Drafting a QB in the first round would be a huge mistake

[CarwellGardner]

Drafting a rookie QB (especially Clausen) and putting him behind this line would be an even larger mistake than the Maybin pick... when you have an o-line like the Jets (hate to say it) you can afford to invest a high pick in one of those guys, if you don't you're never going to see his potential bc he's going to get the #$& beat out of him before he can learn anything. Further as tight as Wilson is can you really tell me he's going to stroke a check for a high 1st round QB?!? No way.

 

We HAVE to address both o-tackle spots (Butler, Bell & Scott?!?) and we don't even know what's going to happen w Wood (met him at a Louisville bball game a couple of weeks ago and spoke with him - it's obvious, even he's very unsure as to when he'll be ready to play football again; love this kid!)

 

In so far as the "look at Clausen's #s talk" - IMO you can throw out any #s a Charlie Weiss QB puts up (ie Brady Quinn) much as you would with the Texas Tech QBs! They run a gimmick non-pro style offense that we don't even have the personnel to run anyway.... want an example? Exhibit A: the KC Chiefs

 

Let's hope we just use the pick on someone who can make a difference NOW! We have sooooo many difficiencies (LB, DT, OT, QB, DE) at key spots on both sides - we are not one pick or even two away from being a playoff football team again. I'm not dogging our guys hustle and effort (maybe their ability to stay healthy a little...) but many of the players that you saw in the last 1/4 of the season wont be on this team next year - they were signed to fill spots.

 

How we handle free agency this off season, to me, is a larger factor than the draft. Where we end up blowing close games is because of our lack of quality DEPTH. Now in defense of this year - NO TEAM IN THE LEAGUE could possibly prepare for 21 guys on IR - still can't believe that number! How does that happen - still can't figure it out!

 

I do believe we will be better this year but it does concern me that the notion of a rookie QB should be our first fix. We should take the best player available - that's not a DB - and try to build depth w some veteran FAs.

 

Check this site out for a bdown of players projected to be available: http://www.footballsfuture.com/2010/fa/ol.html

 

GO BILLS! COACH EM UP CHAN! THEY ARE STARVING FOR IT!!

[Coach Tuesday]

I agree with you. As much as we need a QB, the OLT and DT are bigger needs and are more likely to offer "blue chippers" in the early part of Round 1.

[iinii]

I agree with you. As much as we need a QB, the OLT and DT are bigger needs and are more likely to offer "blue chippers" in the early part of Round 1.

I will pound that drum with you gentlemen. Get the trenches fixed and then go after a Qb. A month ago someone tried to move the occupant into the house before it was finished analogy in some bassackwards way attempt to support their argument. I suggested he ask his wife how well that would work? So yeah get the house done and then find a quality talent to move in and enjoy many years of pain free living. Fixed.

[KD in CA]

In so far as the "look at Clausen's #s talk" - IMO you can throw out any #s a Charlie Weiss QB puts up (ie Brady Quinn) much as you would with the Texas Tech QBs! They run a gimmick non-pro style offense that we don't even have the personnel to run anyway.... want an example? Exhibit A: the KC Chiefs

 

ND ran a 'gimmick non-pro style offense'??

 

Either you watched zero ND games last season or you had no idea what you were watching.

 

 

I believe Clausen and Bradford will be gone before the Bills pick, so the point will be moot. Obviously they are the only QBs worthy of 1st round consideration.

[CarwellGardner]

ND ran a 'gimmick non-pro style offense'??

 

Either you watched zero ND games last season or you had no idea what you were watching.

 

 

I believe Clausen and Bradford will be gone before the Bills pick, so the point will be moot. Obviously they are the only QBs worthy of 1st round consideration.

 

 

My point was either/any of these guys gets killed behind this o-line and you end up wasting a lot of money (the most possible by position for a 1st round pick) and dig yourself into an even deeper hole. Just want a player that has a chance to make a difference and isnt handicapped immediately because of the lack of talent around him. No other position is more reliant on supporting cast than the QB. Period.

[KD in CA]

My point was either/any of these guys gets killed behind this o-line and you end up wasting a lot of money (the most possible by position for a 1st round pick) and dig yourself into an even deeper hole. Just want a player that has a chance to make a difference and isnt handicapped immediately because of the lack of talent around him. No other position is more reliant on supporting cast than the QB. Period.

