mjt328

In understand the frustration for Bills fans. At this point, it's pretty clear to 95% of observers that Tyrod Taylor isn't the long-term answer. But when you break down the situation logically, keeping him on the roster (at least for the time being) actually makes lots of sense. 1. There are basically two options for Buffalo when it comes to adequately addressing the Quarterback position. Either sign Kirk Cousins to a massive contract OR make a play for one of the top 4-5 draft prospects. 2. The odds of us landing Cousins are very small. We don't have the cap space that some other teams have, and Cousins has already expressed most of his interest in Minnesota and Denver. 3. If we bring in ANYONE else, the only purpose will be to serve as a veteran-bridge or backup. That's it. Case Keenum, Sam Bradford, Teddy Bridgewater, AJ McCarron, Josh McCown, Mike Glennon would all be signed as temporary place-holders. 4. An argument could be made that Taylor is a better on-field option than any of these other veteran guys. Yes, Bradford is a significantly better QB. But he has NEVER been able to stay healthy. Yes, Keenum was pretty good last year. But was he a legitimate break-out, or a one-year-wonder? 5. Replacing Taylor would also be a MUCH bigger hit on the salary cap. If we keep him on the roster, his cap hit is $18.08 million. If we cut him, that cap hit is reduced, but still accounts for $8.6 million in dead money. But then you need to factor in signing ANOTHER veteran free agent, which most are expecting to range between $14-19 million per year. So overall, replacing Taylor would commit an extra $5-10 million to the QB position - while knowing that player is destined to eventually give-way to a rookie replacement. 6. Smart teams know how to take advantage of the Compensatory Pick Formula. This formula is based on net gain versus net loss on free agents. If guys like EJ Gaines and Preston Brown sign decent contracts, we could be looking at some nice Comp picks. Signing a veteran like Keenum or Bradford wipes that out, and could ultimately result in losing a 3rd or 4th Round selection.

I know this scenario is possible. But I'm just crossing my fingers, and hoping our new front office is smarter than letting things unfold that way. We CANNOT go into this offseason with nothing more than hope and relying on chance. Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott need to have a carefully constructed plan for getting the guy they want. If it isn't signing a free agent, then it needs to be securing trade partners in the draft. The last time we had a GM with a real plan for the Quarterback position was Tom Donahoe, when he traded for Drew Bledsoe. Since that point, we've been flying by the seat of our pants and hoping things work out at the most important position in football. After Bledsoe, Donahoe had Ben Roethlisberger targeted as his QB of the future. But he failed to recognize the possibility of someone trading ahead of him, and we lost our guy (who ended up being a future first-ballot Hall of Famer) to Pittsburgh by 2 picks. Then Donahoe panicked and traded back into Round 1 for JP Losman. In the end, we gave up more draft capitol to move up for Losman than what it would have taken to secure Roethlisberger, and in the process lost our pick that could have landed us Aaron Rodgers the next year. This was probably the worst draft sequence in the history of our franchise. Which is really saying something. Marv Levy never even made a real attempt at addressing the QB position, taking Trent Edwards in the 3rd Round and calling it a day. After him, Buddy Nix stuck with Ryan Fitzpatrick for YEARS and blatantly refused to even draft a QB until he was ready to retire. This, of course, happened to be the worst QB class in a decade. So he cut Fitz without a decent veteran on the roster, telegraphed he was going to draft a QB in the first round, then he reached for EJ Manuel 3 rounds too early. His replacement Doug Whaley refused to believe Manuel wasn't going to succeed. So he also refused to draft competition. And every time a veteran came in and outperformed Manuel, he did everything in his power to get his boy back into the lineup. I couldn't care less about the "other holes" in the lineup, when we continue to field sub-par players under center. Another linebacker, defensive tackle, cornerback, wide receiver will help this team remain in the 7-9 to 9-7 area. Getting the right quarterback could mean a championship.

Andrew Brandt is just going "against the grain" to get clicks on his article. Is he going to issue a retraction or write a piece admitting he was wrong when Kirk Cousins becomes one of highest (if not the highest) paid player in NFL history? There are absolutely no signs or indications that Cousins won't get offered a huge deal. Journalism is truly dead.

