LOL, Even McCargo and the Team disagree with those of you that think M

[H2o]

When was the last time Bill Polian missed on a first round pick? How about AJ Smith? Bad teams repeatedly draft in the top half of the first round. Not surprisingly, bad teams like the Lions, Cards, and 49ers consistently draft poorly, putting them back at the top of the draft. Yet at the same time, when was the last time NE, JAX, IND, or PHI had a top 10 pick they didn't acquire via trade?

 

Go back and check how often the bottom dwellers of the NFL over the past 6-8 years are drafting early. OAK, DET, ARI, SF, ATL, MIA and until recently HOU and CLE make a host of bad picks over the years. They'd get one right every now and then, but overall, their mediocre drafting is the reason they can't get into the playoffs.

 

Your post is pure drivel, because it specifically selects first rounders who haven't lived up to expectations. It's obvious to me you're rifling through a stats page for proof that the draft is a total guessing game.

 

Touchy, touchy are we. Look, you named 2 GM's in the NFL. Polian used to be our GM and surely he does know what he's doing. He does draft well. AJ Smith has had a good run RECENTLY. But you talk about Cleveland and their "bad" choices recently. Are you sure about that? Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, Joe Thomas, Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson, Kamerion Wimbley. They've done pretty well I think. These organizations that are bad off had the same opportunities as the other teams to pick the players that have turned out to make an impact. They have people study them, interview them, and ultimately decide on who the choice should be. Not every player translates his talent from the college level into pro success. You want to try and deny that the draft is a guessing game of sorts, go ahead. But it is a "hit or miss" situation. And about the proof? How can you refute it? It is what it is. 1st round talent that has flopped. People thought these players would be impact makers and they've been nothing to this point.

[Dawgg]

These organizations that are bad off had the same opportunities as the other teams to pick the players that have turned out to make an impact. They have people study them, interview them, and ultimately decide on who the choice should be.

 

Yep, and the Bills have gone through that process and have made egregious errors for a number of years since Butler and Polian left.

 

Not every player translates his talent from the college level into pro success. You want to try and deny that the draft is a guessing game of sorts, go ahead. But it is a "hit or miss" situation. And about the proof? How can you refute it? It is what it is. 1st round talent that has flopped. People thought these players would be impact makers and they've been nothing to this point.

 

You hit the nail on the head. The "people" in the Bills' war room have a very poor record, especially considering the fact that the personnel department and scouting staff has largely been the same for many years, despite changes at the top.

[Adam]

Touchy, touchy are we. Look, you named 2 GM's in the NFL. Polian used to be our GM and surely he does know what he's doing. He does draft well. AJ Smith has had a good run RECENTLY. But you talk about Cleveland and their "bad" choices recently. Are you sure about that? Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, Joe Thomas, Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson, Kamerion Wimbley. They've done pretty well I think. These organizations that are bad off had the same opportunities as the other teams to pick the players that have turned out to make an impact. They have people study them, interview them, and ultimately decide on who the choice should be. Not every player translates his talent from the college level into pro success. You want to try and deny that the draft is a guessing game of sorts, go ahead. But it is a "hit or miss" situation. And about the proof? How can you refute it? It is what it is. 1st round talent that has flopped. People thought these players would be impact makers and they've been nothing to this point.

Look at how much Cleveland had to build up their team before the mentioned players were able to make an impact. It is the fallacy of the one-year turnaround. They had high picks for a long time, and eventually things got better.

 

Cleveland would have been better sooner if Butch Davis didn't try to build through free agency and set the team back.

 

Patience is a virtue, and we are only in year 3 of the post TD mess

[spartacus]

Sure it's hindsight. I mentioned a list of other "blue chip" DT's who failed in the NFL, and a link Lori provided explained why Ngata's stock dropped. To me this is no better than lamenting on how the Bills missed on Tom Brady or Marques Colston or Antonio Gates.

 

But the real test would be to see how many of you were clamoring for the Bills to draft Ngata or even Bunkley prior to the 2006 draft. I'd be willing to bet most that wanted a DT wanted Bunkley, who fit the cover-2 better, and his stats last year as a starter were little better than McCargo's as a backup, and he couldn't use injury as an excuse.

 

drafting a small DT to fit a very limited cover-2 defensive scheme would not have been the smart pick.

 

Much more savvy would be to draft Ngata who is big enough and quick enough to play the nose and allow a team to play a 3-4 look as well as various 4-3 alignments, including the cover-2.

 

As noted by the Bills, they havfe already changed how they will line up their DLs in their currrent version of the cover-2.

 

Big impact interior defenders come around only once in a blue moon. The Bills have chosen to pass on Ngata as well as Vince Wilfork in favor of small skill players. Their run defense and pass rush has reflected as much.

[Lori]

drafting a small DT to fit a very limited cover-2 defensive scheme would not have been the smart pick.

 

Much more savvy would be to draft Ngata who is big enough and quick enough to play the nose and allow a team to play a 3-4 look as well as various 4-3 alignments, including the cover-2.

 

As noted by the Bills, they havfe already changed how they will line up their DLs in their currrent version of the cover-2.

 

Big impact interior defenders come around only once in a blue moon. The Bills have chosen to pass on Ngata as well as Vince Wilfork in favor of small skill players. Their run defense and pass rush has reflected as much.

Drafting good players and building a system to fit their talents > drafting players to fit a certain scheme. I know that, you know that, and most of the people here know that ... but the Bills have apparently had some recent difficulty figuring out the concept. I'm hoping that their plans for Stroud are an omen of a changing attitude.

[Fan in San Diego]

“I’ve just got to figure out the transition [to the pros],” McCargo said. “I still feel like in college I was so much quicker. I feel like I’ve slowed down a step. So I have to figure out what happened. I’ve got to find that this year. When I get that back, I’ll definitely make a lot more plays.”

 

He hasn't slowed down a step, everyone else is two steps faster than college.

[Sisyphean Bills]

The thing that caught my attention in that article was that no small amount of the veteran leadership for young John McCargo is/was coming from Coy Wire, a player that isn't even a Buffalo Bill any longer. That's fuggin unreal.

[AKC]

Big impact interior defenders come around only once in a blue moon. The Bills have chosen to pass on Ngata as well as Vince Wilfork in favor of small skill players. Their run defense and pass rush has reflected as much.

 

Tommie Harris was sitting there another draft day when we picked a WR instead. The two players who would have had more impact on our W/L record over the past 3 seasons were passed over to fill in positions that have not had anywhere near the impact those premium interior line defenders would have. Smart teams and winning teams are not out looking for older veterans to "star" in their DLine interiors; they instead recognize the game today requires making an investment in young players inside. The best teams look to pick up vets at the WR position if FA while taking star DTs early in the draft- we've got the formula backwards.

[BillsVet]

Drafting good players and building a system to fit their talents > drafting players to fit a certain scheme. I know that, you know that, and most of the people here know that ... but the Bills have apparently had some recent difficulty figuring out the concept. I'm hoping that their plans for Stroud are an omen of a changing attitude.

 

If by recently Lori, you mean by the past 6 years or so. Greggggg, Meathead, and now DJ came in with a strategy they gleaned from previous experience and proceeded to admit failure by reluctantly acquiring players who didn't fit perfectly into their chosen scheme(s).

 

Here's to hoping things will be different in 08.

[Lurker]

The thing that caught my attention in that article was that no small amount of the veteran leadership for young John McCargo is/was coming from Coy Wire, a player that isn't even a Buffalo Bill any longer. That's fuggin unreal.

Well, since everything we read in print is always the entire, unadalterated reality of the situation, that is indeed troubling...