NFL future power rankings: projecting the next 3 seasons

[Ronin]

Already forgot Denver last year??

 

I think you missed the context of the argument.

 

Denver, despite how poorly Manning played, had him as a game-manager at least, which does have value. Brad Johnson (Tampa) & Trent Dilfer (Balt) are completely different.

 

Either way, and again, the point raised was re: Tampa's (Johnson's) D, which was prolific, historically speaking. Denver's was not. 296 PA in the season hardly ranks among the top two historically and is well over 100 points more than Tampa's D and about 100 points more than Balt's D allowed.

 

Denver also peaked in the playoffs. Both Tampa and Baltimore back then played that way all season long.

What are you taking about?!? Not picking up Watkins' 5th year option?!? You lose all credibility that you are trying to build with such an outlandish thought!!

 

Fwiw, the Bills front office is well respected around the league. The talent hasn't been the issue. They've drafted well (nice job leaving Darby out of your rant) and added talent in free agency.

 

OK, if you think that we've drafted well under Whaley you're completely ignoring several objective studies. As well, the only ones in the world that would possibly think that four 1st-rounders yielding Manuel, Watkins, and now an injured and who-knows-how-good Lawson are Bills homers. Not to mention the 4th in the deal for Watkins. Our 3rds and later have been well below average as well since Whaley's been here in any capacity in the lead role.

 

Otherwise, if Watkins cannot stay healthy, as it now once again appears to be the case, and can't make it thru this season injury-free for the most part, not to mention doesn't put up much more than the 1,000-yards and average of 7.5 TDs he's put up, then he'll hardly be worth 5th-year option money.

 

Thinking anything else is homeristic. Also, Watkins is among the least consistent top WRs in his draft class. For every great game he lays an egg. He's really gotta shed that and the other stuff in order to be worth much more than average money for a starting WR. 5th year option money's going to be much more than average starting WR money.

 

So let's see him play all 32 games this and next season prior to declaring him as great as everyone says he is. In two seasons he has only 9 100-yard games, half of which are against our defensively weak divisional rivals, but in those same two seasons he has 14 games of fewer than 50 yards.

 

That's hardly worth 5th-year extension money. Any opinion to the contrary is hype only at this point. No team in their right mind would pay that kind of money for a WR that posts four 100-yard games every season and can't stay healthy. We're not in our right minds so we probably will given how this team sells hype and not actual performance, so this isn't a statement on what will happen, it's a statement on if things don't change what should/shouldn't happen.

 

This is why we are the Bills with both the longest current active and historical playoff-less stretches.

 

And by-the-way, if you'll honestly recall, when Watkins was drafted the hype wasn't about how he needed a great QB to play well, no, to the contrary, it was "just get the ball in his hands and magic will happen." The fact of the matter is that his draft peers have played better with no better QB play, some even worse QB play, and he's got one of the lowest YAC averages of the best WRs in his draft class not to mention in the league overall, he's not good in YAC, which is why we drafted him.

 

So if he's not doing what was expected, I don't know how anyone can possibly claim that he's as great as many in Buffalo seem to do. Elsewhere around the league, not in Buffalo that is, the word that's quietly being whispered pending yet another injury-laden season where he either doesn't play all the games or plays many of them injured, is "BUST." Frankly, if he can't stay off the injury report, and if he doesn't start doing a little more than 60 catches for 1,000 yards and 6 or 7 TDs, most of which come in five or six games against weaker opponents, then insofar as his hype goes, he will have been a bust.

 

Great things were expected of him, so far he hasn't delivered.

Edited July 12, 2016 by TaskersGhost

[kdub]

 

...several objective studies.

 

Do you have links for any of these?

[Buffalo_Stampede]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/16641745/2016-nfl-future-power-rankings-seattle-seahawks-new-england-patriots-carolina-panthers-earn-high-marks

 

Bills projected as bottom 5 team

Is there any type of context here? The Bills are the best position they have been roster wise in over a decade. They are young and talented at all the key positions. They have a top spending owner that keeps their own and is willing to spend whatever it takes.

