bourbonboy

OBD knows what they're doing...I was initially hoping to grab Kalil somehow, but if it woulda cost us the 2nd round pick, I'm glad they didn't. OT's dropped, and it's likely that a good one will be available at #41 (or we could burn a low pick and move up a few spots to guarantee it). Bottom line - would you rather have Kalil or Gilmore and Martin? I'll take the latter...

He's also got practice hitting QB's, too - I haven't seen it mentioned much, but this also ties right into improving the pass rush - Gilmore instantly becomes our best corner blitzer! I was initally upset at how the first ten picks fell, but I'm liking the pick more and more as I think on it....

Exactly - that's where he ends up in most of the mocks that have Kalil slipping past #3 - I can't see him falling to #10.

Rumors are also being confirmed now by Buffalo News - per Rotoworld: A source tells the Buffalo News that the Bills' interest in trading up for USC LT Matt Kalil is "legitimate," and gives the team a "good chance" to secure this year's top offensive tackle. NFL Network's Charley Casserly reported this first last night, and it has also been confirmed by Profootballtalk.com. In this scenario, the Bills would wait for the Vikings to go on the clock at three to get serious about proposals of compensation. Buffalo is willing to surrender pick Nos. 10 and 41 in order to move up for Kalil. Minnesota may ask for a late-round "sweetener," but this looks like a draft-day deal that has strong potential to happen.

Doug Whaley: You look at Jonathan Martin first of all coming from Stanford; he’s going to be a highly intelligent guy. He’s a competitive guy. I think he’s a guy that has a chance to play both left and right tackle, so the versatility for him makes him very intriguing. Reiff, you just look at the pedigree from guys coming from Iowa. They’re well schooled, well coached. The head coach there has coached in the league so he knows how to produce NFL linemen. You’re going to get a guy that we believe, most people believe, and the pedigree from that school are going to come in and step in and compete right off the bat. Reiff I think he can play both, left and right. I think you start him out on the left and see how he goes from there. Those left tackles are hard to find like Buddy says. We believe that you start a guy there and if he fails it’s easier to move him to right than right to left. With Glenn for us a guy of that size and that type of foot athlete you’d try him out at left tackle. He’s got a chance to play there and produce there at a high level. Also note that when asked about tackles, Whaley mentions Martin first....I'm telling you, Martin is the one they're after....

Anyone else catch Whaley talking about Reiff - basically said you start him at left, then can move him to right if you need to. Maybe hinting Bills aren't sold on him as a left tackle. But Whaley was pretty clear that the Bills think Martin can play both LT and RT, and are intrigued by his flexibility. The more I hear these guys talk, I really think they like Martin more....Martin's been showing as slipping to end of 1st in a lotta mocks - doubt he'd drop to Bills 2nd pick, but he could slip low enough that Bills would trade up for him. I'd love it if they could grab Martin and a WR/CB/LB at #10!

Per Rotoworld: Eagles LT Demetress Bell's five-year, $35 million contract is essentially a one-year, $3.25 million deal, and includes an $8.5 million 2013 roster bonus. As previously reported, Bell's contract includes no guarantees beyond 2012. He'll receive a $2 million roster bonus and $100,000 workout bonus on top of his $1.15 million 2012 base salary. It's very little guaranteed money for one of the "jewels" of an extremely thin tackle market, and his prohibitive 2013 roster bonus will force the Eagles to make a decision on the final four years of his "five-year deal." It's more likely Bell hits the market again next offseason than plays out the life of his Eagles contract. That's peanuts for a starting LT....word out of Philly is that Peters was critical in getting Bell to sign with Philly. For 3.25M, I woulda been interested in keeping him around for a year, see if he can stay healthy, but it seems he didn't want to be here...

Per Evan Silva of Rotoworld: http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/40242 5. Bills defensive end Mark Anderson After re-signing Stevie Johnson, the Bills turned all of their attention to upgrading the front seven, and that aggressiveness was honorable. They made Mario Williams the highest paid defender in NFL history, and then followed it up by signing Anderson to be Mario's weak-side bookend. Buffalo had a plan, and it executed. But Anderson was overpaid in the process, and there are likely people in the Bills' organization who would acknowledge as much. He isn't worth $5 million a year. Anderson is going on age 29. He's been in the league for six seasons, and in just two of them recorded more than five sacks. Anderson is consistently washed out in run defense and is essentially a one-down end. The Bills will give him a chance to be an every-snap player, but it almost certainly won't end well. While Buffalo's team sack total will rise in 2012, offenses will know exactly which front-four member to target on running plays: Mark Anderson. I still like the signing - even if you gotta rotate Kelsay in for run support - and it weakens the enemy at the same time is strengthens us (lot of Pats* fans were upset at losing him). But Evan does have a great point - we'll find out pretty quick if Anderson's a 3-down player or not, because that's definitely where teams are going to try and run at. Rest of the article is also a good read.

Will be interesting to see what the contract terms are....right now, Philly is bleeding money at OT. JP's cap hit is 8.25M this year, Iggles have 1.9M in 2012 dead money for Winston Justice, they resigned King Dunlap for 1.2M (with another 1M possible in incentives), and now signed Bell for what has to be starter money for 2012.

