Willis McGahee = Thurman Thomas?

[BuffaloRanger]

There are some similarities between the two. I am not advocating picking WM on the first day of the draft. I think the Bills can afford to pick him in the 5th round and wait for him to recover. He doesn't need to be rushed into the line-up.

I really think the drama of day two will be who/when will WM get selected. I think about 10 teams would be interested in taking him with their 5/6/7 rd pick.

I would like the Bills to select him in the 5th rd. I would love if the bills could get him in the 6th.

What do you all think? Interested in him, and if so, what's the earliest you'd want the Bills to select him?

[DaQUIXLET]

LOL - that was a funny one Ranger!!

[jurr80]

McGahee said that he wasn't going to enter the draft. He was going to sit out a year and rehab, then re-enter himself into the draft. Once healthy, he'll be a second rounder probably. Hey, Terrell Davis underwent a similar situation. Who knows?

[gwillrich]

Ranger, I'm pretty high on McGahee and would actually advocate taking him on day one. I would be surprised to see him slip past the third and have heard rumor that the Raiders might consider him as early as the first (they have two picks at 31 and 32).

If the Bills land an impact player at 23 and our team doctors feel good about McGahee's rehab progress, I'm thinking we could go for him in the second round. Word from the combine was that Willis is already walking without crutches. It seems possible he'll be ready to play during this season. If we sign him to a 4 year deal he could come up big and may make a nice insurance policy if we can't resign Travis.

No one knows if he'll be the next Thurm or the next bust who never makes it back from injury. I just think his upside is worth a roll of the dice. Prior to injury McGahee looked to be a solid top 5 pick. When's the next time we're going to land a talent like that for a bargain price? Just my two cents.

[zevo]

Maghee is going in the 2nd round! I forget what team it is but I think it is the raiders who will take him in the 2nd round! He is definitely worth a sencond round pick! The logic behind this from the nfl scouts is that almost every tailback encounters a devastating knee injury once in there career! For willis it has co e earlier than anticipated!

[askabry]

I'm already on record...a long time ago...in saying this guy is worth a day one pick to the Bills. A lot depends on Sam Adams; sign him and you open the door to covering other sins than D line in round one and moves up the capacity to draft a top 5 talent in the 48 spot. Otherwise, I think someone else will have secured him long before we pick with the 77th pick.

[wolfpack]

agreed, WM does not last past the 2nd...............5th or 6th round...........! Bwahahahaha!!!!!

[sfoote]

I said it last month, take a chance in the 2nd round if he's still there. especially if they sign Adams.

[bad radio]

are you all crazy!?!? Travis Henry is the future, he's going to be a top-five RB this year. why waste time and money on damaged goods when you've already got proven talent?

[Buffalo13]

I can see two situations that have occured in the past couple of years which create good reasons for drafting WM. First would be what happened to the Ravens when Jamal Lewis went down. They were left with nothing of a running game.....I'd rather not have someone like a Terry Allen in our backfield as we're trying to make a playoff run. Second is the New Orleans situation with Williams and Duece. It didn't hurt them to have two stud backs and then they got a very good trade from the fins. And, quite honestly, I don't really consider WM that much of a risk at all.

[Bflojohn2]

you cannot have enough running backs on a football team with starter like qualities. McGahee was rated by Ourlads Guide to the NFL Draft as the 2nd best palyer in this draft AFTER his injury!! That is pretty high praise! I do think however, that Thurman and Willis are NOT a sound comparison. Thomas had a loose knee joint and failed physicals for SOME NFL teams. McGahee blew his knee up literally! I've had knee trouble through sports and the two knees in question are vastly dissimilar!

[bad radio]

Originally posted by Bflojohn
you cannot have enough running backs on a football team with starter like qualities. McGahee was rated by Ourlads Guide to the NFL Draft as the 2nd best palyer in this draft AFTER his injury!! That is pretty high praise! I do think however, that Thurman and Willis are NOT a sound comparison. Thomas had a loose knee joint and failed physicals for SOME NFL teams. McGahee blew his knee up literally! I've had knee trouble through sports and the two knees in question are vastly dissimilar!

yes, this is true, but why waste a 2nd round pick (which IMO is what it would take to get him, without question) when the draft is deep with the D-Line positions the Bills need? I'm a big fan of McGahee myself, and I think he'll be great somewhere. but no need to spend a 2nd round pick on something they don't necessarily need. whether or not they sign Adams doesn't matter, b/c he's not a long-term solution. they need that pick to bolster the D-line

I'm also of the belief that too many starting-caliber backs can only lead to crying about playing time. Travis has been healthy so far and is starting to come on, and everyone knows it. but throw another starting level back in there and someone starts crying.

