BillsVet

Kiper made the point that 11 is too early to draft Kelly, and that a better value would be DRC at CB. Hoge loves Lynch and believes he's the power back a team loves to have. Now if only Schonert can get him involved in the passing game.

I seem to recall Jerry Rice turned out fairly well despite a "sub-par" 40 time in the neighborhood of 4.7. Anquan Boldin ran a poor 40 a few years back and he's been pretty darn good. Speed is nice, but I'd take a guy who finds ways to separate from coverage first. Ask Troy Williamson how his size equates to success in the NFL.

Is that you Tom Donahoe?

Yes, GB's entire success can be attributed to Favre. No one takes the time to point out that GB's failures in 2005 and 06 could be, in large part, attributed to Favre's gunslinger type QB play. Did you watch the home game Buffalo played against GB in 2006? I was there, and Favre made several mistakes, namely a returned INT that effectively ended the game. Before concluding that GB relied completely on Favre for success, remember his best season came last year, when GB could look to Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, and a certain RB in Ryan Grant to diversify their offense. That, and a solid defense which relied a great deal on homegrown talent. A QB alone cannot win games over the long term. Having good talent spread evenly on offense and defense does win. IMO, GB has done a fine job of assembling talent from the draft. BTW, who says Rodgers isn't good? How does one know this? He performed well in Dallas on TV this year, and has the benefit of learning under Favre for 3 complete seasons. If the criteria is being Favre, of course he won't be.

Hitting the jackpot at QB is what good teams do on draft day. Thompson's built a fine defense, and aside from Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett, hasn't used FA all that much. I just like the idea of having a GM or Personnel VP who has final say on personnel matters. Teams that draft well generally win on Sunday. Teams that don't are back in the top 10.

Free Agency is designed to fill holes and augment the draft. This principle was lost on Danny Snyder until this season, when he saw teams like the Giants not spend in FA, only to advance to and win the SB. It took him awhile, but teams are learning the way to win in the 21st century NFL. The notion of a window of opportunity is no longer what it was in the mid to late nineties. Teams have adjusted and beter handled personnel to the point of knowing who is replaceable and who is not. Teams like GB just replace players with solid drafting. Teams such as NE, IND, PHI, SD, PIT, JAC, NYG, and now GB will have a down season from time to time, but never go into the doldrums and be bad for a length. It's because they know who to rid themselves of and how to draft.

I can hear Mort right now: "Buffalo's biggest mistake was firing the genius Tom Donahoe. They've gone downhill ever since then." I'd like to see anyone out-do Marshall Faulk, and his assessment of the Bills (particularly their "need" for a OLT). I'll watch to see if they know who the starting QB is.

I don't think taking BPA is always the strategy, but it's the better strategy most of the time. Buffalo won't be in the market for a top tier OLT, RB, or QB with their top pick, regardless of who's available. And both we and the front office know it. OTOH, positions which aren't ever completely filled, like DE, should enter into the equation, especially if a Derrick Harvey is available. IMO, top DE prospects tend to go off the board quicker and aren't as likely to be found in later rounds. The physical requirements for a dominating DE, especially for edge rushing RDE's, aren't found in abundance. WR is deep this season, with guys like Earl Bennett, Jordy Nelson, Andre Caldwell, and Jerome Simpson likely to be available in the second round. Conversely, DE's will be long gone in the second round this year. I'm fairly certain C. Long, Gholston, Harvey, Merling, C. Campbell, and perhaps Lawrence Jackson will be gone by pick 41. Either way, it's about the front office using an "economy of force" and using the absolute minimum of resouces to achieve their goal.

The operative question is, how many years does it take to rebuild a football team? Especially with so many starters from one era to another. This isn't the Atlanta Falcons thing where Dimitroff needs probably 3 years. You realize Levy/Jauron inherited: Clements, Schobel, Evans, Peters, Kelsay, McGee, McGahee, Crowell, Parrish, Losman, Greer, and a fine special teams staff including Lindell and Moorman. Tell me why it takes three whole seasons to rebuild a team with players like that on your roster? Yeah, it's year three of a rebuild. Only it's not as comprehensive as some want to think it is, because that wouldn't provide the excuse if the team isn't good in 08. I highlighted GB's model because they've acquired so much talent the last few years. I think it's safe to say their front office is darn good. Buffalo's front office has one proven executive in talent evaluation, and that's Modrak. He's the closest thing to a GM Buffalo has.

