Schefter: Cousins List Down To 4 Teams (No Bills)

[ExWNYer]

1 hour ago, RochesterRob said:

  No reason why the Jets could not approach Denver at that point.  It's not like the Jets' pick at 6 is spent.  They have far more cap room NOW to address a half dozen other positions so they could throw in their second and another high pick from 2019 if the bidding became intense.

 

That's not the point. Go read the post from 'DefenseWins' and see what I and others responded regarding that post. Somebody upthread was hoping that Denver would land Cousins and then trade their 5th to the Bills. 'DW' makes it sound as if he assumes that Denver & the Bills make that swap prior to the Broncos being on the clock. If you make the trade when Denver is up, like we responded, the Jest can't jump in front of you (at 4 or higher). Nobody is saying that the Jest couldn't trade up to 5. RIF

[Call_Of_Ktulu]

5 hours ago, kdiggz said:

Cousins to Broncos and Bills trade up to 5 please. 1 pick ahead of the Jets. Don't let the Jets get their franchise QB before we do

That would be funny if we traded up with Denver and picked in front of the Jets. I hoping Cousins signs with Denver.

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, OldTimer1960 said:

All true, but the current value of those assets acquired last year are a lot lower than they expected.  When they made that deal, I imagine that they thought their own pick would be in the top 10 and KC’s pick about where it ended up.   Now, it will take both picks just to get to where they thought their own pick would be.  Also pretty sure that they thought the 2nd from the Rams would be a lot earlier than it is.  I suspect they expected to have picks around 10, 22, 42 and 45.  Instead, they have 21, 22, 53 and 56.

 

They will have to adjust their strategy.

I'm glad the Bills made the playoffs. Although it hurt our draft position the fans deserved the success, and so did players such as Kyle Williams and Eric Wood. Of course the lower picks are worth less. So if in order to make a trade up to get a high end prospect you have to sweeten the pot with additional picks, maybe add a player like Cordy Glenn and if necessary give up a high pick in the following draft. You do what you have to do to solidify the most important position in the game. 

 

The notion that you are giving up two first round picks this year is not the right way to view trading our first round picks. You are in reality giving up one pick and exchanging positions for the other pick. So you are really only giving up one first round pick, the bonus pick we got in a deal with KC. If you have to add in a second round pick, then again you are giving up a bonus pick earned in the Watkins deal. 

 

The Bills have not had an authentic franchise qb for almost a quarter century, since the retirement of Kelly. Because we have extra picks this is the year to get it done. The strategy of the new regime was to make deals last year to be in a better position to draft a qb this year. Putting it off is the approach this franchise has taken for more than a generation. Relying on qbs such as Orton, Tyrod, Fitz, etc puts your team in a holding pattern for mediocrity. Where has it gotten us? 

5 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

 

I agree with everything you are saying.

 

But on the bolded part - did McDermott ever actually say this or is this just an assumption on your part?

 

i can't remember him ever actually saying that's specifically why he traded down. 

McDermott and especially Beane have stated that this franchise needs a franchise qb. They have to be discreet in publicly stating it in order not to offend the qbs currently on the roster. It may be a surprise to you but not to me that the Bills have spent a lot of time scouting and interviewing qbs. What's obvious is obvious. 

[Zerovoltz]

Couple of thoughts.  I believe Denvers pick at 5 is going to be in play no matter what Cousins does.  Denver is set up to win NOW.  They have a coach basically coaching for his future this year, they have the team getting old and the window closing shortly, and John Elway, on top of needing to find players to win now, already swung and apparently missed ,or is still evaluating Paxton Lynch.  If Cousins ins't in Denver, I'd bet that Sam Bradford is.  Denver can stomach the injury history in exchange for a chance to keep the window open.  Throw in that the longer this goes, the less enticing this class is...and that Denver may see 3 QB go off the board ahead of them....pick 5 is in play.  And if the report is true that Cousins isn't considering the Bills or vice versa or both...then it will be imperative to get your QB....how will the fans possibly accept passing on Watson and Mahomes for draft capital that you don't end up spending now to address QB?  One last thing.....for the Defense Wins Championships crowd....have you ever considered the possibility that a defense can perform much better when the QB on their team converts 3rd downs, scores points, doesn't make bad turnovers in his own end of the field?  If you ask a defense to be great and win you a title that is a tall enough task as it is...but to overcome having to defend short fields, be on the field more often and the pressure to know your QB probalby isn't leading you to a comeback are major factors....it's part of why the teams with the franchise QB's keep showing up in the playoffs all the time....you can retool a defense and help it along with strong QB play...much harder the other way around.

