BillsVet

What is it with all this, "methinks" stuff? Are we in 1850's England or something? Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch are the only First Round quality picks. Kenny Irons, Tony Hunt, Michael Bush, Brandon Jackson, and Antonio Pittman are all good backs, but not of the first round variety. I still don't think Adrian Peterson has the pass catching skills out of the backfield Marv is looking for. Lynch is better, but doesn't posses the charcter that I think Marv wants. Lynch isn't in the McGahee category, but driving the cart on the field at Cal was funny stuff.

Call me negative, but the Bills do the unexpected on draft day. TD is gone, but I got the feeling he always had to make the decision that wasn't obvious. McGahee was just one example. Last season, I'm willing to bet no one say Donte Whitner coming beyond Mike Mayock. And trading back into the first for John McCargo was probably not in most experts' minds. Could they end up going TE? Well, if they're not high on Robert Royal I suppose so. Just because we all think RB, LB, and CB are areas of need doesn't mean Marv and Dick think so. I've seen Leon Hall on so many mocks that I just think the stars are aligning that we don't select him. There are a bevy of CB's out there with good speed and ball instincts like the draft experts say. Either way, our depth needs improving, and by that I mean a rotation of DT's, another CB, either/or a OLB and MLB, TE, etc, etc, etc. Drafting the best player available is not an option. So trading down may be our solution in Round 1.

I simply wanted to demonstrate how thin we are in so many positions. This is why I don't believe we possess the luxury of drafting the best available player. At this juncture, how many players will be coming to the team before the draft? We'll see, but I can't imagine more than 2-3 more free agents. Na, we ain't 6' under, but we're not in a position to do what we want in the draft. This is year 2 of the three year plan. Don't get to worked up becuase we've spent money. This season will determine how good a coach DJ and his staff are. Because they're not going to have as much talent as many other teams in the AFC.

I thought Marshawn Lynch had character issues...that automatically disqualifies his from Buffalo. And Adrian Peterson has a child with a woman he's not married to. There goes another option.

I wanted to look at where Buffalo was with regard to certain positions. There are some that as of today remain severely thin. OFFENSE QB: Losman is the entrenched starter. Holcomb could be a cap casualty. Nall could become the 2nd string man should Holcomb be cut. Not big concerns here, but JP must continue improving. RB/FB: Lone back with NFL experience is Shaud Williams. Anthony Thomas may be re-signed but there is nothing official yet. Bills will most likely pick up 2 more backs, perhaps A. Thomas and a pick who may be used in Round 1 or 2 of draft. WR: Lee Evans is the star of the group hands down. Peerless Price is serviceable, but did not get many yards per catch. Roscoe Parrish is an undersized guy with toughness over the middle. Josh Reed is solid but not spectacular. TE: Robert Royal is a steady blocker but has limited receiving skills. After that, Brad Cieslak and Ryan Neufeld are below average NFL TE's. Kevin Everett may be a cut in training camp or even before. OT: Peters is a star in the making at LT. Some would say he already is the best in the AFC. Langston Walker is being touted as a good player on a bad team last season and will start at RT. Terrence Pennington likely moves to being a depth player in his second season. Kirk Chambers signed for probably a depth role. G: Dockery is the big signing of the off-season. Will most likely solidfy a position of need at LG. Jason Whittle, Duke Preston, and perhaps Brad Butler vie for the RG position. C: Fowler is the starter. Average player who worked well with Losman. Preston can play if called upon, but not as good as Fowler DEFENSE DE: Probably the strongest area on the team, at least on the defense. Schobel is a 2006 Pro Bowler and Kelsay was re-signed to a big contract. Ryan Denney gives great effort and is very good against the run. Anthony Hargrove is the other DE in the rotation. DT: Larry Tripplett was frequently invisible last season. 1st rounder John McCargo didn't start, played sparingly, then broke his foot (same injury that kept him out one season in college) and missed the rest of the year. Kyle Williams played tough, but might not be the answer. Tim Anderson was a big disappointment, resulting in his scratch from the season finale in Baltimore. OLB: Takeo Spikes may well be another cap casualty. His salary and lack of play since an Achilles tear could result in his swan song. Angelo Crowell might be forced to the middle with the departure of Fletcher-Baker, but played excellent until a late season injury. 6th rounder Keith Ellison played well, but may not be big enough to handle the rigors of a 16 game season. Coy Wire is moving to OLB, though he has not played the position professionally save for the conclusion of last season. MLB: Crowell could slide over depending on the draft. John DiGiorgio, a UDFA is the current back-up. CB: Only signed CB's are Terrence McGee who struggled last season, Ashton Youboty, and Jabari Greer. Youboty missed significant time after being drafted in the 3rd round but may become the starter in the wake of Nate Clements' departure. Jabari Greer was a RFA who signed a 2 year deal and is an undersized CB. S: Donte Whitner started nearly the whole season and played like a rookie. Ko Simpson was selected in the 4th round and made few errors, though the defense featured the safeties playing deep. Jim Leonhard is the only other safety on the roster. SPECIAL TEAMS K: Rian Lindell is a superior kicker and played extremely well for Buffalo last season. Re-signed in December to a 5 year deal. P: Brian Moorman was a Pro Bowler and impressed most experts with excellent distance and accuracy. PR: Parrish shows good vision, but made some bad mistakes. KR: McGee didn't play as well as 05, but nearly went the distance once and is a very good NFL KR At this point I think the following (as of 3/10) are the most pressing needs: 1. RB/FB 2. CB 3. OLB (maybe more if Spikes is cut and no quality LB's are brought in) 4. DT 5. WR There's strengths at OL and DE along with the Special Teams. After that, it's a little more cloudy.

