Buffalo Bills Talk 2018 - The Offseason

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26CornerBlitz

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BILLS TODAY: BILLS WILL HAVE BACK-TO-BACK FIRST-ROUND PICKS
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Here's the Bills news of note for Jan. 8th.

BILLS ACQUIRED VALUABLE ASSET UNDER MCDERMOTT
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The one quality of successful NFL teams that has proven elusive for much of Buffalo's 17-season playoff drought was effectively instilled in the 2017 Bills by head coach Sean McDermott.

 

sincerity0

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Dec 23, 2016
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This season was so odd. Between the trades, some nice wins, and bad losses, this team isn’t good enough. Breaking the drought was amazing. But I still sit here and think if Kyle Williams retires, the Bills are in big trouble. We need a new QB, 2 WRs, a RT, DE and DT, minimum.

FWIW having picks 21 and 22 are equivalent to about the 7th overall pick, if the Bills wanted to move up.
 

Icicle

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Oct 16, 2005
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Tyrod needs to go. He isn't good enough even if all the tools around him were.

Fix the o-line afterwards.
 
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Reddawg

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Watching the Bills game vs watching the Saints game yesterday it was glaringly obvious that Tyrod just isn't a passer. Seeing what Brees can do with the ball is like watching an artist at work, he throws perfect passes every time and puts the ball exactly where only his receiver can catch it. Tyrod missed at least three big plays yesterday simply because he kept overthrowing his guy, he did it over and over again. I'm ready for us to have our QB for the next ten years, and it isn't Tyrod as much as I like the guy. If we could sign him for a million and let him wildcat for us as the backup I would be all for that, but he'll obviously never go for it.
 

Yatzhee

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Don't waste the valuable picks on moving up. We made the playoffs this year. Sign a QB that can pass and use the picks to fill in the rest of the needs.
 
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kirby11

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IMO, if you're gonna try and tailor the offense around Tyrod, you're gonna need:
-A Bengals-esque receiver corps from a few years ago when they had Green, Sanu, Jones, and a healthy Eifert--they could all win their matchups on any given play, making it easier for Dalton to move the offense.

In addition to that, you're gonna need your defense to ball out more often than not, because Tyrod's still not a guy that will win you games on his own. So add DL, LB, and maybe DB depth to the list of defensive needs, plus improving pass pro on the O-line.

Not discussing backup RB here since they need to get a new one in here no matter who the QB is, and it's easy enough to find a decent one late in the draft.

Cincy has shown that this method--building a team to mask a QB's defencies--is untenable. Eventually, guys are gonna price themselves out of your team, and without a QB who can elevate the guys around him, you're left with more mediocre, 6 to 9 win teams that will generally miss the playoffs but also prevent your FO from getting top talent high in the draft.
 

Sabre Dance

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Don't waste the valuable picks on moving up. We made the playoffs this year. Sign a QB that can pass and use the picks to fill in the rest of the needs.
Not if they like a QB and can get him. QB needs to be the 1 and only goal.
 

SoFFacet

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Tyrod was a good fit for the Roman/Lynn offense, but seeing as how those guys aren't walking through the door in the offseason, there's no need to go through another season like this. There's a fairly unprecedented buffet of QB options this summer. FA: Keenum, Bridgewater, Bradford, Cousins. Trade: Smith. Draft: Rosen, Darnold, Allen, Rudolph, Jackson... There's no reason not to fundamentally change the entire basis of the offense in the offseason. Starting with a new OC and at least one new QB.
 
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struckbyaparkedcar

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Mar 1, 2008
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Benjamin and Matthews got traded and each of their old passing games got better. They're lead-footed body catchers who need years to create separation.

We'll need to minimize both to develop whoever our next quarterback is.
 
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Icicle

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Firing Dennison is likely the right move, but I don't think it'll happen. He is going to get to play the Tyrod excuse all day, and he's right for doing so, but he never really adjusted his system to suit Tyrod's skillset like previous coordinators showed was possible. Not scoring a touchdown yesterday was a disgrace and says all you need about Dennison, if the design throws to Tolbert on 3rd and 15 weren't enough. I hope I'm wrong here.
 

sincerity0

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Don't waste the valuable picks on moving up. We made the playoffs this year. Sign a QB that can pass and use the picks to fill in the rest of the needs.

This is exactly what got us in a 17 year playoff drought to begin with. I’m as happy as every other fan that we broke the drought - but let’s not fool ourselves into thinking we are a couple decent FA signings and a nice draft away from contending without landing an elite QB prospect in the draft.

Depending on where you look, packaging the 21 and 22nd picks gets the Bills in the top 10 (likely up to about 7th). Adding a second rounder gets us into the top 5.

Perceptions of the big QBs will change as some of them get mercilessly scruntinized. But from the sounds of the talking heads, there is a good pool to select from for a quality QB prospect.

Tyrod has a one year option. Pick t up. Draft a QB via a trade up into the top 10 and let them fight it out with Tyrod for the starting position. Make quality draft picks / FA for a receiver, a LB, RT and RG. If we can do that I think the bills can make a push for a playoff spot next year too.
 

struckbyaparkedcar

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Dennison absolutely sucks but I think at least some of his worst tendencies were the byproduct of the team being absolutely devoid of a power run game.

Like, I'd rather see him gone, but I can see the offense rebounding to average with lower variance on the ground and actual possession receivers.
 

valet

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There are quite a few elite quarterbacks active in the league right now that weren't had in the top 10. I think trading 2 firsts to move up isn't a good idea unless you're moving up to #1 for a Peyton Manning like surr thing, which no team in need is going to trade away anyways. Keep the picks, draft a QB in the 1st if it makes sense, find a passer in FA that can win us some games when we're off. We have a fairly elite defense that my instincts say won't regress. Most of our problems this year were offensive. Fire Dennyson.

