I am praying Willis is taken when we pick

[RShirley]

I hope Willis is off the board when we pick at 12. This will leave them with no choice, but to go in the direction that they should would this pick: Peterson (if he falls to us), otherwise Lynch. I don’t care if you are building a football team or a business, you have to fully maximize your strengths. It is quite obvious with the development of JP Losman and the emergence of Lee Evans as a bonafide all-pro caliber receiver and the commitment to improve the offensive line in the offseason, that the strength of this football team is on the offensive side of the ball. We are lacking a key ingredient, however, a legitimate game-breaking #1 caliber running back. All the other pieces are in place to quite possibly take this offense to an elite level except for this running back. That is why we need to use this pick to fill this missing piece, and accentuate our strengths. As much as I am impressed with Willis and his jaw-dropping 40 time etc., he is not going to put our defense at an elite level this year. The addition of a Peterson or Lynch could possibly take our offense to this level. For any of you who disagree as a way to build a football team, please see the superbowl teams as models – Indianapolis wins with an elite offense while having a porous defense, and Chicago wins with a lights out defense and horrible offense. The point I am making is that it is best to make one side of the ball the best it can possibly be and in our case, the pick would be a the best running back available ………case closed.

[obie_wan]

I hope Willis is off the board when we pick at 12. This will leave them with no choice, but to go in the direction that they should would this pick: Peterson (if he falls to us), otherwise Lynch. I don’t care if you are building a football team or a business, you have to fully maximize your strengths. It is quite obvious with the development of JP Losman and the emergence of Lee Evans as a bonafide all-pro caliber receiver and the commitment to improve the offensive line in the offseason, that the strength of this football team is on the offensive side of the ball. We are lacking a key ingredient, however, a legitimate game-breaking #1 caliber running back. All the other pieces are in place to quite possibly take this offense to an elite level except for this running back. That is why we need to use this pick to fill this missing piece, and accentuate our strengths. As much as I am impressed with Willis and his jaw-dropping 40 time etc., he is not going to put our defense at an elite level this year. The addition of a Peterson or Lynch could possibly take our offense to this level. For any of you who disagree as a way to build a football team, please see the superbowl teams as models – Indianapolis wins with an elite offense while having a porous defense, and Chicago wins with a lights out defense and horrible offense. The point I am making is that it is best to make one side of the ball the best it can possibly be and in our case, the pick would be a the best running back available ………case closed.

 

if you want a legitimate game breaking RB and Peterson is gone, you will have to wait until next year's draft when there should be at least 8 such prospects.

 

That's why this year is likley to be a RBBC with the best group that can be cobbled together.

 

Turner is an option this year, but he is not a proven can't miss RB and he wants a big contract that is not justified on historical performance.

[roy875]

if you want a legitimate game breaking RB and Peterson is gone, you will have to wait until next year's draft when there should be at least 8 such prospects.

 

Who do you consider to be the high prospects next year? I know D. Mcfadden is awesome from watching a couple games, but what other guys should I know about? Curious, not challenging you.....

[Phlegm Alley]

Who do you consider to be the high prospects next year? I know D. Mcfadden is awesome from watching a couple games, but what other guys should I know about? Curious, not challenging you.....

 

 

Steve Slaton

Mike Hart

Ray Rice

Felix Jones

Darren McFadden

[roy875]

Steve Slaton

Mike Hart

Ray Rice

Felix Jones

Darren McFadden

 

True, Slaton and Rice are pretty good. Jones is on arkansas with Mcfadden right? He's good also. Don't know Hart. Maybe I am stupid, but I like A. Pittman this year as much as some of the higher ranked guys (except Peterson). I'd like to see us upgrade with Pittman this year, and if he is not the answer go after another RB next year if the crop is as deep as it seems. Who knows, maybe F. Jackson will be a beast for us?

[Phlegm Alley]

True, Slaton and Rice are pretty good. Jones is on arkansas with Mcfadden right? He's good also. Don't know Hart. Maybe I am stupid, but I like A. Pittman this year as much as some of the higher ranked guys (except Peterson). I'd like to see us upgrade with Pittman this year, and if he is not the answer go after another RB next year if the crop is as deep as it seems. Who knows, maybe F. Jackson will be a beast for us?

 

 

I like Pittman as well--he has a similar build to Thurmal at 5' 11" and under 200 lbs. If the Bills brass prognasticate that the RB class next year will be better and that they have a better prospect that may be available to them in next years draft, they may just wait til then.

