The crop of blue-chip quarterbacks available in the NFL draft April 23-24 is piano wire thin, with only Utah's Alex Smith, Cal's Aaron Rodgers and maybe, Akron's Charlie Frye, deserving of selection in the first round.
That makes the Buffalo Bills feel good.
A year ago, they shook up the first round by trading their second- and fifth-round picks, plus their 2005 first-round pick, to Dallas in order to jump back into round one after taking Wisconsin receiver Lee Evans 13th overall. Nine spots later, they used that pick from the Cowboys to take Tulane quarterback J.P. Losman.
Before pulling the trigger with the Cowboys, the Bills looked ahead to the potential class of quarterbacks that would be available this year.
"Last year we felt going into the draft that we wanted to try to get a young QB either last year or this year," said president and general manager Tom Donahoe, explaining the long-range planning to replace veteran Drew Bledsoe.
"When we looked at some of the grades BLESTO had on the juniors for this year, and you don't know what underclassmen are going to come out, but the junior grades on the quarterbacks were not exceptional and there were four quarterbacks last year that we really liked.
"We wanted to get an impact guy if we could with the 13th pick, and we got that with Lee Evans, then our plan was to work hard and see if we could get back into the first round. You don't know if it's going to work or not. We were at the point where we thought it wasn't going to work, but (pro personnel director) John Guy did a great on the phones tying to find somebody who was interested to put us in position to get back in there and get the quarterback."
When weighed against this year's talent, Smith and Rodgers have grades significantly higher than Losman's were.
But no scouts or analysts are suggesting these two juniors would be picked ahead of Eli Manning (No. 1 to San Diego), Philip Rivers (No. 4 to New York Giants), Ben Roethlisberger (No. 11 to Pittsburgh) or even Losman (No. 22), had they been eligible last year or vice versa.
Roethlisberger, who'd be a senior this year, would likely be the clear No. 1 overall choice. He was the NFL rookie of the year.
Furthermore, had Buffalo kept its first-round choice, they'd be picking 20th overall. No prime prospect will be there, with Smith and Rodgers expected to go in the top 10.
"I think it was a great call," Bills assistant GM Tom Modrak said of the Losman maneuver. "You look at where you would hang (Losman) on your board now ... I've never been in a position where you wait until 55, but it couldn't have come at a better time for the player we got."
Donahoe keeps emphasizing to restless fans who look forward to the draft like Christmas Day that they must think of Losman as the Bills' 2005 first-round pick and realize how further ahead they are developing him.
"We do have a first-round pick and he's already here on our football team," Donahoe said. "He's had a year with us and that's good for J.P. (Losman) and that's good for us."
DRAFT STRATEGY - The Bills don't pick until 55th overall, meaning general manager Tom Donahoe and right-hand man Tom Modrak will be squirming in their chairs.
Dating back to their days with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the two long-time eagle eyes have developed a taste for the big action of the first round. This year's talent pool, however, is a mixed bag with few marquee names. It's difficult to get anybody to agree on a Top 20 let along Top Five.
Teams at the top of the order, in fact, are searching to trade down to avoid paying huge bonuses to overvalued players compared with past seasons, making the Bills - one of three clubs without a first-rounder - tops on their speed dials.
"As far as exploring things on draft day, we'll explore everything," Donahoe said. "We've already, and this is most unusual, we've already had some calls about teams with first-round picks that want to get out of there. That may be more the norm than not this year because of all the uncertainly of who the first rounders might be."
The Bills won't do anything rash, but they are prepared to try and move up the order. If not into the late first round, then up into the top portion of the second, if one of their targeted players looks in danger of being picked.
At their disposal is a big ace card: disgruntled running back Travis Henry.
A deal with the Arizona Cardinals involving Henry and tackle L.J. Shelton "still has a heartbeat," Cardinals coach Dennis Green said. But both clubs are keeping their options open and nothing is expected on this front until after Arizona makes its pick at No. 8 overall.
If the Cards take one of the top running backs available, the deal is dead. But if they take a cornerback, or another need player, Arizona may elect to meet Buffalo's demand of swapping places in the second round, 55th for the 44th.
Also in the mix are the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have had conversations with the Bills about Henry. The Buccaneers would like to obtain Henry so they can concentrate on taking a top receiver in the draft.
"You'd love to have a first-round pick, but again, we feel we do have a first-round pick and he's on our team," Donahoe said, referring to quarterback J.P. Losman, whom the Bills acquired last year in a deal with Dallas involving what turned out to be the 20th overall choice.
"We feel good about that. Now, if the situation presents itself and it's the right player and we can make the move to get back in there, that would be great. If it doesn't, then we'll all develop a little patience this year."
The Bills, 9-7 a year ago, have had a quiet off-season in free agency compared to past years and are looking at this draft to perhaps find one starting offensive lineman, and if not, improve depth on both lines, at running back, tight end, and defensive back.
Finding a center that can eventually take over for Trey Teague and anchor the pivot for the next decade has become a top goal for Buffalo. Many on the team rate Mississippi's Chris Spencer No. 1, but there's also plenty of love for North Carolina's Jason Brown, who could be had in the third round.
Michigan's David Baas is also on Buffalo's radar and he can play either guard or center. The Bills quietly are raving about Fresno State guard Logan Mankins as well.
As for a pure left tackle prospect to replace Jonas Jennings, Adam Terry from nearby Syracuse is a prime candidate in round two.
On the other side of the ball, Buffalo has spent a lot of work on defensive tackles Luis Castillo of Northwestern, Anttaj Hawthorne of Wisconsin, Jonathan Babineaux of Iowa and Mike Patterson of USC. However, news that Castillo and Hawthorne, prime second-round picks, tested positive for banned substances at the combine has shaken up the draft board.
As for defensive back, Buffalo's scouts are raving about Howard's Ronald Bartell, a big cover man at 6-1, 211, who has second- to third-round grades.
The prospect of taking fast-rising Arkansas quarterback Matt Jones should also not be ruled out. The 6-5, 240-pounder is projected to play tight end or wide receiver and is the kind of versatile athlete coach Mike Mularkey covets for his creative offensive schemes.
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