DreamOnDan Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I am one of the few people that think Defensive End is a major need for the Bills.. I am not sold on re-signing Jerry Hughes to a long term deal. 250 lbs is a bit small for either left or right DE.. As of right now, there is not even one guy that I feel comfortable playing 9 technique outside of Williams and Hughes and Hughes is in the last year of his deal.. My question is would you be ok with Buffalo addressing DE early? What if Clowney Drops? Personally, I like a big fast powerful D-Line, and I would build my defense around it. WIlliams, Williams, Dareus, and Donald as your primary 4 lineman with Hughes coming in to blitz or just replace a guy and rush as well as Branch as our primary backup DT.. I'm more comfortable with Bradham at OLB than I am with Hughes lining up at DE on 1st and 2nd down most series.. What do you think? I like Carrington and If they can re-sign him for a reasonable price than I'm all in on Carrington... http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/Pitt/2014/02/24/Pitt-s-Aaron-Donald-leaves-NFL-scouts-raving/stories/201402240205 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max997 Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 (edited) I also think adding an every down DE is a big need for this team Branch played there last year after Carrington got hurt but I think he is better suited in a rotation at DT with Kyle and Dareus rather then playing DE. I actually think Branch should start with Dareus and rotate Kyle in as more of a pass rusher but a lot of ppl on here will disagree with that Edited February 28, 2014 by Max997 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 No. Too easy for tackles to lock him up because of his T-rex arms. GO BILLS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
....lybob Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I was thinking the same thing - could Aaron Donald play DE ? didn't really know him until the combine then looked at what video I could find and wow this guy lives in the backfield but I didn't see any video of him rushing from outside, there are only two successful DEs I can think of that had a similar height - Dwight Freeney ( a freak athlete who makes Clowney look slow) and Elvis Dumervil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamOnDan Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 i was looking at some highlights and see they line up in a 3 man front at times and use him as LDE.. he is very impressive there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOKBILLS Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I am one of the few people that think Defensive End is a major need for the Bills.. Assuming Carrington comes back for at least one more year...You are 100% correct with this statement... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamOnDan Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 That is a perfect description of the old saying, every time you assume something you make an ass out of u and me I am assuming he is not under contract as of today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADOLBILZ Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 No. Too easy for tackles to lock him up because of his T-rex arms. GO BILLS!!! He doesn't have exceptionally short arms. He has 32 5/8" arm length. Arm length isn't a strength, but we aren't talking about Melvin Ingram who had 30 1/2" arms a couple years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADOLBILZ Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I am one of the few people that think Defensive End is a major need for the Bills.. I am not sold on re-signing Jerry Hughes to a long term deal. 250 lbs is a bit small for either left or right DE.. As of right now, there is not even one guy that I feel comfortable playing 9 technique outside of Williams and Hughes and Hughes is in the last year of his deal.. My question is would you be ok with Buffalo addressing DE early? What if Clowney Drops? Personally, I like a big fast powerful D-Line, and I would build my defense around it. WIlliams, Williams, Dareus, and Donald as your primary 4 lineman with Hughes coming in to blitz or just replace a guy and rush as well as Branch as our primary backup DT.. I'm more comfortable with Bradham at OLB than I am with Hughes lining up at DE on 1st and 2nd down most series.. What do you think? I like Carrington and If they can re-sign him for a reasonable price than I'm all in on Carrington... http://www.post-gaze...es/201402240205 IMO, he was the best defensive player in college football last year and despite very little respect to this point....probably the best one in this draft. Wouldn't surprise me if he makes it as a DE and a dominant one from day one. I would see him as a RDE for the Bills. Nate Solder would have his hands full with him. He is one of those guys that people will be "looking for" in upcoming drafts, but will be wasting their picks trying to find him. Kinda' like the Bills trying to find their Bob Sanders in Donte Whitner. Donald is a pretty rare talent, IMO. Only a great draft like this could lead to him being overlooked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I'm willing to keep an open mind about the kid, simply because of his sheer athleticism. But I haven't seen an inch of tape of him playing in space outside or any kind of counter move required to play out there, especially with his shorter frame. He'd need a couple years to learn the position, imo. GO