The Athletic article "2024 NFL Draft Sleepers" Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, C, Buffalo Bills Round 5,

[Kornfed]

6 hours ago, Rampant Buffalo said:

 

No it doesn't. Beane's best overall draft class was the Josh Allen pick. Period, end of story. Josh Allen is worth more to the team than every one of Beane's picks from the 2024 draft.

 

That said, I could definitely see Beane's 2024 draft working out well.

The difference is that now our Bills are established in a positive light. They were building five years ago. Now they are as close to rebuilding as we have seen them. They lost some very good players, so they drafted more towards need than they have in most previous years. ..... I think what we're seeing is our team/this organization learning and doing what has been demonstrated by other upper-level teams over the years.  ..... We are seeing the growth of strong organization. .... It's cool. Enjoy it.     ...GO BILLS

[SoCal Deek]

13 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

My point was that they all are guys who've given good indication that they could play early.   I won't be surprised if any of them is starting by mid-season, because they've all demonstrated some important characteristics.  As someone said, VPG is a two-time all SEC guy, two-time national champion - I'm not going to be surprised if he starts.   But he won't start out desperation on the Bills part - they will be fine with McGregor.  Bishop is a highly rated guy, exactly in the mold of McDermott safeties, so I won't be surprised.  But the Bills have two NFL veteran safeties, and Bishop won't start unless he's good enough.   And Coleman, also highly rated, with a pretty interesting skill set.  I won't be surprised.  But no one will hand him the starting job.  He has to beat out three or four credibly NFL veterans - Shakir, Samuel, MVS, and Claypool.  

 

So, no, I'm not saying they're locks.  I'm saying they have something about them, each of them, that suggests they could play early.  

Even the English guy that’s never played football? Come on Shaw. Not trying to be snarky here but do teams often draft players that can’t play? Answer….no they don’t. But the difference is that right now the Bills need these players to be able to play NOW. As I said, we’re all going to find out together if these young guys can actually play at this level. We all hope they can. 

[Shaw66]

25 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

Even the English guy that’s never played football? Come on Shaw. Not trying to be snarky here but do teams often draft players that can’t play? Answer….no they don’t. But the difference is that right now the Bills need these players to be able to play NOW. As I said, we’re all going to find out together if these young guys can actually play at this level. We all hope they can. 

Obviously not the rugby guy.  You're good at being snarky without trying.  

 

Yes, we all hope they can play at this level.  But I think this season is different.   For me, at least, in most seasons I think the 4th and 5th round picks, and beyond, are guys who probably will need a season or more before they become useful.  Harrison Phillips is a good example.  I hoped he'd develop, but I didn't expect much from him as a rookie.   Shakier is another.  It's a surprise to me when one of those guys plays early.  

 

But Van Pran-Granger is different.  I'm not just hoping he'll start.  He has credentials and play on film that suggests he can start soon.  I don't think that because the Bills have a hole to fill - they don't have a hole.  Left guard and center are manned by veterans who have shown they can play in the league.  I think he could start because I looks like an usual talent to get in the fifth round.   Is that true?  I don't know; as I said earlier, there are reasons he dropped to the fifth round, and I don't know what those reasons are.  

 

As I've said, the whole draft looks unusual to me in that way.  Solomon is another example.  I don't think Solomon will be a star in the league; I think that because of his size, the league will get a book on him and take advantage of his size.   However, while the league is trying to figure him out, I think the Bills may very well get valuable snaps out of him this year.   Valuable snaps from a fifth-round edge rusher is unusual. 

 

The draft just looks different to me this year, and it is not because I think the Bills have holes.  I don't think they have holes; we'd all like to see them stronger at some positions, but they don't have holes.  

[RoyBatty is alive]

18 hours ago, MikePJ76 said:

I was told a few days ago by my friend who works in the league that their is a team that wanted  Ray Davis and were going to make him their starting back but did not want to pick him until the 5th or late 4th and  then Buffalo took him. 

 

Then they were questioning if they should have just taken him in the third.  Apparently the people pulling for him in the room lost out to the other voices based on the position they ended up taking.  They didn't think RB should be taken as high as the third in this draft.

 

Seems like they are regretting it is  what I was told.  

Well the unnamed team is a very short list if they wanted him in the later 4th of early 5th and Buffalo grabbed ahead of them..under those guidelines then it would be the Lions, Chiefs, 49ers or Ravens.

[strive_for_five_guy]

32 minutes ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

Well the unnamed team is a very short list if they wanted him in the later 4th of early 5th and Buffalo grabbed ahead of them..under those guidelines then it would be the Lions, Chiefs, 49ers or Ravens.

