Bills needs

[J-E-T-S-L-O-L]

I am Ravens fan, with a buddy who`s a big Bills fan, so I watch all of your teams games. I will not pretend that I know as much about your team as you do, but rather provide an outsider look at your situation.

 

No team is perfect. Nobody has pro bowl level talent at every position. Not even the 72 Dolphins, 07 Patriots or this years Packers. Every team has problems. Winning sort of just sweeps them under the rug, until you start losing. I`ve seen a lot of threads around here naming, just about every postion as a position of need, DT, CB, OLB, LT, QB, WR, you name it, and multiple players at each position. To me, you just need a couple more star players. And you already have a couple.

 

Comparing your defense to the Ravens defense. You have a few of the peaces already

 

D-LINE:

You need a big fat nose tackle inside on 1st and 2nd down ala Terrance Cody. Then you could put Marcell Darreus outside DE, where he will dominate and you upgrade both the run defense and the pass rush. Your D-Line will at that point be better then the Ravens. Because Kyle Willaims when healthy is a beast, just as good as Ngata, and we have nobody comparable to Darreus.

 

LB:

You need a pass rusher. Other then that, I think you`re fine. Getting a stud for the future would be nice, but alot of veteran linebackers play great well into their 30s. Combine Nick Barnett with possibly another veteran free agent pickup, and the young guys you already have, and I think it looks pretty good.

 

Secondary:

Hard to say about your corners, because you get so little pass rush. At times I thought McKelvin was gonna turn into a pretty good corner. He seems just as good as what we`ve had at corner the past couple years. You already drafted one early in the second round. So I would not have a high priority on Cornerback this year in the draft. Rather try a free agent. Doesn`t have to be a big name. Just a little better then Drayton Florence will do. Both your safetys are good.

 

That`s 2, maybe 3 pieces missing on defense. And a little depth.

 

On offense. I really like Chan Gailey. He seems to get the best out what I thought was scrubb players going into the year.

 

QB:

I like a lot of things about Fitz, I don`t fully thrust his arm strenght though. But alot of good QBs didn`t have the greatest arm. The Bills currently have limited deep threats, so I haven`t seen him test it that much. He seemed to throw alot more deep the year you had TO and Evans. I wouldn`t be against drafting a QB, but I wouldn`t be angry if they waited a year either. Either way, Fitz is gonna start next year.

 

RB:

Sucks that Fred Jackson is as old as he is. If he where young he was gonna dominate this leauge for years. Hopefully he still has a few years left in the tank. And you always have Spiller. Good oportunity for him to get some carries as the season ends. He should be better next year for it. Perhaps you`ll end up with a duo at RB next year.

 

WR:

Stevie Johnson is like a young Anquan Boldin. I really like David Nelson. The others might be good. But I feel like it is kind of a long shot, that Donald Jones or Namon Roosevelt are gonna end up being consistantly good deep threats. So I will say finding a deep threat is a need.

 

TE:

The league is filling up with more and more rediculous tight ends. So if you get your hands on a beast why not, right? I like Chandler. But a beast he is not. And he doesn`t see that many snaps. If the Bills had a great tight end, Gailey would find a way to use him alot more. Billieve that.

 

O-LINE:

I thought this was gonna be what killed this team this year. They ended up getting killed by injuries, but up until that point they played very well. The tackles are the weak spots though. And they got injured. But they might be just fine. I`ve come to the conclusion that finding a tackle is almost as hard as finding a QB. Maybe the rookie salary cap will change that, because now they have to earn their money. But the last couple of years have been horrible. And alot of the good teams don`t have great tackles. They just don`t have horrible ones. But you could always put that theory to the test, if one falls into your lap. Guard seems to be a strong point for the team. Levitre looks like a future star, too bad he can`t stay at one position with everyone going down. It`s also too bad Wood can`t stay healthy, he seems to be one of the leagues top young centers.

 

On offense that`s 3 maybe 4 players.

 

So that`s 5-7 players total, and a little depth. You`ll see improvement as every bit falls into place. It`s not 5-7 away from 8-8, but being a perennial contender. I would say 5 of them should be enough. DE, NT, WR, TE and OT. And the 2 extra being QB and LB. CB maybe, but you drafted 1 high in the 2nd last year.

