Mario Williams is now a Buffalo Bill

[ausbacker]

That is a ludicrous contract. It's a good signing for the Bills in terms of defensive legitimacy but, man, what an overpay.

I'm all for anything that pokes fun at the Jets and boy, haven't they started getting chirpy for the right to be #2 still.

 

[MarvLevy]

It's a good move for Buffalo's PR, but it also gives the Bills a legit cornerstone player at one of the more important positions in the game.

But they've commited to Fitzpatrick....The model of inconsistency during his three year tenure as starter/backup in Buffalo. He can't make the 'deep out' throw with any form of consistency, he has a wild and violent delivery which compensates for his lack of relative arm strength...He can't rope anything across his body or drive the football. He has mental lapses and is error prone. Fitz has a cycle...one great game, two average games, and then two bad games...repeat...He hasn't progressed since he hit the field.

Secondly, Buffalo has a porous offensive line and a below average secondary. They've tied up huge cap money in three players (Fitz, Johnson, Williams).

Anyhow, Mario Williams was still a great signing for the fan-base though.

It's all good....We'll sign Danny Oblongata for a 2nd rounder, Gregory Stevens, and James Bond.

Good post but a couple of things:

1) Fitz is very frustrating. He is the definition of a hot and cold QB. He will never be elite but I definitely think he is a playoff QB. Our receivers need to be upgraded and I think it will be a big concern in the draft (Michael Floyd).

2) Our oline allowed the fewest sacks in the NFL and we averaged 5 ypc. And that was with a ton of injuries. They aren't that bad.

3) You sign passrushers to improve your backfield. With hopefully a heathly Kyle Williams joining Dareus and now Mario, your corners should get magically better.

Btw, city smack is so full. I'm sure if all the studs posted their pictures and homes, there would be a little less. Granted Buffalo doesn't have the rep of being the most racist city in the US with ugly, pale women, and little Irish guys who like to start fights at bars. See how easy it is to put down a city?

Fact is, I've been all over the world and I love to meet new people. I've been to Boston many times (probably have more friends there than some of the smacker talkers). There are parts I don't like but I just think you are a loser if you attack someone's hometown.

But hey if Brady doesn't like our hotels, maybe he'll like our hospitals (I kid, I wish complete health).

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Good pickup for Buffalo. If there's a guy worth spending the big bucks on this year, Mario is one of the safer bets IMO. Can make them a playoff team

 

[Elijah T.]

Good post but a couple of things:

1) Fitz is very frustrating. He is the definition of a hot and cold QB. He will never be elite but I definitely think he is a playoff QB. Our receivers need to be upgraded and I think it will be a big concern in the draft (Michael Floyd).

2) Our oline allowed the fewest sacks in the NFL and we averaged 5 ypc. And that was with a ton of injuries. They aren't that bad.

3) You sign passrushers to improve your backfield. With hopefully a heathly Kyle Williams joining Dareus and now Mario, your corners should get magically better.

Btw, city smack is so full. I'm sure if all the studs posted their pictures and homes, there would be a little less. Granted Buffalo doesn't have the rep of being the most racist city in the US with ugly, pale women, and little Irish guys who like to start fights at bars. See how easy it is to put down a city?

Fact is, I've been all over the world and I love to meet new people. I've been to Boston many times (probably have more friends there than some of the smacker talkers). There are parts I don't like but I just think you are a loser if you attack someone's hometown.

But hey if Brady doesn't like our hotels, maybe he'll like our hospitals (I kid, I wish complete health).

Overall I like Nix and Gailey's approach to the offseason in general since they took over for **** Jauron and company, or even Tom Donahoe prior to that...I think they're more commited to winning than keeping the status quo, even though I believe Ralph Wilson will always hold the franchise back because he only spends big to help his bottom line and generate buzz...imo, winning is no longer that important to him, whether it's due to his age or what, I don't know. He's cheap with his coaching staff, scouts, and stadium upgrades.

As far as Fitz, I think that was Nix and Gailey's big gaffe...Fitz has always been inconsistent with subpar physical tools. Gailey's system really helps him and the o-line because it's a true spread (wide splits with boundary to boundary flanker/split end) with 3 to 4 WR's with quick in's, out's, slants, hitches, and the sluggo with Steve Johnson. That coupled with Fred Jackson (top ten back imo) and the perimeter speed of C.J. Spiller really allow room for Fitzpatrick to find a "measure" of success despite his inadequacies...He's just too inconsistent and rattled when things start going bad...Give him some different looks post snap and hit him a few times and he unravels-- he has a hard time dusting off when it doesn't go well for a portion of the game.

As far as the city...You must be confusing posts, I didn't say anything negative about Buffalo.

Although Williams is an excellent player, and a necessary move for the front office, I feel like our o-line and protection blends will hold up fine against your good push with Dareus and the Williams', but I look forward to some exciting games.

