Dr. Trooth

What it comes down to is this... you have all of the input from all of the different scouting reports, the combine, the interviews, their pro day, personal workout, and their individual visits. You also do your due dillegence in regards to backround checks, private investigations, interviews with former coaches, wonderlic test, and the new personality test. Now... not too many former coaches are going to provide input on one of their former players that equates to less than a sunshine descriptive of them. They want their former player to succeed and get drafted high... that reflects well on the former coach and their program. Now, in the case of Nassib. You have all of the above information on him plus all of the other QBs. In addition to that, you now have a former coach that no longer has skin in the game on his former program and that is all in on his new HC job with the Bills. He can, and will provide a more honest and fuller assessment of his former player, negative or positive. He won't give a sunshine assessment of him unless it's real. And that information will not be shared with anyone outside of Buddy, Whaley, and Brandon. That is a huge advantage that the Bills hold regarding Nassib over any other team, scout, pundit, or wannabee. Lastly. If all the pundits have reached a consensus that Nassib will be selected by the Bills at 41 in a year that they claim has no clear QB deserving of a 1st round pick, then they've already made the connection or at least the perception that Marrone endorses Nassib. If that's the case, and Marrone is highly respected around the league, then that perceived endorsement would or should increase Nassib's value. So, what would prevent a team from jumping in front of the Bills at any point in the draft between #1 and #41 and grabbing Nassib? Therefore, if Nassib is the Bills guy, they either take him at #8 or risk losing him. Personally, I believe they will select Nassib at #8. However, if they don't, I won't be dissapointed, because that could be an indicator of Marrone's assessment of Nassib and the Bills believe there is a player of higher value to them at #8.

Really? Hmmm.... we've not heard the Bills side of this and you are calling this age discrimination? Whether or not he was replaced by someone younger, is not an indicator.... I mean, if you can someone that is old, why would you replace that person with someone the same age or older? Also, if age discrimination is your case, why do the Bills employ a 74 year old GM? Hojnowski may have been too old school and resistant to a lot of changes.... we don't know. But, I can tell you, having witnessed organizational changes first hand, longer term employees get canned first and for more than their salaries or age. The biggest reason is they have a hard time grasping changes that are significant and come in waves. These changes, in many cases are not communicated well and many of them don't seem to make sense to them. It is also a question of their skill set and their ability to be flexible and upwardly mobile.

Whatever. Marrone's defense went 3-0 vs. Geno. If Marrone has his number, so do a lot of coaches.

Geno Smith is not a consideration for the Bills in any round. It would be a wasted pick. Barkely has no track record at any level, either living in or playing in, cold, windy, snowy, sloppy weather. Also, the last two qbs that Lane Kiffen produced were Matt Leinart and John David Booty. His latest product "regressed" from his junior season to his senior season. Something to consider. The last three California QBs the Bills started... Johnson, Losman, and Edwards went badly. Caveat emptor.

The metrics capture only those things that are measureable. It does not take into account a QBs ability to read a defense' how quickly he processes that, the reaction time from read to release, vision, relative talent around the QB or a QBs resolve, mental toughness, passion for his trade. I'm sure if this was used back then, Leinart and Vince Young would be off the charts. It is just one valueable tool in the evaluation process. It is not intended to be used as a standalone gauge of a QBs measure. It has to be used along with all of the other tools available in the evaluation.

Folks gotta realize that tje offense is gonna be up tempo and in the no huddle for many series a game. Big offensive lineman are not gonna cut it.

So. Who is your impact guy? Last two times the Bills picked thos high... Mike Williams, Donte Whitner. Who says Buddy's making the pick? I believe the pick will be based on a consensus of 3 people... Buddy, and the two Dougs. And the two Dougs outnumber the one Buddy.

I warned y'all... there'd be bitchin about how the Bills got screwed when schedule was released. Folks... ya gotta play who ya gotta play when ya gotta playem. Take off the skirts ( unless your a gal) and put the man pants on. Doing it the hard way is not necessarily a bad thing.

I could make a case that the Bucs could go for a qb. Its well documented that Schiano is not in love with Freeman and wants someone to compete. Jets... they lost both starting guards and need a right tackle... I suspect their eyes are on warmack or Cooper. The one component that must be considered is that when a trade down happens... and in this case, 15 spots, you don't know what the domino affect will be. Other teams may react by trading up to jump in front of the Bills to grab their qb. Trade downs work for teams that really don't have obvious needs. They don't necessarily have one targeted player. Bills need to grab their qb at #8 or run the risk of losing him altogether.

If that's the case, what would motivate the Vikings to trade up? No impact player at #8, why piss away picks for no reason?

First of all... 2011 isn't exactly "what have you done for me lately". Even Buddy said they go on the current season and if there are reasons to look back further, sometimes they do. Secondly, USC routinely sends one or two Offensive linemen to the pros every year... usually in the first 3 rounds. Barkely has absoulutuely no excuse as far as supporting cast. USC recruits 4 and 5 star guys like they grow on trees. As far as the top 5 or 6 QBs in this draft, anyone playing at USC, Florida State, Tennessee or Arkansas have A list players with pedigrees all over the place. If they don't look good, it's their own fault. And, if they do, you have to question is it them or the supporting cast?

Dammit. I need to start opening my eyes more when I read. Indeed

Do I detect an undefeated season prediction already?

