WhitewalkerInPhilly

I have a couple of problems with this idea: 1) How do you pick which team you think is going to flop? Because if you're going to give them two first round talents, they may might not completely bomb. It seems like whoever bombs each year keeps changing, but who stays in the top 10 is pretty consistent. 2) There is real talent in this draft. It may not be quite where we want it, but if we are resigned to a flop year, I would much rather see a few talented rookies brought in and be built in anticipation. Trading back in the draft for more picks? Yes, this seems like the year to do it. Gambling it all on getting two picks next year, who might, MIGHT give us a shot at a franchise QB which we very may well get in the second round doesn't seem like the answer.

Hell, McShay even apologized for it. Of course, I don't blame him for the second round QB pick, but I have to deeply question his rationale for Warwick, especially with all of the holes elsewhere.

I have to give credit where credit is due, as this idea got sparking in a different thread. Since most topics are about why McShay is an idiot (an opinion I share) I thought I would move it here. I've been considering this question too. There's been a lot of guessing about what type of defense Petting is going to run but he has gone on record saying something along the lines of "hybird, multiple look" and in addition "base nickel" Manny Lawson seems to think that we're running a 3-4 from his interview. Well, what would that look like? Picture taken from Behind the Steel Curtain: Line backers from left to right: Sam, Mike, Will, Jack So, remember how people people have been saying "We can't play a 3-4, we don't have a proper Nose Tackle". Well, in this scenario, that's not a problem, as Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus are ridiculously qualified for the job up front. In addition, look at the placement of the linebackers. If the Bills want to run their 4-3 nickel, all they have to do is plug Mario and Anderson at the ends and have them put their hands down. So who would go where? Well, what places are there, and what does each do? Jack Back (the Hybrid OLB/DE, Weakside outside): Mario/Anderson-Rushes,rarely drops into coverage Sam Back (Strong Side Outside): Manny Lawson-run stuffer, covering tight ends and RBs, possibly put Anderson in here if we're looking for an extra pass rush, Bradham as depth Will Back (Weak Side Inside): Coverage Back. Bryan Scott's only real qualifications are in this role, primarily on covering the four receiver or a tight end Mike Back(Strong Side Inside): Sheppard, maybe Bradham if they think he can do it and are willing to cut Shepp I'm not saying this is where everyone will wind up, or that we'll use this, but this does promise the flexibility that Pettine has been talking about, since it allows them to mix and match coverage, giving us the diversity of a 3-4, while mitigating our lack of a true 3-4 NT. Suddenly we don't look awful in our front 7. Not "great" mind you, but functional, functional enough to wait for a second or even mid-round pick to solve some of our other problems such as a lack of SS, WR, and QB. Thoughts? Questions? Berate me? Resources: http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2009/9/21/1047264/the-2-4-5-and-1-5-5-revealed

Well, as I'm looking I don't think that in the end he's not a bad choice. Can I look at him and say "There's someone, ANYONE, in the draft who is better than him?" I keep thinking that I don't see it. Of course, there's the problem with his contract. He's being paid like a sure thing, while nothing is further from the truth. If he was willing to take less, I would say yes. If not, I say there is a lot less risk in getting a rookie with an incentive heavy contract.

I completely understand the reasoning. From what I can tell, he would rather like to stay in Washington. However, it seems that the Redskins don't consider him important enough to shell out big bucks for him. These trips are likely as much bargaining chips for Davis as they are prospective interviews. In the end, I'm not worried about the Jets outbidding us, because quite simply they don't have the money. They'll have *maybe* three million after their draft picks and they've already jettisoned a good chunk, if the not the majority of their starters. A second linebacker really isn't going to be high on their bidding list. In the end, I see one of two scenarios. 1) The Redskins ease up and make a competitive counteroffer. Considering that the 'Skins are in dire cap space problems and betting on a player coming off ACL surgery, I doubt it. 2) The Bills throw in more cash than he's going to get anywhere else, which is likely more than he appears to be worth, and hope that he plays above it.

Indeed. But I'm still too shaky with Barkley to care too much. Maybe Fitz is too fresh in our memory but I'm getting a little tetchy at the mention of, "Great football IQ. no long range , but can sneak it into tight windows". That sounds just like Fitz before his play took a swan dive. As much as I hate to say it, EJ Manuel is slowly winning me over, as there's a chance we can get him in round 2 and get a great WR or LB in round 1. Confirmation:http:// http://www.wgr550.com/Bills--Whaley-present-at-Barkley-s-pro-day/15901655

To me, I have to look at the entire field. And to be honest, I think it depends on the attitude in the front office. I think we can all agree that Buddy Nix is looking down the barrels of the firing squad. To me, the difference is how he reacts to it. If he looks on into danger with steely resolve, I think he waits until round 2. He takes a blue chip player, and make no doubt, there WILL be a blue chip player in a position of need available at #8, whether it be Dee Milliner, Jarvis Jones, Alec Ogletree or Cordelle Patterson. If, by some stroke of luck, Geno Smith falls into his lap Buddy will take him. If Buddy is panicking, I can see him picking whoever is best at the #8 pick. If so, we can make do with our other picks and pick up a bunch of UDFA. EDIT: I still like Tyler Wilson, and he seems that he will almost certainly there at #41, maybe even in the third round.

