BigBuff423

My point was not that this is Day 1, but that this Draft - after everything else has happened up to this point - is where Nix and his Front Office will determine if his efforts and therefore his hiring, has been worth it. Today and this weekend is where Nix will be truly evaluated in the long run. Yes he's had two Drafts and two Free Agency periods, but as I laid my argument out above, for one reason or another, this Draft will define where Nix's legacy lies. For the most part, see my first response. This was not to say today is Day 1 for Nix and Co, but rather that THIS Draft will essentially define Nix's time in Buffalo in one way or another. I laid out the reasons why I believe this to be true. Yes, he's been on the job for a couple years, but THIS Draft will be the one that either permits Nix to rise to a level where he gains additional respect and appreciation from the fanbase or one where the BILLS fans around the world will be clamoring for "another" change. That was the point....I know he's been at this for two years, but as stated above, I don't believe you can look at the previous two off-season periods as ones that are true representations of what he can/can't do for this team. They play a part in the overall evaluation of what he's done, and his staff, but this Draft is where the tipping point is created...for the better and the benefit of the BILLS, or for the worse and to their detriment. That's my point....you can still argue with it obviously, but I just want to be clear about what my point actually was....my apologies if it was nebulous and unfocused.

There have been polarizing opinions regarding Buddy Nix and his Front Office regarding assembling a championship team via the Draft and Free Agency. There have been countless discussions regarding each Draft, because let's face it - we all love our Buffalo BILLS and their destiny is directly tied to how we make our weeks from September to January, and countless discussions regarding the state of the team throughout the year. Buddy was given poor marks for his first Draft due to Spiller pick and then Troupe and Carrington and redeemed himself last year, in large part due to Dareus, and this Free Agency period has shown that Nix will do what it takes to bring the BILLS to the next level. And before I go any further, we should put recent history in perspective by saying that when Nix arrived it was close to the Draft and he was relying on the information provided by men who are no longer employed by the BILLS, at his hand he fired them or encouraged them to leave, and found an overhaul needed to take place. Then last year his ability to make too many changes via Free Agency was infringed upon based on the NFL work stoppage and all the issues surrounding the contract dispute and delayed start to Free Agency and the drastic changes in contracts for Rookies and existing players who would have been ready to hit the FA market. And then he had a solid Draft, so now in his first full year without NFL work business interrupting his ability to truly get a difference maker - he did just that with Mario Williams and then adding more talent via Mark Anderson. However, today is the day of reckoning for this Front Office and no one will know exactly how this day pans out for the next few years. We may or may not be fans of how the Draft looks on paper once these next three days are over, but only time will tell. However, perception for this Front Office and the current state of the BILLS will greatly influence fan emotion and support. Moreover, whether we truly know the value of this Draft next year or in three years (as most argue it takes that long to truly evaluate a Draft's hit or miss) TODAY is the Draft that will either put Nix and Co. into BILLS lore or sink this ship like the Titanic requiring another "re-build", and most likely by another regime at some point in the future. Today is exciting and full of anxiety about their first pick, whether the BILLS trade up or down or stand pat on their current spot, and the next two days are where the majority of your starters come from and where good value can be had, ala Stevie J, so the excitement continues but make no mistake....THIS Draft is where Buddy's legacy is firmly established. It will either be positive or negative or possibly even neither, and just mundane or ordinary. Buddy and Doug, along with Chan and Dave W., have much work in front of them as they have had much work over the last several months, but today is PAY DAY for us BILLS fans, we find out today and the next two days whether all that hard work will result in true gain, or merely perceived effort and we'll be talking about this weekend in a year, and two, and three to discuss whether Nix was a true contributor to the BILLS return to Glory or whether we are burning a mannequin of him in effigy in the Ralph parking lot. To all true fans, let's enjoy this weekend and debate these picks and have a blast looking to the future, but also as true fans let's remember....this weekend may either be the beginning of something great or the end of another run at failure. GO BILLS!!!!

If the BILLS taken Tannehill, I will be very disappointed. I won't throw the remote and walk away, but disappointed. Not so much because of Fitz but because the team needs and talent available in deeper rounds tells me we should add that talent FIRST and see how the BILLS play next year with Fitz in a full year and hopefully with a healthy set of Offensive players. Fitz was doing well enough with the players he had around him, the Defense was atrocious, and we do need depth BEFORE we need to consider changing QBs for next year. And if you're looking at a developmental QB, Round 1 is NOT the place to get him. Aaron Rodgers was taken later in the 1st round and yes he sat for a couple years, but who was in front of him???......oh yeah, BRET FREAKIN FAVRE!!! That's why he sat and they drafted Rodgers with the understanding he would sit and be the heir apparent, we dont' have a known quantity ready to retire, we have a QB whose ceiling has not yet been fully realized....and wouldn't it make more sense to either draft a WR or LT to help that "Franchise" QB of the future?? Just IMO it would be a mistake to draft Tannehill at 10....but, only a couple days left will tell us what's the truth and what is speculation.