My prediction is that by 8:30 pm Thurs. this board will be inundated with posters already counting the wins and addding them up. Most will have the Bills in the playoffs, and yes, a few that have the Bills winning the Super Bowl. Then there will be those that B word about the Patriots easy schedule and how they always get a bye or significant time to prepare for a game against the Bills or other key game. Stone cold lock on this. Money back guarantee.

In the pre draft luncheon, Buddy was giving a lot of love to Easley. When asked about receivers in the draft that are open when they're covered he quickly brought Easley into the mix almost as if he was already penciled in as a starter and stated something to the affect that "he's finally healthy and he's 227 and can run". I hope so... he's going into his 4th year. Injured most of the three years and not much playing time, and except for a kickoff return, nothing to show for. It's putup or shutup time for Buddy & Easley. If I was doing the drafting I'd still be looking to grab a receiver before the 4th round that will figure into the mix day one. Fine if Easley pans out, but, just like Troup, there's little there to make one believe that they will be significant contributors. I'll be pulling for Easley, but time is running out.

Go back to the tapes for yourself... Barkley holds onto it longer... he's still processing... and when the ball comes out, Nassibs release is more compact and quicker.

#3 on the list is hands down and over the top in Nassib's favor... and it ain't close for 2nd place.

1) why would Atlanta give up a #8 for 3 picks? They have no dire need that they can't fill with those picks... they did finish in the top two of the NFC. 2) why would SF give up their 1st rd pick + pay him $9m/yr? They just signed their starting free safety from the Rams. Their is no dire need to acquire Byrd... they have 14 picks in this draft they will use some picks to move up and they will probably trade some of those picks for picks in 2014. They have no need to add a soft safety to a physical defense and inflate their salary cap.

When was that? I must have missed it. Provo was a decent college TE. But, he's not real big, not much of a blocker, and no threat to beat anyone one downfield. He does have very good hands and that's about it. He just does not have the measureables to succeed in the NFL at TE. This is basically a tryout to see if he deserves a shot at the TC roster.

I'll buy that for the most part... except that if both Geno and Nassib are there at #8 I don't see the Bills taking Geno... he just aint the best fit for their offense. And... I do see it as a possibility that both will be there at #8.

Just a guess, but since the Bills HC and the Bills OC had Nassib running their offense the past few years... and fairly successfully, with little or no talent around the kid, I think he passes both the smell test and the taste test.

Trade down is a huge gamble that he will still be there and trading back into the first would leave the Bills with probably only 3rd, 5th and 6th rd. Pix left in the draft. If the Bills want Nassib bad enough, why not just draft him at #8?

IMO, Byrd is likely done in Buffalo. I really think it's more of an issue on the Bills end though. Byrd is a "soft" safety who doesn't "bring" it like Reed, Polomalu, Young, or a Rodney Harrison. That's the type of safety Pettine's defense deploys and Byrd does not personify the head hunting missle that is needed to make Pettine's defense work. Byrd is a good safety, but let's be real about this. He's not outstanding. He's been part and parcel of one of the worst 4 years of defense in Bills history. He's contributed to that, as have the other players on the defense. I believe the one and only reason the Bills franchised him was to garner a draft pick or two. I don't believe he ever figured into their plans going forward. I've not heard of one team that has interest in him. That leads me to believe he may not be as highly regarded around the league as the fans and the press believe he is. He may be valued by many in the $5-6m range but not much more than that. Please.... someone, convince me that some team will give up a first or second round draft pick to the Bills for the right to negotiate a long term contract in the $7-8m range with Byrd. I don't see it even in a good dream. Furthermore, if Byrd does play out his 1 yr. in Buffalo, because of his incompatibility with the new defense he could risk playing time while the Bills gradually work in newer and younger safeties. I mean, this draft is said to be deep in safeties... especially of the physical kind. So, in essence, Byrd's market value could easily end up going down significantly as a result of that. And the possibility of the Bills bringing in Laron Landry for a year or two (I think he's still available the last I heard) to bridge any gap is also in play. I don't mean to be a killjoy. But I just don't see Byrd in the Bills plans and I don't see Byrd making big money with another team. Can someone convince me otherwise? Are there really teams that want Byrd? If so, who are they and would they actually compensate both the Bills and Byrd?

. All due respect to your assessment on Kaep & Wilson as the QBS of ghe future. I disagree. QBs that use their legs a lot don't typically go deep into the playoffs. Qbs take every snap. When they have to run a lot in addition to stay mentally sharp, over the course of a game they take unnecessary hits as well as overexert themselves. That takes its toll over the course of a season. Once your qb gets beyond the LOS he's fair game. And, in the case of RGIII we saw how that ended. The qb is a teams highest $$$ investment. Why would any coach subject his qb to unnecessary contact? That's a ticking timebomb. Meanwhile, one of the most unmobile qbs in the league is wearing a ring. Brady, Brees, Manning, Rodgers... they're always near the top of league because of what is between their ears, not their legs and they play a long time and are elite. I think most fans get all caught up in the measurebles of a qb and either totally ignore, overlook, or at the very least minimize the football mind, attitude, passion, command, and the other intangeables of a qb. That's what makes them elite. I've never seen Brady carve up a defense with his world class speed or rocket arm. But I have seen him school the hell out of them with pin point darts.

Scott is intriguing. And someone will select him. However, he's not ready to step in as a starter immediately or at some point during this season on any NFL. Nassib is... and certainly if he's drafted by the Bills. Scott will need at least a year and probably more. So a team that has a competent starter would be a good candidate to draft him... not a team that needs a qb now.