Buffalo13

Count me out for CJ Mosley, Clinton-Dix. Really anyone else of the guys that are universally talked about is fine. Nothing against Alabama either. I don't think Mosley is special enough to be a top 10 pick. I think comparable players can be had later and it's not a huge need. Dix would just irritate me because of the whole Byrd situation. If they don't think that a combination of Searcy, Williams, Meeks, and Graham can get it done then they should have made a bigger push at a mid-range free agent like Delmas or something. I just hate letting a good FA go only to replace the guy with a first round pick. I suppose it's one thing to do if you're a playoff team but not when you're building like us.

Maybe. But I don't know if any team in the league regrets not taking Gronk in the top 10. Even Jimmy Graham. It's hard to pull the trigger on a TE in the top 10 even though times are changing. Also, with Ebron specifically, I question his physicality. He's an elite athlete but he's going to get banged around way more in the NFL than he did in college and I'm not sure that's the way he wants to play. I'm not saying I wouldn't take him or that I'd be pissed if we do, but I'd certainly be more nervous about him than one of the OTs.

Meh. Punters and kickers often bounce around the league in their earlier years before settling in to have nice careers. You never know with kickers. Moorman is okay at this point but could certainly be upgraded. Keep churning the bottom of the roster. Nothing wrong with that.

I want to believe. I really do. But I see issues with his accuracy and I don't know if that can be coached. Also he, like every other young QB, needs to get better at reading defenses and knowing where to go with the ball. Only time will tell if he can make that leap. This year will be a huge indicator. I truly believe that this team, outside of QB, is as good as any in the division. We ABSOLUTELY should be competing for the division crown and/or a wildcard spot this year. Anything less is unacceptable.

People keep saying this but if they both catch 1000 yards worth of passes this year and a bunch of TDs like they are supposed to do then they darn well can keep both. Teams pay 2 WRs now because you have to. Think of it as how they used to pay a WR and a RB top dollar. Now replace the RB with your other WR. The Falcons will pay Jones and White. The Packers are about to pay Nelson and Cobb. You need MULTIPLE good receivers in the NFL today and therefore you have to eventually pay them. So long as they don't have to pay a QB they will have plenty of cap space to pay for 2 WRs. That said, I don't know if I think they will both play well. What I said above is predicated on Johnson returning to form. If he doesn't, then he's out. But it will be b/c he isn't worth 8 million. Not because they wouldn't pay 8 million to a player that's worth it.

Well said. I'm sure / hoping he was cheap and we all know he will be rotational depth. More of a "set the edge" type DE as opposed to a pass rusher. Nothing wrong with this...keep bringing guys in, keep the bottom of the roster churning so to speak, and create as much competition as possible. Whaley has seemingly put Buffalo in a position to select BPA throughout the draft which is always a good thing.

Getting rid of Stevie is just silly. We have all the cap space in the world and we NEED weapons to develop our young QB. I would argue that our WR core is still average at best. If anything they need to keep everyone they have now AND still draft another guy. Until we have to start paying our QB there is no need to cut costs anywhere when it comes to giving him tools.

I don't think Marrone likes the way Spiller runs. Yes, he is electrifying when he gets it right, but too often he created negative plays this year and you can't have that when you're trying to develop a rookie QB. Getting behind the chains early is the kiss of death. To me this is further proof that they want to go a different direction at RB sooner rather than later. We'll know for sure if they reach out and try to sign him. You'd figure they are willing to offer some good money seeing as they were willing to trade for him at his current salary, right? It also seems like they've been sniffing around a lot of RBs with interviews and pre-draft visits. Off the top of my head they've spoken with Andre Williams, Lache Seastrunk, and Hill from LSU. Very interested to see how it plays out. I can't imagine they keep Spiller if they sign Johnson. Who would trade for CJ though knowing you'll probably just cut him? IMO Spiller could be devastating in Denver with all that room to run.

This is probably due diligence. I believe he may have had an injury this year that they want to look at more closely.

I think they would. If they are in fact interested in Jackson they have to know that he will command at least the 7 or 8 mil that they are paying Johnson. And if they get him (and to me that's a big if) I don't see why you'd cut Stevie to save money when you're under the cap anyway. It's a passing league. If you're not paying your QB which we certainly aren't you probably need to pay the guys catching passes from him. Adding Jackson to this group wouldn't mean half as much without Johnson. DJ being the threat that he is will allow Stevie to do what he does best. And just because Woods is viewed as a similar player to Stevie (which I think is unfair b/c I think Woods can be more explosive) doesn't mean you wouldn't want both of them. I like Woods as much as the next guy but I'll believe he can catch 80 balls when he does it. Plus, he could get injured in week one and then we're right back where we started. Even if someone has to ride the pine, who cares? Good teams have enough depth so that good players have to stand on the sideline and wait sometimes.

The odds of Barden exploding onto the scene are slim to none. He would have done it already. It is true, however, that his lone start produced numbers far better than any Bills WR has put up in the past 3 years. That's just how bad we are. They need to address the position if they hope EJ is going to develop. Doesn't have to be at 9 but they need something. I think / hope that Marrone sees Barden as his Marcus Colston. A big guy who will actually play a lot of snaps out of the slot. Almost like a flex TE. Time will tell and we all hope for great things but they'd better hedge their bet.

