billsfan89

I wouldn't use a redraft as a good template because there's very few picks you wouldn't redraft with hindsight. That being said of course after year one and some pre-season games you really can't judge a rookie class. You can't really have a fully painted picture until year 3. But even just looking at the "early returns" the 2024 class is looking not bad at all. Keon and Davis were solid offensive contributors their rookie years. Even Bishop started games his rookie season and wasn't bad. Grable, Solomon, and SVPG all flashed potential as back end finds as well. I think the class is going to hinge on can Keon and Davis take a step up and have bigger roles on the offense, can Carter or Bishop be a starter or high end rotation player, and can a couple of the back end picks emerge as solid depth/role players? If they get 2 starters and 3-4 depth pieces and role players out of a draft class where they drafted late and traded away a pick for a 4th in the next years draft that is a positive draft class.

They would have had to trade up for DeJean or take him 33rd overall. DeJean was taken 40th Bishop was 60th.

I just don't put too much stock into it. A team came out flat when 90% of their starters weren't playing in a pre-season game. It happens, it isn't the end of the world. Of course the coach is going to be upset because he wants to have sharp executions always. But in the end this isn't something to be worried about to any significant degree.

Actually the Bills time of possession in 2024 was middle of the pack. Average TOP was 29 minutes 30 seconds last season. The Bills defense was elite in two respects one as mentioned was turnovers the team was 3rd in forced defensive turnovers. The second was red-zone defense the team had the 2nd highest red-zone defense (by TD allowed %). So yeah team drove on the Bills a lot but the defense produced turnovers or forced them into field goals. Even if the Bills get some regression in turnovers if they can maintain a high end red-zone defense and just get off on more third and longs they should be improved. But you don't always know what teams are working on in pre-season. Also it is human nature to underperform if your coaching staff isn't playing starters to think the game is a throwaway. I still take it with a grain of salt and I am not putting much stock into it. In fact it might be good to get smacked as it shakes things up.

I'm not gonna say the Bills 2024 defense was very good. I think they were a slightly above average defense. Capable of shutting down bad offenses and capable of handling average to better than average offenses but susceptible to get light up by top 10 offenses as they did have happen to them several times. But I think the least amount of punts forced is damming but I also think that is inflated by the Bills being 3rd in turnovers forced and the Bills being comfortable seeding field goals as they had a strong red-zone defense (29% TD percentage 2nd best in the league in terms of redzone defense). I think the Bills defense forcing a lot of turnovers and their philosophy to force their opponents to kick field goals to keep up with the offense of the Bills drove that stat. BUT what also drove that stat was the horrendous third down percentage. The Bills easily could have force 1 more punt a game by getting teams off on a long third down. So I do think that the third down defense is going to be a big factor for how much this team can improve.

The Bills drafted a player and signed a more athletic player in Forrest so would a undrafted player be better than Hamlin?

The lack of size on the D-line has been an issue. But I do think this off-season they made an attempt to address it. Bosa, Hoecht, and Jackson are all bigger guys off the edge. Walker is a big DT and while Larry O and Sanders aren't "big" they are both known to be good run defenders.

If you have "average" players on the bench that's pretty good depth no? The NFL is about surviving a season with good depth as much as it is about star power at the top of your roster. I don't know if you look at other teams rosters but most teams don't have good backups. This idea that we shouldn't have Hamlin a good ST player who can plug in as a below average starting caliber safety off the bench because this team should focus on developing unknown player with theoretical upside is just people doing neuance trolling and demanding perfection. The Bills even signed Forrest to try to add depth and drafted a player in the mid to late rounds. Who else were they supposed to sign for a 3rd/4th safety for 2 million dollars that was gonna provide more value than Hamlin?

I think Samuel starts on the PUP and Moore makes it as well as one of the other WR's. I think they like Moore more than we think for some reason. But it certainly is possible.

I won't put too much stock into pre-season against backups but I wouldn't hate seeing what the rookie has in game 3. It's pre-season so why not take a risk? I doubt they will start him but I also think Hamlin being a decent backup and good ST player is valuable enough for a depth safety spot. Fans acting like for 2 million salary the Bills had so many better options.

Andreesen needs a lot of work as a LB, he's not tragic but he's very smart to have leaned into playing Special Teams capably. It's also one of the reasons Hamlin is on the roster as he is a willing and positive special teams player as well as a capable backup. I think Andreesen is gonna be LB5/6 which is where you are OK with having someone whose maybe just a ST Ace with some upside to being a better backup. But he clearly needs another season of development before he can be counted on as a backup LB. Bills are lucky to have Williams and Shaq ahead of him so it is less likely he sees meaningful action.

