KOKBILLS

Listened to Murph again tonight...Have to say I get a kick out of how obviously irritated he gets when this rumor is brought up...You can tell it's not his favorite subject... And for the record I really like Murph...It's just funny to hear the change in his voice and how short he gets with callers when they bring it up... Have to say if this story had even a hint of validity I think Murph would be a little more open to discussing the possibility...

Agreed... Amaro is also 6-5 3/8 - 265....So...While it's 100% true he was not asked to do a lot of in-line blocking in College that does not mean he can't eventually turn into a serviceable all-around NFL TE...Some scouts, amateur and pro, seem to get a little overwhelmed with what a kid did in College when in fact he was only doing what he was told and coached to do...Amaro did what he was told and coached to do pretty well last season considering he had over 100 receptions...Is he going to look like a decent blocker when he almost never does it and the coaches spend less time on refining those skills? Of coarse not...But it's not like he's 6-2-235...He's a BIG kid, he's strong for a TE (28 reps @225), and he's pretty athletic (he had the 4th highest vertical jump and 3rd best broad jump among TE's at the Combine)...And I'm pretty certain in time with decent NFL coaching he'll be passable in the blocking area...Not saying he's ever going to be a mauler...But he should be just fine...And it's already a proven fact he can catch the ball...

Here's another excellent tool for Combine results... https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AseLAGMydisldHE0Rl9kOGxPXzhPckREX3NQd0dQTGc&usp=drive_web#gid=0

That was a Jauron pick...It's pretty well known Maybin was dead Dick's guy...Brandon had zero to do with the Draft that year...He's not a personnel guy...Never was, never will be...

Interesting considering some scouts are saying Evans hands are among the best they've ever seen... I'm still OK with Ebron overall...But I definitely like Evans more...

So...I'm not arguing the need for versatility...I get that...But you have to gauge the value of versatility against the value of another prospect that can offer much more while using a premium Draft pick...Especially a 1st or 2nd round pick...How big is the need of versatility for a position that NFL teams are playing an average of 2 guys on 57% of Defensive snaps? You want to utilize a premium pick for versatility on Defense? Then I would much rather see the Bills use a premium pick on a big Safety. Because a big Safety is going to be on the field for 100% of the Defensive snaps... If a guy like Skov is the best prospect available in the 3rd round I can see that...But he's not going to be the BPA in the 2nd round...I can all but guarantee that much...Especially in this Draft...

Well... I think it can be easily argued that while it may not have been convention wisdom around the league that a QB was worthy of a 1st round pick last year, most Bills fans knew there was a very, very, good chance they were going to take one in the 1st anyway... And with the exception of the EJ Draft pick all that other stuff you mentioned was done under other leadership...Maybin was a Jauron pick...Spiller a Nix/Gailey special...Whaley is his own man, and it seems to me more calculated and Pittsburgh Steelers-pragmatic than those before him...And I said that as kindly as I could... A better way of saying it would be that Whaley, IMHO, is smarter...And I fail to see the intelligence of giving up picks in what most scouts are saying is the deepest Draft in the past decade...So...I doubt very much convention wisdom will be damned at OBD...I think Whaley sticks to the plan, maybe even trades down a couple spots...It would really shock me if they gave up anything in 2014 to trade up I understand what you're saying Kirby, but the fact is most scouts I read are saying the difference in talent in this Draft, especially through the 1st round, is minimal...For example...Is there really that big a difference between Matthews and Lewan? Watkins and Evans? Maybe as a rookies...But beyond that? The Bills are sitting in a nice spot at #9...There is not much of a difference in what you're going to get talent-wise in a trade up with the possible exceptions of Clowney and Robinson...One ex NFL Scout I follow has prospects from #4 to #35 overall within three tenths of a grade point to each other...Which is really, really close...That same scout had double the grade differential from #4 to #35 last year...The problem with going up to get something big is obvious...You have to give up something that is potentially big...Kiko went #46 overall last year...The player the Bills would be giving up at #41 this year will have a MUCH higher grade than Kiko did last year...IMHO it's not worth the risk... I think in a Draft that is very top heavy your argument has merit if you assume a team is truly close to being a legit contender...Which is a completely different point of contention with this current Buffalo Bills team... I really respect Whaley...I like him a lot...I think it's over-reading his comments if you're assuming they lend credence to a trade up scenario...All he was saying is the Bills have no glaring needs which lessens the possibility of forcing a pick...He was not saying the Bills have no needs...He was simply saying it helps them stick with their board and get the best possible player where they Draft...Whaley just strikes me as the type of GM who can't have enough picks because he's ultra-confident in his scouting department at this point...I just don't think he's interested in giving up premium Draft picks...But we'll see...

