Buffalo News: Analysis: Jets helped themselves while Bills faltered

[swiper]

http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/05/02/analysis-jets-helped-themselves-while-bills-faltered/


Winners

New York Jets: The first big surprise of the draft came when Southern California defensive lineman Leonard Williams – whom Bills General Manager Doug Whaley called the best defensive player in the draft – slipped to New York at No. 6 overall. The Jets followed that by selecting a deep-ball threat in Ohio State wide receiver Devin Smith. On Day Three, New York added a project at quarterback in Baylor’s Bryce Petty. That’s a low-risk move that could pay off in a big way if Petty can sit for a year or two and develop.



Losers

Buffalo Bills: Giving second chances is one thing, but just how far is General Manager Doug Whaley willing to go with that philosophy? Fair enough, apparently, that a player who was wanted for questioning in a domestic violence case and also accused of setting up a drug deal that ended in an armed robbery now has a home in Buffalo.

That would be running back Karlos Williams, who had quite the week in October. First, police discontinued an investigation into Williams for alleged domestic abuse when the victim refused to provide a statement. Williams would not talk to police investigators.

The same was true during an investigation into an armed robbery that originally began after Williams allegedly negotiated a marijuana deal involving a 26-year-old Florida State student, Freightlin Cox, and Daravius “Gutta” Lawrence, the brother of Miranda Wilhelm – the woman Williams was accused of assaulting.

Williams is accused of setting up a time for Lawrence and Cox to meet and make the drug deal, which ended with two unidentified men robbing Cox at gunpoint. Williams again refused to speak to police investigators.

Which leads us to the Bills, and what exactly they were thinking. Why is a fifth-round running back who is going to be buried on the depth chart worth the trouble?

This comes after the team selected Florida State cornerback Ronald Darby in the second round. At best, Darby has a knack for finding himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. At worst, he helped cover up a rape by Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston.


These are the players that Whaley feels comfortable with bringing to Western New York.

[Night Train]

Skurski turned that into a piece worthy of the Christian Science Monitor. Background checks were done.

Then I read the Carucci piece and immediately realize he knows nothing about any of the picks.

That paper has very poor writers.

[sudzy]

The Jets did have a very good draft.

[YardRat]

The Jets did have a very good draft.

So did New England. I would trade for either in a heartbeat, no questions asked. Miami had a good draft for them also, but other than Phillips and Douglas the rest would be luxury picks for Buffalo.

[Novacane]

At this point no one knows who had a good draft and who didn't.

[Buffalogic]

Dumb.

[coastal]

Cb

[Mace]

I think the root of my pessimistic side is being unsure of Whaley's judgement while being sure Ryan thinks he can do anything with anyone. Paired together, oh I dunno. Guess we'll see though. My gut feeling is that Whaley made sure to cater to Ryan, because it all looks like singular vision and Whaley has never presented any kind of driving philosophy that I have seen.

No clue what happens, still hoping for the best. It's May.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Jets are not a walkover like last year. They could very well be Buffalo of 2014.

I felt this draft shows a more true Whaley whereas last year, the circumstance may have forced his hands into so many jumpy moves. This one screams BPA all the way through.

The Darby kid could very well be a steal as I hear quite a bit of vibes here in Pittsburgh (I'm not sure anyone can name one single Steelers' secondary player). We shall see ...

[Skooby]

Yet we passed on Collins, wow.

[Mace]

Yet we passed on Collins, wow.

Figuring you mean La'el, everyone pretty much had to after 3 because he said he'd not sign and re-enter the draft next year. Drafting him would have let him. He was screwed by his own agents who evidently gave him some bad representation in not grasping the rules. For that matter, had he been clever enough to meet with the police, who said he wasn't a suspect and not made more NFL problems for himself, and not had his agents lipping off, he'd have been draftable and not cost himself a bunch of money and come out looking stupid.

But he said he'd not sign, figuring sitting out a year (fierce competitor) would somehow fix everything and launch him to NFL desirability, until he found out it doesn't work that way, and now he's stuck with himself and the situation his "agents" put him in.

Drafting him would just have made him able to not sign and enter the draft next year, and the kid made his own bed.

[sudzy]

Figuring you mean La'el, everyone pretty much had to after 3 because he said he'd not sign and re-enter the draft next year. Drafting him would have let him. He was screwed by his own agents who evidently gave him some bad representation in not grasping the rules. For that matter, had he been clever enough to meet with the police, who said he wasn't a suspect and not made more NFL problems for himself, and not had his agents lipping off, he'd have been draftable and not cost himself a bunch of money and come out looking stupid.

