I’m just penciling in Najee Harris to Buffalo in April

[Nihilarian]

7 minutes ago, Mynamemike said:

Can you imagine this offense with an Alvin Kamara or Christian Mccaffrey style of running back.  It would be unstoppable.  We already use Singletary in that way, he just has no explosion  or top end speed to make defenses fear him.  

Good Lord, Alvin Kamara in Buffalo  😍...a 3rd round pick.

 

Like the Packers, the Saints have an pro bowl OT, OG.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

7 minutes ago, Mynamemike said:

Can you imagine this offense with an Alvin Kamara or Christian Mccaffrey style of running back.  It would be unstoppable.  We already use Singletary in that way, he just has no explosion  or top end speed to make defenses fear him.  

 

Yes - adding an all-pro weapon typically would make the offense unstoppable.  Using a high pick on a running back this year would be insanely reckless imo.  

 

Ezekial elliot is a good case for this - he went from all-pro to all-crap.  What changed?  Probably the center retiring, and the 2 tackles missing the entire season injured, martin missing the final 5 weeks.  I'd even say prescott missing time harmed the run game.  

[Jerboski]

Sign me up... super bowl window is now and harris is a clear upgrade over our backs 

[Mynamemike]

1 minute ago, Nihilarian said:

Good Lord, Alvin Kamara in Buffalo  😍...a 3rd round pick.

 

Like the Packers, the Saints have an pro bowl OT, OG.

We may not have multiple pro bowlers but our O-line is not a bunch of slouches.  I'd say Dawkins, Williams and Mongo are borderline pro bowlers, Morse is very solid.  I have no qualms with Bean and company spending a high draft pick on a game changing running back if that's the way the board falls on draft day.  

[SoCal Deek]

So it comes down to whether you’d take the second or third RB off the board or take what’ll probably be the fifth or sixth ranked DE. I’m glad we’re in this position rather than searching for a QB....that’s for sure. 

[Mynamemike]

1 minute ago, dneveu said:

 

Yes - adding an all-pro weapon typically would make the offense unstoppable.  Using a high pick on a running back this year would be insanely reckless imo.  

 

Ezekial elliot is a good case for this - he went from all-pro to all-crap.  What changed?  Probably the center retiring, and the 2 tackles missing the entire season injured, martin missing the final 5 weeks.  I'd even say prescott missing time harmed the run game.  

agreed, the mistake the Cowboys made was giving Zeke stupid money, that i don't think was smart but Zeke his first few years behind that Oline was just plain nasty. 

[Kangaxx]

We need a good RB. I would be fine using a our 1st round pick on one. It's essentially a second round pick.

[CaliBills]

RB position is fine. Could use some more speed.

 

The issue is Center and Guard (less mongo).   

 

Morse is a good second line protect caller and a good pass protector. Lacks that power/leverage to be good at run blocking.  It seems from my view point.

 

Mongo is good, but I thinks lacks some mobility compared to pro bowl guards.

 

Williams - to me - is a good depth pick but not sure he is a good starter in the league just yet.

 

 

[jkx2]

6 hours ago, kevnallen said:

Don’t forget, the Thurmanator was a second round pick

He was slated as 1st rd talent. People passed on him because of his previous knee injury.  No one expected him to be there in the 2nd round. Also we didn't have a 2nd round pick that year.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Just now, CaliBills said:

RB position is fine. Could use some more speed.

 

The issue is Center and Guard (less mongo).   

 

Morse is a good second line protect caller and a good pass protector. Lacks that power/leverage to be good at run blocking.  It seems from my view point.

 

Mongo is good, but I thinks lacks some mobility compared to pro bowl guards.

 

Williams - to me - is a good depth pick but not sure he is a good starter in the league just yet.

 

 

 

There are issues all over in the zone scheme.  I'm not sure if its chemistry (lot of people missing games this year) or what, but outside zone is getting absolutely blown up.  

 

But at the same time - it could be a bit of a recency bias.  Look at the stats of the 2 defenses buffalo just played - they both are near top of the league in run defense.  

[McBean]

100% agree.

 

This team need a bell Cow.

 

I’d also call Dallas and see what it would take for Zeke.

