SoTier Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Well in McBeanes defense, the best proven way to build a team is through the draft. Purging many of the team's recent picks is somewhat contradictory to this plan. The answer to your question is simple. if the new FO doesn't draft extremely well in the next couple of years, they will be fired and fans will get to enjoy " the process" all over again. Just as they've been doing for this entire century. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan130 Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Let me make it simple. If you don't draft well, you are already screwed. Free agency was made to fill in limited holes in a roster well built by the draft. It was NOT intended to build a team from scratch. Agreed, well said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobChalmers Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 I'm asking because I do believe this is a bold way to go. Eventually this will be a very young inexperienced team with a few veterans here and there. The questions I have are, will the fanbase be patient enough after a 17 to 18yr drought? Can you attract veterans with such a young team that's inexperienced? The one that really worries me is what if these picks don't pan out? How do you recover? I really want to understand and believe in the process. I just feel like it's like gambling your last bit of money away. There's nothing bold about building through the draft - if your front office screws that up, you fire all of them and try again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjt328 Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 An NFL team turns over approximately every 4 years. Within that time period, 99% of the roster will either have been drafted, signed as a free agent or re-signed/extended. The only exceptions are those superstars who sign 5+ year contracts (which are very few and far between). So even if Brandon Beane/Sean McDermott completely fail, it's not like our team will be set back for a complete decade. A new regime would be able to come in here and flip everything around sometime within that 4 year period. My biggest concern is that Beane/McDermott are making themselves WAY too dependent on killing the 2018 draft. Next year's rookie class is going to completely set the foundation of what they are building. I doubt Pegula will give them more than 3 seasons without serious progress. My belief is that a GM needs to land at least 3-4 solid starters per draft to put a team on the right track. But when you trade away a solid starter for a pick, you absolutely MUST land a solid starter with that selection. So at this point, they will need to hit on 5-6 of their draft choices in 2018. That is quite a tall order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LABILLBACKER Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 (edited) What happens when McB draft a bunch of good talented players when their contracts come up? Will good drafted players ever be retained and resigned in mass. Or are we just going to let them all walk to FA ? I wish the NFL had an MLB type salary cap. Edited September 7, 2017 by LABILLBACKER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldmanfan Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 What happens when McB draft a bunch of good talented players when their contracts come up? Will good drafted players ever be retained and resigned in mass. Or are we just going to let them all walk to FA ? I wish the NFL had an MLB type salary cap. I would say yes, at positions they place high value upon. Different GMs place value on certain positions, although spots like a QB, LT and pass rusher seem pretty uniform across the spectrum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 (edited) I haven't read the whole thread but don't believe there is such a thing as "building through the draft." It is a combination of things. Your foundation comes through the draft and then you supplement it with FA and trades. New England is a prime example IMO. They trade up, trade down and trade for players at almost an even clip. There was a stat before the draft that they had made something like 41 trades (made up that number) in the last 10 drafts. 13 times they moved up, 15 times they moved down and 13 times they traded a pick for a player. It was something like that. They had a plan. That's most important. You have to do a little bit of everything to manage your roster. The Steelers are a rare exception but they have lucked out some in hitting home runs with late round picks. At the same time they just paid Haden a bunch of money and have added some others as well. Edited September 7, 2017 by Kirby Jackson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldTimeAFLGuy Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 (edited) I guess if it doesn't work we continue with what we have been doing for the past 17 years. ...as in 23 one year rentals last year.....and I don't see where that was wholly Whaley's fault.......shouldn't the draft be your foundation with FA filling in the gaps, not craters?...just askin"....FA is far more costly with stupid money out there versus the rook salary cap restoring some fiscal sanity............... Edited September 7, 2017 by OldTimeAFLGuy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 it might be wise to wait and see how this season unfolds before you start worrying about those things... He just loves the attention of starting new threads.