Ryan O'Halloran - Bills should go Defense Heavy in draft

[Best Williams Available]

4 hours ago, Nephilim17 said:

Dumb. A top safety or even CB or DT or DE will NOT impact the Bills chance of winning as much as a stud WR on a 5-year rookie contract. Josh throwing to a big, fast young WR is the single biggest difference this team can make going forward.

We lack a "dangerous" player on this team and this is the draft to get a dangerous WR in the first round. Draft a CB or safety in the second but not the first.

This is where I’m at too. No way they can get an impactful defenseman (I mean game wrecker type like Mack, Donald, Watt) where they’re picking. But a fast or ball hawkish WR can completely improve the O either directly or indirectly. 

[BigDingus]

I know I'm jaded, but I couldn't care less about the defense at this point.

 

McDermott has shown he can coach up late round picks just fine, and the 1st round picks have been hit or miss. Just give your star QB more weapons & more protection, then look for depth on D. Probably a dumb strategy, but a top 10 or even top 5 defense hasn't helped stop elite QBs yet, so why not try to outscore them?

[Meatloaf63]

5 minutes ago, Aussie Joe said:

Time will tell… get at least one in the draft … but FA could be an option for WR  … look everywhere 

Wishful thinking that Von would not want to be an anchor on a team he hopes makes it to the superbowl and would adjust his contract accordingly. I know, will never happen…

[london_bills]

6 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

Whose playing Safety then?  Hyde is gone and Poyer could be a cap cut.  

 

Who do you need to replace on offense?  We are set at QB, TE, and RB.  Mostly set on the OL.  Just need a couple WR's and at least one can come in FA.  So where are you spending most of your 10 picks on offense at?  

 

Biggest need on offense is WR.  Biggest need on defense is we need at least 1, possibly 2 safeites, help at DL, Edge, and CB.  

 

Its crazy to go offensive heavy this draft unless you want the worst defense in the league next year.  

Look at the teams left in the playoffs, all great offences. I'd agree about safety but can't we focus on making this the best offense in the NFL, think we should take at least two players on O very high

[paulmm3]

I'd be alright with taking 2 WR with our first 3 or 4 picks and being defense heavy otherwise. WR, S, DL are my biggest areas of need

[Chicken Boo]

First off, we don't need a #2 WR.  We need a guy that can fill the #1 role as soon as possible.  

[Murdox]

If we can't get a physical, speedy WR with separation skills in free agency we need to draft one.  Plain and simple.  Most of the fans here have watched even more games than some of these pundits and I can tell you that we are lacking consistent enough separation from our WRs when facing man defenses.  Yes, I dream of Josh Allen throwing occasional bombs to Tyreek Hill, DK Metcalf, Ja'marr Chase, etc.  I do agree with going defense all the way after that, depending on who we resign or replace through free agency.

Edited January 25 by Murdox

[Chicken Boo]

3 hours ago, BigDingus said:

I know I'm jaded, but I couldn't care less about the defense at this point.

 

McDermott has shown he can coach up late round picks just fine, and the 1st round picks have been hit or miss. Just give your star QB more weapons & more protection, then look for depth on D. Probably a dumb strategy, but a top 10 or even top 5 defense hasn't helped stop elite QBs yet, so why not try to outscore them?

 

It's not a dumb strategy when you've invested as much capital in a defense as this regime has.  

[NewEra]

I can’t get behind drafting a S over a DT or a DE.  

[GunnerBill]

3 hours ago, Chicken Boo said:

First off, we don't need a #2 WR.  We need a guy that can fill the #1 role as soon as possible.  

 

Agree. Two years ago when some of us wanted WR early in the draft that guy could be a #2 compliment to Diggs. Last year when some of us wanted WR early we needed a guy who could both compliment and eventually succeed. This year the ask is for a guy who hopefully by the end of his rookie year is our best offensive weapon. 

 

That does change the type we are looking for. For example the two Texas guys would (in different ways) have fitted 2 years ago. Now? They are not the answer IMO.

 

[Pete]

As long as we add WR 1 and 2- knock yourself out Beane and load up on D.

