Maddog69 Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 Funny you should reference the Arizona Cardinals when making this statement. Touche' But I don;t see any Kurt Warners available via Free agency this year. In my opinion, its easier to find a solid LT than it is to find a franchise QB. If we have a shot at a franchise QB, I think we should take it.
thebandit27 Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 Pick up your LT in the second round. Look at the success of Vollmer and Loadholt (and to a lesser extent, Beatty and Britton) this year. If Wood and Butler are healthy, then get veteran backups and a 4th-5th rounder, and that is your line. +5,000 Just take a look at the best offensive lines in the league: Tennessee, New Orleans, Indianapolis, none have a single first-round pick playing for them right now... Tennessee's combination: Roos (2nd) - Amato (5th) - Mawae (5th) - Scott (5th) - Stewart (3rd) Indianapolis' combination: Johnson (6th) - Pollack (2nd) - Saturday (5th) - Devan (6th) - Diem (4th) New Orleans' combination: Bushrod (4th) - Nicks (4th) - Goodwin (5th) - Evans (3rd) - Stinchcomb (3rd) Get the right judge of talent in the front office and a whole world of solid offensive linemen opens up to you from rounds 2 through 7.
thebandit27 Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 Funny you should reference the Arizona Cardinals when making this statement. I actually think his post made perfect sense. Arizona's been to a Superbowl more recently than Buffalo, and it's because of their QB, not their o-line.
Magox Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 +5,000 Just take a look at the best offensive lines in the league: Tennessee, New Orleans, Indianapolis, none have a single first-round pick playing for them right now... Tennessee's combination: Roos (2nd) - Amato (5th) - Mawae (5th) - Scott (5th) - Stewart (3rd) Indianapolis' combination: Johnson (6th) - Pollack (2nd) - Saturday (5th) - Devan (6th) - Diem (4th) New Orleans' combination: Bushrod (4th) - Nicks (4th) - Goodwin (5th) - Evans (3rd) - Stinchcomb (3rd) Get the right judge of talent in the front office and a whole world of solid offensive linemen opens up to you from rounds 2 through 7. ya, but this had been the Bills Strategy over the past decade.
R. Rich Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 I actually think his post made perfect sense. Arizona's been to a Superbowl more recently than Buffalo, and it's because of their QB, not their o-line. His post highlighted the need to draft a "franchise QB" in the first round. Kurt Warner does not fit that bill. In fact, the guy that they did draft in the first round to be their "franchise QB" is currently riding the pine.
dave mcbride Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 And protect your "franchise QB" w/ what??? Then again, QBs don't need much protection. With a player like Marcus McNeill, a second round pick who is doing just fine in SD. Or Flozell Adams, a second rounder who went right before Sam Cowart (I think the Bills would have taken him if they could have) and is still playing pretty well for Dallas. Or Matt Light, another second rounder who has protected Tom Brady for many years. Basically, the Bills will go nowhere until they resolve the black hole at the QB position. If Bradford is available, I think they'd be pretty foolish not to take him assuming they think he's deserving of a high pick. They can draft an OT in round 2 and a LB in round 3. Good players will be available at LB - it's not a priority position for many teams. The Steelers seem to find good ones every year in the middle rounds.
Tortured Soul Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 +5,000 Just take a look at the best offensive lines in the league: Tennessee, New Orleans, Indianapolis, none have a single first-round pick playing for them right now... And they're playing QBs drafted 1st overall, high in the second, and 3rd overall. ya, but this had been the Bills Strategy over the past decade. Bills have barely used any picks on the Oline at all. We started correcting that last year, and I think continuing with 2nd and 4th round players is the right move.
Maddog69 Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 His post highlighted the need to draft a "franchise QB" in the first round. Kurt Warner does not fit that bill. In fact, the guy that they did draft in the first round to be their "franchise QB" is currently riding the pine. The obvious answer is that the draft is a crapshoot. Regardless of what position is drafted, there is a chance the guy will be good and a chance he will be a bust. The Bills problem has been that they have a proven track record of selecting busts in the first round. If the current regime is making the pick in April, I would be willing to wager that whomever they pick will be a bust. We need a new group of people running the drafting and free agent signing or else all of our discussion on this board are pointless.
R. Rich Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 With a player like Marcus McNeill, a second round pick who is doing just fine in SD. Or Flozell Adams, a second rounder who went right before Sam Cowart (I think the Bills would have taken him if they could have) and is still playing pretty well for Dallas. Or Matt Light, another second rounder who has protected Tom Brady for many years. Basically, the Bills will go nowhere until they resolve the black hole at the QB position. If Bradford is available, I think they'd be pretty foolish not to take him assuming they think he's deserving of a high pick. They can draft an OT in round 2 and a LB in round 3. Good players will be available at LB - it's not a priority position for many teams. The Steelers seem to find good ones every year in the middle rounds. Sorry, but I just don't see this crop as a bunch of can't miss prospects along the lines of guys like Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, or Philip Rivers. Sometimes, the best QBs in the draft are just that, and not "franchise QBs". Every draft does not produce franchise QBs, and the sooner people realize this, the better. The same folks that throw 'round warnings like "don't draft players from Texas or Penn State" have no qualms whatsoever wanting to draft a Big 12 QB, when we've seen a littany of guys from this conference come into the league and flame out. That doesn't make much sense to me. I look @ the top available players in this year's draft, and there is no QB I'd be willing to take over a space eating DT, or a freakishly built OLB, or a stabilizing OT, many or all of whom could be available to the Bills when their turn comes up to draft in Round 1.
dave mcbride Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 The obvious answer is that the draft is a crapshoot. Regardless of what position is drafted, there is a chance the guy will be good and a chance he will be a bust. The Bills problem has been that they have a proven track record of selecting busts in the first round. If the current regime is making the pick in April, I would be willing to wager that whomever they pick will be a bust. We need a new group of people running the drafting and free agent signing or else all of our discussion on this board are pointless. The first round is not a complete crapshoot - the success rate for first rounders is certainly higher than it is for later round picks. What I'd call a crapshoot (and crapshoots are very low odds, by the way) is hoping you can find a diamond in the rough at QB in the later rounds.
