Prepare for no QB change

[X-Era]

I hope Im wrong and that, this year, we upgrade our QB situation, but its looking unlikely.

Chris wont tell you something that doesn't have a good amount of truth to it. Unfortuantely, we are very likely to suffer through what we have at QB this year. And I think we might just end up with an even worse record when all is said and done. I see several years of growth from any rookie before we get top notch play, even if we win the lottery in the draft and get the right guy. Ryan? Flacco? Sanchez? all had much, much, better teams that allowed them to come in with less on their shoulders. We just wont do what those teams did to improve our roster to where a rookie can win year one. And now it looks likely that we wont even start down the road of fixing it for at least another year:

"CB: Truthfully, I wasn’t impressed with most of what was out there and available. The Seahawks traded for Charlie Whitehurst who has barely played in the league. Cleveland acquired Jake Delhomme coming off a career worst season. It’s tough times if you need a QB. That’s why it would not surprise me if the Bills spent most of their roster shaping efforts addressing their other positional deficiencies this year (OT, NT, LB, TE) and let this year play itself out at QB. Then based on the performance of whichever one of the QBs that plays make a wholehearted effort to address the position once and for all in 2011."

Here's another one of his comments:

"CB: Jim, you’re speaking my language. OT first, provided one of the top 4 are there at 9 (worried a bit one might not be there now) and then best NT on the board in round two. I’m thinking the Bills have the same idea we do, which is spend this offseason filling the other holes and then go hard core after a QB or do whatever you have to next year to get to the top of the draft board to get Jake Locker. And because that could very well be their approach I think trading a 1st or 2nd round pick from 2011 is unlikely."

And before I hear the same old song and dance about how next years QB class is so much better, its actually fairly easy. If the guy is a blue-chip franchise guy hes going top 5, we wont be picking there, so moving up is the only option. That means trading multiple picks and could easily mean 2 1sts to get that supposed "cant miss" stud QB. And from years of posting here, I see very few people that re willing to make that sort of a move. Ihope we solve all of our other problems this year in the draft so that we can trade whatever it takes to get the best possible rookie... but:

A) I think there will be a huge amount of people who will still hate the idea
B) I don't think for a second that we will solve all of our other needs in this draft

Which put us about the same boat were in now.

[The Spaz]

I'll wait and see who this other QB is going to be before I get to upset over the situation.

[New Ro's Greatest]

Unless Bradford or Clausen fall to #9. Then i think plans will change. GO BILLS:bighug:

[ZAZusmc03]

I think this draft will fill quite a bit of holes. And if we blow it out of our asses this coming season because of piss poor play from the QB, then good, we can grab the best available coming out next season. Really, I don't expect a change in the QB position next year. And quite frankly, it doesn't bother me. Finish the offensive line, and build a solid D. That alone would keep games close. A solid O line and great D can make mediocre QB's look good. (see sanchez)

[JCBills]

I have no problem with not taking a QB in this year's draft. Much rather go after OLB, NT, ILB, WR, and a peppering of OL.

[homeslice5484]

give Brohm a legitimate chance to earn it, none of this fake competition where they already picked someone

[Night Train]

I bet we do draft a QB later but the fanboys of Clausen won't hear of it,even though many scouts don't view him as a Franchise QB at all.

Don't ever reach... unless it's a QB.

Got it.

[Typ0]

they are changing systems and have not done enough to help the team be successful and all those opportunities to right it aren't going to be available in the draft. This team has sucked for years due to poor play from the QB position. It's being set up again to put too much pressure on that position so it can be used as a scapegoat for their failures. We are going to have the current roster of QBs and, if lucky, a rookie going into next season but they aren't going to be in a position for success because the organization has made it so. Next year, the same thing will happen again but they will have a year under their belt and perhaps a little more talent. It's all a repetitive cycle laying in waiting for an Uber QB to come along and right the ship which gives them a constant excuse for not making the real commitment to building the team to compete in all phases of the game.

[DrGraves]

chris brown doesn't know **** about anything. don't listen to him. his job consists of spreading bull**** rumors so no one knows what the front office is actually doing.

[Prov401]

I 100% understand that QB is the most important position on a football team. However, we have too many holes right now to even think about contending for a championship, even with a newly aquired QB.

This draft is deep, specifically within the trenches, which HEY!, is pretty much Buffalo's weakness.

I am not sold on Bradford or Clausen what-so-ever. I think they both played it safe not attending the combine this year because, well let's face it, they both knew they were going in the first. No reason to stumble in front of 32 teams at the combine and hurt their draft stock. Unlike Sanchez and Stafford, who both manned up and essentially competed for the number 1 pick last year, these two, and their surroudings, don't seem confident enough to hold private workouts, etc. I don't want to hear about bradford's injury either. The guy put on 20lbs of muscle, which requires much shoulder activity in the weight room.

