DON’T GET ME STARTED wonders how the Buffalo Bills do their evaluating of players in advance of the NFL draft.
Art Wander
Regular readers of this column on AllsportsWNY.com know that I’ve been singing the praises of Paxton Lynch, the 6’7″ 245 pound quarterback from Memphis who has a rocket for an arm; uncanny accuracy and can run like a running back.
Don’t take my word for it. The national people that came to Buffalo to watch Paxton perform on a cold, rainy, windy pro day raved about his performance. Some said the only couple of throws that he missed were drops by his receivers.
I don’t know if the Bills put those feelings into their “pick him bin.” Watching the draft, I was first worried by Cleveland at #8. They didn’t pick him. Then I almost knew that he would be available for Buffalo to pick at #19. The word was already out and on many mock drafts that the New York Jets would grab him at #20.
The Bills have been saying that quarterback is a need. Hey, it’s been a need for a quarter of a century. They missed on several opportunities. Whaley, the GM, could atone for his mistake on EJ Manuel by grabbing Paxton.
Whaley didn’t take him. He took the “edge rusher” from Clemson Shaq Lawson. Keep in mind – “edge rusher.” Of course, they had a fine DE in Mario Williams who, along with other Bills defenders, didn’t mind speaking out about the “new” defense Rex Ryan installed. You know, the one where Williams went into pass coverage; where Marcel Darius went into pass coverage along with DE Jerry Hughes. Ryan also changed a powerful 4th rated defense in 2014 by switching to the 3-4 rather than keeping the 4-3 that Jim Schwartz installed. Ryan’s “new” defense plummeted to the bottom tier of the NFL on defense in 2015.
Oh well, why cry about it? Now Ryan – who has worn and outfitted himself with several Clemson U. stuff will have Shaq Lawson to coach. Lawson was the pick when Buffalo got its turn at #19 – passing up on Paxton Lynch.
Forget about all the rhetoric from Whaley and Ryan and others that the Bills needs include a quarterback, they certainly do. Make no mistake about it the way the Bills have treated Tyrod Taylor in the off-season will make it difficult for the Bills to sign him when he becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season. He will bolt and the Bills might have to rely on a QB that doesn’t have starting talent in him.
Now to Paxton Lynch. He’s probably ecstatic when Denver took him in the first round. Imagine this fine athlete who had only 4 interceptions while passing for 28 TDs and almost 4,000 yards throwing the ball for Memphis. He’s probably saying, “Wow – I’m going to a team that has as much, if not more, quarterback knowledge as anybody in the league. John Elway, the Broncs GM is a hall-of-fame QB. The head coach Gary Kubiak backed up Elway and helped him on the sidelines game after game.
Now Elway and Kubiak will be the teacher that a fine athlete like Lynch needs. I predict that the Bills will rue the day when the passed on Lynch at #19.
As for Shaq Lawson? Better get used to pass coverage under Ryan and forget the term “edge rusher.” He could also check out the stats of his predecessor at that position – Mario Williams whose job will be rushing the passer for the Dolphins and let the DB’s take care of the passes.
Of course, Rex Ryan comes from coaching defenses. If Ryan is building a defense – there’s one way to do it. Put the power into the offense to control the clock for 37 – 40 minutes every game and keep the opposing offense off the3 field. The running of Tyrod and Paxton have the ability to move the chains. Taylor for only this year.
Oh one more thing? How much influence did Ryan’s son have on convincing dad to push for Lawson? After all Ryan’s son plays for Clemson on Don’t Get Me Started.
Filed under: Don't Get Me Started
Tagged with: Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Doug Whaley, Paxton Lynch, Rex Ryan, Shaq Lawson
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