OldTimer1960

We are pretty much aligned. Where I differ is in having faith that Dane Jackson and anybody currently on the roster can adequately hold down the fort for the first month or two, if required. Likewise, I think some of the 2nd and later CBS you listed could be decent long-term options, but most of them (I think) would be liabilities early due to coming from lower level schools and/or experience at the position. Emerson is the exception there, but his athletic ability, not just speed, is not optimal. I think that until they sign a vet with something left in the tank, that they have to plan for the possibility that White isn’t ready for the start of the season. If Jameson Williams is there at 25, great (if the Drs are happy with his injury recovery prospects). If he isn’t and they are looKing at Burks, Dotson, Pickens then I don’t think those are necessarily better players than say, Booth or Gordon. Likewise, I really like Zion Johnson, but G at 25 comes with the 2nd contract conundrum. It is unlikely that any of the top OTs will be left and I am firmly in the no category for Breece Hall - fine player, but RB have limited life and he has a lot of mileage on him from college. i guess beyond Williams, I might consider Christian Watson instead of, say, Kyler Gordon, but I think the opinions on Watson have cooled some since the height of Watson Mania after the combine. I know PFF isn’t be-all end-all, but Watson is currently 75th on their rankings. Really nice prospect, but round one coming with drop concerns? Long winded way to say, I understand that if Booth isn’t available, that Gordon or another CB might be a small reach, but so will most anyone left at 25, barring a major surprise.

I am no scout, but I think he fits what the Bills look for and CB is an obvious need and premium position.

We are generally aligned, but the “#1 pass defense” stat is, in my opinion, very misleading. They played an inordinate number of games against backup and rookie QBs and they also had the wind game in which NE attempted 3 passes. I am not saying that they were a bad defense, but I think that they benefited greatly by circumstances.

Even if White is 100% to start the season (I still think that is pretty optimistic), I question Dane Jackson at the other CB spot. He is not a premier athlete for that position (far from it) and it is a position that is easy to attack for opposition. He played some important minutes after White was injured, but that is no guarantee that he is fit to start for a team that fancies itself as a serious Super Bowl contender.

We are aligned, to a point. This year’s AFC is STACKED with great QBs. The Bills cannot afford to lose a few winnable games early while Tre White is out or re-acclimating himself. unless you win your division, 11 wins might not guarantee a playoff spot. Now, if the Bills think that they can survive the first half season with Tre out/knocking off thenrust by playing Jackson and ???, go ahead and take a “developmental” CB in round 3 or later. I don’t disrespect different opinions, but I believe that rolling into the first month or more with Dane Jackson (when did fans get so comfortable with him?) and either Cam Lewis or some over-the-hill cheap vet has the potential to leave the Bills on the outside looking in for the playoffs.

But who is going to look like that level of player that will be available at 25? There, you are probably looking at all the very top WRs gone - maybe injured Jameson Williams will still be there, likely all the top OTs will be gone unless they like someone such as Tyler Smith from Tulsa, you could still see Ojabo (serious injury, 1 year production, poor vs run) or Ebeketie at DE and then a bunch of players at less important positions that fit in the same category that you describe for “zone CB”. They have to pick someone or trade out of the pick.

I think that Booth and Kyler Gordon are more willing and better tacklers than Elam, but Elam is a good prospect.

King has missed a lot of games in his career. I think health is probably his biggest problem.

I think that Ojabo wouldn’t have gone too much higher than 25 even if not injured- maybe 10 pick higher? I don’t think the discount of maybe 10 spots warrants drafting a guy who has a serious injury when you don’t know if he will be able to completely come back from it. Remember, Ojabo really only produced for 1 season and they pulled him on run downs because he was not good at all against the run. Further, hard to know how much he benefited from having Hutchison drawing frequent double teams on the other side.

What makes Beasley great is both his ability to get open and his very reliable hands. I think that Wan’dale Robinson might fit that description, but I’ve read criticisms of Shakir for drops. Not a “no” on Shakir because as we’ve seen with Dawson Knox, it seems possible for a receiver to improve their catch success rate, but it is a “watch out” because the slot is supposed to be the QB’s security blanket and drops can kill a drive.

I did not say that Stevenson won’t turn out to be good. I am arguing that they aren’t counting on him being good so much that they would avoid drafting another WR who would compete with him.

What elite traits does Emerson have besides good height?

