KeisterHollow

I can understand the Bills not bringing in any WR's - the market wasn't that great to begin with, and the good ones that were out there were paid pretty good and were basically zeroed in on by certain teams and snagged up right away. Of the remaining WR's after the first big spending wave of FA, there were only a few that seemed like they'd have been good enough to bring in and pay for. However, with the Bills being as thin at WR as they are, one would wonder why they didn't push to get a few WR's signed - and my answer to that is this: they must believe this year's college crop of WR's is so good, and so deep, that they'll be able to land at least a very good starter in the draft, and then bring in depth with UDFA's. It looks like there'll be talented WR's still in the later rounds this year. I would say Buffalo's weakest position is LB, though. Now, they did bring in Lawson - what that will do to Mark Anderson's playing time we'll have to wait and see - and I guess they're planning on playing Mario on the other side, but that still leaves Sheppard and Bradham as the starters for the middle. Bradham I'm cool with. I just can't believe they're willing to go into this season with any kind of question marks at linebacker or cornerback. Is this year's crop of college linebackers so good and deep that they'll be able to satisfy their needs with the draft and UDFA? I look at this staff and I see a bunch of guys with a plan, for both sides of the ball. If they don't go out and sign FA's, I have to believe they're certain they can get the players they need in the draft/UDFA. Still - linebackers, IMO - especially in a 3-4 - need to be solid, even into the backup spots, because they're always getting hurt or missing time. Our linebackers as they stand now might be able to open the year, but one or two injuries and we'd be ridiculously poor at that position. I hope we bring in at least one decent ILB for depth (by the way, Baltimore just released an ILB who'd fit that bill, and has experience in Pettine's / Ryan's style defense).

I'd be surprised if 2 QB's didn't go in the first round, and I'm in agreement with another poster who suggested 5 would be gone by the middle of round 2, although I think 6 will be gone by the end of round 2 (Smith, Barkley, Manuel, Nassib, Glennon, and Wilson). Although the teams at the top of the draft who've been linked to drafting QB's have all, except Jacksonville, procured veteran alternatives, I think most of those are fall back options. I think Jacksonville will take a QB if there is one they believe can be a true franchise QB. I think Philly will hold off until the second or third round. Arizona will wait, I think, till the second. I think Cleveland might be tempted, if the right guy is there. If Barkley is there I think Buffalo would go with him. Likewise, if whichever QB the Jets like the most is available, I think they take a shot, too. (BTW - N.E. has just brought in Dion Jordan for a pre-draft look. My guess is they have a trade package lined up as a possibility with Cleveland - swapping Mallett and their 1st and 2nd rounder for Cleveland's 1st rounder - don't be surprised if that ends up happening!) I think there'll be at least one team in that first 10 who trades back up into the 1st to grab a QB, as well. It hardly matters to say 1st round QB - between the 1st pick and the middle of round 2 I think the top 5 or 6 QB's will have been picked. I'm really not sure where I see Buffalo going. I have a hunch they really like Barkley (that's because I really like Barkley, and see him as an excellent QB - so I have to assume the scouts in Buffalo feel the same), but after thinking about what Marrone said in regards to the selection of his offensive coaches - that one big factor in their hires was the common background they shared, so he wouldn't lose the summer getting the coaches up to speed on terminology - I wonder, if Marrone feels the need to start off fast, or to avoid having a down year, as a lot of coaches get a pass on their first year, then maybe he will likewise value Nassib, since it would be even more of a "same page" thing with him, and allow the whole offense to sort of jump out of the gates. Anyway, I suspect Buffalo has a QB they really like, value-wise, for each round, and probably have added a half round of value to each one's grade, allowing them to match grades and simply take the best player of relative need as the draft unfolds. Here is where I think Buffalo has their QB's rated: I suspect they have Barkley rated as worthy of a top 10 pick. Nassib and Geno Smith are probably top 25 pick worthy. Manuel is top 40. Wilson is probably mid to bottom 2nd round. Glennon and Bray are probably 3rd round eligible. Scott, Dysert are probably 4th rounders.

