Clausen was the pick?

[mpl6876]

I feel that the Bills front office really made a poor decision not taking Clausen at pick 41. I understand not taking him at pick nine. Too risky and too many good players on the board like Spiller. However, I believe at pick 41 he was a "STEAL." The risk is greatly reduced and he would have filled a HUGE need. Assess our QB situation for this year. It is perhaps the worst in the NFL. All we can say is that we are waiting for next years draft because that QB class is better. In my humble opinion, that doesn't "cut it." Wait til next year.....I am tired of waiting and besides those guys are going to 'BIGGER RISK" if we select a QB with our first pick. (likely a top 5 -10 pick)

 

Also, I think from a fan prospestive this year would be a lot more exciting with Clausen on the roster. Remember the TO signing...It was fun to have TO in the Buffalo limelight and have some media attention. Right now, all of us would be glued to the Clausen updates and hoping he is the one. Today, I read that Fitz took the snaps today and Edwards yesterday. BOY IS THAT EXCITING...Perhaps Clausen could have stepped right in and started for us. What do we have to loose? Heck, I believe this season is a bust anyway. Its a season of learnng, growing, and building for the future. Which hopefully leads to winning soon. This season isn't about winning despite what you hear from the front office. Objectively, look at the rosters and you have to conclude we don't have the players. PLAYERS win games not coaches...Coaches can aid in the winning process no doubt but they still need the personnel. Our personnel is subpar.

 

In concluding, Clausen was a "low risk" at pick 41, an instant upgrade to our QB roster, and could have given many of fans a reason for some excitment this year. It was a win win for all of us. Instead we reached for a guy named TROUP who noone has ever heard of prior to the draft. What a collosal blunder...

 

Tell me what you guys think?

[billsrcursed]

I feel that the Bills front office really made a poor decision not taking Clausen at pick 41. I understand not taking him at pick nine. Too risky and too many good players on the board like Spiller. However, I believe at pick 41 he was a "STEAL." The risk is greatly reduced and he would have filled a HUGE need. Assess our QB situation for this year. It is perhaps the worst in the NFL. All we can say is that we are waiting for next years draft because that QB class is better. In my humble opinion, that doesn't "cut it." Wait til next year.....I am tired of waiting and besides those guys are going to 'BIGGER RISK" if we select a QB with our first pick. (likely a top 5 -10 pick)

 

Also, I think from a fan prospestive this year would be a lot more exciting with Clausen on the roster. Remember the TO signing...It was fun to have TO in the Buffalo limelight and have some media attention. Right now, all of us would be glued to the Clausen updates and hoping he is the one. Today, I read that Fitz took the snaps today and Edwards yesterday. BOY IS THAT EXCITING...Perhaps Clausen could have stepped right in and started for us. What do we have to loose? Heck, I believe this season is a bust anyway. Its a season of learnng, growing, and building for the future. Which hopefully leads to winning soon. This season isn't about winning despite what you hear from the front office. Objectively, look at the rosters and you have to conclude we don't have the players. PLAYERS win games not coaches...Coaches can aid in the winning process no doubt but they still need the personnel. Our personnel is subpar.

 

In concluding, Clausen was a "low risk" at pick 41, an instant upgrade to our QB roster, and could have given many of fans a reason for some excitment this year. It was a win win for all of us. Instead we reached for a guy named TROUP who noone has ever heard of prior to the draft. What a collosal blunder...

 

Tell me what you guys think?

 

I think more people have heard of Troup than you think.

 

I also think there are more anti-Clausen members here than you think.

 

Enjoy your thread.