 

I would love to know their reasoning. Im just hoping its not some lazy article.

Edited July 12, 2016 by TheTruthHurts

[MarkyMannn]

 

Do you have links for any of these?

Links to disprove it?

[Ronin]

Do you have links for any of these?

 

Two of 'em I got here. I have no idea where they are in the forum. Go find 'em. One was done by either Football Outsiders or PFW IIRC. You talk as if you're already aware of them, perhaps some homework besides just biased opinions without any facts whatsoever to sustain them might be a good idea to include instead of challenging me like this.

 

Seriously tho, you can't look at our drafts since 2010 and figure out for yourself that perhaps they haven't been even average?

 

Really? I mean really? I've already pointed out at least twice in this brief thread that for four 1st-rounders we have a bust, an injured rookie with no indications as to how good he'll actually be otherwise, and an injury-prone WR with unresolved issues, his biggest to date, heading into the preseason. Does this strike you as anything but in the lower end of how other teams drafted from 2012 thru 2015 using their four 1st-rounders, at least for teams that had all four?

 

Hell, our 2nd rounders have been better, I've also pointed out how we've gotten almost nothing from our 3rds and later since 2010 when Whaley arrived to head up the Pro Personnel Dept.

 

This is a waste of time. Go do some research, get your facts lined up, and then PM me and I'll meet you back here to discuss.

 

Far too many people can't seem to distinguish between facts and opinions.

Links to disprove it?

 

Thank you!

 

Seriously, what fool actually believes that we've drafted well since Whaley arrived much less since he's been the GM.

 

Karlos Williams is also expected to be one of our big hurrahs this season and apparently it'll be half a miracle if he is even in shape by the time the season starts. If you ask me he's put himself on the roster bubble by being a slob. In other news he had two great games last year, both in his home state of Florida, alongside about a half-dozen crappy games, and people talk about him as if he's anything special.

 

Again, wouldn't suprise me at all if he doesn't make the roster as a result of his lack of discipline.

 

Just an isolated rant.

Edited July 12, 2016 by TaskersGhost

[Buffalo_Stampede]

 

Two of 'em I got here. I have no idea where they are in the forum. Go find 'em. One was done by either Football Outsiders or PFW IIRC. You talk as if you're already aware of them, perhaps some homework besides just biased opinions without any facts whatsoever to sustain them might be a good idea to include instead of challenging me like this.

 

Seriously tho, you can't look at our drafts since 2010 and figure out for yourself that perhaps they haven't been even average?

 

Really? I mean really? I've already pointed out at least twice in this brief thread that for four 1st-rounders we have a bust, an injured rookie with no indications as to how good he'll actually be otherwise, and an injury-prone WR with unresolved issues, his biggest to date, heading into the preseason. Does this strike you as anything but in the lower end of how other teams drafted from 2012 thru 2015 using their four 1st-rounders, at least for teams that had all four?

 

Hell, our 2nd rounders have been better, I've also pointed out how we've gotten almost nothing from our 3rds and later since 2010 when Whaley arrived to head up the Pro Personnel Dept.

 

This is a waste of time. Go do some research, get your facts lined up, and then PM me and I'll meet you back here to discuss.

 

Far too many people can't seem to distinguish between facts and opinions.

 

Thank you!

 

Seriously, what fool actually believes that we've drafted well since Whaley arrived much less since he's been the GM.

 

Karlos Williams is also expected to be one of our big hurrahs this season and apparently it'll be half a miracle if he is even in shape by the time the season starts. If you ask me he's put himself on the roster bubble by being a slob. In other news he had two great games last year, both in his home state of Florida, alongside about a half-dozen crappy games, and people talk about him as if he's anything special.

 

Again, wouldn't suprise me at all if he doesn't make the roster as a result of his lack of discipline.

 

Just an isolated rant.

Bills have been one of the best drafting teams the last 5 or so years. Previously they were terrible.

