UticaBill

Basically you group the various positions into tiers, such as the first 5 wrs are all about the same talent this year so that would be tier #1.... then the next group and so on.... then you look a head and see how many teams have needs at each positions you are considering and determine where the shortest supply is hopefully allowing the larger supply to last a little longer (and maybe back to you) by causing a run at the shorter position... also, you would be getting a higher valued tier at say TE in the 2nd round where as the WR tier is mostly the same where we would pick in the 3rd... however losing that top tier TE would force us to possibly the 2nd or 3rd tier by the time we would pick in the 3rd... There is also a grading system used on the tiers since some are not as big a jump from one to the next as others... sometimes the drop is only one tier, but the talent level is 3 tiers lower! (IF you understand all that drivel)

Heck I like the Dolphins game being at Toronto! It's a game that we will have a lot of pride in winning with or without the 12th man so I know the players will be pumped. Plenty of Canadian Bills fans will also be behind the team. I don't know why everyone thought it would be SF game, they stated a DECEMBER game would be moved, and there was a conflict for the NE game... what did ya expect? I'd rather go see the Pats and Brady than the Phlippin Phins....Plus the SF game will be a better game to watch than that Phin game.

You're placing far to much emphasis on speed... A 4.5 WR that is a good route runner with quick acceleration can be more effective than a speedy WR that cannot disguise his routes....

I guess the MOCKs aren't getting any attention now that the schedule is out?

Well that was part of the idea... they keep asking for higher contracts that eventually we can't afford 53 guys..... Take a look at the owners now considering an uncapped year because they don't want to pay the "Floor" of the salary cap which might be higher than an uncapped year... The NFL used a single platoon style back in its early days, and it worked wuite well because of a lack of talent.... something noticeable in the league again.... why play some 7th project at DT when you could start your elite RG can fill in? (and do a better job) OK maybe not a single platoon, but a return to more two-way players.

Well I am a pretty big Fantasy Football nut and while I fully realize that there are huge differences between the two, I think the draft strategies used in FF can be also applied to the real world. One of the winningest techiniques in FF is Value based drafting or VBD. This is a method of looking ahead at other teams needs to estimate where the best value is on any given pick. So looking at everyone's mocks... I started thinking about doing a VBD mock for the real draft and see what happens.... I've used a few sources to compile rankings and then averaged them to get a feel for each tier of players... #11 Derrick Harvey -DE- He makes our front seven better and in turn helps the back four... Schobel is 30 and has or is at his peak.... #41 Martellus Bennett -TE- he is a better value than any of the WR's that will still be here... and there are some good WRs to be had in the 3rd. #72 Earl Bennett -WR- he isn't the big WR everyone wants, but he is a good complimentary weapon to Evans and is at least 6ft. #114 Mike McGlynn -OG- Not a pretty pick but great value and provides needed depth with future potential #132 Doug Legurski -C- Both Fowler and Preston are FAs next season.... Doug would be a nice fit and has potential to start #147 Jacob Hester -FB- Top rated FB this draft, and a potential weapon right away. #179 Taj Smith -WR- Watched this kid all year... mostly a personal choice... but I think he could be a nice backup and STer #219 Kennard Cox -FS/CB- depth and is versatile. #224 Mark Margo -LB- Depth and can play inside or outside... #251 Matt Flynn -QB- Not sure he would still be available, but I expect the Bills to take a QB somewhere...and this guy would be great value if he lasts.

We don't want to interfere with the AAFL either!

Insanity is expecting a rookie wide out to come in and be more productive than Josh Reed.....(Not that Josh is a #2....)

Its nice to draft a WR and fill a need, but can someone tell me just how many 1st year WR's had an impact on their team? NONE of these receivers have "Sure Fire Stud" printed on their fannies..... I'd rather get good value at another position of need and wait till the 2-3 rounds to fill the WR hole.... then go after a veteran player after the June 1st cuts...

Yeah, its all fluff, which is why I read the bios and look at their videos and make my own opinions on who I want... not every player, just players I want for the Bills to take.... a few years back one of those players was Jason Peters not that I thought he would be a pro bowl left tackle, just that I thought he was an good fit with huge upside. I thought he would be Bledsloes next Ben coates with that blazing speed and size.... but hey that why you hire good coaches

Dallas wants a backup RB and an extra DB... niether positions require immediate starters.... SO again WHY would Dallas want to move to #11? There is a lot of speculation about who's going where, but Dallas would be able to pick up both an RB and a DB at #21 and #28 and be better off than trading up for either position and not filling the other.... I think it is BEST for everyone to assume the Bills are picking at #11 and there will be no suitors calling. This way we can have a solid draft strategy and concentrate on refining it as the draft plays out. IF Dallas had already showed some interest I would agree its worth considering, but otherwise its just wild speculation.