 

I would take a Pass rusher in the 1st round this year. Because you deffinatly want a star at that position and you dont wanna screw around hoping some project player will turn out. Draft a DE not an OLB. The most important thing is that he can rush the passer. A hybrid is a luxury and a risk and you`re not in a position to gamble.

 

2nd or 3rd round should be spent on either a big fat nose tackle, an OT, a deep threat WR, or TE. Good options should be available. Maybe not an OT that starts day 1. But fast WRs can be found. Not the star of the draft, but plenty good WRs has come out of the 2nd round. As important as a good TE has become. Usually no more then 1 gets taken in the first, so alot good ones should be available. And the nose tackle is just a 2 down player, so he has not enough value to be taken in the 1st. But can still be an elite run stuffer. The rest of the rounds? If you don`t get a TE or WR in the 2nd or 3rd, try again in the 4th. After that it`s a crapshoot at all positions.

 

Get these players and you`ll be in good shape. The defensive coordinator is not the be all end all. Our cordinator sucked in 2009 and 2010, and we still got it done. I would still like to see someone else get a try. Preferbly someone aggressive and innovative. That`s what works best for us. And it is my impression that is what works best for most of the good defenses that run 3-4.

 

Any thoughts? Agree, disagree?

[bouds]

Good post, can't disagree with what you said.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Thanks for visiting and sharing your thoughts on the Bills.

 

As is oft stated, the difference between winning and losing is often not much at all.

 

Today's game was like many if not most NFL games… one play out of about 6-7 could have changed the outcome. This suggests that 1-2 difference makers on any roster can make a huge difference in a team's fortunes.

 

Coming here in the midst of a 3 game losing streak is not the best time to get objective, clear-headed perspective on the Bills situation. But I think the talent has improved the last two years and that a few more pieces will make the Bills a legit contender.

 

The most glaring need is for pass rushers… you hear some GMs saying you have to draft a cornerback every year. Some organizations believe that you should bring in a QB every year. If I was a GM I'd be bringing in a pass rusher every year like the Giants seem to do. As you know the Ravens brought in Suggs' heir apparent in Sergio Kindle. To be able to pressure the QB while rushing only 4 is a huge advantage.

 

The next biggest need is wide receiver. Again there are lots of people who are fixated on trench players but you need pass receivers who can stretch the field and make chunk yardage. It's a league in which the ball is thrown nearly 60% of the time. The Bills simply do not have a downfield threat who demands double coverage. This is a huge handicap in today's NFL. One single outstanding WR and suddenly the entire receiving corps improves top to bottom. Guys are playing their appropriate roles and not trying to play to a level beyond themselves.

 

The Bills need an outstanding run-stuffing LB more than another D-lineman IMO. Watching David Harris play twice a year (as well as Jerod Mayo) you can see the value in a good run linebacker. The Bills have no one of that caliber and for some reason, those players are not easy to find. You stated the opinion that the Bills need a prototype nose tackle and that may be true although it seems to me that the Bills are exploited in the run game more on the edges than straight ahead. I think that teams which evaluate talent well can find those big bodies to battle up front, like Kelly Gregg (undrafted) or Tony Siragusa (6th round) who you guys had for many years.

 

 

As you state, it's hard to evaluate the CBs when they have to cover for an eternity. Williams looks to be a player and yes, they should bring in at least one corner each and every year. I also agree with you that our safeties are fine… and that includes non-starters Bryan Scott and Searcy as well.

 

Unlike some people here, I think when healthy, the O-line is just fine. As you stated, there are lots of good teams with average lines and this is not an era of dominant offensive lines anyways. The Bills O-line is above average and young. If they can get healthy, they should grow into one of the league's better units without a major influx in talent, IMO.

 

I think backup running back is a weakness. You guys had McGahee backing up Rice and now Ricky Williams. That's pretty nice. Spiller is a Reggie Bush type and if Miami can get a career year out of Bush (and they are) then the Bills should be able to figure out how to best utilize Spiller. But Spiller should not be expected to do the same things Freddy does. The Bills need an experienced, durable, veteran running back who understands pass protections and can carry the rock to ice games. Look at Michael Bush in Oakland or Mike Tolbert in San Diego. New Orleans has Sproles (Spiller), Pierre Thomas, Chris Ivory, Mark Ingram… I'm just asking for one more legit back here. Maybe Tashard Choice will be a good pickup but point is, they needed him before they were forced by injury to get him. It's possible that had Choice been here all along that Jackson would not have gotten injured. Matt Forte, a very similar player to Freddy is backed up by Marion Barber. This is what I'm talking about.

