"Next year" is always the best year for drafting quarterback

[DrFishfinder]

Just a casual observation from reading the draft banter every year. I can't remember the last time someone didn't think that "next year" wasn't the bumper crop of top flight QB's. And every year rolls around and the prospects fade and we hear about the next great class coming up the year after...

 

That's it.

...or some previous year when the Bills didn't draft Flacco or Ryan or Sanchez or trade for Brees, or.......or......or.....

[Guest dog14787]

Letting it go is the first step towards acceptance. I won't accept TE as the starter unless he pulls a miracle off and becomes someone else. I'm glad the Bills didn't reach out and use a valuable resource on a QB this offseason because I felt the options were fairly weak. This is hardly a vote of confidence for TE though.

 

I hope he succeeds and wish him the best but let's be real, he has his job by default and even that is suposedly undetermined. When I think of the QB position in Buffalo, I'm certainly not thinking TE. It's far more comforting to daydream about future scenarios that involve the Bills and a legit starting QB.

 

 

 

After I take your money when TE starts, maybe we could make another wager on TE's future success.

[1B4IDie]

Just a casual observation from reading the draft banter every year. I can't remember the last time someone didn't think that "next year" wasn't the bumper crop of top flight QB's. And every year rolls around and the prospects fade and we hear about the next great class coming up the year after...

 

That's it.

 

That would be a good observation if it were true.

Since 2010 QB draft class was generally considered the worst QB draft class, its just a silly comment.

[McBeane]

Letting it go is the first step towards acceptance. I won't accept TE as the starter unless he pulls a miracle off and becomes someone else. I'm glad the Bills didn't reach out and use a valuable resource on a QB this offseason because I felt the options were fairly weak. This is hardly a vote of confidence for TE though.

 

I hope he succeeds and wish him the best but let's be real, he has his job by default and even that is suposedly undetermined. When I think of the QB position in Buffalo, I'm certainly not thinking TE. It's far more comforting to daydream about future scenarios that involve the Bills and a legit starting QB.

 

Although I am on board for having Trent start this year (or Brohm), that comment was directed more towards the ridiculous trading up at all costs position he has.

 

Number one, the price for a number 1 overall pick is absurdly high whether it be in money or cost to trade up. Second, the chances of that pick being available are slim to none.

 

I'm just saying this isn't Madden, and you don't always get what you want. Trading up to the number 1 overall pick is ALWAYS a stretch of a possibility, and usually impossible.

[PushthePile]

Although I am on board for having Trent start this year (or Brohm), that comment was directed more towards the ridiculous trading up at all costs position he has.

 

Number one, the price for a number 1 overall pick is absurdly high whether it be in money or cost to trade up. Second, the chances of that pick being available are slim to none.

 

I'm just saying this isn't Madden, and you don't always get what you want. Trading up to the number 1 overall pick is ALWAYS a stretch of a possibility, and usually impossible.

I totally agree with you. The Bills weren't in a position to make a move this year and trading for the number 1 is just unrealistic/foolish.

[PushthePile]

After I take your money when TE starts, maybe we could make another wager on TE's future success.

You seem to be sitting pretty right now dog but you and I both know it isn't over. The threat of injury or horrific play is always on the horizon. I'm monitoring the situation closely and I'm sure you are too. Hope all is well. -Push-

[Bob in STL]

Why do you say that?

 

If you can believe the experts and all the draftniks the common theme is that the 2011 QB class has a lot of potential, maybe not as many big names from the bigs schools. Looker is at the top of the list right now.

 

Other than Bradford at #1, the 2010 class did not have QBs that teams covet. Denver chased Tebow but he lasted awhile.

 

Every team passed on Clausen in round 1. Buffalo, a team looking for a QB, passed on Tebow and Clausen.

[Guest dog14787]

You seem to be sitting pretty right now dog but you and I both know it isn't over. The threat of injury or horrific play is always on the horizon. I'm monitoring the situation closely and I'm sure you are too. Hope all is well. -Push-

 

I hope all is well with you to my friend.

[atlbillsfan1975]

As previously stated Manning went 1st.

Also, his 1st game was in SD, not RWS, I know because I watched it on TV & in those years I never missed a home game.

That draft was not the crapshoot everyone with revisionist leanings makes it out to be. Manning was a senior, staying an extra year at Tennessee when he would have been #1 the prior draft. He was rock solid on & off the field & was one of the surest picks to come along. Leaf was a 1 year wonder, with size & arm strength that dazzled some scouts, but a guy who came to the combine overweight & with an attitude. Anyone who truly remembers that year knows that red flags were waiving on Leaf the moment he pulled that combine nonsense. On top of that, Leaf came out early, which back then non-senior QBs entering the draft mostly busted or greatly underachieved. SD got taken, just like Oakland did 3 years ago with Russell.

