The Buffalo Bills Biggest Question Mark Is ?

[BillsImpossible]

Offense - EJ Manuel is by far the biggest ? mark, I don't think anyone would disagree.

Defense - ?

Is this team going to be a 4-3 or a 3-4, or both? Sounds like both according to the Schwartz.

Secondary - Donnie Henderson did a great job last year. Williams, Searcy, Graham, Gilmore, McKelvin, Robey.

Linebackers - Brandon Spikes is only 26 years old, Kiko Alonso moving to weakside, Manny Lawson, Nigel Bradham, and Keith Rivers.

Defensive line - Alan Branch is 29 years old, Corbin Byrant, Stefan Charles, Jerry Hughes, some dude named Ikponmwosa Igbinosun, Kyle Williams turns 31 years old this June, Mario Williams is 29 years old, and the biggest question mark of all on defense is Marcell Dareus.

But even if Dareus rises to the occasion and has a spectacular year, the future of the Buffalo Bills defensive line is running out of time.

The future of the Bills defensive line looks quite thin and long in their front four teeth.

If Dareus still can't show up on time, and one of the two Williams get hurt, the Bills defense is going to suffer without a new big time player.

Could the Bills be targeting Aaron Donald at 9?

I'd be happy with, "Donald," at 9. He can be an outside linebacker, and he can also be a DT.

I don't think the Bills need to trade up in this draft to get a very good if not great player.

Trading away picks like Tom Donahoe did might look sexy, but in the long run you get burned more often than hitting the jackpot.

The Bills really need to address their defensive line.

Watch this kid play on film...who's he remind you of?

I smell biscuits, without giving up any draft picks.

<iframe width="640" height="390" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/45O_bC8SKtE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Novacane]

Easy. What will EJ do.

[BuffRanger]

Cover your ass. Hedge your bets. Draft a QB.

[BillsImpossible]

I have to give EJ Manuel the benefit of the doubt after last year. He played very well in his first NFL game against the Patriots. He played great against the Panthers in his second game. He beat the defending Super Bowl Champions when it counted most. He got torched by the Jets and torched them back. He was 2 fumbles away in Toronto from being 5-5 as a rookie.

But he's still the biggest ? mark on offense, no doubt.

Defensive line?

A gaping hole is only about 2 years or 2 major injuries away from becoming a major problem.

[Turf]

EJ. Offensive coordinator and Marrone's stubbornness at the backup QB position.

[feldspar]

Quarterback and owner are the Buffalo Bills biggest question marks...then Head Coach and GM. In other words, ALL the most important things are question marks. There is not all that much to worry about besides those things, because we ain't going anywhere without them anyway, or most of them. We all know the other player positions of need.

EJ Manuel is the biggest wildcard when talking about the Bills' success this season.

[CoolBreeze]

For offense EJ, everyone already knows the offenses performance will ride on him. On defense I want to see if Kiko can repeat or improve upon his play from last year working in a different spot.

[Mace]

Manuel. If he lights it up on a crap team, we all get funny about next year. If he doesn't we glare at Schwartz for whatever happens on D.

If they both click, no one cares.

[Mace]

For offense EJ, everyone already knows the offenses performance will ride on him. On defense I want to see if Kiko can repeat or improve upon his play from last year working in a different spot.

Yes, this kind of bothers me.

[YardRat]

EJ is biggest question mark, by far. Can he stay healthy, and can he progress?

[better days]

Offense - EJ Manuel is by far the biggest ? mark, I don't think anyone would disagree.

Defense - ?

Is this team going to be a 4-3 or a 3-4, or both? Sounds like both according to the Schwartz.

Secondary - Donnie Henderson did a great job last year. Williams, Searcy, Graham, Gilmore, McKelvin, Robey.

Linebackers - Brandon Spikes is only 26 years old, Kiko Alonso moving to weakside, Manny Lawson, Nigel Bradham, and Keith Rivers.

Defensive line - Alan Branch is 29 years old, Corbin Byrant, Stefan Charles, Jerry Hughes, some dude named Ikponmwosa Igbinosun, Kyle Williams turns 31 years old this June, Mario Williams is 29 years old, and the biggest question mark of all on defense is Marcell Dareus.

But even if Dareus rises to the occasion and has a spectacular year, the future of the Buffalo Bills defensive line is running out of time.

The future of the Bills defensive line looks quite thin and long in their front four teeth.

If Dareus still can't show up on time, and one of the two Williams get hurt, the Bills defense is going to suffer without a new big time player.

Could the Bills be targeting Aaron Donald at 9?

I'd be happy with, "Donald," at 9. He can be an outside linebacker, and he can also be a DT.

I don't think the Bills need to trade up in this draft to get a very good if not great player.

Trading away picks like Tom Donahoe did might look sexy, but in the long run you get burned more often than hitting the jackpot.

The Bills really need to address their defensive line.

Watch this kid play on film...who's he remind you of?

I smell biscuits, without giving up any draft picks.

<iframe width="640" height="390" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/45O_bC8SKtE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

Schwartz has said the Bills are going to play the 4-3 defense which they played much of the time last year.

