Thread Lookback Game: Ronald Darby. your long term view

[trapezeus]

Since we are all good with hindsight, i figured it might be fun to have these threads to look back on in 2-3 years to see what our original thought was on a player. Let you put your stake in the ground with no NFL game film on the player and knowing just what we read and heard prior to the draft. this way if a player really sucks 3 years from now, we have an idea where the boardmembers were on a particlar player

First player up is Ronald Darby:

1. Were you happy when he was selected?
2. if not, who else did you want in his place?
3. do you believe he will be a positive impact on the team for a 3 year period?

I'll go first.

1. i didn't really care. with no round 1 pick and no obvious QB to put into the equation, i thought CB was ok considering we were on the verge of being thin.
2. i didn't see anyone else taken after him in the 2nd round be a player that i would have rather had.
3. I never really buy into DB's being so incredible that they change the game. I think there islike 1generational player every 10-15 years who alter the game like that. i don't expect darby to be that guy. but i think he won't be a bust.

[OpIv37]

I was a bit disappointed that we didn't go OL, but to be honest, I wasn't following it closely enough to know if there was an OL worth the pick. There were 2 OT's chosen in the next 7 picks and 3 in the next 10, so we will have to see how those work out compared to how Darby plays.

[SpikedLemonade]

I preferred an OL pick but I voted a 2 here since in 3 years he should be a starter.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

In the best case scenario, he replaces McKelvin. In the worst case scenario, he joins the list of Rex Ryan's busted CB picks.

As for who we should have drafted, I would have preferred an interior OL but we did take one with our next pick. I probably would have also thought about adding another 3-4 DL or a TE, but our offseason binge covered the second one.

[Mr. Pink]

From what I've seen of him he has hands of stone when he does get tested but he doesn't get tested often.

That will change when he hits the NFL level.

A DB who couldn't catch a cold isn't a guy who any NFL QBs will be scared of but he could work on his hands, since a lot of players don't become a whole lot better after what they showed in college, I'm not confident in that being the case with Darby.

I give him a 4. At some point I think he could become a dime back with marginal success at it but that's about it.

[sudzy]

I voted 4. I'm just looking at the Bills track record of drafting CBs. Meh. In 4-5 years I see him fitting in with that trend.

[Ingtar33]

not a fan of the pick on a couple of levels.

1) we NEEDED an offensive lineman
2) we NEEDED an offensive lineman
3) we NEEDED an offensive lineman
4) not sure he'll ever be more then a no.2 corner
5) if we're really unlucky he won't ever be more then a nickel

[Topas]

I voted neutral.
Bad is that we had other needs and I am not sure he could be more than the third CB.
Good is, we adressed OL hopefully adequately in the third round and he might be a good player that was drafted at the right place.

[Ginger Vitis]

Didnt like the pick at the time because I thought the Bills had more urgent needs elsewhere.. Have warmed up to the pick a bit. In 3 years I think Darby will be a solid No.2 corner

[JoeMama]

The NFL is a passing league now (sigh) so I think it's smart to build depth at CB.

He's a raw prospect who's prone to some mental errors, but he'll be coached well and is surrounded by excellent talent to mentor him.

I think he can live up to his second round billing.

[gr8slayer]

He was a hell of a player, but the pick was a bit of a head scratcher at the time.

[Mace]

I voted 3, neutral. Hard for me to love the pick, hard for me to hate it.

1. I was not happy. I get upset when we take DB's, PTSD from the Jauron years, even when I can see when it probably makes sense loading up on them nowadays, and the guy is not an unreasonable pick, like Darby. I also get upset when we take Florida (any Florida college) players, because it makes me wonder if they don't have one single regional group of scouts that ever have anything to say, and we are a cold weather team without a dome.

2. TE Maxx Williams (I was having this grand vision of Clay and Williams on the field with Harvin and Watkins, which is admittedly stupid because I'm always yelling it's not even going to be a passing offense)
-OR QB Garrett Grayson (maybe too high) because I just didn't take the Tyrod Taylor signing seriously enough evidently, and I figured Grayson to be at the least a Frank Reich type possibility and at best a younger Cassel (decent game manager with some arm for a ball control offense that wasn't going to be slinging to a Clay/Williams/Harvin/Watkins passing offense).