Agree wholeheartedly. Ralph is from the old school, and meddling is part of his makeup. He cannot simply stand by and trust people to do what is right, despite the fact he is a businessman and not a NFL personnel type. Don't go to such extremes. Lynch, Poz, Whitner, and McCargo all were drafted because a giant need existed at their respective positions. I'll refrain from doing revisionist history and suggesting an alternative pick. Rather, I'd point out that when a team consistently drafts for need, there is a problem with those drafting, not the players being drafted. All the aforementioned players were selected when a major need was evident, and this year is no different.

Article Interesting read from about one of the best front offices in the league. GB's success on draft day is up there with any team in the league and they've made a habit of acquiring talent from top to bottom. Not surprisingly, they've been successful with picks like Corey Williams, Greg Jennings, Daryn Colledge, et al. Thompson also parlayed the franchised DT Corey Williams into a second rounder, or a player he was set to lose for a high pick. Good front offices make moves like this to further their team. The draft is about the future, not the present. Buffalo's made a habit of drafting for need far too often the last two years because they remain in need of players at so many positions. This year probably will be no different, in that Buffalo must take a WR in the first two rounds, regardless of who's available when they pick.

Please slow down. You passed go a long time ago. Who cares if these players get interest from Buffalo They're 6th rounders or later, perhaps even UDFA's.

You haven't heard that Buffalo doesn't reach, and that there really isn't such a thing as reaching. Buffalo can't hide the fact that they've got a hole the size of the Grand Canyon at WR. No one can sugarcoat the fact they've got no one to play opposite Evans. Earl Bennett is a good option in the second, and Nelson is as well. They won't win the name recognition battle most fans fight on this board, but they'll be available and won't require a trade back into the late first or early second round.

I value Mayock's opinion more than any draft analyst out there...on most things. This year, I've seen him be very stubborn to admit he's incorrect. He stuck to his guns on John Carlson being the best TE prospect, even after he ran a 4.9 at the combine. I like Carlson, but Mayock's thinking on the Bills going CB is just that...thinking. It's the worst kept secret in the league (all right, second worst after Marinelli's admitted Detroit's targeted prospects) that Buffalo is going WR. Unless there's a great DE talent on the board, they've isolated themselves into taking a WR.

Guess those arthritic knees are giving him problems in the colder weather. Not worth the risk at 11, if this is true.

Why Kelly has become the best WR prospect is beyond me. This board has become enamored of a receiver over 6'3. Height itself should not be the first quality a team looks for in a WR. There are plenty of receivers (Reggie Williams of Jacksonville comes to mind) who have the height, but will never be veritable receivers in the NFL. Separation, IMO, should be the more valuable quality. The draft is not about filling a need for the upcoming season, no matter which round. Just because this team has distinct needs at TE and WR does not equate to drafting those positions first or second. Drafts are for the long term, not the problems of the near term. Taking the best available should be the mantra, but I'm fairly certain the Bills will draft to fill needs as they did in 2006 and 2007. Taking Kelly in the first tells me all I need to know about the front office; specifically that the Bills are ignoring conventional wisdom and chasing their tails by drafting needs every year. Pass rushers are always at a premium, pass catchers not so much so.

In the context of the late 80s and early 90s, you didn't have to have a great pass catching TE on the field. Things have changed considerably since then. It doesn't mean drafting a first rounder, but teams need to adapt to defenses which would literally and figuratively run circles around their predecessors of 20 years ago. IMO, teams need to field at least 2-3 capable receivers, be they TE or WR. It matters not which type of scheme Jauron runs on offense. (and it will be his) Until the Bills have someone who poses matchup problems with opposing DB's, the offense will plod along to more 17 point games. I don't care who your DB's are, when there's a sizable receiving threat (Robert Royal does not come close) lining up at TE, opposing defenses take notice. Anyone remember how Antonio Gates gave Donte Whitner problems back in December 2006? If Jauron's going to continue with his style of trying to win with defense and a bare minimum of offense, it'll be another long season. To make matters worse, the Bills have done nothing to help out a 2nd year QB they see as their long term starter. Think a reliable receiving TE who's about 6'5 and 250 would help Edwards? To me, it's all about giving Edwards more options and giving him a better chance to succeed. When's the last time the Bills went out of their way to help the QB with more receiving threats?

Who says the coaches are high on him? I'd bet my lunch that neither Brown nor Kugler are high on Fowler, but realize they've got nothing else. Anyone who went to the games these last two seasons knows that running up the middle is a no-go, because Fowler, as the initial post makes, gets blown up far too often into the backfield. Before doing your impression of a text message, realize that Fowler isn't an NFL caliber starter.

