Paup 1995MVP

There QB situation is a mess. Even though we have a lot of holes to fill, the biggest thing we have going is that our QB is on the verge of being something special. He can play. As long as we have that, we can fill in the rest. Trent Green behind the porous Miami line? Bad things man, bad things.

Trent Green is washed up. He looked horrible in the playoff game against Indy. I think the concussion he took in week 1 really took a lot out of him. Another brilliant move by the Fish. Will they bring in Jeff George to back him up?

When you are talking about Leon Hall the bigh question is this. Is he better or will he better than Ashton Yobouty? I watched a lot of Leon Hall the past 4 years being a big Michigan fan. (Go Blue) He has very sound fundamentals as far as playing tight coverage on the shorter routes and fighting for the football. He also has good hands when it comes to making interceptions. However, in the Rose Bowl and against Ohio State he was torched by Dwayne Jarrett and several OSU receivers. In other words, he played small in big games. Ashton has better size, and he was also a player at OSU. I liked what I saw from Yobouty in the short time he played last year. So I don't think Hall is that big if any of an upgrade from Yobouty. I think the Bills like Yobouty a lot. That is part of the reason they let Nate go without a fight. Given that they have Yobouty, I do not see us drafting a DB in the first round. We have much greater needs on defense, and that is in the front seven. We need at least one if not two solid linebackers to add to the mix, especially if TKO is physically done. And lets not forget that we still need a big man to stop the run. At RB, I like Chris Brown and think if healthy he will have a better year than Willis. This guy has a burst with some moves, and there is not too much mileage on the treads. I think they should draft a running back no earlier than the 3rd or 4th round (Lorenzo Booker) and put him in the mix with Brown, Thomas and Jackson. I also would not be suprised if we draft a tight end in the first three rounds. That need may be greater than at DB. We can never have enough weapons for JP the gunslinger.

I have been wearing that jersey since 1996. It still hangs in my closet and gets worn on the occasional game day when I feel we really need to bring out some of that old magic. He was one bad ass coming off of the edge.

The Bills need some gamechanging playmakers on offense. Right now we do not have many other than Lee. If Adrian Peterson is off the board when we pick, I think we take Marshawn Lynch or trade down a few picks and hopefully take him at 15 or 16 depending on what the teams directly behind us need. (Green Bay needs a running back big time) I think the Bills would be happy going into the season with a defense that is above average to the decent range. What I think they really want to improve on is there offense. If we get the offense in high gear, (which will happen with a more experienced JP) we can win a lot games with an above average defense. And of course our great special teams. I would not be suprised if we drafted another receiver and/or tight end in the first three rounds. I think Marv is playing possum, and will have some big suprises come draft day. Adding Lynch, and another big time receiver very well could happen despite our needs on D. Remember, we can still draft a first day DL and LB, in addition to getting Lynch and another downfield threat.

Don't forget they still have a QB that started maybe six games in his career. Jay Cutler will not have it easy next year. You can bet that teams playing the Broncos will watch film of him from last year, and come up with a defense to defend him successfully. Remember the last two games of 2006, Denver should have lost to Cinci, but the snap on the extra point that would have tied the game was horrible, and the holder had no chance to get the ball down. Then, in there last game against San Francisco, the Broncos blew a 4th quarter lead, and missed the playoffs because of the loss. My point is that the Broncos are a paper tiger. They lost 4 of there last 6 games with one of those wins being the above mentioned against the Bengals. They have a very young and erratic QB. So don't get all excited about them signing an injury prone #3 possession receiver.

If Okoye or Peterson is still there at 12, we have to take one of them. If they are both gone my best guess is that we trade down a few spots and take some combination of running back and linebacker with our two first round picks. (obviously, this presupposes that we take our extra pick from trading down from 12 and get back into the end of the first round) How about Marshawn Lynch and Pozlusny? That is two starters right there men. We put Crowell in the middle, and than let Ellison, Spikes, and Pozlusny fight it out as to who starts. I think we may even bring in another linebacker later on to put into the mix as well. Remember that Ellison is a sixth round pick who was able to play. I believe the Bills feel that anyone they draft on defense has a chance to really contribute. No projects will be drafted on the defensive side of the ball.

