Well, the draft has come and gone and I have to say, is there anyone who could possibly be upset at what the front office accomplished with their picks? Yes, Rex and Co had a rough go of it last year but I believe that fans are really going to see what a Ryan defense is supposed to look like this season.
When I saw Shaq Lawson still there at number 19, it was hard to believe. I had visions of passing over Brian Orakpo years ago and was just waiting for the Bills to pick some RB instead. Then, when they called his name, it was as though the pendulum might just be swinging our way this year. If getting one of the top rated DEs was not enough, the Bills somehow landed a monster LB in Reggie Ragland. The stud from Alabama who was Defensive SEC player of the year will be the new QB for the defense and make it nearly impossible for opposing teams to run against Buffalo. The only thing lacking in his game may be the coverage skills but then again, has anybody been able to stop Rob Gronkowski?
On to round three where you guessed it, MORE D! Any other year and Adolphus Washington is long gone in the 2nd round but because this draft was so deep for Dlineman, Buffalo could not have played their cards any better. Rex Ryan has 3 brand new guys to move around and wreak havoc in his schemes. Only time will tell if it was a square peg in round hole last year and anything less than a top 5 defensive unit in 2016 has got to be looked at as a disappointment. Is that too much to ask? I really don’t think so as players from last year will have settled in and with the simpler defense that will be installed, it will allow players to do what they know best, go after the QB.
It will remain to be seen what the 5th and 6th round picks turn out to be, but I will say that I cannot remember being so pleased after a Buffalo Bills draft.
Round 4 may have some people scratching their heads, but I love the pick. Cardale Jones won’t be seeing the field for a minimum of one and a half years. He has all the physical tools and as Doug Whaley said, he can be molded into exactly what the Bills want in their offense. This kid will work hard and just wait for his name to be called down the road. Buffalo absolutely had to have a QB project in this draft and I can’t think of a better one to get in the 4th. It will remain to be seen what the 5th and 6th round picks turn out to be, but I will say that I cannot remember being so pleased after a Buffalo Bills draft.
Could this be the year the Bills FINALLY take the next step? Will Tom Brady actually serve the 4 game suspension? Will this draft translate from the paper to the field? Is Rex still a defensive genius? Did Tyrod Taylor make the right decision by having this season define his next contract? One thing is for sure, if this defense does not prove to be dominant from start to finish, the Ryan brothers may be out of the NFL for good. Until training camp, enjoy the Summer Buffalo!