Don't worry...the draft will fill all our needs. And I got everything I wanted for Christmas as a kid. There's a need for signing a capable NFL back. Brown's got a history of injuries and yeah that worries me. But ESPN Insider had this to say about the lack of running backs available and teams who still need them: Running backs in high by Matt Williamson Green Bay (1) and Tennessee (2) have what I will label as a "major need" at running back, meaning they need a starter. Prior to Wednesday, Cleveland would have also been one of the teams, but between Reuben Droughns, Jerome Harrison and newly acquired Jamal Lewis, it now has enough to get by and eliminate their running back needs. The Ravens also would have been one of those teams, but trading for Willis McGahee is a clear upgrade at the running back position over Lewis, whose production and explosiveness has steadily declined due to an awful lot of wear and tear and the constant battling of injuries. McGahee desperately needed a change of scenery, and he will join fellow Miami alumni Ray Lewis and Ed Reed and should instantly feel comfortable in his new surroundings. On the field, he is an excellent fit in the Ravens' run-first, downhill attack and should thrive in Baltimore. The Ravens got better today. McGahee's departure leaves Buffalo (3,4) with both a major and minor need at running back. They will be counted twice, once for each category. In addition to those three teams, there are eight other teams who ideally would like to add another back to help out for 2007. The Colts (5) have a solid young player in Joseph Addai, who has yet to establish that he can carry the load for an entire season. The Chiefs (6), Vikings (7) and Rams (8) all have a proven No. 1 back but little depth behind them, so all three would be wise to find a solid backup. The Falcons (9) have two solid running backs but lack the big power runner to fit their new offense. The Steelers (10) re-signed Najeh Davenport, but he isn't good enough to be the second back behind Willie Parker. Brandon Jacobs looks like a keeper for the Giants (11), but he runs very high, will take plenty of big hits and is unproven as a true workhorse. They need someone with wiggle and pass catching ability to complement the bigger and more physical Jacobs. Brian Westbrook is an outstanding football player but lacks size. The Eagles (12) surely will add a bigger runner to back him up and lighten his load. That's 12 teams that probably would like to add a running back to their roster in a somewhat prominent role. Now, how will those 12 spots get filled and who is available to fill them? In my estimation, the only names who could be available, at a hefty price, are Chargers RB Michael Turner or one of the Redskins' two top running backs. Obtaining one of these players would be very costly. Neither the Chargers nor Redskins has to move one of their backs, and with Clinton Portis' injury, Washington may be in no position to move Portis or Ladell Betts. Meanwhile, Turner is a restricted free agent who has little leverage to force a deal out of San Diego. So, what does the draft offer in terms of backs who can come in and start from day one and handle the bulk of the carries? It appears just Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch are qualified for such duty, and they should be the only two runners taken in the first round of the draft. Let's assume they both go to one of the teams with a major need. That would leave one team left with a major hole and another nine with a minor need. There are probably a few of you out there saying, "What about Dominic Rhodes and Corey Dillon?" I wouldn't want either as my No. 1 back. Rhodes runs with fine aggression but isn't real big and would be a durability risk as a true lead runner. He looked great at times, particularly in the postseason, but he is not equipped to be a top dog. As for Dillon, his best days are behind him. He is tough and runs hard but isn't dynamic or a game changer. His role is best as a backup. Now back to the demand side of this equation. Not including Rhodes and Dillon, we were at one team with a major need and nine with minor needs. For argument's sake, let's just say that Rhodes or Dillon lands on that one team with the remaining major need. If that were to happen, I would switch the needs to none with major needs and 10 with minor needs. How can those eleven teams find a suitable runner to give a respectable number of carries to? Correll Buckhalter, Chris Brown, Ron Dayne and maybe T.J. Duckett could all be suitable backups to bring a physical presence to a team's running game and spell a true No. 1 back like Steven Jackson or Larry Johnson. There are some other veterans out there who have had success, but none I would put a lot of stock into as a player to have 5-10 carries per game. It is not far fetched to say that each of these four backs along with Rhodes and Dillon sign before draft day with one of those 11 teams with a need at the position. That would leave six clubs in the market for a running back on draft day, with Peterson and Lynch already being factored in and unavailable. These teams with a minor need are not going to spend a first round pick on the position, but they could be in the market for a runner on the first day of the draft. There are six remaining first-day running backs who could make the team that drafts them happy. For teams in the market for bruisers to relieve their workhorse, Penn State's Tony Hunt, Louisville's Michael Bush and Rutgers' Brian Leonard all fit that bill. For a team like the Giants who need someone with more shiftiness, Florida State's Lorenzo Booker could be a real nice fit. Then there are three others -- Auburn's Kenny Irons, Ohio State's Antonio Pittman and Nebraska's Brandon Jackson who have some versatility and offer a little of both power and flash. So, what does this all mean to the running back market? There looks like there are enough suitable running backs overall, but there is a bit of a shortage of true starters. Those teams with minor needs could find some excellent values and may afford to be patient but still must not push their luck too much. Still, it is a buyers market now for running backs. Granted I don't know who Matt Williamson is, but I'd say there's some weight to this opinion.

