I have a feeling after today, we will only have 2 needs.

[Mitchell55]

We got Stroud and Johnson and Mitchell. In my opinion theres a good chance we will be able to get Johnson and Troupe. So we should only have 2 needs after today. CB, and C. This will mean we could take big gambles in the draft. Like trade up from 11 and see if we could get Gholston. I like the way this offseason looks.

[Mitchy moo]

A Plan.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Our depth is still pretty good, with all these players coming back from injury. If we trade JP we'll still need a backup QB too. Maybe pick up someone from FA.

[Night Train]

CB
C
#2 WR
#2 QB
TE
FB


Hmm. I'm counting more than 2.

[camelcowboy]

CB
C
#2 WR
#2 QB
TE
FB


Hmm. I'm counting more than 2. I think he was trying to say that if we sign Troupe and Johnson today we'll only have two needs.

[Mitchell55]

CB
C
#2 WR
#2 QB
TE
FB


Hmm. I'm counting more than 2.



Did you even read what I wrote?? Also a #2 QB isnt a NEED. Its not a position that we will go out and pay big money to get, same with FB.

[Mr. Miyagi]

FB is hardly a need. Plus Lorenzo Neal is still available for next to nothing.

[jimbohastle51]

i dont know about trading up, but you can deffinatly tell that russ brandon is a young guy and is going to be VERY active in bringing in players and helping our team. i mean wow his first year in charge and he's trading for franchise players like stroud, taking a gamble on a very good young up and coming player in spencer johnson, and signing away the best OLB (besides briggs) in free agency in mitchell. i have to hand it too him, this guy really wants to win here! i deffinatly dont think we are done in free agency yet. your right about the need for a CB and C i wouldnt be surprised over the next day or 2 if we lock up a WR And a TE through free agency, you can get a good cover 2 CB in the 2nd and 3rd round in this draft, and there are only 2 real good centers in the draft this year, steve justice, and that pollack kid from arizona state.

[Night Train]

Did you even read what I wrote??

NOPE !

[clumping platelets]

We still need

1a) True #2 WR
1b) Bigger, physical CB
3) TE
4) C of the future
5) FB
6) depth at LB, S, G/T

[LifetimeBillsFan]

Scratch center and FB off of that list.

The Bills like Fowler and want to establish some continuity with their offensive line, they are not going to spend the kind of money necessary to bring in a center in free agency (Mike Flynn) who is good enough to replace Fowler. At best, they may draft a center in the middle rounds (there isn't really a center good enough for higher than a 3rd round pick in the draft) or bring in a lower-tier FA who can play center as well as OG to challenge D.Preston. Sorry, but barring injury, Fowler will be the Bills starting center on Opening Day of the season.

And, the Bills didn't sign D.Barnes for no reason--they signed him to be their blocking FB. They may bring in the FB from Atlanta that is supposed to visit--to back Barnes up and play a big role on STs. Or, they may draft a FB in the later rounds of the draft (they no longer have the extra picks to allow them to spend one high enough to get Schmitt). But, the odds of them spending the kind of money that it would take to get a Kreider, Neal or Richardson, when they have a decent blocker like Barnes who is younger and has less wear-and-tear on him, are very slim indeed. I will go so far out on a limb as to say that the only way that the Bills bring in one of those three higher-profile FBs is if the Bills don't draft a FB or sign the kid from Atlanta and one of them is sitting out there unemployed and willing to sign for relative peanuts after the first set of OTAs are over.

A TE, a DE, a # 2 WR, or a CB--those are positions that I could see the Bills spending some money on to upgrade at this point in free agency. And, definitely a back-up QB once they get JP Losman off the books (if they can do that). But, not C or FB. Especially if they want to leave enough room to extend Evans and perhaps talk with Crowell about extending his deal as well.

[VeggieMan14]

We got Stroud and Johnson and Mitchell. In my opinion theres a good chance we will be able to get Johnson and Troupe. So we should only have 2 needs after today. CB, and C. This will mean we could take big gambles in the draft. Like trade up from 11 and see if we could get Gholston. I like the way this offseason looks. Wait we got Johnson????

[YardRat]

We still have plenty of needs, even if Johnson and Troupe sign today.

If we do land those two, I'd be pretty comfortable heading into the draft...If we don't we need to keep working on upgrades.

[venis2k1]

Also a #2 QB isnt a NEED.


That might be the single stupidest thing anyone has ever said on this board.

