starrymessenger

It looks as though just about everyone agrees on one thing at least, - EJ's lower body mechanics are flawed with resulting inaccuracy in his throws. So fans who support EJ say that him tidying up his mechanics should solve the problem, which is a reasonable conclusion. But really the question is "can he cleanup the technical flaws in his game". Does an intelligent, athletically gifted EJ have the physical ability to properly set up, transfer his weight into the throwing motion etc...? Unquestionably he does, and I'm sure that in shorts with his QB coach by his side he executes the proper mechanics perfectly. But come game time can he do it when the bullets are flying? In other words, are his poor mechanics simply a correctable flaw or the result of a more basic problem, namely inadequate instincts, vision, ability to quickly read and react, anticipate the course of live action, etc... If that is the problem, and the difference in recognition and between success and failure is measured in a second or a fraction thereof, then that is not going to get better, or good enuf, to enable him to succeed at this level of play. Given the rather obvious issue, the fact that he is smart enuf and talented enuf to execute the right mechanics and given also that he has been the recipient of good coaching for as long as he has played the game, the presumption should be that he can't do it, or can't do it consistently enuf. But I agree that the best way to find out is to turn him loose with the benefit of a full off season, an improved O-line and additional weapons in the passing game.

Agree and yes I was referring to his ability to read and react re shoulders up. Not saying he is unable to digest a pro playbook ( tho even that still needs to be proven). More his questionable ability to execute it, which to me implies not only a technical but also a cognitive component, being the inherent ability to intuitively anticipate the course of live action (whatever his faults, Manziel has this in spades). In fact in any sport the great ones have it. My concern is that faculty seems to be a dead zone in EJs case. If that assessment is accurate rest assured it is a fatal flaw.

Actually so far his problems are from the waist down and from the shoulders up. No one questions his heart tho.

Sure. I expect they will be evaluating all of our QBs very closely this off season. They may very well decide that either one of Tuel or Lewis need to go to make room for a guy who is more likely to be able to step up right away if needed. Don't know that Josh is that guy. I like Lewis's moxy but he's been around longer than Tuel and it maybe that his upside is more limited. What Tuel needs to do IMO, if he is able, is establish that even if his physical skills are not his strong suit he can more than make up for it based on what he has above, not below, his shoulders - smarts, good timing and chemistry with his receivers. JMO but I think he might be better than people give him credit for and could be something of a sleeper as soon as this year. Certainly not ready to write him off just as EJ should not be written off.

You may be right of course, but you might be wrong too. The Bills brass seem to like Tuel and I've got to think there may be a (good) reason for that. Whether a young QB prospect develops is usually hard to predict. It is not beyond the range of possibilities that Tuel does progress and, heaven forbid, EJ does not. Tuel has good, if not prototypical, size. He's not going to make the deep out from the opposite hash, but that is not make or break. It's a nice to have but no QB makes his bread and butter with that throw. Tuel is of the same QB type as Chad Pennington. He's not a first round guy like Chad was and he does not sport the same college CV, but who is to say how he might (or might not) develop? Only time will tell.

Maybe a 30-35 percent chance of developing into a reliable starter. He's got all the physical tools. The question has always been whether he can use them to full advantage. He got by on superior athleticism at FSU. You need a lot more than that to succeed in the pros. People say he's got 2014 to prove himself. Some say 2015 too. Whaley and Marrone are in a win now mode and they are quietly building an O that should be competitive, especially if they can land a RT and add another weapon or two. EJ needs to step up big time from the get go. If he fails to progress I doubt that the Bills sacrifice 2014 to his development, let alone 2015. If he is holding the team back, they will sit him IMO.

Those who say the risk that Clowney would take the "money" and do a disappearing act may be right but given his ceiling he would be unbelievably foolish to behave like that. The dollars are not in his rookie contract. It's in a Mario Williams deal that he could only get after establishing himself as a premier professional player. He'd be unbelievably stupid and lazy to settle his talent for chump change and pass up the chance to roll in money forever. So I just don't see it. He goes top three IMO and will be a force to be reckoned with from the get go. People said Ngata was lazy too.

I know that there are two of them but is Shannon the one that looks exactly like Miles the Mascot. If so I thought he was pretty funny. Didn't even realize he had a speech defect tho so maybe I was laughing at him instead of with him without knowing it.

