JohnC

Instead of Cleveland taking Barkley with their second first round pick it might be advisable for them to make a deal with Buffalo, get additional picks, and then select Michel with a lower pick. The Bills could get Mayfield and the Browns would be able to address some other needs with the added picks. The dovetail dovetailing!

My sense of Baker is that he is capable of starting in his rookie year. His temperament and confidence as much as his talent will force the issue of early playing time (my opinion). There is no doubt that both Rosen and Darnold are more prototypical sized qbs and style of play. Of the top prospects I consider Rosen as possessing the best pro ready passing game. Some of his college throws should be archived because they are so beautiful to watch. However, of all the prospects Mayfield is the most dynamic and compelling qb. He is a dynamo. My current feeling (subject to change of course) is that I hope the Bills will be aggressive and take the initiative to get Mayfield. He is the type of player that the fans in western NY would love and embrace. My fear with Rosen is that he wouldn't be too keen on coming to the area. It just doesn't seem like a good fit for the player or franchise. With Darnold I see his as being more receptive and adaptable. Again, just an opinion.

Having young staffers who do a terrific job and then leave is not necessarily a bad thing. Coach Danny Hurley, former AD Danny White and now AD Greene have all moved on to bigger programs. It's not a criticism of UB but a tribute to UB because it demonstrates that you can succeed in western NY and make yourself a more appealing prospect in your next endeavor. It's simply part of the "ladder" system that is inescapable. So embrace it. Hurley left and his successor is doing a tremendous job. The Bulls are a tournament team. AD White did a good job and then his successor continued moving the department forward. Both of the main sports, football and basketball, are on an upward trajectory. Buffalo should be an appealing place for a talented young up comer. Let me answer your PTR question. He considers anyone who leaves his nest to be a traitor!

I'm confused as to McCarron's contract status? Will he be a free agent or will a trade have to be executed to get him? off topic: Canisius won again in a TV game.

Who was a prospect who significantly outperformed his grade in the pro ranks? Just curious,

The amount that you mentioned would be a good fit for Buffalo from a money and bridge standpoint if the Bills drafted a qb with a high round pick. And sometimes things work out beyond one's expectation where the bridge qb turns out to be better than expected. (My assumption is that TT will be gone. )

The Tyrod Taylor era in Buffalo is over with. He re-signed with Buffalo because he felt that it was the best situation for him to showcase his talents as a starter. It didn't work out for a variety of reasons. (Pointless to rehash what has already been rehashed. ) His former GM wanted to move on from him. The next brain-trust appears to want to do the same. The best situation for Taylor is to move on to another location/situation and have a fresh start. The best situation for the Bills is to move in another direction on the qb issue and have a fresh start. This is a case where what is right for the player is right for the franchise. He's a quality guy who deserves to be in a better situation than what he has here. The best way to move forward is not to look back.

My understanding is that his family remained in western NY while he was involved in the football business. If that is the case this is a terrific situation for him to be in from a personal and business standpoint.

I'm in the MD/DC so there is a lot of coverage on the Cousin topic, and especially with respect to the contract issue. The consensus assessment is that it was Bruce Allen who allowed this Cousin situation to get out of control. There was a previous point where he could have had Cousins on a more reasonable contract. Instead, he squeezed Cousins instead of slightly increasing his offer. So what Cousins and his agent decided to do was box in the organization by going to a year to year contract because of the franchising system. So in hindsight Cousins got more money by not signing an extended contract and forced the team to franchise him in order to retain him. When the cost is tallied Cousins got more and the organization had to pay more to retain him. By not bending a little more to the player's side of the negotiations and securing him he gave the player leverage not only with the organization but also on the market. Make no mistake this was a Bruce Allen miscalculation. At least that is how most of the pundits in this area see it.

I agree with you that I don't see this regime losing the cap flexibility to reshape the roster and address multiple needs by paying the premium price to get him. That would seem to go against how they want to rebuild this roster. Make no mistake Cousins would be a dramatic upgrade that would reverberate throughout the offense. But this outfit is more conceptual in their thinking and have a big picture approach to building a franchise. It seems to me by getting a high end qb prospect through the draft will provide this franchise for the next few years a lot more flexibility. In general, I like what they are doing.

I listened to a tape of his interview on a Maryland station. I thought his evaluation of Cousins and the situation was spot on. He objectively listed his strengths and weaknesses. The conundrum for the Redskins is if they give Cousins the money that he wants then the franchise is going to be handcuffed in attempting to upgrade the rest of the roster. My takeaway from the interview is that although he believes Cousins is a good qb he is not the elite caliber of qb you should mortgage the rest of the roster.