I think that the NFL will not open with New England at Indy, because they will want this always titanic matchup to be set for midseason to amp up the hype of what will probably be a huge game between two of the best in the league. Both teams playing well going against each other in the second half of the season is a huge ratings booster for a Sunday nighter say in Mid-November. I see New Orleans at Indy opening night. Lots of story lines, two very good teams.

First of all, Peter King loves the Patriots beyond any other team. Read his Monday column regularly and you will see that Brady can do no wrong, and that every move Belichik makes is unparalleled. (Does Robert Kraft pay his salary?) That being said, the Bears would be downright stupid to trade Briggs for a low first round pick. If they were really considering doing that, than the Bills need to get in the action. Trade down from 12 a few spots, and pick up the best available player at RB,DT,CB,or LB with say the 15th or 16th pick. Than take the extra third, packaging it with our 2nd and trade back up into the first round. Use that late first rounder and trade it to the Bears for Briggs. Give him a big, but fair contract, and we are set at outside linebacker. To save cap space we would probably have to cut TKO. How about a linebacking group of Briggs, Willis, Crowell, and Ellison? A guy can dream can't he.

If Olsen is still on the board say after the 25th pick, would the Bills trade there 2 and one of there three's to take him. A team that has so many holes to fill should never trade up giving away extra picks, but rather should trade down gaining extra picks to bring in more good young players. However, on the other hand it is tempting to think that way just a bit when you think of that additional downfield weapon for JP to throw to. Anyway its food for thought. (Excuse the cliche)

Lee Evans someday is going to be in your top 15 receivers of all time? Wow, that is high praise.. I am not sure yet if he ends up there, but I sure love what he brings to the field. What an explosive deep play threat almost everytime he touches the ball. He WILL surpass Eric Moulds as at least the number two receiver in Bills history when all is said and done. GO BILLS P>S. You have to put Torrey Holt in the almost near category somehow.

Noone thinks the A-train is that bad, in fact he is decent. But that is all he is, is DECENT. He will make some plays for us when called upon, but he just does not have the big play capability. If we want to get to the next level we need PLAYMAKERS. Peterson is just that. Give A-Pete 25-30 touches a game, A-train 10 touches a game, (maybe some in short yardage) and our run game is set for overdrive baby.

The man is a big space eater which we certainly need in the middle. Noone complained about his motor at Michigan. If he plays up to his potential he will be a steal at 12. A bigger question is if Willis, Branch and Peterson are available at 12, who do we take? Or do we still try and trade down to get another 2nd or 3rd? Remember we are more than one player away from making a run deep in the playoffs.

I think we may be better off without a fullback. The last couple of years with Shelton at fullback, we really ran the ball very poorly. I like a two tight end one back set for short yardage, and three receiver, one back, one tight end as your base set. It looked like Shelton always got in the way. And in short yardage they can always use Ceislak as the fullback. When you go three or four receiver set with a single back, it spreads out the field and allows for more space in the defense. It also makes us more unpredictable. I believe our best weapon is letting JP air it out if he is given the time. So lets put three receivers on the field as much as possible, instead of clogging things up with a plodding fullback.

I agree. The offense was inconsistent at best last year. We definitely need some more playmakers to stretch the opposing defenses. A pass catching tight end with some speed, another wide receiver with some size to compliment who we have now, and at least one big time running back with some breakaway speed and TOUGHNESS are needed. Now that we have what I hope is a vastly improved O-line, we need to compliment that with some skill player upgrades. Unless Adrian Peterson falls to us at 12, we are best off trading down, getting some extra picks and picking our running back in the second or third rounds.

I watched many a Michigan game the past two seasons and did not see Alan Branch take off too many plays. Ask the Penn State Quarterback who he crushed into the ground last October if he thinks Alan Branch is lazy. If he is available when we draft, he should be our man hands down.

That offensive line you see sounds awesome. Isn't taking Levi Brown at number 12 a little high? What about trading down a few picks and getting Brown at 15-17? We pick up an extra second, or at least a high 3rd and a 5th. We now have two seconds and two thirds, or a second and three thirds. We package a second and a third to move back up into the bottom of the first round to grab the best corner, D-lineman or linebacker still on the board at that particular spot. After drafting the second first rounder, we still have at least two picks left in the top three rounds. We can take two of the three positions of need left with those picks. By doing this we have filled 3 positions of need in the first three rounds and gotten ourselves a stud right tackle. Our four positions of need IMHO our DT, RB, LB, CB. Obviously one of these positions will not get filled in the first three rounds if you use my scenario. But there is still free agency and rounds 4-7 to fill any other holes. Anything that Marv does on draft day would not be shocking based on what he did in last years draft.

