Got_Wood

Good feedback. I agree that the stats are limited, and the percentages aren't true reflections of their ability in some cases. But I like the percentages when it comes to versatility and how these guys get to the QB. You can see which players have a variety of moves and which players lack creativity/versatility. Moore attacks the QB from all angles, Jordan strictly rushes outside the tackles (this guy is as close to a Maybin type prospect as you can get, and I would be weary of that). Ansah and Okafor are strong and like the bull rush. I added in Sacks + Tackles for Loss because it adds another dimension. It shows they can get to the QB and stuff the run. There is never a perfect measurement, but I like what they did here so far. Looking forward to part 2.

Take a look at this article by a site called Second Round Stats: http://secondroundst...ss-rushers-pt1/ It compares detailed stats about each top level pass rushing talent in the draft. This includes Ziggy Ansah, Jarvis Jones, Tank Carradine, Dion Jordan, Barkevious Mingo, Bjoern Werner, Alex Okafor, and Damontre Moore. Stats never give you the full picture, but this breakdown is really valuable. Here are the top 5 in each category in order: Speed: Okafor, Mingo, Jordan, Werner, Carradine Pass rush versatility (Moves outside, inside, and bull rush): Moore, Mingo, Ansah, Okafor, Jones Strength of Opponents: Ansah, Okafor, Moore, Mingo, Jones Combined Sacks and Tackles for Loss last season: Jones (39), Moore (33.5), Werner (31), Okafor (29), Carradine (24) Take what you want from this, but the guys I like most are Demontre Moore, Jarvis Jones, and Alex Okafor/Bjoern Werner tied for 3rd. Dion Jordan looks like a one trick pony speed rusher off the edge to me. And Ansah and Mingo have too many question marks to draft high.

Again, this draft's biggest strength is the O-Line. Joeckel, Fisher, Warmack, and Cooper have O-line hungry teams chomping at the bit to grab one of these guys. Especially when guards like Levitre and Vasquez available on the market will be very expensive. Those guys are worth trading up for. Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers however are not worth the 8th pick. It all comes down to team needs.

I agree, I like it as well. In the second scenario we would actually only have 2 top 50 picks, being the 16th and 22nd from the Rams. The Rams would then get our 8th and 41st, while keeping their 46th pick as well. The advantage to us is that we get 2 first rounders. And 8 may be too high for the QB's we want. But 8th is the perfect spot for the Rams to steal a top quality O-lineman from several other teams ahead of them. And they would keep 3 picks in the top 46. I could see is landing something like Patterson & Manuel, or Nassib & Hopkins. Something like that would would be really nice. It all depends on who we land in free agency in early March that will determine where our draft priorities lay.

I still think these guys are an ideal trade partner. They need Warmack, Cooper, or Fisher to fix their awful O-line, and there are several teams that would draft these guys including the Jets, Titans, Chargers, Panthers, Bucs, and Dolphins. Two scenarios actually work for both teams: 1. We trade the 8th for their 16th and 46th picks 2. We trade our 8th and 41st for the Rams 16th and 22nd I like the 2 scenario even better. Looking at the value chart we lose some value there, but I think it's a win-win deal. We could grab a QB and WR/LB in the first round, and the Rams get the high-end O-lineman they need in the 1st and then have two 2nd rounders for other players.

Sometimes you have to take a risk in order to get the reward. However if we stick to our original plan, I'd be OK with Barkley, Smith, or Wilson with the first pick. And I would take a guy like Colin Klein later in the draft. Bring on a QB competition.

I agree that if there is a guy they absolutely think they need for this team, then grab him. The theory here is that outside of a few stand out guys, this draft is full of 2nd tier talent that can be found as far down as the top of the 2nd round. And if there are several guys the Bills think would fit their team and no one specific they define as "got to have", then the trade down is fine. I saw that as well. Thanks for validating that this isn't just some Maddenesque teenager concoction. (Although some believe that the draft value chart is worthless as well.)

