OT - 2014 NFL Draft

[Eleven]

How do those thistles taste, Eeyore?

 

And it's not 2 firsts for a WR. It's a swap of 1st round picks and next year's 1st for a WR, who happens to be a consensus elite play maker prospect.

 

If this plan doesn't work, at least they took a big hard swing at it. They can hit re-set on EJ in 2016 if need be.

 

Of course it's 2 firsts for a WR! They spent this year's first round pick and next year's first round pick, and in return, got a WR.

 

I want to be careful and clear: I have made no judgment on Watkins (other than the fact that I liked his interview). I just think that's awfully expensive for a wide receiver. Any wide receiver.

[Claude_Verret]

It matters because the most likely scenario is that:

 

- The Bills are sold at some point in the next 6 months;

- The new owner hires a new team president and GM;

- The Bills are lousy again this coming season; and

- The new GM now has no #1 pick (which probably would've been in the 8th to 12th overall range) to work with.

 

 

But how many 8 to 12 range first round picks (and earlier) have they had the past 15 years? Where has it led them?

 

If nothing else it's a bold and different approach to get the #1 overall player on their board, for that reason alone I like it no matter what the cost, even though I agree they are 7-9 this year once again.

Edited May 9, 2014 by Claude_Verret

[shrader]

I'm enjoying the stuff with the Browns today. The whole thing reminds me of the year where they did some wheeling and dealing and walked away with Brady Quinn.

 

So they took both Quinn and Weeden at 22 overall, and now Manziel. That's pretty crazy. It obviously means nothing for Manziel, but it is a funny coincidence.

[Claude_Verret]

In the abstract, yes. In the real world of relentless mediocrity that is the Buffalo Bills -- no.

 

I'm at the point where I'm inclined to believe that everything they do is wrong.

 

 

"If every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right."

 

What I'm finding most enjoyable about this pick is this woman I work with who is a huge Clemson fan who complains to me all the time about CJ being stuck in Buffalo. This morning when I walked in she just glared at me and said "Not again"

Edited May 9, 2014 by Claude_Verret

[26CornerBlitz]

@AdamSchefter

A handful of teams had Bills WR Sammy Watkins as the No. 1 player on their board.

[nfreeman]

But how many 8 to 12 range first round picks (and earlier) have they had the past 15 years? Where has it led them?

 

If nothing else it's a bold and different approach to get the #1 overall player on their board, for that reason alone I like it no matter what the cost, even though I agree they are 7-9 this year once again.

 

Well, Dareus was #3 overall and while he's not quite a washout, he's closer to being a washout than to being a franchise player.

 

You're right that drafting #8-#12 hasn't done anything for them. I just think the lack of results has been due to incompetence and cheapness, not due to any putative impossibility of improving from drafting in that range.

 

It mostly comes down to my cynicism about this organization. Until I see real positive results, I can't help but expect poor results.

[26CornerBlitz]

Well, Dareus was #3 overall and while he's not quite a washout, he's closer to being a washout than to being a franchise player.

 

You're right that drafting #8-#12 hasn't done anything for them. I just think the lack of results has been due to incompetence and cheapness, not due to any putative impossibility of improving from drafting in that range.

 

It mostly comes down to my cynicism about this organization. Until I see real positive results, I can't help but expect poor results.

 

Definitely disagree with that. Dareus is a damn good NFL DT.

[That Aud Smell]

We could miss out on the next Whitner, Mckelvin, Maybin or McCargo? Don't you see how screwed they'd be!!

 

hear, hear. that is precisely where i'm at.

 

so if we stood pat, took whomever at 9 (maybe a nice safe OL), and went 6-10, 7-9, shoot maybe 8-8, what would that 14th overall pick in 2015 get us? who the feck knows. and frankly i no longer care. whaley took a risk because he said he could not stand by and not do something in order to get this team back into the playoffs. hooray, i say.

 

the Bills last year had a bunch of #2s out there.

 

good post. it does seem to me that one of our existing WR's needs to be moved. watkins will start outside. who's on the other side? woods? williams? neither are slot guys. put stevie in the slot? maybe. if not him, goodwin.

 

I just think that's awfully expensive for a wide receiver. Any wide receiver.

 

it is expensive. i won't debate the degree. it's a big-upside risk taken by a solid man with good information whose job it is to make those decisions. i'm in.

 

Definitely disagree with that. Dareus is a damn good NFL DT.

 

QFT. his advanced stats against the run last year were top 5 for his position.

[darksabre]

 

 

hear, hear. that is precisely where i'm at.

 

so if we stood pat, took whomever at 9 (maybe a nice safe OL), and went 6-10, 7-9, shoot maybe 8-8, what would that 14th overall pick in 2015 get us? who the feck knows. and frankly i no longer care. whaley took a risk because he said he could not stand by and not do something in order to get this team back into the playoffs. hooray, i say.

 

 

 

good post. it does seem to me that one of our existing WR's needs to be moved. watkins will start outside. who's on the other side? woods? williams? neither are slot guys. put stevie in the slot? maybe. if not him, goodwin.

 

 

 

it is expensive. i won't debate the degree. it's a big-upside risk taken by a solid man with good information whose job it is to make those decisions. i'm in.

 

 

 

QFT. his advanced stats against the run last year were top 5 for his position.

 

I mean for f*cks sake, we haven't made the playoffs since the 90s. We have NOTHING to lose. Nothing.

 

This is what freedom feels like.

[dudacek]

 

It mostly comes down to my cynicism about this organization. Until I see real positive results, I can't help but expect poor results.

 

That's realistic and I think sums it up quite well.

I'm getting off that ride. My head is firmly in the clouds (or is that sand?)