You’re not wrong. 5’8” <180 is below general positional standards. Of course, that doesn’t mean that any particular player below that standard can’t play well, but the “analytics” are against him. Ideally, you don’t want very many of these guys on your team, but if they are better than larger faster players fine. What I’ve seen of Robinson makes me think he can be a contributor, but where do you have to draft guys like him? I think he is quicker than Roscoe Parrish was and I think that he could be better than Isaiah McKenzie. With Crowder on a 1 year deal, it could make sense to draft a potential replacement. The Bills pick late in the 3rd - it might make sense to consider him there.

I don’t think that Stevenson is even a remote consideration on draft day. If he shows any playmaking ability and makes the team, it will be a pleasant surprise/bonus.

How many “game changer” RBs can you name who currently play in the NFL? Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor and who? Because the OL isn’t great and no RB is very good behind poor blocking while many RB look very good behind good blocking.

The Giants draft SO much earlier than the Bills in each round that there is no way the Giants are altering their draft strategy to keep players away from the Bills. IF they knew a couple of players that the Bills could be targeting at the end of a given round AND they were interested in one of them, they *could* trade up to take such player. Is that much different than what many other teams in similar situations likely know or surmise? I doubt it. I think it is still too early to dump on Epenesa and especially on Basham. Zay Jones had a pretty good season for the Raiders. 2nd round picks, especially later in the round, are really no sure things to ever become good starters.

It would be great, of course, if Jackson is really a decent starting outside CB. I’m just struggling to see how to draw the conclusion that the staff sees him that way. They had Levi Wallace playing ahead of Jackson until White was injured. They let Wallace walk in FA for a pretty small contract. One I interpretation of that *could* be that they really want Jackson to start - but if true, why wasn’t he starting over Wallace before White’s injury? Other possible interpretations include: - they view Jackson as basically the same as Wallace - they think Jackson is a good backup and they want a better starter. Given that Jackson sat behind Wallace, whom they didn’t like enough to keep for low-end starter $, Jackson was a late draft pick and that Jackson didn’t test as a super-upside athlete, I think likely that they would prefer to find a better starter and keep Jackson for depth. If I am wrong, then that leaves an opportunity to take a WR or OL in round 1. If I am right, not addressing CB early or by FA or by trade, leaves them very exposed. In conclusion, I hope that you are right and that Jackson can be a mid-level starter, but that still leaves a hole on the other side if White misses time early. I am NOT one of those that thinks that RAS or any particular athletic testing score necessarily defines a player, but Dane Jackson's RAS was well below average for the position he plays, so if you are right and Dane is fine as a starter, it will be based on his smarts, experience and maybe that the scheme can hide some of his below average athletic ability (relative to NFL athletes). Here is a link to his RAS: https://ras.football/2020/02/07/dane-jackson-ras/

My concern with Burns is that many of his plays did not involve running much of a route (just hanging around near the LOS). He might be able to develop the route running, but I don’t know that right now, so it is at least a question.

The Bills have a very good roster except for CB right now. There are areas to improve, but more importantly, fans need to recognize that the AFC is STACKED. Even with a great season, no guarantee that the Bills make it through the AFC playoffs. Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos with Wilson, Bengals, Browns with Watson and Ravens are all outstanding. Just a notch back are Pats, Dolphins (maybe best WR/TEs in the league), Raiders, Titans and Colts. I really believe that there could be an AFC team that goes 11-6 and misses the playoffs.

When his rookie contract expires.

I think that Zion Johnson is a good prospect, maybe very good, but I don’t think he is the next Quentin Nelson. With Josh Allen using up a big chunk of cap, would you be willing to pay Johnson big $ and scrimp somewhere else for his 2nd contract?

Linderbaum is quite undersized. Love his wrestling background, but for that size I am not sure he is a must-pick first rounder. I get that Loyd is a very good prospect and he might be interesting if no CB or top WR left.

I hear you, but that would take big ones for sure. What if he gets stuck with a QB as his first round pick and can’t unload him for what he paid? That is an unmitigated disaster scenario. Different story at the end of the 2nd, but then nobody wants a QB who was unpicked in 2 full rounds.

This one is not bad and semi-realistic.

For a pure speed guy who produced for only 1 year, I worry that his knee injury could rob him of some of the speed that makes him special. I might be over worried, but he hasn’t proven that he can win without dominating speed and that is in at least a bit of doubt now.