Focus On The Defense Draft

[whorlnut]

7 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

So tired of our defense failing in the playoffs. Couldn't hold on to a 16-0 lead in Houston. Gave up 80 points to KC. I'm all for spending all of our cap money on PROVEN defensive players. Not mediocre guys like Murphy, Obada and Addison. Draft all offense. Sign all defense. 

First of all…it’s funny that you got the eye roll emoji from a guy that says he’s a 1959 bills fan. It’s like they don’t realize that defense isn’t what it was back in the “old days”.

 

Second…I TOTALLY agree. Give me a free agency period where we fill needs on defense and get some proven talent to teach and mentor all the picks we’ve made on that side of the ball. I hate the idea of spending high picks on defense for the millionth year in a row. At some point, you have to trust your development program and surround the young guys with proven vets. 
 

Third…I also want an offense heavy draft. Beasley is on his last year (if they dont cut him), McKenzie might be gone, and Sanders is almost assuredly gone. We need a WR in the wings to take over that slot role and take the top off the defense. Diggs might get a raise. Davis might command big money in two years and price himself out if he keeps ascending. We need a top guy on the cheap since that is our greatest strength. 
 

We also could use a more dynamic running back. Singletary is on his last year and Beane might not wanna pay a running back that has no speed and hasnt shown up as much as he has. 
 

This doesn’t even account for the fact that Beane has said many times the most important thing is to protect Allen. We could easily go get more offensive line help. 
 

 

8 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

I think you do the opposite…. Focus on defense in FA with some offensive line help sprinkled in and get younger on offense through the draft. 

This, this, THIS!!!!

[LABILLBACKER]

9 minutes ago, whorlnut said:

First of all…it’s funny that you got the eye roll emoji from a guy that says he’s a 1959 bills fan. It’s like they don’t realize that defense isn’t what it was back in the “old days”.

 

Second…I TOTALLY agree. Give me a free agency period where we fill needs on defense and get some proven talent to teach and mentor all the picks we’ve made on that side of the ball. I hate the idea of spending high picks on defense for the millionth year in a row. At some point, you have to trust your development program and surround the young guys with proven vets. 
 

Third…I also want an offense heavy draft. Beasley is on his last year (if they dont cut him), McKenzie might be gone, and Sanders is almost assuredly gone. We need a WR in the wings to take over that slot role and take the top off the defense. Diggs might get a raise. Davis might command big money in two years and price himself out if he keeps ascending. We need a top guy on the cheap since that is our greatest strength. 
 

We also could use a more dynamic running back. Singletary is on his last year and Beane might not wanna pay a running back that has no speed and hasnt shown up as much as he has. 
 

This doesn’t even account for the fact that Beane has said many times the most important thing is to protect Allen. We could easily go get more offensive line help. 
 

 

This, this, THIS!!!!

Whorl, we've been around a long time. I could care less what 1959 says. Ironically I was born in 59 when the Bills began. I watched in 90 when Bruce & Co just couldn't get off the field to save their lives. Then they proceeded to give up 119 points in the next 3 SB's.  The strength of those 90's teams was the offense. And fast forward 30 years later and again our offense is the strength.  I never for one second bought into the #1 defense narrative considering the qbs we faced and losing our best defender. We hit a HR with Diggs. We (Beane) have to continue that strategy by giving up top picks for defensive studs. Keep you 3-7 picks and find offensive diamonds.  Cooper Kupp was a 3rd rounder.  We can no longer settle for "bend dont break" defenses that have come to expect. 

[whorlnut]

2 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Whorl, we've been around a long time. I could care less what 1959 says. Ironically I was born in 59 when the Bills began. I watched in 90 when Bruce & Co just couldn't get off the field to save their lives. Then they proceeded to give up 119 points in the next 3 SB's.  The strength of those 90's teams was the offense. And fast forward 30 years later and again our offense is the strength.  I never for one second bought into the #1 defense narrative considering the qbs we faced and losing our best defender. We hit a HR with Diggs. We (Beane) have to continue that strategy by giving up top picks for defensive studs. Keep you 3-7 picks and find offensive diamonds.  Cooper Kupp was a 3rd rounder.  We can no longer settle for "bend dont break" defenses that have come to expect. 

That’s the problem. All the top assets that we continue to use on defense haven’t yielded the results when we need them the most. We have so many high picks on defense but not one dawg. They are all just very good, but no alpha outside of White. 
 

I want to see us get younger and faster on offense. I’m sick of watching Beasley get open and then fall down. I want a guy that does that and keeps running. I want a running back that can hit a hole and take it to the house. Is that too much to ask?

[LABILLBACKER]

5 minutes ago, whorlnut said:

That’s the problem. All the top assets that we continue to use on defense haven’t yielded the results when we need them the most. We have so many high picks on defense but not one dawg. They are all just very good, but no alpha outside of White. 
 

I want to see us get younger and faster on offense. I’m sick of watching Beasley get open and then fall down. I want a guy that does that and keeps running. I want a running back that can hit a hole and take it to the house. Is that too much to ask?