This year: IT'S PLAYOFF TIME!

[Eleven]

Definitely disagree with that. Dareus is a damn good NFL DT.

 

Hell yes he is, but he has some major attitude problems lately, and I wouldn't mind the Bills taking Louis Nix in the third as a backup.

[Samson's Flow]

 

 

hear, hear. that is precisely where i'm at.

 

so if we stood pat, took whomever at 9 (maybe a nice safe OL), and went 6-10, 7-9, shoot maybe 8-8, what would that 14th overall pick in 2015 get us? who the feck knows. and frankly i no longer care. whaley took a risk because he said he could not stand by and not do something in order to get this team back into the playoffs. hooray, i say.

 

 

 

good post. it does seem to me that one of our existing WR's needs to be moved. watkins will start outside. who's on the other side? woods? williams? neither are slot guys. put stevie in the slot? maybe. if not him, goodwin.

 

 

 

it is expensive. i won't debate the degree. it's a big-upside risk taken by a solid man with good information whose job it is to make those decisions. i'm in.

 

 

 

QFT. his advanced stats against the run last year were top 5 for his position.

I would venture to say that Watkins is the #1 coming in. Then it is Mike Williams as the other outside WR (more due to the perception that he is in no way able to play the slot. He's a veteran used to playing on the outside). This leaves Woods and Stevie as the slot WR. I think Stevie will play much better in the slot and we should not trade him away for a 4th/5th rounder. With that talent 4-wide, we will know in a hurry if EJ has talent or not. At least makes our decision going forward easier (unfortunately we would have to wait until 2016 to draft a 1st round QB).

[dEnnis the Menace]

I love the pick. You have Watkins and Williams outside, Stevie in the slot. Play Woods either out of the slot or outside here and there. Goodwin as the 4 or 5 guy from the slot or outside. you can't go wrong.

 

The team has enough weapons now that EJ should succeed (so long as we grab at least one o-lineman). You've got 2 good to great RBs, 5 very talented WRs, and a decent but TALL TE that can catch most balls.

 

Watkins is a game changer. They gambled. I think it's worth gambling rather than taking a 'safe' pick.

[nfreeman]

Definitely disagree with that. Dareus is a damn good NFL DT.

 

In Dareus' 3 years with the Bills, they have been 5th-worst in the NFL against the run, then 2nd-worst, then 5th-worst again.

 

He's had zero positive impact on the D.

 

 

it is expensive. i won't debate the degree. it's a big-upside risk taken by a solid man with good information whose job it is to make those decisions. i'm in.

 

This "solid man" has been with the Bills for 4 seasons now, each of which produced the same dull, mediocre results we've seen for the last 15 years.

 

There is no reason whatsoever to think that Whaley is anything other than another Bills bargain-bin loser.

[TrueBlueGED]

In the abstract, yes. In the real world of relentless mediocrity that is the Buffalo Bills -- no.

 

I'm at the point where I'm inclined to believe that everything they do is wrong.

 

Then presumably you'd be just as upset if they stayed at 9, right? If this is your legitimate attitude, I guess I don't understand why you even remotely care.

 

In Dareus' 3 years with the Bills, they have been 5th-worst in the NFL against the run, then 2nd-worst, then 5th-worst again.

 

He's had zero positive impact on the D.

 

This "solid man" has been with the Bills for 4 seasons now, each of which produced the same dull, mediocre results we've seen for the last 15 years.

 

There is no reason whatsoever to think that Whaley is anything other than another Bills bargain-bin loser.

 

Well, that's just wrong. He hasn't single-handedly turned them into the 2000 Ravens, but come on man.

[ubkev]

 

 

In Dareus' 3 years with the Bills, they have been 5th-worst in the NFL against the run, then 2nd-worst, then 5th-worst again.

 

He's had zero positive impact on the D.

 

 

Guess we shouldn't care about losing that first rounder next year, huh?

[Hoss]

 

The Saints know they have to go through the Seahawks to get back to the Super Bowl, adding a receiver makes sense, more so if you take into consideration they added Bryd to a defense that gave up the fifth least amount of points last season.

 

Lmao you're hilarious. Everybody else is stupid for trading/falling for the "flash" but when the Saints do it it's brilliant.

[Eleven]

In Dareus' 3 years with the Bills, they have been 5th-worst in the NFL against the run, then 2nd-worst, then 5th-worst again.

 

He's had zero positive impact on the D.

 

 

Sack record last year. He takes up two linemen, allowing others to get around. The run D is miserable, but it isn't all on him (and neither is the sack record).

[26CornerBlitz]

In Dareus' 3 years with the Bills, they have been 5th-worst in the NFL against the run, then 2nd-worst, then 5th-worst again.

 

He's had zero positive impact on the D.

 

Laughable!

[inkman]

Yeah, right. That's the way it is. It's down there and I'm in here. I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'.

 

-Andy Durfresne

[Eleven]

Tim Graham's piece on how the trade went down, based upon an unnamed source in the draft room, is excellent: http://bills.buffalonews.com/2014/05/09/inside-draft-room-buffalo-made-trade-land-sammy-watkins/

[Johnny DangerFace]

I like pick, they have a chance to get a true elite player and they did. Can't hate on that.

[shrader]

Tim Graham's piece on how the trade went down, based upon an unnamed source in the draft room, is excellent: http://bills.buffalo...-sammy-watkins/

 

I just wish we could find out who that other team was and what their offer was. It's a shame we can never find out all this information because so many crazy and interesting things have to happen on the draft day.

[26CornerBlitz]

Watkins Presser on WGR now: http://player.tritonmedia.com/entercom/WGRAM

[LGR4GM]

I like listening to Sammy, something about him.