[Thurman#1]

I feel that the Bills front office really made a poor decision not taking Clausen at pick 41. I understand not taking him at pick nine. Too risky and too many good players on the board like Spiller. However, I believe at pick 41 he was a "STEAL." The risk is greatly reduced and he would have filled a HUGE need. Assess our QB situation for this year. It is perhaps the worst in the NFL. All we can say is that we are waiting for next years draft because that QB class is better. In my humble opinion, that doesn't "cut it." Wait til next year.....I am tired of waiting and besides those guys are going to 'BIGGER RISK" if we select a QB with our first pick. (likely a top 5 -10 pick)

 

Also, I think from a fan prospestive this year would be a lot more exciting with Clausen on the roster. Remember the TO signing...It was fun to have TO in the Buffalo limelight and have some media attention. Right now, all of us would be glued to the Clausen updates and hoping he is the one. Today, I read that Fitz took the snaps today and Edwards yesterday. BOY IS THAT EXCITING...Perhaps Clausen could have stepped right in and started for us. What do we have to loose? Heck, I believe this season is a bust anyway. Its a season of learnng, growing, and building for the future. Which hopefully leads to winning soon. This season isn't about winning despite what you hear from the front office. Objectively, look at the rosters and you have to conclude we don't have the players. PLAYERS win games not coaches...Coaches can aid in the winning process no doubt but they still need the personnel. Our personnel is subpar.

 

In concluding, Clausen was a "low risk" at pick 41, an instant upgrade to our QB roster, and could have given many of fans a reason for some excitment this year. It was a win win for all of us. Instead we reached for a guy named TROUP who noone has ever heard of prior to the draft. What a collosal blunder...

 

Tell me what you guys think?

 

 

 

Basically, I wanted Clausen. On the other hand, Nix knows a lot more about football than me. But he's not perfect, so the "Nix did it, so it's OK" defense isn't a good one. One thing is for sure, though, if both Clausen and Troup are successful, this will have been a bad pick. It's a lot harder to find a franchise QB than any other position except maybe franchise LT and franchise pass rusher.

 

Not much to say about this, it's all been said before. The bottom line is this ... if Clausen turns out to be a franchise QB, this will go down as one of the franchise's greatest blunders. However, if Clausen bombs, it will make this draft look a lot better, a great deal better, that it does already, because picking the wrong QB really sets a franchise back.

 

I wanted Clausen. I think Clausen is going to be a major success. But who knows. We'll see in the next three years.

[mpl6876]

Basically, I wanted Clausen. On the other hand, Nix knows a lot more about football than me. But he's not perfect, so the "Nix did it, so it's OK" defense isn't a good one. One thing is for sure, though, if both Clausen and Troup are successful, this will have been a bad pick. It's a lot harder to find a franchise QB than any other position except maybe franchise LT and franchise pass rusher.

 

Not much to say about this, it's all been said before. The bottom line is this ... if Clausen turns out to be a franchise QB, this will go down as one of the franchise's greatest blunders. However, if Clausen bombs, it will make this draft look a lot better, a great deal better, that it does already, because picking the wrong QB really sets a franchise back.

 

I wanted Clausen. I think Clausen is going to be a major success. But who knows. We'll see in the next three years.

 

Thanks for your response. Not so sure picking the wrong QB in the second round at 41 sets a franchise back as much as you and others think? That is why I wanted the pick so bad at 41. Now, a top ten QB selection that doesn't work out indeed sets a team back years...I believe the Bills are going to pick a QB in the top ten next year. Big risk hope they get it right.

[Thurman#1]

Thanks for your response. Not so sure picking the wrong QB in the second round at 41 sets a franchise back as much as you and others think? That is why I wanted the pick so bad at 41. Now, a top ten QB selection that doesn't work out indeed sets a team back years...I believe the Bills are going to pick a QB in the top ten next year. Big risk hope they get it right.

 

 

 

Sure, missing on a first-rounder sets a team back even more. But picking anyone to be your franchise guy requires you to spend about three years or so seasoning him and grooming him and giving him reps and NOT DRAFTING a replacement for him. That's the part that kills the franchise, and it hurts just as much on a guy like Trent or JP as it would on the number one overall pick.

 

For instance, as has been noted again and again, Modrak loved Cutler and badly wanted to draft him. But at the time, we had JP and believed that he would be a franchise QB. So the last thing we wanted to do was start up a QB controversy. All of us have seen how well that turned out. Drafting Cutler would have been a terrific move, and we didn't do it because we had to continue giving JP his chance.

