racketmaster

In Taylor’s defense, he played for a very conservative HC not known to have dynamic and creative offenses. Clearly, Jackson is the more explosive athlete and he has a better arm but he was also aided by an offensive mind who knew how to take advantage of his skill set and minimize his flaws. Jackson is a better playmaker but he is also more mistake prone. Taylor rarely turned over the ball but Jackson will make a few off target throws (usually high) that will end up as ints in the Nfl. I see Jackson as a qb that can play and be effective immediately but there won’t be much progression as a passer (players generally are who they are at this point). As defenses better scheme against Jackson he will likely struggle to adjust because he has been a 1-2 read then run player his whole career. That said, with a creative offensive mind Jackson could be a lot of fun to watch for a few years and should at least be a mid range starter with a good OC because he has freakish gifts as as runner and thrower.

Personally, it is Rosen, Mayfield, Darnold and then Allen. They have the most franchise quarterback potential and it may be get one of the top 4 or bust. Jackson is an intriguing prospect who could serve as a solid option for a few years due to his freakish athleticism. Once defenses figure out his tendencies and the hits begin to take a toll on his body, there will likely be a decline in his play (see RGiii, Kap, Taylor). White is also interesting but the odds of hitting outside the top 4 don’t seem that great to me.

I have watched about a dozen of Rudolph’s games and the one concern I have had was his lack of arm strength. It becomes apparent on sideline throws, especially to the wide side of the field. Also, he is very accurate with his deep ball but he puts too much air under it for my liking. NFL secondaries will make him pay and if they don’t the winds in November and the following months will. I really was hoping he would prove me wrong today because Rudolph has a lot of other qualities to like.

Yes, this is what I heard as well.

His arm is definitely the weakest of the “top 6” as we saw in throwing drills today. That is his biggest flaw and may drop him out of the first.

The Jags ran the ball a lot but were not that effective in terms of yards per carry. Fournette is young and a top RB in the league and he averaged just 3.9 yards per carry in 2017. Ivory has a violent running style and he does get nicked up from time to time as a result. I think he still has a little juice left in him seeing some of his runs this past year. He is also a solid pass catcher and good blocker. I see him as an upgrade over what we have on the roster right now behind McCoy. Shady needs some help and Ivory could provide that for a year or two. We can always draft an RB next year as they typically can play right away.

Signing Ivory makes a lot of sense. He is older (will turn 30 in March) but has not had a ton of carries throughout his career (low mileage offsets the age a little bit). Ivory was voted a top 100 player after the 2015 season (I think he was #76) so he has potential if called upon for extra duty. Plus, if Bills sign Ivory now he won't count against us in compensatory system (just like Davis). If Bills manage to sign Ivory, it could be another indication that we are going to try and move up in the draft for a qb. Bills would be filling holes at reasonable rates and not killing team on future comp picks. The Bills will need every pick in the future they can get their hands on because if they move up they will be trading away a bunch of 2s, 3s and/or 4s as well as their first round picks. They will need a comp pick or two next year to help minimize the loss of those draft picks.

Could keeping Tyrod as the bridge qb also make sense from the compensatory pick formula side of things? I mean it should help in that the Bills would not have to sign another free agent veteran qb this year and then we would lose Tyrod next year in free agency. Beane wants to play the comp system better than we have in the past and this may be one of those smart moves to help tilt the comp system in our favor.