With all that said, I have no problem with Buffalo not drafting a QB this year, and trying to either refine Trent's tools (or should I say confidence), or seeing what we have in Brohm. I anticipate us running the ball a ton this year either way. We NEED to draft a safe, and definite homerun pick at number 9. A QB is never a safe bet. And I'm sick of Buffalo blowing the first round pick. Let's build our team's trenches, and get a few more LB's in here. Adopt the Jets style of play last year, and see where it gets us. If nobody steps up to the plate at QB (which is likely), let's draft one next year.

[TigerJ]

I have said since mid January, that I thought the Bills would use the early part of the draft to address the lines and maybe pick a QB in the middle of the draft if they couldn't find one they like in free agency. I also said the starting QB position would be determined by a competition in training camp. While no one will publicly count Fitzpatrick out of that competition, I don't think he has a real shot at it because I don't think you can fix the things that are wrong with Fitz, namely his inconsistency and inacuracy issues. That will leave the competition largely between Edwards, Brohm, and our unnamed rookie. I really don't know how the season is going to turn out as far as the quarterbacking is concerned. I think it's possible the light could come on for either Edwards or Brohm, making it unnecessary to draft Jake Locker or whomever next year, or they might get lucky on a rookie QB. None of those possibilities are sure things, and maybe not even probabilities, but they are also far from impossible. It's not much of a consolation to say the Bills QB situation shouldn't be any worse than last year, but just maybe it will be a little better.

[Typ0]

I agree with your assessment but also think Fitz has a likelyhood to be the backup again due to his experience. Basically, the QBs are already on the team unless a later round draft pick is chosen.


I have said since mid January, that I thought the Bills would use the early part of the draft to address the lines and maybe pick a QB in the middle of the draft if they couldn't find one they like in free agency. I also said the starting QB position would be determined by a competition in training camp. While no one will publicly count Fitzpatrick out of that competition, I don't think he has a real shot at it because I don't think you can fix the things that are wrong with Fitz, namely his inconsistency and inacuracy issues. That will leave the competition largely between Edwards, Brohm, and our unnamed rookie. I really don't know how the season is going to turn out as far as the quarterbacking is concerned. I think it's possible the light could come on for either Edwards or Brohm, making it unnecessary to draft Jake Locker or whomever next year, or they might get lucky on a rookie QB. None of those possibilities are sure things, and maybe not even probabilities, but they are also far from impossible. It's not much of a consolation to say the Bills QB situation shouldn't be any worse than last year, but just maybe it will be a little better.

[Jan Reimers]

It's really early for sweeping predictions about any of our problem positions, especially QB.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

I expect buffalo to build its front seven and add quality depth to the oline... right now i see 4 of our first 5 picks going towards the front seven, 2 dlineman, and 2 rush linebackers..

[TigerJ]

I agree with your assessment but also think Fitz has a likelyhood to be the backup again due to his experience. Basically, the QBs are already on the team unless a later round draft pick is chosen.I agree that Fitz is likely to be the primary backup even though I didn't say it.

[Jeff1220]

I fully expect the team to make attempts at filling the holes on this team, whether it be at QB, OL, NT, or WR. Unfortunately, I expect even more that they'll screw it all up.

[Thurmal]

Draft-day trade for McNabb; you heard it here first.

[trapezeus]

i'm ok with sucking in 2010 as long as a real core of players start emerging. we've been riding dead talent and fake hope that we are a player or two away. it's clear as day that the roster needs to be overhauled from top to bottom. Therefore, we should expect a poor season. but for it to come to an end, we need players to emerge from the immediate draft class. i think the 2009 draft wasn't bad if we didn't choke on Maybeline...but then again, he might be something in his new more expansive role

[JCBills]

Draft-day trade for McNabb; you heard it here first.

I'm struggling to understand the constant infatuation with a 32 year old injury-prone implosion-imminent QB with WAY TOO HIGH of a price tag.

[Typ0]

While you can argue about the choice you can't argue that if they actually did something to fix the position besides grabbing up another guy who has done nothing cheap would be indication they were serious about winning. You might not like McNabb but he's proven competent over and over and never been in another situation. Also, despite his history of injury he's also proven tough as nails and willing to play through pain. Wine about the negatives but there aren't a lot of guys available who can help getting one would be a step in the right direction.


I'm struggling to understand the constant infatuation with a 32 year old injury-prone implosion-imminent QB with WAY TOO HIGH of a price tag.

[JCBills]

While you can argue about the choice you can't argue that if they actually did something to fix the position besides grabbing up another guy who has done nothing cheap would be indication they were serious about winning. You might not like McNabb but he's proven competent over and over and never been in another situation. Also, despite his history of injury he's also proven tough as nails and willing to play through pain. Wine about the negatives but there aren't a lot of guys available who can help getting one would be a step in the right direction.

