What would you do as GM?

[Orton's Arm]

You are the GM of an expansion team. You are presented with the opportunity to do one of the following.

• Whichever players you choose, you get rookie versions of those players.
  
• None of the players you choose will experience career-altering injuries, regardless of whatever happened to them in real life
  
• All the players you choose will be happy to sign extensions with your team, assuming your contract offer is reasonably competitive
  
• You cannot be fired before having had six years in office as GM.
  
• For option 4; the players you select can come from different teams/years, as long as none of the players retired before '98.
  
• For the first two options, you must choose a particular team/year from 1998 or after. For example, you could choose the OL from the Ravens of 2000, or the DL of the 2002 Bucs.
  
• In order to acquire these four options, you had to trade away the first overall pick.
  

Edited August 21, 2013 by Edwards' Arm

[Orton's Arm]

Option 1: If I chose this one, I'd want an elite LT. I'm thinking Orlando Pace or Jon Ogden or someone of that caliber. I'd also want an overall OL as complete as possible. Maybe the Ravens OL from the early 2000s. The line which paved the way for Jamal Lewis and his 2000 yard rushing season.

 

Option 2: If I chose this one, I'd pick the Bills defense from '98. My three defensive linemen would be Bruce Smith, Ted Washington, and Pat Williams. The fourth guy can be either a DL or an OLB, so I'd pick Bryce Paup. I'd get rookie versions of all four players. Further, Paup wouldn't suffer a career-altering injury.

 

Option 3: There are many QBs from which to choose: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner. But out of all those guys, I'd choose Aaron Rodgers. He seems as close to perfection as you're going to get. Not just in terms of throwing the ball; but also in terms of pocket awareness/sack evasion.

 

Option 4: Deion Sanders didn't retire until well after '98, so he'd be one of the four players I chose. I'd also pick Larry Fitzgerald, Jerry Rice, and Rob Gronkowski. My receiving threats would be very difficult to defend.

 

It's hard for me to decide which of the four options I'd like the best. I have to say, that getting a rookie Bruce Smith, Bryce Paup, Ted Washington, and Pat Williams is very tempting. But as insanely good as that would be, I think that having a rookie Aaron Rodgers would be even better.

[Orton's Arm]

Thus far, all the votes have been for QB. I'm surprised by that, even though I voted for QB myself. I'd think there'd be someone out there who would have preferred to add a rookie Bruce Smith, Ted Washington, Pat Williams, and Bryce Paup to the squad.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

I chose option 4.

 

I would add the following players to the current edition of the Bills: Calvin Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, and Vernon Davis.

[Orton's Arm]

I chose option 4.

 

I would add the following players to the current edition of the Bills: Calvin Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, and Vernon Davis.

 

You appear to have answered a different question than the one I asked. I wrote that you are the GM of an expansion team. This isn't about which players the Bills need--it's about which players you'd most want if you were starting from scratch.

 

Also, you can have any player you want, as long as he was active in 1998 or more recently. Whichever players you choose, you get rookie versions of those players. Barry Sanders (for example) didn't retire until after the 1998 season. If you want a RB, you could have either a rookie Adrian Peterson or a rookie Barry Sanders. I'm not sure which player you like more--but be aware that both are options. Same thing at TE: you could have either a rookie Vernon Davis, or a rookie Tony Gonzalez.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

You appear to have answered a different question than the one I asked. I wrote that you are the GM of an expansion team. This isn't about which players the Bills need--it's about which players you'd most want if you were starting from scratch.

 

Also, you can have any player you want, as long as he was active in 1998 or more recently. Whichever players you choose, you get rookie versions of those players. Barry Sanders (for example) didn't retire until after the 1998 season. If you want a RB, you could have either a rookie Adrian Peterson or a rookie Barry Sanders. I'm not sure which player you like more--but be aware that both are options. Same thing at TE: you could have either a rookie Vernon Davis, or a rookie Tony Gonzalez.

 

Oops. Sorry.

 

I read the poll question but didn't carefully read the explanation about it being an expansion scenario.