[Rk_Bills86]

I don't think we need to add another RB to our grouping - personally I like the idea of:

 

- Drop Yeldon

- Promote Williams 

- Moss/William becomes our Chubbs

- Motor becomes our Hunt/CE-H

 

The issue is less our RBs and more our blocking scheme and execution blows for anything other than 1-cut runs which plays a LOT better to the strengths of Moss and more practically Williams. We seemed stubborn to start the year and try to force Motor to be a guy up the middle when he doesn't have the size and/ore speed to hit the holes. Better scheming and an off season to implement would be the most ideal option for us to see better RB production and not stress our cap situation or have a questionable draft pick.

 

If he somehow was there for us in RD 2 I would be torn but I can't imagine he would be. 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Just now, Rk_Bills86 said:

I don't think we need to add another RB to our grouping - personally I like the idea of:

 

- Drop Yeldon

- Promote Williams 

- Moss/William becomes our Chubbs

- Motor becomes our Hunt/CE-H

 

The issue is less our RBs and more our blocking scheme and execution blows for anything other than 1-cut runs which plays a LOT better to the strengths of Moss and more practically Williams. We seemed stubborn to start the year and try to force Motor to be a guy up the middle when he doesn't have the size and/ore speed to hit the holes. Better scheming and an off season to implement would be the most ideal option for us to see better RB production and not stress our cap situation or have a questionable draft pick.

 

If he somehow was there for us in RD 2 I would be torn but I can't imagine he would be. 

 

I'm of the opinion that upgrades on the oline would turn some of those 2 yard plays into 8-10 yard plays.  Watching a lot of football, you see kamara and henry get blown up all the time at the LOS.  It's the highlights everyone sees, and usually those involve big holes.  

[TFBillsfan]

We certainly need an upgrade at RB. Would take Nagee in a heartbeat but doubt he’ll be there when we pick. DS and ZM are complimentary backs at this time and I don’t see their bar improving much. Depending on if we can resign Daryl Williams, with Cody Ford coming back from injury, I don’t see us going OL early. 
 

DE is probably the biggest need but not sure if a true stud will be there. We are finally in a position to go BPA or trade back.

 

Holistically we need RB, DE and depth at TE, CB and LB.  We also get Star back which should help our interior defense. Curious if we keep Stills and what he would add to the offense as well. 

 

What a great problem to have!

[Nihilarian]

Just remember that Beane went after Le'Veon Bell and he chose KC. So the Bills FO sees a need  for something extra at RB.

[hemma]

We've gone from 330 ypg & 19.6 ppg with 10 wins in 2019 to 396 ypg & 31.3 ppg and 15 wins in 2019.

 

Our ppg is up 59% from 2019 to 2020, we have won 8 in a row & we are on our way to the AFC Championship for the first time in two generations so I can certainly understand  why people are up in arms over our 'horrid' run game.

 

The Offensive glass isn't close to half full; it's about ready to run all over the counter. 

 

Looking at the other glass, we have a D that went from 16.2 ppg to 23.4 ppg and is the #1 spender in the NFL for the DL and #2 spender on DBs.

That glass is leaking like a colander & is where I would put my 'early' draft capital.

Edited January 19, 2021 by hemma

[SCBills]

I could be talked into Najee/Etienne, but I really don't like it.

 

If we can upgrade OL/TE with our 1st & 2nd Round Picks, that may help the running game just as much, maybe more, than a top end RB.  

 

My issue is in roster construction and using a high pick on a guy that we don't seem philosophically willing to pay on a second contract doesn't seem to make much sense.  Najee would essentially be a 4-5 year rental, when a OL/TE/EDGE/CB could be a guy that plays with Josh most of his career.  

 

Out the other side of my mouth though.... having Najee for 4-5 years would be pretty nasty, and then we could let him go and do it again.  

 

Edited January 19, 2021 by SCBills

[buffalonian]

The Bills can take whoever they want with the 32nd pick.  

[PaattMaann]

We have two RBs who can get the job done, our problem running the ball has been 1) play calling/desire to actually establish a run game (because why would we when we are a pass first offense) and 2) the line arent great run blockers, better in pass pro. 

 

The call for new/more RBs needs to stop IMO 

[NewEra]

8 hours ago, 78thealltimegreat said:

He should I advocated for Jonathan Taylor last year that seemed to workout pretty well for the Colts 

Diggs worked out pretty good for us

[buffaloboyinATL]

8 hours ago, Special K said:

Pretty sure he will be gone before the Bills pick, and I don’t see Beane using a first round pick on a RB anyway.

