Why Fitzpatrick Will Be the Starter Next Year

[more cowbell]

Regardless of the clause in Fitzpatrick's contract where the Bills could essentially pay him for the 2011 season and "wipe their hands clean" of his contract for the most part if he is released before more of his bonus(es) are due in the 2012 offseason...the Bills WILL NOT CUT FITZPATRICK

Why?

Because the coaching staff "believes in him" and there is no way on earth the old fart and the PR genuis Russ will justify giving a "huge contract" to a QB, paying him close to 20 million dollars for the 2011 season then cutting him less than a year later. Sorry, it's not happening.

Should it happen? Yes...will it? NO

So those of you hoping for RG3, Barkley or even Landry Jones...don't get your hopes up...were going to waste out 1st round pick on an undersized OLB/DE "tweener" because we wont be able to decide if were going to run a 4-3 or 3-4...then pick a corner in the 2nd round.

Go Bills.

[clumping platelets]

We need defense........Fitz is fine at QB for 1 or 2 more years.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

why is the goal to never win but rather to justify bad money... same thing happened when ralph stepped in and told wade to start rob johnson... i dont care if it takes millions, including risky investments and maybe cutting ties with those bad decisions. the goal should be to win a superbowl, not say well we gave him 20 mil so now we are stuck with him, WHY?

[BertSquirtgum]

Fitzputrid is fine at QB huh? What games have you been watching?

[Bert102176]

if certain things happen the Bills could end up with a top 10 pick and if they are where they can get one of the top QB's they better Fitzthedip**** is only good enough to be a back up the team has needed a real QB since Flutie, but the owner and FO is a bunch of stupid S.O.B's, anyone thinks that Fitz is fine get ur damn head examined

[more cowbell]

why is the goal to never win but rather to justify bad money... same thing happened when ralph stepped in and told wade to start rob johnson... i dont care if it takes millions, including risky investments and maybe cutting ties with those bad decisions. the goal should be to win a superbowl, not say well we gave him 20 mil so now we are stuck with him, WHY?
Because that's how this "organization" operates. It's a business...they do not care about winning. Which is 100 percent sad but true. They care about "selling and not DE-valuing their product" - Direct Quote from Russ Brandon who would not buy the remaining tickets for last weeks game against Tennessee. (for 34 cents on the dollar per ticket)

The slick willies running the show aren't stupid at all...they're actually very smart because they know how loyal the fan base is and regardless of whatever garbage they put on the field people will still come and cheer for the Bills (myself included).

[Mike]

Because that's how this "organization" operates. It's a business...they do not care about winning. Which is 100 percent sad but true. They care about "selling and not DE-valuing their product" - Direct Quote from Russ Brandon who would not buy the remaining tickets for last weeks game against Tennessee. (for 34 cents on the dollar per ticket)

The slick willies running the show aren't stupid at all...they're actually very smart because they know how loyal the fan base is and regardless of whatever garbage they put on the field people will still come and cheer for the Bills (myself included).

To give an idea of how Great the Bills are at marketing just look at the sellouts. They are selling out more games now than they did in the 1990s! In the 1994 the Greatest Comeback ever was not televised as a result of not selling out. In the past 10years or so, they have had no problems selling tickets to a team that can't manage to win more than 7 games on average.

[justasportsfan]

We need defense........Fitz is fine at QB for 1 or 2 more years.

Fitz is good enough to make playoffs if we have a top 5 D, but don't think he'll ever be good enough to make AFC championship.

I cringe when I see him trying to go deeper than 20 yds . He has to put all his weight into it and then misses his target.

[T-Long]

It will be interesting to see what Kansas City does when they or on the clock and Barkley and/or Griffin are on the board still. Cassel got his big deal, but do they man up and admit the mistake and take a QB there? Bills will be in the same predicament. I wonder what that cut off date is for Fitz's contract. Is it before or after the draft?

[k-oneputt]

Regardless of the clause in Fitzpatrick's contract where the Bills could essentially pay him for the 2011 season and "wipe their hands clean" of his contract for the most part if he is released before more of his bonus(es) are due in the 2012 offseason...the Bills WILL NOT CUT FITZPATRICK

Why?

Because the coaching staff "believes in him" and there is no way on earth the old fart and the PR genuis Russ will justify giving a "huge contract" to a QB, paying him close to 20 million dollars for the 2011 season then cutting him less than a year later. Sorry, it's not happening.

Should it happen? Yes...will it? NO

So those of you hoping for RG3, Barkley or even Landry Jones...don't get your hopes up...were going to waste out 1st round pick on an undersized OLB/DE "tweener" because we wont be able to decide if were going to run a 4-3 or 3-4...then pick a corner in the 2nd round.

