14 year playoff drought - buffalo bills offseason thread

[Willy Waffle]

Who's on board to bring in jimmy graham

 

[godkiller]

Who's on board to bring in jimmy graham

Graham will eat up too much cap space. The Bills should consider Troy Nicklas, ASJ or Amaro in the 2nd.

http://billsfanatics.wordpress.com/2014/01/15/ej-manuel-by-the-numbers/

EJ Manuel by the Numbers
Posted on January 15, 2014

EJ Manuel by the Numbers
by: Brett Triplett (@Brett_Triplett)
It’s no secret Buffalo Bills quarterback EJ Manuel struggled as a rookie. Inconsistency and injuries plagued the young passers first season in the National Football League. Although when taking a closer look at Manuel’s first season and comparing it with some other quarterbacks rookie season (or first year), it doesn’t look that bad.

EJ Manuel’s 77.7 passer rating and 58.8% completion may not seem that impressive at first glance. On the other hand fans should ponder a few things: Manuel’s season was disrupted bythree separate knee injuries, he was playing with young/banged up wide receivers, and a highly criticized first year offensive coordinator. Despite all of these factors Manuel’s passer rating was higher than current starting quarterbacks like Andrew Luck (76.5), Matt Stafford (61.0), Eli Manning (55.4), Alex Smith (40.8), Sam Bradford (76.5), and Ryan Tannehill (76.1). Likewise, Manuel’s pedestrian 58.8% completion was still better than Andrew Luck (54.1%), Matt Stafford (53.3%), Eli Manning (48.2%), Alex Smith (50.9%), and Ryan Tannehill (58.3%) in their rookie seasons. All of these quarterbacks are the unquestioned starters of their respective team going into the 2014 season. Four of them have started in playoff games and three of them have playoff wins. Heck, one of them (Eli Manning) has two Super Bowl rings!

Even more encouraging is comparing EJ Manuel to some other recent Bills quarterbacks in their first seasons with the team. He didn’t play much as a rookie due to a broken leg in training camp, but the extra year didn’t help JP Losman in his first season as a starter. In 2005, Losman appeared in 9 games. He had an abysmal completion percentage of 49.6%, 8 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, 1340 yards, and a 64.9 passer rating. Losman remained the un-challenged starter for two more seasons. In 2007, Losman was replaced by third round pick, Trent Edwards. The rookie appeared in 10 games, finished with 7 touchdowns vs. 8 interceptions, 1630 yards, 56.1% completion, and a 70.4 passer rating. Edwards remained the un-questioned starter until he was eventually replaced by journeyman backup Ryan Fitzpatrick mid-2009-season. Fitzpatrick entering his fifth season appeared in 10 games, throwing for 1422 yards, 9 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, completing 55.9% of his passes, and finished with a 69.7 passer rating. Bills fans know the rest…

At any rate, EJ Manuel was statistically superior in every category to all three quarterbacks comparing their first seasons as a starter, and two of them weren’t even rookies.

No question the injuries are a major concern regardless of EJ Manuel’s numbers. Plus, there are plenty of additional ways to judge a quarterback other than statistics. Still when comparing Manuel’s rookie campaign to these other quarterbacks first seasons, it’s very encouraging. Hopefully, Manuel can stay healthy in 2014 and develop like an Andrew Luck, Matt Stafford, Eli Manning, or Alex Smith. Rather than follow previous Bills quarterbacks and just be another failure on a long list of quarterbacks since Hall of Famer Jim Kelly.

---

Despite his learning process being disrupted by injury, Manuel's rookie season was better than any of Bills' recent QBs.

 

[GzUp]

Last year was EJ's first year and he only played in 9 games. He had some good, average and poor moments but most of his problems are coachable. Manuel suffered 3 knee injuries last year and didn't get in as many reps as other rookie QBs. He showed some positive qualities. EJ knows how to protect the football and isn't afraid to use his legs. Manuel has a strong short to intermediate arm strenth though he lacks accuracy.

a nfl qb with poor accuracy is a scary sight.

 

[godkiller]

a nfl qb with poor accuracy is a scary sight.

He had more trouble with screen passes than slants this season, though he missed some slants too. Some of his poor play came from bad line play and not setting his feet. Manuel can comfortably read about half the field right now and deliver horizontal strikes and slants fairly well within that range. Where he needs work is in the screen and deep placement department. However I'm hopeful he'll improve in these areas as he already has good, mechanical footwork for a rookie. He just needs time to throw.

 

[K-Apps]

Who's on board to bring in jimmy graham

We have bigger issues like Byrd, Spiller and Dareus after next season. Besides, Bills will draft a TE in the draft

 

[K-Apps]

SMH this old guard management hurt the franchise, Ralph's incompetence reigns again

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Buffalo Bills' top executives view their team as a family. Many of the front office's most important members have been in place for generations.

Newer folks in the organization, including coaches, refer to these people as "lifers."

That's not a compliment.

As written this morning, key coaching staffers and scouts are frustrated with organizational fixtures who're considered behind the times.

Doug Marrone was the club's first head coach to be hired from the college ranks, and Doug Whaley became their youngest general manager last year.

Marrone and Whaley clearly view football in a fresher way than the franchise is accustomed.

Team sources have told me here at the NFL scouting combine the coaching staff wants to replace 30-year athletic trainer Bud Carpenter but have run into opposition within the board room.

And the dissatisfaction doesn't stop there.

Scouts and coaches have been aggravated with decisions made by chief financial officerJeffrey C. Littmann (with the team since 1986), senior vice president of football administration Jim Overdorf (with the team since 1986) and senior vice president of communications Scott Berchtold (with the team since 1989).

