My draft recap and random thoughts.

[NewEra]

17 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

I am surmising Beane was hoping one of the wrs or McBride would slide down to him. When they didn't, he traded back twice before selecting Cook.

Exactly how I feel.  

If their game plan was to trade down and draft cook in rd 2 from the get go, I hope someone else devises the plans in the future.  
 

I’m happy we have him, but part of that happiness is due to getting great WR value with Shakir later on.  

[mrags]

13 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

He really isn’t… Bills fans don’t want to hear this but it’s going to take a strong TC for Araizia to unseat Haack

In his presser, Beane even said he expected him to win the job. It was very subtle and quick. He immediately changed subjects after that. 
 

im not saying he assumed it. Or was tipping his hat. But he was talking about him and his holding skills and said he expected him to do just fine. 
 

did anyone else catch it in the presser? I don’t really want to go back and watch 20+ minutes for a snippet of about 12 seconds. But that’s what I heard. Fwiw, he did also say that he informed Haack there would be a competition, and he had a down year later year and expected him to get it back this year. 

[hemma]

Our interior DL should be quite a bit stouter this year & help keep our LBs much cleaner than last year.

They shouldn’t get clogged up as often.

A guy like Bernard that smells the ball and gets to it quick may be the perfect pick.

[Motor26]

Thanks for the recap. I don’t know much about the 3rd, and the last 3 picks either, obviously McBeane saw something that the not many people did in those guys. I don’t understand why they drafted another 6-8 tackle who probably can’t play guard, other than that, the other guys could be special teams contributors. Can’t wait for the season.

[Shaw66]

New Era -

 

Great stuff.   Really enjoy. 

 

I've come around to having no problem at all with the trade up.  I hear what you say about round two being prime trade up territory in this draft, given how the talent fell, but I now have a different perspective.  Listening to Beane, it's clear that corner was a greater need than I thought it was.  Without saying it, it's clear that he didn't want to go into the season with Jackson and ?, and he didn't want to be in December going with Jackson and White.   It was very important for him to get better at corner, critical, even.  He needed a corner at least as good as Wallace, and ideally better.  

 

So Beane didn't flinch when he saw he had one shot left at a corner they liked.   

 

And there's another point, maybe more important.  Beane was asked whether getting Elam set up the rest of the draft for him, and he said yes.  He said that once he got his corner, he could let the draft fall to him.  The implication was that if he hadn't gotten Elam, he would have been scrambling in the second round to get a corner, and he would have been forced to invest capital almost in desperation.  Investing the fourth round pick left him free to trade back twice and still get Cook, and the trade backs in turn gave him the fire power to move for Shakir.   

 

I'd like to ask Beane what their drafts looked like when they ran various mocks.   They must have run mocks when there were runs on receivers, and also mocks when there were runs on corners.  I wouldn't be surprised if when he ran those mocks with corners going off the board, Beane realized he might have to trade up.  As I said, he didn't flinch.  He looked comfortable doing it.  

[OldTimer1960]

5 hours ago, NewEra said:

 

Cons- 

- I didn’t like the trade up for Elam because I thought the sweet spot in the draft to trade up was in rd 2.  I was hoping we would trade up and over the chiefs to draft Skyy Moore (or Pierce/Pickens).  Watching that run on WRs was painful for me.  Saw it coming and felt helpless as it occurred.  Was then hoping tolbert dropped to us.  As he slid, I was hoping to trade up for him.  We didn’t and Dallas snagged him. We then reached on Bernard (imo). Strange turn of events to say the least.  
 

-we didn’t draft IOL….but drafted two off ball LBers.  Maybe we plan on moving the shorter armed (for his size) Tenuta to guard?  I think we’re fine @ tackle depth after the quessenberry addition.  Maybe one of Ford, mancz or Ike (if/when he’s healthy) can be dependable backups under Kromer.  
 

Great post and I'm aligned with almost all of it.  Specifically with regards to Skyy Moore, what can he do that Cook can't and hasn't done against better competition?  I never saw what the hype was about Moore - the stellar quickness eluded me when I watched him.  Maybe he is so smooth that the quickness isn't evident, but from my vantage point Cook is quicker, equally as fast, about the same size and has hands that are at least as good as Moore.  Is Cook an ideal primary RB?  I would say no, but he can run effectively 10 or so times a game and make a major impact in the passing game.

 

[OldTimer1960]

49 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

The philosophy is pretty obvious with these guys when it comes to WR… they don’t really believe in spending high round picks on them… for better or for worse. 
 

