Will Gregg Williams have a contract extension by the start of the regular season?

[SamAdamsFan]

If Gregg Williams does not get a contract extension and is a lame duck coach, it could really affect the way players play and react to him. Then again Tom Donahoe may not wish to bring him back next year. The season is getting close, what do you think will happen?

[Captain gameboy]

I think he gets it.
I think the Bills have realized that the old days of a Lombardi type coach are over. The new paradigm is to get good coordinators, a good scouting staff and a manager as HC.
Greg is going to be good enough as an instantaneous decision maker-the Sunday HC, to justify the extension, but the Bills, under TD's influence, are one of the first teams in the NFL to be run by a very small but talented committee.

[Dozerdog]

Nope- It will be a pay for performance situation.


Depending on post season success, and if we are punting from the opposition's 37 or going for 2 needlessly he's gone when the season is over

[mypoorfriendme]

hell need to at the very least take us into the playoffs, now he indisputably has the talent to work with, so anything short of the playoffs would be his ticket out of buffalo. if ralph wilson had faith in him, i dont think we would have wanted lebuea here so badly.

[imbondz]

if the players like him, which it seems that they do, then wouldn't they work even harder to try to keep him around. Also, say they do give him a contract extension at the start of the season, is it possible it could have a 'success' option. That the Bills have the right to exercise the extenstion based only on if the Bills make the playoffs...etc.?

Otherwise, there's no point in giving him an extension based solely on the past two years alone.

[Doc]

I don't see why Williams would sign an extension before the season ends. He obviously knows that his chances of winning this year versus in the past are exponentially greater because of the infusion of talent in terms of players AND coaches, and he'll believe he can do great things as the HC (whether true or not, and that remains to be seen). I don't think that the guarantee of being paid (the remainder of a lowball contract) if he signed an extension early and then led the team to a poor season is worth not taking the gamble that the Bills will do well this season, and signing a big contract after that.

[Demon]

Nope. Tom Donahoe knows playing New England, Miami and Philly first 3 of 4 weeks of the season could mean we can start the season 1-3 or even 0-4 (playing in home opener at sunny/humit jacksonville will be tuff) and if we're 1-3 or 0-4 i think we'll be seeing Williams fired. If Buffalo is ok after the 4th game i think he will get a extension with Buffalo though. Say we're 3-1 or something.

[SABURZFAN]

i hope not.do you think ralph wilson will wait toward the end of the season?


i hope so.

[Jan Reimers]

No, and he doesn't deserve one. He has not, as yet, proven himself as an NFL head coach. He has the on field talent and a veteran coaching staff to win this year. If he is to remain as head coach, he needs to take us to the playoffs.

[MDFINFAN]

Originally posted by Jan Reimers
No, and he doesn't deserve one. He has not, as yet, proven himself as an NFL head coach. He has the on field talent and a veteran coaching staff to win this year. If he is to remain as head coach, he needs to take us to the playoffs.

Man, you're rough, he takes you from 3-13 to 8-8, gets a load of talent on the D side this year and you think he's not doing a good job..man a 5 game turnaround to the plus side would get most coaches a 2 year extension. Granted I know your GM is helping with the talent, but I would think the HC gets some say in the personnel or what he needs at least.

[Thailog80]

of a squad for god sakes. A shell of a team that was made up of rookies, and rejects. 8-8 last year was a respectable comeback. They shouldve won at least one or more game also. We will beat NE no if ands or butts about it. Jax is going to have a first year coach and will not be ready to compete. Philly isnt as dangerous as we think, especially with a defense now! Miami well there just miami. The guy deserves an extension. It will send a negative message to the team if he goes into the seson as a lame duck...not good in my opinion.

[BillsNYC]

not a chance

[HenryRules]

I think that GW deserves an extension ... there's only a handful of coaches in the NFL that I think would have accomplished more in the two years he's been here.

That being said, I think the "lame duck" issue is overplayed. TD has shown no fear in turning over the roster, and you can bet your ass that if anyone slacks off 'cuz its GW's last year, they'll be on the street (and don't think the players don't know this) ... and if they get cut for slacking, I don't think they can expect much interest on the market. Players have too much to lose to not play hard this year.

[WG]

I agree w/ ya HR!

I also think they're gonna look at why they lost games. I simply can't see us losing to N.E. unless the O screws up. If in fact that happens, again, then I see no reason why GW should take the heat for what Gilbride does. I know KG was promoted to QB coach, but I'm tellin' ya, I'm not counting on the "leopard changing his spots" until I see 10 games in which Drew has fewer than 35 attempts while we run the ball effectively. I don't care what the FO and coaches tell us. I won't believe it until I actually see it w/ my own eyes. I still think that the coaching staff think that "Drew is the Bills."

