So? Do you build a winning OL in the draft?

[Ebenezer]

This came up at our Zone Lunch this week. I have held the contention that the Bills OL problems stem from drafting a dozen OL in the last 11 years. Many of them low and 4 of them never playing a down for this team. Others have said it is how you address the line and not the draft.

Courtesy of Ourlads.com Here is a breakdown of the rosters going into this weekend. I think I will stand on my point. You get winning OL in the NFL by drafting; not by shopping in the retread section - even NE has drafted starters.

Some notes: this is active rosters as of today. KC traded for two All-Pro linemen and Chicago traded for one All-Pro Linemen.

Buffalo (0), KC (1), Cleve (0) and NO (1) are the only teams with 1 or zero starters having come from their own draft. Even KC and NO starter were first round picks. See note about KC above.

Again, Buffalo's problems on the OL stem back 10 years with the failure to address the OL high in the draft. I would gladly have taken OL in place of Evans, Losman, Parrish, Euhus and Everette.

Does it always mean you will have a winner? No. Check out GB and SF...but check out the teams in bold (playoff possible teams).

<pre>
# of OL # Drafted Drafted Starters Rounds Drafted
Buff 10 4 0
Miami 9 3 2 1,5
NE 9 2 2 1,3
NYJ 9 2 2 1,4
Balt 8 6 4 1,4,5,7
Cinci 8 6 3 1,1,2
Cleve 9 1 0
Pitts 9 7 4 1,1,2,3
Hou 8 4 3 2,6,3
Indi 7 4 3 1,4,5
Jax 9 4 3 2,2,3
Tenn 9 9 5 1,2,3,5,6
Denver 8 5 4 1,4,4,7
KC 8 3 1 3
Oak 9 3 2 1,2
SD 9 4 2 3,7
Dallas 10 5 3 2,4,6
NYG 9 3 3 1,2,5
Phil 8 5 2 1,7
Wash 8 5 3 1,2,3
Chic 10 2 2 3,3
Det 8 4 3 1,2,6
GB 10 6 5 2,3,7,7,7
Minn 8 2 2 1,2
Atl 9 4 3 7,7,7
Car 8 5 2 1,3
NO 9 1 1 1
TB 9 5 3 1,4,5
Ariz 8 3 3 1,4,5
St.L 9 4 3 1,1,4
SF 9 6 5 1,2,2,3,7
Seattle 9 7 3 1,1,3

[FlyingDutchman]

IMO Peters is gonna be really good, and Gandy did well. I think we really only need some guards. Anderson is so fat and slow he has a tough time pulling and getting out for screens. Villarial is decent but getting old. IMO we need to upgrade the middle of the line and do it via free agency. We havent done so well drafting OL and we need more of an immediate impact versus building a guy into a good player down the road.

[tat2dmike77]

It never hurts to start at the draft. But really what it is all about is good scouting.

For some reason the scouts have been off a bit. Who knows maybe next year M. Williams will be the man he is supposed to be i dunno. But i do believe that you get your core line-men in the draft.

[dolphinssuck]

IMO thats where we need to get our better picks. Our OL is our true weakness and fix that theres no reason we cant be good next season. Well except the inability to chose the right starting QB.

[gr8slayer]

Yes you build your OL via the draft. You have to.

[G. Host]

Ebenezer the problem with your numbers is Mike Williams lost his job due to injury and Bills tried to use him as a Guard since his mobility was limited after being injured but still able to play some. Peters is a great story but just a story - if Williams had not been injured he would not be starting. He was the best OL at end of last year and at start of this year. The numbers are skewed to back your results but I thought it was interesting enough to bump thread rather than having it sink into oblivion.

[ICE74129]

Great Thread! The deal is you MUST address Left tackle with a high pick. More often than not you will SUCCEED! Draft and draft often on the OL until it is set.

and a note....Since the 00 season both Green Bay and San Fran have made the playoffs. Buffalo has not

[Ebenezer]

Ebenezer the problem with your numbers is Mike Williams lost his job due to injury and Bills tried to use him as a Guard since his mobility was limited after being injured but still able to play some. Peters is a great story but just a story - if Williams had not been injured he would not be starting. He was the best OL at end of last year and at start of this year. The numbers are skewed to back your results but I thought it was interesting enough to bump thread rather than having it sink into oblivion.
how are the numbers skewed?? check them out yourself at Ourlads.com...those are the starting line-ups and rosters coming into this weekend. You youself said that if MW was hurt he would not be starting. Fine, stick MW in there in the starting numbers...whoopie, we move up from being equal with Cleveland to being equal with NO. I'm sorry. For 10 years the administration of this team has FAILED to address the needs of the OL by selecting players on day 1. They have attempted to address it by bargain basement shopping and retreads. Not good enough.

[Ebenezer]

Great Thread! The deal is you MUST address Left tackle with a high pick. More often than not you will SUCCEED! Draft and draft often on the OL until it is set.

and a note....Since the 00 season both Green Bay and San Fran have made the playoffs. Buffalo has not
and on another side note...all of SF drafted starters have less than 4 years of experience.

SF-
2002 - 1
2003 - 1
2004 - 1
2005 - 2