Bleacher Report - Articles by Timothy Minneci

Buffalo Bills' Top Five Front Office Blunders of the Decade

Timothy Minneci — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:36:41 -0500

To be honest, although the Bills have gone 10 seasons without a playoff berth, they have not been an uncompetitive team. Painful to watch at times? Yes.

Provided some of the most exasperating losses in team history? Without a doubt. But they haven't been awful, which may end up being the worst part about the decade.

That said, much of what caused the situation the Bills currently find themselves in can be attributed to moves by the front office, albeit by different regimes, that were head-scratchers at the time, only to have grown in their tortured lore years later.

With that, I thought it would be nice to revisit the top five most bizarre and surreal moments involving the Bills front office these past 10 years.

No. 1: Not resigning DT Pat Williams

Since leaving the Bills after the 2004 season, Williams has played in three Pro Bowls and, along with teammate Kevin Williams, has anchored one of the most stout defensive lines in the NFL over the past half decade.

Money and age were cited at the time not to retain Williams—he was 31 at the time and considered to be on the back end of his career. It's that sort of rigid short-sightedness that leads to personnel moves like these.

Since losing Williams, the Bills have never truly filled the position adequately.

Before the 2008 season, the Bills acquired Jacksonville tackle Marcus Stroud in hopes of shoring up the interior line. In 2009, the Bills run defense is on pace with the worst performances in team history.

Players with Williams' unique skill set come along very rarely, and the Bills have learned that the hard way.

No. 2: Drafting Miami RB Willis McGahee

Selecting a position which, at the time, was already healthy with Travis Henry and Sammy Morris, was odd. Selecting a player who had just suffered a major knee injury during the national championship game and was likely going to sit out their entire rookie year was mind boggling. At the time and to this day, this selection makes absolutely no sense, unless your goal is to see how many running backs a team can stockpile.

Overall, this was a moderately successful draft for the Bills, grabbing workman DE Chris Kelsay in the second round, productive LB Angelo Crowell in the third, future starting CB Terrance McGee in the fourth and special team contributors WR Sam Aiken and LB Mario Haggan in the fourth and eighth, respectively. But, this could have been an even better draft had the Bills drafted based on actual need.

One pick after the Bills, the Colts grabbed Iowa TE Dallas Clark, a position the Bills have spent the entire decade trying to find a suitable starter.

No. 3: Overpaying Offensive Linemen Derrick Dockery & Langston Walker

In 2007, the Bills shelled out $75 million dollars to sign Derrick Dockery and Langston Walker in an attempt to shore up a below average offensive line. It was a curious move, as Dockery was an average player in Washington, and Walker was considered an underachiever during his time in Oakland.

Two years later, both players were released.

During the two years, the Bills' sack totals and running yards were respectable, if not spectacular, while the passing game struggled with J.P. Losman and Trent Edwards alternating behind center.

Ultimately, the two where nothing more than very average players with enormous contracts, which put the cost-conscious franchise in a bind when dealing with Pro-Bowl lineman Jason Peters.

The Bills never got what they paid for in Dockery and Walker.

No. 4: Not resigning cornerback Antoine Winfield or Nate Clements

It seems that every free agent departure on the defensive side has caused a ripple effect felt years afterward. For the Bills, no position has gone through as much unnecessary upheaval as cornerback.

Antoine Winfield, drafted in 1999, left after the 2003 season in free agency.

Fellow Buckeye Nate Clements was drafted in 2001 and left after the 2006 season.

With Winfield and Clements, the Bills had an incredible one-two punch at corner. When Winfield became a free agent in 2003, it was expected the Bills would let him go in order to retain Clements, with Terrance McGee becoming the new starter.

McGee flourished as a returner, but has never flashed the cover skills of Clements or Winfield. Losing Clements thoroughly decimated the position. With McGee as the No. 1, veteran journeymen and late-round special team-ers filled the No. 2 role.

A year after losing Clements, the Bills drafted Leodis McKelvin. Similar to McGee, McKelvin has shown skills as returner—despite his one well known fumble—but has failed to make an impact on the defensive side of the ball.

Winfield and Clements continue to perform at a high level with their respective teams.

Immediately following McKelvin in the '08 draft, four offensive tackles were taken in the next six picks, and all four are starters. If the Bills had kept either corner, perhaps Ryan Clady would be at tackle in '09 instead of Demitrius Bell.

No. 5: Trading up to draft Tulane quarterback J.P. Losman

The Bills have been looking for a consistent starter at quarterback since Jim Kelly retired.

The 2003 draft was considered to be one of the best classes since the legendary 1983 draft class. But if Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, and Phillip Rivers are the Kelly, John Elway, and Dan Marino of the '03 draft, that makes J.P. Losman the Todd Blackledge.

