BBD: Alex Smith to the Bills?

[DraftBoy]

http://www.buffalobillsdraft.com/2013/01/could-the-bills-be-interested-in-qb-alex-smith/


If you don’t follow our official Twitter account then here is one great reason to do so. NFL Network analyst Ian Rapoport asked the following question on Twitter about the interest and ability of the Bills to have Ken Whisenhunt and San Francisco 49ers QB Alex Smith work together.

[Night Train]

I'd rather watch Chip Kelly and Tajh Boyd work together.

[TrEd FTW]

I like him better than Vick and Fitz, but talk about damning with faint praise.

[DraftBoy]

I know this has been speculated by many but with the comments from Rapoport I thought it was appropriate to write and post this.

[coastal]

Yes... I'd take him.

He's worlds better than Fitzpatrick, ran a power run oriented offense, and has playoff experience.

Plus we are not going to find any rookie options stand any realistic chance of matching his productivity.

Russ Brandon will find the analytics here in favor of signing him.

[BLeonard]

So, hire a HC who went 5-11 this year (worse record than the HC we just fired) has a grand total of two more wins over the past 3 years that the HC we just fired...

Then, sign another QB that's approaching 30 that got benched in favor of a guy that we could have drafted in the second round just last year, but passed up on him for Aaron Williams...

Yeah, let's keep trying coaches that aren't good enough for the teams that finish worse than us and let's keep signing backup QB's and making them starters... Because that's worked so well in the past.

-Bill

[BillsFever21]

I would take him if the price was cheap but our team needs a long term solution. The only way this team would be a QB away from contending is if we ended up with a Peyton Manning scenario which isn't going to happen.

I would take him as a stop gap QB for a year or two while we groomed another one but that would be the most and if only the price was reasonable.

[DraftBoy]

So, hire a HC who went 5-11 this year (worse record than the HC we just fired) has a grand total of two more wins over the past 3 years that the HC we just fired...

Then, sign another QB that's approaching 30 that got benched in favor of a guy that we could have drafted in the second round just last year, but passed up on him for Aaron Williams...

Yeah, let's keep trying coaches that aren't good enough for the teams that finish worse than us and let's keep signing backup QB's and making them starters... Because that's worked so well in the past.

-Bill

The Whiz argument has been made in another thread so I won't make it here. Smith is worlds better than Fitz imo. Safe with the football, accurate, and can take a shot down field. He's only a temporary fit.

[streetkings01]

So, hire a HC who went 5-11 this year (worse record than the HC we just fired) has a grand total of two more wins over the past 3 years that the HC we just fired...

Then, sign another QB that's approaching 30 that got benched in favor of a guy that we could have drafted in the second round just last year, but passed up on him for Aaron Williams...

Yeah, let's keep trying coaches that aren't good enough for the teams that finish worse than us and let's keep signing backup QB's and making them starters... Because that's worked so well in the past.

-Bill
I totally agree with this

[acehole]

The Whiz argument has been made in another thread so I won't make it here. Smith is worlds better than Fitz imo. Safe with the football, accurate, and can take a shot down field. He's only a temporary fit.


We can still draft a guy..in this sceario to develop.

[DraftBoy]

We can still draft a guy..in this sceario to develop.

As the article states.

[BLeonard]

Smith is worlds better than Fitz imo. Safe with the football, accurate, and can take a shot down field. He's only a temporary fit.

But, apparently, Smith is not better than a second year player that we could have drafted just last season.

On top of that, I don't recall anyone praising Alex Smith in San Francisco until Jim Harbaugh got there... The first 6 years of his career, most considered him a bust.

Rookie QB's don't need 3-4 years on the bench anymore. The Bills already have a pretty darn good offensive line, so it's not like he'd be getting pounded back there, either. Get your coaching staff in place and see who he wants to draft at QB. Hell, that should be a question the Bills ask while interviewing. Then, let the kid play. Again, he'd have a good line in front of him (provided you resign Levitre) has Spiller in the backfield and Stevie at WR... A Free Agent WR wouldn't be bad, either.

I want there to be no excuses as to why the Bills don't draft a Quarterback. No "temporary fit" to avoid it, either.

-Bill

[nolimit]

As the article states.

I'm guessing it would take a 1st Or a 2nd...not willing to give that up.

[DraftBoy]

But, apparently, Smith is not better than a second year player that we could have drafted just last season.

On top of that, I don't recall anyone praising Alex Smith in San Francisco until Jim Harbaugh got there... The first 6 years of his career, most considered him a bust.

