BillsVet

The NFL penalizes teams based on chargeable offenses. No charges will result from this altercation. My point here is that teams are increasingly taking risks on low character players in pursuit of winning. Sometimes they swing and miss. That's not to say Hardy is a miss (he hasn't even played a down in a preseason game) but it's not a good sign in light of his past. How many players fall on draft day, and ultimately get picked by teams who are willing to take a chance on big talent player for less money. E.G. Randy Moss in 1998.

With the initial reports of James Hardy allegedly pulling and/or pointing a firearm in the presence of his father, it brings up a few points: 1. There are 32 franchises in the NFL, 4 of which (Carolina, Jacksonville, Houston, and Cleveland) started since 1995. Talent is spread even more thin than in earlier years. As a result, finding talent in the draft is more crucial, because at least 200+ players are in the league that may not have been just 14 years ago. 2. Teams continue to take risks on players with character issues. Even the Bills are not immune from this with the best recent example being Anthony Hargrove. 3. Some teams take an inordinate amount of risks (Cincinnati) in a continual attempt to find talent that may not otherwise be taken by other teams. It's my take that the Bengals are looking for cheaper albeit riskier options, leading them to end up with the Chris Henry's and Odell Thurman's of the NFL. At what point does the NFL start disciplining based on their own criteria? And if this comes to pass, how will it be treated by the NFLPA, especially if a situation ensues which lacks a conviction or even charge against a player?

Where does Buffalo rank since 2006? I'd be interested to see that. The Bills have selected 7 DB's out of 26 total picks, or about 1/4 of their selections. 2006: Donte Whitner, Ashton Youboty, and Ko Simpson 2007: John Wendling 2008: Leodis McKelvin, Reggie Corner, Kennard Cox DJ also inherited Clements and McGee. The Bills FO cut Milloy and Vincent, while signing William James this past off-season. Bryan Scott was signed off the street free agent list, as was Jeremetrius Butler in 2007. Needless to say, the Bills have performed several acquisitions in only a few offseasons, headlined by 7 DB's taken.

UDFA's generally take more time to develop, hence their status as undrafted. 3rd round draft picks, especially for a team like Buffalo, should be expected to play some their first season. Youboty had a family tragedy, though in his second season could not stay on the field. Injuries and inconsistency were to blame, and Greer ultimately took his spot. CB's can make an impact quicker than most positions. They don't need 2-3 years of seasoning before they're ready.

The only time I saw AY make a play last season came in the finale when he picked off a pass. Otherwise, a very non-entity for Buffalo in 07. He played in 11 games, started 3, and seems to have a problem playing through injury. He's had plenty of opportunities to play, given how thin Buffalo was at CB last year. When Youboty was ready to play late in the season, he couldn't get his job back after losing it to former UDFA Jabari Greer. It tells me quite a bit that the front office decided to take 3 more corners this year. If that's not enough to say what they're thinking, outside of DJ coming out and saying AY isn't all that good, I don't know what is.

Brandon Pettigrew OK St.

Check the boxscores from the preseason games against NO and TEN. The Bills secondary was beaten pretty good, with Whitner and Simpson making plenty of tackles. Drew Brees and Vince Young did this against the starting secondary. Buffalo loved Kyle Williams so much they went out and got Stroud and Spencer Johnson. That tells me they weren't enamored with an undersized, wave-type DT. In the same way, Buffalo loved Keith Ellison so much that they signed a larger WLB in Kawika Mitchell.

Way to oversimplify things there. If it was that easy, Dwayne Jarrett would have caught about 60 passes and scored a few times. (cue Colston reference) With few exceptions, rookie wide receivers struggle to adjust to different coverages, and more physical corners. Rookie WR's rarely even make the difference you seem to think they can, given the right scheme. In the pros, the CB's also have much better speed, and recover quicker than the college types. That, and the playbook doesn't have a play called "go up and get it." I'd also point out that Hardy is depending on a young QB, who I believe will be a very good starter, but cannot be expected to be Brady-esque with less than a season's worth of starts in the NFL. I referred to the OC because he's a rookie play caller as well, who now has a 2nd year QB, experienced downfield WR in Evans, and another rookie (Hardy) to involve in the offense. That, and the lack of a dependable pass catching TE.

I think the drafting of Omon is a nod to Levy's belief in having competition, even at positions that seem certain. Omon will definitely give Wright a run for his money. (no pun intended) I think he'll make it onto the final roster.

ESPN Omon Article Thought this was a good read on someone who's been flying under the radar. Hadn't realized he'd been through so much. Also sounds like Derek Fine is a funny guy. Sorry if already posted.

Was that 5-11 record in 2005 a product of being devoid of talent or poor coaching.? Meathead was completely stupid, and yet the season before was 9-7. How then can you describe that it was talent which was the reason for their 2005 losses? The 2006 draft, in time, will prove to be about two players, neither of whom have established themselves into above-average players, but may very will. I'm speaking of Whitner and McCargo. The others, Youboty, Simpson, K. Williams, Ellison, Merz, and Pennington are or will not be starting quality. Butler could very well be a good starter, but it's hard judging guard play. All in all, there was no massive rebuild that needed to happen. The improvement from 5-11 to 7-9 should have occurred, with the talent on the roster. I'd say 2005 was underperforming due to bad coaching.