Not sure what the OP is saying here. I don't think ANYONE is suggesting the Bills draft a player they don't like. The assumption is, the Bills are going to rank the top QBs in a relatively similar fashion to other teams. Of course, some teams will put higher value on things like height and arm strength, causing them to rank guys like Josh Allen higher and guys like Baker Mayfield lower. Some may see the athletic value of Lamar Jackson and rank him higher than others. Character may be a red flag when some teams consider Josh Rosen. But generally speaking, you can probably assume that most teams won't be ranking Sam Darnold as a 5th Round pick or Luke Falk as the best prospect in the draft. For all of the grief media/fans give them, NFL scouts are not idiots. They know what physical attributes give a player the best chance of success. They know how to judge a player's mechanics and accuracy, to determine how much work he will need to get better at the NFL level. It's not an exact science, but a study of probability. Despite all the high-profile QB busts that we can all name (Ryan Leaf, JaMarcus Russell, etc.), history shows that the vast majority of successes come within the Top 5-10 and decrease sharply after that point. You have the once in a lifetime Tom Brady 6th Round shocker, along with HUNDREDS of Day 3 quarterbacks that amounted to absolutely nothing. The real debate among fans, is how much the Bills should sacrifice to get one of the prospects they DO LIKE. Some fans are insistent that we wait until a "flawless Andrew Luck-caliber prospect" falls in our lap. Some fans are reluctant to part with extra picks, as long as we have any other weak points on the roster. Some fans are convinced that the draft is a crap-shoot, and we have just as good a chance landing our guy in the 2nd-5th Rounds. I think all of these philosophies will keep us stuck in the cycle of mediocrity that has plagued us since Jim Kelly retired. The Buffalo Bills biggest problem is an UNWILLINGNESS to take a chance. Most experts say this draft has 3-5 strong QB prospects, which twice as much as most draft classes. Our front office has 4 picks in the first two rounds, which is twice as much as every other year. We've ended the drought, and exhausted the opportunity needed to see what Tyrod Taylor can offer. THIS IS THE TIME TO TAKE THE CHANCE.

The reports say Top 10, but don't get more specific on how high. My guess is that our front office is either: 1) Doing their homework, but won't make a move into the Top 10 until the clock is running and they are absolutely certain to get the guy they want. 2) Looking to move into the Top 1-4 picks, if they are comfortable with landing whichever prospect is left when they pick. 3) Putting out a smokescreen. I seriously doubt the Bills will make a trade into picks #5 or later, more than 2 months before the draft even happens. That would possibly be the stupidest move in the history of professional sports. At that pick, they have no idea who would actually be sitting on the board. They have no idea if another trade opportunity would present itself. And they would be leaving the door open for another QB-needy team like Arizona to jump ahead of them.

I look at it different. In 1983, a total of 16 quarterbacks were drafted. None of the guys drafted after the 1st Round were able to start even 10 games during their ENTIRE NFL career. Out of the top 6 prospects identified by NFL scouts, there were 3 who eventually made the Hall of Fame (John Elway, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino). One of them (Ken O'Brien) was a decent starter for several years. Yes, the scouts were wrong about Todd Blackledge and Tony Eason. But overall, they had a very good idea which QBs had the best chance to succeed, and which ones were the long shots. It was not a total crap-shoot. It was a calculated gamble - and even though certain players had much higher odds of success, there were always risks of them busting. When it comes to drafting a 1st Round Quarterback, I see arguments against it EVERY SINGLE YEAR. That's because drafting a QB early is always a risky proposition. No other position in the NFL has a more difficult learning curve than QB. No other position has a higher bust rate than QB. No other position requires as large of an investment as the QB. No other position has a large of an impact as a QB. If you a draft a QB in the 1st Round (say JP Losman or EJ Manuel), your franchise's success over the next 3-5 years will hinge almost entirely on THAT ONE PLAYER. If he busts, it destroys the reputation of the front office and coaching staff that put faith in him. If he busts, it pulls the rest of the team down to the ground. But if you draft another busted position in the 1st Round (Aaron Maybin), it can be a mistake much more easily swept under the rug, and the rest of the team doesn't suffer as badly. NFL history shows what kind of quarterback you need to have, in order to constantly contend for a championship. You don't pass on a top prospect, because you are afraid of getting Tony Eason. You don't pass on a top prospect, because you are hoping to get Tom Brady in the 6th Round. You take the top prospect, because it's your best chance of landing a guy like Elway, Kelly or Marino.

As already stated, the biggest problem was blocking scheme. Most fans saw it coming the day Rick Dennison was hired, and the ensuing hiring of Juan Castillo on the offensive line. The blocking scheme was moving away from what worked tremendously well in 2015-2016. Our O-Line was full of big strong power blockers. These guys wanted to switch to a zone scheme. It was the offensive equivalent of Rex Ryan installing his 3-4 defense. During the offseason, we kept hearing how the O-Line would be "fine" because they ran "some" zone blocking schemes under Anthony Lynn/Greg Roman. But it's a big difference between incorporating some extra ideas into a gameplan, and making it the foundation of your system. It was never going to work.

