mannc

Durability and longevity are factors, but only up to a point. For my money, OJ Simpson was the greatest RB to play the game, even though he only had four truly dominant seasons. At any rate, it’s not like Gronkowski had a short career. He was the best TE in the game for a decade.

The winning percentage before he got there is irrelevant. They were completely different teams. If you think Gronkowski was just an interchangeable part in the Patriots’ machine, it shows that you didn’t watch him play. And at any rate, there is zero evidence that that’s true. He was pretty much uncoverable, and was a great blocker as well.

You are forgetting about Gronk’s 16 post-season games (an entire season of playoff football) in which he caught 12 TD passes and accumulated over 1200 yards on about 80 receptions. And three Super Bowl rings. Other than Tom Brady, Gronk was easily the best player on the most dominant NFL dynasty of all time. Your suggestion that he wasn’t a difference-maker is one of the worst takes of all time.

Without a doubt.

Agree, re no TE or RB on day one, unless they trade back. Disagree re need for another WR. I think they take one on day 1 or 2.

The Bills still need more offensive weapons. I’m happy with the guys they’ve added in FA, but we need to add at least one WR and a TE (oh, and RB) in the draft, and I’m not talking day 3. I’d be happy with Campbell, Harry, Metcalf, among others.

That’s fine. I just don’t think Oliver is good. You do. We’ll see.

Yup

Those would not be the only guys available at 9. I would also take QWilliams, Wilkins, Allen, Ferrell, Lawrence, Burns and several others before I took Oliver. Only one or two of those will be off the board at 9.

My bad. You’re right. Yeah, I don’t love Metcalf but the need for a dynamic WR is such that he has to be considered. WRT Oliver, there are just too many other good defensive linemen available.

I don’t really like Metcalf, but that was one of the choices he gave me, and I think we should go offense there.

In that case, I take Wilkins or one of the OTs. I don’t like Gary there.

Mack got progressively better, unlike Oliver. Mack averaged 10 sacks and 20 TFL his last two years at UB.

First you tell me who’s available there. I could see Wilkins, Josh Allen, or an OT. Maybe Metcalf, too.

It’s hardly inconceivable. Every year there are 15 or more “consensus” top 10 picks. If 8 guys are picked before Allen, he would be available to us at 9. How about this draft order: Murray, Bosa, Q Williams, Devin White, Haskins, Farrell, Metcalf, Oliver. Not a huge stretch. And that’s with no DBs or O-linemen coming off the board before our pick. I’d say there is close a 50/50 chance Josh Allen is available at 9.

Yes, because national advertisers absolutely go crazy for Buffalo Bills players?

I’m not. The line that his production was mediocre because he was so much better than his teammates is ridiculous. I don’t think anyone had to make excuses like that for Khalil Mack, another big time prospect from a non power five conference.

They’re not giving up a second to move from 10 to 9. It only cost AZ a third last year to move from 15 to 10.

Who else are we going to spend the money on?

If the opportunity is there, I think they will trade back with pick 9 to get an extra 2d rounder. Then I think they will use late round picks to move up and try to end up with 3 seconds and 2 thirds, or maybe move up to grab another late first rounder. I agree that they won't end up drafting 10 players.

Agreed, and the recovery rate on surprise onside kicks is relatively high (I think it used to be as high as 50%, but maybe that's down after the rule change.) The one situation where teams should almost onside kick is after the other team is hit with a 15-yard penalty that's enforced on the kickoff. That means you're kicking off from midfield and an unsuccessful onside kick really doesn't change field position more than 10 or 15 yards. Why not take a chance on a recovery instead of mindlessly blasting the kickoff through the endzone? And yet I never see it done and I've never heard an announcer mention it.

This right here is the all-time dumbest argument in the history of TSW. And I don't mean to pick on you, because I see lots of people make the same argument: "[Fill in name of perennial pro bowl player] would have sucked in Buffalo because [fill in excuse]." Totally unprovable and in this case, absolutely absurd. Mahomes was the freaking league MVP in his first year as a starter! So what if his numbers wouldn't have been exactly the same in Buffalo? That means exactly zero.

Oliver’s TFL numbers went down each year. And no, TFL isn’t a super meaningful stat, although I suppose it’s “real”.

No, Oliver did not dominate prior to this year. He had 5 sacks each year—against woeful competition. He is one of the most over-hyped d-line prospects ever.

No, apparently if you get triple-teamed once during a game against Tulane it’s all good.