Bills claim OT Terren Jones

[swiper]

Bills claim OT Terrence Jones. Was released by Tennessee on Friday.

Again. Why no La'el Collins in the 7th if this was a problem?

Battle, Cherilus, now Jones. They could have had an eventual starter had they taken a flyer on Collins.

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/art...7-4eeb39df14a4

[YardRat]

You left out Hunter.

[better days]

Bills claim OT Terrence Jones. Was released by Tennessee on Friday.

Again. Why no La'el Collins in the 7th if this was a problem?

Battle, Cherilus, now Jones. They could have had an eventual starter had they taken a flyer on Collins.

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/art...7-4eeb39df14a4

Do you think the Bills are the only team in the NFL that could use a tackle?

NO team in the NFL drafted Colllins.

Not even the Patriots* who are prone to draft murderers.

[swiper]

The Patriots didn't realize Hernandez did that when they drafted him.

And, again, just because every other team passed on Collins means nothing. The Bills apparently have a tackle need (based on recent visits/signing). They had obvious interest in Collins as they quickly sent Rex Ryan himself down south to wine & dine him. So this was a big misfire on Whaley's part.

[better days]

The Patriots didn't realize Hernandez did that when they drafted him.

And, again, just because every other team passed on Collins means nothing. The Bills apparently have a tackle need (based on recent visits/signing). They had obvious interest in Collins as they quickly sent Rex Ryan himself down south to wine & dine him. So this was a big misfire on Whaley's part.

The Patriots knew full well that Hernandez had issues while at Florida.

They may not have known he attempted to murder people, but they knew he was capable of it.

And yes it was a misfire on Whaley's part to not draft Collins just as it was every other GM in the NFL.

[DraftBoy]

The Collins thing is a bit of a misnomer, his agent bluffed and said that if any team drafted him on Day 3 they would not sign. What team wants to risk that and have a headache from a late round pick? The Bills did try and sign him but got beat out for the signature.

As for Jones, I think this is a good pickup. He's a long and athletic OT/OG option who needs time. He's 6'7, 341 with long arms.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

The Collins thing is a bit of a misnomer, his agent bluffed and said that if any team drafted him on Day 3 they would not sign. What team wants to risk that and have a headache from a late round pick? The Bills did try and sign him but got beat out for the signature.

As for Jones, I think this is a good pickup. He's a long and athletic OT/OG option who needs time. He's 6'7, 341 with long arms.

When the upside is a 1st/2nd round prospect for a 7th round pick contract, then they should be willing to take that risk. When we are willing to risk the headaches for guys like Ryan, Incognito and Harvin, don't tell me this team is suddenly gun shy about headlines.

[DraftBoy]

When the upside is a 1st/2nd round prospect for a 7th round pick contract, then they should be willing to take that risk. When we are willing to risk the headaches for guys like Ryan, Incognito and Harvin, don't tell me this team is suddenly gun shy about headlines.

Those are bigger name guys v a complete unknown as a rookie. If the Bills took Collins and he sat out the entire year there would of been countless stories about the inept front office and it would of been an embarrassment. We all know that would of been the case. The risk wasn't worth it and every NFL team agreed with that risk assessment.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Those are bigger name guys v a complete unknown as a rookie. If the Bills took Collins and he sat out the entire year there would of been countless stories about the inept front office and it would of been an embarrassment.

Just think of the absolute HORROR of a team getting nothing from the 234th pick in the draft! How would Whaley ever live down the shame?!

We all know that would of been the case. The risk wasn't worth it and every NFL team agreed with that risk assessment.

I was saying it was a bluff before the draft, and lo and behold Collins' people admitted it was a bluff after the draft. The Bills clearly weren't scared off by the murder investigation, they were the first to hustle down there and try to sign the guy.

And what other teams do is of little concern to me. Other teams don't have a crying need at offensive line, and other teams may have legitimately been concerned about the murder investigation. The Bills desperately need linemen and they hustled to Louisiana immediately to try to snag the guy right after the draft.

Whaley got hustled by Collins' agent and Rex Ryan got overconfident that he could talk anybody into joining the Bills.

[DraftBoy]

Just think of the absolute HORROR of a team getting nothing from the 234th pick in the draft! How would Whaley ever live down the shame?!

