Craig Nall a Bill

[Kerr]

Bills | Team agrees to terms with Nall
Sun, 19 Mar 2006 21:53:43 -0800
Tom Silverstein, of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, reports the Buffalo Bills have agreed to terms with free agent QB Craig Nall (Packers) on a three-year contract. Financial terms were not released. In Buffalo, Nall will be behind QB J.P. Losman, who was supposed to be the team's franchise quarterback, and QB Kelly Holcomb. However, it's thought the Bills could part with one of the two quarterbacks and Nall will have a chance to fight for the starting job this summer.


Oh great, a younger version of holy holcomb. What a waste of money.

[Slim]

Re: Craig Nall a Bill

I thought this said "Neal"

[sba]

Re: Craig Nall a Bill

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2006 starting QB has arrived.

[Kerr]

Re: Craig Nall a Bill

[Kerr]

Re: Craig Nall a Bill

I hope he gets cut in camp.

[Philagape]

Re: Craig Nall a Bill

We do need a No. 3

[kgun12]

Re: Craig Nall a Bill

Great another good signing. That's ok we only have a few small holes to fill! Like 2 OL, DL, s, but great we signed another backup position!!!

[gr8slayer]

Re: Craig Nall a Bill

Great another good signing. That's ok we only have a few small holes to fill! Like 2 OL, DL, s, but great we signed another backup position!!!

Hey at least Marv is good at something.

[dplus47]

Re: Craig Nall a Bill

However, it's thought the Bills could part with one of the two quarterbacks and Nall will have a chance to fight for the starting job this summer.


Oh great, a younger version of holy holcomb. What a waste of money.

maybe the plan is to replace holcomb with someone of lesser experience to take some of the pressure off JP? that could make this a good move, perhaps.

[dplus47]

Re: Craig Nall a Bill

maybe the plan is to replace holcomb with someone of lesser experience to take some of the pressure off JP? that could make this a good move, perhaps.

after thinking about that for a minute or two, i'm not sure it would be such a great idea to go into the year with losman, nall, and "?" at QB.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

Re: Craig Nall a Bill

If this signing is confirmed, it fits the profile of the kind of QB that M.Levy said he was going to try to bring in and the type of player that he is obviously looking for in free agency.

Marv said that he was going to bring in a young, veteran QB with potential to compete for the starting QB job. Nall who has NFLE experience and some experience backing up B.Favre and was considered as a possible successor to Favre before the Pack drafted Aaron Rodgers fits that profile.

Moreover, Nall is the kind of player that anyone who read Marv's book would have to expect Levy to be interested in as a free agent: the younger, more or less obscure player who has had some time to develop who appears to be on the verge of breaking out. If you read Marv's book, you cannot help but be struck by how much he talks about these types of players (Diron Talbert, Jeff Wright, Steve Tasker, et al) and how valuable they are to the composition of a winning team. Tripplett, Royal, Bowen, Nall, Wells, Idonjie and even Davis all fit that same pattern, as do some of the players the Bills had in who signed elsewhere, like Pickett, or have not made up their minds yet, like Lennon and Neal, etc.

Like it or not, these are the kinds of players that Bills fans should expect Marv to look at first to build the foundation of the team around. The team already has some high-profile players, like Clements, McGee, Fletcher, Spikes, McGahee, Evans and, yes, for as long a he remains a Bill, Moulds and will add a couple of others in the up-coming draft. And, Marv is going to try to fill in around those players with the kind of "no-name" young veterans that he indicated in his book that he sees as being keys to building a winning team.

It doesn't matter what Marv and DJ say to the press or to the team--as Herm Edwards so eloquently told the NYC area press when it was obvious that his team had suffered so many injuries that it had no chance to win, "It doesn't matter what the situation is, you don't play the games to lose! You always play to win!"--it is going to take at least another year to turn this team around and put it in a position to be a winning team. Of course they are going to try to "win now"--what do you expect them to say to not just the fans, but, more importantly, to the players on the team? They are not going to say, "Well, we're really not good enough to compete for a playoff berth this season, so it doesn't matter if we win or not...." They're never going to say that! Naturally, they are going to tell the players that they want to win and that they are good enough to win, etc., so that they will play as hard as they can and try to win as much as they can. But, the reality is that, unless they get very lucky, it is going to take a couple of off-seasons (this being the first) for them to put together a team capable of being a consistent winner. And, what they are trying to do at this point is build the foundation of that team with the kind of players that fit into a certain mold.

