Bflojohn

I thought someone wrote that he's ready to go, and if the season started today, he is playing! Back to full health apparently.

In a normal CBA year, free agency would be "kicking off" in only 10 days! It is the tonic that makes March bearable. Here's to hoping they hammer out this new CBA sooner than later....

Mike Mayock has looked at the film on Blaine Gabbert and said he compares favoribly to both Matt Ryan and Sam Bradford. If you folks don't mind, I'll opt for his opinion in this evaluation!

He is able to negotiate with any team, it is NOT an exclusive rights tag. In response to the "pie in the sky" gang, ask Takeo Spikes about NOT wanting to come to Buffalo, stranger things have happened! Do I believe it gets done, no, but the premise is he is worthy of two first round picks in 2012 and 2013 while the Bills supplement that signing in this draft.

Most Bills fans decry the Donte Whitner pick, especially since Haloti Ngata was "on the board". So if the labor issue makes the draft precede the free agent signing period, should the Bills make a substancial move to sign Holoti Ngata by offering a deal Baltimore can't match, thereby getting, arguably, the best DL in the NFL, and NOT having to compensate the Ravens until the 2012 and 2013 drafts! Think about it, this draft would be untouchable, and the talent needed could now be spread out between offensive and defensive needs equally, if necessary!! Think of a line of Kyle Williams and Ngata at the DT spots with Carrington at one end and say, oh, Da'Quan Bowers at the other. LB's and CB's can be added later on in this draft! Just proposing an idea I had today! Thoughts?!?! Note: He is the ONLY guy in free agency that might actually be worth two #1's, IMO!

No mocking of Phil Taylor, NT, Baylor is in error, IF, and that's a huge IF, he's available in the second round!! He made the most out of his chances to shine and moved up draft boards. The Jets and Steelers would likely look long and hard at this heir apparent to Kris Jenkins or Casey Hampton, so you'd have to jump up passed them to land this NT, IMO!! Late first is my thinking right now, and he'd look mighty good in Buffalo!!!

Buddy Nix could post a billboard in Times Square the 27th (day before the draft) with our player rankings as long as he builds a winner in WNY, I DON'T CARE!! It is ludicrous to get worked up over this minor interview that, for the most part, was common sense to Bills fans everywhere. It evidently comes down to whether or NOT you trust this man with the franchise. Many don't, but I do. Proof will be there for all to see in 2011 and 2012.......

I like the play of Chimdi Chekwa, the cornerback from Ohio State. I wonder how his wrist is doing? Wasn't he hurt in the Bowl game against Arkansas?

You's guys are flying passed me! I'd say Johnny Patrick the cornerback next from Louisville.

Next, my favorite player in the whole draft.... Casey Matthews! I know that generally he is rated lower than a second, but he'll rock everyone's world at the combine.

At this juncture, the Bills take OT Tyron Smith, U.S.C.

It seems to me that Ralph, historically, has hired strong, independant leaders at certain stages of ownership. Whether it was Lou Saban, Chuch Knox, Bill Polian, or the current group, he seemingly can tolerate the "anti" yes men for a short period of time. In my view, from years of following this team, we have been "on the brink" several times, only to be short curcuited by Ralph at the critical juncture! Unbelievably, he lasted out Marv Levy to its logical duration, but he's NOT allowed others to finish the jobs they were hired to do. In my sense of things, this is his biggest failing, and unlike, say the Pittsburgh Steelers, as an example, we can only reach mediocrity because of his meddlesome ways. I firmly believe the leopard doesn't change his stripes, so new ownership, in my eyes is the tonic for success in the future.

The question for up and coming teams is whether they believe in the process of trades on draft day. Buddy Nix has stated he wants picks, and as such, I don't believe the Bills are serious about manipulating the draft via trades. They are "stand alone" in their approach in April, believing more in their board than in the "futures" market of picks. This can be good or bad, because competing with the Patriots, who have turned this into an art form (draft day trades), you must literally turn each pick into a homerun or run the risk of falling further behind (if that's possible!).

I would hope someone entertains the notion of trading down with those options, however, I still say that Da'Quan Bowers is the pick there now that he's come out. Play 4-3 if you have to, he is potentially a hugely talented pass rusher who plays the run well too! By the way, ESPN's "experts" already have Bowers as the #1 player in this draft, at the moment.

Why so Serious, I am NOT grinding your idea into dust, I simply believe that defense and a running game can win in this league, so I'd sign a ORT in free agency, a TE to compliment Shawn Nelson, and sign a back-up QB in case Ryan Fitzpatrick goes down. I've asked on here about the interest of Alex Smith, as an example, but the response was lukewarm, to say the least! If your rebuilding a franchise, I think tunnel vision CAN be a good thing when retooling a defense that was putrid in 2010. The more young, nasty and dedicated athletes we have on that side let's me know that we will always be in the game, and call me insane, but I think Fitzy can and will win those types of games! He is a gamer, in my eyes!