While you're sarcasm is dully noted, it doesn't change the fact that the press would of had a field day. You know that and I know that. That's especially important for a team that has been a laughing stock for how many years now?

I was saying it was a bluff before the draft, and lo and behold Collins' people admitted it was a bluff after the draft. The Bills clearly weren't scared off by the murder investigation, they were the first to hustle down there and try to sign the guy.

Easy to say when it's not your job potentially on the line at the time. I've never mentioned the murder issue as something that teams evaluated when they decided not to draft him.

And what other teams do is of little concern to me. Other teams don't have a crying need at offensive line, and other teams may have legitimately been concerned about the murder investigation. The Bills desperately need linemen and they hustled to Louisiana immediately to try to snag the guy right after the draft.

Agreed 100%, but when you bang on the Bills for not taking him, you need to at least consider the context of why every other team also passed on him.

Whaley got hustled by Collins' agent and Rex Ryan got overconfident that he could talk anybody into joining the Bills.

That's your opinion, but there is nothing that's been reported that confirms that. Collins agent said from the beginning he was going to talk to multiple teams. The Bills being the first (as far as we know) shows they wanted him badly, but they got beat out. It wasn't about money due to the rookie CBA restrictions, it was likely due more to the best situation for Collins.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

While you're sarcasm is dully noted, it doesn't change the fact that the press would of had a field day. You know that and I know that. That's especially important for a team that has been a laughing stock for how many years now?

First off, who the hell cares about how the Bills use their 7th round picks? The press is not going to care because the readers aren't going to care. Second, if the team doesn't want the press to "have a field day" or to avoid the team being a "laughingstock", again they shouldn't have brought in two of the biggest goofballs in the NFL and the ringmaster of the NFLs biggest circus.

Easy to say when it's not your job potentially on the line at the time.

Whaley's job is not on the line over how will his 7th round picks turn out, he's on the line over how well the team does in the standings. Would Collins help us more on the field then Lewis will? I feel comfortable predicting he would.

I've never mentioned the murder issue as something that teams evaluated when they decided not to draft him.

Agreed 100%, but when you bang on the Bills for not taking him, you need to at least consider the context of why every other team also passed on him.

That is the context. Without the murder investigation, he almost certainly doesn't fall out of the 2nd round and then we don't have this discussion at all. But he did.

That's your opinion, but there is nothing that's been reported that confirms that. Collins agent said from the beginning he was going to talk to multiple teams. The Bills being the first (as far as we know) shows they wanted him badly, but they got beat out. It wasn't about money due to the rookie CBA restrictions, it was likely due more to the best situation for Collins.

Collins people said flat out - it was a bluff.

http://mmqb.si.com/2015/05/15/lael-c...-investigation

“We can put it on the record now: We were never going back in the draft,” Smith says of waiting for the 2016 draft. “If someone had drafted him, we would’ve had a long, long discussion about it, but at the end of the day you can’t go back in the draft. He could get injured, gain weight, or 10 great tackles could come out. Too many risks.”

Whaley got hustled.

[DraftBoy]

First off, who the hell cares about how the Bills use their 7th round picks? The press is not going to care because the readers aren't going to care. Second, if the team doesn't want the press to "have a field day" or to avoid the team being a "laughingstock", again they shouldn't have brought in two of the biggest goofballs in the NFL and the ringmaster of the NFLs biggest circus.

Plenty of people, you only get a limited amount of draft choices. You should do everything within your power as the GM to make each one the best it can be, which means evaluating a number of factors aside from just plain talent. Have you read the local paper over the last few years? Sully and others would of killed this team for that kind of a mistake. Who cares about what the fans think?

Well that we fully agree on.

Whaley's job is not on the line over how will his 7th round picks turn out, he's on the line over how well the team does in the standings. Would Collins help us more on the field then Lewis will? I feel comfortable predicting he would.

Whaley's job is on the line about making this team a winner. Potentially wasting a draft pick on a guy who at the time claimed he would not sign if drafted does nothing to help this team win. Your comfort level is fine, but we just don't know yet. Collins was a far superior prospect at a much larger position of need. That is not up for debate.

That is the context. Without the murder investigation, he almost certainly doesn't fall out of the 2nd round and then we don't have this discussion at all. But he did.

