San Jose Bills Fan

Maybe his point is to have a slightly better quarterback so we go 7-9 this year instead of 5-11 and still miss the playoffs and have a worse draft position?

I seriously doubt that because they're not interchangeable offers.

Why are people speaking as if the Bills offered two 2nd rounders? The rumored deal is that Kansas City gave up a 2nd rounder and a conditional mid-round pick that might be as high as a 3rd rounder. If the Bills offered two 2nd rounders, you can be sure the Niners would have traded him to Buffalo.

http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/156128-geno-smith-vs-matt-barkley-last-2yrs/page__hl__%2Bmatt+%2Bbarkley http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/154867-matt-barkley-qb-usc/page__hl__%2Bmatt+%2Bbarkley'>http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/154867-matt-barkley-qb-usc/page__hl__%2Bmatt+%2Bbarkley http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/154867-matt-barkley-qb-usc/page__hl__%2Bmatt+%2Bbarkley http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/149771-let-the-matt-barkley-countdown-begin/page__hl__%2Bmatt+%2Bbarkley

The counterpoint is that they probably lost the Super Bowl due to poor cornerback play. I agree though that they'd more likely pursue Asomugah or draft a CB.

Exactly. As I stated upthread, our veteran placeholder QB is immaterial. He's eventually gonna be the backup and mentor for the QB we draft this year. It really doesn't matter much who the veteran ends up being. Thus, base your veteran QB decision mostly on cap impact both this year and for the future. What if you don't like him at #8 but like him at #41? That's a huge difference in risk/reward and cost/benefit. Of course if they're totally sold on him, by all means take him at #8.

Yes but I have zero recollection of him actually saying that. However when talking about prospects, he seems to like to discuss measurables so I agree with someone else's observation (can't remember who) that Nix is one of those scouts who really values measurables. Also based on the players he's signed a free agents, it seems he likes big bodies.

I disagree with you and MDFan. The top 8 players this year don't seem as certain as in years past. I am vehemently against drafting at #8 and then burning up picks trying to trade back up into the first round. I would much rather the Bills try to trade out of the #8 spot and actually pick up additional draft picks. These valuations of talent and draft picks are important. A team has to constantly, inexorably try to buy low and sell high, and to not erode their own valuables by making desperate reach moves. A team has to value draft picks relative to talent on hand. The 8th pick is of less value to us than it is a team which covets Milliner or one of the 3 OTs. Also, why decrease your number of draft picks when you can increase them? Especially in a draft like this one?

I'm not interested in spending the #8 pick on an average NFL quarterback, even if that were considered an upgrade from the present. As for Manuel at #41, like I said, if the Bills like him and think he'll be gone by #41, then trade down into the sweet spot. I don't want to see the Bills burning draft picks by trying to get two first rounders this year, especially if they can simply trade down from #8 and pick up an extra pick or two. Their chances of success are my opinion. It's clear that most talent evaluators have Smith and Barkley as safer, more sure to reach their potential QBs. However for me, there are two counter-considerations: 1) No one knows this for sure. Can't miss guys miss AND more questionable players succeed. 2) IMO, the ceiling on players like Manuel and Bray are much higher than they are on Barkley or Nassib based purely on measurables. While I think Smith has a high ceiling, I believe Barkley and Nassib have low ceilings. I really have no interest in drafting an Andy Dalton unless we can draft that player around where the Bengals actually picked Andy Dalton (#35).

Here's the thing. This opinion is correct: And while these opinions disagree, they are also correct: We're arguing from positions of certainty but the situation is very uncertain. The Bills know what they're willing to offer. Levitre knows what he's willing to accept. But neither side knows what kind of offers he's gonna get. That's the great unknown. I don't know if we'll be able to retain him or not but as to your last sentence, it might be more correct if you said he'd be foolish football-wise to stay in Buffalo. The quality of team the 2013 Buffalo Bills will be is also a great unknown.