Go Bills.

This about sums it up.
May I add that when we take that undersized "tweener" that he comes from the Sunbelt Conference. Because they are smarter then all of us.

[SabreEleven]

Can't we draft a QB in this draft and let him sit and learn on the sideline for a year behind Fitz? Get rid of Fitz after the '12 season or have Fitz as the backup in '13?

[dannyek71]

This team is full of should be backups, and Fitz is one of them.

[k-oneputt]

Can't we draft a QB in this draft and let him sit and learn on the sideline for a year behind Fitz? Get rid of Fitz after the '12 season or have Fitz as the backup in '13?

That is what the smart teams do. So expect more of the same with Fitz and Thigpen.
That makes me sick thinking about it for next year. Talk about having no hope.

[TigerJ]

I do expect Fitz will be the Bills QB at least for next year, and possibly the next two. I am not ruling out the drafting of a QB though. The coaching staff would have to be completely blind not to see that there are holes in his game that limit the performance of the offense and create the risk of losing games anytime.

[TigerJ]

It will be interesting to see what Kansas City does when they or on the clock and Barkley and/or Griffin are on the board still. Cassel got his big deal, but do they man up and admit the mistake and take a QB there? Bills will be in the same predicament. I wonder what that cut off date is for Fitz's contract. Is it before or after the draft?

KC is in an interesting predicament. As you point out, they signed Cassell to a long term deal. The problem is that with his injury, the opportunity to observe his ineptitude for a full year was cut short. Thus they would have to base their decision on a much shorter time to make evaluations.

[k-oneputt]

This team is full of should be backups, and Fitz is one of them.

That's what you get when you blow drafts for a decade.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

We need defense........Fitz is fine at QB for 1 or 2 more years.
They stocked the defense last year. Look how much good it got them. They have one more year before the lease is up; they need a big splash, and a grade-A QB prospect is what they need to re-instill hope.

[EDS]

If the Bills had waited another two weeks before signing that contract with Fitz, how much do you think the overall value is discounted versus what it is? 10%? 20%?

Fitz will be the starter next year whether we like it or not. Unlikely the Bills will ever be successful with him at QB unless Patrick Willis, DeMarcus Ware, Darrelle Revis and Haloti Ngata are added as free agents next season.

[EDS]

They stocked the defense last year. Look how much good it got them. They have one more year before the lease is up; they need a big splash, and a grade-A QB prospect is what they need to re-instill hope.

From a marketing standpoint you are absolutely correct. It does two things: (i) provide hope for future performance and (ii) reduces pressure to win in near term.

[PTI]

There is no real reason to keep Fitz. He is not a leader. What in the world gives people the impression he can be a mentor, just because he went to Harvard and has a beard? It makes no sense, his fundamentals suck, he is actually a poor decision maker and I do not get how in the world people call him a good decision maker,dreadfully inaccurate, his footwork is poor, he is an idiot and tries to run over players in the open field, he is a horrible example of a guy you would want to have a young player learn from.

[k-oneputt]

There is no real reason to keep Fitz. He is not a leader. What in the world gives people the impression he can be a mentor, just because he went to Harvard and has a beard? It makes no sense, his fundamentals suck, he is actually a poor decision maker and I do not get how in the world people call him a good decision maker,dreadfully inaccurate, his footwork is poor, he is an idiot and tries to run over players in the open field, he is a horrible example of a guy you would want to have a young player learn from.

All pretty much true, but as of now we don't even have that future qb.

And I'm not talking about wasting another 7th rd. pick on a guy from Troy.

We need to use a top 1-3 rds on a qb this coming year.

[Syderick]

Bills have tried to drafting, trading and signing free agent Qbs. I'm willing to give Fitzpatrick another year.

This is whole idea of lets get a quarterback in the draft and let him sit for a bit hasn't worked out (eg: Losman, Edwards). Whether its bad draft picks or just the whole offensive systems doesn't work, who knows? Neither does the Front Office.

There is no sure fire way to get a good quarterback. He could be a 1st rounder, 7th rounder, undrafted, trade or a free agent.

How many other Bills qb have thrown 20 tds and have over 3000 yards passing seasons in the last 10 years?

Who you going to replace Fitzpatrick with?

[Lone Stranger]

It will be interesting to see what Kansas City does when they or on the clock and Barkley and/or Griffin are on the board still. Cassel got his big deal, but do they man up and admit the mistake and take a QB there? Bills will be in the same predicament. I wonder what that cut off date is for Fitz's contract. Is it before or after the draft?

Right on!!!