And why did he fall out of the entire draft? We knew heading into Day 2 that he was not the target of the investigation into this murder.

Collins people said flat out - it was a bluff.

http://mmqb.si.com/2015/05/15/lael-c...-investigation


Whaley got hustled.

So did every other NFL team under that lens. Nobody was wiling to take the risk.

[Mace]

Bills claim OT Terrence Jones. Was released by Tennessee on Friday.

Again. Why no La'el Collins in the 7th if this was a problem?

Battle, Cherilus, now Jones. They could have had an eventual starter had they taken a flyer on Collins.

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/art...7-4eeb39df14a4

I think you're misinterpreting it, they aren't looking for a starter, they think they have them, so no point in Collins. Cherilus and Hunter fall into the veteran depth category, Jones is a pure camp body.

Battle was likely due diligence and a shot at a bargain pickup, young depth with huge upside.

I don't think they're panicking for a starter. Let's face it, Hunter was long in the tooth and Cherilus injury prone, not exactly who you'd consider for a reliable starter, but depth candidates.

[sudzy]

The Collins thing is a bit of a misnomer, his agent bluffed and said that if any team drafted him on Day 3 they would not sign. What team wants to risk that and have a headache from a late round pick? The Bills did try and sign him but got beat out for the signature.

As for Jones, I think this is a good pickup. He's a long and athletic OT/OG option who needs time. He's 6'7, 341 with long arms.

Yes, but, the NFL came out on day 3 and said that he was ineligible to re-enter the draft. So why not? And even if that wasn't the case, why not take a 7th round shot on a 1st round talent?

[swiper]

I think you're misinterpreting it, they aren't looking for a starter, they think they have them, so no point in Collins. Cherilus and Hunter fall into the veteran depth category, Jones is a pure camp body.

Battle was likely due diligence and a shot at a bargain pickup, young depth with huge upside.

I don't think they're panicking for a starter. Let's face it, Hunter was long in the tooth and Cherilus injury prone, not exactly who you'd consider for a reliable starter, but depth candidates.

You want the best player possible. And for a moment in time he was available to the Bills very cheap.

[DraftBoy]

Yes, but, the NFL came out on day 3 and said that he was ineligible to re-enter the draft. So why not? And even if that wasn't the case, why not take a 7th round shot on a 1st round talent?

Because you don't waste draft picks, doesn't matter if its a 1st Round draft pick or a 7th Round draft pick. There was too much risk on Collins and that's why every single team passed in every single round.

[swiper]

There was clearly not that much risk associated with the pick. As has been well documented. And how many 7th round picks have turned out to be good players in Buffalo over the past 20 years? So that argument holds no water.

[DraftBoy]

There was clearly not that much risk associated with the pick. As has been well documented. And how many 7th round picks have turned out to be good players in Buffalo over the past 20 years? So that argument holds no water.

Disagree, you don't waste a pick and the fact that every other NFL team also passed is evidence to that. The counter argument that few 7th Round picks turn out to be good isn't relevant because we are not guaranteed that Collins will be good. We aren't talking about a proven commodity v. unknown, we're talking about unknown v. unknown.

[swiper]

Disagree, you don't waste a pick and the fact that every other NFL team also passed is evidence to that. The counter argument that few 7th Round picks turn out to be good isn't relevant because we are not guaranteed that Collins will be good. We aren't talking about a proven commodity v. unknown, we're talking about unknown v. unknown.

NO. The counter argument that we don't do it because no other team did it is the failed argument. PERIOD. Whaley is bringing in tackles that will never amount to what Collins will be. That's a GM failing.

What every other team does or does not do in the draft has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the what Whaley is trying to do for the Bills.

[Mace]

NO. The counter argument that we don't do it because no other team did it is the failed argument. PERIOD. Whaley is bringing in tackles that will never amount to what Collins will be. That's a GM failing.

What every other team does or does not do in the draft has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the what Whaley is trying to do for the Bills.

Or, they didn't bring him in because they felt Kouandjio, Henderson and Glenn were better, and he didn't fit the desired role of a Hunter, Cherilus (vet depth) or Jones (camp body with upside). They never kicked tires on Jake Long either because they weren't looking for a potential starter, they think they have them, imho.