Early Buffalo Bills draft question...

[Billsman]

Assuming we land in the top 10 or bottom ;) but if the Bills get a shot what is their most glaring need on the team, besides a head coach, OC and Donadumb.

OL? DL? DE? TE? DB?

[Dr. Who]

OL and DL are about equal.

[admarc]

Assuming we land in the top 10 or bottom ;) but if the Bills get a shot what is their most glaring need on the team, besides a head coach, OC and Donadumb.

OL? DL? DE? TE? DB?

Luckily, this is a deep draft on the O-Line and the Bills may be able to get a good OT in the 2nd Round. Unless D'Brickshaw drops, I think the Bills should go DT. Haloti Ngata, DT 6-5, 340 Oregon, is a freak. He'd be unstoppable in a 4-3 and has the size to be an effective NT should the Bills consider a shift to a 3-4.

Some other possibilities for the first pick are:

Mario Williams DE 6-6, 285 North Carolina State
Marcus McNeill OT 6-8, 322 Auburn
Rod Wright DT 6-5, 305 Texas
Mathias Kiwanuka DE 6-6, 260 Boston College
Marcus McNeill OT 6-8, 322 Auburn
Eric Winston OT 6-6, 310 Miami

I'd like to see them pick up a top notch Guard in free agency then go OT and DT in the first 2 rounds. CB(if they let Clements go and they don't replace him with a FA), WR (if they let Moulds go and don't replace him with a FA) & O-line with the (2) 3rd rounders and their 4th.

They need to add as many quality big ugglies as they can this offseason.

[jjm19672000]

We've got enough money tied up in FA Gs this year (and next), so we need to draft DT and OT with our 1st 2 picks.

[Poz51]

Right now, I'd like to see them draft:

DT - Haloti Ngata - Oregon with their 1st round pick - the guy is a flat out beast at 6'6 and 345lbs and is a run stuffer; he is really quick as well and plays to the whistle; would be a huge upgrade to our DL

And in FA, we could sign LT Kevin Shaffer from Atlanta and G Stephen Neal from New England

[jjm19672000]

What do you propose to do with the Gs we have now?

[SpikedLemonade]

Luckily, this is a deep draft on the O-Line and the Bills may be able to get a good OT in the 2nd Round. Unless D'Brickshaw drops, I think the Bills should go DT. Haloti Ngata, DT 6-5, 340 Oregon, is a freak. He'd be unstoppable in a 4-3 and has the size to be an effective NT should the Bills consider a shift to a 3-4.

Some other possibilities for the first pick are:

Mario Williams DE 6-6, 285 North Carolina State
Marcus McNeill OT 6-8, 322 Auburn
Rod Wright DT 6-5, 305 Texas
Mathias Kiwanuka DE 6-6, 260 Boston College
Marcus McNeill OT 6-8, 322 Auburn
Eric Winston OT 6-6, 310 Miami

I'd like to see them pick up a top notch Guard in free agency then go OT and DT in the first 2 rounds. CB(if they let Clements go and they don't replace him with a FA), WR (if they let Moulds go and don't replace him with a FA) & O-line with the (2) 3rd rounders and their 4th.

They need to add as many quality big ugglies as they can this offseason.

I couldn't agree more.

We need to draft an OT, OG and DT ALL in the first day and as early as possible.

A DE would be great, but NOT prior to the 3 above positions.

I like Ngata and expect him to be the first DT off the board. If we end up drafting 5-7th overall, it might be a reach to draft him that high.

D'Brickshaw will be gone before we pick.

The issue to me is whether we draft the 2nd OT off the board or the first DT. Either way we may need to trade down 4-5 spots to get value for that pick.

As to CB, if we lose Clements, I'm prepared to use the 2nd round pick we get for franchise and trading him on a OG, OT or DT rather than a CB. We will have 3 3rd round picks and we should be able to draft a CB there that may NOT be able to start in 2006, but could be our nickel in 2006 and a starter in 2007.

With a possible 6 picks in the first 3 rounds we should be able to draft a starting OG, OT and DT and still find 2 more players at DE and CB who will start eventually.

[SpikedLemonade]

We've got enough money tied up in FA Gs this year (and next), so we need to draft DT and OT with our 1st 2 picks.

I'm good with that, but we will still need a OG in the first day.

BA and CV are NOT long term players here.

[jjm19672000]

I can't remember which side Geisinger plays on, but I think it's the left. So let him develop behind Anderson, and draft a RG with one of our 3rd-rounders to mature behind Villareal. I also want to see a #5 used on a C.

[SpikedLemonade]

And in FA, we could sign LT Kevin Shaffer from Atlanta and G Stephen Neal from New England


I don't want to piss on anyone's Cornflakes, but I would NOT expect much if anything in terms of Free Agent signings.