[Brandon]

Steve Slaton

Mike Hart

Ray Rice

Felix Jones

Darren McFadden

 

Slaton, Rice and Hart are all about 5'9 195lbs. Its highly unlikely that any of them will be considered every down RBs in the NFL. Slaton is only a junior and I think Rice is as well, I'd have to check. Felix Jones will also be a junior this upcoming season and considering his status as a backup to McFadden, I don't see him leaving early.

 

Darren McFadden, also a junior, is the only sure-fire 1st round, franchise RB prospect on the list and even if he does declare himself eligible for the draft, the Bills will probably have to go 3-13 to have a shot at him.

[Pete]

I am praying Willis is taken when we pick

 

I am praying Willis taken with our pick too!

[Ozymandius]

I really like that kid from Va Tech, Branden Ore.

[Ozymandius]

That mocha-colored kid from Boise St who scored the winning TD and proposed will be available as a midrounder next year as well. Yes, next year's RB class will be stacked.

[Brandon]

I really like that kid from Va Tech, Branden Ore.

 

He's also a junior this upcoming season.

 

That's the problem with next year's draft class. Practically all of the quality prospects will be juniors and while it seems to be a good bet that many of them will declare, its still a major risk to take.

[Poeticlaw]

I hope Willis is off the board when we pick at 12. This will leave them with no choice, but to go in the direction that they should would this pick: Peterson (if he falls to us), otherwise Lynch. I don’t care if you are building a football team or a business, you have to fully maximize your strengths. It is quite obvious with the development of JP Losman and the emergence of Lee Evans as a bonafide all-pro caliber receiver and the commitment to improve the offensive line in the offseason, that the strength of this football team is on the offensive side of the ball. We are lacking a key ingredient, however, a legitimate game-breaking #1 caliber running back. All the other pieces are in place to quite possibly take this offense to an elite level except for this running back. That is why we need to use this pick to fill this missing piece, and accentuate our strengths. As much as I am impressed with Willis and his jaw-dropping 40 time etc., he is not going to put our defense at an elite level this year. The addition of a Peterson or Lynch could possibly take our offense to this level. For any of you who disagree as a way to build a football team, please see the superbowl teams as models – Indianapolis wins with an elite offense while having a porous defense, and Chicago wins with a lights out defense and horrible offense. The point I am making is that it is best to make one side of the ball the best it can possibly be and in our case, the pick would be a the best running back available ………case closed.

 

I personally dont understand your priorities of our teams needs going into the draft heres why...

 

We have 3 running backs on the roster A-train viable starting running back- Shaud Williams- viable back-up and fred jackson who had a 4.7 yd per carry average in Nfl europe has a shot to compete as well. http://www.nfleurope.com/players/playerpage/1093

 

We lost Takeo Spikes and London fletcher thats 2 lbs with really only one starting option on the roster with Crowell.

 

We lost Nate with a questionable third round pick from last years draft and a career back up fighting for his spot with an already shakee Mcgee. Therfore the way I see the priorities of this draft are as followed.

 

1.lb

2. Cb

3. Rb

So if Willis, hall and lynch are all sitting there at 12 Im drafting Willis if willis is gone Im drafting Hall only if both are gone which is highly unlikley would I draft lynch. THere are atleast 3 running backs i would feel comfortable getting in the second round. We have had success in the second round with THurman and Henry both were game changing running backs our first round picks such as Smith and Mcgahee having quite worked out that well.

 

Also its a pipe dream to think that peterson will be available at 12 Jon Gruden really likes him.

[roy875]

Slaton, Rice and Hart are all about 5'9 195lbs. Its highly unlikely that any of them will be considered every down RBs in the NFL.

 

They would be a sweet 3rd down change of pace/receiving back coupled with a bigger RB. Especially Slanton. He is a game breaker. I don't know who that bigger back might be right now though. A-train is marginal, and in the draft, I have concerns with Bush's leg, and Hunt's speed. Not sure if the other guys are it either. I'm sure manangement must look ahead to some extent, but I'd prefer to draft 1 guy who might have it all instead of patching it up with an incomplete player hoping to add that extra dimension next year.

 

I miss TT's overall abitlity to play every down, block, and catch. Pittman seems the closest this year to that type of player, and I think he runs hard. He doesn't seem to showboat at all. Just like TT. I don't see much a difference between him and Lynch, except when they are projected to be taken, and Pittman seems more put together as a person, and a better fit for our team.

