Why not consider...

[Yasgur's Farm]

... the growth of younger players as improvement? Why is it so hard for people to expect that improvement will occur every year in the 1st 5 to 8 years of a players career. That includes not only Evans, Lynch, Whitner and McKelvin, but also ('06) McCargo, Youboty, Butler, ('07) Posluszny, Edwards, Schouman, ('08) Hardy, Ellis, Corner, Fine, Bowen, Bell, Johnson.

I'm really looking forward to seeing these 16 players this season along with our 9 or so rookies from this years draft. The most significant improvemnet comes from the youngest players... We can expect great strides this season from at least a dozen of these guys.

Q.Y.B. y'all. :catfight:

[Ebenezer]

You can write off McCargo.

[Yasgur's Farm]

Perhaps... Or perhaps not. Same was said about Youboty before last season... Then he showed up to play. Shame he got injured!

[EDS]

... the growth of younger players as improvement? Why is it so hard for people to expect that improvement will occur every year in the 1st 5 to 8 years of a players career. That includes not only Evans, Lynch, Whitner and McKelvin, but also ('06) McCargo, Youboty, Butler, ('07) Posluszny, Edwards, Schouman, ('08) Hardy, Ellis, Corner, Fine, Bowen, Bell, Johnson.

I'm really looking forward to seeing these 16 players this season along with our 9 or so rookies from this years draft. The most significant improvemnet comes from the youngest players... We can expect great strides this season from at least a dozen of these guys.

Q.Y.B. y'all. :catfight:

Improvement from young players is essential to any teams development, particularly where a large number of veterans are not back from the previous season(s) (i.e., Peters, Dockery, Royal, Crowell, Preston, Fowler, Whittle, Greer, Losman, etc.). Whether or not you thought those veterans were any good, they still represent a decent chunk of snaps played and leadership that must be replaced by the young guys.

[EDS]

Perhaps... Or perhaps not. Same was said about Youboty before last season... Then he showed up to play. Shame he got injured!

And until he proves he can stay healthy it is kind of hard for the team to rely on him.

[X-Era]

... the growth of younger players as improvement? Why is it so hard for people to expect that improvement will occur every year in the 1st 5 to 8 years of a players career. That includes not only Evans, Lynch, Whitner and McKelvin, but also ('06) McCargo, Youboty, Butler, ('07) Posluszny, Edwards, Schouman, ('08) Hardy, Ellis, Corner, Fine, Bowen, Bell, Johnson.

I'm really looking forward to seeing these 16 players this season along with our 9 or so rookies from this years draft. The most significant improvemnet comes from the youngest players... We can expect great strides this season from at least a dozen of these guys.

Q.Y.B. y'all. :catfight:

For me at least, I absolutely expect the youngsters to improve and thats a great thing.

To me, though, the issue is about the overall teams talent level and it hasnt been good enough for years. I feel we should be in a situation where:

1) at QB- we have a guy who can win a few for you but will have a bad game from time to time. But most of all I need a QB who is solid, who makes good decisions, and doesnt lose games for us. Im not unhappy with Trent overall. But I feel that the rest of the team isnt good enough to allow us to be a playoff team with his up and down but mostly average play.

2) at RB- I honestly feel we have the pieces we need and have no issue here. Fred may leave though after next season and I really dont want that to happen. I think the Rhodes move was made for two years to cover a loss of Jackson next year while we develop another young complement to Lynch.

3) at WR- We are better today than last year. TO adds alot IMO, Reed is better in the slot, and Hardy/Johnson will get time to develop... no issue here

4) at TE- we have no one who can stretch the field and we also have only marginal blocking. Its not good enough and hasnt been for a long time.

5) along the OL- we are simply in a complete overhaul mode at this point. And in my many years of watching this team, it has never gone well in year one of a new lineup. Furthermore, we may be looking at at least one rookie and that is NOT GOOD. Even in the best of situations with guys who have played in our system for years at their positions you can expect growing pains with any rookie o-lineman. But in the situation where several players are either brand new to the team or first year full time starters, add in a rookie and you are looking at potential for disaster. Our young QB is likely to be under the gun and thats an issue with any young QB that also has TO.

6) along the DL- we simply havent gotten to the QB and after what seems like forever of watching Brady have forever to throw all over the field on us, I simply cant understand why anyone would argue we dont need real and significant upgrades. No, the DL is simply not good enough.

7) at LB- we have a gaping hole where Crowell used to be, Ellison has never been the answer so we need a starter plain and simple. Poz was OK at MLB and Mitchell has been solid. Again, with a 14 ranked defense we are not good enough to carry other parts of a developing team, you can be young in some places but not everywhere.

8) at DB- we are solid. I dont have any major issues with our DB corp but again we also arent stellar... more of the same scenario, we dont dominate any phase of the game so then there will be games cough-Patriots-cough where we will dominate none.

9) on ST- we are very good and have made plays that can change games. If either are O or D were as good as a group, we would be a playoff team IMO.

So, the problem is that were not good enough overall to rely so heavily on youth. You may guess right about 50% of your draft picks. That means several of these guys that we want to start day one will be average to awful in at least their first year.

Thats not an overall upgrade and IMO makes us equal or worse to last year.

I love the draft and most people know that. But we cant get rid of at least experienced starters, replace them with rookies and expect to be better from last year. There just isnt any way.

Look a wise man once said that the best rookies are last years rookies.

[Philagape]

Is it unreasonable to see it first before celebrating it?

[Yasgur's Farm]

Is that what believing is... To see first?

[Philagape]

I'll believe it when I see it. The Bills don't deserve the benefit of the doubt

[Yasgur's Farm]

There are a few things I believe without seeing 1st... Like God for example!

[Philagape]

There are a few things I believe without seeing 1st... Like God for example!

Football players aren't quite that worthy of faith. Especially Buffalo's.

[BillsOwnAll]

... the growth of younger players as improvement? Why is it so hard for people to expect that improvement will occur every year in the 1st 5 to 8 years of a players career. That includes not only Evans, Lynch, Whitner and McKelvin, but also ('06) McCargo, Youboty, Butler, ('07) Posluszny, Edwards, Schouman, ('08) Hardy, Ellis, Corner, Fine, Bowen, Bell, Johnson.

I'm really looking forward to seeing these 16 players this season along with our 9 or so rookies from this years draft. The most significant improvemnet comes from the youngest players... We can expect great strides this season from at least a dozen of these guys.

Q.Y.B. y'all. :catfight:

Because on this board if you dont put up pro bowl numbers your rookie years your forgotten about and labeled a bust.

[OpIv37]

... the growth of younger players as improvement? Why is it so hard for people to expect that improvement will occur every year in the 1st 5 to 8 years of a players career. That includes not only Evans, Lynch, Whitner and McKelvin, but also ('06) McCargo, Youboty, Butler, ('07) Posluszny, Edwards, Schouman, ('08) Hardy, Ellis, Corner, Fine, Bowen, Bell, Johnson.

I'm really looking forward to seeing these 16 players this season along with our 9 or so rookies from this years draft. The most significant improvemnet comes from the youngest players... We can expect great strides this season from at least a dozen of these guys.

Q.Y.B. y'all. :catfight:

Here's a damn good reason: We were fed that line in 07- it got us to 7-9 again. We were fed that line again in 08. It got us to 7-9 again.

This FO does not know how to pick and develop talent. And we were 0-6 in the division last year and did not beat a SINGLE team that finished over .500. In fact, in the last two seasons, the only +.500 team we've beaten was the Redskins, and that was the week after Sean Taylor died.

There simply isn't enough talent on this roster and player improvement will not be enough to close the talent gap.