1985 Draft

[Epstein's Mother]

50 minutes ago, nucci said:

You can argue Bledsoe....he was very successful with Moulds and Price as his WRs.

 

Bledsoe had an 8 game or so great stretch for the Bills.  The rest is forgettable.

Edited April 24, 2018 by Epstein's Mother

[T master]

BUT BUT NO QB THAT WILL COST US 5 PICKS OMG ??? 

 

I agree we don't need to sell the farm to have a good draft & i hope that & have faith that McBean & company see things the same way although i think they have the guy they want in mind i just hope they don't pull a Ditka to get him !! 

[Rico]

3 minutes ago, Epstein's Mother said:

 

Bledsoe had 8 or so great games for the Bills.  The rest is forgettable.

I will never ever forget how brutally bad he was.

[dollars 2 donuts]

2 hours ago, Epstein's Mother said:

 

I think these 2 scenarios are quite different.  In '85 the Bills knew they were probably gonna have Kelly at some point in the not too distant future.  This would be like the Bills knowing that Mahomes was gonna play in Kansas City for the next two years and then be available to them (maybe not the best example but off of the top of my head).  It makes drafting a QB way less of a priority.

 

Indeed.  

 

Additionally, when Kelly came back to the NFL in 1986 it was still the indentured servitude days of the NFL...meaning he wasn't playing anywhere else, but Buffalo.  Still, the Bills wanted to make him happy so not only did they sign him, not only did they pay him well, they made him the highest paid player in NFL history.

Edited April 24, 2018 by dollars 2 donuts

[nucci]

17 minutes ago, Skins Malone said:

Not really.  Was he the franchise answer at QB?  No.  We didnt even make the playoffs with Bledsoe so how could he qualify 

You're right...i guess I was just looking at some highlights recently...

[corta765]

Before I right my dissertation in disagreement this is still a very strong post and I like the points you made.

 

OK with that a lot of people in disagreement post about how building a team and filling holes is the wiser move and "if we can just catch lighting in a bottle at QB". Thing is we have tried this strategy for two decades now minus JP/EJ and its given us one playoff appearance (credit to this staff) AND.... nothing else. We wasted a pretty good defensive core from 2013-15 because we didn't have a QB. Sure if you want to gamble that you really think you can assemble a defense as talented as the 85 Bears, 2000 Raves, 2002 Bucs, or 2013 Seahawks be my guest but here are the straight up odds:

 

-Drafting a QB top 10 you have about a 50-60% chance of that player developing into a true franchise guy. AFTER the top 10 the odds start falling into the 30% range for the 1st round, 15-20% 2nd round, and then really dive after that into minuscule percentages. If you are opening 7 doors looking for a prize aren't you gonna want at least every few years the best odds possible for that prize so you stop looking.

-The Bills have drafted more running backs in the 1st round since 2000 then QBs. Repeat the single most important position on the field we have addressed less then running backs.

-Your a 100% correct those who use Tom Brady that he was a 6th round pick. Please list the next great 6th round pick at QB and if potentially the GOAT at QB was a 6th round pick what are the odds it happens again

-Since 1970 the Bills have drafted no QBs top 10 and a total of 3 in the 1st round since the 1980s draft including Jim Kelly. The strategy of draft later for QB we have perfected trading up would actually be the inverse to this.

-Today's NFL is all about maximizing the QB/passing attack. For better or worse (IMO at times worse) the NFL has changed to being so QB driven that even really good teams typically fall to the top QBs. Blake Bortles actually played pretty decent for the Jags who had a great team in the post-season...and lost because of the QB they faced.

-A good QB can hide holes on your offense from O-Line, to RB, WR because he elevates the team. Guys like Rodgers and Brady are so good that average defenses for both of them look better because of the field position their given.

-Just because you fail in the 1st round does not mean you will again at QB. The Ravens drafted Kyle Boller in 2003 who flamed out by the end of 2005. That didn't shy them away from taking Joe Flacco a few years later and that worked out pretty well for them with a SB and 6 playoff appearances.

-From my understanding the Bills were in dire straits until Kelly arrived. Yes the team had some talent but heading into that season things were really really bleak and he had a savior type role for the franchise in general. Without him they were toast.

-Even if you do get some holes filled instead without drafting a QB are you really gonna believe the Bills both short and long term can compete against NE Brady NYJ drafting a QB and MIA who will be drafting one soon. We will basically have passed on a long list of talent for two straight years. That really sucks to just keep staying with the best of the rest scraps.

 

So thats where I am at this point. Like I said I actually really liked your points and if the Bills got Roquan Smith/James Washington for example I would be happy with their additions. My disappointment would more range from again just pushing the QB position off and even trading Tyrod who I would rather have had here then instead.

[dave mcbride]

1 hour ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

The fact that our best QB move since 1983 was sending a 1st round pick to a Division Rival Dynasty for their aging castoff QB who gave us 2 good years says everything you need to know about this franchise.

 

Time to go get our guy.

Bledsoe gave the Bills 8 games, and that's it. He was downright bad after the midway point of 2002. Through 8 games that year, he had 16 TDs and 5 INTs. He ended up with 24 TDs and 15 INTs. He was awful the next season. 

