Leonidas

I wasn't impressed with Fine even before they drafted him. He came off as this slow, lumbering TE. The TE clas is much deeper this year, so if we draft one in the second or third round he could be a major upgrade over a fourth rounder in a weak draft class. There is a bit of truth to that. But I like the idea of having more picks, especially since it's a crapshoot so you get more opportunities to hit paydirt. But I agree that if there's a guy you like at that position, he fills a need (unlike, say, Willis McGahee), and he won't be there x number of picks later, then take him when you have the opportunity. I would also favor trading up for Brian Orakpo in this draft since we'd have the money to sign him and he's clearly the #1 4-3 DE available, and Aaron Maybin may fit a team like Cleveland better anyway. I would explore that option, but not give up anything unreasonable.

Excellent post. We should absolutely be entertaining ideas for trading down, especially on draft day when we might be able to get more. And not just with Philly, like everyone is suggesting. But if we trade down ten spots and still can get Pettigrew and pick up an extra second or third rounder than it was worth it. We'd also get him for less $$. I remember last year Allen Wilson said we would pick Devin Thomas at #11. Thank God the FO had more brains than he did/does. Last year I think the Bills played it right. I remember thinking at the time that for the first time the FO didn't screw the pooch. McKelvin was a good pick, he wouldn't have been there at #20 most likely, and he addressed the position of need while we still had our choice of WR's in the second round (we took Hardy, but we could have taken Thomas or Kelly if we thought they were better prospects - Dan Snyder obviously did, taking both of them). But I do agree with trading down, especially when you can't get what you want at your pick and your next choice(s) can be obtained later on. Great post.

I dunno. I don't think anyone wants Shaun Alexander. Maybe for good reason, though. The Patriots are currently platooning Maroney, Morris, and Fred Taylor, so I don't think a veteran on the cheap is out of the question.

I love the optimism. Although I love the guy, Jackson is hardly "extremely elusive." And why does everyone think Xavier Omon is capable to play in the NFL? In two games he had six carries for five yards, with a long rush of two. I'd settle down on that train and bring in an old hobbled veteran (i.e. Shaun Alexander or DeShaun Foster) to carry the ball five times/game and spell Jackson for the 1-2 games Lynch is suspended. For the record, I'm rooting for Omon in a big way (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3387460), but a cheap insurance policy is the responsible way to go about things. Plus, competition is one of those rising tides that lifts all boats kind of thing.

It doesn't matter, apparently. You'll still get roasted for them here. I'm surprised KnockOut30 isn't all over you for yours...

Put a jersey on!! Put a jersey on!!! http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/..._sapp_ap-01.jpg

Agreed. Not like that dude who has that disturbing Jauron/cheerleader avatar. *shudder* That's pretty spot on. Florence played the nickel very well for SD too, he just couldn't seem to hold the starting spot in Jax. I think he'll work out fine if he even sees the field with the two young surging corners competing with him. A third and a fifth for half of one of the best DT tandems in the last decade with plenty of tread left on the tires isn't a bad gamble to take, I don't think. I'm glad we had Stroud in there to start rather than a John McCargo or a Tim Anderson (I know he was in Dallas last year, but we might have kept him otherwise).

Finally, somebody with some sense. If you don't like it, don't read it. Occasionally Bialy has a good point...even if he has a questionable writing style.

So I read this thread and Googled it, and I found this: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/140376-...or-receiving-te, which gave me hope. Then I found this: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/134389-...er-to-cleveland, and now I just think Bleacher Report is talking out of their ass.

Speed doesn't mean anything if you don't have any size whatsoever, otherwise they'd put DB's at DE. Look, Maybin may be a great 3-4 DE. But at 234 he can't be a 4-3 DE in the NFL, and it's pretty obvious he had trouble running at 249. You think it's bad now? I tried to look up this stuff back in '02 and you couldn't find ANYTHING. At least the Combine is televised now...

That's actually an excellent point. There's a reasonable chance Crabtree and Maclin will both be gone by #8 too since everyone in the free world is expecting Al Davis to take Maclin and SOMEONE to take Crabtree early. But he might fall, especially with the injury. And no, we have no room for Matt Jones, unless he wants to join C.J. Hawthorne and P.K. Sam on the practice squad.

Peppers is a top five DE. Peters had one good year. FO: WAKE UP AND GET THIS GUY IN!

Thank you. Finally someone with some sense. Too bad he didn't eat anyone alive with his three sacks this past season.

My thoughts EXACTLY...