So many people are saying what a poor QB class this is - I don't think it is bad at all. I've been following the Bills for more than 20 years, and I've been closely following the draft, the players coming out, for at least 15 years. There have been weak QB classes - the Clausen class was pretty weak. However, I really think Luck, RGIII, and Wilson coming out last year and doing so well has skewed the perception of this class. There doesn't appear to be an elite QB like that coming out, but I think some of these guys could end up being as good as Wilson, or Tannehill, and better than Dalton, in a few years. I've been saying for months that Barkley is already good enough to be a franchise QB. His arm is no worse than Tom Brady's coming out of college, and Brady has never had a tough time in the cold north. I still believe if Buffalo has a shot at Barkley - who I think will be the first QB taken - they'll run to the podium. Geno has all the physical tools, but you've got to question his intelligence. If he has enough of a mind for the game, and can read defenses, he'll end up being a franchise QB, too. Manuel could end up being very good. Nassib has everything you want in a QB, except his accuracy is a little questionable. If he can fix it, he'll end up being a solid starter. Then there are guys like Wilson and Glennon who have shown they can win, and their arms are good enough. A lot of it depends on where they end up, but there will be, I believe, at least 3 QB's in this draft who end up being good NFL starters, and probably 1 or 2 who end up considered top 12 in a few years. That's my opinion - and I'll see if I'm right come draft day, because if these guys are as decent as I think you'll see 6 of them gone by the end of the 2nd round. And that'll still leave guys like Dysert, Scott, and the unheralded guys like Rodgers going in the later rounds.

It's almost guaranteed the Bills will be taking a TE in this draft. I really don't know enough about that group to say whether or not there'll be good options available later in the draft - which is important, because it looks so certain Buffalo will be looking to take a TE, and they're going to be looking to get a good pass catching, dynamic one, at that, not some 6th rounder with "upside". So, that means they might be forced to use a 3rd or 4th on one, at the latest. Thats tough, because we somehow have to come away from this draft with starter talent at QB, LG, TE, WR, ILB, and OLB. Those are the obvious holes, without getting into depth. This draft seems to be really solid at WR and the D-line, with decent depth at LB and O-line. There appear to be 4 or 5 TE's that match the mold Buffalo is seeking. I can see Buffalo using this draft to basically finish off one unit - offense or defense - but it'll take amazing scouting/player evaluation to come away with viable options for all our holes. I could see Buffalo going WR, QB, TE with their first 3 picks. Nix has a history of looking to the middle rounds for O-line and linebackers. Our draft might shape up like this: WR, QB, TE, ILB, LG, OLB - with our 1st through 6th picks. This is really going to be the draft that will determine Nix's legacy in Buffalo.

Like it! I imagine Lawson/Andeson/Rookie? next to Kyle Williams, with Branch in the middle, next to Dareus, and then Mario - an astoundingly solid 5 man front, with two linebackers behind, which would immediately turn to Kyle, Branch, Dareus 3-4 look, with the ends kicking out to OLB - now, imagine someone like Dion Jordan, Ansah, Werner, or Hunt in the Lawson/Anderson role - that would be even better! With this signing, if it happens, we're that much closer to giving Pettine a managable roster - all that would remain to be addressed is an ILB and maybe that dynamic OLB and Pettine would have enough players to field a very competitive defense. I'm really beginning to warm up to the idea of solidifying this defense, getting a good LG (or LT and pushing Glenn to LG), and playing old-school, smash mouth, run-the-ball, control the clock football, with our great backs - that kind of ball could really keep us in games, and if we end up with a promising rookie QB and what is sure to be a bunch of rookie WR's, it would really take the pressure off of them, while also giving them a season to blossom, and we can go into next season with a much better understanding of what we need, offensively. He's a good piece to start with!

