ChanOverChin

I love the trade down and then I love the selection of Barkley at #16. I can definitely see that happening. I firmly believe that is what the Bills want to do. I think it is very realistic too because the Rams really want and need a WR like Austin. I think it will cost the Rams MORE than a R2 pick to move from #16 to #8 however. It might cost them as much as a R2 and a R3 OR possibly just a R2 and R4. Either way, the Bills get their QB of the future at their greatest need position. They also get a guy who is going to compete for a starting spot THIS YEAR. Great move!! If they can get a R2 and a R3, wow!!!!!

Nice to see that the Bills are at least "playing the game". It's obvious that they are trying to set themselves up for a possible trade down by letting everyone who is interested in Austin they he is currently #1 on their draft board. My gut feeling is that the Bills want Barkley, but don't want to take him at #8. The interesting dymanic for tonight will be, where do they feel comfortable selecting him?? They obviously need more picks to fill all of their needs adequately so trading down from the mighty #8 spot makes a lot of sense. Nassib and Manuel are only decoys. Barkley is who the Bills are targeting in this draft. Watch the USC/Syracuse game. Barkley dissects the orange defense for 5 TDs in that game. Marrone had no answer for him and respects the hell out of him.

has the Bills selecting QB EJ Manuel at #8. Does he know something that we don't?? The linky: http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-2/Chris-Browns-8th-annual-mock-draft/1becd2ee-77cc-4376-bab5-4be7675e52aa. I'm hoping the Bills will trade down at least once before they select their QB of the future. Your thoughts on Brown's selection at #8 overall??

trade down in the draft. See linky: http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2013/4/23/4256766/2013-nfl-draft-rumors-buffalo-bills-open-thread. Nix's interview with ESPN's John Clayton is also included as a bonus. Adam Schefter ✔@AdamSchefter Teams that have made calls about moving back in draft include PHIL, DET, CLEV, BUFF, MIA. Doing what they should. Trading down a few spots at the very least makes a lot of sense for the Bills in this draft. I don't think there will be many teams looking to draft Barkley or Nassib at #8 like so many on this board think. Your thoughts.

I'd prefer that the Bills trade down to acquire more picks. They only have 6 picks this year. If they reach for a QB at #8 and he turns out to be a dud (which could easily happen since so many pundits think this is nothing more than an average QB class) then the their 2013 draft could turn into a disaster. Conversely, if they trade down to say #16 and acquire additional R2 and R4 picks in the process for instance, then they'll have more opportunities in the first four rounds (R1-1, R2-2, R3-1, R4-2) to fill their overall needs, including their need at QB.

This is what it may come down to folks. With the Jets having the #9 and #13 picks overall and in need of a QB the Bills may feel forced to go with a QB at #8 so that they can be afforded the luxury of selecting the QB of their choice rather than taking what is left over (if they should decide to trade down or wait until R2). From all accounts that I've read recently, that QB seems to be a choice between Barkley and Nassib. I think Nassib has the advantage because if it's deemed to be very close then I think Marrone would push for Nassib. See link below for a comparison of the two and whether this comparison sways you one way of the other. The link: http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2013/4/22/4250878/2013-nfl-draft-debate-matt-barkley-ryan-nassib. Q1: Do you agree with the linked assessment?? Q2: Do you think that with the Jets now having the #9 and #13 picks that it essentially forces the Bills to take a QB at #8??

First of all, let me say that if you don't know who Chris Brown is and what he does and what he knows then you have no right to call yourself a Bills fan. The guy is in deep. Secondly, as MMD just posted, the Bills' original plan was to trade down a few slots and THEN take their QB. It was clearly the best plan for several reasons. However, with the Jets now at #9 and #13 as a result of the Revise trade, they will have to think twice about that. The Jets need a QB almost as much as the Bills do, but who really knows who they like. I expect that they will select a QB with one of those picks as a result. I think that means that the Bills' hand has been forced into taking a QB at #8. It's going to happen fellas. You can bet the house on it.

Definitely Barkley if they stay put at #8. Even if they trade down in R1 it will be Barkley (if he's still there). The cat and mouse game with the Jets will be very interesting. Nassib has been the decoy all along. I'm glad so many on this board think it's going to be Nassib at #8 because that means that the opposing teams probably think so as well.