Rotoworld's take: Bills signed DE Mark Anderson to a four-year, $27.5 million contract, with $8 million guaranteed. Look for Buffalo to release DL Dwan Edwards in the coming days. Anderson is a one-trick pony pass rusher, but he will add explosiveness off the edge in Buffalo's nickel package. The 29-year-old racked up 12.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in New England last season, including 2.5 playoff sacks. With Mario Williams set to play left end, Anderson figures to be the Bills' primary right defensive end, rushing off the weak side. With stud tackles Marcel Dareus and Kyle Williams plugging the interior, you can make a good argument that Buffalo now has a top-five defensive line in terms of sheer talent.

Exactly - what we need is a vertical threat (I woulda loved to get Meacham). The problem here is that any FA that is good at this role usually wants a chance to be a #1, and not be a complementary #2 - and to get paid like a #1. Which often never works out (Peerless Price, anyone?), but as long as there's teams willing to pay them, that's where they'll go. Anyone left after this is probably not a huge upgrade over what we already have - and at least with our guys, there's upside to develop the WR we need. I don't see the value in paying any of the FA WR's that are left the kinda $$ it'll take to bring them in. The payroll would increase significantly more than the production would. Let's hope one of our own can make one of those quantum leaps this year.

Well said - besides, VJax is reportedly all but signed by Tampa Bay. Meacham is EXACTLY what we need to complement Stevie, and will leave us enough cash to chase Mario. Meacham can play, and will surprise some people who haven't watched him that closely.

Exactly - they see "three positions" as being available and deserving at #10....DE is a reach at 10, so I gotta believe it's OT, CB or WR.

Interesting discussion - but the problem is that you'd have to cut Fitz before you had RGIII. If you cut him by 3/19, then you have abolutely no leverage in trade talks...and if you don't, then you have too much $$ invested in your QB to go after RGIII. This whole scanario only makes sense if Fitz's cut date was after the draft, or if the Bills don't mind paying Fitz to mentor RGIII for a year.

You're checking out her nose? Really?....Her body is fine enough to get herself a tryout: http://larrybrownsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/sharon-simmons4.jpg The rest is how good she is at shaking it and how good she looks doing it. Could be good PR just letting her tryout...

Grading them individually is fine and good - but what's most impressive is that at the end of the year almost all have a place and a chance to stick. When was the last time you could say that? I'm optimistic and hopeful every year right after the draft, only to be crushed when half (or more!) of the picks don't pan out. Relative to their draft position, it's a year later, and almost all the picks still look pretty good....another year or two will tell a lot more, but for now, kudos to OBD.

Touché - but that's only because there were even better can't miss studs like Jamarcus Russell in front of him! Dre Kirkpatrick is generally considered the highest rated CB in this year's class, but Dre is a zone corner, and is no Revis. There is no CB in the draft that I would rather have than Upshaw.

Freak of nature pass rushers don't last until the 10th pick anyway. So it's the best player available at #10, and if there's not a single standout, you add need-based consideration. I don't think Upshaw is a reach at #10, like him a little better than Coples or Mercilus, and he'd be a great addition to our D. Not a freak, but I'd be real happy with an all-around relentless high-motor type of guy at a real position of need. The only way CB makes sense to me is if OBD thinks the guy is the second coming of Revis....and those freaks also don't often fall to #10.

CB in the 1st round would be a HUGE mistake. The Bills have serviceable CB's, and can add depth through later draft picks. But answer me this - which would make the largest improvement in the performance of the secondary - a stud CB or a stud pass rusher? It's the pass rusher, hands down - improves the ENTIRE secondary, not just one position. And the Bills won't get a decent pass rusher if they don't take one in the first round - it's not a deep draft. If we can develop a psss rush through the draft and free agency, and (finally!) DC improvement, the secondary will be just fine without a 1st rounder or big money free agent.

The other thing you gotta remember is that McCoy didn't exactly explode on the scene - it took him a while to grow into the role. McCoy was actually a disappointment initially because he didn't instantly become Westbrook Jr. CJ just has to continue making strides, and all else will fall into place.

This is the guy we should've hired as our OL coach last year - I bet Nutt could have really supported and raised the play of Wood, Wang and Levitre.....

This is the consensus on most of the current mocks. For mock draft die-hards, a summary of mocks is here: http://walterfootball.com/draftdata.php but you gotta click through links to see picks 6 and above (was much easier to follow with our top-5 pick last year). I'm a diehard so I've clicked through - Upshaw is the clear favorite, with a fair number of Coples, as well as a disturbingly high number of mocks that have us taking an OT with our first pick.

I thought that MM had quit partly due to psychological issues - something about stress on him and/or his family or something....kids getting picked on in school when the Bills lost, etc. He's putting himself back in the front seat - wonder how it will be any different. Of course, in Jacksonville, no one really cares, so maybe that will be a good place for him!

thank you - can't believe that it took until the second page for someone to say this....if you play in a sucky division, you can be bad and still make the playoofs, get a home playoff game, then luck out with a "on any given Sunday" playoff win (see Seattle last year).

Also supposedly a special teams ace, and reportedly turned down a contract with Oakland to sign with us. A player with upside who wants to be here - nice no-risk signing.