Agreed...No question more picks is almost always better than less...And depth is ultra-important... But specifically in this Draft I don't think it's worth a trade down from #9 to #14 for anything less than a 2nd round pick...#14 is a potentially tough spot for the Bills in this Draft...Reason being there is a good chance that Matthews, Evans, Ebron, and Lewan are all gone in the top 13...And while the Bills may not have a specific need they are shooting for in the 1st Round, I think if WR, TE, and OT are eliminated it would be a huge mistake...It's just a bit too risky...I think it's easy to imagine that Clowney, Robinson, Watkins, Manziel, Mack, Bortles, Bridgewater, Matthews, Lewan, Evans, Ebron, and Barr all go in the top 13...And if one player slides out of that top 13, I would guess there is a decent chance it would be Bridgewater...That would mean another player the Bills may like would slide in... It's just too much of a risk right now without knowing who would still be there at #14...If you could assure me right now that one from Evans, Ebron, Matthews, or Lewan would still be on the board at #14 then we can talk...

I hear what you're saying...Don't get me wrong... But in the same regard some NFL teams with multiple millions on the line don't care who you are if you're flashing gang signs on and off the field, or if you're associating with known gang members...It's bad for business...And after Aaron Hernandez some of these NFL teams are not going to sit back and wait for something bad to happen...

Trading down for anything other than an extra 2nd Round Pick is basically a waste of time...I think the number is something like 30% of 3rd Round picks become starters for 3 years or more, and only 6% ever make the Pro Bowl...

Interesting...

Agreed... No doubt the Bills will be looking for another LB for depth that can play in the middle in case Spikes is injured...But as it stands right now they have plenty of LB's and decent depth...Kiko will stay on the field in Nickle and Dime packages...I just don't see ILB as being a pressing need right now...Not to say they won't Draft one...But I seriously doubt it will be in the first 3 rounds unless we get some extra picks in a trade down... How is ILB a priority need? Spikes is the starter, if he gets hurt Kiko would likely move back inside...57% the Defensive downs are played with only one or two LB's...The Bills 1st LB is Kiko, 2nd on the field in Nickel would probably be Spikes at this point...I just don't see ILB depth as a pressing need...

No... What has Watt, with all his incredible ability, got the Texans really? He's one piece in what has been a good to very good Defense over these past three years...They made the Playoffs 2 out of his 3 years, and are 2-2 in 4 Playoff games with Watt...They got thumped on the road in the Playoffs 2 consecutive years... Watt is an incredible talent...But he can't win anything all by his lonesome, and he especially can't win anything without a good QB on his team...If a team was going to give up a ton for a JJ Watt-type talent they better be darn sure they are a JJ Watt-type talent away from a legit SB run...Because at the end of the day he's just one out of 11 on Defense...And he's not a QB...

Still a ways to go... But I continue to think it's going to be Evans, Ebron, or Lewan to Buffalo at #9...At this point I would be surprised if it's not one of those 3...

It may be just my opinion, but I think Bortles is still in play at #1 overall...There are a lot of dots that can be connected with O'Brien and Bortles...It's no secret O'Brien likes that kid...

As far as I know McClain has not backed down on his claim that the Texans are taking a QB at #1 no matter what...I think Johnny Football's Pro Day only helped those chances...The more the QB's get pushed up the more pressure there is on the Texans to go QB there... And no offense to Garropolo...He may very well turn out great...But good luck to the Texans with that plan...That's a big risk...

Murph referred to this on his show last night as well...

I'm not sure what the answer is to the question... I am 100% sure the Bills have not announced their intention to do anything...I'm also pretty sure the rumor has no legs...Or very, very short legs... For what it's worth the Bills very own hired talking head John Murphy pretty emphatically shot down these rumors last night on his show...Murph did not have his usual casual voice on when responding however briefly to this rumor...And yes before any of you say it I realize Murphy is not the Bills GM and they could easily hide their intentions from him...But it was more of the way he responded to it...Like it was shoddy reporting that had no basis in fact...He opened his show saying they've "got a great show tonight rooted in reality not wild rumors..." So...Anyway...Take it for what it's worth...

Agreed... I'm usually 100% against giving up picks in any Draft...But I don't have much of a problem giving away picks in 2015 if the player the Bills target will truly put them over the edge...I look back at the Biscuit trade as an example of that...The thing is the Bills already had Kelly, Bruce, and Andre in place when they made that deal... That being said...I think giving up picks in a Draft that most Scouts are saying is the deepest in a decade is just not too smart...That makes no sense to me at all...

Wow!!! Did not see that coming!!!

Cam Newton... Just like him...Plus...He helped me win two different FF leagues over these past two seasons...

Not that this would ever happen...But it's fun to see speculation on the target nonetheless... I would think if they moved to #1 the target would be Robinson...The way Marrone wants to run the ball, and the fact that he's an ex O-lineman, and ex O-line coach, makes me think he would be absolutely salivating at the opportunity to land Robinson...Robinson is a mauler, incredible athlete for his size, and has Orlando Pace-like potential...That would be my guess anyway...

You should listen to that interview 26CornerBlitz posted above with Erie County Exec Mark Poloncarz...It's at about the 9:45 mark of the interview... To say there is a bit of disdain among the people in the know (at least the Erie County people) about Mr Bongiovi seems to be an understatement...Apparently he's part of the group from Toronto that wants to move the Bills...I had no idea what group Bon Jovi was aligned with, only that he was interested in buying a team...But it's pretty clear Poloncarz is not a big fan...I'm uncertain if he likes his music though...

Amen to that... And most importantly...The Bills are not taking a QB whether they need one or not...So...

He won't bet there...