Rookie QB's don't need 3-4 years on the bench anymore. The Bills already have a pretty darn good offensive line, so it's not like he'd be getting pounded back there, either. Get your coaching staff in place and see who he wants to draft at QB. Hell, that should be a question the Bills ask while interviewing. Then, let the kid play. Again, he'd have a good line in front of him (provided you resign Levitre) has Spiller in the backfield and Stevie at WR... A Free Agent WR wouldn't be bad, either.

I want there to be no excuses as to why the Bills don't draft a Quarterback. No "temporary fit" to avoid it, either.

-Bill

We didn't draft him hindsight is always 20/20.

- - - Updated - - -





I'm guessing it would take a 1st Or a 2nd...not willing to give that up.

As the article indicated it is expected he'll be released.

[BLeonard]

I'm guessing it would take a 1st Or a 2nd...not willing to give that up.

Alex Smith will likley be released, meaning the Bills won't have to give up a draft pick for him.

What it DOES mean is that, if the Bills ended up signing him, they wouldn't daft a QB until Round 2 (at earlist) and even then, the kid would likley sit.

I'm against that, which is a big reason I don't want Alex Smith. I want the Bills to get a QB within the first couple rounds and I want them to play him. As I said beofre, rookies QB's don't need to sit anymore and I don't want Smith to have a few good games, after which the Bills sign him to a multi-million dollar extension, like they did with Fitzpatrick.

They've already wasted one draft pick on a QB (Tavaris Jackson) and they didn't even bother to dress him... Stop going after other teams' damaged goods, draft your own guy and develop him, as Nix has said has been his philosophy since day 1.

-Bill

[Thundering Buffalo]

Brandon claims he's going to be forward thinking and progressive, hiring a "has been" coach and QB is more of the same. I'm tired of being the red headed step child...Kelly or Gruden final answer. Brandon claimed in his interview that he is friends with Gruden so go sign him!

[BLeonard]

We didn't draft him hindsight is always 20/20.

Yeah, yeah and "The draft is a crapshoot," too. Except for the fact that the Bills never seem to get it right.

Nix has had 3 drafts now. He's taken one quarterback, while annointing the previous regime's backup as "the man." He's failed, especially in that department.

Yet, all indications are, he'll be heading up the Draft yet again this year. Signing Alex Smith would give Buddy yet another reason to pass on a QB, in favor of some kid that he likes because he's "smelled his breath," probably from an SEC school.

No more bull****. Draft a quarterback and play him. That's how many successful teams have done it in recent years.

-Bill

[nolimit]

I agree with this

[more cowbell]

Alex Smith is absolute garbage. He has no arm strength, and has been completely awful until last year and part of this year.

NO THANKS.

[imbondz]

Alex Smith is absolute garbage. He has no arm strength, and has been completely awful until last year and part of this year.

NO THANKS.

his 1st 7 years in the league he had 7 different offensive coordinators or something crazy like that.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

there is nothing wrong with getting alex smith and draft a qb in rd 1 or 2...

the team is built to win now...

[imbondz]

the team that's gone 16-32 over the past 3 years is built to win now!

[IlluminatusUIUC]

TBH I would have been ok with Alex Smith had we retained Gailey. His system seems like it could have been familiar enough to Meyer's shotgun spread from Utah.

[BLeonard]

there is nothing wrong with getting alex smith and draft a qb in rd 1 or 2...

the team is built to win now...

How do you figure they're "built to win now"?

Did you miss the 4-12 season, followed by 2 consecutive 6-10 seasons?

The defense was one of the worst in Bills history... How is Alex Smith gonna change that?

Now, they COULD win in 2013, but I'm not gonna say that they WILL until I see who they get to be the Head Coach.

Ken Whisenhunt does NOT impress me at all...

-Bill

[TigerJ]

Ideally, the Bills draft their QB of the future, but it may be that the QB they draft is not going to be as NFL ready as Andrew Luck or RG3, given that this draft class lacks elite QB prospects. They may need someone they are comfortable with as an interim starter. Fitzpatrick certainly fails at that role given his history. Alex Smith is smart like Fitzpatrick, but seems to be more accurate and makes fewer mistakes. If need be, Smith could probably start for a few years while Buffalo seaches for their elusive QB of the future.

[Novacane]

So, hire a HC who went 5-11 this year (worse record than the HC we just fired) has a grand total of two more wins over the past 3 years that the HC we just fired...