And you neglected to mention the OL. After EJ the OL is where the greatest question marks are on the Bills.

[GingerP]

Definitely EJ's development. If he progresses and shows improvement they are in good shape. If he is inconsistent or continues with the injury questions that cropped up last year they need to look for a replacement.

I think the Bills go offense-heavy early in this draft. They are going to upgrade the talent around EJ to give him the best chance to succeed. After that, they are going to draft defense for depth. If you look at the roster, there are only 19 defensive players under contract right now. They need depth there.

[YardRat]

I count 29... http://www.billsdaily.com/depthchart/

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Donald as an OLB?

Oh lord.

16853

Sure, I can get behind drafting him, I'm always up for a lineman. But not at OLB for god's sakes.

[OLDSRIP]

Donald as an OLB?

Oh lord.

16853

Sure, I can get behind drafting him, I'm always up for a lineman. But not at OLB for god's sakes.

Good one. I don't watch college football, so I don't know about Donald.

But I found it odd that the op said he can play dt and olb.
I don't think I have seen much of that in a player.

[stuckincincy]

Good one. I don't watch college football, so I don't know about Donald.

But I found it odd that the op said he can play dt and olb.
I don't think I have seen much of that in a player.

Not since the '40's...

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Good one. I don't watch college football, so I don't know about Donald.

But I found it odd that the op said he can play dt and olb.
I don't think I have seen much of that in a player.

They came pretty close to that with Alex Carrington, but it was a disaster

[BillsImpossible]

Good one. I don't watch college football, so I don't know about Donald.

But I found it odd that the op said he can play dt and olb.
I don't think I have seen much of that in a player.

Donald played DT at Pitt. He reminded me of Cornelius Bennett. Biscuit was an OLB.

At 6'0 284 lbs, Donald is a lot like James Harrison - 6'0 275 lbs, or Dont'a Hightower - 6'3 270 lbs.

Donald is about 15-20 pounds too light to play DT in the NFL.

If he dropped about 15 pounds I think he could be a great OLB.

[stuckincincy]

Donald played DT at Pitt. He reminded me of Cornelius Bennett. Biscuit was an OLB.

At 6'0 284 lbs, Donald is a lot like James Harrison - 6'0 275 lbs, or Dont'a Hightower - 6'3 270 lbs.

Donald is about 15-20 pounds too light to play DT in the NFL.

If he dropped about 15 pounds I think he could be a great OLB.

Donald is far from too light. The trend - to combat the plethora of rules favoring the pass, is a quick, agile interior rush, to deny the qb time to launch. Look at the play of a Geno Atkins - 4th rounder with great strength, arm movement, resulting in qb pressures, sacks, rb tackles. You see him playing 3-technique and 4-3 under, and line mate Domato Peko does same on some plays and/or jams OLs. The departed DC Zimmer's line schemes were very good.

I can't see Donald losing weight and becoming an OLB. Perhaps a 3-4 DE...but what a waste.

Harrison was a pick-up by CIN last season - had a decent year - but a traditional 3-4 LB.

I watched a couple of games of Donalds. Looked good. I see that most of the pundits on NFL and CBS dot com have high regard.

I'm thinking that after pick 10 or so, he's the BPA. Every club has to fill their needs, true, but if this kid pays off, a DT of note is right up there behind a QB of same stature.

[BillsImpossible]

What's easier? Dropping 15 lbs and playing OLB or eating a bucket of hot and crispy wings and drinking a 12 pack?

Can somebody please give this guy a ham sandwich and a menu please.

<iframe width="640" height="390" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/wMSCHxsjaBc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[stuckincincy]

Nice video. What did you think about his pass coverage skills that losing 15 lb. would enhance? :scooter:

[gr8slayer]

Unfortunately, it's still the QB position. Having said that, I think there's a real chance that Manuel can develop into the guy. Unlike the rest of the bums to come through here over the years, he has everything you need (from a physical standpoint) to succeed at the NFL level. He's still got a way to go, and it's unfortunate that he basically got forced into being the starter last year when he was far from ready. The future of the franchise (at least the next five years) depends on how quickly he can figure out the game, and how well the Bills can surround him with talent.

[GingerP]

I count 29... http://www.billsdaily.com/depthchart/

I was looking at the cap worksheet, which counts the Top-51 players in the offseason. Of the Top-51 cap numbers, 19 are on defense, 29 are on offense, 3 are specialists. Thus, the need for defensive depth. They do have other players, but they are all players with $420K or $495K base salaries with no additional compensation and no guaranteed money of any kind..

[ParanoidAndroid]

Who is going to play RDE?

[Ginger Vitis]

Trading away picks like Tom Donahoe did might look sexy, but in the long run you get burned more often than hitting the jackpot.






3 weeks ago you wanted the Bills to give the Texans a ****load of picks to move up to take Clowney

[The Jokeman]

Who is going to play RDE?

Alan Branch and Jarius Wynn would seem the front runners but Corbin Bryant might be a sleeper.

[BillsImpossible]

3 weeks ago you wanted the Bills to give the Texans a ****load of picks to move up to take Clowney

I'm not sure about Clowney now.

My mind keeps changing about this draft like the freaking weather in WNY.