Diner Morning News: Random Thoughts

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RANDOM TOPICS

Eagles sign a tight end...finally

I’ve been harping on the Eagles and their failure to put anyone on their roster who resembles a blocker. Brent Celek, their starting tight end, doesn’t even get in the way very well, so when the Eagles are in short-yardage and goal-line situations, they’re not effective running the ball to the strong side. Now, with Alex Smith, they at least have someone who can get in the way and help in pass protection. Smith can function well in this role and can help the Eagles in Week One because he knows the offense well from his time with the Bucs and Jon “Love You Bro” Gruden.

Bills release starting left tackle Langston Walker

You really have to wonder what was going on in Buffalo last winter. I know it’s cold up there, but from the outside looking in, their planning and design on how to improve the team for 2009 fell apart before the season even started. The Bills moved Walker to left tackle because they wanted to trade Jason Peters, which they did. Then, based on preseason film, Walker proved to many that he was not a left tackle. He was late off the ball, poor at cutting off the back side and unable to secure the edge in pass rush.

Having said that, I wonder if the Colts might explore Walker as an option at left tackle.

They fired their offensive coordinator, Turk Schonert, after a bad preseason, but in reality, Schonert and the offensive staff should not have been invited back last February based on their performance during the past two years. According to reports, owner Ralph Wilson urged a change of staff, but coach Dick Jauron fought off the suggestion. Which begs the question, what did Jauron see in his staff that made him think the offensive unit was headed in the right direction?

Jauron himself said recently that he did not consider firing Schonert until right before he made the move. What? I respect Jauron and know he’s a smart man, but that statement made me gasp. There’s no way I can accept that Jauron likes bad football, and there was a lot of bad ball in the Bills’ last 12 games of 2008. Loyalty to Schonert is an admirable trait, but being loyal to producing a quality product is the creed of running a football team. It’s not about friendships, it’s about being productive.

Again, this proves the point that most problems within organizations lie in their inability to self-evaluate. The Bills had no passing game last year, and although they had some talented players, their production never matched the talent. Keeping the status quo is making this season very challenging, and the hope for success is just that - hope. I would love to know who made the design for the Bills of 2009.

Now they go to New England with three-fifths of their offensive line gone from last year. All the money paid to Walker and Derrick Dockery in free agency two years ago has been wasted. The team's design has been bad, and at some point the Bills have to get someone in their building who can build a team that can compete with the Dolphins, the Patriots and even the Jets on and (most critically) off the field.

The Bills are going nowhere until they admit their planning and design has been flawed. They need one person in the building, a coach or personnel man, who can make the right choices and design the right plan because the level of competition in the AFC East is and will remain very fierce and intellectually challenging.

It wasn’t Schonert’s fault. It wasn’t Walker’s fault or Peters’ fault. It was the plan's fault. The other day, I wrote that there are 10 teams trying to win the Super Bowl and about 22 teams playing Madden 2009. The Bills are in the Madden group. It’s not about the play caller, it’s about the design. It’s going to be a cold winter in Buffalo.

Where’s Richard?

I’m told reliably that Richard Seymour isn’t looking for a long-term contract from the Raiders, that in fact Oakland.html" target="_blank">his absence centers solely on his unhappiness with the trade. The comments from coach Tom Cable are really irrelevant, since the trade papers have been signed and approved by the league office. He counts on the Raiders’ 53-man roster, so why does Seymour need to clear things up with the Patriots? All that remains is for Seymour to show up and pass his physical. There’s nothing left for the Patriots to do regarding Seymour because he’s now the property of the Raiders, so many NFL observers were left shaking their heads after hearing Cable’s comments.

Seymour has no choice other than to retire, which he doesn’t want to do as he was expecting a Julius Peppers-type of contract next offseason in what may be an uncapped year. The Raiders can place him on their reserve did not report list and go after the remaining portion of his pro-rated bonus. But clearly, that’s not a course of action a team that gave up a first-round pick in 2011 wants to explore.

Can the Raiders trade him now? Yes, but do you think they can recoup their investment? Hardly. But again, the Raiders made this trade to improve their team, not collect draft picks, so trading Seymour isn’t an option for them.

The only positive for the Raiders is that they don’t play until Monday night, so their week of preparation for the Chargers game doesn’t start until Thursday, giving them more time to get Seymour to Oakland.

Follow me on Twitter: michaelombardi

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