 

If we had drafted Clausen this year, he would have been our starter at the latest in the 2011 season (unless one of the other QBs had taken a massive step upwards this year). So we wouldn't draft a first-round QB in the 2011 or 2012 draft. And if Clausen was then a bust, we would have wasted a huge amount of time. That is how picking a QB bust sets teams back years, high first-rounder or not.

[Albany,n.y.]

Here's the 2 main reasons why picking Clausen would have been the wrong move. 1)The Bills did not see Clausen as a franchiseQB, maybe not even a starting QB. 2) When you "steal" a QB with a possible 1st or 2nd round tag, you can set your franchise back years even when he's not picked in the 1st round if you commit to him as the starter. All you need to answer your question why we didn't take Clausen is look at the last guy we "stole" -Trent Edwards, or the guy before him we "outfoxed" GB & Stl by trading up for, before one of them could take him -JP Losman.

By calling for Clausen, the OP obviously doesn't want Trent Edwards-so I have to assume he'd agree that starting Edwards sets the franchise back & Edwards was a 3rd round "steal". Once you commit to a guy & he doesn't work out you set your franchise back years, steal or no steal.

I'd rather wait the year & have the franchise set back only one more, than getting Clausen, having him end up another Trent or JP & set the franchise back 3-5 MORE years. Just remember, those 2 both had enough early success to keep the team from drafting another QB, imagine if we commited to Clausen after a promising 1st season, passed on a franchise QB in 2011 & then Clausen regressed after his 1st year as the starter-something common in Buffalo lately.

[mpl6876]

Sure, missing on a first-rounder sets a team back even more. But picking anyone to be your franchise guy requires you to spend about three years or so seasoning him and grooming him and giving him reps and NOT DRAFTING a replacement for him. That's the part that kills the franchise, and it hurts just as much on a guy like Trent or JP as it would on the number one overall pick.

 

For instance, as has been noted again and again, Modrak loved Cutler and badly wanted to draft him. But at the time, we had JP and believed that he would be a franchise QB. So the last thing we wanted to do was start up a QB controversy. All of us have seen how well that turned out. Drafting Cutler would have been a terrific move, and we didn't do it because we had to continue giving JP his chance.

 

If we had drafted Clausen this year, he would have been our starter at the latest in the 2011 season (unless one of the other QBs had taken a massive step upwards this year). So we wouldn't draft a first-round QB in the 2011 or 2012 draft. And if Clausen was then a bust, we would have wasted a huge amount of time. That is how picking a QB bust sets teams back years, high first-rounder or not.

 

I think you logic is flawed. First off, I don't think its fair to throw JP, Cutler, Edwards, or any other QB into the conversation. You can "what if" forever. Secondly, you don't have to start Clausen right away. If a QB is a top ten pick then the pressure is enormous. But a second round 41st pick can wait and learrn, develop, and progress. The pressure isn't there. SO I very strongly disagree "he would have been our starter at the latest in the 2011 season. " Just look at Brian Brohm. Where was he drafted?

[ieatcrayonz]

I feel that the Bills front office really made a poor decision not taking Clausen at pick 41. I understand not taking him at pick nine. Too risky and too many good players on the board like Spiller. However, I believe at pick 41 he was a "STEAL." The risk is greatly reduced and he would have filled a HUGE need. Assess our QB situation for this year. It is perhaps the worst in the NFL. All we can say is that we are waiting for next years draft because that QB class is better. In my humble opinion, that doesn't "cut it." Wait til next year.....I am tired of waiting and besides those guys are going to 'BIGGER RISK" if we select a QB with our first pick. (likely a top 5 -10 pick)

 

Also, I think from a fan prospestive this year would be a lot more exciting with Clausen on the roster. Remember the TO signing...It was fun to have TO in the Buffalo limelight and have some media attention. Right now, all of us would be glued to the Clausen updates and hoping he is the one. Today, I read that Fitz took the snaps today and Edwards yesterday. BOY IS THAT EXCITING...Perhaps Clausen could have stepped right in and started for us. What do we have to loose? Heck, I believe this season is a bust anyway. Its a season of learnng, growing, and building for the future. Which hopefully leads to winning soon. This season isn't about winning despite what you hear from the front office. Objectively, look at the rosters and you have to conclude we don't have the players. PLAYERS win games not coaches...Coaches can aid in the winning process no doubt but they still need the personnel. Our personnel is subpar.