Yeah - Jordan would be absolutely great. I love Ansah, too. As much as it sucks that both will probably be off the board when we pick at 8, there are going to be some really good players available to us nevertheless. It's almost a sure thing that Lane Johnson will still be there, and maybe even Eric Fischer. Warmack will probably be there. Jarvis Jones should be there. Lotutelei. Milliner should be there still. One of the top 2 QB's will probably be there, and if both Barkley and Smith are gone, that'll only push one of the top guys down. With a list of guys like that, it'll be hard for the Bills to make a bad decision in the first. And, I think it should be easy for them to trade down, which might be the best choice of all. I just hope the Bills are able to accurately judge how deep the various positions are in this draft, and make selections with that in mind (for instance, why go WR in the first if the WR's available in rd 2 are close in talent to the guy you'd pick in round 1, as opposed to, say, OLB, where the difference between Jordan, Ansah, and maybe Jones, and the guys that will be there in rd 2, is dramatic! - which is why, btw, I think Buffalo will wait to get a QB until their second pick, but that is also why I hope they manage to trade down, or trade up from the second, because chances are by the time they get to their 2nd pick, as it now stands, I'm guessing the top 4 or 5 QB's will be off the board).

There are a handful of guys I'd be more than happy with Buffalo taking in the first round. If it is a QB, I'd like Barkley. But if the staff thinks Manuel is better, then I'd be fine with that pick, too. I'd love Dion Jordan - as I think he'll have a monster career. The reason I'm so high on Ansah is because the kid is very smart - and he's a freak, physically. He's only played football for 3 years, which means when he's given the chance to play FULL TIME, with NFL caliber coaching, he WILL ONLY GET BETTER. When you consider he's already been dominant against the best competition in college (senior bowl), you've got to get a little giddy anticipating just how good he'll be. Add to that he's got the frame and speed to play BOTH DE and OLB, and he's just an amazing fit for our scheme. Anyway, I could justify and agree with Buffalo taking any of the top 3 tackles, the top CB, Dion Jordan or Ansah, Ogletree (if they think he's enough of an impact player) Barkley or Manuel, Lotutuli, or Patterson (again, if they're convinced he'll be as productive as AJ Green or Julio Jones). If Buffalo can manage to trade down to the middle or twenties, in round 1, then there's an even bigger number of acceptable players - including Warmack, Nassib, Hunter, Jarvis Jones... it really just depends on what Buffalo's strategy is in this draft. If they play their cards right there's no reason to believe they can't come away from the first 4 rounds with starters - they just have to know where the value is in each round. I'm hoping Marrone's familiarity with the college ranks helps us find quality starters later in the draft, and even into UDFA.

I really loved everything I saw about Nassib, when watching video of him, except his ball placement / accuracy. There were a lot of throws that the WR's had to slow down for, or adjust their bodies to catch a ball that was thrown behind them - which indicates to me he has a hard time anticipating or leading his recievers - which is CRUCIAL in the NFL. And, this tendency really increased with deep balls. Now, if that is something he can work on, or that can be improved, then I think he is a very good prospect. You've got to love his toughness, his intelligence, his leadership skills - in every other way he'd be a great fit for Buffalo, and reminds me a lot of a Favre, or Kelly type QB. One thing to consider which seems to increase his chances of being a Bill - Marrone said many times, when assembling a staff, that his decisions on staff selection were made based on scheme familiarity. He didn't want to waste the first offseason getting his coaches up to speed on terminology. In other words, he didn't want his first year to seem like a first year. Well, if you apply that same logic to players, then Nassib gives them an instant starter, as opposed to another QB who might have to sacrifice a year to learn the system.

