If I can borrow Bray Wyatt’s schtick for a moment…
“We’re here.”
That’s right, after all the anonymous sources that leak Wonderlics, all the holier-than-thou takes on how much young men will make relative to the “blue-collar” fanbases, all the complaints of spread systems when the QB du jour was in the same, we’re at the 2017 NFL Draft.
Here’s where I’m at leading into this dog and pony show.
With all of this, I’m big on transparency. If you want to hop on Twitter and say I was wrong on something, have at it. My goal doing this blog, writing articles about the Bills is to give my opinion, without a filter. Here we go.
Past as Prologue: I’m a big fan of hyper-analysis. I’ve written before, both here and on the Bills Wire about how Sean McDermott’s systems on offense and defense have types. Joe B knocked it into the 600 section with his article focusing on corners, and I’m going to bang that drum until I’m proven wrong – I don’t think for the scheme the Bills want to run cover-3 wise they need (another) top ten pick at cornerback. There are too many players that have the length and ball skills required in the 2nd – 4th rounds to fit the scheme. If anything, I’m anticipating a linebacker or defensive linemen early to get a top 8 that can effect the QB from A – D gaps.
We’re All Trying to Rob the Same Train: My favorite Uncle Buddy-ism is a great reminder for this year’s draft. There are a number of teams that are looking for the same needs the Bills have. The Bills only have 7 picks to fill 10 big/sneaky needs. Something isn’t getting picked up at the draft grocery store and that’s okay by me. Just pick players that fit the system you want and put yourself in position, via trade downs or however else you’d acquire extra picks to thrive in the chaos. Tennessee is poised to move here, there, everywhere on draft night because of the uncertainty of who wants a quarterback. The Bills, at 10 should be in business to do the same, in order to cut off Cleveland and Arizona, as well as tempting teams like Tampa, Houston, or Kansas City should they want to hop up.
C’mon Buffalo, don’t try to outsmart yourself. Keep It Simple Stupid should be taped to every table in the war room.
The Whaley Question: I don’t have sources, nor do I want to imply in any way that I do. But I’ve seen over the years in the NFL that coaches or GMs want “their guy” working with them. For the “one voice” that Sean McDermott wants to run to work, there can be disagreements, but not fundamental friction as to decision points as an organization. I do not believe that Doug Whaley and Sean McDermott have beef or drama, but, similar to Pat Kirwan’s ouster when Bill Parcells joined the Jets, folks don’t have time to figure it out.
If after the draft Doug Whaley is fired, I don’t think it’s because of personal issues. I think it’d be the boomerang he threw 3 years ago with the Sammy Watkins trade (sans an owner) finally coming back and hitting him in the head. My hopping up and down like a madman at the time they made the move that didn’t have oversight was maddening. To see the Bills now hem and haw about giving a fifth year option to a player that’s been hobbled on their watch, with that draft capital expended, is jaw dropping.
PFT has even jumped on the wagon, citing sources on the scouting staff that say “we’re getting fired next week.”
A league source tells @ProFootballTalk that #Bills scouts are bracing for a house cleaning after #NFL Draft.https://t.co/RvkBBtz5Om
— WGR 550 (@WGR550) April 26, 2017
The $ vs Player Proposition: The Mike Gillislee situation was already a hot mess prior to the saga ending, mainly because my timeline was flooded with “you don’t pay a backup running back 4 million dollars!” takes. I get that, in fact, Joe mentioned similar in a few of his articles.
However, when you’re in the land of billionaires, I do not care a lick what a player makes. The Bills cap is a wasteland right now because of poor personnel (coaching) choices, not the players on the roster. If McDermott gets to his fourth year that would be a minor miracle. As a result, you have a hodge-podge of players that were stopgaps, to fill the spots that the big ticket guys wouldn’t allow average coverage for.
Enter Mike. His move from street free agent to primary backup to Shady was a revelation last year. So one year of him making 4 million dollars is too much? Was the Clay “poison pill-that-wasn’t” of 10 million his second year dumb too – because I seem to remember a lot of folks applauding the ‘genius’ of the Bills putting the Dolphins over a barrel on that one.
When a player’s job description is “run into folks and take that work” – I’m not going to begrudge them one red cent. Especially if there’s going to be this roundabout of awful that says:
at 29 he’ll be too old to be extended;
most backs shouldn’t get more than a rookie contract; or my personal fave:
“backs are a dime a dozen”
If that were the case, cut Shady now, let Jonathan Williams tote the rock and let’s see where that goes.
No? Bueller?
Here is my final mock for culture:
With these seven picks, without trades my goal was to keep it simple.
In the first round, Haason Reddick is a super athlete in the mold of Lorenzo Alexander, that can tackle, rush and cover well.
Budda Baker is one of my favorite players in the draft, and his versatility at corner or safety would be intriguing to the staff.
Carlos Henderson is a Mr. Inside / Mr. Outside wideout, whose speed would be a delightful addition to the WR room.
Howard Wilson is one of those “fits”. While he doesn’t have the 40 timed speed, he has ball skills, length and the desire to hit. All quality McDermott traits.
Michael Roberts is a poor man’s O.J. Howard, someone you can flex out but most likely would be best as the ‘Y’ and push Clay to more of the ‘H’ role.
Elijah Hood is a tough dude I liked from UNC, and not just because my wife is a Duke alum. He’d be great in a one-cut scheme like Rico Dennison’s.
and Finally, I doubled down on linebacker with Matt Milano, one of my fave linebackers in the draft that has to stay healthy – but can be the AJ Klein of this group, playing special teams and climbing into a backup role over time.
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