H2o Posted December 17, 2013 Posted December 17, 2013 Just my 2, I would take Amaro over the rest. 6'6", 260lbs, and the guy has got some wheels. With that size he should be fairly effective in the run game as well meaning he will be a 3 down TE that is VERY hard to cover. I know he comes from a Spread offense which means "inflated" numbers, but if you watch him the tape doesn't lie.
Boatdrinks Posted December 17, 2013 Posted December 17, 2013 I concur with this sentiment. The Bills biggest need in the 2014 draft is offensive line. Chandler has been more than serviceable. Heck, he has only 4 less receptions than Stevie Johnson on the season at 48. The Bills just don't use the position like the Patriots or Saints do. If they did pick TE early, I would see it as wasteful when they could use upgrades at both guard positions and even right tackle. As you state, there's a lot more glaring needs. The Bills don't use the TE in that way because they don't have that guy It's all about matchups. No OC in the NFL would avoid using a matchup nightmare if they had one on the roster. The Bills OL usu. provides enough time for a QB to get the ball to an elite guy. We just don't have an elite guy running the routes. You can find an upgrade at LG outside of the 1st round. A big time matchup problem at WR or TE is a bigger need for this offense. A hall of fame QB would be nice, but those are a bit tougher to find. A guy who's "open even when he's not" like a Graham, Witten, Gronkowski at TE or a Marshall, Bryant, Johnson type would help far more than an OL.
Jauronimo Posted December 17, 2013 Posted December 17, 2013 (edited) Edited December 17, 2013 by Jauronimo
Mickey Posted December 17, 2013 Posted December 17, 2013 If Gronk was the #5 or #6 overall pick in the draft would that be too high? Or Jimmy Grahm? I dont ever want to think that the bills shouldnt pick the best player at a position or the guy they want "too high" if he is your guy go and get him before someone else does. The fron office just better be damm sure he is the second coming of Metzalars I don't think any of this year's TE's are being compared to Gronk or Jimmy Graham. And as good as those two are, they are getting passes from QB's who have won championships. We clearly need a TE but we also need a guard, badly, and we need an OLB, depth in the secondary, a RT, a WR with size, etc Unfortunately, it's a long shopping list for one off season.
Pete Posted December 18, 2013 Posted December 18, 2013 Mack in first, TE is deep and take the best on board in second, then load up on oline
Boludo Posted December 18, 2013 Author Posted December 18, 2013 (edited) I can't believe people are advocating not taking a TE in rounds 1-4! I think you are too caught up on the title "Tight End" and not recognizing the changing NFL and the blurred lines between WR and TE. What if we just call them a big physical WR? Edited December 18, 2013 by Boludo
sjjr Posted December 18, 2013 Posted December 18, 2013 I agree they need to get a game changing TE. Austin Seferian Jenkins could be the next guy but not sure if he fits what Marrone is looking for. Ebron, Grimble and Amaro are interesting too. Guys like Fiedorowicz, A.Lynch and M.Jensen are guys who could be solid too in the later rounds. Maybe they could take a shot on a guy like Colt Lyerla as an UDFA. Should be interesting as they go through the draft process.
Buffalo Barbarian Posted December 18, 2013 Posted December 18, 2013 http://www.cbssports...5396/eric-ebron http://www.cbssports...0917/jace-amaro You NEED a good receiving tight end in today's NFL. With the continuing trend of rule changes, it's more and more difficult for defenders to do anything against these big bodied receivers that create mismatches against both linebackers and defensive backs. Think of players like Jimmy Graham, Rob Gronkowski, Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates, Jordan Cameron, Jason Witten - and to a lesser extent guys like Greg Olsen, Charles Clay, Martellus Bennett, Julius Thomas, and Heath Miller. These players all represent a big portion of their teams offenses, and impact the game planning of opponents. The Bills could especially benefit from a big time player at this position because of their glaring lack of a big physical target. Right now they can't even throw a fade on the goal line. Stevie Johnson can play at a high level, but he relies more on juking and quickness than size and strength. They need a different type of option. Woods is a nice midrange compliment to Johnson, with Goodwin threatening deep - but they need to bring that big bodied athletic target into the mix to really give the quarterback the tools a modern NFL passing attack needs. Chandler has played OK but he's not really a playmaker, he's more of a guy that fills a roll and you hope doesn't mess up. This is a HUGE area of need for this team. Add in a good interior lineman and a linebacker to play alongside Kiko, and resign Byrd and beyond these things the rest of the draft picks are luxury picks for the team. Let's get Ebron in the first round! Trade back and get an extra 2nd. Worked well for us last year (Kiko) also
BigBuff423 Posted December 18, 2013 Posted December 18, 2013 I can't believe people are advocating not taking a TE in rounds 1-4! I think you are too caught up on the title "Tight End" and not recognizing the changing NFL and the blurred lines between WR and TE. What if we just call them a big physical WR? If the OG position is addressed via FA, then I would be fine with Drafting a TE in Round 3 or 4. But there's a reason why those TEs are playing as a TE in college, because a WR requires a different skill-set than a TE, even in the NFL. That's why the converted basketball players such as Graham, Jordan, and Julius Thomas are all faring better than many others. Rarely does a 1st round TE have a pheonmenal career and even more rarely do they make an impact in their 1st year. Statistically, an NFL team is at a serious disadvantage drafting a TE in round 1 and to some extent round 2 (with Gronk being the only recent exception), than drafting a TE in rounds 3 or 4. Witten, Gates, Graham, Julius Thomas, Jordan - have all been drafted in the 3rd round or later and all of them take a year or two to truly develop because TE requires a different skill-set than WR. They're not just "big physical WR" type players. Yes, they catch a ton of balls and yes, they run routes, but their blocking assignments and utilization in the protection scheme are quite different. That's why convereted basketball players tend to fare better in the NFL, it's more about foot work, lateral movement, and quickness as opposed to straight line speed. WRs need to be fast, agile and nimble, with strong hands and an ability to make incredible jumps, all the while not so much blocking as deflecting their man to either the inside or outside. Just food for thought...
