Reflecting on the Bills last 3 first round picks

[John from Riverside]

 

Never heard that before, though the talking heads at the draft said the opposite that there was some front offices laughing and shaking their heads when the Bills took EJ Manuel and traded up for Sammy Watkins.

This seems to be the day for this

 

so really? You know front offices were actually laughing and shaking their heads.....REALLY

[birdog1960]

Not a single pro bowler Whaley has drafted.

 

Tells you everything.

and what are the odds any of the make it this year? slim to none. that's pretty condemning. nice stat.

[jahnyc]

I seem to recall that for EJ there were many reports that many teams had EJ at a third round or lower grade, but there is one other team that had interest maybe late in the first round (Philly?). For Watkins, I do not think there was any doubt that he was talented and carried a high first round grade, but some teams had higher draft grades on other WRs. I think that there was some surprise among other teams that the Bills were willing to give up as much as they did to move up in the draft.

[JohnC]

Notwithstanding the arbitrary franchise QB label, what makes you so certain Carr and Bridgewater are any better than Taylor?

Carr and Bridgewater are the young franchise qbs for their respective teams. Each player was available when we were drafting. Are they better than TT? I like TT a lot but it still has not been established that he can be a starter in this league and that he is durable enough.

 

Would I take either one of the young qbs ahead of TT? Yes, mostly because I think with their size compared to TT they are more likely to be more durable.

 

I don't believe that the Bills have much of a chance to be a playoff team. However, if the Bills come away knowing that TT can be their starter then I will consider that a major accomplishment.

[Doc]

and what are the odds any of the make it this year? slim to none. that's pretty condemning. nice stat.

 

Darby. Maybe Gilmore.

 

Carr and Bridgewater are the young franchise qbs for their respective teams. Each player was available when we were drafting. Are they better than TT? I like TT a lot but it still has not been established that he can be a starter in this league and that he is durable enough.

 

Would I take either one of the young qbs ahead of TT? Yes, mostly because I think with their size compared to TT they are more likely to be more durable.

 

I don't believe that the Bills have much of a chance to be a playoff team. However, if the Bills come away knowing that TT can be their starter then I will consider that a major accomplishment.

 

The jury is still out on TB. He has 6 TD's and 6 turnovers on the season. Carr however looks like the real deal. But the Bills weren't going to draft another QB high the year after drafting EJ in 2013.

[Freddie's Dead]

Right now, the Bills have EJ, Sammy, and LeShady for their last 3 first round picks. One out of 3 ain't bad....

[John from Riverside]

Right now, the Bills have EJ, Sammy, and LeShady for their last 3 first round picks. One out of 3 ain't bad....

Once again I will point out

 

Sammy Watkins did not have a bad rookie year

 

He is now in year 2 and is injured.......injuries happen and cannot be evaluated by YEAR FRIGGEN TWO

 

So in fact TWO OUT OF THREE would be outstanding.

[birdog1960]

 

Darby. Maybe Gilmore.

 

 

The jury is still out on TB. He has 6 TD's and 6 turnovers on the season. Carr however looks like the real deal. But the Bills weren't going to draft another QB high the year after drafting EJ in 2013.

what odds are you giving. i'd likely take that bet. not many db's from teams with horrible pass d's make the pro bowl.

[Freddie's Dead]

Once again I will point out

 

Sammy Watkins did not have a bad rookie year

 

He is now in year 2 and is injured.......injuries happen and cannot be evaluated by YEAR FRIGGEN TWO

 

So in fact TWO OUT OF THREE would be outstanding.

We've already written off EJ after only 16 games, so why not Sammy?

[John from Riverside]

We've already written off EJ after only 16 games, so why not Sammy?

Because.....if EJ had a rookie season that was on par with Sammy's rookie season.......we would not be writing him off

[BillsVet]

Once again I will point out

 

Sammy Watkins did not have a bad rookie year

 

He is now in year 2 and is injured.......injuries happen and cannot be evaluated by YEAR FRIGGEN TWO

 

So in fact TWO OUT OF THREE would be outstanding.

 

Doug Whaley as GM: 18-21.

 

That's all that matters. And it's not outstanding.

 

Who else bears more responsibility for this mess?

[John from Riverside]

 

Doug Whaley as GM: 18-21.