I think you're onto something there. Something good. Keep up the good work. They will look even stupider if they trot out a guy who drowns out the crowd week after week with a tremendous sucking sound. If you've made a mistake refusing to correct it will only make matters worse. Not saying EJ will suck. Just addressing the hypothetical that was posited, which by the way is a possibility.

Or unless he totally blows, which is also possible. Then what? He gets 16 starts only if he is healthy and shows improvement. IMO the Bills fully intend to be competitive in 2014. If EJ shows no hope of getting them there they will want to have an alternative rather than the only option being to write off another entire year. I don't think they stand pat with what they have. I think they will be looking to bring somebody in this year.

I don't know that Martin could be a good guard. The mindset of a good guard is badass (though not psycho like Ritchie). Martin doesn't seem to be wired for that. He looks to be TJ Graham in an O-lineman's body. Sort of unfortunate.

Agree.

I wouldn't do this now. I think the Bills have better options to explore this year thru the draft. I really did think that we were going to get him for Lynch back when, but I guess Thompson figured Starks was good enuf.

True. The class is deep and talented with both newfangled and throwback TE prospects. A number of interesting sleepers as well once you get past the frontrunners who garner all the media attention. Personally I think the draft for WRs and TEs shapes up as a mid and maybe even later round exercise as far as the Bills are concerned (unless something unexpected happens like Watkins dropping to # 9). A chance for Whaley to show as a good picker.

You're probably right but he may drop and if so I can see it as the elephant in the room as far as the coverage is concerned. When someone bites you will prolly hear a big sigh of relief coming from the commish. He's already got his hands full with the concussion controversy.

This is a guy who, while not an elite prospect by any means, would normally get drafted. If he does undrafted and is unsigned as an UDFA only because teams want to avoid the distraction, I wonder whether he can successfully sue the league. If he can the league office must be concerned with this. But how do they force a team to pick him up and who exactly do they force assuming they can?

I agree. He's already the best blocker IMO. Dominant in that regard in a very tough conference. An excellent red zone threat. Set a team record with 6 receiving TDs. He's not going to take the top off any NFL defense but I think he can find the seams and is as much a nightmare physical mismatch as Niklas. Niklas has a second round grade. Unless CJ runs much better than expected at the combine he is a third or fourth round pick.

I don't think it was a fluke. I think Whaley will do a very good job getting Marrone the talent he needs. I firmly believe the nightmare drafts are a thing of the past.

You are right. He called better games with Tuel and Lewis under center. It's not because he thought they were more limited. It's because they decided to mollycoddle EJ and not take chances. As to why they did that...well that's a whole other discussion. It will be interesting to see what happens when, as surely they must, they open up the playbook for EJ this year. I think he may turn into a turnover machine. That would be my concern.

Re 1) I doubt he's worth the time you would have to spend to figure out if he could play, meaning he's a bust IMO 2) Agree 3) I can think of players who might be (reasonably) safe to draft in the first, but I don't know of any positions, as such, that are. I think Matthews and Robinson are good risks and would be delighted with either.

God is a relentless road grader who punishes people for no better reason than his own amusement. Unfortunately for us that is a good and sufficient reason. There is no getting away from him. He's too good. You can't beat him. So just draft him at 9 already.

I'm pretty sure Doug Marrone also likes great O-line play so hopefully we will get there one way or another.

He's a good player fo sho but he will get a big payday from someone, probably more than he is worth. IMO the Bills will draft a wideout in May (to replace TJ) and it would be criminally stupid not to given the quality and depth of this years class. If Watkins is there at # 9 he will be hard to pass up (but not impossible if either of the two top OTs are also there). More likely he is gone in which case the Bills target a big receiver in the mid-rounds IMO.

I think Minny could very well draft D Carr. If 4 QBs come off the board before we pick there is an excellent chance that Matthews and/or Robinson is there at # 9 and if so OT should be the pick, and I would be delighted with either. If in addition you can sign one of the Chiefs FA guards next month and land the Iowa TE in the 4th you will have the makings of an elite O-line.

I think you really do have to ask yourself whether you would want Asamoah over Schwartz. Schwartz is looking for a multi-year deal after two one year deals. Either guy would likely give us what we need at LG and I would expect that they are both on Whaley's radar. I don't know that either will be available though. Fisher improved a lot towards the end of last year and might be ready to take over at LT, meaning the Chiefs will not be willing to go long term with Albert for the big bucks he will surely command.