Then, sign another QB that's approaching 30 that got benched in favor of a guy that we could have drafted in the second round just last year, but passed up on him for Aaron Williams...

Yeah, let's keep trying coaches that aren't good enough for the teams that finish worse than us and let's keep signing backup QB's and making them starters... Because that's worked so well in the past.

-Bill


Just tell Bills fans there's a new culture at OBD and most of them will swallow it hook line and sinker! No proof needed!

[NOT THE DUDE...]

there is nothing wrong with getting alex smith and draft a qb in rd 1 or 2...

the team is built to win now...

stevie/jones/neslon/graham

chandler

great potential on oline

spiller

mario/anderson/dareus/carrington

shepp/bradham/moats

gilmore/byrd

we just need a better qb and we can get to 10 wins.... like i said, we are built to win now, the roster is not empty....

[BLeonard]

stevie/jones/neslon/graham

chandler

great potential on oline

spiller

I'll give you Stevie and Spiller... Jones finished the season on IR, as did Nelson. Graham is a rookie that, so far, has had a problem catching the ball... That could change, but we can only go off of what we've seen. Chandler could already be out for part of next year, with his injury. The O-Line is alright, but Levitre is a Free Agent and can Wood stay healthy?



mario/anderson/dareus/carrington

shepp/bradham/moats

gilmore/byrd

First off, you need two more DB's, and Byrd could be a Free Agent if they don't sign him. From what I've seen, Bradham is probably the only linebacker we have that's worth a damn. As for the front four, they should be dominant, but so far, that hasn't been the case. This defense set records in 2012 and none of them in a good way.



we just need a better qb and we can get to 10 wins.... like i said, we are built to win now, the roster is not empty....

So, a better QB would have stopped San Francisco from scoring 45 points? Stopped New England from scoring 52, after being behind by 14 on the road? Stoped Seattle from hanging 50 on the scoreboard in Toronto?

For all the talk about the roster being better, keep in mind that Dick Jauron had Trent Edwards at QB and even he managed to get to 7-9...

The roster being "better" is currently only "better" on paper. Last I checked, they don't play football games on paper.

If you think Alex Smith alone turns the 2012 Bills from a 6-10 team into a 10-6 team, you're delusional.

-Bill

[NOT THE DUDE...]

I'll give you Stevie and Spiller... Jones finished the season on IR, as did Nelson. Graham is a rookie that, so far, has had a problem catching the ball... That could change, but we can only go off of what we've seen. Chandler could already be out for part of next year, with his injury. The O-Line is alright, but Levitre is a Free Agent and can Wood stay healthy?



First off, you need two more DB's, and Byrd could be a Free Agent if they don't sign him. From what I've seen, Bradham is probably the only linebacker we have that's worth a damn. As for the front four, they should be dominant, but so far, that hasn't been the case. This defense set records in 2012 and none of them in a good way.



So, a better QB would have stopped San Francisco from scoring 45 points? Stopped New England from scoring 52, after being behind by 14 on the road? Stoped Seattle from hanging 50 on the scoreboard in Toronto?

For all the talk about the roster being better, keep in mind that Dick Jauron had Trent Edwards at QB and even he managed to get to 7-9...

The roster being "better" is currently only "better" on paper. Last I checked, they don't play football games on paper.

If you think Alex Smith alone turns the 2012 Bills from a 6-10 team into a 10-6 team, you're delusional.

-Bill

alex smith with a real coach and this team wins 10 games for sure. the talent wasnt the issue on d, it was coaching...

[jamze132]

Alex Smith should be the Bills top target. He's loads better than Fitz an will fill in nicely while we draft and groom a QB. And lets not forget, this draft sucks for QBs. We don't need to take a flyer on one in RD1 or RD2 if we get Alex Smith. We can wait to see what the 14' crop looks like. Alex Smith was getting better and better.

[SquishDaFish]

Alex Smith has gone through more OCs and systems than the number of years Buffalo has missed the playoffs LOL. I think hes a good QB as you have seen last year and this year before he got hurt.

[better days]

his 1st 7 years in the league he had 7 different offensive coordinators or something crazy like that.

Yeah he has, but I just don't think he has the arm to play in Buffalo. In spite of the poor game Glennon had against Vanderbilt, I would still like the Bills to draft him. He needs to be Coached up & a better OL than SC has but there is no question he has the arm to play in Buffalo.

[pmoon6]

I think the Anti-Fans should slit their wrists.

[BLeonard]

alex smith with a real coach and this team wins 10 games for sure. the talent wasnt the issue on d, it was coaching...

