Bill from NYC

No, and this is where we can meet in the middle imo. They need to draft GOOD PLAYERS! Should they mix in need to the equation? Absolutely!!! For all we know, there were hall of fame running backs, wrs, etc. drafted after Dareus. It is possible. But, if Dareus is a very good DT at #3, he will be the best player for US. He will have filled a huge need AND been a very good player. In other words, the Bills might actually have a strong defensive front this season. The fact that this is even possible is a huge leap imo. We didn't need to draft another situational this year. Can we at least agree on this? Need does enter in at some point. When the Bills are strong on both lines and are happy wrt the qb situation, this would be the time to grab some stud wr or rb early. maybe even a defensive back. But, we have proven that these guys are all but useless on a weak team, and hopefully we are changing this losing mentality.

These 2 sentences contradict each other. How can you not see this? Spiller was obviously not the best player available because someone thought he was, or because you want him to be. He had a lousy season last year and was not the best at anything. And, he played at perhaps the only position at which we had some depth. Picking him was stupid, check the w/l record and see. Was Jamarcus Russell the best player available when he was drafted? Of course not; he was a flop!!! General Managers are paid a lot of money. The good ones like Newsome draft good players. This is what makes them good. If all one had to do was listen to Mel Kiper, etc., everybody would draft players based only on where others ranked them. Is thia what you want the Bills to do? Ask Al Davis how he feels about the 35 or 40 million he spent on Russell. Will he tell you it's fine, Russell was the best player available, and ranked high? Was Whitner the bpa? How about McKelvin, Losman or Maybin? Were they "ranked" high enough for you to call their picks worthy and sane?

Great play in college doesn't always translate into being worthy of an early draft slot. If you don't believe me, ask Greg McElroy (who I wish we took in round 7 but I digress). You keep calling him the bpa, but he played poorly. Will he always be the bpa, even if he is out of the league in 2 years? And btw, if Newton would have fell to us, I would have been happy. I don't always insist on "fat guys." The problem is, the Bills, led by Levy/Jauron, neglected the lines to the point where any sane fan could see what was wrong. Obviously, Nix did too. And, there is more work to do, but we have a chance at a solid defense this year. Amazing how different it looks now that Levy/Jauron are out of town, no? Sorry if I hit on a sore spot. OK, but look at your signature! Running and stopping your opponent from doing so will always matter, especially in the elements.

And this is where we differ. First of all, the very term "BPA" is WAY over used to the point of being trite imo. But this aside, just how good was CJ Spiller? There were lots of better players available. How much do you invest in these mock drafts? Just because some of them rated Spiller high didn't make him a "value." It is the job of the front office to find players who are very good at #9. And listen, I am fully aware that a great deal of picks do bust out at the 9 spot, but the Bills were not in a position to use that selection on a situational player. They had some depth at RB, and none at other positions. None. So, what would compel them to draft a part time running back at #9? Again, to think that revenue couldn't factor in (which you say it did with TO) is a bit short sighted imo. It isn't. It's a great thing, but it doesn't necessarily translate into winning football games. The premise of my OP is of praise for Mr. Wilson for apparently backing off a bit and letting football people do their jobs.

Diehard fans will come to games. I have been to RWS for 17 consecutive seasons. But not every game was sold out. Those remaining seats are the ones in question imo. In April, a LT or a DT who isn't going to have too many sacks would create less causal fan interest than a guy like Spiller, if he could play. And, those unsold seat mean more to Ralph than they would to Paul Allen or Woody Johnson. That is pure profit.

1. Yes. This is my opinion. The NFL is a multi-billion dollar conglomerate. Mr. Wilson knows how to maximize profit. He isn't a football man. This doesn't make me correct. I merely think this, but I must say that I think one would be naive to think that RW has never exercised authority on draft day. 2) The Bills marketed Spiller right after the draft. It is easier to market a person who scores or throws for touchdowns than it is to market a big, ugly lineman. And, Spiller didn't sell seats because he didn't play well. Besides, this question was ridiculous as I'm sure it was intended to be. Who do you think would sell more tickets, Orlando Pace or Marshall Faulk?

What scared me about the 2nd round pick was the possible repeat of history. When Byrd was drafted in round 2, the team that picked after us traded down and picked up a nice first round pick in the following season for doing so. There is no reason to believe that we couldn't have done the same. This time, Nix openly stated that he had numerous offers in every round. So yes, repeating moves that turned out not so well do scare me. As for the draft overall, it was good imo, something I can live with. OK, but I am basing my opinion of RW's comments on "adding excitement." Taking a running back at #9 (especially a small part time player at a position of depth) was quite the reach on a team with huge needs. Certainly we can agree to disagree, and the good news is that it appears that Nix ran this entire draft.

