Buffalo Bills Rookie Review

Earlier today I had a chance to chat with Buffalowdown ‘s editor Brad Andrews about the recent Bills draft picks. If you haven’t discovered Buffalowdown yet, you’re doing yourself a disfavor. It’s one of the most humorous and well opinionated blogs on the web. Here’s what Brad had to say.

1). I know you loathed the Aaron Maybin pick, with the Jets (especially since they passed on Orakpo to make the pick), but in three games with the Jets, Maybin has 2 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. Was it possible the Bills were just using him wrong?

Well, you gotta wonder if that’s the case, since Maybin did precisely nothing during his time in Buffalo and suddenly he’s making plays. And
maybe his current role with the Jets as a situational pass rusher was just what he needed. But let’s not jump to conclusions until he keeps
up production for a whole season. And I’ll defend the (new) Bills’ coaching staff. Maybin didn’t flash even a hint of promise the entire
time he was in a Bills uniform. He had to go.

2). How is the rest of the 2009 draft class looking outside of Maybin?

The Bills’ other first-round pick in 2009 (Eric Wood) is now starting at center. He’s not a star like Nick Mangold or anything, but Wood is
a good, tough player who should anchor the Bills’ line for the next decade. The team’s second round picks (safety Jairus Byrd and guard
Andy Levitre) are also starters with bright futures. Byrd is a ballhawk who has been tackling and supporting the run well in 2011
after really struggling with that last season. Levitre is another rugged blue-collar lineman with enough versatility to play any
position on the line. The Bills suddenly have a big, young, talented offensive line with Wood and Levitre as its leaders. Everyone else
from that class is either on the Jets (Maybin and CB Ellis Lankster) or out of the NFL (TE Shawn Nelson, S Nic Harris, and CB Cary Harris).

3). Is C.J. Spiller ever going to be a major player in the N.F.L.?

I honestly don’t know. Spiller has actually looked pretty good this season. The problem is that he can’t get on the field because Fred
Jackson has been such a force. Jackson’s been so elite in every phase of the game Chan Gailey simply can’t take him out of the game. Spiller
has been effective when given a chance to run the ball, and the Bills have actually used him a lot at wide receiver in the past two weeks
thanks to numerous injuries. Don’t be surprised if he breaks out in the second half of this season.

4). I’ve been impressed with Arthur Moats, and Danny Batten. Is it possible the BIlls have the pass rushers they have been missing on their roster already?

Moats and Batten both have flashes of brilliance, and they’re solid players. But numbers don’t (usually) lie – neither of those guys has a
sack yet, and the Bills are dead last in the league with just four sacks in six games so far. We could debate who is at fault. Is it the
players not making plays or the coaches having awful schemes? In any case, it’s clear this team doesn’t have a pass rush for whatever
reason.

5). How is the 2011 Draft class looking so far?

Tough to evaluate, because this rookie group has been decimated by injury. First round pick DE Marcell Dareus has had his moments, and he
looked particularly good against the Giants last week. Everyone else has spent time on the injured list. CB Aaron Williams was struggling
before an injury sidelined him for the foreseeable future. LB Kelvin Sheppard missed all of training camp with a hamstring, and is just now
really getting on the field. He’s impressed the coaching staff though, and he’ll likely be starting before long. OT Chris Hairston missed
most of camp and then was thrown into the fire at left tackle against the Eagles and Giants. He was actually playing well before getting
hurt again. Everyone else (S Da’Norris Searcy, RB Johnny White, LB Chris White, and CB Justin Rogers) has been mostly confined to special
teams/backup duty so far. Massive 350-plus pound seventh-round draft pick Michael Jasper is currently on the practice squad, where the
Bills are trying to convert him to offensive tackle. (He played guard in college and defensive tackle in preseason.)

6). Based on how the Bills are playing so far what are their preliminary needs for next year’s draft?

Gotta keep loading up on defense. Despite the Bills’ efforts to upgrade the defense this offseason, Buffalo ranks 30th in the league
against the pass and 29th against the run. Not good. The Bills basically need help at every position on defense except safety. On
offense, the Bills should look to add talent at guard and tackle.

7). Are there any undrafted free agents or late round picks that seem like they might be future big players in the N.F.L.?

If seventh-round pick Michael Jasper can make the switch to offensive tackle, he’s got the size, athleticism and power to be a star. I
really like fifth-round RB Johnny White, but he’s never going to see the light of day on offense behind Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller.
Also, keep an eye out for WR Kamar Aiken, who’s currently stashed on Buffalo’s practice squad. He had a fantastic preseason, and I have no
idea how he wasn’t drafted. He’s got an NFL body, enough speed, and good hands.

8). Has there been a pattern that has developed with the new front office led by Buddy Nix?

Still a bit early to tell, but it’s clear this office highly values past production rather than potential. All of Buffalo’s early draft
picks this year followed the “take the guy who had big numbers for a big program” philosophy. I think we’ll know more with another year and
another draft. One thing’s for sure: you can believe whatever comes out of the mouths of Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey. Those guys don’t pull
punches or mislead the media.

9). Why are The Giants so much cooler than the Bills? (as a Giants fan had to ask the question)

Tough for me to talk much trash after the Giants beat the Bills this past week…plus I’m still eternally grateful to the Giants for
beating the 18-0 Patriots in that Super Bowl. So I’ll refrain from making jokes about the fact the Giants play in New Jersey and have a
coach who’s likely going to die of a stroke on the sideline and no one’s going to notice.

10). Anything else to add?

The Bills have a must-win game coming up next Sunday in Toronto against the Redskins. If they win that one, they’ll be in the playoff
hunt all year. If not, it’ll be time to step up the college scouting.

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