First, I'm going off of you basically saying "Alex Smith makes the Bills a 10-6 team." You said nothing about coaching.

While I agree that coaching certainly didn't help, who's to say that the Bills are gonna get a "real coach," as you put it? In recent years, anytime the Bills have had a Head Coaching vacancy, many names are floated out there, yet we always end up getting a guy like Dick Jauron or Chan Gailey.

Let's see who they hire as Head Coach before we start going after QB's, or any other player, for that matter.

-Bill

[acehole]

Yeah he has, but I just don't think he has the arm to play in Buffalo. In spite of the poor game Glennon had against Vanderbilt, I would still like the Bills to draft him. He needs to be Coached up & a better OL than SC has but there is no question he has the arm to play in Buffalo.


he is like 91-5 with a 104 qb rating. He has an arm.

[Bill Cody]

Alex Smith will likley be released, meaning the Bills won't have to give up a draft pick for him.

What it DOES mean is that, if the Bills ended up signing him, they wouldn't daft a QB until Round 2 (at earlist) and even then, the kid would likley sit.

I'm against that, which is a big reason I don't want Alex Smith. I want the Bills to get a QB within the first couple rounds and I want them to play him. As I said beofre, rookies QB's don't need to sit anymore and I don't want Smith to have a few good games, after which the Bills sign him to a multi-million dollar extension, like they did with Fitzpatrick.

They've already wasted one draft pick on a QB (Tavaris Jackson) and they didn't even bother to dress him... Stop going after other teams' damaged goods, draft your own guy and develop him, as Nix has said has been his philosophy since day 1.

-Bill

We would still draft a QB. I'm not sure there is a QB in this draft that is ready to start right away. If there is pray tell me who?

[Bill Cody]

First, I'm going off of you basically saying "Alex Smith makes the Bills a 10-6 team." You said nothing about coaching.

While I agree that coaching certainly didn't help, who's to say that the Bills are gonna get a "real coach," as you put it? In recent years, anytime the Bills have had a Head Coaching vacancy, many names are floated out there, yet we always end up getting a guy like Dick Jauron or Chan Gailey.

Let's see who they hire as Head Coach before we start going after QB's, or any other player, for that matter.

-Bill

Why? There is a 0.00% Bills nation will live with watching Fitz play another snap as a starter. Alex Smith is not very good but he is much better than Fitz. And what would be waiting for? Tom Brady to come on the market?

[Bill Cody]

the team is built to win now...

lol Do you watch the games? 6-10 is within a win or 2 what this team was built for this year, watch the SF game or some other absolute stinkers a few times over again until that sinks in. Add a couple stud LB's, a corner, a stud QB and top of the line coaching and then MAYBE you can make that kind of statement. As of right now? Ridiculous.

[BLeonard]

We would still draft a QB. I'm not sure there is a QB in this draft that is ready to start right away. If there is pray tell me who?

How do you know that they "would still draft a QB"? Because of Buddy Nix's stellar record of drafting QB's in the past 3 seaosns? Hell, he burned a Draft Pick on a QB that his Head Coach didn't even feel was good enough to dress or unseat Tyler Thigpen as the #2 QB.

How do you know that the QB they draft won't be ready to start right away? The Bills have one of the better offensive lines in the league (assuming they retain Levitre) and have a pretty good running back in CJ Spiller (assuming they hire a coach that actually uses him).

I don't know if any QB in the draft is ready to start. But, you don't know that there's not. Not many people thought Russell Wilson would start in Seattle, especially after they signed Matt Flynn. Now, Flynn's on the bench and Wilson will be starting a Playoff game this weekend.

I don't get why in the hell some people seem content on signing yet another "stop gap" at the Quarterback position. Personally, I'm sick of sitting on our hands waiting for the next Franchise Quarterback to just fall into our laps. That hasn't happened for the Bills since 1983.

-Bill

[BLeonard]

Why? There is a 0.00% Bills nation will live with watching Fitz play another snap as a starter. Alex Smith is not very good but he is much better than Fitz. And what would be waiting for? Tom Brady to come on the market?

Oh, what bull.

First, there aare a good chunk of Bills fans that will watch whatever garbage they choose to throw on the field. That's been proven over the past 13 years. Todd Collins, Billy Joe Hobert, Rob Johnson, JP Losman, Trent Edwards. Some fans couldn't care less... They're "just happy to have a team." That's been well documented over the years.