BILLS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamOnDan Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 IMO, he was the best defensive player in college football last year and despite very little respect to this point....probably the best one in this draft. Wouldn't surprise me if he makes it as a DE and a dominant one from day one. I would see him as a RDE for the Bills. Nate Solder would have his hands full with him. He is one of those guys that people will be "looking for" in upcoming drafts, but will be wasting their picks trying to find him. Kinda' like the Bills trying to find their Bob Sanders in Donte Whitner. Donald is a pretty rare talent, IMO. Only a great draft like this could lead to him being overlooked. Regardless of whether he fits in Buffalo or not, I truly believe that Donald will be worth the 9th overall selection when its all said and done.. I feel that WR and OT can be had in rds 2-3. But still do not know what to do with rd 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.Biscuit97 Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 He's at the bottom of our needs, but he's a great player. He is Kyle Williams but he's not slipping to the 5th. Watch Pittsburgh or Baltimore get him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADOLBILZ Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 He's at the bottom of our needs, but he's a great player. He is Kyle Williams but he's not slipping to the 5th. Watch Pittsburgh or Baltimore get him. And when they stop drafting for need they will start building a roster. Kiko Alonso is a rare instance of a player coming in as a rookie and playing like a seasoned veteran. More often you get EJ Manuel, Robert Woods and Marquis Goodwin.......guys whose performance has to be graded on a curve because it isn't good enough to help you win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NDBUFFCUSEFAN Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 9 is too high and he isn't making it out of the teens so I don't see how the Bills grab him unless they trade back a few and hope they don't get scooped. Looks to be a very good prospect but not what the Bills need IMO for where he is going to get drafted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOKBILLS Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 (edited) That is a perfect description of the old saying, every time you assume something you make an ass out of u and me I am assuming he is not under contract as of today Fair enough... But I should have been more specific and less smart-ass... Carrington or not (and I do hope he comes back for one year minimum), The Bills deepest unit is arguably the D-line...When you're a team like Seattle or San Fran you may be able to get away with stockpiling talent on one unit...The Bills are no where near that deep yet, and using #9 overall on a player that would basically mirror what Kyle Williams does in this Defense would be unit-stockpiling, not team building IMHO... To be honest I wish the Bills were in the position to consider a player like Donald...But they're not...They need a lot of help on Offense, and their biggest need on Defense is at LB...So to me a move like that is really no different than Drafting CJ Spiller when you already have Freddie and Marshawn...It's not team building...It's talent stockpiling...And it puts the Bills no closer to being a winner...Add to that the fact that Donald is a bit of a tweener, he would likely only play about half of the downs on Defense because of the way they rotate in and out, and of course nothing is a given in the NFL (though I do think he'll end up being a good pro), I just think it's too big a risk at this time... Edited March 1, 2014 by KOKBILLS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADOLBILZ Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 (edited) Fair enough... But I should have been more specific and less smart-ass... Carrington or not (and I do hope he comes back for one year minimum), The Bills deepest unit is arguably the D-line...When you're a team like Seattle or San Fran you may be able to get away with stockpiling talent on one unit...The Bills are no where near that deep yet, and using #9 overall on a player that would basically mirror what Kyle Williams does in this Defense would be unit-stockpiling, not team building IMHO... To be honest I wish the Bills were in the position to consider a player like Donald...But they're not...They need a lot of help on Offense, and their biggest need on Defense is at LB...So to me a move like that is really no different than Drafting CJ Spiller when you already have Freddie and Marshawn...It's not team building...It's talent stockpiling...And it puts the Bills no closer to being a winner...Add to that the fact that Donald is a bit of a tweener, he would likely only play about half of the downs on Defense because of the way they rotate in and out, and of course nothing is a given in the NFL (though I do think he'll end up being a good pro), I just think it's too big a risk at this time... One key area where it is A LOT different than drafting CJ Spiller is that if an impact DL plays up to his ability he is worth paying market price for when he hits free agency. A very underrated flaw in the Bills draft history is using high picks on positions that aren't valuable enough to them to pay top dollar for as pros. We witnessed this first hand last year when two pro bowl quality players the Bills drafted in round 2 hit free agency and neither was signed to a new contract. They weren't prioritized because of their positions. And