Rumor is they really like Chance Warmack and may be worried that he's gone by pick 16. Anything is possible. And no this isn't a "Madden Fantasy Trade" scenario. I also agree with this. Their O-line was hurting this year, and there are a couple OT's worth grabbing in the top of the draft.

The Rams made big news last year trading down with the Redskins in a trade that landed Washington RG3. Now after the Rams had a disappointing season, they now find themselves with 2 first round picks at 16 and 22, but may be envious of that top 10 pick they had last season. And good news for them... they can trade up and still keep their 2nd first rounder at pick 22. The trade would likely be Buffalo's 8th pick overall for the Rams 16th and 46th picks. This would leave Buffalo with picks at 16, 41, and 46. Two high 2nd round picks would allow the Bills to stockpile players they need at multiple positions. The way I see it, the draft should go down in one of two ways: 1. The Bills take the highest rated player at #8. I think there are some guys worth drafting there: Bjoern Werner, Damontre Moore, Dee Milliner, Star Lotulelei, and Jarvis Jones. You could argue that Geno Smith, Matt Barkley, Tyler Wilson, and Keenan Allen would also be worth it here as well. 2. If all of the players the Bills rated high enough for this position are gone, trade down with the Rams. And we pick up that extra 2nd rounder. My opinion is that we need to draft a QB, LB, and TE (a backup Center is also a need). We have too many average players without experience at WR, and I think we need to sign a guy in free agency. There is some serious talent out there to sign as well. You look at Dwayne Bowe, Mike Wallace, Greg Jennings, Danny Amendola, Wes Welker, and Brian Hartline, and you see some strong possibilities. At the very least, we've got an intriguing offseason to look forward to.

I've heard opinions from the radio, ESPN, NFL Network, Yahoo Sports, etc. about where this team might be headed next season, and these scenarios seem like the most likely based on all of the rumors and potential staff/players available: Option 1: Aggressive Offseason 1. Buffalo Fires Chan Gailey and Hire Chip Kelly - Chip sounds like he'll be available this offseason, and Buffalo has some attractive players to build around. I would rule this out as a possibility. 2. Sign Michael Vick (or Tebow as a second option) - Vick could run a similar offense to Chip's Oregon up-tempo, spread style. And he would be a nice veteran player to plug in and play now. Secondary option to Vick could be Tim Tebow. 3. Draft the QB of the future. - With Chip on board, this would likely be Geno Smith from West Virginia. Other potential guys Chip may like would be Tajh Boyd from Clemson, EJ Manuel from Florida State, or Colin Klein from Kansas State. 4. Trade Fitzpatrick to Arizona for a 3rd Round Pick - Arizona has struggled mightily to field a decent starting QB. Fitz could be a nice option for them to get Fitzgerald the ball, and a decent stop-gap while they groom a future QB. The Fitz to Fitz combo could be lethal!! 5. Sign veterans Ray Maualuga at linebacker and William Moore at Safety - Bring in some guys with experience and proven ability to shore up this defense. Option 2: Realistic Offseason (More Likely) 1. Hire a Legitimate Offensive Coordinator - There should be some great options out there that Chan can trust to run this offense, and he can focus more on being a head coach and game day manager. To name a few: Ken Whisenhunt, Cam Cameron, and Norv Turner would all fit the bill. 2. Draft Manti T'eo or Jarvis Jones - This team needs a new leader and big time hitter on defense. Either of these guys would be great options. 3. Trade Back into Late Round 1 of the Draft and grab a Pocket Passer QB of the Future - Several good options here that Chanand Nix may like in Mike Glennon, Tyler Wilson, Landry Jones, Ryan Nassib, and Aaron Murray. (Sounds like Nix has hinted at a move like this). 4. Sign Veteran Receiver Greg Jennings - This guy would be a perfect fit for this team. He would be a great leader, with proven big results, and has played in cold weather up in Green Bay. Looks like they may let him walk with young guys James Jones and Randall Cobb emerging next to Jordy Nelson. 5. Draft a Tight End and Center - Wood and Chandler are good players for this team. But we need an insurance policy for Wood, and we need an athletic tight end in this offense to compliment Chandler as well. The more I think about it, the more I wouldn't mind either option. What do you guys think?