I'm pretty sure you guys scared the Jets.

 

[MarvLevy]

Overall I like Nix and Gailey's approach to the offseason in general since they took over for **** Jauron and company, or even Tom Donahoe prior to that...I think they're more commited to winning than keeping the status quo, even though I believe Ralph Wilson will always hold the franchise back because he only spends big to help his bottom line and generate buzz...imo, winning is no longer that important to him, whether it's due to his age or what, I don't know. He's cheap with his coaching staff, scouts, and stadium upgrades.

As far as Fitz, I think that was Nix and Gailey's big gaffe...Fitz has always been inconsistent with subpar physical tools. Gailey's system really helps him and the o-line because it's a true spread (wide splits with boundary to boundary flanker/split end) with 3 to 4 WR's with quick in's, out's, slants, hitches, and the sluggo with Steve Johnson. That coupled with Fred Jackson (top ten back imo) and the perimeter speed of C.J. Spiller really allow room for Fitzpatrick to find a "measure" of success despite his inadequacies...He's just too inconsistent and rattled when things start going bad...Give him some different looks post snap and hit him a few times and he unravels-- he has a hard time dusting off when it doesn't go well for a portion of the game.

As far as the city...You must be confusing posts, I didn't say anything negative about Buffalo.

Although Williams is an excellent player, and a necessary move for the front office, I feel like our o-line and protection blends will hold up fine against your good push with Dareus and the Williams', but I look forward to some exciting games.

I'm pretty sure you guys scared the Jets.

Sorry, I just posted the city stuff in regards to the general thread theme. You seem like a good guy who is actually interested in talking Xs and Os.

I agree that Fitz is the wildcard. In his defense, Stevie Johnson was his highest drafted receiver and he was a 7th rounder. No one mentions it but Fitz may have had the least talented wrs in the NFL. And although he never once used it as an excuse, there is a direct correlation between when he injuried his ribs & his dropoff. We'll see the true Fitz this year. Hopefully, they add a receiver but we were just a few palys from a Flacco-Smith SB.

Bottomline, it still is a team game. The Giants went 9-7 this year and won the SB because their defense got healthy by the end of the season. If the PAts had a slightly better defense, perhaps they get a stop to win the SB. MW may turn out to be a huge bust. But pass rushers of his caliber rarely hit the market and it's a good gamble IMO.

 

[Patriot Missile]

2) Our oline allowed the fewest sacks in the NFL and we averaged 5 ypc. And that was with a ton of injuries. They aren't that bad.

Yeah I don't know where he was going with that one. Eric Wood, Andy Levitre and Demetrius Bell are formidable. Very good find in that Center Wood. He's one of the best up and comers in the league. He should come back healthy along with Fred Jackson.

You guys are moving in the right direction and it was nice to see the owner shell out some big bucks and make a splash for a change. I'm sure the fans must be beside themselves about now.

Congrats on a good free agency so far. But in the end "we must break you";

 

[Elijah T.]

Yeah I don't know where he was going with that one. Eric Wood, Andy Levitre and Demetrius Bell are formidable. Very good find in that Center Wood. He's one of the best up and comers in the league. He should come back healthy along with Fred Jackson.

You guys are moving in the right direction and it was nice to see the owner shell out some big bucks and make a splash for a change. I'm sure the fans must be beside themselves about now.

Congrats on a good free agency so far. But in the end "we must break you";

Demetrius Bell is a free agent and missed time last year, Levitre was benched and Wood was penalized a lot and is much better in run support than pass protection.

The spread and play-action with Fred Jackson make the line look serviceable, I don't see any player on that line that I'd rather have over the guys we have.

 

[Tunescribe]

It's been that way with young fans for a decade.

The Toronto experiment has completely failed and Toronto now wants out.

The Patriots game this year at the Ralph was the loudest sporting event I have ever been to, and I have been to a lot of events.

It was loud because of all those kids around me screaming "Brady is a ***got!" And, "The cheaters suck!"

 

[Joker]

heh...OK Marv...whatever you say...let me put it this way as far as MY own personal perspective as opposed to YOURS...I live in Charlestown ,RI...as I have for decades...over the years, in any given year, I go to Beantown to see the Sox about twenty times. I fish the Cape and the Islands for stripers at least once or twice a year, I go to Block Island at least twice a week on striper charters in the summer, I go to Brooklyn and Peter Luger's Steakhouse four times a year to eat that aged porterhouse with friends that live in NYC...I go to Delaware and the Miracle Mile every June,go to Baltimore to watch the Sox a few times a season, and eat blue claws at the crab houses, I go to Nawlins once a year, own a condo in S. Fla with my older brother, go kingfishing in the Bahamas once a year(leaving April9th for a week in fact), I visit an ex -GF professor out in SF every August and usually,when things are flush, Vegas at least once a year....

