Ramifications of 1st RD QB's

[Bill Brasky]

Pasquarelli has a new column on ESPN about the 4 QB's taken in the first round and how they may cause "controversy's"... here's what he had to say about Buffalo:

<I>
Buffalo: This could be the most intriguing of the quarterback selections in the first round, since it could signal the eventual end to Drew Bledsoe's tenure with the Bills. The club sacrificed its first-round pick in 2005 to move up and snatch J.P. Losman of Tulane, a guy overshadowed by the "Big Three" quarterbacks in this draft, but a better athlete than any of the others.


A Southern California kid who played in New Orleans, the confident Losman might have to invest in some long-johns to get through the Buffalo winter.


Bledsoe is due a $7 million bonus by Nov. 1 to trigger the 2005-2007 segment of his deal. If the Bills decline to pay that option bonus, Bledsoe could become a free agent at the end of this season. Given the manner in which he regressed in 2003, Bledsoe might be considered overpaid this year, when he is slated to earn a $5.9 million base salary.


Buffalo officials spoke with Bledsoe's agent on Friday about reworking his contract, but there was no progress. This could well be Bledsoe's swan song year with the Bills.
</I>

here's the link if you care to read about the other QB picks:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft04/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=1789093

[B-DON]

its about time he needs to rework his deal or rework with some other team

[Mr. Cynical]

Originally posted by jfreeman
Given the manner in which he regressed in 2003, Bledsoe might be considered overpaid this year, when he is slated to earn a $5.9 million base salary.

Understatement of the Year. :shakeno:

Screw it. TD bet the farm now so hopefully he goes the distance by canning Drew's ass and putting Losman in Day 1. Stop the bleeding and save the freakin cash.

Yeah, I don't normally support starting rookies but screw it. Better to find out earlier than later about this kid. I'd be fine with him making tons of mistakes as long as he showed promise for the future. Giants are going to do that with Eli...Houston did it with Carr...why not us with Losman.

Let the new era begin.

[The_Philster]

Originally posted by Mr. Cynical
why not us with Losman.

Let the new era begin.

Because history tells us that Mularkey and Clements have turned around QBs for the better in the past and some of us aren't satisfied with throwing away the season.

[Mr. Cynical]

Originally posted by The_Philster


Because history tells us that Mularkey and Clements have turned around QBs for the better in the past and some of us aren't satisfied with throwing away the season.

I never said I would be satisfied with throwing away the season. And I don't think putting Losman in automatically equates to that either.

It could be arugued that Losman would do no worse than Drew. Nobody has a crystal ball. But if Losman is truly our future I say let's make it happen.

Either that or cut Drew, get Kordell and ease JP in.

Either way, it is clear by trading a 2, 5 and next year's1 that TD feels Drew is not the answer. Why continue the charade and spend all that money?

[shelby]

Frankly, i'm surprised Bledsoe hasn't restructured yet. He knows his performance was subpar last year.

[HenryRules]

Losman didn't start playing QB until his senior year of HS. I think the best thing for him is to give him some time to learn the position in practice, instead of putting him on the field.

For some reason, teams don't like to send highly rated prospects over to NFLE, but Losman is a guy I think could really benefit (assuming he gets a good QB coach over there).

[HenryRules]

Originally posted by shelby
Frankly, i'm surprised Bledsoe hasn't restructured yet. He knows his performance was subpar last year.

He has all the bargaining power though. There isn't really anyone out there and available that they can bring in to replace him (I'm not a Drew lover and don't think he's the best QB, but he's the only option for us that may potentially make the pro bowl this year - although I think that's about a 5% chance at best). Even at other positions, there's no one really available right now that we could spend the savings on, so cutting Bledsoe (which is really the Bills only leverage in this situation) would be a hard sell to the ticket buyers.

[Mr. Cynical]

Originally posted by HenryRules
cutting Bledsoe (which is really the Bills only leverage in this situation) would be a hard sell to the ticket buyers.

Agreed, and I still say TD's ego is involvedas well. Admitting to making that big a mistake is not in his makeup. I never heard him say anything about his GW/KG screwup, so if he can't own up to that one, he's not going to own up to the Drew one either.

[Dantheman1280]

If Losman does not make progress fairly quick TD will be gone.

[HenryRules]

Originally posted by Dantheman1280
If Losman does not make progress fairly quick TD will be gone.

I disagree. Obviously I'm not a big TD fan and hope that he goes, but I don't think Losman has to progress quickly in order for TD to look good.

Losman is not a 05 starter and everyone knows that. He hasn't played QB that long and played at a small school. Even if Drew isn't here in 05, Losman won't be starting.

If we have 2 more non-winning seasons in the next two years, TD is gone and I don't think there's any possibility that Losman is the starter in that time. (hopefully it won't take 2, but I fear it will)

Basically, the Losman pick will pay dividends beyond the time that TD's job is in question. He'll either look solid in 4 years (starting two of those - I hop so) or he won't. Either way, TD's tenure will have been established by that time.

[justasportsfan]

Originally posted by Mr. Cynical


I never heard him say anything about his GW/KG screwup, so if he can't own up to that one, he's not going to own up to the Drew one either. OH yes he did.

[helmetguy]

Originally posted by justasportsfan
OH yes he did.

He practically fell on his sword at the press conference announcing that GW would not be retained. Since TD isn't one to wear his emotions on his sleeve, he must be an egomaniac.

[Mr. Cynical]

Show me the link where he said anything to the effect he made a mistake. He said something like, "Gregg is a good coach but it didn't work out here". He put the blame squarely on GW's shoulders, which is only part of the answer.

And no, I don't expect him to say, "I blew it. I'm a bad GM. Fire me." But there's a middle ground between that and what he said.

So yes, I say he is an egomaniac until otherwise disproven by his comments.

[Bert102176]

I would really like to see Drew restructure but if he doesn't then good bye after last season he is NOT worth what he is getting

[Mr. Cynical]

Originally posted by HenryRules


I disagree. Obviously I'm not a big TD fan and hope that he goes, but I don't think Losman has to progress quickly in order for TD to look good.

Losman is not a 05 starter and everyone knows that. He hasn't played QB that long and played at a small school. Even if Drew isn't here in 05, Losman won't be starting.

If we have 2 more non-winning seasons in the next two years, TD is gone and I don't think there's any possibility that Losman is the starter in that time. (hopefully it won't take 2, but I fear it will)

Basically, the Losman pick will pay dividends beyond the time that TD's job is in question. He'll either look solid in 4 years (starting two of those - I hop so) or he won't. Either way, TD's tenure will have been established by that time.

"Either way, TD's tenure will have been established by that time."

Agreed. Losman will not decide TD's future. This season will. If we go sub 500 again TD will not have had a winning season here in 4 years. That's enough time for him to prove himself, and no winning seasons in 4 years means he needs to go.

[helmetguy]

"I'm the person who is responsible for making that decision. I have to make a better decision this time than I made the last time."-Tom Donahoe, 12/29/03

Okay, I may have overstated the "falling on his sword" thing, but this is just one line out of the entire Press Conference.

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/index.cfm?cont_id=221805