Too many positions with holes

[Ittakestime]

I am looking at the Bills roster, and there is a ton of holes. The draft may be able to fill three of those, but that may even be pushing it. We all know this past year how many injuries we had just in terms of our top picks. With FA drying up, Bills need to start picking what positions they want to fill in FA and what positions they want to leave for the draft.

 

Positions with best FA still available:

 

Safety: I think the Bills should really completely close this hole before the draft. There are some really good players here (McDougald, McDonald, Webb, Quddus, Byrd).

 

LB: There are also some players that could come in and start right away for Bills left (Minter, Z.Brown). A couple guys could be a nice rotational player (Riley, Hodges, Spence, Moore).

 

Filling these two positions would leave TE, CB, WR and RT in the draft.

 

 

 

[Numark3]

The whole are S, TE2, RT, LB, CB, WR2? That sounds pretty accurate. I think they can still get sole free agency help, draft sole help, get depth for other positions, and only have a hole or two going into the season which isn't huge.

[wilcoam]

Just my opinion but our Bills do not seem to want to bring in starters or higher profile FA's this year

We've basically signed solid backup's and depth players

So the starting holes will remain going into the draft unless you apply good will koolaid that everyone will be the next Lorax/Zack

 

IMO offensively we are still down WR #2 and WR #3

Inevitable someone here will make an argument one of these WR will be a #3 starter

I ain't buying it

Though the guys we brought in, plus Listenbee, provide solid WR injury depth

Some folks will argue backup TE is a need but others will say its a luxury

We still do not have a quality starting RT

 

IMO defensively is where all the major holes exist

Our 3 starting LB's are currently Ragland, Brown, and Lorax

So I would disagree that starting LB is a need

Unless you argue that Lorax is more of a rotating 3rd down specialist or Preston isn't up to snuff

But others will say Lorax is a starter and Preston will bounce back so there will be a debate about need here

Absolutely gonna need 2017 versions of Zack/Lorax depth here and at DT-DE

 

We do not have a #1 corner and thats gotta be our biggest hole

Unless you hypothizie Seymour or Hyde is stepping in

Oh vay....

Both of whom are more known talent wise to be better in the slot or nickel CB's

And I think (though folks here will disagree) that we still don't have two starting safeties

I view Poyer as depth, and Hyde as our starting nickel CB

So I agree with you that we still have alot of starting holes in our secondary

Unless folks here argue endlessly that Poyer and Hyde are our starting safeties

Yikes, I hope not, but that's just my opinion

 

So I see 6 starting holes, RT, WR#2, WR#3, #1C, #1S, #2S

Others will see less

Some will say starting QB is still a hole but of course I disagree, lol

 

jc

[TheElectricCompany]

There will always be holes in your roster. Free agency has guaranteed that.

I think you just have to pick which locations you're OK being weak at.

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

It's only day 4 of FA and people are going to say we have plenty of time. The issue with that is the good players are gone. We could have 6 years to fill the roster, the guys that could have helped us are already gone. Now we will look at the Philly Brown and Jeremy Butlers of the world and wonder why we never make the playoffs. We signed a backup D-lineman today. The 1 spot on the roster we are actually good at already. 5 or 6 massive wholes in the starting lineup and we are signing no name depth at positions of strength.

[harmonkillebrew]

There will always be holes in your roster. Free agency has guaranteed that.

I think you just have to pick which locations you're OK being weak at.

Best teams identify and plan for those holes in advance, not rely on draft and FA for starters.

 

Depending on how you see our FA adds, we really only have starter holes at CB and WR. But if you aren't satisfied with Poyer, Lorax/Preston, Philly Brown, Mills, Seymour, then the holes start to replicate.

 

And really if our roster was in decent shape, we'd be drafting for future holes at C, G, RB, DT, and TE

[teef]

for the TE position, is grag, (gragg?) not coming back?

[r00tabaga]

for the TE position, is grag, (gragg?) not coming back?

No.

 

Blake Annen

Logan Thomas

Some golfer's grandson & Clay

Edited March 13, 2017 by r00tabaga

[SF Bills Fan]

There was a stat I saw that showed the most successful teams were teams that had the largest amount of starters that came via the draft. Not surprisingly it was the Pats and Green Bay at the top. The Bills were second from bottom and we had the 2nd lowest number of starters that came via the draft. Whaley was very prone to try to plug holes via FA. Look where this has led us. I'd like to see us rely on the draft. Of course that takes more time, but draft smart and in 2-3 years we should be good. Can Whaley step up?

[BuffAlone]

No.

 

Blake Annen

Logan Thomas

Some golfer's grandson & Clay

the golfer's grandson played well last year. He'll get some touches this year,too

[kota]

Not every team is perfect when it comes to the roster. It's due to Free Agency. Every team has Holes. The Bills might have more than normal due to the coaching changes all of the time. We need a QB, WRs, and CB's. TT is a stop gap.

[Franchiseneedsme]

Get deals done with the OL guy they brought in. Sign Claiborne and Josh Gordon and I would say this is the best we could have asked for in free agency. It would be a lot to ask but could all get done

[frogger]

I think it's clear we are trying to get younger and are going to trade down, 6 picks to fill this many holes isn't enough. I know we are also going to capitalize on the 2nd wave, Zach Brown, Sean Spence and Jenkins can fill linebacker gaps. Claiborne and Verner can help the secondary. Floyd and Aikens can help the WR. I expect @ least 2 of these guys signed

[Boatdrinks]

There was a stat I saw that showed the most successful teams were teams that had the largest amount of starters that came via the draft. Not surprisingly it was the Pats and Green Bay at the top. The Bills were second from bottom and we had the 2nd lowest number of starters that came via the draft. Whaley was very prone to try to plug holes via FA. Look where this has led us. I'd like to see us rely on the draft. Of course that takes more time, but draft smart and in 2-3 years we should be good. Can Whaley step up?

