BLD Roundtable: Bills Draft Recap

Question 4: What grade do you give Buddy Nix and his staff for the 2012 Draft?

Dominic C.X. Daniels, Staff Writer: A – I loved this draft.  Solid players who can contribute early.  Nix also added solid depth on day three who can play special teams now, and could compete for a starting role in a couple of years.

James Ginal: Staff Writer: I hate to say it, but I give the Bills an “A” in this draft. The reason I hate to say it is because I don’t like grading drafts for a couple years. Plus the Bills are like that bad girlfriend in high school that you stayed with anyway. In addition, I don’t like drafting a kicker and I wasn’t high on TJ Graham. However, the value they got with later round picks was phenomenal so think it deserves an “A.” Cordy Glenn, Zebrie Sanders and Tank Carder could be cornerstones for this team for many years to come, and I’m not even counting Stephon Gilmore because if he gets good he’ll probably leave like every other good corner we’ve ever had.

Dave Abbey, Staff Writer: It’s hard to ever grade any draft right after it’s completed.  It’s much easier to do so a couple of years later.  I will grade this draft a B.  Nix made many great choices in this draft that will not only be great backup options this year, but could be solid starters in the near future.

Danyel Geist, Staff Writer: I may be the eternal optimist here, but I give the Bills a solid “A” with this years draft.  They filled needs with good, quality players and didn’t fall for the glitz and glam of moving up or down.  They stuck to their guns and I believe it paid off.  They were correct in thinking that this years draft was fairly deep and all of the players they were able to get are high-character, very talented athletes.  Sure some of them aren’t polished and may need work, but the skill set is at least there to work with. Also, since the Bills are notoriously known for injuries, it was nice to see Nix aiming for sturdy depth.  They are certainly a much better team, on paper, then they were a few weeks ago.

Chris Trapasso, Staff Writer:  A-. If T.J. Graham becomes a legitimate deep threat, it’ll be even better.

Brad Andrews, Editor: B+. A lot of risk but a lot of potential here.

Question 5 :The Bills have done a lot of work to upgrade the talent level this offseason. With the draft over and major free agency past, are there any positions on this roster that still make you nervous?

Dominic C.X. Daniels, Staff Writer: I have a feeling most people would say back up quarterback but I am still shaky at #2 (z) receiver and left tackle.  I really hope someone like Marcus Easley, Donald Jones, or any of our other receivers take a large step forward and really settle into the role.  We have a few young players competing for the starting Left Tackle spot.  The inexperience makes me a tad nervous considering the import ants of the position.

James Ginal, Staff Writer: The Bills in general make me a nervous wreck, so I’m going to say all positions. In all seriousness though, on paper our defensive line looks good, our corners look pretty good, our running backs are good and proven, our quarterback is fairly proven and our offensive line is looking better and better. I still don’t like our linebacker position and our wideouts. I just don’t think there’s enough talent there to make a big impact. We’re also iffy on tight end even though Chandler showed up real nice last year. We also need to put everything together and avoid the injury plague. So I’m saying WR and LB make me the most nervous.

Dave Abbey, Staff Writer:  The two positions I’m still concerned about are WR and TE.  Other than Stevie, there really isn’t any other receiving threats.  Many unproven youngsters, but either or both of these positions are going to have to be the first priority during next year’s offseason.

Danyel Geist, Staff Writer:  Glenn can make the transition to an NFL left tackle without many hitches then the one position that makes me sweat a tad is backup QB.  I just don’t think Thigpen has shown me enough to make me believe he can actually fill in if anything happened to Fitz.  Sure, he was successful in KC but you have to remember that he was a more a product of their run-first offense.  As of today, Vince Young is working out for the team in hopes to fill that role.  While he does come with some character concerns, I think that he has the talent to be a solid backup for Fitzpatrick.  I just hope that they can sign him and keep his attitude at bay.
But hey, if they kept TO’s alter ego in check, I’m sure they can handle VY

Chris Trapasso, Lead Writer: I’m still not totally sold on the receiving corps. As I outlined in a pre-draft article, I compare Stevie Johnson to a “1b” T.J. Houshmandzadeh-type receiver than a true No. 1. I love David Nelson. He’s an imposing slot option who runs good routes and has soft hands. However, beyond those two, I’m a bit worried. Donald Jones doesn’t do it for me. He’s more of a practice squad or No. 5 receiver than a true complement to those Johnson and Nelson. The same goes for Naaman Roosevelt. Again, if Graham can really threaten defenses down the field, Buffalo will be onto something, but we’ll have to wait for that. The same goes for Marcus Easley. Is he ready to contribute this season?
 

Brad Andrews, Editor: Wide receiver. Still not sure if a #2 is on this roster. CB still scares me too, with so much youth and unproven talent.