The season is not over but offseason needs list

[DesertFox24]

We have watched 6 games so we have an idea of where we need to improve.

Clearly the bills will be looking at brining in another vet QB and another rookie
I think they will bring in another Guard and Tackle
Safety
TE
DE and LB depend on if Hughes and Spikes are resigned, if both resign then these are not needs.

In summary this is what I looked to add and the quantity.

2 QB (rookie and a vet) - Orton is doing well but need legit competition and a potential future guy to either groom or challenge EJ for a spot
1 Safety
1 TE I think Chandler is a great 2 to average 1 TE but if we were able to get a legit seam stretcher we could have a dangerous 2 TE package
1 OG
1 OT

Urbik and Pears are gone so even if they move CK to guard full time will need another backup. OT because CK is now a guard and hairston is not good.

[justasportsfan]

Teams running on us last year made our passing D look great. Now that teams can't run on us, it exposed our pass D. We need safety and another cb opposite Gilmore. Don't know why Graham can't unseat Mckelvin.

[Fletch]

A GM!

[k-oneputt]

Didn't we just draft TWO safties ???

That's right they can't play. Carry on.

Another cb, lb. I doubt Sikes is back. And you can never have enough pass rushers.
If Kiko is healthy he is our #1 next year.

[yordad]

Guard. Guard. QB. Tackle (depending if Henderson improves). Safety.

But Hughes has to re-sign for sure, and I'd like Spikes too, but as a 2 down LB, I wouldn't break the bank.

[trapezeus]

agree with assessment on needs. disagree on need for QB. if you are getting a fresh start as a GM, i would:

- keep adding to the LB/DL corp and the OL. Presuming you have time to build a team with a year or two, strengthen the core of your team and get depth.
- let orton/other QB vet run the team for another year. if he's protected and the running game can move the ball, orton can distribute the ball satisfactorly.
- sell the idea that Manuel is doing better as he's learning. I wouldn't want to reach for another EJ so i can simply say, "i don't have EJ, but i have EJ 2". you are either pleasantly surprised during the year that he can play, or you need a qb in 2016.
- by going big on OL and finding the right combination, you can escape this need that you need to draft a rb high or at all.

Soi would want OL, OL, LB/DL, DB, TE as needs for 2015.

if the team does well or not, then you need to add a top prospect qb via 2016draft (rounds 1/2 in a deep class) and let him take over a team that can run and can defend well. this takes the pressure off a young qb starting early. and adding the parts that seem like weaknesses in 2015 for the rest of the draft.

[Night Train]

Hope I'm wrong but Gilmore looks done. McKelvin can only cover in the slot.

Need 2 CB's and 2 OG's.

[BLeonard]

So, of the 7 posts before mine here, 4 specifically mention offensive guard as a need...

Where are all of those people that said things like "Guards are a dime a dozen" and "You don't pay money for guards" at now...?

Still think the Bills can pick guards up off of the scrap heap and they'll just magically be able to perform at a high level?

Say what you will about Levitre and Rinehart, both are former Bills that are starting on their respective teams, while the position has now become a "need" for the Bills.

-Bill

[DesertFox24]

agree with assessment on needs. disagree on need for QB. if you are getting a fresh start as a GM, i would:

- keep adding to the LB/DL corp and the OL. Presuming you have time to build a team with a year or two, strengthen the core of your team and get depth.
- let orton/other QB vet run the team for another year. if he's protected and the running game can move the ball, orton can distribute the ball satisfactorly.
- sell the idea that Manuel is doing better as he's learning. I wouldn't want to reach for another EJ so i can simply say, "i don't have EJ, but i have EJ 2". you are either pleasantly surprised during the year that he can play, or you need a qb in 2016.
- by going big on OL and finding the right combination, you can escape this need that you need to draft a rb high or at all.

Soi would want OL, OL, LB/DL, DB, TE as needs for 2015.

if the team does well or not, then you need to add a top prospect qb via 2016draft (rounds 1/2 in a deep class) and let him take over a team that can run and can defend well. this takes the pressure off a young qb starting early. and adding the parts that seem like weaknesses in 2015 for the rest of the draft.


I would let Orton or the vet be the starter next year regardless.

I was saying draft a guy you think can be developed into a franchise or continue to develop EJ.

[DesertFox24]

So, of the 7 posts before mine here, 4 specifically mention offensive guard as a need...

Where are all of those people that said things like "Guards are a dime a dozen" and "You don't pay money for guards" at now...?

Still think the Bills can pick guards up off of the scrap heap and they'll just magically be able to perform at a high level?

Say what you will about Levitre and Rinehart, both are former Bills that are starting on their respective teams, while the position has now become a "need" for the Bills.

-Bill

I think Richardson has a chance he just needs to play.

We all knew Pears and Urbik are gone after this year so that is my point for two.

Now if CK becomes a good guard prospect that drops down to 1 OG and I would go with a vet as the backup, but it will mean we will need to OTs because Hairston probably gone and CK is now a guard.

[YardRat]

So, of the 7 posts before mine here, 4 specifically mention offensive guard as a need...

Where are all of those people that said things like "Guards are a dime a dozen" and "You don't pay money for guards" at now...?

Still think the Bills can pick guards up off of the scrap heap and they'll just magically be able to perform at a high level?

Say what you will about Levitre and Rinehart, both are former Bills that are starting on their respective teams, while the position has now become a "need" for the Bills.

-Bill

I'm right here. Guard is a need still, but opening up the vault for Levitre wouldn't make any difference. Losing Rhinehart hurt more, IMO, but if we're being honest we know very little of the dynamic behind him moving on. Did they not try...did he want out? Who knows. Regardless, anybody that thinks this offense would be performing much different with an overpaid Levitre on the squad is kidding themselves, hell, he's hanging on to his job by a thread in Tennessee as it is.