 

9. Bills

GMs: Russ Brandon (2010), Buddy Nix (2011-12), Doug Whaley (2013-14)

Average position of 1st pick: 8.4

Total Picks: 42

Pro Bowlers: 2

Best Pick: DT Marcell Dareus — 2011 1st round

Worst Pick: DT Torell Troup — 2010 2nd round

Coach Rex Ryan is going to benefit from how well the Bills have drafted in recent years. The one area they have missed on is at quarterback, where EJ Manuel, their 2013 1st-round pick, does not look like the answer.

http://nypost.com/2015/04/25/an-exhaustive-ranking-of-every-nfl-teams-draft-haul-since-2010/

 

Another study, years 2009-2013 has the Bills 10th.

http://sportswire.usatoday.com/2014/05/07/nfl-draft-best-teams-seattle-seahawks-san-francisco-49ers-tennessee-titans-new-england-patriots/

[Kirby Jackson]

Bills have been one of the best drafting teams the last 5 or so years. Previously they were terrible.

http://nypost.com/2015/04/25/an-exhaustive-ranking-of-every-nfl-teams-draft-haul-since-2010/

 

Another study, years 2009-2013 has the Bills 10th.

http://sportswire.usatoday.com/2014/05/07/nfl-draft-best-teams-seattle-seahawks-san-francisco-49ers-tennessee-titans-new-england-patriots/

Yeah but since that draft they have only used their 1st picks for Watkins, Darby and Shaq Lawson!! That must hurt them, anyone can see that. :rolleyes:

[snafu]

Why are the Bills always 28th in these jackass rankings?

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Why are the Bills always 28th in these jackass rankings?

I really dont understand this one, previous year ok. I wish we had context.

 

I hope its simply not Tyrod Taylor is a free agent after the season and the Bills have nothing behind him.

 

If its also Rex, well coaches get fired and our new owner is willing to spend on coaches. So not a worry there if we have to hire another coach.

Edited July 12, 2016 by TheTruthHurts

[MarkyMannn]

Bills have been one of the best drafting teams the last 5 or so years. Previously they were terrible.

If that were true it would transfer to the field and their record. It doesn't so they can't be

 

My opinion, if TT doesn't take a big step forward this year, the whole club is going to be set back a number of years

[Kirby Jackson]

If that were true it would transfer to the field and their record. It doesn't so they can't be

 

My opinion, if TT doesn't take a big step forward this year, the whole club is going to be set back a number of years

A lot of the best players on the team: Dareus, Watkins, Darby, Gilmore, Glenn and Tyrod are young. They are IMPROVING players which usually translates to an IMPROVED record. The only guys that they have playing now who are on the "back nine" are Kyle (he missed basically the whole year) and Shady. Everyone else is either in their prime or entering their prime.

[maddenboy]

A lot of the best players on the team: Dareus, Watkins, Darby, Gilmore, Glenn and Tyrod are young. They are IMPROVING players which usually translates to an IMPROVED record. The only guys that they have playing now who are on the "back nine" are Kyle (he missed basically the whole year) and Shady. Everyone else is either in their prime or entering their prime.

 

I dont want to "improve." I want to win the SuperBowl THIS YEAR.

 

Improving just gets me from 6-10 to 9-7. How does that help me? I do not want to improve. I want to win the Superbowl this year. I dont want to barely make the playoffs. I dont want to "make a run." I want to dominate and win the SB this year.

 

Lets discuss how we can do that, instead of discussing how we can get a little bit better, rinsing and repeating.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

If that were true it would transfer to the field and their record. It doesn't so they can't be

 

My opinion, if TT doesn't take a big step forward this year, the whole club is going to be set back a number of years

Tyrod was 8-6 last year. It did translate.

 

I dont want to "improve." I want to win the SuperBowl THIS YEAR.

 

Improving just gets me from 6-10 to 9-7. How does that help me? I do not want to improve. I want to win the Superbowl this year. I dont want to barely make the playoffs. I dont want to "make a run." I want to dominate and win the SB this year.

 

Lets discuss how we can do that, instead of discussing how we can get a little bit better, rinsing and repeating.

