Donahoe staying in Alabama

[IamDrewBledsoe]

I heard this on ESPN radio Tom Donahoe was supposed to fly back to Buffalo this week but he's cancelled his flight and will fly back to Buffalo next week. He wants to talk and have Rivers work-out for the BILLS training staff has anyone elese heard this? I guess Donahoe and the coaches were impressed with Rivers This kid might be our #1 pick! :jumpnclap :wiggum:

[Wally]

:ohbrother

[Mouldsie]

I've been telling you guys that he's amazing....

[angneli]

It would not surprise me to see us trade down for more picks and pick him up later in the first.

[Psychosis]

Originally posted by IamDrewBledsoe
I heard this on ESPN radio Tom Donahoe was supposed to fly back to Buffalo this week but he's cancelled his flight and will fly back to Buffalo next week. He wants to talk and have Rivers work-out for the BILLS training staff has anyone elese heard this? I guess Donahoe and the coaches were impressed with Rivers This kid might be our #1 pick! :jumpnclap :wiggum:


Thanks for the info! This is great news!

[admarc]

Hope it's true, how many days left until the draft ?

[coastal]

Just a passing thought.......... TD's bluffing. He saw his performance and realizes this guys stock is going to be rising. He needs to make dramatic visual interest in this guy to see how much people will give up to get him. He is going to force people to show their hands at a very early stage in the draft process. He is not very overt about much of anything when it comes to the draft.

Keeping my insane ramblings in check....... he may very well take him. But it certainly doesn't hurt to see what other teams might be thinking.

[TheBillsDog]

Nice picture of a child flipping the bird. Class act.

[FrankieA]

My friend is a huge NC State and Bills fan (His father played for the NC State ACC Champion Basketball squad in the 1950's). I remember we got home in time for their bowl game after the Miami game last month and he was telling me about Rivers and how good he will be. He was not fooling.

[DezertBill]

There are alot of players in this draft who can make an instant impact in '04. I think with the talent the Bills have, we all really feel that they aren't too far away from having a playoff calibur team.

A speed rushing DE would be one position that, if they could fill, could help them put more pressure on the QB. Will Smith fits that role.

I think Rivers is talented too, but I don't think the Bills are facing the same decisions at 13 than they did last year with McGahee at 20-something.

They are going for someone that can come in and contribute immediately.

2nd round is a different story, and if Rivers is there, they might pull the trigger on him then.

[Bufsabresnu]

From what Kipper said at the Senior Bowl, Miami is looking at taking Rivers with their 20th overall pick. I we want him we will have to take him at 13, he won't be around in the second round as originally projected. He has moved up to the 3rd QB overall in the draft. I would love to see him on the Bills, but I don't know if we are willing to take him in the first. The news about TD staying behind to talk with him and have him workout with our guys is promising though.

[McD]

Originally posted by coastalPT
He is not very overt about much of anything when it comes to the draft.

Aint that the truth!!

[Overdue Bills]

Rivers is not worth a 1st rounder mark my words. I rather gamble elsewhere

[Dr. Who]

Rivers has been impressive and he seems to come up big for bowl games. That's all to the good, but don't forget that the defensive schemes for the Senior Bowl were pretty vanilla -- no blitzes. If the Bills do not upgrade their O-line, no one will succeed at qb.

[bad radio]

Rivers IS worth a first round pick, even at #13.

Look, I know we need some other things, DE seems to be the one that's mentioned most on this board, but I don't think we can justify letting a guy like Rivers pass us by, especially if he might go to Miami later in the first round.

On the subject of needing a so-called "stud" DE - what exactly does Schobel need to do to convince people that he IS a stud DE? I think all we need is another decent DE, one to complement Schobel, not one that Schobel will complement.

I don't know, my feelings have changed after seeing Rivers. He is going to be good.

[MarcP]

Take Rivers and sign Grant Wistrom for DE

[Buffalobro22]

Originally posted by bad radio
Rivers IS worth a first round pick, even at #13.

Look, I know we need some other things, DE seems to be the one that's mentioned most on this board, but I don't think we can justify letting a guy like Rivers pass us by, especially if he might go to Miami later in the first round.

On the subject of needing a so-called "stud" DE - what exactly does Schobel need to do to convince people that he IS a stud DE? I think all we need is another decent DE, one to complement Schobel, not one that Schobel will complement.

I don't know, my feelings have changed after seeing Rivers. He is going to be good.

Well, Schobel could start by not taking 6 weeks off in the middle of the season when we actually needed wins to keep our playoff hopes alive. His disappearing act hurts the team every year, then he "comes alive" to get 3 sacks in a game against a 3rd string tackle when we're already out of it.
If we can find a DE in FA, then obviously we don't go after one in Round 1, but if we go after a WR in FA and Udeze or maybe Will Smith(not sold on him) is available we would have to take a long look at them.

[BuffaloRanger]

Is drafting a DE in the 1st giving up on on Kelsey? I don't care either way. They'll split time, it's good depth, and all our eggs shouldn't be in Kelsey's basket.

But Kelsey is TDs boy.

And I agree, none of it matters without a stud O-line. I hope TD doesn't think Mcnally is the only answer.

[Range Roamer]

Originally posted by BuffaloRanger
Is drafting a DE in the 1st giving up on on Kelsey? I don't care either way. They'll split time, it's good depth, and all our eggs shouldn't be in Kelsey's basket.

But Kelsey is TDs boy.

And I agree, none of it matters without a stud O-line. I hope TD doesn't think Mcnally is the only answer. True Dat. predicting who we are going to take in the draft without knowing what we will do in FA, is like playing pin the tail on the Buffalo bill in a darkened room. We almost have to reserve judgement until after we see what TD is gonna do. I hate this we have to take this guy or else we loose him mantality. Who cares if we loose him, we will just go with the cards delt us. And BTW most of these mocks make me sick with the lack of thought put into them concerning what the Bills will do. I've seen some that just make the bills look stupid for passing up a true stud for just the sake of taking some need. It's pathetic.