[machine gun kelly]

Heavy defense is a mistake.  WR, x2, and Safeties

[Pete]

Bills needs in rank of importance IMO

 

1 WR1 (#1 need far and above every other position- outside WR -seperation and mits)

2- DT

3- S

4- WR2(seperation, route running, mits)

5- Edge

6-DT

7-RB 2/3 (pass protect, short yardage, mits)

 

So IMO we should draft skill positions on offense and devote rest of resources to D, so I agree most draft and FA capitial will go to D

[Gigs]

Here's how I see it:

 

The Bills success at receiver has been Diggs/burner WR/safety valve a la Beasley-type/Knox. Honestly, we could just draft/sign a decent #2 and I feel we are set, and the draft has a ton of options. We can have Diggs/[insert WR]/Shakir/Kincaid&Knox. You can draft someone like Ricky Pearsall in the 2nd or 3rd, and that dude has hands. I feel that could be the best WR corps we'd have since the 2000s or even the 90s (if we sign another HoFer-level WR opposite Diggs)

[GunnerBill]

46 minutes ago, Pete said:

Bills needs in rank of importance IMO

 

1 WR1 (#1 need far and above every other position- outside WR -seperation and mits)

2- DT

3- S

4- WR2(seperation, route running, mits)

5- Edge

6-DT

7-RB 2/3 (pass protect, short yardage, mits)

 

So IMO we should draft skill positions on offense and devote rest of resources to D, so I agree most draft and FA capitial will go to D

 

I'd say in order of importance it is:

 

1. WR

2. Edge

3. S

4. DT (the need there is higher but the importance is lower... we have our difference maker there.... we need a starter at 1T and some role players)

5. C

6. OT

7. More WR depth

 

[streetkings01]

Keon Coleman 

[pocoboy]

Always fun to figure out which reporters are sourced by McDermott.

[Ayjent]

16 hours ago, BCAS Baritone said:

Ryan O'Halloran: Free-agent, cap situation means Brandon Beane has to get defensive in draft

https://buffalonews.com/sports/professional/nfl/bills/ryan-ohalloran-free-agent-cap-situation-means-brandon-beane-has-to-get-defensive-in-draft/article_2992c608-ba1b-11ee-8957-5731c06753d8.html

 

 

That doesn't seem to jibe with the general sentiment on this board.  Please read the article first, then discuss.

 

So keep doing what hasnt worked?

[BuffaloBill]

For those so high on RD 1 WR:

 

https://www.milehighreport.com/2020/4/23/21232643/success-rate-of-first-round-wide-receivers-this-century\

 

Keep this in mind - 19 of the 77 wide receivers taken in the first round this century have or had fewer than 100 career receptions in the NFL.

 

They tend to be fools gold.

 

 

[Simon]

18 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

4. DT (the need there is higher but the importance is lower... we have our difference maker there.... we need a starter at 1T and some role players)

 

At no point in the history of football has S ever been more important than DT.

If the Bills don't find a way to retain Daquan Jones, they have seriously ***** up, imo.

[GunnerBill]

Just now, Simon said:

 

At no point in the history of football has S ever been more important than DT.

If the Bills don't find a way to retain Daquan Jones, they have seriously ***** up, imo.

 

No but we have a DT who is one of the best players on our team. That was why I ranked it lower. 

[Simon]

1 minute ago, GunnerBill said:

 

No but we have a DT who is one of the best players on our team. That was why I ranked it lower. 

 

I just think that position group is so important (and prone to injury) that you need multiple guys you can count on there.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Get Sauce Gardner.  Pay him whatever he wants.  He holds with impunity. 😁

[NewEra]

2 hours ago, machine gun kelly said:

Heavy defense is a mistake.  WR, x2, and Safeties

We need DT in a bad way.  Maybe DE too. 
 

DL >>>>>>>>>>>>>  s

[Kirby Jackson]

5 minutes ago, NewEra said:

We need DT in a bad way.  Maybe DE too. 
 

DL >>>>>>>>>>>>>  s

I think that DL is a more impactful position but S in McDermott’s scheme is crucial. The ability of Hyde/Poyer to disguise and limit big plays is why the Bills defense has been good for years. They need really good to elite players in the back.  They probably have to commit a top 100(ish) pick ln a safety that they plan to start (depending on FA). They need more quality rotational players on the DL. If they re-sign Jones (as I expect) and Floyd (as I hope) they are looking for rotational players. 

