Who Would Make the Biggest Impact for the Bills

[Kenwick]

There are a number of players the Bills would love to draft @ 11 .... But who would make the most impact or difference maker the soonest?

 

Here is a short list of players who could definitely help the Bills. Some will be gone before the Bills draft. But if all were available when the Bills draft who would make the most impact the soonest to help the Bills.....

 

Players My opinion

 

1. WR Crabtree.................................. Most likely will be gone when the Bills draft but would look good in a Bills uniform

2. ILB Curry...................................... He looks to be the best line backer in the draft and a difference maker. Again most likely to be gone

3. DT Raji......................................... Wouldn't he and Stroud look good side by side together....A difference maker for sure

4. DE Brown...................................... Bills need the best DE they can get as soon as possible. Is he the right man however

5. DE Orakpo.................................... A excellent DE. Will put pressure on the QB & let the whole defense play better

6. ILB Mauluga.................................. Maybe the best MLB in the draft and would improve the Bills defense against the run and pass

7. DT Jerry....................................... Moving up on the draft charts.... but is he good enough for #11 ?

8. CB Jenkins................................... The best CB in the draft. But do the Bills really want another CB at # 11 ?

9. DE Johnson.................................. Has it all going for him but there is a question of heart and desire. Would the Bills risk taking him at # 11

10. DE / OLB Maybin........................ A dynamite player moving up the charts fast. Better at OLB, plays with great desire and very fast. Decent size.

11.TE Pettigrew................................. Best TE in the Draft. Only lacks great speed. Separates very well from defender. Runs great routes. Good Size

12. C Mack ...................................... Be all pro for 10 years he is that good. Would solitify the O-Line making everyone look a lot better. Big Upgrade

13. WR Maclin .................................. Very fast ..A # 1 receiver in the making...Damn good WR now...

14. OG Robinson............................... Best OG in the draft. Has it all going for him and will make all pro in the future

15. MLB Laurinaitis ........................... Great MLB, he would improve the Bills run and pass defense. Good character

 

That is my run down on who is available. Who the Bills take will depend on what happens in Free Agency and who gets selected ahead of them.

 

Mr. Wilson is highly dissatified with the Offense and lack of talent on that part of the team. Our receiving corps still lacks the Big good receiver we wanted in last years draft. We desperately need a big TE but do we need him at #11 ?, when there are a few others who will be available in rounds 2 and 3. A Center on offense is badly needed also. There are several in the draft who would look good in a Bills uniform and all would upgrade what we had last year.

A improved Center will solitify the whole O-line and make others even better especially in the run game and in the passing game stopping those DT's.

 

Every championship team needs a great D-line. The Bills are aging at DE and do not put anywhere enough pressure on the opposing QB. The Bills really need a impressive Pass Rusher. Someone who will consistently put pressure on the QB. This can come from DE's, DT's and LB's. I hope they can get the Best pass rusher available to them at #11......We need more quality talent in the front 7 and getting a great player there will help in the long run.

 

The Bills could then consentrate on positions of need elsewhere in the draft....... But again they really need a impact player with their 1st pick ....

 

Them Thar Be My Thoughts....

 

Who in your opinion would be the player the Bills should draft to make the biggest impact ?

[PastaJoe]

I'd say ILB Mauluga would make the quickest big impact. They could move Poz to outside, and with Mitchell that would give them a quick, hard hitting, quality set of LBs that could play every down. If they get a DL, they'll platoon him so he won't get as many plays.

[RayFinkle]

I'd say ILB Mauluga would make the quickest big impact. They could move Poz to outside, and with Mitchell that would give them a quick, hard hitting, quality set of LBs that could play every down. If they get a DL, they'll platoon him so he won't get as many plays.

In 3 years, I think Mauluga is going to be the best player to come out of this year's draft. We will start posts saying "Russ could have drafted Maulaga, instead we picked insert name of future turd here."

[BeastMode54]

I think Maluaga is going to be a great player as well, I just don't see anyway the Bills move Poz to another position in his second full year.

[dickie do-right]

Reports from the Senior Bowl said he could't cover his own shadow in pass defense.

[BillsVet]

Expecting a first rounder to be an impact player is unrealistic. About the only position that produces from Day 1 are RB's. Within the past two seasons, a number of backs have played well, primarily because their skill is either there or isn't. Peterson, Chris Johnson, Slaton, and Lynch come to mind. Some LB's can make it happen, like Jon Beason and Jerod Mayo, but they're the exception and not the rule.