[Max997]

I hope not, this team cant go 2 years in a row without getting any production from their first round pick

[Psychosis]

TD took Mcgahee knowing it was likely he wouldn't contribute the next year. What would be the difference with drafting Rivers? Please spare me all this talk about his mechanics. May I remind you guys like Favre, Carr and even Marino had unorthordox releases. The guy showed everyone he can play in the senior bowl. Someone brought up that the defense was vanilla against him. Well he didn't face vanilla defenses in the regular season. When they brought the heat, he got rid of the ball. I really don't see the purpose of waiting a few years to draft a qb. When you've got a stud qb available to you, you take him. TD thought ahead drafting Willis Mcgahee. Everyone knows the qb position is the most important position in football. Rivers might not seem perfect, but he gets the job done. We can take care the other positions in the later rounds. There are good FA's coming out this offseason.

[RobbieJ]

Schobel has to supply consistent pressure on the QB to become a stud (i.e Bruce Smith). I like Schobel, don't get me wrong, and 10+ sacks is great! However many of his sacks were coverage sacks, and he certainly doesn't strike fear in the opposing offense. Additionaly, no team would game plan around, or becuase of, Schobel. Nobody double teams him!

Simple fact, he needs to beat his man more consistently, and make other teams adjust to him, before we put any elite status on him.

[Dr. Who]

Brad Johnson, Trent Dilfer, Doug Williams, Mark Rypien (sp?) -- just a few decent, but not great qbs who have won the Super Bowl. I'd love to have a great qb, maybe Rivers will become such and I won't be terribly upset if the Bills select him, but in the salary cap era, defense and a ball control, no mistake offense is what wins.

The lines have to be addressed first. Buffalo needs a center and a right guard. A left defensive end and some youth at DT. If FA takes care of that, terrific.

[bad radio]

Originally posted by RobbieJ
Schobel has to supply consistent pressure on the QB to become a stud (i.e Bruce Smith). I like Schobel, don't get me wrong, and 10+ sacks is great! However many of his sacks were coverage sacks, and he certainly doesn't strike fear in the opposing offense. Additionaly, no team would game plan around, or becuase of, Schobel. Nobody double teams him!

Simple fact, he needs to beat his man more consistently, and make other teams adjust to him, before we put any elite status on him.

What I see is a DE that is becoming more consistent, more well rounded, and is working towards being a player that has to be respected as a threat. If we were to add someone to the other side that is the equvalent of Schobel, I'd be satisfied. I'd sort of prefer they bring in a real top flight corner to play across from Clements and let Winfield go (um, *ahem*, since he's overrated). Then we get more coverage sacks, maintain the ability to stop the run, and generate some more turnovers.

[bad radio]

Originally posted by Dr. Who
Brad Johnson, Trent Dilfer, Doug Williams, Mark Rypien (sp?) -- just a few decent, but not great qbs who have won the Super Bowl. I'd love to have a great qb, maybe Rivers will become such and I won't be terribly upset if the Bills select him, but in the salary cap era, defense and a ball control, no mistake offense is what wins.

The lines have to be addressed first. Buffalo needs a center and a right guard. A left defensive end and some youth at DT. If FA takes care of that, terrific.

No, dude. Not to try and sink your ship, but defense wins. Maybe offense will win you a few more games in the regular season, but when you get to the playoffs, the ability to run AND stop the run is what wins...which is why Carolina will win the Super Bowl, but that's an entirely different subject.

I like Rivers because he has the consistency. He doesn't look to be a good year/bad year guy. He can manage and lead the team all year, every year. Is he going to win every game with his arm? No. Is he going to break a lot of records? No. But he IS going to play smart football, rally the troops when they need it, make a few good plays here and there...basically, he's a catalyst for a good team. Doesn't hurt that he's very smart on top of that. I think that if Mularkey stays around for any length of time, Rivers could be the perfect QB for him, for his style that he's bringing in.

[wolfpack]

IMHO P Rivers will not be a Bill unless he slips to the 2nd (which won't happen either).

FrankieA


What is your friends dads name?

[Stealth01]

I wouldn't mind that pick at all. Wouldn't mind a TE. WOuldn't mind an OG. Wouldn't mind a DE. WOuldn't mind a CB....

We have more holes to fill than I thought....

But I doubt TD does a First Round QB. He is insisting on starting Drew and wants NO CONTROVERSY when it comes to starter.

[buffalo mike]

Originally posted by Dr. Who
Rivers has been impressive and he seems to come up big for bowl games. That's all to the good, but don't forget that the defensive schemes for the Senior Bowl were pretty vanilla -- no blitzes. If the Bills do not upgrade their O-line, no one will succeed at qb.

[Never Say Die]

Originally posted by Stealth01
I wouldn't mind that pick at all. Wouldn't mind a TE. WOuldn't mind an OG. Wouldn't mind a DE. WOuldn't mind a CB....

We have more holes to fill than I thought....

But I doubt TD does a First Round QB. He is insisting on starting Drew and wants NO CONTROVERSY when it comes to starter.

Drew needs to be friendly with his contract/cap hit...if not....then the situation turns in a different direction...:)

[unklechucky]

Originally posted by TheBillsDog
Nice picture of a child flipping the bird. Class act.

Hey I love that pic. Im a Red Sox fan and that same kid is my desktop background.

[unklechucky]

Originally posted by MarcP
Take Rivers and sign Grant Wistrom for DE

Wistroms been on my wish list since the end of the season.