admarc
April 24th, 2006, 5:40:00 PM
www.gbnreport.com (http://www.gbnreport.com/2006teampreviews.html)
By the numbers: 2005 W-L: 5-11; Rankings: Off - 28; R- 20; P- 29... Def - 29; R- 31; P- 19
2006 Picks: Total - 10; (1) 8 (2) 42 (3) 70, 73 (4) 105 (5) 134, 143 (6) 178 (7) 216, 248 ... The Bills appear to be well-armed to do some business at the 2006 draft with 10 total picks starting with the 8th overall. The Bills also have three other first-day picks which include an extra 3rd rounder, while they also have extra picks in the 5th and 7th rounds.
Recent draft history: The Bills have made like riverboat gamblers in recent drafts with mixed results. Buffalo appears to have hit the jackpot with RB Willis McGahee, whom the Bills took in the first round in 2003 despite the fact he was rehabbing from a serious knee injury. McGahee has bounced back nicely, though, rushing for almost 1,300 yards last season. The following year, though, though, the Bills rolled snake eyes when they traded away their 2005 1st rounder for the right to move up and take QB J.P. Losman who has all the look of a major league bust. The Bills also had observers scratching their heads last April when they used their top two picks to take WR Roscoe Parrish and TE Kevin Everett, a pair of former Miami skill players, despite the fact that there most pressing needs appeared to be on the offensive and defensive lines. It certainly didn't help that both were injured and didn't contribute much; indeed, Everett did not play at all because of a knee injury. The Bills are also waiting for better returns from their investment in WRs Lee Evans (1/2004) and Josh Reed (2/2002), while OT Mike Williams, taken 4th overall in 2002, was just released after a very undistinguished tenure in Buffalo. In fact, the Bills haven't had a great draft since 2001 when they snared CB Nate Clements and DE Aaron Schobel in the first and second rounds respectively, although their 2003 draft in which CB Terrance McGee (fourth round) and LB Angelo Crowell (fifth) joined RB McGahee wasn't bad.
2006 Needs: Its back to the future for the Bills who still have big holes to fill on both lines. Indeed, the Bills' problems at DT may gotten worse with the loss of Sam Adams who signed with Cincinnati after being released by Buffalo. The addition of free agent Larry Triplett from Indianapolis will help, but the Bills still have to add some more bulk up front. There is a similar story on the offensive line where Mike Gandy, a barely adequate OG, is badly overmatched at LT. Meanwhile, the Bills will also be looking to upgrade their secondary at the draft, especially at safety, while they could also use another speed rusher at the DE spot opposite Aaron Schobel. Then there is the QB question; Losman remains on the roster for now, however, the Bills only 'proven' QB is veteran journeyman Kelly Holcomb who will likely start this fall. And that should put the Bills in the market for another young arm at this year's draft.
Prognosis: The Bills would appear to be in good position with the 8th pick overall to get a shot at least one of, if not both, of this year's two top DTs: Florida State's Brodrick Bunkley and Haloti Ngata. Indeed, the choice of one of those players would appear to be a no-brainer unless the Bills feel that either of USC OT Winston Justice or Texas DB Michael Huff was that much better value. Assuming they take one of the DTs - Bunkley looks like the more likely option at this time - then the Bills should then be able to grab one of this year's very good second-tier OTs such as Eric Winston of Miami, Marcus McNeill of Auburn or Daryn Colledge of Boise State with their second round selection. The wild card for the Bills, though, would be if they were tempted by one of the top three QBs in this year's draft - USC's Matt Leinart, Vince Young of Texas and Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler - at least one of whom is likely to be still on the board when they make their opening round pick, however, they are more likely to wait until the later rounds and take someone like Brodie Croyle of Alabama or Kellen Clemens of Oregon with one of their 3rd round selections. .
By the numbers: 2005 W-L: 5-11; Rankings: Off - 28; R- 20; P- 29... Def - 29; R- 31; P- 19
2006 Picks: Total - 10; (1) 8 (2) 42 (3) 70, 73 (4) 105 (5) 134, 143 (6) 178 (7) 216, 248 ... The Bills appear to be well-armed to do some business at the 2006 draft with 10 total picks starting with the 8th overall. The Bills also have three other first-day picks which include an extra 3rd rounder, while they also have extra picks in the 5th and 7th rounds.
Recent draft history: The Bills have made like riverboat gamblers in recent drafts with mixed results. Buffalo appears to have hit the jackpot with RB Willis McGahee, whom the Bills took in the first round in 2003 despite the fact he was rehabbing from a serious knee injury. McGahee has bounced back nicely, though, rushing for almost 1,300 yards last season. The following year, though, though, the Bills rolled snake eyes when they traded away their 2005 1st rounder for the right to move up and take QB J.P. Losman who has all the look of a major league bust. The Bills also had observers scratching their heads last April when they used their top two picks to take WR Roscoe Parrish and TE Kevin Everett, a pair of former Miami skill players, despite the fact that there most pressing needs appeared to be on the offensive and defensive lines. It certainly didn't help that both were injured and didn't contribute much; indeed, Everett did not play at all because of a knee injury. The Bills are also waiting for better returns from their investment in WRs Lee Evans (1/2004) and Josh Reed (2/2002), while OT Mike Williams, taken 4th overall in 2002, was just released after a very undistinguished tenure in Buffalo. In fact, the Bills haven't had a great draft since 2001 when they snared CB Nate Clements and DE Aaron Schobel in the first and second rounds respectively, although their 2003 draft in which CB Terrance McGee (fourth round) and LB Angelo Crowell (fifth) joined RB McGahee wasn't bad.
2006 Needs: Its back to the future for the Bills who still have big holes to fill on both lines. Indeed, the Bills' problems at DT may gotten worse with the loss of Sam Adams who signed with Cincinnati after being released by Buffalo. The addition of free agent Larry Triplett from Indianapolis will help, but the Bills still have to add some more bulk up front. There is a similar story on the offensive line where Mike Gandy, a barely adequate OG, is badly overmatched at LT. Meanwhile, the Bills will also be looking to upgrade their secondary at the draft, especially at safety, while they could also use another speed rusher at the DE spot opposite Aaron Schobel. Then there is the QB question; Losman remains on the roster for now, however, the Bills only 'proven' QB is veteran journeyman Kelly Holcomb who will likely start this fall. And that should put the Bills in the market for another young arm at this year's draft.
Prognosis: The Bills would appear to be in good position with the 8th pick overall to get a shot at least one of, if not both, of this year's two top DTs: Florida State's Brodrick Bunkley and Haloti Ngata. Indeed, the choice of one of those players would appear to be a no-brainer unless the Bills feel that either of USC OT Winston Justice or Texas DB Michael Huff was that much better value. Assuming they take one of the DTs - Bunkley looks like the more likely option at this time - then the Bills should then be able to grab one of this year's very good second-tier OTs such as Eric Winston of Miami, Marcus McNeill of Auburn or Daryn Colledge of Boise State with their second round selection. The wild card for the Bills, though, would be if they were tempted by one of the top three QBs in this year's draft - USC's Matt Leinart, Vince Young of Texas and Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler - at least one of whom is likely to be still on the board when they make their opening round pick, however, they are more likely to wait until the later rounds and take someone like Brodie Croyle of Alabama or Kellen Clemens of Oregon with one of their 3rd round selections. .