Many wildcard teams have made the Super Bowl. Get in the dance, that has to be the Bills goal. After that we see what happens. They are on the right track.

Edited July 12, 2016 by TheTruthHurts

[Kirby Jackson]

 

I dont want to "improve." I want to win the SuperBowl THIS YEAR.

 

Improving just gets me from 6-10 to 9-7. How does that help me? I do not want to improve. I want to win the Superbowl this year. I dont want to barely make the playoffs. I dont want to "make a run." I want to dominate and win the SB this year.

 

Lets discuss how we can do that, instead of discussing how we can get a little bit better, rinsing and repeating.

Oh, me too but the topic suggests that the Bills will be 4 games worse in 3 years than they are now. The Bills are trending up, not down IMO.

[Jauronimo]

 

I dont want to "improve." I want to win the SuperBowl THIS YEAR.

 

Improving just gets me from 6-10 to 9-7. How does that help me? I do not want to improve. I want to win the Superbowl this year. I dont want to barely make the playoffs. I dont want to "make a run." I want to dominate and win the SB this year.

 

Lets discuss how we can do that, instead of discussing how we can get a little bit better, rinsing and repeating.

The Dan Snyder method has not been very successful.

[snafu]

I really dont understand this one, previous year ok. I wish we had context.

 

I hope its simply not Tyrod Taylor is a free agent after the season and the Bills have nothing behind him.

 

If its also Rex, well coaches get fired and our new owner is willing to spend on coaches. So not a worry there if we have to hire another coach.

 

And you just pointed out two factors that make a three year projection meaningless. There are way too many moving parts.

Tyrod could also turn into a top 5 QB. Some key player may miss a year on IR. Rex had a year to implement his system on a defense which wasn't set up for it because Marrone unexpectedly left. Rex could be a buffoon or he might do well.

 

The only team I saw ranked was Seattle (because I'm thankfully not an ESPN "Insider"). What happens if Pete Carroll stops coaching after next year? What about Russell Wilson's health?

[Fadingpain]

I always laugh at these things. The Bills are always predicted in the bottom 5 but if memory serves me correctly they have only finished in the bottom 5 once in like 12 years (the Dareus pick). I think that is on of the misconceptions about the Bills during this streak. They have been bad but averaged 6.6 wins a season in that time frame. It isn't like they are the Browns and missing on guys at the top of the draft all of the time. They aren't getting a shot at the top guys.

You're right. We haven't been God awful.

 

We've been slightly better than God awful, but not quite mediocre.

 

[Jauronimo]

 

I think you missed the context of the argument.

 

Denver, despite how poorly Manning played, had him as a game-manager at least, which does have value. Brad Johnson (Tampa) & Trent Dilfer (Balt) are completely different.

 

Either way, and again, the point raised was re: Tampa's (Johnson's) D, which was prolific, historically speaking. Denver's was not. 296 PA in the season hardly ranks among the top two historically and is well over 100 points more than Tampa's D and about 100 points more than Balt's D allowed.

 

Denver also peaked in the playoffs. Both Tampa and Baltimore back then played that way all season long.

 

OK, if you think that we've drafted well under Whaley you're completely ignoring several objective studies. As well, the only ones in the world that would possibly think that four 1st-rounders yielding Manuel, Watkins, and now an injured and who-knows-how-good Lawson are Bills homers. Not to mention the 4th in the deal for Watkins. Our 3rds and later have been well below average as well since Whaley's been here in any capacity in the lead role.

 

Otherwise, if Watkins cannot stay healthy, as it now once again appears to be the case, and can't make it thru this season injury-free for the most part, not to mention doesn't put up much more than the 1,000-yards and average of 7.5 TDs he's put up, then he'll hardly be worth 5th-year option money.

 

Thinking anything else is homeristic. Also, Watkins is among the least consistent top WRs in his draft class. For every great game he lays an egg. He's really gotta shed that and the other stuff in order to be worth much more than average money for a starting WR. 5th year option money's going to be much more than average starting WR money.

