thewildrabbit

Welcome back Look at last years draft, 3 of the first 4 picks were used on OT's #1, #2, #4. Then an OG went #7, and again at #10 but wait!! they are supposed to be 3rd round picks!! Then another OT went at 11, and played RT !!! An OT at #19, an OG at #20, and finally a center at 31. I think you are the one that is thinking old school as like a poster stated above, you need two solid OT's because defenses move their best pass rushers all over the place. The Chiefs took an OT #1, while they already have Brandon Albert at LT, so Eric Fisher played RT!! The Jags took OT Luke Joeckle #2, and they already have Eugene Monroe at LT so Joeckle played RT!! The Eagles took OT Lane Johnson #4, and are paying Jason Peters a ton to play LT, so Johnson played RT!! This kinda throws your philosophy right into the ceramic convenience...now doesn't it!

I think Charles Davis from NFL network was the one who knew Spiller would be the Bills pick, as he had him in almost every mock he did that year. Plus he really talked the guy up. Anyway, most of this speculation is fun, but kinda moot until after the combine....a little more then just two weeks away I can't wait until I hear from Mike Mayock on what he has to say about most of these players

Martin stunk it up in 2012 at RT for the Dolphins, so lameoid Phins GM decided not to pay #1 overall LT Jake long because he missed a few games due to an injury and so Jeff Ireland let Long leave in free agency. Then Ireland inexplicably moved Martin from RT where where he graded as one of the worst RT's in the league to LT where he stunk even worse. This move resulted in Miami QB Ryan Tannahill getting killed last season trying to do his job. The guy was pressured in 16 of 23 drop backs in one game alone, and the phins had no run game after letting Reggie Bush leave. READ THIS: http://www.cbssports...spite-cap-space "The problem is, rarely do top linemen, let alone bookend tackles Hickey so badly needs, ever hit the market. Last year's decision to let former first-round pick Jake Long walk and have Martin replace him failed miserably. " This full grown man quit on his team and then gave the excuse he was bullied This move with the O line was probably the biggest reason that the Dolphins fired GM Jeff Ireland! I'd have to think that if Ireland had kept Jake Long at LT, and just brought in Tyson Clabo to play RT and admit he screwed up by drafting Martin in the first place, the Dolphins make the playoffs. Hey, do what Buddy Nix does and move him to guard. BTW, The last nine games Clabo graded at (+22) at RT.

I just can't believe that so many Bills fans here are willing to settle for a bad player, or another with mental issues. Simply because he was drafted high doesn't mean he is worth a darn. In fact he graded (-22) in 2012 before he hit the IR, and then played poorly before he quit on his team in 2013.... the guy sucks! From ROTOWORLD, In regards to Martin That, of course, ignores his 2013 struggles on the field and off-the-field melodrama. Martin had a rough rookie season, as well. He's unlikely to draw interest as a starter http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/7434/jonathan-martin except in Buffalo...

Buffalo Bills quarterback EJ Manuel offers his advice for the top quarterbacks in the 2014 NFL Draft such as Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater and Tajh Boyd. http://www.nfl.com/videos/buffalo-bills/0ap2000000321150/EJ-Manuel-on-top-QBs-in-upcoming-draft A whole bunch of EJ videos after this one finishes

WHATS THIS? No common sense allowed here. Why protect the young QB at all, as he is supposed to be mobile and running the read option. Who cares if by the time that rookie WR-TE has developed into a top NFL player that its time to draft a new QB because the last one was beaten to a pulp! Oh well, he sucked from the start anyway just like all the rest the last 14 years.

Thank you 808 Sustaining drives should be one of the most important areas to improve as the Bills were so bad at just that very thing last year. Its a big reason as to why that 2013 Bills top 10 overall defense, and #5 against the pass defense still looked so bad at times. The offense couldn't sustain drives so the defense was on the field far to long, and by the time the fourth quarter rolled around they simply weren't very effective. Just imagine running it down the Patriots throats and keeping the ball away from Brady! Because there is no way the Bills will win a shootout.

