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There was mention of OLB not helping the overall defense improve nearly as much as help in the middle - and, I have to agree that on the whole, I believe a very good NT is more important to a defense than any other position, merely because the best NT/DT's can totally take away the opponents run game up the middle. When that happens, the defense only has to account for outside runs/passes - and that makes it so much easier to defend, not to mention all the freedom given the linebackers behind the monster NT's. It is a point seldom discussed here, but I think a beast like Phil Taylor would do more for this defense than any other one positional aquisition. At 3 everyone would object, but I bet he ends up giving the team he goes to a top seven or eight run defense right away. As for Peterson, it occurred to me that we have McKelvin - a high 1st, Byrd - a high 2nd, Whitner - a high first (granted, he'll be gone, most likely), but you add Peterson to that, and I would think we'd have the highest drafted secondary in the NFL, and it'd be tough to find a secondary anywhere with higher picks. So, if we do draft him, at least we stand to have a strength to build from. Ideally, I want game changers - and I think there will be a few game changing QB's in this year's draft class. If Nix and Gailey think they can land him with our 1st or our 2nd, I hope they make the move if they are confident in the kid's potential.

The closer the draft approaches, the more I'm thinking like this: there are the guys like Dareus, Von Miller, Peterson who are pretty safe picks - certain to be consistently good for a long time, one of whom we'll have a shot at, but, there are also guys in just about every draft who are so good they almost redefine the position, or at least stand above the rest of the players at that position - guys like Brady, Manning, Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Bruce Smith was a great example, or Lawrence Taylor - guys that alone make the team stronger - I'd say Green Bay's Clay Matthews and the Steeler's Palumala(?) are more modern examples, too. Anyway, when I look at our roster, there are a lot of role players, guys that will play hard, and a good foundation is beginning, but with that fist pick, it would be nice if we could land a player who will really be a one-of-a-kind talent, and QB is the position, Cam Newton specifically, that comes to mind. I'm not saying him necessarily, but he makes a good example of the type of incredible talent we should be looking for. I recently read an article on Newton from a sports writer who was following his time at Auburn, and this guy was just gushing about how much of a Super Man Newton was amongst othewise very good competition - examples of him running for over 150 yards like 6 times, I think, and one time leaping like 7 yards through the air into the endzone - descriptions of a talent that could translate into one of those players who could give our team a chance to win every time we walk out onto the field - and, I think he is who Nix was referring to when he made those comments about getting that kind of QB. With Newton comes risk. He probably will be gone by 3, too. So, is there another player or players who might fit that type of explosive, once in a generation type of mold? Fairley seems like he might be that good, eventually, and he is projected to have dropped, now, all the way to maybe 10 or 12. Quinn? I know, it's a pretty general statement - that we should maybe try to get a superstar, but I think you can understand what I'm getting at - that I hope we find not just an excellent pro, but an allpro, game changer - and we should take the risk to attempt to get the reward, because as it is, the best of the best aren't lining up to come to Buffalo via F.A.

Besides Dareus and Peterson, I think Cam Jordan is one of the surest picks to make at #3. We need a DE, one who can move around, in and out of a 3-4 and a 4-3, and one who can be effective against the run while able to rush the passer. He fits that mold and might prove to be the best of the bunch in 3-5 years. So, yeah, I can't understand why people say it'd be a reach at 3. He's right in the mix with Fairley, Quinn, Dareus, Bowers, and Miller as the most NFL ready, or regards potential. I'd be more than happy to see the Bills pick him. It's not a reach if the guy is one of the best at his position - between him and the other 3 or 4 who have similar bodies and strengths, it is really a matter of preference, not so much one being better than the other. Fairley is the only guy, really, to be explosive, to stand out as a Monster among men, at times, even often. The only thing with Fairley is he might not be the best fit for a 3-4. I don't know, I think I still would take Fairley, considering he's doing what he's doing with only a few years of D-line training. He's by all practical purposes a novice still, and he's that explosive. Imagine what he'll do in a few years with weight training and coaching... so, I think I'd like to see the Bills go Fairley, but I would be as happy with Dareus or Cameron Jordan. One thing that really bothers me is seeing the Patriots end up with Jordan all the way down in middle of round one - because it would be just like them to end up walking away with the stud who ends up being the best anyway. Here's to hoping the Bills brass has it figured out (and I think with Nix, Whaley, Wannstedt, and Gailey, not to mention Modrak, all making assessments, it seems there is reason to hope we'll still be picking starters in the fourth round this year) and we're the team to walk away with all the steals. Last year's draft was a good start, IMO.

