Doug Whaley Firing Ends Bills Power Struggle, Puts Team in Best Position to Win

There are big changes afoot in Western New York.

That's nothing new. Owners of the longest playoff drought in the NFL, the Buffalo Bills have been cycling through coaching staffs and front offices with alarming regularity since the dawn of the 21st century.

The Bills had already changed the former, firing Rex Ryan in December and replacing him with first-time head coach Sean McDermott in January. And, just hours after the 2017 NFL draft, the Bills showed general manager Doug Whaley the door.

The timing was curious. But the move was wise. Because, as the old saying goes, a house divided against itself cannot stand.

Whaley had been with the Bills since 2010. As ESPN's Mike Rodak reported, co-owner Terry Pegula issued a statement thanking Whaley for his service:

"

After a thorough review of our football operations over the past several months, Kim [Pegula] and I informed Doug this morning that we will be moving in a new direction. We have enjoyed working with Doug. He is a good person and we want to thank him for his work and commitment to our football team. This was my decision. It was not an easy decision but I believe it's the right one for the future of the Buffalo Bills. Our search for a new general manager will begin immediately.

"

It's odd for a general manager to be let go so soon after a draft, but as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported (via Nick Shook of NFL.com), it was expected that Whaley was going to be terminated. In fact, if there's one surprise given the happenings of the last handful of months, it's that it took this long for Whaley to be fired.

It was Whaley whom Pegula tasked with finding Buffalo's new head coach when Ryan was axed. And after McDermott was hired, Whaley remained in control of personnel decisions. But there have been reports that Whaley and McDermott were butting heads almost from the moment the latter arrived in Western New York.

As Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News wrote in March, the two allegedly differed on whether to retain quarterback Tyrod Taylor, with McDermott favoring bringing Taylor back. At the time, McDermott downplayed any dissension:

"

We are absolutely in accord. Doug and I have gotten off to a great start. Doug and I have had great meetings. Very productive, healthy meetings. Sometimes you disagree, but those disagreements are healthy. And that goes for every meeting. At the end of the day, we're going to have the right decision for the Bills organization. I think Doug and I are off to a great start.

"

When Taylor's contract was restructured, many thought it was a sign McDermott had won the power struggle for control of the roster. It might have been the first such sign, but it was hardly the last. As free agency progressed, McDermott was the one who fielded questions regarding the team's acquisitions and departures. And as the draft wound down Saturday, McDermott was again the one who fielded questions about the young men Buffalo had added.

And, as Jerry Sullivan of the Buffalo News reported, McDermott said all was well in the Bills front office.

"Right now, I'm focused on this draft," he said. "Honestly, I'm going to focus on this draft and what we have in front of us going on right now with this priority free-agent market.

"I will say Doug and his staff did a phenomenal job."

At least now he can stop pretending Whaley did much of anything of late.

That might not be such a bad thing.

While Whaley didn't take over as GM until after the 2013 draft, he played a large part in the disastrous selection of quarterback E.J. Manuel in the first round that year. The next year, Whaley traded first- and fourth-round picks in 2015 to move up in a draft loaded with receiver talent to select Clemson's Sammy Watkins.

At No. 4, Watkins was the first receiver off the board—before Mike Evans and Odell Beckham Jr., both of whom were still available when Buffalo's original spot at No. 9 came up. The Bills are unlikely to pick up Watkins' fifth-year option, according to the Buffalo News' Vic Carucci.

George Gojkovich/Getty Images

McDermott's first draft was the opposite of the Watkins fiasco. In trading back from No. 10 to No. 27, the Bills added a second first-rounder next year, and they still addressed the loss of free-agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore by drafting LSU's Tre'Davious White.

Gilmore left in part because Whaley's cap management skills were just about as good as his luck in Round 1; he overpaid the likes of running back LeSean McCoy, defensive tackle Marcell Dareus and tight end Charles Clay, which left the Bills short on wiggle room.

Whaley also botched the restricted free agencies of wide receiver Chris Hogan and tailback Mike Gillislee. Had either of those young players been tendered at say the second-round level (a prospect who would have been only marginally more expensive) both would likely still be in Buffalo.

Instead, Hogan won a Super Bowl with the rival New England Patriots. Earlier this month, Gillislee joined him in Beantown.

Rich Barnes/Getty Images

Whaley reportedly wanted to sever ties with Taylor, a move that would have once again left the Bills adrift at the sport's most important position. Taylor might not be Tom Brady, but he isn't Tom Savage either.

Whaley also clashed with Buffalo's head coaches. As Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported, just as Whaley and McDermott didn't get along, Whaley also had issues with Ryan before him. And Doug Marrone before him.

The head coach and general manager of a football team don't have to be besties who exchange friendship bracelets and braid one another's hair. But constant organizational discord and power struggles are not the recipe for success.

Those struggles are over now. Make no mistake—this is McDermott's show. As Skurski tweeted, the purge went beyond the GM—the entire scouting staff was also fired:

And while the Bills have yet to decide whether the new general manager will have final say on personnel decisions, per Rapoport, it's a safe bet that no matter what Terry Pegula decides, his head coach will call most of the shots.

Is that wise? I don't know. I do know the draft haul McDermott just landed is generally viewed as at least as good as any class Whaley brought in. Maybe better.

Round	Pick	Player	Pos.	School
1	27*	Tre'Davious White	CB	LSU
2	37	Zay Jones	WR	East Carolina
2	63	Dion Dawkins	OG	Temple
5	163	Matt Milano	LB	Boston College
5	171	Nathan Peterman	QB	Pittsburgh
6	195	Tanner Vallejo	LB	Boise State

And now the Bills have a direction. The last four years, the team's been stuck in neutral, with a GM pulling one way and the coach another. Buffalo has been mired in the worst position possible—not good enough to make the playoffs, but not bad enough to land a top-five draft pick.

If there's one thing worse than being bad it's being mediocre.

It may well get worse before it gets better, too. The Bills roster has far too many bloated contracts and not nearly enough young draft picks that have "hit." The easiest path forward in Buffalo might actually involve a step back in 2017.

The key, though, is that the Bills are at least going somewhere. The firing of Whaley put an end to a dance that had gone on far too long. The team chose a direction and is moving on.

And while the timing might not have been ideal, it beats another year of going in circles.

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