weight in Tripplett, a TE who couldn't even unseat the mediocre Royal in Gaines, plus a handful of perennial benchwarmers. For the first time in 3 or 4 seasons, we haven't lost anyone significant.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Sign Troupe, Johnson then

1. Harvey (DE)
2. Doucet (WR)
3. Godfrey (CB)
4. Finley (TE)

[Owen DeBoard]

HHURRICANE is probably pissed because Stroud and Mitchell are goin to make our front seven very good and he cant keep *****in about Schobel not earning his keep.

[M]

Patience is a virtue ... I highly doubt the powers that be at OBD are done.

[BillsFever21]

We have improved but the playoffs are far from a guaranteed spot. Other teams have also improved.

We definitely are not winning the division so that means we have to look for a WC spot. Just looking at the other contenders for the WC last year we are still not as good as them.

Jaguars - This is a very good team that won 11 games in what could be the hardest division in football. They are still way ahead of us.

If we were to make the playoffs we would have to go through Cleveland. They were better then us to begin with and in case nobody has been watching they have had a great offseason.

They have a very good offense and they just seriously upgraded their defense with the signings of Williams and Rogers.

Our team still has many question marks. Can Stroud return to form. Can anybody step up on offense? Can Trent be the answer?

We also will not have two automatic wins against the Jets and Dolphins this year. The Jets have improved themselves and the Dolphins will still be a losing team but will have improved coaching and leadership.

It could be very likely that we have another 7-9 season. 4 of our 7 wins was because of the Jets and Dolphins two of the other wins were against the Ravens at the start of their NINE game losing streak, the Bengals when they couldn't beat anybody and the Redskins just a few days after their best player was murdered.

Unless we have improved enough to actually beat teams with a winning record there will be no way we sniff the playoffs. If we could be fortunate enough to have close to half of our schedule against teams drafting in the Top 10 again we may have a chance.

We have improved but contrary to popular belief other teams improve this time of year too. We're not the only team who is allowed to sign a FA or take part in a rookie draft.

We still have many holes on this team and are in a tough AFC conference. The additions of Stroud and Mitchell is not enough to make this team better then everyone else unless other players step up.

[Romes]

This post could have waited till earliest May. Until then there are still a ton of transactions that could take place. We aren't even a week into FA yet.

Second, thinking that the Stroud trade is anything but an upgrade over Tripplet is asinine. The same goes for not thinking that Mitchell immiediatley adds to the LB core.

[kernowboy]

Why pick a DE and pay big bucks when he might be sat behind Schobel and Kelsay most of the season?

The secondary is where assistance is required. Is anyone convinced that Greer and McGee are an elite pairing? And then we have Youboty?

Dominique Rogers-Cromartie makes the max sense for the draft. He gives the team something we do not have - Height!! at 6ft2 to cover the taller receivers - and he has the right bloodlines - his cousin Antonio is not too shabby.

Despite having Jammer, Cromartie and Florence under contract last year the Chargers still went out and grabbed Oliver in the supplemental draft.

You can never have too many good CBs on the roster.

1. DRC - CB - has played more than a season at CB unlike Godfrey
2. Moore - DL better than Williams and can also play end
3. Bowman - WR a bigger more physical guy
4. Carlson TE

[kernowboy]

Also lets not forget that this team had the worst injury record of any team in the league last season.

With Kelsay and Denney fit at LE and with a better interior to help them, with Crowell and Posluzny joining Mitchell, with the carousel of FS over, we will be much better even without external additions.

[Wally The Barber]

Free agency is not over and we have 8 picks in the draft.

Its noot about quanity it is about quality.

[Jan Reimers]

When you compare the defensive lineup we used for most of last year to what we'll be able to field this year, there are major improvements in 2008. You can't just look at the 3 players we signed in free agency, but also the guys we have coming back from injury and the 2nd and 3rd year players who are coming into their own.

Stroud and an improving McCargo, backed up by Johnson and Williams, should be much better than the group that included Triplett and Jefferson. We've effectively replaced 2 guys, and the remaining 2 - McCargo and Williams - should be improving with experience.

Crowell-Poz-Mitchell will be a vast improvement over Crowell-DiGiorgio-Ellison. Digiorgio and Ellison will be nice backups.

Ko Simpson comes back to join Whitner, and both should be better in their 3rd year.

We may need to draft a CB and DE to fill out this unit, but with our FA additions and the return of Poz and Simpson, we will have at least 4 "new" starters, 2 or 3 with that all important 2nd to 3rd year experience, and better depth.

[YardRat]

When you compare the defensive lineup we used for most of last year to what we'll be able to field this year, there are major improvements in 2008. You can't just look at the 3 players we signed in free agency, but also the guys we have coming back from injury and the 2nd and 3rd year players who are coming into their own.