I would take Geno Smith IF he was still there at #8 but if teams want to leapfrog us to grab a QB, let em. Even at #8 the consensus is that none of the QBs are worth the pick. I'm in the camp of taking the best player (non-QB) at #8, and then taking the quarterback at #41. I have zero belief that Barkley and Geno have any better chance of being elite quarterbacks as any of the other QBs in this draft. That being the case, grab EJ Manuel in the 2nd or Tyler Bray in the 3rd. Both of these players have just as good a chance at succeeding as Barkely or Smith and both of them have physical talent and upside which dwarfs that of Barkley and Smith. If the Bills draft strategists don't believe a QB they like will still be there at #41, then try to trade down from #8 till later in the first round so that you're in the QB sweet spot. But whatever you do, don't overreach for one of these mediocre guys like Barkley or Smith. Let other teams do that.

That short lease is the answer to nothing. The Bills have stadium issues which need to be resolved in order for the Bills to remain viable in WNY. The Bills have less than 7 years to figure out the solution. As far as a stadium in WNY vs one in LA, the biggest difference is that developers in Buffalo would hope to get the land for free or for cheap while in LA, downtown development would be very pricey.

Not only did he play for the Raiders but he also played at Cal. Niners need corners. Match made in heaven.

I'm predicting he'll go back to the Bay Area and play for the Niners. For the most part, unless we outbid all other teams, we're not getting free agents.

OP raises an interesting possibility. While I don't see the Niners trading two firsts for Revis, even the inclusion of one first in a Revis trade would likely take one QB off the board before our pick at #41.

LMFAO!!!

As said earlier, much ado about nothing.

As I've posted before FWIW, Matt Moore's record as an NFL starter is 13-12. Those teams that Moore started for were a combined 10-29 in the games he didn't start (5-8, 4-7, 1-10, 0-4). http://www.pro-footb.../M/MoorMa01.htm I believe Moore is probably a better player than Fitz but I think it's a moot point. The Bills are gonna draft their "quarterback of the future" in this year's draft. To me the identity of the veteran starter/eventual veteran backup is immaterial. Fitz, TJax, Moore, it doesn't really matter. And when you look at it this way, you realize that the most important thing for the Bills is to do what is best for the salary cap for both this year and next year.

Bowe is a premier talent. He's suffered from the fact that the guys throwing him the ball have been Damon Huard, Tyler Thigpen, and Matt Cassel. He's been a bright spot on horrible teams featuring horrible offenses. Yes he's being overpaid at this moment but so is Mario Williams, and any number of guys who are very good players when their contracts expire.

I thought it was just established that Wawrow wrote it? Official ruling?

You guys have the same avatar.

I don't think these are surprising numbers. He was the number one wide receiver approaching free agency and was bound to get a contract that was a bit out of whack.

Most of the QBs who are or were statues were phenomenal throwers. Barkley and Nassib are guys with average arms who also can't run. And who throws the nicer ball? Like I've been saying, Barkley and Nassib better have some incredible intangibles because they're both physically underwhelming.

The most recent and dependable report on this subject comes from our friend John Wawrow: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/bills-qb-fitzpatrick-og-levitre-201728104--nfl.html Saying he's spoken with Fitzpatrick several times this offseason, Nix declined to reveal whether he's discussed having the quarterback restructure his contract. ''Any talking, I'll do with him,'' Nix said. Fitzpatrick's status appeared secure last month, when new coach Doug Marrone announced he informed Fitzpatrick and newly re-signed backup Tarvaris Jackson that he intends to have both compete for the starting job this offseason. The Bills' message was less definitive a little over a week later at the NFL combine in Indianapolis. That's where both Nix and team president Russ Brandon were evasive when discussing Fitzpatrick.

The four bowl games Manuel won were all major bowl games. His aggregate stats for what they're worth: Passing: 74-108 for 813 yards (68.5 completion percentage, 7.53 ypa), 4 TDs, 0 ints Rushing: 38 rushes for 124 (3.2 ypc), 2 TDs 1 MVP (2010 Gator Bowl)