 

Ideally we will have peterson fall to us, and then take our 15min to decide if we take him, or reap a bounty of picks for our spot. Personally, I'd love it if this happened. If it meant an extra 1-2 first day picks----I think we would have to give him up as much as I'd hate to. He has outstanding speed, but not sure how well he will translate to the NFL. Looking at Reggie Bush---he is a great weapon, but not nearly like he was in college, and certainly has better moves, and maybe speed, than peterson. I know they are different players, but they are similar. I'm not sold AP is as much of "lock" as everyone else I guess.

 

imagine 6 picks in the top 100 (if someone gave us 2nd and 3rd to move up for AP). We could get 2 LB's, CB, TE, RB(A.Pittman) and a WR on the 1st day. ALL would be filling a need and big contributors if chosen properly.

[RShirley]

I personally dont understand your priorities of our teams needs going into the draft heres why...

 

We have 3 running backs on the roster A-train viable starting running back- Shaud Williams- viable back-up and fred jackson who had a 4.7 yd per carry average in Nfl europe has a shot to compete as well. http://www.nfleurope.com/players/playerpage/1093

 

We lost Takeo Spikes and London fletcher thats 2 lbs with really only one starting option on the roster with Crowell.

 

We lost Nate with a questionable third round pick from last years draft and a career back up fighting for his spot with an already shakee Mcgee. Therfore the way I see the priorities of this draft are as followed.

 

1.lb

2. Cb

3. Rb

So if Willis, hall and lynch are all sitting there at 12 Im drafting Willis if willis is gone Im drafting Hall only if both are gone which is highly unlikley would I draft lynch. THere are atleast 3 running backs i would feel comfortable getting in the second round. We have had success in the second round with THurman and Henry both were game changing running backs our first round picks such as Smith and Mcgahee having quite worked out that well.

 

Also its a pipe dream to think that peterson will be available at 12 Jon Gruden really likes him.

 

I am not saying linebacker isn't a priority. I am saying I want the best possible running back to go with the current strengths of our team as opposed to the best linebacker. We can get a quality linebacker in round 2.

[obie_wan]

Slaton, Rice and Hart are all about 5'9 195lbs. Its highly unlikely that any of them will be considered every down RBs in the NFL. .

 

 

just sbout the same size or bigger than Barry Sanders, Emmit Smith, Priest Holmes and Thurman Thomas- to name just 4.

 

Can't see how they could possibly succeed in the NFL.

 

History shows that the most productive backs are about 5-10 and in the 200-210 range.

 

Bigger backs become targets.

[Sketch Soland]

I personally dont understand your priorities of our teams needs going into the draft heres why...

 

We have 3 running backs on the roster A-train viable starting running back- Shaud Williams- viable back-up and fred jackson who had a 4.7 yd per carry average in Nfl europe has a shot to compete as well.

http://www.nfleurope.com/players/playerpage/1093

 

Since when is A-Train a viable starting running back?

 

When has Shaud Williams been anything but a 3rd down back and a very average one at that? How much did he play last year?

 

Fred Jackson is an intriguing possibility but the very best you can say is "has a shot to compete".

 

You seem to have a case of the rose-colored glasses about our current RB's, imo. This does not necessarily mean I am advocating taking a RB in round one but to suggest that the 3 RB's that we currently have on the roster (at this point) are even adequate is very suspect, imo.

[Brandon]

just sbout the same size or bigger than Barry Sanders, Emmit Smith, Priest Holmes and Thurman Thomas- to name just 4.

 

Can't see how they could possibly succeed in the NFL.

 

History shows that the most productive backs are about 5-10 and in the 200-210 range.

 

Bigger backs become targets.

 

I'm not necessarily going to disagree with you and I certainly would not argue that they can't be successful. But from a draft value standpoint, its virtually certain that they're all going to be rated lower due to their size and perceived inability to be full-time RBs.

[Pyrite Gal]

I personally dont understand your priorities of our teams needs going into the draft heres why...

 

We have 3 running backs on the roster A-train viable starting running back- Shaud Williams- viable back-up and fred jackson who had a 4.7 yd per carry average in Nfl europe has a shot to compete as well. http://www.nfleurope.com/players/playerpage/1093

 

We lost Takeo Spikes and London fletcher thats 2 lbs with really only one starting option on the roster with Crowell.

