For Bills' Sean McDermott, NFL Scouting Combine Still Viable

The coach said he would never consider skipping this important stop in the team-building process.

INDIANAPOLIS — As the NFL world once again intersects with the top amateur talent in the land, whispers in previous years that the Scouting Combine may not be a necessity anymore have turned into shouts in some circles.

After all, the players can't control their environment here, which is why they don't generally run or jump as well in the various agility drills as they do in their Pro Days, which most have anyway in the period preceding the NFL Draft.

So why even risk putting up numbers that wouldn't be as good?

As a result, more and more players have begun to opt out of the workout portion of the Combine and just go through with the medical testing and interviews with interested teams.

“If you gave every personnel director in the league sodium pentothal, they would tell you that the drills mean nothing," former longtime NFL executive Bill Polian confessed to Paul Domowitch of The 33rd Team. "It’s part of the television show. So, if we just had the medicals and measurables at the combine, it would serve its purpose.”

What's more, since the league began televising the popular event and even opening it up to fans in recent years, the player exploitation angle has been thrust into the spotlight. Yes, they get expenses paid to Indianapolis, and free room and board. But they don't get a dime in other compensation from what has blossomed into a lucrative enterprise.

Now, even some head coaches are beginning to skip out on all the fun and the high-priced meals at St. Elmo Steakhouse.

This year, Robert Saleh of the New York Jets, Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers and Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams never even made the trip. Four others — Bill Belichick (Patriots), Mike Tomlin (Steelers), Matt Rhule (Panthers) and John Harbaugh (Ravens) — elected not to speak to the press.

Bills coach Sean McDermott has no plans to ever join that contingent.

"Just speaking for myself, I think there's a lot of value in coming here — in addition to speaking with you all," McDermott joked to the media horde assembled at his podium. "I do think you guys come here to do a job, I come here to do a job, and to the question earlier, we haven't gotten to where we're trying to get to.

"And I can tell you, when we do, I'm still going to come here. I just feel like this is an important part of the process of improving for for us, the Buffalo Bills, improving our football team."

In the coming hours and days, we here at Bills Central will be taking a deeper dive into some of the prospects that look like the best fits for Buffalo.

Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro. Email to Nicky300@aol.com.