NFL Draft Info - Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills Team Needs

By: Joe Goodberry

• Overall Team Depth - If the Bills continue to lead the league in players on Injured Reserve, they are going to need to improve the overall depth of the team. They need quality backups. Buffalo lost 20 players to injured reserve in 2009, and this isn't a new thing. In 2007, the Buffalo Bills lost 17 players to IR. Maybe they need to hire a new strength and conditioning coach, but even that might not help. The only precaution you can take is to build up the overall talent of this team. For a team that has picked in the top half of the draft for the last 10 years, the Bills may have the least talented team in the league. Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey need to make this years draft a success.  

• Offensive Tackle- There is a good chance the Buffalo Bills had the worst offensive line in the league last season. The interior of there line was addressed last off season when they signed center Geoff Hangartner in free agency and drafted guards Eric Wood and Andy Lavitre in the 1st and 2nd rounds respectively. The 2010 draft is full of talented offensive tackles, and I believe the Bills should take their left tackle of the future with the 9th overall pick. As for right tackle, look for Buffalo to resign tackles Demetrius Bell and Jonathan Scott. Buffalo should also take a look at some free agents. Some unrestricted free agents to keep an eye out for? Jeremy Bridges (Arizona), Tony Pashos (San Fran), Artis Hicks (Minnesota). Then take the 2 players from last season, 2 new rookie Tackles, and a veteran free agent, and them battle it out for the starting RT position. 

• 3-4 Type Players- Chan Gailey's biggest and boldest move so far was hiring former Dolphins linebackers coach George Edwards as the defensive coordinator. Edwards will be switching the Bills to a 3-4 defense, and it will be the job of GM Buddy Nix to find players to fit the scheme. The player that will benefit the most will be last years 1st round pick Aaron Maybin. Last season, Maybin played as an undersized defensive end in the 4-3 defense. In 2010, Maybin will move to Outside Linebacker where his explosiveness and pass rushing ability can be used to the Bills advantage. I see Paul Posluzny and Kawika Mitchell manning the inside linebacker spots. Aaron Schobel, Ryan Denney, and Chris Kelsay would all play OLB in the Bills 3-4 if they remain on the roster for next season. What the Buffalo Bills needs to decide is if last seasons starters at defensive tackle Kyle Williams and Marcus Stroud can fit into the 3-4 defense. Both players dont exactly look like the typical 3-4 nose tackle. Stroud may move to Right Defensive End. Kyle Willams is a gritty player with a non stop motor, so maybe he can be an undersized NT like Jay Ratliff of the Dallas Cowboys, but that depends on the type of defense coach Edwards wants to run. The Bills will need to find more prototypical 3-4 linemen in the draft. (DE 6'5" 295 lbs, NT 6'4" 330 lbs) 

• Quarter Back of the Future- I don't think the Bills QB of the future is currently on their roster. So they need to find him. I don't see the Bills taking a QB with the 9th overall pick. They have too many needs to fill first. Look for Buffalo to explore trade options and bring in a free agent. Players that the Bills may trade for are, Mike Vick (Philly), Kevin Kolb (Philly), and Troy Smith (Baltimore). Some free agents to keep an eye out for are Chad Pennington (Mia), Derek Anderson (Cle), David Carr (NYG), A.J. Feely (Car), and Duante Culpepper (Det). After they find a veteran, they should draft a QB in the 3rd or 4th round. Then take the Rookie, the Veteran, and the best of the 3 QBs already on the roster to training camp, and let them battle it out. 

• Trade Current Bills Players- When teams start a new regime like the Bills are doing right now, the roster turnover is usually extreme. Buffalo needs to get something in return for the talented players they do have on their roster. Look for the them to try and trade RB Marshawn Lynch, WR Roscoe Parish, and S Donte Whitner. If they feel Kyle Williams and Marcus Stroud don't fit the 3-4 defense they want to run, they might be trade bait as well. When Buddy Nix was in San Diego, the Chargers liked to trade on draft day, so look for the Bills to take a similar approach. They should sell low, and accumulate more draft picks to get as many players as they can.