Stroud and an improving McCargo, backed up by Johnson and Williams, should be much better than the group that included Triplett and Jefferson. We've effectively replaced 2 guys, and the remaining 2 - McCargo and Williams - should be improving with experience.

Crowell-Poz-Mitchell will be a vast improvement over Crowell-DiGiorgio-Ellison. Digiorgio and Ellison will be nice backups.

Ko Simpson comes back to join Whitner, and both should be better in their 3rd year.

We may need to draft a CB and DE to fill out this unit, but with our FA additions and the return of Poz and Simpson, we will have at least 4 "new" starters, 2 or 3 with that all important 2nd to 3rd year experience, and better depth.

Nice post Jan, and I don't think anybody will argue that the defense has been greatly improved on paper. The front office has done very well in using the first week of FA to address upgrades that were needed on that side of the ball.

But what about the offense?

WR and TE were just as, if not moreso, glaring needs on the other side of the ball and other than a couple of visits nothing has been accomplished yet. At the very least, those two positions need to be addressed in the same manner that DT and LB were before we go into the draft.

It isn't like there isn't anybody out there available. It isn't like the players haven't shown interest in playing here. It isn't like we don't have the money/cap room to spend.

The only road block at this point, IMO, would be if Johnson, Troupe, ets, are trying to get a bigger contract than a sane market would dictate. If so, then let them walk and move on to somebody else. If that's not the case, get the deals done.

I'm thrilled with what the Bills have done with the defense...But, if we go into the draft without doing anything on offense than I'll be very disappointed.

[mybills]

HURRICANE, I think it's time to change your name to 'breezy'. :D

[Jan Reimers]

Nice post Jan, and I don't think anybody will argue that the defense has been greatly improved on paper. The front office has done very well in using the first week of FA to address upgrades that were needed on that side of the ball.

But what about the offense?

WR and TE were just as, if not moreso, glaring needs on the other side of the ball and other than a couple of visits nothing has been accomplished yet. At the very least, those two positions need to be addressed in the same manner that DT and LB were before we go into the draft.

It isn't like there isn't anybody out there available. It isn't like the players haven't shown interest in playing here. It isn't like we don't have the money/cap room to spend.

The only road block at this point, IMO, would be if Johnson, Troupe, ets, are trying to get a bigger contract than a sane market would dictate. If so, then let them walk and move on to somebody else. If that's not the case, get the deals done.

I'm thrilled with what the Bills have done with the defense...But, if we go into the draft without doing anything on offense than I'll be very disappointed.
I agree that we need to address the O - in FA and the draft. I'd like to get both Johnson and Troupe, and then take another WR and TE in the first 3 rounds of the draft. Without a big 2nd receiver and a pass catching TE, the O is not going to improve a whole lot.

[tampabay25690]

Free agency isn't even done....

[don137]

I know everyone is saying how great Cleveland's offseason is but I think when all is said and done we will have a better offseason then them....Buffalo can still go out and spend but Cleveland is almost done....Buffalo still has three day one picks. Cleveland has zero!! Getting Rogers and Williams was there draft.

[Bulldog]

Buffalo still has three day one picks. Cleveland has zero!! Getting Rogers and Williams was there draft.

I think in the long run this will hurt Cleveland. The core of any team should be assembled with the right mix of good drafts and solid free agent signings. Cleveland may have mortgaged their future a bit by trading the draft picks for aging veterans with higher salaries.

[gr8slayer]

We've gotten rid of a bunch of bums who are easily replaceable and made strides at our weakest position (DT). Quit your *****ing.

[hydro]

We've gotten rid of a bunch of bums who are easily replaceable and made strides at our weakest position (DT). Quit your *****ing.

And this coming from a very critical poster. That has to mean something.

[justasportsfan]

And this coming from a very critical poster. That has to mean something.
that's nothing. You know we did well when wys isn't here blasting our moves after almost a week.

[gr8slayer]

that's nothing. You know we did well when wys isn't here blasting our moves after almost a week.
Kind of hard to do when you're banned.

[Michael82]

Free agency isn't even close to being done....

Fixed.... :up:

[justasportsfan]

Kind of hard to do when you're banned.
he was banned? Nevermind. Now I know why.

http://www.afceastreport.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=288

[Michael82]

I know everyone is saying how great Cleveland's offseason is but I think when all is said and done we will have a better offseason then them....Buffalo can still go out and spend but Cleveland is almost done....Buffalo still has three day one picks. Cleveland has zero!! Getting Rogers and Williams was there draft.
We have 2 2nd rounders? Since when? that's news to me. Don't forget the draft is now only rounds 1 and 2 on the first day. :snicker:

[don137]

We have 2 2nd rounders? Since when? that's news to me. Don't forget the draft is now only rounds 1 and 2 on the first day. :snicker:

:doh: I forgot about that....Ok, how about they do not have a pick in the top 100?