BillsVet

Scott Chandler has exactly 1 reception in 4 NFL seasons on 4 different teams. They like him for his in-line blocking ability, but I'd be willing to say he's never going to threaten an opponent vertically. And I don't see Gailey or Nix as really caring about TE's who block and can receive. They shouldn't be destroyed for not taking a TE in the draft, but it will hurt their offense when teams throw Cover 2 and 3 looks at them. It's nice to have good receivers, and their group is young. But in the NFL of 2011, most teams have a viable receiving threat at TE who provide that extra dimension to attack defenses. Buffalo doesn't have that, unless of course they go for a Kevin Boss or Zach Miller in UFA. We'll see, but I doubt they throw serious money at an all-around TE.

TD's been gone now for 5 regular seasons and hasn't made personnel moves for the franchise in 6 years. His time here was bad, but I agree that the Marv/DJ/Brandon years are why we're re-building a second time in 6 off-seasons. If the the reason Marv et al. did what they did was to correct the TD era, then Buddy Nix and company are trying to correct the Levy/Brandon era. Sense a trend here? No one, not TD, Marv, or Brandon could put it all together. As bad as TD was, Marv and Brandon were worse. From 2006-2008 (the year before Nix arrived) the Bills had 8 picks in rounds 1-3. Should Whitner leave (and I suspect he's gone) that leaves just Posluszny and McKelvin on the roster provided Poz is re-signed. That's not how you build a franchise. I think the thing with Marv is, he was the HC during the glory years and people tend to look kindly on his time as reluctant GM. He was pretty brutal, especially when you factor in the free agents signed during his time: Tripplett, Royal, Reyes, Dockery, and Walker to name a few.

Seriously, when RW rose to meet Dareus in the video on the team website, the 3rd overall pick moved to help him. Just amazing to think there's a 92 year old man next to a 22 year old and how much one will be relying/paying the other.

Great post. The NFL can have a salary cap and award the highest picks to the worst teams as a way to level the playing field. But until an organization has the right people in management making good decisions, it doesn't matter. When the Bills went looking for a HC in January 2010, they found few individuals willing to interview. For a job in which only 32 openings exist, that tells me a lot about how NFL people see the Bills. And if a team doesn't have a savvy GM and good HC, they'll find themselves picking high more often than not no matter what.

That was a great moment in that video. RW was right-on when he said they got lucky to get him. Liked Gailey's comment about not playing with that sort of thing. All in all, I think they finally got an outstanding guy who they can build around on that defense.

Guy doesn't have to be able to play LT. He needs to be able to run block and maybe CJ will feel comfortable running behind him.

Where will they find a QB? Next year first overall with Andrew Luck.

If there was any doubt about Whitner, the door just slammed shut. Guess that's the good news from this pick.

Especially with a marginal former 7th rounder starting at LT and the leading RT (Pears) on his 4th team in 3 years protecting their lone viable starting QB. Sure there'll be UFA, but not drafting an OT in the first three rounds for 9 years defies logic.

Pat Williams was a UDFA. Ergo, you can find All Pro caliber DT's without spending draft picks on them. It goes for every position.

Bowers will probably need microfracture surgery, so I'm not crying because he wasn't the pick. The major issue I have with Nix, et al is their team-building philosophy remains off. They don't draft OT's high. They see the TE position as a blocker, despite most franchises looking for receivers who can block, and finally they use too many resources on skill guys. We'll agree to disagree.

Do you really want your DB's making a lot of tackles? Strong tackler or not, you don't take CB's in the 2nd round to play in run defense.

There will be a UFA period, and I realize there's a drop off at CB in this draft. But I'm not concerned about pass defense when teams eat up the clock and stuff it down the heart of the defense. Furthermore, there's a reason the CB's get beat up in Buffalo, and it's because they're playing run support more often than not and getting nicked up doing so. Yeah, McGee's regularly hurt, McKelvin isn't living up to his draft selection, Corner is a nickel/dime guy, and Florence is probably gone. Still, it's a matter of what killed me, and it wasn't other teams passing on that defense. I'm not killing the player, but the point is he doesn't help the run defense.

Moses' brother was named Aaron.

When teams don't throw on you because they can pick up 200 yards rushing with Joe McKnight.

You might be able to stomach a CB if they are active in free agency and acquire a TE, ILB, OLB, and OT. If they duck UFA, it's going to be another luxury pick, despite the need being there.

Who, one year (so far) wonder Jairus Byrd?

They had to improve their front 7, particularly the LB's and they go CB. Guess that means Asomugha is out of the mix in UFA, right?

The Bills have invested heavy resources into their DL and need to improve elsewhere as well. Bowers was rumored to require microfracture surgery and while that's not concrete, there are other options available at 34 like...Kyle Rudolph who might finally give the offense a player who can run the seam.

This year, the pick of the litter isn't all that special. Newton is a complete project who'll need 2 seasons minimum and Gabbert has too many negatives to be a top 3 pick. Of all the years to have a high pick and need a QB, this one isn't it.

Makes one wonder why John Guy got the ax after the 2009 season and Modrak remained. Both were hired long ago by a GM who's not in the NFL. Both were promoted to VP after the 2008 season, and of course both had equally bad records in their side of the personnel house. I get the impression the major reason Guy was fired was because fans had learned his name and knew how bad the pro personnel side of the house had been of late. Perhaps if enough people complain about Modrak, RW and his marketing people will sense an opportunity to satisfy the fan base by cutting the Director of Amateur Scouting.

Not all positions are equal in terms of value. Guards and safeties are, for the most part, easier to find than OT's and pass rushers. And for as good as it seems Levitre and Wood appear to be, they were 2 of the highest drafted interior OLineman in the 2009 draft. The Bills will get credit for a solid draft when they begin filling the marquee positions of QB, OT, and pass rusher, 43DE or 34OLB, with outstanding players. In the past 11 drafts they haven't found one guy who could play any of those 3 positions. Fine guard and safety play does not make up for it, especially when those guys are found with high picks. Draft value isn't something the Bills have mastered, let alone finding talent high and low.

This concept that finding a few late round guys who became marginal to above average starters makes up for 1st/2nd round busts is laughable. Yes, they found Kyle Williams and he partially makes up for the failure of John McCargo. But playoff caliber teams find a Williams in the 5th AND outstanding players in the first and second. It's why Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and New England are regularly in the post-season and Buffalo languishes in the doldrums with no elite talent. Rarely are teams finding elite players in rounds 4-7 or in UDFA. Buffalo has 1 Pro Bowl appearance out of their 10 1st/2nd round selections from 06-09. While the book isn't closed on the 09 class, that's an extremely poor record for a team that relies more heavily on the draft because of their market size.

This is the same person who ordered Wade Phillips to start Rob Johnson in a playoff game because the QB beat Indianapolis in a near meaningless finale. I thought April fools was on the 1st. It's well known that RW wanted Lynch badly as well. Do you work for the team or something?