If the Bills are sold on Crowell as their MLB...

[Earthquake Enyart]

There's no way in hell that they'll draft Willis.

[patmoran2006]

I think IF they're truly sold (not smokescreen) with Crowell at MLB: then they will draft either Okoye or LYnch in the first round and take a OLB like Rufus Alexander or Jon Beason with their second pick.

[Earthquake Enyart]

I think IF they're truly sold (not smokescreen) with Crowell at MLB: then they will draft either Okoye or LYnch in the first round and take a OLB like Rufus Alexander or Jon Beason with their second pick.
Or Leon Hall.

[patmoran2006]

If they draft Leon Hall, i hope he can buy about 20,000 tickets for each home game; because by week 4 that'll be minimum how many seats are left.

Leon ****in Hall..... any CB.. sigh

[camelcowboy]

:monkeyp: hall

[DMBcrew36]

Crowell is definitely our best LB right now.

[Don't Panic]

There's no way in hell that they'll draft Willis.

And if they're not, there's a great chance he's the pick. That determination (where to put Crowell) will have a lot to do with who the pick is.

[The Answer]

There's no way in hell that they'll draft Willis.

The Answer isn't 100% sold on Crowell - so don't be so sure the Bills don't make a move for a LB on day one.

~The Answer

[gr8slayer]

I still think we need to draft Lynch no matter what.

[jamesiscool]

The Answer isn't 100% sold on Crowell - so don't be so sure the Bills don't make a move for a LB on day one.

~The Answer

yea cuz he hasnt been our best lb for a while. any moving him back to his natural positiion would only make matter worse...... please


THE JAMES

[Mr. Miyagi]

Or Leon Hall.
I can already hear this:

"HALL BALL BABY!"

:rofl:

[Jan Reimers]

I think the talk of putting Crowell at MLB is kind of hedging our bets, or giving us maximum flexibility in the draft. We don't really have anyone there with Fletch gone, and we're not sure how the draft will shake out, so Crowell's name gets penciled in - for now.

If we get a "can't miss" RB or DT - or both - early on day one, and the best remaining LB is an outside guy, Crowell really does move to the middle. If Willis is the BPA at a position of need at 12, we take him and Crowell stays on the outside.

But we take a LB with one of our first 3 picks, regardless.

[OpIv37]

I think Jan got it right, and in fact if Willis is on the board I think he HAS to be the pick. While we desperately need DT help, I don't think any DT in this draft will have an immediate impact, and RB talent can be found later.

[ShadowHawk7]

There's no way in hell that they'll draft Willis.
I said this before, but the Bills drafted him as a OLB. Why switch his position for the third consecutive year? Why not keep him at his best position and grab the best LB in the draft in Willis.

Even if Spikes doesn't return to form or is traded we have respectability in Ellison-Willis-Crowell.
At best (Spikes returns to form) We still need one more LB
At worst (Spikes doesn't) We need 2 more starting LBs
Drafting Willis should put us in the best possible scenario in either case.

Beason and Alexander are fine alternatives if Peterson is there, but Crowell will be less effective in the middle and thus make Spikes/Ellison and our draft pick less effective as well.
Because of that, I think Willis puts us in the best situation unless Peterson is available.

[Michael82]

It's going to be Posluszny just for patmoran! :snicker:

[Earthquake Enyart]

It's going to be Posluszny just for patmoran! :snicker:
Round 1 Leon Hall
Round 2 Podluzny

[Michael82]

Round 1 Leon Hall
Round 2 Podluzny
patmoran would jump off the Peace Bridge before day 1 of the draft is over. :lmao:

Or else he'd drive to One Bills Drive and open fire. :scared:

[Tatonka]

I think IF they're truly sold (not smokescreen) with Crowell at MLB: then they will draft either Okoye or LYnch in the first round and take a OLB like Rufus Alexander or Jon Beason with their second pick.

i think your assuming spikes wont be around?

because if not, why would you think they dont have confidence in ellison? i mean i guess you could spend your 2nd round pick on a LB to be TKOs replacement? but that means that we have a 2nd round pick that wont see the field unless someone gets hurt.

[Tatonka]

And if they're not, there's a great chance he's the pick. That determination (where to put Crowell) will have a lot to do with who the pick is.

that is a possibility..

they may wait till after the draft to make the FINAL determinate on where to put crowell, considering he can play all three spots.