It's already been said by experts like Clayton that this is an extremely thin FA market this year. Every team is managing its cap well and the cap is expected to increase significantly. Starting OL will NOT even hit the market because their current teams have the money to sign them.

There won't be any quick answers in the FA market this off-season.

The draft and patience I'm afraid is the only way to rebuild.

[jjm19672000]

IIRC, Geisinger is a LG, so I'd draft a RG with one of our 3rds.

[SpikedLemonade]

I also want to see a #5 used on a C.

Will Duke Preston NOT be our starting Center next year?

[jjm19672000]

Will Duke Preston NOT be our starting Center next year?

With who as the backup?

[SpikedLemonade]

With who as the backup?

Good point.

A high 5th round pick should get the 3rd to 5th Center off the board.

Why not.

[foster]

We need beef on both sides of the line.

[JLB]

Whatever best talent we can get in free agency will determine direction of draft. I would love to see us build a very nasty defense through both free agency and draft.This if we intend to stick with J.P. would be our best solution. Give him the time it takes most young quarterbacks build the type of defense that produces more opportunity for success.My favorite defense would be similar to the defensive style the Patriots. Run lots of linebackers with the versatility to blitz from any position

[RabidBillsFan]

OFFENSIVE LINE is a MUST... I think we should forego the defensive lineman to draft OL in the first round. We can't make another Mike Williams blunder! We HAVE TO get a stud OLman, because I am SICK AND TIRED of these rejects.

[paul1]

Pick the best player from OL or DL at each draft position. If we need a CB or WR then we will adjust accordingly. I have to wonder if more players might be willing to test the market since many teams will have a surplus this year and some teams will be willing to over spend to get the one or two players they think they need.

Question:

How much money will we save by releasing Mike 'Fatboy' Williams and Moulds or do we pretty much break even and see the benefit in the future years?

[Bufsabresnu]

Since our lines especially our OL is in such shambles, we NEED to get the BEST available OL. This is a must...followed by DL.

[jjm19672000]

We need beef on both sides of the line.

Do we need beef or do we need talent? Denver and Indy seem to be doing well with smaller, more athletic lines.

[Zan186]

Stopping the run is a priority! If Ngata is available you make him a Bill!

Lucky for us our problem is really the interior of the line Guard Center and Guard
That is easier to fix in the 2nd and 3rd rounds than LT. Gandy wasnt great but he held his own.
Peters could be a stud at LT
Mike Williams was fine at RT. Although he was hurt this year and played below most expectations

[Buffal0B1LLs_fan]

While there is certainly a need at both lines, as CoachC pointed out with MM and his play calling, we sound like grab-bag GM's.

It's easy to pick popular names from a draft site, and say thesse are the guys we need based on the stats.

First of all - and help me out football people - I think the makeup of the team we have cannot be evaluated based on the current coaching. Better coahing makes better players. Until we have that we can't really evaluate where we need real help.

But, until we know the coach, and his system, it would be difficult to guess what player needs we really have.

The coaching, and the system of course, will be dictated by the new GM. Certain offensive linemen may adapt better to one blocking scheme as opposed to another. Let's dictate the draft based on the style and schemes of the next round of Managemant , and coaching staff.

The same for Defense. 3-4, 4-3? Who knows? Again guessing who to take in the draft is just a grab-bag approach until we know how this team is going to be focused.

I guess what I'm saying is, that it's too early to play this game.

Anyway having said all that... if Mario Williams is available, you have to grab him. (just my grab bag opinion). :D

[1968_bills_fan]

If we can get Ngata for DT that should be our first pick. Immediately, Edwards and Anderson will look quite good as the other DT and the present ends will look accepable as well. Next offensive guards and centers- the best players available. Nothing especial against our on-roster young interior linemen (Geisinger, Preston etc.)- but there is no assurance that they will be B+ players in their careers. Remember that they were drafted 3rd round and lower- all 31 other teams didn't pass on sure-shot superior starters. If nothing else some of these present roster young people might pan out or be good depth.

[FknGvna]

Here are 'What I think of as' the best FAs to fit our roster:

Darren Howard-who cares about money, we want W's(look at teams who sign an impact DE--Jax., Chi., to name a couple.

Chris Hovan--perfect example of what a change of scenery does to a person.

LeCharles Bentley--multi. pos. player. Solid.

Stephen Neal--intellegent.

Tom Ashworth--intellegent, caught a TD pass. Better than Denney run blocking.

Here is how I envision the trenches:

Schobel, Ngata, Adams, Howard

Gandy/Rookie, Geisinger, Bentley, Preston, Peters(BIg man's on thin ice)

[SweetLee8 3PlayaWha?]

Imagine if we were able to sign Neal AND Bentley, and then draft Mario Williams?

We'd be in great shape.

[Gnome]

Great post, Buffal0B1LLs_fan. Makes a lot of sense.