This *is* rather interesting. You know, I'm not the biggest Wildcat fan, but we always lined up and ran it up the middle on third and short and I've always questioned why, as our WR corps was steadily depleted, we never saw him being used as anything BUT the wildcat QB. In the end, we have tons of cap room, more than we need if we're only going after mid-tier guys.

Yeah, I must be full of it or you're just purposefully trolling. Was he off to a great start? No, but last year we were here saying, "Hey, seeing Spiller in the second half of the season shows we weren't wrong to draft him" and now, surprise surprise, we're lamenting that Chan didn't play him more. I still think the most disappointing is from Losman, since that was the year of Philip Rivers, Eli Manning and Ben Roethlesburger and he showed just enough of a big arm to give me hope.

I would be thrilled. I was an advocate for picking up Dustin Keller and even if Davis doesn't quite have the spring completely back in his step, he's still a major step up in a position of need and if we can pick him up cheap after being injured I'm all for it.

Is there anything else to confirm that? I mean, if so, I'm thrilled but Stevie could just be recruiting.

Holy ****, I didn't even notice...it's not like I announce that to the world everything time I post.

Look, I'm still going to be as skeptical as hell until I see a finished product that doesn't make me want to bang my head against the wall so hard the plaster shatters. That said...he gets it. He gets *it*. Every single one of us feels that 13 year drought in their bones and yet in spite of everything we *still* show up, we still care, we still lay out hearts out every year. Maybe it won't be enough, but this is the most passion I've heard out of a Bills coach in...well, my last memory is Marv Levy shouting on the sideline. What does that tell you?

Maybe not Boothe in particular, but it would do good to be reminded that, yes indeed, you can get quality guards on the cheap without much fuss.

Shut up with your "not panicking" and "use logic" talk!" Ok, I'm still panicking, but this is a good point. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to scream "RUN THE BALL!" last year, especially during the Titans game. During the last offseason I kept telling myself, "If I'm Chan Gailey, I'm spending every moment trying to think of how to use Spiller and Jackson at the same time" and I think that if there was one thing we can all agree on it's that running back was a tremendously underutilized position. When we used it, we won games. I kept thinking, "We have one of the most talented D-lines in the league, how are they still gouging us on defense?" and in the end I still don't know. If Marrone, Hackett and Pettine can at least abstain from making horrible decisions we should still see some improvement, even with the talent we see now. Also agree. It's looking increasingly like we'll have a rookie QB under center. Even if we somehow get the brass ring in Geno Smith, we're starting with completely new systems on both sides of the ball. This is my prediction: we spend one year showing some signs of improvement (this year) but come out guns blazing next year. Also, that the same thing is happening to the Dolphins. As much as I hate to say it, the Phins took a gamble on a rookie QB who no one thought was going that high and clearly needed some fine tuning and remarkably got better. Now, with a guy they know under center and a lot of free cap space they're swinging for the fences.

...ok, NOW I'm nervous. Not that Rhrinehart set my world on fire, but my justifcation for taking a rookie QB as a starter was "Well, we have two great Running Backs and a damn good O-line", but suddenly we're looking thin at a place that we have no reason to be thin. Before I could tell myself, "Eh, we could probably make due by shuffling who we have". Not anymore.

Manva Silva, if I remember correctly. But even then, from what I've heard of Pettine's defense he tends to like playing with three safeties and mixes up their roles to make coverage harder to read.

I think that there would be the best case scenario. Apart from Dansby, none of them are on the wrong side of 30 and all should come at the same general cost, and with enough cash to sign our new crop of rookies.

I swear, the man looks like exactly what I wanted from Landy...only CHEAPER! Take him Buddy! Take him now! With as much subtext from those words as necessary.

Sounds like an extremely fair use of cash. We've frontloaded it, so if things don't work out as he gets older he won't be hard to jettison. If the Bills could make about three more deals like this (between SS, LB and WR) by draft day I'd be feeling pretty good. I'd be curious to see if Mario Williams could be a DE of something along the lines of JJ Watt, considering they are of similar weight and height.

OK, I have all kinds of respect for Manning and no doubt the Broncos are going to be in great shape this year...but yeah, eventually they're going to be paying the piper for all the cash they're spending on one player. Of course, we don't play them in the regular season next year and they WILL be playing the Pats, so good luck to them.

What's with all the Stevie hate? Seriously? What's the worst that can happen, the guy comes and meets with the GM and Buddy decided it's a no go? Look, I'm not sold on DHB, and from the sounds of it he's Lee Evans 2.0, but seriously, if we can get a CHEAP Lee Evans 2.0 we fix the problem that was never solved when we got rid of him: a deep, speedy threat to get attention off of Stevie. If we could get a rookie 1st or 2nd round pick on the outside, and put Stevie in the slot where he wants, suddenly we are looking a lot better.

The man sounds like exactly the kind of pick I was hoping for last night: a solid player who fits into the roll without making too much of a splash cash-wise. It would be nice to maybe get a few more, and a decent #2 receiver in the mix but I already feel a bit better.

OK, I admit that I was freaking out a bit. I really, really wanted either Landry or Ellerbe. Landry is on a plane to Indy and Ellerbe went to Miami. But as the haze of rage fades, I'm left with remembering that we have so many things to fill that as much as I would want a high market signing I would rather see a second tier player in at OG, each LB spot and an outside receiver.

Well, they have more money to offer and they're a playoff team. Welp, I think we lost him.