I'm hoping Richardson can continue to improve, and really like moving KuJo inside to get some reps. If nothing at the position gets better through the rest of the year, there are several decent G's due to be FA's this off-season, including Iupati, Carpenter, Bolling, Reitz, Franklin, Schilling, etc. Iupati would be worth big bucks (he's 10 times the player AL could dream to be), and the rest could be brought in for top 10 money.

[trapezeus]

I was for keeping levitre at $35mm. He played every game. Mike Williams is same cost and not a factor and not playing. Keep your stars if they are healthy and contribute

[X-Era]

Personally I would not be surprised at all to see us not draft any OL.

QB is a top need
I'd add CB
We need a S upgrade
I'd still look at a Bradham/Rivers upgrade as well

And the there is a RB if Spiller is gone

[BLeonard]

I'm right here. Guard is a need still, but opening up the vault for Levitre wouldn't make any difference. Losing Rhinehart hurt more, IMO, but if we're being honest we know very little of the dynamic behind him moving on. Did they not try...did he want out? Who knows. Regardless, anybody that thinks this offense would be performing much different with an overpaid Levitre on the squad is kidding themselves, hell, he's hanging on to his job by a thread in Tennessee as it is.

You don't think Levitre and/or Rinehart would be better than we currently have? Because I disagree.



I'm hoping Richardson can continue to improve, and really like moving KuJo inside to get some reps. If nothing at the position gets better through the rest of the year, there are several decent G's due to be FA's this off-season, including Iupati, Carpenter, Bolling, Reitz, Franklin, Schilling, etc. Iupati would be worth big bucks (he's 10 times the player AL could dream to be), and the rest could be brought in for top 10 money.

Here's my problems with this:

1: Bills fans seem to be perpetually "hoping" that players get better.
2: You apparently didn;t think Levitre (who the Bills drafted) was worth the money, yet you have an entire list of players you're willing to give "top 10" money to.

We were all told "Draft/Develop/Retain." Most people tell you that it takes 3 years to grade a draft:

2009: Only Eric Wood is still a Bill
2010: Only Spiller and Easley remain
2011: 4 of 9 picks are still Bills: Dareus, Aaron Williams, Searcy and Hairston

Where's the "retain" part?

Also, if "Guards are a dime a dozen" and "You don't pay money for guards," why are the Bills drafting them if they have no intention of developing and retaining them?

When you push the whole "Draft, Develop, Retain" approach, you can't turn around and not pay the players that can improve your team when the time comes to retain them... If you do, you get the results that Bills fans have seen on the field for the past decade and a half.

-Bill

[YardRat]

You don't think Levitre and/or Rinehart would be better than we currently have? Because I disagree.



Here's my problems with this:

1: Bills fans seem to be perpetually "hoping" that players get better.
2: You apparently didn;t think Levitre (who the Bills drafted) was worth the money, yet you have an entire list of players you're willing to give "top 10" money to.

We were all told "Draft/Develop/Retain." Most people tell you that it takes 3 years to grade a draft:

2009: Only Eric Wood is still a Bill
2010: Only Spiller and Easley remain
2011: 4 of 9 picks are still Bills: Dareus, Aaron Williams, Searcy and Hairston

Where's the "retain" part?

Also, if "Guards are a dime a dozen" and "You don't pay money for guards," why are the Bills drafting them if they have no intention of developing and retaining them?

When you push the whole "Draft, Develop, Retain" approach, you can't turn around and not pay the players that can improve your team when the time comes to retain them... If you do, you get the results that Bills fans have seen on the field for the past decade and a half.

-Bill

I'm not getting into another pissing match over Levitre, get over it, he's gone...your list is ridiculous.
Levitre wasn't going to get better either, obviously, otherwise he wouldn't be underperforming in Tennessee.
He and Iupati aren't even on the page re:guards.
Go through any teams draft for hits and misses for those three years, and everybody knows we've drafted piss-poor talent, that doesn't make AL a better player.
Don't confuse 'retaining' with paying elite money for average or a little above talent.
Like it or not, agree with it or not, the team has been running cash to cap, and the signings of Byrd and Levitre would have prevented us from signing other FA's that are contributing.

[GreedoII]

We get Kiko back so sign Spikes if he wants to stay then LB is pretty decent.
G
SS
CB
QB
DE

[trapezeus]

I'm not getting into another pissing match over Levitre, get over it, he's gone...your list is ridiculous.
Levitre wasn't going to get better either, obviously, otherwise he wouldn't be underperforming in Tennessee.
He and Iupati aren't even on the page re:guards.
Go through any teams draft for hits and misses for those three years, and everybody knows we've drafted piss-poor talent, that doesn't make AL a better player.
Don't confuse 'retaining' with paying elite money for average or a little above talent.
Like it or not, agree with it or not, the team has been running cash to cap, and the signings of Byrd and Levitre would have prevented us from signing other FA's that are contributing.

Even if levitre was average, the bills could run with spiller. the stripped that out and paid a WR more money to be a healthy scratch. that is inexcusable from a GM standpoint.

We are now drafting 2-3 OL and don't hvae a coach to coach them up.

regardless of player choice, it is a continued pattern of failure from the same people who nicely change rolls every 2-3 years to avoid blame for what they oversee.

fire them all and start fresh. i will more than gladly accept 3 more years of not being a playoff team provided a real FO structure is put in place.

[imbondz]

I can't wait til we have a season where this thread doesn't get started until December, Jan or Feb

[Mr. Pink]

I'm not even sure on the order of these...

CB, S, G, QB

Honestly I think you roll with Orton and a mid tier QB next year and draft a QB in Rd 1 in 2016 however.