while guard and safety aren't premier-pay positions around the league.....all it takes in free agency is one bidder. There are much better examples.......and it's easy to pick them when the team spends half of their first round picks on RB's and DB's over a 40 year period. The main culprit for this problem is drafting for need. To take it a little further, you mention drafting another LB early........that sounds great, but suppose they take CJ Mosley to plug that ILB hole and then he and Kiko both pan out and they come due for free agency two years apart. So, you draft a player for need, and then when he pans out you have to make a choice because you can't have two LB's with similar skillsets making $10-$12M per year with a $150M cap. How about making the pick that is the best player at a position that is of great value and filling your needs in free agency or by actually finding VALUE at that position later in the draft? I tend to think ILB....like RB..... is not a position that needs to be addressed early in the draft to be filled adequately. Example...Kiko Alonso is a very good player and you can't knock that pick........but how about finding a tackling machine like Paul Worrilow after the draft instead? The RB position is another prime example of the problem created by using very high picks on a lesser valued position. Aside from Fred Jackson......the Bills have found zero production from the running back position after round 1 in the past 13 years. For a team that really hasn't had an All Pro RB in that time that is inexcusably inefficient and the net result is constantly finding themselves in an all-or-nothing situation when those RB's near the end of their contracts. I've been saying this for years........even before it became a cliched word courtesy of Nick Saban.........the draft is a "process". It should not be viewed as single, solitary, annual event. The only "need" a team should be concerned about filling in round 1 is a need at quarterback. Otherwise the draft first and foremost to acquire your franchise pillars......pass rushers, edge blockers, playmakers in the passing game........not to patch holes of short term need. Edited March 1, 2014 by BADOLBEELZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill from NYC Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 There are much better examples.......and it's easy to pick them when the team spends half of their first round picks on RB's and DB's over a 40 year period. Yes, and the above is a major reason for the losing culture about which you speak. Allocating that amount of resources to DBs and RBs makes it impossible to win in the NFL. Posters can show stats that will tell us how other teams drafted a similar number of DBs, but I guarantee that these teams already had their QB and both lines in place. I am not a fan of Brandon, but the good news is that he probably cannot do as much as Mr. Wilson to hurt the team's chances of winning. Mr. Wilson gave WAY to much power to Levy, and he was the one who over prioritized DBs to the point of absurdity. As for RBs, I think Mr. Wilson himself was the one who insisted on drafting them early. As recently as the idiotic selection of Spiller at #9, he was quoted as saying that the team needed "more excitement." I like to believe that these days are over. I think that a good draft (and some quality free agents) can make the Bills a very talented team. Quarterback remains the issue, and they can and should address this too. I would love to see them grab one of the 3 SEC Qbs (McCarron, Mettenberger, or Murray). There is just no reason not to take a shot at another QB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOKBILLS Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 One key area where it is A LOT different than drafting CJ Spiller is that if an impact DL plays up to his ability he is worth paying market price for when he hits free agency. A very underrated flaw in the Bills draft history is using high picks on positions that aren't valuable enough to them to pay top dollar for as pros. We witnessed this first hand last year when two pro bowl quality players the Bills drafted in round 2 hit free agency and neither was signed to a new contract. They weren't prioritized because of their positions. And while guard and safety aren't premier-pay positions around the league.....all it takes in free agency is one bidder. There are much better examples.......and it's easy to pick them when the team spends half of their first round picks on RB's and DB's over a 40 year period. The main culprit for this problem is drafting for need. To take it a little further, you mention drafting another LB early........that sounds great, but suppose they take CJ Mosley to plug that ILB hole and then he and Kiko both pan out and they come due for free agency two years apart. So, you draft a player for need, and then when he pans out you have to make a choice because you can't have two LB's with similar skillsets making $10-$12M per year with a $150M cap. How about making the pick that is the best player at a position that is of great value and filling your needs in free agency or by actually finding VALUE at that position later in the draft? I tend to think ILB....like RB..... is not a position that needs to be addressed early in the draft to be filled adequately. Example...Kiko Alonso is a very good player and you can't knock that pick........but how about finding a tackling machine like Paul Worrilow after the draft instead? The RB position is another prime example of the problem created by using