[RochesterRob]

46 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:

 

That's not the point. Go read the post from 'DefenseWins' and see what I and others responded regarding that post. Somebody upthread was hoping that Denver would land Cousins and then trade their 5th to the Bills. 'DW' makes it sound as if he assumes that Denver & the Bills make that swap prior to the Broncos being on the clock. If you make the trade when Denver is up, like we responded, the Jest can't jump in front of you (at 4 or higher). Nobody is saying that the Jest couldn't trade up to 5. RIF

  DW is responding to a quote by KDiggZ which mentions nothing about the situation of Denver being on the clock when the Jets or Bills call about number 5.  Which in turn would preclude the Jets from leaping to 4.  When somebody is not carrying a thought down from above it can be taken that the poster is giving an independent thought to the progression.  Is a person not allowed to deviate from an OP or previous post?  In any event the responses go from KDiggz onward to include my statement.  Even if something got missed and it does happen with a wide segment of the posters here it's not like this is a murder case and a missed point means the defendant now goes to the electric chair.

[Just Joshin']

6 hours ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Good. He's a solid qb but will never be a guy to carry a team on his back.  At least one of these guys on the draft will be better than him for a fraction of the money.

When you look at the schedule for QBs the Bills will be playing, he does not strike the fear that Brees, Ryan, etc do.  He is a good, not great QB, and not worth the price.

[Bing Bong]

2 hours ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

Hard to say exactly.   

Stories are Gruden was never a fan (aka not happy s guy *) so he never wanted to commit to him long term and deemed the last 2 seasons as a prove it season.  Hard to prove it when the team dumps your top back and 2 thousand yard receivers.  

 

* He was “stuck” with a guy he didn’t want.    Kind of like.......   

 

 

sounds like Gruden isn't very competent

[PrimeTime101]

Yea this is fake. There is no way he knows Witch teams are talking with Kirk and who isn't. He cant possibly know.

[26CornerBlitz]

4 minutes ago, PrimeTime101 said:

Yea this is fake. There is no way he knows Witch teams are talking with Kirk and who isn't. He cant possibly know.

 

You might want to reconsider.

 

 

[BillsFan4]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

McDermott and especially Beane have stated that this franchise needs a franchise qb. They have to be discreet in publicly stating it in order not to offend the qbs currently on the roster. It may be a surprise to you but not to me that the Bills have spent a lot of time scouting and interviewing qbs. What's obvious is obvious. 

 

I totally agree that it is obvious that the Bills will be drafting a QB, and are in search of their franchise guy. But...

 

I don't think that automatically means that they acquired all this draft capital to trade up for a QB. They may have. They may also use it to build the team up. 

 

I am convicted need that they will draft a QB. But whether they use multiple picks to trade up, or use a single pick, I have no idea. 

 

They have made numerous QB comments. But they have also talked about building through the draft many times too, and how they want to build a complete team. 

 

I am all for trading up for a QB. I am just not as convinced as you that is what Beane will do. I could see it going either way. 

[jr1]

everyone knows where Vontae is going. Alex Smith etc. The list is accurate

[PrimeTime101]

1 hour ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

You might want to reconsider.

 

 

yep and?

[26CornerBlitz]

Just now, PrimeTime101 said:

yep and?

 

And if you think the parameters of potential deals with teams who would like to sign him aren't already known, then it's just not reality.  

[FearLess Price]

I guess i gotta be that guy....

 

I said it a million times, Cousins is not going to sign with Buffalo. 

 

If we get lucky he goes to the jets and plays good but chokes in the clutch like usual.

 

If we get hella lucky he goss to the Broncos and we trade up n draft Rosen or Mayfield for the win.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

19 hours ago, Bangarang said:

 

The headline is likely correct because Cousin’s agent has probably already been talking to teams.

 

It's correct as of the moment but if you read the SI article, a lot can change between Agent talks at the combine and actual FA.  What's probably known with fair accuracy is what kind of deal Cousins wants and who is willing to pay it.

 

There's always the possibility the leak comes from the Cousins side in which case it could be more correct, but it's less clear what motivation his side would have to tip their hand.

 

Edited March 4, 2018 by Hapless Bills Fan

[JohnC]

11 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

 

I totally agree that it is obvious that the Bills will be drafting a QB, and are in search of their franchise guy. But...

 

I don't think that automatically means that they acquired all this draft capital to trade up for a QB. They may have. They may also use it to build the team up. 

 

I am convicted need that they will draft a QB. But whether they use multiple picks to trade up, or use a single pick, I have no idea. 

 

They have made numerous QB comments. But they have also talked about building through the draft many times too, and how they want to build a complete team. 

 

I am all for trading up for a QB. I am just not as convinced as you that is what Beane will do. I could see it going either way. 

I agree with you that there is no guarantee the Bills will be able to trade up to get their preferred qb. The premier qbs could be gone by the first half dozen picks. If that is the case then consider the next tier of qbs who may be available with our current picks. No one is arguing here to throw valued picks away simply to get a qb. You make value judgments and act accordingly. 

 

Rudolph and Jackson are good prospects. They may not be better than the top tier qbs but you never know. They could end up being as good or better in the long run. Odds are that with the second tier qbs a longer development time will be required. It just seems to me that this is a year to get a prospect in the pipeline. Then the next issue is to get a credible veteran in as a bridge qb. As far as I'm concerned the Tryrod era is over with. The unpalatable pop warner offense needs to mercifully be vanished from the field.