His claim to fame was laying out Takeo with a big time pancake block in one of those memorable "scrimmages" the Bills and Browns used to have each summer during the Williams and Malarkey eras. Why I remember that, I am not sure. I would be scared signing anyone who is cut by Cleveland given how woeful there offense has been this decade. (See Kelly Holcomb)

Duece McCalister has much more natural ability than A-Train. That being said with a solid o line in front of him, the A train should be productive getting 10 plus carries a game. We still will need to draft the brakeaway speed back to make our running game multi dimensional.

I love your optimism about the O line. I do not think that Marv and Dick are going to give out big contracts unless they have done there homework on Dockery, Walker, and Wittle. I see a much more powerful, drive blocking type of line that is going to move the pile which we have not seen a lot of for some time. Combine that with a group of running backs that won't dance at the line of scrimmage, but instead hit the hole with authority, and I think we will see a much improved offense.

I totally agree with you. Fletcher made a lot of tackles, but not many of them were at the line of scrimmage or behind it. If the Bills had wanted to keep Fletcher they would have extended him with one year left on his contract after the 2005 season. They obviously did not want to do that and for good reason. I think whomever we put in the middle will be an upgrade. As far as Nate is concerned, he is definitely a good cornerback, but also most definitely not in the top five. There were many games over his tenure with the Bills that he was toasted. Who can forget opening day 2004 against Jacksonville! The bottom line is that we should give Marv and Dick the benefit of the doubt with there player personnel decisions. I am sure there is a lot of thought into who we resign and who we let go. Clements and Fletcher are gone. Lets forget about it and move forward. I am sure they have a plan as to who there replacements will be. Lets not forget that we are not breaking up the Steelers of the 1970's. This is a team that has gone 38-58 the past six years. Lets be OPTIMISTIC about the upcoming season.

I watched him pretty closely in the Bears last two playoff games against the Saints and Colts, and basically he did next to nothing. I see no upgrade with him in the middle of our D-line. Robaire Smith looked pretty tough against us when we played the Titans late last year. He was getting a strong push up the middle. I believe he is bigger than Scott which would be a plus as well.

You mean the same Steve McNair who who drove the Ravens to ZERO offensive touchdowns against the Bills in our final game? And the same Steve McNair who drove the Ravens to ZERO touchdowns and had the following stats of 18 for 29 for 173 yards, two picks and a QB rating of 49.9 in their playoff game against the Colts? I had would much rather have JP at the helm than McNair who has been on the decline for the past 5 years. Geese, he put up numbers in the playoff game that would make Rex Grossman proud.

I have not watched the game for some time, (the ending broke my heart) but from what I remember, on the last couple of drives of the game JP was under considerable pressure every time he dropped back to pass. There is no way that on a crucial 4th and five with a decent amount of time left to move into field goal position, that we would throw a hail mary type pass. Hopefully, with the additions on the offensive line, JP will have the time to complete a much higher percentage pass in that situation next season. And in fact, it did look like Reed got held when he was coming back to try and make the catch!!

Adrian Peterson is a stud. If he is on the board at #12, we take him hands down. Take this into account. Free agency has only been going on for little more than a week. Me thinks that will make at least one if not two more interesting moves before the draft to better the team. Looking at what is left on the free agent market, what position is lacking the most in talent. I would say running backs with Chris Brown, A-train, Buckholter, Dayne, etc. left. That means we will probably spend any big bucks we have left on another position especially if we cut Takeo. (distinct possibility) What talent is still available? Cato June, (I know people say he is small, but the guy is a good football player) What about Robaire Smith from Tennessee to fill a tremendous need at DT. And they also have the kid from Maryland I believe Starks who is a restricted free agent, (Watch Marv put a big offer together for him) My point is if we can get one or two more potential starters in free agency, it narrows down the positions of need on draft day. And with the least likely position to be filled in free agency being running back due to lack of talent, Adrian Peterson could and should very well be our man at #12. (don't forget David Harris from Michigan at middle linebacker. The guy is a tackling machine)