I'm sure the Bills offensive coaches realize this, and are biding their time until a replacement can be found for Fowler. Unfortunately, the draft has no premier prospect at the position. He started in Minnesota when Matt Birk was injured, and has never proven himself as anything more than a depth lineman. It's also noteworthy that Buffalo gave Walker help so often. I'd heard prior to the season that Walker lacked decent lateral movement. It's similar in principle to 2006 when the Bills OL gave Pennington so much help with a TE. A RT doesn't need the physical skill set as a LT, but if they can't run plays without providing the RT help, it's a problem. The OL is better than the previous 5 years, but it'll need to be better than last year for this team to make the playoffs. Lynch and Evans are the only playmakers, and time and again Evans was smothered by secondaries. All in all, thorough analysis, but eye-opening as well.

Good article. There's only one item I take issue with: IMO, small markets can remain viable without free for all spending. Indy won the SB just over a year ago and despite lower revenues than bigger markets, they've managed to hand out big contracts to Manning, Freeney, Sanders, Clark, and others. In order to do this, small market teams need great front office decision makers. Without them, they end up like the Bengals and make consistently bad decisions all over the place. Indy has Polian, and this is the difference between successful and unsuccessful. One option the owners should consider is giving smaller markets more draft picks, something akin to what MLB does when another team signs their FA's. Give them compensatory picks between the first and second or otherwise whenever someone signs their FA's. Only in this situation, teams would give up their picks in the third, second, or even first round if they sign a certain level FA. I'm sure even Jerry Jones realizes he can't buy every player and must be efficient on draft day. The union would take issue, and the idea wouldn't leave the drawing board. Jerry Jones is spending like a wild man because he wants to win. Fine. But Dallas hasn't won anything since the mid 90s, and spending money never equates to winning. I'm a Yankees fan, and well aware that it's no guarantee. So let Jones spend and continue to lose. In the last 10 years Dallas has won 10+ games only 3 times, and remains 0-5 in the playoffs. The owners messed up and the union got the upper hand. If they can't compromise on something more even between them, a lockout looms even larger. I just can't see the union giving their newfound winnings back anytime soon, work stoppage or not. Upshaw doesn't do business like that.

IMO, the NFL got too big too fast. A good indicator is the meteoric rise of the salary cap. Just ten years ago, the cap stood at 52.4M. It's approximately 116.7M in 2008, or a 122% increase in ten years. Just three years ago the cap was 85.5M, or a 37% in three seasons. If there was any doubt about this CBA, it was in 2006 when the cap zoomed from 85.5M to 102M, or almost a 20% increase in one season. Looking back, I can see how the small market owners realized there was no end in sight. Unfortunately, not all the small market owners realized this and went along like lemmings into the mess they're in now. Tagliabue and the owners were out-done by Upshaw and the union, plain and simple. Commish: re cap increase

He can void the final year of his original deal, which would give him UFA status after 2008. Should he not void the final year, it's 2009.

Yes, they were 11th in scoring, although 5 defensive touchdowns helped their final ranking (3 INT and 2 Fumbles returned) Without those returns, Chicago is tied for 17th with NY Jets and their 308 pts. A little quick research shows that Chicago's combined opponents' record in 2001 was 119-137. Their wins came against: 5-11 MIN twice, at 7-9 ATL, vs 7-9 ARI, @ 6-10 CIN, vs 12-4 SF, vs 7-9 CLE, 2-14 DET twice, 9-7 TB twice, @ 8-8 WAS, and vs 6-10 JAC. With that weak of a schedule, 11th overall is low in my book.

I wasn't a big fan of the Schonert hiring, though there's more going on with it. DJ and the rest of the league know the Bills are under a lot of pressure to make the playoffs. I can't imagine another up and coming position coach or established NFL OC willing to take a deal where the HC could very well be coaching their final season. That sort of job assurance isn't going to attract many candidates. Enter Schonert. Edwards has a fairly entrenched OL, combined with a workhorse back and excellent receiver. From a purely on the field perspective, I don't think Schonert's going to make much difference. Fairchild was horrible, but installing a rookie OC (who's been a QB coach for five different franchises over 12 seasons) is a gamble too. I see them improving, but to somewhere around around 23-27th in the league in yards and scoring. DJ teams have never been offensive powers.

You're missing the point. Hardy's name has been thrown around merely because his size would seem to make him unstoppable. Unfortunately, and I've posted this far too often, Hardy is easily neutralized by good college CB's. One who comes to mind is the recently injured Jack Ikegwuonu. Against Wisonsin and Ikegwuonu, Hardy caught a mere 4 passes for less than 20 yards. Size alone will not make a player a star at the NFL level. Indiana's offense wasn't great, but it wasn't horrible either. If Hardy's having an issue with a premier college CB, that's very alarming. That, and his concerns about character. Oh, and about 10 threads have been started already on the subject. Hardy is, put simply, not the guy Buffalo needs or should even think about wanting unless it's in round 6 or lower.