I would have preferred the BILLS left Carrington at DE in the 4-3 as well. I just think his natural talent and size allows him to set the edge and be able to be a 3-down lineman, decent pass rush abilities but big and strong enough to be good against the run. However, Wanny is the guy who consistently builds good Defenses so, he obviously knows much more than I do, so I'll trust he knows what's the best way to utilize Carrington's talents and strengths.

Out of these three, Gilmore would be my choice based simply on the need to continually improve the pass defense and the fact that we do have a few LBs able to be competent but our CB/DBs are in tremendous need of improvement! And, another decent LB can be had in the 3rd round whereas a good CB is hard to find

If both players were to be available at 10, which is highly unlikely that BOTH are available, you take Kalil and don't look back. Blackmon is a great WR, but we have some depth at WR yet definitely need more, and we have an asset in Easley we have yet to truly know what he can contribute if at all, but WR is a deep position this year and can be filled very well in the 2nd Round. I know everybody has their favorites, but in this particular and limited scenario, you get the LT to block the blind-side for the next decade and count yourself fortunate....the question is simply this: what is the difference between Kalil and the next rated LT and the difference between Blackmon and the next rated WR?? If, and I certainly would, you come to the conclusion that the disparity between talent and NFL readiness between Kalil and the next rated LT and Blackmon and the next rated WR is greater for the LT position, you have a logical and objective answer....at least IMO....

If you read the entirety of my post you would see where I actually stated that I was not looking for a "choirboy" or anyone living in the morality spectrum of someone such as Tebow, and I went on to say that I would not dismiss someone's potential based upon youthful mistakes, as I admitted I have plenty of my own, but did stipulate that integrity, ala character, should be in great demand. As for marijuana, what concerns me is not the "use" of it or "abuse" of it, but its legality. Again, we can debate all day long whether it SHOULD be legal or if it should REMAIN illegal, that is a different debate entirely, as it stands it remains criminalized and therefore it should be eschewed by all NFL athletes understanding not only the legal entanglements that could ensue but the stigma associated with it as a professional athelete....if and when marijuana becomes fully legal to use, I could care less about someone's personal (and thereby moral) judgment of using marijuana, at that point it becomes much like alcohol - if it doesn't affect your professional duties or cause you to harm another person, then by all means use responsibly.....but UNTIL marijuana becomes a fully legal substance administered in open public without a medical prescription in all these United States, it IS a legal and criminal issue....so that means it's a character, or in our terms an integrity, issue because abiding by the laws of our nation, whether we agree with them or not is a basic requirement of being a citizen let along a sports icon...sorry, but I don't think we can advocate for committing a criminal act AND paying an individual millions of dollars to be a public figure, you don't get to have it both ways....integrity is doing what is basically just or proper in the face of adversity....and once again, I don't think we should have to sacrifice integrity/character for talent....BOTH are equally important, I don't think we should have to sacrifice talent for integrity either....our standards should remain high on both counts, integrity should be non-negotiable for a sports figure making millions of dollars and playing a game and we should also expect the elite players to be gifted to play their said sport....just IMO

There has been a great deal of debate regarding recent marijuana use, alcohol use/abuse, etc. and in another thread I was nearly skinned alive for saying that marijuana use/abuse should be treated seriously, but this to me reinforces the notion that character is equally important to talent....many people on this board have said, "Who cares what players do off the field as long as they produce on the field?"...but character is at time under-rated and at times misunderstood....Character to me is the equivalent of integrity...I don't expect any player to be a choir-boy or a "Saint" such as Tebow, but I do expect a man, who is a professional, to conduct himself with integrity...to NOT get arrested, to NOT use illegal substances - whether they "should" be legal or not is for another debate, to treat their family with respect and be responsible in public view as they are public figures....I also realize college kids make dumb mistakes, God knows I certainly did, and I won't hold minor indescretions against a college kid who is coming of age and still maturing, but there are certain flags a GM should pay attention to, such as repeated drug use or arrests related to alcohol use/abuse....in addition to the basic character issues mentioned above, I would want a player that is hard working and team oriented, I'd want a guy with a reputation to give it everything in practice as much as on game day and a guy who is reliable to show up to practice, early for meetings, participating in all activities and respectful of his coaches (at least to their faces)...respectful doesn't mean kissing their ass*s, it simply means doing what is required without constant argument and somewhere in there finding a few quality leaders of the bunch and that sometimes means sucking up your pride and doing what is asked/demanded of you, even when you don't like it...Integrity, that to me is tantamount to "character"....character has a wide-sweeping somewhat moral judgment, integrity is more of what a team should be looking for thereby removing some of the morality of the discussion..... Character should not be sacrificed at the cost of talent...this is the NFL, we should demand both....there may be varying levels of talent, because you're born with that or you're not, but integrity can be learned and developed and should remain constant across the board regardless of where you're drafted or your assumed talent level, because hard-work and conducting yourself with integrity is basic decision making, and those skills should be somewhat developed by the time a player is ready to transition to the NFL...

