OT: Bills offseason moves

[MSOrange]

What do my fellow Bills fans think of the moves so far? (and non-Bills fans, no need to chime in to tell us we suck. We've reached that conclusion too after not making the playoffs this century.)

The articles I read were really down on the Chris Williams signing. I kind of like getting Brandon Spikes but it's just a one year deal and he isn't putting us over the top next year. Anthony Dixon is an interesting signing - good insurance in case CJ or Fred can't stay healthy again. Guess I was a little surprised at resigning Scott Chandler. Be interesting to see if that affects any interest in Eric Ebron, the UNC tight end that I've been the Bills picking in a lot of mock drafts.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

I'm a little confused over the Rivers signing. Don't mind the numbers but they are stating he will be a starter with Alonso, and Spikes. Odd man out is Manny Lawson at least on the first two downs. I thought he played extremely well last year. I've read they want him as a hybrid which is what Hughes plays.. Tough to understand their defensive identity right now but we will see when it comes to the draft.

Clearly they think Mack won't drop to them at nine and won't go after Barr from UCLA. My guess is the go for Dix to fill the Byrd departure.

I wouldn't mind trading down for Ebron or Denards.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Losing Byrd was awful

 

[orangenirvana]

I was livid over losing Byrd but I like the additions.

Graham, Rivers, and Dixon will help special teams, as will retaining Carpenter.

Rivers has played well his entire career, he just never lived up to being a Top 10 pick. I love the idea of seeing he and Lawson alternate at SLB depending on the opponent and gameplan/down/situation.

Graham gives the team a potentially great four-man cornerback rotation, which will help ease the loss of Byrd.

Chris Williams was graded poorly last season but he fills a huge hole at LG and I'll defer to Marrone's judgment. He certainly has the ability (former first round pick) and his strength is run-blocking which is one of the main things the staff wants to improve. He's a bit lazy with his technique so hopefully Marrone and Pat Morris can coach him up. Regardless, I expect to see a guard picked up in the early-to-mid rounds in May that will challenge for the starting job.

Improving the run defense is a huge focus for the coaching staff and Spikes can be a big asset there. He's one of the best run stoppers in the league and if he can keep his nose clean he will help a lot.

Still have a huge hole at DE opposite Mario. Jerry Hughes isn't a full-time 4-3 DE and someone like Alan Branch is just too heavy for that position. Not sure what Schwartz is going to do here.

I would be shocked if they chose a safety in the first. In fact I would bet my house that they will not. They'll fill that hole with what they have already - one of Duke Williams, Searcy, and Meeks.

 

[JeremyCuse]

I actually like the moves the Bills have made, got a Guard who had nothing around him last year and held his own, got a decent back in case of injuries to CJ and Freddy, a CB who can play in the Nickel but also sub in for injuries, and a great LB in Spikes. Would have liked to have gotten Spikes on a 2 year deal but one is better then not signing him at all. Really hoping Watkins somehow falls to Buffalo at 9 but I doubt it. Hated to lose Byrd but once we didnt franchise him again you knew he was gone. Dont mind the decision though, no way I wanted Buffalo paying that much for him.

 

[MSOrange]

Really hoping Watkins somehow falls to Buffalo at 9 but I doubt it. Hated to lose Byrd but once we didnt franchise him again you knew he was gone. Dont mind the decision though, no way I wanted Buffalo paying that much for him.

Great post. I really agree with these 2 points. I'd be thrilled if Watkins fell to us. He's my dream pick but I doubt it also. And I agree about paying Byrd that much. Great player but Bills have too many needs to give him that much money.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Great post. I really agree with these 2 points. I'd be thrilled if Watkins fell to us. He's my dream pick but I doubt it also. And I agree about paying Byrd that much. Great player but Bills have too many needs to give him that much money.

Byrd has plantar fascitis and it was clear he wanted out. Rather then drag it out and pay him nearly 8 mill they made the correct decision and let him leave. Creates a big hole no doubt but gives Buffalo the money to maybe extend CJ or even redo Kikos contract to stop that train before it even gets out of the station.

 

[NateW]

They tried to get the "hometown" discount from Byrd but he was never going to bite. I'm not happy that he's gone. He certainly is a pro-bowl talent and the best ball hawk we've had at safety for as long as I can remember but he's not worth that contract he got from NO and he didn't want to be in Buffalo so... IMO we should have franchised and traded him but you don't know how those conversations went so I won't kill the front office too much on that.

Aaron Williams is a hard hitting, trash talking, fast safety. He played multiple games at corner last year too. He's versatile and a great locker room guy. Loved that the front office got him inked to a long term deal the day after we didn't franchise Byrd. He's a budding star. It'll be interesting to see what management does at safety in the draft; Whaley has said that Byrd's replacement is on the roster. D. Williams and Meeks barley played last year so I don't really have an opinion on them but if we don't go safety early in the draft I'll take that as a good sign. Searcy has some talent but seems to be more of a situational guy although he really played his butt off last year and made some true impact plays for the defense.