Second, I never said anything about keeping Fitzpatrick. Me, I'd hire a Head Coach before making any decision on the QB position. One plus that the Bills job currently offers is the fact that the new coach can make a change at QB if he likes. But, it seems as if you want to basically force our new coach to be tied to Alex Smith. If the new HC wants Smith, so be it... But, let's not make that decision for him before he's even hired.

Finally, who's to say that the next Tom Brady isn't in this year's draft? Nobody thought the first Tom Brady would be worth a damn when he was drafted, much like a lot of people are saying that the QB's in this draft aren't worth a damn. Every year, there are draft busts and there are guys that get drafted, not expected to do much and go on to be pretty damn good players. But, the Bills will never even have a chance to find the next Tom Brady if they don't even try to draft a QB.

-Bill

[Bill Cody]

How do you know that they "would still draft a QB"? Because of Buddy Nix's stellar record of drafting QB's in the past 3 seaosns? Hell, he burned a Draft Pick on a QB that his Head Coach didn't even feel was good enough to dress or unseat Tyler Thigpen as the #2 QB.

How do you know that the QB they draft won't be ready to start right away? The Bills have one of the better offensive lines in the league (assuming they retain Levitre) and have a pretty good running back in CJ Spiller (assuming they hire a coach that actually uses him).

I don't know if any QB in the draft is ready to start. But, you don't know that there's not. Not many people thought Russell Wilson would start in Seattle, especially after they signed Matt Flynn. Now, Flynn's on the bench and Wilson will be starting a Playoff game this weekend.

I don't get why in the hell some people seem content on signing yet another "stop gap" at the Quarterback position. Personally, I'm sick of sitting on our hands waiting for the next Franchise Quarterback to just fall into our laps. That hasn't happened for the Bills since 1983.

-Bill

Well neither of us "knows" anything lol. You're giving your opinions. I'm giving you mine. We can agree there were QB's the Bills passed over in the past couple years that would have been worth taking but the point is not that they failed to take them because they didn't want a QB they just didn't want to waste a pick on a guy they didn't think had the goods. They know they need a long term solution at QB, Nix has said so many times. Now they they have addressed other needs QB has to be at the top of the list IN MY OPINION. If it isn't we're screwed anyway because it means Nix is an imbecile.

TJ? I would have given him a shot but either way he was just a low cost insurance policy. <shrug>

[Bill Cody]

Oh, what bull.

First, there aare a good chunk of Bills fans that will watch whatever garbage they choose to throw on the field. That's been proven over the past 13 years. Todd Collins, Billy Joe Hobert, Rob Johnson, JP Losman, Trent Edwards. Some fans couldn't care less... They're "just happy to have a team." That's been well documented over the years.

Second, I never said anything about keeping Fitzpatrick. Me, I'd hire a Head Coach before making any decision on the QB position. One plus that the Bills job currently offers is the fact that the new coach can make a change at QB if he likes. But, it seems as if you want to basically force our new coach to be tied to Alex Smith. If the new HC wants Smith, so be it... But, let's not make that decision for him before he's even hired.

Finally, who's to say that the next Tom Brady isn't in this year's draft? Nobody thought the first Tom Brady would be worth a damn when he was drafted, much like a lot of people are saying that the QB's in this draft aren't worth a damn. Every year, there are draft busts and there are guys that get drafted, not expected to do much and go on to be pretty damn good players. But, the Bills will never even have a chance to find the next Tom Brady if they don't even try to draft a QB.

-Bill

Nah I think Bills fans, even the die hards are at the end of their tethers. There are limits to everything. If you follow this board closely (and I know you do) you know this.

The odds of success increase the earlier you draft a QB, that's why I will be shocked and dismayed if we don't draft one in the 1st or at the very latest 2nd round, Alex Smith or no. My feeling is signing Smith can only help attact a good coach, who else is available on the FA market?

[BLeonard]

Well neither of us "knows" anything lol. You're giving your opinions. I'm giving you mine. We can agree there were QB's the Bills passed over in the past couple years that would have been worth taking but the point is not that they failed to take them because they didn't want a QB they just didn't want to waste a pick on a guy they didn't think had the goods. They know they need a long term solution at QB, Nix has said so many times. Now they they have addressed other needs QB has to be at the top of the list IN MY OPINION. If it isn't we're screwed anyway because it means Nix is an imbecile.

TJ? I would have given him a shot but either way he was just a low cost insurance policy. <shrug>

The bolded is the issue: "They didn't want to waste a pick on a guy they didn't think had the goods."

