My theory on the draft and 2013 season

[Bangarang]

I'm so sick of the wait till next year garbage. Want to know why we haven't been good in forever? Because we think we're smarter than everyone by ignoring the QB position early in the draft only to draft guys that are supposed to be greater talents. Where has this gotten us? We will continue to get nowhere if we keep thinking we're smarter and want to get the 6th or 7th best QB in the 4th round and hope he amounts to anything.

 

Draft a QB early and keep doing so until you have the guy we've been waiting for for a decade.

[HeHateMe]

The sad thing is it will be Nix that makes the decision on what QB to draft this year... why does he still have a job?

[KeisterHollow]

This time last year everyone was assuming that Barkley was the number one overall selection in 2013, I recall some saying he had better numbers in a similar system than luck and some rated him higher than RG3. Right now everyone is high on all the QBs in next years draft. While I'm not high on this class I do feel Barkley and smith are potentially franchise qbs. Classic grass is always greener scenario. Don't intentionally tank because you think there is some golden ticket waiting.

 

I'm in agreement with you! There's really no telling how good or bad this draft class will pan out - until they get drafted and play for a few years. A lot of factors go into that, and not just how purely good or bad a QB prospect is. It also matters who drafts them, the system, their opportunities.

 

I happen to believe this is a perfect time for Buffalo to need to draft a QB. Why? Because, I think there are two solid first round caliber QB's in Geno Smith and Barkley. Then, I think there are a bunch of QB's who COULD be really good in the NFL, and they'll be available in rounds 2-4. Matt Scott, for instance, might be a really dynamic QB in a few years - and he'll be had in the 3rd - 5th rounds. Landry Jones is pretty high on the list of NCAA records for QB's in completion percentage, yards... there's Nassib, who might be a Brett Favre type QB - he's tough as nails, and has all the intellect and mental / character intangibles you want. There's Manuel who might be similar to Cam Newton. There's Glennon, who could be an old school, rocket armed pocket QB.

 

After that, there's guys like Dysert, and a few others who'll go in the 5-7 range who might make decent backups, marginal starters.

 

My point here is, there might not be a bunch of QB's ready to go right in and light up the NFL, but there are more QB's in this draft who COULD be coached into Franchise guys than I recall seeing in the last 4 or 5 years.

 

It gives Buffalo options - I won't be opposed to them going defense in the first few rounds and getting a 3rd or trading back into the second for a QB. I won't be opposed to them getting their guy in the first - if they believe he'll be a franchise guy. I just think there are more options this year than in recent memory, and I don't think there are as many teams really pressed to draft a QB this year, either, which all adds up to giving Buffalo OPTIONS, which is never a bad thing.

Edited March 26, 2013 by KeisterHollow

[chris heff]

I'm getting tired of writting this, not drafting any QBs in the first three rounds for the last three years is what got them here. Now they don't have the luxury of waiting until the second or third round. There are too many variables in the wait until next year scenario.

[ndirish1978]

Buddy Nix locked the Bills into needing to draft a QB this draft. HIs handling of the QB situation warrants immediate dismissal. Even desperate Bills homers who only go to games as an excuse to get drunk during early hours will be hard to buy into Tarvaris Jackson, Aaron Corp and some backup FA.

 

I agree wholeheartedly. Making a statement like that carries the stench of fan appeasement and trying to keep his job. What it does NOT do is further the mission of this team, which is to win.

[Maddog69]

I generally agree with the OP. Common people don't fully understand how bad this QB class is. The only reason mocks have QBs so high is because of previous drafts, and Dear Leader Goodell turning the league into pitch and catch. But, there's no sure thing at any position at 8 this year. There's many promising talents, but no "blue chippers".

 

Buddy Nix locked the Bills into needing to draft a QB this draft. HIs handling of the QB situation warrants immediate dismissal. Even desperate Bills homers who only go to games as an excuse to get drunk during early hours will be hard to buy into Tarvaris Jackson, Aaron Corp and some backup FA.

A couple questions/comments for you:

1.) What do you mean "Common people don't fully understand how bad this QB class is"? Are you a scout or in some way better equipped to evaluate the class of prospects more than anyone else on this board? Or the experts who do have QBs listed with first round grades?

2.) There is no sure thing at any draft spot in any draft

3.) The Bills were forced into this position of needing a QB long ago. Basically when they allowed Fitz and Trent to fight it out for the job and never drafting a QB capable to taking the job. That to me, is fireable. Nix has had multiple years to find a QB and hasn't really even tried.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Maddog69

[cosmo]

I'd much rather have Barkley or Manuel coming off a year of NFL experience than putting all our hopes on QB "X" from the 2014 draft.