This time of year has been, for the last decade, in some ways more exciting for me than late fall - because there is so much hope that when I look at the holes on this roster, and I look at F.A. and the draft and see obvious matches, and I put together a few scenarios where the Bills have a great offseason and are finally set to compete - all that is alive right now. Too bad the recent years have left me scratching my head. However, Since Nix took over I do believe I see where he's going. I am one of a what seems to be a few that think last year's draft was good. I think Carrington is going to be a real good DE for a long time, and I think Troupe could become a solid, unique talent at NT or DT. I think Spiller was more a matter of grabbing a piece of what Gailey wanted to have complete in a few years - a legitimate RB, WR, QB tandem that he could go places with. They proved correct in seeing there wasn't the QB there to take, so they took the RB, and I think Spiller is going to prove as good as we hoped. Then there's Moats, Easley, Batten, Coleman, Jones, Nelson - those are solid additions. Anyway, this year it is really no secret they need to get better in the Defensive front seven and at QB - and it looks like F.A. will offer them options at RT and TE, so I see them going front seven or QB with their first two picks, and linebackers somewhere in their first five picks. It's just a matter of what combination - and with the talent available this year, and our excellent positions in each round, I just don't see a way they can leave round four without 3 or 4 new starters - and at positions of importance: QB, DE/DL, OLB and ILB. I still have faith in Nix, Whaley, and Gailey - let's hope they wow us and that we have a team with real potential this year to look forward to.

I saw the best case scenario when Nix and Gailey got together to "right the ship" for Buffalo as 3 years. 3 years to be in the mix for a run into the playoffs, and from there we should stay competitive as long as the guys running the show stay on top of it. So, this year is year 2. Year one they got together as many solid prospects as they apparently could - and as it stands they have competence on the D-line surrounding an outstanding K. Williams, who should thrive for another 3-4 years. If Troupe pans out, adds some strength and can stay around 330 we could have a very good NT for years to come. Or we'll be in need of a very good NT. That positional need should be more clear by the season's end, but I wouldn't pass on a guy like Phil Taylor in the 2nd. We also need another stud to give more opportunity to K. Willimas - and another stud would benefit from K. Williams, as well, so adding a star DE is really a wise move at #3, I think. They have 2 holes in the linebacking corps, with Moats as a potential stud, Poz as a solid, reliable type, Merriman as boom or bust, and Batten as wait and see. We need a star to make the group a strength, and we need another body to fill the total to where we can be good with it. Our safety position will be more clear after this season. Can Byrd and Wilson be a good combo? So, too, will our CB position. Obviously we'll need another guy, but can McKelvin be a star? By the end of the year we'll know, but I think we should use the depth in this draft to add a DE, possibly a NT if he's the right guy at the right time, and 2 linebackers. That way going into year 3 of the rebuild we can just focus on the secondary. As for the offense, our interior of the line is settled, I think. We need a RT - and I believe they'll address that in F.A. this year, so that by the year's end we'll either have a really nice group on the line, or we'll know Bell isn't LT material and we'll be adding LT to the list next offseason. Fitz is a good backup, a perfect backup actually - so that Franchise QB, I think, will be added this year. The only question is whether it will be in the first or the second round. If they believe Kaepernick, Locker, or Ponder can be franchise guys, they'll wait until the second, I think. If they have no confidence in them, or Dalton, then I think they pull the trigger on whichever QB is left at #3 - but, either way we'll have Gailey's man on our roster come summer. Our RB's are good. Our Wideouts are pretty solid right now. We have Easley coming back, who by all accounts was looking outstanding last spring. I think we'll sit on WR this year and see how the group looks by year's end. TE is another position I see us addressing in F.A. So, that leaves, after year 2 (this summer and fall) a team with a young, promising O-line in place, a rookie QB either playing or being groomed, RB's on roster, WR's on roster, and TE, too. In other words, all we'll be looking at in year 3 of the rebuild is a LT (if Bell doesn't look strong this season) and maybe a WR/TE. On defense, we'll have, come summer, our front seven in place (I believe), our linebackers in place - although I think we'll continue to add LB's every year like Pittsburgh usually does in some capacity. We'll be leaving to year 3 the secondary. I like the looks of this plan, and it is how I see us going forward. With the talent in this draft, I think we cannot come away from round 4 without a starter at DE and at least an ILB, maybe both ILB and OLB.

I agree wholeheartedly! I can't see us passing on the big Defensive guys at #3 because we so desperately need a stud in the front seven to match up with Williams and to create pressure on QB's and to stuff the run, so someone like Dareus, Fairley, Quinn, Jordan, even Miller at 3 and then go get Ponder with the 34 pick - which is how I see this draft playing out. Ponder isn't getting the hype that Newton/Gabbert are getting, but I think he'll have just as productive a career as those guys, and maybe the most pro-ready QB of the class. In that scenario we end up with two franchise players, as opposed to going QB at 3 and the talent you'd get at 34 probably won't be probowl level - you never know, as the TE pick might be that good, but I just think the safer way is Defense 1, Qb 2, LB 3 and then BPA rest of the way.

