BillsVet

Tim, Thanks for voicing skepticism about taking so many DB's. At the end of the draft, I kept saying CB before the pick came up. Granted it's late Day 2 picks, but 6 DB's in 3 year seems excessive. Do you believe Jauron has more say in draft matters, given that Buffalo doesn't have a real GM? Thank you.

DJ says a lot of things. And I expect it, given that he's not about to show his hand this early. The truth will come out by about week 2 of camp where the Bills think certain players. I'm still not going to say DJ is a savvy coach, but he's being his normal elusive self in addressing the media.

It's not unprecedented to move positions in certain areas. OT's who lack arm length and height generally kick inside. Guys like Jahri Evans from NO and others have made the move. Cato June was a college safety, and there are CB's who don't have the speed but ball skills to play S. I'd rather not start players who are converting to another position, but Wood and Levitre knew months ago they weren't playing their college position. Byrd probably did as well.

Not a chance. Nostradamus ain't walking into the Bills war room, nor has he ever. This is a guy who did 9 reps of 225 at the combine. I'm positive he's increased his strength, but he started playing the position in college after being a basketball guy and did not get any PT last year. I'm speculating that he has a way to go to refine his technique and improv his strength to a NFL OT level. I believe he's a half way through a 2 year apprenticeship to learn the position for NFL play. Chambers was blasted at OG in the away NE and that plan ended soon. He should remain the backup OT. Butler can be good at times, but has had some injury issues of late. Won't complain if he remains the starting RG, but there's a reason he moved inside when entering the NFL. Walker is a guy who lacks lateral mobility at RT, let alone LT. Too many people marginalize the LT position into being like the other line spots. Put simply, Walker is adequate at RT, but moves poorly. I can remember the toss play to Jackson at Denver when Walker's inability to move out right allowed the woeful Denver defense to stop Jackson. He is not LT material, nor will he ever be. As a matter of fact, he didn't start full time OT until his fifth NFL season. No one moves into the LT spot after 7 seasons in the league. That's a move borne out of desperation. None of the LT options as of today are attractive. But because Walker played some there last season some casual fans think he can do so for the entire year. It's a pipe dream, especially with Freeney, Peppers, Porter twice, Mario Williams, and whoever Belichick trots out there two more times. Rex Ryan will be bringing heat with his rush LB's as well. That's 9 times we'll be seeing top pass rushers or 3-4 defenses. Walker hasn't had to deal with fast OLB's either.

And here I was thinking we'd declared a truce the other day. Nelson was a stroke of luck, but I'll give credit where credit is due. I figured trading the third would take them out of the running for a TE. And then Cook, et al, began leaving. They still have a lot of work to do, but draft day is a start.

I think Bills fans will see some changes after camp ends in August. There's no guarantee that Kelsay and a few other underachievers will remain for the regular season. I'm not a fan of taking so many DB's, but it's not worth it to get angry over 5th-7th round picks. The odds are against them making an impact. I will say that having options in the secondary with so many players nearing the final year of their deals is important.

I agree, there's no way Buffalo knew Cincinnati was definitely going OT at 6. I wouldn't mind the acquisition of L. Jones, because Bell isn't ready to play RT, Chambers is a swing OT, and frankly Butler isn't an OT in the NFL. Some will assail this, but it'd be a mismatch if any of them played long term at OT. And it's just wrong to say Walker can play LT long term. I really don't think there was an OT after A. Smith who would come in and start from Day 1. Neither Britton nor Beatty are the types I want playing LT against many teams.

I haven't been that happy about a late round pick in a long time. I'm still not sure how he lasted that late. He ran a 4.5 40, pancaked Maualuga during senior bowl practices, and has excellent hands. +1 to the front office for this one.

We'll see isn't the preferred solution for a team competing against three teams which will defend hard. Heck, I'm not an OL expert, but Oakland didn't want him as a RT, so playing a position which requires better mobility is a stretch. He will need help often this season, so I'd expect to see TE and perhaps RB chip help. The Raiders are a tremendous mess, but I can't recall a player who left them and became a solid starter elsewhere. They've become an embarrassment to the NFL. It still doesn't mean Walker can play LT in Buffalo.

The entire TBD loves you so much.

Hey, you will respect his opinion. Or else you're an idiot.

