Sisyphean Bills

I agree with your take, Gordio. Newton was not the only reason but his rare physical attributes helped significantly. The Auburn defense was extremely well prepared and coached for the BCS Title game. (Fairley came out of that game being discussed as a possible #1 overall pick, if anyone cares to remember.) Newton in no way carried Auburn in that game. IMO.

Do you think Newton is the only reason Auburn won the BCS Title?

Any applause for Russ Hardball Brandon?

Robert Quinn doesn't have red flags. He is a red flag.

Given the Bills lousy draft record and the examples you've cited, you have confirmed why chasing positions of need in the draft is arguably not the wisest of strategies. "Experts" may have felt Trent was a great QB, but a few of us noted after his rookie season that he simply moved the chains between the 20s and struggled badly in the red-zone. (And of course, we were called names for noticing this fact.) In fact, there is nothing wrong with bringing in a great player at a position where you have an average player, assuming you really are interested in improving the team overall. A counterexample to the chasing positions of need approach. The Bills in 1987 had just drafted a stud LB from Penn State in the 1st round named Shane Conlan, had stud OLB Darryl Talley, had drafted Eugene Marve a few years earlier, had a promising looking player in Ray Bentley, had brought in Scott Radecic from the Chiefs, and already had a pass rushing specialist in former #1 pick Bruce Smith (not to mention a former Pro Bowler in the middle). They could've looked at that defense and said, "Last thing we need is another LB and/or pass rusher. We got other needs to fill." Bill Polian didn't do that. Instead he pulled off a 3-way trade to land Cornelius Bennett, who became a force and Pro Bowl caliber player for the next 9 seasons.

I recall one game in particular this past season where Locker had horrific numbers in the first half. Yet the game was close and his ability to create offense out of nothing along with Polk's refuse-to-be-tackled running kept them in it. His passing actually was pretty darn good, despite the awful stat line. He was hitting guys right in the hands and they were dropping the ball like they had been coated in grease before the game. Locker is a physical talent. If he gets a chance to sit and develop ala Favre, he just may be what Razzano believes he is, a very special QB. The better QBs out of this draft class will most likely be the ones that are allowed to come along slowly. They are all projects, but some of them will surely be sacrificed and fed to the wolves early.

Putting the dartboard to work... 1: Cam Newton QB Carolina 2: Blaine Gabbert QB Arizona 3: Von Miller LB Buffalo (Thoner's TV better watch out ) 4: Gabe Carimi OT Giants 5: Kyle Rudolph TE Ravens

They could toss in next year's 1st rounder. Actually, just so long as they don't trade their 5th, 6th, or 7th rounders, since that is their wheelhouse...

And yet, there's "no way the Bills might consider trading Lee Evans."

Guy was the only other candidate interviewed for the "GM of Football" post, satisfying the Rooney Rule. That he didn't get the job made him, well, expendable. The interesting thing was that even though his contract was about to expire anyway, the Bills took the time to punch his ticket a few weeks early. Not even a warm handshake for the guy, apparently. "We're only interested in scouting guys that want to play here."

They didn't make the pick though. They merely provided the information that said he would be a perfect fit for the team.

Sort of idiotic to be trumpeting about what a find John Wendling was when a team in your division drafted Tom Brady in the 6th round, isn't it? The one part that should be true though is that they have to prove something this time around. The horse named "But I picked Donovan McNabb!" shouldn't be carrying Modrak any further, unless it is both of them to the glue factory.

A play on a Dick Jauron quote: We looked at our draft board and didn't see a single guy that had proven a thing in the NFL.

Where's OJ?

The problem with picking safe is probably what someone means when they use the term "picking safe". In other words, when I read draftniks using this term, they aren't usually referring to an outright bust of a pick, but they are talking about a Pro Bowl player that was selected by a team that went from bad to middle of the pack. There is nothing wrong with adding Pro Bowlers to your roster, IMHO. (If only the Bills could.) On the other hand, a team does have to take reasonable, calculated chances and dare to be great in order to get to the top. (That does not just mean swinging for the fences on freak athletes in the first round either.) Picking foolishly and recklessly, such as ignoring the tape of what a player actually did in college and staring at his combine numbers and how nice a smile he has, is absolutely not the way to go about building a team either.

When the head coach says that the kid is working his nads off but just plain isn't talented enough to play at this level, do you really think bringing in a new coach to coach a position (ILB) that player doesn't even play really makes one iota of difference?

Why would anyone assume that the Bills have ranked all QBs significantly lower than other positions? This is the scouting staff that ranked John McCargo equal to Haloti Ngata, Aaron Friggin Maybin as a top ten pick, JP Losman a franchise QB, and Fat Mike Williams as a franchise left tackle with ballerina feet. You seriously think they don't see any upside to Newton or Gabbert at all and that Modrak and his scouts have gone off the group think train and given the best QBs in this draft significantly lower grades when most mocks are projecting these 2 in the top 5 or 10?

I'm guessing that "back 7" was a (glaring) typo and he really meant front 7. You don't create QB pressure with your "back 7". (What the heck is a "back 7" for a 3-4 defense anyway?) Besides, like you say, the Bills have the worst run defense in the entire league, and drafting more defensive backs won't improve that situation. PS. Like it or not, Wilson is involved with the team. He's still the owner and boss and it's well known that he's not big on his employees going Donahoe-rogue and not keeping him in the loop.

Bingo. That's pure projection and we should all know how well the Bills project players. Mike Williams and his ballerina feet were the last projection taken almost this high... Kelsay can't play DE in the 3-4. If they try that, he'll leave the Sam and Mike totally exposed. Buddy has been saying that they need to address the run defense and specifically mentioned ILBs and 5-technique players to do so. Miller is neither.

But, the context of the discussion was 1st round, franchise QB selections, so this thought would be a non sequitor. Is that a little green man over there?

The amusing thing from hindsight's perspective is that there were posts after the last draft that suggested Brown really was Nix' franchise QB. Oh, and Wang was our franchise LT. If only.

Actually, this makes perfect sense using "Bills Logic". Drafting kids to play new positions that our proven smartest-guy-in-the-room scouts project to be able to play with zero evidence on tape.

Hope springs eternal.

They did sprint to the podium in record time.

Ah, go for it. Call McCoy a bust. It'll make you feel better. Which is pretty much exactly what his coach said about him.