What is our number one draft need? [Archive] - BillsZone.com

The_Philster

12-22-2002, 07:50 PM

It isn't CB with Antoine, Nate, Kevin Thomas, and Bostic returning
Our Safeties need to grow and get past their mistakes. Coy Wire was just a rookie this year and if Pierson can't cut it at FS, we have Tony Driver waiting in the wings.
LB has great talent...on paper. Newman can still be good is used properly...Fletcher has improved as the season has gone on.....but Eddie Robinson should be replaced. As far as LB depth, Polk, Favors, and Spoon are the only ones who have shown they can perform and Spoon will be coming off an injury so we need some help there.
DE has a little bit of talent with Schobel and Ahanotu as well as Marcus Jones coming in next year.
DT seems to still be our weakest position...something that I've been hoping to see a top draft pick put into since the 2001 draft. Williams is proven but behind him are Justin Bannan and Ron Edwards (Tyrone Robertson shouldn't even be talked about...the schmuck) and neither one of them have shown yet that they can hold the UT job down as it should be.

Marcos20

12-22-2002, 07:54 PM

DT!!!!!!!!

Bert102176

12-22-2002, 07:57 PM

I say LB cause besides Fletcher, Spoon the rest stink

HenryRules

12-22-2002, 08:03 PM

I agree with TD about drafting the best player available.
However, as far as the Bills biggest need, I think LB ... LBs should be the main playmakers in any defense and I think only LF has the ability to make big plays. Maybe Newman can return to what he was a few years ago, but nothing I saw this year led me to believe that he can be a playmaker in the future. A guy like Rosevelt Colvin would be an amazing fit I think ... Takeo Spikes is gonna garner all the interest next year, and maybe we can get RC on the cheap.

clumping platelets

12-22-2002, 10:46 PM

#1 Draft Need????

Depends on what TD does in FA! Since we are lacking a #1, the draft should focus on creating depth and adding team speed, especially on special teams. Thus, they can basically pick ANY position except P

SABURZFAN

12-23-2002, 02:41 AM

i'm hoping that a stud LB slips in the draft.i think that the good D-linemen will be taken real quick.

TypicalBill

12-23-2002, 04:43 AM

We need:
Free agent DT (Hunt from GB)
Free agent LB (Spikes or Colvin)
Free agent DE (Vonnie Holiday)
Draft (2nd round) Best available outside LB - DJ williams or Boss Bailey would be nice.
Draft (3rd round) WR
Draft (4th round) QB Brad Banks (Iowa)
Draft 5th-7th Speed players that help Special teams.

This would make me one of the happiest guys in the world :)

Ebenezer

12-23-2002, 07:06 AM

I agreee with TD..did i type that??? :huh:

JefftheBillsfan

12-23-2002, 09:04 AM

Order of needs IMO:
1) WLB
2) DT
3) FS
4) WR/CB (depending if we still have PP)
5) TE (assuming we dont have JR)
6) DE (I feel pretty solid w/shobel, ahonotu, jones and all the youngsters, wouldnt mind seeing bruuuuuce back though)

kgun12

12-23-2002, 10:22 AM

I agree with TD about best available. As far as what typical said about VONNIE HALIDAY he had 1 sack before yesterday. He was playing for his cousin. Sorry no holiday cheer here!

12-23-2002, 11:04 AM

I think our biggest need is a big, physical DT w/ some speed if possible. That would be the single largest thing that we could do to improve an already improving D and put us in the top 5-10 Ds for next season.

WLB after that.

I don't think our chances are good of getting such a DT in the draft where it reportedly is a much weaker draft for DTs than it was last year.

Spikes would be nice, so would Hunt, but I don't see G.B. letting Hunt get away. Not sure their cap situation and who they'll cut however. Cincy has exactly the type of management to let Spikes go however. :D

HenryRules

12-23-2002, 11:07 AM

Does anyone know of a listing of approximately how much it would cost in average salary to get some of the free agents next season? I don't really have any idea what the going rate is for LBs so its hard to say how important it is that we go after a Spikes or Colvin.

Butch

12-23-2002, 11:30 AM

I say drafting a LB is our biggest need. I would love for us to get Boss Bailey or E.J. Henderson but both of them probably won't be there in the middle of the second round, but you never know. I would prefer we get a DT and a DE in FA rather than draft another DT or DE where we already have a stockpile of young DL.

ArcticWildMan

12-23-2002, 11:35 AM

Drafting another DE would be a waste. DE's are like Rcvr's...they take a year or two to develop (look at Schobel). We need immediate help at DE and only a FA will work. Besides, we are fairly deep at DE right now.

I still think they need to put Denney on a conditioning program this offseason, get him up to 290-300 lbs and let him play tackle. He was drafted to be a run stopper anyway. Why not build on his strength?

We need help at LB and that should be high on our draft list. DT is a huge need area along with a stud safety.

Phins054

12-23-2002, 11:44 AM

Originally posted by TypicalBill
We need:
Free agent DT (Hunt from GB)
Free agent LB (Spikes or Colvin)
Free agent DE (Vonnie Holiday)
Draft (2nd round) Best available outside LB - DJ williams or Boss Bailey would be nice.
Draft (3rd round) WR
Draft (4th round) QB Brad Banks (Iowa)
Draft 5th-7th Speed players that help Special teams.

This would make me one of the happiest guys in the world :)

I don't think Banks will still be on the board in the 4th rd.

As far as your biggest need...DTs...either FAs or draft and quick LBs that can cover. Your secondary seems pretty solid.

HenryRules

12-23-2002, 11:49 AM

Originally posted by ArcticWildMan
I still think they need to put Denney on a conditioning program this offseason, get him up to 290-300 lbs and let him play tackle. He was drafted to be a run stopper anyway. Why not build on his strength?

