mjt328

I never criticized Doug Whaley for letting Chris Hogan walk out the door. But I believe his handling of Mike Gillislee has been done poorly. It's not about matching the offer sheet. It's about the fact that we could have paid Gillislee less than $1 million more and locked him up for sure. Hogan was never going to be a big producer on our offense. He always fit the Patriots system better than ours. And even if he was still on our roster, we would still be looking for an upgrade opposite Sammy Watkins - with Hogan sitting as our #3 or #4. However, with our run-heavy offense and Shady's age, it would be foolish to enter the season without an experienced backup RB that can carry the offense if needed. We know that Gillislee fits our offense and we know that he can produce big when called upon. Maybe it's all about the system, and we'll have no problems plugging in another guy that can produce 7-8 TDs and over 5.5 YPC. But if Shady gets hurt, and our run game falls off... there will be no place that Whaley will be able to hide from this decision.

Odds are, Gillislee was going to have a very important role this season. How confident are you that McCoy is going to stay healthy for 16 games? This is why injuries cannot be an excuse for a GM. Because it is his job to make sure we have strong depth behind the starters.

On the surface, this is very frustrating. The Bills offense is the most run-heavy in the NFL. Our starting running back will be 29 when the season starts and entering his 9th year as a pro. Having a strong backup RB is very important. Especially for us. From what I understand the RFA tender to make Gillislee basically untouchable (nobody would give up a 2nd Rounder for him) would have been less than $1 million more. Now it will cost us an additional $2 million to match New England's offer. Our compensation for letting him go would only be a 5th Rounder, which has netted us the following players in the last couple drafts: Jonathan Williams, Karlos Williams, Cyril Richardson, Jonathan Meeks. That is the track record of our scouting department and Doug Whaley. In my opinion, Gilislee is way more valuable than any of those guys. Like many on this board, my patience with Whaley has grown very thin. I'm tired of the excuses. I want results. In my opinion, the guy gets 2017 to get this team back into the playoffs. Considering how much this team will depend on McCoy to get this team there, I think this was a stupid gamble to play with his primary backup. We will know for sure when fall hits.

My initial reaction is smokescreen. But if the report happens to be true (we will find out next week), I think we as Bills fans should just cross our fingers and hope Doug Whaley gets this one right.

I think he would definitely be a possibility if we trade down. But if we stay at #10 and take him, odds are we are bypassing a much higher rated prospect (at least based on general consensus). My biggest concern would be the position change. He played more of a DE/OLB pass rusher at Temple, than a traditional Will/Weakside Linebacker.

Ideally, the Bills can trade back 5-10 spots and still land someone worthy of consideration at #10. I'm thinking someone like Corey Davis or Cam Thomas could potentially drop that far. Especially if some Quarterbacks and Running Backs begin creeping into the Top 10-15 picks. In this scenario, the Bills could possibly get themselves another 2nd or 3rd Rounder. But knowing the Bills, we will probably TRADE UP for Marshon Lattimore. Seeing as how this is the deepest cornerback draft in years.

It's a balance. For some guys, being cocky or arrogant is just a part of their personality. It doesn't create a problem for the team and never becomes an issue. Other guys become a massive distraction for their teammates. Some guys get in trouble off the field, and it becomes a wake up call in their life. Others can't stop getting in trouble, and spend the majority of their careers getting suspended for various incidents. Lots of players work their tails off, but still stink. Others are lazy, but manage to be good/great players based almost entirely on their talent.