Or a team was willing to trade up?

[RyanC883]

I've been saying this since the draft!!

[RoyBatty is alive]

4 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

Even the English guy that’s never played football? Come on Shaw. Not trying to be snarky here but do teams often draft players that can’t play? Answer….no they don’t. But the difference is that right now the Bills need these players to be able to play NOW. As I said, we’re all going to find out together if these young guys can actually play at this level. We all hope they can. 

Right about one thing, it was a snarky post but the rest of it is  ridiculous.  You appear to have this agenda that the Bills have lost so many players they have little left.

 

No the "English guy" was not drafted because they need players  to "play NOW".

 

If we drafted him to "play NOW" we would not have drafted a guy that has never played football.  He doesn't count against the 53 man roster and we can carry him "risk free" for a while as he learns the game/

 

I thought it was an excellent risk adjusted gamble with very little downside but he is huge, fast and seems excited to play football.

[Big Turk]

Bills are building a young, nasty, deep Offensive Line...

[Don Otreply]

21 hours ago, mrags said:

I really like the kid. And…. He’s faster than Coleman 

Hell, I’m faster than Coleman…

 

 

 

😂

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

On 5/23/2024 at 1:55 PM, Logic said:

I hope the Bills give Sed Van Pran some early starter looks in camp, the way they did with O'Cyrus Torrence.

I said this in another thread here recently, but the best thing that could happen to the OL this season would be for SVP to take the starting center role and never look back. It would allow the least upheaval/turnover to the OL, as it would mean McGovern could stay at LG, Edwards could stay as valuable depth, and only the center position would be different than last year.

As a side note, I'll say it's funny to me that a player "only being a fit at center" is a thing that dings guys enough that they fall significantly in the draft these days. I get wanting positional versatility, but center is an important position, and if a guy can be a ten year starter there -- even if he can't play a single down at guard in his career -- then it's a great pick and worth more than a 5th round draft choice.

I really don't understand how this guy fell as far as he did on draft day. I know he has shorter-than-desired arms for the position and that he's not considered a good candidate to be a guard in the pros, but...is that it? How does a three-year SEC starter, two time captain, two time national champion center with pro traits fall to the 5th round? There must be some other weaknesses to his game that us laymen are not aware of.

Here's hoping that this dude proves to be a steal and softens the blow of losing Mitch Morse.

I don't HATE the idea of McGovern sliding over a spot, but if SVP holds up under fire I would prefer if we can keep him where he's been successful 

[SoCal Deek]

17 hours ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

Right about one thing, it was a snarky post but the rest of it is  ridiculous.  You appear to have this agenda that the Bills have lost so many players they have little left.

 

No the "English guy" was not drafted because they need players  to "play NOW".

 

If we drafted him to "play NOW" we would not have drafted a guy that has never played football.  He doesn't count against the 53 man roster and we can carry him "risk free" for a while as he learns the game/

 

I thought it was an excellent risk adjusted gamble with very little downside but he is huge, fast and seems excited to play football.

Just trying to counteract the seemingly ‘Mc Beane can do no wrong’ take that permeates Shaw’s homerism. Did the Bills draft a bunch of players? Yep! Do they have the luxury of drafting purely for depth right now? Nope! Is the current cupboard completely bear at every position? Nope….but when you’ve lost BOTH your starting WRs, BOTH your starting Safeties, and your starting Center all in one offseason, we all better pray that at least a few of these rookies can indeed play…and right now. Is there an alternative? Nope! 

[Ralonzo]

3 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

Is the current cupboard completely bear at every position?

 

[jahnyc]

If McGovern starts at center, it will be interesting to see how Edwards plays at guard, and whether he is an upgrade or downgrade from McGovern's play at guard.

[Doc]

4 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

Just trying to counteract the seemingly ‘Mc Beane can do no wrong’ take that permeates Shaw’s homerism. Did the Bills draft a bunch of players? Yep! Do they have the luxury of drafting purely for depth right now? Nope! Is the current cupboard completely bear at every position? Nope….but when you’ve lost BOTH your starting WRs, BOTH your starting Safeties, and your starting Center all in one offseason, we all better pray that at least a few of these rookies can indeed play…and right now. Is there an alternative? Nope! 

 

They cut Morse and traded Bates before the draft so that tells me they feel that McGovern is ready to step in at C and Edwards is ready to step in at LG.  If VPG can win the starting job and put McGovern back at LG and Edwards as a backup, so much the better.  I just want a true competition for the LG and C spots.

 

As for the safeties, Hyde and Poyer were getting long in the tooth and their best days are behind them.  The Bills know DBs so I'm not overly concerned.  Again if Bishop wins a starting job, so much the better.