Cutting Dockery was a bold but necessary move. Royal and Fowler obviously weren't going to be around in 09. McCargo is a bust. It took two seasons after Levy to see that the foundation the front office thought they'd established wasn't good. The draft is not a crapshoot, but people not versed in building a team make it so.

I think DJ does this because he knows how hated he is among Bills fans. I don't think he'll be involved in another Bills draft. After all, he was involved with 4 in Chicago until the McCaskey's finally saw the light. I would trade a first for a GM with a record like Polian, Parcells, Newsome, or Jerry Reese to work as GM on this team. Regardless of this draft, there is a distinct need for someone with a personnel background to handle GM duties in Buffalo. Sadly, I think they'll find a reason to retain the management structure for the forseeable future.

Not trying to be arrogant or sarcastic, but do you think Walker can hold up for an entire season working alone at LT? I honestly don't think so. Walker and Chambers will need help if required to play on an island as neither has the lateral mobility to adequately handle speed rushers. With Freeney, Peppers, and some rush LB's, it's going to be necessary to put a TE on the left and chip with the RB. If Walker was a solid LT, Oakland never would have let him hit the market. He's never played the position for more than those games you referred to.

Funny thing is, DJ's been doing this 3 out of 4 drafts. 10 DB's in 4 drafts, and 5 UFA's since 06. It would be funny if I knew DJ wasn't absolutely making the picks.

I believe when a new GM enters the fray, the fastest way to rebuilding a team is to build the OL and DL. It's cliche, but it works. I'm not clear why it wasn't done in 06 when the Bills were faced with very little talent on either line. Parcells did it in MIA, Dimitroff in ATL, and edit: Ozzie Newsome in BAL way back when. I like that they've used early picks on OL and DL. But had there been more picks in 06 and 07 in this area, we might not need to have done it this season. There's so many variables to consider, as in who was available in 06 and 07, but those were the years to be starting with the OL and DL in draft. You can't buy an OL and DL and back then that was the prevailing thought of Levy and the front office.

BB is one of the top talent evaluators in the draft. They have a front office that correctly anticipates issues before they happen, and in this case are doing so with their DB's. They also replace talent so adeptly it's scary because they know who to let go and when to do so. Players like Deion Branch, Banta-Cain, D. Graham, D. Woody, amid others are replaced at a lesser cost so the team remains healthy cap wise. For Belichick and Floyd Reese, that's what this draft has been about: getting cap healthy and finding low cost alternatives should people like Wilfork be too expensive to keep.

Miami used their 5 picks in the first year of the Parcells era on lineman: OT Jake Long, DE Philip Merling, DE Kendall Langford, OG Shawn Murphy, and OG Donald Thomas. They'd previously signed OG Justin Smiley, and this season inked Jake Grove while re-signing RT Vernon Carey. He builds from the lines out. As does Andy Reid. Any team without a DL and OL in a rebuild project that doesn't take big guys first is handling it all wrong.

DJ at it again.

I placed my signature there for a reason. I'm not a fan of building hype without action in the offseason. At this point, they've got to prove themselves. We'll see in a few months.

Hey internet hero, Your tone ain't appreciated. I'm saying they've spent a ton of resources on secondary type players, not merely CB's. You haven't been around awfully long, and had Buffalo earmarked as much on the OL for previous seasons as they did this weekend, they'd most likely be better. This is a message board for fans of the Bills, not somewhere to browbeat people who don't agree with you.

Buffalo's drafted (not including Harris) 8 DB's in 4 drafts. They've signed Bowen, K. Thomas, Webster, and Florence. Scott is a street FA. By my count, that's 13 DB's signed in four seasons. Buffalo inherited Clements, Greer, and McGee. Guess I'm miffed on the Byrd pick, aside from one thing: most of their DB's have contracts expiring soon. If Byrd can be a long term starter (not a Simpson who plays because he had to in 06 and 07) I'm OK with it.

Let's wait at least a few games before grading this draft. EDIT: The names are nice. Let's see if they match you with the anticipated talent we've assigned them in the pro game. Not one of these guys has taken a snap in the NFL, although I'll admit I'm optimistic.

We don't have any under 240 pound LB's who can play ST beside Ellison, DiGiorgio, Buggs, Bowen, and Corto. Should fit right in with the scheme. Perhaps Mitchell to SAM.

In the wake of Buffalo's off-field issues, I'm not sure they're keen on adding a player with issues, despite the talent to play SLB.