 

The Bills could use a tight end to complement Chandler, who's a good player.

 

And I love Fitz but as they told him last year, if they have the chance to draft a franchise QB they will. #3 was too high for anyone not named Newton this year and at #34 they passed on Dalton. But I'm sure the Bills will pull the trigger on a QB the moment that value meets opportunity. Hopefully they won't be forced to reach.

 

The last thing I'll put out there for you is that the Ravens and Bills are in a very different place in terms of a winning history, stable front office etc. You guys can take chances on players like Terrence Cody… who many teams were scared off by. The Bills went with Torrell Troup who was a team captain, high-character guy, etc… in other words, a safer pick. You guys took the CB Jimmy Smith this year… another premier talent with character issues. For reasons related to rebuilding and perhaps the region's culture, the Bills and many teams like the Bills (the Bengals are an exception) don't take chances with players that the Ravens would more likely draft.

 

Good luck this year and crush the Steelers please.

 

 

[lvbillzfan]

Until I see "New Owner" in there, can't agree with ya.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

I am Ravens fan, with a buddy who`s a big Bills fan, so I watch all of your teams games. I will not pretend that I know as much about your team as you do, but rather provide an outsider look at your situation.

 

No team is perfect. Nobody has pro bowl level talent at every position. Not even the 72 Dolphins, 07 Patriots or this years Packers. Every team has problems. Winning sort of just sweeps them under the rug, until you start losing. I`ve seen a lot of threads around here naming, just about every postion as a position of need, DT, CB, OLB, LT, QB, WR, you name it, and multiple players at each position. To me, you just need a couple more star players. And you already have a couple.

 

Comparing your defense to the Ravens defense. You have a few of the peaces already

 

D-LINE:

You need a big fat nose tackle inside on 1st and 2nd down ala Terrance Cody. Then you could put Marcell Darreus outside DE, where he will dominate and you upgrade both the run defense and the pass rush. Your D-Line will at that point be better then the Ravens. Because Kyle Willaims when healthy is a beast, just as good as Ngata, and we have nobody comparable to Darreus.

 

LB:

You need a pass rusher. Other then that, I think you`re fine. Getting a stud for the future would be nice, but alot of veteran linebackers play great well into their 30s. Combine Nick Barnett with possibly another veteran free agent pickup, and the young guys you already have, and I think it looks pretty good.

 

Secondary:

Hard to say about your corners, because you get so little pass rush. At times I thought McKelvin was gonna turn into a pretty good corner. He seems just as good as what we`ve had at corner the past couple years. You already drafted one early in the second round. So I would not have a high priority on Cornerback this year in the draft. Rather try a free agent. Doesn`t have to be a big name. Just a little better then Drayton Florence will do. Both your safetys are good.

 

That`s 2, maybe 3 pieces missing on defense. And a little depth.

 

On offense. I really like Chan Gailey. He seems to get the best out what I thought was scrubb players going into the year.

 

QB:

I like a lot of things about Fitz, I don`t fully thrust his arm strenght though. But alot of good QBs didn`t have the greatest arm. The Bills currently have limited deep threats, so I haven`t seen him test it that much. He seemed to throw alot more deep the year you had TO and Evans. I wouldn`t be against drafting a QB, but I wouldn`t be angry if they waited a year either. Either way, Fitz is gonna start next year.

 

RB:

Sucks that Fred Jackson is as old as he is. If he where young he was gonna dominate this leauge for years. Hopefully he still has a few years left in the tank. And you always have Spiller. Good oportunity for him to get some carries as the season ends. He should be better next year for it. Perhaps you`ll end up with a duo at RB next year.

 

WR:

Stevie Johnson is like a young Anquan Boldin. I really like David Nelson. The others might be good. But I feel like it is kind of a long shot, that Donald Jones or Namon Roosevelt are gonna end up being consistantly good deep threats. So I will say finding a deep threat is a need.

 

TE:

The league is filling up with more and more rediculous tight ends. So if you get your hands on a beast why not, right? I like Chandler. But a beast he is not. And he doesn`t see that many snaps. If the Bills had a great tight end, Gailey would find a way to use him alot more. Billieve that.

