Did the Bills pay too much to move up for Watkins?

[GA BILLS FAN]

Not kidding at all. Bruce, Kelly, Reed lead us to a 4-12 record in '86. We were 3-4 when Polian pulled the trigger. When word got out that we gave a our 1st in '88, our 1st and 2nd in '89, and our former #1 draft choice in Greg Bell, there was a significant faction of fans that hated the deal. Very similar arguments were made to the arguments made today regarding Watkins. That we were more than just "an OLB away". It's not a surprise that the younger faction of fans at the time were more positive. Sounds like you and me were in that group. But like I said, if you didn't hear the arguments against Polian and how he mortgaged our future on the call-in shows and in the papers, you weren't paying attention.

 

Be that as it may, I realize the consternation with the deal seems to be tied to EJ Manuel. He has nothing at all to do with it. You don't pass up opportunities to collect elite talent while your QB develops and everyone waits to see if he pans out. There are many reasons for that. The assumption that next year's #1 would yield a better QB is far-fetched as the odds are against it to begin with and next year's draft is nothing more than ether at this time.

 

Watkins is an elite talent. And well worth the price to secure the sure thing this year.

 

Like I said, let's just agree to disagree.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Yep -- we can move on. I really hope I'm wrong about this trade.

[K-9]

 

Now I remember everybody wearing the rose colored glasses. I thought it was just a Halloween thing.

 

 

 

I think draft picks are way more valued now than they were 27 years ago.........And, like I keep saying, Kelly was the foundation to everything else. If we didn't have Kelly, I would have said Polian was stupid, too.

 

I don't follow that line of thinking. Talent is valued, period. Especially elite talent. That's always been the case and always will be the case.

 

So because you don't have a franchise QB, you should suspend acquiring elite talent until you do? I know you don't mean that but that's how it comes across. How the FO feels about EJ moving forward, AT THIS STAGE of his career, shouldn't impact their decision and/or ability to land the type of talent Watkins represents. I really think some here don't appreciate just how unique Watkins is. His college credentials are as good or better than elite WRs in the league right now.

 

How do you know when you'll have the exact pick in a future draft that will land you that player? It's been well documented here today that you have approximately a 10% chance of landing at the spot in a draft that lands you that elite QB (typically top 5). I just can't see passing up elite talent elsewhere. We are ascribing all this value to a first round pick next year that doesn't yet exist.

 

Anyway, you and I should agree to disagree as well regarding this trade. I know we'll both hope for the best, regardless, and that's good enough for me.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[bbb]

I'm not going to look it up, but I bet more draft picks make the team these days than they did in 1987.

 

It's an asset that you can then use to do what you did this year - to get the one essential position. (If you don't end up in a spot to pick him). We just blew our load on a receiver. I would not do that on any position but QB - unless we had our QB in place.

[billsfan89]

Trading up is shown to be a terrible move historically speaking. And I personally feel like the Bills made a pretty big over payment to move up just five spots. But they got a dynamic player so at least they made the move to get a good talent. Still I am not a fan of the move but hopefully I am wrong.

[bbb]

Trading up is shown to be a terrible move historically speaking. And I personally feel like the Bills made a pretty big over payment to move up just five spots. But they got a dynamic player so at least they made the move to get a good talent. Still I am not a fan of the move but hopefully I am wrong.

 

I do, too. And, you're right - they got the guy I wanted. Moving to #1 would have been extra stupid!

[GA BILLS FAN]

I don't follow that line of thinking. Talent is valued, period. Especially elite talent. That's always been the case and always will be the case.

 

So because you don't have a franchise QB, you should suspend acquiring elite talent until you do? I know you don't mean that but that's how it comes across. How the FO feels about EJ moving forward, AT THIS STAGE of his career, shouldn't impact their decision and/or ability to land the type of talent Watkins represents. I really think some here don't appreciate just how unique Watkins is. His college credentials are as good or better than elite WRs in the league right now.

 

How do you know when you'll have the exact pick in a future draft that will land you that player? It's been well documented here today that you have approximately a 10% chance of landing at the spot in a draft that lands you that elite QB (typically top 5). I just can't see passing up elite talent elsewhere. We are ascribing all this value to a first round pick next year that doesn't yet exist.

 

Anyway, you and I should agree to disagree as well regarding this trade. I know we'll both hope for the best, regardless, and that's good enough for me.

 

GO BILLS!!!

I want to jump back in -- you ALWAYS are looking to acquire talent, always. The BIG difference is when do you depart from your annual allotment of draft picks to mortgage some of your future --- I would much prefer to be in the situation the Pats were in for several years and the Niners are in now --- where you have more picks and more rolls of the dice, cause let's face it, every prospect has a certain degree of certainty. However, unlike others, I do think there are times when mortgaging the future makes sense to acquire that talent NOW and pay for it with your future. I would ONLY do it, when I thought I had all the other pieces and needed a player or two to put me over the top. The Bills are not anywhere close to that point, because they don't have a proven franchise QB, without one of those, they would need to have a Top 5 defense and a Top 5 Oline/running game -- they don't have either of those. So, most teams, probably 28 out of 32, would continue to build those other areas through the draft without trading away their future. At that point, maybe it's next year or the year after, where you think you need another player or two, THEN you do a trade like this. This type of trade makes sense for a team like Denver or New England or maybe Green Bay -- but not Buffalo --- not now

[shane nelson]

They paid a very high price, but like all investments it will take time to determine if the reward is worth the risk. Brandon, Whaley and Marrone have basically put their careers in Buffalo on the line with this trade and pick. It is great to see the front office take some risk for a change. Sure beats "just cause free agency starts today don't mean I am getting up early"