What I really liked about one of the statements Buddy made, to paraphrase, was that he said just because they Draft a guy at 10, doesn't mean he's necessarily going to start...he and Chan agree that the guy needs to come in to camp and compete for the job, they're not just going to hand it to him...Buddy said they don't feel the pressure to start the guy just because the BILLS draft him 10th, or anywhere else in the 1st round for that matter....interesting, and I love it!! Glad to see coaches and GM getting on the same page that basically says, "Hey, if you can play....you WILL play. To hell with where we drafted you, the BEST player actually plays!"....we can look at the roster and KNOW Buddy and Chan are telling the truth, but I think it's great to hear BEFORE the draft rather than looking for a reason AFTER the Draft for why their roster is aligned the way it is....

I just don't like the word "tip" in the title as it insinuates a negative connotation....Buddy simply stated out-right what the BILLS' intention is regarding acquiring talent. I don't think "tip" is the right word, he discussed their intentions, but overall I get what you mean..."impact" was the word that stood out to me as well....and this was surrounded by a discussion that was based in the BILLS not taking a player based on "need" but instead on the grading of the players available....in another post, CJ Spiller was discussed regarding this same basic thought....

Simply ridiculous....I understand the league is now sensitive to the "bounty" issue, but in that case, Eric Wood should be bringing a suit in the NFL given his two grostesque injuries....either way, this is just ludicrous...I sympathize with Berry and losing a season to an unfortunate injury but it's utter B.S.....

I get the basic foundation of your statement, but the truth is strength of schedule should NEVER dictate the number of wins....I understand when you play teams during the year, a team's "off" year can be to your team's advantage, but since the NFL is rarely if EVER aligned as predicted, this is a non-issue....the BILLS simply have to win, regardless of their projected opponent...

I'm moving in about a month (buying a house) and I can't switch to DirecTv quick enough!!! Freakin HATE Time Warner!! They are blood sucking leeches that are a monopoly in our area (CNY)! I've had enough of their B.S. games and I don't care if they offer to give me my cable/internet/phone for free for two years!! It will be lovely to give my hard earned money to someone else!! Not to mention, true 1080p quality picture...

I gave it a C+ merely b/c Maybin was SUCH A TOTAL WASTE OF A PICK!!!!!!!!! Only Donte Whitner was a worse pick during their regime than Maybin, however those middle round guys and of course Wood redeemed that Draft as being their best...which, is just sad in many ways....

No...it doesn't change my mind for one reason: at the 10th spot in this year's Draft, there will be either a LT or a WR of value equal to the 10th overall pick and either position is FAR more needed at this point than LB....I think highly of Kuechly, even more so since reading the information you provided, but we happen to fall into a perfect scenario this year where our "Need" intersects with the "Value" of the pick....IF both of these issues had been addressed via FA or maybe even ONE of them, then I could see Drafting such a great player and person, but as of today, the BILLS have not yet addressed those two remaining needs and since LB seems to be relatively deep this year, I'm okay with waiting until the 3rd round....just IMO

With all the "Negative Nancys" running around on this board, it's refreshing to hear something positive from a long-time fan. I agree that being a BILLS fan is become less difficult and more enjoyable and I think most of us see the improvement this team is making and the strides they're taking in becoming a better, more competitive team and while the BILLS still have a ways to go before they can be taken seriously in the playoff discussion, we are certainly making some adjustments and improvements. We'll see how it all plays out but it's encouraging for the time being....again, very glad to see someone taking the impetus to begin a positive post. Well done Sir, wish you and your family a Happy Easter weekend.

Classic.

JW - agree; all too often there are those on this board that make their opinions of football or life in general all too personal toward a person. I know there are certain topics close to our conscience that draw our ire or passion in one way or another, but leaving the personal attacks out of the discussion seem to be too much ask. I think high-brow discussion should be intelligent and absent personal assault about personal issues. So, while I definitely want the BILLS to find a solid LT they can rely on for the next decade, I don't begrudge Bell his time in Philly. The only people I believe deserve our ferocious attacks are those in the sports arena who commit crimes, create victims, or do such an injustice to another PERSON (not a team) that warrants such a critique.