 

Now at WR there's some concern.  I like Samuel replacing Davis but replacing Diggs will be tough.  Although it seems like they'll be going with the philosophy of spreading the ball around.

Edited May 25 by Doc

[3rdand12]

On 5/23/2024 at 9:34 PM, BillsFan130 said:

Arguably, yes. NFL GMs/coaches don't see it that way though

Its a fair discussion But my opinion.

 

[SoCal Deek]

1 hour ago, Doc said:

 

They cut Morse and traded Bates before the draft so that tells me they feel that McGovern is ready to step in at C and Edwards is ready to step in at LG.  If VPG can win the starting job and put McGovern back at LG and Edwards as a backup, so much the better.  I just want a true competition for the LG and C spots.

 

As for the safeties, Hyde and Poyer were getting long in the tooth and their best days are behind them.  The Bills know DBs so I'm not overly concerned.  Again if Bishop wins a starting job, so much the better.

 

Now at WR there's some concern.  I like Samuel replacing Davis but replacing Diggs will be tough.  Although it seems like they'll be going with the philosophy of spreading the ball around.

Not sure where this discussion is going Doc. I simply reacted to Shaw’s post that the Front Office drafted guys who can play right now. My comment was that they didn’t have a choice. The Bills are in the position of turning over their roster due to age and salary cap. It don’t see how that makes the Front Office geniuses nor do I have any idea how anyone can say that our rookies are ready to go. We all hope they are but we definitely do not know that they are. 

[muppy]

On 5/23/2024 at 12:17 PM, Shaw66 said:

 

 

It continues to amaze me that with almost every pick Beane got a player who has a seriously good chance of playing more than token snaps in his rookie season.  

 

 

a few thoughts pertaining to Beane. There is some times debate as to whether he chooses talent based on need or BPA. It seems to me most of his picks are based on the teams Need and the best available based on his and his scouts draft board.

 

Hope springs eternal that SVP steps in and flourishes at Center. We need him to and I think that too is obvious. IMO anyway 🙂

[That's No Moon]

On 5/23/2024 at 1:55 PM, Logic said:

I hope the Bills give Sed Van Pran some early starter looks in camp, the way they did with O'Cyrus Torrence.

I said this in another thread here recently, but the best thing that could happen to the OL this season would be for SVP to take the starting center role and never look back. It would allow the least upheaval/turnover to the OL, as it would mean McGovern could stay at LG, Edwards could stay as valuable depth, and only the center position would be different than last year.

As a side note, I'll say it's funny to me that a player "only being a fit at center" is a thing that dings guys enough that they fall significantly in the draft these days. I get wanting positional versatility, but center is an important position, and if a guy can be a ten year starter there -- even if he can't play a single down at guard in his career -- then it's a great pick and worth more than a 5th round draft choice.

I really don't understand how this guy fell as far as he did on draft day. I know he has shorter-than-desired arms for the position and that he's not considered a good candidate to be a guard in the pros, but...is that it? How does a three-year SEC starter, two time captain, two time national champion center with pro traits fall to the 5th round? There must be some other weaknesses to his game that us laymen are not aware of.

Here's hoping that this dude proves to be a steal and softens the blow of losing Mitch Morse.

Center only is fine if he starts day one. Lots of teams already have a guy though. You can't keep a guy who is only a backup center and doesn't long snap or play guard or anything else. There's no roster space for it which then pushes a guy like that down in the draft. 

[3rdand12]

10 minutes ago, That's No Moon said:

Center only is fine if he starts day one. Lots of teams already have a guy though. You can't keep a guy who is only a backup center and doesn't long snap or play guard or anything else. There's no roster space for it which then pushes a guy like that down in the draft. 

This guy may not start day one , BUT , he might be the long term answer. And that's Okay.

Since they are relatively cheap , as mentioned above , this could be a fine investment indeed. McGovern can cover the position till he is ready and hoping Edwards is more than adequate.

But yea No Moon , sooner than later I agree.

I think long term and that why they grabbed him purposefully. But all conjecture your honor

 

 

[Doc]

33 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

Not sure where this discussion is going Doc. I simply reacted to Shaw’s post that the Front Office drafted guys who can play right now. My comment was that they didn’t have a choice. The Bills are in the position of turning over their roster due to age and salary cap. It don’t see how that makes the Front Office geniuses nor do I have any idea how anyone can say that our rookies are ready to go. We all hope they are but we definitely do not know that they are. 

 

Fair enough.  I just don't believe that they are relying on any rookies, with the possible exception of Coleman, but do believe that probably 2 will start.