I know, I know. My argument is that an NFL team should be a combination of a long term plan for your offensive and defensive strategy and personnel, and then an ongoing assessment of how your team is doing right now and adjusting the roster when necessary to add/remove players based on need. It seems that they have the offensive and defensive system and coaches they want (whether fans agree with it or not), but we are lacking in a couple different personnel areas. Chad Johnson and Jeremy Shockey have at least one year left in them. That's all we need. We can fill in the gaps with younger guys next season in the draft and free agency. But we have a need at these positions now, and there are guys available to fill them. One thing the Bills front office doesn't seem to understand is marketing. They just assume fans should be loyal and come to games just because they exist. Unfortunately that's not how it works. You have to do something to put fans' butts in seats. Losing for over a decade doesn't accomplish that. Act like you care Buddy and Russ. There is no time for arrogance, and there is no time to "wait and see" how late draft picks and undrafted players turn out. This team doesn't have that luxury. The Packers, Patriots, Saints, and Giants have that luxury because they consistantly win. I think the front office needs to wake up and realize that without the fans, without a winning team, this team may not even be in Buffalo by 2014.

Every team has strengths and weaknesses. Each team needs to learn how to use their strengths to take advantage of their opponent, and limit their weaknesses so they are not exposed. Here are the keys to the Bills winning games this season: 1. A healthy offensive line. This is something we can't control, but when Glenn and Urbik are healthy this is one of the better O-line groups in the league. Looking forward to seeing them play together again soon. 2. Feed the ball to Spiller and Freddy. Spiller was one of the most electric college football players to ever take the field. He was a top 10 draft pick, and likely the fastest AND quickest guy on the field. Freddy can shed tackles, he can block, and he was leading the league in rushing last season until he got hurt. Ideally CJ touches the ball around 20 times a game, and Freddy touches the ball at least 10 times a game. 3. This might sound crazy, but... sign Chad Johnson and Jeremy Shockey. Buddy looked at signing free agent talent at WR this past offseason, and we ended up missing out on Robert Meachem. We then decided to draft a young guy in TJ Graham, who clearly has some talent but is still raw. We lost a reliable David Nelson to a torn ACL, and we haven't done anything to improve our receiving talent. Scott Chandler has been very reliable for us, but there is no depth behind him. Lee Smith is a special teamer at best. What's one thing this team is sorely lacking? Attitude. Bring on Shockey and Ocho, and light a fire under these timid little pushovers. These guys will bring swagger and talent to a team that desperately needs it. And why not? does this team have anything to lose? No, they don't. 4. Limit Fitzpatrick to under 25 throws per game. It's no secret that Fitz is no Drew Brees. He doesn't need to be throwing 30 plus times per game. He doesn't have the arm, and we don't have the explosive receiving core that merits a high octane passing attack. Let's get realistic and limit Fitz's mistakes, and just let him manage the game. 5. Move Aaron Williams to Safety next to Byrd. Williams is an athlete, he's a good open field tackler, and he's got great size. He has trouble playing man defense at corner, but his skills are well suited for safety. Wilson is a great leader, but his skills are lacking and it's been pretty obvious this season. He can go back to being our special teams captain, and lead that group. And we've got Justin Rogers, Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin, and a returning young Ron Brooks to man the corner position. If I see one more TE seam route up the middle between our safeties, I'm going to throwup. We've got some talented DB's out there, and it's time they were put in a position to succeed. 6. Starting linebacker group: Nick Barnett, Nigel Bradham, and Kelvin Sheppard. Barnett is just a great player and he continues to stand out despite this defense being a dissappointment this season. Bradham has shown that he can play with the big boys, and I'm excited to see more. And we have to see what we have in Sheppard, or else we may be looking at ringing in new talent here next season. 7. Defensive End group: Starters - Mario Williams & Kyle Moore, Rotational guys - Merriman, Kelsay, and Moats. This group is solid, even without Mark Anderson out there. Kyle Moore has a ton of potential if we give him more time out there, Merriman is tenacious and a good leader, Moats has proven he can rush the passer, and Kelsay is a solid run defender. Some obvious points, and some not so obvious. But I would be more excited to watch the Bills if they made moves like this.