I agree that there are different ways to go about drafting, with short or long term goals being met, and every GM would go about it a little differently, but I think our GM is pretty set on building a team that will be good year in and out, which means a good Defense and a good QB. As our guys see it, Fitz can get us by for another year if there isn't a consensus Franchise QB at #3. But, until we have the Franchise QB, that must be the top need. Now, if I'm building the team, I would look at our players and determine which group is closer than the others to being special. By group, I mean what area of our team is close to good/great - I know, a reach. Our team needs an identity. Are we going to be a light it up offensive team that is going to try to outscore our opposition and get by with a defense that will be just good enough to keep us on top at the end, or are we going to be a Defense first team, and will that be a stop the run, run the ball type team, or aggressive, go after the QB, speed, turnovers type defense? I know there are unlimited combinations, and really no two defenses or offenses are alike, but what I'm getting at is we need to have a type of team in mind so we can draft the right kinds of players to make that vision come to fruition, and we need to know what type of players to look for so we can find the right fits, especially in the later portions of the draft. Now, if I'm the GM I would look at our team, look at the talent in the draft, and I'd say this - "we're not going to be a championship team by the end of the year, but, we could concievably have a championship defense by the end of the year with the right draft, and using F.A. we could add a RT and a TE, and maybe a LB, so that by next year we only need to add maybe a QB, S, and WR or so." Then I'd try to trade down. If not, I'd get the best D-lineman Linbacker combo in the first two rounds, or D-lineman, QB, LB combo in the first 3 rounds if a good QB is still there for the taking in rd 2. I've said it before on here, this draft is too deep not to come away with 3 or 4 very good starters after the first 4 rounds are over, and I'd like them to be DE, QB, OLB, ILB. We can go for sleeper talent, high risk/high reward the rest of the draft and rely on F.A. to get a TE and RT.

Thank You! I couldn't agree more. Enough Kelsay types. We have a team full of character guys now, who do play their tails off. We need excellence, or at least real intangible laden leadership in the position like QB. The more I hear about Newton, the more I view video on him vs Gabbert, the more it is obvious who is a better overall prospect - I think Newton has things that Gabbert doesn't - Newton has some Rothlisberger in him in his ability to sense pressure, to scramble to make plays. Yet, on the whole, I believe there are a lot of quality QB's in this class, much more than recent years, that could end up as quality starters - and I think there are three to five potential Franchise QB's in this crop. It's a perfect match of fate that Buffalo is picking so high this year in all the rounds, because it so happens the draft is deep where we are lacking in more than one area. Thinking Big and taking risks is needed. We need playmakers in teh front seven, at QB, the secondary wouldn't hurt, O-line wouldn't hurt. We're not going to get them all in the draft, but we should expect that this year we come away from rounds 1-4 with at least 2 stars and another 2 starters at positions of need. There is enough depth at OLB, DE, DT, WR, and QB that we should be leaving round 4 with a QB, a DE or 2, and a LB or 2. And, we are what we are talent wise, so I hope to see Buddy being aggressive, thinking outside of his age/experience box that dictates "we just pick, we don't mess around with trading...(paraphrasing)" and that he moves around to go after the talent we need at the top of this draft. We could have the core of a playoff roster in place after the draft, UDFA, and FA of this year. No excuses, and no more poor drafting (and I do think last year's draft was a good one for setting up quality depth at areas of weakness, but now we need some real stand out playmakers).

I don't know... there isn't a whole lot, usually, seperating the good and the bad, in the NFL, in terms of talent and execution, so that the good teams might have performed badly if one or two things had gone differently, and the bad teams might have performed much better if one or two small things might have gone differently, and that being the case, it is usually easy to say things like "Edwards couldn't have done much better with what he had, or the talent was poor, or it was year one, etc.". But, I saw things in that Defense last year that worried me on a scheme/gameplan level, not to mention a real failure at times to adapt or to change the play selections - it looked, at times, like they simply refused to try different things, while what they were trying had glaring holes that teams were weekly taking advantage of. So, all things considered - he did have challenges of time and talent, but other men have done more with as much or less. So, I think he'll get a chance, but I don't think there is a guy on this staff under Nix that would be given two years of total incompetence without being replaced, including Gailey (although his offense did improve, and I think he's done well, if he hadn't, and if our team's offense stunk, I don't think he'd be given more than two seasons of that type of performance). Nix has an urgency about him with this thing - he knows there is a very real parameter on viability in Buffalo from the owner's longevity, the Bills lease in Buffalo, the fan's expectations, and his own time-frame from a GM's perspective (it should take 2-4 years to turn a team around as a new GM). So, if the Defense is still bad by the end of the season it will be Wannstdet taking over, and if it is terrible out of the gates, by the bye week I could see changes made.