My take is that the Bills will select Barkley at #8 but only if they really love him. my guess is that they like Barkley and Nassib about the same (possibly Barkley a little better, but may believe that Nassib will eventually be as good as Barkley). Anyway, I still think the Bills should consider trading down (not very far), which would allow them to acquire at least an additional R2 pick, if not more, and then select their QB if they feel the need. With so many QBs (G. Smith, Barkley, Nassib, Manuel) believed to be rated about the same, the Bills are bound to get at least one of them if they were to secure say the #16 pick overall. Most NFL pundits don't project Barkley or Nassib to be drafted in R1. Smith is projected in R1, but only if someone like Oakland or Philly takes him. If they don't, then he's projected to be selected in the 20s in R1. Manuel is projected as a late R1/early R2 selection. I've even heard that there are some who think L. Jones will be the best QB in this draft when all is said and done and he's projected to drafted in R3 or later. Knowing all of that and knowing that I only have 6 draft picks with about 8-9 holes to fill I think I would be inclinded to trade down a few spots to obtain more picks while still being a major player in the QB selection process.

the Bills plan to try to trade down in R1 (to the teens or 20s) to acquire more picks and will then plan to select a QB at that time in R1. They are hoping that certain players such WR Austin or OT L. Johnson are still available at #8 so that other teams will offer a bevy of draft picks to move up to #8 overall. It's pretty cler that the Bill want to select a QB as their top priority in this draft, but that they don't feel like any of the QBs warrant being selected as high as #8 overall. The trade down strategy would work out the best for the Bills because it would allow them to select the QB that they want in R1 while still acquiring more picks whereas selecting a player at #8 overall and then trying to trade back into the latter part of R1 will cost them too many of the precious few draft picks (6) that they have at their disposal. Brown also made it clear that the Bills are looking to acquire a CB as a very high priority now that A. Williams has been moved to safety.

I don't think that Bills can afford to think that small. All of the other teams will be saying thank you very much Buffalo for reaching that far for a player and letting guys like Milliner and some of the better O-line and D-line players slide to us. That #8 overall pick has great value and the Bills should look to exploit it for all it's worth. It's the prize the NFL presents to you when you're one of the dregs of the entire league. Take advantage or remain a dreg. If the Bills don't feel like they can wait until the latter part of R1 to select Barkley (my preference) or Nassib, then take them sooner. But I would really like to see them at least do a little better than reaching so far for Barkley at #8 overall.

Mr. P, I thought the same thing a few weeks ago. However, if the Bills really like both Barkley and Nassib then they may be more willing to roll the dice to select one of them as late as #23 overall. If you look at more draft boards (ESPN/SI/ProFootballTalk/TSN/etc.) nobody has Barkley rated higher than a R2 pick. Now that certainly doesn't mean that a team or teams won't reach for such a player. It all comes down to how well the Bills have done their homework. If they do select a QB at #8 he had better be damn good, franchise good, because the Bills will have really restricted what they could have otherwise accomplished in this year's draft. If the Bills were to pull off the draft that I proposed above (or something close to it) they would essentially be set on defense and could sign OG B. Moore to solidify their O-line. They could start the following lineups: OFFENSE: Kolb or Barkley/Spiller or FJax/Alexander/SJ/Patterson/Chandler or McDonald/Glenn/Moore/Wood/Urbik/Pears. DEFENSE: K. Williams/Dareus/Branch/Ma.Williams/Bradham/Minter/Lawson/Revis/Gilmore/Searcy or R4/Byrd. Otherwise, it's Barkley, a whole lot of holes, and look forward to next year. You decide if it's worth the risk.

For the Bills, it all revolves around when they think they can get the QB they desire (i.e. Barkley or Nassib). If you're holding out for Manuel, don't hold your breath. If the Bills feel like they must select Barkley at #8 to get him, then I expect them to do so. If they can wait until the later part of R1, then expect them to trade down and possibly pull off something like the following: 1. Bills trade #8 overall for St. Louis' #16 plus their R2 and R3 picks. St. Louis selects WR T. Austin to replace D. Amendola. St. Louis still has the #22 pick. 2. Bills trade #16 and their R5 pick to Minnesota for #23 and #25. Minnesota selects the player they covet, LB M. Teo. The Bills are then free to make the follows selections: #23 - QB Barkley; #25 - WR Patterson; R2a - ILB Minter; R2b - trade for CB Revis + future 2014 considerations; R3a - DE/OB; R3b - TE V. McDonald; R4 - SS; R6 - Forfeit for signing RFA WR D. Alexander. Whether you agree that these scenarios are realistic or not, my point for this exercise is to show you that trading down is the best possible option for the Bills. It gives them the flexibility to select the BPA, to fill their needs with more draft picks, and to fill their needs by trading draft picks for proven young veterans.