The reason I ask about this remains because we're seven years without a playoff appearance. I'm wondering how long the front office thinks Bills fans will wait until we make the playoffs again? One year? Two years? They've improved the OL and that's the foundation of a good offense. Their defense leaves much to be desired because there are simply too many ifs. If Youboty can start, if McCargo can be a good DT, if Crowell can move over to MLB, if... Our running back situation most likely will be at least partially addressed in the draft. I'm sure Buffalo re-signs A. Thomas at RB and/or another veteran. But spending a first or second on RB ignores defensive depth. I think Patrick Willis would fit in nicely with Marv's character requirement and at MLB. From time to time rookies are required to start in the NFL. We did it with two safeties last year and limited their chance of error by playing them deep on many occasions. You can't do that with a MLB in the Cover-2, they're simply too important in the defensive scheme. If we go LB, Timmons and Poz are there as options in the first. I think they'll go late in the first and not be there by the time Buffalo drafts in the second. But what about CB? Milwaukee Thomas is a free agent, leaving us with Youboty, T. McGee, and Jabari Greer as our only options. Unless we use some more funds in Free Agency, the draft will be the only option to round-out the team's positions of need. We did that last year and you reap the benefits when rookies start. I know Marv does not like starting rookies, but he had no choice. I don't see a way around having to start our 1st and 2nd round picks. Perhaps even the third. It's just the era in which the Bills find themselves; continually looking to replace established players (whether they fit in or not) with younger players we hope have potential.