A few on here suggested prior to the draft the Bills would trade up for a WR I knew then there was no shot.

Edmunds will be resigned or they’ll use a yet another top pick on defense next draft to replace him IMO.

I don't think that is the case.  They only have a few high picks per year.  Just because they have not taken a WR in the first or 2nd round so far does not mean that they don't value the position.

 

They had a HUGE hole at CB with White recovering from ACL surgery and only Dane Jackson - a questionable athlete by NFL standards beyond White.  If they hadn't found a CB that could step in and play major minutes right away, they risked dumping the season with early losses.  I don't think that is overstating the situation at all.  5 CBs were picked before the Bills' pick in the second - and they KNEW that there was going to be a premium on that position because the depth wasn't that good.  Look at where this board's darlings Tariq Woolen and the kid from Sam Houston State went - they weren't snatched up early.

59 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Exactly how I feel.  

If their game plan was to trade down and draft cook in rd 2 from the get go, I hope someone else devises the plans in the future.  
 

I’m happy we have him, but part of that happiness is due to getting great WR value with Shakir later on.  

Cook is essentially a WR.  What can Skyy Moore do that Cook can't?  Cook can also run the ball from scrimmage.  Note that I am not the biggest fan of taking Cook there, but I understand why they did it and it fills several needs.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

5 hours ago, klos63 said:

We draft a punter that's never held for a kicker, a year after not signing Bojorquez, who also had an incredibly strong leg, but was a poor holder.  The team felt the holder was so critical that we kept an 'elite' holder even though he was a poor punter. It's an interesting pick and Araiza is no lock to make the team.

 

I somewhat share your concern and do agree that Haack stuck around because of holding and IMO feel the holding is just as important as the punting.  You'll lose more games due to a missed field goal than 5 yards less on punting which is the difference between Haack and the #1 punter in the league.  Haven't read anything specific about how much he has or hasn't been practicing holding in the past few months.

 

Having said that I do think he is a lock (on way or another) to make the team as there's no way you could ever sneak him onto the PS.  I think they would carry two punters until a roster spot is desperately needed due to injury rather than cut him.

 

Overall agree with the post, was a bit surprised at no IOL drafted.  But maybe some of these UDFA can slide inside to guard or even the guy they did draft.  It also could be based on discussions they have had with Kromer, he feels Ford is serviceable that he was used incorrectly, etc.  Or they will still sign both a FA IOL and another CB.  Likely both the teams and the FA players had low intentions of signing anywhere till after the draft.

[ticketssince61]

4 hours ago, Merle said:

I've never quite understood why teams switched from using the backup QB as the holder?   Seems like that would give them much better options for "fake FGs", and/or if something goes horribly wrong with the snap, etc.   What is the advantage of using the punter for that task instead?   Especially if it means cutting the punter with the strongest leg because he's not an experienced FG holder?

 

According to Belichick

 

"... so if you lose a position player who is also a long snapper, you’re looking at some real problems, and that evolved into the punters, for the most part, becoming holders because of the amount of time that they could spend with the kickers versus having a wide receiver or quarterback be the holder, which again, you don’t see very much of that anymore. Assuming a punter is, you know, capable and good enough and has good enough hands to be the holder, and so then that kind of whole unit has really evolved into, you know, specified snapper or a specified kicker, a specific punter, and generally the punter as the holder, so the three of those guys could work together all practice because they’re all available."

 

[NewEra]

1 hour ago, OldTimer1960 said:

Great post and I'm aligned with almost all of it.  Specifically with regards to Skyy Moore, what can he do that Cook can't and hasn't done against better competition?  I never saw what the hype was about Moore - the stellar quickness eluded me when I watched him.  Maybe he is so smooth that the quickness isn't evident, but from my vantage point Cook is quicker, equally as fast, about the same size and has hands that are at least as good as Moore.  Is Cook an ideal primary RB?  I would say no, but he can run effectively 10 or so times a game and make a major impact in the passing game.

 

Good points.  So good, that I’d rather have Cook. 🤣

 

I’d place some of Moores value in the fact that he’s a PERFECT fit for the chiefs.  He really helps offset the loss of Hill with his sturdy RAC running style.  Drafting him would’ve positively effective us while also keeping him away from a rival.  I don’t think the chiefs would’ve taken cook.  
 

but cook is the better fit for this team….especially since we were able to get Shakir in rd 1.  He’s an effective rac guy too.  

[Shaw66]

1 hour ago, OldTimer1960 said:

 

Cook is essentially a WR.  What can Skyy Moore do that Cook can't?  Cook can also run the ball from scrimmage.  Note that I am not the biggest fan of taking Cook there, but I understand why they did it and it fills several needs.

