RB is a really GLARING need, right?

[DrDawkinstein]

11 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Isn't Christian Wade a wild card here?

 

Anything is possible, but I wouldnt even count him as a wild card.

 

Most likely camp fodder to take reps during Defensive drills, and run out the clock in preseason games against other 5th stringers.

[The Firebaugh Kid]

Jonathan Taylor sticks out like a sore thumb. Hes incredible. I'd be all about moving up a bit to grab him. 

[njbuff]

The Bills have put themselves in a position to draft basically any back(s) they want.

 

If you are looking to draft someone late, just look at Cincinnati's Michael Warren or Memphis' Patrick Taylor.

 

Either of these two could be sleeper picks for the Bills.

[Hampton Josh fan]

RB is a major need, but the remaining FAs are not worth the asking price. The draft won't get us anything difference making late in the 2nd rd.The answer is moving up for little Edwards-Helaire or Dobbins. The draft capital can be in future drafts,but this is the year we go all in.

[Buffalo Junction]

From what’s been reported the bills have met with:

 

Swift, Akers, Eno Benjamin, Zack Moss, and Edwards-Helaire. 
 

I’d expect Beane to go to the well here and pick someone they interviewed, but without order aft visits.... who knows who they’ve actually talked with in-depth (Mims aside). IIRC some of the staff also spent a fair amount of of time around all the senior bowl backs like Perine. They also interviewed two WRs with a lot of backfield experience (Shenault and Bowden), so drafting one of them and signing a FA RB could also happen. 

[Happy Days Lois & Clark]

I think a backup running back is an easier position to fill than most other positions. i would wait til the 5th round before drafting one. I'd go CB, DE, WR before RB.

[BillsMafi$]

I really hope they sign someone else.  I think if they don’t this just alerts other teams in the draft that RB will be a top need to round 2-3 for us and I’m just afraid we won’t get who we want And teams could potentially move ahead of us

[Einstein's Dog]

1 hour ago, dneveu said:

They're going to sign someone.  Beane has basically always said - i like to use FA to fill gaps, and then have flexibility in the draft.  

I hope Beane is playing it a little differently in this instance.  Such as, going into the draft with an open spot for an RB.  Several advantages:

 

1  Get a player better than the old sluggish vets on the market.  They can get a fresh young playmaker. 

2.  Great talent should still be available at 54.  Only about 3 RBs will have been chosen before they would get to grab one.

3.  The FO has shown they can identify RB talent (unlike WRs), and can incorporate them into the team.  Could see immediate playing time.

4.  A young addition who really might be better than Singletary would make for a cheap RB room for about 4 more years and would grow with Josh.

5.  The season is expanding, you need to incorporate more than one RB.  And they should not be JAGs, it's an important position.

6.  Comparatively, the Bills RB room is poor (unlike the WR room which is now excellent).  I'm jealous of Clev with Chubb and Hunt.

 

If an RB they consider a value at 54 doesn't make it they could go in another direction and probably still pick up a FA.  

[Mr. WEO]

14 hours ago, MrEpsYtown said:

I actually have no problem with Yeldon as a #2 if they actually dress him and let him play. He’s not amazing or anything, but he’s a solid #2 who could excel in the passing game. 

But it does seem likely that a Devonta Freeman type winds up here once people can take physicals. 

 

 

Here here. 

[YoloinOhio]

58 minutes ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Jonathan Taylor sticks out like a sore thumb. Hes incredible. I'd be all about moving up a bit to grab him. 

The thought of moving up for a RB in this draft makes me ill. I don’t think any of them would be worth it to the Bills. Now watch them do it, and me throw things at the TV. 

[TPS]

11 hours ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

Yeah, their third and one guys are Allen and Singletary, who was terrific at converting third downs.

 

Thing is, there's no rush. There are 6 or 7 FAs who are legitimately solid RBs sitting and watching their prices go down, and this year is a terrific year for RB depth. There are like 15 guys who look like they can play in the NFL right away.in this draft. It's a terrific year to be looking for a relief back. A guy like Dillon from BC weighs 247 and runs a 4.53 at the combine and was outrageously productive and this year 's RB class is so good he'll probably be available in the 4th. Lamical Perine would be great in the 3rd or 4th, or Joshua Kelley somewhere around the 4th now that he ran a 4.49 at the combine. Looks like 2020 will be looked back at as a great year for RBs, a year where even more than usual you could get starter-quality guys in the mid-rounds.