Here are some additional takes on Lamar Jackson from scouts: Albert Breer writes… “The evaluators I’ve spoken with have questions about his instincts and anticipation in the passing game, and his ability to process within the context of a pro offense, and still believe he’s more thrower than passer… He was seen as raw as a quarterback going into 2016, and the feeling on that remains the same.” In a piece penned by Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel, the anonymous ACC coach declared that Clemson Tigers signal-caller Deshaun Watson is a superior prospect to Jackson—whom he believes does not have a future playing on Sundays. "Watson has a chance to be at least as good as [Jameis] Winston," he said. "We played he and Lamar Jackson, and Jackson has no shot at playing quarterback in the NFL. None. He can’t make the throws and can’t read coverages. He’s not going to have a chance. Watson stands tall in the pocket and whips the ball around like Ben Roethlisberger." Matt Miller Scouting notes in December 2017: "I don't know for sure where he'll play in our league, but he's f-ing exciting. I could also see someone breaking him in half the first time he's hit." —AFC defensive coordinator "With as much natural talent he has, there's developmental potential. The key will be how well his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach can create a scheme for him—like Kyle Shanahan with RGIII—so he can have success early. Then you have to build on that success so defenses don't catch up to him." —NFC player personnel director "Well, I think the first question is what is he? I don't think he's a great passer despite good arm strength. I don't think he's a powerful enough runner to have success on the ground. So he'll have to learn to be a better thrower and stop relying on his legs. And if that doesn't work, move him to receiver." —former NFL general manager NFL.Com Bucky Brooks Nov. 2017. When I've discussed Jackson with scouting colleagues, I've heard him described as a "wow" athlete with intriguing talent. An AFC scout told me that he is a "create-a-player" playmaker with a set of skills that are typically associated with five-star players in video games. On the other hand, I've had plenty of scouts tell me that Jackson is more of a thrower than a passer and his sub-60 percent completion rate (59.8 percent this season) reflects his struggles with accuracy and ball placement. Bucky Brooks Analysis: In a league where passers are coveted at a premium, it's hard to sell an athletic quarterback with a run-first game to scouts and coaches looking for a polished pocket passer. That's why I wanted to check back in with Jackson to see if he has made enough progress as a passer to warrant consideration as a potential franchise quarterback at the next level. After studying the All-22 coaches' footage, I believe Jackson is an exceptional athlete with a combination of speed, explosiveness and burst that is hard to find in a quarterback. The 6-foot-3, 211-pound junior is a dynamic runner with a slippery running style that makes him nearly impossible to corral in the pocket. He excels on designed runs (QB draws, sweeps and zone-read plays) and is a defensive coordinator's nightmare as an improvisational playmaker. Jackson's average of 6.8 yards per carry this season is nearly a yard better than his average from his Heisman campaign. He has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons as a runner while scoring 28 rushing touchdowns. Skeptics worry about his frame, but he is noticeably bigger and thicker than a season ago. That's helped him become a more physical and effective runner on the perimeter. As a passer, Jackson displays outstanding arm strength and range. He can push the ball down the field as an effective vertical passer on post and go routes. Although he struggles a bit with his ball placement and accuracy on home-run balls due to his shoddy footwork and fundamentals, Jackson has the capacity to strike up the band as a long-ball tosser. On short and intermediate throws, his struggles with inconsistency are also due to his unpolished mechanics. Jackson misses the mark on outside throws, particularly comebacks and deep outs beyond 12-15 yards. He frequently misses high and wide on those throws, which is largely due to his failure to properly step into his passes. Jackson is at his best when throwing isolation routes (seams and skinny posts) or simple reads (slants-flats; stick-go and curl-flat). Offensive coordinators will feature those concepts prominently in spread offenses, but NFL coordinators typically opt for full-field reads or pure progression concepts that require the quarterback to tie his eyes to his feet in the pocket. Thus, Jackson still has a ways to go as a passer before convincing traditional play callers that he can fill the role as a high-end QB1. That doesn't mean that Jackson shouldn't be considered a top prospect at his position. We've seen more NFL teams implement spread systems with simplistic reads if the quarterback flashes exceptional playmaking ability as a dual-threat (see Deshaun Watson, Cam Newton and Russell Wilson). With that in mind, it wouldn't surprise me to see a team place a solid grade on Jackson that reflects his potential to be a franchise QB. -- Bucky Brooks

Allen had a very weak supporting cast. He played in a pro style offense and did not throw a bunch of wr screens to pad his completion percentage. His WRs were not very good and got little separation from defenders. Allen, seems to have a few poor throws each game but otherwise he is on target. Allen has all the tools and is still young.

I would be open to the idea if the Bills committed to running a system that fit Taylor and Jackson. It would not be my first choice as I would prefer the Bills to get one of the top quarterbacks (Darnold, Rosen, Allen, Mayfield). But if they are unable to move up, then this might be a decent backup plan. Although, the same complaints many posters have had about Tyrod are likely to continue with Jackson. He is limited as a passer right now and probably will never develop into an elite passer (he has too far to go and I just don't see that happening). However, Jackson is an elite runner and has tremendous natural arm talent so he is a threat to defenses (even more than Tyrod).

