Dr. Who

I expect us to somehow manage to be mediocre, so I am hoping KC flops. If we are picking 10 to 15 and the KC pick is in the twenties, that probably doesn't get you close to a franchise qb unless the 2018 class really is four to six deep.

The premise of the thread is fine, I suppose, if one defines one's terms correctly. An irrational downer is someone who instinctively faults everything OBD does and perhaps uses "17 years" as justification. There are irrational optimists who the former often call "homers." Over the years, I have often been branded a homer, so I find it ironic that recently I have caught flack for being a "downer" because I question the direction of the current team. Imo, it is somewhat unsettling to see how much power McD appears to have accrued before he has ever coached a down as head coach of an NFL team. I generally liked Doug Whaley, though his performance was mixed and it's fine if the Pegulas decided to go another direction. The way they have chosen to do so, however, apparently investing an unproven first-time head coach with inordinate power, causes me to suspect McD is just the latest infatuation, rather than part of a well-thought out logical command structure. I could be wrong on this and I hope it works out. Further, imo, the difference in the NFL from when I was a kid and today is the hyper-inflated importance of the qb. The rb used to be of equal or more importance. Until we get a franchise qb, we will always be hoping to catch a ton of breaks just to top out at a wild card team or so. I certainly don't see Super bowl wins without one and I have always thought that was the point of the game, not just to make the playoffs. I don't think Cardale Jones and a fifth-round rag-arm qb are likely to turn into a franchise qb. Hooray if they do. Taylor is a bridge, but only if you end up with a franchise qb destination. If Taylor makes a huge leap, fantastic -- I will be very surprised. So, if emphasizing the need for urgency and intelligence in securing a franchise qb, hopefully in 2018, makes one a downer in some folk's books, have at it. My main "tactical" worry is that we will continue to be a mediocre team, too good to get a prime draft pick and too bad to be more than a team whose mathematical possibility for the playoffs dwindles to zero some time in December.

You know I agree with you, Jeff. I'm tired of arguing with folks on the other side of the argument. We will all see soon enough. (I allow for the minute possibility that Taylor, Peterman, or Cardale somehow blossom into a true franchise qb.) I suspect most will be on board with a qb in 2018 by the time the draft rolls around. It remains to be seen if we will be in a position to get one.

Solid post. I have the same concerns. Pegulas are great folks, but they seem to need a football czar/hockey president to help prevent "infatuation errors."

Agree with all these points. I hope McD is successful, but on what basis has he acquired all this power? He has yet to coach a single down as a head coach.

I think that is a fair analysis, but the idea that he was just terrible that some folks have is about as sound as the view that TT is a franchise qb. As it happens, these are often the same folks.

Happy birthday, JW. At least there is one competent sport's journalist in Buffalo.

If they think Cardale has any future at all, Yates will be cut.

I definitely saw folks in the shoutbox saying Leroi said we were trying to trade up for Jones on Friday afternoon. I missed Leroi's actual post or shoutbox message.

This is smart.

I'd like a bit more than 1 out of 4 probability, but I agree with your basic point.

I don't take Reid's assessment as infallible or even especially acute. Mainly I reference his evaluation as a sign that a legitimate coach who was not dealing out of desperation chose to draft Mahomes top ten. It is not ridiculous to argue that Mahomes is a potential franchise qb, though individuals are free to judge differently, of course.

Coughlin was a much better coach when he learned to at least pretend to mellow a bit.

Well, I take it that Darnold, Rosen, and Allen are also assumptions. Andy Reid thinks Mahomes has the potential to be a franchise qb or he wouldn't have paid the price to go up and get him. Naturally, and I did not think it needed to be stated, when I say franchise qb, I mean a prospect with fairly good potential to be a franchise qb. Isn't that inherent in the draft when one is not selecting proven NFL commodities? Teams have missed on qbs taken at the top before. Let's see how certain the 2018 class looks a year from now and whether or not we are in a position to grab one. We know for sure we could have drafted Mahomes or Watson or Kizer for that matter.

I understand the injury factor, but that particular foot surgery often needs a second surgery. Afterwards, it is usually not a problem. Mediocre qbs at best, not targeting him enough, and now this. Not smart, imo.

Yes, that is the thought I keep hearing. Cleveland has two firsts and three seconds next year. If the team with the top picks is the Jets or SF, they will likely prefer the franchise qb. They simply won't trade out. Lots of moving parts. My point is the notion that we can just throw on another first and presto is way too optimistic. Meanwhile, Mahomes was available at #10 and we could have let him sit for a development year and not had to worry about obtaining a franchise qb.

Infatuation always wears off. As a writer, I know I can't rely on inspiration alone. It's too fickle. I think we are going to regret passing on Mahomes. We will need considerable fortune to end up with one of the top 2018 qbs. Those who think we can turn both 2018 firsts plus into a sure top two or three pick are blithely over-confident. We could easily be shut out; meanwhile, Mahomes could have been learning while the bridge qb continues to lack anticipation and the rookie shows anticipation but a pop gun arm, and the holdover project has a cannon and probably not much else.

Cleveland, Jets, SF, Pittsburgh, Cardinals, just off the top of my head, lots of teams will be jockeying to get one of the 2018 class. Cleveland has two ones and three twos. Jets and 49ers will not trade out. No guarantee OBD will end up with a chair when the music stops. Mahomes and Watson were birds-in-hand. I consider them potential franchise qbs. I would have taken Mahomes at ten. Unless the Bills are worse than their habitual "wretched mediocrity" it will cost them much more than the first and third they gained by trading out of ten. Peterman would have gone much earlier if he had a decent arm. He doesn't and I doubt his ceiling rises above okay backup. P.S. Forgot about the Chargers. Nice avatar. I somehow acquired a feral colony about ten years ago. I myself am servant to an ancient Persian.

Nicely played.

Popgun arm. Career backup at best unless his arm strength improves significantly.

He must mean Chad Kelly, no?

I read somewhere, and now I cannot recollect where, that McD was making all the calls on this draft, that he is very much a Taylor supporter, and that Whaley was the fella likely pushing for a Mahomes or Watson. (I rather liked Whaley and would have taken Mahomes at ten, btw.)

Agreed. Classless and lack of compassion often go together.

The rhetoric that counts for wisdom nowadays would make rocks cry.

McProcess.