Cap'nCrunch

1st Jake Matthews because other teams trade up ahead of the Bills to select "skill" position players. 2nd rd. Donte Moncrief, WR - surround EJ with as much talent on offense as possible and Moncrief is as talented as any receiver in the 2nd rd. In DW we trust.

Agree with this assessment. Kareem Martin could be invaluable at the right DE in the wide 9. We shouldn't rely solely on Brandon Spikes to improve the run defense. http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/cfb/46928/349/out-of-the-box If a trade down from 9 can be executed for another 2nd rounder, maybe that use that extra pick on Martin?

Thanks for the excellent link. Kareem Martin just went higher on my draft board.

A defensive end in the 1st would make a lot of sense. After Clowney, Kony Ealy is a later 1st to 2nd round prospect. Good size and production. May be a difference maker. Might make sense to look to trade down into the mid 1st for Ealy then use the extra pick to look at RT as late as the 3rd round.

Agreed. Morgan Moses appears to be the type of OT the Bills want. Big, athletic, productive. Probably able to be gotten with a 2nd round pick. Maybe a top Free Safety in the 1st like Clinton-Dix since the WR job may have been filled?

Bold prediction: Mary Wilson has a change of heart and looks to an investor group to help pay inheritance taxes, thus enabling her to maintain ownership of the Bills and keeps them in Buffalo forever.

The Ralph has as many luxury boxes as it needs. Some go unused during games. The seating capacity originally was over 80,000, then was downsized for more boxes and potentially more sellouts, making owning season tickets more attractive to those who want to go to the game in person. Orchard Park has the infrastructure for handling the traffic of the games. Going into downtown for a game will be more difficult - traffic etc. - plus the lack of the tailgating atmosphere. Maybe the concourses are too narrow. Maybe the amenities are not as nice as the Dallas Cowboys have. But, the sightlines are great. The open air atmosphere of a Bills' game is also great. Plus, there is no mortgage at present to pay off and the renovations may answer all the concerns of The Ralph.

Thanks for the kind reply. In 2013 the trade down worked out pretty well - EJ & Kiko for an 8th overall. It appears likely this year that a prospect another team covets will be available at 9, making another trade down possible.

I've been coming around to the prospect of drafting Mike Evans at 9 if available and if OBD thinks he may be the next Megatron. But, we already have 4 tall WRs on the roster. What we don't have is a surplus of DEs and OTs. How about someone like Kony Ealy in the 1st and then an OT like Morgan Moses in the 2nd? Then consider WR and TE after that.

I know what you mean. Fitz made the O-line look good when running the spread and got the ball out quickly and was praised for his line calls pre-snap. I agree that a good QB makes the line better. I have confidence in EJ doing that which makes building this team much easier. I believe in discipline in doing that building by ensuring both tackles are special, the QB is franchise caliber, the pass rush is scary good, and at least one cornerback is shutdown. The Bills' front office says these positions are covered, at least the LT if not the RT. That gives us flexibility to go in pretty much any direction and be OK. WR is difficult to predict since there is so much reading the coverages and mental ability, not just size and speed. This is partly what makes this pre-draft process fun.

Just having a difficult time taking a WR ahead of OT, CB or LB. WR success depends so much on the QB whose success depends on having time to throw.

Interesting topic and a lot of work put into it. Just my opinion: 1. only one FB, Dickerson 2. Brad Smith will be released leaving room for Marcus Easley 3. 7 WRs will be kept including Brandon Kaufman (I know - that would make 4 rookie WRs on the active roster) 4. I think you want Manny Lawson on the strong side to cover TEs causing Mario Williams to be at either LDE or ROLB. 5. I don't think Arthur Moats makes this team with Pough here. Just some initial thoughts on the subject.

Tobacco in any form has the potential to harm the user's health in severe ways, but I could watch that video over and over. It's uplifting to see potential both in the players and coaches. Everyone is smiling and happy. Forget preseason, let's keep the offseason as long as possible. It's more fun.

I was going to say Bjoern Werner to replace the retired Chris Kelsay, but after thinking about it, I'll go with Manuel.

Agree with many posters that the OL is a strength on this team. Don't start messing with it by moving too many guys around for goodness sakes.

