Archives for April 2012

‘Questions still remain on the offensive line, however, after the team allowed starting left tackle Demetress Bell to depart in the offseason. Though 2011 fourth-round pick Chris Hairston has upside, the jury’s still out as to whether he’s quick and skilled enough to handle the left side, making it likely that general manager Buddy Nix will use one of Buffalo’s first two selections to bring in some competition.’

‘"I think you need to draft a corner every year because so many of them play and I think a quarterback because they are so hard to find," Nix said. "There are quarterbacks somewhere in the draft, we don’t know exactly which one it is, that might be another Brady (New England’s Tom, a sixth rounder), or someone that is picked late and blossoms. So I think if you can and you’ve got enough picks, you should take (a quarterback) every year."’

‘Doug Whaley, the club’s director of player personnel who was promoted to assistant general manager last May, will take part in his first draft in that new capacity. It’s clear he has already been given more responsibilities and more of a voice under general manager Buddy Nix, fielding many questions from the media during a pre-draft luncheon.’

‘For what it’s worth, the Bills play the third-easiest schedule based on 2011 records.’

‘”Its guys going up against an elite athlete with great speed”, the G-M said on WGR. “He’s got to react to what the guy(receiver) does and he’s on an island out there. If he messes up everybody knows it. Its mental plus physical.”‘

‘The result was the signing of a pair of high-profile defensive ends, Houston’s Mario Williams, the most sought-after and highest-priced free agent ($100 million, six years), and New England’s Mark Anderson, a situational sack specialist. “(The signings) had a lot of impact on us really,” Nix admitted at Wednesday afternoon’s annual media session. “Therefore we’re a little freer as far as who we pick. You don’t want to get yourself in a spot that you’ve got to reach.” And suddenly Buffalo’s main need went from edge pass rushers to left offensive tackle, speed wide receiver and cornerback.’

‘"Kuechly to me is one of the 10 best players in this draft," Mayock said Thursday on a conference call with reporters. "The intriguing thing about Luke Kuechly is historically inside linebackers are not valued, mostly because they get replaced in sub packages and nickel packages. Kuechly is the opposite. Kuechly’s strength lies in the pass game. He’s the best pass-dropping linebacker from the inside I’ve ever seen coming out of college football. He’s got instincts, he’s got speed. So on third down, when the sub package comes in the game, he’s going to stay in the game, a lot like Sean Lee in Dallas. I think there’s real value there because he’s a three-down inside linebacker. He’ll occasionally get enveloped by a big body but the NFL is a pass-first league, and there’s value in Luke Kuechly."’

‘Jackson made a special two-hour appearance at Lockport’s historic Bewley Building, as part of a fundraiser for Niagara Hospice and Kids Escaping Drugs, sponsored by the Niagara County Dispatchers Sheriff’s Association.’

‘The problem is, the Bills are in a tough spot at No. 10 overall. It’s not a very desirable position for a trade because it’s not far up the board for most teams to grab the player they’re in love with, while also not being a position to be reaching for talent more suitable for the late first round of even second round (like the Bills recently did with Donte Whitner).’

‘"I don’t care how many draftniks think that’s where we’re going and that’s the best pick for us," Nix told reporters at the Bills’ annual predraft luncheon. "If that’s not the guy we’ve got rated there, we won’t take him."’

‘”You’d think at 10 you’d get a starter,” Nix said this afternoon during a discussion with reporters regarding the draft at One Bills Drive. “We want to get a difference-maker, an impact guy, a playmaker.”‘

‘In my opinion, I believe the pick is between Cordy Glenn, Jonathan Martin, Stephon Gilmore and Dre Kirkpatrick. Judging it not only off the way the Bills spoke on Wednesday, but how they’ve been speaking since the end of the season it seems those would be the four in consideration. While Floyd and Reiff make a lot of sense, it just doesn’t look apparent that they fit the mold of a player the Bills are looking for as a first round pick.’

‘”My goal is to win 16 games. I don’t know if you can put a number on it, but I certainly expect us to be competitive throughout the year. It’s no secret, it’s time for us to take a step and be relative. For us to start off like we did last year was a little bit smoke and mirrors and then we lose seven in a row and you can’t do that.”‘

‘There are no playoff teams from last season amongst the final seven games and they don’t face a single quarterback who has ever made the Pro Bowl in those seven games either.’

‘Nix did address several positions of need that the Bills may look to address in the draft. On the offensive line tackle is a priority. “We need tackles but I’m going to make this clear, we think Chris Hairston can play left tackle for us and win.”‘