Agree completely. Heck, they might even take a second RB in the 6th?  Have a stable of backs with different skill sets like the Master in Mass.

[Watching since 1964]

Joe Marino’s prediction on when the top 5 rb’s will be picked plus a thumbnail scouting report on each.

 

https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/nfl-draft-team-fits-top-running-backs-2020

 

Yesterday he and Bruce Nolan did a deep dive into them on the Locked on Bills podcast.

[The Firebaugh Kid]

54 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

The thought of moving up for a RB in this draft makes me ill. I don’t think any of them would be worth it to the Bills. Now watch them do it, and me throw things at the TV. 

I doubt they will either. I think Taylor or Dobbins should be there  at 54. I feel like they need that hr threat to spell Motor. 

[maryland-bills-fan]

1 hour ago, Happy Days Lois & Clark said:

I think a backup running back is an easier position to fill than most other positions. i would wait til the 5th round before drafting one. I'd go CB, DE, WR before RB.

With all due resptect lets play out what is very likely to happen......"Tiny" Singletary is out for4 games like he was last year,  the load has to be carried by a 5th rounder?   There are about 130 scrimmage plays in a game. Say 65 offensive.  Say 33 run and 33 pass.  So for 33 plays you want to have a "value" pick from Dollar General Store carrying the ball for the Bills?     A third string cornerack  or a fourth string DE on the bench is not going to help us then.

Edited March 27, 2020 by maryland-bills-fan

[OldTimer1960]

2 minutes ago, maryland-bills-fan said:

So if "tiny" Singletary is out for4 games like he was last year, then you are okay for the load to be carried by a 5th rounder?   There are about 130 scrimmage plays in a game. Say 65 offensive.  Say 33 run and 33 pass.  So for 33 plays you want to have a "value" pick from Dollar General Store carrying the ball for the Bills?   Think about it.

Your argument makes sense, but your never going to convince the "RBs are a dime-a-dozen" guys.  They are totally dug-in on the position that you should never draft a RB early.  

 

I would, of course, prefer to find a good starting-caliber DE in round 2 over a RB, but I don't see that in the offing with this class.  I'm just not enamored with the DE class overall, especially once you get past Young, Epenesa, Gross-Matos and Chaisson.  Even, those guys (except Young) have considerable questions - Epenesa - is he a good enough athlete to translate to NFL?  Gross-Matos and Chaisson are more athletic upside than proven production at this point.  At 54 you are looking at guys DEs like Notre Dame's Okwara, Forida's Greenard and Bradley Anae.  I expect that there will be better prospects at CB and particularly RB than there will be at DE or OT.  So then the question is do you reach for a player at a more important position (DE, OT) or take a better prospect at CB or RB?  
 

[Dopey]

34 minutes ago, RockpileSurvivor said:

Joe Marino’s prediction on when the top 5 rb’s will be picked plus a thumbnail scouting report on each.

 

https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/nfl-draft-team-fits-top-running-backs-2020

 

Yesterday he and Bruce Nolan did a deep dive into them on the Locked on Bills podcast.

When I saw Akers to KC at 63, I yelled "NO!". If he's there at 54, I have been on the grab him side. Seeing him potentially go to KC makes me want him even more. Imagine him in KC with everything else they have?

[Shaw66]

16 hours ago, Richard Noggin said:

I don't know the last time I began a thread. I didn't see one dedicated to this topic. (But I'm wrong ALL the time.)

 

Running back is a screaming,  pulsing, must-have need for the 2020 Bills. Right? I mean, behind Singletary we have Yeldon, who I don't hate as 3rd down-ish receiving back, and what? A rugby guy who I'd love to see take giant moon-leaps towards NFL relevance, but isn't exactly a reliable commodity, and a special teamer who is valuable, but not on offense. 

 

So we 100% need a valid, starter-level RB to spell Singletary and potentially fill-in in the unfortunate and often likely case of injury. Or maybe I'm dim. 