I hate to even write this because other teams could be lurking, but why would the Bills take a QB at #8 when they could easily get Nassib/Barkley/Manuel either late in R1 or early in R2?? I don't think the Bills have interest in QB G. Smith, but I do think they really like Barkley and Nassib and maybe even Manuel. Keep in mind that a lot of what Nix is saying now and will continue to say about drafting certain positions or players this year is a smokescreen. He knows who he wants and needs, but he's not going to tell us..........nor should he. WR T. Austin has skyrocketed up the draft boards and may now be a top 8-10 pick that teams may really covet. If he's still available at #8 I think Nix will get several calls to trade down.............and that could be the best thing that could happen for us overall.

The draft proposed by the OP looks pretty good, but I don't like it because to me for this draft to be a success we need to obtain the best possible QB. Namely, Nassib, Barkley or Manuel. QB finally needs to be more of a priority if the Bills ever hope to compete for a playoff spot.

I've been saying this for a long time now because it only makes sense. The Bills will likely trade down in R1 (depending upon who is selected in from of them ........... or to look at another way......who will be left over that they still like to fill a big need). Nix's comments in a recent article seem to indicate (if you read between the lines) that that is exactly his intention (as long as he can find a willing partner). That's mainly because of two fairly obvious reasons: 1. The Bills only have 6 draft picks for this draft so they know that they can't fill all of their needs with just those picks and also don't have much room to manuever in this draft with so few picks. Trading down seems like almost their only option to obtain more picks and still obtain at least one top notch player in R1. 2. The Bills don't likely believe that selecting a QB at #8 is a viable option. They know that they desperately need a young QB to develop and to give the franchise some real hope, but selecting one at #8 would be a big reach, which they simply can't afford to do. Trading down allows the Bills to keep a R1 pick (to select a player at a need position other than QB) and then obtain more picks (possibly an additional R2 pick) to either use directly on a QB or to use to trade up to select a QB. Don't discount the notion of the Bills trading down more than once in R1. There are teams who draft right behind the Bills who have big needs to fill along the O-line and D-line (which happen to not be big needs for the Bills) and that could mean that Nix would have the opportunity to trade down a few times in R1 if he so chooses. I think trading down is the best possible solution for the Bills in this draft given their many needs, having so few draft picks, and knowing that they need to select a QB by R2 if they hope to obtain a QB who could compete for a starting spot as early as this year. Whom they actually select at QB will be very interesting to see. The favorites seem to be Barkley and Nassib, but Nix may fool everyone and select Manuel instead. My hope is that the Bills are able to manuever well enough to obtain at least one of the three. Your thoughts.

The consensus amongst the NFL experts is that there isn't a QB worthy of the #8 pick overall. Thus, I don't think Nix will reach for a QB at #8. I see things unfolding like this for the Bills: If a player they really like and who fills a need falls to #8 (say Milliner or Jordan) they make a selection. Otherwise, I see the Bills trading down in R1 to add more picks to fill needs. By R2 though I expect the Bills to select a QB, either at #41 or somewhere in between #8 and #41. I happen think the Bills have their eyes on two QBs.......Barkley and Nassib and would dearly like to select one of them.

With Buffalo in full "re-build mode" it makes perfect sense to consider signing and trading someone like Byrd, who is an excellent player, but will command a salary of at least $6.8M-$7.5M per season. Should the Bills really pay one player like that with so many needs elsewhere?? I don't think we should look to get rid of him by any means, but if the offer is right I would certainly consider it. SF needs to fill the starting safety position that they lost recently so you can bet that they would be interested and have a lot of picks/players to offer. How about two R2 picks plus ILB N. Bowman?? Bowman is one of the very best ILBs in the league. We fill the critical starting ILB spot, use a R2 pick on a safety, and use the other R2 pick to draft QB M. Barkley. So essentially, we get Bowman/Barkley/a starting S for Byrd and his big contract. The Bills would be stupid NOT to do it.