[Kirby Jackson]

I'd much rather have Barkley or Manuel coming off a year of NFL experience than putting all our hopes on QB "X" from the 2014 draft.

 

Would you rather have them coming off of a Christian Ponder type year with 1 year experience or Bridgewater with no experience? I would rather have drafted Andrew Luck last year than Blaine Gabbert with a year of experience.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

 

 

Would you rather have them coming off of a Christian Ponder type year with 1 year experience or Bridgewater with no experience? I would rather have drafted Andrew Luck last year than Blaine Gabbert with a year of experience.

 

I'd rather have both.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Big Bad Boone

[Kirby Jackson]

I'd rather have both.

 

That does not make any sense and no team that I can recall has picked QB in the 1st in back to back years. It is not likely to happen. If you get someone at 8 you are likely to have him for at least 2 years (meaning both wouldnt be an option). If you took someone in round 2 (probably the same guy that you would reach on at 8) then you may see them use their 1st on a QB in 2014 when the class is much stronger. I think that is what Carolina did with Claussen and Newton.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

 

 

That does not make any sense and no team that I can recall has picked QB in the 1st in back to back years. It is not likely to happen. If you get someone at 8 you are likely to have him for at least 2 years (meaning both wouldnt be an option). If you took someone in round 2 (probably the same guy that you would reach on at 8) then you may see them use their 1st on a QB in 2014 when the class is much stronger. I think that is what Carolina did with Claussen and Newton.

 

Nobody having done it before doesn't mean much to me, the Bills need to do what they need to do.

 

People have the misperception that drafting 1st round quarterbacks in back to back years implies you're giving up on the first guy. Instead I look at it as competition and depth.

 

No team will accomplish their goal of winning the Superbowl without quality QB play. How can fixing a position of such importance not be worth two 1st round picks? If you draft two, you double your odds.

 

If they're both great, pick one and trade the other to the NFC for multiple picks. If one is great and one is good, you have your starter and your backup.

 

I don't want to see the Bills draft one guy and make him our only option for three years. I'm not interested in burning that amount of time, should he falter. What is wrong with bringing in legitimate competition and giving yourself options?

[San Jose Bills Fan]

That does not make any sense and no team that I can recall has picked QB in the 1st in back to back years. It is not likely to happen. If you get someone at 8 you are likely to have him for at least 2 years (meaning both wouldnt be an option). If you took someone in round 2 (probably the same guy that you would reach on at 8) then you may see them use their 1st on a QB in 2014 when the class is much stronger. I think that is what Carolina did with Claussen and Newton.

 

The Dallas Cowboys took Troy Aikman in the first round of the 1989 Draft and then took Steve Walsh in the first round of the 1989 Supplemental Draft just a few months later.

 

Nobody having done it before doesn't mean much to me, the Bills need to do what they need to do.

 

People have the misperception that drafting 1st round quarterbacks in back to back years implies you're giving up on the first guy. Instead I look at it as competition and depth.

 

No team will accomplish their goal of winning the Superbowl without quality QB play. How can fixing a position of such importance not be worth two 1st round picks? If you draft two, you double your odds.

 

If they're both great, pick one and trade the other to the NFC for multiple picks. If one is great and one is good, you have your starter and your backup.

 

I don't want to see the Bills draft one guy and make him our only option for three years. I'm not interested in burning that amount of time, should he falter. What is wrong with bringing in legitimate competition and giving yourself options?

 

I agree 100%.

[Kirby Jackson]

 

 

The Dallas Cowboys took Troy Aikman in the first round of the 1989 Draft and then took Steve Walsh in the first round of the 1989 Supplemental Draft just a few months later.

 

 

 

I agree 100%.

 

I stand corrected (it happened once in the 80's). I don't understand the logic. If I could get Jarvis Jones or Patterson and then Manuel, Barkley or Nassib I think that is better than reaching on Manuel or Nassib at 8. I am assuming that Geno is gone. If you do use the 8th pick on a QB that is not worth the 8th pick you will be picking in the top 5 next year. Do you really think in today's NFL a team will use back-to-back top 10 picks on a QB?? I just don't see it happening.

 

Unless Geno Smith is on the board wait until the 2nd or trade back to the end of the 1st. We have waited so long for the Bills to even try to take a guy we are advocating taking a guy with a 2nd rd grade (potentially at 8). We haven't even swung and missed like the Raiders, Jags, etc.., we just want them to take a swing. I am afraid that if the Bills reach on a QB they will miss out on a better option next year. The goal is to get a franchise changer not a game manager.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

 

 

I stand corrected (it happened once in the 80's). I don't understand the logic. If I could get Jarvis Jones or Patterson and then Manuel, Barkley or Nassib I think that is better than reaching on Manuel or Nassib at 8. I am assuming that Geno is gone. If you do use the 8th pick on a QB that is not worth the 8th pick you will be picking in the top 5 next year. Do you really think in today's NFL a team will use back-to-back top 10 picks on a QB?? I just don't see it happening.

