Paup 1995MVP

Noone thinks the A-train is that bad, in fact he is decent. But that is all he is, is DECENT. He will make some plays for us when called upon, but he just does not have the big play capability. If we want to get to the next level we need PLAYMAKERS. Peterson is just that. Give A-Pete 25-30 touches a game, A-train 10 touches a game, (maybe some in short yardage) and our run game is set for overdrive baby.

The man is a big space eater which we certainly need in the middle. Noone complained about his motor at Michigan. If he plays up to his potential he will be a steal at 12. A bigger question is if Willis, Branch and Peterson are available at 12, who do we take? Or do we still try and trade down to get another 2nd or 3rd? Remember we are more than one player away from making a run deep in the playoffs.

I think we may be better off without a fullback. The last couple of years with Shelton at fullback, we really ran the ball very poorly. I like a two tight end one back set for short yardage, and three receiver, one back, one tight end as your base set. It looked like Shelton always got in the way. And in short yardage they can always use Ceislak as the fullback. When you go three or four receiver set with a single back, it spreads out the field and allows for more space in the defense. It also makes us more unpredictable. I believe our best weapon is letting JP air it out if he is given the time. So lets put three receivers on the field as much as possible, instead of clogging things up with a plodding fullback.

I agree. The offense was inconsistent at best last year. We definitely need some more playmakers to stretch the opposing defenses. A pass catching tight end with some speed, another wide receiver with some size to compliment who we have now, and at least one big time running back with some breakaway speed and TOUGHNESS are needed. Now that we have what I hope is a vastly improved O-line, we need to compliment that with some skill player upgrades. Unless Adrian Peterson falls to us at 12, we are best off trading down, getting some extra picks and picking our running back in the second or third rounds.

I watched many a Michigan game the past two seasons and did not see Alan Branch take off too many plays. Ask the Penn State Quarterback who he crushed into the ground last October if he thinks Alan Branch is lazy. If he is available when we draft, he should be our man hands down.

That offensive line you see sounds awesome. Isn't taking Levi Brown at number 12 a little high? What about trading down a few picks and getting Brown at 15-17? We pick up an extra second, or at least a high 3rd and a 5th. We now have two seconds and two thirds, or a second and three thirds. We package a second and a third to move back up into the bottom of the first round to grab the best corner, D-lineman or linebacker still on the board at that particular spot. After drafting the second first rounder, we still have at least two picks left in the top three rounds. We can take two of the three positions of need left with those picks. By doing this we have filled 3 positions of need in the first three rounds and gotten ourselves a stud right tackle. Our four positions of need IMHO our DT, RB, LB, CB. Obviously one of these positions will not get filled in the first three rounds if you use my scenario. But there is still free agency and rounds 4-7 to fill any other holes. Anything that Marv does on draft day would not be shocking based on what he did in last years draft.

His claim to fame was laying out Takeo with a big time pancake block in one of those memorable "scrimmages" the Bills and Browns used to have each summer during the Williams and Malarkey eras. Why I remember that, I am not sure. I would be scared signing anyone who is cut by Cleveland given how woeful there offense has been this decade. (See Kelly Holcomb)

Duece McCalister has much more natural ability than A-Train. That being said with a solid o line in front of him, the A train should be productive getting 10 plus carries a game. We still will need to draft the brakeaway speed back to make our running game multi dimensional.

I love your optimism about the O line. I do not think that Marv and Dick are going to give out big contracts unless they have done there homework on Dockery, Walker, and Wittle. I see a much more powerful, drive blocking type of line that is going to move the pile which we have not seen a lot of for some time. Combine that with a group of running backs that won't dance at the line of scrimmage, but instead hit the hole with authority, and I think we will see a much improved offense.