That's a lot of extra weight to put on the guy ... I don't think messing around with a player's weight that dramatically is a very good idea. I'd like him to beef up slightly and continue along the Phil Hansen style. Have him play outside on 1st and 2nd down and come inside on passing downs.

TacklingDummy

12-23-2002, 11:57 AM

Originally posted by Ebenezer
I agreee with TD..did i type that??? :huh:

Listen to Yoda young Jedi. He will lead you to the promise land.

Without a #1 pick it would be hard to pick a position player that we need. As it looks we will have the 45-50 pick in the draft.

If I was doing the picking I would pick the best available defensive player in the 2nd round. In the 3rd round I would pick the best avaiable RB.

Besides Henry we really don't have anyother person who can run the ball. And picking a RB would give us depth, a special teams player, and a insurance policy just incase Henry's fumble problems continue or if he gets hurt.

ArcticWildMan

12-23-2002, 12:04 PM

Originally posted by HenryRules

That's a lot of extra weight to put on the guy ... I don't think messing around with a player's weight that dramatically is a very good idea. I'd like him to beef up slightly and continue along the Phil Hansen style. Have him play outside on 1st and 2nd down and come inside on passing downs.

Isn't he already around 275? Putting on 15-20 pounds isn't asking for a lot when the guy is 6' 7" or whatever he is.

HenryRules

12-23-2002, 12:07 PM

If you're talking adding 15-20 pounds, then I agree that's not much ... I guess I was taking the extreme case (where I thought he weighed 270 and would be going up to 300 - and I do think 30 pounds is a lot to gain).

ArcticWildMan

12-23-2002, 12:09 PM

Yahoo stats list him as 276 at 6'7". Give him an offseason in the weight room and he could easily be 295. My only question would be if his center of gravity would be too high allowing DT's to push him around :scratch:

TigerJ

12-23-2002, 10:05 PM

I agree with CP. We know that Buffalo needs a linebacker or three, DT help and competition at safety and CB in case the guys we have don't develop, but that picture could change considerably when free agency kicks in.

The "best player theory" is nice but I'm not sure I want the Bills to draft an OT if that's the best guy on the board when the Bills are picking. Realistically when you get down in the second round, there will tend to be very small differences in draftable grade between say the 45th best player in the draft and the 49th player in the draft. You don't want to reach very far, but if the 45th best player is that OT I was talking about, and the 49th best player is the OLB you didn't find in free agency, I might take the OLB. It's got to be the GM's call though. If he thinks the talent dropoff is too much between the guy he doesn't need because of the position he plays and the guy who plays the position he needs but is down too far on his draft board, then he either has to take the player he doesn't need or try to trade down to make a better value pick.

TigerJ

12-23-2002, 10:13 PM

Last April, we all remember that Buffalo picked Josh Reed early in the second round. I think Buffalo had him rated around the 20th best player in the draft. He was so far above the next best guy still available on their board they felt like they had to pick him. That situation doesn't happen all the time. Fortunately, Reed makes the possible departure of Price more palatable, but if Price does re-sign with Buffalo, Reed could go on being underutilized for some time. There is still reason to speculate that if Buffalo had gone with a need pick at that point they might have been better off this season.

BufBlue4ever60

12-23-2002, 10:17 PM

I dont think that we should draft a DE. Schobel looks good, and Denney is being groomed for the future. And if Denney doesnt work out, we have Ahanotu and Marcus Jones as insurance. As for LB's, Fletcher is obviously staying, but isnt this Newmans last year on his contract?I'd like to keep him, though if we have to cut him in order to sign Price, im for that. Eddie Robinson isnt starter material anymore. Spoon could fill in for Robinson, or we could draft someone. I think that we should go with DT, though I would rather trade up to get a pick in the first round. Could TD do that?

TigerJ

12-23-2002, 10:19 PM

I think the prospect of Denney bulking up and playing DT might be the only thing that can save his career. He'll never be quick enough to be a good DE but he easily ought to have the frame to carry 300+ pounds. He doesn't even have to add it all between now and next season. He could add 15 pounds between now and July, play at 290 next year and add another 15 or 20 pounds a year from now. Buffalo has a good strength and conditioning guy. He'll make sure the weight Denney adds is muscle.

TigerJ

12-23-2002, 10:25 PM

I don't think Spoon would have any more range as an outside linebacker than Robinson has. Spoon IMHO is strictly middle linebacker material. Fletcher will continue to start however. I wouldn't be surprised if Newman departs. He's a good athlete, but got frustrated this year. He may feel he was not a good match for this defence or that he was misused. At any rate he's likely to think the grass is greener elsewhere.

Drewpac

12-24-2002, 12:04 PM

We should only draft one qb and all wide receivers.

DraftBoy

12-24-2002, 06:36 PM

clumping platelets

12-24-2002, 11:17 PM

Future FA is always a consideration on draft day.

Josh Reed was drafted with Peerless' FA status in mind and also the fact that he was a 1st rd talent still available in early rd 2. While we can all hypothesize about whether the selection of Reed was justified, the fact is the Bills were a 3-13 team in 2001 and had many needs come draft day. Hindsight says that maybe we would have been better off drafting a defensive player, however, if you look at the second rd of the 2002 draft, the round was predominantly offensive players and none of the defensive players in rd 2 played extremely well. KC took DT Eddie Freeman and he had some decent games but he had some character issues coming out of college. Indy took DT Larry Triplett but he hasn't set the world on fire either. Now, if the Bills hadn't taken Josh Reed in rd 2, who would have been #3? Also, the Bills would likely be forced into drafting a WR this year. Many factors need to be taken into consideration come draft day and the best player available (BPA) strategy usually benefits a team far more than just drafting for a specific need.