Why the Bills regarded Losman enough to give up a future No. 1 pick is unclear. No other team seemed poised to make a move on Losman, and his college career gave no indication he was worth a first-round selection.

The pick is as baffling today as it was on draft day.

Honorable mentions:

Trading up to draft DT John McCargo with center Nick Mangold still on the board.
Not re-signing, then trading OT Jason Peters.
Drafting safety Donte Whitner with defensive tackle Haloti Ngata still on the board.
Failing to sign a legitimate starting veteran quarterback in free agency (i.e. Drew Brees or Kurt Warner).
Drafting OT Mike Williams with OT Bryant McKinnie still on the board

Bills' Veteran Purge Led to Today's Mediocrity

Timothy Minneci — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:14:49 -0500

In 2006, Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson fired then General Manager Tom Donahoe and brought in former head coach Marv Levy to help return the Bills to the playoffs. That has not happened, the Bills are 0-for-8 making the playoffs in the '00s.

While Donahoe's personnel decisions between 2001 and 2005 are often criticized with cause, the decisions since then under Levy from 2006 and 2007 are equally as suspect when it comes to retaining veteran defensive players who left via free agency, and how that impacted the draft strategy in following years drafts.

What follows are four examples, two from each era. First, the Donahoe years...

Antonie Winfield

Paired with Nate Clements, the two formed a fierce corner tandem during the early part of the decade. Drafted by the Bills in the first round of the '99 draft, Winfield left via free agency in '03.

Since joining the Minnesota Vikings, Winfield has been a part of a dominating defense consistently ranking in the top ten, as well as making his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2008. Though there was not as drastic a drop-off with Clements still the number one corner from '03-'06 and McGee promoted to the number two spot, the Bills failed to find any suitable replacement, drafting the likes of Eric King and Ashon Youboty.

This would cause a more long-term issue which I'll address after the later departure of Clements.

Pat Williams

Along with Sam Adams, Williams set the tone for a intimidating defense not seen in Buffalo since the Bruce Smith days of the early nineties. Signed as an undrafted free agent, Buffalo allowed Williams to walk after the 2004 season.

Since then he's been to three Pro-Bowls with the Minnesota Vikings and established another dominant line with teammate Kevin Williams.

After the departure of Williams, the Bills unsuccessfully filled the spot with a variety of free agents and draft picks until trading for Jacksonville's Marcus Stroud prior to the 2008 season.

If the Bills had retained Williams, they would not have had to trade up in the 2006 draft to acquire tackle John McCargo to fill the void left by Williams departure. While Adams was entering the twilight of his career, Williams had yet peaked.

McCargo has yet to make an impact and this season failed a physical, voiding a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. Instead of McCargo, the Bills could have also drafted center Nick Mangold, who went to the New York Jets two picks later, and currently anchors one of the most dominant lines in the NFL.

And under Levy...

Nate Clements

Though never considered to be in the upper echelon of so-called "shut down corners" with the likes of Champ Bailey, Clements has always been regarded as an excellent tackler. In 2006, Clements became an unrestricted free agent.

The San Francisco 49ers signed Clements to an $80 million contract, the highest for a defensive player at the time. The Bills failed to pursue Clements, and in response promoted Terrance McGee to the number one corner slot while signing veteran journeyman Jason Webster for depth.

While a strong returner, McGee has struggled in the two seasons since at the No. 1 corner spot. Webster was a non-factor and is no longer with the team. In 2008, the Bills drafted Troy State defensive back Leodis McKelvin.

If the Bills had retained Winfield or Clements, instead of drafting McKelvin, they could have selected offensive tackle Ryan Clady, selected one spot after McKelvin. Clady has started every game for the Denver Broncos and is considered one of the top rookies of the 2008 draft class.

While McKelvin has established himself as a standout in the return game, McGee and undersized wide-out Roscoe Parrish have both performed well on special teams.

Lawyer Milloy

Signed as a free agent from the rival New England Patriots just prior to the start of 2003 season, Milloy never missed a game in a Bills uniform and provided veteran leadership during his three season in Buffalo.

A salary cap casualty, Milloy left for the Atlanta Falcons in 2006, this time anchoring a young team through the turmoil of Bobby Petrinio's abrupt departure to the current resurgence under Mike Smith.

To replace Milloy, the Bills drafted Ohio State's Donte Witner with the eight pick in the 2006 draft, who was expected to go in the mid to late first round and considered to be a reach at the time. While Witner has played well, he has yet to establish himself among the elite safeties in the league.

If the Bills had retained Milloy, they could have drafted Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler, who went to the Denver Broncos three picks later. Then General Manager Marv Levy considered Cutler to be the top quarterback prospect in the draft.

Instead, the Bills gave JP Losman the starting job, but after a disappointing 2006 season drafted Standford QB Trent Edwards in 2007.