Yet the 19 less sacks don't account for anything? If the Bills want EJ to be their man they had better protect him better. How on earth does anyone expect EJ to develop into a franchise QB getting hit 108 times like the Bills QB's did last year, or getting sacked 48 times. Oh, the Chargers tried to replace Jackson with WR Robert Meachem. You know, the same failed #1 draft pick of the NO Saints that the Bills tried to acquire in free agency, but luckily lost out to San Diego. I suppose the fact that the Bills spent #2 & #3 draft picks on WRs in last years draft is lost on you? Then in 2012 traded up in the draft to get TJ Graham at #3. So, rather then see if any of those three WR's drafted in the first three rounds the last two years develop into anything worthwhile. Go ahead and draft another WR that could take a few years to develop into a top NFL WR. Meanwhile EJ, Lewis & Tuel are getting the snot beaten out of them because the team failed again to upgrade the line! NFN, but under different circumstances I'd love a LBer like Mack, a top WR like Watkins or Evans, or a top TE like Ebron at #9. The Bills need to stop thinking that they can get by with scrubs on that O line.

Yea. so that could be 6 QB's desired in the top 8. Plus the NY Jets have stated they aren't sold on Geno Smith as the starter and may try and grab one of the top 4. Then I'd have to wonder if Carson Palmer is really the man in Arizona or do the cards want a new QB? Anyway, should one of those top four QB's fall to Buffalo they could be in position to get some really good picks for that #9 spot.

You guys gotta understand that 8 teams that draft ahead of Buffalo 5 are desperate for that "franchise QB" Texans-NEED! Manziel Rams-Sam Bradford- DE Clowney Jags-NEED! Bortles Browns-NEED! Bridgewater Raiders-NEED! Carr Falcons- Matt Ryan- OT Greg Robinson Buc's - might want to change QB's with new coaching staff Lovie Smith might want a new QB? LBer Mack Vikings-NEED!? draft a rookie QB in the 2nd? Bills- The Bills should be in great position to trade back should one of those QB's be there @#9. I kinda doubt it tho. However, they will have their pick of one of the top 3 WR's, top 4 OT's, top 3 LBers.

Thanks Again you didn't read my post as QB Phillip Rivers threw for almost 1000 more yards, and was sacks 19 fewer times! Those are huge stats in my view. Not to mention that Rivers played for a known QB guru in Norv Turner in 2012. So I doubt the offensive passing coaching improved that drastically. Wouldn't you agree that the rookie WR did so well because Rivers had more time in the pocket to throw? The disparity of the quarterback rating from 40.57 in 2012 which was very toilet bowl like, to 71.69 and voted to the pro bowl is huge. BTW guess who else had a QBR of 42.26 last season. yea, EJ. Thad Lewis was 24.07, and Jeff Tuel was 9.58 I see the biggest improvement in terms of a different LG, a different LT, and a rookie RT. It might have only been one more win in the difference between the seasons. However the difference in the play of the entire offense, and the QB was astounding in my view.

Good lord another Talleywhacker type Sorry BB he won't be there at #9, as there are current mock drafts that already have your boy moving up to #3 (Rang has him going to the Jags @#3) and more impressively #1 overall by Brugler (whoever that is), and by SB Nation http://www.sbnation....t-blake-bortles Some are already comparing him to another Andrew Luck http://www.cbssports...raft/mock-draft I just don't see the Texans drafting anyone other the Johnny football, as the Houston fans will want to string up the GM if they do.

I agree, I'm done trying to convince you, as most of the points I make you tend to ignore anyway. I suppose you missed my last post I made in this thread pointing out how much the Chargers improved last season by drafting a RT at #11. Ahh well, no matter, as now I know better.

