Toronto Bills Blog

The Bills are hosting their rookie mini camp this weekend.  It is a chance for the coaches to take a look at the new crop of players.  It is also a chance for invited free agents to try to make the team.  All eyes will be on the new faces to see if they can help turn things around.  It remains to be seen if the rookies will contribute and make for more exciting football.  The Bills need to rebuild the football program as they transition the team to a new home in Toronto.

The Bills need to get their offense moving.  Last year the offense had low point production and finished 25th overall in the league.  Nothing is going to change unless the team can put points on the board.  All eyes will be on third-year quarterback Trent Edwards.  With the off-season departure of J P Losman, Edwards is now the man.  He should get some help from Terrell Owens and Dominic Rhodes.  The line is strengthened.  Receivers Josh Reed and Lee Evans are maturing.  But play calling remains uneven.   The offense lacks direction.  It remains to be seen whether things can turn around.

Now that the hoopla over the college draft is past, cold reality sets in.   The Bills remain a weak team, having gone 7-9 for the last 3 years and missing the playoffs for 9 straight years.  To make matters worse, they play in the extremely competitive AFC East, where they went 0-6 last year.  And there’s no indication that things are going to improve.  The Bills lack the personnel needed to prevail in their division.   Management just doesn’t seem to care.

The Bills draft picks are solid athletes whose presence will be known.  Aaron Maybin will give much needed pass rush.  Center Eric Wood and guard Andy Levitre will contribute in the trenches.  Jairus Byrd may develop as a safety.  They did draft a tight end, Shawn Nelson, as they have for most of the past 40 years.  However, the draft leaves many holes in the Bills lineup.  Most glaringly, the Bills failed to draft a left tackle to replace the sorely missed Jason Peters.  And they didn’t draft impact players on offense who can put points on the board.  The franchise is languishing, and fans can expect little improvement in the upcoming season.  The hope for the future rests with a new start in Toronto.

The Bills used their first-round draft picks to toughen up front.  Penn State defensive end Aaron Maybin will help in the trenches with quarterback sacks.  Louisville center Eric Wood was selected to play guard.  These are fine young athletes with excellent stats.  They should contribute right away.  However, the Bills problems are so deep seated that we question the wisdom of these picks.  The team desperately needs a tight end.  It needs to get the offense moving.  Two talented linemen are not going to make a difference where it counts.  The Bills drafted at the wrong positions.  It seems that current management never learns.  Business as usual will go on until 2012.

The NFL draft kicks off today at 4 P.M.  For all the hype, it comes down to whether senior management is committed to turning the team around.  The Bills need serious help at several positions.  They have 2 first round picks, thanks to the Jason Peters trade.  All eyes will be on One Bills Drive.  The team has disappointed fans over the past decade.  Will things change?  We think not.  The 9 year playoff drought suggests that ownership doesn’t care about fielding a winning team.  The hope for the future rests in selling the franchise to Toronto interests.  A world class city will expect a competitive football product that does the hometown proud.

With anticipation running high for this weekend’s college draft, fans recall the Bills dismal draft record.   Over the past several years, most of the picks have failed to pan out.  Only 2 drafted players, Terrence McGee and Jason Peters, have gone on to the Pro Bowl.  The fault clearly is with the Bills scouting department.  Owner Ralph Wilson is reported to take an active interest in the selections.   Here’s hoping that new Toronto management will be more successful in developing player talent.

The Bills have 3 of the top 42 picks in this weekend’s draft.  Overall, the Bills will have 9 picks this year.  Let’s hope they use them wisely.  The team needs to draft impact players who can contribute this season, not years down the line.  More often than not, the Bills draft has been a bust.  A solid draft this time around can make the team more competitive and exciting to follow.  With all signs pointing to the team’s move to Toronto, here is a chance to make a positive new beginning.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has expressed strong support for the Toronto Bills Series.  Buffalo fans take note.   Goodell speaks for the NFL.  He has the backing of team ownership around the league.  The powers that be understand that the team’s days in Buffalo are numbered.

The much anticipated NFL draft begins Saturday.  The Bills gained an additional first-round pick from Philadelphia through the Jason Peters trade.  This is a rebuilding draft for the Bills, having come off a 7 – 9 season and missing the playoffs for the ninth consecutive year.  The Bills need to draft talent that can help the team this year.  It remains to be seen whether management will pay for star talent.  The Bills need to revive their sagging franchise.  Or maybe current ownership is just riding out until 2012 when the team can make a new start in Toronto.