The funniest story I heard about Leaf was in an interview on the radio that ESPN did one morning this April. One of the guys who was with SD told the story of when SD started to question Leaf's commitment to the organization. After the draft, SD asked Leaf to come to SD to meet with them & the media. Leaf told them he had a buddy's bachelor party in Las Vegas & they would have to wait for him to finish up in Las Vegas 1st.

So looking at busts & hits without examining the stories behind each case does not accurately reflect who to avoid & who to draft-something we all hope Nix has enough experience in doing to avoid taking the Leafs & Russells. Based on the high premium Nix places on character & talent combined, I'm not worried about him choosing a Leaf or Russell like SD & Oak foolishly did in spite of work ethic problems that both clearly displayed before the draft.

I actually spoke with a scout that was in the war room the morning of the draft in Indy. He told me that they were going back and forth on Leaf and Manning right up to the pick. Polian swears there was never any doubt, which of course he would say. But just think how different the last 12 years would have been for Indy if they had gone with Leaf.

[The Dean]

Just a casual observation from reading the draft banter every year. I can't remember the last time someone didn't think that "next year" wasn't the bumper crop of top flight QB's. And every year rolls around and the prospects fade and we hear about the next great class coming up the year after...

 

That's it.

 

 

I think it may seem like that based on a few recent years, but it isn't that odd for a QB crop to be considered strong for the current year, while the next year or two look weak by comparison. But I think you are correct that a future "great year for QBs" can become quite ordinary as it becomes reality. QBs get hurt, or exposed by opposing coaches and defenses.

[Geno Smith's Arm]

Top flight Qb's are few and far between. The Bills have only chosen 2 first round QB's in the drafts ( I have no idea what they did in the AFL days), one sucked, and the other is in the hall of fame. I think they should try again.

[Ramius]

I'll sound like a homer, but don't sleep on FSU's Christian Ponder. Kid's a real threat as a QB, and i wouldn't be shocked to see him go in round 1 next year. Barring injury, he should also contend for the Heisman.

[Thoner7]

Just a casual observation from reading the draft banter every year. I can't remember the last time someone didn't think that "next year" wasn't the bumper crop of top flight QB's. And every year rolls around and the prospects fade and we hear about the next great class coming up the year after...

 

That's it.

 

That is a very good point. Here is my two "sense" on that pertaining to this and next year.

 

While most people think that Mallet and Locker at the big two QBs - I dont see either being that great of prospects. Mallet is huge and so is his arm but he is very inaccurate and not consistant. Locker I have not seem much of - so I am not too opinionated on him - but I just didnt see what made some think he would be the #1 overall pick. I could see him as a late 1st guy. Next years best QB is going to be Andrew Luck from Stanford. He was the best pro prospect last year I thought, and will be a RS Soph this year. From the games I saw he will be the best pro.

 

Now looking at this years class, Bradford Tebow and Clausen could very well be PB caliber players. I really think the Bills missed the boat passing Tebow, AND Clausen in the second. I know that has been beaten to death but who is this team going to take to be QB? I understand the argument that you cannot just take a QB to take a QB, but when do you get better value than Clausen in the second? I will never understand the Bills drafting strategy.

 

This was the year to draft a QB...

[Orton's Arm]

I think it's retarded to even talk about next year's draft before this season even gets started. How about making sure we suck first? It's like these guys are rooting for 1-15.

 

PTR

I strongly disagree with your post. This team has major, glaring holes at some of the most important and difficult-to-fill positions, most notably including QB and LT. (But also C, #1 WR, RT, and other positions.) If going 1-15 is the price we need to pay to get a franchise QB, I'll gladly pay that price in a heartbeat.

 

As things currently stand, this team can probably use Gailey's coaching to gimmick its way to better offensive production than it really deserves. But gimmicks can only get you so far, and won't get us past a real defense. Likewise, our own defense has some holes--or at least major question marks--among some of the positions on the front seven. Those weaknesses will need to be replaced with strengths at some point.

 

Give this team a couple of solid drafts, and many or most of the weaknesses I've just described can be turned into strengths. If we go 1-15 in 2010, we can grab a franchise QB early in the first round of the 2011 draft. Possibly, we can also fill the hole at LT, either in the second round or by trading away our 2nd and 3rd round picks to get back into the first. Then in the fourth round we can grab an OG, with the intention of an interior OL of Levitre, Wood, and 4th rounder.

 

Then in 2012 the Bills could use their first round pick on a WR, their 2nd round pick on a RT, and their third round pick on a defensive front 7 player. In 2013, they should use a first rounder on another defensive front 7 player, and their remaining picks as needed to fill out whatever holes we have. With the aforementioned first round WR, QB, LT, and others having gained NFL experience by that point, we'd be looking at a formidable team! But doing all this would require a commitment to build a team the right way; as opposed to slapping something together quickly with a bunch of duct tape and cardboard.