Almost completely devoid of talent? ML/DJ inherited a team with Evans, Reed, Parrish, Peters, McGahee, Schobel, Kelsay, Denney, Clements, Fletcher-Baker, Spikes, Greer, McGee, Lindell, and Moorman. This was not a total rebuild a la Miami or Atlanta. ML/DJ made it more difficult for themselves. Of course they've drafted well. Most of their picks in rounds 1-5 have had to start by virtue of their incessant shedding of players. How many of those late picks will be average to good starters in two years? We know Ellison, Pennington, and K. Williams won't be as all of them have been replaced two years after being drafted. Hardy roaming free? You must assume there are no safeties involved, or linebackers floating in zone coverage like T2 teams run. This is nonsense, Hardy's presence alone will not prevent double teams from Evans, unless he's destroying coverages. How much respect does a rookie WR get anyway? Remember, this is a team with a developing QB, and no proven pass-catching TE. Fantasy football is always the means by which we should judge players.

Hardy's size alone will not keep defenses from shading toward Evans. He'll have to prove he's dangerous, and not just in the RZ. Unless he's consistently embarrassing opponents the length of the field, teams aren't going to respect a player because he's taller. It may work initially, but not long term. Eventually he's going to have to make some plays. That's putting a lot of pressure on a rookie WR to take the focus from an established star. Hardly the scenario an offensive coordinator wants when trying to spark an anemic offense. This team, for three straight years, has depended heavily on rookies. Whitner, McCargo, Simpson, Lynch, Posluszny, Edwards and now McKelvin and Hardy. If rookies are getting so much PT each year, what does that say about the front office?

It's apparent Jauron isn't worried so much about 2009, but rather keeping his job after 2008. He's been given every opportunity to succeed after the acquisitions of this off-season. Bryant Johnson realized he wasn't getting the long term deal he figured to get. He signed for one year in SF. If Edwards has been anointed the starter, and he has, shouldn't the franchise surround him with all the talent to win as quickly as possible? Everyone knows if just one guard or tackle goes down, it's Kirk Chambers and Jason Whittle to the rescue. Meanwhile, the Bills offense will rely heavily on a rookie at WR. I daresay they'd have been better off grooming Hardy under a Bryant Johnson, allowing Johnson to leave, and getting Hardy to start in his second year. Then again, why support your starting QB with OL and WR's. This team's never really done that, across the Donahoe, Levy, and quasi-Brandon eras.

PG, I'd be interested to see how many of those 06 picks are starting just two years later. We know Kyle Williams, Keith Ellison, and perhaps even Simpson won't be. What's that say about the 2006 team? IMO, it means they were so darn thin they had to start these guys. It was a 7-9 season, and those "starters" aren't going to be starting anymore. This speaks less to the quality of the draft and more to the degree they stripped this team. The Bills talked about not signing FA's to one year deals. Well, that's a great principle, but it could hurt in the long run, especially because WR's take time to develop. Bryant Johnson, DJ Hackett, and others were available for a pittance. Apparently the FO wanted to go the cheaper route and draft someone who'll take time. Buffalo always drafts for needs in the first two rounds. They've done it in three straight drafts with Whitner, McCargo, Lynch, Posluszny, McKelvin, and Hardy. If you're drafting for need three years running, something's wrong with those who build the team. And BTW, isn't Buffalo about 22M below the cap? It's absurd to talk about 2-3M when they've got so much room to navigate. This is the prime reason they draft for need, and why it'll take a minimum of three years to get this team out of playoff jail.

Yeah, if it was between an Edwards or the 10th rated guard, no question you've got to go with Edwards. In a league where perhaps 1/3 of the teams have a decent QB, that's more than acceptable. We can sit here all day and go back and forth over what to take in the mid rounds, but the team has made their decision on OL. Hopefully there aren't any catastrophic injuries this season, but that's a risk in and of itself. It's been said before here many times that if you think you've got a franchise QB, find the players to surround him with. That goes not only for skill positions, but also in the trenches as well.

I think that's all some are saying in this thread. IMO, most fans like the 07 and 08 drafts on the surface. The one detail which has been overlooked is not drafting OL, with no OL picked before round 5 in three straight drafts.

Dibs, I think it'd have been ridiculous to go with Branden Albert, Jeff Otah, Chris Williams, et al in the first. On that I can agree. I can also see the need to go WR and DE in the 2nd and 3rd. The Bills generally have a need in the 1st and 2nd, and they use those rounds to fill needs. They did it in 06, 07, and now in 08. In the fourth, it sounded like their draft board wasn't stressing OL. There was talk that had Martin Rucker or Lowery (who went to NYJ) been available, they'd have selected one of them. That's speculation, but decent OL were available. I will also agree that you cannot bash a draft just days afterward for the difference in opinion over a 4th or 5th round pick. With that in mind, I don't understand how, in two consecutive years, the Bills have drafted the same position in the first four rounds. Last year Lynch and Wright went 1st and 4th. This year, same with McKelvin and Corner.

