Bills Chick wasn't excited about the draft at all...like, at all! Call me crazy--or blasphemous as a fellow social media friend did--but I just don't see the hype! I don't have the mental stamina to obsess over the possibilities these rookies have to help turn-or-not-turn the team around for four+ months. If I start the football craze this early in April, I may be diagnosed as legitimately "crazy" by Week 1 in September. And good thing I didn't force myself to cave to the draft extravaganza because I would have been sorely disappointed.
We drafted a RB. With the First Round Ninth pick, we drafted a RB. Now let's be clear, I am NOT knocking C.J. Spiller of Clemson at all. He has impressive stats (32 touchdowns rushing, 11 receiving, 7 on kickoffs and one punt return for a score) and a great rep and I have no doubt he'll be a great asset to our team. One Bills Drive biggies see him as a "hybrid" that can be used in various ways and are comparing him to the Saints' Reggie Bush. New GM Buddy Nix said the team doesn't have a "playmaker" and needs one. Don't know if he's met this guy named Fred Jackson, but fair enough.
The confusion comes in because I don't see running back as a top need. We are perfectly set with Freddy J. What we need to address is the ragged and overall deficient offensive line. The blogs are abuzz with us drafting a QB. Thinking a rookie QB is going to magically turn us from a losing to a winning franchise is naive and frankly, just plain dumb. Our quarterback situation is far from perfect but I honestly think it will GREATLY improve if the protection improves--hell, even exists! We know Fitzpatrick can throw the ball when he has time to. By the end of the season he was starting to get into some type of rhythm with Lee Evans. Let's cultivate Fitzpatrick's potential and work on helping him reach it.
Going into the next rounds I think we should be looking to acquire some offensive protection...but then again, we know how frequently my theories become realities. Buffalo Bills' lead journalist Chris Brown predicted the Bills would go for OT, QB and NT high up in the draft. So far, the team hasn't done any of this. We'll see if they address NT (nose tackle) which would be instrumental in making the new 3-4 defense work.
For now, welcome C.J. Spiller to Buffalo and Twitter (@Lightening28). He's excited to be part of the family and at the end of the day, we're happy to have him.
The draft continues tonight at 6 p.m. and Saturday morning at 10 a.m.
GO BILLS!!!