As we all know by now, Tuesday’s start of free agency wasn’t exactly memorable for Buffalo Bills fans. While Miami, Cleveland and Tennessee among a few others were spending like it’s going out of style, the Bills sat back and basically did nothing, unless you count releasing their now former starting quarterback after he refused to take a pay cut.
Sure some phone calls were made, but it led to nothing. Tight end Delanie Walker said the Bills were one of three teams that were interested after he signed with the Titans, and I heard Buffalo did make him an offer. Same thing for defensive tackle Mike DeVito, who wound up in Kansas City. A source confirms the Bills did have contact Dannell Ellerbe but never made a formal offer after learning the guaranteed amount of money he was demanding. Of course, Ellerbe signed with Miami.
Then there’s guard Andy Levitre, who quite understandably left the Bills for a whopping $46.8 million over the next six years in Tennessee.
General manager Buddy Nix has been saying the Bills wouldn’t operate like they did last year, when a flurry of early activity led to Mario Williams and Mark Anderson. He wasn’t lying. The Bills sat on idle while other teams emptied their wallets.
Can you blame Bills fans for being wholeheartedly frustrated Wednesday morning for the lack of activity? Absolutely not. In case you’ve forgotten 13 years is an awful long time to spend your time…and money rooting on a team that has habitually stunk on the field and in recent years, the box office.
On Twitter Wednesday morning I wrote “I know it’s tough for Bills fans watching all these big signings while they do nothing but you have to believe Buddy Nix has a plan in place.”
It wasn’t met with the many warm responses. Here’s what some Bills fans are thinking about Buddy Nix this morning:
The “I think I speak for everyone tweet”
@patrickmoranbsd Deadspin fiasco,college coaching staff, No QB, 13yrs of losing, cold weather =NO FA comings #Bills
— Chris Canuck (@PvtGlory) March 13, 2013
Of course, there’s plenty of “Nix is scared of the phone” after the Deadspin fiasco Tuesday morning
@patrickmoranbsd were not making deals because Buddy is afraid to use the phone again — Big Smoov (@JimmyLomez) March 13, 2013
This one’s even better
@patrickmoranbsd Is it to get “dat dadgum newfangled caller identimacation!”… Cause really…that’s about 48 hours too late.
— Jeff (@jmariano6324) March 13, 2013
Then it’s time to dive straight into the “Buddy Nix is just incompetent” section
@patrickmoranbsd HaHaHaHaHa! He’s been the shell of a GM for 3 years and we are no better today than when he took over. — E Breazy (@EricBriel) March 13, 2013
And this…
@patrickmoranbsd His plans are signing everywhere else.
— Bryan Wood (@BWoody44) March 13, 2013
Hard to argue with this one
@patrickmoranbsd Or a couple of the targets in that plan have had no interest and signed elsewhere. — Kiley Johnson (@KileyJ83) March 13, 2013
and of course, the ultimate tweet of Bills skepticism
@patrickmoranbsd “plan” = bringin more mediocre/below average talent at low costs and continue to suck… same ol’
— Rich Pierce (@Bills_Sabres88) March 13, 2013
Yes. Yes Buddy Nix does still have a job.
@patrickmoranbsd He still has a job?! #sigh — cable_lady (@cable_lady) March 13, 2013
Last but not least, I sure hope this guy is referring to the fan base affectionately known as “Bills Mafia”
@patrickmoranbsd and if he comes out of this with nothing, the mafia will be calling for buddy’s head
— Timothy Then (@TimNThen) March 13, 2013
I shutter to think what Thursday morning will be like if today yields another day of silence at One Bills Drive.
