Mario Williams: Why the Sackmaster Won't Solve the Bills' Problems

Mario Williams isn't a savior.

Recent reports look good for the Buffalo Bills as Chan Gailey's team try to land one of this year's most coveted free agents. 

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter:

"

Buffalo has met most of the conditions for a deal for Texans free agent LB Mario Williams and is "close to a deal." Answer "real soon."

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 15, 2012"

Williams is certainly one of the best defensive ends in the NFL today. Should he join the Bills, he will surely help the team to overcome their 27th-ranked sack total of 2011.

That being said, he's not going to solve the Bills' problems all by himself.

If that were the case, don't you think the Houston Texans would have done better while he was balling out?

Instead, the Texans took their first ever steps over the playoff threshold without Williams in the lineup after he suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Week 5. The injury kept him out of the lineup the rest of the season.

Williams can't change the culture of a franchise all by himself. 

Since 2000, the Bills have won more than eight games only once. That was in 2004, when they went 9-7. They went 8-8 in 2000 and 2002. Every other year has been a losing season in Buffalo.

Williams would make a major impact on the defense's ability to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks. However, he's not going to be able to cast out the spirits that have been haunting the franchise.

That is a job for head coaches and quarterbacks.

It remains to be seen whether or not Chan Gailey has what it takes to turn the Titanic around in Buffalo. If they don't have a big year in 2012, I don't see how he sticks around.

I'm not trying to say the Bills shouldn't make this deal. They should. 

Signing Williams this year will send a message to the rest of the free agents on the market that Buffalo is legitimately going all-out to bring in the talent it takes to win a championship.

Talent by itself doesn't win championships, though.

We'll see soon enough if the Bills can come together as a team in 2012 and put their talent to good use.

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