To draft a WR or not with 1st round pick

[mannc]

1 hour ago, GunnerBill said:

 

So I love Newton and I like Murphy a lot. But they are 3Ts. How do you get the value out of them with Ed playing 70% of the snaps and being your best defender last year?

Not saying I agree with that draft strategy…I think Beane would point out that they use a four-man rotation on the IDL.

[JohnBonhamRocks]

14 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Thomas, Franklin, Coleman, Legette, Mitchell, Worthy.

Solid list. No McConkey?

[mannc]

22 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

I don't think so. Beane called Samuel a "weapon" when asked about him and alluded to his early days in Carolina when he was a hybrid RB/WR. I think they see him as the much better version of McKenzie/Harty. Clearly they value that role, they just haven't been able to get it right yet. Throwing a lot of money at Samuel is a way of them finally getting that role figured out once and for all. It won't preclude them from drafting a true outside WR high in the draft.

I hope you’re right.

[HappyDays]

6 minutes ago, JohnBonhamRocks said:

Solid list. No McConkey?

 

No, I see him as more of a slot at the next level. His skill set is too redundant for what we already have on the roster for my liking. I want someone with physical traits, top end size/strength or speed or both.

[strive_for_five_guy]

3 hours ago, Yantha said:

Personally I think we need to try to trade Stefon Diggs BEFORE the draft day for a pick package that nets a second rounder in some way.

 

I'm happy to move on from Diggs and go all in with this WR class.

Think trading Diggs and our 2nd rounder can move us up about 10 spots in the 2nd round.  Which I’d say is a bigger loss to our team than gain.

[RyanC883]

3 hours ago, Magox said:

I have been on the WR bandwagon for 1st round pick for a couple years now.   The top 20 WR's in this years draft is probably higher quality than at any time that I can remember. You could probably find a good WR in the first 3 rounds.   It got me thinking, what player if they became available anywhere in the vicinity of the 28th pick that is not a WR that you could not pass up on?

 

For me, it would be LAIATU LATU.   Edge rusher is a position of need, they are a premium pick position and Latu fits the bill.  He for me would be very difficult to pass up if he were available somewhere around the 22 pick up.  He's a stud, great technician, has all the moves, great pro typical size with a history of fantastic production at a big university.    I think the dude will end up being a 10+ a year guy right off the bat.

 

depends who is there. Over Thomas no, but Worthy, sure.  May even grab some other WRs like Polk, etc. 

Edited March 27 by RyanC883

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

4 hours ago, Magox said:

I have been on the WR bandwagon for 1st round pick for a couple years now.   The top 20 WR's in this years draft is probably higher quality than at any time that I can remember. You could probably find a good WR in the first 3 rounds.   It got me thinking, what player if they became available anywhere in the vicinity of the 28th pick that is not a WR that you could not pass up on?

 

For me, it would be LAIATU LATU.   Edge rusher is a position of need, they are a premium pick position and Latu fits the bill.  He for me would be very difficult to pass up if he were available somewhere around the 22 pick up.  He's a stud, great technician, has all the moves, great pro typical size with a history of fantastic production at a big university.    I think the dude will end up being a 10+ a year guy right off the bat.

Broken neck + DE = BAD IDEA 

[Brand J]

Truthfully, Josh has enough weapons where struggling in the passing game shouldn’t be a thing: Stef Diggs, Curtis Samuel, Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid, & James Cook. The reason so many are high on WR is because the majority of us feel that Diggs is on borrowed time and we’d love to find his successor so we don’t miss a beat when he does depart.

Objectively the defensive line and safeties are a much weaker group than Allen’s pass catchers. A safety won’t go in round 1, but DL should definitely be in play. I don’t envy Beane, he HAS to get these premium picks right. We can’t afford another Boogie Basham mishap. 

[GunnerBill]

38 minutes ago, mannc said:

Not saying I agree with that draft strategy…I think Beane would point out that they use a four-man rotation on the IDL.

 

Yea I get it but realistically how many snaps would he get? I love Newton as a pick I'd find it hard to hate on. As a strategy however.... it is not for me.

[JohnBonhamRocks]

33 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

No, I see him as more of a slot at the next level. His skill set is too redundant for what we already have on the roster for my liking. I want someone with physical traits, top end size/strength or speed or both.

Definitely not top end size but his speed and quickness I think are top end.

[Solomon Grundy]

8 minutes ago, Brand J said:

Truthfully, Josh has enough weapons where struggling in the passing game shouldn’t be a thing: Stef Diggs, Curtis Samuel, Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid, & James Cook. The reason so many are high on WR is because the majority of us feel that Diggs is on borrowed time and we’d love to find his successor so we don’t miss a beat when he does depart.

Objectively the defensive line and safeties are a much weaker group than Allen’s pass catchers. A safety won’t go in round 1, but DL should definitely be in play. I don’t envy Beane, he HAS to get these premium picks right. We can’t afford another Boogie Basham mishap. 

Josh, IMO, still needs a WR who's open when he's not open. A Dhop type receiver. 

[njbuff]

It’s WR all the way unless Verse slips into a tradable position.

[BigDingus]

1 hour ago, The Jokeman said:

The Chiefs haven't drafted a 1st Round WR for Mahomes since they added him. I guess they're a poor team to emulate? 