 

No argument there. But how does specifically pointing out Weis/Clausen and stating that they ran a 'gimmick, non-pro offense' support that case? In fact, they probably ran the most pro-style offense of any of the schools w/ top QB prospects. In case you forgot, Weis was OC for 3 Super Bowl winners.

[DarthICE]

The Vikings have one of the best OL's in the NFL and the best RB. They didn't get to the NFC Championship game and become a superbowl contender till they got a real QB.

 

That says it all right there. It is ALL ABOUT THE QB. Quit !@#$ing around and get one in here.

[dave mcbride]

1st Round (No. 3 overall) QB Matt Ryan (Boston College) Feature | Highlight

1st Round (No. 21 overall)+ T Sam Baker (USC) Feature | Highlight

2nd Round (No. 34 overall)*

2nd Round (No. 37 overall) LB Curtis Lofton (Oklahoma) Feature | Highlight

2nd Round (No. 48 overall)^

3rd Round (No. 68 overall) CB Chevis Jackson (LSU) Feature | Highlight

3rd Round (No. 84 overall)# WR Harry Douglas (Louisville) Feature

3rd Round (No. 98 overall)~ S Thomas DeCoud (California) Feature | Highlight

4th Round (No. 103 overall)^^

5th Round (No. 138 overall) LB Robert James (Arizona State) Feature

5th Round (No. 154 overall)% DE Kroy Bierman (Montana) Feature

6th Round (No. 172 overall) RB Thomas Brown (Georgia) Feature

7th Round (No. 212 overall) CB Wilrey Fontenot (Arizona) Feature

7th Round (No. 232 overall) TE Keith Zinger (LSU) Feature

 

It's worth noting that the Bills have a second round pick. Marcus McNeill, Matt Light, and Flozell Adams were all second round picks.

[Phlegm Alley]

This league is favorable to teams with good QBs. Have a good QB and you're guaranteed to be a contender for a long time. If you were to tell me that you think the QBs in this draft aren't to your liking, I could live with that, but to say that we shouldn't go after a QB until the o-line is fixed, I have a serious problem with that.

 

I know o-line is important, but the QB makes the o-line just as much as the o-line makes the QB.

 

Look at Peyton Manning and his offensive line. He has only been sacked 10 times this entire year. His starting offensive line consists of:

 

LT: Charlie Johnson: Drafted in the 6th round and he is starting over Tony Ugoh, who was a 2nd round pick.

LG; Ryan Lilja; Undrafted FA originally signed by KC

C: Jeff Saturday: Undrafted FA

RG: Kyle DeVan: Undrafted FA

RT: Rian Diem: 4th Round Pick

 

I got this information from the Colts official site.

 

Only 2 of their lineman have been drafted and the highest of those two was a 4th round pick?!

 

You don't need to draft an o-line to make this team better. You need to find a QB that can make quick reads and get rid of the ball faster as well as a coaching staff that can put together a system that will put the players in the best position to succeed.

[Guest dog14787]

Drafting a rookie QB (especially Clausen) and putting him behind this line would be an even larger mistake than the Maybin pick... when you have an o-line like the Jets (hate to say it) you can afford to invest a high pick in one of those guys, if you don't you're never going to see his potential bc he's going to get the #$& beat out of him before he can learn anything. Further as tight as Wilson is can you really tell me he's going to stroke a check for a high 1st round QB?!? No way.

 

We HAVE to address both o-tackle spots (Butler, Bell & Scott?!?) and we don't even know what's going to happen w Wood (met him at a Louisville bball game a couple of weeks ago and spoke with him - it's obvious, even he's very unsure as to when he'll be ready to play football again; love this kid!)

 

In so far as the "look at Clausen's #s talk" - IMO you can throw out any #s a Charlie Weiss QB puts up (ie Brady Quinn) much as you would with the Texas Tech QBs! They run a gimmick non-pro style offense that we don't even have the personnel to run anyway.... want an example? Exhibit A: the KC Chiefs

 

Let's hope we just use the pick on someone who can make a difference NOW! We have sooooo many difficiencies (LB, DT, OT, QB, DE) at key spots on both sides - we are not one pick or even two away from being a playoff football team again. I'm not dogging our guys hustle and effort (maybe their ability to stay healthy a little...) but many of the players that you saw in the last 1/4 of the season wont be on this team next year - they were signed to fill spots.