I was about to say the same thing - you just never know what next year's QB class will actually look like until it happens. Guys could get hurt, guys could have poor years, and our team might not be drafting as high. I really don't dislike this year's draft class. As a matter of fact, IMO, if you're going to need to draft a QB, I'd rather it be a year like this - where there is no clear cut top QB, but where there are some 6 or 7 QB's who could all legitimately be drafted in the first 3 rounds, and each has qualities that make them POTENTIALLY good NFL QB's. It just leaves the Bills a lot of options, and if they do their homework, which they appear to be doing, they should be able to determine which QB's are a good fit for them. And, they could very well grab a QB in the 2nd and 4th, for instance, or 1st and 4th - like the Redskins did last year, just to increase their odds of having a legitimate QB on the roster. If there were only 2 or 3 really solid NFL franchise caliber QB's in this draft, there would be a very good chance Buffalo would miss out on them all, because Jax, Oak, Phil, Arizona, and even Cleveland all pick before Buffalo, and how many of them would have made different QB decisions this offseason if they had a more highly rated rookie to look forward to drafting? We should consider ourselves lucky - this draft might shape out to be perfect for Buffalo. The only bad thing about this draft is our lack of picks!

I'd love for the draft to unfold in this way. There's no player I'd rather see drafted by Buffalo than Ansah - he could be an OLB and a DE - and that flexibility would really help Petting - not to mention, adding him to Williams, Dareus, and Mario would be quite formidable. But, if they go QB with the first pick Barkley would still be there, and he's my top choice at QB. And, if they wanted to go OL they could still get a franchise LT, and they'd have their choice at WR - something I hope they wait until the 2nd for.

There's always the VALUE argument to consider - especially with Buffalo - with the first pick, and that's amplified with a pick in the top 10. The argument is certain positions cost a ton to sign, or resign - CB, DE, QB, and LT are the top 4. If you pay a top flight FA in any of these catagories, you're paying more than 10 million a year. Now, if you get a rookie - now more than ever, with the salary cap - at any of these positions and have a 5 year initial contract, you're likely paying them in the neighborhood of 2 million a year over the first, rookie contract. That means, even if you re-sign them to another 5 year deal worth 15 million a year, OVER THE LIFE OF THE 10 YEARS YOU HAVE THAT PLAYER YOU'RE ONLY PAYING THEM A LITTLE OVER 8 MILLION A YEAR. For a top talent at any of those positions - but especially DE and QB, that is a bargain. That is why picking a QB, LT, or DE with the first pick is so smart for a team like Buffalo, who can't usually attract the top talents without overpaying, IF there is a player at any of those positions that is worthy of that high a pick. Now, we don't know if Buffalo has a QB rated high enough to pick at 8, but I'm sure they have a few LT's rated that high, and I wouldn't be surprised if they also didn't have a few DE's, and at least one CB. I just can't see them passing on those value talents for a TE - at 8. And, as far as WR goes, I actually like Patterson's teammate, Hunter, BETTER as a WR in this draft. When I watch the video of Tennessee, Hunter sticks out as a WR that will show up more consistently - and he's taller, and very, very close to being just as fast.

I agree - there are a lot of QB's in this draft who MIGHT be good, given the right system, the right coaching, etc. If the Bills see any of these QB's as franchise QB material, they'll take them if available. Now, at least, they don't have to go QB with their 1st pick, which not only gives them the ability to wait, but it strengthens their trade ability, because now teams won't be able to just plug in the best QB to them at 8 - which will give a team that wants a specific player more incentive to try and move up. As I see it, I'd be happy if the Bills went Barkley with their first pick, or Manuel / Nassib with their second, or Bray, Wilson, or Glennon with their 3rd, or Matt Scott / Dysert with their 4th. Each of these QB's has enough to maybe work out, and would be good for a competition and some coaching - and there would be positives, with the later round guys, of being able to address other needs early.

Don't get me wrong - I want Buffalo to draft a franchise QB, the sooner the better - but, IF the desire is to get a franchise QB in next year's draft, where there are, by most accounts, probably 3 QB's that will be solid, and go in the first round, then wouldn't going all out and getting offensive weapons in this draft - maybe a few early round WR's, maybe one of the top TE's, a LG - wouldn't that, coupled with Kolb playing well, probably allow Buffalo to have some success, and thereby push us OUT of position to get one of the better QB's in next year's draft? I just don't think you can look at the QB situation and say, "next year we'll get our guy" unless you're willing to just tank THIS year. Because, if you're going out and trying to add weapons, and make the offense and defense better, and trying to win, you might (especially with Buffalo's history and luck) just actually win enough games to lose out on the QB you want. Sound familiar? This is what we did with Fitz for the last 3 years! We didn't draft a QB during that time because he was serviceable, and none of the best QB's fell to us. I'm not saying we shouldn't try to win, or add pieces - what I am saying is if Buffalo needs a QB then it ought to try and get a franchise QB AS SOON AS IT CAN, because waiting, for us, ends up being us missing out.