 

So let's see him play all 32 games this and next season prior to declaring him as great as everyone says he is. In two seasons he has only 9 100-yard games, half of which are against our defensively weak divisional rivals, but in those same two seasons he has 14 games of fewer than 50 yards.

 

That's hardly worth 5th-year extension money. Any opinion to the contrary is hype only at this point. No team in their right mind would pay that kind of money for a WR that posts four 100-yard games every season and can't stay healthy. We're not in our right minds so we probably will given how this team sells hype and not actual performance, so this isn't a statement on what will happen, it's a statement on if things don't change what should/shouldn't happen.

 

This is why we are the Bills with both the longest current active and historical playoff-less stretches.

 

And by-the-way, if you'll honestly recall, when Watkins was drafted the hype wasn't about how he needed a great QB to play well, no, to the contrary, it was "just get the ball in his hands and magic will happen." The fact of the matter is that his draft peers have played better with no better QB play, some even worse QB play, and he's got one of the lowest YAC averages of the best WRs in his draft class not to mention in the league overall, he's not good in YAC, which is why we drafted him.

 

So if he's not doing what was expected, I don't know how anyone can possibly claim that he's as great as many in Buffalo seem to do. Elsewhere around the league, not in Buffalo that is, the word that's quietly being whispered pending yet another injury-laden season where he either doesn't play all the games or plays many of them injured, is "BUST." Frankly, if he can't stay off the injury report, and if he doesn't start doing a little more than 60 catches for 1,000 yards and 6 or 7 TDs, most of which come in five or six games against weaker opponents, then insofar as his hype goes, he will have been a bust.

 

Great things were expected of him, so far he hasn't delivered.

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2016/4/15/11439638/nfl-fifth-year-option-nfl-draft-contract-tracker

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000484561/article/fifthyear-option-tracker-for-2012-firstround-picks

 

Take a look at the type of players that don't get their 5th year option picked up, reflect on it, and get back to us if you still want to have terrible opinions.

[Kirby Jackson]

You're right. We haven't been God awful.

 

We've been slightly better than God awful, but not quite mediocre.

 

Yep we haven't been bad enough to get good. We have been bad enough to stay bad.

[H2o]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/16641745/2016-nfl-future-power-rankings-seattle-seahawks-new-england-patriots-carolina-panthers-earn-high-marks

 

Bills projected as bottom 5 team

DOOMED!!!!!!!

[26CornerBlitz]

Field Yates: "This is a talented roster" (17:43)

ESPN NFL Reporter Field Yates joined The John Murphy Show to discuss the annual ‘NFL Future Power Rankings’ which projects each team’s success over the next three seasons. Yates includes his take on the state of the Buffalo Bills.

 

[BADOLBILZ]

 

This.

 

Every single word of this. I couldnt even figure out what to highlight, because its all spot-on.

 

Draft position be damned. Get ur shtt together. Starting at QB and coaching, not necessarily in that order.

 

In a brief moment of clarity Ralph made a big move for Chuck Knox.....who turned the moribund franchise around........but Ralph meddled and ran him off........then steered clear of proven HC's again until a last gasp effort THIRTY YEARS later to hire Mike Shanahan after he'd long since made himself toxic as an employer.

 

That weakness in identifying quality coaching as an indispensible component of team building was very difficult to overcome and a key reason why Bills attempts at re-builds post Kelly/Thurman/Bruce era seem to require a VERY long time.......dog years......... while teams like I mentioned flipped much of their rosters over in a couple years on their way back to contention.

[BADOLBILZ]

That's kind of the point. Cam and Luck went 1 overall. The following QBs weren't available when the Bills selected (Eli, Wentz, Goff, Alex Smith, Palmer, Gabbert, Ryan, Rivers, Sanchez, Bortles, Tannehill, Ben, Cutler, Cam, Luck, Jameis, Mariota, RG3, Stafford, and Rodgers). Now some of these guys came available and others you wouldn't want. 20 of the starting 32 QBs you didn't have a chance at. If you were to look at a team that's been perennially bad, like the Browns, that number is much smaller. If you are picking early, as I said, you increase your chances of finding the franchise QB.

