Luxy312

That's it? I would add 7.). Cure Cancer

I want Baker Mayfield to eventually be the starter this year. Maybe he doesn't start out of the gate and maybe he does. My reasoning is simple. The level of his play gets better with the level of competition that he faces. It's the same reason I liked Watson last year. He didn't just win. He got up for big games and lead his team to wins. They both want the competition. Don't try to sell me on the idea of a "size issue" either. Watson is just under 6-2. Mayfield is just under 6-1. He's not Muggsy Bogues. I feel like Mayfield was simply the best QB at the college level. His stats suggest that he was. Darnold/Allen/Rudolph/Rosen all feel to me like they could be the next Matt Leinart. Maybe they don't, but that's my fear.

I would personally lose my mind. Friday will be a vacation day if that happens.

You do realize that Washington just gave Alex Smith a huge contract worth over $20m per year and $60m in guarantees right? They're not drafting a QB in the first round. I'll guarantee you that right now. Cinci's contract with Dalton goes through 2020 and is cap friendly. I would rate that a solid "NO" as well. The speculation was originally about the possibility of McCarron becoming the starter, and he's now a free agent. It was also coupled with the speculation of a potential head coaching change, and the team signed Marvin Lewis to a 2-year deal just a month ago. Actual statistics would also tell you that the free agents out there are not necessarily an upgrade over Dalton, unless you're talking about Cousins. The TBD's right now in my opinion are Minnesota who, if they don't go after Cousins, will sign at least one or two of the guys on the roster last season. For the Broncos, Jets, Dolphins, and Cardinals there's no doubt they need a QB. The Broncos and Jets both also have need of a left tackle. I guess I just find the notion that all of these teams are going to reach for a QB, when they have other pressing issues is a big reach.

I disagree 100%. Find me a team that consistently is pulling starting caliber players in the 100-200 pick range. You won't because those teams do not exist. Compensatory draft picks are highly likely to be below average NFL players, if they don't wash out in a year or two. There's absolutely nothing special about this draft that differentiates it from any of the last 20, other than the fact that people are talking about six different QB's instead of one or two.

Just for fun, I went back and looked at the last 20 years of quarterbacks drafted in the top-20. There were 44 of them. There were only 6 instances where a team both drafted a quarterback in the top-20 in the draft AND looked to free agency for a starter. They include: Bears in 2017 with Glennon, drafting Trubisky Vikings in 2011 with McNabb, drafting Ponder Raiders in 2007 with Culpepper drafting Russell Giants (via Chargers) in 2004 with Warner drafting Rivers and swapping for Manning Eagles in 1999 with Pederson drafting McNabb Vikings in 1999 with George drafting Culpepper Maybe I'm just over simplifying, but if some combination of teams grab Cousins, Bradford, McCarron, or Keenum to be a starter, the likelihood of one team then also drafting a QB in the top-20 of the draft is very small at about 1 in 200. The odds of all 4 doing it are about 1 in 2,000,000. By making me do some math here, you've proven to me that free agency is pretty much everything as far as the Bills strategy is with the draft, depending on how high they value the "top-6" and if they truly differentiate between talent and potential of the candidates.

Why do we even care about compensatory picks? In the last 20 years, the Bills have had 65 draft picks between 100 and 200 overall. 60 of them have had minimal to no impact on the team. The only players that I note that have done much of anything are Nigel Bradham, Kyle Williams, Terrence McGee, Sammy Morris, and Keith Newman. Only Kyle Williams stands out as being anything other than a postional fill-in. The guys they did go out and get in free agency versus the guys that they could have gotten later to preserve compensatory picks seems almost irrelevant.

Benjamin Solak looks like a teenager in his pictures. Not sure how I take someone so young to be a seasoned NFL talent evaluation expert.

In general, I don't disagree with the point that Cousins is the only clear long term QB. However, all 6 of what people are calling "first round" QB's have flaws. Scouting reports that I've read so far vary significantly in terms of who gets picked early and who doesn't. Darnold, Rosen, Allen, Mayfield, and Rudolph are all the #1 pick on some boards. Only Jackson is picked between 3rd and 8th for QB's. Being that this is not a Wentz/Goff or Luck/Griffin type of draft, I could see teams that think they can compete now looking to free agency to fill the void, even if only a shorter term solution. The Browns and the Jets do not, of course, meet that description. The Cardinals, Vikings, and Broncos clearly do.

To call these metrics basic is an understatement. Different teams with different playbooks and different player personnel playing different opposition. Then add subjective interpretation of what "placement" means and there's nothing comparable about the whole mess. The figures would be far more interesting if there were a way to adjust them for situational differences. I'm sure the data analytics guys are trying to do exactly that to get a leg up.