Buffalo Bills: Defense Needs Big Things from Its Big Men in 2008

Timothy Minneci — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:32:48 -0400

In 2007, the Buffalo Bills ranked 25^th defensively in rush yards, surrendering on average 124.6 per game, a 16-yard per game improvement from 2006. The pass defense ranked even worse at 29^th overall, giving up 238.4 yards per game, a significant decline from their 2006 rank of 7^th overall. Even with the large drop in pass defense numbers, the revamped Bills defensive line holds the key to turning around the fortunes of Buffalo’s defense.

The 2007 season saw a major influx of young and untested players thrust into starting defensive positions, first with the departures through free agency and trade of defensive stalwarts like cornerback Nate Clements, and linebackers London Fletcher-Baker and Takeo Spikes, as well as through a rash of injuries that struck the team at the start of the season and continued throughout.

Starting safety Ko Simpson and cornerback Jason Webster were lost in the first game for the entire season, starting linebacker Paul Posluszny went down in game three for the year, and defensive linemen Ryan Denney and Chris Kelsay, who rotated at the left defensive end position, were injured for significant portions of the season. Six other defensive players ended up on injured reserve during the 2007 season, causing a ripple effect that thinned the reserves and special teams.

During the free agency period of the 2008 off-season the Bills addressed various weakness on defense, with the signings of defensive tackle Spencer Johnson from Minnesota, linebacker Kawika Mitchell from the New York Giants, and cornerback William James from Philadelphia, as well a trade for defensive tackle Marcus Stroud from Jacksonville. To turn around the defensive numbers, Stroud and Johnson need to be difference makers.

After a Pro-Bowl 2006 season, right defensive end Aaron Schobel saw his number decline in 2007. Whether that was do in part thanks to more attention in pass protection from offensive coordinators or the criticism that Schobel lacks an every down mentality is up for debate.

Overall the Bills went from 38 sacks in 2005 and 40 sacks in 2006 to only 26 in 2007, ranking them in the bottom five of the league. On average, the Bills managed a sack on only 4.7% of passing downs. With a league average of 6.4%, the Bills ranked 31^st.

With Stroud projected to start at right defensive tackle, Johnson will most likely rotate with John McCargo at the left defensive tackle spot. Although none provide the space-filling girth that former Bills’ Pat Williams or Ted Washington provided in years past, they should take up enough space to help patch up the porous rush defense. With Schobel solidly entrenched at the left defensive end spot, that leaves the right end position in need of an upgrade.

Although Kelsay and Denney have proven themselves to be solid NFL players, their numbers have been less than impressive:

Chris Kelsay: 78 games, 195 total tackles, 15 total sacks, 2 forced fumbles

Ryan Denney: 79 games, 169 total tackles, 17.5 total sacks, 3 forced fumbles

Compared to Schobel, who has a combined 431 tackles, 67 total sacks and 8 forced fumbles in 112 games, and the weakness at left end is even more glaring.

While the Bills are desperate for help at wide receiver and cornerback, the suggested depth of talent at those two positions in this year’s draft allows for the potential of using the Bills 2^nd or multiple 3^rdround picks on those positions, and instead focusing the first pick on a pass-rushing end to play opposite Schobel.

Although the Bills have used draft day trades to move up and grab defensive players in recent drafts, the likelihood of moving into one of the top spots to pick Virginia’s Chris Long or Ohio State’s Vernon Gholston is highly unlikely.

Two players worth consideration at the #11 pick would be Florida’s Derrick Harvey and Tennessee’s Phillip Merling. Both possess good size (6-4, 270 lb range), but both have knocks against them: Harveybetter suited for the 3-4 defense, Merling lacks the speed of a dominant edge rusher.

Both player’s stock varies wildly depending on the mock draft and time of day, but both are expected to be gone by pick number twenty.

It’s highly unlikely the Bills will be able to make a trade for an established pass rushing end to play opposite Schobel, or pick up an impact player at the position after the August training camp roster cuts.

While the acquisitions of Stroud and Johnson should make significant contributions to shoring up the Bills run defense, getting consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks still remains an elusive proposition.

Statistics from NFL.com, ESPN.com and Footballoutsiders.com

2008 NFL Draft: For the Buffalo Bills, Size Matters at Wide Receiver

Timothy Minneci — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:43:21 -0400

It’s no secret the Buffalo Bills are searching for a wide receiver to complement Lee Evans and bolster a lackluster passing attack.

After a failed courtship with free agent Bryant Johnson, who eventually ended up in San Francisco, attention now turns to the upcoming 2008 draft class to fill the vacancy.

If the Bills are going to make the jump out of the offensive cellar, it would be wise to examine similarities among the top rated passing attacks in the NFL last year.

Last year, New England, Green Bay, New Orleans, Dallas and Arizona ranked first to fifth, respectively, in passing yards per game. Look at passing touchdowns per game, and you have four of the same five teams, just switch out Pittsburgh for New Orleans, which was still highly ranked at number nine overall.