I wouldn't call a one or two year stop-gap fixing the position. I had a typo, he's 33.

He has played a 16 game season once in the last 6 seasons, and only 4 times in 11 seasons.

Fixing the position is developing or drafting your own QB. It's been a brutal process with us, but I think it's better to keep grinding it out rather than give up a good chunk of your draft.

Nix's draft record speaks for itself. In his first year with the Bills, you could argue he brought us our best rookie crop in a long time. Wood, Byrd, Levitre, Nelson, an unkown in Maybin, almost all look to be future starters, and Lankster and Cary Harris showed a lot of good things.

Whether we answer it in the draft or Brohm steps forward, I think either are better options for us than McNabb right now.

[baalworship]

This doesn't appear to be the Bills mindset. They are closely looking at Clausen, Tebow, Skelton, and McCoy and are bringing them in for visits or meeting with them.

I expect the Bills to draft a QB in the first 3 rounds.

[HHURRICANE]

I stand by what I said the day the season ended. Edwards will be the starter. Without an o-line or WRs it doesn't matter who the QB is. I don't love Chan Gailey or Buddy Nix but I do believe that they both have proven that good teams start with the lines.

[better days]

I stand by what I said the day the season ended. Edwards will be the starter. Without an o-line or WRs it doesn't matter who the QB is. I don't love Chan Gailey or Buddy Nix but I do believe that they both have proven that good teams start with the lines.

To all the Trent Edwards fans that have gone on & on since he was drafted about how the Great Bill Walsh endorsed him, let me ask you a question. If Walsh thought that Trent was such a great QB, why did he not implore the 49ers to draft him?

We all know Walsh had STRONG ties to the 49ers until the day he died, & was in fact a consultant to them, so the 49ers valued his opinion. If Trent was truly Montana like as so many of his fans have wanted to believe, he would have been a 49er.

IMO Wash was just trying to prop up a Stanford QB when he endorsed Trent & if Trent had gone to USC or any other school, Walsh would not have endorsed him.

[mightysimi]

Why would SF draft a QB 2 years after taking one 1st overall? I'm not a huge fan of Edwards but it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to draft a QB when you obviously thought you had the best player in the draft 2 years before.

[better days]

Why would SF draft a QB 2 years after taking one 1st overall? I'm not a huge fan of Edwards but it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to draft a QB when you obviously thought you had the best player in the draft 2 years before.

He was drafted 2 years before & had done NOTHING. It's not like Trent was a 1st rnd pick, if nothing else they would have had a great back up & if more could have traded one of the two QB's for a HIGH draft pick.

[Typ0]

Fixing the position is getting production from it now and in the future. Yes, McNabb would be a stop gap measure but he is going to outperform any first year player next season I can just about guarantee it. Drafting a guy with zero leadership on the team and throwing him to the wolves is not what I call developing either. We've been drafting guys for years and still have crap to speak for it. Getting another guy with potential on the roster is no where near fixing the position. With our situation being one without any proven player on the roster we need to go into camp with two guys who are competent. If you want to throw a rookie into the mix I have no problem with that but if he wants the starting job he should have to beat out a guy like McNabb and the other guys we have on the roster. That will give the best chance for some actual production from the QB position instead of fluttering around a bunch of guys and their potential.



I wouldn't call a one or two year stop-gap fixing the position. I had a typo, he's 33.

He has played a 16 game season once in the last 6 seasons, and only 4 times in 11 seasons.

Fixing the position is developing or drafting your own QB. It's been a brutal process with us, but I think it's better to keep grinding it out rather than give up a good chunk of your draft.

Nix's draft record speaks for itself. In his first year with the Bills, you could argue he brought us our best rookie crop in a long time. Wood, Byrd, Levitre, Nelson, an unkown in Maybin, almost all look to be future starters, and Lankster and Cary Harris showed a lot of good things.

Whether we answer it in the draft or Brohm steps forward, I think either are better options for us than McNabb right now.

[X-Era]

Fixing the position is getting production from it now and in the future. Yes, McNabb would be a stop gap measure but he is going to outperform any first year player next season I can just about guarantee it. Drafting a guy with zero leadership on the team and throwing him to the wolves is not what I call developing either. We've been drafting guys for years and still have crap to speak for it. Getting another guy with potential on the roster is no where near fixing the position. With our situation being one without any proven player on the roster we need to go into camp with two guys who are competent. If you want to throw a rookie into the mix I have no problem with that but if he wants the starting job he should have to beat out a guy like McNabb and the other guys we have on the roster. That will give the best chance for some actual production from the QB position instead of fluttering around a bunch of guys and their potential.