 

Drafting a QB in the top 5 is not how most of the league's better teams were built.

 

For all the luck of the Indy Colts they've won exactly ONE super bowl during nearly two decades of Manning and Luck.

 

The teams I mentioned have won ten of the past 16. And they aren't alone.....Ravens.....Tampa....Saints........heck almost ALL of the SB's since the Bills last made the playoffs were won by teams that did it without picking their QB from a top 5 type draft position.

 

The outliers are actually Peyton and Eli..........and many people consider Eli luckier than good........so it's not like bottoming out has been THAT successful of a team building approach.

 

As always, I am drafting a QB first. As I've said many times, if they just stayed put and drafted the QB that eventually went next they'd have come home with Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco.

 

They've missed on many other good/great ones........and it's not all bad luck......they really never were QB-centric under RW and they subsequently missed 100% of the shots they did not take, so to speak.

 

One of the reasons I liked the Cardale Jones pick is because that was very likely not a pick that a RW-lead franchise.......with it's standard retread, virtually success-free HC's job hanging in the balance............would have made.

 

You need to be disciplined and persistent when it comes to getting the QB and coaching that you need.

 

Those characteristics are not things that would be attributed to the 2000's Bills organization unless maybe the subject was Jeffery Littman's handling of the finances.

[machine gun kelly]

Meaningless article. They have absolutely no way of predicting future success. That is three years of drafts not counting, free agency, injuries, development of TT, etc.

 

I'm not even goin to read this thing. I'll give you just one example. Not that I want this to happen, but someone comes in low and blows out Brady's knee and he needs to retire. Are the Patriots 12-4 with Garroppolo?

[Kirby Jackson]

 

Drafting a QB in the top 5 is not how most of the league's better teams were built.

 

For all the luck of the Indy Colts they've won exactly ONE super bowl during nearly two decades of Manning and Luck.

 

The teams I mentioned have won ten of the past 16. And they aren't alone.....Ravens.....Tampa....Saints........heck almost ALL of the SB's since the Bills last made the playoffs were won by teams that did it without picking their QB from a top 5 type draft position.

 

The outliers are actually Peyton and Eli..........and many people consider Eli luckier than good........so it's not like bottoming out has been THAT successful of a team building approach.

 

As always, I am drafting a QB first. As I've said many times, if they just stayed put and drafted the QB that eventually went next they'd have come home with Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco.

 

They've missed on many other good/great ones........and it's not all bad luck......they really never were QB-centric under RW and they subsequently missed 100% of the shots they did not take, so to speak.

 

One of the reasons I liked the Cardale Jones pick is because that was very likely not a pick that a RW-lead franchise.......with it's standard retread, virtually success-free HC's job hanging in the balance............would have made.

 

You need to be disciplined and persistent when it comes to getting the QB and coaching that you need.

 

Those characteristics are not things that would be attributed to the 2000's Bills organization unless maybe the subject was Jeffery Littman's handling of the finances.

I don't necessarily disagree. All that I was saying is that if you are always in the top 5 you are increasing your chances. The Browns and Jags come to mind.

 

I agree on Cardale as well. He is a little while from playing but has a very high ceiling. It was a chance worth taking.

[May Day 10]

I really cant fault anyone, especially on the outside for thinking this...

 

 

You look at the Ryan brothers... and you are conditioned into expecting things to not work out for the Bills.... it is easy to imagine the crashing and burning to be spectacular over the next 2 seasons.

[kdub]

 

Two of 'em I got here. I have no idea where they are in the forum. Go find 'em. One was done by either Football Outsiders or PFW IIRC. You talk as if you're already aware of them, perhaps some homework besides just biased opinions without any facts whatsoever to sustain them might be a good idea to include instead of challenging me like this.

 

Seriously tho, you can't look at our drafts since 2010 and figure out for yourself that perhaps they haven't been even average?

 

Really? I mean really? I've already pointed out at least twice in this brief thread that for four 1st-rounders we have a bust, an injured rookie with no indications as to how good he'll actually be otherwise, and an injury-prone WR with unresolved issues, his biggest to date, heading into the preseason. Does this strike you as anything but in the lower end of how other teams drafted from 2012 thru 2015 using their four 1st-rounders, at least for teams that had all four?

