The arguement for taking a QB in Rd. 1

[Solomon Grundy]

Mike Glennon seems to me to be the quickest guy who can translate his game to the NFL.

I concur. That's why I'd like to draft another tackle in 1st to pair with Cordy, resign Levitre and draft Glennon in second. His lack of pocket presence wouldn't matter if behind dominant offensive line. Pocket presence can be taught.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Pocket presence can be taught.

 

Not sure I agree with you there.

[#34fan]

IMO, this coaching staff could use a veteran FA.

 

Fitzy is the WORST example of an NFL QB I can think of, and they're going to need clues to put this thing together.

[Formerly Allan in MD]

dont know how many times I have to say this but....MATT BARKLEY!!!!!!!!! This kid will make every single team that skips on him regret it BIG TIME. Barkley had three outstanding years at usc..and a so called ""downyear where he put up 3,000+ yards 36 tds 15ints...thats still dammmmm good...if he drops to #8 and the bills who desperately need a Qb dont draft him i will @#+$ myself...barkley might not never be "" elite"" as a pro but he will turn out to be dam good......a solid starting caliber qb in the right offense

Have to agree with you.

[Dr. Fong]

Unfortunately need doesn't make what's available better. I guess you have to start swinging the bat sometime though. Keep swinging until you get it right. I've come to realize everything else is just spinning your wheels until you have the QB in place, so you might as well keep drafting.

 

dont know how many times I have to say this but....MATT BARKLEY!!!!!!!!! This kid will make every single team that skips on him regret it BIG TIME. Barkley had three outstanding years at usc..and a so called ""downyear where he put up 3,000+ yards 36 tds 15ints...thats still dammmmm good...if he drops to #8 and the bills who desperately need a Qb dont draft him i will @#+$ myself...barkley might not never be "" elite"" as a pro but he will turn out to be dam good......a solid starting caliber qb in the right offense

 

I'm really coming around to Barkley. Unfortunately, I really think he will be drafted by Arizona.

[JPS]

And they should take another one next year if there is any doubt that the one they drafted this year isn't going to work out.

 

You don't miss the playoffs for 13 years in a row because you didn't draft enough Stephon Gilmore's.

 

I defy anyone to show me how the Bills would be worse off than they are now if they had drafted a QB in the first round of every one of those 13 drafts.

Great post.

[Bronc24]

 

 

And they should take another one next year if there is any doubt that the one they drafted this year isn't going to work out.

 

You don't miss the playoffs for 13 years in a row because you didn't draft enough Stephon Gilmore's.

 

I defy anyone to show me how the Bills would be worse off than they are now if they had drafted a QB in the first round of every one of those 13 drafts.

 

Well said. QB is THE most important position in the NFL.

 

 

 

I concur. That's why I'd like to draft another tackle in 1st to pair with Cordy, resign Levitre and draft Glennon in second. His lack of pocket presence wouldn't matter if behind dominant offensive line. Pocket presence can be taught.

 

You can teach footwork in the pocket, but you either have pocket presence or you do not.

[dave mcbride]

 

 

And they should take another one next year if there is any doubt that the one they drafted this year isn't going to work out.

 

You don't miss the playoffs for 13 years in a row because you didn't draft enough Stephon Gilmore's.

 

I defy anyone to show me how the Bills would be worse off than they are now if they had drafted a QB in the first round of every one of those 13 drafts.

Exactly what I'vebeen saying!

[Hapless Bills Fan]

How many "winning" QBs are there? Would seem like 5 over ?? should be a sizable percentage.

 

Well, depends somewhat upon how you define "winning QB" - does 51 wins and 49 losses count? Wins only in the last 2 seasons? Some percentage?

The last year Cold Hard Football Facts was free (2008), there were 25 active,winning QB by straight career W-L record.

 

Still, the point stands - probably somewhere between 15 and 25, so somewhere between 20 and 33%?

 

Then the next question will be of the active, winning QB how many were drafted in Rnd 1 vs later rounds? And how many QB who were drafted in Round 1 became "winning QB"?

 

I think the same criteria as any player apply. We need a QB, so if there's someone the Bills think highly of, they should draft him according to how they have him valued.