I think our biggest issue over the last decade and a half has been at the QB position. The organization doesn't seem to understand the type of guy this team needs at the helm. We need a tough guy. We need a leader of men. Someone these guys want to go to war with. Instead we've brought in guys like Rob Johnson, JP Losman, Trent Edwards, and now Ryan Fitzpatrick. Each of them had some talent, but they shared one thing in common... they are all timid and shy guys. When these guys got knocked in the mouth, they had a hard time getting up again and bouncing back. Even their voices are all timid. We need a tough guy and a competitor. A guy that wants so badly to beat division rivals that he doesn't sleep at night. That's why I would've even taken guys like Jay Cutler and Tim Tebow when we had the opportunity (I know I know these guys aren't great QB's). Even though these guys aren't prototype QB's, they are tough as nails. And their teams have always rallied behind them when the game is on the line. These guys don't back down. Now there have been much better options out there. We could have had guys like Russell Wilson, Jake Locker, Christian Ponder, Andy Dalton, Ryan Mallett, Josh Freeman, and Joe Flacco, just to name a few. Some of these guys haven't proven anything yet, but these are guys I would want to give a shot on this team. I seriously hope that this is the year the front office decides to do what it takes to get the QB of the future. No 2nd round "maybe he will turn out" guys. We have to bet the farm on this guy. Trade away future picks if necessary. Who knows what will happen. But we'll never know if we don't try.

Take a look at this highlight video starting at 1:06 (link below). The Bills have one linebacker in the game (Barnett), 3 corners (Rogers, Gilmore, Williams), and 3 safeties (Byrd, Searcy, and Scott). And not only that, they have Mark Anderson (one of our prized pass rushers) drop into COVERAGE. At the snap, our entire defensive backfield sprints backwards away from the ball leaving about 20-25 yards of open field for Welker to run an easy underneath route. Is this some kind of pop warner joke they're playing on us here? Not only is this passive and scared football, but it's unintelligent football. Why do we need 8 guys in coverage 30 yards down the field to defend 3 wide receivers and 1 tight end??? When our worst division rival comes into town, you smash them in the mouth and make them regret walking into the stadium. Keep our 3 starting linebackers in there, and when Welker runs underneath routes make him pay for it. Make sure one safety has an eye on Gronkowski up the seam all day. And USE our multimillion dollar pass rushers to limit Brady's time in the pocket. I'm once again embarassed to be a Bills fan today. http://www.nfl.com/v...ills-highlights Here is what a team should do against the Patriots. See this video at 0:40 (link below), when the Cardinals played the Patriots two weeks ago. They have 4 down lineman and 2 linebackers in a standard nickel formation with an extra corner in there. Before Welkers underneath route develops, there's a linebacker in the flats blocking the short route over the middle, and the pressure from the defensive ends closes the pocket around Brady and he gets sacked. http://www.nfl.com/v...iots-highlights

I agree 100% that health is one of the keys to our success. "Kelly the Dog", "John Cocktosten", and "Over 20 Years of Fanhood"... you hit on point #6 if I had one. Health is key. And Merriman would be a bonus. I don't think anyone is counting on a big year from this guy, but if he comes through... we could be REALLY dangerous. And I also agree that it's huge to have Wanny in there instead of Edwards. That was a mess. Guys playing out of position, a confused scheme, inability to make adjustments, and zero pressure on opposing QB's (regardless of our personnel). Wanny should improve all of these areas. and now Gailey can focus on offense during game days.