Don’t forget about the defensive ends at the draft. It’s not that the Bills must remember to add one: rather, they should recall the squad’s substantial current stockpile at the position. Some have advocated Buffalo picking up a DE the first chance the team gets, but, aside from their current respectable depth at the position, the need at wide receiver tops requirements on either line, in the secondary, or at any other position.
Of course, any talk regarding the ends starts with Aaron Schobel. His Pro Bowl slot may have tied for the least-deserved honor in Bills history along with every appearance Reuben Brown made, but Schobel is still an overall force in the passing game who has averaged about 9.5 sacks per season. About to enter his eighth year, he won’t play forever, but, at 30, he’s far from done yet.
It’s not as if Schobel is paired with schlubs, either: Chris Kelsay remains somewhere between respectable and impressive, while Ryan Denney’s return from injury will do more to fortify the position than any draft pick could. Further, free agent addition Spencer Johnson can also be rotated in at defensive end; his versatility will be a huge aid to the group. Using the team’s first pick on a defensive end would be like spending your last dollars on Slurpees when your gas tank is empty.
Besides, the best way to enhance the end position is by improving the tackle corps, and trading for Marcus Stroud means offensive lines can no longer cheat their attention toward the outside players. Improving the line anywhere improves the performance of each lineman.
Cornerback, the other most frequently-cited weak position, can wait, too. The whole point of this defense is its emphasis on the buddy system: safeties are almost always there to help corners in deep pass coverage. This means that primary cover guys aren’t required to single-handedly vanquish wideouts; in that regard, using a first-round pick on a position where the player doesn’t have to possess first-round talent is an extravagant waste.
The process of elimination leads to the inescapable fact that the Bills need to spend their first pick on a wide receiver. They can trade down first, but there’s no other area that requires more of an upgrade: Josh Reed and Roscoe Parrish are nowhere near the equivalent of Kelsay and Denney. This offense and team will continue to reside in oblivion until there is someone other than Lee Evans who can threaten the opposing secondary and serve as a decent option for the quarterback.
Holding off on everything else is the wisest choice, including regarding what would currently be considered luxuries. For example, they could bring in offensive linemen to compete for center or guard slots, but that’s far less pressing than enhancing the receiver platoon. As with defensive end, this team can get away with putting off until 2009 any attempts to seriously address the offensive line’s interior; the overwhelmingly glaring cavity at wideout needs attention first before the rot worsens.
The only other spot that should rival wide receiver for attention could be tight end, and the most valuable pickup in that regard may have already been made: new offensive coordinator Turk Schonert should be able to do more with the position than Steve Fairchild managed.
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Originally Posted by JMNY83