I was an RJ supporter and a Losman supporter.... I'll support whoever the Bills start unless he is cannon fodder.... Being a supporter doesn't mean you're a fan, and RJ not going on to do anything anywhere else (except get a SB ring) doesn't really prove that RJ couldn't have become a decent QB.... I think your parallels between RJ and JP do have some merit, but let's be honest.... show me one single QB who developed into a quality starter after going through 3 or more head coach or coordinator changes? I can only think of Trent Dilfer and Testeverde.... and they didn't do anything until very late into their careers AFTER they had settled in with a system for a bit. What you fail to realize is that both QBs have been handled badly by administration and its the front office and the coaches who are to blame for either players failures... they MIGHT have become decent serviceable QBs if given the same system and the same coaches for 3-4 years consecutively.... but that did not happen with either QB and both disappointed more as a result of instability in the organization than from any lack of skills or work ethic. Take a look at any team that has won the Superbowl or had dynastic winning seasons and you will notice they have a stable front office with little turnover in the coaching ranks..... Interestingly enough, neither player was given the starting role for an entire season and both were on a short leash and pulled for another QB during the season, which kills a young QB's confidence quicker than anything. Is it that the players failed to develop or that management mishandled their development? I am not going to beat a dead horse and talk about a QB controversy, I happen to like both Trent and JP and I think both can be winners in time.... I love the way Trent just "Got it" right away and told everyone in the preseason that would listen he was going to be something "Someday" and to my surprise that day was a lot faster than I would have thought possible! JP on the other hand should have grown by now and for about 9 games he looked like he was seeing the light.... but that was it, just a spurt, maybe a sign of things to come or maybe an aberration... we'll find out someday.... until then I still believe that with stability and good coaching JP could still develop, he has had many setbacks to his learning and that makes it harder than a normal develoment schedule thus a slower one.... it can also destroy a talented player if not rectified early enough. We'll see what happens in a few seasons, and I hope for JP's sake he gets what he needs and gets a chance to start somewhere, he's a great kid, and a fine role model and a very admirable young man.

Your valuation for the #18 pick is way off, and we would need to give up next years 1st not 2nd rounder to pull off the deal you propose...

After the garbage that spilled from Kelly's mouth after his pro day do the Bills even waste a pick on him? The guy can hardly handle adversity with his pro day without crying? Sounds like another Keyshawn Johnson but slower..... let's see how was Keyshawn in the redzone again? Sorry to pick on that one pick so much but I am certain he is not Bills material. The rest are all damn fine picks and Kelly could just as easily be a TO I suppose.... but, TO isn't a Bills player either....

I'm still wrangling over round two but I am done with round one at least

Poor JP.... such a nice guy too.

A great backfield isn't worth a warm bucket of spit if they keep running up your gut....

IF we got Dallas's two 1st I don't think we'd use them on a WR and a TE.... maybe, but Most/all of the TE's will be their at #41 I could see us taking a WR and a DB, or an LB or even a lineman at #28 assuming we grab our WR at #21 Who would Dallas want that bad that would still be there at #11? We might have to package our 4th or 5th into that deal to make it palatable to them.... IF Dallas was going to move up, I think they would want to get into the #3 or #4 slot... but that would cost them nearly the entire draft.

I think you're making some assumptions here you can't be sure on... First, why would JP want to go to another team and compete for the #1 job and possibly settle for the #2... Opportunity! Why Would Randy Moss turn down more money to play with the Patriots instead? Opportunity! I really don't think anyone except JP and his Agent really know what their price tag is.... but as of now JP isn't kidding himself into thinking he is going to get a big money long term deal either....is it in JP's best interest to stay here? Not really, though it won't hurt anything, so he IS motivated to leave for a team that WANTS him. If a team wanted JP they would ask permission from the Bills to talk to JP and then get a feel for his perceived value... if its something they think they can work a deal with they make the trade and then put a clause in that says if they can't reach a deal JP reverts to the Bills and we give up a draft pick or return their pick depending on if the draft is over or not.... Just as simple as the deal with Philly last year! You make it sound like some impossible deal and I see it as an everyday business deal with no messy details... its all negotiations!

Because you can never have too many blue chip pass rushers.... You're thinking about this season, while a GM is thinking about 3 seasons from now as well.... Will schobel stay healthy? Will he remain effective? If we used a rotation would we be more effective getting to the QB? it will all depend on who falls to #11 and IF anyone rings the phone looking to move..... but I think a CB or DE would be a fine selection if they are studs..... heck take the player and someone who was hoping he'd fall might make a trade with you ala the Giants and Manning...... ya never know what a high demand player will do for your team without even playing a down....

Veteran QB vs a 3-4 round QB? It would take 3-4 years normally to develop a QB from a round that low.... JP has shown he can be an effective backup coming off the bench..... Now as for the contract... I am sure any team investing a pick in a guy with a year left would want a new contract in place, and I am certain JP would accommodate that team

I can't see us going DT on day one with Stroud & Johson onboard....Mcargo & Williams.... that's a good interior right there.... might take one later in the draft for development but not on day one..... Despite Jabari Greer's rise, CB is one of the most injury prone positions so I think our need to get a starter is much stronger than DT or even OLB and I doubt we would take two LBs, more likely we sign a vet than two project for reserves (unless they are STers) ON Day one CB and WR will be taken care of, but there are a few other players we may take if they are available at our pick that would break this strategy... trades would also changes things a lot. TE and QB are next biggest needs... I can see us using a 4th on a qb... depending on who/what/when...

ITs important to remember that if we could trade down and somehow wind up with two firsts or two high 2nds there is a much better chance of getting someone who can help right away. I don't know where WRs will start getting taken, but all signs point to about halfway into the first round. With the top five possibly lasting to the Bills #41 pick. Now if someone they covet on Defense is available at #11 I think we stay... and go WR later.... there is still the TE spot and some nice looking WRs that might not make it the first day but have legit potential to be quality starters. Our extra 4 will give us a lot of flexibility in filling back up roles or could be packaged in a trade to get us another 2nd..... Our extra 7s will be for STers and other backfill... so we can draft for best available most of the rounds.

I like Thomas too but I would rather have a nice Pass rushing DE

1 Stroud 2 Peters 3 Moorman 4 Lynch 5 Schobel 6 Evans 7 Poz