WhitewalkerInPhilly

I like this idea for them better than St Doug. Too bad for us.

Well that changes things a bit, even if we were hearing nothing on Coughlin. Dat Syracuse connection.

Not necessarily. The Bills can still tag Gilmore and a clever GM can work contracts to add phantom years on. For example, in 2016 Norman's franchise tag was worth $13.6M. You could offer another contract for two years with that much guaranteed, something like 2 yrs, for 27.5 M total a year, $10 M signing bonus. 2017 cap hot of $8.6M, $18.6M in 2018. Unless they renegotiate in 2018, he would make it any longer, but the Bills could shop a high quality CB on a one year rental at roughly the cost of a franchise tag from a year before.

Well, the dominoes are starting to fall. Just think, 4 more teams need to pass on Lynn before we can keep him as OC and hire the best DC we can find as HC. Only half joking.

They had a pretty consistent run up until this year. Before 2016, they were top 10 in total defense 4 years running, and 2nd in 2014.

I guess that really is it. I have seen rumors that Whaley wanted to interview within the Steelers, but the Steelers want to keep everyone as long as they are in the playoffs. Any word on that being true?

Thank you John. I was hoping you would duck in here. I know you don't have anything definitively, but do you have an idea about the time frame as to when a decision might get made?

It's funny how this narrative goes. Tyrod is actually more accurate (higher QBR) in 10-20 yards over the middle than on the outside.

Three things: Being a Bills fan, and follower of the Sabres and 76ers, I will say this: years of concerted tanking does not let you decide when to snap back and start being good. It's been two years since the Sabres took Eichel and they are still nowhere near close to really contending. The Sixers tanked for three years straight, and might have finally got a solid core, but they are at least another year away from even competing for a playoff spot. Second, the only reason to tank in the NFL is if there is a QB you are absolutely in love with, and that is a major throw of the dice. Three, with our contract situations, this is the wrong year to tank. Dareus, Hughes, Clay and McCoy all either subtract cap space or give you next to nothing if cut this year. If you are going to do it, wait until 2018 when you can get something for all of them, plus get rid of Incognito because his contract will be almost up. I don't like tanking any year, but the money makes this year a bad one.

So, you'd much rather have Tyrod Taylor than Russell Wilson?

Don't say that in Philly. They are howling for his blood right now. He made a lot of questionable decisions and play calls.

To be fair, I watched a number of games living in the area. He knew how to draw up run plays and knew how to maximize a limited QB in Foles. His play calling wasn't bad. His overall coaching...meh. his personnel skills as a GM? HORRIBLE. But his scheme had some good stuff.

Actually ... You're going to call me crazy. If we have a defensive HC, Chip would be a good pick for OC. I have no idea if he would want to be OC, but he designs offenses well. Tyrod is the closest thing to Mariota/Kaep in his prime that Chip would get. Shady had one of his best years with Chip. It will not work, for a number of reasons but I am not a Chip guy (like buffalo barbarian was at one time IIRC) and I think that he is the best outside OC pick I've seen bandied about for us.

Any news on this?

No. First, Taylor AND Hughes for the 1st overall pick would be incredibly pricy , never mind for the pick they got from the Eagles. Then they are robbing us. Second, Cleveland has been trying journeymen for a long time now. They passed on taking Wentz at 2 to get the Eagles pick. They are going to want to draft someone. Third, teams will want Taylor's contract to go into effect because we pay the bonus and that stays on our cap so we won't get that cap space you are talking about. I am not against trading anyone for the right price, but unless it's Taylor for the 1st overall pick, and you have a QB you are absolutely in love with, I don't see it.

I would believe Vic more if he didn't first say that the Pegula's would "search" and find Lynn. Now it's the reverse end result because it's how he justifies both being right.

I did some digging and I found the workup of McDermott's scheme and I have to say I'm a fan based on what we have: http://www.catscratchreader.com/2012/2/28/2831884/the-panthers-defense-a-treatise-on-the-jim-johnson-4-3-part-i It's closer to Pettine's 4-3 under: Dareus moves back to one gapping the 1 tech. Hughes plays the role of 9 tech DE. They need a 7 tech DE on the strong side, so I would either use Lawson there, or have him be the Sam (which is where the other Lawson used to play). He plays a zone defense so hopefully he can help out Darby. Edit: Looking it over, I would put Douzable at the 7 tech, Lawson at SLB, Ragland or Preston at MLB and Ragland or Zach at WLB. I think that gives us our front 7 back.

He is thought of very highly in Philadelphia, which is saying something considering the enmity they have with departed coaches (they still rip Reid and Kelly). He was a DB coach during a period of very strong defense in the mid 2000s and spent a few years as DC at the end of Reid's time in Philly. There were a lot of calls for the Eagles to take a look at him last season as HC, and fans ripped the ream for taking Doug Piederson over him. He runs a 4-3, and had an excellent defense in 2014 and 15 with the Panthers.

They are mostly fair, but I think they are drawing the wrong conclusions. PFF just published an article about why it's a smart play to keep Taylor and build around him. Unless someone wants to really wants to commit to tank mode, the logical choice is to keep him. Benching him was a logical way to protect their investment in a meaningless game. This is still a mostly intact roster from the 2014 season, with Darby at least equivalent to McKelvin. We have seen some good signs from Douz and Washington. Get a DC who can use the Dareus and Kyle/Washington combination, and you have a decent young LB group. Just pick up a safety in FA and draft one in the first 3 rounds and I think you are back on track. This isn't a "burn it down" place, it's a retool and restock.

Yeah, this comes across as petty ax grinding. "Waaaa, they sent out Whaley, and the GM deflected questions and didn't tell the whole truth. Then they have an interview to...not one of us waaaa" Sully, for all his negativity, at least used to be balanced. He's been spending too much time with Sully.

I meant in the sense that he would have to be placed as HC, when he was previously a frontrunner and then passed over. There would be no sliding him in the back door and going "isn't it great guess who is back where he used to be?!?" It would have to be a full eating of crow.

I've actually heard really good things about McDermott. Philly people were banging the door for him last offseason, and they are not very happy with Piederson. The problem with Schwartz is that he's under contract currently, and he was previously passed over for HC. That makes the waters muddied, since they can't ask him back as DC because he is under contract

This is where I currently am as well.

I'm not swept away by Lynn right now. I mean, I like what he did with the offense, and I think his "audition" game is hard to judge because he was given less than a week to prep everything, and was forced to play Manuel in a meaningless game. In the end, I am forced to confront the fact that his rise is just too swift, even if I like him. You take on a lot more responsibilities at the next level, and it gets harder to concentrate on what you were good at that you there. Lynn admitted that he was editing what Roman had in place, and while I think he did a good job, we haven't given him a full season to come up with his own offense. Right now, I am leaning Coughlin, while throwing big $$$ at Lynn to help him stay on another year to see what he's got. Coughlin is excellent organizer and disciplinarian, but one who didn't mind letting McAdoo put in a new scheme, which gave Eli some of the best numbers of his career.

Look at his and Tyrod's games played, TD:INT ratio, YPA and QBR over the last two years. Sammy sleeves is in offenses that air it, but otherwise look like like the same player numbers wise. Only Sammy sleeves will cost a whole lot more money.