Man, I don't know. Go bills.
 
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Icicle

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Whats wrong with Mason Rudolph at 21?
Honestly asking.

Likely nothing. It's always a crapshoot. Look what Indy has done with Luck. There's so many decent options at UFA, I think the only avoidable mistake they can make is to package the 1sts to trade up and still end up with a bust and no depth on the lines. Maybe spend one on a developing QB, but I really don't have a problem with Peterman. Look at how many interceptions Peyton threw before he figured it out. They need a new QB, but they can get their lottery ticket QB without going broke.
 

sincerity0

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Dec 23, 2016
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There are quite a few elite quarterbacks active in the league right now that weren't had in the top 10. I think trading 2 firsts to move up isn't a good idea unless you're moving up to #1 for a Peyton Manning like surr thing, which no team in need is going to trade away anyways. Keep the picks, draft a QB in the 1st if it makes sense, find a passer in FA that can win us some games when we're off. We have a fairly elite defense that my instincts say won't regress. Most of our problems this year were offensive. Fire Dennyson.

Man, I don't know. Go bills.

Getting picked in the top 10 is not a hard requirement to be an elite NFL QB. That goes for any position. No matter how you look at it though, elite players at any position tend to go higher in the draft. That’s not unexpected.

Fans and callers to WGR can mercilessly debate that there are exceptions to the rule (Carr, Dalton in the 2nd, Wilson in the third, Dak, Cousins in the fourth and Brady in the 6th). Luck. You’re luckier if a team picks a concencous higher rated prospects.

In this QB hell hole we have been in for over 20 years(!!!) the Bills have picked a QB TWICE in the first round (JP and EJ). JP was like the 5th quarterback taken in that draft and EJ was a reach even at 16 in what is (and was) considered one of the worst drafts for QBs in recent memory.

I think that’s trading back about 15 picks for an additional first this year Is evident that they feel the need to move up. They likely do not need to move up to 5 but they definitely need to move up.

There are realistically three possible scenarios:

1) they move up for a QB likely top 12
2) they have reason to believe none of the QBs are worth trading up for (they better be right) and pick one at 21/22
3) they don’t pick a QB in the first (worst)

In My opinion option two is almost as bad as option three because they are not willing to move in position to get a premier prospect. For once in life I’d like the Bills to make a move to grab a top QB prospect. You’re not going to get one at 21-22.
 

Dubi Doo

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Aug 27, 2008
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This season was so odd. Between the trades, some nice wins, and bad losses, this team isn’t good enough. Breaking the drought was amazing. But I still sit here and think if Kyle Williams retires, the Bills are in big trouble. We need a new QB, 2 WRs, a RT, DE and DT, minimum.

FWIW having picks 21 and 22 are equivalent to about the 7th overall pick, if the Bills wanted to move up.
This is to be expected when you have a new coaching regime taking over. I figured you need to give him 3 years to implement his system and get the players needed to run it well before worrying too much about the future.

One thing is for certain, the Bills did a great job identifying and bringing in talent through the draft and free agency last off-season. That's a reason to be hopeful going forward.
 

brian_griffin

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May 10, 2007
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I don't follow draft history like some of you people do, but back when I had more grey matter devoted to this stuff, the "Big QB Draft to end all Drafts" was 1983 when 6 QBs went in the 1st round, to each of the 5 AFC East teams and K.C.

#1 Baltimore Colts - Elway
#7 Kansas City - Todd Blackledge
#14 Buffalo - Kelly
#15 New England - Tony Eason
#24 New York - Ken O'Brien
#27 Miami - Marino

Lesson: If the Bills are going to bundle a crap-ton of picks to move up, as they said in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, "choose wisely". There was a 50% hit rate on franchise QBs, and it definitely wasn't in the order taken.

Bills need to draft a legit starting caliber QB. They also need to fill other significant gaps / upgrade deficiencies.

Bills have a history of (wasting) extra picks on QBs (J.P. Losman, I'm sure there are others) and it completely backfiring. I'm sure the Bills are not alone in that regard, but they sure have bent themselves over a couple times by doing that

I don't know what the right decision is regarding the risk of moving up vs. drafting additional players at other positions. But I argue it's a critical decision given the status of the franchise, possibly the most critical decision since... (you pick one). I don't expect the 1st round draft decision to dramatically improve BUF next season (i.e., dethrone New England for the division). Given the commitment I expect the Bills will have to McDermott, and the quality of the young secondary they are capable of fielding now, it's vital they not error on draft picks.

Whomever is drafted at QB should not be viewed as a starter for next season. Nor should Peterman be. The Bills have scant knowledge what Peterman will be at the NFL level. Peterman could be successful eventually, or he could (continue to) be hot garbage. For 2018 that means exercising the option on Taylor, or picking up Alex Smith as another poster suggested.

Factoring in both the Bills O-line and receivers who can't get separation, if the Bills are starting most any QB other than Taylor or Alex Smith, expect double-to-triple the number of interceptions, and the associated opponent's points-off-turnover from that.

And Dennison needs to go, regardless. Someone better will shake loose.

Another reality is with parity in the league and the incompetency of both the on-field officiating and the video review processes, it's a given that if you're an "average quality" team, somewhere between 6-10 and 10-6 record, you will have a couple games each year decided by the officials. Until the Bills have enough talent to overcome that handicap, they should expect that as a matter of course (crappy officiating deciding a couple games). Maybe one year, it goes in their favor. But you need to be a high-caliber team </= 4 losses, or pathetically bad <6 wins, to not have officiating impact your record & standing.
 
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