We couldn't stop the run last year. Biggest reason? LBs. Add Spikes and Rivers to Kiko and Lawson and you got yourself a solid foursome. And Spikes grades out as the best run stopping LBs in the league. Would love for Mack to fall to us just to make LB a huge strength of the team but I do not see him falling that far. Heck, Kiper had him as the first pick the other day.

With Graham you got the hometown boy, special teams pro-bowler who wants to be here. He adds great depth and will push Gilmore, McKelvin, Robey, and Brooks to up their game. That's a talented 5-deep CB rotation right there.

Dixon is another special teams guy who gives you another short-yardage, goal line guy besides Freddy. Anything we can do to keep the tread on his tires a little bit longer is huge IMO. I wish Freddy could play forever.

The guard Williams didn't seem to grade out well nor did the talking heads think much of him but he's a former first rounder and from most accounts a hard working, smart guy. Hopefully Marrone & Co will get the most out of him.

Onto the draft... where do we go? our needs IMO go like this in order of necessity: TE, OT, WR, S, OG. Aside from those needs you certainly could draft a RB, DL in a best player available type situation. DE is a little thin, as Nirvana hinted at, and with Spillers contract year plus Freddy getting older drafting a RB might not be a bad idea if its the right guy at the right time in the draft.

All in all management did a great job signing some mid level guys + Spikes that really fills out the roster and will keep them from having to reach for need positions in the draft and just stick to their board. I'm happy with it so far but then again off-season is always our best season.

 

[OrangeFoo]

I actually don't mind losing Byrd as I don't think he made enough game changing plays to warrant the money he hot from NO. He is not turning anyone into the Seahawks. I think the Bills biggest weakness is against the run game and Searcy is better against the run than Byrd. I line the LB picks as it's adding some bodies who are good at stopping the run.

I hate resigning Chandler... He has dropped more passes that would have been first downs than anyone I can remember. The fumble against Atlanta was the final straw for me.

We are short an rt and two more guards and a te and a wr and a fs and a de still in my opinion.

 

[donniesyracuse]

our needs IMO go like this in order of necessity: TE, OT, WR, S, OG. Aside from those needs you certainly could draft a RB, DL in a best player available type situation.

you're confident that you don't need a QB?

 

[longislandcuse]

I love the moves.

Rivers and Spikes give us run stuffing linebackers and the ability to move Kiko outside. Allows us to keep Bradham as depth.

We lost Byrd but bolstered our CBs to a very solid unit of Gilmore, McKelvin, Graham, Robey and Brooks.

I heard Whaley say Lawson will be a DE/LB so it sounds like our D-Line will be Mario, Dareus, Kyle, Lawson with Hughes and Branch rotating in.

The draft will focus on offense. I imagine we will see OT/WR in no particular order in the first 2 rounds.

 

[orangenirvana]

I heard Whaley say Lawson will be a DE/LB so it sounds like our D-Line will be Mario, Dareus, Kyle, Lawson with Hughes and Branch rotating in.

That's a disaster waiting to happen. Lawson is not a defensive end. Hell, even Hughes struggled as a 4-3 DE in Indianapolis. Don't know why people are ignoring this enormous hole.

 

[NateW]

you're confident that you don't need a QB?

Not confident that the Bills don't need a better QB. I just know that as of today management is all in with EJ so they will not be drafting one.

 

[longislandcuse]

That's a disaster waiting to happen. Lawson is not a defensive end. Hell, even Hughes struggled as a 4-3 DE in Indianapolis. Don't know why people are ignoring this enormous hole.

Schwartz has said we're not changing the defense. Everyone assumes with the defenses he ran that we're going primarily 4-3 but he said he will adapt to the players strengths and the coaches say we're keeping most of what we did with Pettine.

I hope thats true bc Lawson and Hughes were studs in that system.

 

[CaptainJ]

My favorite move(not necessarily the best, but maybe?) was at least one year with no game in TORONTO.

 

[orangenirvana]

Schwartz has said we're not changing the defense. Everyone assumes with the defenses he ran that we're going primarily 4-3 but he said he will adapt to the players strengths and the coaches say we're keeping most of what we did with Pettine.

I hope thats true bc Lawson and Hughes were studs in that system.

Marrone confirmed today that the defensive system will be changing.

Each coordinator has his own system. Schwartz was never going to copy someone he's never worked with before.

 

[shandeezy7]

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 5m
Bills announced that a legend and icon, Ralph Wilson, has passed away.

 

[orangenirvana]

RIP Ralph

 

[longislandcuse]

Marrone confirmed today that the defensive system will be changing.

Each coordinator has his own system. Schwartz was never going to copy someone he's never worked with before.

Saw that today too. I'll trust it though because Schwartz was a beast DC before he became a coach.

RIP Ralph

 

[MSOrange]

RIP Ralph Wilson. Or Mr Wilson as all the players called him. It was so apparent how much respect each player had for him. Thanks for 4 straight Super Bowl appearances.