I like Wentz a lot but he was also surrounded by an excellent coaching staff and a very talented supporting cast. Nick Foles is a solid qb and was plugged into that system and looked like an all-pro. Again, Wentz is a very promising young qb but he has yet to be asked to carry a team. Incidentally Wentz went #2 to Jared Goff so should Mayock be saying there is no qb as good as Goff in this year's draft? Hindsight is 20/20 but when Wentz was coming out there were a lot of questions about the level of competition he played against and if his game could translate to the NFL. He also had some injuries in college so he was not a completely clean prospect. And again LA studied them both and chose Goff over Wentz (not saying they were right to do so but an NFL team that intensely studied these two quarterbacks ended up choosing Goff). So is there a quarterack(s) better than Wentz (prospect)? Scouting is subjective, especially when it comes to quarterbacks so I bet there are a bunch of teams who have Darnold and/or Rosen rated higher than they did Wentz. Remember, that Rosen was called the "chosen one" for a reason and Darnold was being hailed the next Andrew Luck (as a prospect) this time last year. The prospects at the top (Darnold, Rosen, Mayfield and Allen) are very good prospects and to get that many in one year is a little unusual. The depth may be part of the explanation as it is hard to get a handle on who exactly is the best prospect amongst the top grouping. And since there is not a total consensus and there is a ton of nit picking of the prospects then it makes it seem like the top guys are not as good. Whereas, Goff and Wentz had distanced themselves from the rest of there qb class because it was not as good (overall). I'm excited about this group of quarterbacks. There is definitely elite level ability in the top 4 and then some very interesting prospects like Jackson and Rudolph who appear to be every bit the prospects that Tannehill, Locker, Ponder, Dalton etc. were. Plus, there is a nice grouping of day 2 and 3 prospects that have a chance to be solid starters or high end backups.

I think Rosen's personality/character is a bit of an enigma. My initial opinion on him was that he had entitlement issues and may have been soft. Reading articles like this and some other interviews that I have seen, also show a kid who is very driven and seems passionate about winning. From the outside, Rosen may be one of those characters that likes to zig when everyone else is counting on him to zag. The Bills will have a serious background file on Rosen as well putting him thru exhaustive interviews. Beane and McDermott will have a much more solid opinion of Rosen's character than anyone on the outside. His talent is undeniable, so if they feel comfortable with the person they will likely move up to get him if he slips outside of the top 2. I'll trust Beane and McDermott to get this right and if Rosen passes the character test for them then that will be good enough for me.

I think you at right from a physical traits standpoint. They have similar size and stature but also their accuracy and arm strength seems similar. The big difference between the two is maturity. Mayfield is lacking some in this department and I believe the Bills will end up avoiding taking a run at Mayfield as a result.

I did not give serious consideration to Falk being the quarterback the Bills want to target but you could be right. If the scouting list of games is to be believed then Beane would have attended 2 of Falk’s games this year, which would be a good sign that the Bills have some interest in him. I did read from Matt Miller that at least one anonymous scout in the fall thought Falk had some potential to be a first round pick. I have mostly seen him projected in rounds 2-5 but maybe the Bills are one of the teams that are really high on him. He does have some potential and this year’s list of quarterbacks is pretty deep.

That's possible but I truly don't believe that drafting a mid round qb will be the plan heading into the draft. Beane slipped somewhat when stating that he had seen all the quarterbacks that matter and that those were the ones projected to go in the first round. The plan is to identify and draft a franchise qb in the first round this year, but with so many other teams also looking for quarterbacks who are ahead of the Bills, that plan could be derailed. Of the top 6 quarterbacks, the Bills probably would be comfortable taking 3 of them in the first round as outlined above. If those 3 end up being gone by the time the Bills pick then we probably fill in holes at other positions and potentially take a shot at a day 2 or 3 developmental quarterback as you stated. But I don't believe the Bills would be consider that mid round quarterback to be the leader of the franchise, at least not at this time, and they would likely be disappointed with not having obtained one of the quarterbacks they believed were franchise worthy. I have to think that the Bills will have all bases covered heading into the draft. If Tyrod is released and the Bills sign a marginal FA quarterback then we know for sure the Bills will be targeting a first round QB. And if that is the case they will have their rankings and what price they would be willing to pay for each of them. If Darnold slips past Browns, the Bills will probably try to make a move for him if the price is reasonable enough. If they can't, then they probably wait and would be more likely to move up a few slots to secure Rudolph. It might be too risky to try and let Rudolph fall to 21 and if he is drafted by another team the Bills would be shut out of the quarterbacks that are a fit for them (I'm assuming Allen would be going in the top 10 as well).

If Glennon gets released, he could also be a potential target as a bridge quarterback. I think you would only need one year before the rookie is ready so you are right about Keenum and McCarron. After one year with the bridge qb, the rookie takes over. If they are not ready by year their second year, I am going to be worried.

It depends on who the Bills want to target at QB. If they are in love with Darnold or Allen and not that interested in any of the other quarterbacks, then we would want Cousins to go to the Browns, Jets or Broncos. But if the Bills want Rudolph, it would probably be better for the Cardinals to get Cousins. It is unlikely that Rudolph goes in the top 10, but after that all bets are off. The Cardinals would probably be the biggest threat to take Rudolph because of where they are sitting in the draft. So, it just depends on who the Bills really want. It could. But the Bills could just as easily release Taylor and find a cheaper veteran qb to man the position for a year. Maybe Bradford or a Chad Heine type. Nothing to get excited about but it would only be for a year. In camp, you could have Bradford, Peterman and Darnold/Allen. Then in 2019, you start Darnold/Allen and have Peterman as the backup.

