KOKBILLS

It's a great point...Divisional match-ups are key...And I do agree with Marrone that the ability to run the ball when you want to run it, not necessarily (or only) when that is what the Defense is giving you, is key...

That's a Draft I can live with...Though Henderson is going to have to get his head on straight REALLY quick...

There is definitely more than one way to approach this thing...And I'm uncertain whether or not one is better than the other...It all depends on how Whaley and Marrone want to build this Offense...I think one of these top OT's should be a big boost to the O-line which should result in a better running game and more time for EJ...I also think receivers like Evans or Ebron put pressure on defenses and cause match-up issues...It all depends on how they want to go about it...I'm on the record already that I'll be happy with Matthews, Lewan, Evans, or Ebron at #9 (I'm eliminating Watkins and Robinson because I believe there is zero chance they'll be around at #9)...I think they all bring a potential boost to the Offense...Albeit in different ways...

Good post... I think you hit on the reality of the situation instead of a lot of the mindless speculation...The reality is the Bills are 100% dedicated to EJ and that comes straight from the GM...The reality is also that they feel the need to give EJ as much help as they possibly can to speed up his progress...We can all argue about whether or not this strategy is a good one or not...But what we can't argue much about is the fact that the Bills have made their decisions internally and that's what they are going to do if the Draft falls their way...I think they also view a top tier OT as a way to help EJ and the Offense...But I believe their preference is to get him as many match-up challenges for Defenses as they possibly can...

In a semi-related note it was pointed out by someone...maybe John Murphy (I can't recall for certain)...the other day...that signing Byrd long-term to the kind of contract he is looking for all but seals Aaron Williams long-term fate in Buffalo...That there is no way the Bills would be able to keep both of them...Food for thought I guess...

Sounds good to me!!! Where do I sign up?

I think he certainly can be that good...But you know...There are a million variables before he gets to that level...At the end of the day you take the leap of faith or you don't...There's equal arguments either way...It's the same thing with Mike Evans this year as well...The team that takes Ebron will be pretty certain he's the next Davis or Graham...The team that passes will have doubts... I do think the kid is confident he can be the best...And that's never a bad thing...

Evans is going to the NFL and there are a lot of folks that are looking far to deep into what he did wrong in College instead of looking at what he did right in only two years of big-time College football...The NFL Draft is about projection...Evans won't be 21 until August 21st...He's no where even remotely close to being a finished product... What is he right now at 20? He's almost 6-5 with 35 inch arms, almost 10" hands, and a 37" vertical-jump...He also runs in the 4.5 area...It's that elite athletic ability that allowed him to amass 2500 yds receiving combined as a redshirt Freshman and Sophomore despite the fact that he is a little rough and unpolished...Give him a year or two in the NFL when it's his job and he's getting elite Coaching then get back to me on his ability to get open...In the NFL it's FAR more about the ability to come down with the ball when you are partially covered anyway...Evans body fits that mold perfectly...This is the exact same garbage I heard spewed about Alshon Jeffrey when he came out...Too many people disallowing the possibility, if not the probability, that players with elite (or near elite) athletic ability and measurables will get better in the NFL in time...You can't teach the things Evans has athletically...You can certainly teach him how to polish off the rough spots in his game...And no matter what can be said about his College career he produced...

Benjamin looked good...He reminds me a lot of Sidney Rice...In a good way... But Evans looks special to me...Like sky-is-the-limit special... He's never had NFL Coaching or played in an NFL Offense...He has all the ability he needs to excel in the next level...He just needs to be coached up...

It's a fair observation...But I think the idea behind Ebron going that high has to do with the effect players like Davis, Graham, and Gronkowski have had on their respective Offenses in the NFL...The idea being there are a few kids who fit this specific mold that are very special and can absolutely give Defenses fits trying to match-up...

Well...In that young group we have nothing even remotely resembling Evans (or Ebron for that matter)... No question I agree Evans may not be the pick if you are looking for immediate returns from game #1...He'll have his struggles early on like most young WR's...But I submit that Drafting that way is a mistake if the kid is going to be extra special a year or two down the line... All that being said...As of 2/23/2014 I would be very happy if the Bills landed one from the group of Matthews (OT), Lewan (OT), Evans (WR), or Ebron (TE) at #9...I'm not considering Watkins (WR), or Robinson (OT) because I think they'll be long gone...

Ebron is a TE...But he's a TE like Vernon Davis, or Jimmy Graham is a TE...He's a weapon and his skill set is unique to the position...He would create ridiculous match-up problems for Defenses at times...He's definitely a special-situation, and he would likely line-up outside a lot...

That would certainly be a steal for Thomas...He may be the best pass blocking LT in the league...I'd rather pay him than Byrd...Again I don't think Cleveland would look to deal him unless they got a King's ransom...But I would be OK with that deal for sure...

They all have weaknesses...But not all of them are 6-5 with his type of athletic ability either... Just watch the kid move and tell me how stiff he looks...Watch his tape and his hands when he catches the ball... I'll just say this...A couple years ago I was here telling everyone who would listen how special Alshon Jeffrey was and how I felt the Bills should Draft him at #10 overall...Then I sat around and watched the kid get absolutely picked apart in every possible way leading up to Draft Day...He got pushed down for a bunch of stuff that really had nothing to do with what he brought to the field...And it did take Jeffrey a year to get adjusted...But you can't teach what guys like Jeffrey and Evans have naturally...If you tap into that and smooth out the rough edges you'll have something very, very special...

Are you saying trade #9 overall for Joe Thomas? Because it's going to take a lot more than a 3rd or 4th for him...Not that I think Cleveland would consider trading him at all...But I guess anything is possible if the price is right...