 

O-LINE:

I thought this was gonna be what killed this team this year. They ended up getting killed by injuries, but up until that point they played very well. The tackles are the weak spots though. And they got injured. But they might be just fine. I`ve come to the conclusion that finding a tackle is almost as hard as finding a QB. Maybe the rookie salary cap will change that, because now they have to earn their money. But the last couple of years have been horrible. And alot of the good teams don`t have great tackles. They just don`t have horrible ones. But you could always put that theory to the test, if one falls into your lap. Guard seems to be a strong point for the team. Levitre looks like a future star, too bad he can`t stay at one position with everyone going down. It`s also too bad Wood can`t stay healthy, he seems to be one of the leagues top young centers.

 

On offense that`s 3 maybe 4 players.

 

So that`s 5-7 players total, and a little depth. You`ll see improvement as every bit falls into place. It`s not 5-7 away from 8-8, but being a perennial contender. I would say 5 of them should be enough. DE, NT, WR, TE and OT. And the 2 extra being QB and LB. CB maybe, but you drafted 1 high in the 2nd last year.

 

I would take a Pass rusher in the 1st round this year. Because you deffinatly want a star at that position and you dont wanna screw around hoping some project player will turn out. Draft a DE not an OLB. The most important thing is that he can rush the passer. A hybrid is a luxury and a risk and you`re not in a position to gamble.

 

2nd or 3rd round should be spent on either a big fat nose tackle, an OT, a deep threat WR, or TE. Good options should be available. Maybe not an OT that starts day 1. But fast WRs can be found. Not the star of the draft, but plenty good WRs has come out of the 2nd round. As important as a good TE has become. Usually no more then 1 gets taken in the first, so alot good ones should be available. And the nose tackle is just a 2 down player, so he has not enough value to be taken in the 1st. But can still be an elite run stuffer. The rest of the rounds? If you don`t get a TE or WR in the 2nd or 3rd, try again in the 4th. After that it`s a crapshoot at all positions.

 

Get these players and you`ll be in good shape. The defensive coordinator is not the be all end all. Our cordinator sucked in 2009 and 2010, and we still got it done. I would still like to see someone else get a try. Preferbly someone aggressive and innovative. That`s what works best for us. And it is my impression that is what works best for most of the good defenses that run 3-4.

 

Any thoughts? Agree, disagree?

Couldn't agree more but I'm taking QB first round cuz Fitz is above average but not quite good enough. Kind of like a fighter who is tough as hell and can beat all of the other contenders but just can't beat the champ.

 

1. QB Ryan Tannehill 6'4" 220

2. OLB Vinny Curry 6'3" 258

3. NT Dontari Poe 6'5" 350

[maddenboy]

Very well reasoned. And thank you for (unlike some around here) mixing in a paragraph break or 10, for easier reading.

 

You have kind of talked me off my ledge. But I still say that "depth" is underrated at the key position of Linebacker. If you are running a 3-4 you need 5 or 6 who can step on the field at any time, and a couple prospects waiting in the wings. Right now we only have about 2 linebackers who are worth much at a Contending level.

 

I also agree with San Jose that rb is thin, but you can find them in later rounds, or on the street. Big, fast, angry pass rushing linebackers, or run stuffing linebackers, dont grow on trees, so please draft me a couple.

[I hate the Bills !]

#1 need is a pass rush, Pash runshers create fear ala Bruce Smith. We need to find a great Pash rusher in the draft or in free agency and it isn't Shawn Merriman !

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Snipping for emphasis:

 

I am Ravens fan, with a buddy who`s a big Bills fan, so I watch all of your teams games. I will not pretend that I know as much about your team as you do, but rather provide an outsider look at your situation.

 

No team is perfect. Nobody has pro bowl level talent at every position. Not even the 72 Dolphins, 07 Patriots or this years Packers. Every team has problems. Winning sort of just sweeps them under the rug, until you start losing. I`ve seen a lot of threads around here naming, just about every postion as a position of need, DT, CB, OLB, LT, QB, WR, you name it, and multiple players at each position. To me, you just need a couple more star players. And you already have a couple.

 

Comparing your defense to the Ravens defense. You have a few of the peaces already

 

LB:

You need a pass rusher. Other then that, I think you`re fine. Getting a stud for the future would be nice, but alot of veteran linebackers play great well into their 30s. Combine Nick Barnett with possibly another veteran free agent pickup, and the young guys you already have, and I think it looks pretty good.

