GunnerBill

I'd take Princely over Ezeiruaku every day of every week and wouldn't think twice about it. I know that isn't the consensus, and that's fine. But if Ezeiruaku had played in the SEC he is a 5 sack guy IMO.

Yes. But equally guys who are going to be break out stars have a way of showing it before the end of their rookie deals. Palmer is fine. I can easily see him having career years with Josh and adding 150-200 yards to his previous best. Is a 1,000 yard season out of the question? No. But he basically is what he is. He isn't going to be some hidden gem that suddenly breaks out. The Chargers have had enough need at wide receiver that if he was that guy we would have seen it.

I am not, I did say above I think his ball tracking is excellent. I just don't think he runs routes very well. And route running translates - especially if you wanna play outside. I see the ceiling but there is a lot of development needed IMO to tidy up what he is now. The floor scares me.

We will see. I think his route running is was too sloppy and he deserves pushing down the board from where the consensus on him started. From where it is now.... no I think it's about right. He will got latter half of round 1 or, at worst, the first half a dozen picks of day 2. I'm fine with that (although I don't see him as a fit for the Bills particularly). When he was being talked about as a top 10/top 12 guy? Nah. Too many questions for me. He is a better route runner than JSN, I think he has a better release package too. I think he can play outside in the NFL. Depends where he is drafted, of course, but I'd expect him to be much more a 50/50 split guy.

I don't think we did have two safeties, did we? I went into last year's dradt thinking we had zero safeties. We had about the same depth at defensive tackle, possibly a bit more at edge but a big question mark over who would start opposite Groot and how much they'd get out of Von in a rotational role. Then from a depth perspective I'd put Hamlin's job and Ingram's job and the OL backups as a lot more secure for the 53 now than they felt a year ago. Likewise there was definitely one running back job up for play going into the 2024 draft. Going in this year I feel like there is possibly a tight end job, a receiver job, a couple of corner jobs, a safety job and possibly two defensive line. Oh and a punter. In terms of the easiest places for rookies to make the team its there.

Yea, it is possible. I do think there were more potentially open spots last year in fairness. But it is fair to say the Bills haven't generally been big move uppers later in drafts under this regime. Their MO has more been up early, back late if anything.

I think the best use of them is if there sre prospects there we really like to trade up from our spots in round 4. Earlier than that they are next to useless as trade capital. But using say #169 and #177 gets us from #109 in the early 4th to say #96 at the enr of the 3rd. And then #173 can turn #132 at the end of the 4th into about #116 in the mid 4th. And the Bills would still have their own 5th and 6th rounders. So you'd end up with Own 1st Two late 2nds One late 3rd One mid 4th One late 5th One late 6th Seven picks but two 2nds and no 7th. And 5 picks in the top 120 of the draft. Something like that is, I think, both realistic and attractive.

Yea I am completely the opposite on this point. I know Egbuka has played more slot to this point and Burden has played more split wide, but I see the release package and route running as an ideal fit as a move receiver from the Z position. I think Burden is a guy you need to play in the slot because his route running is going to be a concern outside. Let him just go find space in the middle of the field. I know you are a lot higher than me on Burden though. I'm just not sold on his tape. I feel like Egbuka's floor is the safest of the top 4 receivers in this class. He can run routes and run them very well and that translates.

I see a ton of Shenault on the Burden film. I don't like him as a route runner at all. His technique is sloppy, he displays a laziness at the top of his routes and while I know he timed well and he definitely has that initial burst and acceleration he doesn't seem to pull away from people at the top of the route. Maybe that is just the slightly lazy approach maybe it is a question about the longer speed but it does concern me if you want to use him outside in a more vertical sense. I think he is more talented than Shenault and I do think his ball tracking skills on deeper throws are special but I think he is a primarily slot / gadget guy who you don't tell to run routes you just tell to find space within 10-15 yards of the line and then get him the ball in his hand and ask him to make magic happen. It's kinda how the Bills use Shakir... although again, to be clear, I think Burden has a higher ceiling than someone like Shakir.

I think based on going to get DK they arguably should have.

Yes but their strengths and what Rodgers can still do well are not aligned. They need a deep ball thrower because neither of them have diverse route trees. And ARod's deep ball has really fallen off.

Thing is DK and Pickens are outside deep ball guys. That is the bit of Rodgers's game I think has most dropped off.

I agree, that is my take on him too. On the bits of his film where you do see him in tighter alignment he is noticeably less dynamic in his get off and there isn't a ton of pass rush plan there. I see him as someone who certainly early is going to be a situational rusher who you just bring in and line up at 9T on 3rd and longs and go Quarterback hunt. The Bills traditionally don't take those guys early. They took Javon Solomon last year who you could say was similar but he was what, a 5th rounder? He will find the transition easier if he goes to a 3-4 team in my view, but I wouldn't hate the Bills taking a shot.

