If the Bills acquire 2 QB's......

[JPS]

Bad year for QBs. So draft 2? With all the holes on this roster, draft 1 if the round is right. I just don't want to see the Bills draft a Kyle Boller/Cade McNown in the 1st and answer it with Jimmy Claussen/ Brody Croyle in the 3rd.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Bad year for QBs. So draft 2? With all the holes on this roster, draft 1 if the round is right. I just don't want to see the Bills draft a Kyle Boller/Cade McNown in the 1st and answer it with Jimmy Claussen/ Brody Croyle in the 3rd.

 

For a while I was in the draft 2 QBs this year camp.

 

However upon more reflection, I've changed my view to drafting a quarterback in the first round this year and one next year IF NECESSARY.

 

Here's why:

 

1) The rookie QB we take in the first round this year needs to be given every opportunity to succeed and drafting a second QB to look over his shoulder, take practice and game reps from him could undermine his chances of success. I know it happened to work with RG III and Cousins in Washington but I think that usually it would be more damaging than beneficial to a rookie QB.

 

2) The Bills only have 6 draft picks this year. Although QB is by far the most important position, I don't think you use 2 of your 6 picks on QBs.

 

3) If the QB the Bills draft this year ends up sucking and falling flat on his face, the Bills record will reflect that. They will have a high draft position AND a clear conscience to again select a QB in the first round next year.

 

4) If this year's rookie QB succeeds admirably, then the Bills needn't draft another QB in the first round next year, thus not unnecessarily over-investing in the position.

 

edit: That said, I'd like the Bills to draft another quarterback next year even if he's not taken in the first round. It's always good to have young promising QBs on the roster.

Edited March 24, 2013 by San Jose Bills Fan

[JPS]

 

 

For a while I was in the draft 2 QBs this year camp.

 

However upon more reflection, I've changed my view to drafting a quarterback in the first round this year and one next year IF NECESSARY.

 

Here's why:

 

1) The rookie QB we take in the first round this year needs to be given every opportunity to succeed and drafting a second QB to look over his shoulder, take practice and game reps from him could undermine his chances of success. I know it happened to work with RG III and Cousins in Washington but I think that usually it would be more damaging than beneficial to a rookie QB.

 

2) The Bills only have 6 draft picks this year. Although QB is by far the most important position, I don't think you use 2 of your 6 picks on QBs.

 

3) If the QB the Bills draft this year ends up sucking and falling flat on his face, the Bills record will reflect that. They will have a high draft position AND a clear conscience to again select a QB in the first round next year.

 

4) If this year's rookie QB succeeds admirably, then the Bills needn't draft another QB in the first round next year, thus not unnecessarily over-investing in the position.

 

edit: That said, I'd like the Bills to draft another quarterback next year even if he's not taken in the first round. It's always good to have young promising QBs on the roster.

very well put

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Yonkers ^^^

[JESSEFEFFER]

Seems to me that they might draft two. That's why they would be interviewing both top of the board candidates (likely 1/2 rounders Smith, Barkley, etc.) and down the board guys (Scott, Dysert, etc.) The Redskins taking Cousins last year worked out OK for them and the Bills have only two on their roster at present and they will go to camp with at least 4.

[CSBill]

Take three, and take three next year, until you get it right! . . . though not entirely through the draft, Isn't that what Seattle did this year?

Edited March 24, 2013 by CSBill

[Hapless Bills Fan]

.........should they draft both of them? Maybe one at #8 and one in a later round...say maybe 4th or 5th round if someone is still there that shows promise ?

Or....

Should they pick up a veteran free agent AND draft a QB?

Or...

Screw that, just draft one and go with TJ as your "probable" back up ?

 

Curious what you guys think. I "think" I'd like to see them draft one (in the 1st round) and pick up a free agent. The free agent would need to be a good student of the game and offense they are running. One that could help along the youngster. One that could play half way respectable should the rookie get hurt, or struggle badly. Is having a mentor veteran QB over-rated? I would think not but I've been wrong before.

 

It's a key question not a dumb one.

The FA QB market is pretty thin. Kolb and who? Frankly and I can be pilloried for this, if we wanted a FA QB who is a good student of the game and teacher and could help a youngster, we probably released the best of the bunch. I don't think Kolb has shown his own understanding of the game much less his ability to convey same. TJax "can play half way respectable should the rookie get hurt or struggle". I think we're going to stay with TJax as far as FA goes.

 

We only have 6 draft picks. I think we will spend the 1st or 2nd on a QB. I think we will probably have our eyes on a couple of UDFA we will bring in to compete with Corp and keep the best of them. That's what we should have been doing the last 2 years (both the "draft a QB" and the "bring in UDFA").

[jaybee]

Thanks guys. Some sensible input here. After reading all of this my initial thoughts of finding a free agent QB AND drafting one no longer make sense really.....given what is left of the FA QB crop. And Hopeful..I totally agree we released the best of the bunch for helping along a youngster. OT1960...you (and others) also make a good point that the drop-off from RF to Tjax isn't all that big.

 

Maybe just drafting one QB is the most sensible option. And...I like the UDFA idea as well.

 

Two things really whack me on all of this:

 

1) GM's make a good dollar

 

2) They have a damn tough job.

 

Thanks again fellas. I appreciate your thoughts.