[mpl6876]

That is a very good point. Here is my two "sense" on that pertaining to this and next year.

 

While most people think that Mallet and Locker at the big two QBs - I dont see either being that great of prospects. Mallet is huge and so is his arm but he is very inaccurate and not consistant. Locker I have not seem much of - so I am not too opinionated on him - but I just didnt see what made some think he would be the #1 overall pick. I could see him as a late 1st guy. Next years best QB is going to be Andrew Luck from Stanford. He was the best pro prospect last year I thought, and will be a RS Soph this year. From the games I saw he will be the best pro.

 

Now looking at this years class, Bradford Tebow and Clausen could very well be PB caliber players. I really think the Bills missed the boat passing Tebow, AND Clausen in the second. I know that has been beaten to death but who is this team going to take to be QB? I understand the argument that you cannot just take a QB to take a QB, but when do you get better value than Clausen in the second? I will never understand the Bills drafting strategy.

 

This was the year to draft a QB...

 

I couldnt't agree with you anymore. The Clausen pick at #41 was a NO BRAINER. The Bills absolutely blew it. That was tremendous value. I almost broke my TV when I heard we picked TROUP. I know many of you fans don't agree but thats how I feel. Just venting...

[Thurman#1]

I don't recall anyone calling this a great year for drafting QB's, once Locker pulled out. And even then it was between he and Bradford, who was a begrudging first overall pick.

 

 

 

Yeah, but guess what, Luck could pull out this year. So could everyone else except the red-shirt seniors, theoretically. That's the whole point. We won't know who's going to pull out till after the season. We also don't know who's going to have a good season till after the season.

[Thurman#1]

That would be a good observation if it were true.

Since 2010 QB draft class was generally considered the worst QB draft class, its just a silly comment.

 

 

 

Not before the 2009 season, it wasn't. Locker, Jevan Snead, Bradford and Clausen. It looked fantastic. After the season, when Snead looked lousy and Locker backed out, then and only then it suddenly looked below average.

 

And how below average will it turn out to have been if Bradford, Tebow and Clausen all become franchise QBs. Not saying they will, but it's certainly still a possibility. We'll see in a few years.

[Albany,n.y.]

I actually spoke with a scout that was in the war room the morning of the draft in Indy. He told me that they were going back and forth on Leaf and Manning right up to the pick. Polian swears there was never any doubt, which of course he would say. But just think how different the last 12 years would have been for Indy if they had gone with Leaf.

My guess is that maybe that scout wanted Leaf & was twisting things a little bit to justify his position. Here's what I remember on how it went. SD had traded for the 2nd pick on March 12th, knowing they'd get 1 of the 2 QBs. Leaf wanted SD, not Indy & was blowing Indy off when they wanted to bring him up to Indianapolis to further check him out before the draft. Manning was much more cooperative. Leading up to the final days of the draft, and definitely the morning of the draft, all the insiders like Mort and whoever else was out there were reporting that Manning was Indy's pick, not Leaf & Leaf was glad to be going to SD.

Now if the scout is your brother or someone close to you, maybe the insiders were wrong, but if he's just another guy you talked with, I'd doubt he told you the real story.

[The Dean]

I couldnt't agree with you anymore. The Clausen pick at #41 was a NO BRAINER. The Bills absolutely blew it. That was tremendous value. I almost broke my TV when I heard we picked TROUP. I know many of you fans don't agree but thats how I feel. Just venting...

 

 

I was hoping the Bills would take Clausen in the 2nd round. But they didn't.

 

Putting Clausen aside for a second, I like the Troup pick quite a bit.

 

And we can't expect a team to pick a player if they don't like him/don't think they can work with him/think he doesn't fit the system/etc. It's pretty clear they rejected Clausen as their potential QB. What good would it do to draft him in the 2nd round? That's the part I don't understand about the hissy fit being thrown by those who wanted Calusen (or any other player the Bills decided not to choose). If the new coach and GM don't think a particular player will work, you can't expect them to draft that player...particularly in the early rounds. Judge them by the players they picked, not by those they didn't.

[Thoner7]

I couldnt't agree with you anymore. The Clausen pick at #41 was a NO BRAINER. The Bills absolutely blew it. That was tremendous value. I almost broke my TV when I heard we picked TROUP. I know many of you fans don't agree but thats how I feel. Just venting...

 

Now I understant everyone has their opinion, but I just cannot justify passing on clausen that late. I really wanted the Bills to land Tebow by trading back a bit becasue I think he is going to be great. There are so many things I cannot justify, like wanting Ngata so bad and taking Whitner, thinking we just traded up for Mangold and landing McCargo, Screaming to trade up infront of the 9ers to land Willis, wondering why we took McKelvin over DRC and why we even needed another corner, still cannot figure out Maybin over Orakpo....

 

I dont think this years draft panned out any differednt. Again, just venting..