If Nate Clements leaves...

[BillsVet]

If NC leaves it's a double whammy. Not only do we lose a superior player, now we're forced to fill yet another hole and chances are that is done with a high draft pick. If you do go with a free agent, I can't imagine we're going to spend on someone half way decent and if you do, that takes away from another position to improve.

 

NC resigning might not be the best financial decision, but it'd go a long way to make fans think this team is in it and not just trying to go 9-7 every season and be a #6 seed. The first pick needs to go somewhere other than CB, because we can't stop the run nor can we run it.

[Astrobot]

Part of the reason I originally brought him up is feel he could be a bargain but at the same time I'd much rather have Nate. Though if had to choose Fisher or a rookie or Youboty I'd definately go with Fisher.

 

Heck, let's not forget when we took Nate five years ago he was the top CB taken at #21. I agree Hall's not worth pick #12 this year. If we do lose Nate would prefer signing a veteran (Nick Harper or Travis Fisher are on my short list now) to replacement but if choose to take someone in the draft prefer if we could trade down and come away with Marcus McCauley, Daymeion Hughes or Darrelle Revis.

 

Is Fred Bennett in the mix? I like his speed and size over Hughes.

[The Jokeman]

Is Fred Bennett in the mix? I like his speed and size over Hughes.

I think Bennett's a mid/late 2nd Rounder. I don't expect him make an impact as a rookie like some of the others I mentioned. Of course I did read a glowing report on Hughes earlier this week at Buccaneers.com prior to his injury this week so could be slightly biased. Though you're right Bennett does pass the eye test more then Hughes. Yet all things considered I rank Revis as the top CB in the draft.

[Oneonta Buffalo Fan]

If we lose Nate Clements to FA we have to assume the Bills will select Leon Hall CB if he's still on the board.

Don't we?

 

Nah. I think this year we need to get a DT with the 1st pick.

[Dan]

If NC leaves it's a double whammy. Not only do we lose a superior player, now we're forced to fill yet another hole and chances are that is done with a high draft pick. If you do go with a free agent, I can't imagine we're going to spend on someone half way decent and if you do, that takes away from another position to improve.

 

NC resigning might not be the best financial decision, but it'd go a long way to make fans think this team is in it and not just trying to go 9-7 every season and be a #6 seed. The first pick needs to go somewhere other than CB, because we can't stop the run nor can we run it.

I'd have to completely agree with you. Re-signing Nate would be a great indicator that the Bills braintrust is serious about building a team to compete for the Superbowl. Marv has stated in the past that FA's are more valuable to their current team and do far less with a new team. So, lets see if he practices what he preaches and tries to keep Nate.

 

Now I'll give Marv and Co. 2 possible outs. First, Nate may not want to be here. So, if Marv makes him a good and fair offer, but Nate still leaves, it'll be hard to fault Marv. Kind like with Moulds last year. Moulds wanted gone, and he left regardless of what we offered. Second, if the coaches have seen Yobouty in practice and fully think he can be a competent starter; then I'd expect they'll not try very hard to keep Nate.

 

Both of those scenarios will be difficult for us as fans to judge. So, we'll just have to see how it plays out. As I see it, for this team to show that they're serious about making the playoffs next year they need to do 4 things:

 

1. Retain our top FAs

2. Draft/Sign FA DL

3. Draft/Sign FA OL

4. Draft/Sign FA LB

 

In that order. Do that, and I'll feel comfortable that they at least see what our shortcomings are - regardless of the outcome. Draft/Sign WRs, RBs, DBs and we're stuck in mediocrity for several more years.

[Astrobot]

Bennett is probably not RD#1 material.

Houston and Hughes are late rounders or early 2nd's, depending on these teams who could go CB in RD#1:

Dolphins, 49'ers, Bills, Jags, Bengals, Titans, Broncos, Pats, Saints.

 

I think the CB's will go off the board in this order: Hall, Revis, Aaron Ross (great Sr. week), Daymeion Hughes, Chris Houston.

In RD#2, we'll see McCauley, Fred Bennett, and Josh Wilson.

In RD#3, Syracuse "Tweener" Tanard Jackson (S/CB) will also go late 2nd early 3rd, followed by Eric Wright, and David Irons.

 

Example Scenario:

9. Dolphins-Could take Hall, but needs are many (QB Brady Quinn, DE Gaines Adams, DE Charles Johnson, OT Levi Brown)

11. 49ers- Could go with Hall, but they like Darelle Revis better. If they take DT Alan Branch, both CB's could still be on our board.

12. Bills-CB Leon Hall or ILB Patrick Willis or DT Alan Branch

17 Jacksonville Jaguars- they take DE if we take Willis

18. Cincy-Reggie Nelson S unless Hall or Revis is there

19. Tennessee: Ginn WR, or a DE, or Ross

21. Broncos: Okoye or DE (Carriker, Charles Johnson)

24. New England (from Seattle): DE/LB Jarvis Moss, or Ginn or (if he's taken) Sidney Rice WR

27. Saints-CB Marcus Mccauley, Fresno St.

[Pyrite Gal]

Based on Youboty's inactivity this season during games, I think you're wrong.