 

We lost Nate with a questionable third round pick from last years draft and a career back up fighting for his spot with an already shakee Mcgee. Therfore the way I see the priorities of this draft are as followed.

 

1.lb

2. Cb

3. Rb

So if Willis, hall and lynch are all sitting there at 12 Im drafting Willis if willis is gone Im drafting Hall only if both are gone which is highly unlikley would I draft lynch. THere are atleast 3 running backs i would feel comfortable getting in the second round. We have had success in the second round with THurman and Henry both were game changing running backs our first round picks such as Smith and Mcgahee having quite worked out that well.

 

Also its a pipe dream to think that peterson will be available at 12 Jon Gruden really likes him.

 

I think you are being a bit too optimistic in your RB assessments and I simply disagree with some of your prioritization.

 

Specifically:

 

1. I an glad we resigned Thomas but it simply is not reasonable at all to think of him as a likely RB starter. He deserves and will get a shot at starting. However, there is simply no way to reasonably call an RB who last gained even 1000 yards rushing in 2003 and who was able to start 13 games in his best season as a starter a viable option at starting running back.

 

I think if we go RBBC he is a contributor to this effort as for the first time in his career he was at least able to appear in all 16 games last year. However, even in a committee effort he is no where near as productive as the #2 RBs in other places such as NE and NO who have used this approach well.

 

2. Shaud Williams rather than being a viable back-up may not even make the roster this year and many Bills fans hope we get a more dangerous and better option as our third down back than Williams. While Thomas is a reasonable back-up RB (he has proven he can substitute well for your starter for 3 games (but given his lack of production as a starter since 2003 one would simply be playing with fire to rely on him as a 16 game productive starter) he actually is closer to what we want in our 3rd down option than Shaud is.

 

As a rookie Williams did have one productive game as a back-up rusher, but last year saw fairly lackluster production from him when he got a chance to rush and he did not show much flair or production as a receiver that he is even a theat to take it to the house on 3rd downs.

 

Fred Jackson accomplishments in NFL Europe are notable but amount to being about as impressive and likely indicative as his performance as an RB for Coe college back when he was in school. Its nice Marv had nice things to say about him, but its a long way away from him even being a good bet to deserve to make the roster.

 

As far as our needs:

 

1. LB

 

I agree with you that LB is our priority need right now as the plan for us was we hoped to have a former Pro Bowler Spikes at SLB and a should have been a Pro Bowler at some point F-B at MLB. This did not happen for a range reasons but we really are looking to find two equivalent LB talents and while we hope one is developed from our current roster (Crowell shifting to MLB though this creates an opening at WLB, or Ellison proving that his starting was more than a fluke or even a way outside chance that a bulked up Wire returning to his natural position are the candidates for 1 slot. The draft looks like the mostly likely resource for the other (unless some interesting deal like for Lance Briggs emerges.

 

As far as the draft, I have said consistently that while I think (hope given that the draft is really a crapshoot where folks claim that a 1st round choice should be an immediate starter but an inspection of the depth charts I did last week showed that only 18 of the 32 1st round choices from last year where number 1 on the depth chart at their positions going into their second season. Good players get drafted and do start immediately particularly if they are top 10 choices like Whitner but there are also the Mike Williams and Harringtons of the world who were busts at #3 and #4) Willis looks like a good pro prospect who despite his struggles with pass coverage in the Senior Bowl I expect (hope/pray) he can provide an answer at MLB for years, I expect as a rookie if he is required by us to start at MLB, given the diversity and importance of doing vet reads to success in this role it will be a very long and sometimes quite ugly rookie season for him if he learns the Cover 2 MLB role on the job.

 

I feel much better about us selecting Willis because there apparently is some thought he can also bring the talents he showed at the Combine and which won him the Butkus award to the OLB slot and we can use the vet Crowell as our MLB while Willis learns to be a vet at SLB, attacks the LOS like an injured TKO could not and learns play reads while generally covering one player rather than demanding he look over the whole field and avoid being fooled by OCs who will relish the chance to get at a rookie MLB in the Cover 2.

 

However, Willis best chance of going high appears to be desperation for an MLB by both SF and the Bills (who may both be blowing smoke about Willis to hide their true priorities and the bet that the Bills can trade down to 20 or lower and still get Willis is at least a possibility and may even be likely if SF is simply trolling for a deal.

