WhitewalkerInPhilly

True. I would hate it if he doesn't man out, but unlike Johnny football, he isn't squandering his talent. Poor man's Kaepernick would still be at least average out of 32 starting QBs.

Yes actually. That's how Pettine used him, and Rex tends to prefer using heavier guys (like Alan Branch) as a "heavy 5 technique" player in his base. That said, Rex tends to be pretty aggressive about using the nickel and dime subpackages. There's a reason Hughes was on the field as much as he did with Pettine. But do I think Hughes is going to rotate in? Absolutely.

I'll say for the record that I think he had a rough break. I honestly think that if pure talent was the only issue, he'd probably be at least depth on someone's team. But his role here would be what Hughes already does: come in on a rotation for nickel and dime packages. The difference being that Sam would do it less well.

Freaking autocorrect...

I went with Roman, and here is my reasoning: I'm loving the energy Rex is bringing but I think we could have still could have cooked up a helluva defense with Schwartz and our defensive FA moves would have likely been identical. Roman, however, seems like the best available architect on the market to make sub-average QB talent work with stifling defense and strong run game and all the FA pickups I love (Shady, Harvin, Felton, Clay) flow from his philosophy.

@MikeRodak: Bills hope to not need to pay Marcel Dareus Suh money. Would also have preferred Norwood to kick a bit more left.

I don't know if anyone here would be opposed to Toronto having a team now that Buffalo is secure. Can you imagine the rivalry?

It's somewhat reassuring to hear that Reuben thinks they were miscoached. I do think that you can get at least one solid player on the right side of the line in the draft and I have to believe that among 3 draft picks, one has starting potential in year 2.

Now that's interesting. Everyone was slamming us on the two year up front cost but it might not be so bad.

For those in love with Cassel, I should point out that over his last four years he's had as bad as or worse than EJ has done in his first 14 starts. I honestly think EJ wins it. EJ fits the mold of Kaepernick in terms of his physicality, size and accuracy issues. If there is a single system with which EJ could possibly have success with it would be what Roman used in 2013. Taylor...we'll see but he doesn't have the sample size for me to make an educated guess.

Who? That sounds a lot like someone I've tried very hard to forget. Seriously though McKelvin is not my favorite player ever, but he is at least good enough to be an one of two outside CB starters.

Yes, this is fake. Yes this is a chance to rag on outside commentators. But we tend to be a brilliantly vindictive and bitter lot, so I have no objections to people recreating Twitter posts that they...*sigh* sadly, could consider realistic for people who cover the Bills. Mosty because we are apparently the dumpster fire upon which good news is burned. So far, the fake posts are: @mikerodak: The former offensive coordinator who worked with Kaepernick and Alex Smith will likely run things similar to how he ran things with Kaepernick and Alex Smith. ESPN has paid me to share this opinion with you. @JasonLaCanfora: Entire #Dolphins offensive lineup out for year after Suh stompings. Suh suspended indefinitely @JasonLaCanfora: #Dolphins still best positioned to knock off #Patriots

Ahh, I had forgotten Starks. Even more so. I don't buy the idea that they suddenly bought their way into the best D-line in football. Until I see otherwise that title belongs to Hughes-Dareus-Kyle-Mario. *thumpsup*

Mayne when I get home from work. In the meanwhile... @JasonLaCanfora: Entire #Dolphins offensive lineup out for year after Suh stompings. Suh suspended indefinitely @JasonLaCanfora: #Dolphins still best positioned to knock off #Patriots

@mikerodak: The former offensive coordinator who worked with Kaepernick and Alex Smith will likely run things similar to how he ran things with Kaepernick and Alex Smith. ESPN has paid me to share this opinion with you. Did I make that tweet up? Yes. Would you be shocked if I hadn't?

I thought I had mentioned Odrick... I say notable gains because Suh and Cameron are high quality players at what they do. And Stills doesn't look too bad, maybe a #2 if Woods' caliber. But simply picking those guys up opened holes at receiver, and that's not even mentioning the already present need for a RB better than Mills, not to mention depth at CB past grimes, LB and OG. There is still the draft, buy until I see otherwise they at best are lateral. And next year Suh and Cameron have a combined 35M hit on the cap if I remember right.

Wait, there is actually football being discussed here? To the question, I agree the heavy nickel would be the best option. I'd see dropping a player like Seacry into the box to keep track of Clay and to act as run support against Shady and Harvin's jet sweep. Then, keep the other two safeties in zone coverage to try to make EJ and Cassel correctly read the zone and deliver the ball accurately on intermediate throws. Jam receivers off the line to prevent quick slants. Of course, the downside to this, as others have pointed out, is that it requires having a deep, diverse and talented secondary to pull it off, and subbing a LB, (usually a SAM, think Lawson or Preston) means that you lose a bit on run support, especially if you take away the containing edge on the strong side. I don't know if we have the O-line necessary to pound the ball down their throat with 8 men in the box, which is why I hope at least one pick in rounds 2-3 is OL.

No, but I think he skipped the part where the Phins lost Moreno, their top three receivers, starting TE, Odrick, and practically all their LB and OG depth. They've made some notable gains, but better than the Pats?

Any highlights for the people who can't listen in?

I believe you're right. I remember being disappointed when Miami got Ellerbee because our LB situation was so bad. Instead, we drafted a guy called Kiko. I also distinctly remember analysts raving about how clever the Dolphins were for getting Mike Wallace at such a low cap hit his first year by offering a bit more guaranteed and having it spike through the roof his second season. Whoops.

I honestly don't see the Dolphins contending. They did good to clear a lot of bad contracts this offseason, but they have major holes at WR and RB. Stills has put up Robert Woods numbers, which is fine for a #2 receiver but they would need a Sammy to match the Bills. Their starting RB is Lamar Miller. Now, these can be fixed on the draft, but Miami picks 14th, so it's not a lock that they can fill those two spots within the first 3 rounds. And that's not even counting the fact that I like our linebackers and secondary considerably more than I like theirs. Miami aren't chumps, but I don't think they dominate us, never mind the Patriots.

I agree with you. My point is that it makes no sense to spend a pick and abandon a project, just to pick up a fresh one. Especially when Roman had great success with Kaep for 1.5 years, whose measurables and deficiencies look similar.

Guard. Even if Incognito is good after being out a year, he's a free agent next year. C. Williams was dissapointing even when healthy. Richardson *might* turn the corner this year and he might not. Urbik...you know what you're getting, and while I don't hate him he's not going to the Pro Bowl any time soon. If you want a power run game, don't skimp at guard.

Nooooooooo. Look, I'm not saying EJ is the answer but I'm pretty sure it isn't replacing a project QB with 14 starts with a project QB with zero.

I don't want to come off as a homer, so I'll come out and say this: the O-line was capital letters BAD last year, and there hasn't been a massive change in players yet. But looking at what Marrone did with a serviceable line under Gailey looks criminal. Glenn and Wood, two very good players regressed tremendously last year. Rather than tweak scheme to match players Marrone insisted on a Zone scheme when he had road graders in all his new draft picks. Kujo and CR were highly rated coming into the draft, and the knock on Henderson was his work ethic and drug problems, not his talent. Incognito is a huge upgrade over Pears. Urbik, while not stellar, is a decent stopgap. Pick up a G in rounds 2-3, and get a coach who knows what he's doing and they'll be at least serviceable.