Random Bills Thoughts: Reasons that the Bills won’t pick a LT…Jim Kelly gets slammed by PFT… Marshawn Lynch’s days are numbered…and more

Wow. I’ve gone over a week without mentioning the Buffalo Bills. Playoff hockey is really taking over my writing this time of year. No worries, Bills fans. I haven’t forgotten about you.

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I’m going to tell you why the Bills may draft draft Jimmy Clausen. And it has nothing to do with the Bills need for a quarterback. It seems to be the consensus that the Bills are going to either draft a left tackle or a quarterback with their first round pick. Now, I do think the Bills should go for a left tackle with the first pick, but history shows that the Bills may be thinking otherwise. If you don’t believe me, just go back to last year.

If you look at the Bills need for a left tackle, it’s not exactly breaking news. The Bills are almost in the same position this year as they were last year with their left tackle need. Remember, Jason Peters was sent packing before the draft for a 1st round pick, and some people felt that the Bills may use that pick on a left tackle. Instead, the Bills drafted guard, Eric Wood. Then in the second round, the Bills selected Andy Levitre.

Of course, the Bills decided that moving Langston Walker to left tackle was the answer. Obviously, they were wrong. Also, in comparison to last year, the Bills didn’t have as many glaring needs as they do this year. So, if the Bills had issues with the left tackle then, what makes you think the Bills would correct the need now?

Plus, the Bills hierarchy may be thinking that they have used enough of their high draft picks on lineman. Could you really envision the Bills using three of their last four draft picks from the first two rounds on offensive lineman? The last time the Bills selected back-to-back first round picks for the same area of need was in the 93′ and 94′ NFL draft.

Lastly, lets just say the Bills have no intention of starting any of the quarterbacks on their roster. As much as some fans want the Bills to draft Tim Tebow, I seriously doubt the Bills would give him the opening day starting job. The last time a quarterback was selected beyond the first round of the draft and started opening day was Quincy Carter in 2001. Yeah…he didn’t exactly have a banner year. Clausen would be the only logical choice for the Bills to start at quarterback from day one.

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So who the hell is this draft expert that decided to do a mock draft and have Tim Tebow going 9th to the Bills? First and foremost, that would be completely illogical if he went that high. When you have a top 10 pick, you have to draft someone that will play and have an impact immediately for your team.

All you Tebow fans can shout till your lungs collapse about his intangibles, but the guy is a project. It’s going to take him at least a year or two to get comfortable in a pro style offense. If the Bills really want a quarterback at the 9th spot, then you draft Clausen.

Now, if the Bills decide to draft Tebow with the 9th pick, it screams to me that the Bills are hell bent on finding a marketing tool for this upcoming season. Drafting him that early would be indicating that the Bills were too scared that their marketing tool would be gone by the second round.

I don’t care what anyone says, the Bills have a history of trying to sell the fan base on one big player acquisition. Tebow would be that guy for this year. There are already a large sum of fans who think this guy’s the answer to all of their prayers.

If the Bills go with a left tackle and Tebow somehow doesn’t make it out of the first round, the Bills aren’t going to have the “it” factor that so many fans covet. Drafting Colt McCoy or Dan LeFevour probably aren’t going to sell a lot of tickets or sponsorships like Tebow would.

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I couldn’t help but chuckle when Ed Kilgore wrote a piece defending Jim Kelly to PFT.com, regarding their accusation that Jimbo shouldn’t have anything to do with the Tebow evaluation process. If you have been following my blog, you should know exactly where I stand about Kelly and his thoughts on player personnel. In short: shut it.

Now, as for Ed’s statement that Kelly wasn’t urging the Bills to take Tebow, that’s a little bit flawed. Now, what I am about to tell you isn’t from my mouth. Kelly told the USA Today in November that he didn’t think the Bills should draft a quarterback from California and that he was very high on Tim Tebow. Then Vic Carucci wrote an article detailing how the Bills organization clearly values Kelly’s opinion. By putting A and B together, it tells me that Kelly is in fact, selling Tebow to the Bills.

Sure, Kelly can come out and say he needs to see a workout of Tebow up-close as an excuse to not give his full endorsement. However, if you’re coming out and saying that you like him and that Vic Carucci is saying that the organization values your opinion, that’s a dam sell.

I commend Mike Florio for calling out Kelly. It befuddles me that the press core in Buffalo hasn’t said anything about Kelly’s opinion on the matter. If this was any other football market in the country, there would be a ton of talking heads mentioning that Kelly has no business in speaking about player personnel. Which is exactly what Mike Florio said about him. Of course, it’s Jim Kelly and god forbid anyone say something bad about him.

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There are a number of reports out there indicating that Marsha
wn Lynch’s days as a Buffalo Bill are coming to an end. Well, this shouldn’t come to a surprise to anyone. I said it after Lynch’s alleged incident with taking 20 bucks from a policeman’s wife at a restaurant that it was time for him and the Bills to get a divorce. When your agent is making statements that the Buffalo Police Department are full of racist rogue cops; it’s time to move.

I’ll be frank, I don’t hate Lynch as much as other fans and media members do. Yes, he’s made some serious errors in judgement and deserves the criticism. However, I really don’t give a dam what the player does after he leaves Ralph Wilson Stadium. Now, when he starts getting suspended for football games and looks to be dancing too much behind the line of scrimmage, then we have a problem. Trust me, if Lynch had a 1400 yard season, no one would be saying jack about getting rid of him.

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Quick Hits

-Can the Bills please stop texting me when they sign a no-named player? Sorry, but I don’t care about them signing some guy’s brother or a player from another team’s practice squad-

-Since the Bills decided NOT to go out and address their need for a number two wide receiver, why not offer a one year deal for Josh Reed? What’s the harm in bringing him back for just one year?-

-If I’m the Bills, I’d be on the phone with the Houston Texans to see if they are interested in the services of Aaron Schobel. I don’t care what Schobel says on the surface. It has to be an interesting idea for him to play for a possible playoff team in his own home state-

-Memo to Chan Gailey: You’re the head coach, not the GM. Mike Lombardi reported that he heard that Gailey would rather have a more athletic quarterback than someone like Jimmy Clausen. Oh excuseeeee me. I forgot how well Jay Fiedler and Kordell Stewart performed in the NFL. To make matters worse, Lombardi wrote that Gailey didn’t even want to draft Drew Brees while in Miami, because he preferred Ray Lucas. Yet, another reason why Gailey’s the head coach and NOT the GM-