I'd be really pleased with this draft. I just don't see Hunt making it out of the second round, though - and, frankly, I'd not be surprised if he were taken at the bottom of round 1 - by a team like the Texans. Thomas is not going to make it out of the 3rd, if he's not taken sooner. With his combination of good tape, great strength, and super speed, he reminds me a lot of Ed Reed in stature. Again, I'd love it if both of these guys were on Buffalo's roster come summer, but it's a bit optimistic, I believe.

As a GM Nix DID fail in hiring, and retaining, Gailey. However - Nix (and, presumably, any other GM candidate) - was in a tough spot from the beginning, as he came into a team that was a failure, backward, run poorly, and everyone in the NFL community regarded Buffalo as a joke BEFORE Nix came into his position. The whole - from Brandon, to Nix, to Whaley, to Marrone, have to put together a decent team WITH our limitations (FA's not wanting to come here) before we'll be able to lure anyone here WITHOUT overpaying. That's the challenge here - and I think Marrone is aware of that, and probably that is going to be a part of the draft philosophy (more pressure to draft excellently, as FA is not an easy answer for us).

Part of the difficulty in predicting who the Bills will be going after in the draft, defensively, has to do with NOT knowing how Pettine is approaching this defense. Where will Mario be lining up, for instance? Will he be an OLB in the 3-4 or an end? If he's an end, then we are probably going to go OLB early - within the first 3 rounds - although, I suppose we could line up Kyle, Dareus, Mario on the D-line, then Lawson, Sheppard (or rookie), Bradham, and Anderson as the other OLB, giving Buffalo two rushers off Mario's side... It's a guessing game at present. I suspect we'll see the front seven players that we already have on the roster playing much better this year than they have in recent years, so depending on how Pettine wants to line people up, we might only really be needing to add a starter as an ILB, as far as the front seven is concerned.

If we're going QB and WR with our first 2 picks, I'd love to see a Barkley / Hunter combination - I like Hunter better than Patterson.

I'm wondering where Mario fits in... I know in Houston he played near half a season as OLB. If we're planning on using him as an OLB, and we just signed Lawson to fill that other OLB spot, then chances are we're not looking to add a pass rushing OLB early in this draft - two players I'm particularly high on would fill that role: Ansah and Jordan. I'm sure Pettine isn't going to talk about who he plans on putting where until after the draft, so it truly wait and see. In response to a post that suggested we're going offense all the way till the 5th round - I'd be truly surprised if that were to happen. There are many more impressive defenders early in this draft than offensive players, so I suspect we come out of the first 4 rounds with a QB, WR, and either a LB or CB, or both.

I think Matt Barkley's Pro-Day was PERFECT. Why? Because, Barkley is my favorite QB in the class, and after today's Pro-Day, which was good, but not great, his status as the consensus number 2 QB in the draft will probably remain unchanged - and, that should give Buffalo a decent shot at getting him. I've said this before - Barkley is exactly what you'd want in a QB, except for the questions about his arm strength. Now, IMO, his arm strength is fine for the NFL. He can throw the ball 40-50 yards IN THE AIR and hit a WR in stride. Sure, maybe he'd have some trouble hitting a guy 70 yards down the field, but for 98% of the passes he'll have to make as a pro, his arm is more than strong enough. That's not even considering that as he gets older his arm can get stronger, too. As far as I'm concerned, the Bills are in a really good position this year (except they don't have as many draft picks as they'd like). If Barkley or Smith are on the board at 8, they can choose their next franchise QB. Or, they should have a shot at one of these guys: Milliner, Jordan, or Ansah. If they do go with something other than QB, they'll have the chance to still get a guy like Nassib, Manuel, Glennon, Bray, or Jones with their second pick. They'll have some options, and if luck falls their way, and Nix gets creative and bold, we could walk away from this draft with 3 or 4 excellent starters!