We've painted ourselves into a corner at RB and the draft. I fully support the trading of McGahee, he wasn't going to make this team better on the field or locker room. However, I'd feel more comfortable by signing a veteran with something left in the tank sooner rather than later. Dillon doesn't fit that, but Chris Brown might. Despite signing a veteran, we're still going to spend a pick in the first or second on a RB. Rookies can indeed contribute, but I'd rather see someone at LB, CB, or DT on the defense than RB selected in the first or second. We're literally forced to use an early pick on RB. Of course we could make a trade and get another late 1st or 2nd, but it'll cost us dearly. It's true those four aformentioned teams (NE, IND, NO, CHI) have used higher picks at RB. But those teams were much further along at the defensive positions Buffalo is weak at. Our depth at CB, LB, and to a lesser extent DT is not good. I know NE and CHI were good defensively, but NO and IND were still better defensively than Buffalo was last season. Hence, the selections of Benson in 05, Bush, Maroney, and Addai in 06. They had enough defense to select a RB. As for Deuce McAllister, his play in the NFC playoffs speaks for itself in demonstrating he's an excellent power RB. Thomas Jones has been with a few teams and while he's not a premier back, he's above average. Dominic Rhodes I believe was SB XLI MVP and Corey Dillon became a good short yardage back last season in sharing time with Maroney. I don't like using a pick on a RB because that leaves the defense short on prospects. At RB, I'd like someone who has starting NFL experience not over 30 signed and perhaps another. If that means Anthony Thomas and Chris Brown, that's fine. But our version of the platoon is going to be far short of what other teams in the AFC and NFC title games put on the field. It's simply a poor comparison and short-sighted of the fact that our defensive lack of depth does not allow us to draft a RB.

Anyone comparing those four teams' running back situations is really a glass is half full type of person. IND: Rhodes and Addai. One avergage back along with a 1,000 yard rusher his rookie season. NO: McAllister and Bush: One powerful back with multiple 1,000 yard seasons and another electric rookie back who caught 85+ passes last season. CHI: T. Jones and Benson: Probably the worst "platoon" of the bunch. Nevertheless, Benson will be the starter and had flashes of talent while T. Jones carried the load for most of the season and ran for 1,000 yards. NE: Dillon and Maroney: Dillon aged, sure, but he still found the endzone 13 times and Maroney provided another hard runner for NE. Maroney will be the starter this coming season. Those four examples don't carry any comparison with the Bills current nor future situation. Taking into account their cap standing, they have one back on the roster with NFL experience (2 carries last season) and no decision yet in free agency. While FA is still ongoing, time is winding down and the better players are signing. This is a significant issue. Please don't make comparisons about platooning and refer to these four teams. They had superior talent and one more thing, all of them featured a first round draft pick they selected fairly recently. Benson, Bush, Addai, and Maroney all were 1st rounder in either 05 or 06. So, I presume you're one for selecting a first round RB this season?

I think the fundamental question is, do we want to be good this year or next? A lot of people make the point that it's only March and the season doesn't begin until September. I hear you, but the pieces to the puzzle are in place with players in March and April. After that, sure you might have some cap casualties in June, but more often than not finding starter grade players after that point is not likely. I honestly believe we're going into year 2 of a 3 year plan. They could be playoff worthy this season, but right now, I don't see the Bills having the team to win in 2007. There's not enough available in free agency and the draft to make us good this year. Perhaps next. The fact remains that there are more question marks that exist now than before free agency. I believe and support the front office letting NC and LFB go. Revamping and improving the OL is an excellent move. I think a football team begins with a quality OL. However, the longer they wait to get players at RB, CB, LB, and DT the more uncertainty going into 2007. The chances of finding starters in the later rounds are not great. Many people say the draft is a crapshoot and it is. But it's even more of a chance in rounds 4-7. Let's face it, the reason we started so many rookies last season revolved around the fact that our depth was so poor. That's why I believe Marv went after so many free agents. They needed depth and not star power. I understand that. But if we're going to improve upon 7-9, to become a playoff contender, it's going to take some more personnel additions that can start at a high level. We all know the NFL continues to evolve. Free Agency is different than it was 5 years ago, making the draft more integral to a team's improvement. Many clubs are attempting to find a solution to remaining competitive for many years as opposed to 2 or 3 and only the best front offices will get it. Last season, 15 of 32 teams finished either 7-9, 8-8, or 9-7. There's parity for you. And while I believe a team could make the playoffs at 8-8, the AFC East will prove to be very competitive. Call me a doomsday type, call me whatever. But unless we get more depth, we are thin at a lot of positions. It's fine to have faith with Dick and Marv. But why do you have faith? Marv has never been a GM and was out of the league for 10 years. Dick has a career 43-58 record. People always want answers when someone criticizes a move. Well, I'd like someone to tell me why they have faith in these two. 2007 will provide some changes, but will those new faces be enough of a difference to make this team into a winner?