I respectfully disagree. I believe that this regime traded down to get another first round pick and dealt a major talent such as Watkins with the next draft year in mind. It appears that their calculation was that this qb class was better and deeper than last year's class. While you believe that this regime wouldn't take a riverboat gamble's approach to this draft by using a fistful of picks to get a qb I would characterize them as more likely to be bold rather than timid on how they address the qb issue in this draft, assuming that's the route they take. When this regime took over the impression they made with their numerous transactions was that they were going to dramatically remake the roster and restructure the cap they inherited. From what I have seen so far that is exactly what they have done. I'm not saying you are wrong in your judgment because I am just as likely to be wrong in my opposite view. My instincts tell me that this regime is willing to go out and make an expensive splash to get the qb they have designated as their franchise qb. We shall see!

I'm confident in saying that McDermott quickly scratched him off his "wanted" free agent list.

If you believe the third or fourth ranked qb on your board is a franchise qb then it would be worth it. If you believe that another qb, if he is more developmental but with the potential to be a franchise qb, such as Jackson, then let the draft come to you. It depends how your organization ranks the qb. Your third ranked qb could be the fourth or fifth ranked qb for another organization. Your top ranked qb could be the third ranked qb on another team's board. I'm very high on Mayfield. However, I wouldn't be surprised if there were teams had little interest in him at all.

You cited the Eagles and Cox as an example of a trade up scenario. I pointed out that the Eagle trade-up for Wentz was more impactful and meaningful. How is my response irrelevant to your response? It wasn't a criticism but simply an observation. It certainly was within the context of your response. If you want to get snippety that is your prerogative. If you believe that you are advancing a discussion with your irritable tone then that is also your prerogative.

You are using the wrong example for the Eagles using a trade up maneuver and benefiting from it. The more persuasive example should have been the costly Eagle trade up to get Wentz. Another example from another team is the Rams trade up for Goff. Fletcher Cox and Clay Mathews are excellent players. But their impacts compared to the attained qbs pale in comparison. The obvious key to making a costly move up for a qb is whether the qb you have your sights on is worth the cost. Is a lower projected qb acquired with a lower cost worth more than the higher projected qb taken with more assets? Those type of calculations (cost/benefit) are not easy issues to deal with but are decisions that the GM/HC must make. There is a historical context with this hometown franchise. The Bills have not had an anchoring franchise qb for nearly a quarter century since the retirement of Jim Kelly. If now isn't the time to address the most important issue (qb position) that will determine success then when is it?

The scouting department under Whaley was summarily fired after the draft. Whaley may not have been the person making the picks but he was involved in putting together the draft board. Most of the reports regarding McDermott is that he believed that in the next draft year (this year) that it would be a richer qb class. None of us know for short how this new staff is going to rate the qbs and what their current thinking of Jackson is. As the evaluating process moves forward we should get a better inkling how their thinking evolves. For me if the Bills don't move up to draft a qb and Jackson is there when their turn comes up it would be a mistake to not seriously consider him.

In hindsight it was a mistake not to draft Watson. As a starter with the Texans he was terrific before he got hurt. Without a doubt there are concerns about Jackson being able to translate his game from the college ranks to the pro ranks. It is legitimately an open question. But as I and others have stated he has shown significant improvement from two years ago to last year. There are no guarantees but undeniably his trajectory is on the upswing from where he previously was to where he is now.

Bill Polian stated when Russell Wilson was drafted that he would not be a starter in this league. Polian is a HOF GM. However, he's getting older and is not as immersed in the scouting business as he used to be. At this point I would give more credibility to the scouts in the field and front office staffers who do the grunt work.

Good post. I agree with your assessment of him that he has exhibited the traits necessary to be a pro qb. It's a question whether he can work on the details of his mechanics so that they will be more consistent and natural when he plays . His improvement over the past two years is evident. He is moving from one side of the spectrum of being an athletic qb to the other side of the specturm of being a more refined qb. He's certainly has a way to go but his trajectory is upwards. There are qbs in this draft who will be more ready to play sooner. But that is not to say that although he has a unique style of play in a few years he will be as effective as any qb in this draft class.

If you believe a qb prospect will be a franchise qb and you don't have a franchise it doesn't matter where the player is ranked on your board. You seize the opportunity to get the player. With respect to that position if you are going to make a mistake drafting it should be for doing it sooner rather than risking losing the player later.

In a nanosecond. I would also throw in a second round pick. For those who don't think he is worth that cost consider the effect he had on the 49ers. If Mayfield could be acquired by giving up both of our first round picks I would seize the opportunity and walk away with a shiiit grin.

In my opinion he is a top ten player, or even higher. This is a high demand position so it is going to ratchet up the demand. Anyone who thinks he is a second round pick is a crackpot who should either be laughed out or ignored.

The Mayfield surge is not a secret. What the Bills know about him is what every other team in the league knows about him. If you want him you will have to reach up to near the top of the draft to get him. In my opinion whatever the cost is well worth it.

Excellent write up. Terrific post. It also should be noted that every year he has improved. In addition, his teammates love him and rally around him.