R. Rich Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 The obvious answer is that the draft is a crapshoot. Regardless of what position is drafted, there is a chance the guy will be good and a chance he will be a bust. The Bills problem has been that they have a proven track record of selecting busts in the first round. If the current regime is making the pick in April, I would be willing to wager that whomever they pick will be a bust. We need a new group of people running the drafting and free agent signing or else all of our discussion on this board are pointless. I wholeheartedly agree.
dave mcbride Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 Sorry, but I just don't see this crop as a bunch of can't miss prospects along the lines of guys like Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, or Philip Rivers. Sometimes, the best QBs in the draft are just that, and not "franchise QBs". Every draft does not produce franchise QBs, and the sooner people realize this, the better. The same folks that throw 'round warnings like "don't draft players from Texas or Penn State" have no qualms whatsoever wanting to draft a Big 12 QB, when we've seen a littany of guys from this conference come into the league and flame out. That doesn't make much sense to me. I look @ the top available players in this year's draft, and there is no QB I'd be willing to take over a space eating DT, or a freakishly built OLB, or a stabilizing OT, many or all of whom could be available to the Bills when their turn comes up to draft in Round 1. You might be right, and as you'll note, I did say the Bills would be foolish to pass on him if they thought he was deserving of a high grade. I honestly don't know if he is deserving. He looked good to me in the few games I watched him play, and he seems to have all of the tools (arm, size, etc.). Whether he's the next big time QB is not something I would know, however. I remember a lot of people saying the same sort of thing about Matt Ryan and Philip Rivers, by the way.
Tortured Soul Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 You might be right, and as you'll note, I did say the Bills would be foolish to pass on him if they thought he was deserving of a high grade. I honestly don't know if he is deserving. He looked good to me in the few games I watched him play, and he seems to have all of the tools (arm, size, etc.). Whether he's the next big time QB is not something I would know, however. I remember a lot of people saying the same sort of thing about Matt Ryan and Philip Rivers, by the way. I think this is right. If we have a smart personnel guy making the call, and he has Bradford graded pretty close to equal with McCoy, McClain or Williams, I think you have to go with Bradford.
Mickey Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 If they are all there, who do you pick. I have to admit, I would be happy with any of them and I think it is a lock that one of these guys will be the pick. Not McCoy, NOT McCoy, for the love of God, not McCoy.
bills_red Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 From those 4, McCoy (DT) or McClain. The other 2 will just be another Mike Williams, Whitner, McCargo, Aaron Maybin etc. and set this team back more years.
papazoid Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 thats why talent evaluating is so tough...... first of all, Patrick Willis ran a 4.37......McClain runs a 4.60.......while McClain might become a great pro, he is no Patrick Willis. of the four players you mention, i believe Gerald McCoy has the least amount of risk. i think that Bradford has the most risk with that glass shoulder of his, absent that injury he goes 1st overall (even ahead of Suh). The OT Williams does not look like an elite LT, he played RT most of his career and just moved over with mixed results. i love Bradfords accuracy, but his shoulder is just to big of a red flag. if i'm picking, i would go McCoy. SCOUTS INC.'S TOP 32Player Pos. School Grade 1. Eric Berry* S Tennessee 97 2. Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska 97 3. Gerald McCoy* DT Oklahoma 96 4. Joe Haden* CB Florida 96 5. Derrick Morgan* DE Georgia Tech 96 6. Russell Okung OT Okla. State 96 7. Rolando McClain* ILB Alabama 96 8. Trent Williams OT Oklahoma 95 9. Jake Locker* QB Washington 95 10. C.J. Spiller RB Clemson 95 11. Sam Bradford* QB Oklahoma 94 http://www.draftcountdown.com/sub/Mock-Draft-A.php http://walterfootball.com/draft2010.php http://www.nfldraftdog.com/Mock-Drafts/201...mock-draft.html
OnTheRocks Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 I would go Bradford. Best QB in the draft. BTW, I think Okung and Davis are better OTs, so I assume they're off the board, right? I think this pick would be second guessed all day long until we see him line up as a starter on opening day...but I agree...I think he will slide and will be the best avail. QB the draft. The biggest problem is the Bills OLine being able to keep him upright.
Lt. Dan's Revenge Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 thats why talent evaluating is so tough...... first of all, Patrick Willis ran a 4.37......McClain runs a 4.60.......while McClain might become a great pro, he is no Patrick Willis. Highly doubt that this ever happened, and don't remember ever reading about that anywhere if it somehow did. Link? And how exactly do you know that McClain is going to run a 4.60 when he works out at the combine or at his pro day? Helping him train or something?
R. Rich Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 Actually, I think he ran a 4.49 @ the combine.
Recommended Posts