KeisterHollow

We'll see what happens. He's the kind of guy a team like New England likes to pick up - a good, consistent role player (not to mention, he could probably fill in for Hernandez at times...) or a Bronco type hire. Obviously Pettine has a distinct look he's going for on his Defense, and you can be sure there'd be a few more players gone if he could just replace whomever he wished - and, most of us trust and like wherever he wants to take us on Defense. Hackett and Marrone come in and there aren't as many changes on the offense - nevertheless, IF Marrone and Hackett decide they want to give this offense their own stamp, and can do so this year, then I'm all on board. I'm just excited to see what we've got to work with come training camp!

Oy! I'd rather not tempt fate when the Bills are concerned - although, statistically speaking - Fate ought to have something pretty spectacular in store for us by now!

I think this coaching staff bucks the trend of starting slow and building up for years, until year 3 or 4 become playoff years. For one, Buffalo has some real talent. We've had poor drafts, sure, but recently I believe Nix has given us some real young, promising talent. We have room and flexibility with the cap. Our greatest weakness, for nearly 9 years, I'd say, has been coaching. We've got a solid young O-line. Our D-line could be star studded, if they played to their potential (and, here I'd like to say I believe Pettine will have his players giving it their all, so guys like Dareus, Mario, Gilmore, Aaron Williams, Bradham and Carrington - these guys might all be playing a notch higher this year). Our secondary is close to being very good. We have stars at RB and a star WR. All we need is a few key FA's - just as a for instance, say, Keller at TE and some good OLB/ILB. Going into the draft we add an ILB, WR, QB, and maybe another secondary player - and if those 4 rookies started and played well, we could have a 10-6 caliber team - but one that is on the RISE. It's all how the offseason is handled, and so far, so good!

I thought Barkley did great, too. He's obviously smart - on and off the field. He's got that Fitzpatrick-ish skill of reading defenses and not making too many mistakes, contrasting that with Fitz who reads defenses, but because his arm is insufficient, he still makes mistakes. Barkley is my top QB and I think the Bills will be super excited if he falls to them. I think there is a lot to the "fit" idea, too. I think guys like Tyler Wilson (especially) - and Ryan Nassib in the same way - are very Jim Kelly like. They are tough QB's who will take hits and put their all out there into it, and rally a team, as well. It's just that Nassib doesn't appear to have much better of an arm than Fitz. Glennon is super strong armed, no doubt, but I wonder if his small build and immobilitiy - not to mention his intangibles - would appeal to our FO for what its looking for. Tyler Bray, I think, would be a very good fit - just not until the 2nd or 3rd round. He's got everything necessary (except, perhaps - and we'll know more later - his intelligence and maturity). There's also Manuel - who's got all the physical tools to excel in Buffalo. Landry Jones probably "fits" in Buffalo, too. So, there are quite a few QB's who could succeed in Buffalo. My guess would have to be they're looking for accuracy, arm strenth, and intelligence as their 3 top qualities. When I look at the class that leads me to rank them, in order of best to least: Barkley, Wilson, Glennon, Bray, Manuel, Nassib, Jones - althogh it's Geno Smith that is the wild card, IMO - I can't tell where to rank him, and I concede he might be the best, or merely one of the top 3 - he is just very hard for me to evaluate. There's something about him that makes me nervous.

They could pay another safety, and save money by playing two rookies, and Nigel Bradham (cheap, too) as three LB's. That's no different than drafting, say Vacarro, another rookie LB, and paying a FA LB somewhere in the 6 million a year range.

I'll say this: I thought, why cut Fitz if it saves you nothing? The cap would be the same, without a restructuring. Yet, if they're actually saving cash that they can use to pay other FA's, then it's something. I hadn't considered whether keeping him this year without a restructuring would result in a guaranteed similar but worse situation next year. That would be good motivation to cut him now - simply to take the loss and be able to move on next year. Again, I don't know whether this is certain. Either way we're going to see a rookie this year who could be much better than anyone we have on the roster.