 

Yeah, probably a bad idea since you're already not as talented & are trying to catch up. I don't care if we only lost by 3 points, they now have 3 x Super Bowls & 4 appearances while we've had Josh starting for 6 seasons.

 

Obviously trying to emulate them all these years has not yielded their results. We need to leapfrog them, not keep pace right beneath them.

[NewEra]

4 hours ago, Magox said:

I have been on the WR bandwagon for 1st round pick for a couple years now.   The top 20 WR's in this years draft is probably higher quality than at any time that I can remember. You could probably find a good WR in the first 3 rounds.   It got me thinking, what player if they became available anywhere in the vicinity of the 28th pick that is not a WR that you could not pass up on?

 

For me, it would be LAIATU LATU.   Edge rusher is a position of need, they are a premium pick position and Latu fits the bill.  He for me would be very difficult to pass up if he were available somewhere around the 22 pick up.  He's a stud, great technician, has all the moves, great pro typical size with a history of fantastic production at a big university.    I think the dude will end up being a 10+ a year guy right off the bat.

I’d take Latu over everyone except the consensus top 4 WRs.  I don’t think this will an option though.  He should be a top 20 pick.  Can’t see him availble at 28.  No chance a team like AZ should pass on him

 

I’d also consider Murphy’Jr and Newton over any WR not named harrison, Nabers, Odunze, Thomas jr and Mitchell.  I think they’re rated higher and can help transform our pass rush.  

[Green Lightning]

1 hour ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

So again let's not give our all world QB a 1st round talent at WR.   Christ people...

Just because we pick a receiver in the first round at 28 doesn't mean he's a 1st round talent. Past the top 5, (Mitchell is #5) the rest are second day picks IMO. So why pick a WR in the first round just to say you did it?

[Turbo44]

1 hour ago, strive_for_five_guy said:

Think trading Diggs and our 2nd rounder can move us up about 10 spots in the 2nd round.  Which I’d say is a bigger loss to our team than gain.

Wake up people (not pointed at you Strive) it is absolutely impossible to trade Diggs this year.  It would be a $30 million cap hit and we can't sustain that.  Next year is a different story. 

 

My draft strategy:

#28 McConkey - I'm not worried he's not a pure X receiver.  He's still 6') 195 (not small) and has great speed.  He will catch 100 balls each year.  Think Cole Beasley quickness and hands with Eric Mould speed.

 

#60 Walker or a trade up to #45 Legette.  Here I get my true X. You have Josh Allen - you give him every weapon you can and this protects against Diggs' future

[HappyDays]

47 minutes ago, Brand J said:

Truthfully, Josh has enough weapons where struggling in the passing game shouldn’t be a thing

 

Sure but the goal isn't to have a passing offense that's described as "not struggling." The goal is to have the most productive passing offense in the league, one capable of simply blowing other teams out of the water and steamrolling its way to a #1 seed. Considering our annual abysmal defensive performance in the playoffs, that caliber of offense is the only way we're going to sniff a Super Bowl.

 

And let's be honest. The offensive cast as it stands right now is not at that caliber. It's good enough to be a top 5 passing offense like it always is under Josh Allen, but it's still an entire tier short of where it needs to be to get over the hump.

 

Edited March 28 by HappyDays

[gonzo1105]

13 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Sure but the goal isn't to have a passing offense that's described as "not struggling." The goal is to have the most productive passing offense in the league, one capable of simply blowing other teams out of the water and steamrolling its way to a #1 seed. Considering our annual abysmal defensive performance in the playoffs, that caliber of offense is the only way we're going to sniff a Super Bowl.

 

And let's be honest. The offensive cast as it stands right now is not at that caliber. It's good enough to be a top 5 passing offense like it always is under Josh Allen, but it's still an entire tier short of where it needs to be to get over the hump.

 

I mean we did put up 36 points to the Chiefs in Arrowhead and still lost. We just need to make plays when they matter in games whether offense defense and STs. If that means adding a WR great, if it means getting a game wrecking D lineman great. Just get a difference maker imo that can disrupt them in some way 

[nedboy7]

I just can’t agree with the idea that what makes or breaks this offense is a rookie WR that’s not from the top 3 elite going before us.  At 28 it’s as much of a guess as in the middle of second round.  If they draft WR wonderful.  If not second round is just fine. 

[BADOLBILZ]

4 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Latu is my answer too. If he is there then unless one of the top 3 receivers is also there I'd take him and start trying to trade up in round 2 to make sure I get a receiver. He is just a tier of talent above all the receivers except the top 3. You can't pass on that at a premium position.

 

But this Bills regime has been reluctant to take risks on injury guys. So I doubt they'd do it. 

 

 

I look at Latu's situation and remember Myles Jack.    Jack was another UCLA guy who was a top 10 talent in that 2016 draft class but there were team physicians that felt he only had a few good years left.   They were right.    He's hung around as a journeyman but after 3 good seasons in Jacksonville he was pretty much washed.

 

Jaelan Phillips is the comp that most people might want to use but Phillips injury problem was concussions and I think the retirement rest(including refusing to play the run in college at Miami) got Phillips "right" wrt concussions.     The neck evaluation with Latu is everything.   I'd think if it were a consensus that it wasn't a degenerative condition like Jack's then he'd be gone in the top 20 in this weak edge class.