 

I'll re-think this for a bit.

[NoSaint]

On some level the question between 3 and 4 amounts to would you rather be a team like the colts or the bengals today. A strong roster with some all pros spread around it, or the qb question answered and having to build around that. I'd rather have the qb settled cause you rarely see a ring without it and plenty of good rosters go to waste waiting for one.... I don't think the OL option is very relevant to today's game - it's nice and all.... D line would atleast be tempting.

Edited August 23, 2013 by NoSaint

[boyst]

I'd pick any QB, and draft Kerry Collins.

 

However, a 4 pack would be nice. Tony Gonzalez, Larry Centers, Stephon Gilmore, and Ray Lewis.

Edited August 24, 2013 by jboyst62

[Koufax]

Mix and match however you want, but Adrian Peterson (or Barry Sanders), Ray Lewis, Deion Sanders, and Jerry Rice beat anything you can get from any other grouping including QB, and I think by a large enough margin that it isn't really close.

[Dr. Fong]

I've finally come to realize that QB is the only position that truly matters in the NFL. If you don't have one it doesn't matter what else is going on with the rest of the team. If you do, you at least have a fighting chance. Sure there would be growing pains, but ultimately you'd be in a lot better position.

[Charles Romes]

I'd pick any QB, and draft Kerry Collins.

 

However, a 4 pack would be nice. Tony Gonzalez, Larry Centers, Stephon Gilmore, and Ray Lewis.

 

Collins broke in the league in '96. I would have to go with Brian Griese

[drinkTHEkoolaid]

I voted for option 3

 

QB all the way and not even a second thought.

 

An elite QB gives you the best possible chance to consistently win.

A QB makes everyone around them better. Even makes your defense better just by ball control and keeping drives going, if you get a lead defense can play more aggressively

[boyst]

Collins broke in the league in '96. I would have to go with Brian Griese

crap. Who was Houstons pick? Carr?

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Anyways, my earlier erroneous choice was based on my firm belief that EJ is a franchise QB and that the Bills only need an infusion of talent to get to the promised land.

 

However the scenario stipulates an expansion team and not the Bills. And now (if I understand correctly) I can pick any QB that has played since 1998 however that QB is a rookie.

 

So that brings us back to Steve Young, John Elway, Dan Marino, Troy Aikman, Brett Favre and Kurt Warner territory because all of those players were still active in '98.

 

I guess I'll go with choice 3 and take Doug Flutie.

 

:D

[Tsaikotic]

is this assuming that the draft for this expansion team will be 2014's draft?...in that case I might go with option 1 and draft a QB and RB that will have great years behind that line...how is the rest of the team acquired??..there's no way to fill 37 - 38 spots from free agency alone: 5 best O-line + 9-10 draft picks...trading away the 1st overall would get me 2-3 extra picks...#1 overall will be Clowney so if I try to trade into say picks 10 -15 I could get 1 of the best 2 QB's in round 1 and round 2 have 2 picks and probably have 2 3's as well....plus I'd get Byrd at safety when he doesn't re-sign with Buffalo.. ....trying to stop other teams might take me a few years to do but my offense will outscore most teams from the get go.

 

ok so that would be:

 

- best o-line since 1998

- Bridgewater or Boyd at QB

- Mathews or Moncrief at WR

- Seastrunk or Carey at RB

- rest of draft

- Byrd at FS

Edited August 24, 2013 by Tsaikotic

[Bill from NYC]

Thus far, all the votes have been for QB. I'm surprised by that, even though I voted for QB myself. I'd think there'd be someone out there who would have preferred to add a rookie Bruce Smith, Ted Washington, Pat Williams, and Bryce Paup to the squad.

No surprise. Under these scenarios, the QB cannot suffer an injury. Why take the OL?

[Tsaikotic]

No surprise. Under these scenarios, the QB cannot suffer an injury. Why take the OL?

 

hmm..guess I misunderstood all the bullet points then..thought they were options as well..in that case I might have to re-think my ink

[Pete]

Lawson and Alonso having good games