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherrybone Posted September 7, 2017 Author Share Posted September 7, 2017 He just loves the attention of starting new threads.... I knew you were coming. Welcome aboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisonbrigade Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 draft again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherrybone Posted September 7, 2017 Author Share Posted September 7, 2017 (edited) He just loves the attention of starting new threads.... Even if what you said were true, why do you think I want your attention? Hmmmm. I have a lovely family so attention is something I definitely don't need to seek on a message board. Also I must annoy you but how bad is it when you basically stalk me and respond with something negative. Never respond to the topic at hand you just respond with your negativity towards me. So it's obvious you're the one seeking attention. Anyway all I can say is God bless you and enjoy the season. Edited September 7, 2017 by Cherrybone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Free agency Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphadawg7 Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 I'm asking because I do believe this is a bold way to go. Eventually this will be a very young inexperienced team with a few veterans here and there. The questions I have are, will the fanbase be patient enough after a 17 to 18yr drought? Can you attract veterans with such a young team that's inexperienced? The one that really worries me is what if these picks don't pan out? How do you recover? I really want to understand and believe in the process. I just feel like it's like gambling your last bit of money away. Whats the point of this post? Not trying to be rude, but I mean this implies there are multiple ways to build a team, which is actually just not true. There is only one single constant for every single team in the NFL...and that is drafting players annually. Every single team in the NFL is build through the draft. NO team in history has ever been built any other way. Sure you can add some talent or key players via trade or Free Agency, but those are moves that get teams to a new level or a missing piece. When you are talking about "Building" a team, the literal only way its done is through the draft. In the salary cap era, its mathematically impossible to acquire all your best talent through Free Agent acquisitions because those come with hefty price tags. Its imperative for teams to find cheaper high level talent to fill out rosters in order to compete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan89 Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 Tell that to the Giants. They want on a huge spending spree after the 2015 season bringing in a slew of good FAs and the results were immediate. If you have a QB you can afford to miss in the draft a few times. Honestly McBeane can have a few !@#$ ups in the draft but if they draft a gem at QB it will be all good. With that said you need to spend money on FAs to get your team over the top. And I don't mean like paying Eric Wood 8 mil per. I mean paying WRs(Sammy Watkins) or pass rushers big money. There are exceptions to the rule and of course once you have a QB building a team is much easier. And you do need free agency in building a team. But free agency (and trades) is more of a way to complement a good core of players and get them over the top as opposed to being a way to turn around a good team. The draft and player development is how you are going to build the core (esp if you are a team like the Bills who have to pay players to come here.) Once you have that core you can then go after some needs in free agency to take your team over the top. Free agency can be a quick sugar high that fades shortly even by NFL standards. Look at the Jets in 2015, they were 4-12 in 2014. They had a decent draft and signed a bunch of veteran free agents and made a trade for Brandon Marshall. They got way better immediately going 10-6. However by 2016 The Jets were the oldest team in the league saddled with players whose production was subpar and on big contracts. They now have to rebuild and purge for a year to get back under the cap and have a chance at a QB at the top of the draft. So yes if you are a team like the Giants that has a QB and a lot of good skill position players and some defensive talent can "buy" a good defense with a few new big contracts. But big spending sprees are not the way to build a team. No matter what the Bills are going to have to nail the draft and player development process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 I like the simplicity here. Keep drafting, and do it well. We are not one player away, so big splashes in FA are futile, but role players will be found. (I was worried the answer was to sell to a London investor and go live on a deserted island.) The obvious answer to an obviously weak question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elite Poster Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 You fire the coach and GM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 Can't you appeal for an expansion draft if you suck enough? No??? You carry on. Now, is this a real question? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherrybone Posted September 8, 2017 Author Share Posted September 8, 2017 Can't you appeal for an expansion draft if you suck enough? No??? You carry on. Now, is this a real question? You already made your point several posts ago that this was a weak thread and basically a stupid or dumb question, but yet and still you're still posting on such a terrible thread and I'm the one craving for attention? Smh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewMexBills Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 I think going on 18 years of suck that we need to build a new stadium & just start off fresh, Its time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts