What should the Bills plan be from here on?

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Find your QB in this draft and take him.

 

I tend to agree here - if you miss on "your QB" then take another shot next year - but pick guys that you like, and roll with it. It's not an EJ draft, and it doesn't seem to have a Luck either. Do your homework on all of them, and get your guy! There's always next year!

[Alphadawg7]

 

I tend to agree here - if you miss on "your QB" then take another shot next year - but pick guys that you like, and roll with it. It's not an EJ draft, and it doesn't seem to have a Luck either. Do your homework on all of them, and get your guy! There's always next year!

 

This is actually much closer to an "EJ draft" than you think. You can't keep wasting high draft picks on reaches at QB, especially coming off a season where we were in the top 5 in scoring with our existing QB. I have no problem taking a QB in round 3 or lower, always good to keep exploring prospects...but it would be a waste in this draft to use our first or 2nd on one IMO.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

 

This is actually much closer to an "EJ draft" than you think. You can't keep wasting high draft picks on reaches at QB, especially coming off a season where we were in the top 5 in scoring with our existing QB. I have no problem taking a QB in round 3 or lower, always good to keep exploring prospects...but it would be a waste in this draft to use our first or 2nd on one IMO.

 

I dunno about that- i'd say maybe closer to a bortles draft than an EJ. There's no "cant miss" guys like winston/mariota/luck/RG3 - but the class is relatively deep and talented. The top 2 guys from last year wouldn't stand head and shoulders above this class either.

[TPS]

Right but filling the holes with Washington and Lawson is less than guaranteed.

that's why you bring in cheap vets like they did last year. no team's draft picks provide guarantees, so that's not really an argument.

[FireChan]

 

This is actually much closer to an "EJ draft" than you think. You can't keep wasting high draft picks on reaches at QB, especially coming off a season where we were in the top 5 in scoring with our existing QB. I have no problem taking a QB in round 3 or lower, always good to keep exploring prospects...but it would be a waste in this draft to use our first or 2nd on one IMO.

Do you wanna bet that more QBs go in the first this draft compared to 2013?

 

that's why you bring in cheap vets like they did last year. no team's draft picks provide guarantees, so that's not really an argument.

I suppose that's true, but banking on Washington and Lawson like proven vets is misguided, IMO.

[TPS]

Do you wanna bet that more QBs go in the first this draft compared to 2013?

 

I suppose that's true, but banking on Washington and Lawson like proven vets is misguided, IMO.

No team has an unlimited budget. They all rely on their draft picks to come in and play. This will be their second years, so the baptism is over, and Shaq will be healthy. From what I read about Washington last year, he fits the more attacking D that SM runs too. If they bring back Lorax, that will give them some veteran insurance, but I'm sure they'll bring in another body to compete at DE.

[FireChan]

No team has an unlimited budget. They all rely on their draft picks to come in and play. This will be their second years, so the baptism is over, and Shaq will be healthy. From what I read about Washington last year, he fits the more attacking D that SM runs too. If they bring back Lorax, that will give them some veteran insurance, but I'm sure they'll bring in another body to compete at DE.

 

I agree, that's why I'm saying what I'm saying.

 

I just look at our team at a crossroads. We are only going to be losing more and more contributors than gaining in the next 2 years. In the last 2 we've lost Mario, Searcy, Kiko, Leo, Bradham. Before them? We had a streak going where you could see this team gaining more talent than it lost. From 2010 to 2014 we were adding key contributors and replacing our lost FAs with on the whole, superior players. But like you said, resources are limited and times get tough almost overnight. You're seeing it with guys like Lorax and ZB, who we may not be able to retain or replicate. Gilmore. Woods.

 

Talent is cyclical and we're about to head down, not up, IMO.

[TPS]

I agree, that's why I'm saying what I'm saying.