 

WR:

So I will say finding a deep threat is a need.

 

O-LINE:

I thought this was gonna be what killed this team this year. They ended up getting killed by injuries, but up until that point they played very well. The tackles are the weak spots though. And they got injured. But they might be just fine. I`ve come to the conclusion that finding a tackle is almost as hard as finding a QB. Maybe the rookie salary cap will change that, because now they have to earn their money. But the last couple of years have been horrible. And alot of the good teams don`t have great tackles. They just don`t have horrible ones. But you could always put that theory to the test, if one falls into your lap. Guard seems to be a strong point for the team. Levitre looks like a future star, too bad he can`t stay at one position with everyone going down. It`s also too bad Wood can`t stay healthy, he seems to be one of the leagues top young centers.

 

On offense that`s 3 maybe 4 players.

 

So that`s 5-7 players total, and a little depth. You`ll see improvement as every bit falls into place. It`s not 5-7 away from 8-8, but being a perennial contender. I would say 5 of them should be enough. DE, NT, WR, TE and OT. And the 2 extra being QB and LB. CB maybe, but you drafted 1 high in the 2nd last year.

 

I would take a Pass rusher in the 1st round this year. Because you deffinatly want a star at that position and you dont wanna screw around hoping some project player will turn out. Draft a DE not an OLB. The most important thing is that he can rush the passer. A hybrid is a luxury and a risk and you`re not in a position to gamble.

 

2nd or 3rd round should be spent on either a big fat nose tackle, an OT, a deep threat WR, or TE. Good options should be available. Maybe not an OT that starts day 1. But fast WRs can be found. Not the star of the draft, but plenty good WRs has come out of the 2nd round. As important as a good TE has become. Usually no more then 1 gets taken in the first, so alot good ones should be available. And the nose tackle is just a 2 down player, so he has not enough value to be taken in the 1st. But can still be an elite run stuffer. The rest of the rounds? If you don`t get a TE or WR in the 2nd or 3rd, try again in the 4th. After that it`s a crapshoot at all positions.

 

Get these players and you`ll be in good shape. The defensive coordinator is not the be all end all. Our cordinator sucked in 2009 and 2010, and we still got it done. I would still like to see someone else get a try. Preferbly someone aggressive and innovative. That`s what works best for us. And it is my impression that is what works best for most of the good defenses that run 3-4.

 

Any thoughts? Agree, disagree?

 

Great thoughtful analysis - thanks for coming by!

 

I tend to feel DC is a strong need. I also tend to feel a good pass-rushing LB is our top priority, but I appreciate your perspective that it should be a DE instead. Most 3-4 DE don't seem to be able to be top pass rushers, just due to their responsibilities in the scheme.

 

One thing I know, I'd like to see us get rid of this hybrid D, go one way or the other. It's ridiculous that we have two converted DEs playing OLB. Kelsay isn't too bad, Johnson is outmatched. We have drafted/acquired two huge guys as NT (Troup and Heard) and neither has panned out so far - in fact, Troup was a healthy scratch. Evidently finding a great NT is harder than it looks. Williams plays NT and played well enough for the probowl last year. So maybe we do need another end, Dareus at one side, ??? at the other.

 

Anyway, pass rusher, we agree, top need. Depth at LB, again agree, top need - we have some promising young LB but they need quality next to them, and to help them develop - Barnett is good but not enough. I view our LB as the most glaring weakness.

 

Quality wideout, again agree, top need. Among other things, if we had a true wideout capable of the amazing catch, I think it would go a long way towards settling SJ down.

 

Good luck to the Ravens!

Edited November 28, 2011 by Hopeful

[Casey D]

I am Ravens fan, with a buddy who`s a big Bills fan, so I watch all of your teams games. I will not pretend that I know as much about your team as you do, but rather provide an outsider look at your situation.

 

No team is perfect. Nobody has pro bowl level talent at every position. Not even the 72 Dolphins, 07 Patriots or this years Packers. Every team has problems. Winning sort of just sweeps them under the rug, until you start losing. I`ve seen a lot of threads around here naming, just about every postion as a position of need, DT, CB, OLB, LT, QB, WR, you name it, and multiple players at each position. To me, you just need a couple more star players. And you already have a couple.

