Say the bills get a second and a fifth round for Willis....

[UBTeger]

Do you think the bills will/should trade the picks that they could get from Baltimore to gain an extra first round pick and draft Willis and then either a CB or RB or vice versa?

[Pyrite Gal]

This likely would be a major disaster for 2007 if they do:

 

1. If we play a rookie as the starting MLB running the hybrid Cover 2 we run where the MLB must be able to read plays like a vet as our MLB must play run plays like a DT but pass plays like a safety, it simply is likely to be quite painful watching this rookie learn to become a vet by likely getting burned time and again as he takes a false step forward and gets dusted by a speedy WR running a post pattern or takes a false step back leading to the same howl of complaints from folks of making initial hits deep in our backfield.

 

2. Certainly if the Bills chose a good player a rookie might be a quality #1 RB for us, but also the Bills might pick a very good player in the Larry Johnson mode who simply was unproductive his first two seasons and even worse we could pick a player who sucks given the crapshoot that the draft basically is.

 

3. Picking and paying the 1st round slotted salary of a CB would be a real waste of resources in a Cover 2 as the CB generally releases the WR 10-15 yards downfield and the skillsets of a very good CB (this is why the Bills knew even last year that NC was not worth it to the Bills to pay him what the market would give him).

 

If we go with any of these three picks and usage, it likely is going to be a very long 07.

[BillsCelticsAngelsBama]

This likely would be a major disaster for 2007 if they do:

 

1. If we play a rookie as the starting MLB running the hybrid Cover 2 we run where the MLB must be able to read plays like a vet as our MLB must play run plays like a DT but pass plays like a safety, it simply is likely to be quite painful watching this rookie learn to become a vet by likely getting burned time and again as he takes a false step forward and gets dusted by a speedy WR running a post pattern or takes a false step back leading to the same howl of complaints from folks of making initial hits deep in our backfield.

 

2. Certainly if the Bills chose a good player a rookie might be a quality #1 RB for us, but also the Bills might pick a very good player in the Larry Johnson mode who simply was unproductive his first two seasons and even worse we could pick a player who sucks given the crapshoot that the draft basically is.

 

3. Picking and paying the 1st round slotted salary of a CB would be a real waste of resources in a Cover 2 as the CB generally releases the WR 10-15 yards downfield and the skillsets of a very good CB (this is why the Bills knew even last year that NC was not worth it to the Bills to pay him what the market would give him).

 

If we go with any of these three picks and usage, it likely is going to be a very long 07.

Oh you're so negative about the coming season! The savior has come to Buffalo and his name is Langston Walker! We don't have to worry about our defense as we will probably rarely have to punt, given our OL additions.

[Acantha]

This likely would be a major disaster for 2007 if they do:

 

1. If we play a rookie as the starting MLB running the hybrid Cover 2 we run where the MLB must be able to read plays like a vet as our MLB must play run plays like a DT but pass plays like a safety, it simply is likely to be quite painful watching this rookie learn to become a vet by likely getting burned time and again as he takes a false step forward and gets dusted by a speedy WR running a post pattern or takes a false step back leading to the same howl of complaints from folks of making initial hits deep in our backfield.

 

2. Certainly if the Bills chose a good player a rookie might be a quality #1 RB for us, but also the Bills might pick a very good player in the Larry Johnson mode who simply was unproductive his first two seasons and even worse we could pick a player who sucks given the crapshoot that the draft basically is.

 

3. Picking and paying the 1st round slotted salary of a CB would be a real waste of resources in a Cover 2 as the CB generally releases the WR 10-15 yards downfield and the skillsets of a very good CB (this is why the Bills knew even last year that NC was not worth it to the Bills to pay him what the market would give him).

 

If we go with any of these three picks and usage, it likely is going to be a very long 07.

You're talking about the growing pains associated with every rookie position. You note that "in the cover 2 the CB generally releases the WR 10-15 yards downfield", which leads to another point about the cover 2...safety is a very important position, and both safety positions are required to deal with covering WR's down field and help in run support. Marv started two rookie safeties last year. Why wouldn't he start a rookie MLB?

[Pyrite Gal]

You're talking about the growing pains associated with every rookie position. You note that "in the cover 2 the CB generally releases the WR 10-15 yards downfield", which leads to another point about the cover 2...safety is a very important position, and both safety positions are required to deal with covering WR's down field and help in run support. Marv started two rookie safeties last year. Why wouldn't he start a rookie MLB?

 

I don't think he will if he has another alternative which is more likely to be more productive. He does have a better alternative at MLB if he does what he said they were looking at in his end o the season press conference which is to move Crowell back to his original MLB spot. I am nor arguing that Willis would not likely become our MLB answer for years to come. What I do argue is that 07 (and potentially 08 depending upon how fast Willis learns to play the pass as well as F-B) have a high enough value to Marv and the Bills that they would not likely condemn the year to being yet another development year (which I think playing a rookie in the diverse role required in the Hybrid Cover 2 we run).

 

I think this is true given out long playoff drought and given that the Golden Boys simply cannot guarantee how long they are going to be on this planet.

 

The safety position is critical and I think this is why Marv devoted our 1st rounder to an SS who he planned to start immediately rather than pursuing his first inclination which is to run and stop the run by building in the trenches.

 

Also remember that the gameplan last year was to start Whitner and Troy Vincent and they and others were fortunately surprised that Simpson started so quickly.

 

If anything Marv likely feels that having caught lightening in a bottle once, that he cannot expect to get lucky again rather than assume this is now his plan.

[Pyrite Gal]

Oh you're so negative about the coming season! The savior has come to Buffalo and his name is Langston Walker! We don't have to worry about our defense as we will probably rarely have to punt, given our OL additions.

 

Actually, I am quite positive about this season as I do not think that Marv will be so brazen and stupid as to put our fate into the hands of a rookie starter at MLB, waste resources on acquiring a CB in the first round, or roll the dice by counting upon a rookie to be our starting RB. I simply think Marv is too risk averse and intelligent to actual condemn us to the moves that some are advocating.

[Mike formerly from Florida]

Actually, I am quite positive about this season as I do not think that Marv will be so brazen and stupid as to put our fate into the hands of a rookie starter at MLB, waste resources on acquiring a CB in the first round, or roll the dice by counting upon a rookie to be our starting RB. I simply think Marv is too risk averse and intelligent to actual condemn us to the moves that some are advocating.

 

You're wrong.

 

We're drafting a middle linebacker..either Patrick Willis or the guy from Penn State. Both have high football IQs.