 

I just look at our team at a crossroads. We are only going to be losing more and more contributors than gaining in the next 2 years. In the last 2 we've lost Mario, Searcy, Kiko, Leo, Bradham. Before them? We had a streak going where you could see this team gaining more talent than it lost. From 2010 to 2014 we were adding key contributors and replacing our lost FAs with on the whole, superior players. But like you said, resources are limited and times get tough almost overnight. You're seeing it with guys like Lorax and ZB, who we may not be able to retain or replicate. Gilmore. Woods.

 

Talent is cyclical and we're about to head down, not up, IMO.

You have to be strategic in who your retain. Do you think letting Levitre and Byrd go were bad decisions? Again, look at all teams, and you'll find about 25 players +/- 3 who make > $1 million. That means you have to rely on your rookies and cheap vets to fill in the rest of the 53.

[FireChan]

You have to be strategic in who your retain. Do you think letting Levitre and Byrd go were bad decisions? Again, look at all teams, and you'll find about 25 players +/- 3 who make > $1 million. That means you have to rely on your rookies and cheap vets to fill in the rest of the 53.

No, but we replaced Levitre with a cheap, better G in Richie (a year too late but that's a whole other argument), and we are feeling the loss of Byrd w/o a replacement after losing him and Searcy back to back.

 

Don't misunderstand my point. I'm not even really blaming the FO here. It's just a reality of the NFL. Teams are always getting stronger talent-wise or weaker. You don't remain at peak talent for very long. And I believe we hit our peak in 2014/2015.

 

We'll look back at the 2015 roster in 2 years IMO, and say "Jeez, if there was ever a year to make a playoff run."

 

A lot of it is luck, finding solid starters and good depth in the later rounds, and luck runs out. Look how deep we were at DB in 2014/2015. Gilmore, Graham, Leo, Darby, Searcy, Robey. Those are 6 quality guys, and we lost 2 of them, and 1 got old. Who have we replaced them with? No one.

 

LB - Kiko, Brown, Spikes, Bradham, Lawson. 4 of them basically gone. ZB was a nice offset but his production is not the norm from a cheap vet.

 

It's just what happens. In 2014 and 2015 we were brimming with talent.

Edited January 20, 2017 by FireChan

[TPS]

No, but we replaced Levitre with a cheap, better G in Richie (a year too late but that's a whole other argument), and we are feeling the loss of Byrd w/o a replacement after losing him and Searcy back to back.

 

Don't misunderstand my point. I'm not even really blaming the FO here. It's just a reality of the NFL. Teams are always getting stronger talent-wise or weaker. You don't remain at peak talent for very long. And I believe we hit our peak in 2014/2015.

 

We'll look back at the 2015 roster in 2 years IMO, and say "Jeez, if there was ever a year to make a playoff run."

 

A lot of it is luck, finding solid starters and good depth in the later rounds, and luck runs out. Look how deep we were at DB in 2014/2015. Gilmore, Graham, Leo, Darby, Searcy, Robey. Those are 6 quality guys, and we lost 2 of them, and 1 got old. Who have we replaced them with? No one.

 

LB - Kiko, Brown, Spikes, Bradham, Lawson. 4 of them basically gone. ZB was a nice offset but his production is not the norm from a cheap vet.

 

It's just what happens. In 2014 and 2015 we were brimming with talent.

yes, Rex had a playoff roster handed to him. Wonder if he was a jets plant...? 🙁

[Alphadawg7]

Do you wanna bet that more QBs go in the first this draft compared to 2013?

 

I suppose that's true, but banking on Washington and Lawson like proven vets is misguided, IMO.

 

hahaha, if anything, you are consistent with lousy points. That has nothing to do with the comparison of the quality of prospects entering the draft. In 2013 Geno and Bridgewater were being discussed as top 10 draft picks...one fell to late first, the other the 2nd and neither was the first QB off the board. Much like this year, none of the prospects are a lock for the top 10 right now, and any of the top 3 QB's on the board could fall to the 2nd. This draft class has no clear blue chip QB prospect, just like 2013. None are even considered real contenders to go #1 overall despite Cleveland having a massive need for a QB.