 

Whomever Buffalo drafts in round 1 will most likely be used in the way DJ and staff worked McKelvin in. They flat out refused to play him when McGee was injured, for fear the rookie was too raw. I don't think there's a position on the field they want to play rookies at, because they simply don't trust them. Unless absolutely necessary (like McKelvin) the rookie will not start. If the Bills go DE, that guy'll be part of the rotation, not starting. A TE, C, or SLB may play from day 1 out of necessity, but it won't be DJ's ideal situation.

[H2o]

I think that whomever we take at the C position will make the biggest impact for our team because we are going to get one of the top tier guys. Whether in the 1st or 2nd or 3rd, the guy will be an instant starter. Overall, the draft is pretty deep with talent in our positions of need. Those positions being OL, DL, TE, and LB. I'd say the guy that would make the "biggest" impact for our team if we could get him would be:

 

1. Crabtree- An absolute beast that would be an opening day starter.

2. Raji- Would be the opening day starter beside Stroud and would immediately help us to sure up the middle of the "D"

3. Jerry- He too would start on opening day and would be the quick/slashing DT we've been looking for.

4. Brown- Him and Shobel would be a excellent tandem at DE (regardless of how many "experts" say he's an OLB).

5. Orakpo- You may say he takes plays off and he's a "workout warrior", but he's an ox that would supplant Kelsay easy.

6. Curry- Would make a ton of tackles, but would have to learn the defense. Learning curve would hinder him a little.

7. Cushing- Excellent in coverage (played S at one point), good tackler, and is built like a wrestler. Would start at OLB.

8. Macklin- Another explosive playmaker that could make a difference opposite of Evans.

9. Pettigrew- I'd hate the pick, but he would do well with Trent's "checkdown first" mentality.

10. Johnson- I have him 3rd behind Brown and Orakpo, but he just may be better than both of them. It's up to him.

[BillsCelticsAngelsBama]

Reports from the Senior Bowl said he could't cover his own shadow in pass defense.

He did it well for four years in college and was a savage rushing the passer......... best player in the draft; when we look back... as stated above.

[Magox]

on defense the player I believe that would make the soonest positive impact would be Curry, but I believe that with time Raji would givest the most bang for our buck, not to say that he wouldn't have an impact soon as well.

 

on offense, I think that Pettigrew and Mack would givest the soonest positive impact. Hakeem Nicks I think will end up being the steal of the draft, but since he is a WR the other two that I mentioned will give us a quicker return on our money.

[Bill from NYC]

While I appreciate your question, imo the goal of any draft should be the to build the long term foundation of a solid franchise. If they make an immediate impact, so much the better.

 

The Bills tend to focus on defensive backs with their top resources. They let them walk when they hit free agency, and replace them with yet more first round backs. Sprinkle in a circus side show act (Parrish) and a guy who is half dead (MaGahee), and you have a blueprint for losing in the NFL.

 

The Bills will not win until they are a team with strong, solid lines. These are the difference makers, especially in the cold. LaMarr Woodley dominated the superbowl because he was able to exploit weaker players such as Gandy. Now, as bad as Gandy is, this reject is actually the best LT the Bills have had in the last 13 or more years other than Peters.

Imo there is no longer any reason to guess what has been the problem in Buffalo. We are a weak, cold weather team that is managed by the inept. Dick Levy made this that much worse.

 

My point is that imo the team should focus on getting bigger and stronger on the defensive front, and solidifying at OC and TE (for the frdt time in 15 or so years). If I have to wait a bit longer for results, so be it. The Dick Levy idiocy hasn't, nor will it ever work.

[Trader]

There are a number of players the Bills would love to draft @ 11 .... But who would make the most impact or difference maker the soonest?

 

Here is a short list of players who could definitely help the Bills. Some will be gone before the Bills draft. But if all were available when the Bills draft who would make the most impact the soonest to help the Bills.....

 

Players My opinion

 

1. WR Crabtree.................................. Most likely will be gone when the Bills draft but would look good in a Bills uniform

2. ILB Curry...................................... He looks to be the best line backer in the draft and a difference maker. Again most likely to be gone

3. DT Raji......................................... Wouldn't he and Stroud look good side by side together....A difference maker for sure

4. DE Brown...................................... Bills need the best DE they can get as soon as possible. Is he the right man however

5. DE Orakpo.................................... A excellent DE. Will put pressure on the QB & let the whole defense play better

6. ILB Mauluga.................................. Maybe the best MLB in the draft and would improve the Bills defense against the run and pass

7. DT Jerry....................................... Moving up on the draft charts.... but is he good enough for #11 ?

8. CB Jenkins................................... The best CB in the draft. But do the Bills really want another CB at # 11 ?