I'm hoping Brandon Jenkins falls and we get a shot at him in the lower 2nd - maybe trade back up to get him.

I respect Astro and the work he does. I also think Milliner is a good CB. However, I think it more likely, if the Bills want to upgrade at the CB position this year, that they do so with a FA. If any secondary member is chosen at 8, I think it more likely to be Vaccaro (sp?), the safety. I also don't see Buffalo not taking a QB in the first 4 rounds. They almost have to, if only to quell the appearance that they aren't trying to find a young, capable signal caller. I really don't know the guys on this list to judge it, but it doesn't look like the type of first 3 or 4 rounds I would like.

I agree with you wholeheartedly. Barkley has everything Nix would like in a QB - and, furthermore, because he went back for his senior year, where the protection was bad, he still had a decent year, statistically, but now he might be available to Buffalo at 8 - something no one would have dreamed of a year ago. The kid has a better arm - can throw it accurately, in the air, over 30 yards. Sure, passes of 40 plus yards in the air might not be dead on, but for 95% of the passes he'll have to make, his arm is good - better than Nassib's, better than most of these QB's coming out. Barkley would instantly make Buffalo a much better offense - and that means quite a bit. If our offense gets better this year, and our defense gets better (something that seems impossible not to happen) Buffalo could be looking at sneaking into the playoffs. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I think Buffalo has Barkley rated as the top QB prospect, and if they have a chance to take him I WOULD JUST ABOUT GUARANTEE they take him. With their history of NOT drafting QB's, they just CANNOT pass on a guy like Barkley. Even if they tanked this year, went 4-12, they'd probably not get a chance to draft a BETTER QB next year. If he's there, it's Barkley at 8.

Wow - Fitz has really jaded you! As for Whaley, I believe he probably knows more about football, and the value of players in today's game, than any of us. What he said was there is no clear cut, sure-fire pick at QB. He also said, if you watched or listened to the whole interview, that any of these guys MIGHT prove to be as good as Luck or Griffin, but they just haven't shown that potential yet. He did not say there were no QB's in this draft who could be pro-bowlers. And, as for Whaley telling us what his preferences are - that's almost akin to letting all the teams ahead of us know which QB we really want. That just doesn't happen this time of year.

I get people's frustration with Buddy - personally, I like him, but I do think he missed the boat on the QB issue. Now its a matter of whether Nix feels he has to right the QB position this year, or if he's truly going to trust his board. Chances are, he felt MORE urgency before Marone was hired, and now, after Marone has done his research, he and everyone are probably on board with taking a chance on a QB with a later pick, since the difference between the top and, say, the 6th QB, might not be much. As for Nix saying, initially, that he'd trade up for a QB, if need be - I think, what he meant, was that he's seen, these past few years, QB's going a round or more earlier than they would've, based on his rankings, say 10 years ago. He's NOW come to the conclusion that it isn't a fluke, but a trend, and so he'll be willing to move up, if need be, to get a QB - so long as they view that QB worth the pick, and capable. Now, if no QB in this draft rates high enough on the Bills rankings to suggest he could be a franchise QB, it'd be foolish of Nix to take one in round 1 anyway. Nix isn't that kind of GM. So, if the Bills go after a guy aggressively in round 1 - or even just take one at 8 - it's because they think he'll be their franchise QB for the next 10 years. However - I believe they'll most likely wait and make a move in the 2nd or 3rd round for a QB with potential. Everything about that scenario rings truer to me than them going QB at 8 - with one exception; if a guy they really like but didn't think would drop is there at 8 (Barkley or Smith) then maybe they take him and feel lucky. Otherwise, they can get other, safer talent with their 1st pick - we know we've got plenty of holes - and then moving back up, or going aggressively after a guy in the 2nd or 3rd round IS SO MUCH cheaper! The Bills just have too many needs to trade a ton at the top of the draft (which we'd need to do to make a move in round 1) for a QB who isn't heavily favored to be successful. All of those reasons are why I think we make a move (unless a gem falls to us) and get our guy in the 2nd or 3rd. Also, keep in mind - keeping Fitz AND signing Jackson indicate they are willing to let one of them start, if need be. That sounds a LOT like a 2nd or 3rd round QB competing - and, if he can't win it, then he can study up for a year. If they're planning on taking a QB in round 1 - they aren't going to do so if they believe Fitz is going to ''compete" for the job, in that scenario.

