I know what you are thinking. Great, here’s Joe, he’s going to just kill the Bills for drafting two guys that the general public has never heard of. He’s going to curse out the Bills for not picking Clausen and a left tackle. He’s just a naysayer, blah, blah, blah. Well, on the contrary, that’s not where I’m going.
Look, check my draft archives. I’ve always stated that I only grade drafts on what needs are filled. I’m not a draft expert and I don’t even think the ones on TV are either. I hate the fact that experts give grades on teams before they even put on an NFL uniform. I remember in 2002 when Peter King touted the Bills for having the best draft class that year. Of course, that was the infamous Mike Williams draft. I hate it when fans/media take on a “Now” approach with players being drafted. You always get people who hate or love the selection, and I truly never understood that. You will never be able to rate a draft class until 3-4 years from now. Just because you’re drafted as the first pick or the last pick, doesn’t qualify you for being a legit NFL Player.
In the end, I only grade what needs the Bills have filled. I’ve said that the Bills had to draft the best available player on their draft board, not from Mel Kiper’s mouth. Yes, I have no clue who the hell Torell Troup and Alex Carrington are. But, I do know that the Bills needed defensive line help. Yes, those guys aren’t the sexiest names to be drafted in Bills history. However, if they pan out, they are going to eliminate the issues the Bills have had with their front seven.
Trust me, I got caught up in the moment; wanting the Bills to grab Jimmy Clausen in the 2nd round. Hell, I’m only human and drafting a quarterback would get me a lot more excited about this team. It didn’t happen. Again, I have no clue if Clausen is going to be a player or not. No one does. Now, if he rips up the NFL by storm, I’ll be sure to send Buddy Nix a package full of anthrax (I kid, sort of). However, if the Bills didn’t think Clausen was a legit NFL player, then I’m cool with them not drafting him.
Now, I know you may be thinking that I’m backtracking on my first day rant on CJ Spiller but I’m not. When you have that many needs and it’s the first round, you need to pick both the best available/need player. It has to be as even as possible. Spiller just wasn’t an even choice in my view.
Back to today, even if the Bills went tackle and QB with their 2nd and 3rd round picks, fans and media members would still be s#$ting on the team. Bottom line: No matter who the Bills picked, they were still going to end this weekend with a number of holes to still fill in.
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I’m actually happier about the 2nd day of the draft than I was about the 1st day. No need for me to get into my first day rant about CJ Spiller (Already documented). Leading up to the draft, I said the Bills needed a legit nose tackle to really make the 3-4 defense work. Now, I’m a little befuddled that they drafted someone that seems to be the same size as Kyle Williams. Both Williams and Troup are only separated by 10lbs in weight and 2 inches in height (That’s what she said. BOOM!). However, someone told me on twitter that Williams weight distribution is different from Troup’s (No clue how that helps, but whatever).
As for Carrington, all you mock draft lovers should be happy with him, as he was slated to go in the 2nd round by most experts. It’s a smart move for the Bills to find depth at defensive end because Marcus Stroud isn’t getting any younger or cheaper. Unless he makes all-pro, I firmly believe that this will be Stroud’s last year with the team. The Bills don’t normally keep expensive, older players around when they are not living up to their contract. As for improving the defense, if there’s one thing that the AFC East isn’t lacking, it’s offense. The Bills needed to address the defense and hopefully, these picks will help them accomplish that.
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Quick Hits
–As for the QB dilemma, like I said, it is going to take the Bills years to become a contender. If they believe that next year’s draft class has the heir apparent to Jim Kelly, then they should wait. Yes, I want to poke my eyes out at the thought of Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brian Brohm as their quarterbacks. However, if you want a brighter outlook, experts are saying there are 4-5 first round quarterback prospects for next year’s draft. Plus, the NFL will more than likely have a rookie cap by then. Trust me, that’s good for Bills fans–
–I don’t want to say I told you so (OK, I kind of wavered on it), but I told you that it wouldn’t be a slam dunk that the Bills would address tackle. All you had to do was factor in the following:
1) The team had tackle issues last year and didn’t addr
ess it.
ess it.
2) The team used two of their first day picks on lineman in 2009.
3) From 2001-2008, Nix’s former employers drafted only two lineman within the first 2 rounds.
4) Ralph Wilson has a history of not caring about tackles.
Look, I get that some of you are going to say that Buddy Nix is the new sheriff in town and that he’s a real GM. However, the deputy (Modrak), the parole officer (Brandon) and the judge (Wilson) are still here. I would love it if the Bills decided to address their line play. Bruce Campbell is still available and by looking at a number of the mock drafts, he would be a steal in the 4th round. Then again, so was Jimmy Clausen in the 2nd—
–I totally forgot that Aaron Schobel was still on this football team. What nerve by this guy. You’re not Brett Favre! What a fricken joke that the Bills have to still wait for him. I still would love it if they could maybe find a trade partner for him and get a left tackle in return. I have no clue where they are going to fit him on the roster. Excluding Schobel, the team has five linebackers that look to be starters. I guess that can be looked at as a good thing–
–I got two words for you: F#$K ESPN!!! Do they really have to interview Mike Holmgren during the Bills 2nd round pick of Torrell Troup? As if Holmgren turning down an interview with the Bills didn’t piss me off enough. This isn’t last year when ESPN had an all-day event and needed interview fillers to keep the viewers attention during the 10-hour extravaganza. ESPN had 24-hours to hype the second round to the moon. So what’s the payoff for Bills fans? Seeing Holmgren interviewed during their pick.
Not only did you not hear the commissioner’s announcement of the selection, but ESPN decided to give about 10 seconds worth of information about Troup. The only info that was given about the nose tackle was Chris Berman announcing the pick and saying the guy was good. That’s it. No Kiper, no McShay, not even a dam highlight package. I guess the logical reasons for the lack of incite was either ESPN not having the footage of Troup or Mel Kiper’s head exploding after Clasuen wasn’t picked–
–BTW, I counted three coaches that turned down the Bills that were on ESPN from 5:45-7:45. Holmgren, Shanahan and Gruden all got some air time. Thanks a lot for saying no. A$$holes!–
–Please, can Ralph Wilson never speak during a Bills press conference? I’m sorry, but every time he opens his mouth, I either turn the other way in shear embarrassment for him or just cover my eyes and ears. Today, he introduced Chan Gailey, Tom Modrak and Buddy Nix as if they had just been hired yesterday. Poor guy–
–Speaking of Ralph, I’m really happy that he admitted that it was his fault that the team was boring over the last 10 years. Too bad he didn’t realize this about 5 years ago–
–Is Marshawn Lynch ever going to get traded?–
–Here’s the bright side to look at for the Bills; I believed that the Bills would at some point make a splash via free agency or the draft to sell tickets and raise the morale of the fans. You know, that get rich quick scheme that never tends to work on the field. Well, I really don’t think Spiller, Troup and Carrington are going to sell a bunch of tickets. Maybe this is a sign that they are serious about starting all over. Then again, maybe the Bills hierarchy know that the fans are going to come anyway–
–Lastly, lets take a moment to realize one thing: Not many rookies make an impact for their football team. I can count the number of rookie players on my hands that had a huge effect on their teams from last year. It takes time for these guys to become pros or busts. It’s the main reason why the NFL Draft is complete overkill. I’m not going to give my prediction yet for what I see for the Bills, but I don’t think it looks good for next year. I’m not talking 7-9, which is understandable. I’ve been saying this is a rebuilding process. If my gut feeling is telling me the truth, well, let me start the campaign for 2011:
Jake Locker for President…err…Starting Quarterback for the Bills.
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Alan Draper
Alan Draper