If I'm the Bills, I'm targeting Ponder, Locker, Dalton, or Kaepernick sometime after the first. This draft offers such unique talent - there is so much D-line talent, defensive talent overall, WR talent - that the QB's don't stand out as much; yet, there are perhaps six or seven QB's in this draft that could concievably become starters in the NFL - Locker, Ponder, Newton, Gabbert, Mallett, Dalton, Kaepernick - and I'm not excluding Alabama's QB, either - the guy is so smart, and is capable of running a shorter, west coast style passing game, kind of in the mold of Pennington. Anyway, I believe the "second" tier guys, as the experts label them, have as much a chance of becoming stars at the QB position as do the top three. Kaepernick could be better than Newton in two or three years. Ponder looks like a Drew Brees type QB. Sure, they might not all become good, but I just think this draft offers the Bills the perfect chance to take a real defensive playmaker with their first pick and still walk away with a real exciting QB prospect that could be a franchise guy. Let's just hope the F.O. gets the picks right.

When I look at this year's draft, and I look at our Bills and where we need strengthening, I don't think I could have made the draft much better had I designed it myself like a Madden game. We are weak in our front seven in the 3-4 look. This draft has D-linemen that could be starters that will still be drafted in the 3rd round. There are enough linebackers to get two starters if we pick them up in the first four rounds. As for QB's - I think this year's stock is as promising as we've seen since the Manning, Rivers, Rothlisberger year. Potentially there could be Mallett, Locker, Newton, Gabbert, Ponder, Kaepernick, Dalton, that all end up starters - and there are guys like Alabama's QB who will be taken as an excellent career backup, or Pennington type who is so smart and accurate short range as to be able to execute a specific offense to perfection. I bet he gets drafted by a team like the Patriots - a team that values intelligence. My point here is that we can come away from the fourth round with starters at DE, ILB, QB, and maybe OLB or RT if we play our cards right. Our second rounder is practically a 1st - there will be starting talent to be had there, and my guess is that is where we grab either Ponder, Luck, or Kaepernick, with Ponder as the lead candidate. When it comes to picking talent at the QB position I'm going to trust our F.O. - remember, last year they probably felt a ton of pressure for passing on Clausen and McCoy - I know a season ticket holder who was ready to stop renewing when they passed on Claused in the second. But it hindsight, they didn't overreach for a guy they didn't believe was better than what they had - and look how good Fitz played. I mean, sure, we need a better QB to go all the way (or an insanely great D), but at least we know if they grab one high they believe he has what it takes to be very good, and after watching Gailey I think I'd be happy if he took Ponder, Locker, or Kaepernick in the 2nd and I'd be confident we could have a Franchise QB in the pick. Our third and fourth are so high as to make it almost a certainty that starter level talent will still be on the board at those picks, too. If we had the mind-set that we had to draft certain positions - like D, then we might not get best value - starter value - at those spots. I'd rather walk away from those rounds with steals, even if we have to wait a little longer to put every defensive piece in place. With our holes, you've got to take what is given. I don't think we should narrow it down to just fixing the D. We could, if we spent our first four picks on D, probably come away with a starter at CB, DE, and ILB. But, the more I think about the depth in certain areas of this draft, the more I believe we should come away with a starter at DE, QB, and ILB after the first 3 rounds. We can get a TE and a RT in F.A.

You go about making the playoffs in 2011, first, by drafting excellently. I believe the best way to win our division, and make the playoffs, the single best approach to handling the AFC East, especially N.E. and N.Y.J - is put together a monster pass rush, contain the edge, and be stout against the run. In other words, fortify our front seven with an eye towards pass rush. Now, who do we have now to build that style around? K. Williams is good at creating pressure in the middle. Moats, I think, can add some pressure from the outside. Carrington is going to be better - and that seems to be his style. Merriman could be that type - but we'll need to see it for a few games before we can count on it. So, Williams, Troupe, Carrington are all good on the D-line. I think we need to add a monster D-lineman who can generate pressure alone, and simultaneously take blocks away from Williams and Carrington, not to mention LB's. Now we can take a DE in round one, or go LB in one and DE in two - in which case we take Miller or Quinn to add heat from the outside. I believe if we could add someone like Bowers, Fairley, Cameron Jordon to go along with our D-line, we'd all of a sudden have a line that could cause trouble. If we could add some real heat from the LB's - Wilson in round two has similar speed as Miller, but could be hitting the inside, to match Merriman and Moats - that is if Maybin remains on the bench. Imagine what our rush would be like if the light went on for him - that group could cause some noise. There's my approach for making playoffs - the route of the Giants the year they won it all.