Sammy Watkins may be the most talented player we have drafted in the past 5 years. But he wasn't the smartest pick. Not by a mile. First of all, it doesn't take a genius to draft someone considered a Top 5 elite talent in the draft. Any idiot GM can draft a Watkins or a Marcel Dareus. What would have been smart, is to stay put and take Odell Beckham Jr., who has been a better player than Watkins. Or to trade down and take someone like Kelvin Benjamin. Even if you account for the trade up (which hasn't been worth the price so far, considering Watkins injury history), I think most would admit that Khalil Mack would have been a smarter choice. I agree with those that say Cordy Glenn was probably our smartest pick. Not only did we get a very good starting Left Tackle in the middle of the 2nd Round, but Glenn has been better than any of the tackles drafted ahead of him. Almost every analyst I read thought that Glenn was destined to be a Guard or Right Tackle. Most figured he wouldn't make it on the left. The Bills believed they knew better, and they were. Kiko Alonso was also a good pick. But one of the main reasons his draft stock dropped was because of injuries. And the Bills lost Alonso for his entire sophomore season, before shipping him off to the Eagles. Injuries are the main reason that Alonso has failed to live up to his potential. If the Bills hadn't traded him for Shady and he had stayed on the roster, I think most fans would be considering the guy a disappointment at this stage of his career. Ronald Darby looked like a genius pick during his rookie season, but the guy really fell off last year. Jury is still out on Darby.

There are a few ways to look at an NFL prospect (at any position). The first is physical ability. Size, speed, strength, agility, etc. Basically the things you get from the Combine. This is by far the easiest way to measure and compare players, which is why this area is always overrated by scouts and analysts. Cardale Jones is overflowing with physical ability. So did EJ Manuel. But physical potential doesn't always translate into success. The second way to judge a prospect is on-field production. Basically game-film and tape. This gives you a better idea of how physical ability can translate onto the football field. You can see how a defensive lineman's strength allows him to beat his blocker. You can see how a receiver's speed allows him to get open. With film, you can also get a sense of how polished a player is in the technical aspects, like accuracy, throwing mechanics, etc. In this area, Cardale Jones has much to be desired. His accuracy was all over the place in college. As was his footwork and mechanics. His decision making was often poor. His throws often lacked anticipation and timing.

Anyone that considers Sammy Watkins a Top 5-10 receiver in this league is a true homer. At some point, the guy has to prove he can stay on the field before being put in that category. He played 13 games in 2015. He played only 8 games last year, contributing a whopping 430 yards and 2 touchdowns. And he will likely miss training camp once again recovering from foot surgery. With that said, the Bills only have a few weeks (May 2) to make the decision. And at this point, they have very little to lose by granting his option. But if the trend continues, I certainly wouldn't be extending the guy after his contract is up.

Yep. Even if you go back to the start of "the streak" - you will see coaches and front office divided between Rob Johnson and Doug Flutie. If reports are to be believed, Doug Whaley has clashed with pretty much every coach over the starting QB. Whether it be benching EJ Manuel, signing Kyle Orton, releasing Matt Cassel, retaining Tyrod Taylor. It's hard to believe the team has a unified vision, when those in charge can't even agree on the starting QB.

True. It is tough for a single person to have all the information/insight on every player. But when we are constantly hearing that the front office and coaching staff are at odds on players, it can't be a good thing for the organization.

Reading this makes me wonder. Maybe our problem in the draft room is related to "too many voices" when it comes time to make picks. It's important for teams to have a collaborative effort between scouts, coaches and the GM. But at some point, there needs to be a LEADER at the top of the pyramid. Somebody with a singular vision for how to construct the roster. That person needs to make the final call every time. He needs to be the one held responsible. If there is truth to this article, Marv Levy, Tom Modrak and Dick Jauron all had pieces of those Bills drafts. And it sounds like they couldn't agree on which players were the best fits, whether they were reaches, etc. It's no wonder our rosters during that time were such a mess.

What if Terry Pegula is just a football fan, and is taking advantage of his status as owner to go along on a scouting trip? If I was the owner of the Bills, I would let the GM and Head Coach do their job without getting involved. But you better believe I would be in the draft room, watching practice, meeting players, etc., etc.

I don't think you can really compare the situation between Rex Ryan and Tyrod Taylor. Most people that support keeping Tyrod Taylor around still know he isn't the long-term answer. Most aren't expecting him to improve next year by leaps and bounds. Most know we aren't going to have a Top 10 passing attack with him under center. Most aren't against the Bills drafting his eventual replacement either this year or next. At the same time, Taylor brings enough other skills to the table (running ability, lack of turnovers) that switching to a guy like Mike Glennon, Jay Cutler or Josh McCown would have been a significant downgrade. With him under center, our offense has been good enough to win games with - meaning we could potentially break the streak by keeping him around instead of starting over. And many also feel that throwing a rookie into the fire immediately would be detrimental to the young player's development. None of this applies to Rex. He is a .500 level coach that was taking our team backwards.