Making it to the Pro Bowl as an offensive lineman is more or less irrelevant. Leading the league in sacks allowed doesn't result in being the highest paid lineman in the league unless you live in topsy-turvy land. At some point you have to take a stand. Jake Long was overpaid, but he was the #1 overall pick. If Peters doesn't understand that then good riddance. Or hey, we've got you under contract for two more years, and then we'll franchise you for $8M/year. Play hardball with him. I wouldn't have offered him $8.5M; he certainly didn't earn it. If you think you need a top LT to win a Super Bowl, you're crazy. If you think you need a $10M/year LT to win a Super Bowl, you're crazy. The Colts won it with Tarik Glenn ($4.5M), the Patriots won it several times with Matt Light ($3.9M), the Steelers won it with Max Starks ($6.9M); the Cardinals made it with Mike Gandy ($0.6M)!!!! Give me a break; that money could be better spent elsewhere. Personally, I don't care where you're from, you still don't understand a lick about football. If you don't understand that a pass rush helps out your defense overall and helps get turnovers and more opportunities for your offense which in turn helps your offense and puts less pressure on them, this conversation is already over. You also [conveniently] ignored the fact that the Bills were 28th in the league in sacks with 24 (compared to the Super Bowl winning Steelers who were 2nd with 51), meaning we weren't getting any pressure on the QB. The tandem of Kelsay/Denney was an embarrassment. There's some truth to the phrase "offense wins games, defense wins championships." Remember the 2007 Super Bowl?? Do they win without the Strahan/Umenyiora/Tuck/Kiwanuka/Alford combo putting pressure on Brady all night? Get a clue, dude.

Not sure what that means. I played fantasy football once and I hated it. Took a team game and broke it down into individual accolades.

Maybe two years ago. Galloway's a dinosaur.

It doesn't matter at all. They've got Moss, Welker, and Greg Lewis (former Eagle) as their #1-3 WR's. Galloway is a #4 who will see some time but isn't essential for them at all.

Great. Very helpful... So Clady is "underpaid" and that's irrelevant, but Jake Long being "overpaid" - and EVERYONE agrees that he is - isn't irrelevant? Yeah, that makes sense. Peters isn't the best left tackle in the league, much less the best offensive lineman in the league, sorry.

Three "top-notch" DE's? Are we signing Suggs and Strahan too? Cause we don't have two "top-notch" DE's. Pace will come substantially cheaper than Peters and will certainly be a solid LT for a few years (if he can stay healthy - unlike Jason Peters). Personally I'd rather pay Peppers than Peters; Peppers has shown he can be the top DE in the game with incredible versatility and ball skills, as well as his ability to get to the QB. Peters has shown he's fully capable of giving up 11.5 sacks in 13 starts. LT is an important position, but there are more solid LT's out there than dynamic DE's like Peppers. What it took the Bills to get Peters is irrelevant. I think it's very possible to get Philly's first two picks for Peters and probably wouldn't want to trade him for any less (unless we got the Herschel Walker trade, of course). Oh good, you're still here...and still a d-bag. My thoughts, almost to a T. Didn't they get a 7th too? I've heard reports they did. Detroit robbed that !@#$ in Dallas...

I wasn't trying to be a dick, but you said you don't understand how people aren't "getting" it. You and a few others compare him to Jake Long - but what about all the other tackles in the league? So Jake Long - as the #1 overall pick - is extremely overpaid. Now every single LT contract should be reworked? Top ten picks are always overpaid. The new deal makes Peters the second highest paid lineman in all of football. If he doesn't like it then enjoy your time in Philly, I'm sure we'll be well compensated for him.

You don't understand why an undrafted free agent shouldn't be paid like a #1 overall pick? You don't understand that rookie contracts for top ten picks are way out of wack? You don't understand that this contract would pay him more than the second highest paid lineman in the league, Alan Faneca? You don't understand that he gave up 11.5 sacks last year and proved that he's not a very good teammate and certainly not an "elite" tackle in this league??? What don't you understand, exactly??? You keep comparing him to the overpaid Long. Great. What about Ryan Clady? He's signed a six-year, $14.75M contract

What???? Orlando Pace has played LT every snap of his career. And I said two firsts and a second day pick, as in a late-rounder. There has been a lot of speculation not only on this board, but on Buffalo radio that Philly would be willing to part with at least two first round picks for him, so it's not out of the question. Thank you, that's what I've been saying for days now. If someone else wants to pay him like an elite tackle and will give us substantial value for him then send him on his way. He had one nice season at RT and one solid one at LT. Then he sh-- the bed at LT for an entire season. That doesn't sound elite. Pace is a HOF LT, even if he is 33. He still gave up about 10 fewer sacks than Peters last year.

Well aren't you fun... My point was that it wasn't just a Jason Peters thread or a draft thread or a "sign Cato June" thread, but a thread on what the Bills should do facing all these situations at once. Thanks for your input though, it's invaluable...

Trade Peters for two 1st round picks and a second-day pick to Philly. If we have to throw in a mid-rounder to seal the deal then so be it. Turn around and send those two picks to Carolina for Julius Peppers, then sign Orlando Pace to a 2 year/$10M deal to play LT. Draft a mid-round (2nd/3rd round) LT to groom into the starting role (assuming this Demetrius Bell guy doesn't get it done) and let Pace - who only gave up 2.5 sacks last year (to Peters', what, 13.5?) - protect Trent's blindside. Then trade out of the #11 pick (assuming we didn't have to send it for Peppers) down to about #20 (and grab another third round pick while we're at it) and take our choice of TE (I assume Pettigrew is still the consensus #1 TE since apparently Nelson and Cook can't block?). Then, assuming we have signed an OLB and a LG we start drafting for depth and for the future, starting at LG/OL, FS, LB, DE, etc. Thoughts?