COMMENTARY
Sullivan: Different approach is about the size of it
At this point in the game, I'm not inclined to give the Bills' personnel people the benefit of the doubt. Sorry, but there's too much evidence to the contrary, too many butchered draft picks and ill-advised trades, too many years gone by without a playoff appearance.
I'll give management this much, however. They've finally realized that football is a game for big people. For too long, the Bills have spent their first-round picks on the skill positions, on guys who run and throw and catch and defend wide receivers.
Sure, you need to get the quarterback right to have a chance. You need quality skill players to attack opposing defenses. But you win NFL championships in the trenches. I've never been mistaken for Vince Lombardi, but you need big guys, lots of them, on both sides of the line of scrimmage.
On Saturday, the Bills used their first two picks on linemen. With the 11th overall pick, they took Aaron Maybin, a defensive end from Penn State. With the 28th pick of the draft, they grabbed Eric Wood, a center-guard from Louisville. For the first time in 17 years, they used their first two draft picks on linemen.
Maybin is the first defensive lineman taken by the Bills in the top 25 of the draft since — are you ready for this? — Bruce Smith in 1985.
The Bills unveiled their 50th anniversary team Saturday at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The defensive linemen were Smith, Fred Smerlas and Tom Sestak. That should tell you how rare it's been for the Bills to draft defensive linemen of consequence since they snagged Bruce at No. 1 overall.
You don't miss the playoffs nine years in a row by accident. Ignore the interior of the lines in the draft and you'll be chasing your tail for years. Meanwhile, the Patriots load up on first-round linemen and rule the AFC East for a decade.
The Bills are still a long way from contention. They need Maybin, who is considered an average run defender, to make an immediate impact. Wood, a college center, will be expected to contribute right away at guard on a refurbished offensive line. He's tough and smart, and the Bills love him, but it'll be a challenge.
At least they're trying to get it right. Under Russ Brandon, the Bills are making a departure from previous drafts, a renewed commitment to the lines, though they're loath to admit it.
"It's not a philosophical change at all," said Brandon, the chief operating officer. "We've been pretty consistent. We stay true to our board and true to the process. Today, the opportunity was there to add to areas to improve our team and bring an added mentality to what we're trying to achieve here."
Evidently, they like versatile players, too. Wood played 49 straight games at center in college, but they want him to play guard. Jairus Byrd, a second-round pick, played cornerback at Oregon. They're going to try him at free safety. That means Donte Whitner will stay at his natural position, strong safety.
After two linemen, it wasn't a shock to see them go for a defensive back. Dick Jauron is a defensive back by trade. The Bills' head coach believes you can never have enough good ones in today's NFL, where teams come at you with three- and four-wideout sets.
The Bills see Byrd as a ballhawk, someone who can make game-changing plays in the defensive backfield. As we've discovered in recent years, though, your defensive backs don't make big plays if the guys up front aren't putting pressure on the quarterback.
Last season, the Bills had 24 sacks, which was tied for 28th in the league. Chris Kelsay was woeful in the pass rush — at $6 million a year. Maybin is an explosive pass rusher. He isn't as effective against the run. He sounds like a bookend version of Aaron Schobel, a powerful pass rusher who is vulnerable to the run.
The Bills have shopped Kelsay, but they're not likely to get much for him. They might use Kelsay on run downs and use Maybin as a situational pass rusher at first — someone who goes after the quarterback on obvious passing downs.
"He's not a giant," Jauron said. "I will say he'll come in and compete, and we'll see where he fits. We drafted him for a reason."
You don't draft a player 11th overall to be a situational guy. You want the complete package, a pure defensive end who excels against the run and pass. Jauron said Maybin can do both. We'll see. The Bills had problems stopping the run at key times last season. They can't afford an end who's weak at the point of attack.
Brandon says 7-9 won't be acceptable again. But the Bills have a lot of holes. It's hard to imagine them making a big step forward unless the new guys contribute right away. This draft class can't disappoint the way last year's did.
They're getting bigger, which is a start. Whether they're any better remains to be seen. This bunch has taught me to be skeptical.
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