 

How we handle free agency this off season, to me, is a larger factor than the draft. Where we end up blowing close games is because of our lack of quality DEPTH. Now in defense of this year - NO TEAM IN THE LEAGUE could possibly prepare for 21 guys on IR - still can't believe that number! How does that happen - still can't figure it out!

 

I do believe we will be better this year but it does concern me that the notion of a rookie QB should be our first fix. We should take the best player available - that's not a DB - and try to build depth w some veteran FAs.

 

Check this site out for a bdown of players projected to be available: http://www.footballsfuture.com/2010/fa/ol.html

 

GO BILLS! COACH EM UP CHAN! THEY ARE STARVING FOR IT!!

 

 

Great post

[***PetrinoInAlbany***]

Drafting a rookie QB (especially Clausen) and putting him behind this line would be an even larger mistake than the Maybin pick... when you have an o-line like the Jets (hate to say it) you can afford to invest a high pick in one of those guys, if you don't you're never going to see his potential bc he's going to get the #$& beat out of him before he can learn anything. Further as tight as Wilson is can you really tell me he's going to stroke a check for a high 1st round QB?!? No way.

 

Gotta disagree. For the second consecutive year, a rookie QB will be starting in a Conference Championship Game. (Flacco did it last year.) Actually, while once unheard of, it's happened five times since 1984. In my opinion, what's important isn't whether or not you draft a quarterback, it's whether or not you draft the RIGHT quarterback.

-

Dan Marino, Bernie Kosar, Shaun King, Joey Flacco, and Mark Sanchez... five rooks who started in a Conference Championship Game. Also, there are OTHER ways of protecting a QB without having All-Pros up front. Kurt Warner was among the least-sacked QB's in the NFL this year, yet you won't find one Cardinal O-lineman on the Pro Bowl roster. The Chargers' Kris Dielman will be the only Charger in the game, as a sub no less, yet Phillip Rivers' jersey stayed clean for most of 2009. You can scheme, you can play as a team (zone block), and still protect a QB without five first-rounders up front.

-

I know, I know ... But I still believe a first round QB is our best bet to rebuild quickly. Aikman only made the Cowboys wait a year before paying huge dividends, and Jimbo had us knocking on the door in two years ('88) ... Just don't draft a Tulane guy who transfered-out from the Pac 10 ...

[DC Grid]

I'm not saying the Bills must take a QB in the first round this year, but if they hope to get a Franchise QB, the first round one of these years is the best option. If I was running the draft and Clausen was somehow there at 9 (which he won't be) I'd grab him and take my chances. I wouldn't pick Bradford ever as he looks like the second coming of Chad Pennington with worse injury issues.

 

Implicit in skipping a QB in the first is the idea that Buffalo could grab one later. Specifically most people say we can grab one in the second, but history proves this false. In the past 15 years only 1 sucessful qb has been taken in the second, Drew Brees, and he was taken at the top of the round. So who was the second most sucessfull qb? Tavaris Jackson. Meanwhile in that same time span the second has produced tons of great players at every othe position including OT.

 

So while I don't think the Bills have to take a qb in the first, people better realize that if they don't we have as much chance of finding a good one in the second as we do of finding a Tom Brady in the 6th.

[Guest dog14787]

This league is favorable to teams with good QBs. Have a good QB and you're guaranteed to be a contender for a long time. If you were to tell me that you think the QBs in this draft aren't to your liking, I could live with that, but to say that we shouldn't go after a QB until the o-line is fixed, I have a serious problem with that.

 

I know o-line is important, but the QB makes the o-line just as much as the o-line makes the QB.

 

Look at Peyton Manning and his offensive line. He has only been sacked 10 times this entire year. His starting offensive line consists of:

 

LT: Charlie Johnson: Drafted in the 6th round and he is starting over Tony Ugoh, who was a 2nd round pick.

LG; Ryan Lilja; Undrafted FA originally signed by KC

C: Jeff Saturday: Undrafted FA

RG: Kyle DeVan: Undrafted FA

RT: Rian Diem: 4th Round Pick

 

I got this information from the Colts official site.

 

Only 2 of their lineman have been drafted and the highest of those two was a 4th round pick?!