Sam Bradford would probably be our ideal bridge QB. When healthy, he's a good player and would be a pretty big upgrade over Tyrod Taylor. This gives our rookie some time to learn on the bench, while our team stays competitive on the field.

Even back in his Minnesota days, Randy Moss was always accused of taking plays off. Especially on running plays or when the ball wasn't coming his way. Same thing during his years in Oakland, and especially at the tail-end of his career when he was bouncing around to different teams. In my opinion, Moss sailed by on talent alone for 15 years and STILL managed to put up (what should have been) a 1st ballot Hall of Fame career. Think about Jerry Rice's legendary work ethic, and imagine if Moss had put a fraction of that into his own play. The guy would have obliterated every receiving record.

In my lifetime: Quarterback: This has always been a battle of what you consider the most important in the position. Do you want a guy who dominates the stat sheet? Or the guy who wins in the clutch? Back in the day, the argument was Joe Montana vs. Dan Marino. Then it became Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady. There is a chance Aaron Rodgers joins this list eventually. Running Back: Barry Sanders (best big play RB), Emmitt Smith (best between the tackles grinder), LT (best all-purpose back) Wide Receiver: Jerry Rice alone. Randy Moss could have been the best, but often wasted his talent. Calvin Johnson was on his way, but retired too early. Tight End: Tony Gonzalez by himself. Offensive Linemen: Anthony Munuz. Lots of other great ones, but nobody really that stands out in my mind. Defensive Ends: Bruce Smith, Reggie White Defensive Tackle: Lots of really good ones. Nobody that really stood head and shoulders above the rest. Outside Linebacker: Lawrence Taylor and Derrick Thomas Inside Linebacker: Ray Lewis, Junior Seau Cornerback: Deion Sanders, Darrell Revis Safety: Ronnie Lott, Ed Reed

Listen. It's never going to be "ideal" to trade TONS of draft picks to select one player. But the Bills are in a great position to do it. First of all, this draft is loaded with QB talent. That means that instead of being forced to trade up to the #1 or #2 spot, the Bills (depending on who they like) may only need to trade up into the Top 10. That seriously limits what we may need to part with. Second, the Bills have 4 picks in the first 2 rounds. Although they aren't really high picks, that is enough for us to do some damage. Maybe we trade away the majority of picks this year, but then have everything we need in next year's draft. Maybe we do the opposite. Either way, having that extra ammo makes things easier for us.

Until now, the argument could be made that Buffalo's #1 goal was simply breaking the playoff drought. But now it's done. It's over. Just making the playoffs next year means jack squat. I don't want a roster built with a 10 win ceiling. I don't want a roster built for temporary success. That means doing anything and everything to land a top quarterback. Free agent signings like Case Keenum or Sam Bradford will not turn us into a long-term Super Bowl contender. Waiting on the 4th or 5th best QB prospect or punting until 2019 isn't going to cut it either. I could give a poop less about the other holes on the roster, until the position under center is accounted for. The Bills need to shoot for the stars this April. This is widely considered the best QB class in 10-15 years. They have 4 picks in the first 2 rounds. If they absolutely need to sell the farm for somebody they really like (Darnold, Rosen, Allen, Mayfield), then DO IT. Don't play it safe. Don't let failures like Robert Griffin stop you. The Eagles traded up for Carson Wentz, and they won the Super Bowl only two years later. The Rams traded up for Jared Goff and had one of the NFL's best offenses. I'm sick of stacking the roster with talent, only to watch our quarterback play drag the team down. I would rather trade away 2-3 years of picks and get a total bust, knowing that we at least tried.

I think this is the problem as well. I've never thought Tyrod's accuracy was bad ... at least compared to his recent predecessors EJ Manuel and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Some guys just process what is happening a split-second slow. Unfortunately, that split-second is the difference between superstars, average guys and those who completely flame-out of the NFL. For many quarterbacks, this slow processing results in lots of pass break-ups, poor timing with receivers and interceptions. Not so much with Tyrod. He is more gun-shy, and just holds the ball until he recognizes what is happening. With him, we see more sacks and unnecessary check-downs (which ultimately do not hurt his stats, but kill drives nonetheless). Also keep in mind that Tyrod often makes up for slow recognition with his scrambling ability, allowing him to escape pressure and extend plays. This is where is value lies. But good defenses can often keep him contained in the pocket, and that's why we need an upgrade.