One of the common factors all these teams shared was at least one of their two starting wide receivers was over six feet tall. New England, New Orleans, Dallas and Arizona all had starting receivers at six foot three or above. Then again, San Francisco and Tennessee had a multiple receivers on their rosters over six feet tall and were statistically among the worst passing teams in the NFL last year.

Now of course, there are multiple factors involved in putting together a potent passing attack: solid pass protection from the offensive line, an effective running game, smart play calling from the coaching staff paired with a capable and competent quarterback who can make the necessary throws.

From the decrease in quarterback sacks, down from 47 in 2006 to 26 in 2007, to the solid running back tandem of Marshawn Lynch and projected number two Fred Jackson, the Bills appear to heading in the right direction offensively, even if they lack a playmaking tight end. New offensive coordinator Turk Schonert has indicated during this offseason that he wants a more aggressive aerial attack, and more responsibility to fall on presumed starter Trent Edwards, who was denied the ability to audible by former offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild.

That leaves the receiving corps.

Lee Evans and Josh Reed are 5'10", and Roscoe Parrish is an inch shorter. Justin Jenkins and Felton Huggins, both first year undrafted free agents, are on the roster, but have yet to catch a pass in the NFL. With many of the offensive pieces in place, this leaves a tall, big-bodied wide receiver in the mold of Marques Colston or Larry Fitzgerald as the missing component.

Currently Buffalo is slotted to pick at No. 11 and No. 41 on day one. While there are needs at various positions, in order for the offense to improve, they must come out of this draft with a starting wide receiver to pair opposite Lee Evans. Based on the height requirements outlined above, that rules out Cal’s DeSean Jackson, LSU’s Early Doucet and Michigan’s Mario Manningham from consideration.

Here are my top five prospects at wide receiver for the Bills in 2008, with measurables from NFL.com and ESPN.com...

1. Malcolm Kelly, Oklahoma

6’ 3 3/4”

224 lbs

40-time: 4.55

2. Limas Sweed, Texas

6’ 3 7/8”

215 lbs

40-time: 4.52

3. James Hardy, Indiana

6’ 5 3/8”

215 lbs

40-time: 4.51

4. Adarius Bowman, Oklahoma State

6’ 2 7/8”

223 lbs

40-time: 4.67

5. Jordy Nelson, Kansas State

6’ 2 5/8”

217 lbs

40-time: 4.51

Any of these receivers would make an excellent complement to Evans, give Trent Edwards an important weapon in the passing game, and allow Buffalo to take the next step to improve the passing game.

The Smart Move for the Buffalo Bills: Trade J.P. Losman

Timothy Minneci — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:40:11 -0400

The biggest offseason question for the Buffalo Bills is this:

What is the future of JP Losman with the Buffalo Bills’ franchise?

Arguably one of the most controversial draft picks in team history, the 2004 first-round selection of then GM Tom Donahoe has fallen out of favor in Buffalo. With Trent Edwards positioned to lead the team in 2008, Losman's agent has already expressed his client's preference to be moved rather than sit on the bench next season.

Plenty can be debated as to whether Losman received a fair shot to succeed in Buffalo—he's dealt with numerous coach, front office, and offensive philosophy changes, a constantly shuffled offensive line, an inconsistent receiving corps, and a pedestrian running game for most of his career.

Still, when Losman had his chances, for every deep pass completed to Lee Evans for a touchdown, he seemed to miss woefully on the quick slants and outs.

One major reason why the Bills should be looking to move Losman is value.

With one year left on his contract, Losman has stated, again through his agent, that he is willing to play out the rest of his deal with Buffalo in order to become a free agent following the 2008 season.

This leaves the Bills in a bind.

If Losman were forced to step in and played well, his market value would rise, making it harder to resign him. If he sits and leaves, they've repeated San Diego's mistake with Michael Turner.

Before the 2007 draft, San Diego was only willing to part with the restricted free agent and career backup running back for a first- and third-round pick. As expected, most teams inquiring balked at such a steep price, but even after tendering Turner with a one-year deal, the Chargers could have shipped him out for a second-rounder and a late pick.

Instead, they held on to Turner, and now he's a member of the Atlanta Falcons, leaving San Diego with no compensation.

For the Bills to move Losman, they have to be willing to concede that no Rick Mirer-like Seattle to Chicago swindle is going to happen. At best, Losman is worth a third-round pick to a team with a void of young talent at quarterback. There are a few teams that fit that description.

The Bears, Dolphins, Falcons and Ravens are the most obvious, while teams like Minnesota, Carolina and Kansas City each have issues at the position that make Losman a viable option.

If the right offer came along, the smart move for the Buffalo Bills is pulling the trigger and ending the Losman era in Buffalo.