 

Unless Geno Smith is on the board wait until the 2nd or trade back to the end of the 1st. We have waited so long for the Bills to even try to take a guy we are advocating taking a guy with a 2nd rd grade (potentially at 8). We haven't even swung and missed like the Raiders, Jags, etc.., we just want them to take a swing. I am afraid that if the Bills reach on a QB they will miss out on a better option next year. The goal is to get a franchise changer not a game manager.

 

Actually, it makes more sense to do it now then it ever has in the history of the league. Nobody is winning a Superbowl without a good quarterback. With the rule changes, if your passing game can't keep up with that of the opposition, you're toast.

 

Washington recognized this and gave up THREE first rounders, plus a second rounder! And rightfully so, nobody rips them for it.

 

Your options today are 1) do whatever it takes to get a good quarterback or 2) fail at your primary goal.

[Kirby Jackson]

 

 

Actually, it makes more sense to do it now then it ever has in the history of the league. Nobody is winning a Superbowl without a good quarterback. With the rule changes, if your passing game can't keep up with that of the opposition, you're toast.

 

Washington recognized this and gave up THREE first rounders, plus a second rounder! And rightfully so, nobody rips them for it.

 

Your options today are 1) do whatever it takes to get a good quarterback or 2) fail at your primary goal.

 

We certainly agree that you are not going ANYWHERE without the right QB. I was all for 3 first rounders for Luck or RGIII. I am not all for it for a guy like Nassib that I think will be like Christian Ponder. That is the exact point that I am trying to make. Get the right guy. I would rather trade up for Geno Smirh than stay at 8 and take someone like Nassib.

[Brandon]

Next year's draft class is always better than this year's draft class. We hear it every year, so it must be true.

[Kirby Jackson]

Next year's draft class is always better than this year's draft class. We hear it every year, so it must be true.

 

No you don't. You heard about last years for a while (suck for Luck). Next year has Bridgewater, Manziel, Murray, McCarron and Boyd. I like all 5 of those guys better than anyone this year except Smith (and I like Manuel more than a couple of those guys).

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

 

 

We certainly agree that you are not going ANYWHERE without the right QB. I was all for 3 first rounders for Luck or RGIII. I am not all for it for a guy like Nassib that I think will be like Christian Ponder. That is the exact point that I am trying to make. Get the right guy. I would rather trade up for Geno Smirh than stay at 8 and take someone like Nassib.

 

Well I have no interest in Nassib either, so we've found some common ground. The guy can't throw a long ball and would limit the playbook. But there are other prospects in this draft that are very interesting in my opinion.

[jletha]

No you don't. You heard about last years for a while (suck for Luck). Next year has Bridgewater, Manziel, Murray, McCarron and Boyd. I like all 5 of those guys better than anyone this year except Smith (and I like Manuel more than a couple of those guys).

 

Fales of San Jose State, some people say he is going to be the best guy in the class. Theres a lot of top quality talent next year. This year is full of guys that you have to convince yourself in. I would much rather wait until the 2nd round or 3rd and take whos there. Reaching is going to be such a mistake this year I think. I do not want to end up in a Blaine Gabbert situation. He is by far the worst QB in the league and Jacksonville was stuck with him last year and missed out on the QBs last draft. I would advocate for not taking any QB at 8, even if Geno is there. There are so many holes on this team that we are going to bomb anyway. if were going to have a top 10 pick no matter what next year it makes more sense to use that pick on a QB when the QBs are much better, than using this years top 10 pick on a QB and reaching.

[Luxy312]

I posted this in the Matt Flynn thread, but we've been doing the "wait until next year" stop gap BS for the last 12 years. They could have drafted Aaron Rodgers had they not traded away the pick the year prior to move up to get J.P. Losman. They could have drafted Jay Cutler instead of Donte Whitner. Joe Flacco instead of Leodis McKelvin. Josh Freeman instead of Aaron Maybin. They could have had any of those guys as the signal caller now, but instead filled in with Fitzpatrick, Kelly Holcomb, Drew Bledsoe, Rob Johnson and Doug Flutie. Assuming a top-5 or top-10 draft pick next year before this season starts is in and of itself a failure. 4 of their 10 losses this last year were by less than a touchdown. Swing their record around to 8-8 or even 9-7 and they're drafting 14-16th this year.

 

In my mind, unless both Geno Smith and Matt Barkley are off the board in the first round, that's who you draft. If they are, you wait until round 2 and see what happens. One of the 2nd tier QB's will be there and at that point maybe you draft them to hold a clipboard for Tarvaris Jackson for awhile.