 

In concluding, Clausen was a "low risk" at pick 41, an instant upgrade to our QB roster, and could have given many of fans a reason for some excitment this year. It was a win win for all of us. Instead we reached for a guy named TROUP who noone has ever heard of prior to the draft. What a collosal blunder...

 

Tell me what you guys think?

Clausen looks like that dude from Police Academy.

[mpl6876]

Here's the 2 main reasons why picking Clausen would have been the wrong move. 1)The Bills did not see Clausen as a franchiseQB, maybe not even a starting QB. 2) When you "steal" a QB with a possible 1st or 2nd round tag, you can set your franchise back years even when he's not picked in the 1st round if you commit to him as the starter. All you need to answer your question why we didn't take Clausen is look at the last guy we "stole" -Trent Edwards, or the guy before him we "outfoxed" GB & Stl by trading up for, before one of them could take him -JP Losman.

By calling for Clausen, the OP obviously doesn't want Trent Edwards-so I have to assume he'd agree that starting Edwards sets the franchise back & Edwards was a 3rd round "steal". Once you commit to a guy & he doesn't work out you set your franchise back years, steal or no steal.

I'd rather wait the year & have the franchise set back only one more, than getting Clausen, having him end up another Trent or JP & set the franchise back 3-5 MORE years. Just remember, those 2 both had enough early success to keep the team from drafting another QB, imagine if we commited to Clausen after a promising 1st season, passed on a franchise QB in 2011 & then Clausen regressed after his 1st year as the starter-something common in Buffalo lately.

 

(1) How does "The Bills did not see Clausen as a franchise QB, maybe not even a starting QB" make my point inaccurate?

 

(2) "If you commit to him as the starter..." I never stated he would be committed to be a starter. Could be quite the opposite. A second round pick has less pressure to step right in and start. He can learn, progress, and develop into a starter over time. Unlike a first round pick. (ie) Brian Brohm

 

(3) You are assuming Clausen will fail and the 2011 QB pick will be a successful franchise QB...

 

Not trying to be harsh or rude...

[grelit]

I feel that the Bills front office really made a poor decision not taking Clausen at pick 41. I understand not taking him at pick nine. Too risky and too many good players on the board like Spiller. However, I believe at pick 41 he was a "STEAL." The risk is greatly reduced and he would have filled a HUGE need. Assess our QB situation for this year. It is perhaps the worst in the NFL. All we can say is that we are waiting for next years draft because that QB class is better. In my humble opinion, that doesn't "cut it." Wait til next year.....I am tired of waiting and besides those guys are going to 'BIGGER RISK" if we select a QB with our first pick. (likely a top 5 -10 pick)

 

Also, I think from a fan prospestive this year would be a lot more exciting with Clausen on the roster. Remember the TO signing...It was fun to have TO in the Buffalo limelight and have some media attention. Right now, all of us would be glued to the Clausen updates and hoping he is the one. Today, I read that Fitz took the snaps today and Edwards yesterday. BOY IS THAT EXCITING...Perhaps Clausen could have stepped right in and started for us. What do we have to loose? Heck, I believe this season is a bust anyway. Its a season of learnng, growing, and building for the future. Which hopefully leads to winning soon. This season isn't about winning despite what you hear from the front office. Objectively, look at the rosters and you have to conclude we don't have the players. PLAYERS win games not coaches...Coaches can aid in the winning process no doubt but they still need the personnel. Our personnel is subpar.

 

In concluding, Clausen was a "low risk" at pick 41, an instant upgrade to our QB roster, and could have given many of fans a reason for some excitment this year. It was a win win for all of us. Instead we reached for a guy named TROUP who noone has ever heard of prior to the draft. What a collosal blunder...

 

Tell me what you guys think?