That is what FA is best for, plugging holes. Drafting to plug holes is not a great strategy. When you draft poorly, you have more holes than you can fill through FA. That's where the Bills are at. Too many drafts that haven't yielded solid starters from rounds 1-4.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

for the TE position, is grag, (gragg?) not coming back?

 

....he's a UFA...but after knee surgery in 2015 and ACL surgery in August 2016, I doubt it.............

[hondo in seattle]

There was a stat I saw that showed the most successful teams were teams that had the largest amount of starters that came via the draft. Not surprisingly it was the Pats and Green Bay at the top. The Bills were second from bottom and we had the 2nd lowest number of starters that came via the draft. Whaley was very prone to try to plug holes via FA. Look where this has led us. I'd like to see us rely on the draft. Of course that takes more time, but draft smart and in 2-3 years we should be good. Can Whaley step up?

 

I don't think Whaley has prioritized free agency over the draft. I just think he and his team of scouts are better at evaluating vets than assessing college players. Most of DW's FA acquisitions haven't been that pricey but they have helped the team.

 

Just look at the QB position. The Bills drafted EJ but signed TT as a FA. While TT might not be a franchise QB, he's clearly better than EJ. That's the Bills roster in a microcosm.

 

So I hope DW continues to successfully bring vets onboard. I also hope he gets better at finding players in the draft that can make an impact and remain Bills for a long time.

[TheElectricCompany]

Best teams identify and plan for those holes in advance, not rely on draft and FA for starters.

 

Depending on how you see our FA adds, we really only have starter holes at CB and WR. But if you aren't satisfied with Poyer, Lorax/Preston, Philly Brown, Mills, Seymour, then the holes start to replicate.

 

And really if our roster was in decent shape, we'd be drafting for future holes at C, G, RB, DT, and TE

Yes, I think if you sat down with any coach, I think they'd have positions prioritized for their scheme that they want to invest in and other positions where they feel they can get by with leftovers.

The Bills clearly have valued a road grading offensive line, A+ running back rotation and big time talent on the front 7 more than anything else.

If you pay attention around the league you'll notice that certain teams always have the same holes (ex. Seattle is offensive line, Packers is secondary)

Edited March 13, 2017 by TheElectricCompany

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

 

I don't think Whaley has prioritized free agency over the draft. I just think he and his team of scouts are better at evaluating vets than assessing college players. Most of DW's FA acquisitions haven't been that pricey but they have helped the team.

 

Just look at the QB position. The Bills drafted EJ but signed TT as a FA. While TT might not be a franchise QB, he's clearly better than EJ. That's the Bills roster in a microcosm.

 

So I hope DW continues to successfully bring vets onboard. I also hope he gets better at finding players in the draft that can make an impact and remain Bills for a long time.

....all valid points IMO....only 6 picks to work with (unless you trade down with willing partner(s))........and with limited FA capital, DW has no choice but to search for depth guys hoping someone breaks out a reasonable number(s).....what else are his options?......EDIT: McCoach and Whaley's options?.....Sean had better have final say as to who he'll be coaching between the white stripes...........

Edited March 13, 2017 by OldTimeAFLGuy

[BillsVet]

The approach to UFA this year reminds me of how Buffalo handled it in 2006: sign a bunch of low cost UFA's, hope the QB inherited by the new coaching staff plays well with a new defensive scheme. Make few changes to the front office and hope the new staff coaxes a few wins out of a younger team. Not the same, but similar.

 

That the Bills are in this position after the past few seasons should say this is a rebuild. No one's coming out and saying it, but the roster is indeed weak all over and they need bodies. The cap room they had was misleading because it was the result of having so few players on the roster to begin with.

 

This what happens when a GM without a plan goes for broke each of the past 3 seasons by trading up in the draft (twice) and spending a lot of money on a handful of players.

Edited March 13, 2017 by BillsVet

[The Frankish Reich]

The dropoff in defensive talent from 2014 is pretty steep. Sure, people blame Rex, and he deserves it. But in 2014 the following players performed at anywhere from a well above average to a legitimate Pro Bowl level:

 

Mario (yep, he actually had a good year!)

Kyle

Marcel

Hughes

Bradham

Gilmore

Searcy

Aaron Williams

 

And Preston Brown had a very good rookie year (sure, a lot of that may have been the great front 4).

 

Right now, who projects at that level for 2017? I'd say only:

 

Hughes

Dareus (depends on his commitment level)

 

 

Kyle, even if he comes back, is still effective but not what he was a few years ago. Lorax? Well, you can make an argument, but I'm not sold on a guy who had a great half season out of character with his entire career at the age of 33. Darby right now is probably around average, maybe a tick better, and he could move into that top 30% category, but it's by no means certain. Adolphus right now isn't quite at the level backup/rotational guy Stefan Charles was at in 2014.

 

Sure, Shaq and Ragland could surprise, but that's pure speculation. I can't shake the feeling that our talent window of opportunity just closed without anyone really noticing it because they were so caught up in coaching debacle.

Edited March 14, 2017 by The Frankish Reich