We have to go Tackle in the 1st round...

[Beastie Bills]

Everybody may not agree on the order, but I think most of us will agree that our four biggest needs are:

OT
QB
DT/DE
LB

I've said that I want a Tackle in the 1st round, but after yesterdays game, I'm to the point where I'll be pretty pissed if we draft anything else. We need a QB, but it would be silly to stick a QB behind this line, and expect any different results than we've seen in recent years. We'll ruin that QB just like we ruined JP and Trent. If we are going to "blow it up" in the off-season, and get a new GM and coaching staff, we'll be rebuilding the team as well. That starts with the OLine (unless a Peyton-like QB is available, which isn't the case).

Regarding the defense, I don't think that is as pressing of a need. Even with all the injuries, our defense is still playing well. We just held Tom Brady to his worst game in years (11/23, 115 yards). Our run-defense was good yesterday too (about 3.2 yards per carry, I believe). Obviously, we still need some DLine help, to shore-up the run-D, and pressure the QB. I'd also like to get another LB (or two) to help Poz. But, in my opinion, Tackle is our biggest need. It doesn't matter who the QB is, if they are going to be on their back all day. The Pats were without their two best D-Linemen yesterday, and they still racked up like 6 sacks.


You can start bashing me now....

[yordad]

The line did looked FUBAR yesterday, but if they can add one FA LT, and get healthy, it isn't really that bad.

[Mike in Syracuse]

There are so many holes on this team it's difficult to decide what our biggest need is.

I'll vote for GM. Can we draft a GM?

[Beastie Bills]

The line did looked FUBAR yesterday, but if they can add one FA LT, and get healthy, it isn't really that bad.

We need two tackles. And I've said this before, but if a linemen is a free agent, he sucks, 9 out of 10 times. Good linemen are rare, so teams don't just let good linemen walk (except for the Bills, of course).

I feel like, as fans, we've been terrified of drafting a Tackle early, because of Mike Williams. But they don't all have to be busts. Look at Oher (who I wanted at 11 last year, reach or no reach).

[Mahdi]

Everybody may not agree on the order, but I think most of us will agree that our four biggest needs are:

OT
QB
DT/DE
LB

I've said that I want a Tackle in the 1st round, but after yesterdays game, I'm to the point where I'll be pretty pissed if we draft anything else. We need a QB, but it would be silly to stick a QB behind this line, and expect any different results than we've seen in recent years. We'll ruin that QB just like we ruined JP and Trent. If we are going to "blow it up" in the off-season, and get a new GM and coaching staff, we'll be rebuilding the team as well. That starts with the OLine (unless a Peyton-like QB is available, which isn't the case).

Regarding the defense, I don't think that is as pressing of a need. Even with all the injuries, our defense is still playing well. We just held Tom Brady to his worst game in years (11/23, 115 yards). Our run-defense was good yesterday too (about 3.2 yards per carry, I believe). Obviously, we still need some DLine help, to shore-up the run-D, and pressure the QB. I'd also like to get another LB (or two) to help Poz. But, in my opinion, Tackle is our biggest need. It doesn't matter who the QB is, if they are going to be on their back all day. The Pats were without their two best D-Linemen yesterday, and they still racked up like 6 sacks.


You can start bashing me now....
There are really no musts. We have so many needs anyways. Some things will have to be taken care of in FA before heading into the draft.

Honestly, Im to the point now where I just want the BPA no matter who it is.

If we have to take Eric Berry then do it. Draft picks must work out if this team is going anywhere anytime soon.

[tampabay25690]

I think the Line will be that much better next year.
Injuries killed them and they will only get better.....
I still think after the 1st game vs New England this team just lost all morale going into the season....
We need to get that DEFENSE back to form...DT, LB, we need depth....You will not win in this league when u pick a guy up in free agency and he starts that week......

[Beastie Bills]

I saw one mock that had us taking Trent Williams - OT - from Oklahoma. Here was their write-up on him...

Don't expect this Williams to be like the one the Bills took in 2002. Trent Williams derives great pleasure in DOG plays. DOG stands for "Defender on Ground". His experience at Right and Left Tackle, and skill in both pass- and run-blocking, bodes well for the Bills' line.

I honestly don't know anything about him, because I've never seen him play. Does anybody know anything about this guy? Is he good?