 

Willis at OLB would be quite nice, but likewise if the Bills braintrust is enamored with Poz, with Timmons, or even with Buster Davis whom they may be able to get in the 2nd round I have no problem with that at all. Last year bought this team led by marv a very reasonable benefit of the doubt as far as assessment and drafting goes and if they choose to do something unexpected like taking a Poz or a Buster Davis (or even Willis at #12 though if they do I hope they do not start this rookie at MLB) I will take a second look rather than wailing.

 

2. CB- I think seeing this as a priority for the Bills fails to understand how they run their D and correctly evaluate the current roster.

 

The Cover 2 is not a good scheme for a playmaking CB. It expects a CB to do press coverage for the first 10-15 yards of a WR's route and to provide outside support to turn runs inside. Some folks simply look at our loss of NC and want us to get a player with a good chance of being a future Pro Bowl talent to replace him when it simply is the case that a great CB is not called for nor does he want to be in a Cover 2. The conventional wisdom is that a 1st round choice should start immediately and a first day pick will contribute and likely start at some point in their first year. However, if we take a CB om the first day he likely is gonna sit all year behind last year first day CB choice Youbouty and recent FA resigning Thomas.

 

The winner of a duel between these two will start at CB and the loser is the likely nickel, but though we can use the competition, if we draft a CB he likely duels with Jabari Greer to be the dime CB. I do not see us needing a 1st day choice for this duel or making either last year;s first day CB choice or the recent FA extension a waste by drafting another 1st day CB.

 

In fact, I see our need for another safety (Lromhard has both back-up roles) as a larger DB need than another CB,

 

3. RB- See above but I think the key to this is that we likely need 2 RB candidates from this draft and a first day choice (though probably not the 1st rounder) AND a second day choice seems most likely to me.

[apuszczalowski]

I hope they pass on Willis, just so SDS can test out the new server when this board explodes and I won't have to hear anymore man love about Willis and how he will be the greatest ever, like it was getting with Ngata last year.

[Simon]

I want the best possible running back to go with the current strengths of our team as opposed to the best linebacker. We can get a quality linebacker in round 2.

And we can get a RB in Rnd 2 that is of the same quality of any back we're going to get at 12.

[Pyrite Gal]

And we can get a RB in Rnd 2 that is of the same quality of any back we're going to get at 12.

 

The big problem is that it appears to me that there is no big quality gain for any of the players likely available at #12 over many of the choices likely available to us with a second round pick. This appears to be true at both LB and RB.

 

If one looks at last year's draft which most people agree was actually a pretty strong set of candidates, of the 32 players chosen in round 1, 18 of them were first on their team's depth charts at their position as of a couple of weeks ago.

 

There seems to be a general expectation of a 1st round pick being an immediate starter, but here in the real world it worked out that almost half of them were not even slated to start in their second year.

 

Were they busts? No, but welcome to reality and many forms of conventional wisdom regarding the draft such as the immediate start expectation and the idea that safeties should be drafted late in the first round if at all early were true in the past but this is not folks Grandmother's NFL anymore nd the reality is different from things which were statistically true in the past.

 

Willis is the best college LB I am pretty sure, but this LB class is relatively thin in terms of their not being an AJ Hawk type who is a definite top 10 player. SF may be so enamored with Willis because some of their folks got to coach him in a post season game, but folks need to acknowledge that our scheme calls for the MLB to both play like a DT against the run and like a safety against the pass and there will be a premium on him making vet reads and a rookie is pretty unlikely to do this for a while.

 

We need an LB badly in this draft, and if it is Willis I hope we start him at SLB because if this rookie is our MLB starter it likely will be painful.

 

I hope we can trade down and still get him because we need the additional draft picks and SF may be sending signals they are gonna take Willis in an attempt to induce us into giving up resources for a player who in the long run I think will be good but is not gonna be the difference maker for a team which needs multiple players. Even worse if he starts in the short term things are likely to be quite painful.

 

Likewise on RBs as it seems doubtful that the most sought after RB in this draft Peterson will fall to 12 and if he does it raises questions that we may be able to answer (he is tough to pass by at 12 given that our current option at RB starter is a good #2 but very doubtful #1. Though there seems to be general agreement that Lynch is the 2nd best back there is also general agreement that he is about the #18 player giving us plenty of room to trade down.

 

This is a draft where by far the best option for this team is trade down and trade down twice if we can.