Whether Nall can actually beat out JP or Holcomb and be a good NFL starting QB or any of Levy's other FA signings this offseason can emerge as solid starters in the NFL remains to be seen. What is obvious, though, is that Levy and DJ are approaching free agency with a definite, discernable philosophy in mind. Now, you can disagree with that philosophy or not as you wish, but, like it or not, that is the approach that they are taking and anyone who read Levy's book should not be surprised by the fact that it is.

[kgun12]

Re: Craig Nall a Bill

Like it or not, these are the kinds of players that Bills fans should expect Marv to look at first to build the foundation of the team around. The team already has some high-profile players, like Clements, McGee, Fletcher, Spikes, McGahee, Evans and, yes, for as long a he remains a Bill, Moulds and will add a couple of others in the up-coming draft. And, Marv is going to try to fill in around those players with the kind of "no-name" young veterans that he indicated in his book that he sees as being keys to building a winning team.

Great post! and I can't argue with it at all, however I think before FA this was a solid approach to developing a great team, as evidence of our 4 SB's. However I think this philosophy is no longer a valid appraoch because by the time you get this player developed his contract is up and away he goes to be productive for another team.

[vicmantak]

Re: Craig Nall a Bill

Before Packers.com erease his draft summary:

http://www.packers.com/draft/2002/nall_bio/

Packers Select QB Craig Nall With 5th Round Pick (164 Overall)

posted 4/21/02

CRAIG NALL
Quarterback
Northwestern (La.) State University
6'3" - 227 lbs.

Tall, poised signal-caller who spent his first four college seasons (including redshirt year) at Louisiana State before transferring to Northwestern (La.) State for 2001 campaign...Intelligent and witty, owns reputation for reading defenses well, and several intangibles, including great awareness...One of the more athletic quarterbacks in country, threw javelin at both LSU and NSU, finishing second in Southland Conference last spring...Versatile team player, also volunteered to change positions, shifting to receiver at LSU in 1999, when injuries depleted position...Impressed with his arm strength and height, college coaches rated him the best quarterback from Louisiana out of high school...Turned down Steve Spurrier and Florida to attend LSU.

CAREER NOTES
Transferred from LSU to Northwestern (La.) State in time for 2001 spring practice...Demonstrated poise this past Sept. 22 in an NSU game at Texas Christian; led Demons on two late scoring drives, one to tie the game with 50 seconds left, and another to win it in overtime, earning NCAA Division I-AA Player of the Week...In final collegiate game, at Montana in 2001 NCAA playoffs, passed for 339 yards, in minus-20 wind chill...Teammate of current Packer Rondell Mealey at LSU...Joins Packers' Keith Thibodeaux as one of several current and former NFL players produced by Northwestern (La.) State...Familiar with competition for his job, has emerged in two of three preseason battles (at LSU in 1999, beat out two challengers to start season under center; the odd man out in 2000, Nick Saban's first year in Baton Rouge, he transferred after season to NSU, then beat out the returning starter)...His two starts at LSU came in bookend fashion, the last game in 1998 and the season opener in 1999...As a redshirt freshman at LSU in 1998, backed up Herb Tyler...Resume includes 16 games at LSU (two starts), before breakout senior campaign at NSU (10 games, including playoff).

2001 SEASON
Beat out incumbent Ben Beach for starting job after transferring from LSU in December, 2000...Guided Demons to 8-4 record (their best season in three years), a spot in the national rankings and a berth in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs...Established single-season NSU record with 2,022 yards; also threw 11 touchdowns and only three interceptions, all on deflected passes...The 2001 Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year and all-conference selection, was voted captain by teammates and received one of three prestigious Joe Delaney Leadership Awards (offensive MVP).