[SoMAn]

What turned around the results for the Dolphins and the Ravens? Adding weapons. Receivers. What caused the Chiefs to struggle (relatively speaking) more than in the past?

 

When a team is spending 50 million a year on a QB, he's got to have weapons to make the most of that investment.

 

A second tier one WR could be the catalyst to make the passing game more effective. Go ahead, double Stef. We dare you. At some point another top receiver will create mismatches. 

[NewEra]

11 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I think that DL is a more impactful position but S in McDermott’s scheme is crucial. The ability of Hyde/Poyer to disguise and limit big plays is why the Bills defense has been good for years. They need really good to elite players in the back.  They probably have to commit a top 100(ish) pick ln a safety that they plan to start (depending on FA). They need more quality rotational players on the DL. If they re-sign Jones (as I expect) and Floyd (as I hope) they are looking for rotational players. 

I remember how great our D was with Poyer and Hyde in 2020 when we had a crappy DL.  
 

I agree that S is important in McDs system- but McD is also pretty good at making chicken salad out of chicken s*** at the position.  The same cannot be said for the DL.

 

if we go S first, I think we’ll regret it

[Jay_Fixit]

If it’s BPA then sure. But I’d really like to see a WR drafted high. I like toys.

[HappyDays]

I am going into next year assuming that the Diggs we got down the stretch is just who Diggs is now. If he gets back to the elite WR he was, great. But I think the Bills have to assume the worst and plan accordingly.

 

With that in mind, they have so badly mismanaged the WR room that I think they need to come away from this draft with two different types of WR - one with elite speed, and one with true alpha X receiver potential. And I don't mean some late round flyer. Get two high end WR prospects in this draft. Increase the odds that you come out of the draft with a true home run at the position. Enough is enough.

 

Having researched the WR prospects as much as I could this week, my preferred draft outcome is Troy Franklin in R1, and then one of Ja'Lynn Polk or Brenden Rice in R2. That gets us the elite speed guy, and then a true outside WR with alpha traits that hopefully develop further.

 

How about this offense heading into 2024:

 

WR1 Diggs

WR2 Franklin

WR3 Shakir

WR4 Polk/Rice

TE1 Kincaid

TE2 Knox

RB1 Cook

 

Now we are really getting somewhere.

 

Probably will add a cheaper veteran WR too, someone like Noah Brown to round out the room.

[Kirby Jackson]

21 minutes ago, NewEra said:

I remember how great our D was with Poyer and Hyde in 2020 when we had a crappy DL.  
 

I agree that S is important in McDs system- but McD is also pretty good at making chicken salad out of chicken s*** at the position.  The same cannot be said for the DL.

 

if we go S first, I think we’ll regret it

The Bills have committed resources to DL (1st on Oliver, 1st on Rousseau, 2nd on Epenesa, 2nd on Basham, huge contract to Von, decent late contracts to Floyd & Ford). They haven’t had to commit resources to S because they have 2 guys that belong in the WOF for 7 years. The defense revolves around them. They need a high end player there. Next to WR it is their biggest need. They can’t just have bodies back there.

 

 

[colin]

16 hours ago, Cash said:

 

I respectfully disagree.  With the game on the line, we couldn't score, despite having the best or 2nd-best QB in the league.  I also think that loading up on defense to try to stop the Reid/Mahomes combo is a fool's errand in some ways - when they need a score, they're almost always going to get it.

 

Yes, our offensive numbers were good, but we shouldn't be 30 yards less than "the top teams", we should BE the top team.  I'm sick of seeing dropped passes and receivers not on the same page with our QB.  I'm sick of losing to the Chiefs or Bengals because they put a spy on Josh and dare our receivers to win 1 on 1 matchups.  Let's go get some more guys who will consistently win those 1 on 1s.  That doesn't mean we need superstars everywhere, but our WR room was a major disappointment down the stretch, except for Shakir.  Diggs turned into a shell of himself, Davis was a trainwreck then got hurt, Harty made a couple nice plays but was mostly invisible, and Sherfield is a nice 5th WR/special teamer, but shouldn't be starting a playoff game.

