First Round Ability or Value......which Bills?

[C.Biscuit97]

Before he left to run the Browns, Mike Lombardi used to do blue and red chip players for every team. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d821b7505/article/blue-chips-and-red-chips-offensive-position-rankings

Definition of a blue-chip player

» Player demonstrates rare abilities and can create mismatches that have an obvious impact on the game

» Is a premier player in the league and a weapon on the field

» Combines competitiveness and skill to have a consistent championship-level performance

» Rates in the top five at his position in the league

Definition of a red-chip player

» Player has abilities that can create mismatches vs. most opponents in the league

» Is a featured player on the team and has impact on the outcome of the game

» Player can't be taken out of the game in one-on-one matchup

» Has a consistent level of performance each week

» Plays at a championship level performance

» Rates in the top 10 at his position in the league

 

IMO, blue chips on the Bills are: Mario Williams, Jairus Bryd, Eric Wood

 

I think we are loaded with red chips: CJ Spiller, Leodis McKelvin, Cordy Glenn, Stephon Gilmore (still believe in his talent), Kiko Alsono (only because he's a rookie), and Kyle Williams (borderline blue chip), Marcell Dareus (close to blue chip territory).

 

We can squabble over a few players but when was the last time the Bills had this many blue/ red chip players? Maybe the early 200s?

[CSBill]

I would not draft Hughes, Glenn, or McKelvin round 1 for their play this year. Although, they have not played bad.

 

Glenn! Really??? what more could you want out of him?

[BADOLBILZ]

I think finding a TE (Martellus Bennett would have been an upgrade) and another LB would have been nice, but they did an awful lot of roster overhaul to begin with. The training wheels had better be off next year, though.

 

They didn't do much roster overhaul at all.

 

OL was returned minus their best OL from previous seasons, top three receiving targets returned, running backs all returned, front 7 and secondary returned almost entirely intact.

 

That is the kind of return rate you would expect from a playoff team, not a disappointing team with a new coaching staff.

 

Kolb was a big mistake but Manny Lawson and Alan Branch are productive but part-time players. Legursky was picked up in the summer and is worst starter on either side of the football. Which is better than worst LG in the league that Colin Brown was. That was the extent of free agency.

 

Not much too see there.

 

The Hughes trade was a steal but it also fell into their lap after-the-fact. Other than that all they did was draft, which everyone gets to do. They are playing a lot of draft picks and the draft thankfully looks good. But the only rookie who has remained healthy and consistenly played at a veteran level is Alonso, everyone else has had the expected ups and downs of rookies.

 

Make no mistake, this is still year 4 of the Buddy Nix baby-making project. Maybe it was a 5 year plan all along.

Edited December 7, 2013 by BADOLBEELZ

[Rubes]

I like the topic, Bill, and the question of why the Bills are only 4-8 with this level of talent is one that I've thought a lot about this year.

 

In addressing that question, I find it fascinating that so many people are pointing to the offense. I think the defense is as much, if not more, to blame for this. See today's BN article about the Bills inability to stop the run as Exhibit A.

 

Sure, the offense is partly to blame as well, certainly with the need to play street free agents at QB for a handful of games. But overall, as I mentioned in some other post in some other thread, winning consistently comes down to four things: talent, preparation, discipline, and execution.

 

I think we're getting there on the talent front. I think the preparation, discipline, and execution have been good at times and lacking at times. My personal opinion is that much of that inconsistency is due to the extreme youth of this team and the fact that we're implementing new systems on both offense and defense. There are good signs that both systems can be very successful, and that is what gives me hope for next season, assuming we can keep most of the pieces in place and add a few key ones in the offseason.

Edited December 8, 2013 by Rubes