ESPN Insider: Anonymous Execs weigh in on Bills picks and QBs

[thebandit27]

13 hours ago, quinnearlysghost88 said:

i always love the cold, snow, wind reasoning for picking a QBs. Let's look at those blustery game conditions last year: 

sept 10- 67*

sept 17- 87*

sept 24- 90*

oct 1- Dome

oct 8- 71*

oct 22- 79*

oct 29- 44*

nov 2- 71*

nov 12- 42*

nov 19- 73*

nov 26- 65*

dec 3- 47*

dec10- 29* (snow game!)

dec17- 25*

dec24- 49*

dec 31- 75*

 

playoff: 55*

 

You don't draft a guy based on his ability to play in cold weather, when two of your games are below freezing. 

 

You don't plan on playing games in January, huh?  I'll bet the coaching staff disagrees with that approach.

[PaattMaann]

13 hours ago, quinnearlysghost88 said:

i always love the cold, snow, wind reasoning for picking a QBs. Let's look at those blustery game conditions last year: 

sept 10- 67*

sept 17- 87*

sept 24- 90*

oct 1- Dome

oct 8- 71*

oct 22- 79*

oct 29- 44*

nov 2- 71*

nov 12- 42*

nov 19- 73*

nov 26- 65*

dec 3- 47*

dec10- 29* (snow game!)

dec17- 25*

dec24- 49*

dec 31- 75*

 

playoff: 55*

 

You don't draft a guy based on his ability to play in cold weather, when two of your games are below freezing. 

 

I couldn't agree more. And if you take if over the years you get similar results. Sure its cold and windy, but that hasn't stopped weak armed Tom "The Kid Kisser" Brady from lighting it up in cold and windy conditions. I HATE hearing the media say that Buffalo must get a big armed QB to play in the elements, such horse shat

 

However, I don't think thats the reason this FO chose Allen. They went with all around potential here, and I will support it until it is either successful or the wheels fall off and they try again (or likely, some other FO combo)

[Wayne Arnold]

1 hour ago, Kemp said:

 

This Allen selection is a great example of gut feelings triumphing over analytics. 

 

 

This statement couldn't be further from the truth. And in actuality is a great example of nerd arrogance.

[JOE IN HAMPTON ROADS]

14 hours ago, TC in St. Louis said:

Josh Allen's Pro Day Highlights

 

The Bills tested the bejeezus out of Josh Allen, and they think they've got their franchise guy.  They know a lot more about him than any media person or even the most ardent fan.  Weeks ago Josh said he loved Bills Mafia, and I thought that was pretty cool.  What I also thought was cool was his appearance on Josh Allen's Pro Day.  What an arm.  He will be our star for a long time.

omygosh that arm.  That cannon arm.  "the ball leaps out of his hand"...  Give him top quality receivers and he will make the deep strike like we havnt seen since Kelly.  He will be so exciting to watch.  Maybe he throws some ducks and some INTs, he is also going to throw super long TDs, he is going to force the Defense to loosen up and defend the long ball and give Shady or whomever lots of holes to run through.  I cannot wait to see this develop.

 

"as a piece of clay to be molded, he is the best QB" (or something like that) ... and that is EXACTLY what McDermott wants.  McDermott wants a piece of clay to mold into his image of  the perfect QB.  And he knows what that looks like.  Add on top of his raw ability, he has openly stated from Draft night on that he wants to "work hard" and "learn" ... 180 degrees out from what Rosen has been about ... there was no choice to make here.  The Process has been dreaming about Allen since April 2017.  Make no mistake, they got their guy AND HE IS THE RIGHT GUY FOR THEM.

 

 

[White Linen]

2 hours ago, Kemp said:

My fear is that the Bills were prone to select Allen because of his arm strength and because he has the "look" of the prototypical NFL QB, despite his college stats being mind-numbingly poor, and I'm not just talking about his abysmal completion percentage.

 

This selection is a great example of gut feelings triumphing over analytics. 

 

No one knows how it will turn out, but my money will always go on analytics over gut feelings.

 

I hope so much that gut feeling win this time, because if it doesn't, the Bills just set themselves back another couple of seasons.

 

This post tells me you're not fully committed to analytics or don't understand it.  Analytics is going beyond the completions percentage, dissecting it, so that you understand what caused/effected it.  They did that and so have a lot of posters here.  That's how we know the inaccuracy narrative is BS.  

