OldTimer1960

I am open to your point, but I think I am missing who the Packer's late round QBs were that were developed. I think the Packers starting QB for the last 24 years has been Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers - neither of whom were late round draft picks.

I think that folks are giving coaches too much credit for "developing" a QB. Now, can a good scheme and play calling as well as being surrounded by talent help a QB to look good? Yes, of course. But I am pretty sure that almost any NFL coach is providing the same information to QBs. QB success is almost innate and, in my opinion, is almost solely a function of a QBs natural ability and work ethic. You could put EJ, Tyrod and any number of guys with the greatest QB "developer" of all time and they still wouldn't become great QBs. On the flip side, does anyone think that Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Dan Marino etc were successful because their coaches "developed" them?

The thing that struck me listening to that interview was that the reporters treated him respectfully and he treated them that way, as well.It was local "reporters" who actually don't report much of anything, instead they primarily are confrontational to the people that they are interviewing and then mostly write negative "opinion" pieces. Doesn't matter what the Bills do - articles are already written: - "Bumbling Bills let the best QB they have had go" Or -"Bumbling Bills stick with Taylor who isn't A franchise QB"

I know he won't be available, but Jonathan Allen from Alabama. I think he looks like a monster

This kind of logic "develop a QB" suggests that there are a lot of QBs who could be very good in the NFL if only their team would develop them. If that were true, then EJ Manuel would be a franchise QB. He has about as much raw physical talent as Jones has (arm, size, speed) and he is a very hard worker and intelligent by most accounts. Yet, I don't think many here would agree that Manuel could be developed into a good starter even if they invested 3 more years in him. This whole develop a QB is more than a bit off. If it were really as simple as finding a physically talented guy and working with him, there would not be a shortage of good QBs in the NFL. Now, I am not saying that coaching doesn't matter at all, but I am saying that there are not a ton of QBs walking around that could be good NFL starters even with good coaching. For sure, you can ruin a QB that could have been a good stater with bad coaching. I just don't think that it is realistic to "coach up" a guy with physical talent that does not get it.

Passing is not their personnel's strength. It would be stupid to play to your weaknesses. This is just another way to say that they need a great QB. I think that they are aware of that and are trying to find one.

Might those two things be related? That is, he has brought in some good low priced vets that were better than some rookies that he drafted (and they are other NFL rosters). It also is influenced y coaches decisions on the end of the roster- do you think a 5th - 7th round pick would have been better than Zach Brown or Leger Douzable was for this team? No doubt, part of that is related to having a middling and semi-effective QB (allows them to pay more for veterans than teams with $25M QBs), but he is maximizing what he has control over.

What examples do you have of more qualified candidates that were excluded and how do you know they are more qualified?

Can't see Watson as a first round pick, let alone top-10 selection. Second round - maybe if they keep Tyrod or take Mike Williams to catch Watkins' off-target passes. I see Watkins as a bit better passer than Tyrod Taylor, but a much lesser running threat. Can Watson's sub-NFL standard passing be better than Taylor's pass/run combo? I'd take my chances on Taylor and pick Williams or the top safety available.

They certainly could use a good safety. Secondary failed miserably after Aaron Williams was injured.

Yep, he is within 19 pounds of Aaron Maybin and probably wore Whitner's number! FWIW, Whitner was a very good player - certainly not a bust - but he was NOT Haloti Ngata whom they could have picked. Get over it fans - that stuff h appends every year to every team.

What does the pulse of the Buffalo fan base have to do with being a good head coach? No thank you to Chad Kelly. Reich might be a good candidate, but not for the reasons you listed.

I think that within a few weeks Williams will realize that he should retire. It is too bad for him and the Bills - you can see how valuable he was with the way that the secondary fell apart without him.

I have calmed down after yesterday's rants against hiring Anthony Lynn. I realize that you certainly can't blame him for a bad game when he was only promoted to head coach 4 days earlier. It will take an awful lot to get rid of the lackadaisical attitudes by some players and total disorganization that was allowed to go on under Rex Ryan. That being said, I think that they do need to do a search that extends beyond Anthony Lynn and seriously consider other candidates. i would not delay decision for long waiting to talk with a coordinator of a playoff team. Waiting too long makes it much harder for the new coach to put together a staff as other new-hire coaches will have put their staffs together already.

I don't know where this "Whaley wants a puppet" / Whaley is some kind of power hungry guy comes from. I mean, you could clearly see that many of last year's draft choices were influenced by Rex Ryan and before Rex, Whaley drafted bigger OL guys to fir what Doug Marrone wanted. It sure seems like Whaley works with his coaches to select players that the coaches want. When did it become wrong for a GM to want control over personnel, as Whaley has been criticized for?

I understand your point, but wanted to chime in for those that don't: while Whaley did not draft any of the players that you listed, Kelsay, Schoebel and Whitner were all very good, not great players. I never understood why Chris Kelsay and Aaron Schoebel took so much heat from fans. The thing that made people unfairly hate on Whitner was that they passed on Haloti Ngata to take Whitner - dumb move, but not Whitner's fault.

Hard to say drafting Watkins was a mistake. When he has been healthy, he has been outstanding. No way to predict at draft time that Watkins would be plagued by injuries. Karlos Williams was a 5th round pick who they got one year of very good production from before he self-destructed and Fred Jackson, though beloved here, was pretty much done when he left. They didn't pay Percy Harvin much - if you want to kill Whaley for missing on a mid-tier FA, I guess you can. I'll grant that EJ was a poor choice, but as you and others stated, the real damage was shying away from drafting other QBs after they took Manuel.

How do you think that they could get him from the Vikings? Bridgewater is a long-shot to play next year.

if they are reaching for a QB in this weak class, they should be canned. I can't see one worth picking in round one. Now, if they like someone in round 2 or 3, maybe, but 1st round QB in this draft? If there were even a half decent 1st round QB prospect in this draft, Cleveland, SF, Chicago and the Jets all need QBs and pick ahead of Bills. If a QB gets by those 4 teams that are desperate for the position, then I would be very wary of taking him.

Ok, thanks. I read that he is maybe a bigger Tyrone Matthieu without the off field problems. If true, great.

I don't see a QB worth a first round pick, so no in my opinion. Mike Williams does not help with Taylor being unable to throw over the middle (or accurately to the sidelines when he does throw). A safety is a necessity, so Hooker might be a possibility, but he is no game changer (IMHO). Not sure e who Adams is.

How many times did the Bills have to call timeout on offense because they could not get a play off before the play clock expired?

Who do you see there? I don't think a WR, though certainly a need, helps this team if Taylor is playing QB. I like Tyrod, but he is not a good enough passer that a WR helps much.

So, who do you see that will be available that will help much?

I know it is early, but that pick is too late to get get a true difference maker. No QB that I can see, need defense and big WR, yet I don't see a dominant defender available there and a big WR is a waste without a better passer than Taylor next year.