Tell me when DB's can pass protect for a QB in the pocket. Tell me when they run block to give your RB a chance to get more than 4 ypc. Please. San Francisco paid a king's ransom for their secondary (Clements, Michael Lewis, et al) and still their team is poor. Part of it is related to QB play, and part is due to a lackluster OL they've only recently began to address. My reasoning for DJ being the deciding factor in picks? How about he's a former NFL DB? How about Day 1 in 2006? With extreme weaknesses on OL and DL, they take 3 DB's in their first 4 picks. Predominantly in rounds 1-3, Buffalo's taken a host of defensive players. Think that's not related to the HC? I do. Especially considering that 6 of their 9 picks in rounds 1-3 the past three drafts have been defenders. And that's considering they already had Schobel, Kelsay, McGee, Crowell, and signed Stround, Mitchell, S. Johnson, and Tripplett. Yes, DJ is the decider at OBD on draft day.

After two complete drafts, two free agency periods, and two seasons worth of games, the OLdepth still isn't a priority? When you've got Kirk Chambers, a street free agent, Duke Preston, who needs no introduction, and Whittle, who's 33 and missed most of last season, it better be. Liberally using FA is the penalty for drafting poorly. All teams with long term success draft well. Case in point: NE, IND, SD, NYG, GB, perhaps JAC, PHI, and PIT. As for the OL, no one is saying that it's required to use a first each year there. However, as Dawgg pointed out in an earlier post, finding good OG's is possible in the mid-rounds. This team eschews the OL, because they believe they've got solid starters and backups. Thing is, they don't. Not at least the backups. The priorities on a football team will always be: 1. QB 2. OL (specifically at LT) 3. DL (specifically a pass rushers) Once those pieces are in place, it's much easier to win. DJ and Marv lucked into Jason Peters just as Donahoe did. If OL depth is not a weakness, then DB's aren't either. OL almost always trumps a defensive secondary in importance to the team. Then again, not to this HC. And if people think Modrak makes the final decision on draft day, I think it's safe to now say he doesn't. Modrak prepares everyone for the draft, and Jauron, because his head is in the noose, is getting to make the picks. How else can you describe 7 DB's taken in 3 years?

While DJ's had his run of draft day, Buffalo's spent four late picks (out of 26 total selections) on OL in three drafts. That's practically nothing. Pennington and Merz were cut, Bell is a project, and Butler starts because Whittle and Preston were all the competition he had last year in camp. Any real fan knows that using free agency liberally is a penalty for drafting poorly. The Bills under Donahoe didn't draft decent OL and went with bargain basement types. In 2006-07, the Buffalo was forced to pay through the nose for free agent OL (Dockery, Walker, and Fowler) and somehow that negates having to use a first day pick for an OL? Wouldn't it be better to have options on OL in case of injury as opposed to options at CB in a C2 defense?

It's amazing how, with a team bereft of talent, people think late round picks making a thin roster is a success. Not to say the 08 late round picks are complete garbage (they're not-yet) but the chances a 5th, 6th, or 7th round pick makes the team and plays well is slim to almost none. I'd refer people to Draft History and review the picks made from rounds 5-7. Usually, not more than 3-5 players become good NFL starters from those rounds. The rest don't cut it. UDFA's probably have more success because there are so many of them. Most teams sign 10 or more each offseason. That's 320 players versus only about 100 picked in those three late rounds.

Under Jauron, the Bills have spent exactly 4 draft picks out of 26 on OL. By contrast, they've selected 7 DB's. None of the OL picked came before the fifth round. Two of them (Pennington and Merz) were cut. Of the two remaining, one starts (Butler) and another is a project (Bell) who'll probably be on the PS if he makes it. Whittle and Chambers are the only decent backups and represent a significant drop-off in talent from the starter. Just one injury on the OL could force this team to make a huge departure in gameplanning. That's a risk no front office should take. Then again, with DJ having so much input with no GM, it's not hard to see them taking those 7 DB's versus 4 late round OL.

What happens when a supervisor has been given the produce or else speech from higher? They start micromanaging everything and make it a point to stand over the shoulder of all their people. Bill, I'd agree with you. All the bluster about Schonert changing things up and creating an offense that is high powered is unfounded. Schonert made the following comment on being hired: "We're going to be more diversified than the past two years," said Schonert. "I'm probably going to be a more aggressive play caller than what we saw last year. I can't say what we're going to be to this point, but I know where I want us to be." Does anyone think Jauron will allow a first time OC to do this? Nothing since the year 2001 gives me this impression.

How about this gem after the season finale against Philly? "Offensively we did a pretty good job of not turning (the ball) over. I think the fact that we didn't turn the ball over today at all, and didn't have very many penalties in that football game, kept us in the game. Obviously, the fact that we don't score, we don't get it in the endzone, is the difference in the football game.