But if there's no one they think is a 1st round talent or he's gone by our pick, they shouldn't reach.

 

What bothers me is the fact that the Bills have had the chance to draft several promising QB who are doing very nicely indeed, and passed them up -- something amiss with our talent evaluation or our perception of a position's overall value.

[Bronc24]

 

 

Well, depends somewhat upon how you define "winning QB" - does 51 wins and 49 losses count? Wins only in the last 2 seasons? Some percentage?

The last year Cold Hard Football Facts was free (2008), there were 25 active,winning QB by straight career W-L record.

 

Still, the point stands - probably somewhere between 15 and 25, so somewhere between 20 and 33%?

 

Then the next question will be of the active, winning QB how many were drafted in Rnd 1 vs later rounds? And how many QB who were drafted in Round 1 became "winning QB"?

 

I think the same criteria as any player apply. We need a QB, so if there's someone the Bills think highly of, they should draft him according to how they have him valued.

But if there's no one they think is a 1st round talent or he's gone by our pick, they shouldn't reach.

 

What bothers me is the fact that the Bills have had the chance to draft several promising QB who are doing very nicely indeed, and passed them up -- something amiss with our talent evaluation or our perception of a position's overall value.

 

Further to this point, I truly believe we need to truly move on by ridding ourselves of Fitzpatrick. We know what he brings to the table (and what he doesn't). We also know this team is incapable of a playoff run under his watch. If that's a known factor, move on.

 

In terms of picking a QB, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. I'm interested in knowing if Chan had a huge influence on how we handled the QB position the last three years because he was convinced Fitz was "his guy".

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Further to this point, I truly believe we need to truly move on by ridding ourselves of Fitzpatrick. We know what he brings to the table (and what he doesn't). We also know this team is incapable of a playoff run under his watch. If that's a known factor, move on.

 

In terms of picking a QB, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. I'm interested in knowing if Chan had a huge influence on how we handled the QB position the last three years because he was convinced Fitz was "his guy".

 

Let me make this clear upfront to avoid having straw men flung at me: I'm not at all arguing that we don't need an upgrade at QB. And I agree on the "shots you don't take". I will never understand the philosophy that has spent essentially 2 - 7th round draft picks and some low level FA signings on the team's most important position in the last 3 years. Compare and contrast with Washington, SF, and Seattle.

 

I am curious, though how we "know" the team is incapable of a playoff run on Fitz watch? I offer as contradictory evidence the 2011 Texans (TJ Yates) and the 2011 49ers (Alex Smith, who had a track record every bit as dismal as Fitz before that year). I also note that both TJax in 2011 and Wilson in 2012 are succeeding on a very run-focused offense.

 

Again, I'm not saying Fitz is "the Man". I'm saying if our offense is run-focused and backed by a stout D, worse QB than Fitz have taken a team to the playoffs, so I don't understand how we "know". It seems to me we haven't done that experiment.

[Solomon Grundy]

Glennon's pocket awareness is a little better than advertised. I suggest you go back, watch some games and come to your own conclusions.

[zow2]

I've been saying for 5 months now, draft Glennon in the 1st and then draft another guy who slips into the 3rd...maybe Dysert or someone like that. They gotta go into camp with 2 rookie prospects to compete with TJ. If they are moving away from Fitz then cut him and don't waste offseason reps on him.

[PromoTheRobot]

This quote is from an ESPN article on the Jets' pruning of their roster:

 

This especially holds true for quality quarterbacks. The Jets' front office has studied this very closely, determining that only five winning quarterbacks (in their opinion) weren't drafted by their current team -- Drew Brees, Jay Cutler, Peyton Manning, Tony Romo and Matt Schaub.

 

I know this draft appears bereft of quility QBs, but if the Bills braintrust (oxymoron?) believes there is a franchise guy there, they'd better grab him. Free Agency is not the answer. Great teams are built by drafting great QBs as step #1.

 

Maybe it's because if the QB is any good they don't go to other teams?

 

PTR

[RyanC883]

Exactly. In fact, they are so behind the 8-ball at this point, they should draft 2 in this draft. Get a QB! Another backup LB, or middle of the road D-lineman can wait....