Southern...Threw for one TD and 346 yards, the second-highest total in school history (Bobby Hebert, 1980).

Henderson State...Left with injury, throwing just 12 passes.

Texas Christian...18-of-35 passing for 326 yards and two TDs...Engineered game tying scoring drive, throwing for TD with 50 seconds left in road contest eventually won in OT by NSU...Effort earned him NCAA Division I-AA Player of the Week honors.

Oklahoma State...Threw season's first interception, and struggled in 24-0 loss (10-of-25, 67 yards).

Sam Houston State...22-of-34 for 268 yards and two TDs.

Elon...Did not play; sprained knee.

Nicholls State...Did not play; sprained knee.

Jacksonville State...In 42-17 win, completed 73.9 percent of passes (17-of-23), averaging 14.7 yards per attempt (338 yards) with three TDs and no interceptions...Game produced incredible 240.4 NCAA passer rating.

Southwest Texas...13-of-22 passing for 178 yards, no TDs and one interception.

McNeese State...21-of-37 for 229 yards, one TD and one interception.

Stephen F. Austin...17-of-26 for 213 yards, one TD and no interceptions; set school record for passing yards on last opportunity (Division I-AA does not recognize postseason games in records).

Montana (NCAA Playoff)...Sparked NSU to 13-0 lead, including 73-yard TD pass on game's second play, and ran for 1-yard TD just before half, but Demons couldn't hold on in 28-19 loss...On NSU's final drive, after controversial call gave Montana fumble recovery in Demons' end zone, Nall guided team on last-gasp drive; final pass was perfect strike into the tight coverage, dropped in end zone...Finished 24-of-46 for 339 yards, one TD and no interceptions in collegiate farewell.

2000 SEASON
LSU's third quarterback behind Josh Booty and Rohan Davey, the junior threw only two passes, both in season opener vs. Western Carolina; in mop-up duty, he was 0-for-2 in Tigers' 58-0 victory...Played in three games, and transferred to NSU in December.

1999 SEASON
Took season's first snap, against San Jose State, outdistancing Booty and Davey in fierce preseason competition; game marked his final start at LSU, as Booty started most of LSU's games in 1999 and 2000...When injuries depleted Tigers' receivers corps, Nall volunteered to shift positions (no receptions), and also saw action on special teams before season's end...All told, played in six games, two at quarterback and four at receiver.

1998 SEASON
The No. 2 quarterback behind Herb Tyler, redshirt freshman played in eight games, and started regular-season finale at Arkansas (15-for-30, 147 yards, 1 interception)...Came off bench and valiantly led LSU on late comeback at Notre Dame, in losing cause.

1997 SEASON
Signed by former LSU coach Gerry DiNardo, Nall redshirted as a true freshman.

TRACK & FIELD
Nationally ranked in the javelin, finished second at 2001 Southland Conference Championships, and 14th in NCAA competition...In 2000 at LSU, finished 16th in the country.

AGILITY TESTS
5.04 in the 40-yard dash...32 1/4-inch arm length...9 5/8-inch hands.

HIGH SCHOOL
Threw for 5,038 yards and 38 TDs at Alexandria (La.) Senior High School...Named to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super Southern 100, Baton Rouge Advocate Super Dozen '97, and New Orleans Times-Picayune Top 20 Blue Chip List...Made official recruiting visit to University of Florida...Nationally ranked as prep javelin thrower.

PERSONAL
General Studies major...Son of Susie and Malcolm Nall...Father was a linebacker at Nicholls State as a freshman before transferring to Louisiana College...Born Craig Matthew Nall on April 21, 1979...Resides in Alexandria, La.

[Bill Brasky]

Re: Craig Nall a Bill

This is a great signing. Money well spent.

*Note the sarcasm

[Night Train]

Re: Craig Nall a Bill

Even if one doesn't like him that much, he's still probably better than Holcomb.