Well, with Kyle Williams and Larry Tripplett handling the DT position, we were porous against the run. Kyle Williams works hard, but he's physically limited with shorter arms and not as much burst to penetrate the backfield. This defense is built on speed at nearly every position, specifically at DT. I just don't believe he can disrupt the line of scrimmage enough. More often than not, you can tell how good a rookie will be when he gets significant time his rookie season. Not all the time, but a good portion of it. As for Bryce Fisher, I remember being at camp and watching him in 2000 when I interned with a Rochester TV station. He went to St Louis and now finally, 6 years in the NFL has begun playing well. But he's a DE. DT's in the Cover-2 are different because they must be quick enough in the gaps and strong enough to take on blockers. Let's not compare a DE with a DT. Using one out of context example to illustrate a point is not sufficient. What about Leif Larsen, where's he? Another low round Bills pick in 2000. We need more than just improvement, we need to take leaps at DT this year if we're going to have a shot at controlling opponents from running the ball 140+ yards per game. I'm just saying Kyle Williams isn't the answer because his physical tools are limited for a Cover-2 DT.

Everyone knows Rhodes was a back that shared the load. That's fine, but his deal with Oakland was about 7.5M for 2 years. Now, if we didn't like Rhodes because he was, well, Dominic Rhodes that's fine. But if it's about the money and we can't cough up that sort of money for a RB, then we've got a problem. It takes a lot for a guy to decide to go to Oakland at this juncture. What would it have taken for Buffalo to sign Rhodes? At this point the options at RB are getting smaller. Even if you re-sign Anthony Thomas, I guarantee we go RB in the first or second round. And if we do, then now you've got a rookie and Anthony Thomas sharing the load. I'm fine with that, as long as the back sharing the load is Lynch or Peterson. Lynch has some personal baggage, but we've used the first round pick to fill a hole we created. Those are the two guys ready to go now. The others have some issues. The bottom line to me is Buffalo continues building for the future. The line is good on paper. But, there are many positions left to fill and depth to have in case of injury. RB wasn't supposed to be a problem in the off-season, and it's become one.

Manny Lawson played well for SF this season at OLB this year in a PT role. Mario Williams not so much for Houston in that he didn't register a sack his final 8 games. McCargo's foot injury concerns me. It's the same one he broke in college and subsequently missed a season. I know they want a rotation of DT's, but without him playing good football, Larry Tripplett's going to be in the same position this year as he was last, fighting off multiple blockers while the 1-Tech guy gets engulfed too. I know that despite the Cover-2, both Triplett and McCargo were featured together for a short time. Kyle Williams can't be counted on for more than depth. We're depending on McCargo more than I think the front office ever wanted to at this point in his career. DT is a big question mark.

Chris Brown sounds like a rational choice. Then again, this team goes against the grain quite often. I like the Michael Bush pick if he's physically ready. Marv has a history with backs that other teams pass over in the first and early second rounds. That guy is going to the Hall of Fame this season. Who knows if Chris Brown can carry the load for 20+ a game. If he does and stays healthy, I could stand to live with Anthony Thomas at the right price.

