Bills take care of a need on Day 1, not needs

By Anthony Bialy  |   Monday, April 27, 2009  |  Comments( 197 )

Buffalo Bills
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The Buffalo Bills got too cocky after their first pick of this past weekend's NFL draft. They addressed a glaring abyss with their first selection before meandering through the remainder of the draft’s initial two rounds. Two possibly useful offensive linemen joined one either superfluous cornerback or raw safety, depending on how they use their third draftee. Either way, the Bills made a few curious positional selections, meaning they’ll depend on either what they have or players taken in the third round or later at some of their feeble positions.

Their first pick was their wisest. Ex-Penn State star Aaron Maybin undoubtedly fits both Buffalo’s scheme and needs: He’s a quick pass rusher for a team that didn’t know how to pass rush last year. He’s immediately useful to the Bills; even better, he’s a good value in the 11th slot no matter who drafted him. The Bills didn’t reach to assuage their particular concern, making it a textbook selection.

They didn’t similarly electrify when it came to adding blockers: The Bills arguably missed by one or two spots with both choices. Eric Wood of Louisville sounds like an impressively no-nonsense lineman; meanwhile, Oregon State’s Andy Levitre has been labeled as an adaptable blocker, which is a nice way of saying he’s not a clear-cut tackle. He’s probably going to make his living as a starting guard or guard/tackle backup.

The issue isn’t with the players but rather where they play. Offensive line was one of the few non-Terrell Owens areas where the Bills made notable free agent additions. Geoff Hangartner and Seth McKinney seemed like obvious choices to take over in the middle and at left guard; at best, it’s surprising that the Bills spent both first- and second-round picks on blockers without grabbing a definite exterior candidate. Still, the rookie linemen at least give them options, even if said options were acquired peculiarly early.

On the other hand, the Bills either drafted a cornerback they don’t need or a safety they’ll have to train. Oregon’s Jairus Byrd has a reputation for pilfering footballs, but he may not get frequent chances to do so for his pro team. He’ll need time to crack the lineup regardless of which position he mans.

More urgently, Byrd’s selection leaves this roster oversaturated in the secondary as they remain perilously thin elsewhere. The Bills waited until Sunday to attempt to get a genuine tight end threat. Shawn Nelson lasted until the 121st pick, as they’re just going to keep relying on mid-round tight ends to make early round impacts. It’s a black hole that they apparently feel is best dealt with by ignoring it.

The Bills got the defensive end they need and some offensive linemen they can use, but Buffalo remains entranced with the secondary to the detriment of other aspects. As for the non-Maybin selections, Byrd and both linemen all sound like quality players; the only fear is that the Bills passed on offensive tackles, tight ends and even linebackers they require even more urgently.
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About Anthony Bialy

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CommentsComments: 197  |  Sign Up  View all comments
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No.1
Goose		09:12 AM
04/27/2009
I had a great 5 days in Buffalo but it is time to head south. I liked what the Bills did on the first day and picking up TE...
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No.2
flda-dennis		09:17 AM
04/27/2009
Hello boys!!! Well, I was wrong about Jenkins @ 11 but how bout 4 of the Bills 8 draft choices being DBs. With all the needs...
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No.3
bILZrok		09:51 AM
04/27/2009
Here's what they said at Sports Illustrated... "He is somewhat of a tweener, but depending on the NFL defense he's in, he will...
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