Building A Winner

[Night Train]

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/the-bills-are-perfectly-set-up-to-build-a-winner-after-trading-watkins-darby/

[Pennywise]

Re: Building A Winner

I agree. It seems like the Bills actually have a plan in place.

[Mouldsie]

Re: Building A Winner

Can someone tell me the plan?

From my angle it looks like the plan is to go 7-9 then draft a few guys but still need an answer at QB

[Pennywise]

Re: Building A Winner

Can someone tell me the plan?

From my angle it looks like the plan is to go 7-9 then draft a few guys but still need an answer at QB

JMO, but with players like Incognito, Wood, K. Williams and Shady with the miles on his legs, I think the Bills will have a lot of holes to fill in the next couple years.

Time to start thinking about what kind of team you want to build heading into the next decade.

But, agreed. None of it matters until they have their answer at QB. I think they took a step in the right direction in answering that question today with the money they now have in the bank in the form of draft picks.

[Mouldsie]

Re: Building A Winner

JMO, but with players like Incognito, Wood, K. Williams and Shady with the miles on his legs, I think the Bills will have a lot of holes to fill in the next couple years.

Time to start thinking about what kind of team you want to build heading into the next decade.

An 8-8 type team it seems like.

BTW can Brady retire already?

[Skooby]

Re: Building A Winner

Plan is to see who wants to stay & and who wants to leave, they're all playing for their jobs with no one spared or off limits.

[Mace]

Re: Building A Winner

Can someone tell me the plan?

From my angle it looks like the plan is to go 7-9 then draft a few guys but still need an answer at QB

Well, they now have 6 picks in the first 3 rounds in 2018.

[Pennywise]

Re: Building A Winner

An 8-8 type team it seems like.

BTW can Brady retire already?

Why do you say that?

[swiper]

Re: Building A Winner

The moral of this story is it's too soon to judge these moves. Far too soon. If they work out down the road, Beane is a hero. If not, he's a goat.

While no player is expendable, the only way Beane comes out a real hero is if the Bills get a real franchise QB out of this. And that, in reality, probably means no play-offs for at least three more years.

Ugh.

[Skooby]

Re: Building A Winner

Well, they now have 6 picks in the first 3 rounds in 2018.

Potentially 4 picks in the top 35 as an absolute best case scenario, which is us finishing up in the top 3 worst teams and KC / LA being 1/2/3rd worst as well.

[YardRat]

Re: Building A Winner

You can't force a QB. Using a single existing pick anywhere in the draft, or having 31 first-rounders so you can trade all of them up to the top spot and get 'your guy'...either way you've got the same chance of that pick going boom or bust. Having more picks, however, gives you the assets to create more opportunities to take those chances on a guy, whether it's using those picks to choose somebody, to package and trade up to choose somebody, or ship off to another team for somebody they already have.

[Pennywise]

Re: Building A Winner

The moral of this story is it's too soon to judge these moves. Far too soon. If they work out down the road, Beane is a hero. If not, he's a goat.

While no player is expendable, the only way Beane comes out a real hero is if the Bills get a real franchise QB out of this. And that, in reality, probably means no play-offs for at least three more years.

Ugh.

Not trying to be a jerk but if getting a franchise QB means no playoffs for at least three years, what then is the alternative?

[Night Train]

Re: Building A Winner

Can someone tell me the plan?

Eating Lobster at the next draft party.

[Mouldsie]

Re: Building A Winner

You can't force a QB. Using a single existing pick anywhere in the draft, or having 31 first-rounders so you can trade all of them up to the top spot and get 'your guy'...either way you've got the same chance of that pick going boom or bust. Having more picks, however, gives you the assets to create more opportunities to take those chances on a guy, whether it's using those picks to choose somebody, to package and trade up to choose somebody, or ship off to another team for somebody they already have.

I agree and disagree.

You cannot force a QB. I think for the most part the teams this past draft all did that with Trubisky, Watson, Mahomes, etc. Though I think the gamble on Mahomes was the smartest one.

You can force a QB who has been well scouted and you have great belief is a player.

I would have forced the issue when Mariota was coming out. Same with Luck. Same with Russel Wilson. Same with Rivers or Ben or Rodgers. Some guys might have done so with Carr, I wasn't enamored enough to pound that table though so I missed him. Last year we should have done so with Dak Prescott perhaps... I had him as my #3 QB but didn't see this kind of success (of course the jury is still out long term too).

The problem with the Russel Wilson and Dak Prescott strategy is you're kind of counting on the rest of the league to get it wrong and it becomes more of a gamble than being at the top and able to control your destiny.

My very early analysis so far is that we should target Josh Rosen if he declares. It will be hard to do so if we're not already near the top of the draft. Anything else for me right now is forcing the issue, ala EJ Manuel and JP Losman. Darnold appears to be the clear #1 by pundits but I haven't watched him enough to fall in love yet. The times I've seen he reminds me of Fitz but with an arm. IDK how I feel about that yet if that remains my analysis.

- - - Updated - - -

You can't force a QB. Using a single existing pick anywhere in the draft, or having 31 first-rounders so you can trade all of them up to the top spot and get 'your guy'...either way you've got the same chance of that pick going boom or bust. Having more picks, however, gives you the assets to create more opportunities to take those chances on a guy, whether it's using those picks to choose somebody, to package and trade up to choose somebody, or ship off to another team for somebody they already have.

I agree and disagree.

You cannot force a QB. I think for the most part the teams this past draft all did that with Trubisky, Watson, Mahomes, etc. Though I think the gamble on Mahomes was the smartest one.

You can force a QB who has been well scouted and you have great belief is a player.

I would have forced the issue when Mariota was coming out. Same with Luck. Same with Russel Wilson. Same with Rivers or Ben or Rodgers. Some guys might have done so with Carr, I wasn't enamored enough to pound that table though so I missed him. Last year we should have done so with Dak Prescott perhaps... I had him as my #3 QB but didn't see this kind of success (of course the jury is still out long term too).

The problem with the Russel Wilson and Dak Prescott strategy is you're kind of counting on the rest of the league to get it wrong and it becomes more of a gamble than being at the top and able to control your destiny.

My very early analysis so far is that we should target Josh Rosen if he declares. It will be hard to do so if we're not already near the top of the draft. Anything else for me right now is forcing the issue, ala EJ Manuel and JP Losman. Darnold appears to be the clear #1 by pundits but I haven't watched him enough to fall in love yet. The times I've seen he reminds me of Fitz but with an arm. IDK how I feel about that yet if that remains my analysis.

[Thurmal]

Re: Building A Winner

Part of me wonders if they will let both Matthews and Gaines walk next year in some effort to build a huge salary cap reserve, a la how NBA teams will trade for expiring contracts.