First, they were wrong, as they have been for many years now. You can't strike out if you don't even go to the plate. Problem is, you can't hit a home run, either.

So, if they need a long term solution at QB, why is Alex Smith even in the discussion. He's not a long term solution. He's a stopgap.

What I'm saying is, stop settleing for stopgaps and kicking the can down the road as far as getting your long term solution is concerned. If the guy you get falls flat on his ass, get another one the next year until you get one that works.

Regarding TJ, why basically waste a draft pick (when Nix supposedly covets draft picks) on a guy your coach doesn't even dress? Insurance policy? That's what Thigpen was supposedly for. If Thigpen wasn't good enough "insurance," he should have been the #3 QB, or not on the team at all.

-Bill

[BLeonard]

Nah I think Bills fans, even the die hards are at the end of their tethers. There are limits to everything. If you follow this board closely (and I know you do) you know this.

The odds of success increase the earlier you draft a QB, that's why I will be shocked and dismayed if we don't draft one in the 1st or at the very latest 2nd round, Alex Smith or no. My feeling is signing Smith can only help attact a good coach, who else is available on the FA market?

Some fans, including ones on this board, were wanting Chan Gailey to be retained. Some will insist that Fitz isn't the problem, the coaching and defense are. Some fans won't give up their season tickets "no matter what, because at least we have an NFL team."

I've read all of the above, inluding variations of each, many times. On this board and on others. Every year, people threaten to cancel their tickets or stop watching if X doesn't happen. Inevitably, X doesn't happen, but Y does and the fans are back the next season. A certain percentage of the fans will financially support the team no matter what.

I don't disagree that the better QB's are taken in the earlier rounds, but there can be busts there as well. JaMarcus Russell is a prime example. JP Losman was a first round pick. So was Ryan Leaf. This list obviously goes on.

I don't think Alex Smith would necessarily help attract a good coach. A good coach might not want Alex Smith... He might want his own guy, whether that be a guy in the draft, or a FA. Which is why I said, let the new coach have input on that decision.

I'll put it this way: If the Bills get a coach like Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden, I'll be a helluva lot happier about them saying "I want Alex Smith as my QB" than I will be if Brandon and Nix tell the new coach "We're gonna sign Alex Smith to be your QB."

-Bill

[Bill Cody]

The bolded is the issue: "They didn't want to waste a pick on a guy they didn't think had the goods."

First, they were wrong, as they have been for many years now. You can't strike out if you don't even go to the plate. Problem is, you can't hit a home run, either.

So, if they need a long term solution at QB, why is Alex Smith even in the discussion. He's not a long term solution. He's a stopgap.

What I'm saying is, stop settleing for stopgaps and kicking the can down the road as far as getting your long term solution is concerned. If the guy you get falls flat on his ass, get another one the next year until you get one that works.

Regarding TJ, why basically waste a draft pick (when Nix supposedly covets draft picks) on a guy your coach doesn't even dress? Insurance policy? That's what Thigpen was supposedly for. If Thigpen wasn't good enough "insurance," he should have been the #3 QB, or not on the team at all.

-Bill


By your own admission the draft is far from a guarantee. So whether we sign Smith or not we still are going to have a significant risk of failure with any QB we pick, can't really blame Nix for not drafting someone he didn't believe in. Fact: Alex Smith is better than Fitz. So as long as Nix follows through on what he's already said he's going to do, draft a QB, I think it can't hurt to upgrade. If the draft pick ends up being better than Smith(like Kaepernick) he'll force his way into the lineup at some point. I get why you're skeptical but I think we will take a QB early this year, 99% sure.

[BLeonard]

By your own admission the draft is far from a guarantee. So whether we sign Smith or not we still are going to have a significant risk of failure with any QB we pick, can't really blame Nix for not drafting someone he didn't believe in. Fact: Alex Smith is better than Fitz. So as long as Nix follows through on what he's already said he's going to do, draft a QB, I think it can't hurt to upgrade. If the draft pick ends up being better than Smith(like Kaepernick) he'll force his way into the lineup at some point. I get why you're skeptical but I think we will take a QB early this year, 99% sure.

Don't disagree with any of this. But again, If the Bills get a coach like Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden, I'll be a helluva lot happier about them saying "I want Alex Smith as my QB" than I will be if Brandon and Nix tell the new coach "We're gonna sign Alex Smith to be your QB."

