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If Cassel had hit FA, he probably would have been the best QB available, which tells you how bad the FA QB crop is in 2015. The Bills best scenario at QB is for Manuel to step up, but Cassel is a nice insurance policy. I think the Bills like him because he's pretty careful with the ball, and doesn't make a lot of stupid mistakes. Cassel also took KC to the playoffs in 2010 with the same kind of run first, tough defense that the Bills want to be.
Whoever is under center though, he's not going to be putting up big passing numbers. It's obvious that the Bills are going to "pound the rock" and rely on defense in search of a playoff berth, which is a tried and true recipe for success, especially when a team doesn't have a good established QB. My guess is that they sign at least one FA offensive guard. Hopefully they re-sign Hughes.
Good points, Linda_d. This is Rex Ryan's team after all and he may be content with an efficient game manager instead of a gunslinger.
I'm also curious if Fred Jackson, Bryce Brown and Boobie Dixon will come back or will one, maybe two of them will go. This will definitely be an offense that needs at least one more solid RB in this offensive system.
Good points, Linda_d. This is Rex Ryan's team after all and he may be content with an efficient game manager instead of a gunslinger.
I'm also curious if Fred Jackson, Bryce Brown and Boobie Dixon will come back or will one, maybe two of them will go. This will definitely be an offense that needs at least one more solid RB in this offensive system.
Bryce Brown will stay because he knows McCoy well.
Fred Jackson has 1 more year, then Bills should consider upgrading him to a running back or assistant rb coach.
Dixon showed lots of potential, especially in Special Teams, and a good backup in case someone goes down.
I'm eh on the Cassel signing. Better than most in the FA market, but still could have done better. I would have waited. Meanwhile, the Bills are trying to extend/restructure McCoy's contract.
Who knows if all these recent transactions will work out, but there clearly seems to be an increase in urgency & aggressiveness. They are definitely following through as to the mission stated by Rex, can't remember any Bills coach with so much influence on the GM. This offseason has been more exciting than the Bills' last season.
I hope they keep Fred Jackson as long as possible, need his leadership & versatility. Also definitely can see him in a coaching position in the future... would like to see him stick with Buffalo no matter what he does.
Cassel was fairly cheap to acquire, and is a free agent at the end of the year. So he is a relatively inexpensive (dollars and picks) veteran QB to bring in. Since there is no guarantee they will land one of the few top free agent QB's anyway it is a good move to be sure they have somebody. Plus, if the top couple free agents end up getting offered ridiculous contracts then the Bills won't have to overpay for a stop gap QB when next year's crop of free agents may be much better.
I have more or less given up on Manuel. History has shown that more often than not QB's just cannot fix accuracy problems. Plus I suspect with comments made last year he has work ethic issues on top of simply not being able to hit his targets. Why else would the whole organization talk about how good it was to see Orton's commitment to the film room, study, game planning, etc. Clearly, Manuel was not giving it much of an effort.
I do think however, like last year, they will find themselves throwing some too. It is the nature of the league. That said, they certainly will make the most of their running game since they do not have an elite gunslinger.
I would expect them to bring in someone else too, but nothing mid-draft gets me too excited. Sure, I am good taking a chance with a later pick on someone to see if they can develop but there is a reason they are all projected to go late. They are all iffy projects. If they draft one and they end up developing then that is great, but it is nothing to pin hopes on.
I am not crazy about the McCoy trade. A high mileage running back who is at an age where most backs are on the down side of their careers. Yes, he has been a very good back over his career, but I would have expected Kiko to be worth a back a little younger than this. Guess they took what they could get.
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