corta765 Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 So this week Peter King had a superb part in his column about how typically the most successful teams in football are made through the draft and how the guys drafted the previous 3-7 years should be the core you want moving forward. Non-surprisingly the most successful teams like the Eagles, Seahawks, Steelers, Patriots etc... have almost half their starters being guys in that window. Overall its a pretty big point in the NFL that being able to draft a strong team is the main key to success in the NFL. So using that as a barometer lets see how many of this years Bills starters are guy drafted: Offense: QB Josh Allen LT Dion Dawkins G Wyatt Teller Defense DE Shaq Lawson DT Harrison Phillips LB Tremaine Edmunds LB Matt Milano CB Tre White CB Levi Wallace/Taron Johnson (Figure Kevin Jackson takes either CB2 or Slot and one of these two take the other) Overall the Bills should have 9 true starters that were drafted by the team heading into the season. Depending on how the draft goes you could add that another starter if they add a DL/DE or WR/TE. The good news is the defense has at least two guys who are already at Pro Bowl caliber level playing with Milano and White, hopefully the offense can add Allen and another starter or two there for the long term. So how does this compare to lets say the Jets who are trying to rebuild and an established successful team like the Eagles: Jets 9 starters Offense: QB Darnold, WR Anderson, WR Enunwa, TE Tomlinson, OT Brandon Shell, G Brian Winters Defense: SS Jamal Adams, FS Marcus Maye, DE Nathan Shepherd Eagles 9 starters Offense: QB Wentz, WR Agholor, TE Zach Ertz, OG Issac Semulo, C Jason Kelce, RT Lane Johnson Defense: DT Brandon Graham, DT Fletcher Cox, CB Jalen Mills Overall things look pretty even before the upcoming draft. The Jets did not lose any drafted starters of significance, but the Eagles did lose Jordan Hicks who was a starting LB for them. The big difference between the Bills/Jets and the Eagles is the how established and good some of the Eagles starters are. Not only do the Eagles have Wentz who is a Pro Bowl caliber player but Ertz, Kelce, Johnson, Graham, and Cox are all super established good or great players. I think for the Bills and Jets to succeed, after hitting on their QBs they both will need to see some of the OL/DL guys become good starters and at least one skill position player like the Eagles have in Ertz become a great player. I hope this was a cool look at building a roster and I look forward to reading your comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alton Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 Shouldn't Zay Jones be on the list? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptnCoke11 Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 Harrison Phillips isn’t a starter and won’t be this year most likely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorp83 Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 Maybe... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corta765 Posted March 13, 2019 Author Share Posted March 13, 2019 14 minutes ago, alton said: Shouldn't Zay Jones be on the list? Unless they are running four wide I would expect the top 3 WR to be Foster, Brown, and Beasley 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdutton Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 17 minutes ago, alton said: Shouldn't Zay Jones be on the list? Yes. According to https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JoneZa00.htm he started 15 games last season. 17 minutes ago, CaptnCoke11 said: Harrison Phillips isn’t a starter and won’t be this year most likely Pro Football Reference shows he started 0 games last season. While he may be a starter this year, he really should not be on the OP list imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
947 Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 I don't see Teller, Zay, or Harrison Phillips being starters this year, even if we don't add anybody else at their positions. They're all solid depth players, and that's good teams need. Our backups last year were mostly pretty bad, this a major improvement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach55 Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 With Beasley joining, I think Zay has a chance of being traded or cut. I anticipate the receivers to be: Beasley Brown Foster McKenzie (primarily for ST) Jones Williams (if they carry 6) Jones has a lot of value in the trade market and if Williams is halfway decent and pending what they do in the draft, Jones becomes expendable very quickly. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LABILLBACKER Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 I think soon you can add Ed Oliver DT and Noah Fant TE1 to the starters list. The depth this team now has is incredible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPS Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 It’s difficult to really evaluate the Bills using the 3-7 year metric since they cleaned the house of Whaley’s picks almost entirely. Give the regime at least 2 more years of drafting and I think they will look very good by his standard. