“THE BUFFALO BILLS NEED TO DRAFT A QUARTERBACK UNTIL THEY FIND ONE.”
Let me say it again in a more calm voice. This team needs to draft a quarterback until they get it right. And when they do finally do that, they need to draft another one the year after to be sure they found the right one. In the business world it’s called a CYA. Cover Your Ass. Let’s compare two NFL franchises: The Green Bay Packers and your home town Buffalo Bills.
First up, the Bills:
In 1983 the Bills drafted a pretty good one in Jim Kelly. However, as we all know Jim didn’t show up for work right away and went to play in the USFL. The Bills didn’t draft another QB until 1985 when they drafted future legend Frank Reich. Then in 1986 the Bills picked some dude in the 12th round (Brian McClure). Kelly finally comes to Buffalo in 1986 and your Buffalo Bills don’t draft another one FOR ANOTHER 7 YEARS. SEVEN YEARS WITHOUT DRAFTING A QUARTERBACK. You’re thinking, “but wait, they had two, Kelly and Reich”. And that’s a fair point, but at no point during that seven year run did Bill Polian -who had John Butler and AJ Smith working with him- think to draft one and try to develop one especially after Kelly bolts? In the 1990 draft the Bills had the 16th pick, the 42nd pick, and 69th pick in the first three rounds. They drafted CB James Williams with #16, Carwell Gardner with #42, and with the 69th pick Glenn Parker. Three players who contributed during that upcoming 4 year Super Bowl run, so those weren’t bad picks at all.
However, you know who Pittsburgh took at pick 70? Quarterback Neil O’Donnell. Why not take O’Donnell, develop him, keep him, and move him in later years for more picks or a player? I get it, hindsight is 20/20. So the Bills go from 1986 to 1992 without drafting a QB. They don’t take one in 1993 or 1994 and draft Todd Collins in 1995. You ready for this? THEY DON’T DRAFT ANOTHER QUARTERBACK UNTIL 2004 WHEN THEY TRADE BACK IN FOR JP LOSMAN! Excuse me while I drink this bleach.. How does this happen? Even worse is that they had a trade worked out in the 2004 draft to move up passed Pittsburgh to draft Roethlisberger but it was deemed as “too much”.
They draft Lee Evans, push the panic button, sacrifice a 2005 1st for a JP Losman. How does a team go 8 years without drafting a quarterback? And we wonder why they are where they are. Kelly was with the Bills from 1986 to 1996. During that stretch, arguably the greatest stretch in the history of Bills football, they only drafted 2 Quarterbacks. Two. Matt Rogers was the other one in 1992. Trent Edwards was taken in 2007, Levi Brown in 2010, and EJ Manuel in 2013.
1983 – 2015, the Buffalo Bills have drafted a total of 7 Quarterbacks. Kelly and Manuel were the only ones taken in the first round with Buffalo’s original pick. Bills haven’t won a playoff game since 1995 or been in the playoffs since 1999. I know a lot more goes into this playoff drought, but to me, it starts there.
Now, let’s look at The Green Bay Packers. For a comparison’s sake,we’ll start with the 1983 draft. Since the 1983 NFL Draft, Green Bay has drafted 22 quarterbacks. Read that last sentence again. Since 1983, Green Bay has drafted 22 Quarterbacks. TWENTY-TWO. In 1983, the Packers had a very good NFL starter in Lynn Dickey who at that point was at the tail end of his career. The Packers then drafted a QB every year from 1984 – 1990. They drafted 2 in 1989 with back to back picks. In 1988 they had an established starter in Depew High School legend Don Majikowski. In 1988 Majikowski passed for 2119 yards and 9 TD in 9 starts, enough to lead the team.
The Packers weren’t really good in 1988. So in 1989 they drafted 2 QB’s with back to back picks as mentioned. A wake up call perhaps to Majik? A little competition breeds success? In 1989 Majikowski has his best year ever leading the Packers to 10 wins while passing for 4318 yards and 27 TD’s. Packers draft another QB in 1990, don’t draft one in 1991, trade for Favre in 1991, and the rest is history.
Now, here is where it gets fun. Remember when I said from 1986 to 1996, the “glory years”, The Bills only drafted 2 Quarterbacks? Well, from 1991 – 2007, Brett Favre’s run with the Packers, the Green Bay Packers drafted 10 QBs. TEN!!! Recognize these names?
- 1992-Ty Detmer,
- 1993-Mark Brunell
- 1998-Matt Hasselbeck
- 1999-Aaron Brooks
- 2002- Craig Nall (former Bills QB)
- 2005- some guy named Aaron Rodgers.
The QBs drafted by the Packers during that run had good to very good careers in the NFL. Now, it most certainly helped they had, in my opinion, one of the greatest offensive minds and developer of quarterbacks this league has ever seen in Andy Reid, but my point remains the same: KEEP DRAFTING QUARTERBACKS.
Want more fun? Since becoming a full time starter in 2008 and piling up Hall of Fame numbers and becoming the best QB in the NFL, the Packers have drafted 4 more QBs which INCLUDED 2 IN 2008 (Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn), Both former Bills, and Flynn, who hasn’t been great, but did get himself a nice contract with Seattle before drafting Russell Wilson who the Bills passed on to trade up and draft TJ Graham [laughs and cries].
Since 1983, the Packers have won 2 Super Bowls in 3 appearances. Of the 16 years the Bills have missed the playoffs, the Packers have made 12 of those years. Look, I know a lot more has to do with it than what I mentioned. Ownership, coaches, etc that all plays apart. But here you have a tale of two teams. One team who has done nothing to keep up with the evolution of the league and another who is never satisfied and who can see the forest through the trees.
We all like Tyrod Taylor and he had a fantastic season. However you can’t ignore the position and its importance any longer. This is the deepest defensive draft in a long time. Teams will find quality and starters in rounds 2 and 3. If Paxton Lynch, QB Memphis, is available at pick 19, that should be the pick. I would say, it has to be the pick. If someone like Connor Cook (QB Michigan State) and Dak Prescott (QB Mississippi St) is available in round 2, they have to make that pick. Have to. Must.
Taylor is prone to injuries with the style he plays and the Bills don’t have a backup or a developmental QB to trust. I would like it if they can somehow get Robert Griffin III and draft Lynch. Why not?
I know about Brad Johnson, Trent Dilfer and the 2015 version of Peyton Manning all won Super Bowls with tremendous defenses and a great running game. The Bills have the talent on defense to be a great one, they showed they can run the ball, but they can’t be satisfied with Taylor. Think bigger and think better.
The way the Bills have mismanaged the most important position in sports is deplorable and someone should’ve been fired for it. Example? 2013 with EJ, Kevin Kolb, the slip on the mat, and going into the season with two rookie QB’s and that cost them numerous games that season. The Chiefs game comes right to mind.
There may not be a Peyton Manning, Joe Flacco, or Tom Brady type in this class, and that’s fine but just because they aren’t available doesn’t mean you should stop trying.
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