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Alright, this is going to be a long post, so I'll shorten it as best as I can. There's a scout on another board who put down some notes from the combine (he was there in place of someone else).
I asked him about the Bills, if he had any info there and he gave me A LOT of stuff. Not a lot of it is new, but some confirmation of various things. And I should note that he talked to the Buffalo Bills' scouts, who don't always have that much influence, so TIFWIW. There's more info about this poster in my post here: Burfict notes.
I'll go ahead and reiterate - this is stuff he got from Buffalo scouts, and like we know, they don't have final say or anything. It's also a lot that has already been discussed. Just trying to provide as much info as possible.
Here we go:
-- First of all, they like the chance Buffalo has to contend next year. Miami transitioning, Jets on the downhill slide, Pats having a poor defense, etc. There is a window they think the Bills can take advantage of if they stay healthy and have a good offseason. He said it's always a bad idea that if you have issues on one side of the ball (Miami's offense) to go ahead and change the other side of the ball.
-- They can't go for RGIII - too much cost (yes, I know this has been said before, just part of the info).
-- They're keeping an eye on many positions (rush LB's, WR, TE, developmental QB, DE, CB), but the main priority is getting pressure on the QB.
-- Don't think Bell will be re-signed. If he isn't, look for OT in first 3 rounds.
-- Looking at Coples, Upshaw in first. Bills were actually glad Upshaw had a bad combine, because if he blew up then he wouldn't be there at 10. This guy doesn't think Coples will be there at 10.
-- (This is the opinion of the scout I talked to, not Buffalo scouts) - there will be no LT or CB worth the pick at 10, including Kirkpatrick. He mentioned character problems for Kirkpatrick and Janoris Jenkins. He also said Kirkpatrick did well in interviews though.
-- The scouts spoke highly of Mercilus. Not so highly of our own David Nelson (say we need receivers badly).
-- Keep an eye on Michael Floyd. Scouts didn't specifically say anything, but he got the impression that was because they were being guarded about him - they smiled and kept quiet when Floyd came up. He said to watch for the Floyd talk to increase. Might also be because they want a team to trade up for him and thus move down in the process.
-- (This is the opinion of the scout I talked to, not Buffalo scouts) - he has concerns about Upshaw playing DE. He thinks the best thing for Buffalo to do is take Floyd or trade down. From his conversation, he believes the scouts would agree, but since they have no final say, he cautioned that's not necessarily what they will do.
-- He listed some names of guys Buffalo scouts have their eye on in the second round: Gilmore (DB), Dennard (DB), Allen (TE), Charles (TE), Hill (WR), Sanu (WR), Jeffery (WR). He couldn't remember the LT names they gave him, but he thought Sanders was the only one who might be there and worth the pick. For DE's, he said the names they gave him (like Mercilus) either won't be there in the second or aren't worth the pick. Doesn't think Buffalo will go DE in the second, as the value just isn't there.
As I've been saying, take it for what it's worth. Just chatter among scouts, it seems.
One other story he told was pretty funny. I'll just quote it:
I asked him about the Bills, if he had any info there and he gave me A LOT of stuff. Not a lot of it is new, but some confirmation of various things. And I should note that he talked to the Buffalo Bills' scouts, who don't always have that much influence, so TIFWIW. There's more info about this poster in my post here: Burfict notes.
I'll go ahead and reiterate - this is stuff he got from Buffalo scouts, and like we know, they don't have final say or anything. It's also a lot that has already been discussed. Just trying to provide as much info as possible.
Here we go:
-- First of all, they like the chance Buffalo has to contend next year. Miami transitioning, Jets on the downhill slide, Pats having a poor defense, etc. There is a window they think the Bills can take advantage of if they stay healthy and have a good offseason. He said it's always a bad idea that if you have issues on one side of the ball (Miami's offense) to go ahead and change the other side of the ball.
-- They can't go for RGIII - too much cost (yes, I know this has been said before, just part of the info).
-- They're keeping an eye on many positions (rush LB's, WR, TE, developmental QB, DE, CB), but the main priority is getting pressure on the QB.
-- Don't think Bell will be re-signed. If he isn't, look for OT in first 3 rounds.
-- Looking at Coples, Upshaw in first. Bills were actually glad Upshaw had a bad combine, because if he blew up then he wouldn't be there at 10. This guy doesn't think Coples will be there at 10.
-- (This is the opinion of the scout I talked to, not Buffalo scouts) - there will be no LT or CB worth the pick at 10, including Kirkpatrick. He mentioned character problems for Kirkpatrick and Janoris Jenkins. He also said Kirkpatrick did well in interviews though.
-- The scouts spoke highly of Mercilus. Not so highly of our own David Nelson (say we need receivers badly).
-- Keep an eye on Michael Floyd. Scouts didn't specifically say anything, but he got the impression that was because they were being guarded about him - they smiled and kept quiet when Floyd came up. He said to watch for the Floyd talk to increase. Might also be because they want a team to trade up for him and thus move down in the process.
-- (This is the opinion of the scout I talked to, not Buffalo scouts) - he has concerns about Upshaw playing DE. He thinks the best thing for Buffalo to do is take Floyd or trade down. From his conversation, he believes the scouts would agree, but since they have no final say, he cautioned that's not necessarily what they will do.
-- He listed some names of guys Buffalo scouts have their eye on in the second round: Gilmore (DB), Dennard (DB), Allen (TE), Charles (TE), Hill (WR), Sanu (WR), Jeffery (WR). He couldn't remember the LT names they gave him, but he thought Sanders was the only one who might be there and worth the pick. For DE's, he said the names they gave him (like Mercilus) either won't be there in the second or aren't worth the pick. Doesn't think Buffalo will go DE in the second, as the value just isn't there.
As I've been saying, take it for what it's worth. Just chatter among scouts, it seems.
One other story he told was pretty funny. I'll just quote it:
Crap! Forgot my favorite story! This happened a few years ago. OK- So one day I see Todd McShay there. He wasn’t even there for the whole combine; I bet he doesn’t tell the viewers of espn that. Anyway, so I see Todd with a bunch of scouts and one GM! They are talking and Todd has his notebook out and he’s writing down everything they say. He’s nodding his head repeatedly and writing real quickly. I step closer to hear what they are saying. And they are saying things like, “oh yeah, we love PLAYER X, we think he might go first round, early-second easy.” Or “PLAYER Y, everything thinks he’ll go first round but he won’t. He’ll go fourth round for… enter reason.” So I’m listening and this doesn’t at all give with what I have down or believe. I’m like what the hell are thee talking about? So after Todd leaves I approach the GM, who I know from other occasions. I go, “Sir, what the heck? Do you know something I don’t?” The GM and the scouts were cracking up and he said, “No, we were just F ing with him!” And they started betting on whether Todd would use this “insider information” on TV. Hilarious. They’d never do that to Mel or Mike, but Todd…. Yep. : )
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