Bills' RB status - think they'll draft one?

[stuckincincy]

That draft site "Draft Tek" has them selecting OSU's Carlos Hyde at #73 in the 3rd. IMO that's a goofy site, but we always chatter about Freddie getting older and there is the thumbs up/thumbs down yak about Spiller, and nagging injuries to both.

Hyde had a nice season, but he did line up next to a very good rushing qb - Braxton Miller - a fact that opposing defenses knew well.

So - any rb draft candidates come to mind that would be a fit for BUF? What round?

http://www.drafttek.com/2014-NFL-Mock-Draft-Round3.asp

[The Jokeman]

Re: Bills' RB status - think they'll draft one?

That draft site "Draft Tek" has them selecting OSU's Carlos Hyde at #73 in the 3rd. IMO that's a goofy site, but we always chatter about Freddie getting older and there is the thumbs up/thumbs down yak about Spiller, and nagging injuries to both.

Hyde had a nice season, but he did line up next to a very good rushing qb - Braxton Miller - a fact that opposing defenses knew well.

So - any rb draft candidates come to mind that would be a fit for BUF? What round?


http://www.drafttek.com/2014-NFL-Mock-Draft-Round3.asp

I don't think a RB is really worth drafting only because we have two solid options. Granted both are due to be UFAs next year but odds are we could lock one up and then draft the other's replacement in next year's draft. Yet if we were to eye a RB I say no sooner than Round 5 is what I'd find acceptable. Jerome Smith because his ties to Syracuse has to be a name to consider but I really haven't studied RBs in the draft.

[stuckincincy]

Re: Bills' RB status - think they'll draft one?

I don't think a RB is really worth drafting only because we have two solid options. Granted both are due to be UFAs next year but odds are we could lock one up and then draft the other's replacement in next year's draft. Yet if we were to eye a RB I say no sooner than Round 5 is what I'd find acceptable. Jerome Smith because his ties to Syracuse has to be a name to consider but I really haven't studied RBs in the draft.

Thanks.

Auburn's Tre Mason got ink after they knocked off Alabama. But I agree...last year, the 1st rb was Giovanni to CIN, and that was the #37 pick for a club in need.

[BillsFever21]

Re: Bills' RB status - think they'll draft one?

If a good talent fell to the middle rounds I would grab one. Freddie only has so many good games left and I'm shocked he stayed on the field last season. Spiller is also in the last year of his contract and depending on what his demands are there's a good chance he may not be back.

At the worse we have our backup option to the Spiller/Jackson combo since neither of them are every down RB's and we rush the ball so often. If we do re-sign/tag Spiller then we possibly have somebody to split the carries with him after next year. If he leaves then at least we have a RB with a year under his belt that could probably step in and produce. Also neither of these guys are going to win any iron man awards and can easily miss time.

We rely too heavily on our running game not to be somewhat prepared for any of them scenarios and neither Jackson nor Spiller can carry the entire load. I would rather have some type of backup plan then be left looking to draft another RB high in the draft come 2015 if Spiller is on his way out of the door. If we could find a young option in free agency to maybe fill this role and avoid using a draft pick on a RB this year then even better.

[swiper]

Re: Bills' RB status - think they'll draft one?

Tre Mason in the 2nd round.

[stuckincincy]

Re: Bills' RB status - think they'll draft one?

If a good talent fell to the middle rounds I would grab one. Freddie only has so many good games left and I'm shocked he stayed on the field last season. Spiller is also in the last year of his contract and depending on what his demands are there's a good chance he may not be back.

At the worse we have our backup option to the Spiller/Jackson combo since neither of them are every down RB's and we rush the ball so often. If we do re-sign/tag Spiller then we possibly have somebody to split the carries with him after next year. If he leaves then at least we have a RB with a year under his belt that could probably step in and produce. Also neither of these guys are going to win any iron man awards and can easily miss time.

We rely too heavily on our running game not to be somewhat prepared for any of them scenarios and neither Jackson nor Spiller can carry the entire load. I would rather have some type of backup plan then be left looking to draft another RB high in the draft come 2015 if Spiller is on his way out of the door. If we could find a young option in free agency to maybe fill this role and avoid using a draft pick on a RB this year then even better.

Good post.

[JCBills]

Re: Bills' RB status - think they'll draft one?

I've looked at a few of the mid-late round power-type guys. There are some decent options, I wouldn't mind them spending a pick in the 4th or later if they don't think Wingo will do much.

[Night Train]

Re: Bills' RB status - think they'll draft one?

Hyde is $$ in 3rd and short situations and you feed him the ball anywhere near the goal line. Runs through and by would be tacklers. A runaway tank with speed.

It would allow Spiller to move to WR in many looks, ala Percy Harvin.

[YardRat]

Re: Bills' RB status - think they'll draft one?

Grice, Arizona State, 4th.
Neal, Tennessee, 6 or 7th.
Josey, Missouri, UDFA.

[BillsFever21]

Re: Bills' RB status - think they'll draft one?

I would look into re-signing Spiller before the draft so we know where we stand going into the NFL draft. I would offer him an extension similar to what Reggie Bush received which was a 4yr, 16 million dollar contract. I would offer him up to 4 years and 20-22 million at the very most(since he is younger then Bush) added on to the year he already has left. That's about the going rate for RB's nowadays unless you're talking an every down RB or Adrian Peterson which he isn't. If he doesn't like the deal then we either find a replacement for him or tag him for a year when his contract is up. By that time he would be 28 years old and RB's usually hit the wall around 30 anyway. It's not worth making a huge long-term investment in him.

He's explosive but he isn't an every down RB. His injury hindered him last season but he either doesn't fit the type of RB that Marrone wants or they just flat out didn't know how to use him. His average went down 1.4 ypc last season and his average reception went down 5.1 yards. He also went down from 71 first downs to 31 first downs last season.

Start seeing what the possibility of keeping him around is before the draft and then go from there. That contract won't seem much to him since it's about what his rookie contract was before incentives. That was before the rookie salary cap though and unless you're an every down RB that scores TD's in the Red Zone then that's all your value is really worth in today's NFL.

[YardRat]

Re: Bills' RB status - think they'll draft one?

Spiller's 'the coaching staff doesn't know how to use him' excuse has run it's coarse.

[jimmifli]

Re: Bills' RB status - think they'll draft one?

I want a mean slow inside runner. Rookie free agent, or late round pick is fine.

[TacklingDummy]

Re: Bills' RB status - think they'll draft one?

Yes.

[Meathead]

Re: Bills' RB status - think they'll draft one?

funny how the rb position has changed so much. it used to be that theyd get drafted high bc good ones were hard to find and they wore out fast. now nobody drafts them high and if you do you get burned (cleveland) and end up trading them in a fire sale. further, no name rbs are commonly getting good production and you can draft them late or get them as udfas. and even if you have a great one (pederson) it doesnt do you much good. it really does appear that the era of the great rb being the focus for a team is over

on the plus side, job opportunities for white rbs are at a level not seen since jim czonka started for the fish in their perfect season years. if it werent for mike alstott there wouldnt have been a white rb starter or even a primary platoon back for decades. now theres a bunch of them. in fact, im hoping we add a white rb in free agent bruiser toby gerhart

[ParanoidAndroid]

Re: Bills' RB status - think they'll draft one?

RB is one of the last positions to solidify in a rebuild. I wouldn't consider one until round 5 or 6. I'll wait on Derrick Henry if I want one early. Right now, there is only one truly dominant RB in the league and that's Adrian Peterson. There hasn't been another drafted since he was in 2007. Henry will be the next one.