In my mind, the only solid roster spots for the Bills defensive-line going forward are Dwan Edwards, Kyle Williams, Torrell Troup, and Alex Carrington. You can bet the house changes are coming in this offseason. Passing up a talent like Nick Fairley or Marcell Darius could be a killer, and essentially, you can make a case (in your own list) that taking the elite talent can be supplemented by great depth later on in this draft. What if they nab Fairley or Darius and follow that up with (off youur list), say Allen Bailey in round two, then Mason Foster in the third and finally Jared Crick in the fourth. Young, hungry, nasty and able to grow together as a unit to smash the likes of Tom Brady, Mark Sanchez and whoever the Dolphins run out there!! That gets my vote!

This is a premature assessment of the man as the defensive coordinator. What happens if the Bills DO concentrate heavily on the "D" side of the ledger in the 2011 Draft. Let's say we get Marcell Darius, then in round two, Drake Nevis and follow that up with Mason Foster in round three (all quite possible!). With better personnel, then one can venture a guess on the success or fail of this coach, NOT UNTIL!! The run defense and pass rush could improve enough for a solid turnaround to take place, so let's wait and see on this question until half way through the 2011 season, shall we??

Instead of Colin McCarthy, give me Casey Matthews, Oregon, at LB. I love the football background, and he is a legit prospect who simply plays the game the way it's meant to be played!

Someone out of the O-line dance will probably be cut. Urbik, Wrotto, Pears, Rhinehart constitutes the "list", so one, maybe two of these guys will get a thanks for the memories letter sometime in the offseason. If I were to guess, Pears and Rhinehart are the likely goners! The John McCargo sentiment is strong, and I'm inclined to agree with that one. Does Ashton Youboty have a place on this team, going forward? I think NOT, so he is liable to be sent on his way. Levi Brown? Brian Brohm, after yesterday? Jon Corto? Jaruu Caulcrick? Aaron Maybin, when his Head Coach said his place on the team is tenuious. Re-sign Whitner? Again, the Head Coach said his place on the team is.... you guessed it, tenuious!! Stroud might be scheme sensitive IF the Bills go back to a 4-3 defense (DT). Otherwise, yes, he can take a hike too!

This is a good point, and if the first round is Denver, Buffalo, and Cincinnati then the order is Buffalo, Cincinnati, and Denver in round two. So, yes, the Bills seemingly pick #2 in round two!!

Tyson Clabo is a free agent ORT, and he'd help immensely! How good could Alex Smith be under Chan Gaileys' tutledge, and he'd come fairly cheap?!?! Tight End help is out there this offseason, and it is quite evident that the Bills need one or two. I'd opt to go after Matt Spaeth also, as has been noted. In my opinion, two or three acquisitions could be huge If the Bills are eyeing 2011 as a breakout season.

Here is a painful truth.... Kyle Williams leads this team in sacks with 5.5 on the year. Yes, he's a beast, but he only ranks tied for 39th in the league, in that category. Marcus Stroud has a grand total of 3 sacks which has him ranked 97th. In my opinion, a pass rushing combo is needed in Buffalo next year, and I'd move up if neccessary for Da'Quan Bowers the DE out of Clemson. Additionally, I would seek to obtain Von Miller, an OLB from Texas A&M with the subsequent pick thereafter!! Everything after these two players would be gravy. This team needs a pass rush desperately.

Let's try this on for size, shall we, say the Bills add an ORT in free agency like Tyson Clabo from the Falcons (hypothetical gang!) and a TE is also added along the way who has NFL experience. In the draft, the Bills opt to bolster their defense early and often, by grabbing DE Da'Quan Bowers or DE Marcel Darius and adding two OLB's in Von Miller (trade up into first round) and Casey Matthews. The question becomes, are they better? My answer would be yes, and therefore, more of a threat to make noise next year and into the 2012 campaign. Doesn't it seem Chan Gailey has proved he can coach this outfit? Won't he be better with more tools to work with? If one listens to some on this board, he's already made chicken salad out of chicken shat with Ryan Fitzpatrick, so why the doubt, without seeing the finished product?

In my mind, the team to pattern, if you can, is the Baltimore Ravens. They seem to be the outfit best able to reduce the Patriots to their worst and having beat them, at home, in the AFC Playoffs, that is enough for me to believe this is the way to go. I also think that the Pats have been spotty, of late, with the draft, so maybe that isn't quite the factor we all think its going to be! The truth is they won't be drafting the quality at the top end of the first round, as the Bills are going to do in April. I am also in the camp where the Bills retool this defense into one nasty bunch of playmakers. I'd go so far as taking the best pass rusher in Da'Quan Bowers and following that up with a player like Von Miller late in the first round after a trade up! By the way, the way to kill the beast is to cut its head off, and for years the Bills have treated Tom Brady as a honored guest! I say beat the hell out of him to the point that he hates his yearly visits to Western New York!! Long live a dominant defense and stout running game!!!

I'm extremely glad I didn't hold my breath during that reading, but it was a great look at this weeks advancement towards a future playoff run! This team is coming together nicely, IMO.