I don't know that our defense COULD get worse, and since Pettine has had such previous success, and I believe in his vision, I suspect, at worse, we'll be top 16. Will the offense get worse? I don't believe they'll be much worse, because most of last year was pitiful out of Fitzpatrick. Sure, we scored, but we were controlled quite often. I think Marrone will have a much more potentially dangerous offense - I can't see him being as willing to cut off half a field as Gailey was. So, because of those things I suspect Buffalo will be BETTER than last year. Sometimes, though, teams can get better without getting much better in the standings. I think how far Buffalo can go next year will depend on the QB play. At worse I see 7-9, optimistically 11-5.

Letting Levitre walk and drafting Warmack is the first alternative that comes to my mind. But, immediately I'm saying to myself, "did we just give up a 1st round pick here?" What do you gain, other than 10 million a year in cap space. They'd basically be trading a rookie for whatever vet they pick up in FA worth near 10 million (or two). I think if losing Levitre is going to happen, you can't just go out and replace him with a 1st round pick. That would be treading water, so to speak, and we'd not be gaining any ground in our attempts at actually IMPROVING. I think if Levitre walks - and that could happen, depending on how much he's offered elsewhere - we need to draft a guy to replace him, but not until maybe the 3rd round. We have more pressing needs. Then again - if we are planning on drafting a QB high - like 1st or top of second round - then we better be sure he's got a good O-line to play behind, especially if we're planning on letting him play right away. I think what we're doing with the QB situation will have a lot to do with what we do with the LG situation. If we're going to be happy to let Fitz/Jackson/and a mid round pick duke it out this year, then it's a lot easier to let a new guy(s) work into the lineup at LG. So many options...

The more I look at the draft, the harder it is to think of going any other direction than defense in the first few rounds. There is just SOOOO much talent in the front seven, particularly, in the first 2-3 rounds this year. Guys like Brandon Jenkins, who missed most of the senior season with a foot injury, would have surely been a 1st rounder any other year, but looks to be a mid second rounder or even closer to the third round this year! If Buffalo were to go Alec Ogletree in the first, Brandon Jenkins in the second, - OR - something like trade back into bottom of first for a QB, and then trade up for a guy like Jenkins in the second... either way, FA has a handful of good CB's this year. If we could get, lets say, Alec Ogletree and Brandon Jenkins we'd have an ILB and an OLB/DE to match with I'm guessing another ILB FA - and a CB FA - we'd have a young, solid Defense that could go from 3-4 to 4-3 with ease... I don't know, I know we need a QB, but there are only a couple that really get me excited, and I just don't know if it'd be worth it to pass on sure-fire talent. I'll be fine with whatever they choose to do - but I know there is enough talent in the draft and FA to make this defense very good. Can we say the same about the offense? I think, when you look at both sides, the Bills could easily stock up everywhere - load up on defense, get a WR or two in the draft and FA who match our ideal in size, and just leave solving the QB problem till next year. It'd be hard to sit through another year of bad QB play - but, if they could fix everything else and just go into next offseason needing a QB, basically, then that would be okay by me. That's how I think, though - I look at NFL teams as two sided, and I'm always trying to fix one side - make it dominant - at a time, while the Bills seem to take a little here, add a little there, and are always falling short of making a dominant unit out of either side. If they go that route again this year - you could argue for a QB, WR, TE in the first three rounds, as we've invested so much these past few years, draft-wise, on defense - and we'd be short defensively. Or, a QB, LB, TE - leaving us needing both sides a little. I don't know - there's merit to every angle. If I were doing it, though, and I couldn't solve all the issues, I'd least try to create an Identity with giving us one great side - make it a powerhouse offensive or defensive team, and then fix the other side the following year. As for QB - there are guys out there (granted only a few) who could be had in the mid to late rounds who would be interesting for just one year, just to get away from having to sit through Fitz - like Marqueis Gray, a guy who is a physical freak, runs like a 4.5 forty, is like 6-4 250 lbs, looks like a TE, and can throw a deep, fast ball. He'd need a lot of QB, throwing, mechanic training, but for a 5-6 round pick, why not give yourself a project QB with a ceiling as high as can be imagined? They've got to come out of this draft with players to be excited about, and if they cannot get their top QB, why not settle later for one with some interesting POTENTIAL.