 

You are so desperate to get rid of Taylor, you will say anything to validate it. The fact remains, the over whelming consensus on this drafts QB class is that its not very strong. Anything can happen once drafted, hell there could 3 future HOF QB's in this class or they could all bust...but going into the draft, its not viewed as a good year to be looking for a rookie QB.

[FireChan]

 

hahaha, if anything, you are consistent with lousy points. That has nothing to do with the comparison of the quality of prospects entering the draft. In 2013 Geno and Bridgewater were being discussed as top 10 draft picks...one fell to late first, the other the 2nd and neither was the first QB off the board. Much like this year, none of the prospects are a lock for the top 10 right now, and any of the top 3 QB's on the board could fall to the 2nd. This draft class has no clear blue chip QB prospect, just like 2013. None are even considered real contenders to go #1 overall despite Cleveland having a massive need for a QB.

 

You are so desperate to get rid of Taylor, you will say anything to validate it. The fact remains, the over whelming consensus on this drafts QB class is that its not very strong. Anything can happen once drafted, hell there could 3 future HOF QB's in this class or they could all bust...but going into the draft, its not viewed as a good year to be looking for a rookie QB.

It absolutely does. By the the time we entered the draft, there was only 1 QB taken in the first round. That speaks to the quality of the QB prospects that the NFL on a whole agreed upon.

 

I guarantee that doesn't happen this draft. Let's bet.

 

Bridgewater was 2014, btw. EJ was the first off the board in 2013, at #16. I guarantee a QB goes higher than #16 this draft.

 

There are plenty of drafts with no clear #1 overall QB's. That doesn't make them comparable the 2013 draft. That's the simple point you fail to grasp over and over. it's like calling Maybin and Mack similar prospects because there were competition level question marks. Like no bro, that's not how it works.

Edited January 20, 2017 by FireChan

[Original Byrd Man]

Offense with Taylor (15 games):

 

#3 in NFL in touchdowns behind only Atlanta and Saints.

#5 in NFL in points per game scored.

Scored at least 25 points in 10 of the 15 games Taylor started.

 

Defense (15 games other than the NE shutout that was an anomaly against a 3rd string QB and essentially no Gronk who barely played due to injury)

 

#26 in NFL in points allowed.

Lost 6 of our 9 games by 6 points or less. In those 6 games that we lost by 6 points or less, we gave up an average of 28.33 points.

 

 

For me, its very clear that we are capable of scoring enough points and the D giving up way too many points cost us the post season. There was a post going around that showed Russel Wilson and Taylor production numbers at about the same points in their careers and they are remarkably similar. There is no reason to scrap this whole team and go down a rabbit hole of trying to find the next Aaron Rodgers which is rare. I will also add that Brees threw for 5000 yards again, and he won 2 LESS games than we did and probably would have been 3 less had TT played week 17.

 

Most importantly, we scored all those points despite lots of injuries to our skill players on the offense. And on defense, we lost our only good Safety who happened to be our best communicator on the field in a defense that the rest of the roster struggled to grasp. We also lost our top 2 draft picks for much or all of the season and have them coming back. Add in that we didn't have Marcel for close to half the season too, and its not hard to see how getting all those guys back and a better coach for our personnel can easily see the defense rebound this year. Factoring in help in the secondary from FA and/or draft, and this D can be capable of being top 10 again like it was before Rex and company over complicated it.

 

Clear path to me is option 1...roll with TT and use our #10 pick on one of the stud WR's like Williams/Cody or one of the elite Safety or Corners. Personally, I would prefer them to go WR because Woods is not a reliable #2 and not going to be worth what he wants and the draft is deep with Safety prospects and we can grab a pretty good one in the 2nd probably if we haven't addressed it already in FA.