[Mahdi]

I saw one mock that had us taking Trent Williams - OT - from Oklahoma. Here was their write-up on him...

Don't expect this Williams to be like the one the Bills took in 2002. Trent Williams derives great pleasure in DOG plays. DOG stands for "Defender on Ground". His experience at Right and Left Tackle, and skill in both pass- and run-blocking, bodes well for the Bills' line.

I honestly don't know anything about him, because I've never seen him play. Does anybody know anything about this guy? Is he good?
He was considered arguably the best OT going into the season but has fallen off. He hasn't played as well this year but he is still one of the best OTs coming out and a definite top 20 pick.

It's possible losing Bradford hurt his play.

[yordad]

We need two tackles. And I've said this before, but if a linemen is a free agent, he sucks, 9 out of 10 times. Good linemen are rare, so teams don't just let good linemen walk (except for the Bills, of course).Good thing we only need one, IMO.

[Forward_Lateral]

It depends where the Bills pick, and who's on the board when they pick. I could see this place having a conniption if a guy like Bryant is available and the Bills reach for a mid-to-late round grade OT.

[Forward_Lateral]

I disagree with needing 2 tackles, btw. Between all of the guys that played OT this season for the Bills, ONE of them has to be able to step up and take the RT spot next season.

[Historian]

Two tackles and pray Wood heals properly

[Beastie Bills]

Good thing we only need one, IMO.

Who do we have at RT? Butler? I thought he was very good a Guard, but unimpressive at Tackle. Maybe move him back to Guard, and play Levitre at Tackle.

But who were you thinking was good enough to count on as a starter at Tackle in 2010?

[Mahdi]

Who do we have at RT? Butler? I thought he was very good a Guard, but unimpressive at Tackle. Maybe move him back to Guard, and play Levitre at Tackle.

But who were you thinking was good enough to count on as a starter at Tackle in 2010?
Other way around. Butler was very good at RT. He was an average guard and a weak run blocker inside. Way too tall to be a G.

[Forward_Lateral]

Bell is another one who's more than capable.

[baalworship]

All your assumptions are based on the lineup you saw yesterday? You do recall that we our currently playing 6th and 7th stringers.

If Demetrius Bell, Brad Butler, Jamon Meredith (who is raw but looked better than the guys in there currently) our added it's a different story. Also, I still remember how good the young line we had looked prior to the injuries. The issue was this team had zero depth, not that our starters were that bad.

I am a big believer in building the o-line and d-line early in the draft but we can't just pick a position based on need. This team has so little top end talent that bringing in a star should be a bigger priority.

[Beastie Bills]

All your assumptions are based on the lineup you saw yesterday? You do recall that we our currently playing 6th and 7th stringers.

I understand that. But I've felt, all season, that our line has looked pretty bad. Pass protection was decent to start the season, but out run blocking has been terrible all year.

[kernowboy]

The fundamental weakness on the line is LT. Not only does Bell lack experience he also lacks strength and also a nasty demeanour.

If we face an uncapped year, there will be no starting LT in Free Agency. Even if a deal occurs, I very much doubt the only current UFA McNeill will be let loose by the Chargers and even then could we get involved in a bidding war? People like Alex Barron have been mentioned but the point is to upgrade over Bell, not swap like for like.

If we get a GM like DeCosta I see us building in the draft. There are no guarantees in Free Agency and even the Pats have had as many busts as successes here.

I think we need a 4th DT for the rotation, a DE, a MLB and likely a WLB. We probably need a WR with Owens and Reed probably leaving and maybe a RB to get value from trading Lynch. This is not even to begin mentioning getting a QB. We have our own 7 picks, plus a possible 5th rounder from Detroit for the Simpson trade, and a 6th from Philadelphia for Peters. So looking at the roster, and how we can upgrade we are looking at

LT 1st - little will be available in Free Agency
DT 2nd - a deep class for DTs so we might get 1st round quality
MLB 3rd - someone like Sean Lee will fall after injury
WR 4th - not a deep class but Naaman Roosevelt might help
DE/DT 5th - a lineman to push Ellis and/or depth behind our LE
WLB 6th - a WLB prospect to replace Ellison/Mitchell?
QB 6th/7th - a development prospect who slides
RB 5th - James Starks could make Lynch valuable
FB ? - if the new HC is serious about running the ball


If we switch to 3-4 then the WLB becomes an OLB need

In 2011, if we can get a 2nd for Lynch from a team desperate for a RB in pre-season, we'll have

R1
R2
R2
R3

And this should allow us to look at franchise QB if Brohm doesn’t step up and a SS to replace FA Whitner

[The Juice Is Loose]

There are really no musts. We have so many needs anyways. Some things will have to be taken care of in FA before heading into the draft.