A vet backup at QB is this teams biggest need if we move losman. Trent Edwards has played 1 healthy season in his last 5. Thats 4 of the past 5 years he has missed games due to injury. I cant stress this enough, to assume TE will be healthy all year is not reasonable. Trends predict otherwise. Lets say its Dec, we are in the playoff race, Edwards goes down, are you telling me the guy that replaces him for our final few games dosent matter? Or worse yet, A season ending preseason injury happens, do you really want to watch Ken Dorsey leading your bills for 16 games??

[jimbohastle51]

Scratch center and FB off of that list.

The Bills like Fowler and want to establish some continuity with their offensive line, they are not going to spend the kind of money necessary to bring in a center in free agency (Mike Flynn) who is good enough to replace Fowler. At best, they may draft a center in the middle rounds (there isn't really a center good enough for higher than a 3rd round pick in the draft) or bring in a lower-tier FA who can play center as well as OG to challenge D.Preston. Sorry, but barring injury, Fowler will be the Bills starting center on Opening Day of the season.

And, the Bills didn't sign D.Barnes for no reason--they signed him to be their blocking FB. They may bring in the FB from Atlanta that is supposed to visit--to back Barnes up and play a big role on STs. Or, they may draft a FB in the later rounds of the draft (they no longer have the extra picks to allow them to spend one high enough to get Schmitt). But, the odds of them spending the kind of money that it would take to get a Kreider, Neal or Richardson, when they have a decent blocker like Barnes who is younger and has less wear-and-tear on him, are very slim indeed. I will go so far out on a limb as to say that the only way that the Bills bring in one of those three higher-profile FBs is if the Bills don't draft a FB or sign the kid from Atlanta and one of them is sitting out there unemployed and willing to sign for relative peanuts after the first set of OTAs are over.

A TE, a DE, a # 2 WR, or a CB--those are positions that I could see the Bills spending some money on to upgrade at this point in free agency. And, definitely a back-up QB once they get JP Losman off the books (if they can do that). But, not C or FB. Especially if they want to leave enough room to extend Evans and perhaps talk with Crowell about extending his deal as well.

very true, we have too much money in our offensive line right now, and peters will probably get more money after this year if it is anything like last, if he has another pro bowl year theres no way he wont want a raise. and with dockery and walker the only way i see fowler not being our center is if we draft one in the 3rd or 4rh round. also your right barnes is a starting fullback in the NFL, the only way i see him not being our starter is if we got lucky and draft owen shmit (however it is spelled) i just dont see us signing another FB i know we have a visit scheduled but remember that kid out of atlanta is a RFA and would cost us a draft pick, i think barnes is the guy, and especially if we sign johnson from arizona, or trade for roy williams. johnson will not want the wilford deal 13 million. he wants the jerry porter deal 30million. though a 3rd reciever the guy has caught over 40 passes each year as a slot reciever and we gave roscoe parrish a big extension so i dont see us paying a new reciever and then dumping more money into a fullback when we need a TE so bad.

[DrGraves]

the bills hardly ever lineup a fullback anyways... or maybe thats because we don't have one?

[mikemac2001]

Wait we got Johnson????


Think he meant that DT spencer johnson i believe

[kernowboy]

I see it like this

No2 WR - even if we bring Bryant Johnson is, we'll still draft a guy IMO probably in R3, but the concern is Johnson will ask too much. We've done well so far, BUT we have not overpaid. Hackett could be an easier signing.

TE - we can possibly bring in Ben Troupe, but in that case, I'd imagine we'll wait until R4 for a TE - someone like Kellen Davis and John Carlson.

DL - as we have ends in Schobel, Kelsay and Denney I would be shocked if we drafted an End in Round 1. Our ends will automatically be better with a better interior. I could see a DT be drafted to replace Williams and complete the rotation especially as Stroud is still a doubt for going the whole season and there will be top players in R2. Gholston is more a 3-4 guy and with the Jets, Pats and Ravens ahead of us we should not waste draft picks on a No1 who will not be starting unlike a CB who almost certainly will.

CB - correspondinly with CB being so expensive in FA, and with only Greer, McGee and Youboty, the No1 selection should go here ... it will give us 4years of decent play - DRC would be my choice here.

C - we'll continue with Fowler, but I think the massive C out of Georgia, Fernando Velasco will get a long look. He's 30lbs heavier than Pollack and Justice and won't get push around by NTs. He'll probably be there in R5.

FB - I totally disagree. We might have brought in Barnes, but we would even be speaking to McIntyre of the Falcons if we didn't think this position could be upgraded. Its not a priority but I would be disappointed if we didn't approach Kreider, a far superior FB to Barnes. I think the Falcons can match but there is no pick compensation because he was undrafted.

[VeggieMan14]

Think he meant that DT spencer johnson i believeOIC