3. I think Darby will be just fine and maybe better in a defense like Ryan's, whatever his role turns out to be. It varies in my thoughts from a bookend to Gilmore in a lockdown secondary to redoubtable nickel/dime guy. I don't think he'll bust, but I'm not too sure he can get near any superman expectations either. I think we're looking at a solid sensible pick who didn't exactly cause fireworks and celebrations, and you need some of those to anchor things.

[cookie G]

The NFL is a passing league now (sigh) so I think it's smart to build depth at CB.

15 years and waiting for that draft strategy to be proven right.


Dumb idea then, dumb idea now.

[JoeMama]

15 years and waiting for that draft strategy to be proven right.


Dumb idea then, dumb idea now.

Well, it's not like our depth at CB is holding us back.

We need a franchise QB.

Because if we can pass the ball and our CBs can shut down opposing QBs, it's a hell of a strategy.

[cookie G]

Well, it's not like our depth at CB is holding us back.

We need a franchise QB.

Because if we can pass the ball and our CBs can shut down opposing QBs, it's a hell of a strategy.

And it started a long time ago...

Nate Clements over Drew Brees (1st pick of the 2nd round that year)..
McLovin over Joe Flacco;
Aaron Williams over Kapernick or Dalton;
On a bit of a stretch but a valid one...Stephon Gillmore over Russell Wilson.
I'd even throw in Whitner over Jay Cutler.

Every year we've taken a DB with our top pick, there was a franchise QB (or close to one), there for the taking.

that's 3 Super Bowl rings a few more SB appearances, a bunch of playoff appearances and a ton of TD passes later...we're still using our top picks for DB's.

A dumb strategy then, a dumb strategy now.
Its not like we didn't have our chances.

[djjimkelly]

we have never seen him play a down NO clue what he will be

[JoeMama]

And it started a long time ago...

Nate Clements over Drew Brees (1st pick of the 2nd round that year)..
McLovin over Joe Flacco;
Aaron Williams over Kapernick or Dalton;
On a bit of a stretch but a valid one...Stephon Gillmore over Russell Wilson.
I'd even throw in Whitner over Jay Cutler.

Every year we've taken a DB with our top pick, there was a franchise QB (or close to one), there for the taking.

that's 3 Super Bowl rings a few more SB appearances, a bunch of playoff appearances and a ton of TD passes later...we're still using our top picks for DB's.

A dumb strategy then, a dumb strategy now.
Its not like we didn't have our chances.

Oh I fully agree 100%. My belief is that you draft a QB every single year until you get your guy.

That's where Buddy Nix failed miserably.

[Mace]

Oh I fully agree 100%. My belief is that you draft a QB every single year until you get your guy.

That's where Buddy Nix failed miserably.

See I just don't believe that and that is where the organization has been woeful. You don't just keep going random maybe year after year hoping to hit paydirt if you can trim your chances through diligence and not crapshoot. Nix failed miserably by reaching desperately for a project college spread qb to fit a west coast fast read under center fast paced offense, after passing on Pistol Kaepernick for Pistol Gailey to get a db.

You either want a handoff guy with some smarts and skills you don't want gunslinging, or a gunslinger who can overwhelm with quantity of passes, most of them ok. If you get a project qb, you mean to make them one or the other, not both, and if you take one yearly, you are looking at random maybe's you have to keep changing for, and you have no philosophy you are trying to follow.

We just haven't had a philosophy and default to db. None of those guys Cookie mentioned were terrible bad here like a misplaced QB may have been.

So has it been right. Nah. It's only right if it works and it hasn't been. So you either roll on a random or take a solid, and the solids have not been bad in terms of db, even if they haven't taken us to the top.

When you're hungry and aren't sure that weird looking meat is ok, a box of ricearoni or a stalwart can of ravioli will help get you to the next shopping trip when maybe other stuff looks better. Buying packs of green chicken every time hoping to get a good dinner from one of them just can't end well.

Damn I am wise.

[trapezeus]

And it started a long time ago...

Nate Clements over Drew Brees (1st pick of the 2nd round that year)..
McLovin over Joe Flacco;
Aaron Williams over Kapernick or Dalton;
On a bit of a stretch but a valid one...Stephon Gillmore over Russell Wilson.
I'd even throw in Whitner over Jay Cutler.

Every year we've taken a DB with our top pick, there was a franchise QB (or close to one), there for the taking.

that's 3 Super Bowl rings a few more SB appearances, a bunch of playoff appearances and a ton of TD passes later...we're still using our top picks for DB's.

A dumb strategy then, a dumb strategy now.
Its not like we didn't have our chances.

this is a great post of the truth.

it is coupled with us making the wrong QB pick and not being willing to change from it. or not willing to select another high draft qb pick.

when JP was the starter, we went with a vet to back him up instead of rattling him with a cutler or rodgers.

i know a lot of teams like to pick the young guy and back up with the vet, but i don't think it works as much as teams seem to trust it.

I would rather have the RGIII, Cousins situation. One of them has to rise to the top, and another team will look at a top round pick and be willing to trade for him no matter how poorly his on field performance has been.

I don't think the bills should be doing pick a qb every year, but if the best player the year after you pick your qb of future is a qb (and it's not obvious success for the 1st qb is imminent), Take the QB again. but this idea that everyone deserves 3 years without being rattled with another youngster seems to be an odd choice to make. you are essentially giving yourself very little chance to succeed if the qb doesn't pan out.

[yordad]

So the guy with hands of stone is leading all practices so far with twice as many ints as anyone else?

[trapezeus]

Bump

[justasportsfan]

What happened to yordad?

[YardRat]

How did I miss this thread?

[Ginger Vitis]

Guess I undersold him a bit thinking he could be a solid No.2 in 3 years... I wont mention which poster thought he would be a marginal dime CB lol

[Ingtar33]

He turned out much better then I thought he'd be.

We still need OL help.

[Mr. Pink]

Guess I undersold him a bit thinking he could be a solid No.2 in 3 years... I wont mention which poster thought he would be a marginal dime CB lol

You could have mentioned me.

He outperformed my expectations but still isn't as good as some here like to think he is. To me, he ends up being a solid nickel back. But he's forced into the 2 here as there is really nothing behind him.

[streetkings01]

You could have mentioned me.

He outperformed my expectations but still isn't as good as some here like to think he is. To me, he ends up being a solid nickel back. But he's forced into the 2 here as there is really nothing behind him.Just admit up to this point you were wrong on Darby and move on smh

He was very good cornerback for us.......the rest of the league saw it and somehow he's not as good as the rest of the league says he is because you dont want to admit you were wrong on the kid!

[YardRat]

The kid is one year in...let's see where he is at after the 2017 season.

[trapezeus]

And that's why I name all these threads "thread look back". It's easy for me to find them. We'll look again next year

[Buffalogic]

I remember defending the Darby pick in multiple threads while people **** on him just because they were tired of bills picking db's.

[Historian]

I thought all our DBs were outstanding last year, especially given the fact that they were out on an island most of the time, and this defense didn't know wtf they were running on any given play.

I think he's only going to get better.

DBs may not be the sexy pick on draft day, but when you have Brady in the division and you have to line up against the likes of Dalton, Luck, et al, you have to be able to defend the pass.

[stuckincincy]

I thought all our DBs were outstanding last year, especially given the fact that they were out on an island most of the time, and this defense didn't know wtf they were running on any given play.

I think he's only going to get better.

DBs may not be the sexy pick on draft day, but when you have Brady in the division and you have to line up against the likes of Dalton, Luck, et al, you have to be able to defend the pass.

I think the DBs did ok too - but it's fair to wonder how much (if at all) they were helped by Ryan's having OLs drop back into short pass coverage. Dunno.

[trapezeus]

I just hate picking db's because I think the better value is interior space eating lineman. they make the LB's better. and when you have a package where you can bring the heat from anywhere, you can throw even the best qb's off.

depending on a lockdown corner to keep that level through injuries and age is unlikely and its hard to carry 2. so from an economic view point, I much prefer a draft like this where its 3 front seven defensive players.

we have to watch for sophomore slumps with darby. hopefully it doesn't happen.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

I think the DBs did ok too - but it's fair to wonder how much (if at all) they were helped by Ryan's having OLs drop back into short pass coverage. Dunno.

I'd guess they were hurt more by the collapse of our pass rush

[stuckincincy]

I'd guess they were hurt more by the collapse of our pass rush

Heh - good point.

[Mace]

Happy with my comments last year, feel they were validated.

[Goobylal]

You could have mentioned me.

He outperformed my expectations but still isn't as good as some here like to think he is. To me, he ends up being a solid nickel back. But he's forced into the 2 here as there is really nothing behind him.

"Solid nickel back." LMMFAO!