 

It's nice to have so fe, w glaring weaknesses, but this is one. In my humble estimation. 

 

Right?

Excellent thought.   If you think about it in terms of Plan A, Plan B, etc., at almost every other position, if the question is what happens if Plan A doesn't work?, the answer is "here's Plan B."   That's depth.  

 

At running back, it's different.  If the the question is what happens if Singletary gets hurt and misses four games, what's Plan B?   As you point out there is no Plan B.  There's also not much of a Plan B for who's the guy who spells Singletary for 10 minutes?    There is no Plan B.

 

The Bills need some serious help.   Beane no doubt has a strategy that helps drive decisions in the draft and decisions as free agency continues, even trades.   He knows where he's going to get the help they need.   That strategy will play out over the next few months.   Interesting to watch.  

[Shaw66]

1 hour ago, Einstein's Dog said:

I hope Beane is playing it a little differently in this instance.  Such as, going into the draft with an open spot for an RB.  Several advantages:

 

1  Get a player better than the old sluggish vets on the market.  They can get a fresh young playmaker. 

2.  Great talent should still be available at 54.  Only about 3 RBs will have been chosen before they would get to grab one.

3.  The FO has shown they can identify RB talent (unlike WRs), and can incorporate them into the team.  Could see immediate playing time.

4.  A young addition who really might be better than Singletary would make for a cheap RB room for about 4 more years and would grow with Josh.

5.  The season is expanding, you need to incorporate more than one RB.  And they should not be JAGs, it's an important position.

6.  Comparatively, the Bills RB room is poor (unlike the WR room which is now excellent).  I'm jealous of Clev with Chubb and Hunt.

 

If an RB they consider a value at 54 doesn't make it they could go in another direction and probably still pick up a FA.  

This makes a lot of sense.   I'd add that what they say about running back being the most instinctive position on the field, it's a possition where you really can count on a rookie making a difference.   Couple that with the fact that Beane and McDermott know exactly the kind of guy they're looking, and that guy may not be what the public values - the glamour runners.  Coming out of college, SIngletary didn't look the kind of guy you'd expect to be a dominant ball carrier.   McBeane understood that he a collection of attributes that could make him a dominant football player.   

 

Since McBeane are looking for a different combination of attributes, guys they like seem to last longer in the draft.   Allen, Edmunds, Ford, Singletary all are examples. 

 

Given the need, it's hard not to expect Beane to continue with BPA.   Beane's already made a win-now statement with the Diggs trade.    He can't sit back and just let the running back situation work itself out - the win-now decision has already been made.    McDermott needs someone he can count on in that role.    

[MrEpsYtown]

In actually think the backs will go higher than usual in this draft. If said it a few times, but with this virus situation, it’s going to be very difficult to get production out of rookies who play positions that will need significant development time. It will be more of a crapshoot than ever before. So I think teams are going to go heavy on corners, defensive line, running backs...the plug and play positions. I think the high risk, low floor players may go later than usual. 

Edited March 27, 2020 by MrEpsYtown

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

2 hours ago, Einstein's Dog said:

I hope Beane is playing it a little differently in this instance.  Such as, going into the draft with an open spot for an RB.  Several advantages:

 

1  Get a player better than the old sluggish vets on the market.  They can get a fresh young playmaker. 

2.  Great talent should still be available at 54.  Only about 3 RBs will have been chosen before they would get to grab one.

3.  The FO has shown they can identify RB talent (unlike WRs), and can incorporate them into the team.  Could see immediate playing time.

4.  A young addition who really might be better than Singletary would make for a cheap RB room for about 4 more years and would grow with Josh.

5.  The season is expanding, you need to incorporate more than one RB.  And they should not be JAGs, it's an important position.

6.  Comparatively, the Bills RB room is poor (unlike the WR room which is now excellent).  I'm jealous of Clev with Chubb and Hunt.

 

If an RB they consider a value at 54 doesn't make it they could go in another direction and probably still pick up a FA.  

 

Nothing about signing a player prohibits them from drafting a player.  I think 54 is early though - considering they drafted the starter last year at 74.  Bring in a talented player... at whatever position at 54.