thurst44

Can we all stop with this. It's not an amazing pick (although, for the record, he was on the 5 or so players I really wanted when we came to the podium), nor is it a sexy pick, but it is a solid #50 pick, and anything but a reach. Darby was a very highly regarded CB throughout the web, not just one "obscure draft 'expert'." CBS Sports had him as the #30 prospect. Walter Football (yeah, i know) listed him as the #5 CB in the draft. Most sites I saw listed him as an early 2nd rounder, with some possibility of going in the late 20s. Fanspeak had him in the 40s. My co-worker and draft obsessive (he's in multiple college football fantasy leagues) went to FSU and is a fanatic about them (a Fins fan unfortunately), and has hawkishly watched his every game was touting him as someone who would be a steal for the Bills at 50. Moreover, his opponents knew him as he was the least thrown at cornerback in all of college football. He allowed only 9 receptions and no TDs in 2013. I know the TBD treehouse has a "NO CBs" sign by the door, but with all the talk here about this being a passing league, how exactly do you stop them...with excellent CB play.

Yep, really sucks having the #3 pass defense in the league. And he was listed as a 3rd rounder by no one. In fact, the only post 1st round mock I saw today had him going first today. I know this board hates CBs, but this board also rants about how it's a pass-driven league, and presumes that means you need to have a pass-centric offense...no, in fact, a counterpunch, as the Bills are pushing out, may be the best way to go; however, it does mean you want to have plenty of cornerbacks. How many people here who are complaining about taking CBs with high picks also complained about Justin Rogers starting when our top 3 CBs went down. THAT is why it is good to have a ton of them.

Not really. Forsett and Ingram had one good season and part of a good season between them. Matthews has been erratic and injury prone. Bush and Gore are over 30. Other than DeMarco Murray (and even had trouble staying healthy before last year's monster of a season), there were a lot of question marks/RBs with similar histories to Spiller.

So he's rested!

Ravens won with Trent Dilfer. Joe Flacco is a decent QB but not a worldbeater. How much of the Seahawks success was Russell Wilson and how much of it was Lynch keeping drives alive while the D dominated? Having a great QB is huge, but they are rare and when so many people are touting Sanchez, it's a sign there's just not much out there. The Bills are not likely to have a franchise QB (whatever that means) or to be able to acquire one anytime soon -- however, they do have an awesome defense and now one of the 2 or 3 best running backs in the league. There are offensive linemen available in free agency. This seems the smart way to go!

Declined??! He had 2150 total yards in 2013.

The Bills are 8th overall in cap space...the Bills are one of the teams WITH money. Suh might be a crazy idea...but let's exorcise this silly Eeyore mentality. If the Bills aren't players in the free agency period, it's not for lack of money or cap space.

The point (at least to me) is that there's a good chance he won't blow his knees out. If he stays here and plays well in the set-up which allowed him to be in the enviable position he is in now, that contract ends and he's 30, 31, and can re-up with another huge contract. If he goes somewhere else, and it turns out his success was due to the system and surroundings (said 3 pro-bowlers on line), this may be his last contract.

Actually, not any reflection on Kaep (although i wouldn't make that trade...seriously, the bills have something going right and we want to trade it), just miss Paula's Donuts.

Oooh, but not a maple or peanut doughnut...those are worth something!

The first two are points, if a bit overblown. The third is ridiculous...before that, the highest rushing total the Bills had allowed to a TEAM was 86. Also, do you not think that the same could be said on the other side of the ball? The Bills are #1 in the league in sacks and the Jets have only allowed one fewer sack. And I'd bet on Kyle Orton to handle it better than Geno "28 interceptions in 23 career games" Smith. Not saying playing the Jets on the road is a breeze...they could very well lose a game they should win. It's just the lack of perspective and the negativity double-standards by a lot of people on TBD.

CJ Spiller for 80 yards and a TD, juking D.K. Suh AND Cam Newton's former teammate...

Run by Spiller, 5 yards

(1) You could look at just about any draft for any team with this logic (2) If they had drafted any of those other players at #3, Dareus would be on the "could have drafted" side of your list (3) Andy Dalton is so overrated (if the Bills had him, he'd be torn to pieces on this site, a la Manuel), and Aaron Williams is on the verge of being a perennial Pro Bowler...

Best: 15-1, D gels into dominant force, line and backs continue to generate sacks and interceptions, as Spikes and Schwartz add a run-stopping aspect; meanwhile, a healthy Spiller is unstoppable, rotation with Jackson and Brown lead to one of the most punishing running games in NFL history, Watkins becomes an immediate star and helps aid in EJ & the line's swift maturity as he and Spiller turn short passes into hefty gains. The city and team rally around the team as Pegula makes it official the week the Bills clinch a first-round playoff bye. The plucky, fun-to-watch, nearly-impossible-to-hate Bills are the sweetheart team of the nation as they start their first playoff run in 15 years. Worst: 1-15, Manuel regresses, either becoming too aggressive and racking up INTs or a frustratingly indecisive shell, rarely leading any drives, Spiller is hurt or dancing behind a bad line, Jackson finally shows age, Brown not ready for prime-time, Watkins battling injuries, line young and inconsistent, losses pile up, D is solid, but prone to large gains in both the run and pass as injuries and bad luck abound. I go nowhere near this site as Cleveland ponders its #1 pick from the Bills, and Rogers (without a Bon Jovi who might actually balk at moving the team) is finalizing his surprise purchase of the team, leaving Bills fans even wearier and wondering for what to root. Likely: Somewhere between 10-6 and 6-10, as this team has too much talent on D and so many options at RB, and EJ has been nowhere near as bad as this board would have you believe, but they are also young and there is clearly a lot of chaos on this team.

By "almost worst defense in the NFL," do you mean the one that was 10th in overall yards allowed, 2nd in sacks, and 2nd in interceptions (and was one of the best in yards allowed over the last 8 games), all this in spite of an offense that had them on the field quite a bit (they were also 1st in tackles). It's that pesky 6th win in the first half of the season that just keeps eluding them

Can we please put this bizarre misconception (Spiller can't shed tackles) to rest? When he's healthy, he's one of the most elusive in the game. It seems straightforward that a high ankle sprain is going to make it much tougher to switch direction (hence his meh-but-not-terrible 2013). https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/01/16/signature-stats-elusive-rating/ http://rotoviz.com/index.php/2013/06/cj-spiller-ridiculous/

We'd be on the side of good!

No, he was/is not. He had a nice drive in that game where he lost a shoe, but he played in the playoffs by coach's decision, he did not play himself there, nor was he any part of the reason they made the playoffs (did not even. As for your assertion (and thankfully you said "what's come since" so we don't have to dredge up rj vs. you-know-who), other than Losman and players who had short runs, he stacks up pretty much the same...only way he distinguishes himself is his astronomical sack rate.

Call this an unfair generalization if you must, but old people are no good at everything.

Also, DeSean to Cleveland could both aid in a QB run and cause Watkins to slip....

Johnny Unitas! Now there's a haircut you can set your clock to!

That would be a concern if the Bills were the "answer to a team in [L.A.]." However, for obvious reasons, the Rams, Raiders, and Chargers are all much better options...if the Bills move, there's plenty reason to doubt it would be to L.A.

Seriously, if the Bills started winning this year (as i think they will), they will be America's team.

Well, you know, we can't go back in time, so....