 

Hell, our 2nd rounders have been better, I've also pointed out how we've gotten almost nothing from our 3rds and later since 2010 when Whaley arrived to head up the Pro Personnel Dept.

 

This is a waste of time. Go do some research, get your facts lined up, and then PM me and I'll meet you back here to discuss.

 

Far too many people can't seem to distinguish between facts and opinions.

 

Wow man, defensive just a little bit? I was asking for sources, not insulting you mother.

 

Further, I was not challenging you, I was asking for sources so that I could see what you were basing your argument on. I was not arguing the opposite, though apparently you took it that way.

 

Since you won't (or can't) produce your sources that you claim exist AND are trying to use them to support your argument AND are attacking me for asking, I'll assume that you are basing your facts on nothing, and therefore will be ignoring you.

Links to disprove it?

 

That's not how making an argument works. You are supposed to back up your stance with facts and references. Making a statement and then daring someone to disprove it is generally a strategy of someone who doesn't have a leg to stand on.

 

Further, I wasn't making an argument for or against if Whaley has been successful drafting. I welcome references that support either, that is what I call being "informed".

Bills have been one of the best drafting teams the last 5 or so years. Previously they were terrible.

http://nypost.com/2015/04/25/an-exhaustive-ranking-of-every-nfl-teams-draft-haul-since-2010/

 

Another study, years 2009-2013 has the Bills 10th.

http://sportswire.usatoday.com/2014/05/07/nfl-draft-best-teams-seattle-seahawks-san-francisco-49ers-tennessee-titans-new-england-patriots/

 

Yay, an argument with supporting references!

Edited July 13, 2016 by kdub

[Beerball]

Why are the Bills always 28th in these jackass rankings?

In honor of CJ.

[NoSaint]

This. They aren't projecting them to be the same as they've been for the past decade, which is average to just below average. They are projecting them to take a huge step back.

maybe.

 

but if they continue business as usual with 5 years without playoffs, that would likely put them towards the bottom of the barrel still, even if hovering in the 6 to 9 win range most of the time. there are only 8 teams with streaks of more than 5 years right now.

 

and that would come with blowing up the coaching staff, and tyrod not being the guy.

 

theres some degree of needing to take a step forward or a step back will happen.

Edited July 13, 2016 by NoSaint

[Nihilarian]

maybe.

 

but if they continue business as usual with 5 years without playoffs, that would likely put them towards the bottom of the barrel still, even if hovering in the 6 to 9 win range most of the time. there are only 8 teams with streaks of more than 5 years right now.

 

and that would come with blowing up the coaching staff, and tyrod not being the guy.

 

theres some degree of needing to take a step forward or a step back will happen.

Good lord I hope changes will be made far sooner than five years down the road. This team had enough talent to make the playoffs last year and should be in contention this year despite what the jackasses in the media think.

[NoSaint]

Good lord I hope changes will be made far sooner than five years down the road. This team had enough talent to make the playoffs last year and should be in contention this year despite what the jackasses in the media think.

and ill admit, i thought the article was 5, not 3.

 

even at 3 -- if in a year (or two) we end up firing rex, then spend a year restocking talent, its not a stretch that we are low on the list for the next 3- even if not the WORST any single year.

[YattaOkasan]

Didnt see it posted but buffalo rumblings has the breakdown.

 

http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2016/7/13/12167584/buffalo-bills-future-looks-subpar-according-to-espn

 

I think the most confusing part is the roster is good but the FO is bad? That seems like a bit of cognitive dissonance.

 

Also sammy is good.

Edited July 13, 2016 by YattaOkasan

[DrDawkinstein]

 

We had Polian then. Now we have Whaley.

 

Whaley's last four 1st-round draft picks (and a 4th) were Manuel a bust, Watkins, grossly underachieving for several reasons and as injury-prone as they come and flirting with not even having the team exercise his 5th year option, and now an injured rookie Lawson whose biggest scout was one of his teammates at Clemson, not even someone on our staff.