You are now on all the Tyrod haters sh*t list. You confuse many of the posters here with statistics because they only care about their misguided, ill informed opinions.

It absolutely does. By the the time we entered the draft, there was only 1 QB taken in the first round. That speaks to the quality of the QB prospects that the NFL on a whole agreed upon.

 

I guarantee that doesn't happen this draft. Let's bet.

 

Bridgewater was 2014, btw. EJ was the first off the board in 2013, at #16. I guarantee a QB goes higher than #16 this draft.

 

There are plenty of drafts with no clear #1 overall QB's. That doesn't make them comparable the 2013 draft. That's the simple point you fail to grasp over and over. it's like calling Maybin and Mack similar prospects because there were competition level question marks. Like no bro, that's not how it works.

How would you know how anything works. Simple minds at work again. Gotta love it! If they do get drafted in the first it would be based on dire need not on talent. the odds of any of them succeeding is slim.

Edited January 21, 2017 by Original Byrd Man

[Original Byrd Man]

Find your QB in this draft and take him.

Right because that worked so well with EJ. QB crop is very unspectacular this year. By all accounts next year is far superior. If you use a #1 this year you will miss a possible blue chipper next year while waiting for this years pick to develop. Do you really think the Rams will draft a QB in the first round this year. Extremely unlikely because no GM wants to admit they made a mistake. Especially with a #1.

[1st Ammendment NoMas]

Sorry boys, but there is no other option but to WIN now! Win always. No one who is professional plays games to lose. That is the wrong attitude and the wrong motive. You always want to win. You work to win. If you lose and did your best, then keep working until you are better.

[Alphadawg7]

It absolutely does. By the the time we entered the draft, there was only 1 QB taken in the first round. That speaks to the quality of the QB prospects that the NFL on a whole agreed upon.

 

I guarantee that doesn't happen this draft. Let's bet.

 

Bridgewater was 2014, btw. EJ was the first off the board in 2013, at #16. I guarantee a QB goes higher than #16 this draft.

 

There are plenty of drafts with no clear #1 overall QB's. That doesn't make them comparable the 2013 draft. That's the simple point you fail to grasp over and over. it's like calling Maybin and Mack similar prospects because there were competition level question marks. Like no bro, that's not how it works.

 

My bad on Bridgewater, I had not looked it up, was operating on memory and thought he came out same year as Geno.

 

However, the point persists that the number of QB's taken in the first round is not indicative of the quality of the draft class. QB is a position so important that teams will reach for need. This year, we have some desperate teams that need a QB, so I wont be surprised to see more than 1 QB go in the first round. But that does not mean by any stretch that this is a strong draft class, that logic has literally no merit. Also, I would not be surprised to see none go in the first.

 

To place a wager is pointless as I am not by any means claiming how many QB's are going to be drafted in the first, you are the only one talking about that...I could care less about how many go. In fact, I hope 3 go in the top 10 so we don't be stupid and take one of those at #10 and instead draft a real quality prospect like Williams, Davis, or one of the top players in the secondary. At the end of the day, THIS draft class is overwhelmingly viewed as a bad year to be looking for a QB as none are that endearing. You citing how many you think will go in the first does not in any way change the flaws in these prospects and the concerns that exist about them.

[#34fan]

Develop Cardale Jones, and build an offense around him.

[FireChan]

 

My bad on Bridgewater, I had not looked it up, was operating on memory and thought he came out same year as Geno.

 

However, the point persists that the number of QB's taken in the first round is not indicative of the quality of the draft class. QB is a position so important that teams will reach for need. This year, we have some desperate teams that need a QB, so I wont be surprised to see more than 1 QB go in the first round. But that does not mean by any stretch that this is a strong draft class, that logic has literally no merit. Also, I would not be surprised to see none go in the first.