Honestly, Im to the point now where I just want the BPA no matter who it is.

If we have to take Eric Berry then do it. Draft picks must work out if this team is going anywhere anytime soon.

Is that you, Marv? Do you really want to waste another top 10 pick on a safety, when we already have Bryd and ****ner? That's dumb. Don't give me negative rep just for dissagreeing with you, I'm doing so politely.

[The Juice Is Loose]

It seems easy to me. We'll be picking 5th after we lose the rest of our games. Here is what it SHOULD look like next year!

LT - Okung
LG - Levitre
C - Hangarter, then Wood when he's healthy. Its his natural position.
RG - Incognito
RT - Compete between Butler/Bell/ and a servicable mid range vet added in FA.

Is there anybody that would feel like our line sucked if it looked like that? Unless Okung is Mike Williams 2, I think that could be a good lineup.

[Jan Reimers]

Almost everyone forgets that our O-line is now made up of 2 opening day starters (one a rookie) and three guys who seem to change by the week. A healthy Wood gives us good interior - with Levitre and Han - and Butler was playing well at RT before his injury. Bell has potential and we have capable backups.

Wood and Levitre will mature, and Bell and Butler can battle for RT. Because we have so many other needs, I think one stud LT will solidify this line.

[Mahdi]

Is that you, Marv? Do you really want to waste another top 10 pick on a safety, when we already have Bryd and ****ner? That's dumb. Don't give me negative rep just for dissagreeing with you, I'm doing so politely.
Whitner was not the BPA when we drafted him. That would have been Ngata. If in the next draft we choose Trent Williams over Eric Berry that would be Marv-ish.

Ive been on this site for 5 and a half years and I've never negged anyone, so don't worry.

[yordad]

Who do we have at RT? Butler? I thought he was very good a Guard, but unimpressive at Tackle. Maybe move him back to Guard, and play Levitre at Tackle.

But who were you thinking was good enough to count on as a starter at Tackle in 2010?I think we have like 4 or 5. Chambers is not one of them though.

[The Juice Is Loose]

Whitner was not the BPA when we drafted him. That would have been Ngata. If in the next draft we choose Trent Williams over Eric Berry that would be Marv-ish.

Ive been on this site for 5 and a half years and I've never negged anyone, so don't worry.

Huff was supposed to be the man. He's sucked. Its virtually impossible for a safety to live up to a Top 10 billing.

If we draft a safety, we'll be hiring another new coach and GM in 3 years.

[ddaryl]

The line did looked FUBAR yesterday, but if they can add one FA LT, and get healthy, it isn't really that bad.


With the 2010 rule changes I don't forsee any real option LT's becoming available at all.

6 years to be a UFA in 2010

All teams get 2 tags in 2010

[Mahdi]

Huff was supposed to be the man. He's sucked. Its virtually impossible for a safety to live up to a Top 10 billing.

If we draft a safety, we'll be hiring another new coach and GM in 3 years.
Sean Taylor lived up to his top 5 selection. Ed Reed had he been selected in the top 10 would have been a great pick too.

Either way, I am not necessarily hoping for Berry. We do have bigger needs, but if we are in the same position again with a top 10 talent available and we pass him up for a high potential guy that fills a need we will never win.

My hope is that we land Bradford, Okung, Suh, Terrance Cody, Derrick Morgan, Clausen or Bryant. Maybe Colt McCoy depending on how he looks against Bama which is a good measure and the combine.

[TigerJ]

Any team that goes into a draft feeling like they have to do a certain thing in the first round is asking for trouble. They may get lucky and find a player at the position of need who also represents good value, but they may not. If they pick a player at that position anyway, they are going to overpay, and they increase the chances they will be disappointed in his play on the field. I think there is a very good chance the Bills pick an offensive tackle in round one, but no, they don't have to.

[DraftBoy]

Its pretty simple. Take the top guy on your Big Board in every round.

[Nighthawk]

My take is that you take Best Player Available...if it is the right thing for the team.