I am assuming we will draft a pass rusher if one is available, if not, an Offensive Lineman.

[NewEra]

53 minutes ago, Jerboski said:

Sign me up... super bowl window is now and harris is a clear upgrade over our backs 

The Alabama OL doesn’t come with Harris. That’s the problem here. Our OL doesn’t open holes in the run game

[aristocrat]

sign me up for a tight end that is open when he's covered.  

[Bangarang]

We have an elite QB. There’s no reason why we should be going after RBs high. We drafted a RB in the 3rd round in back to back years and they look like #2 guys at best.

 

Now that we have a franchise QB, I’d rather see top picks used on fat guys that protect him or fat guys that get after the opposing QB. 

 

[Brennan Huff]

How on earth is anybody thinking about the draft right now?

[dorquemada]

1 hour ago, dneveu said:

 

Ezekial elliot is a good case for this - he went from all-pro to all-crap.  What changed?  Probably the center retiring, and the 2 tackles missing the entire season injured, martin missing the final 5 weeks.  I'd even say prescott missing time harmed the run game.  

 

I watched a few Dallas games this year - in addition to the changes at OL, EE just looked slow to me, and seemed to have fumbleitis.  He went on and hit his wall

[Coach Tuesday]

5 minutes ago, dorquemada said:

 

I watched a few Dallas games this year - in addition to the changes at OL, EE just looked slow to me, and seemed to have fumbleitis.  He went on and hit his wall

 

He didn't keep himself in top shape this offseason and Pollard looked like the better back.  Saquan Barkley and Leonard Fournette are two other backs drafted in the top ten who haven't helped their teams reach the next level.  McCaffrey is great when he's healthy; when he's not, the entire offense falls apart.  And none of these backs are worth the premium you have to pay to draft and then re-sign them as compared to a replacement-level running back.  

[RichRiderBills]

I like Etienne as well. 

[SCBills]

25 minutes ago, PaattMaann said:

We have two RBs who can get the job done, our problem running the ball has been 1) play calling/desire to actually establish a run game (because why would we when we are a pass first offense) and 2) the line arent great run blockers, better in pass pro. 

 

The call for new/more RBs needs to stop IMO 

 

My only counterpoint for Najee Harris is that he is an elite pass catching RB.  Pretty much the perfect fit for us.  Think a bigger Alvin Kamara. 

[dorquemada]

1 minute ago, Coach Tuesday said:

 

He didn't keep himself in top shape this offseason and Pollard looked like the better back.  Saquan Barkley and Leonard Fournette are two other backs drafted in the top ten who haven't helped their teams reach the next level.  McCaffrey is great when he's healthy; when he's not, the entire offense falls apart.  And none of these backs are worth the premium you have to pay to draft and then re-sign them as compared to a replacement-level running back.  

 

Agreed 100%  It just feels to me like RB is even more of a crapshoot than other positions high in the draft.  It was early in my fanhood when the Vikings mortgaged their future for Herschel Walker, leading to Dallas building it's dynasty on the picks they got from MN.  Build the OL, and use a commodity RB, seems to be the winning strategy.  If Najee Harris fell into the Bills lap, at pick 32 i feel comfortable saying that he's probably BPA and Beane should sprint to the podium, but I dont want to see them packaging picks, especially since Beane has shown a genius in getting low cost depth team wide

[PaattMaann]

17 minutes ago, SCBills said:

 

My only counterpoint for Najee Harris is that he is an elite pass catching RB.  Pretty much the perfect fit for us.  Think a bigger Alvin Kamara. 

 

yea thats cool, we don't throw to RBs..both Devin and Zach are more than capable of being good pass catchers out of the backfield, and have put that on tape. Im not arguing they are better than Harris in that regard, just that we shouldn't draft someone with a skill set that we already don't use. I also don't see us using more draft capital on a position we have already invested in the past two drafts - and we aren't dressing three RB's next who don't contribute on special teams. And are we really going to cut Devin or Zach? I just don't see it. 

[LabattBlue]

DE/Edge Rusher/OLB.  There isn’t a close 2nd need.   Mahomes and KC are going to be in the Bills path to a SB for many years.  We already have a great offense.  Have to find a way to pressure him. 

[Buffalo Junction]

2 hours ago, Nihilarian said:

 

P.S. The Packers do have a pair of pro bowlers at tackle and OG. 