I totally agree about greatness. We have guys on the D-line and even as LB's who are capable and can make plays. Carrington and K. Williams on the D-line will make plays, and you know Williams is going to be fighting each and every play - but, imagine how much better they'd be if there were a real monster DE opposite them, who was demanding half the line's attention? They'd both be that much better. Same goes with our linebackers. I think we can do with competent ILB's who have enough speed to cover (I'm hoping for Wilson in the second round), but if we had an OLB who could shut down one side of the field, then those types just multiply the talents of everyone around them. If I'm picking at #3 overall, I'm not looking for safe, I'm looking for an all-pro game changer.

There is more than one way to execute a draft. I would say it is imperative to take advantage of the draft's positions of strength - this year that is, in my opinion, D-line, OLB, and QB. That is a perfect fit for Buffalo. When you look at potential one-two picks that will together add to the Defense, one can argue that Peterson (making a Peterson, Florence, McGee, and McKelvin cb combo one of the league's best, potentially) at 3, and with our second someone like Cameron Heyward, or Marvin Austin - a D-lineman prospect who might go in the fist in a different year, and with our 3rd we pick up someone like Mathews or Kelvin Sheppard - and there, we have a defense that might be pretty good. I'd rather we get Dareus, Quinn, or Fairley with the one pick, Wilson or Ponder/Locker with our second, and a linebacker with the 3rd - but, I guess my point is there is enough talent in this draft to walk away with starters at three or four positions - and potentially good ones - if the cards are played right. I think the fans should have reasonably given this staff until this season to show a competitive team; and they should be able to put a team out there that looks like it is ascending, becoming a playoff team. If after this draft/offseason we're still 2-3 years away, I think we can take that to mean there is a value higher than winning in the minds of ownership and management. But either way, it will be a lot clearer by mid-summer.

If we were to stick to the top of these Mock drafts and go with one of the top two DE's, OLB's, CB's we're going to end up with a star. Quinn, Von Miller, Dareus, Fairley, Peterson - any one of those guys would help us. I thought of the prospect of getting Quinn/Miller in RD 1 and Wilson in RD 2 (who, coincidentally, has virtually the same measurables as Miller in speed, strenght, quickness) and I see us going forward with Quinn/Miller, Poz, Wilson, Moats/Merriman - and we've got a dynamite linebacker corps for the next five years or so. In the third pick up the best DE we can - and there should be a good one still available, or a QB who drops, and by the end of this draft we could plug up some major holes with some real NFL quality talent. I really believe after this draft we should have many fewer holes, and be looking at finally going into 2012 offseason as one where we can put the finishing touches on a contender.

I know this thread is more about who the Bills will surprise people with at the 3 pick, but, the more I consider our needs, the more I wish Buddy Nix could find a way to trade down some and pick up an extra second round pick. My reasoning is simple: the guys that could really help us aren't necessarily 3 picks. Guys like Cam Jordan, Quinn or Von Miller, or a QB - one of these guys could probably be had at around 8-10. Now, if we're sitting at 8-10 already I'd be complaining, only because there's no compensation in the form of extra picks to be there; I'm just thinking that guys like Phil Taylor, Martez Wilson, one of the QB's like Mallet or Locker - the fringe 2nd rounders, there are a group of guys we would do well to get with our second pick that are close to where we'll be drafting, but might be gone just five to ten picks earlier, that could make a great one-two punch with our first picks. Either way, the cards might fall right for us. It is a very deep draft and we should be picking starters until round 4, I think. Anyway, there are a lot of potentially great picks in the first 2/3 rounds this year. More than we'll see in next year's draft, I think. So, I believe, even if we have to give up something in next years draft, we should do what we can to trade up a little to grab where the strength is this year, and walk out of the first few rounds with a combination of guys like Dareus/Cam Jordan, Phil Taylor, Martez Wilson, Peterson, Paea, Kelvin Sheppard, Miller, Quinn, Sturdinvant, Heyward - these guys will be going in the first 3 rounds. If we can manage to walk away with a DE, NT, and ILB out of the bunch, preferably both ILB and OLB by round 4, then we can add them to our young front seven and not worry about it again for five years. Go with what the draft has to offer. This year it's big defensemen. And, I think, it's a deep draft for QB's - we might see a good one fall.