 

You don't need to draft an o-line to make this team better. You need to find a QB that can make quick reads and get rid of the ball faster as well as a coaching staff that can put together a system that will put the players in the best position to succeed.

 

 

One of the things the poster is trying to convey, We have more important needs and until we build a good O-line, drafting another Rookie QB isn't going to help us. Intermediate and longer passing routes take time to develop and require the proper protection.

 

This notion that a good QB somehow crosses out a bad O-line is ludicrous in my opinion...

[iinii]

This league is favorable to teams with good QBs. Have a good QB and you're guaranteed to be a contender for a long time. If you were to tell me that you think the QBs in this draft aren't to your liking, I could live with that, but to say that we shouldn't go after a QB until the o-line is fixed, I have a serious problem with that.

 

I know o-line is important, but the QB makes the o-line just as much as the o-line makes the QB.

 

Look at Peyton Manning and his offensive line. He has only been sacked 10 times this entire year. His starting offensive line consists of:

 

LT: Charlie Johnson: Drafted in the 6th round and he is starting over Tony Ugoh, who was a 2nd round pick.

LG; Ryan Lilja; Undrafted FA originally signed by KC

C: Jeff Saturday: Undrafted FA

RG: Kyle DeVan: Undrafted FA

RT: Rian Diem: 4th Round Pick

 

I got this information from the Colts official site.

 

Only 2 of their lineman have been drafted and the highest of those two was a 4th round pick?!

 

You don't need to draft an o-line to make this team better. You need to find a QB that can make quick reads and get rid of the ball faster as well as a coaching staff that can put together a system that will put the players in the best position to succeed.

There is only one Peyton.... Put Sanchize behind our line or Ben and see what that does to their numbers. Go get Bradford and his bum shoulder and he will be the next David Carr or Trent Edwards.

[iinii]

Gotta disagree. For the second consecutive year, a rookie QB will be starting in a Conference Championship Game. (Flacco did it last year.) Actually, while once unheard of, it's happened five times since 1984. In my opinion, what's important isn't whether or not you draft a quarterback, it's whether or not you draft the RIGHT quarterback.

-

Dan Marino, Bernie Kosar, Shaun King, Joey Flacco, and Mark Sanchez... five rooks who started in a Conference Championship Game. Also, there are OTHER ways of protecting a QB without having All-Pros up front. Kurt Warner was among the least-sacked QB's in the NFL this year, yet you won't find one Cardinal O-lineman on the Pro Bowl roster. The Chargers' Kris Dielman will be the only Charger in the game, as a sub no less, yet Phillip Rivers' jersey stayed clean for most of 2009. You can scheme, you can play as a team (zone block), and still protect a QB without five first-rounders up front.

-

I know, I know ... But I still believe a first round QB is our best bet to rebuild quickly. Aikman only made the Cowboys wait a year before paying huge dividends, and Jimbo had us knocking on the door in two years ('88) ... Just don't draft a Tulane guy who transfered-out from the Pac 10 ...

Both Sanchez and Flacco got there behind well established lines. Neither has had to carry a team. Marino and Kosar's rookie years were pre-cap and i will bet their lines were established veterans too.

[Phlegm Alley]

One of the things the poster is trying to convey, We have more important needs and until we build a good O-line drafting another Rookie QB isn't going to help us.

 

This notion that a good QB somehow crosses out a bad O-line is ludicrous in my opinion...

 

 

I'm not saying that a good QB crosses out a bad o-line. It really helps though. Peyton Manning has been sacked once every 57 times he drops back to pass. Is this a product of the o-line that the Colts have built, mostly through undrafted FAs and late round draft picks, or a result of Peyton Manning being the QB?

[Phlegm Alley]

There is only one Peyton.... Put Sanchize behind our line or Ben and see what that does to their numbers. Go get Bradford and his bum shoulder and he will be the next David Carr or Trent Edwards.

 

 

Big Ben got sacked and NFL high 50 times this year and still had the 5th best passer rating in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers got sacked 50 times this year and he had the 4th best passer rating in the NFL.

 

O-line play is an enigma. Good coaching and good scheming to put your players in a chance to succeed is paramount to o-line play.

[Sisyphean Bills]

There is only one Peyton.... Put Sanchize behind our line or Ben and see what that does to their numbers. Go get Bradford and his bum shoulder and he will be the next David Carr or Trent Edwards.

