To Bills Fans Panicing About Losing A High Pick…
By author
Personally, I would rather win as many games as possible to pick up some momentum heading into next season. That being said I can’t knock fans for wanting what’s best for this team. There is some merit in the argument that says the Bills would be better off if they lose out and can bring in that franchise player, namely Andrew Luck.
Well, after looking at the competition and circumstances, I think there’s a chance you can breathe easier and get the best of both worlds.
For starters, Carolina is 1-10. They look like a team destined to lock up the 1st pick in the draft. Andrew Luck, right? I’m not so sure about that. After taking Jimmy Clausen in the 2nd round last year (and Tony Pike in the 6th), there’s a chance that they will see enough progress to look to a different position with that pick. That would be a poor decision, but I thought it was poor to take Jimmy Clausen in the first place. That all being said, I have a theory going that Jim Harbaugh turned down the Bills interview last year so he could make a move to the NFL with Luck. If Carolina is looking for a coach not related to the Pittsburgh Steelers organization, Harbaugh could be a hot name come February and want to team up with his QB again.
Detroit (2-9) already has its QB of the future in ’09 1st overall pick, Matthew Stafford. The Bengals are also 2-9, but I have a feeling the Brown family feels that Carson Palmer can and will eventually return to form.
The Bills are next at 2-9, but in this scenario I was referring to, I’m going to say we win a few more games and other teams drop below us.
Denver is 3-8, but they also have Kyle Orton, with Tim Tebow waiting in the wings. As much as Denver fans would like to think Josh McDaniels would be fired, owner Pat Bowlen would then be paying three head coaching salaries (Shanahan, McDaniels, and his successor). With the uncertainty of the labor situation, I don’t feel that would happen. I think McDaniels would stick to what he’s got and go for help in the secondary.
The Cowboys are 3-8, but they have Tony Romo and wouldn’t want a QB. They need offensive line and secondary help more than anything.
The next one could be tough. At 3-8 and reeling, Arizona has a very good chance of plummeting right now. They would most definitely want a QB come April. Every Bills fan has to start rooting that Arizona has a comeback in an awful division!
For the 4-7 teams, the Browns have a good fit for their system in Colt McCoy. However, the 49ers and Vikings could both stand to take a QB. It is very possible that the last coach in the NFL that believed in Tarvaris Jackson left the building a few weeks ago and Brett Favre is done after this season. The 49ers like Troy Smith, but he’s more of a gamer than a guy that can be that upper-echelon QB.
So, there’s a chance we could finish 7th and still have a chance at Luck as long as the Cardinals, 49ers, and Vikings finish with better records than us. That’s of course if no one trades up for him. It’s a pretty intriguing situation, though. It’s rare that 6 teams could finish in the bottom half of the league and have their QB situation “resolved.” It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out.