[Jan Reimers]

patmoran would jump off the Peace Bridge before day 1 of the draft is over. :lmao:

Another good reason to draft a CB.

j/k, pat.

[HHURRICANE]

Round 1 Leon Hall
Round 2 Podluzny

If this happens I'm starting the first "Marv must go thread". This is a mistake all the way around.

Willis, Lynch, maybe Okoye just because he's a speciman and smart. But please God not Leon Hall or Poluszny.

Poluszny wants to follow in the footsteps of Shane Conlan. Didn''t we get like 2 good years out of him?

[Don't Panic]

that is a possibility..

they may wait till after the draft to make the FINAL determinate on where to put crowell, considering he can play all three spots.

Crowell has the flexibility to play all 3 spots, but Ellison and Spikes are strictly OLBs in this system. That means we have two guys thta can play either OLB spot and one who can play MLB. That logic has always driven me towards Willis, but it obviously is far from a sure thing.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

I think the talk of putting Crowell at MLB is kind of hedging our bets, or giving us maximum flexibility in the draft. We don't really have anyone there with Fletch gone, and we're not sure how the draft will shake out, so Crowell's name gets penciled in - for now.

If we get a "can't miss" RB or DT - or both - early on day one, and the best remaining LB is an outside guy, Crowell really does move to the middle. If Willis is the BPA at a position of need at 12, we take him and Crowell stays on the outside.

But we take a LB with one of our first 3 picks, regardless.

Great post, Jan. I totally agree.

I think it really depends on whether Okoye/Branch is still on the board and whether they see Lynch as a "can't miss" RB that they cannot afford to pass up.

If one of the two DTs is still on the board, I can't see them taking anyone else. With the state of their run defense and depth of this draft at LB, I just don't see how they could pass on Okoye or Branch (who I think will go earlier).

If they're both gone, I think it comes down to Lynch vs Willis. If they love Lynch, then I see them taking a LB in Round 2--BPA on their board will determine whether it is an MLB or OLB (Siler/Harris vs Beason/Alexander/Everett), with the DT coming later. If they aren't sold on Lynch, I think that they will figure that helping their run defense and preparing for Spikes' departure (via trade before the season starts or next year) is more important and that they can get a decent RB in Round 2 or 3.

With Hall having struggled as much as he did against top competition and already having Youboty, I doubt that they will go with a CB at # 12. If the DTs are gone and they aren't sold on Lynch or Willis, I could see them trading down and taking a CB late in the first round perhaps (or taking an OLB late 1st and CB early in the 2nd Round)--picking up another 1st day pick to use on a TE or WR later in the day. But, I see this as being a less likely scenario (possible, but not as likely).

I think Jan is right, though: Crowell gives the Bills maximum flexibility in a draft that is looking like it is going to be very fluid and where the Bills are going to have to be flexible in how they respond to what the other teams do.

[Don't Panic]

I bet they pass on Branch, even if he's there... his description as a guy who takes plays off seems to go against the Marvosophy.

[Earthquake Enyart]

I bet they pass on Branch, even if he's there... his description as a guy who takes plays off seems to go against the Marvosophy.
They say Branch looked out of shape at the Michigan Pro day. :fat:

[tonyc37]

First things first.How can anyone be sold on Crowell at MLB.He's never played the position and to be honest with you I have my doubts as to wether he can.Second Okoye or Branch would be an upgrade over Williams and Anderson.These guys played on a bad D last year and were average at best.Williams can be a good back up,but not starting material if you want your D to be better.

[Tatonka]

I think the talk of putting Crowell at MLB is kind of hedging our bets, or giving us maximum flexibility in the draft. We don't really have anyone there with Fletch gone, and we're not sure how the draft will shake out, so Crowell's name gets penciled in - for now.



crowell is and always has been a MLB.. he only moved outside becuase of TKOs injury.. then once he got on the field, it was clear we could not put him back behind fletcher.. it wasnt like we were going to move fletch, so crowell moved around from WLB to SLB.. but he played MLB in college and was the MLB back up for 2 years.

[Tatonka]

by the way.. crowell has been the only LB on the field from time to time when we have been in the dime... playing MLB, even when fletch was here.