9. DE Johnson.................................. Has it all going for him but there is a question of heart and desire. Would the Bills risk taking him at # 11

10. DE / OLB Maybin........................ A dynamite player moving up the charts fast. Better at OLB, plays with great desire and very fast. Decent size.

11.TE Pettigrew................................. Best TE in the Draft. Only lacks great speed. Separates very well from defender. Runs great routes. Good Size

12. C Mack ...................................... Be all pro for 10 years he is that good. Would solitify the O-Line making everyone look a lot better. Big Upgrade

13. WR Maclin .................................. Very fast ..A # 1 receiver in the making...Damn good WR now...

14. OG Robinson............................... Best OG in the draft. Has it all going for him and will make all pro in the future

15. MLB Laurinaitis ........................... Great MLB, he would improve the Bills run and pass defense. Good character

 

That is my run down on who is available. Who the Bills take will depend on what happens in Free Agency and who gets selected ahead of them.

 

Mr. Wilson is highly dissatified with the Offense and lack of talent on that part of the team. Our receiving corps still lacks the Big good receiver we wanted in last years draft. We desperately need a big TE but do we need him at #11 ?, when there are a few others who will be available in rounds 2 and 3. A Center on offense is badly needed also. There are several in the draft who would look good in a Bills uniform and all would upgrade what we had last year.

A improved Center will solitify the whole O-line and make others even better especially in the run game and in the passing game stopping those DT's.

 

Every championship team needs a great D-line. The Bills are aging at DE and do not put anywhere enough pressure on the opposing QB. The Bills really need a impressive Pass Rusher. Someone who will consistently put pressure on the QB. This can come from DE's, DT's and LB's. I hope they can get the Best pass rusher available to them at #11......We need more quality talent in the front 7 and getting a great player there will help in the long run.

 

The Bills could then consentrate on positions of need elsewhere in the draft....... But again they really need a impact player with their 1st pick ....

 

Them Thar Be My Thoughts....

 

Who in your opinion would be the player the Bills should draft to make the biggest impact ?

[BillsFan74]

The Bills need some impact players on D. So here is a possible scenario that could land some value picks.

 

1. OLB Curry (most likely gone), Maybin (OLB also provides scheme flexibility), Cushing (pure 4-3 OLB).

2. DE Ayers from Tenn, some of the scouts feel he could be a steal there has size to play year 1. Or Johnson could slip this far.

3. C Eric Wood, John Luigs, AQ Shipley, and Antione Caldwell could all be there in the third unless there is a run on centers. While all graded below Mack still could be a long term very good player for years to come.

4. TE the best will be gone but James Casey and Cornelius Ingram are good pass catchers that could be there in the fourth.

 

A better scenario for the Bills would be to get an additional day 1 pick if they are looking to address all these needs at the draft.

[Brandon]

My top 5 are Raji, Brown, Pettigrew, Maclin and Orakpo. Raji is clearly the best of the group, IMO, with the next three being very, very close, with Orakpo a bit further down but still a solid pick.

 

I'd avoid Mack, Maybin, Johnson and Maualuga at 11. I think the Cs in this draft have been overhyped and while one of them might go at the tail end of R1, there's no doubt in my mind that the Bills will be able to get a very good one in R2, so drafting one at 11 is unnecessary. I wouldn't even be surprised if Mack lasts until our second pick. Maybin? Its been beaten to death around here, but at his weight, he's a 3-4 OLB in the NFL. He's probably not going to be able to handle the coverage duties as a 4-3 OLB. Perhaps if the Bills think he can gain enough weight to be a 4-3 DE he'd be a good pick, but he's probably just going to be a situational pass rusher for a couple of years if the Bills draft him. Unless they think he's the next Bruce Smith as a situational pass rusher, the risk/reward ratio isn't very favorable with that 11th pick. The last thing we need is another Corey Moore.