 

I totally agree with you. Clausen had a lot of value at 41. Not sure what they are thinking.

[Chandler#81]

I think you logic is flawed. First off, I don't think its fair to throw JP, Cutler, Edwards, or any other QB into the conversation. You can "what if" forever.

 

Which is exactly what you're doing. Nothing more.

 

"Assess our QB situation for this year. It is perhaps the worst in the NFL."

 

Perhaps, you're not familiar with the QB situations on the Cards, Browns, Jags, Chiefs, Fish, Raiders, Eagles, Bucs & 9ers. All of them, like Buffalo, have a bunch of unproven 'hopefuls'. Toss in a couple more situations where bad teams risked high QB picks this year to try and settle their dilema: Broncos, Rams and your boy with the Panthers -a team so bad, the Bills whooped them despite a ridiculous effort to try to give the game away..

 

Most people don't share your opinion of Claussen, including pro scouts for 31 teams through 2 rounds of the draft.

[JPS]

At least 32 teams did not have a franchise grade on Clausen. If he was that good, he would have been selected in the 1st even by a team set at QB. Plus, he seems like a 1st class Ahole. I think you wanted the hype of a franchise QB more than you wanted Clausen.

 

He's not the guy.

[K Gun Special]

I totally agree with you. Clausen had a lot of value at 41. Not sure what they are thinking.

 

 

Teams dont think like that, they dont pick a guy because he has value. They grade players out, where they think they will fall, and they take the guy they had with the best grade for what they want. Clausen apparently didnt grade out for them to make him the 41 pick. nothing to do with value. There were a lot of other teams with QB needs that waited on clausen, what does that tell you? that the Bills FO is inept but others arent?

 

The draft is a crap shoot, even with the first few selections there arent any sure things.

 

The fans watned a QB, i wanted a QB, but they chose not to select one. These people have more football knowledge and insight, and listening to the talking heads at ESPN etc, almost none of whom have even played the game at a higher level let alone participate on the player evaluation side, is only going to make you more mad.

[mpl6876]

Which is exactly what you're doing. Nothing more.

 

"Assess our QB situation for this year. It is perhaps the worst in the NFL."

 

Perhaps, you're not familiar with the QB situations on the Cards, Browns, Jags, Chiefs, Fish, Raiders, Eagles, Bucs & 9ers. All of them, like Buffalo, have a bunch of unproven 'hopefuls'. Toss in a couple more situations where bad teams risked high QB picks this year to try and settle their dilema: Broncos, Rams and your boy with the Panthers -a team so bad, the Bills whooped them despite a ridiculous effort to try to give the game away..

 

Most people don't share your opinion of Claussen, including pro scouts for 31 teams through 2 rounds of the draft.

 

I am not sold on Clausen. That is not what I said. I said he was worth the pick at 41 and I will stand behind my statement. I will also stand behind my statement that the Bills have "one of the worst QB rosters in the leauge.

[mpl6876]

At least 32 teams did not have a franchise grade on Clausen. If he was that good, he would have been selected in the 1st even by a team set at QB. Plus, he seems like a 1st class Ahole. I think you wanted the hype of a franchise QB more than you wanted Clausen.

 

He's not the guy.

 

In my opinion he was the guy at pick 41.

[Fingon]

And what if Troupe becomes the Jamal Williams of our defense? Clausen was a 2nd round pick, and its ridiculous to berate us for not drafting him, as i didn't hear you crying when the Bills passed on other 2nd round QBs in previous years.

 

 

 

You would have a point if Bradford slipped to 9 and we passed on him.

[BuckeyeBill]

Let's see how TE, RP, and BB do in the new system first. You yourself stated that Clausen was not worth the risk... when with three young quarterbacks (and now adding Levi Brown to the mix) one of them may pan out this season, or at least show something. If not, we take the QB next year. The crop next year is much better!

 

Regarding Troup... we need a 3-4 Nose Tackle... he fits the bill!

[JPS]

In my opinion he was the guy at pick 41.

That, and a quarter......