 

jb

[DrDawkinstein]

For a while I was in the draft 2 QBs this year camp.

 

However upon more reflection, I've changed my view to drafting a quarterback in the first round this year and one next year IF NECESSARY.

 

Here's why:

 

...

 

edit: That said, I'd like the Bills to draft another quarterback next year even if he's not taken in the first round. It's always good to have young promising QBs on the roster.

 

Hmm, good idea, I like it. I can get behind 1 early this year and another next year. As long as they are addressing QB via the draft early and often, Im on board.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

Great post, San Jose. Completely agree.

 

If we take say one in the 1st and one in the 4th this year, it's kinda hard to turn around and take one in the 1st next year. But if you only take one QB this year you leave that door open, and you want to do that considering the elite prospects in next year's pool.

[simpleman]

I used to be in the draft two camp. But upon further review, I think our best hope is to trade down in the first for either a late first and an extra late 1st or 2nd round and other later round pick. With the late first we grab an available QB. We fill our holes with the rest of our draft. Our needs are so great and we need so many picks. We give our rookie QB the whole season to prove himself, don't pull him too soon. We are not in the SB hunt this year anyway, let's be realistic. If he does not work out, we shoot for the moon next year at QB when the talent is actually there.

[67 Lion]

I could see them drafting two QBs...one in the first round and another like Tyler Bray in the fourth round if he is still there. It seems that we will need to fill at least two of our four needs at OG,S, LB, TE in free agency before or after the draft. There are plenty of good WR options in the second and third round of the draft. The idea of drafting two QBs as Washington did last year makes sense on two levels: it reduces downside risk of not getting even one serviceable player; and it provides an opportunity to develop depth at the position. Washington executed it perfectly last year getting a starter and a good backup. We should only be so lucky this year.

[Maddog69]

I don;t want to see them use 2 of their 6 picks on QBs.

We have too many other needs.

Take the best one you can at 8. Tjax as backup. sign a UDFA or veteran (Jason Campbell) for camp fodder.

[hondo in seattle]

Even 1st round QBs have a fairly low probability of success in the NFL - in the neighborhood of 50%. I'm all in favor of tilting the odds in our favor by taking two.

[Dorkington]

We are acquiring TJax and a draft pick. Not sure why there is any confusion or debate about it.

 

TJax is effectively an acquisition, because he didn't dress last year. And Nix has all but guaranteed we'll be drafting a QB at some point in the draft.

[Formerly Allan in MD]

Im in the Draft 2 camp, both should be in the first 5 rounds.

Agreed.

[CodeMonkey]

Im in the Draft 2 camp, both should be in the first 5 rounds.

Unfortunately last years draft would have been the time to do that.

Edited March 25, 2013 by CodeMonkey

[bills_believer]

The Bills have undervalued the QB position and it is going to take awhile to fix the problem.

 

If you draft two QBs this year, will you be ready to make a decision on them next year?

 

I don't think you can properly evaluate them in one year and you can't afford to pass up a really good one next year. Three very young QBs is not a good idea in 2014.

[Cash]

The Bills have undervalued the QB position and it is going to take awhile to fix the problem.

 

If you draft two QBs this year, will you be ready to make a decision on them next year?

 

I don't think you can properly evaluate them in one year and you can't afford to pass up a really good one next year. Three very young QBs is not a good idea in 2014.

 

The prevailing logic for most of the "draft 2 QBs" crowd is that drafting 2 increases the likelihood of at least 1 being good. (And if both wind up being good, so much the better.) My main problem with that is that it's hard to tell if a QB will be good after 1 year, especially if he didn't play all year. No one wants to give up on the next Steve Young (seriously, go look at his Tampa Bay stats his first two years -- they stink), but no one wants to keep starting Heath Shuler year after year. To use a more recent example, how about Josh Freeman or Sam Bradford? Both put up "decent for a rookie" stats their first years*, and both looked like they were developing into excellent starters as you watched them as rookies. Now, a few years later, it's not too late for either, but Bucs/Rams fans can't be feeling too great about their QB situation.

 

This is a difficult-enough prospect with 1 rookie QB, but adding a second into the mix only makes things tougher. Not necessarily much tougher, especially if one of them wins (or is given) the job early on, but definitely not easier. Do you really think the Bills should or will draft another QB in round 1 in 2014 if whomever we draft at #8 puts up a middling stat line? (And by the way, based on a quick check of pro-football-reference for some random bust QBs and stud QBs who popped into my head, most of the stat lines were pretty similar: completion percentage between 53-60%, about the same number of TDs & INTs within a couple either way, 200-250 yards/game... there's not a lot to differentiate between busts and Hall of Famers through 1 year, at least to the naked eye.)

 

*On further review, Freeman's rookie stats were pretty bad in 9 starts, but I remember watching a bunch of those games and thinking he looked promising. His 2nd year stats were very good, so I guess I conflated the two seasons in my head. Bradford's rookie stats held up as "pretty good for a rookie" upon further review.

[Kirby Jackson]

I am really not in the 2 QB camp (I would prefer 1 this year and 1 next if it doesn't work out). With that being said I will play along, EJ Manuel in the 2nd and Matt Scott in the 4th. In this scenario I would go with Patterson in the 1st and Khaseem Greene in the 3rd.