I don't disagree here at all. Even if they don't trade out of their pick, they're not drafting QB, so the picks get pushed down. There are many questions with free agency that I think will completely change the shape of the draft. Cousins, Keenum, Bridgewater, Bradford, and McCarron come to mind immediately. Sneaky plays like Chase Daniel and others could come into play as well. Unless he's tagged, I think Cousins obviously is the first to go.

Do this for me. Tell me how many times in the last 20 years that there's been 6 QB's taken in the first round, much less before pick21. I'll give you a hint that it's NEVER HAPPENED. Now tell me that this draft class for QB's is also projected to be "can't miss" prospects more so than any of the prior 20 drafts. This is also not the case. 6 QB's in the first 20 picks would be unprecedented. If this does happen, the Bills are going to get some players that should never have fallen to them where they pick.

Like everyone else, I'm sitting here guessing what will happen in the offseason before the draft. Before consideration of free agency, they are woefully thin at DT. Even if Kyle Williams comes back and lines up next to Adolphus Washington, who else is there? If he falls to 21, Vita Vea would be huge value. I also wouldn't be upset with DaRon Payne or even Tim Settle. Settle is a youngster and has to grow up a bit, but he's a house. Like you, I don't see any edge guys in that 21/22 draft pick range.

It's like they're not even trying. I'm not in the head of the front office or coaching staff, but would think that Groy will play center. Assuming that Groy does play center, there's no way the Bills draft a Center in the first round. Also, cornerback? That's just lazy.

Spotrac has him valued at about $5.8m per year. They're usually pretty close, but I'm sure he wants more.

Excellent point as well and something I completely forgot about. Drug suspensions are a big deal. Houston just cut Brian Cushing for that very reason as well. Cushing wasn't a world beater, but had some decent productivity over his career. Now at 30, it's not likely that he's going to get another big payday.

Based on his performance, I would have cut him as well. No sense negotiating with a guy that can't stay healthy.

No doubt, the vetting process is far from complete. Maybe it's just my opinion, but I think that we're really not going to know a lot until at least Cousins and Keenum are signed, and possibly McCarron as well. I don't think Foles is going anywhere, nor do I believe that Bradford or Bridgewater are starters unless they take a "shoe me" contract.

If they did this, they would be drafting whomever they have as the highest rated QB and Saquon Barkley. I don't discount the possibility of doing this to make sure they get they guys that they want. I can't believe for a second that Barkley will make it to the #4 pick.

It's presumptive to assume that the Bills have "their guy" at this point. It's very possible, like many current scouts, that they have 5-6 guys all rated similarly. If so, they stand pat. There's no reason to prematurely sell the farm for a "maybe".

I believe that the Bills are "stuck" at the QB position. The safe guys that may be available that are out there are going to cost a lot. Cousins should command around $30m per year. There's rumors that the Jets are working on a fully guaranteed contract in the $120m+ range. Keenum is going to get Alex Smith type numbers. Foles isn't going anywhere in the short term. Maybe he moves after the verdict is out on Wentz's health. Free agency gets the Bills another journeyman QB, or they are paying starter money. Keeping Tyrod will cost them $18m, which might be the best option. The alternative is obviously the draft. Moving up to get they guy that they want is probably cost prohibitive. To boot, there is not much distinction between the top 6 guys at that position. Every single one of them has flaws or issues to work on. Darnold holds onto the ball too long and has had a number of questionable turnovers (both fumbles and interceptions). Allen disappeared against lesser opposition at the college level. Rosen may be the most physically gifted of the QB's, but has questions as a leader, and serious injury concerns. Mayfield is undersized, has a weaker arm but put up better numbers than anyone. Jackson is a hell of an athlete, but has serious accuracy issues. Rudolph is a statue in the pocket and also takes too long going through his reads. The OP has a pipe dream if he thinks that we're going to pay for Kirk Cousins AND trade up in the draft for a QB prospect. It's one or the other or possibly neither.

I believe it has to do with knowing who are eligible receivers and who are not. Speculating, but believe I read that somewhere.

This in a nutshell. Based on the timing of when he was traded, a portion of the dead money related to the bonus applied last year and the remainder applies this year.

Right or wrong, this is where my mindset is. If this team were simply a QB away from feeling like they're a Superbowl contender, AND they thought one of the 5-6 QB's that we're talking about were significantly better than all the others (let's say "can't miss" kind of better), then a trade happens. What I'm stuck on right now in that context is all of the apparent positions of need for this team, deferring obviously to whatever happens in free agency. I think they're weak on 2 OL positions and arguably 3. Defensive tackle has to be a consideration, along with linebacker and another corner. Based on the needs and the frequency of early draft picks, I'm not sure I can get there to move up. I also don't see a QB that separates themselves from the other 4-5.

You're completely on point. I don't get all of the Mahomes hype either. it's worse than when the Bills paid Rob Johnson based on one game where he played well. 22 for 35 with 0 TD's and 1 INT doesn't impress me. What has he done is the question of the day and the answer is zero, nada, zilch.