How friggen depressing to see just how poorly the BILLS drafted that year....yikes!!! How can it be that the previous regime could "find" guys like Bell and Johnson and miss so very poorly on nearly every other player in that draft???? This, only makes me all the more resolved to be happy about how football is changing in Buffalo and hopefully their talent level since Nix came to town....let's hope the days of such dismal drafting is behind us!!

Wish Bell the best, but I'm certainly glad the BILLS have turned the page on Bell...no matter what the reason, I just believe the BILLS need to make an alternative plan moving forward for their LT position. Hope he does well (except when he plays the BILLS) but I am also very happy to see the BILLS addressing their LT needs through another young player THIS FO believes can solve their blindside quandry for years to come....hopefully!!

You might be extrapolating a little bit of the information too much by suggesting Nix is absolutely sold on Glenn. But I whole-heartedly agree that Nix has been true to his word thus far and therefore we don't need to read too much into what he's thinking regarding players, either FA or Draft...and I think his plans for DE are sufficiently revealed...if a DE is there in the 4th or 5th I wouldn't be surprised to see the BILLS get one, but I would be moderately surprised if the BILLS Draft one prior to the 4th round given what this team could truly use....

As for the personal question: in my opinion, that's irrelevant. If I did smoke pot at some point, how does that change the passion of my opinion? If I didn't smoke pot, how does that alter my belief that marijuana laws should be harsher in NYS?? Neither is pertinent to the discussion. It's also irrelevant if/when I drink alcohol...what we're missing here, is the much larger depth of issue that ranges from marijuana and it's deleterious effects on society and people individually over the course of time and "if" marijuana "can" lead to additional drug use and how the average individual's life is constructed compared to the average marijuana user's life is constructed at the present time....Yes, I know, many people will "experiement" with marijuana at some point in their life, but look at where their life is/was at the time when they were "experimenting" with weed....in college? in high school? during a rough point in their life? under stress or duress?...just food for thought.... And as to the people who attempted to sling pejorative statements toward me for my opinion and make it personal toward me, I have kept this discussion decent toward all and respectful of both sides of the opinion column, and will not sink to your level....all I can say is, we're all entitled to our opinions, and trust me, I knew this would not be a popular one for this board, but it doesn't change my mind in the least and I'm sure I've done nothing to change the mind of those in opposition to my own opinion....the discussion itself has merit and appreciate anyone who disagrees with me but has done so with mutual respect and good communication.... As for legalizing weed and "taxing" it, there's many more levels to that discussion and one that would require a great deal more time, so in this particular topic, I'll just let this post be my last regarding marijuana....will continue to post, I'm not being a silly schoolgirl about running away from the board, I just realize to continue to argue this point is well....pointless and we'll all just go back to our respective corners and continue discussing football and the BILLS!!! Something we can all agree on....BILLS....JUST - GET - BETTER!!!

I believe that alcohol ABUSE is just as bad as marijuana USE...but while a single beer or two "can" impair your ability, for most people it won't have much of an effect...but generally, ONE hit of marijuana does impair one's ability to do basic things such as drive....and I realize this may bring alot of debate in a sports forum, but I do strongly believe NY state law is not nearly as aggressive as it should be....the DWI laws have gotten significantly more punitive, as they should, but marijuana laws have gone the other way; meanwhile, synthetic marijuana and bath salts were just outlawed in NYS, although synthetic marijuana has been illegal on the federal level since the DEA passed a law in December 2010 but had to be federally enforced...and I'm all for criminalizing synthetic marijuana and abuse of bath salts, but then we don't enhance the marijuana laws, that's what I have a problem with. We can debate all night long, and we all have our reasons for our opinions, but that's mine: marijuana laws should be tougher and greater emphasis on prevention than treatment. Sorry man, but it's not sarcasm, it's truly how I feel...as for feeling sorry for the Lions, not so much the team but their fans...fans can't control who the Lions' FO drafts, but the FO might want to start digging a little deeper and spending more time on the interview process when they draft their players, and oh, I dunno...a random urine screen or two?? That might prevent an arrest....and before we get into a legal debate about how a team can drug screen a player, most of us had to pass a drug test for employment at one time or another, and it should be stipulated in their contracts that random urine screens will be conducted throughout the year....

I find it disturbing that we don't treat marijuana use and/or possession as serious as other narcotics such as cocaine, heroin, PCP, Ecstasy, etc....sorry, but nothing is going to change my mind that marijuana is a serious threat to the good people of this great nation!!

I'm not going to argue that the Big East is a powerhouse in football or anything silly like that, but to dismiss a player based solely upon the conference he plays in is ridiculous....examples of other Rutger Pros doing fairly well, as someone mentioned earlier Kenny Britt and a decent RB like Ray Rice?? There are others I'm sure, I'm just throwing out these two as they are stand-outs in my mind.....I'm not claiming to have any type of good insight into Sanu or any of the WRs for that matter, but you're going to have to make a better argument than that.....