I think C.J. could carry a team for a while, I believe he is at his best when matched up with a bigger change of pase back. I like Fred, but they were not used as much together as I would have predicted; I think a fullback - a real thumper, good blocker, who was also fast (San Fran's Delanie Walker is BIG on my wish list for Buffalo) comes to mind. As for Buffalo at 8 - I've said, if Barkley is there at 8, I just can't see Buffalo passing on him. The video I watched of him - even in 2012 - was quite good. His arm was plenty strong enough to hit NFL type throws. Tyler Wilson also struck out at me. When watching him I was, more than any other guy in the draft (except for when Bray is on), convinced his skills were NFL ready - and already I think he'd be an above average NFL QB. This is the tip of what I've been saying for a while now is a very solid QB group for Buffalo to choose from this year. Despite the lack of elite talent, there are some 5-7 guys who could all go between rounds 1 and early 3. Any one could catch on with the right team and be a decent to good starter right away. It's just on Buffalo's staff to be able to identify the QB's who ARE good enough, and then to know when to get them - and they really can't miss again, because the last two years have been cases of "their guy" getting taken out from under them.

I agree - this is a League, in many senses of the word. The NFL and collusion are often synonymous.

Keep this in mind (I am hoping): Buffalo releases Fitz - as of now - they still are on the hook for his pay. Cutting him saves half a million? It just doesn't make sense to cut him - UNLESS he restructures his contract. But why would he agree to lower his contract if he knew the Bills really wanted to dump him? Of course, the truth is always somewhere in between it all, but lowering his contract would make keeping or DUMPING him easier, and that isn't getting done unless he believes he's got a shot to start.

If it weren't for Fitzpatrick's contract, I'd say T-Jack is the one QB I'd be okay with the Bills keeping around as a backup - now, Fitz, at 2-3 million a year would be a good backup, but at his current cap hit, I just don't know - maybe this is Marone's way of telling Fitz to restructure or its over? We'll see how it plays out. I think, though, it looks more and more likely the Bills won't be getting a QB until round 2-3, which means it'll definitely be an open competition.

Specifics on the draft are so early - but, I believe that Buffalo is going to be in good shape come August. I think we'll all be thinking this is the year we finally make a playoff run. There will be a few more purges, I think, and hopefully Fitz will restructure, giving us somewhere in the 25 million range for F.A. As I see it we'll be in the market for 2 ILB's, an OLB, a CB, a safety, a big, fast WR, a TE, a QB, and depending on Levitre, an interior O-lineman. That's 9 starters we'll be looking for. We will probably get a corner/safety in FA, along with an ILB, and a TE. Maybe Alex Smith. So, going into the draft we're probably looking to add an ILB, OLB, QB and WR in the first 4 rounds. Since OLB and QB's are harder to come by, I could see us going OLB with our 1st pick, WR with our 2nd, a QB like Bray or Landry Jones in the 3rd, and then pushing to pick up a LB prospect with some speed and coverage ability to line up inside. I don't think we'll have the roster wrapped up completely in August, but I think we'll be close enough that it'll be the beginning of a 4 or 5 year run where we're in the thick of it in our division, and in the playoffs. There's a million different possible combinations of players that we could go in over the next 3 months, this is just to say I think we'll have a chance to fill most of our holes this offseason - contrary to how many people view Buffalo, as having far more holes than they'll be able to fill.