The Bills need to do their homework on every QB prospect. If another franchise quarterback slides past them (like Derek Carr or Dak Prescott), I think Doug Whaley and the rest of the scouting staff should be replaced. With that said... If the Bills don't like any of the prospects, I definitely think they should do everything in their power to trade down.

The fact that anyone would advocate this (even if they know it was just a silly pipe dream) is downright frightening, and really says something about the mentality of some Americans. As someone pointed out, this would basically be communism. Besides, If the government used eminent domain to seize control of the land, that would only account for the stadium. Not everything inside the stadium, or everything that uses the stadium to perform. Otherwise, what would stop the city from laying claim to a musician that uses the stadium for a concert? Or the vehicles of someone that displayed his collection at a car show? (I honestly don't know what else that stadium is used for beyond football use, but you get the idea). The team and everything Oakland Raiders would still belong to Mark Davis. And he could still move them wherever he wanted.

I certainly wouldn't rule out an OT. One of our first targets in Free Agency was Ricky Wagner. We later brought in Andre Smith for a visit, before finally settling to bring back Jordan Mills. There was also a report that the Bills have done a pre-draft visit with Cam Robinson, who is considered the top tackle prospect and a 1st Round Pick. Besides that, I pretty much agree with your list. I believe our 1st Round Pick will be a WR, TE, OT, LB or CB. Which still doesn't narrow it down much.

Can't keep everyone. And all of those players were massively overpaid to go elsewhere. On one hand, you have Bills fans complaining that we are letting guys walk and that's why Doug Whaley sucks. Then you have other Bills fans who complain we are "mismanaging the cap" and paying certain guys too much money.

Bills pass less often than any of the other 31 teams in the NFL. When they do, Tyrod Taylor prefers to use check-downs, sideline passes and deep shots -- as opposed to the places where a TE usually runs his routes (down the seam or over the middle). In my estimation, that makes Charles Clay the #3 option (at best) behind Sammy Watkins and Lesean McCoy. On a team that doesn't pass much, the #3 option isn't going to make big stats. To some, Clay is probably the worst contract the Bills have given out. But in reality, his average salary ($7.6 million) isn't really much worse than where most of the guys at his level should be getting paid. Yes, he is getting paid like a Top #5 TE. But if you go down to the #15 TE by average salary, you find Vance McDonald at ($6.5 million). At #20, you find Antonio Gates ($5.5 million). If the guy is overpaid by #1-2 million per year, I think I can live with that.

It's not that simple. You can't just identify "positions to pay" and "positions not to pay" without considering many other factors. For instance, what kind of system is the team running? Seeing as how the Bills employ a ground/pound system that runs more than anyone in the league, it's silly to imply that paying Lesean McCoy is a waste. Or suggesting that we should just settle for scraps at Fullback. Unlike a team that passes 75% of the time, these guys are key pieces to our offensive attack. The same can be said for defense. While Rex Ryan forced his corners to play heavy man-coverage on the outside, Sean McDermott goes with a mostly zone scheme. That means the cover skills of our corners is less important than on other teams. Which I believe is a major factor in why we let Stephon Gilmore walk instead of at least franchising him. And why our entire secondary is being revamped. Speaking of Gilmore, the actual skill level of players should also be heavily considered. Almost every player has a max value. And Gilmore was looking for Top 5-10 money, as a guy who has never consistently played at that kind of level. You also have to realize that you can't pay a QB or WR top money when you don't have a franchise quarterback, or when your wide receiver is still on his rookie contract. So that money goes somewhere else. In the case of Charles Clay, the contract was specifically structured and loaded in a way to keep the Dolphins from being able to match and keep him. I give the Bills front office credit for identifying a player they thought could help, and then ensuring they got him. The reason he is not living up to the contract is because Taylor just isn't looking his way enough. Not because the guy isn't good enough to make plays. In my opinion, the Bills have actually done a pretty good job with the salary cap. They have known when to let people walk (Byrd, Levitre, Bradham). They have known when to re-sign guys (Hughes, Glenn, Incognito, Dareus). They have found bargains in free agency (Incognito, Alexander, Brown). They have done a good job at restructuring when necessary (Taylor). The biggest problem with the roster continues to be poor drafting. Because even though I believe letting Gilmore, Robert Woods and Zach Brown go was the right move... now we have giant holes on the roster and nobody ready to step up and fill that role. We also still have a hole at Right Tackle that needs to be filled, and questions at Safety.