[clumping platelets]

Fitzputrid is fine at QB huh? What games have you been watching?


He doesn't play defense or special teams.......what games have you been watching?

[Ickybaluky]

It will be interesting to see what Kansas City does when they or on the clock and Barkley and/or Griffin are on the board still. Cassel got his big deal, but do they man up and admit the mistake and take a QB there? Bills will be in the same predicament. I wonder what that cut off date is for Fitz's contract. Is it before or after the draft?

KC will definitely have a decision to make with Cassel. His contract was front-loaded, including a $10M roster bonus in the first year. Next year, he has a $7.5M option bonus due next year. If they don't pick up the option bonus he is gone with very little cap consequence. If they do, they are probably keeping him as their QB and won't make it a priority in the draft.

Cassel isn't a terrible QB. He isn't elite, but in this league he is a guy you can win with. Pioli drafted him in NE and traded for him in KC, so he likes him.

KC has a pretty good team. When healthy, they play pretty good defense and run the ball well. Their passing game isn't great, but there is more to that than Cassel. They may decide they can compete with Cassel and continue upgrading their OL next year. It really depends who is available, because if a franchise-type QB is there they may not be able to pass. They are in terrific cap shape, so if they have to they may keep Cassel and take the QB.

[Historian]

To give an idea of how Great the Bills are at marketing just look at the sellouts. They are selling out more games now than they did in the 1990s! In the 1994 the Greatest Comeback ever was not televised as a result of not selling out. In the past 10years or so, they have had no problems selling tickets to a team that can't manage to win more than 7 games on average.

I have a theory about that.

And while I do not discount your marketing premise (I agree for the most part) i also think that a game at the stadium is not so much a game anymore...its more of an event.

It's a license to get ****faced and act out all your fantasies, ie, having sex in the can with a co-worker.

Most people aren't there to watch a game, they're there to cut loose for a few hours on a Sunday with friends. I don't think most care about what happens on the field one way or another.

Me? I love to watch plays develop, and try to anticipate the next play call.

But I think I'm in the minority these days.

[Figster]

If RW becomes distraught enough for not doing a better job at the Bills QB position its possible he could send the whole regime packing along with Fitzpatrick in my opinion. (mistake)


You can bet old Ralphie has been getting an ear full from Jim Kelly among others...

[better days]

If RW becomes distraught enough for not doing a better job at the Bills QB position its possible he could send the whole regime packing along with Fitzpatrick in my opinion. (mistake)


You can bet old Ralphie has been getting an ear full from Jim Kelly among others...

Ralph is smarter than most people give him credit for. He will stay the course with Nix & Gailey for at least one more year. I expect the Bills to get another QB if there is one to be had in the off season that has potential.

[Figster]

Ralph is smarter than most people give him credit for. He will stay the course with Nix & Gailey for at least one more year. I expect the Bills to get another QB if there is one to be had in the off season that has potential.


Ralph is smart and he knows the last time the Bills had success was over a decade ago with Jim kelly.

RW is not going to live forever and he wants a Franchise signal caller...

[k-oneputt]

I don't think Ralph cares either way what happens with this team on the field any longer.

[justasportsfan]

KC will definitely have a decision to make with Cassel. His contract was front-loaded, including a $10M roster bonus in the first year. Next year, he has a $7.5M option bonus due next year. If they don't pick up the option bonus he is gone with very little cap consequence. If they do, they are probably keeping him as their QB and won't make it a priority in the draft.

Cassel isn't a terrible QB. He isn't elite, but in this league he is a guy you can win with. Pioli drafted him in NE and traded for him in KC, so he likes him.

KC has a pretty good team. When healthy, they play pretty good defense and run the ball well. Their passing game isn't great, but there is more to that than Cassel. They may decide they can compete with Cassel and continue upgrading their OL next year. It really depends who is available, because if a franchise-type QB is there they may not be able to pass. They are in terrific cap shape, so if they have to they may keep Cassel and take the QB.


I wonder if Pioli will go for McDaniels as HC. A NE reunion at KC.

[better days]

RW is not going to live forever and he wants a Franchise signal caller...

Don't we all.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

If RW becomes distraught enough for not doing a better job at the Bills QB position its possible he could send the whole regime packing along with Fitzpatrick in my opinion. (mistake)


You can bet old Ralphie has been getting an ear full from Jim Kelly among others...
Hopefully it's enough to give that fat tub of lard a heart attack.

[baalworship]

This year there have been two Fitzpatricks. The one that started the year and the one playing now. He has regressed so much that we have to make QB a top priority in the draft unless he suddenly finds his game again.

Last game he was missing horribly and just not playing like a starting NFL QB.