Richard Noggin

Pump the brakes a little here... McShay's literal job is to act as a foil for Kiper. He is supposed to needle Mel and challenge his assertions. Sometimes it's even funny. But they both do their homework on hundreds of prospects. Neither is an idiot, although of course McShay's role has him being quite smug at times next to Kiper's sincere, sometimes flawed, evaluations.

White is a smart, witty guy in a general way. He's sharp. But, like Mike Schoop, who is also bright, he has arbitrary and uncompromisingly progressive approaches to NFL team-building that don't always align with reality. Schoop, in particular, refuses to temper his desk-jockey, fantasy-fueled infatuation with stats and analytics. He completely dismisses the complex human components of roster building and development. Which doesn't work with football, in my opinion. Measurable talent and past production are important, but there are so many variables, and so many reasons why some players progress and others don't, and why some teams persist while others unravel. Howard is a nice guy but doesn't seem to have any expertise about sports or Buffalo teams in particular. He might have at some point. But Jeremy carries him. If we were in a Mets market he'd be better suited. The guys they interview and bring in are worthwhile: Paul Hamilton is a snore but knows hockey. Sal C and Joe B offer better insight on the Bills and the NFL landscape in general than any of the hosts.

Run game I think has to improve with new/improved linemen and new/improved coaching (I mean Castillo, amIright?). Allen having loads of time behind the line probably has a lot to do with how defenses play him this season. Will they man-up and send pressure often to speed up his decision-making? Or will they sit back in zones and make him take what's given? It will be interesting to watch unfold. We can reasonably expect the line to better handle stunts and twists and zone-blitzes; they had a rough time with those last season, especially with Groy in the pivot. Morse is key here, as are more savvy interior vets like Spain, Long, et al. How Allen and the offense execute against defenses designed to beat him/them will be fascinating.

One could substitute White Trash for Blue Collar, with respect to Richie.

I'll take dad jokes for $200, Alex.

If true, that's petty. Me likey.

See, my thinking is that if it's not a guy (at DE specifically) with legitimate starter potential, like a hidden gem or a guy who fell for whatever reasons, then he won't make the 53-man team. The Bills have a logjam of back-of-the-rotation DEs right now. Guys who can play, but shouldn't necessarily start. Difficult room to break into, though, for a later pick. 4 or 5 legitimate NFL rotation-level players ahead of him. But I don't know much about Nelson, to be honest. Maybe he's got ability. I fancy another TE, LB, S, and/or CB moving forward. I guess a flyer on a plummeting WR makes sense, too.

Not a lot of grit being displayed by several posters tonight.

An H-Back type? Good. We didn't have anyone like that. And he looks like he could develop quite a bit, given his trajectory so far.

I love satirical posts like this...

Says you... Jumbo package, baby (wink wink)

Trolls gonna troll

That's what she said

I don't love the idea of this potential trade either. Problem being, it might cost picks next year. Trade up for a QB. I don't think a DT is worth the extra capital it will take...

Is this, good sir, a "Sing" reference?! Parenting is a dirty business.

Looks like you need one more. I'm in. Is there a specific time I must be available?

One could also argue that there's no better play than the one the other IS looking for and still can't stop... I don't disagree that catching teams off-guard with playcalling wrinkles and creativity is essential and has proven to be so in recent Super Bowls, for example. But there is nothing so sought after, by coaches, as being able to execute their staple concepts consistently, independent of what defenses do.

Bills draft trauma surfacing subconsciously a week before the draft...

Not bad for a "lighter" guy with decent height.

Manny Lawson was still an athletic freak when he played for the Bills. Rare coverage ability for a lengthy guy. Great #3 OLB in a 3-4 scheme. Versatile. But didn't he kind of do something terrible or at least get into some trouble at the end, after his Bills tenure? Domestic stuff? (I don't want to open another tab and type stuff there and all that.)

Those last few seasons had lost the magic. Which happens. Still a great reference.

Gotta draft especially well for the expensive positions (QB/DE/CB, etc.)

Uh...what?

Why the hate for a solid and appropriate football metaphor? The connotation for me goes immediately to the Peyton Manning prime years with the Colts. Manning's pregame routine with Harrison was regimented and becoming legendary; their rapid, robotic, rote execution of each of the nine routes during warm-ups represented something we in Buffalo had been missing for a number of years already, and would continue to miss for many more: high-end, precise passing execution. I remember that a reluctant/aloof Reggie Wayne didn't really emerge until he swallowed his pride and began to participate in the ritualistic preparation that goes into being consistently great. Anyone raised on Air Coryell offensive football, as my mom made sure I was, could appreciate that kind of nearly-impossible-to-defend passing precision. Anyways, the route tree itself looks less like a tree and more like a dandelion puffy with seeds. Major sidebar, batman. Apologies.

To be fair, that was a 3-4 alignment, technically. So a longer, pass-rushing OLB who could also set the edge was instrumental. The Bills current D is different, in many ways. I'm sure you know that, though, and of course a #2 overall talent like #97, on the field, has a home in really any scheme/alignment.