I think Lewan is absolutely in play at 9 (or higher) and the Bills would love to take him. They'd take any of the 3 OTs IMO. I also think Anthony Barr would be no their radar. The only guy no that list I'd go up for significantly would be Watkins. I'd contemplate giving up a 2nd if he was in reach but I don't think he will be. I'd consider giving up something small to move up 2 or 3 spots to secure Mike Evans but its such a deep WR draft you have to be really convinced that he is THAT much better than some of the other guys. Ebron is interesting. I wonder if he is as physical as his size would indicate. Picking a TE at 9 seems high but that is based off history and things change. There used to be 3 RBs drafted in the top 10 like every year and we all know those days are long gone. With the importance of the passing game why shouldn't a 75 catch, 1000 yard, 10 TD pass catcher go in the top 10 regardless of position? I'm not sure how I feel about it.

Exactly. Which is why I'd feel a lot better if they were doing some more things to help with that.

If he honestly turned down getting 30 mil over 3 years, I'd tag him out of spite. In the end, with all this money, I'll feel a lot better about losing Byrd if they ditch the strategy of "dust settle" players and make some sort of splash. Use the money you would have paid Byrd to get Manual some help.

I'm surprised he's going to walk for nothing. I expect Louis Delmas to be his replacement...it makes too much sense. We're going to have a lot of money to spend and yet Whaley says they are just going after "dust settle guys". How can they not be in the Hakeem Nicks or Eric Decker business now that they won't be paying Byrd 7 or 8 million? I'm not one to get upset about the way they spend money. I see too many teams blow cash on free agents that don't pan out. But now is the time because we aren't paying our QB anything and in today's NFL this is when you load up and help him. If this comes true and he isn't tagged or resigned, then the Bills better damn well start extending the other young talent on the team including Dareus and A. Williams.

That's a shame. He should be counting his lucky stars that Buffalo did the classy thing and released him early so that he could find work (back-up work). In hind sight they should have kept him.

I agree that Mosley is overrated. I don't think he's as good as Ogletree or Lavonte David and those guys went later. I would net take Mosely at 9. To me, linebacker is not our biggest need. Our biggest need is to develop EJ Manuel and nothing will speed that process up faster than giving him a legit weapon on offense. Be that a guy like Ebron or a WR like Watkins (who will probably be gone), I think a big, atheletic pass catcher is our biggest need. Bar none.

Pierre Garcon is also doing very well. I would love to sign Decker. I think he is a good player and although having Manning certainly helps, he also caught 600 yards worth of balls and 8 TDs from Orton/Tebow the year before. That said, Whaley said they won't be making any "big splashes" and while Decker isn't a huge signing, he may fall into that category. I look for Buffalo to take a shot on a lower tier FA WR and then build in the draft. Kenny Britt intrigues me because he is the exact type of WR we are looking for, but he fell completely off the map and they'll have to figure out why. Either way he will probably be cheap so I'd consider taking a shot.

It's not that any of them should be paid more than Byrd, it's how much do you want to pay your free safety? I like Byrd and want him to stay but I don't like him for 9 mil/year. I like him for 7. If they pay Byrd 9 mil then what happens when Darius comes up? Arron Williams? They can't pay everyone.

Yeah, I see your point, but at some point that just becomes bad business. It would make it harder down the road for Marrone to hire good coaches if they know they won't be allowed to grow and develop and move on at some point. I'm sure Marrone himself was in a position like this at one point in his career. We had a good coordinator. Those guys move on. That's what it's like to have good people in your organization and it's a nice problem to have. This happens to teams every single year. We're just in shock here in Buffalo because clearly we haven't had many talented coaches in the last 15 years.

We'll have to agree to disagree here. In today's passing NFL I think you need elite pass blockers on both sides so RT is becoming super important (not that you said it wasn't). Plus, looking at this draft in particular, a guy like Taylor Lewan or Robinson from Auburn are projected LTs so you get a guy like that, play him on the right side and then you have flexiblity in case Glenn gets hurt or if we can't resign him in two years or if they just want to move him to LG or RT. So I don't know if I'd take a mauler like Loadholt from Minnesota at 9, but I'd take a LT and play him at right...if that makes sense.

True. No law against having two good TEs. Also they signed Moeaki so he's sort of a wildcard in all this. I'd love to see Buffalo run some more two TE sets to help run the ball even better.

I'd take a RT in the top 10 but never a G. Tackles have a place in the top 10 IMO. Especially since they can usually be kicked inside to G should they not work out at OT. Guards can rarely move out to tackle. That's just supply and demand....good tackles always come off the board quickly because guys who are 6'5", 320 LBS, and who can move the way they do just don't grow on trees.

Gil Brandt is a living legend. His draft board is as credible as any other "expert" out there so I tend to listen when he speaks (or writes). Did anyone click the "on the clock" link on the nfl.com website while reading his entire list? They have us taking Eric Ebron which I guess I wouldn't have a problem with. I think we need to gather weapons for EJ and an upgrade at TE, even if we resign Chandler, could help a lot. Also, I think they could still get a RT at the top of the 2nd. The question is do you want a guy like Lewan at 9 and then Jenkins or Amaro in the 2nd or would you rather Ebron at 9 and a guy like Richardson in the 2nd? Clearly too early to speculate and so much can change but, hell, what else is there to do?

This is true. The lines between the 34 and the 43 are not what they used to be. When you're in nickel you're in a 4 man front and that happens almost all the time with the way teams throw. I don't know what anyone would have to complain about regarding this move. I think Doug Marrone has made another really smart choice. Schwartz is aggressive and his defense in Tennessee was really, really good and consistent. I'm also certain that Schwartz will look at every snap of this defense last year and keep some things that the guys did really well when it comes to pressuring the QB. In the end, Marrone has a lot to do with it. Chan Gailey could have gotten off his offensive headset and told Wannstedt to start dialing up some pressure but he clearly didn't. If the HC want's pressure, he'll get it. So hopefully we can get better against the run, which to me really just entails keeping the long ones from getting out of the gate, and then we'll have a really, really formidable D. I guess that's a long way of saying I really like the hire.