Swinging the deal for McGahee with Baltimore was a solid move. In the long run it has excellent potential to be the better side of the deal. Of course much of that is how Buffalo chooses to use those picks. As for #3, I think they simply had no one on the roster worthy of being a starting CB outside of McGee last season. Marv knew this and decided paying NC the money was ok for one season. Beyond that was out of the question. Call it ethics, call it whatever, but I think they needed something to depend on in 06 for their secondary. The franchise tag provided the answer. Marv certainly should not be outside of criticism for just being Marv and the GM of this football team. They've made some good moves and some bad ones. I think he knew this team would not get turned around in one year or even two. At this point I'm done predicting what they'll do next. They do not disappoint if you're looking for the surprise factor. Not sure if they still go RB in RD 1. DJ is a big defense proponent and that, IMO, carries a lot of weight with Marv. Last year's draft was an early indication of that. I just hope they don't fall in love with a player again and lose sight of the big picture. We can't afford to have a bad draft.

They're all smoking what Jamal Lewis was selling a few years back.

First, Is Jim Overdorf the GM? I keep hearing this guys name about everything the GM should be doing. Second, yeah, it is March 8, but getting a RB sooner rather than later is imperative. We're running out of options. You might find one in the draft, sure, but I'd like to have someone on my roster who has some starting NFL experience earlier than mini-camp. Now, that doesn't mean we get someone who's aging, but someone who can handle 20 carries per game. Keep waiting and the options dwindle. Fraud Williams and Levy's college boy Jackson aren't the answers. I think drafting a RB in round 1 or 2 takes away from drafting defense too much. And we all know this board has pointed out in several threads how weak the defense looks on paper. Besides, everyone knows how keen Marv is on starting rookies.

Have we not learned anything from the TD debacle? If there are priorities on a football team, it's the DL and OL. Marv and DJ chose to improve the OL to give the rest of the O a chance to score some points and have a ball control offense. We've had two coaches before DJ that said they were going to be a ball control offense, and only now in 2007 are we putting our money where our mouth is. That said, having a durable RB along with someone serviceable below him on the depth chart is something I'm sure Marv and DJ will address. If they see something in Chris Brown then fine. I'd still like them to pay him what he's worth and not give him a Peerless or Josh Reed deal that is much more than anyone else would have dared. It might be sexy to have a name brand back. But I'd rather have a strong OL with an average back than a bad line and an above average back. RB's are plentiful in the NFL. Quality OLineman aren't. DJ talked about using the draft for defense again this year. So I guess that means we're going RB or something. It's gonna be fun speculating until draft day.

My respect for Len Pasquarelli just went down a notch. Saying Tim Anderson is like that remains far from what Bills fans saw this season. Perhaps Lenny is describing him as more of a 3-4 guy or something because he certainly didn't live up to even that modest description. Solid? Surely not Tim Anderson. D.J. Hackett would be nice, but that price for a 2nd is something we don't have the luxury of giving up. Still, I don't think Seattle would let him go. As much as I'd like someone better than Peerless or Josh Reed, we've got to stockpile picks to make this team work. Admittedly, I've never heard of Chillar, but he sounds ideal. Now, let's see who Marv referred to when he cited the 1 or 2 RFA's they were interested in. This season they got it right by getting the better UFA's in here first and then they'll hopefully pursue the RFA's.

I hope all this Turner talk didn't originate from the Bob Matthews article in the Democrat and Chronicle. I'm not sold on his perspective or wisdom concerning Bills matters. There's no source outside of him that I've seen other than message board stuff. Not saying I wouldn't be unhappy with it, but at which price? It'd be great to get Turner, but a 2nd is about all I'd offer. If Alexander a few years ago didn't get much more than that, why does Turner merit a 1st and/or a 3rd?