very high picks on a lesser valued position. Aside from Fred Jackson......the Bills have found zero production from the running back position after round 1 in the past 13 years. For a team that really hasn't had an All Pro RB in that time that is inexcusably inefficient and the net result is constantly finding themselves in an all-or-nothing situation when those RB's near the end of their contracts. I've been saying this for years........even before it became a cliched word courtesy of Nick Saban.........the draft is a "process". It should not be viewed as single, solitary, annual event. The only "need" a team should be concerned about filling in round 1 is a need at quarterback. Otherwise the draft first and foremost to acquire your franchise pillars......pass rushers, edge blockers, playmakers in the passing game........not to patch holes of short term need. All that may or may not be true...But in this particular Draft is think it's a moot point when considering the OP on this thread...Because in this particular Draft the Bills should be able to get a player of very high value at a position of great need...I don't think there are many scouts, gm's, anybody who will have Donald rated ahead of Clowney, Robinson, Watkins, Lewan, Matthews, or Mack...And as long as those 3 QB's go in the top 8 the Bills will have an opportunity to Draft one of those 6 players...So...At least for this year...They should not have the worry of stockpiling talent in lieu of need... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 IMO, he was the best defensive player in college football last year and despite very little respect to this point....probably the best one in this draft. Wouldn't surprise me if he makes it as a DE and a dominant one from day one. I would see him as a RDE for the Bills. Nate Solder would have his hands full with him. He is one of those guys that people will be "looking for" in upcoming drafts, but will be wasting their picks trying to find him. Kinda' like the Bills trying to find their Bob Sanders in Donte Whitner. Donald is a pretty rare talent, IMO. Only a great draft like this could lead to him being overlooked. That's lofty praise considering even after his impressive Combine performance, NFL.com has him graded at 5.35, which is 2nd round talent. Could he at least play LDE? And you talk about getting a guy like Paul Worrilow after the draft, but it's not that easy. That's like saying "forget drafting a CB because you can get a Nickell Robey after the draft." Those guys are found money. Yes, and the above is a major reason for the losing culture about which you speak. Allocating that amount of resources to DBs and RBs makes it impossible to win in the NFL. Posters can show stats that will tell us how other teams drafted a similar number of DBs, but I guarantee that these teams already had their QB and both lines in place. I am not a fan of Brandon, but the good news is that he probably cannot do as much as Mr. Wilson to hurt the team's chances of winning. Mr. Wilson gave WAY to much power to Levy, and he was the one who over prioritized DBs to the point of absurdity. As for RBs, I think Mr. Wilson himself was the one who insisted on drafting them early. As recently as the idiotic selection of Spiller at #9, he was quoted as saying that the team needed "more excitement." I like to believe that these days are over. I think that a good draft (and some quality free agents) can make the Bills a very talented team. Quarterback remains the issue, and they can and should address this too. I would love to see them grab one of the 3 SEC Qbs (McCarron, Mettenberger, or Murray). There is just no reason not to take a shot at another QB. Murray and Mettenberger would be wasted picks because like Marcus Lattimore, they'll be on IR for their rookie years. So you'd be flying blind in 2015 as to what you have in them. McCarron to me looks too much like Barkley. Maybe if he's there in the 5th, you take him, but I'd bet he goes in the 4th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADOLBILZ Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 That's lofty praise considering even after his impressive Combine performance, NFL.com has him graded at 5.35, which is 2nd round talent. Could he at least play LDE? And you talk about getting a guy like Paul Worrilow after the draft, but it's not that easy. That's like saying "forget drafting a CB because you can get a Nickell Robey after the draft." Those guys are found money. All Donald does is get in the backfield and make plays. It's not spectacular with dreadlocks flying all over the place, but he efficiently outproduces those other guys. I do think he can play RDE. He has that leverage advantage that Elvis Dumervil or James Harrison have made a living with, and he has their speed and quickness in pursuit but with DT size and NT strength. Like Mack, he also did what he did on a bad team......but unlike Mack, he did it versus BCS quality competition most weeks. He wasn't an acclaimed talent coming into the season and he isn't a pretty athlete like Clowney or Mack and all things being equal I think NFL teams will take those guys sooner but that is the class he deserves to be in. It isn't that easy to find a Worrilow......but RB and ILB are positions that aren't highly valued on the free agent market and you can find them later in the draft. If you have a need at those positions, fill it in free agency and then let them come to you later on draft day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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