 

As Nix said 'they have talent at QB'. They do. They need the defense to get off the field so we can see one of those QBs. The Bills had minimal front 7 talent and had to address it.

[Justice]

I feel that the Bills front office really made a poor decision not taking Clausen at pick 41. I understand not taking him at pick nine. Too risky and too many good players on the board like Spiller. However, I believe at pick 41 he was a "STEAL." The risk is greatly reduced and he would have filled a HUGE need. Assess our QB situation for this year. It is perhaps the worst in the NFL. All we can say is that we are waiting for next years draft because that QB class is better. In my humble opinion, that doesn't "cut it." Wait til next year.....I am tired of waiting and besides those guys are going to 'BIGGER RISK" if we select a QB with our first pick. (likely a top 5 -10 pick)

 

Also, I think from a fan prospestive this year would be a lot more exciting with Clausen on the roster. Remember the TO signing...It was fun to have TO in the Buffalo limelight and have some media attention. Right now, all of us would be glued to the Clausen updates and hoping he is the one. Today, I read that Fitz took the snaps today and Edwards yesterday. BOY IS THAT EXCITING...Perhaps Clausen could have stepped right in and started for us. What do we have to loose? Heck, I believe this season is a bust anyway. Its a season of learnng, growing, and building for the future. Which hopefully leads to winning soon. This season isn't about winning despite what you hear from the front office. Objectively, look at the rosters and you have to conclude we don't have the players. PLAYERS win games not coaches...Coaches can aid in the winning process no doubt but they still need the personnel. Our personnel is subpar.

 

In concluding, Clausen was a "low risk" at pick 41, an instant upgrade to our QB roster, and could have given many of fans a reason for some excitment this year. It was a win win for all of us. Instead we reached for a guy named TROUP who noone has ever heard of prior to the draft. What a collosal blunder...

 

Tell me what you guys think?

 

I agree 100%. Clausen, if he pans out, would be a much better selection than any nose tackle can possibly be and at that price it's no risk.

 

On top of all that, since the Bills most likely wont be competitive this year anyways, it would have been the perfect opportunity to let Clausen start right out of the gate as a rookie, thus moving along the developmental stage quicker which would help make us a more competitive team sooner.

[Hey Hey]

I feel that the Bills front office really made a poor decision not taking Clausen at pick 41. I understand not taking him at pick nine. Too risky and too many good players on the board like Spiller. However, I believe at pick 41 he was a "STEAL." The risk is greatly reduced and he would have filled a HUGE need. Assess our QB situation for this year. It is perhaps the worst in the NFL. All we can say is that we are waiting for next years draft because that QB class is better. In my humble opinion, that doesn't "cut it." Wait til next year.....I am tired of waiting and besides those guys are going to 'BIGGER RISK" if we select a QB with our first pick. (likely a top 5 -10 pick)

 

Also, I think from a fan prospestive this year would be a lot more exciting with Clausen on the roster. Remember the TO signing...It was fun to have TO in the Buffalo limelight and have some media attention. Right now, all of us would be glued to the Clausen updates and hoping he is the one. Today, I read that Fitz took the snaps today and Edwards yesterday. BOY IS THAT EXCITING...Perhaps Clausen could have stepped right in and started for us. What do we have to loose? Heck, I believe this season is a bust anyway. Its a season of learnng, growing, and building for the future. Which hopefully leads to winning soon. This season isn't about winning despite what you hear from the front office. Objectively, look at the rosters and you have to conclude we don't have the players. PLAYERS win games not coaches...Coaches can aid in the winning process no doubt but they still need the personnel. Our personnel is subpar.

 

In concluding, Clausen was a "low risk" at pick 41, an instant upgrade to our QB roster, and could have given many of fans a reason for some excitment this year. It was a win win for all of us. Instead we reached for a guy named TROUP who noone has ever heard of prior to the draft. What a collosal blunder...

 

Tell me what you guys think?

I completely agree with you. When he was still available and we didn't take him with our second I just put my head down and thought it's the Bills were talking about. I see some of the other posters points but I think he was a steal there and we could have made a big mistake.