In response to the 3-4 comments - part of Buffalo's current problem with draft selections, aside from missing on talent altogether, is that players can be found in any round of the draft, and after in college F.A., if the GM knows how his team is supposed to look. A guy like Parcells goes into a team knowing how he wants his defenses to look. He likes big linebackers, hard hitting safeties, and big, fast D-linemen (I know that is simplified, but he knows how he wants his OLB's and ILB's to look), so, he can identify a guy who might play for a small school as a DE, and say "this guy has all the physical tools I'm looking for in a OLB" and then draft him in a later round, maybe - but the point is, there is plenty of talent in every draft class, the hardest part is knowing what the pieces you need look like. With the switch to a 3-4, I kind of got the impression (and, I keep telling myself I don't know what I'm talking about and that Nix, Gailey, and Co. have a ton of experience and know what they're doing) that Nix and Gailey decided they wanted a 3-4 because it was better suited for the NFL. Just a plain, generic 3-4. They go out and get a coordinator who isn't a specialist in that scheme. They mainly stick with the personnel they had from a small Tampa 2 defense - and our defense got killed against the run to a historical degree. If Nix knew what his 3-4 was supposed to look like, down to the size of the various players and their attitude and on-field responsibilities, then he could have found bigger guys and brought them in as LB's last year, and we might have gotten a stereotypical NT. Now, with the addition of Wanndstadt, I'm scratching my head. I know I'm glad we have his expertise on staff, but I don't know if their "Hybrid" defense is a matter of being master-minds and knowing that such a defense, envisioning one specifically, can be great, or, if it just a matter of them not being able to part ways with players who don't fit a good 3-4, and so instead just having a handicapped combination that doesn't do either excellently? There is talk from guys like Bellicheck that the 4-3 is going to come back because the 3-4 has become so predominant and teams are designing offenses to attack the 3-4. Now, I can only hope our coaches are trying to put together a unique defense that can manhandle any team. I can say this: we fans know what we need for our defense to be better. We need bigger LB's - at least an OLB and an ILB, we need a more traditional NT, unless Troupe has added a bit of weight and strenght, and we need another DE. That's just the front seven, and that should be addressed this offseason if they're serious about being competitive. As for the O-line, we got handled by some teams last year, and did o.k. in other games. Either way, we're not dominant. If our staff believes we are still a year or two away from competing, they should get their lines in order now, so going forward there is consistency. I mean, the lines need to be solid in order to function any scheme. Let's hope they get it done this year.

Here goes optimism: I think we have some quality starters on the O-line in Bell, Levitre, Wood, Ubrik, and then I think we have reliable to good backups in Rhinehard, Pears, Hangartner - now, Pears might be good enough to be a good starter, or Rhinehart - but, we could stand to get better until our line is dominant - I don't think anyone argues that. But, Our line, I think has shown, is growing and getting better and is good enough (we just want dominant). Our D-line has (I'm projecting to what I think these guys will do) three quality starters in K. Williams, Carrington, D. Edwards, and a potential talent in Troupe. However, we need - just like with the O-line - to be dominant, not just average. So, we add DE/NT. People will say, if our line was good, why did we get tore up last year in Rushing Yards Allowed? My response to that is that our talent wasn't bad - it just wasn't ideally suited to the 3-4. Troupe and Williams would be a fine 4-3 DT combo. It's just that we (in my opinion just about any team should have) a behemoth who can stop the run by himself - I'm hoping we can get Phil Taylor in the second (he'd be worth trading up 4-5 picks to get, too, because a NT who can just stop the run up the middle totally changes a team's defense). Our WR's are good enough to start - again, they're going to get better with experience, and that means we'll have a group a lot like Green Bay, I think. Sure, we could add talent to make the group exceptional... a trend is appearing here. LB's. Moats, Merriman, Poz - they could be above average. Davis, Batten, Coleman, Maybin could be good, could be at best 3rd string - we have young guys that could develop into a strong group (Pittsburgh has LB's that didn't become good for a few years, they just are usually sure to give their guys the time to develope). I think if we added a Quinn, or Miller, on the outside and a Wilson, say, on the inside, we'd go from lacking to strong on the LB position. Our secondary is good, but is in turnover, and we'll need to add some talent. I think with the right additions it could be a strength, and with neglect it could turn into a weakness. Here, like other places, the style of play on the defense makes a difference - with a nasty pass rush our secondary would be fine as is, but left to cover too long and they don't hold up. QB is serviceable. TE is non-existant; although, I'm not giving up on Nelson turning into a really dangerous second TE in a two TE set. I happen to think RB is going to be a real strength for us this year. Spiller is going to be a terror this year. What is my point here? We have a lot of areas that aren't crying needs - TE and LB are really our worst areas, crying needs. But just about every position needs upgraded with just one more key player to make the unit strong. That is encouraging to me because: I think this year's draft is set up, depth wise, to make us much stronger. We can - if we so choose - put together a front seven on defense, in the first three to four rounds, that will be good for us for the forseeable future. We might even be able to finagle a QB in the first 4 rounds. If we went, in order of picks, DE, QB, ILB, NT, TE - we could end up with, maybe, only needing to add a OLB, Safety, and RT to be really competitive and ready for the playoffs. Also, when F.A. does finally get here, we'll be able to fix some things - at least a few positions like RT, LB, and S can be added that route. With the right picks we can look forward to having a team that we can finally see having the potential to win (although, I think even with the perfect picks and a good F.A., we're too young to do anything but learn to be good, learn to win, and that we will be a breakout team in 2012).

