CURTIS HENRY
Sports Editor
“I’m not throwing in the towel. I’m going to try and win today and tomorrow.”
Those were the words that flew out of the mouth of new Bills general manager Brandon Beane on Aug. 11, one day after the team shockingly dealt both Sammy Watkins and Ronald Darby. Those were just the latest in a series of drastic roster moves that occurred this offseason.
“People forget we signed Anquan [Boldin] last week,” said Beane, referencing the team’s Aug. 7 acquisition of Boldin. Irony died less than 10 days after Beane’s statements, when Boldin abruptly retired from the NFL.
While the Bills gave up Watkins and Darby unexpectedly, the moves did set them up long-term. For the first time in the duration of the drought, the Bills may have positioned themselves to make the postseason sooner rather than later. Here’s how.
Through three preseason games, it has become painfully obvious that Tyrod Taylor has struggled with learning a new offense. Struggles at quarterback will hinder the development of Zay Jones and will stymie the abilities of veterans like Jordan Matthews and Charles Clay. Taylor probably won’t survive past 2017 in Buffalo (barring a miraculous playoff berth,) and rookie Nate Peterman doesn’t look like an answer in today’s NFL, where patience for quarterback development is at an all-time low.
That means that the Bills find themselves once again without an answer at the quarterback position, which has been the biggest and most consistent factor in the team’s lack of a playoff presence over the past two decades. That alone justifies both the Darby and Watkins trades, which gifted the Bills two more draft choices in the 2018 drafts.
Despite an obvious uncertainty regarding this season’s success, the Bills have one thing to already feel great about: 2018’s NFL Draft.
The Bills early picks in 2018 are as follows:
1st round picks: Buffalo, Kansas City
2nd round picks: Buffalo, Los Angeles Rams
3rd round picks: Buffalo, Philadelphia
The Bills and Rams could very realistically each finish in the bottom five of the 2017 NFL standings, meaning that the Bills could be sitting pretty with four of the first 37 picks in next Spring’s draft. That assures them the ammunition necessary to trade up to any spot in the draft in order to draft a potential franchise quarterback, a luxury that has been lacking in Buffalo for the better part of the past 20 years.
The immediate success of the team may be a serious question mark, but no worries. There’s finally a glimmer of light at the end of that tunnel, Bills fans. Throw that jersey on and crack open a cold one, because it’s time to circle the wagons for 2017.