Ah, there's the problem.  I just responded to you in another thread.   

 

I don't think he's a wideout.  He's a multi-dimensional threat.   He's a better receiver than the great majority of running backs in the league, and he's a better running back than just about all of the receivers, except Deebo and maybe a couple more.   He doesn't run with Deebo's power, but I think the Bills expect him to be nearly as effective as Deebo in the running game.  They also expect him to be as effective out of the backfield or split wide as a Kamara.  He won't as good a total package as either of those guys, but he will be a premier dual-threat guy.  That's the vision of what he can be.   

 

And his real value is not as a runner, because there are plenty of guys who run as well, or as a receiver, because he's not a real receiver.  His real value is that he can do both so well that the defense has to worry about him in both roles.  His real value is when the Bills break the huddle and the defense is looking to see where he is.  His real value is after he lines up, sometimes he motions from backfield to wide, or vice versa, and a half dozen defensive players, on the fly, are changing their approach to the play, because he was dangerous where he was, and now he's dangerous in a different way.  His real value is that he creates mismatches someplace in the defense, mismatches that a premier QB can exploit.  

 

Some smart person on this board said the other day that becoming that QB is the next step in Josh's progression.   He's making the throws, he's making the basic reads and executing, he's leading the team.  Now, he has to learn to see and react to opportunities like mismatches.  He has to learn to pick teams apart.     McBeane wanted a guy who can create mismatches with Josh's continuing development happens. 

[Freddie's Dead]

8 hours ago, NewEra said:

We’re the Super Bowl favorites for a reason.  We have the best QB.  We have the best team.  Now it’s time for the coaches to join them on the top of the mountain.  Step it up McD.  It’s on you now.  

 

This ^^^^^.  Coaching cost us the Lombardi in 2021.  We need McD to get it together and bring it home.

[NewEra]

3 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

The philosophy is pretty obvious with these guys when it comes to WR… they don’t really believe in spending high round picks on them… for better or for worse. 
 

A few on here suggested prior to the draft the Bills would trade up for a WR I knew then there was no shot.

Edmunds will be resigned or they’ll use a yet another top pick on defense next draft to replace him IMO.

You have no idea if that was the case or not.  The WR run started early and the best guys were off the board by 19.  Even Dotson.  To trade up and only give up a 25 + 3rd round pick we would’ve had to wait til 19.  There’s a chance that they had a cap on how high a lick they’d be willing to give up.  If the run on WRs was instead on corners and there was WR with a first round grade while no corners, I bet they would’ve traded up for him and went corner round two.  
 

we’ll obviously never know…..the point is….you don’t know that he was never going to trade up for a WR….like you are pretending to know.  Spreading nonsense

3 hours ago, Motor26 said:

Thanks for the recap. I don’t know much about the 3rd, and the last 3 picks either, obviously McBeane saw something that the not many people did in those guys. I don’t understand why they drafted another 6-8 tackle who probably can’t play guard, other than that, the other guys could be special teams contributors. Can’t wait for the season.

Yeah, the last two picks were puzzling to say the least.  No clue what they’re thinking there. 

[NewEra]

3 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

New Era -

 

Great stuff.   Really enjoy. 

 

I've come around to having no problem at all with the trade up.  I hear what you say about round two being prime trade up territory in this draft, given how the talent fell, but I now have a different perspective.  Listening to Beane, it's clear that corner was a greater need than I thought it was.  Without saying it, it's clear that he didn't want to go into the season with Jackson and ?, and he didn't want to be in December going with Jackson and White.   It was very important for him to get better at corner, critical, even.  He needed a corner at least as good as Wallace, and ideally better.  

 

So Beane didn't flinch when he saw he had one shot left at a corner they liked.   

 

And there's another point, maybe more important.  Beane was asked whether getting Elam set up the rest of the draft for him, and he said yes.  He said that once he got his corner, he could let the draft fall to him.  The implication was that if he hadn't gotten Elam, he would have been scrambling in the second round to get a corner, and he would have been forced to invest capital almost in desperation.  Investing the fourth round pick left him free to trade back twice and still get Cook, and the trade backs in turn gave him the fire power to move for Shakir.   

 

I'd like to ask Beane what their drafts looked like when they ran various mocks.   They must have run mocks when there were runs on receivers, and also mocks when there were runs on corners.  I wouldn't be surprised if when he ran those mocks with corners going off the board, Beane realized he might have to trade up.  As I said, he didn't flinch.  He looked comfortable doing it.  