I was hoping we'd go out this year and pick up at least one LB in F.A., and one O-lineman, and maybe even a TE. I figured we'd add between three and five F.A.'s this year. And, I still think we will. I just don't know how big of a name they'll be. In some cases that is fine. Like TE, for instance. If we signed a guy like Boss - just as an example - he'd not be a huge name free agent, but he'd still make a big impact. Or a solid, younger ILB who could be counted on in the rotation for the next three years. Or a safety - as I see the Bills are looking at Sanders and Otagwe(?) - who would be big names. So, I do think we'll see some additions, just not the big names. When I read the transcript of Wilson's interview the other day, I once again noticed how he said something along the lines of: "I know I've made mistakes with this team over the last decade and more, but I think I've made the right moves to rectify those mistakes and to rebuild this team the right way - but it'll take a few more years (2-3) before we're a playoff team, and that's if we get the QB". Now, after hearing that, my heart sunk a little. This old timer might have the patience of a century to work with, but I'm sick of that line, even if it is true now. The Patriots were supposed to be rebuilding that Defense last year, and they ended up looking pretty darn good. I know it has a lot to do with Brady, but there are just some teams that don't ever say, "We've got a few years to go before we're probably ready to compete." That is just about unacceptable to me. That kind of mentality only gives room for allowing failure. And our players have been saturated with that mentality that if we lose - which they just about expect to - they can chalk it up to any of a great number of things. I just hope Gailey and Nix are playing it low-key and are really planning on being able to go toe to toe with anyone this year. You could see Gailey was really trying to win every game last year (even when I was hoping we'd just finish tanked and get the #1 pick), so I guess he, at least, wants to and expects to win. After having said all that - pardon the rant - I think what we get this year depends on the CBA agreements, the amount of players in the F.A. pool - I think if it is a big pool this year because of last year's alterations, then we will surely take advantage of it and land some upgrades. I'm still holding out for Clabo. Anyway, we will end up with as good of a team as Buddy Nix puts together. It's in his hands this year.

I think this almost certainly suggests we'll be adding to our D-line in the first two rounds, and probably #1. Good. K. Williams, Carrington, and Troupe are great to build around. Add a real dynamic DE to the mix, and it could be one of the better lines moving forward for the next half decade. I really think Carrington and Troupe will be much improved next year, and will both be seen as up-and-coming by people around the league. In fact, I think Spiller is going to blow it up next year (he's the kind of player - unlike Maybin - who takes things personally, who wants to be great, and who will work to get there), and I wouldn't be surprised if our grade on the 2010 draft is much better next winter than it is now. Anyway - if we could manage a real behemoth NT and a DE, we are set on the D-line for 4 years or more. And, I think that is where you've got to start. Plus, these guys will give us schematic versatility, as Troupe and K.Williams can both play DT in a 4-3, and Carrington could play DE in a 4-3. I like the sounds of giving Wanny as much to work with as possible. I think they'll do everything they can to get some production out of Maybin, too. I've been thinking it over, and I don't think we'll go OLB early. I think they like Moats, they have Kelsay locked (for whatever reason - I don't see why), Merriman, and Coleman will be back. Now, between Moats, Merriman, and Kelsay, they can start games. But, I think they'd like to try one more year to get Maybin playing good, because if they were to let him go, I bet there'd be five teams lining up to take him in a hurry - like NYJets, for instance, and how would we look if we let him go and then Rex Ryan grabs him cheap and turns him into a ProBowler? I hope they add as many players to our LB corps as possible, anyway - plus, guys like Quinn and Bowers might be real tempting with our 1st pick because they can line up at OLB and DE, depending on the formation.