[FknGvna]

Imagine if we were able to sign Neal AND Bentley, and then draft Mario Williams?

We'd be in great shape.

I have yet to see him play. But listening to you I want to get him in the first too but I think we will have to make a diff. but to the same effect by drafting an DT who will make an impact immediately. Defending the run but also providing pass rush. From what I hear, Ngata's the guy. I'm keeping my eye on Wright. Now with the DE, Williams is a beast, I saw him come off the line but how much of an impact would he make against the run and the pass from the DE position? I see Hali doing the same. We need to collapse the pocket more and that comes from the middle. We can get Ngata in the first, a Stud LT who slips in the second and shoot for Hali in the third. I gotta study more film though. Wait till the combine.

[cahippo]

If we did get Ngata to team with Sam and also by some chance got Howard. That would be a fierce front seven with crowell, Spikes (hopefull comeback) and Fletcher. Get a guard in the second and third, and have Preston hitt the weights this offseason and the line should be way better than this year.
Im also willing the grab picks for Clements. Reinvest those back into the lines. If theyree going to scrap and start over, do it right.

[MattM]

I couldn't agree more.

We need to draft an OT, OG and DT ALL in the first day and as early as possible.

A DE would be great, but NOT prior to the 3 above positions.

I like Ngata and expect him to be the first DT off the board. If we end up drafting 5-7th overall, it might be a reach to draft him that high.

D'Brickshaw will be gone before we pick.

The issue to me is whether we draft the 2nd OT off the board or the first DT. Either way we may need to trade down 4-5 spots to get value for that pick.

As to CB, if we lose Clements, I'm prepared to use the 2nd round pick we get for franchise and trading him on a OG, OT or DT rather than a CB. We will have 3 3rd round picks and we should be able to draft a CB there that may NOT be able to start in 2006, but could be our nickel in 2006 and a starter in 2007.

With a possible 6 picks in the first 3 rounds we should be able to draft a starting OG, OT and DT and still find 2 more players at DE and CB who will start eventually.

Wasn't too sure how you got us getting three picks in the 3rd there--is that a pick for losing Jennings and/or Williams last year? I also hadn't thought about getting something for Nate. If we could get both of those you mentioned, plus the fact that we'd be picking early in the 4th round, we'd have 7 of the top 110 or so picks in what I think's supposed to be a fairly good draft class. This is make or break for our future--not necessarily 2006, but 2007 and beyond. We need 4-5 good long-term starters out of this draft, IMHO.

[Mouldsie]

I'll wait and see what pick we get before I have a strong opinion.... Getting the 3rd overall or the 10th can be a huge difference.

[FknGvna]

Pulling up some footage. Who is Claude Wroten.

http://www.nfl.com/video/7

http://draftshowcase.com/DefensiveTackles06.htm

Some quick Hali footage:
http://www.nfl.com/video/11

[Mouldsie]

good find.... I like what I saw from Davin Joseph at Guard

[FknGvna]

I saw that.

[SweetLee8 3PlayaWha?]

I have yet to see him play. But listening to you I want to get him in the first too but I think we will have to make a diff. but to the same effect by drafting an DT who will make an impact immediately. Defending the run but also providing pass rush. From what I hear, Ngata's the guy. I'm keeping my eye on Wright. Now with the DE, Williams is a beast, I saw him come off the line but how much of an impact would he make against the run and the pass from the DE position? I see Hali doing the same. We need to collapse the pocket more and that comes from the middle. We can get Ngata in the first, a Stud LT who slips in the second and shoot for Hali in the third. I gotta study more film though. Wait till the combine.

Yeah, I'm eagerly anticipating the combine so I can look at some of the raw numbers.

How about this?

Neal and Bentley in FA and Ngata and Dumerville in the first and second round?

Mario Williams is a complete DE to answer your question.

Dude is like 285.

[buffaloinmontreal]

are we gonna resign him ,because that would eaken our offense resign him,i love moulds and belongs in buffalo.

dt 1 rd 2 ot,3 rd ot

[paul1]

Looks like McNeil may have dropped out of the top 32 picks. If this is the case we might be able to land a top DE/DT and then grab McNeil in the second.

I would really like to try and trade Clements this offseason but it is going to have to be a high #1. His salary requests does not match his production in the second half. It might be he was no longer giving 100% in fear of getting hurt and if this is the case then it is even more of a reason to let him play somewhere else.

[jjm19672000]

Right now, I'd take any #1 for Clements. I want to de-Donahoe this team.

[Merk]

Well I think the M.Williams or Ngata talk can end b/c it looks like we will be picking some where between 8-14

[jjm19672000]

Sure--we'll pick a WR.

[gonzo1105]

I bet we trade down now. If neither is on the board I could see us trading down in the 20 range and loading up on picks and filling our needs of the future and present...and taking someone like Jean-Giles in the first