It's funny. When fans talk about the Patriots cheating, they are often dismissed as conspiracy theorists. But here is yet another example of an ACTUAL NFL TEAM taking special precautions against them breaking the rules. Don't forget it was an ex-Patriots coach that brought this whole Spygate thing to the NFL in the first place. It was the Colts who gave the refs a heads-up on Deflategate. Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk and Brian Dawkins have both publicly questioned if they were cheated out of Super Bowl rings. Not to mention the numerous players like Ray Lewis and our own Jerry Hughes have made comments about the refs being in their pocket.

If you want to win, you have to TRY SOMETHING. Unless you have a terrible season and finish with a Top 1-2 pick, then landing a top QB prospect is going to require massive resources to move up. If you are going for someone with experience, it's going to take tons of cash (and picks if a trade is involved). I applaud the 49ers for having the guts to go all-out on a player they believe in. If they are right, this move puts them in great position for the next decade. If they are wrong, they are no worse off than before they had Jimmy G on the roster.

If you want to be competitive in the NFL, this is the kind of investment you need to make in the QB position. The only decent starting guys who aren't getting paid at least $20 million+ are: a) Playing on a 4-5 year old contract b) Playing on a rookie contract I will say this, however... If a team can manage to land their guy in the draft, it does give them a distinct advantage on the salary cap for 4-5 seasons.

Not sure this actually needs to be said. Despite the surprising playoff appearance, the 2017 season was the start of a roster tear-down. They let most of their free agents walk. They traded Watkins, Darby, Dareus and Ragland for draft picks. They would have let Taylor walk too, but he was literally the best veteran available on the market. This draft is the start of the rebuild.

If a "stopgap" quarterback is intended to make us feel more comfortable waiting until later in the draft (and thus getting a lesser prospect like Peterman was)... then I say no. If we are looking to sign a veteran just to help stay competitive, while the 1st Round rookie gets ready to play... then absolutely. The Bills can't wait any longer. This is the year. This draft has more QB talent than 90% of the classes we see. The Bills have more high picks/ammunition than any offseason I can recall. They need to do their homework, identify which guys they believe can be franchise caliber, and then trade up if they don't believe one falls to #21.

If this was related to breaking a minor team rule, Belichick was too hard-headed on this one. And it probably cost them the game. There are many ways to discipline players. Sitting him the ENTIRE GAME was over the top. Just starting someone else in the Super Bowl or sitting him the first drive would have sent a pretty strong message (in my opinion). Think about how that game changes if Butler manages to make ONE third down breakup. Or his coverage results in ONE important incomplete pass.

Actually, I don't think it works that way. Yes. If the time runs out, the next team can run and turn in a card. But I don't believe the clock resets. So if the Bills try and take another 10-15 minutes, I believe the team behind them (the Rams) can run up and do the same thing. I could be wrong, but I believe that's how it works.

Actually I was being sarcastic.

Looks parallel to the line of scrimmage to me! Also, the Music City Miracle was a backwards pass.

So according to the article, Bill Belichick just does a better job of understanding the rule book and studying the refs tendencies? Yeah. I'm calling BS. If that was the case, then why have no other Patriots coaches (who witnessed this brilliance everyday) copied this "genius" idea? Romeo Crennel? Charlie Weis? Eric Mangini? Josh McDaniels? How about some of the front office guys like Scott Pioli and Michael Lombardi? None of the 100+ players who left New England retained what he taught them? Why can't anyone else duplicate the "Patriot Way" unless they are actually IN BOSTON?

Alex Smith just had his career-best season at age 33. In most seasons he is a Top 15-20 type guy. This year, he was arguably among the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Odds are that Smith regresses back to his normal performance. But the Redskins are banking that he's made a jump into the league's elite. I think this bodes really very well for the Case Keenum market.

Obviously you don't "throw him in the trash heap" after one season. But you also have to understand that some prospects deserve more time than others. Guys with a very large ceiling, or guys who clearly seem to be progressing quickly need to be shown priority. You just can't give every quarterback on your roster 3-4 years to improve. It's important for coaches to understand a player's strengths and weaknesses, then watch how they are progressing during practice and during real games. And every player is different. Someone like EJ Manuel deserved more development time, because he already had all the physical tools to become a successful QB and the right attitude to work hard. For him, the biggest problem was mechanics (which drastically hurt his throwing accuracy). Once it became clear that his mechanics weren't going to get better at the NFL level, it was time to cut bait. On the flip side, Nate Peterman just doesn't seem to have the arm strength to make all the throws. It's a clear and identifiable ceiling to his game. That's why he wasn't a high draft pick, and why most don't believe he can become more than a good backup in the NFL. Bills coaches can spend the offseason helping Peterman work on improving his power and drive into throws. But if it doesn't take a big jump by next year, it's safe to assume it's not an issue that will improve.