I like the approach - just DE/OLB 1-2 punch combinations. Actually, I think of drafts in that nature a lot. If you have a problem - like the Bills with their run defense, for instance (or, last year's pass protection) then, in my opinion, you go about solving that problem as effectively as possible. In our case, Picking the top two or three front seven personnel men as high as we can is the best way to go about doing that. Of course, you run into problems when really excellent guys fall at other positions, and you're faced with a player of lesser value at a position of need, and a player of great value at a position of not so great need. I think that is what happened last year with our D-line v.s. O-line, although I'm not altogether sure why we didn't wait to fill up the D-line until this year... well, if the juniors hadn't come out this year it wouldn't have been anywhere near as dominant a group as it has turned out to be. Either way, I expect we'll be lose Stroud, McCargo, and maybe even Poz. We certainly can draft two D-front seven and use them without making last year's picks devalued. So, here's my few options for 1-2 punch (although I do think we stand a good chance of taking a QB in either the 1st or 2nd round, but, I'll play along here): Round 1 Round 2 Fairley, Taylor Dareus, Taylor Fairley, Wilson/Shephard Dareus, Wilson/Shephard Quinn, Taylor Trade Down Jordan, Taylor/Wilson/Shephard

Last year - Nix's first as GM, we didn't come out and say we loved Spiller; rather, Gailey said he wanted to add a waterbug type player, and Nix said they wanted to add dynamic playmakers. Spiller was the guy - as some suspected - but, most didn't suspect Spiller on account of Lynch and Jackson. Where we are picking this year, and given our QB situation (lack thereof in the last decade) that we need to land a true franchise QB as much as we need to have a dominant O-line and Defense, I'd say if the Bills like Newton and really were considering taking him at 3, it could only serve to hurt us by coming out and talking really highly of Newton to reporters. If other teams that like Newton as much as us, and need a QB badly, wanted to get him and thought he'd be gone by 3, then they might possibly trade up to land him. I draw two conclusions from the talk - either Nix isn't very good as draft strategy, or, he wants to increase his trade value and he wants to try to bump someone he really likes down to him at 3 (the only guy I can imagine he might want that badly is Fairley). We'll see - but, either eay, I couldn't be happier with where we sit. I think it looks like we'll have our pick of a handful of players who could be perennial pro-bowlers. I just love the depth on the D-line in this year's draft, and the QB depth, too. We play our picks right - and we can do this - we could walk out of this draft with our front seven solidified, a QB of the future, and a TE. I'd be happy if we merely established strength on one side of the ball or the other - after this season it'd be nice to know what our identity is, and that we have a dominant offense or defense - something we can win games with.

Who would I pick? If I'm the Bills it depends on whether or not Fairley can play DE in a 3-4, or if he's capable of playing NT in a 3-4 and holding up. If he can do those things, then I say he would definitely be the pick. If he doesn't project well in the 3-4 lineup, and we are intent on playing 3-4, then you go Dareus, as he seems very safe and destined to be a stalwart on the D-line for his career. However, again, if Fairley can play versatile positions on the 3-4 D-line (and, I think he can play anywhere on the 3-4 line, and looks even more natural as a 4-3 DT), then he'd be a perfect fit for Buffalo's multi-scheme. Right now I'm loving our position in this coming draft. If Newton is looking as good as the recent news would indicate, and Fairley is as good as the above poster mentioned (this good after only a few years of instruction), then I think it's almost certain we can get one of them. And, Quinn, Dareus, Peterson, Miller, or Green are very excellent consolations. If we mess up this pick it'll be someone's head.

Danny Batten might be pretty good on the inside - tough attitude like Poz, lunchpail type, but quicker. Still, we'll need to upgrade there, and hopefully we'll add a F.A. and a higher draft pick, not to mention undrafted F.A.'s. I'd be excited to see Quinn with our first, Taylor with our second (if we can't get Saliai), and an ILB with our third - or, an ILB with our 2nd, and a NT with our 3rd. That would really give our front seven potential - and then bring in a good F.A., too.

This is just the kind of signing that could spark a rejuvination in our Defense, and it reminds me of the late 1980's Bills - they add some players and go from nobodies to Champions. Imagine Soliai and a 1st round OLB or DE, and our D goes from last to promising - I just can't stop believing that we are going to begin seeing the Bills rebuilt, and come into their own again. Wannstedt on our D-staff, to do to it what Gailey has done to our offense. A draft ripe with D-personnel in the mold we need. Injured players coming back healthy. Our guys played with heart last year, and had we began the season playing like we ended it, we'd of been probably 8-8. A new uniform... perfect timing. We are going to prune out the guys who didn't fit right last year, and going forward we're going to be a young, increasingly talented, respectable team again.