Here is something I find kind of ironic. The Seattle Seahawks traded their third year OG to the Broncos mid season in 2013 this year, and the kid chose not to report and to retire instead. So the Broncos tried to beef up that O line mid season because they knew they needed to upgrade it. http://www.thepostga...-away-1-million Anyway, in regards to the topic at hand, I look at the San Diego Chargers from 2012 to 2013 and the difference that upgrading that O line made. Different coaches, different players, sure. But same scheme, same RB's and most importantly the very same QB that stunk it up after a horrid 2012 season. The guy goes from the toilet bowl to the pro bowl in one year! Just look who his left guard was on that Charger team that made the playoffs...That's right, 2012 Buffalo Bills backup OG Chad Rinehart! The biggest upgrade to that O line in my view was the Chargers drafting DJ Fluker at #11 to play RT. Rivers passed for almost a 1000 more yards 3,606 in 2012 to 4,478 in 2013. A QBR of 40.57 in 2012 to 71.69 in 2013. Took 19 less sacks from 2012 to 2013. Plus, the Chargers made the playoffs. Playoffs, Playoffs! Which is something the 2013 Buffalo Bills could have made "IF" they had properly upgraded that O line at LG after letting both Andy Levitre & Chad Rinehart walk away. Plus, they knew the RT situation wasn't very good with Pears as they had Hairston penciled in to start. They should have upgraded the RT last season, IMHO Will they upgrade this year? Oh, and the latest ''drafttek" mock draft has the Bills drafting Jake Matthews http://www.drafttek....raft-Round1.asp Four good OT's in this years top 16 players, Matthews, Robinson, Lewan, and Kouandjio. no excuses!

We were discussing the O line, and not the WR corps. What exactly does TJ Graham have to do with the talk about drafting offensive tackles? That 2013 Dolphin team would have probably made the playoffs this season if they had kept Jake Long instead of letting him leave!Then replacing him with garbage player in Tyson Clabo like the Buffalo Bills did with their LG situation. Both tackles for the Dolphins played horribly this season in newly acquired RT Tyson Clabo & they moved LT Jonathan Martin from RT to LT, and after he had a bad 2012 season in which he ended the year with a (-22.0) grade. The Bills D line had those two Dolphins tackles for lunch in both games. I would think that the phins entire O line mess was the primary reason as to why the Dolphins fired GM Jeff Ireland after this season. Funny how that article mentions Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, and Aaron Rodgers and how they don't have top O lines. Interesting how that comes into play this year. Rodgers was out injured for a lot of games this season. Plus I'll bet that both Peyton Manning and Tom Brady wished they had a better line. Meanwhile poor Eli was running for his life because of that crappy NT Giant O line. I'd be willing to bet that all four of those teams will be looking to upgrade their O lines this off season, and all four QB's wished they had Jake Long at LT.

No offense here, but a crappy WR really has nothing to do with this conversation. Aaron Rodgers and Big Ben have both won super bowls and are arguably two of the best QB's in the league. Yet they both take an high inordinate amount of sacks, hits, pressures because they tend to hold onto the ball until their receivers get open. Matt Ryan was in the playoffs the last few years, and the Falcons let the line go, and promptly paid for it with a horrific season. Guess what, the Falcons will be beefing up that line this year. The same can be said for Philip Rivers, and the Chargers in 2012. They upgraded that line with a RT taken at #11 and the result was the an outstanding year for Rivers. Almost 1000 more passing yards and 49 sacks down to only 30. The RT is an important part of the offense. The offensive guards are also important if you want to build a power offensive run game that can control the the line of scrimmage, while also controlling the clock at the same time. Teams need a plan B when the passing game stops working, just ask Peyton.

A WR or TE isn't going to be a viable option if the QB has no time to throw! The Bills brought in TO and it didn't help because they couldn't get him the ball. C'mon, it wasn't just Colin Brown as it was his backup in Sam Young too. This was a debacle that shouldn't be overlooked considering the points I've already made previously in this thread. This wasn't just a single failure. This was a basically a catastrophic failure in replacing the player who graded as the very best pass blocker on the team. The team was exceedingly lucky to have picked up a back up center in case Eric Wood went on IR like has every year the previous three years. Because that was who replaced the two guards on the roster that needed to be out right cut after week six! Then they were also exceeding luck that nobody on that line suffered a serious injury because all they had on that O line were 3 scrubs right off the waiver wire. I gotta wonder if this happened at any other position on the team if you would be alarmed by it, as you seem to think that the O line can be manned by nobody's and paid a minimal amount. How would you feel if the Bills let Jairus Byrd leave to another team, and then his replacement graded as the very worst player in the NFL after 6 weeks, and even his backup graded as poorly. Then both were outright cut after week six, and then were marginally replaced by a not very good nickle back who graded in the red?