 

Comparing your defense to the Ravens defense. You have a few of the peaces already

 

D-LINE:

You need a big fat nose tackle inside on 1st and 2nd down ala Terrance Cody. Then you could put Marcell Darreus outside DE, where he will dominate and you upgrade both the run defense and the pass rush. Your D-Line will at that point be better then the Ravens. Because Kyle Willaims when healthy is a beast, just as good as Ngata, and we have nobody comparable to Darreus.

 

LB:

You need a pass rusher. Other then that, I think you`re fine. Getting a stud for the future would be nice, but alot of veteran linebackers play great well into their 30s. Combine Nick Barnett with possibly another veteran free agent pickup, and the young guys you already have, and I think it looks pretty good.

 

Secondary:

Hard to say about your corners, because you get so little pass rush. At times I thought McKelvin was gonna turn into a pretty good corner. He seems just as good as what we`ve had at corner the past couple years. You already drafted one early in the second round. So I would not have a high priority on Cornerback this year in the draft. Rather try a free agent. Doesn`t have to be a big name. Just a little better then Drayton Florence will do. Both your safetys are good.

 

That`s 2, maybe 3 pieces missing on defense. And a little depth.

 

On offense. I really like Chan Gailey. He seems to get the best out what I thought was scrubb players going into the year.

 

QB:

I like a lot of things about Fitz, I don`t fully thrust his arm strenght though. But alot of good QBs didn`t have the greatest arm. The Bills currently have limited deep threats, so I haven`t seen him test it that much. He seemed to throw alot more deep the year you had TO and Evans. I wouldn`t be against drafting a QB, but I wouldn`t be angry if they waited a year either. Either way, Fitz is gonna start next year.

 

RB:

Sucks that Fred Jackson is as old as he is. If he where young he was gonna dominate this leauge for years. Hopefully he still has a few years left in the tank. And you always have Spiller. Good oportunity for him to get some carries as the season ends. He should be better next year for it. Perhaps you`ll end up with a duo at RB next year.

 

WR:

Stevie Johnson is like a young Anquan Boldin. I really like David Nelson. The others might be good. But I feel like it is kind of a long shot, that Donald Jones or Namon Roosevelt are gonna end up being consistantly good deep threats. So I will say finding a deep threat is a need.

 

TE:

The league is filling up with more and more rediculous tight ends. So if you get your hands on a beast why not, right? I like Chandler. But a beast he is not. And he doesn`t see that many snaps. If the Bills had a great tight end, Gailey would find a way to use him alot more. Billieve that.

 

O-LINE:

I thought this was gonna be what killed this team this year. They ended up getting killed by injuries, but up until that point they played very well. The tackles are the weak spots though. And they got injured. But they might be just fine. I`ve come to the conclusion that finding a tackle is almost as hard as finding a QB. Maybe the rookie salary cap will change that, because now they have to earn their money. But the last couple of years have been horrible. And alot of the good teams don`t have great tackles. They just don`t have horrible ones. But you could always put that theory to the test, if one falls into your lap. Guard seems to be a strong point for the team. Levitre looks like a future star, too bad he can`t stay at one position with everyone going down. It`s also too bad Wood can`t stay healthy, he seems to be one of the leagues top young centers.

 

On offense that`s 3 maybe 4 players.

 

So that`s 5-7 players total, and a little depth. You`ll see improvement as every bit falls into place. It`s not 5-7 away from 8-8, but being a perennial contender. I would say 5 of them should be enough. DE, NT, WR, TE and OT. And the 2 extra being QB and LB. CB maybe, but you drafted 1 high in the 2nd last year.

 

I would take a Pass rusher in the 1st round this year. Because you deffinatly want a star at that position and you dont wanna screw around hoping some project player will turn out. Draft a DE not an OLB. The most important thing is that he can rush the passer. A hybrid is a luxury and a risk and you`re not in a position to gamble.

 

2nd or 3rd round should be spent on either a big fat nose tackle, an OT, a deep threat WR, or TE. Good options should be available. Maybe not an OT that starts day 1. But fast WRs can be found. Not the star of the draft, but plenty good WRs has come out of the 2nd round. As important as a good TE has become. Usually no more then 1 gets taken in the first, so alot good ones should be available. And the nose tackle is just a 2 down player, so he has not enough value to be taken in the 1st. But can still be an elite run stuffer. The rest of the rounds? If you don`t get a TE or WR in the 2nd or 3rd, try again in the 4th. After that it`s a crapshoot at all positions.