 

With that said, I'm pretty happy with the state of the O-line (but you can always use more depth there - we got really lucky with O-line injuries last year), the TE room if Knox stays, and the RB room.  My assumption is that they'll bring in a bigger back to complement Cook, either late in the draft or on the vet minimum.

 

Defensively, they'll need to devote at least some of the draft there for sure.  We're going to lose a lot of bodies on the D-line and one always needs depth in the secondary.  I actually think our LBs are great if they get & stay healthy - Bernard & Milano starting, Spector & Williams backing them up.  I expect a mid-round pick (4th or later) at LB.

 

 

i agree.

 

while we might pick d players, and they might be great picks, i think we have to come away from this offseason addressing wr in both the draft and if possible FA.

 

said another way -- some bargain guys and late round draft picks filling out our roster could get us the same deffensive performance we had vs kc, namely a trash one.  just one more wr at the top, and or a couple wrs filling out the list instead of 16 and 11, and we score 10+ more points and walk away winners. 

[Bruffalo]

 

That's all I can think when I hear someone saying any team should go "defensive heavy in the draft".  

 

Defenses in the NFL are at an inherent disadvantage with the way the modern NFL is structured.  The game skews heavily towards the offense.

 

You know what an amazing defense gets you? The Steelers.  A wildcard entry to the playoffs and an early exit. 

 

The best way to win in the NFL is through relentless scoring via chunk plays and strikes.  It's demoralizing and has a serious psychological effect on the other team, which I think is understated. 

[NewEra]

1 minute ago, Kirby Jackson said:

The Bills have committed resources to DL (1st on Oliver, 1st on Rousseau, 2nd on Epenesa, 2nd on Basham, huge contract to Von, decent late contracts to Floyd & Ford). They haven’t had to commit resources to S because they have 2 guys that belong in the WOF for 7 years. The defense revolves around them. They need a high end player there. Next to WR it is their biggest need. They can’t just have bodies back there.

 

 

“S is more important that pass rush”- said nobody ever except you right now 

 

I don’t care what resources we’ve used in the past. I care about what we will have on the field in 2024z.  Right now, we have 1 DT.  We also have one (legit) S.  
 

It’s much easier to get good S play for pennies and lesser draft capital than it is to get the same for DL.  
 

McD had lots of success with aging Kurt Coleman, Thomas Decoud, Tre Boston and aging Roman Harper.  He doesn’t “need” stars at safety.  He’s capable of turning average players in solid pieces. 

17 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

I am going into next year assuming that the Diggs we got down the stretch is just who Diggs is now. If he gets back to the elite WR he was, great. But I think the Bills have to assume the worst and plan accordingly.

 

With that in mind, they have so badly mismanaged the WR room that I think they need to come away from this draft with two different types of WR - one with elite speed, and one with true alpha X receiver potential. And I don't mean some late round flyer. Get two high end WR prospects in this draft. Increase the odds that you come out of the draft with a true home run at the position. Enough is enough.

 

Having researched the WR prospects as much as I could this week, my preferred draft outcome is Troy Franklin in R1, and then one of Ja'Lynn Polk or Brenden Rice in R2. That gets us the elite speed guy, and then a true outside WR with alpha traits that hopefully develop further.

 

How about this offense heading into 2024:

 

WR1 Diggs

WR2 Franklin

WR3 Shakir

WR4 Polk/Rice

TE1 Kincaid

TE2 Knox

RB1 Cook

 

Now we are really getting somewhere.

 

Probably will add a cheaper veteran WR too, someone like Noah Brown to round out the room.

Drafting Polk in rd 2 is my dream this year

[Mr. WEO]

need new safeties.  these two are slow and old

[Mango]

I think we’ll see a heavy defensive draft in terms of quantity of picks. 
 

I have a sneaking suspicion that we won’t draft our first round pick at 28. We will move up for a WR or move back because we don’t have a great grade on what is left on board.
 

One of the two first picks will be a WR.

I also think we’ll take a flyer on a WR in the mid to late rounds as well. Outside of funding an OC or RT to come in and develop behind Brown/Morse I don’t know what other offense we’d take high. 

 

But we also need a couple of DE, DL depth, and a tandem of Safeties with minimal cap space. 