The Bills tried the bargain basement OL approach, following the Colts lead, this past season. How far did it get them? Hint: nowhere. Trent Edwards might be an OK QB in this league (I think he'd make a decent backup on a team running the WCO), but he is clearly no Peyton Manning and he failed spectacularly (losing his job to Ryan "Are you !@#$ing kidding me?" Fitzpatrick!) when asked to be Peyton Manning.

 

I'm not sold on Clausen, and I don't think he comes in to the Bills OL situation (or the Colts for that matter) and looks any better than Curtis Painter. Football is full of Curtis Painter QBs. There is only one Peyton Manning.

 

By the way, when Peyton Manning was getting his feet under him as an NFL QB, he had a line with several high draft picks in front of him. Coincidence? Not really. You have to give the QB a chance to be successful. It's a team sport, not a bowling tournament.

[Guest dog14787]

I'm not saying that a good QB crosses out a bad o-line. It really helps though. Peyton Manning has been sacked once every 57 times he drops back to pass. Is this a product of the o-line that the Colts have built, mostly through undrafted FAs and late round draft picks, or a result of Peyton Manning being the QB?

 

How they obtained a great O-line is secondary to having one of the best O-lines in the league.

 

Does anyone play the QB position better? probably not, but put Peyton Manning behind our 09 group and you probably get him injured in my opinion.

[first_and_ten]

Drafting a rookie QB (especially Clausen) and putting him behind this line would be an even larger mistake than the Maybin pick... when you have an o-line like the Jets (hate to say it) you can afford to invest a high pick in one of those guys, if you don't you're never going to see his potential bc he's going to get the #$& beat out of him before he can learn anything. Further as tight as Wilson is can you really tell me he's going to stroke a check for a high 1st round QB?!? No way.

 

We HAVE to address both o-tackle spots (Butler, Bell & Scott?!?) and we don't even know what's going to happen w Wood (met him at a Louisville bball game a couple of weeks ago and spoke with him - it's obvious, even he's very unsure as to when he'll be ready to play football again; love this kid!)

 

In so far as the "look at Clausen's #s talk" - IMO you can throw out any #s a Charlie Weiss QB puts up (ie Brady Quinn) much as you would with the Texas Tech QBs! They run a gimmick non-pro style offense that we don't even have the personnel to run anyway.... want an example? Exhibit A: the KC Chiefs

 

Let's hope we just use the pick on someone who can make a difference NOW! We have sooooo many difficiencies (LB, DT, OT, QB, DE) at key spots on both sides - we are not one pick or even two away from being a playoff football team again. I'm not dogging our guys hustle and effort (maybe their ability to stay healthy a little...) but many of the players that you saw in the last 1/4 of the season wont be on this team next year - they were signed to fill spots.

How we handle free agency this off season, to me, is a larger factor than the draft. Where we end up blowing close games is because of our lack of quality DEPTH. Now in defense of this year - NO TEAM IN THE LEAGUE could possibly prepare for 21 guys on IR - still can't believe that number! How does that happen - still can't figure it out!

 

I do believe we will be better this year but it does concern me that the notion of a rookie QB should be our first fix. We should take the best player available - that's not a DB - and try to build depth w some veteran FAs.

 

Check this site out for a bdown of players projected to be available: http://www.footballsfuture.com/2010/fa/ol.html

 

GO BILLS! COACH EM UP CHAN! THEY ARE STARVING FOR IT!!

 

I don't agree, necessarily...drafting the wrong quarterback would be a big mistake..if a franchise QB is there when we pick it would be crazy not to take him. How often does a team get the chance to draft a franchise QB ( Kelly was drafted at pick 14) ? I don't know if there is that type of QB in the draft worthy of a top ten pick. As far as getting the hell beat out of him..that is what you bring in a veteran for..to play until the time is right to put the kid in. But imagine if the Bills did not pick Jim Kelly because they had so many other needs?

Even more reason to pick a franchise QB if one is there....since we are not close..we are rebuilding..so it makes sense to start with the QB. Look at Indy when they picked Peyton. They were a bad football team. Where would they be today without Manning? Pick the QB if he is "the man"....but don't reach. He has to be a franchise QB or it is not worth it. So The pressure is on Buddy and his people to find out if there is a QB worthy of the number nine pick . If so, I say take him.