I don't know, just my opinion.

[sfoote]

Because if Henry asks for too much money, just like Price did, you show him the door. That's the way the NFL is now. Everybody thought TD was crazy for drafting Reed last year. Yes, crazy like a fox.

[bad radio]

yes, but you've got 2 or 3 wr's on the field at a time, so you need a lot of depth at that position. I was pretty impressed with the drafting of Reed b/c he's a possession-type receiver, which is a stark contrast to Moulds/Price who are burners.

but at RB I want a stud who can carry the team on his back when all else fails, who you know you can give the ball to and get 4.3 yds every carry. I DON'T want the RB position to be some revolving door where someone new gets the start depending on the weather. Henry's been that 4.3 so far, and if he's good for 1500 a year I say pay the man.

[BuffaloRanger]

What if TH can't overcome his fumblelitis? If he fumbles the ball 10 times this year when do you cut bait?

[TigerJ]

McGahee will go late in the second as others have said. I think he will be a good back in the NFL, but I want to see how everything shakes out in free agency before I email TD and tell him to draft McGahee at 16 in R2.

[Tatonka]

imho.. if henry fumbles 10 times a year.. you keep him.. and keep giving him the rock.. and hope that you only lose 5 or so of the 10 fumbles.. his positives far outweight the fumbles..

ricky williams fumbled 8 times.. are they gonna get rid of him? no way.

[D-Rocafella]

Henry is the man in Buffalo. When his time comes he will get a long term deal.

That being said, if we do sign Adams in FA. Then draft say Peterson in the 1st round and one of the three FS' that should be their in the 2nd (Holt, Hamil, Mathis) then if Willis is still their in the 3rd round I would look into picking him up.

[buffan100]

He'll go somewhere near the end on the 2nd round I think. He's not worth the 1st round risk and there will be some 1st round quality players available until near pick #40. There are some other good RBs out there who are healthy but McGahee is a special player. He was basicaly unstopable for 2 years until the injury so if the Bills took a risk on him even as high as our #2 pick, I wouldn't argue unless a real good DL was passed up. McGahee has the potential to be a Pro Bowl RB. I imagine he must have had grade problems or else he would have gone back to school to prove he's a 1st round talent.

I expect whoever signs him to give him a deal that voids 1-2 years if he is a 1,000 yard back for 3 years or something to motivate him.

[BuffaloRanger]

If he went bak to Miami he might not have started. The he would have gone undrafted next year. This way, at least he'll get drafted, and get paid something, even if he can't regain his form.

[bad radio]

Originally posted by buffan100
I imagine he must have had grade problems or else he would have gone back to school to prove he's a 1st round talent.


heh heh...who doesn't have grade problems at Miami =)

I'd say he probably didn't go back to school because it wouldn't pay him as much.

[CollisionCourse1]

If travis breaks out like expected, he's going to want MEGA bucks to resign, and we know how TD is; he's not going to overpay for ANYONE. Maghee, if available, at the time of our 2nd pick would be awesome. Remeber when we had Thurman and Kenneth Davis here?? Davis could've started anywhere else, and when Thurman was down, KD was more than able to take up the slack.

[bad radio]

Davis could not have started anywhere else. he was a very good backup, but I don't think he was really starting caliber.

If Henry is able to put up 1300 - 1500 yds a year (like he has the potential to) there is no "overpaying" him. he can be a franchise back.

[mrprez2016]

I seriously doubt WM gets past the 4th round. Someone out there will pull the trigger before then, because he showed he has the stuff to be a top 5 pick when healthy. If he is there in the 4th round, TD should pick him, but not before then b/c TH is doing an admirable job, and we have other needs such as OL/DL/Secondary/WR/TE.

[naeliac]

I just want a scat back to change up with Henry, I don't think Mr Broke Leg will have that kind of pure speed and cutting ability.

[pi2000]

McGahee = Robert Edwards

[BuffaloRanger]

I hope this is true.