[Kirby Jackson]

15 minutes ago, NewEra said:

“S is more important that pass rush”- said nobody ever except you right now 

 

I don’t care what resources we’ve used in the past. I care about what we will have on the field in 2024z.  Right now, we have 1 DT.  We also have one (legit) S.  
 

It’s much easier to get good S play for pennies and lesser draft capital than it is to get the same for DL.  
 

McD had lots of success with aging Kurt Coleman, Thomas Decoud, Tre Boston and aging Roman Harper.  He doesn’t “need” stars at safety.  He’s capable of turning average players in solid pieces. 

Drafting Polk in rd 2 is my dream this year

Please quote where I said that. Hint: you’re going to be looking for a while

 

 

[Brandon]

25 minutes ago, Bruffalo said:

 

That's all I can think when I hear someone saying any team should go "defensive heavy in the draft".  

 

Defenses in the NFL are at an inherent disadvantage with the way the modern NFL is structured.  The game skews heavily towards the offense.

 

You know what an amazing defense gets you? The Steelers.  A wildcard entry to the playoffs and an early exit. 

 

The best way to win in the NFL is through relentless scoring via chunk plays and strikes.  It's demoralizing and has a serious psychological effect on the other team, which I think is understated. 

 

Agreed,  and I've been saying that for the last two or three offseasons.  At some point during a playoff run,  you're going to run into an offense/QB that has the capability to drop 30+ points on anyone,  especially in the AFC.  But sure,  you can somewhat reliably limit those offenses if you can also find two or three All Pros drafting late in R1...good luck with that. 

Edited January 25 by Brandon

[NewEra]

4 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Please quote where I said that. Hint: you’re going to be looking for a while

 

 

 

34 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

The Bills have committed resources to DL (1st on Oliver, 1st on Rousseau, 2nd on Epenesa, 2nd on Basham, huge contract to Von, decent late contracts to Floyd & Ford). They haven’t had to commit resources to S because they have 2 guys that belong in the WOF for 7 years. The defense revolves around them. They need a high end player there. Next to WR it is their biggest need. They can’t just have bodies back there.

 

 

Didn’t take long-  the defense revolves around the safeties……

 

no- it doesn’t. It revolves around great DL play.  

 

I get what you’re saying- It’ll be tough to find a bigger backer of the Poyer and Hyde tandem than me. I know and appreciate how important they are.  I also know that it didn’t take top 100 picks or massive contracts to acquire and groom them.  Poyer was a jag that McD turned into a star.  Hyde was a decent investment but was no all pro until McD got him.  Spending resources properly is more important than ever and having DL on rookie deals.  
 

When we miss on the DL signings and picks- our defense suffers.  When we don’t have a pass rush- our defense is nothing vs good offenses (aka playoff teams).  
 

agree to disagree 

[Bob in STL]

17 hours ago, Warcodered said:

Kincaid is a great weapon that needs to be used more in the offense, but he's never going to be fast enough to fill that other hole we have on offense we need another guy.

We really need speed at WR. 
 

I think a prime pick has to go WR to complement Diggs, especially with Davis likely gone.  Once Diggs goes this pick could hopefully fill the void. 

[Brandon]

5 minutes ago, NewEra said:

 

Didn’t take long-  the defense revolves around the safeties……

 

no- it doesn’t. It revolves around great DL play.  

 

I get what you’re saying- It’ll be tough to find a bigger backer of the Poyer and Hyde tandem than me. I know and appreciate how important they are.  I also know that it didn’t take top 100 picks or massive contracts to acquire and groom them.  Poyer was a jag that McD turned into a star.  Hyde was a decent investment but was no all pro until McD got him.  Spending resources properly is more important than ever and having DL on rookie deals.  
 

When we miss on the DL signings and picks- our defense suffers.  When we don’t have a pass rush- our defense is nothing vs good offenses (aka playoff teams).  
 

agree to disagree 

 

Yeah,  I agree with that.  Beane and McDermott have openly stated an objective to have a dominant DL since they were brought in.  They saw how the Giants beat the Pats in the Super Bowl and that's what they want to be. 

 

Of course,  that was a decade ago.  In reality,  I think they're a day late and a dollar short on their objective,  but whatever. 

Edited January 25 by Brandon