I agree. The Bills are not on a similar timetable as other teams with new staffs. This long, twenty year drought must end. We've got to see a disciplined, talented, aggressive team- I think that is the key; the team must be HUNGRY, it must be willing to do more, to do whatever, to become good and to win. From the personality of the two coaches - Pettine and Marone/Hackett - I think we'll be very young and aggressive on both sides of the ball. As for past failure - I put it on the main coaches, and a good deal of the losing has to do with not having brought in a good QB in how many years now? To have only Fitz on the team has been a bit of a demoralizer, too. With a new QB, and a new staff, I think Nix does what he does best - evaluate - before he sails off into the sunset, leaving a team ready to be a contender for awhile. I just read an article on the Bills being a big player for Alex Smith, if he were to become a F.A. - and, if Fitz would restructure, we pick up Smith, draft a couple linebackers and a big, fast WR (if not bring one in in FA), and the Bills could be a player next year. We'll just have to see how it plays out.

Yes - I know Bray is a much better prospect. What I meant was that when people talk about Buffalo taking Bray, they usually talk about Bray being a second option - not the guy you select because he's sure to be a good starter, but because he could be really good, if he can harness his talent and be consistent. He's often talked about as the second QB to take, if the Bills were to take one in the first and then maybe one in the 3rd or 4th. In that sense - taking a second QB because he COULD be very good, if his talent pans out and is consistent. Bray, though - he reminds me of Dan Marino, actually, when I watch him pass. I think Barkley will prove to be the most pro ready, and also will be very good in the NFL, and I think the Bills might have a shot at him at 8. If so, I just can't see them passing on him. If he and Geno Smith are gone, I'm all for taking a LB/DE hybrid and a QB in the second. Then again, if they took Wilson with the 8 pick I wouldn't mind - as long as they have confidence in him as a franchise type QB.

I think you're obviously right on. The contract, as it is, virtually prohibits them from cutting him. It also virtually prohibits them from going after a guy like San Fran's Alex Smith. He would demand near 10 million a year, I'm guessing, if not a little more, and that, combined with Fitz's current pay (regardless of being here or gettin cut) would put Buffalo on the hook for near 20 million towards a QB that would be pretty unanimously NOT elite. Compare that to keeping Fitz and drafting a QB - getting talent with a higher ceiling than Smith, and paying a combined 12 or so million a year for a QB - and that's if they get a 1st rounder - and that secures a very good backup/mentor type for the first, difficult year. To me there really isn't a choice - unless Fitz restructures, lowering his cap hit, and even then - at a reduced price, with his particulars (intelligence, locker room friendliness) he'd be a great backup/stop-gap QB - but more near the 5 million a year rate for now.

I consider the Bills as needing to draft a QB in this years draft who can start - and I haven't changed my mind about there being a handful of QB's I'd be fine with the Bills choosing - Geno Smith, Barkley, Wilson, Bray, Manuel, and even Nassib. They all look like they'll be decent - granted they end up on the right team. As an aside - I had never heard of Marquis Gray - but that dude looks every bit as worthy of a flyer as Bray - he looks to be as explosive as a Newton or Griffin, with the right mentoring... I really hope the Bills come out of this draft with 2 QB's - one with obvious starting ability, and one with huge upside, like Bray or this Gray kid.

I think this is brilliant. WR's usually take a while to acclimate to the NFL. A rookie QB, playing behind a pretty good O-line, needs to have impact skill players ready - Spiller, Jackson, Johnson - and I hope Keller and maybe a Louis Murphy, or one of the Saints FA's.

If we keep Byrd and move Aaron Williams to Safety, there's no way its to be backup. I think there's gotta be a big effort this year to use him on a regular basis - as a starter - as either a safety or as a third, nickel corner. It's just a matter of utilizing his particualr skill-set. I actually believe he fits in much better with this new D-staff, as they're so fond of physical, hitting backs.