-Bill

[Bill Cody]

Some fans, including ones on this board, were wanting Chan Gailey to be retained. Some will insist that Fitz isn't the problem, the coaching and defense are. Some fans won't give up their season tickets "no matter what, because at least we have an NFL team."

I've read all of the above, inluding variations of each, many times. On this board and on others. Every year, people threaten to cancel their tickets or stop watching if X doesn't happen. Inevitably, X doesn't happen, but Y does and the fans are back the next season. A certain percentage of the fans will financially support the team no matter what.

I don't disagree that the better QB's are taken in the earlier rounds, but there can be busts there as well. JaMarcus Russell is a prime example. JP Losman was a first round pick. So was Ryan Leaf. This list obviously goes on.

I don't think Alex Smith would necessarily help attract a good coach. A good coach might not want Alex Smith... He might want his own guy, whether that be a guy in the draft, or a FA. Which is why I said, let the new coach have input on that decision.

I'll put it this way: If the Bills get a coach like Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden, I'll be a helluva lot happier about them saying "I want Alex Smith as my QB" than I will be if Brandon and Nix tell the new coach "We're gonna sign Alex Smith to be your QB."

-Bill


Some fans make those arguments but not too many. Management knows fans are sick and tired of being sick and tired. They have to know- look at the attendance for the Miami game. I would agree ask the potential next coach. I'll be happy if we sign Gruden tomorrow. My feeling is I don't want any scenario whereby Fitz starts next year. None.

[Bill Cody]

Don't disagree with any of this. But again, If the Bills get a coach like Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden, I'll be a helluva lot happier about them saying "I want Alex Smith as my QB" than I will be if Brandon and Nix tell the new coach "We're gonna sign Alex Smith to be your QB."

-Bill

ok by me. But let's agree on this: Gruden/Smith is light years ahead of Gailey/Fitz

[Mr. Miyagi]

So, hire a HC who went 5-11 this year (worse record than the HC we just fired) has a grand total of two more wins over the past 3 years that the HC we just fired...

Then, sign another QB that's approaching 30 that got benched in favor of a guy that we could have drafted in the second round just last year, but passed up on him for Aaron Williams...

Yeah, let's keep trying coaches that aren't good enough for the teams that finish worse than us and let's keep signing backup QB's and making them starters... Because that's worked so well in the past.

-Bill
My sentiment exactly.

[BLeonard]

Some fans make those arguments but not too many. Management knows fans are sick and tired of being sick and tired. They have to know- look at the attendance for the Miami game. I would agree ask the potential next coach. I'll be happy if we sign Gruden tomorrow. My feeling is I don't want any scenario whereby Fitz starts next year. None.

I was going off of what you said... "There is a 0.00% Bills nation will live with watching Fitz play another snap as a starter."

It's not 0.00%... If Fitz returns or not, fans will watch. IIRC, the Miami game sold out, unless you mean the one in Miami...

-Bill

[Bill Cody]

I was going off of what you said... "There is a 0.00% Bills nation will live with watching Fitz play another snap as a starter."

It's not 0.00%... If Fitz returns or not, fans will watch. IIRC, the Miami game sold out, unless you mean the one in Miami...

-Bill

If Fitz returns and we haven't drafted a QB in round 1 or 2 I'm out

[BLeonard]

ok by me. But let's agree on this: Gruden/Smith is light years ahead of Gailey/Fitz

Again, if that's who Gruden (or whoever the coach we hire) wants, fine. If that's who Brandon and Nix try to force on Gruden (or any coach) no.

Gailey hitched his wagon to Fitzpatrick. I wonder if he wishes he hadn't now...
I wonder if he wishes that he had talked to Buddy about getting Russell Wilson, as opposed to trading up for a WR that his QB can't get the ball to.
I wonder if he wishes that he might have at least seen what he had in Tavaris Jackson...

The point is, let whoever is hired as Head Coach have a good chunk of input on who he wants as a QB... Isn't one of the reasons the Bills job is supposedly so "attractive" is because the new guy can have a choice in who he wants at QB...? Why take that reason away from the Head Coach candidates that are interested in your job?

Bill Parcells put it best: "They want you to cook the dinner; at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries."

-Bill

[Figster]

Alex Smith has a 104 QB rating, almost 3 to 1 TD to INT ratio, and has just won 20 of his last 21 starts. Smith has ben well coached and manages a game well.


Bring in A Smith, then draft Nassib in round 2, QB problem solved both short and long term,


Happy New Year everyone!

