Before the draft, a lot of people were screaming for a pass-catching TE.  But the only TE we got from the draft was Derek Fine, who by all accounts is a good blocker and has good hands yet runs very slowly.  So he is not the pass-catching TE who is big and tall and can run pass LB whom we are looking for; nor is Courtney Anderson (assuming Teyo Johnson gets cut) giving us fans a lot of confidence in meeting this "requirement".  But I've been thinking, why are we setting these "requirements" in the first place?  Why can't  the Bills consider dropping the TE and go 3 Wide from 1st to 3rd downs?  Parrish and Reed have proven that they are not legit #2 receivers.  However, if Hardy can really perform as a #2 receiver (especially when teams have to game plan for his height advantage), I can see Parrish or Reed flourish as a slot receiver when they are up against the nickel back instead of one of the top CB of the other team.  Both have shown the ability to produce at the slot receiver role.  The whole idea of having a pass-catching TE is to give Edwards more options to throw to (be it that the TE is taller to get height separaton or he is faster to get distance separation), but if our TE's do not match up well to become the Bills' advantage why push for low percentage plays?  Why can't the option be a slot receiver instead of a TE?  Yes, the Bills want to run the football a lot when they have Lynch, and a TE is supposed to help block for running plays, but  I do not see any catching TE options which the Bills have can also block well.   Of course, this implies that the slot receiver will have to block well during a running play; from my understanding Reed is a pretty good blocker, and can be very effective blocking against a nickel back during a run play.  The idea behind offense coordination is about getting mis-matches and making sure there will always be high percentage play options for Edwards to work on every down.  I'd say, right now, the Bills is better off having 3 Wide on every down instead of using any of our existing TE.  If the Bills are serious about opening the playbook a bit this season (which Turk claimed), and if they can trust Edwards' on-field decision making more, I think this is a viable option to consider.  Of course, they might use other formation for special situations, but I suggest 3 Wide as the basic Bills offense formation for this season.

You guys are more expert than I.  What do you think?

To be honest, I was upset at every single pick the Bills made.  Starting from the first pick to the very last one.  Heck, I was already upset when the Bills was on the clock for the #11 pick, because I knew they were going to pick McKelvin when he was not picked by the first 10 teams.  I know a lot of fans like the first day picks and might not be as extreme as I am; that's because I was seeing things from my own perspective and what I'd have done and thinking what the Bills could've done.  For one thing, the Redskins showed that getting top WRs and TE in the first day is achievable.  But that's me.  I thought WR, CB, TE, FB, C, LB (in that order) SHOULD have been the Bills needs.  Ok, WR and CB we all agree on, but the rest?  As it turns out, what I think is not what OBD thinks.  I thought I had a good plan for the draft, still do, but that's just not OBD's plan.  For OBD, the main plan after the first 3 rounds is to get Special Team players for Bobby April (whom the Bills lost a lot in this past off-season) -- that's the need.  Myself and a lot of fans get upset, because we felt there were better players and more important holes to fill.  But according to OBD, after the first 3 rounds to fill in the team's needs on CB, WR, and situational pass-rusher, the biggest needs then turns to Special Teams.  After thinking more about it, I think it makes sense.  Both of O and D were horrible last season.  But when you analyze further, even though our yards gained and given up were near the bottom of the league, our points given up and our record were not proportionally as bad.   And I'd argue the biggest reason for that was because our Special Team often gave us good field position.  With so many ST players left in the off-season, filling these spots then becomes our important need in this draft.  Also, we have already added a few TEs in the off-season, what are the chances of the Bills picking starting TE from the 4th round onwards that are much better than our current roster as opposed starting ST players?  By starting, I mean top notch players in their respective position/role as opposed to average players or throw-ins that a lot of teams sign as UDFA to play special teams.  If the Bills want to improve their record, they cannot afford for their ST to perform less in 2008 -- they need excellent (notice I didn't use the word good) ST players + improved play by Edwards/Lynch/Poz + starting quality in McKelvin/Hardy.  Martin Rucker and Kellen Davis might be good, but are we sure either one can be the starting TE in 2008?  But with these players the Bills drafted from 4th to 6th rounds, they are sure starters on ST immediately and we won't even miss a beat.  I think that's how OBD viewed as one of the Bills' more important needs in this draft.  Notice in the 7th round how the Bills picked some high potential guys which a lot of fans were hoping for?  That's after OBD have settled on drafting their need in starting ST players.