Some things about the possibility of trading for Flynn that seem to be obstacles: For one, the Bills cannot give up much out of this year's draft. If the Bills wanted to use Flynn as a starter, then giving up a 4th or 5th this year would seem reasonable, but would Seattle accept that? And two - his cap hit would be what? 7 and a half million per year? I don't think Buffalo could afford that this year and next, when added to Fitz's hit - I mean, they could afford it, but it would, I believe, max out their space. I just don't think Buffalo is better off - and I can't see the Bills thinking so, either - using up their remaining cap space on a QB who got beat out by a 2012 3rd round pick, when we could otherwise use our remaining cap space to get a few more contributors, and then go ahead and get a rookie QB this year, and only have to pay him maybe 20 percent of what we'd have to pay Flynn. I look at the top 5 or 6 QB's in this draft and they appear just as promising as Flynn, otherwise, if he were so much better, that would make him what - a first rounder this year? I don't buy it. I think his cap number alone makes it unrealistic.

I'm in agreement with you! There's really no telling how good or bad this draft class will pan out - until they get drafted and play for a few years. A lot of factors go into that, and not just how purely good or bad a QB prospect is. It also matters who drafts them, the system, their opportunities. I happen to believe this is a perfect time for Buffalo to need to draft a QB. Why? Because, I think there are two solid first round caliber QB's in Geno Smith and Barkley. Then, I think there are a bunch of QB's who COULD be really good in the NFL, and they'll be available in rounds 2-4. Matt Scott, for instance, might be a really dynamic QB in a few years - and he'll be had in the 3rd - 5th rounds. Landry Jones is pretty high on the list of NCAA records for QB's in completion percentage, yards... there's Nassib, who might be a Brett Favre type QB - he's tough as nails, and has all the intellect and mental / character intangibles you want. There's Manuel who might be similar to Cam Newton. There's Glennon, who could be an old school, rocket armed pocket QB. After that, there's guys like Dysert, and a few others who'll go in the 5-7 range who might make decent backups, marginal starters. My point here is, there might not be a bunch of QB's ready to go right in and light up the NFL, but there are more QB's in this draft who COULD be coached into Franchise guys than I recall seeing in the last 4 or 5 years. It gives Buffalo options - I won't be opposed to them going defense in the first few rounds and getting a 3rd or trading back into the second for a QB. I won't be opposed to them getting their guy in the first - if they believe he'll be a franchise guy. I just think there are more options this year than in recent memory, and I don't think there are as many teams really pressed to draft a QB this year, either, which all adds up to giving Buffalo OPTIONS, which is never a bad thing.

It's funny when I listen to people talking about how bad the QB class is this year, all I keep thinking about is how TERRIBLE Fitz was the last almost 2 years! I mean, had we had a DECENT QB last year, we might have been 9-7. Fitz's limitations had to do with arm strength - he didn't have a strong enough arm to throw an accurate pass more than 15 yards on even a remotely regular basis. We all would love to get a perennial pro-bowl QB - BUT, our offense is going to look SO much better even with a slightly above average QB. Sure, Fitz had qualities that were excellent - his ability to read defenses and make quick decisions. However, his weaknesses became team weaknesses, at least offensively. If we get a QB like Manuel, Glennon, Bray, Jones, or any of them with a good arm - we'll be okay. That's why I'm not against us taking a QB at 8, or trading down, or waiting until the second round. I think we'll all be happy to see any QB with a decent arm, and it will dawn on us just how limiting Fitz was.