Totally agree.

I want a significant upgrade at QB, and with the QB's play THIS year, not next or sometime in the future when everything else is set... like that will actually happen.

[Typ0]

Totally agree.

I want a significant upgrade at QB, and with the QB's play THIS year, not next or sometime in the future when everything else is set... like that will actually happen.


Yeah, the problem is you will never tell how anything is "SET" until the QB position is productive. And waiting until you think things have improved enough to address the QB is silly and risks all the effort you put into the rest of the roster.

[JCBills]

Fixing the position is getting production from it now and in the future. Yes, McNabb would be a stop gap measure but he is going to outperform any first year player next season I can just about guarantee it. Drafting a guy with zero leadership on the team and throwing him to the wolves is not what I call developing either. We've been drafting guys for years and still have crap to speak for it. Getting another guy with potential on the roster is no where near fixing the position. With our situation being one without any proven player on the roster we need to go into camp with two guys who are competent. If you want to throw a rookie into the mix I have no problem with that but if he wants the starting job he should have to beat out a guy like McNabb and the other guys we have on the roster. That will give the best chance for some actual production from the QB position instead of fluttering around a bunch of guys and their potential.

I just don't think throwing away half of your draft for an over-the-hill QB that is bound to miss games is fixing anything, especially in year 1 of rebuilding. I'd rather grind it out with a young guy. Philly is asking for a 2nd for Vick, and their original reported price on McNabb was two 1sts. With how they steadily overprice their players, the price is still probably a 1st + 2nd round pick. Not even close to worth it.

[Typ0]

I just don't think throwing away half of your draft for an over-the-hill QB that is bound to miss games is fixing anything, especially in year 1 of rebuilding. I'd rather grind it out with a young guy. Philly is asking for a 2nd for Vick, and their original reported price on McNabb was two 1sts. With how they steadily overprice their players, the price is still probably a 1st + 2nd round pick. Not even close to worth it.


It depends on the package I agree. But to just dismiss it because you perceive the price too high is not the way to go about it. Get involved with the negotiations and get the real information on the table. Try and close the gap to find a win win solution. If you can't find it then move on. That is what the business managers need to be doing if they are doing their jobs. Right now, there is no player in the league who can't help us if the package works for us.

[JCBills]

It depends on the package I agree. But to just dismiss it because you perceive the price too high is not the way to go about it. Get involved with the negotiations and get the real information on the table. Try and close the gap to find a win win solution. If you can't find it then move on. That is what the business managers need to be doing if they are doing their jobs. Right now, there is no player in the league who can't help us if the package works for us.

It's not just the probable price, but everything else I listed before.

[DraftBoy]

I dont want a QB this year so X I hope you're 100% right.

[Jan Reimers]

I'm struggling to understand the constant infatuation with a 32 year old injury-prone implosion-imminent QB with WAY TOO HIGH of a price tag.
Perhaps it's because the guy is a great QB who would be the best we've had since Jim Kelly.

[better days]

Perhaps it's because the guy is a great QB who would be the best we've had since Jim Kelly.

He would be Drew Bledsoe 2.0. He might bring a little excitement short term, but would set the franchise back long term due to what the team would have to give up to get him.

[mightysimi]

He was drafted 2 years before & had done NOTHING. It's not like Trent was a 1st rnd pick, if nothing else they would have had a great back up & if more could have traded one of the two QB's for a HIGH draft pick.

Wasn't he hurt for one of those years? So as a GM you would shell out 30 million guaranteed and replace him after a year and a half on a *****ty team.

[JCBills]

Why would SF draft a QB 2 years after taking one 1st overall? I'm not a huge fan of Edwards but it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to draft a QB when you obviously thought you had the best player in the draft 2 years before.

The Packers took Aaron Rodgers 24th overall in 2005, followed by Brian Brohm 56th overall in 2008.

So it's three years as opposed to two, but a similar situation to the one proposed.

[better days]

Wasn't he hurt for one of those years? So as a GM you would shell out 30 million guaranteed and replace him after a year and a half on a *****ty team.

As a GM I would draft a QB that Bill Walsh told me was the next Joe Montana or at least he was going to be VERY GOOD in the 2nd rnd without blinking an eye.

As I said if Edwards was good but Smith was better then Trent would have been a GOOD back up & worth a 2nd rnd pick. If Trent was VERY GOOD & Smith still did nothing, I would trade Smith for what I could get. If Trent & Smith were both VERY GOOD, one of the two could have been traded for a HIGH pick before Trent was due to make big money.

[JCBills]

I dont want a QB this year so X I hope you're 100% right.

Same here, see what Brohm has while we build everything else.

[Typ0]

just a quick view of the boards today and it looks like the gap is closing. I wonder if our guys have been doing their jobs.