st. pete gogolak Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 Has there ever been a larger exercise in futility than the Buffalo Bills and their inability to draft a blue chip tight end? Below is a list of tight ends available in the draft who the Bills could have selected and the player they drafted instead (admittedly some cherry-picking involved but not a whole lot)(remember, this has been a position of need during the entire eight year period listed below): 2010 Player picked Tight end passed on Torrel Troup (#2) Rob Gronkowski (pick immediately after Troup) Alex Carrington (#3) Tony Moeaki Alex Carringtn (#3) Jimmy Graham Marcus Easley (#4) Aaron Hernandez 2008 James Hardy (#2) Fred Davis Chris Ellis (#3) Jermichael Finley (this one hurts most of all) 2007 D. Wright (#4) Kevin Boss D. Wright (#4) Brent Celek 2006 A. Youbouty (#3) Owen Daniels 2003 W. McGahee (#1) Dallas Clark (pick immediately after McGahee) The four tight ends we have drafted over this period? Shawn Nelson, Derek Fine, Kevin Everett and Tim Euhus. I like Scott Chandler and think he is an adequate tight end but he's certainly not an elite player. Do they not scout tight ends? Is it bad luck or just more incompetence from the front office? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 Tim Euhus. Duh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeHateMe Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 This is pretty sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 In all seriousness, I think the Bills got "their guy" in Shawn Nelson. Unfortunately, he was made of styrofoam and I also didn't get the impression that the work ethic was there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gray Beard Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 Chandler ain't terrible. Not great, but not terrible (a common description of many Bills players). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 Chandler is a nice redzone target not so much on any other parts of the field. He's not in the same stratosphere as Gronkowski/Witten/Heath Miller/Vernon Davis/Jermichael Finley/Brandon Petigrew/Jermaine Gresham/Owen Daniels. There's a common theme here. Productive offenses have elite level tight ends Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandius Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 If Gronk and Troup did blocking drills against each other, I'm not sure Gronk wouldn't plow over Troup. That's what sad. We're so stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisonbrigade Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 What's wrong with Scott Chandler?????? 262 yards and 6TD's ain't bad. TE is the least of the teams worries right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpberr Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 We have one capable of being an all-pro on the roster. You only become an all-pro TE if you are used consistently. If you're in a system, however, that absolutely, must, for some inexplicable reason, use 4 receiver sets constantly, your chances at being an all-pro TE are diminished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsVet Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 Almost every year leading up to the draft the TE topic comes up for discussion. And each time it becomes a question of needs and how Buffalo has bigger positional issues above TE. Chandler is adequate, but he isn't someone that opponents game-plan around nor will he ever be. I don't think anyone can quantify how much of a force multiplier a top TE would be for this franchise, but then again you can add that to the list of positions the Bills don't like to draft high, like OT and OLB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eme123 Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 What is w/ people and the freakin tight end position? To me a tight end should be the last piece of the puzzle. I would have picked a DL or CB w/ potential 100% of the time in the first four rounds over a tight end. The Patriots comparison is an unfair comparison. First off they have Brady, Welker, and an incredible o-line that makes it ridiculously easy to hit a big TE w/ a pass. Also, they have ignored their D-line & LB's of late. When Belichik has a stellar pass rush he wins Super Bowls. So in hindsight should the Pats be picking pass catching tight ends over pass rushers? The Bills have more fundamental problems. I would puke if they picked a TE in the first 4 rounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st. pete gogolak Posted November 25, 2011 Author Share Posted November 25, 2011 The evolution of NFL offenses in the last 10 years almost dictates having an elite pass-catching TE who can stretch the middle of the field. Belechik, of course, recognized the trend and is on the cutting edge but he hasn't been the only one. The highly successful Peyton Manning-led Colts offense employed a two-tight end offense as their base offense for a decade with Dallas Clark operating as an H-back. God knows the team has multiple needs but if it picked a quality TE in the first four rounds of next year's draft, I wouldn't complain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jr1 Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 Chandler's good. Dwayne Allen, Coby Fleener or Tyler Eifert would be a good second tight end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JStranger76 Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 With the team being stuck with Fitzpatrick for a while, a true BIG TIME TE would actually be the best aquisition that would help the offense right now. Chandler would be a very nice #2....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. T Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 Hmmmmm, notice that these "All Pro Tight Ends" have "All Pro QBs. Brady, Rogers, Brees, Rivers. When we get a an All Pro QB the All Pro TE will come along with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 What's wrong with Scott Chandler?????? 262 yards and 6TD's ain't bad. TE is the least of the teams worries right now. +1 There are so many inappropriate and untimely threads on this board. This is one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 In all seriousness, I think the Bills got "their guy" in Shawn Nelson. Unfortunately, he was made of styrofoam and I also didn't get the impression that the work ethic was there. Based on what? His combine numbers? There were not ANY signs during his career as a Bill that made me believe he was even close to being the answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in Syracuse Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 (edited) Chandler's good. Dwayne Allen, Coby Fleener or Tyler Eifert would be a good second tight end Eifert is awesome! Go golden domers! Edited November 25, 2011 by Chris in Syracuse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted November 25, 2011 Share Posted November 25, 2011 Based on what? His combine numbers? There were not ANY signs during his career as a Bill that made me believe he was even close to being the answer. Perhaps you misunderstood me. I put quotation marks around "their guy" because I think the Bills FO believed that Nelson was their answer to the growing trend of catch-first block-second TEs around the league. I never thought that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st. pete gogolak Posted November 25, 2011 Author Share Posted November 25, 2011 "Inapproapriate thread"? Really? How about a thread that discusses whether our remaining games are "winnable" and that if we go 4 and 2 we've got a good shot at the playoffs? Tight end isn't a number one priority by any means. The thread is just a comment on how poorly the team has responded in trying to fill a position of need for at least eight years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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