I totally agree with you. Fletcher made a lot of tackles, but not many of them were at the line of scrimmage or behind it. If the Bills had wanted to keep Fletcher they would have extended him with one year left on his contract after the 2005 season. They obviously did not want to do that and for good reason. I think whomever we put in the middle will be an upgrade. As far as Nate is concerned, he is definitely a good cornerback, but also most definitely not in the top five. There were many games over his tenure with the Bills that he was toasted. Who can forget opening day 2004 against Jacksonville! The bottom line is that we should give Marv and Dick the benefit of the doubt with there player personnel decisions. I am sure there is a lot of thought into who we resign and who we let go. Clements and Fletcher are gone. Lets forget about it and move forward. I am sure they have a plan as to who there replacements will be. Lets not forget that we are not breaking up the Steelers of the 1970's. This is a team that has gone 38-58 the past six years. Lets be OPTIMISTIC about the upcoming season.

I watched him pretty closely in the Bears last two playoff games against the Saints and Colts, and basically he did next to nothing. I see no upgrade with him in the middle of our D-line. Robaire Smith looked pretty tough against us when we played the Titans late last year. He was getting a strong push up the middle. I believe he is bigger than Scott which would be a plus as well.

You mean the same Steve McNair who who drove the Ravens to ZERO offensive touchdowns against the Bills in our final game? And the same Steve McNair who drove the Ravens to ZERO touchdowns and had the following stats of 18 for 29 for 173 yards, two picks and a QB rating of 49.9 in their playoff game against the Colts? I had would much rather have JP at the helm than McNair who has been on the decline for the past 5 years. Geese, he put up numbers in the playoff game that would make Rex Grossman proud.

I have not watched the game for some time, (the ending broke my heart) but from what I remember, on the last couple of drives of the game JP was under considerable pressure every time he dropped back to pass. There is no way that on a crucial 4th and five with a decent amount of time left to move into field goal position, that we would throw a hail mary type pass. Hopefully, with the additions on the offensive line, JP will have the time to complete a much higher percentage pass in that situation next season. And in fact, it did look like Reed got held when he was coming back to try and make the catch!!

Adrian Peterson is a stud. If he is on the board at #12, we take him hands down. Take this into account. Free agency has only been going on for little more than a week. Me thinks that will make at least one if not two more interesting moves before the draft to better the team. Looking at what is left on the free agent market, what position is lacking the most in talent. I would say running backs with Chris Brown, A-train, Buckholter, Dayne, etc. left. That means we will probably spend any big bucks we have left on another position especially if we cut Takeo. (distinct possibility) What talent is still available? Cato June, (I know people say he is small, but the guy is a good football player) What about Robaire Smith from Tennessee to fill a tremendous need at DT. And they also have the kid from Maryland I believe Starks who is a restricted free agent, (Watch Marv put a big offer together for him) My point is if we can get one or two more potential starters in free agency, it narrows down the positions of need on draft day. And with the least likely position to be filled in free agency being running back due to lack of talent, Adrian Peterson could and should very well be our man at #12. (don't forget David Harris from Michigan at middle linebacker. The guy is a tackling machine)

This is my first post and I am real excited to be conversing with fellow Bills fans. I was going to start out low key,but after hearing the rant about Rosenhaus I am jumping right in full bore. To blame Drew R. for the Willis situation is just ridiculous. It is an agents job to get the best deal possible for each and every one of his clients. This is a business plain and simple. Rosenhaus did not manipulate the trade of Willis. If the Bills had wanted to keep Willis they would have given him a substantial contract extension. But the truth of the matter is that Willis just didn't get the job done. Take out the two games against the Jets and Willis ran for approximately 720 yards in the 11 other games he played the majority of snaps in. (he was injured early against Green Bay, and missed the Indy and Houston games) That comes out to about 65 yards per game. Not exactly game changing numbers. The man epitomizes mediocrity. And you had better believe regardless of who Willis' agent is, the Bills are not going to give a big contract to a mediocre player who just doesn't care. We are much better off without him, and now we have three extra draft picks to boot. Marv was very shrewd in trading a player they really did not want for very good value. Rosenhaus had nothing to do with that. In fact, I think the Bills would have no problem dealing with Drew if they wanted to sign any of his other players. I don't sense any animosity between Rosenhaus and the Bills. If anything you have to give Drew credit for getting the Ravens to pay out such a contract to a very overrated player who has no heart.