FanPost

Could Buffalo take the first QB off the board at #8?

I was thinking about the QB needy teams:

  • Kansas City: Man, the Chiefs need someone better that Matt Cassel has been since his successful stint with the Patriots. With Pioli gone, there's a chance that Cassel isn't even on the team in April. Brady Quinn certainly isn't the answer either. Add to it that Andy Reid is a QB maven and a lot of signs point towards KC going QB at #1 overall. However, it's worth considering the success that Andy Reid has had with 2nd and 3rd round QB selections. He has to have confidence in his ability to identify the next Nick Foles. For a Chiefs team that needs a serious infusion of talent, it is more than possible that Kansas City goes with their highest rated player. Reid loves to wheel and deal so he could drop out of the #1 slot but who is going to pay the freight in a year without a Luck or RGIII?
  • Jacksonville: Their GM recently came out and said that Blaine Gabbert's career can be salvaged. Because the Jags own the #2 pick it's not like he was trying to convince a bunch of teams that they aren't targeting a QB when they really are. My guess is that he meant what he said and will take the best player on the board. It is possible that he was trying to drum up trade interest in the pick from a team who wants a crack at Jarvis Jones or Luke Joeckel. I think the Jags would be happy to trade down, possibly way down in order to increase their pile of picks. They have the same issue the Chiefs do in that there are very few guys who teams might trade the farm to get.
  • Oakland: The Raiders have Carson Palmer, a guy who can hold down the fort for another season or two. The defense was absolutely abysmal through long stretches of the season and there will be impact defenders on the board at #3.
  • Philadelphia: The Eagles have Nick Foles and quite a bit of offensive talent. Luke Joeckel makes the most sense if he's on the board--and if he isn't the Eagles might move up to get him. If he's gone the Eagles might look to trade down to get into position to take Chance Warmack, particularly if Philly thinks Peters can come back from his latest injury.
  • Detroit: Matt Stafford isn't what is holding back the Lions. There is zero chance that a team as bereft of pass rushers expends this pick on a QB. One of the top DEs should still be on the board at #5 so it would take a bit to get Detroit out of this slot.
  • Cleveland: I kind of doubt that Weeden is the answer at QB. He was taken by a GM who is no longer with the team, which always makes QBs nervous. This is perhaps the only team currently picking ahead of Buffalo who might take a QB. The Skidmarks are also a potential landing spot for teams picking after Buffalo who are looking for a QB.
  • Arizona: Kolb hasn't been the answer at QB but then he's also been battered whenever he's been healthy enough to limp out onto the field. The team is in total rebuild mode and might roll with Kolb through another (lost) season while rebuilding the roster. Arizona could go with the best offensive lineman on their board to give Kolb a chance to show what he can do when not being planted every other pass attempt.
  • Buffalo: The Bills need a QB and Nix has said he intends to get one in this draft, trading up if necessary. Well, okay.
  • New Jersey Jets: Sanchez is bad but he is signed to a deal that makes Fitz's $10 million cap hit look almost trivial in comparison. The new GM could burn the team to the ground and start over, and simply accept that 15% of the salary cap is tied up in a player no longer with the team. I'm guessing that New Jersey's trouble with finding a GM is that keeping not only Ryan but Sanchez is part of the deal.
  • Tennessee: The Flaming Thumbtacks have Jake Locker. He's been good enough to keep his spot on the roster.
  • San Diego: The Chargers won't be replacing Phillip Rivers this year.
  • Miami: The Dolphins seem quite pleased with Tannehill.
  • Tampa Bay: Josh Freeman likely did enough to keep the Bucs from using their first rounder on a QB. If one falls to them in the 2nd or 3rd then all bets are off.
  • Carolina: Cam Newton is the best player on that team.
  • New Orleans: Drew Brees is a very good QB.
  • St Louis: Could the Sam Bradford era be over? It seems that some are speculating that is in the offing but I haven't seen anything that suggests it is really going to happen. Bradford, like Kolb, needs help up front and I can see the Rams investing in the offensive line before jettisoning Bradford.
That's the top half of the draft. By some freakish coincidence, none of the teams in the bottom half of the first round need a QB. Go figure. It looks like it comes down to Cleveland. It's worth noting that Cleveland has no second round pick. Chart value wise, Buffalo's 1st and 3rd (1635) is about as much as Cleveland's 1st and 5th (1639). Because it's hard to see anyone trading into the top 5 for a QB, it's quite possible that every QB could be on the board at 6. (Pause for a moment and wail and gnash your teeth regarding Gailey's parting gift to Bills fan--a win that moved the Bills from pick 6 to pick 8.) Moving up to 6 would, by necessity, move the Browns out and put Buffalo ahead of the Cardinals as well.
If the trade were made, who should Buffalo take at 6?

Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.