I'm glad they resigned McKelvin - as opposed to losing him and not signing ANYONE - but at 5 million per, we could have signed much more accomplished players for our secondary. Think about it - that's equivalent to the 3 year deal Ed Reed just signed, and twice as much (I think) as Pollard (I know - they're safeties, but I look at them as playmakers, difference makers). Now, I don't mind overpaying for certain players - really good ones, for instance - but the Kelsay deal, and the McKelvin deal, I believe, will force Buffalo out of the market for guys like Dareus, or Gilmore, when the time comes. I mean, if they're paying so and so 5 million a year, who spends half the year BENCHED, then what is a really good player worth? The counter argument would be - would you rather we not sign players? That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying spend the money wisely, and if you're over paying for someone, make sure they're talented and will make a difference! Hopefully McKelvin will be a difference maker this year, on ST and in the secondary. Who knows, maybe he'll thrive in Pettine's defense? He was a first rounder... Anyway - on the topic of Davis, I'm all for them signing him to a low deal, with incentives maybe, for 3 or 4 years, structured so that if he plays well he'll get paid decent, and if he doesn't recover, he can be cut without hurting us. A guy like Davis - who has, potentially, another 5-6 years left to play at a high level, could be a move made, not for this year, specifically, but for the next 3-4 years. If they believe he'll be healthy, but not ready this year, his skill would help a young QB down the line. So - as long as they get him at a good price, I think its a really smart move, and one I've been calling for for a while now. Another FA I'd like Buffalo to look at - Victor Butler. A CB might not be a bad idea, either. And of course, another WR.

It is MADDENING that a team like San Fran - which boasts perhaps half of it's starters as pro-bowlers, or pro-bowl worthy - and N.E., and these teams that have had sustained success AND STILL are adding FA's and have plenty of draft picks! I mean, how can Buffalo have SO MANY holes, and yet have so "little" wiggle room with the cap, and only have 6 picks in the draft!!! Of course, the answer lies mostly in two areas: good coaching, and good QB play. Good coaching gets the most out of talent - it knows what it needs, system-wise, fit-wise, and a well coached team makes these players play at a high level. Because they've done it, and can do it again, they have the flexibility (see NE) to trade players and get more picks, and keep the bigger money off the books. The QB part is a no-brainer, and we all know where Buffalo has been in that department. Now, here comes my annual optimism. I do believe Marrone and Pettine are going to be considered "good" coaches, and I think they'll implement and KEEP good systems, so that they'll be able to identify and get talent in the draft, even in later rounds, in the years to come. That's a plus. Secondly, although we've certainly lost young talent in the past and even recently, Nix has done a decent job of bringing in young talent - except at the QB and LB positions! I think we have good talent at CB - although a second, big, shut down corner would be great, I think between Brooks and McKelvin we can get by for another year. I also think Aaron Williams might be a terrific fit a safety - so our secondary might not be too bad. Also, I like our O-line talent, although we'll need to add a few OG's. All in all, between the draft and the UDFA's, we should be able to add enough young talent to go into next offseason missing only a few parts, and looking to be a real factor in 2014. I'm not giving up on the idea that we get a good QB in this draft, either, in which case we could see an Indianapolis like turn around this year! Ultimately, this year's success will hinge on what QB we end up with - and regardless of what everyone is saying about the lack of quality at the QB position in this draft, I believe it's a good year for Buffalo to be looking to draft a QB, and if we had more picks I'd like to get 2 this year.

I believe part of last year's slump, and the D-line's inability to "get off blocks" had more to do with the players KNOWING they were playing for a Coordinator whose system was simple, predictable, outdated, and I just think these guys wore down in the motivation department. You add a whole new group of coaches, a scheme that actually works, and I bet the D-line will be very good this year. Are you kidding me - Kyle Williams is a top D-lineman in the entire NFL, Dareus has the ability to be BETTER, and Mario is absolutely no slouch. Carrington, to me, is only going to get better - he's a big dude. So, I just don't believe we don't have the size or talent to play a hybrid. That being said, my two favorite picks for the Bills at 8 are Ansah and Jordan - because, I believe with their talents, added to what we have, we would be able to get after QB's almost at will.