 

Get these players and you`ll be in good shape. The defensive coordinator is not the be all end all. Our cordinator sucked in 2009 and 2010, and we still got it done. I would still like to see someone else get a try. Preferbly someone aggressive and innovative. That`s what works best for us. And it is my impression that is what works best for most of the good defenses that run 3-4.

 

Any thoughts? Agree, disagree?

Great post. Your point about all teams have weaknesses but winning makes people forget is spot on. And when you lose, you find exagerated views on the problem areas. Ravens looked awesome on Thursday, but have thrown in some absolutely horrible games. Why do you think that is so?

 

Couldn't agree more but I'm taking QB first round cuz Fitz is above average but not quite good enough. Kind of like a fighter who is tough as hell and can beat all of the other contenders but just can't beat the champ.

 

1. QB Ryan Tannehill 6'4" 220

2. OLB Vinny Curry 6'3" 258

3. NT Dontari Poe 6'5" 350

Tannehill looked absolutely awful on Thursday against Texas. Why are you so sure he is the real deal?

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

I'll read the content of your post later, as I'm running out the door right now.

 

But what is it like to root for a team that doesn't always screw the pooch?

[jcbillsfan]

I agree 100 pecent .

 

Couldn't agree more but I'm taking QB first round cuz Fitz is above average but not quite good enough. Kind of like a fighter who is tough as hell and can beat all of the other contenders but just can't beat the champ.

 

1. QB Ryan Tannehill 6'4" 220

2. OLB Vinny Curry 6'3" 258

3. NT Dontari Poe 6'5" 350

upshaw

poe

lindsay

 

Until I see "New Owner" in there, can't agree with ya.

senseless point

[The Big Cat]

How refreshing!

 

Thanks so much for offering your insight. It's great to read an informed reaction sans emotion when talking Bills football!

 

It's hard to argue anymore that the Bills have any semblance of a pass rush. But since Williams AND Merriman went out, it's equally hard to argue it's an area of "need."

 

What I do think this team "needs" is another talented wideout who can make plays one on one. Stevie is great at getting open, but we need a guy who can reel it in when he's NOT open and when the pass ISN'T on the money. See: game winning one-handed grab on 3-11 yesterday for the Jets. We simply don't have that receiver, and having him would make all the difference for this team. It would vault our offense from excellent in streaks to consistently excellent.

 

I think this change trumps the need for a "pass rusher" because a pass rusher alone won't vault our defense to excellence. But with a potent enough offense, a slight improvement here or there to the defense and getting some key players back from injury and adding a little solid depth would make for a unit NEXT year that would be good enough to win the three close games we lost this year given our offense's potential.

 

I hear people clamoring for us to put all our drafting weight into the defense. That's fine and all, but I think our first pick has to go on offense. Build the defense gradually, don't expect great things, but find that missing piece on offense (playmaking WR) that will allow us to continue winning games the way we have already this year: with our offense.

Edited November 28, 2011 by The Big Cat

[Rubes]

Cool to hear that insight. Thanks.

 

My top 5 needs for this team:

 

1. pass rush

2. pass rush

3. pass rush

4. pass rush

5. deep threat wide receiver

[vincec]

I think that you have a pretty solid analysis, but I have two concersn:

 

1) I see "free agent" listed several times, but the current GM seems very reluctant to go after high quality free agents unless he is boxed into a corner (like when Poz left). I doubt very much that they will get a FA cornerback or LB or anyone else of significance. It will all come down to drafting and you only get 7 picks. As Nix says if you find 3 starters from each draft then you've done very well so a team that is 5-7 players away from being a contender is really 2 to 3 years away under good circumstances, let alone when you bomb your drafts like the Bills have recently.

 

2) I think your analysis of the Bills LBs in comparison to the Ravens is faulty. Which Bills LB would start for Baltimore? Maybe Barnett would be a situational player but other than that I don't see it. There is certainly no one close to Lewis or Suggs.

[Green Lightning]

Hey OP, great post and good to hear from someone not locked into the upward soaring and then the death spirals of Bills fandom. I like your reasoning but I also like what Rubes had to say:

 

1. pass rush

2. pass rush

3. pass rush

4. pass rush

5. deep threat wide receiver

 

 

Maybe I would put a QB or super TE in one of the first four, but if we keep letting QB's have enough time ponder the nuances of life and then toss the damn ball, we're never going to get better. Nothing is more pleasurable to watch than Brady on his *ss two seconds after the snap. He doesn't look so awesome then!