Jonathan Martin, I wouldn't touch him even if he were the very last OT on earth. Here is why, NFL O linemen are needed to have quite toughness, and a mean steak. Not bail on the team because someone is bullying them. Me personally, I'd find a way to get the guy alone and settle our differences one on one. This wasn't just a question of RI giving the guy a hard time, as it was the entire offense was getting on him for playing so poorly. Martin graded as a bad player! What I don't get is why some of you refuse to understand this. As far as Richie Incognito goes, is he a good NFL OG? You bet! But is he worth the trouble to bring him into a young team? No way! The guy has been a ticking time bomb every where he played, and he had played in Buffalo longer it would have shown up here too. C'mon guys, this team deserves better then Miami Dolphin cast offs!

Oh yea...for those first 4 picks

Yep, I do have an old school mentality and I happen to think that the Bills will need to build an O line of 1st & 2nd round picks at tackle and 2nd & 3rd round picks at guard simply because they don't know the difference between a Colin Brown and a decent player. The Bills currently have a super stacked defense with 9 of 11 players drafted in the first two rounds and where has it gotten them? I firmly believe that this franchise desperately needs upgrades at 3 of the 5 positions on the O line. Be it either a known top free agent or draft picks, i'd prefer the draft picks because those players are younger, and hungrier. The Bills were 20 mill under the cap, and could have easily acquired a decent LG and RT for last season. Trust me on this as I think it would have made a huge difference in developing those young QB's, and building an O line that could actually control the game. Thus not almost leading the league in 3 downs and out, and giving the Bills defense more time on the bench.

What actually sparked his leaving the team was during a meal when he was invited over to the O lineman's table and after he sat down at it, all the others got up and left. This tells me that the entire line, and backups didn't like the guy. Before ending up on injured reserve in 2012 Martin graded out at (-22.0), and he allowed 4 sacks thru week 5 in 2013. In week 7 Miami against the Buffalo Bills Martin graded at (-4.2) in pass protection and allowed 7 pressures (3 hits, 4 hurries) on the Miami QB. ...HE SUCKS! Between Martin & RT Tyson Clabo they allowed 16 pressures on 23 of his dropbacks. He was letting Talleywhacker get killed. There was a real reason his teammates didn't like him. I look at him as pvt Gomer Pyle in FMJ, as a real F-up at the pro level. I'd rather see Pears at RT again...

Not only that, but once a team wins the SB then all of a sudden every team in the league is gunning for them, and this makes it so difficult to repeat even once. The Bills downfall was losing OC Ted Marchibroda to the Colts, and then losing Bill Polian.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, and being named to the pro bowl isn't quite the big deal it was back then. I can tell you for a fact that it was a huge deal back then as the player got a free trip to Hawaii, and that started in 1980. The players back then wanted to win the game because the payout for the losers was 10k and the winners received 20k which was a good deal of money back then. They did want to win it, even if you don't believe it. Average NFL salary's were only around 200k at that time. The average salary is now 1.4 million. Today's players make $22,500 for losing and $45k for winning which is considered chicken feed for the super stars that don't want to suffer an injury in a meaningless game. The super star players of today might take the game lightly, but they still want to be named to go to it, as many contracts have incentives in to give a bonus if the pro bowl roster is made. Plus, once a player is named to the pro bowl its like a badge of honor, and immediately they start thinking that they have made it to the upper echelon of the sport and need to be compensated for it. Why not ask Kiko how he feels about not being named to the pro bowl. So many good NFL players playing in obscurity on bad teams would love to be voted to the pro bowl. I need to learn to never trust wiki poop http://en.wikipedia....i/1976_Pro_Bowl

I should have stated Tasker made MVP in the pro bowl as a "Gunner"! Any other NFL player ever accomplish this? To me Tasker is as deserving as any for his 7 pro bowls, 11 seasons on the Bills roster at a position where most players only last three years.

:worthy: :worthy: :worthy: :worthy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKc2EeIdzPE