 

That's all that matters. And it's not outstanding.

 

Who else bears more responsibility for this mess?

Were putting wins on a GM?

 

Does he coach the team?

 

His job is to find talent.......which he has done

[Freddie's Dead]

Because.....if EJ had a rookie season that was on par with Sammy's rookie season.......we would not be writing him off

EJ was doing fine until the injury in Cleveland. Then Maroon destroyed him. EJ is still trying to undo that damage. I'm not ready to write him off just yet, as I'm not ready to do that with Sammy either. But TSW has largely written off both; EJ as crap, and Sammy as injury-prone. I think both of them have a lot left to show.

[JohnC]

 

Doug Whaley as GM: 18-21.

 

That's all that matters. And it's not outstanding.

 

Who else bears more responsibility for this mess?

If you think that bringing in another GM is going to be a remedy to our current situation then you are deluding yourself. Our franchise has a history of instability. Start over again with a new front office is going to set back the organization, not advance it. What mostly ails this franchise is the same thing that has plagued it (among many things) for a generation is an unsatisfactory qb situation. Whether Whaley is occupying the boss seat or someone else the same problem needs to be addressed by either occupant.

 

You are much more jaundiced in your view of Whaley than I am. Overall, I believe he has done a good job. He has modernized a front office that was very archaic. Has he made mistakes? Of course! What GM hasn't?

 

Maybe we will get lucky with TT at qb???? I'm upbeat about him with major concerns over his durability. What I can say with confidence is that firing Whaley would be not a solution so much as it would be a disastrous response to our current situation.

 

Don't bother asking me about Rex. His selection got my blood boiling. An exhibition of lamentable stupidity!

[sjjr]

This team is "underachieving" because of the perceived amount of talent it had put together, which was Whaley. The problem is not lack of talent here.

 

The last several first round picks of Dareus, Gilmore, Manuel and Watkins still needs to play out but we do know that Dareus and Gilmore are very good players. Sammy has talent, no one is denying that, he just needs to get on the field. Either way, this probably is the best stretch of first round picks since the mid 90s for the Bills as far as NFL production.

 

First round picks get all of the press but teams are built on the second and even third days of the draft. Whaley and Nix before him have been pretty good at gathering talent. Darby, J.Miller, K.Williams this season but guys like K.Alonso, R.Woods, C.Glenn, P.Brown, S.Henderson, Bradham, A.Williams and Searcy are all starters in the league and guys like Easley, R.Brooks, D.Williams, Kouandjio, R.Johnson and Gragg have all contributed being solid depth and on special teams.

 

Any talk of Whaley being fired makes no sense. He has done an excellent job, jointly with Buddy Nix, in building a talented team over the last 5 years. With that said, he finds talent and the coach picks players to play. The line must be clear and not sure how clear its been in recent years.

[Rob's House]

The only really stellar move I've seen since Whaley's been here is Darby. He's had a few other nice moves, but that's the only one that really stands out.

 

That one looks like a Rex influenced pick, but we'll let Whaley have it.

Edited October 26, 2015 by Rob's House

[BuffaloBillsForever]

The only really stellar move I've seen since Whaley's been here is Darby. He's had a few other nice moves, but that's the only one that really stands out.

 

That one looks like a Rex influenced pick, but we'll let Whaley have it.

Agree.

 

Darby is the greatest decision Whaley has done to date.

Edited October 26, 2015 by BuffaloBillsForever

[TheFunPolice]

If Watkins cannot stay on the field then that matters in judging the pick.

 

You can say it's hindsight but results matter. The GM needs to be right.

 

I am willing to give him a pass on EJ because I think that was a Nix pick AND the team was so desperate for a QB. You can miss once in a while.

 

Overall, I am happy with Whaley, although the Watkins trade bugs me given that WR draft class. But nobody is perfect and this roster has a lot of talent.

[DDD]

EJ was doing fine until the injury in Cleveland. Then Maroon destroyed him. EJ is still trying to undo that damage. I'm not ready to write him off just yet, as I'm not ready to do that with Sammy either. But TSW has largely written off both; EJ as crap, and Sammy as injury-prone. I think both of them have a lot left to show.

 

[clearwater cadet]

Whaley done a nice job with late round picks