I'm not sure whether I'm trying to rationalize the situation to make myself feel better, but I think this makes sense.  And this shows a methodical plan on OBD's part.  It's just that maybe fans like myself just cannot come around to understand management's view on the plan and agree to what the actual needs of this team are.  I hope this post will make everyone sleep better and be more happy about the draft.  I know I will.

Go Bills!

I think it's time to put down my final mock draft. 

Further to my previous wish on this blog for Kelly to run poorly in his pro day (which turned out true), I now have my 2nd wish:  I wish for Leodis McKelvin to be drafted within the top 10 picks.  I really dislike McKelvin, and I have mentioned numerous times in this blog that I think he is going to be a bust.  But rumours keep coming about the Bills making McKelvin as their 1st pick in the draft if he's available.  I cringe when I hear that rumour.  If  McKelvin is off the board, then it means the Bills will seriously consider trading down.  And here is my Final Mock Draft (w/ trades):

#17 -- Devin Thomas (Bills trading their 1st round pick #11 and their 4th round #114 for KC's #17 pick and their 2nd rounder #35)

#35 -- Antoine Cason (from KC)

#41 -- Malcolm Kelly

#72 -- Whomever is left of Dustin Keller / Martin Rucker / Kellen Davis / John Carlson (I assume that Bennett and Fred Davis are already off the board at this time.)

#132 -- Tom Zbikowski (If the Bills didn't trade its #114 pick, I'd have chosen Tyvon Branch.)

#147 -- Steve Justice

Fill out their needs such as FB, CB, LB with the rest of their picks.

Value for money, I'd want the Bills to pick Harvey with the #11 pick.  I really like Harvey, but I begin to realize that this is not going to happen.  Not only do the Bills invested heavily on the current DE starters, but there is just no immediate need.  And the Bills can always use their 2009 1st round pick to address depth problem at their DE position if they so desire.  The Bills have to draft for what's best for this year in the early rounds, and leave the depth part for later rounds.

With Malcolm Kelly's pro day performance, not only has he dropped to the 2nd round, but it makes Devin Thomas a hotter commodity in the first round.  There is no way Thomas will get past #19 Philly.  There is no guarantee Kelly will be there when the Bills pick #41, so the Bills must draft Thomas with its first pick.  Not only does Thomas fill in the #2 WR role, but he also addresses the kick return need (to occasionally spell off Terence McGee) this blog talked about.  This, in theory, will help McGee's performance at CB.

It is possible that the Bills trade down from #11 and package with their 4th rounder to get Viking's #17 in the 1st round and #16 in the 2nd round.  The Bills will then draft Thomas @ #17, and use the two 2nd rounders to draft my personal favourite Antoine Cason and Malcolm Kelly respectively.  I never thought this is possible in the first place until today when I read that Dallas is likely to land Pacman Jones.  Without Pacman, the Cowboys will not let Cason get past #28 of the 1st round.  However, I have to concede, this is too risky of a trade.  If someone trades up between #11 and #17 in the first round to nab Thomas, then the whole plan collapses.  

From both value and needs, I think the Bills will draft Kelly in the 2nd round with the #41 overall pick.  Yes, people might ask why 2 WR consecutively, but what is the problem of having insurance with the biggest need?  Also, I think that Kelly is a very special player; the Bills cannot afford not to draft him.  And this must happen by the early to mid 2nd round.  Not to mention, this might give the Bills more flexibility on Lee Evan's contract come next off-season!

If the Bills are as high on Cason as I am, then I'm sure Modrak will find a way to trade back up in the 2nd round to get him (that means the Bills will need to have two 2nd rounders -- one for Cason and one for Kelly).  Similar to the trade ups that landed McCargo and Poz.  I think the Bills will not trade back to the 1st round to land Cason, as the price will be too stiff.  But if the Pacman trade happens next week, I think it is entirely possible Cason will still be available early 2nd round.  

If the Bills can land all 3 players, then it will be an awesome draft for the Bills.  And I don't think my suggestion here is entirely impossible.  What are your thoughts?