 

As for Maualuga, I really do not see a major need at MLB, nor do I think he fits this D particularly well. If there were no concerns about his speed and ability to drop into coverage, it would be worth considering him and moving Posluszny outside, but again, 11th is too high for a player who very well may have a major hole in his game at the NFL level. Finally, there's Michael Johnson. He's a third or fourth round pick in my eyes, though someone will certainly draft him much higher based on his athletic ability. I wouldn't, however.

 

Back to my group of five, I think that Raji and Pettigrew would be the most likely to help the Bills immediately. 1st round TE prospects, in particular, seem to make very quick transitions to the NFL and its not unusual at all to see them catch at least 40 passes in their rookie season. At the opposite end of the spectrum, DEs and WRs tend to take a few seasons to make any impact at all, so if the Bills were to select Everette Brown, Brian Orakpo, or Jeremy Maclin, the fans need to accept that those guys are probably going to struggle badly for a couple of seasons and that those are two positions that are long-term investments with very little short term payoff, in most cases.

[Bill from NYC]

My top 5 are Raji, Brown, Pettigrew, Maclin and Orakpo. Raji is clearly the best of the group, IMO, with the next three being very, very close, with Orakpo a bit further down but still a solid pick.

 

I'd avoid Mack, Maybin, Johnson and Maualuga at 11. I think the Cs in this draft have been overhyped and while one of them might go at the tail end of R1, there's no doubt in my mind that the Bills will be able to get a very good one in R2, so drafting one at 11 is unnecessary. I wouldn't even be surprised if Mack lasts until our second pick. Maybin? Its been beaten to death around here, but at his weight, he's a 3-4 OLB in the NFL. He's probably not going to be able to handle the coverage duties as a 4-3 OLB. Perhaps if the Bills think he can gain enough weight to be a 4-3 DE he'd be a good pick, but he's probably just going to be a situational pass rusher for a couple of years if the Bills draft him. Unless they think he's the next Bruce Smith as a situational pass rusher, the risk/reward ratio isn't very favorable with that 11th pick. The last thing we need is another Corey Moore.

 

As for Maualuga, I really do not see a major need at MLB, nor do I think he fits this D particularly well. If there were no concerns about his speed and ability to drop into coverage, it would be worth considering him and moving Posluszny outside, but again, 11th is too high for a player who very well may have a major hole in his game at the NFL level. Finally, there's Michael Johnson. He's a third or fourth round pick in my eyes, though someone will certainly draft him much higher based on his athletic ability. I wouldn't, however.

 

Back to my group of five, I think that Raji and Pettigrew would be the most likely to help the Bills immediately. 1st round TE prospects, in particular, seem to make very quick transitions to the NFL and its not unusual at all to see them catch at least 40 passes in their rookie season. At the opposite end of the spectrum, DEs and WRs tend to take a few seasons to make any impact at all, so if the Bills were to select Everette Brown, Brian Orakpo, or Jeremy Maclin, the fans need to accept that those guys are probably going to struggle badly for a couple of seasons and that those are two positions that are long-term investments with very little short term payoff, in most cases.

 

Very good post!

 

Looking at things from the perspective of "immediate impact" only, I strongly agree with your comments wrt tight ends. I do however think that in our case, a good center would have virtually the same impact.

I make this claim partially due to the fact of just how bad we are at those 2 positions. Fowler was a nightmare, and Preston is so bad that I would rather they don't even keep him for depth. Even if they sign a ufa, they should also draft a rookie who at least might be good.

 

Count me as one who thinks that the Bills offense would look like an entirely different unit with a serious upgrade at these 2 positions.

[Brandon]

I think a C could certainly make a major impact as a rookie. I just don't think there's any reason to pick one at 11. I think there's at least a 50-50 chance that either Mack or Unger are on the board in R2 and if not, probably about a 90% chance that Eric Wood will be. All three would likely be huge upgrades.

[Bill from NYC]

I think a C could certainly make a major impact as a rookie. I just don't think there's any reason to pick one at 11. I think there's at least a 50-50 chance that either Mack or Unger are on the board in R2 and if not, probably about a 90% chance that Eric Wood will be. All three would likely be huge upgrades.

 

Does Pettigrew scare you with the character issues?

[Sisyphean Bills]

Monroe, Maclin, Raji, Orakpo, Maybin, Wells, and Pettigrew are fairly common names around the #11 position. I'll add the OT Smith in there because he's a top 10 guy that is slipping. That's 3 DL, 2 OL, 1 RB, 1 WR, and 1 TE. Of course, the only position that matters is QB, but really any one of those guys (other than Wells) would help this team eventually if he pans out. (Wouldn't that be a kick though to draft a RB? Indeed, even if Wells were an elite back, a RB is a tough piece to trade -- too many capable ones and too short a career -- so that's why I strike him off the list.)

