Oh, you haven’t heard? The Bills are out of the playoffs and will play two relatively meaningless games against the Dolphins and Jets. Other than ruining their draft position, these games won’t do much to change things at One Bills Drive.
In fact, win or lose, these two games may not even change the fate of Chan Gailey. While the play of this team is exactly what got Dick Jauron fired, it would seem as if Buddy Nix wants Gailey to see this through. To be truthful, there is some merit in that desire. However, Gailey is slowly proving that he may not be capable of leading the Bills to the playoffs.
There will be coaching openings this offseason, it is just how the NFL operates. Norv Turner and Andy Reid are almost guaranteed to be out of a job and Rex Ryan could certainly join them. But aside from those two teams, only the Chiefs and Cardinals strike me as teams who would be looking to fire their coaches. That does mean there will be a number of good candidates and only a handful of jobs to fill, but don’t for a minute think that the Bills have a chance of luring Chip Kelly or Nick Saban or another one of the elite coaching names to Western New York. (Disclaimer: I don’t want Chip Kelly anyway, I’m not too sure he will be a successful NFL coach)
Regardless, if the Bills were to fire Gailey, I would hope they take the opportunity to probe the up-and-coming ranks of coordinators who are looking for their first head coaching gig. Frankly, it seems a hell of a lot more viable than going with a retread like they did with Gailey and Jauron. What Bills fans need to realize is you need to pick one side of the fence and stick to it. Too often you hear people complain about the cons of hiring guys like Gregg Williams and Mike Mularkey while bemoaning retreads like Gailey and Jauron in the next breath.
At the end of the day, I am far more receptive to the idea of reaching out to an up-and-comer rather than calling up the NFL’s version of Lindy Ruff and hiring Andy Reid after he gets canned.
The Bills do have a few things going for them which intrigues me. First, they have a solid interior core on offense and defense and the two lines are units they can build around. They also have a handful of superstar talents that can be used to recruit coaches and free agents alike. Lastly, it does seem as if a few schematic changes and personnel additions could truly put this team over the hump.
A coach, a QB or both?
Maybe the most heated debates this season have surrounded Ryan Fitzpatrick and his relationship with Gailey. The fact that Gailey is “married to his QB” has been costing the team games, many have said. Some argue that if the Bills were able to get an elite signal caller, their problems will be solved. Others point at the coach. Frankly it is time to wipe the both of them out.
Find a new coach to come in with a new staff. Ensure that the coach will come in with the capability of scheming the defense to stop other teams. One thing that has been overlooked this year is the fact that Dave Wannstedt is over his head in today’s NFL. Pairing a new head coach with a new quarterback (draft or FA) should provide the team with a shot in the arm and an athlete capable of making the play that escape Fitzpatrick.
The QB search
The reason I can understand Buddy Nix’s reasoning for keeping Gailey is because the guy can indeed call an offense. And if Nix can get a real NFL quarterback on the roster, I can see how he could expect Gailey to mold the passer into his offense.
One new theory is to simply trade for Kirk Cousins. That is a cute idea except for the fact that Cousins is going to come at a premium and the ‘Skins will certainly ask for more than the 3rd round pick they spent on the quarterback last year. Alex Smith is another trade-worthy quarterback who might come at a low price, but there is no way the Bills acquire any current NFL quarterback for anything less than a second-round pick. That being said, I think that Smith could be an interesting option.
Seeking an answer through trade seems to make a bit more sense than reaching for a player in the draft. This will particularly true if the Bills hold a top-10 pick and Geno Smith is taken before they pick. Not only does Matt Barkley bear a striking resemblance to Matt Leinart 2.0, but Smith is barely a top-10 prospect at this point. The logical train of thought is for the Bills to draft for value in the top 10 (LB, OL etc.) and trade back into the first round to hopefully snag a mid-round talent like Wilson or Glennon. After all, Nix didn’t specify where he hoped to trade up to get his QB.
Luring a coach
While so many accuse the Bills of being the cheapest bunch of jerks in the history of the league, they have been spending all sorts of money the past few years. With Mario Williams, CJ Spiller, Stevie Johnson and Kyle Williams on the roster, there is plenty of talent to be found. With a strong draft (especially if a trade maneuvers two first round talents) there is reason to believe that the Bills would have continued to add the necessary pieces to be successful. Of course, that is a similar song and dance fans have heard for over 12 seasons.
Pairing the existing talent to the apparent willingness of management to spend money does make me think they will continue to attract serious coaching candidates to the team. Compared to the crew that was assembled prior to Gailey’s hiring (a roster that allegedly drove Mike Shanahan away), this team is a gold star.
Bottom Line
While I would prefer to see Gailey replaced with a younger option who brings more potential to the position, I do see merit in teaming him with a new quarterback. Between the coach and the QB, I think there is more room for improvement at the quarterback position and that a new QB under Gailey’s wing could do quite well. While Gailey’s failings this year have been beyond evident, I think some of his creativity is handcuffed by his noodle-armed signal caller. And if Nix doesn’t find a QB this offseason it won’t matter much who the coach is.
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