I think Marv has been pretty clear that you shouldn't expect much from rookies. He rarely played his rooks as a coach and had there not been the injuries we had this season, I don't think they'd have played much this past year. Of course, in the era of free agency and players changing teams so frequently, rookies have been asked to play more. It may develop them faster, but there's a price to pay in that they'll make more mistakes. I don't care if you play at the big schools in college, there's nothing that can adequately simulate the NFL. That said, I think the front office had their gameplan and didn't let go of the guys who came here. That's a good sign that players have a good feel that the staff in Buffalo are good people. Picking up guys like Ballard, John Davis, et al, that was a few lifetimes ago in NFL history. Each year new amazing things happen in free agency. Staying ahead of the trends is where teams win and lose. Everyone said NE wouldn't do much in free agency, but they've done something and upped the ante. I like the fact we strengthened our weakest part of the team. It shows they're a little ahead of teams in that department. I'll take a strong OL before anything on a football team.

Two words: CEDRIC BENSON Former #4 overall. Bears don't need another RB.

Willis should be at least satisfied that he'll have hopefully one the best left sides in the NFL to run behind. If anything, this could make him look better than he really is and increase his stock when the 2008 FA period begins. Marv is not the type who would get rid of the starter and have someone like A Train as the starter. He knows better, hopefully.

I know Turner is not as proven a starter, but he'd be a great fit in Buffalo. 5'10" 235 with great burst and power. Still, I think it's a pipe dream that we acquire him. I know Willis isn't the front office's chosen one, but RB's are more plentiful, whether in the draft or Free Agency. I still don't think SD gives us Turner for McGahee. It's makes little sense to have McGahee paired with LT. It's to pursue a RB at this point. I just think the braintrust looks to the defensive side of the ball and makes McGahee earn his rep this season.

The strength of the Cover-2 is up the middle. Getting middle of the road players to play DT, MLB, and S is like chasing your tail. You'll never get what you're after. Chicago had Harris and Johnson at the DT spots and Urlacher being the beneficiary, though a bonafide playmaker. Ian Scott isn't the answer. Marv knows being able to run and stopping the run are absolutely necessary to win. And I believe we've already addressed the OL. As for WR, Price and Reed both have decent size deals. Don't think Marv does much beyond a 4th round or below pick at WR. Keep in mind, DJ had about 4 30+ point games in Chicago during his 5 seasons there. He's a defense first coach. Last season's draft I'm sure he had a great deal of input and curried a lot of favor with Marv. Okoye seems to be what the Bills need. That's my admittedly non-NFL personel guy opinion. If he's gone, well there's more DT's available later. The answer at the 1 technique is someone who can hold blockers down while the 3 penetrates. Guys like Anderson either weren't strong or big enough to do that. Larry Tripplett wasn't freed up enough to make stops and opposing running backs ran wild. I don't like the options available in FA. At 12, should we not be able to trade down, there are a host of options. I think there are some talented CB's out there, but we'd be telling Youboty he's persona non grata. Posluzsny and Timmons are options. Jon Beason in Round 2 might be there. There are some good LB's in the 2007 draft. I don't have my heart set on one guy. I do indeed look at the entire draft board. Zeroing in on one guy, if last year was an indication, is not the correct move. You can't let emotion and lust for a player get in the way of making a rational decision. The Bills front office has backup plans should one of their guys get selected. Spikes may have experience, and the Cover-2 demands people get into the right spots. But at which point does Spikes slower play become a disadvantage? The SLB doesn't need the speed like the WLB, sure, but you've got to get to the ball carrier too. Spikes was invisible in many games last season. And saying he wasn't in on 3rd down situations isn't an excuse there. Is his cap hit worth it? I don't think so. Just my opinion. I think CB must receive another pick at some point because we've got very few on the current roster. Beyond McGee, Youboty, the recently signed Jabari Greer, what else do we have. Free Agency is a few days old, but that's not much to go on. Still, I'd leave it until Round 3 or below. Perhaps pick up a player who can bridge the gap until hopefully Youboty can start. The fact remains your first round pick, unless he's a QB, should be someone who is capable of starting their first season. Not sitting the bench, or coming in on certain plays. I don't advocate best player available because what if Quinn is there at 12. Do you take him even though he could make an impact next season? No, because you've got your starting QB. You draft need, and if need isn't worth it at your pick, you find a trade to your liking. But you're always considering who's out there as well.