GW doesn't have as much influence on whether Gilbride goes as does TD in my opinion. So I think it's more likely that Gilbride or Gray gets canned and I simply don't see Gray getting canned since the D played so well (to a top 10 level) for the last 10 or so games last year and he has more talent this year and LeBeau to help out.

I really think the key to this season is putting a very short leash on Gilbride and checking Drew's ego so that he doesn't audiblize us into losses on terrible big plays again. If that happens, the D will respond and all will be well. If not, then we'll be in the same boat as last year except w/ the possible exception that the D may overcome some of the O's ineptness, enough to win another 2 or 3 games.

The problem is that the schedule is tougher as well. Last year we played 5 terrible teams in Detroit, Chicago, Minnesota, Houston (in it's first year), and Cincy. This year we only play Cincy and Houston that will be terrible and both of those teams will be improved over last year, possibly significantly. Considering that we barely beat Houston, Minnesota, Chicago, and Detroit all by 7 or fewer points, twice in O/T, and once in the last 4 minutes of the game, I'm not sure we can afford the fumbling that experienced last year on the offensive side of the ball. Teams like Parcell's Dallas, the Giant, Philly, our division, and the Titans will take advantage of that w/ equal defensive strengths or simply taking advantage of us having to throw the ball if we're behind.

It's definitely a tougher schedule this year and we're gonna have to play tight, otherwise it'll cost us just as it did last year! Whichever aspect of the game falters should be the one where teh coach was fired. KG was a TD hire, so GW's hands are kind of tied w/ that. I see no reason why he should take the fall for Gilbride's bumbling should it come to that. Gray proved himself over the course of last season whether some of you care to admit it or not.


Originally posted by Demon
Nope. Tom Donahoe knows playing New England, Miami and Philly first 3 of 4 weeks of the season could mean we can start the season 1-3 or even 0-4 (playing in home opener at sunny/humit jacksonville will be tuff) and if we're 1-3 or 0-4 i think we'll be seeing Williams fired. If Buffalo is ok after the 4th game i think he will get a extension with Buffalo though. Say we're 3-1 or something.

I agree to the extent that the first bunch of games, will determine whether GW gets an extension or not. Our string of first four and last four games are w/o question the toughest. So as long as we start 2-2+ and take at least 5 of our next 8, I think GW will get the extension heading into the home stretch.

But as you said, he may not get it if we start 1-3 and struggle in the middle 8 games which are the easiest on our schedule. But again, I don't see GW getting canned for Gilbride's ineptness. However, KG is TD's stooge, so he may very well "blame it" on GW and retain Gilbride b/c it would make him look bad to can KG, an OC that TD fought so hard to bring in. That to me would spell disaster for the team for several years.

No matter what happens, I don't seeing GW get fired until the end of the season however. Nor Gilbride or Gray.

[ryven]

even if he as bad as everyone thinks I still think get a contract extension. I mean he would have to screw up so bad in such away that it could even be thought of.

I will admit he has made questionable calls but he has been an HC for 2 and this will be his third season I think he will be fine. He defenitly has the staff and players he needs to be succesful.

[ryven]

Im sorry you said start no he wont have one but I do think he will have one by the end of the season then change my vote to no not until the end of the season.

[WG]

Originally posted by ryven
even if he as bad as everyone thinks I still think get a contract extension. I mean he would have to screw up so bad in such away that it could even be thought of.

I will admit he has made questionable calls but he has been an HC for 2 and this will be his third season I think he will be fine. He defenitly has the staff and players he needs to be succesful.

I agree w/ you in that he won't do that badly. Last year we had no front 7 but still managed to turn a solid last 10 games defensively.

It's the O that was the issue over the last 2/3 of the season which hampered the D. NOT the other way around which is the perception, largely b/c no one can bring themselves to pin Drew's TOs on Drew vice every other aspect of the team in spite of the fact that most of them were horrendously thrown balls and bumbling fumbles.

Having said that, Gilbride was the primary reason we did not finish 10-6 or even 11-5. If Gilbride's not at fault, then Drew has to be. So being gracious, I'm assuming that Drew was taking cues from KG.

In any case, the D will be a top 20% D this year easily. It was top 10 (~ top 30% last year over the last 10/11 games).

So again, the issue will be whether the O makes tons of key errors or not! If so, then Gilbride or Drew will be the key there. The question will be whether TD, the coaches, the fans, and media will have the fortitude to assess the blame where it belongs or whether Drew and Gilbride remain "untouchables."

IMO the politics of this situation will precede the facts.

[TigerJ]

Two questions: Why hasn't TD offered GW an extension before now? and What will have changed by the start of the season? Only TD knows the answer to the first. I don't think much will change by the start of the season. TD probably has in mind what an offer might involve, and he may just offer it to GW if the Bills are doing well by midseason.