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsCelticsAngelsBama Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 2 hours ago, ScottLaw said: Agreed. He'll obviously be in the rotation but he won't be starting. Need another DT via FA or draft or both, IMO. Pick #9 may be the Elixir Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corta765 Posted March 14, 2019 Author Share Posted March 14, 2019 22 hours ago, Coach55 said: With Beasley joining, I think Zay has a chance of being traded or cut. I anticipate the receivers to be: Beasley Brown Foster McKenzie (primarily for ST) Jones Williams (if they carry 6) Jones has a lot of value in the trade market and if Williams is halfway decent and pending what they do in the draft, Jones becomes expendable very quickly. Yea I think people are underestimating how on the fence Zay is. He was decent last year, but after his drop in Miami he seemed to again regress like he did after the Carolina drop for a few games. If they actually drafted Metcalf or even a guy like Marquise Brown in the 2nd round I think Zay very much is a cut or trade candidate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill from NYC Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 Good post but Wallace was a UDFA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formerlyofCtown Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 (edited) On 3/13/2019 at 9:55 AM, CaptnCoke11 said: Harrison Phillips isn’t a starter and won’t be this year most likely Kinda of a moot point in a D line rotation. I think the only think having a high number of your drafted players as quality starters accomplishes is creating sustained success because it keeps the CAP figure down. I think having it that way says as much about player developement as it does the ability to draft. Edited March 14, 2019 by formerlyofCtown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formerlyofCtown Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 (edited) On 3/13/2019 at 9:33 AM, corta765 said: So this week Peter King had a superb part in his column about how typically the most successful teams in football are made through the draft and how the guys drafted the previous 3-7 years should be the core you want moving forward. Non-surprisingly the most successful teams like the Eagles, Seahawks, Steelers, Patriots etc... have almost half their starters being guys in that window. Overall its a pretty big point in the NFL that being able to draft a strong team is the main key to success in the NFL. So using that as a barometer lets see how many of this years Bills starters are guy drafted: Offense: QB Josh Allen LT Dion Dawkins G Wyatt Teller WR Robert Foster Defense DE Shaq Lawson DT Harrison Phillips LB Tremaine Edmunds LB Matt Milano CB Tre White CB Levi Wallace NCB Taron Johnson Overall the Bills should have 11 true starters that were drafted by the team heading into the season. Depending on how the draft goes you could add that another starter if they add a DL/DE or WR/TE. The good news is the defense has at least two guys who are already at Pro Bowl caliber level playing with Milano and White, hopefully the offense can add Allen and another starter or two there for the long term. So how does this compare to lets say the Jets who are trying to rebuild and an established successful team like the Eagles: Jets 9 starters Offense: QB Darnold, WR Anderson, WR Enunwa, TE Tomlinson, OT Brandon Shell, G Brian Winters Defense: SS Jamal Adams, FS Marcus Maye, DE Nathan Shepherd Eagles 9 starters Offense: QB Wentz, WR Agholor, TE Zach Ertz, OG Issac Semulo, C Jason Kelce, RT Lane Johnson Defense: DT Brandon Graham, DT Fletcher Cox, CB Jalen Mills Overall things look pretty even before the upcoming draft. The Jets did not lose any drafted starters of significance, but the Eagles did lose Jordan Hicks who was a starting LB for them. The big difference between the Bills/Jets and the Eagles is the how established and good some of the Eagles starters are. Not only do the Eagles have Wentz who is a Pro Bowl caliber player but Ertz, Kelce, Johnson, Graham, and Cox are all super established good or great players. I think for the Bills and Jets to succeed, after hitting on their QBs they both will need to see some of the OL/DL guys become good starters and at least one skill position player like the Eagles have in Ertz become a great player. I hope this was a cool look at building a roster and I look forward to reading your comments. Fixed it for you. Kevin Johnson is going to create great depth. He isnt going to beat out Wallace for a starting CB spot and not all players can play that nickle spot, Taron definitely can. Edited March 14, 2019 by formerlyofCtown 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonio Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 I think you have to count Undrafted Free Agents as well, so Foster and Wallace shold be added and unless they cut Zay you definitly have to add him. Croom I´m not sure how we got him, but I think he was also Undrafted FA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 21 hours ago, TPS said: It’s difficult to really evaluate the Bills using the 3-7 year metric since they cleaned the house of Whaley’s picks almost entirely. Give the regime at least 2 more years of drafting and I think they will look very good by his standard. Yeah, really. There's a reason why they cleaned house. Aren't there only a few guys still on the roster from before McD and Beane arrived? I dare say that two years from now the Bills will be damn near the top of the "drafted players starting" list. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corta765 Posted March 14, 2019 Author Share Posted March 14, 2019 1 hour ago, eball said: Yeah, really. There's a reason why they cleaned house. Aren't there only a few guys still on the roster from before McD and Beane arrived? I dare say that two years from now the Bills will be damn near the top of the "drafted players starting" list. It was not a criticism that they do not have many 3-7 years players more a barometer for the group they are building long term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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