[DraftBoy]

My take is that you take Best Player Available...if it is the right thing for the team.

Its always a good idea to get better, and unless you think we are set at any position other than punter and LS, we can use to get better.

[kernowboy]

There are however some position which demand that we value those players higher simply due to acute need.

Left Tackle is one of them.

[TacklingDummy]

QB has been the Bills biggest need the past 10 years and still is.

[yordad]

Its pretty simple. Take the top guy on your Big Board in every round. It isn't that simple. With this theory, we could literally be drafting a CB/DB in every round.

[DraftBoy]

With this theory, we could literally be drafting a CB in every round.

Not really...we are set with McKelvin and only need to take a CB if the one of the board is better or projects better than McGee since we have ample depth there.

It works the way you see it, if you choose to twist the theory, and believe it to be something that it actually isn't.

[yordad]

Not really...we are set with McKelvin and only need to take a CB if the one of the board is better or projects better than McGee since we have ample depth there.

It works the way you see it, if you choose to twist the theory, and believe it to be something that it actually isn't.OMG Dude, you are the one twisting you own "simple" theory right now!

Now you are comparing your BPA to the roster? How is that BPA? You seem to be looking to fill a hole and drafting based on need with your current evolving explanation.

[DrGraves]

ONLY if we sign vick.

[EDS]

Almost everyone forgets that our O-line is now made up of 2 opening day starters (one a rookie) and three guys who seem to change by the week. A healthy Wood gives us good interior - with Levitre and Han - and Butler was playing well at RT before his injury. Bell has potential and we have capable backups.

Wood and Levitre will mature, and Bell and Butler can battle for RT. Because we have so many other needs, I think one stud LT will solidify this line.

If only getting a stud LT was so easy. That said, I agree with you that the team will need to rely on the development of players currently on the team to fill out the balance of the line. To many other needs to address. Obviously if Wood, Levitre and company do not develop then we have bigger problems.

[HHURRICANE]

Classic Bills. We have to draft tackels after getting rid of two starting tackles because they were too much money.

This is why we continue to suck.

I hate Fitzpatrick but he's a decent backup behind a competant line. Hell, Edwards might be a good QB behind a decent line. Can you imagine what Jackson and Lynch would look like behind a decent line?

[superbills]

Wanna know what our biggest need is? It's not a player. It's not a head coach or GM. It's a strength and conditioning coach that knows what the F%c& he is doing and sets up a program for our players so that the turnstile to IR isn't running full-tilt.

Ever since we let Rusty Jones go we've been plagued with weird and recurring injuries. Coincidence? I think not. And to think that we were less injury-prone when our home field was basically green pavement; that just makes the need so much more obvious. Whoever the new GM is the training staff needs to be re-evaluated and some higher-caliber conditioning folks need to be brought in here to put an end to our all-infirmary team.

[HHURRICANE]

Wanna know what our biggest need is? It's not a player. It's not a head coach or GM. It's a strength and conditioning coach that knows what the F%c& he is doing and sets up a program for our players so that the turnstile to IR isn't running full-tilt.

Ever since we let Rusty Jones go we've been plagued with weird and recurring injuries. Coincidence? I think not. And to think that we were less injury-prone when our home field was basically green pavement; that just makes the need so much more obvious. Whoever the new GM is the training staff needs to be re-evaluated and some higher-caliber conditioning folks need to be brought in here to put an end to our all-infirmary team.

You are going to piss people off with this but I couldn't agree more. We have the most people on IR I beleive the last 2 of 3 years but it's just bad luck. Give me a break.

[EDS]

Not really...we are set with McKelvin and only need to take a CB if the one of the board is better or projects better than McGee since we have ample depth there.

It works the way you see it, if you choose to twist the theory, and believe it to be something that it actually isn't.

What you are proposing above is not "best player available" it factors need into the equation. If the theory was to draft best player available always, then there is a chance, albeit slim, that the best player available is in each instance a corner, and you would draft such corner even if you had two all pros already on the roster.

[yordad]

What you are proposing above is not "best player available" it factors need into the equation. If the theory was to draft best player available always, then there is a chance, albeit slim, that the best player available is in each instance a corner, and you would draft such corner even if you had two all pros already on the roster.Agreed, but I just said that.

[Bill Cody]

Its pretty simple. Take the top guy on your Big Board in every round.

No