Thank you very much @Shaw66

 

great points regarding drafting the CB in round one.  You never know how the draft will go.  If the run on WRs in rd 2 was a run on corners, we would’ve been screwed.  
 

I’m just glad that they got a guy that they had as a first rd talent.  It’s going to be strange to watch him in a bills uniform.  An almost 6’2 cornerback wearing #24.  Especially watching Taron rock the 24 the last few years.  When’s the last time we had a 6’2 corner that played meaningful snaps? I can’t remember one off the top of my head. 

[HappyDays]

3 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

The philosophy is pretty obvious with these guys when it comes to WR… they don’t really believe in spending high round picks on them… for better or for worse. 

 

Or... maybe Beane was telling the truth when he said Elam was their last player with a 1st round grade, and he wasn't going to take a WR with a 2nd round grade in the 1st round just to take one. I told you before the draft Scott - don't come in with a WR or bust mindset, you'll end up disappointed. If they had taken Shakir in the 3rd round instead would that have made you feel better?

[HappyDays]

3 hours ago, NewEra said:

I’m happy we have him, but part of that happiness is due to getting great WR value with Shakir later on.  

 

Cook is much more valuable to the team this year than any WR we could have taken. He is built to punish teams that play the cover-2 defenses that stymied us for half the season last year. We were picking up chunk yards dumping the ball off to Singletary. Now you change him out with Cook who is a threat to score any time he gets the ball in space. We've been running the New England offensive scheme without our James White... now we have him.

[Billl]

8 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Or... maybe Beane was telling the truth when he said Elam was their last player with a 1st round grade, and he wasn't going to take a WR with a 2nd round grade in the 1st round just to take one. I told you before the draft Scott - don't come in with a WR or bust mindset, you'll end up disappointed. If they had taken Shakir in the 3rd round instead would that have made you feel better?

I definitely believe that was the case with Elam.  He’s almost certainly a day 1 starter.  Do you see any of the other picks starting either right away or taking over the spot for non-injury reasons?

[NewEra]

2 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Cook is much more valuable to the team this year than any WR we could have taken. He is built to punish teams that play the cover-2 defenses that stymied us for half the season last year. We were picking up chunk yards dumping the ball off to Singletary. Now you change him out with Cook who is a threat to score any time he gets the ball in space. We've been running the New England offensive scheme without our James White... now we have him.

Did I say anything to the contrary?  I agree, cook is more valuable this and next year. Maybe even for the next 4 years.
 

I’ve said several times I love the pick.  Strange that you would only pull that quote.   

 

[Shaw66]

12 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Thank you very much @Shaw66

 

great points regarding drafting the CB in round one.  You never know how the draft will go.  If the run on WRs in rd 2 was a run on corners, we would’ve been screwed.  
 

I’m just glad that they got a guy that they had as a first rd talent.  It’s going to be strange to watch him in a bills uniform.  An almost 6’2 cornerback wearing #24.  Especially watching Taron rock the 24 the last few years.  When’s the last time we had a 6’2 corner that played meaningful snaps? I can’t remember one off the top of my head. 

I didn't know about the number change.  

 

6'2" is tall.  The video of him playing even looks odd.  He's bigger than most of the receivers he guards.  

 

What intrigues me is the prospect of having two first-round corners for the next several years.  For all we know, the Bills could have two of the top-ten press corners in the league.  AFC offensive coordinators are saying, "Great.  Two first round corners and Von MIller coached by a defensive expert, maybe genius."

[HappyDays]

3 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Listening to Beane, it's clear that corner was a greater need than I thought it was.  Without saying it, it's clear that he didn't want to go into the season with Jackson and ?, and he didn't want to be in December going with Jackson and White.   It was very important for him to get better at corner, critical, even.  He needed a corner at least as good as Wallace, and ideally better.  

 

Elam is an important addition because he adds a new skill set to the secondary. Beane said today that there were opponents last year where we would have liked to play press man against them, but our CBs simply lacked the skill set for that to be possible. He didn't openly mention the Chiefs but it sure would have been nice to have someone capable of pressing Tyreek Hill instead of freely giving him space to work open. Because our CBs had a limited skill set, especially after White went down, Frazier was restricted in his game planning. A restricted scheme is vulnerable and an offensive genius like Andy Reid will take full advantage. Elam gives us a ton of versatility, and when White is back to his usual self our secondary call sheet will be limitless. I'm expecting a very different defense this year. McDermott knows our defense has gotten a little stale. They're going to add some wrinkles and make it much less predictable.