This too is correct. But as Bills fans, we have had a long, clear look at what does NOT work.

This is what the post was about. I like the fact that actual football people were making these picks.

If your point is that a great qb is the most important facet of a football team, I fully concur. But there are only so many of those guys, no? LOL not at all. He could have ordered them to draft a QB that they didn't want. Actually, I thought he would do just that.

Players such as Dareus are not "ticket sellers." I know.....winning sells tickets, but there has been too much of a propensity in Buffalo to draft "flashy," skill position players. The glut of early defensive backs in prior years can imo be blamed on the asinine philosophy of Levy/Jauron. I give Mr. Wilson much credit for stepping back, instead of drafting for short term profit. I didn't agree with every selection, nor am I dumb enough to think that is important. But, it really does appear that Nix wants the Bills to have some sort of identity, especially on defense. If players such as Troup, Carrington and of course Darreus can play football, the Bills will be strong up front. We have not seen this since Bruce, Pat Williams, Big Ted, Hansen, etc. Nix stated that he had numerous trade offers in every round. With the round 2 selection, he probably could have got another first round pick in 2012 but stayed put. He wants to win now, and I understand this. Bills fans too are hungry for wins after continuous losses and frustration. Next year, I truly hope that they address the offense, especially the OL. In order to contend, the Bills need to be strong up front. This is a passing league to be sure, but a team cannot be successful in a place like Buffalo without a strong ground attack, or so I see it. GO BILLS!!!!!

For the sake of this football discussion, I will rate a combination of both the player's ability and the sensibility of pick itself. These are only my opinions, and I'm not trying to convince anybody that I am fully correct. 1) Levitre: GREAT pick. I would have been happy with him at the end of round 1 if they took him instead of Wood. He played LT in college and it was clear that he would be good at pass protection. Grade A 2)Byrd: The team that selected after us traded away the pick and got a nice first round pick in the following draft. It is very safe to assume that we got the same offer, but Dumbo Jauron simply HAD to take another early DB. He had a great rookie year, and a not so good second year. He looks to have gained weight and slowed down. He wasn't what this team needed. Grade: C, and I am being very generous imo. 3) Kelsay: He is, and always was small. However, taking a chance on a player who can rush the QB is usually not a bad idea, and Kelsay does have some speed for a DE. Who knew that on running plays, he could be mowed down by a blocking tight end, let alone a good OT? Grade: C-, and you are seeing my kindness once again. 4) Poz: I continue to like his skillset to a degree. He gets injured quite a bit but it's tough to blame the Bills front office for this. Trading up enters into the equation as well. Grade: C+, and I would go higher if he was healthier. Perhaps. 5) Josh Reed: He started out well, no? I will always think that if Josh started his career on a team that could block, he would have had a better run. He lacked speed, and the qb was often sacked before he got a chance to catch a pass. But, he ran very good routes and got open. Grade: B-. I always had some respect for Reed. He was a strong player for his position. 6) Parrish: Keep in mind the fact that Roscoe was our first pick in this draft. We were noticably weak, and wasted it on a gadget player. This type of blatant idiocy was what pissed me off so much about the Spiller selection. He at times shows flash and some skills. He has sold a few tickets to be sure, but he has doesn't have enough skills to push a losing, weak team over the mountain of failure. He would get a much better rating from me if the team that selected him was solid and strong. Grade: C-, and this is less of a reflection upon Roscoe than it is of the stupidity of whoever was most responsible for the pick. 7) Denney: He has made a few plays over the years. A good depth player and that's OK, but I want more from a second round pick. Grade: C- 8) Hardy: The kid turned out to be an awful pick, but imo injuries were a huge factor in this. He was big, and could have been very useful if he had developed. Therefore, I am going to be generous once again wrt my rating. Grade: D+ Note: When rating the 2nd round pick of 2011 in the future, remember that Nix said that there were numerous trade down offers. After the season it would be good to ask whether you would be happier with A. Williams, or an additional 1st round pick in 2012. Jmo.

Kevin Boss and Jeremy Trueblood. These players would instantly improve this football team and take us to a level of respectability imo.

You are right, but why hang onto hope of Whitner being a very good player? He isn't, and he has had 5 years to prove that he isn't. This particular play wasn't an isolated incident. Does Sammy Morris ring a bell? That is not to mention getting smoked by tight ends. Whitner was a disaster for this team from day 1. C'mon man. Sometimes it really is better to let go.

I have been telling you this for 5 years.