Clowney to Buffalo? Look...I realize Clowney is a very special player...But this is a team that has needs in several key areas, none of which are DE...Especially if Carrington comes back for a year...If the Bills were to trade in the 1st and only come out of it with Clowney I think that would be a perfect example of how not to build a team...This is a team that can't score...And yes Clowney would help the Defense, but they would still have glaring needs elsewhere that could be better addressed by staying put and trading Byrd for a 2nd round pick...It's about building a team...Not building a pass rush...The Bills were the 2nd best pass rushing team in the NFL in 2014 and finished 6-10...Clowney is a pass rushing DE...Sure it would make the Bills pass rush ridiculous...But it does little for building a winning team overall...

Well...Evans may have only won the Combine today...But it was a decisive win IMHO...I don't think I could have possibly been more impressed with his performance today than I was...Maybe he could have run a little faster...But there really is only one Megatron...As it is, Evans is an almost-6-5 specimen of a man who's arms look 10 feet long... He runs a respectable 4.5 and can absolutely pluck it...But all in all he just looks special the way he moves...Whaley said the thing he looks for is athletic ability in the drills more than clock speed...Evans seems to glide out there...He literally oozes athletic ability... I know one thing for certain...The Bills are going to have a REAL hard time passing on that kid at #9...

I'm almost always in favor of a trade down...No matter what I'm not against doing it purely based on philosophy... But this Draft does have me re-thinking things a bit...The reality is, should the Bills chose to trade down past #12 overall, there is a strong possibility they will lose out on the chance to Draft one of Lewan/Matthews, Ebron, or Evans...I've been so impressed watching these 4 over the past year that I'm uncertain about how smart it is to pass on all of them...Picking up an extra 2nd will go a long way towards calming that uncertainty...But I would actually rather see the Bills grab an extra 2nd for Byrd and stay put at #9 right now...I reserve the right to change my mind over the next 2 months of course...

I completely agree with this point... I also think that there is a great possibility Byrd has peaked as a player...Now...He may very well prove me wrong...Especially if he gets into a Lil Donte-type situation where he lands on a great Defense...There is no question his instincts as a FS are elite, and should remain that way for years to come...But looking at Byrd this past season, watching him run, with the reality of the PF as a factor...I think it's very possible he's on the decline...Even if it's a very slow decline over the next couple years...And I would worry big-time about allocating that kind of money to him... But admittedly that may be just me...

I'm never happy about anyone losing their job... But this move would actually go a long way in solidifying my faith in Marrone and Whaley...Why would any professional team not want to be on the cutting edge in this area?

Not to harp on this too much (though it looks like I will anyway... )...But the chances that the Bills would trade down and take an OG in the first in a normal year are thin...Let alone a year that is one of the deepest at OT in recent memory...It's not the Bills organizational philosophy to take OG's in the first couple of rounds...And this year there could be as many as 8-9 OT's with 1st or 2nd Round grades...And only 3-4 OG's rated in the same area, with the highest being Yancey as a borderline 1st Round pick... We had a similar discussion last year when the Bills could have stayed put and taken one of two VERY high rated OG's...Higher rated than in any recent year, and definitely much higher rated than any OG this year...The Bills did exactly what most expected them to do...They passed on those two OG's...Because not only did they want EJ (in a trade down), they don't value a pure OG like some teams may...They will possibly take an OT in a trade down scenario...Even a RT if they feel they can push them inside for a year or two...But they don't take pure OG's high...Unless Whaley decides to go against one of Buddy's biggest Draft beliefs and philosophies...Which I doubt...This is not about the individual players as much as it's about organizational philosophy... And to add to all of this...Any time you have a Draft this deep talent at positions like OG, and SS, are going to naturally get pushed down the board...It's just what happens...There should be some very nice talent at OG still available in the middle rounds this year...

Just looking at Evans and Ebron...their obvious length...The Bills are going to have one heck of a tough decision at #9...If they choose to stay there... It's looking very possible that Lewan (or Matthews), Evans, and Ebron will all be available at #9...Decisions, decisions... Just watched Evans gauntlet again...I know it's a weird drill and all, but sometimes it effectively shows how well a WR can pluck the ball out of the air...I'm not sure I've ever seen a WR run that drill and look more impressive than Evans did...That kid may need a lot of work in some areas...They all need work somewhere...But the sky is absolutely the limit for him because he is a silky smooth, almost 6-5 WR...I think in that drill alone he showed the difference between himself and Benjamin...Not that Benjamin looked bad at all...But Evans looks special...Watching Evans, Ebron, and Lewan the past three days is making me re-think my love for a trade down...These kids are ultra-impressive athletes...And they have on-field production to back it up... Another question...Is Kelvin Benjamin really just Sidney Rice in disguise? And I'm not even talking about the fact that they look a little alike...When I see Benjamin run and catch I see Sidney Rice...They look like VERY similar type prospects...Which is not necessarily a bad thing for Benjamin...

No question Ebron adds a dimension to the Bills Offense that is exciting to think about... If the top 7 contains Bortles, Manziel, Bridgewater, Clowney, Robinson, Mack, and Watkins...which I fully expect it will...That leaves 2 from Matthews, Ebron, and Lewan available at #9...The Bills will have a tough decision to make for certain... I can't imagine the Browns giving up a #1 for the right to pay Byrd $9 million per year...But here's to hoping... I think a 2nd is far more likely...

The top three OT's really did impress... In a trade down scenario I don't see the Bills going after an OG...Maybe one of the OT's remaining...But not an OG, and even more likely Ebron, Evans, or Benjamin...

Fair enough...But obviously you're not comparing Campbell to Robinson as a football player...Right? Because that's all that really matters anyway, and Robinson is 100 times the player Campbell was coming out...Robinson is drawing favorable comparisons to some of the best OT's to ever play the game...