I believe that if the Bills drafted Darnold or Allen (especially Allen) they would put them in bubble wrap for the 2018 season. They would probably not even dress in the beginning games of the season to avoid the fans clamoring for then to replace the starter during games. By the end of the season, Darnold could see some action depending on the record of the team. I don't think Allen would see the field in 2018 but they would turn the keys over to him in 2019 like Kansas City and Mahomes. Now if the Bills drafted Rudolph, I could see him starting day one if he ended up beating out the competition. Rudolph is older and has more experience than the other two. He is also extremely mature and should be able to handle the pressure and adversity the position requires.

Very true. And if the Cardinals were to get Cousins, Foles or maybe one of the MIN. Quarterbacks they may be less inclined to draft one at their spot in the first (they will not take one if they got Cousins or even Foles as they would have to give up assets).

I’ll admit that I have spent the least amount of time researching Jackson. I have watched only 4 of his games and just 3-4 interviews. I have read some articles on him as well but have not does a deep dive into him. By all accounts he has solid character. He is not particularly impressive during interviews but nothing that raises a red flag. In my mind he has 2 things going wrong for him as far as his chances of being drafted by the Bills. First, he is smaller in stature and has a more slender build. The Bills would prefer him to be taller and thicker. Second, and probably more importantly is that he is similar to Tyrod Taylor and not just because they are both black quarterbacks. Jackson is an exceptional runner, probably faster and more explosive than Tyrod. He ran a lot in college and he was successful at it. But quarterbacks that run as much as he did in college do so at the detriment of improving as a passer. The NFL is a different animal. He will make some plays with his legs but eventually the speed and skill of NFL defenders will get to him as they do with Tyrod. And can his more slender frame hold up to NFL collisions? And when defenses scheme to take away his running lanes, will he be prepared to make NFL throws on a consistent basis. We have seen this with Tyrod. He has some success but teams that remain disciplined against the run and keep him in the pocket tend to have success against him. The Bills appear very ready to move on from Tyrod and it would be an odd choice to me if they were to replace him with Jackson. I actually, could see Jackson ending up on a team like the Bengals, Baltimore or San Diego. He could sit behind a veteran but also be used in special situations. Again, I would be surprised if the Bills targeted him as their franchise quarterback. The issue with his accuracy also does not help his cause. Personally, I just don't see the Bills being the right fit for Jackson but stranger things have happened.

I believe the smokescreens are things we start seeing around the time of the college all star games begin. The draft starts to become real and teams really begin to button up. It is important to me to know who Beane has been scouting in the fall as he is a busy man and will only attend a certain amount of games. You can bet your last dollar that the most important position Beane was scouting this past fall was quarterback. And what the organizational philosophy happens to be is also important. What the HC deems to be important and traits that the GM values is also important. Beane would not say much now but he gave us some nuggets in July after taking over as GM that I believe give us some insight into his thinking. I doubt he decided to try and put smokescreens out in July after just taking over as the new GM but it is always possible.

I have gone back and forth on Rudolph and it all comes down to his arm strength for me. If he could improve his velocity just a little bit, he has a chance to be a Philip Rivers type quarterback. I agree with his accuracy. He throws with great tough and has very good ball placement. He puts balls in spots to allow his wrs to go up and get it just like the elite qbs do in the NFL. Some say they are risky throws but he does not throw many picks and he realizes that his wrs see the ball coming and are more prepared to make a play on it than the db. His deep ball is very good to me, although he does put a little too much air under it (again reminds me of Rivers a little and his deep ball) but the ball almost always lands where his wrs can make a play on it.

Great point. Rudolph definitely checks the experience and maturity box as far as attributes the Bills prefer. I would be concerned about CIN, BAL, and possibly SD taking a shot at him before the Bills pick. If the Bills really covet him they may seriously consider moving up a few slots.

I hear you, but I like to include some real quotes and visit information to back up my opinions. It is definitely not for everyone but there are members that like this kind of stuff and prefer more details rather than less. As a runner he is better, but I would say that Allen's arm talent is better. He has made throws on the run that are ridiculous and only a few players in the game could ever imagine making. I agree, Cam's completion percentage was higher but he was in a different offense. He ran read option and had more single reads. Allen has operated in a more pro style offense and he is consistently asked to make more challenging throws. I still agree that he needs to be more accurate. I think Cam was at 66% and Allen was at 56% but if Cam was asked to make the same throws Allen made at Wyoming I think his percentage goes down some. And it shows as in the NFL, Cam has had accuracy issues but is still considered a franchise quarterback. Allen is intriguing but is certainly a risk and may be one the Bills are willing to take because he checks so many other boxes.