In order to consistently beat KC and put ourselves in a position to win SB's, we absolutely have to get more speed on offense. We need a comparable player to Tyreek. Finishing dead last in YAC is unacceptable. Yes, watching Beas get Immediately tackled is frustrating. We need a speed wr (Jameson Williams?). Or at least a faster RB who can run wheel routes or screens. There's a TE from UCLA named Dulcich who would make a great TE2 compliment to Knox. Probably available 4-5th round. Obviously the combine will reshuffle everything but I agree with all your points. 

[JohnNord]

2 hours ago, TailgateChef said:

Tre'Davious is pretty good.  Milano too.  And Taron Johnson.  Phillips did well this year.

Beane did not draft White or Milano… I forgot about Johnson, he was a nice find.  
 

Phillips played well for about half a season, but otherwise his career has been mediocre.  Still, even if he’s back with the team, he’s probably playing a rotational role.  Bills will still look to upgrade 

[GunnerBill]

15 hours ago, NewEra said:

Imo, you should select a corner that has more than a 1% chance of being available when we pick.  I’d be surprised if he’s not top 3 Corner off the board, more than likely #2 imo.  

I like Muma a lot.  Dunno if I’d be happy if he were our 2nd rd pick unless we had already secured at least a 4th for edmunds. 
 

Would love Travis Jones in rd 3.  Doubt he’s there 

 

Agree with this. None of the top 3 corners are getting to us IMO. And Jones won't last until the bottom of the third. Not watched a lot of Muma yet. He is likely a day 2 guy. Whether that is round 2 or round 3 not yet sure.

[bmur66]

Why is Beasley getting beat up for low YAC? Chances are he took a licking and got the first down. 

[Florida Bills Fanatic]

Mock drafts are always a crap shoot.  They are never totally right nor are they completely wrong. When a GM has a roster as good as the Bills, they don't artificially restrict themselves to just one side of the ball.  But given the starting assumption on free agency, I understand the this exercise.  Beane will likely address CB, DL, IOL, QB, and WR.  The only real immediate need is at CB and just like in this mock draft, I believe two will be selected.  Beane will have some flexibility to pick values off the board and avoid reaching for a specific position.  Having 9 picks will give the Bills the ability to move up in the middle and later rounds to grab some players that may slip down for some reason.  

 

Teams that are consistently competitive don't allow an entire position group to get old at the same time nor do they create a large concentration of cap expense in a group.  Once Beane put out the roster fires that he inherited, he has worked to establish a balance.  I don't expect him to throw out that approach this season.

[Nextmanup]

"Let's pick a LB  with our 2nd pick, and follow it up with a DT with our 3rd!" said the GM who was about to be fired for basic ineptness...

 

 

 

 

[Kwai San]

Prediction - this post WILL NOT age well.

 

Beane NEEDS to find IOL talent.  NEEDS too.

 

No way in hell are all the picks "D".  NO WAY IN HELL.

[GreggTX]

This might be a close approximation, but we'll address several positions in FA with average players and then pick BPA. I say that tongue in cheek because by the time we pick, there will be more than one player available at or near the same grade so we'll choose the one that addresses the greatest need.

 

That said, clearly RT and G are big needs for us. I hope Spencer Brown will become a solid RT in a couple of years and we'll have to find a way to work him into the starting lineup, but if you think he's ready now, you aren't being realistic. I love his potential, but he still has a long way to go. Give me 2 big upgrades on the OL at RT and LG, then address NT, Edge Rusher and CB2 (Finally!). We could also use help in the form of better depth at TE2 and RB2. Upgrading the Punter position should be easy enough.

 

I don't know what they'll do for WR2 and the slot, but I'll be severely disappointed if we use a #1 pick on a WR before the OL is addressed.

Edited February 18, 2022 by GreggTX

[Don Otreply]

On 2/17/2022 at 3:47 PM, JohnNord said:

While I like the idea, I have concerns about this regime’s ability to draft defensive players.  Their biggest hit to date is probably Ed Oliver.  
 

The rest of the picks on defense have either been meh, flops or undeveloped.  Yes I’m including Edmunds in “meh.”

 

They’ve invested a lot in defense in the draft and have gotten nothing. 

That have had one of the top defensives in the league for several years, to say  “Nothing” is a bit over the top, but you likely know that, name me a defense that couldn’t stand to be better.., or a STs or an offense for that matter, blanket statements are lame on a good day,

 

Go Bills!!!

 

 

[JohnNord]

3 minutes ago, Don Otreply said:

That have had one of the top defensives in the league for several years, to say  “Nothing” is a bit over the top, but you likely know that, name me a defense that couldn’t stand to be better.., or a STs or an offense for that matter, blanket statements are lame on a good day,

 

Go Bills!!!

 

 

It was an exaggeration…but the point stands.  Over the past two drafts they have spent 3 out of 4 first and second round draft picks on defensive line and netted Epinesa, Rosseau, and Basham.  I think AJ is a busted pick.  I don’t think he’s be anything more than a JAG.  The other two deserve more time, but still, I think the Bills could have drafted better than what they go in these 3.

 

Also I’m not a fan of Edmunds.  I don’t think he was a hit for a mid 1st rounder either.  

[John from Riverside]

As far as all D drafts go this isnt bad

 

I am a Jameson stan.....want him with that 25th pick if he is there......other then that love all these picks