 

To place a wager is pointless as I am not by any means claiming how many QB's are going to be drafted in the first, you are the only one talking about that...I could care less about how many go. In fact, I hope 3 go in the top 10 so we don't be stupid and take one of those at #10 and instead draft a real quality prospect like Williams, Davis, or one of the top players in the secondary. At the end of the day, THIS draft class is overwhelmingly viewed as a bad year to be looking for a QB as none are that endearing. You citing how many you think will go in the first does not in any way change the flaws in these prospects and the concerns that exist about them.

What? Did teams not need QB's in 2013? Is that what you're telling me?

 

So 1 QB went in the first in 2013, and 3 went in the first in 2014, and 2 went in the first in 2015, and 3 went in the first in 2016, you'd stand by that having no indication on the quality of QB's in the draft? You would say that 2014 did not have a stronger class than 2013? Or 2016 did not have a stronger class than 2013?

 

Really?

 

There has been 1 draft class since 2001 that only had a single QB go in the first. And you're telling me that doesn't mean it was a weaker QB class than the rest? Like c'mon dude.

 

There hasn't been a draft in the last 20 years that didn't have a single QB go in the 1st round. And yet this draft wouldn't surprise you to have none? This draft would be the first draft since 1988 to not have a QB go in the first, and that's unsurprising?

 

Talk about blinded by hate. I think you read too many Watson faux-scouting reports and are now reporting them as "consensus" or whatever nonsense passes for analysis these days.

Edited January 21, 2017 by FireChan

[Alphadawg7]

What? Did teams not need QB's in 2013? Is that what you're telling me?

 

So 1 QB went in the first in 2013, and 3 went in the first in 2014, and 2 went in the first in 2015, and 3 went in the first in 2016, you'd stand by that having no indication on the quality of QB's in the draft? You would say that 2014 did not have a stronger class than 2013? Or 2016 did not have a stronger class than 2013?

 

Really?

 

There has been 1 draft class since 2001 that only had a single QB go in the first. And you're telling me that doesn't mean it was a weaker QB class than the rest? Like c'mon dude.

 

 

Man, you are like talking to a brick wall. Number of players taken is not the sole indicator and is full of incomplete information. When a team drafts at any position, it weighs prospects available, needs, BPA, etc. There is no science as to when and where a team will make a determination to draft any particular player. And then they have to way the difference in value they see with each player combined with the fact that every single year the overall quality of the draft is completely different than the year before.

 

What does Cleveland do at #12 for instance. Lets assume they go with Myles, the overwhelming top player on the board at #1 overall a guy they desperately need. And lets also assume no QB comes off the board and Cleveland has their pick of any QB at 12. Well, what if on their overall board, the best QB is still only the 4th best guy on their board. Do they ignore the other 3 and reach for the QB out of need, or do they take the better prospect at another urgent position and target a QB with the first pick of round 2 thinking that many teams behind them don't need a QB and that one of their guys will be there. Maybe the difference of the top player on their board is negligible to the QB they have as the 4th and they decide to just take the QB.

 

Your over simplification of rating the quality of a draft class based on how many go, ESPECIALLY with QB's who teams always will tend to reach more on, is just utterly ridiculous and full of non sense. 2 may go in the first one year, and 2 in the next year...by your definition the quality of the QB prospects was equal and doesnt take into account about 1000 factors. No 2 drafts are equal, and every year the expected incoming class are graded overall and this one isnt very strong.

 

Like when Tim Tebow when in the first despite just about EVERYONE in the world feeling he was NOT a first round QB, and many wouldn't have taken him in the 2nd. But all it took was one team to see him differently and value him and be willing to take a chance on that player.

Edited January 21, 2017 by Alphadawg7

[bills7834]

How many times has Brees been to the postseason? How many times has TT?

 

It's over bro. Bow out.

Seriously, Alphadog has owned you in this post and that's your response? I'm 45 years old and have traveled all over the world with the military. The amount of DB's (not defensive backs) I see on here flexing their Internet muscles on a daily basis out numbers the amount I've met in my 45 years.