 

As for Leon Hall, as I've said before, he's probably too slow to warrant a top 15 pick. There isn't a CB worth taking that high this year. No Pacman Jones available.

 

Youbouty's inactivity simply is not anything one can draw conclusions from as his inactivity was brought to (forced upon?) him and the Bills because he was the oldest remaining child of a family with youngsters where the Mother died soon after the draft.

 

This is different than if his absence came because he played badly in practice, because of a serious injury, or because of a suspension because of some stupid or immoral act.

 

Certainly the preference would have been if he had played, shown good stuff in practice and forced himself into the line-up as a nickel, but he did not and we just have to deal with it, but one can neither conclude that he cannot handle the nickel, starting at CB nor can one conclude that he is a real candidate for more than just getting significant playing time next year on ST and on the field as a reserve.

 

However, though one cannot reasonably conclude much in this situation, he did come to the draft with a fairly clear consensus on what drafting him likely meant in terms of his development and he actually did get a little important PT last year which indicates things.

 

1. The thought generally on Youbouty leaving school early last draft was that he would profit greatly from another year playing in college.

 

The general assessment was that he actually already had first round physical skills but that he coulduse another year to work on some shortcomings in his game when his back was to the ball and also the he needed to make sure he watched the receiver and did not get locked into looking into the backfield too much.

 

What seemed to impress folks was his competitive nature and ability and his big size. In fact, it really makes sense that he is going to be a CB in a Cover 2 as his job will be to immediately do press coverage on a WR and be willing to fight him tooth and nail for the ball. When the time come for him to run with the receiver he has the speed apparently to do this, but in the cover 2 he actually will only be called upon to let the receiver go as his area is in the short to medium zone and play will not call for him turning his back and running with the receiver alot.

 

He comes out of the same DB producing mill at OSU which produced Winfield and Clements and there is was some expectation of him producing quickly as a CB.

 

2. The interesting thing I think for his development was that essentially he did get another year to learn the game, but it was as a Bill rather than as a Buckeye. This is certainly better than spending a year perfecting his game at OSU that he got to perfect things within the Bills system and with the tutelage of former DB Jauron and even a little under troy Vincent prior to him moving on.

 

Obviously doing all of this amidst the loss of his Mom was a horrible situation and the Bills and football were clearly a secondary issue while he was getting his family set up, but armed with his NFL first day draftee contract, he also must be thankful that though there is not way that mere money can replace his mother, he is in a position now to do the best he can do deali9ng with the real world.

 

3. The very good news for the Bills is that since he actually was able to break into the Bills line-up and get some PT prior to the season ending, though he misssed training camp, he did recover enough in practice that he merited being trusted to play, Even better, his play was good enough to even merit him getting a start in the game against NYJ where apparently the scheme in response to the light running and heavily Pennington oriented Jets made for using an extra DB in place of the injured LB Crowell. He played well and actually, i would not be surprised if he is far enough along that he will mount a strong challenge for the nickel even if Clements is resigned and will be in mix for the #2 CB job if NC leaves (as looks likely but it is not over til its over contractually).

 

Overall, it would be nice if wishes came true and Youbouty became a starter last year, but i think the Bills have to feel pretty good about prospects for Youbouty.

[Bill from NYC]

Yes we should get Hall

 

That way he can develop into a star so he can leave after 4 years. Like everyone else we draft on this team because our owner cant think or build a team anymore.

 

Sign Nate and quite being a farm team for the rest of the league, thats called keeping your core, thats call REBUILDING!

This team will be losers until they figure that out or until we can get some ownership who know what the hell is going on around him.

 

After we select Hall, I guess we should be happy if we leave the 1st day of the 07 draft with only 1 corner.

Laugh as you will, but I would not be surprised one bit to see Marv take corners with 2 of his first 3 picks, or at least 2 in the first 4 rounds.

 

Good Lord I hope to be wrong, but watch and see.

[In space no one can hear]

From what I could tell, he seemed to be the best cb during the last college football season, but the reports from the Senior Bowl suggest that he does not have elite speed. I am getting the feeling that there may not be a cb prospect worth taking at #12, but we will see.

 

 

Yes, there were some concerns about Halls speed at the Senior Bowl.

 

I think it will be a bit easier to sort through the cb's at the combine after they run the 40.

 

It appears to be a good cb draft in the second and third round.

 

At this point- I like the idea of taking a dl or ol with our first.

[jahnyc]

I also read that Hall fared poorly against Ted Ginn (Ohio State) and D. Jarrett (USC). I watched parts of both games, and if he was the primary cover defender for Ginn and Jarrett, then I would agree with that assessment.