[BLeonard]

If Fitz returns and we haven't drafted a QB in round 1 or 2 I'm out

Yeah, and how many people have said "If they don't do X, Y and Z, I'm out." Yet, year after year, tickets sell and people show up.

Hell, look at Coastal. He "quit" and "became a 49ers fan." A few weeks later, after the Bills lost to New England, he's making "We will go into the last game with a shot at the playoffs" threads.

The Bills sales of "hope and change" worked better than Obama could ever dream of. The Bills marketing is so good that, after the 13th consecutive season without making the playoffs, they just promoted the head marketing guy to Team President, he goes out and tells everyone "Everything is different now" and people are already eating out of the guy's hand.

You'd think they'd at least wait to see who they try to pass off as the team's next Head Coach before going all in the "new direction." But, nope, the same guy that couldn't keep a promise over the past however many seasons he's been yapping promises yet again, just using different words and that's enough for some people.

-Bill

[BLeonard]

Alex Smith has a 104 QB rating, almost 3 to 1 TD to INT ratio, and has just won 20 of his last 21 starts. Smith has ben well coached and manages a game well.


Bring in A Smith, then draft Nassib in round 2, QB problem solved both short and long term,


Happy New Year everyone!

Then, why did everyone call him a bust and his name was hardly mentioned before Jim Harbaugh got the job in SF? Think Harbaugh had something to do with his improvement?

On top of that, can you guarantee that whoever the next Bills coach is will use him the same successful way that Harbaugh did? Hell, do you even know if our new head coach would even WANT Alex Smith?

I've asked this multiple times and yet, nobody can answer... Why do you want to essentially force Alex Smith onto whoever the Bills get as head coach? Why not let the coach have some input on the matter?

-Bill

[better days]

Alex Smith has a 104 QB rating, almost 3 to 1 TD to INT ratio, and has just won 20 of his last 21 starts. Smith has ben well coached and manages a game well.


Bring in A Smith, then draft Nassib in round 2, QB problem solved both short and long term,


Happy New Year everyone!

Personally, I don't want to see either one of those two in Buffalo.

[GingerP]

The Bills sales of "hope and change" worked better than Obama could ever dream of. The Bills marketing is so good that, after the 13th consecutive season without making the playoffs, they just promoted the head marketing guy to Team President, he goes out and tells everyone "Everything is different now" and people are already eating out of the guy's hand.

Yeah, but they have "analytics" now. Before they were just throwing darts at a dartboard while blindfolded. Now they have a robot to help them navigate.

[Figster]

Personally, I don't want to see either one of those two in Buffalo.


:nana:

[BLeonard]

Yeah, but they have "analytics" now. Before they were just throwing darts at a dartboard while blindfolded. Now they have a robot to help them navigate.

I actually like the whole "Moneyball" approach. I think when used in addition to other areas, such as scouting, situations on the field (like going for it on 4th down or punting, kikcing a FG, etc) it could be an asset.

But, here's my questions:

First off, why are they just starting this now? It's pretty well documented that other NFL teams started this a few years back, if not longer. I'll let you guess as to which team has embraced it the most... (Hint, the answer is the New England Patriots). Why are the Bills always behind the curve on this kind of thing? In 2008, the Wildcat was a popular type of offense to run... The Bills started it in 2011, long after the fad had passed...

Second, the Oakland Athletics are the team that pretty much started the "Moneyball" movement in baseball. A small market team, like the Bills, who used it as a way to compete in a world with the Yankees and Red Sox. But, how many Championships has it produced for Oakland? Zero.

Sabermetrics (or analytics, if you wanna call them that) are great... But, in the end, they are only a part of the needed formula. If they don't get a Coach that can maximize the numbers to work consistently in their favor, all the NASA scientists in the world aren't gonna help you win football games.

-Bill

[acehole]

I am reporting that you will hear alex smiths name a lot in buffalo along with the name ken....

Bills brass does not care if you think its a bad idea.


Personally, I don't want to see either one of those two in Buffalo.

[Figster]

Then, why did everyone call him a bust and his name was hardly mentioned before Jim Harbaugh got the job in SF? Think Harbaugh had something to do with his improvement?

On top of that, can you guarantee that whoever the next Bills coach is will use him the same successful way that Harbaugh did? Hell, do you even know if our new head coach would even WANT Alex Smith?

I've asked this multiple times and yet, nobody can answer... Why do you want to essentially force Alex Smith onto whoever the Bills get as head coach? Why not let the coach have some input on the matter?

-Bill

How did that work out with Chan Gailey calling the shots on QB?