[UConn James]

Back to my group of five, I think that Raji and Pettigrew would be the most likely to help the Bills immediately. 1st round TE prospects, in particular, seem to make very quick transitions to the NFL and its not unusual at all to see them catch at least 40 passes in their rookie season. At the opposite end of the spectrum, DEs and WRs tend to take a few seasons to make any impact at all, so if the Bills were to select Everette Brown, Brian Orakpo, or Jeremy Maclin, the fans need to accept that those guys are probably going to struggle badly for a couple of seasons and that those are two positions that are long-term investments with very little short term payoff, in most cases.

 

One other thing to keep in mind when thinking about the value we're going to get from #11... WRT Raji, our DTs play in heavy rotation, meaning that he'd be on the field for just more or less than half of the plays. I just think it's something of a waste to pick a guy so high who'll be on the sidelines that much. What's the drop-off in waiting until round 2 or 3 for a DT... in a deep draft... at a position that's been called one of the easiest transitions into the NFL.

 

I mean, we can all have the delusions of grandeur of Raji and Stroud in the middle of the DL. But real-world, how this team/these coaches use the players, that's not going to be happening nearly as often as you'd like.

 

I wouldn't be disappointed if we were to finally get a very good TE to give the QB --- and this goes especially for Edwards --- a safety valve. I'm tired of having TEs who are either great blockers or good receivers, but not any kind of combination of both. Derek Fine raised my eyebrows a few times this season in the limited time he had, but we need another TE anyway.

 

But that gets me to C. Doesn't do much good to have a TE when the middle of the line caves in on most plays. We need a guy who can handle the AFCEast NTs --- you know --- the ones who've given Edwards and our offense fits. It's convoluted to me to think that a QB who operates smoothly and looks good against 4-3s suddenly looks like sh-- against 3-4s. More likely it is someone in front of him who can't do their job against the changed variable of the behemoth NT. In my mind, all the indicators point to Mack as the guy who can solve this problem. He is a big boy who's shown he can hold his own physically and maybe more important, the dude is intelligent. Giving the QB more time will let him use the skill players we already have. The center is not on rotation shift; he's out there for every offensive play. When I think value, when I think impact, I think here. It may not be as sexy as a shiny new DE, but we need to get the best center in this draft who can handle all kinds of DTs and NTs.

 

Now if that's Mack (which seems to be the consensus, tho lots is yet to see) and some people are saying that he can be had late-first, then fine. Wait until the dust settles and trade down into a spot where we can be certain to get him, and pick up some more picks in what's been called a deep draft. Great, so much the better. He could just as easily shoot up the board. The pike is a long drive from here to April and we'll see how it all plays out.

[SoulMan]

1. C Matt Birk

[Brandon]

One other thing to keep in mind when thinking about the value we're going to get from #11... WRT Raji, our DTs play in heavy rotation, meaning that he'd be on the field for just more or less than half of the plays. I just think it's something of a waste to pick a guy so high who'll be on the sidelines that much. What's the drop-off in waiting until round 2 or 3 for a DT... in a deep draft... at a position that's been called one of the easiest transitions into the NFL.

 

Its definitely something that should factor into the decision. My preference for drafting Raji is based upon my belief that he's the best defensive player in this draft and the best DT I've seen in a couple of years. I also think there's a pretty significant gap between Raji and the rest of this class if you're looking for a run stuffer, especially in the athleticism department. He might be the only bigger DT that really fits into this scheme. But yes, just as with the DEs, the Bills will have to consider how much he'd play and it does not make sense to draft a player at 11 if they only plan to use him half the time and that's a real possibility with this defense.

 

Honestly, I would much rather they use this offseason and the draft, specifically, to upgrade their offense. The problem is that I don't really see a great prospect available at the two major offensive needs; C and TE. There's no question in my mind that they can get a very good C prospect this year in R2, so that's when I'd fill that spot. TE? I was all for drafting Jermaine Gresham, but he stayed at Oklahoma. Pettigrew? He may well end up being my second choice for the 11th pick once April rolls around, but the questions regarding his speed and athleticism are concerning. The only guy I'm really sold on offensively would be Maclin, but do we draft another WR in R1 after last year? I'm not against it, but its not my first choice.