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Tannehill looked absolutely awful on Thursday against Texas. Why are you so sure he is the real deal?

One game doesn't make a career. Like I said when you have to carry the team its hard to win and if the D would have held he would have lead them to a come back victory. I have watched him since he started at QB for them and has done a great job, trust me this kid can play and we would do well to have him.

 

I said he was great in another thread.

Edited November 28, 2011 by Buffalo Barbarian

[T master]

#1 need is a pass rush, Pash runshers create fear ala Bruce Smith. We need to find a great Pash rusher in the draft or in free agency and it isn't Shawn Merriman !

 

I'll bet you weren't saying that in the Chicago preseason game , & the D wasn't doing all that bad until he went to IR . The guy is still young enough and has more than enough heart i hope he proves all of you wrong !! I would have just loved to have kept a list of all of you so when he does we could have written each one of you a I told you so post !! And if i'm wrong i'll at least man up & admit it !!!!

[BuffaloBillsMagic1]

OLB, WR, OL, OLB, TE (with speed), DE , OL, QB, if we have 8 pix like I believe

[J-E-T-S-L-O-L]

Thanks for all the response, and great post everybody.

 

San Jose Bills fan

I see your point about having a good run stuffer at LB. The Ravens have a great one in Ray Lewis. But trying to find his replacement has been hard. They don`t grow on trees as you said. We`ve haven`t really gone hard after one in the draft though. Rather try to develop late rounders and undrafted free agents. Which seems to have been your teams strategy aswell. But the teams that have drafted a LB in either of the first 2 rounds the last couple of years, seems to have found what they were looking for. With the exception of Aaron Curry. Even you guys seemed to have found one in Posluszny, if it hadn`t been for the shceme change and his tendency to always get injured. I used to joke with my friend and call him PUP Posluszny. Point is, if you spend a 1st or 2nd rounder you have good shot of getting a solid linebacker. And Kelvin Sheppard is a rookie 3rd rounder with no offseason. He`s only started a handful of games and I would say he`s doing pretty good. You can`t go wrong with adding another one next year either through the draft or via free agency, as you said you can`t get enough good linebackers.

 

The nose tackle is an important position don`t get me wrong. But the reason I would like to see you get one, is that you could move Kyle Williams and Marcell Darreus out of that postion. Darreus is not the best fit. And using Kyle Williams to play NT is a waste IMO. I can`t think of 1 team that run a 3-4 or a hybrid defense, that use their best player to play NT. Other then Jay Ratliff they`re usually all 1st and 2nd down players. And see 20-30 snaps a game. Williams is so versatile that he can play that position, but I would rather see him play more of a 3 technique. That`s where he generate the most pass rush.

Marcell Darreus could play the 5 technique on the left side and move inside in nickle situations. Much like Justin Smith of the 49ers.

 

Hopeful

I am with you on the DC. We`ve been through our fair share of coordinators. You can definatly see the difference beetween the good ones and the bad ones. With just about all the same players. All you need to do is look at the Jets. Most of the players where already there, but nobody talked about their defense before Rex Ryan came in.

The reason I would like to see a defensive rather then OLB, is because most of the good pass rushing OLB are converted defensive ends. It would have to be a 4-3 defensive end that you try to convert. And also like you I am not sold that your current scheme is the best way to go. So drafting that defensive end wont handicap you if you decide to switch back to a 4-3 defense, whereas drafting an OLB might.

 

Casey D

Hard to say why the Ravens keep laying eggs against bad teams on the road. My guess is as good as yours. Maybe it was a good game for the opponent match up wise and a bad game for us. They all run 4-3 and have good run defenses. We usually struggle against Cincinattis defense, and they also run a 4-3. Combine that with alot of mistakes from us and that`s about as much I can tell you.

[eball]

Great thread. Thanks much for stopping by and lending an outside perspective. I tend to agree the Bills are about five "pieces" -- plus some tweaking to the defensive strategy -- away from being a legitimate contender.

 

I have a good friend who's a Ravens' fan, and man, it's tough watching someone enjoy such a good, tough, team that makes the playoffs year after year while I'm mired in Buffalo's suckitude. This year has given me hope, though.

 

Good luck to B'more the rest of the way.