 

Every draft pick also has a certain amount of "gut" involved also.  This is true because analytics lie all the time, so if you go with that, you'll lose just as many times as going with your gut.

[Drunken Pygmy Goat]

13 hours ago, The Frankish Reich said:

Because it disproves the "you need an arm for the Buffalo weather" thing.

No it doesn't...

[ProcessAccepted]

15 hours ago, No Place To Hyde said:

There have been multiple people that met with him during the draft process come out and say there just seems to,be something "off" about him. I never met him, so I dont know.

 

I will offer this though. Draft night after he was selected he came off extremely poorly. Here's a guy that "slipped" to 10 and acted like he fell to the 4th round. It wasn't just what he said either. His body language, eye contact and General presence was dare I say "Cutler-esqe". That's not the composure you hope to see from the face of your franchise. 

Exactly!!! Between the attitude and his concussion history I thought he might slip even further down the draft.

[North Buffalo]

15 hours ago, quinnearlysghost88 said:

i always love the cold, snow, wind reasoning for picking a QBs. Let's look at those blustery game conditions last year: 

sept 10- 67*

sept 17- 87*

sept 24- 90*

oct 1- Dome

oct 8- 71*

oct 22- 79*

oct 29- 44*

nov 2- 71*

nov 12- 42*

nov 19- 73*

nov 26- 65*

dec 3- 47*

dec10- 29* (snow game!)

dec17- 25*

dec24- 49*

dec 31- 75*

 

playoff: 55*

 

You don't draft a guy based on his ability to play in cold weather, when two of your games are below freezing. 

You left off blustery.  Not always cold, but the wind usually blows off the lake and swirls in that stadium.  Cold is not the issue, the wind is..

[North Buffalo]

The other thing I like about him is he has a quick release.  Yes he has to mature and settle in the pocket as well a develop a little more touch on swing passes.  But his release reminds me of Marino’s.  If he can get some receivers the Bills should be set at QB.  Again still potential.

Edited May 4, 2018 by North Buffalo

[Drunken Pygmy Goat]

12 hours ago, JohnC said:

 

Josh Rosen is not a qb that all teams would be comfortable drafting. I just think that he has been unfairly stigmatized because he comes from a wealthy and accomplish family and because he himself is very intelligent with regards to football and also outside interests. I belatedly attached a link in my first post and I'm including it in this post to add more clarity to my position on him. 

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/05/03/josh-rosen-arizona-cardinals-draft-mmqb-albert-breer

 

The issue with Rosen isn't the wealthy background (although there's some concern with that). The issue is the various people that have had direct interactions with him during his time at UCLA that pretty much all believe he's a bit too cocky and/or conceded. Perhaps that is a reflection of growing up a certain way, but it's the common thoughts of several people that "created" that "stigma". Many of the people that he played with came from poor, underpriveledged backgrounds, and fought for everything they had, leading to their personalities to be different than a guy like Josh Rosen. Usually, if a person acts and carries themselves a certain way, they don't know that it's "wrong", or perceived as "douche",  until someone says as much. When multiple people share the same opinion (and not people in the media), there's probably more truth to it than not. And in a professional football locker room, that is certainly a major issue.

[JMF2006]

Buffalo Bills

That is where Buffalo bet its future on Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen.

"It's a cold-weather quarterback who is big and strong, not frail and little, in a cold-weather city where it's windy," an exec said. "You are going to have to throw it through the wind and he can do those things. Good job for that. He is aw-shucks, likes football, makes his team visits with sweats and tennis shoes -- perfect for Buffalo. They don't need Baker Mayfield in f---ing designer clothes, OK? They need Jim Kelly."

 

 

For the Bills, this draft was about finding a quarterback and loading up on defense with linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, cornerback Taron Johnson and cornerback Siran Neal in the first five rounds.

"The linebacker [Edmunds] is a play-making, run-around, off-the-ball 'backer," an exec said, "and guess what they play in Buffalo? A really simple scheme in which you make plays and run around. Perfect. Edmunds makes plays sideline-to-sideline, and can run through the line of scrimmage. He is raw, but has enough athleticism to defend the short-zone pass because guess what they play? Carolina's defense -- short-zone pass."

 

Thats why I call him "Cornfed"

Edited May 4, 2018 by JMF2006

[Drunken Pygmy Goat]

10 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

What is the deal with thinking Buffalo is like !@#$ing Siberia? 

 

They play once a week on a Sunday. Buffalo doesn't get a !@#$ing blizzard every day. 