 

I would take 2 QB's in this draft, and then take one next year if it does not work out. It's much easier to get a FA LB, WR, etc. than QB from a cost standpoint.

[Harveyj001]

Yeah, brady and Elway, and Rodgers are a bunch of loser pussies!!!! Good argument

I may not be the first to mention this, but Brady went to Michigan, regardless of where he is from. That takes him out of the statement. To add to the California QB's how did Edwards turn out after high praise, and Sanchez?

[Dean Cain]

Not sure I agree with you there.

 

Glennon has enough mobility in the pocket to separate himself from pressure. Add a couple of seasons of plyometric strength training you'll have a very solid foundation.

 

Brady has developed himself from a 2000 combine schlub to a durable QB by 2001. It is also widely noted Brady is an hardcore jump roper which he attributes to his ability to operate efficiently in the pocket.

 

For those who have doubts on Glennon go to YouTube and search Mike Glennon 2012 Highlights [HD]. Fitzpatrick cannot make many of these throws, plus Glennon is nearly 6'7''.

[KeisterHollow]

dont know how many times I have to say this but....MATT BARKLEY!!!!!!!!! This kid will make every single team that skips on him regret it BIG TIME. Barkley had three outstanding years at usc..and a so called ""downyear where he put up 3,000+ yards 36 tds 15ints...thats still dammmmm good...if he drops to #8 and the bills who desperately need a Qb dont draft him i will @#+$ myself...barkley might not never be "" elite"" as a pro but he will turn out to be dam good......a solid starting caliber qb in the right offense

 

I agree with you wholeheartedly. Barkley has everything Nix would like in a QB - and, furthermore, because he went back for his senior year, where the protection was bad, he still had a decent year, statistically, but now he might be available to Buffalo at 8 - something no one would have dreamed of a year ago. The kid has a better arm - can throw it accurately, in the air, over 30 yards. Sure, passes of 40 plus yards in the air might not be dead on, but for 95% of the passes he'll have to make, his arm is good - better than Nassib's, better than most of these QB's coming out. Barkley would instantly make Buffalo a much better offense - and that means quite a bit.

 

If our offense gets better this year, and our defense gets better (something that seems impossible not to happen) Buffalo could be looking at sneaking into the playoffs. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I think Buffalo has Barkley rated as the top QB prospect, and if they have a chance to take him I WOULD JUST ABOUT GUARANTEE they take him. With their history of NOT drafting QB's, they just CANNOT pass on a guy like Barkley. Even if they tanked this year, went 4-12, they'd probably not get a chance to draft a BETTER QB next year.

 

If he's there, it's Barkley at 8.

[Bronc24]

 

 

Let me make this clear upfront to avoid having straw men flung at me: I'm not at all arguing that we don't need an upgrade at QB. And I agree on the "shots you don't take". I will never understand the philosophy that has spent essentially 2 - 7th round draft picks and some low level FA signings on the team's most important position in the last 3 years. Compare and contrast with Washington, SF, and Seattle.

 

I am curious, though how we "know" the team is incapable of a playoff run on Fitz watch? I offer as contradictory evidence the 2011 Texans (TJ Yates) and the 2011 49ers (Alex Smith, who had a track record every bit as dismal as Fitz before that year). I also note that both TJax in 2011 and Wilson in 2012 are succeeding on a very run-focused offense.

 

Again, I'm not saying Fitz is "the Man". I'm saying if our offense is run-focused and backed by a stout D, worse QB than Fitz have taken a team to the playoffs, so I don't understand how we "know". It seems to me we haven't done that experiment.

 

The Texans were playoff bound before Yates entered the picture. I also submit that Smith's physical tools have always been better than Fitz's.

 

I guess I can never "know", but I am pretty damn confident based on past performance and physical limitations that Fitz will never be a playoff QB in this league. I've said it every year and will continue to say it until he retires.

[Dibs]

......and our defense gets better (something that seems impossible not to happen).....

 

NOOOOO!!!!!

Why did you have to go and tempt fate by saying that.

 

Throw some salt over your shoulder or walk under a ladder or something quickly please.