Saturday, February 28, 2009
After 24 hours, the entire AFC East is better
3:58 AM | 
Posted by
Nick Mendola
Just a quick thought... an immediate reaction if you will.
As I sit here hosting Sportstalk Saturday, the reports continue to roll in regarding NFL free agency, and the celebrated Howard Simon Show question, "Are the Bills better today?", is unclear. Sure, they've signed a second-string signal caller in Ryan Fitzpatrick, but everyone in the AFC East has made a significant improvement in the first 24 hours of free agency.
(Fitzpatrick married a fellow Harvard athlete who played goalkeeper on the Crimson soccer team. Did the Bills get rights to their child?)
I'm not going to jump into the NHL rhetoric -- which may be true, according to my talk with Kevyn Adams -- that Buffalo is the opposite of a destination city, but you have to wonder what the heck is going on.
The Jets picked up a linebacker and cornerback who would be the best on the Bills, in Baltimore's Bart Scott and Philadelphia's Lito Sheppard, respectively. The Patriots received a second-round pick for their second-string quarterback, Matt Cassel (Kansas City), and also picked up Fred Taylor, away from the Bills. They also got a pick for a linebacker on the extreme downside of his career, Mike Vrabel. The Dolphins added a starting safety in Gibril Wilson.
I'm not saying things have to happen in the first 24 hours, and the truth is that the Bills could sign someone the minute I leave the studio to head for the gym. Still, this is a scary spot for Bills fans, who are facing a daunting schedule -- which could look less daunting come September, this is the NFL -- and opened up a hole at left guard by releasing Derrick Dockery, when there may have been something in return left by the fax machine (?!?).
Is it absurd to suggest the Bills best moves would be the two with the fewest question marks. Re-inking Angelo Crowell and Jabari Greer would bring back two guys who their teammates like. You might doubt that about Crowell, but look at it from the athlete's perspective... he left one day after he knew he would get paid. That's the culture.
As far as Greer, I have a feeling that Detroit is going to give him dollars that ensure a private island, but if not, why not fork over the bucks for a corner who knows "the system." Greer isn't a world-beater, but he's solid, and hopefully after 2009, you're looking at him as the No. 2 to an improved Leodis McKelvin, with Terrence McGee getting far too much money somewhere else.
Look at it this way: the Jets hole is.... quarterback. Maybe running back. Either way, with Sheppard across from Darrelle Revis, and Scott behind that defensive line... wow. The Dolphins and Pats certainly have less holes than the Bills. There's a lot of work to be done, and it can be, but if Friday is the starting line, the Bills got a start that is average at best, and the other runners might be faster, anyway.
Theser are just some quick thoughts that could be moot in 20 minutes. I don't care if that's irresponsible: nick@wgr550.com
As I sit here hosting Sportstalk Saturday, the reports continue to roll in regarding NFL free agency, and the celebrated Howard Simon Show question, "Are the Bills better today?", is unclear. Sure, they've signed a second-string signal caller in Ryan Fitzpatrick, but everyone in the AFC East has made a significant improvement in the first 24 hours of free agency.
(Fitzpatrick married a fellow Harvard athlete who played goalkeeper on the Crimson soccer team. Did the Bills get rights to their child?)
I'm not going to jump into the NHL rhetoric -- which may be true, according to my talk with Kevyn Adams -- that Buffalo is the opposite of a destination city, but you have to wonder what the heck is going on.
The Jets picked up a linebacker and cornerback who would be the best on the Bills, in Baltimore's Bart Scott and Philadelphia's Lito Sheppard, respectively. The Patriots received a second-round pick for their second-string quarterback, Matt Cassel (Kansas City), and also picked up Fred Taylor, away from the Bills. They also got a pick for a linebacker on the extreme downside of his career, Mike Vrabel. The Dolphins added a starting safety in Gibril Wilson.
I'm not saying things have to happen in the first 24 hours, and the truth is that the Bills could sign someone the minute I leave the studio to head for the gym. Still, this is a scary spot for Bills fans, who are facing a daunting schedule -- which could look less daunting come September, this is the NFL -- and opened up a hole at left guard by releasing Derrick Dockery, when there may have been something in return left by the fax machine (?!?).
Is it absurd to suggest the Bills best moves would be the two with the fewest question marks. Re-inking Angelo Crowell and Jabari Greer would bring back two guys who their teammates like. You might doubt that about Crowell, but look at it from the athlete's perspective... he left one day after he knew he would get paid. That's the culture.
As far as Greer, I have a feeling that Detroit is going to give him dollars that ensure a private island, but if not, why not fork over the bucks for a corner who knows "the system." Greer isn't a world-beater, but he's solid, and hopefully after 2009, you're looking at him as the No. 2 to an improved Leodis McKelvin, with Terrence McGee getting far too much money somewhere else.
Look at it this way: the Jets hole is.... quarterback. Maybe running back. Either way, with Sheppard across from Darrelle Revis, and Scott behind that defensive line... wow. The Dolphins and Pats certainly have less holes than the Bills. There's a lot of work to be done, and it can be, but if Friday is the starting line, the Bills got a start that is average at best, and the other runners might be faster, anyway.
Theser are just some quick thoughts that could be moot in 20 minutes. I don't care if that's irresponsible: nick@wgr550.com
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