This says it all. I agree 100%.

Point taken. I however do suspect that come next April, we will all wish that we had a another first round pick, let alone what more we could have got from a team itching to trade up. How about you? Are you feeling that we were right to stand pat at that spot and draft a corner?

GREAT idea for a thread!!!! 1) Donte Whitner: Hear me out, please..... The 2006 draft was absolutely stacked. Levy said that he had numerous trade down offers. He turned away players such as Ngata, Davin Joseph, Mangold, Trueblood, etc. And, he could have had more than 1 of these instead of just Lil' Donte. Then, he traded up for McCargo. Worst draft ever. 2) Willis McGahee: Eric Steinbach was sitting there, and we really needed a guard. Instead, we took McGahee who had to sit out 20 games before he touched the football. 3) Aaron Maybin: I remember thinking, "at least he isn't a defensive back," but someone should have known that he sucked. And, he is a midget for a DE. An unthinkable mistake. 4) CJ Spiller: I know....let's draft a gadget player rb at #9, especially when we are deep at the rb position! After he was drafted, they have used all of a #5 and a #4 on the OL to give add blockers. Sure, they drafted Levitre and Wood the year before, but they also lost Peters. 5) Aaron Williams: Nix said he had numerous offers to trade down (he used the number 15, but I don't take this seriously). I am however sure that some of them involved a first round pick for 2012, as well as additional compensation. It makes no sense imo to draft another corner this high when premium picks are offered. Hon. Mention: 1) Leotis McKelvin: A VERY stupid selection. Clady and Branden Albert were sitting there. 2) Mike Williams: McKinnie was sitting there and was a much better player. Still, TD TRIED to build the OL.

This was a lagre part of what I was trying to get across. Missing on an early first round pick is torture for fans. Doing it for a decade is that much harder to bear. Posters on this board (especially me) are a bit more fanatical than most, and probably much more than we should be. That said, why would a person want to admit how bad their team is? Or go into a draft assuming that the FO is going to screw it up? When a player such as Whitner isn't re-signed it is proof positive of a huge mistake, and in our case, one of many. It looks better with Nix/Gailey imo. Last season, I was fine with the picks after round 1. This year, I have no problems accept for round 2 (should have traded down imo) and I don't see why they didn't take McElroy in round 7. Still, there is no reason not to expect defensive improvement, perhaps even a solid defense after a few weeks into the season. They can really bolster the offense too if they sign free agents such as Boss and Trueblood. Let's hope!

This is a fundamental disagreement which you and I have. I think that 1st round picks get more of a break both from fans and team management. Have you noticed that Maybin, and even McCargo still have jobs? A lot was invested in bringing them to the team. If they were undrafted free agents they would both almost surely be gone. How about Jim Leonard and Jabari Greer? They are certainly two of the best dbs that the Bills have had in the last 5 years and they are on other teams doing very well. Look at who we kept and look at who walked. Do you see my point at all? Jason Peters was a udfa. He was also our best blocker in quite some time. Yes, other factors were involved, but many people were glad to let him walk and turn over this important job to Bell, and we are still waiting for results. I sense that if Peters was a first round pick, there would have been more outrage. Maybe I'm wrong. Losman is yet another example who got far more fan support than was warranted by his play. As for Whitner, he isn't very good and gets absolutely smoked by tight ends. Flat out destroyed. If another team gives him more than he deserves to fill a spot or cover for injuries, good for him. But, he never lived up to either his draft slot or the money he seems to be seeking. No great loss. Jmo.

I was going to post the same thing. If this kid stays healthy he is going to shoot right up the charts. He moves like a safety and hits like a truck. Also, they have a very good OC and RG that blasted open holes for Ingraham. Basically, the entire team is great.

I am admittedly pissed that they didn't take McElroy in the 7th. I have seen him play a ton of games, and he is almost exactly like Fitz. Both are brilliant and this compensates for average arms. Because McElroy is SO smart, he will pick up the jets system rapidly. A 7th!!!! They couldn't spare a 7th? I just don't understand.

OK....would you have preferred trading down 10 or so spots if it would have resulted in a 2012 first round pick in lieu of a cornerback? And btw, you can answer yes without being labled as a hater or a chronic malcontent. At least I think one can.

I think that Hasselbeck was better than Fitzy, but not now. And if Fitz stays healthy, he does have a chance to be as good as Hasselbeck in his prime. Fitz is no superstar, but he is not the problem on this team.

I am more curious about trade offers in round 2. Bellichick said that he was fielding offers. He drafted a corner and the qbs were still there when we were up. We will probably never know, but my guess is that some sort of offers were out there.