[BADOLBILZ]

5 hours ago, 2003Contenders said:

Exhibit A for why it may not be the end of the world if the Bills are unable to land one of those top QBs in the draft: 1985. Most pundits agree that was the best draft in team history -- and like this year, the Bills had 2 firsts, 2 seconds and 2 thirds.

 

The team was terrible back then; had the #1 overall pick in the draft, and the QB situation was a mess. Ferguson was gone, and the team wound up playing through the season with journeyman Vince Ferragamo at QB. But guess what? Instead of selling the farm to draft a QB, they made great use of their picks to fortify other positions.

 

Bruce and Andre -- both Hall of Famers -- came out of that draft. They waited until the 3rd round to address the QB position, and took a guy that was projected to be (and tuned out to be) a career backup. Youmay remember him, his name was Frank Reich.

 

I guess my point is that there is so much hand-wringing going on about "worst possible scenarios" if, say, 5 QBs get drafted in the top 11. The way I see it,  if 5 really do go before the Bills pick at 12, that means that a top-7 overall player at another position will be available at 12. Given the quotes I have read stating that some executives believe that there are 8 non-QB blue chip prospects in this draft, that would mean that at least 2 of them would still be available if indeed 4-5 QBs go before the Bills pick.

 

As much as I would love to land that franchise QB we have all been clamoring for in this draft (and hoping one falls to us), there are so many other needs that could also be addressed. I could live with rolling the dice with McCarron and hoping to catch lightening in a bottle with a Faulk or Lauretta later in the draft if it means enhancing the lineup at 3-4 other positions.

 

I, for one, will not be cursing Beane's name if he is somehow unable to draft one of those top 4-5 QBs, provided that he uses the picks we have wisely.

 

Going back to 1985, that draft laid much of the ground work for the future Super Bowl teams, but the QB position was not truly addressed until the FOLLOWING year when the USFL collapsed, and Jim Kelly came to town.

 

 

There wasn't a QB rated near the top of the class like this class.  

 

Bruce Smith was the clear-cut best player.

 

I'm a huge Bruce Smith fan.....but that said.........without Jim Kelly......Bruce and Andre would have likely played most of their careers in anonymity.

 

QB trumps all............and nowadays it's even more important than it was back then.

 

    

 

[maryland-bills-fan]

3 hours ago, Seanbillsfan2206 said:

We need a QB. End thread

I am 60% sure that they will have a QB next season.  The rumor that McBean was checking out single-wing playbooks from the library has been discredited.

 

1 hour ago, corta765 said:

Before I right my dissertation in disagreement this is still a very strong post and I like the points you made.

 

OK with that a lot of people in disagreement post about how building a team and filling holes is the wiser move and "if we can just catch lighting in a bottle at QB". Thing is we have tried this strategy for two decades now minus JP/EJ and its given us one playoff appearance (credit to this staff) AND.... nothing else. W

uld rather have had here then instead.

Uh,  why don't you look up the number of 1st and 2nd round picks and the number of pro-bowlers on the offensive line and defense for the Bills in that era.  Kelly would be just another Irish name without them.

[RevWarRifleman]

Good post. I enjoyed the history and remembering that year in Bills past.  Thanks.

[corta765]

41 minutes ago, maryland-bills-fan said:

I am 60% sure that they will have a QB next season.  The rumor that McBean was checking out single-wing playbooks from the library has been discredited.

 

Uh,  why don't you look up the number of 1st and 2nd round picks and the number of pro-bowlers on the offensive line and defense for the Bills in that era.  Kelly would be just another Irish name without them.

 

No the team would've went from all time great to really good because they have a great QB. If you honestly don't think Kelly was that good and it was his team then why is he in the HOF? You don't make it there without having the goods yourself.

[maryland-bills-fan]

Just now, corta765 said:

 

No the team would've went from all time great to really good because they have a great QB. If you honestly don't think Kelly was that good and it was his team then why is he in the HOF? You don't make it there without having the goods yourself.

Both are necessary.  Kelly walking in when the line was already pretty well built.  If we spend a lot to trade up, we will be down 3 players from last year's line, with backups playing.  He is not going to have the same chance.

[vorpma]

8 hours ago, RochesterRob said:

  The USFL folding was not a guarantee of Kelly coming to Buffalo.  Kelly even said at one point that he was thinking about sitting out 1986 which was the last year the Bills held the rights to him.  Al Davis was very hot to sign him and rumor was that Al contacted Jim about sitting out 1986 with the intent to make Kelly a Raider in 1987.  Kelly's competitive nature ultimately held sway so along with a record contract from the Bills he wound up with us.  Things could have easily worked out in a way to hurt us back then.

This is a true statement, not revisionist history as some have posted!

[dave mcbride]

8 hours ago, RochesterRob said:

  The USFL folding was not a guarantee of Kelly coming to Buffalo.  Kelly even said at one point that he was thinking about sitting out 1986 which was the last year the Bills held the rights to him.  Al Davis was very hot to sign him and rumor was that Al contacted Jim about sitting out 1986 with the intent to make Kelly a Raider in 1987.  Kelly's competitive nature ultimately held sway so along with a record contract from the Bills he wound up with us.  Things could have easily worked out in a way to hurt us back then.

All true, but it is the case that the Bills took the second qb off the board in 1985. Randall Cunningham was first at #37, and Reich was the 57th pick.  The next qb to go was in the 6th round (Steve Bono).

Edited April 24, 2018 by dave mcbride

[26CornerBlitz]