Agreed. Some draft publications have stated that even though this draft may not have the star power at the very top of the draft, it is unusually deep with talent that may make it possible to get quality into the later rounds. Even though the Bills traded away only their last pick which hasn't turned into much since Buddy has been here (Stevie was a 7th rounder before him) it would be nice to drop down from 8 or 41 to pick up some extra picks.

The common consensus that "this QB class is one of the worst to come out in a few years" paints all the prospects with a very large brush. As Buddy said, they each have strengths, and if there are only 2 in this class who might become franchise QBs with the right team and proper coaching, that would put us in line at 8 to potentially have one available to us, even if we traded down as you suggested. If Luck or RGIII were there, we'd obviously have to be drafting at 1 or 2. In 2014, we might have to be drafting in the top 2, 3 or 4 to get one of those top QBs people are already talking about in that draft. Your draft would be an exciting one if it happened that way...Eifert, Minter, Rogers, Vernon have all been talked about as playmakers. Just think at QB you have to "go all in" on a guy with a 1st round pick wherever that may be. It's that important in the NFL. I think there are going to be 2, maybe 3 guys who will be franchise QBs in this draft.

While the trade down option would net more picks and greater value if the QB you want to take is still there later in the 1st, it is still a gamble to delay picking up what you expect would be the "face of the franchise" if not a franchise QB. If we traded down to 22, "what if" comes to mind - what if another QB needy team trades up ahead of 22 and takes your QB? I know this point has been made many times on this site. I like EJ but I'm also encouraged that all the decision-makers have seen him on film, at the Senior Bowl, at the Combine, at his pro day, at a personal workout and most likely at an upcoming personal visit at OBD. If they pass on him, it won't be out of ignorance.

I'm not so certain that it is a lead pipe certainty that Geno Smith is #1 QB on every team's list of QB prospects. Former GM of the Broncos Ted Sundquist said on NFL Total Access that he considers EJ Manuel 1st round talent and stats remarkably close to Geno Smith and in a bigger frame. Sundquist also made the point of saying that EJ had a better completion % with less talented receivers than Ponder had before him in the same offense. In Buddy and Doug We Trust.

An architecture firm is Cleveland is putting thoughts into a geodesic dome for the Browns stadium. At a potential cost of $200 million, it could be an idea that would work for the Ralph. Save $ over building a new stadium and keep the one that has served us well for 40 years and counting. source: www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/10/cleveland_architecture_and_eng.html

If we drafted EJ at #8, for about 5 to 10 minutes until the 9th pick is made, the Bills brass would have to endure the talking heads on the draft coverage complain about what a reach EJ is. I have a feeling they could handle it. In Buddy (& Doug) We Trust.

First, a proposed scenario: trade #8 to SF for their #s 31, 34 and 71, giving us a 1st, 2 2nds and 2 3rds plus one 4th, one 5th and one 6th. SF would still have 10 picks. Then we'd have to like 31 guys. Otherwise, at #8: 1. Erik "EJ" Manuel, Jr. 2. Eugene Cyril "Geno" Smith, III 3. Matthew Montgomery "Matt" Barkley 4. Manti Te'o 5. Ezekia Nana "Ziggy" Ansah 6. Jarvis Jones 7. Alec Ogletree 8. Keenan Allen

Agreed. These stats are, at least, a starting point to have discussion. Even when "investing" in a new toaster I like to look at more than price, so investing in a million dollar player deserves as in-depth analysis as a team is willing and able to do. I like to get into stats as deeply as possible. How much is the average fan willing and able to do? Many fans go by "gut feel" and many form their opinions by what the experts say. Each method is fine, as each fan has his/her own point at which they become comfortable forming an opinion. I will refrain from using the term "analytics" when simply presenting stats. Thanks for coaching me up.

I hear he's available!

Submitted for consideration: Cam Newton: 2010 Passer rating of 182.0, 66.1%, 2854 yds, 10.2 yds/att, 30 TDs, 7 int. Geno Smith: 2012 Passer rating of 163.9, 71.2%, 4205 yds, 8.1 yds/att, 42 TDs, 6 int. source: www.profootballreference.com If Newton had been available to us in the 2011 draft, instead of Marcel Dareus, I'm willing to go out on a limb and say we would have taken Newton. Newton and Smith are not the same QB of course, but analytics may bring you to the conclusion that Smith is attractive at #8.