RochesterRob

What is the goal you ask? Honestly for 2018 it is not what most members here will want to hear. Making the playoffs was like hitting on Lotto and for me just posting a winning record would be reasonable given the stats we finished with and the roster changes coming. Setting the foundation this year with the draft along with 2019's prospects will set the table to expect to go at least as far as the divisional round in the playoffs in 2019.

Yes, I think the guys that evaluate talent for a living versus us keyboard GM's probably look at the top 4 prospects at not quite being a sure thing such as Peyton Manning was. Guys here that want us to burn three number 1's plus... will be the same guys brandishing torches and pitchforks in three years if "the chosen one" does not pan out.

Agreed. If the Chief's for Smith want much more than a mid-round pick this year and as much next year the Bills will walk away. I still think our guys will place Bradford under an electron microscope (if it were possible) to know that Bradford was an option.

Assuming Bradford checks out on the physical I would be OK on bringing him in. It's far from certain that the Chief's will make Smith available and the cost might be steep (first rounder plus.....).

I think that we will kick the tires on McCarron and Bradford and then some. I think Cleveland goes after Darnold as well as Barkley. The fourth pick makes a pretty good jumping point along with their other picks to make that realistic.

Relevant dates have now been covered but I honestly believe our GM & HC are operating from the standpoint of minimal expense in terms of payout and draft compensation. It's been mentioned that the portion that any team is responsible for concerning Alex Smith in 2018 is around 17M. That is going to have a definite appeal to us versus 29-30M for even a "process" QB (Cousins) . We can guess for the next several weeks what the Chiefs will do but if I were GM and Smith were the target I would be prepared to offer a third and a mid-rounder for 2019 but see what Reid's asking price is first to know if it is reasonable to expect to make a deal.

Nothing in WNY was going to fix Dareus. Dareus is one of those guys that responds to winning in that he does not want to be seen as the weakest link in a playoff caliber season. Which is to say Dareus is probably at a mental crossroad in Jacksonville at this point. His stats in Jacksonville are not at expectations I would imagine for at least Coughlin and Marrone. Does he come to camp this summer with the attitude that he will greatly improve his effort or does he hope that he can skate by because in terms of contract he is "too big to fail?" My money is on that he is going test Marrone in giving as minimal effort as he can get away with. The guy is not necessarily lazy but he at least got top 5 money on his rookie deal and then one big payday so for him what is the incentive to go full bore?

Business as usual in the NFL. Coaches come and go just like players.

Just my opinion but you can't have more than 6 guys under large contracts for your starting 22 never mind big deals for QB's, CB's, C (the elites bring huge money), and DL for instance. This all points to needing to pull out more players from the draft which Pegula has addressed by expanding scouting dept resources. Every position at some point should realistically be expected to work off of a rookie contract including QB. Obviously, unusual circumstances arise but having a 2 or 3 year plan to address most positions on a team is vital. In regards to QB for the Bills I have no problem with a FA QB for this year along with a high end developmental prospect but within 3 years I would like to see a young draftee starting on a rookie deal.

While Wood may or may not have been a top 10 center he was just about always in the top 12. At that point how much effort do you put in chasing down a replacement when you have at a minimum a half dozen other problem areas including RT? As league GM's point out good centers are hard to come by and it's not unusual for a draft not to have anything more than backup up quality or swing guys who can play center. Look at how Atlanta improved when they wrestled away Alex Mack from Cleveland. Some could rightfully argue Mack never planned on going back to the Browns but he was a very valuable free agent to Atlanta and other teams nonetheless.

I agree with everybody else in that leave the kids out of it.

I agree with both statements. I think sometimes peoples' memories are short on matters such as the Wood extension.

Winning can cover up a lot of sins where the Pats are concerned. Had things unfolded differently when Brady was drafted and that he went to a different team the Pats of the past 15 plus years would most likely look entirely different. Far fewer AFC titles and Super Bowls.

Groy was also brought in as insurance for OG. As I recall it was along the lines of being a pleasant surprise that Groy performed as well as he did when he filled in at center. Dareus was about not letting a Top 5 pick walk without compensation for the team. Even then the best thing the team could have said was don't let the door hit you in the behind as you walk out.

If we knew what was going on in a given team's front office we might be surprised at the risks they knowingly take. And let's not kid ourselves in that a number of times taking a risk is unavoidable. No doubt the Bills took stock of its O-Line situation and that high quality centers do not grow on trees and it is difficult to find one through free agency or the draft so they took a chance on Wood.

Yep, hindsight is always 20-20 but to make the right decisions as they come due is an entirely different proposition.

I think some how we keep Gaines on a team friendly contract. I don't think that he is in a position for a big day.

I think this would be a good year to take on a number of rookies. I think the expectations for the 2018 season are going to be modest. It was like winning the lottery that the Bills made the playoffs last year and nobody expects that given the the stats that the offensive and defensive units had last year with no super star free agents coming in to bolster things.

Agreed. There is too much potential gain to be had in this draft. As I said in another thread just a while ago there appears to be a good match of talent to team concerning the Bills. Let's bet the farm when it is not clear what we should do in the second and third rounds. There are very little in the way of big contracts due in 2019 and 2020 never mind who we find this spring so we can flex our cap muscle to a free agent QB this year and next year.

This spring's draft is shaping up so there could be plenty of value in the picks 23 down through 90 for the Bills. A lot of years even the 2nd round pick and down are sketchy in terms of matching players ideal for a given team. Most of the time it is an assessment of the player's measurable's versus fit. Sometimes it even happens in the first round such as it was for us concerning Eric Flowers back in 2000. Anyhow there is a real chance the draft could yield 5 starters or more come opening day this September. On average you hope your first two picks start opening day with your third rounder contributing and fourth rounder a reliever for a starter. If you can have a 1979 or 1987 style draft where you yield multiple starters good things lay ahead even if you have to miss out on one high profile player.

There is going to be a lot of misdirection by teams between now and the draft. People need to get used to that concept.

Setting aside the issue of whether Smith is traded or released I feel that Smith being signed for only one more year is of minimal concern. If he ages during the 2018 season then we would only want that commitment versus another long contract to eat. Most QB's are not a freak of nature and cannot plan on playing until they are 40. If true that the 2019 cap numbers suggest we have over 90 million dollars of room then we are in the driver's seat in that if we really want Smith and cannot work something out before 2019 we can tag him. Having said that I think before it gets that far either the Bills will come up with something acceptable for Smith or target another vet QB via free agency or trade.

I could see them move up to pick 16 if somebody was really there that they liked and not burn an additional 1st to do it. I think they want to build a foundation after considering 2017's draft so any additional picks to make a move will come out 2019's choices. Further, baring a meltdown I think McD/Beane have 4 years instead of the traditional 3 so I don't think they have to find their QB this spring meaning FA bridge. Wentz got the Eagles through most of the regular season so unless Foles throws 5TD's a week from today I don't think his price will be too astronomical. I would love to know what Daboll is thinking right now.

Count me as one of the ones who would not mind a mid-round RB as the Bills Wire mock shows. I worry about McCoy making it through a season. Any prospect would probably have a similar profile to McCoy in terms of capabilities.

I don't think this will be sorted out until the combine and more prospect interviews are completed. If I had to guess based on reports the Bills are looking at 4 players very seriously at draft slots 25-55.