I don't think DK has ever actually dispelled those concerns. He IS a one trick pony. Has been his entire NFL career. He is just elite at that trick and so it hasn't mattered. His success rate on anything other than go routes, post routes and crossers - i.e. routes that require very little change of direction and no short area quickness - is way below average. I think @HappyDays is right to say the number of profiles of that type who succeed is relatively small compared to the ones that fail. I think if you crunched the numbers that would be true, even compared to general success / fail rates. On Thornton particularly.... I haven't really done any kind of deep dive on him as yet, so I don't have a super strong position to speak from. I do think the speed and size is a bit leading to swoony eyes at this stage. He looks pretty raw, but as I say I need to properly get into his film still.

I am sure they will. McDaniels' offense works inside to out in any event.

Yea I disagree. I think Mara was the driving force in that extension. I think he wanted Jones back more than both his GM and his coach. I don't think Schoen and Daboll "wanted him out". They were between a rock and a hard place. Their over achievement year 1 left them without a chance to drsft a guy and Jones was out of contract. Given the owner was badgering to keep him I think they came to the view that was the least bad option. I also think Mara knows he screwed up and that is why Schoen and Daboll are still there. Out of guilt. I don't believe Daboll ever thought he could turn Daniel Jones into Josh Allen. Nope. Not unless there is a different Head Coach at least. I think the relationship with Sean was pretty frayed that final season, having been by all accounts good before that. And even though if Brady goes Josh might campaign for it.... McDermott with another playoff loss would be on the hotseat. He isn't gonna bring in a local guy, who still has some cache with some of the fanbase, who the star QB loves.... cos if things go south you might just have hired your own replacement.

Not really. Douglas is totally toasted. He was brutal last season. All those worrying about Dane Jackson starting for us in 2025.... and they are right to btw.... might want to reflect that it could even be an upgrade on 2024 Douglas. He sucked. Cooper, maybe he is done too, maybe it was the wrist... but sounds like Bills staffers have been telling people he is done. Maybe in the hope that if he is still sitting out there post draft we would bring him back on a cheap deal? Or maybe because they really do think he is done.

If they got Troy on day 3 I'd be fine with that. What I don't want them to do is leave superior options on the table days 1 and 2 because they are reaching to fill holes. If the top receivers in each round are gone before they pick, fine, don't force it. But equally don't force corner or defensive line either. BPA at WR - CB - DE round 1, then the same with the first second rounder. Then at that point before their second second rounder take stock, look at the positions you have managed to address and consider the depth of what is remaining at DT and whichever one of the three premium spots you haven't addressed. My suspicion based on the class is DT will be the deepest remaining spot.... but equally if there is a DT with a round 2 grade there at #62 don't pass on him for a 3rd round grade at another spot.

Albert Breer I think is the only national reporter who has alluded to it. But there are lots of rumours behind the scenes and it was John Mara who the day after the playoff exit the first year with Daboll, with Jones and impending free agent declared to the media "we have our franchise Quarterback" and then on the day the deal was signed he was the one ringing Jones's camp directly. I am not arguing that he was overruling Schoen and Daboll who were desperate not to sign him. But I think this was more than just an owner saying "I support bringing Daniel back" I think he was actively campaigning in the organisation for it. Their relationship has been described as father - son like.

Nah I believe he was actively pushing them to do it.

Yea I think the Giants have been worse. I know the Jets have the longest playoff drought but they didn't draft a running back number 2 in a strong Quarterback draft only to then come back in a weak QB draft the next year and take a 3rd round talent 6th overall. The Jets results might have been worse (although total W-L is close I think) and the Browns (Watson) have made the single worst decision but nobody has consistently screwed the process as bad as the Giants over the past decade.

Yea. I think Cook does make a difference over Motor and Moss because they are both backup level running backs. We thought for a couple of years backup + backup = starter. If you were comparing it to say Najee Harris or someone like that it makes minimal difference. Agree totally with this. Don't count myself in that. I was a defender of the DeJean idea last year. While my preference was a receiver I thought DeJean was a stud and he was my 2nd BPA going into day 2.

This was after the cap increase had been communicated. There was still a gap between Spotrac and Beane on how far over the Bills were.

Yes, but they have been the worst run franchise in the league since about 2014.

I mean technically they did. But it was at the owner's instruction. I don't think they are drafting a QB at #3 now. They have signed Jameis and Russ. Would be odd to sign two bottom end starting level vets if you plan to draft a guy. That normally signals a "we are gonna let these guys compete".