Littmann long has set the team's budget for owner Ralph Wilson.

Overdorf oversees all player contracts. Overdorf, not Whaley, will handle contract negotiations for Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd. Same as last year. Overdorf reports not to Whaley, but to CEO Russ Brandon.

Berchtold is responsible for helping Marrone and Whaley deal with the media. Bills coaches refer to Berchtold as the team's "sports information director," a term colleges use for their flacks. Berchtold doesn't like that.

Marrone and Whaley -- unusual young guns compared to the Tom Modraks, dikk Jaurons and Chan Gaileys the Bills have hired in the past -- want to fix the team's this-is-the-way-we've-always-done-it culture.

But Marrone and Whaley haven't made as much headway as they'd like over the past year and have grown increasingly frustrated, sources tell me.

Brandon replaced owner Ralph Wilson as the team's president and CEO 14 months ago, hired Marrone and promoted Whaley to replace Buddy Nix.

But team sources tell me executives such as Littmann, Overdorf and Berchtold still hold too much sway and haven't afforded Whaley or Marrone as much control as either feels he needs to correct a losing culture.

These sources tell me Marrone and Whaley would like more control over personnel decisions, especially free agents.

The sources say Marrone and Whaley feel they've been hung out to dry in certain media situations that made them and the team look bad.

Examples of the latter were how Marrone handled pass-rusher Mario Williams' foot injury intraining camp and how Marrone botched addressing quarterback EJ Manuel's knee injury at the end of last season.

The Bills haven't been to the playoffs since the 1999 season, the NFL's longest active drought.

 

[K-Apps]

Byrd is essentially gone

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Contract talks between the Bills and safety Jairus Byrd were at a standstill on Sunday, a day before Buffalo faces a deadline to apply the franchise tag on the three-time Pro Bowl selection.

People familiar with the situation told The Associated Press talks have stalled and no further discussions are scheduled after the Bills made a lucrative, multiyear offer to Byrd. Without revealing the full value and length of the offer, one person said Byrd would have been paid about $30 million over the contract's first three seasons.

The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because neither side has publicly discussed negotiations.

Unless a deal is reached, the Bills have until 4 p.m. Monday to apply the franchise tag on Byrd and retain the player's rights before he would be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on March 11.

The Bills took that approach last offseason, which led to Byrd playing under a one-year, $6.9 million franchise tag. The price for Buffalo to do so again would increase to about $8.4 million this year.

Byrd has been Buffalo's best defensive back since being selected in the second round of the 2009 draft out of Oregon.

He enjoyed a breakout season as a rookie, when he finished tied for the NFL lead with nine interceptions — a rookie franchise record.

Last year, Byrd finished tied for the team lead with four interceptions, and added a sack and a forced fumble despite missing the entire offseason before reporting to the team in late August, when he accepted his one-year contract. Byrd then missed the first five games of the season because of plantar fasciitis in both feet.

Despite the time he missed, Byrd still earned his third Pro Bowl selection.

Byrd has 22 interceptions and 11 forced fumbles in 73 career games.

 

[Apex]

Pals, if Johnny Manziel is available with our pick... do we select him or do we stick with EJ?

 

[K-Apps]

Pals, if Johnny Manziel is available with our pick... do we select him or do we stick with EJ?

No, Bills need Offensive Line help or if Watkins is still there at 9

 

[godkiller]

Pals, if Johnny Manziel is available with our pick... do we select him or do we stick with EJ?

Whaley and Marrone have publicly voiced support for EJ so I don't see them passing over talent for a QB that high in the draft. The team's top needs are tight end, linebacker and offensive line.

My priority list is:
1. Mack
2. Ebron
3. Offensive Line

 

[K-Apps]

Whaley and Marrone have publicly voiced support for EJ so I don't see them passing over talent for a QB that high in the draft. The team's top needs are tight end, linebacker and offensive line.

Gonna have add Safety now once Byrd walks tomorrow

 

[godkiller]

Gonna have add Safety now once Byrd walks tomorrow

Tag him, work on some new offers for next year and draft a new safety then too if necessary. I like Aaron or Duke Williams as Byrd's replacement this year. Duke can go SS; Aaron can go FS. The team can switch if needed.

 

[K-Apps]

Tag him, work on some new offers for next year and draft a new safety then too if necessary. I like Aaron or Duke Williams as Byrd's replacement this year. Duke can go SS; Aaron can go FS. The team can switch if needed.

He turned a big time offer that would make one of the highest paid Safeties in the league, it's clear that he wants out and it's reported that the Bills won't tag him, so he's gone unless a contract agreement happens tomorrow

 

[GzUp]

In the nfl u will never be shyt without a elite qb, we haven't had one since Jim Kelly.

Select a qb until we find one.


Ej will be another jp losman... I can already see ej setting us back 5 years.

 

[godkiller]

He turned a big time offer that would make one of the highest paid Safeties in the league, it's clear that he wants out and it's reported that the Bills won't tag him, so he's gone unless a contract agreement happens tomorrow

I wasn't aware of this stipulation. In that case you're right: he's leaving. That's disappointing but both Searcy and Aaron Williams performed well last season. Moreover with Duke on the bench, I think the team is prepared.

In the nfl u will never be shyt without a elite qb, we haven't had one since Jim Kelly.

Select a qb until we find one.


Ej will be another jp losman... I can already see ej setting us back 5 years.

EJ hasn't gotten much training time. He's been injured. He had an up and down year but showed some accuracy in the short to intermediate field. I think he deserves at least a full healthy season to see what we have.