 

You dont need a big QB with a "cannon arm" because it's Buffalo. That shouldn't be a priority. Just draft a guy that can play QB. I feel like every time I read something from an exec about Buffalo that's always brought up. It's ridiculous. 

I don't understand why people are misinterpreting that. 

 

You don't need a big arm QB to play in the cold. But you do need one to play in windy conditions. Buffalo is probably bottom 3-5 in the NFL when it comes to windy conditions, and add in the fact that the field level is below ground and in a bit of a wind tunnel. 

 

And yeah, it can get pretty chilly for some games. The fact that Allen has played plenty of games in those temps doesn't hurt. Who knows, maybe a guy like Rosen would "freeze up" in those cold games. 

 

Not the biggest of factors, so don't think into too much, but it's not like it's a bad thing.

[JMF2006]

With 4 December games(Ok  3 Nov 25th is almost one ) it just might be Siberia this year

[Mat68]

Overall, a week later, the perception of the draft seems positive for the most part.  Personal opionions aside, Buffalo filled some glarring holes on the roster.  They very well could have 2 cornerstones of the franchise at two of the most important positions.  Buffalo has depth at every position now and I will argue they are a more talented than the team that made the playoffs.  I dont think Beane is done tinkering yet.  They will bring in another outside wr who can get deep through FA or trade.  

Edited May 4, 2018 by Mat68

[section122]

13 hours ago, dave mcbride said:

Um ... Brady is more or less beloved or at the least deeply respected by his teammates, and has been forever. I challenge anyone to present *compelling* evidence suggesting otherwise. You will not find it.

 

 

 

[formerlyofCtown]

12 hours ago, JohnC said:

 

Josh Rosen is not a qb that all teams would be comfortable drafting. I just think that he has been unfairly stigmatized because he comes from a wealthy and accomplish family and because he himself is very intelligent with regards to football and also outside interests. I belatedly attached a link in my first post and I'm including it in this post to add more clarity to my position on him. 

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/05/03/josh-rosen-arizona-cardinals-draft-mmqb-albert-breer

Yup all those poor people in front office really have a prejudice against rich families.  It makes Brandon Beane feel bad when he has to use food stamps to buy food for his family while Rosen uses cash.

[ColoradoBills]

40 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Likewise, and because there were no personality issues like there were with Rosen. 

 

If Allen fails then McBeane will be out and  whoever is hired next will have their pick at a top QB because if he does fail the team as a whole will most likely be bad as well. 

 

See, I don't think that is an absolute.  IF Allen fails it will be a big "negative" for Beane, but anyone judging a manager (in any industry) would need to look

at the total results.  Basing a decision on QB pick in a draft where all the players had negatives would seem a bit myopic IMO.

[zow2]

16 hours ago, quinnearlysghost88 said:

i always love the cold, snow, wind reasoning for picking a QBs. Let's look at those blustery game conditions last year: 

sept 10- 67*

sept 17- 87*

sept 24- 90*

oct 1- Dome

oct 8- 71*

oct 22- 79*

oct 29- 44*

nov 2- 71*

nov 12- 42*

nov 19- 73*

nov 26- 65*

dec 3- 47*

dec10- 29* (snow game!)

dec17- 25*

dec24- 49*

dec 31- 75*

 

playoff: 55*

 

You don't draft a guy based on his ability to play in cold weather, when two of your games are below freezing. 

 

But, But,  they play at the NFC North this year,,,freezing!!!     Oh yeah,  Minny is in a dome and Green Bay is in September...forget that

[ColoradoBills]

11 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

 

I agree to an extent.

 

However, this draft was all about getting the right QB. These guys made a ton of personnel decisions to ensure they had the ammo to make it happen. They made a bold decision and went with Allen. If Allen fails(and the rest of these guys in this draft succeed) then McBeane should be held accountable for that. 

 

Yes, and by Beane's own admission, selecting the right QB is crucial.  The Allen pick will weigh heavily in his evaluation but IF it is a failure and the rest of

his body of work as GM is very successful, he may be given another shot at a QB.  We'll all find out in the coming years.

[Captain Hindsight]

16 hours ago, Aussie Joe said:

Quotes from "Anonymous Execs"... are stuff reporters make up to pad out a story....

Doubtful. Sources dont always like to be revealed. It allows them to speak more candidly if its anonymous

 

Reporters can make up plenty of news articles with power rankings and post draft grades, they dont need to make up quotes