Gents, we must draft a QB this year. We must. But we don't necessarily need to draft one at #8 overall. In R2 at #41 overall (or even sooner if the Bills are able to trade up in R2) I think the Bills need to seriously consider selecting a QB. Guys like Barkley and Nassib would be good options at that point. Whomever we draft at QB won't likely be the starter this year. Nonetheless, we must have a credit worthy young QB on the team to develop so that the team at least has some hope for greatness. There's no problem with drafting another QB next year as well, but I don't think it would be wise to not draft a QB at all this year or draft a slug in R5 or R6 who may never be a viable starter either. You have to take advantage of the opportunities that are presented to you because those opportunities may not be there in the future when you want them to be. Barkley/Nassib may only be the equivalent of a Dalton and not a Marino for instance, but that's at least a starting point and something that the coaches can work with and develop into something better. They would at least give us the chance to be competitive. Conversely, they may turn into an A. Rodgers 2-3 years down the road...........much like Rodgers did. Bottom line................nothing ventured, nothing gained.

If the Bills don't trade I like: R1 - CB Milliner R2 - QB Barkley R3 - WR R4 - LB R5 - TE R6 - LB.

Those are all big needs and seem like the obvious picks but I would not rule out CB as well if Milliner is available at #8 overall. If he's there at #8 overall (and that's a big if) I think the Bills will have a difficult time passing on him. I'm all for trading down, but the problem with trading down from #8 overall is that there is a big drop off in talent between a top 8 or top 10 player and say a top 25 player. it's a big dilemma especially when you don't know who will be available at #25 if you were to trade down from #8 overall. If I'm at #8 I'm not trading down too far from that spot to obtain more picks.

Great topic to discuss. This situation could realistically present itself. The fact that the Bills have a lot of serious needshas to play strongly into the decision. We're talking big needs at QB, WR, TE, OLB, ILB, SS, and CB and somewhat of a lesser need at OG. With that being the case, if I were running the show in Buffalo, I would certainly NOT reach for a QB in R1. Even Barkley, who I think is the QB gem of this draft, is not worthy of the #8 overall pick. But i might be willing to take him in the mid to late 20s or first few picks in R2. The safe pick would be Milliner. You pair him with Gilmore and now you've got TWO big shutdown CBs, which would allow Pettine to play them in man to man bump and run coverage most of the time and free up the other 9 defenders to do all kinds of crazy things. I could certainly live with that because it would a big step in the right direction. But that would only address one of the seven big needs mentioned above. I would explore all avenues to trade down at least once, if not twice, in R1 to try to acquire more players. I think the Bills will take the safer approach and in this case would select CB Milliner at #8 overall and then look to trade back into R1 (in the mid 20s) to select a QB and that QB would likely be Barkley. Let's face it, the Bills are not going to win the Super Bowl in the 2013/2014 season, but if they can acquire Milliner and Barkley in this year's draft they will have done one helluva job in taking a big step in the right direction.

Anybody see Barkley talking shop, drawing up plays, and discussions progressions with Gruden recently?? If you did then you noticed what Gruden noticed.............and that is that Barkley is ready to shine in the NFL. My two cents is that the Bills feel like their greatest needs are at QB, WR, ILB, OLB, and CB. Searcy will be our starting SS. I expect the Bills to try to trade out of the #8 overall spot because they need to fill all five needs mentioned just to be competitive this year and no team wants to go into a season without some type of real hope. We picked up Kolb so that we don't have to select a QB early. I think the Bills could end up with two R1 and two R2 picks plus a R3, R5, and R6 when all is said and done. That would allow them to make the following selections: R1a - OLB (pass rusher), R1b - WR, R2a - QB (Barkley would be my choice), R2b - CB, R3 - ILB, R5 - TE, R6 - WR. Then they pick up vet FAs at OG, TE, WR, LB, S.

My two cents is that it is a surprisingly good signing. Kolb is a viable starting NFL QB. He has more ability than Fitz. He had no chance to show what he could do in Arizona behind the poor Cardinals' o-line even w/ Fitzgerald at WR. I'm excited about it. That being said, I think the Bills will still draft a QB in R1 or R2.

Fellas, what this means is that the Bills are now not forced to take a QB with the #8 pick overall. That doesn't mean that they won't. It just gives them more options. I like the move. I think Kolb is actually a better QB than Fitz. He had some really big games when he was with the Eagles. I don't want to say this too loud, but I think the Bills think that Barkley is the gem of the draft. It's possible that they think they can get Barkley in R2. The other point I'd like to make is that if I'm Nix and I don't feel the need to take a QB at #8 overall then I'm looking to trade down to acquire more draft picks.