I also want franchise QB to be our #1 priority. But that doesn't mean you just throw draft picks at guys you don't believe in. Although I agree that Quarterback is (by far) the toughest position to scout, it's ridiculous to suggest it's nothing but luck. Otherwise there is no point even paying a GM and scouting staff. You might as well just take a poll from the fans or pick from a magazine. Teams like the Browns, Jets, Rams and Jaguars are constantly picking QBs high. Usually in the first 40 picks. And they keep missing over and over. But you will notice those same teams keep missing on their other draft selections as well. The problem isn't luck. The problem is scouting. Meanwhile, teams like the Steelers, Packers or Ravens take 1-2 shots at a 1st Round quarterback. And bam, they have the right guy. Because those teams are constantly good at scouting, constantly good at drafting, and have a better idea which guys are worth taking a chance with. No, it's not an exact science and everyone is going to bust on picks. But it's not surprising that the same GMs who are missing their picks on Offensive Tackles and Cornerbacks can't pick the right Quarterback either.

You are right on this year's draft. I think most years the "elite" talent is around 3-5 guys. This year is more like 6-7. Unfortunately, I don't see teams reaching for QBs early this year. And if any of the elite prospects drop, it's more than likely to be one of the Running Backs (which we don't need). The guys we need to drop (Jamal Adams, Malik Hooker, Marshon Lattimore)... I believe will be long gone. At #10, I think the Bills are likely to have a choice between guys like Mike Williams, Corey Davis, OJ Howard, Reuben Foster, Cam Robinson. Yes, they are all good prospects at positions of need. But in those cases, I don't see a huge drop off in talent by going down 5-10 spots. And there is a good chance someone on that list is still available.

In my opinion, the signs are pointing against Buffalo going QB at #10. But I wouldn't be surprised at all if they take one later in the draft. 1. Re-Signing Taylor (after months of back and forth debate) tells me they didn't see Free Agency or the Draft offering immediate upgrades at the position. 2. They haven't pursued a veteran backup. That tells me they are probably leaving a roster spot open alongside Taylor and Jones for a draft pick. 3. I have heard about draft visits for Mahomes and Watson. But nothing on Trubisky, who is generally considered the top QB prospect. There is a good chance Trubisky is still available at #10, but probably not much longer. The other guys may drop to late first or even second round. This tells me they are more interested in mid/late round prospects at QB.

As fans, we should be rooting for the Bills front office to make consistently wise decisions. In the draft. In free agency. In hiring and firing. I don't want our GM just spinning the lottery wheel, desperately hoping to land a quarterback. If that is all Doug Whaley and our scouting staff is good for, then it's time for them to hit the road. They are no better than ESPN's talking heads or a guy sitting on his couch. Football is a team sport. It takes a team of 52 guys to win. Even though QB is clearly the most important piece, it's not enough all by itself. Maybe the Bills could draft 2 quarterbacks every year, and finally land their franchise guy. But then the team around them would be crap and his talent would go to waste. I'm still holding out hope that Whaley and the scouting staff are the answer, and they can properly identify us a solid franchise QB (if not in this draft, then next year). But so far, the results aren't promising. Obviously the EJ Manuel pick was a bust. Then the following year, we missed out on Derek Carr (not to mention Teddy Bridgewater and Jimmy Garoppolo). Last year, we waited until the 4th Round and missed on Dak Prescott. Another busted draft pick or another missed opportunity, and I will no longer hold hope that the Bills front office knows how to scout college quarterbacks.