I went to Niagara Falls once , when Dad dragged us up there in my young teens...that's about as close to Buffalo as I've ever come or would ever WANT to come....no offense, but I'll catch the rest of the Buffalo story on CNN..and the hottest wings I ever et was down in Nawlins and had THIS sauce slathered all over it...

 

[KDPPatsfan85]

If only Bernard Pollard played on offense. He would know how to stop Mario Williams. I am legitimately worried playing him twice a year. I hope Vollmer can handle him.

 

[JMarr]

Incredibly stupid move by the Bills. They must be desperate to keep their fan base from deserting in droves--so many years of utter mediocrity now must be starting to pile up for their fans.

Thinking that one huge FA signing is going to make any real difference to such a mediocre team is lunacy.

 

[JMarr]

Good pickup for Buffalo. If there's a guy worth spending the big bucks on this year, Mario is one of the safer bets IMO. Can make them a playoff team

Huh? Is this a typo. Bills are the very definition of a bad team.

 

[Sivy]

The Patriots better play the Bills in NE in the first game of the season. If be bills get an easy game, and win their fans will do nothing but talk about how they are the best team ever and are going to the superbowl.

 

[randomk1]

**** him and the Bills and their supposed monster line. NE will score over 30 in each of the matchups.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I hate to admit it but this is a good move by the Bills. Wish our team had considered it.

Yeah. None of us can know, of course, whether Williams will ever even touch Brady let alone sack him or knock him out of a game, but I feel safe in saying that Mario's playing for a Divisional opponent won't lengthen the number of Tom Brady's remaining years in the League.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Huh? Is this a typo. Bills are the very definition of a bad team.

I dunno. With a serviceable, if inconsistent, QB and the 14th ranked Offense in the NFL and now with a significant upgrading of a suspect D, I don't think that qualifies Buffalo as "the very definition of a bad team."

Doesn't make them a Super Bowl favorite, but sure means that other teams will underestimate them at their peril.

I think the big losers in this are the Jets. The Bills and Dolphins have gotten better and the Pats are the Pats. Since the last game of the season, it's hard to say that the Jets have done anything but go downhill.

 

[SeymourTrophies]

They're saying that Mario was sold by Wannstedt and his pitch for the 4-3. I don't think our brass were that interested.

 

[Thurman#1]

Buffalo has been experiencing gd global warming like most of the northeast for the last month or more. Wait 'til mother nature makes the correction and he and the fiance find out they're living in siberia next september...

September is fantastic in Buffalo.

And while we get more snow, it's not much different from Boston in terms of temperature.

In Nov., the avg. low is 34 and high is 48 and in December it's 24 and 36.

Average Weather for Buffalo, NY - Temperature and Precipitation

That's what, four degrees or so colder than you folks, on the average? Is it really Siberia?

 

[Thurman#1]

Demetrius Bell is a free agent and missed time last year, Levitre was benched and Wood was penalized a lot and is much better in run support than pass protection.

The spread and play-action with Fred Jackson make the line look serviceable, I don't see any player on that line that I'd rather have over the guys we have.

I'd have to disagree with you on quite a bit of that.

First, Levitre wasn't benched. You're just wrong on that. He spent some time at other positions, including LT, when players were injured, but was never benched.

Wood is really solid and when uninjured played very well indeed. He and Levitre are a really good core, and Urbik isn't that athletic but he's a mauler. Our interior is good and strong.

We were a bit weak at tackle, though, particularly left tackle. IMHO, Bell will not be missed, he was the weakest guy on the team even when he was healthy, which wasn't all that much. Hairston, the second stringer, even played a bit when Bell got healthy again near the end of the season. Hairston was a rookie, so he can be expected to improve, but I don't want to see him as the starter. IMHO, the Bills are going to draft LT high this year, maybe even in the first.

LT has been a trouble spot for us since we (stupidly, I believe) let Peters get away. How we cover that spot this year will have a lot to do with how successful our offense is.

 

[Thurman#1]

I agree with the post above, this is absolutely a PR move. Don't get me wrong, Mario is a good player, but he can't stay healthy and has been on IR the past two seasons. This is a moral victory for the Bills but lets all be honest, who's scared of the Bills? Cuz I sure aint....

I can't blame you for that.

But in fairness, last year was the second year of a rebuild. Of course we looked terrible. It would have been reasonable to expect some improvement this year even without Mario.

I do think you guys will still be better, but IMHO this is really a step in the right direction for the Bills.

And for those who think the last year of this contract is going to be too high, a throwaway, the Bills really haven't operated like that. The Bills are a cash-to-cap team, so we don't amortize the signing bonuses in our interior accounting. All money paid this year, salary, signing bonus and any other bonuses gets counted against this year's cap for the Bills. I'd expect this to be a legitimate six-year contract.