Bills Stretching in Hopes of Pulling Something

By Grant W.  |   Thursday, September 03, 2009  |  Comments( 227 )

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While it may just be the nature of the process, it does seems that the brain trust at One Bills Drive think building a winning football team requires the same preparation as playing a football game.

Every Sunday prior to kickoff teams line up on the field for their mandatory stretching exercises. The goal being to prevent injuries and chill out, and every once in a while producing a cool one liner for NFL films. Every April Bills management gathers in a hotel room, line up their cards, and stretch with the apparent goal of proving they are the best at picking winning lottery numbers.

For more than a decade now the Bills front office seems to think it’s their mission to choose the “interesting” pick in the first round of the draft. While it would be difficult to top their ultimate stretch, the selection of Willis McGahee in 2003, time and again the Bills appear to believe an asterisk in a players scouting profile is some secret sign of football greatness.

Obviously there have been some very solid picks as far as pure talent go. But even then, how often have those picks lined up with needs and complimentary puzzle pieces already on the team? Lee Evans is clearly a talent, but did the team need another smurf size receiver at the time? Marshawn Lynch is a very good running back, but wasn’t a game changing linebacker a need and available with that pick?

From Flowers to Losman, and Whitner to McCargo, the Bills keep trying to be cute, when the obvious choice is bearing down on them like Haloti Ngata on a sell out blitz. And this year’s choice is no different. While clearly a physical freak based on his combination of size and speed, everyone agrees Aaron Maybin is far from a finished product. Coincidently, his assumed position on the D-line is currently filled by arguably one of the most talented players on the squad. As it appears DE was the predetermined need, why not go with Brian Orakpo? Orakpo has more hardware on his mantle then Lynch has in his mouth, while Maybin has the college equivalent of a half NFL season as a starter because Penn State was desperate.

As with all first round picks, only time will tell, but Russ and the gang should leave the stretching to the players on the field.
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No.1
Goose		06:15 AM
09/03/2009
That was great!!! The Whitner pick instead of Ngata will haunt the Bills and their fans for years. Before that fiasco the Bills ...
No.2
Greg S		06:22 AM
09/03/2009
Grant, You hit on a big point that has contributed to why they have not made the playoffs since 1999. Let's hope that the guys ...
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No.3
Polish Lover		07:30 AM
09/03/2009
This was a pretty weak article. The number of players drafted by the Bills that contribute as starters is consistent with the ...
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