Tag: Buddy Nix

Report: Ex-Bills coach claims he wanted to draft Russell Wilson, Dak Prescott

Former Buffalo Bills quarterbacks coach claims he wanted the team to draft Russell Wilson and Dak Prescott.

The jury is still out on Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, but he has instilled some confidence in the organization and its fans that he could finally be a long-term answer for the team at his position.

But one former Bills coach has revealed, or claimed, that he wanted the team to end their post-Jim Kelly drought for a franchise quarterback much sooner than (potentially) Allen. Former Bills quarterbacks coach David Lee told TheAthletic.com that he suggested to the coaching staffs and front offices he worked with in Buffalo that he wanted the team drafted two guys: Russell Wilson and Dak Prescott.

The two claims connected to quarterbacks are a bit different, though. In Wilson, he was selected in the third round of the 2012 draft with the No. 75 overall pick. Lee and then-Buffalo general manager Buddy Nix maintain the team planned to draft him, but not until the fourth round. He was already off the board.

Wilson is probably the best player that was selected in that entire draft, but at the time, the NFL wasn’t as open to the idea of smaller QBs like it is today. The now 31-year-old, 5-foot-11 QB has a Super Bowl title and seven Pro Bowls, including one just last season.

In Prescott, Lee suggested he and the front office at that time, led by then-GM Doug Whaley, were not on the same page. Lee liked Prescott, who was a fourth-round pick in 2016 and went on to be a two-time Pro Bowler most-recently in 2018. Whaley evidently liked Cardale Jones more, who ended up being the QB the Bills took in that year’s fourth round just a few picks after Prescott. Jones last played a football game in the XFL.

Hindsight is very 20/20 here for the Bills and Lee here. By comparison, Wilson would’ve been the total game-changing pick. Prescott might not be at that elite level, but you can’t argue he isn’t good. Only supreme talents get the franchise tag placed on them, and that’s exactly the contract Prescott is playing under in 2020.

By now, the question “what could have been?” is likely being pondered, but hopefully Allen puts any of these concerns to rest in 2020 and who knows what could’ve happen if Wilson or Prescott ended up in Buffalo. Would they have succeed to the levels they have? We can only wonder, but it is worth mentioning how different circumstances can be from team-to-team.

 

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Terrell Owens wanted to stick around with the Bills for another season

Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens taking his talents to the Buffalo Bills is almost still something that’s hard to believe really happened. 

Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens taking his talents to the Buffalo Bills is almost still something that’s hard to believe really happened.

The 2009 season for the Bills with Owens wasn’t good one. Then-starting quarterback Trent Edwards saw his career fizzle out early that year, which famously included his 185-game streak with at least a single catch in a game coming to an end.

Owens never really caused a scene off the field in Buffalo, something he was known for doing prior to joining the Bills, but clearly there were reasons to be frustrated. But apparently that’s nothing a little Fitz Magic can’t fix.

Owens reflected on his one season in Buffalo with The Athletic this week and like he has many times, praised the heck out of him former home for one season, but added to it. Owens admitted he wanted to stay another year with the Bills.

“Honestly, I wish I could have played another year or two (in Buffalo),” Owens said. “If you look at my stats, they weren’t particularly good in the beginning of the season, but once I got with Ryan Fitzpatrick it was like ‘Fitz Magic.'”

“I’ve spoken very highly of Ryan. People ask me who is your favorite quarterback and people think I’m saying it was a joke but I’m like, ‘Yo, Ryan is one of the better quarterbacks that I played with.’ I say that honestly because of how smart he is. Maybe it has something to do with that Harvard education,” Owens added.

With Fitzpatrick under center, Owens had four of his five touchdowns that season, plus a 197-yard outing. However, staying didn’t happen.

Owens played one more season with the Bengals in 2010 to finish his career. In the piece, former Bills general manager Buddy Nix admits he wasn’t on board to sign Owens in the first place. After the 2009 season, Nix was promoted to that GM position and decided the Bills were one and done in Buffalo. Nix said Owens “wasn’t happy about it” at the time. The Hall of Famer also said former head coach Chan Gailey, who was with the Cowboys, Owens’s former team as well, might have had something to do with it.

T.O.’s ties in Buffalo might’ve been brief, but they’re strong as he’s said on numerous occasions. He revealed the team might have him come back and “lead the charge” pre-game some time in the future. And in a classic Owens way, he still thinks he could help them now. Unfortunately, that’s an answer we’ll never find out.

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