But he said he'd not sign, figuring sitting out a year (fierce competitor) would somehow fix everything and launch him to NFL desirability, until he found out it doesn't work that way, and now he's stuck with himself and the situation his "agents" put him in.

Drafting him would just have made him able to not sign and enter the draft next year, and the kid made his own bed.

It was reported on NFL.com that he was ineligible for the 2016 draft, before the draft was even over. So why not take a shot at him in the 7th, or at least draft him instead of the LB that nobody has never hear of.

[psubills62]

I was definitely not a fan of this draft, but that "analysis" is pretty lame.

Whaley has had a propensity to pick up guys with "off-field" issues, but have any of them turned into anything while in Buffalo? Dareus has had a couple minor things, and hard to call that a Whaley pick anyway. Frankly, I find that "analysis" to be low-brow pandering.

I guess Tampa doesn't matter because Winston's problems are more well known than Williams'. Stupid. If you're going to criticize the draft, talk about how they seem to put a priority on RB of all positions for no apparent reason.

[better days]

I was definitely not a fan of this draft, but that "analysis" is pretty lame.

Whaley has had a propensity to pick up guys with "off-field" issues, but have any of them turned into anything while in Buffalo? Dareus has had a couple minor things, and hard to call that a Whaley pick anyway. Frankly, I find that "analysis" to be low-brow pandering.

I guess Tampa doesn't matter because Winston's problems are more well known than Williams'. Stupid. If you're going to criticize the draft, talk about how they seem to put a priority on RB of all positions for no apparent reason.

Well, if you want to call a 5th rnd pick a priority.

But I think special teams was the priority with that pick, not RB.

[psubills62]

Well, if you want to call a 5th rnd pick a priority.

But I think special teams was the priority with that pick, not RB.
I'm not just talking about the 5th round pick. You didn't notice the multiple trades, huge contract, and the FA signing over the last year and a half alone to go along with the 5th round draft pick selection they used on RB?

Well, maybe I'm the only one who finds it a bit weird that they'd use two picks to try and improve the offense/defense and four picks on special teams.

[better days]

I'm not just talking about the 5th round pick. You didn't notice the multiple trades, huge contract, and the FA signing over the last year and a half alone to go along with the 5th round draft pick selection they used on RB?

Well, maybe I'm the only one who finds it a bit weird that they'd use two picks to try and improve the offense/defense and four picks on special teams.

Well, you specifically mentioned the draft in the post I responded to, nothing about trades or FA signings.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Well, maybe I'm the only one who finds it a bit weird that they'd use two picks to try and improve the offense/defense and four picks on special teams.

Counting on 5th round and beyond to improve offense and defense is never a good strategy in my book. They are targetting athletic guys with speed who can contribute on special teams now while given a chance to develop into something is pretty sound to me.

[psubills62]

Counting on 5th round and beyond to improve offense and defense is never a good strategy in my book. They are targetting athletic guys with speed who can contribute on special teams now while given a chance to develop into something is pretty sound to me.
Who said anyone's counting on them? It's not a bad time to look at the future at significant positions (i.e. not RB) and take fliers on some legit athletes. You can get DL who fit the 3-4 and develop them for a year.

Seems to me the LB they got can't do much but play ST's. Maybe you can argue we'll need a RB in the future, but they are so damn easy to find if you have a good/great OL. In terms of the future at TE, they just locked up Clay for a long time and then drafted a guy just like him. The WR is someone I'm actually OK with when you look at it out of context, because I'm assuming they won't try too hard to re-sign Woods.

But it's really pretty ridiculous that they haven't drafted a DL in 3 years. There are a number of successful organizations who regularly draft DL even when it's not a glaring need because it's so valuable.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

It's not drafting a DL because you want to draft a DL. It has to match what's in the draft pool. No one on this forum knows what their draft board looks like in the 5th round.

It's quite obvious that they have Carrington in mind during the draft. I thought they might pick a NT high because NT i snot Dareus' best position, but ...

As is right now, on the D-line, only the Williams are over 30 and Mario shows no sign of slowing down. He's physical freak but relies more on power than speed; guys like him just might play well into his 30s.

Frankly I'm more concerned about ILB position. They must think Ty Powell and last year's 1st 7th round pick are worth something because after Nigel and Preston, they really don't have anyone. Pretty much everywhere else on D, they have quality in backup.