And perhaps the biggest pro bowl snub of all.... Their center, Corey Lindsey, didn’t make the pro bowl despite being a first team all pro this year. Pro Bowl fan voting is a damn joke at best. To look at that Oline honestly, it’s two first team all pros at LT & center, and a young probowler who will likely be an all pro in another couple years. Jenkins is a beast. 
 

To the OP. As for drafting a RB in the first.... we’re drafting 30th-32nd ATM without some trade. Harris and Etienne will likely be gone by then along with the top pass rushers. For a RB the Bills will likely be looking at guys like Javonte Williams at our draft position. Might just be better to take a lineman, DB, or LBer. Maybe we’ll get lucky and have someone like Marvin Wilson fall into our laps though. Who knows. Covid is likely to make the whole 2021 draft process unusual.

[BADOLBILZ]

9 hours ago, 78thealltimegreat said:

Regardless what happens in the AFC title game or hopefully the Super Bowl and with Star returning to the dline after the opt out ...it’s obvious we need a little more offensive balance and I’m just going with Najee here and going to enjoy seeing him hammer on guys in the 4th quarter of close games 

 

 

@GunnerBill and I had this discussion a couple days ago in another thread.     I feel like Beane will be inclined to go "Cody Ford" again and make the mistake of reaching for a need at a position that is easy to fill........in this case running back.

 

It would be a mistake.

 

The Bills aren't playing with house money........their roster isn't that exceptional without having a top 3 QB like Allen.........they are going to have plenty of need for players at big $ positions and not a lot of cap room to spend on them going forward.

 

You take chances on those $15M-$20M positions early in the draft and trust your scouts to find players at the less valued positions later in the draft, in UDFA or in UFA where they tend to be values.

 

[MiltonWaddams]

Watching the Browns vs Chiefs reminded me of why I liked Kareem Hunt so much. Get us a violent runner. Someone with no regard for tacklers and angry, angry feet.

[LabattBlue]

1 minute ago, MiltonWaddams said:

Watching the Browns vs Chiefs reminded me of why I liked Kareem Hunt so much. Get us a violent runner. Someone with no regard for tacklers and angry, angry feet.

...and hopefully not be a thug like Hunt! 😉

[Nextmanup]

9 hours ago, 78thealltimegreat said:

Regardless what happens in the AFC title game or hopefully the Super Bowl and with Star returning to the dline after the opt out ...it’s obvious we need a little more offensive balance and I’m just going with Najee here and going to enjoy seeing him hammer on guys in the 4th quarter of close games 

Oh God no.

 

And if we do add a RB, for God's sake, dedicate very little in the way of resources to the acquisition.

 

You can find an acceptable player anywhere; they grow on trees.

 

 

[Nihilarian]

15 minutes ago, PaattMaann said:

 

yea thats cool, we don't throw to RBs..both Devin and Zach are more than capable of being good pass catchers out of the backfield, and have put that on tape. Im not arguing they are better than Harris in that regard, just that we shouldn't draft someone with a skill set that we already don't use. I also don't see us using more draft capital on a position we have already invested in the past two drafts - and we aren't dressing three RB's next who don't contribute on special teams. And are we really going to cut Devin or Zach? I just don't see it. 

Actually, Devin Singletary is the third leading receiver this season behind Diggs, Beasley.

 

Gabe Davis, John Brown, Isaiah McKenzie, Dawson Knox all behind Motor.  Though Gabe Davis has more targets. 

 

Another note, all three Buffalo Bills leading receivers have a 76% catch percentage, which is pretty freaking awesome. 

 

 

[MiltonWaddams]

Just now, BTB said:

...and hopefully not be a thug like Hunt! 😉

I don’t like the human, but I like the player.

[Coach Tuesday]

11 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

@GunnerBill and I had this discussion a couple days ago in another thread.     I feel like Beane will be inclined to go "Cody Ford" again and make the mistake of reaching for a need at a position that is easy to fill........in this case running back.

 

It would be a mistake.

 

The Bills aren't playing with house money........their roster isn't that exceptional without having a top 3 QB like Allen.........they are going to have plenty of need for players at big $ positions and not a lot of cap room to spend on them going forward.

 

You take chances on those $15M-$20M positions early in the draft and trust your scouts to find players at the less valued positions later in the draft, in UDFA or in UFA where they tend to be values.

 

 

TE, OLB/EDGE, CB2, C are needs where there is usually good value in the 28-32 range.