 

There is a difference there. Whaley might be suited to get coffee for Polian and his staff, ... might be.

 

Polian knew how to put together a team, Whaley's still lucky to have a job in a high-level capacity in a front office much less as a GM.

 

Polian's first 4 1st-round picks:

Ronnie Harmon

Shane Conlan

No first rd pick

No first rd pick

 

Those drafts were also 12 rounds long (where a good number of our starters came from the late rounds), and only had 28 teams picking.

 

There also wasnt any salary cap to worry about either.

 

Remind me again how well the Colts drafted his last 5 years there during this modern era? Choosing 1st round guys (busts) like RB Donald Brown, WR Anthony Gonzalez, and CB Marlin Jackson. Real bang up job setting that team up perfectly to have the worst record in the league so they can once again grab the top QB prospect of his generation and fallback on that to mask their short-comings.

[Nihilarian]

and ill admit, i thought the article was 5, not 3.

 

even at 3 -- if in a year (or two) we end up firing rex, then spend a year restocking talent, its not a stretch that we are low on the list for the next 3- even if not the WORST any single year.

The thing is most fans noticed the difference in coaching between Mike Pettine, Jim Schwartz, and George Edwards, Dave Wannstedt and most everything bad that happened last season aside from the injuries is correctable. Clearly, the media dorks don't think the problems with last years team can be fixed by Ryan and his coaching staff and a lot of Bills fans seem to think those problems can be corrected.

 

Just look at the difference between Schwartz and Wannstedt who both utilized 4-3 schemes and both mostly used just the front four to rush the passer. However, Schwartz used a better rotation system to keep his D-linemen fresh and he also had Jerry Hughes. Still, the difference in sacks 36 to 54 and being #4 overall to #26 in points- 24th in yards and Wannstedt allowed a league-worst rushing TD's. Kind of startling to look at the difference in only a few players and yet so much better results.

 

Should Ryan not get the problems corrected this season then I can see changes being made rather quickly. Finding a winner head coach will come down to someone other than the owner being nudged by the current team president making the call.

[BuffaloBill]

Hard to give any weight to the idea that anyone can look ahead three years in the NFL.

[Gugny]

Polian's first 4 1st-round picks:

Ronnie Harmon

Shane Conlan

No first rd pick

No first rd pick

 

Those drafts were also 12 rounds long (where a good number of our starters came from the late rounds), and only had 28 teams picking.

 

There also wasnt any salary cap to worry about either.

 

Remind me again how well the Colts drafted his last 5 years there during this modern era? Choosing 1st round guys (busts) like RB Donald Brown, WR Anthony Gonzalez, and CB Marlin Jackson. Real bang up job setting that team up perfectly to have the worst record in the league so they can once again grab the top QB prospect of his generation and fallback on that to mask their short-comings.

Yes, Dr. D.

[BADOLBILZ]

 

Polian's first 4 1st-round picks:

Ronnie Harmon

Shane Conlan

No first rd pick

No first rd pick

 

Those drafts were also 12 rounds long (where a good number of our starters came from the late rounds), and only had 28 teams picking.

 

There also wasnt any salary cap to worry about either.

 

Remind me again how well the Colts drafted his last 5 years there during this modern era? Choosing 1st round guys (busts) like RB Donald Brown, WR Anthony Gonzalez, and CB Marlin Jackson. Real bang up job setting that team up perfectly to have the worst record in the league so they can once again grab the top QB prospect of his generation and fallback on that to mask their short-comings.

 

 

IMO, Polian was very overrated.

 

His greatest trait was his decisiveness.

 

When he wanted coaches or players he didn't dawdle........he went after it.

 

But if SOMEONE ELSE told him he needed to make a change........he'd cut off his nose to spite his face before he would be told he had made a mistake that he needed to fix.

 

IMO he is proof positive that more is lost from indecision than wrong decision but he got progressively worse as a personnel man and his stubbornness likely cost him a few rings.