With The 9th Pick, Offense or Defense?

[BillsImpossible]

I'm starting to lean toward defense because Kyle Williams and Mario Williams are approaching the end of their NFL careers.

It's kind of like the Bills running back situation, with Fred Jackson.

Kyle Williams, Fred Jackson, and Mario Williams all have 2 very good years left in their tanks.

But what if one of them gets injured?

Good running backs can be drafted in the later rounds.

Defensive lineman that will start for the next decade are hard to come by.

I think the Bills defensive front 4 needs the most help from a long term point of view.

With the 9th pick, I hope the Bills draft the best defensive lineman available.

[Skooby]

We will trade back to draft a another DT.

[THRILLHO]

I feel like we need to be offense heavy in this draft. Our defense is decent. Sure guys are aging, but right now we are in pretty good shape for defense. Now if Mack were to fall, then obviously we take him. Otherwise we need help on the O-line. But I'd really like to see Ebron as the pick.

[Mace]

Was absolutely certain it was Pryor, safety. Hoped it was tackle, Matthews.

Am now absolutely sure it is Ebron, realized I'm not real upset at whoever this time, even DB's.

Hope they trade down, this is a deep draft of solid players top 30-40, it's going to be hard to upset me. No doubt they'll try though. A running back, Bridgewater, a punter or kicker would pretty much finish me off though.

[TacklingDummy]

We could use a DT that is good against the run.

[YardRat]

Yes.

Special teams is still in the mix, however.

[better days]

I am not worried about problems tomorrow may bring when there are enough problems today to worry about.

The OL should be the first concern TODAY.

The Bills signed a potential starting Guard in free agency but RT is the Biggest need on this team & I would like to see a Guard drafted as well.

[swiper]

Eric Pears played fine at RT when Joe D'Alessandris was coaching the line. The 2013 season was the only one he was heavily criticized. That's the coaching, not the player.

[sudzy]

I think Whaley and Marrone have backed themselves into a corner with EJ and have to go offense, to try and make him look good enough to justify the pick.

[feldspar]

I'm starting to lean toward defense because Kyle Williams and Mario Williams are approaching the end of their NFL careers.

It's kind of like the Bills running back situation, with Fred Jackson.

Kyle Williams, Fred Jackson, and Mario Williams all have 2 very good years left in their tanks.



I don't know where you are getting this. Mario is only 29...just turned 29 a few months ago. Kyle is 30. Those guys have a good five years left, probably. Who knows, maybe longer. Hard to tell about these things. But guys at those positions can easily last past 35 if they are good players. Bruce Smith played until he was 40. At any rate, retirement is probably nowhere in their heads, and drafting somebody to replace them would be silly if it's because of their age. If anything, we could probably use another DE on the other side of Mario, but I don't know about doing that in the first round.

Freddie is around the oldest RB in the league, though, and that's different.

I think the Bills should go offense in the first, and I hope it's Jake Matthews. Need help on that line.

[better days]

Eric Pears played fine at RT when Joe D'Alessandris was coaching the line. The 2013 season was the only one he was heavily criticized. That's the coaching, not the player.

BS, Neither guard played well. And Pears was God awful.

And if Pears was fine before last year, why was Hairston the starter?

[justasportsfan]

Ebron

[Forward_Lateral]

O-line or DB

Unless they move up to get Mack.

[The Jokeman]

I'm starting to lean toward defense because Kyle Williams and Mario Williams are approaching the end of their NFL careers.

It's kind of like the Bills running back situation, with Fred Jackson.

Kyle Williams, Fred Jackson, and Mario Williams all have 2 very good years left in their tanks.

But what if one of them gets injured?

Good running backs can be drafted in the later rounds.

Defensive lineman that will start for the next decade are hard to come by.

I think the Bills defensive front 4 needs the most help from a long term point of view.

With the 9th pick, I hope the Bills draft the best defensive lineman available.
It all depends on who's on the board. I mean if Clowney somehow slips to 9, which is highly doubtful then you take him. I'd love an OT like Matthews falls to us, I'd even "reach" on a guy like Lewan as even though he isn't a top 10 talent by most he's still a top 15 and think it's wiser to reach for lineman then any other position because usually when you land a quality one you land them for life. I wouldn't be opposed to Mosley either if the top 3 OTs are gone. I'd consider Evans or Ebron but ultimately I'm not a fan as don't think either would be an impact 2014 pick. Yet down the road they could be. I've noticed that Matthews seems to slipping to us in most of the recent mock drafts and with Kiper saying he wasn't a top 3 pick to begin with when the draft season started makes me think he could be there and if he is I'll be a happy camper. As Pears' is an aging player and is the last year of his contract. It makes some sense to pursue his replacement. Toss in if anything happens to Glenn we have a guy who could arguably replace him. So here are my top 10 picks I'd take if they fell to the Bills and we stuck at pick 9 on who I'd take in order of preference


1. Clowney, best talent of the draft.
2. Richardson, most talented OT of the draft
3. Mack, the most complete LB in the draft who can also add pass rush
4. Matthews, rock solid OT.
5. Lewan, he was highly thought of going into the year, his stock fell a little but his combine showed the preseason talk wasn't just that.
6. CJ Mosley, a three down LB that can play any position. With Spikes only on a one year deal and Lawson/Rivers questionable starters it doesn't hurt to look sooner than later.
7. Evans, he's been compared to Vincent Jackson, it took Jackson a few years to develop into a #1 WR.
8. Watkins, with Mike Williams here he'd struggle for playing time.
9. Ebron, I just don't see him being an impact in 2014 but 2015/16 he could be the Vernon Davis type we all want
10. Barr, He really doesn't fit a 4-3 defense and I have questions about him living up to the hype but I'm not sold on any CB/RB/OG prospects living up to top 10 value.