Dibs Posted December 18, 2013 Posted December 18, 2013 I was a little disappointing in this thread as I thought it was going to be an analytical study to do with the chances of hitting on a TE in the draft. Generally I don't think that there are too many Bills fans who would be unhappy if we land a first class TE from the next draft.
Cheddar's Dad Posted December 18, 2013 Posted December 18, 2013 I was a little disappointing in this thread as I thought it was going to be an analytical study to do with the chances of hitting on a TE in the draft. Generally I don't think that there are too many Bills fans who would be unhappy if we land a first class TE from the next draft. OK. I'm answering your call Dibs. The OP included links to Ebron and Amaro. Clink on those links and you see that Ebron is ranked the 26th. overall best player in the draft and a late 1st or early 2nd rd. pick. Amaro is ranked 130 and considered a 4th rd. pick. If Buffalo got him in the 4th, that would be cool. Buffalo picks 10th as of now. Buscaglia (the writer for wgr55.com) shows Chandler as Buffalo's 20 best player based on his performance this year. He ranks Pears at 32 and Legurski at 36. Considering that there are 22 regular starters means that Buffalo has 10 backup players that perform better than Pears and 14 that perform better than Legurski. Clearly LG and RT are greater needs than TE and should get priority over TE in May's draft. Since top offensive tackles usually are selected before top guards, I would select OT in the first and G in the 2nd. Personally, I'd like Kouandjio in the 1st and Yankey in the 2nd. That would give Buffalo a top O-line to protect EJ, give him additional time to find our receivers and open holes for Freddy and C.J. Our D id pretty good. Our O needs help and our O line needs it the most. Regarding TE, Buffalo traditionally wants it's TE to be able to block as well as catch. Ebron and Amaro, as of now, are not blockers. They are not Gronks. Gronk, in fact, does not appear to be in this draft. I would take a long look at the TE that are 6'6" or taller and at least 265 to 270 lbs., have shown they can block and evaluate them for catching ability. Then draft accordingly but not until the 3rd. Rd.
Cheddar's Dad Posted December 18, 2013 Posted December 18, 2013 As a follow-up; one player I'd be interested in scouting (if I were Whaley) is C.J. Fiedoricz, the 6'6", 265 lb TE from Iowa. As an Iowa player, you just know he can block well. He had 26 receptions this past year and a team high 6 TDs (red zone baby) including a game winning TD in OT vs. Northwestern. Fiedoricz could well be there early in the 3rd.
ColdBlueNorth Posted December 19, 2013 Posted December 19, 2013 I agree the BILLS need a good, fast, pass catching TE...but NOT, NEVER, in the 1st round. Of those you mentioned, most came in the 3rd / 4th round and of others that have been serious busts, were drafted in the 1st. And the reason you pass on a TE when he may be the best player at his position is because when you forego the value chart, you miss other very talented players at their respective positions. For example, if there is a dead-on stud OLB in the 1st when the BILLS draft, you don't blink - you snatch him up. In round 2, if there's a tall, fast, great hands WR, you run to the podium, then in the 3rd, when there's a TE who has the tools to be a stud TE in the NFL you grab him. Look at two, Jordan and Julius Thomas, they were drafted in the same round two years ago - the 3rd. Gates and Witten were in the 3rd, Graham was in the 3rd, and the list goes on. But even when you get the best TE, it still takes a year or 2 to develop. OLB on the other hand can produce immediately and be a rare physical talent! See the Legend of Kiko, yes - i know he's a MLB, but still a LB. And even WRs take a year or two to truly make the leap to the NFL and make a serious impact on the game. This.
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