Spencer Brown actually looked good in year 1, he was a bit up and down but in 2021 he plugged and played decently. It was 2022 where he had the off-season back surgery and he was one of the worst starting RT's in the league that year. All agreed on the other ones these players rarely have straight up trajectories. You probably need to see a player for 3 full seasons before you really have a good understanding of their NFL careers. And even then guys do "figure it out" in year 4 and beyond.

Hamlin by all accounts is a solid Special Teams player and as a backup he's a solid player if you gotta plug him in for injury. He's a cheap good backup who adds value on Special Teams. Not sure who is that much better off the bench? Are we really that thrilled with Forest or the rookie or Lewis?

Keon and Davis look to be nice additions to the roster we will see if they can ascend beyond role players but I think the early returns on them are thus far positive. Grable and Solomon also have flashed as later round pick depth finds, SVPG was also looking like a nice depth player but injury has derailed his year 2 thus far. The draft class however is hinging on Carter/Bishop the team is going to need one of those players to make an impact on the defense. If Keon is a solid WR2, Davis a nice RB2, Bishop is a starter at safety, and Solomon, SVPG, and Grable are nice depth players the draft class is a solid piece of business.

I am not putting too much stock into a pre-season game where starters were not played at all and the other team played their starters. I just don't see the need to panic. I will say that I was hoping Cole Bishop would have sealed up the starting safety spot opposite Rapp. Hamlin is not a bad guy to plug and play as a backup but this team may be looking at an in season trade at safety if the production level from Bishop isn't there.

Didn’t seem like the Bills played many starters. Are we really gonna be shocked that the Bears starters and primary role players beat the Bills second string up 28-0? The rest of the game was third and fourth stringers so pretty worthless.

VDM is the swing tackle anytime he gets plugged in or gets pre-season action he is solid he's also been in the system for over two seasons I think he's the swing tackle no reason to think he has been unseated by Grable or Lundt. So with the starting 5 and Anderson/VDM that takes you to 7 slots. I think they usually carry 9-10 O-line and I think likely they will carry 9. I think SVPG starts on PUP or goes to IR and they will reevaluate them. So then I think Grable and Lundt round out the last two spots on the bench. Grable with a year under his belt I think is someone they probably like as emergency depth and Lundt is probably the inactive 9th linemen they will develop.

Agreed, The Rams got off to hot starts from 2017-2021 despite not playing starters in the pre-season. So prior to the 3 game pre-season that trend of starters not playing had already been happening. Although I think with how wonky week 1-2 has been in recent seasons teams are rethinking that. Even the Rams the last three seasons have gotten off to slow starts. So I think teams realizing that the reduced off-season program are looking to get some work for starters in the pre-season so as not to come out soft to start the season.

What is his injury? I had hoped he could continue to develop as I liked him a lot coming out of the draft.

They could PUP List SVPG if his injury is lingering. 6 weeks would give him enough time to heal most likely. And if there is an injury along the online SVPG could add depth

They brought in another more athletic vet with some experience in Forrest and draft Bishop in round 2 last year. They even threw another mid-late round pick at it too. My hope is that we don't see Hamlin much because someone else took the job. But Hamlin isn't tragic either. He's sound, a solid tackler, and knows where to go and be. He is just limited athletically so he doesn't have the best range. He's a guy that doesn't screw up a lot but can be beat by smarter more athletic players. But he also is a quality backup and willing to play special teams so he's tremendous value on his cheap contract I actually don't mind seeing him come back next year on a cheap deal?

I do think KC will be as lucky in one score games and I do think that there is also some concern about their defense and wear and tear from making 3 Super Bowl runs. But I think their defense had 3 picks added to it in the first 3 rounds and Simmons along the offensive line could make an impact. I think KC is always formidable I think they win at a minimum 12 games and take a top 3 seed. Their defense if they don't get a big impact from 2-3 of their rookies could see some regression but their offense with the addition of Simmons possibly giving them a good or at least capable LT, Rice being back, Worthy in year 2 could be more of a weapon if healthy, Kelce is still there and could still produce, and there's a lot of veteran options at WR with Brown and Ju Ju neither scaring me all that much but each could have a game or two being highly productive. KC is still the team to beat in the AFC but I am hoping the Bills offense picks up right where it left off and the defense with the draft and free agency additions take a step up.

KC looks loaded again this year but their division looks to be more formidable with the Broncos looking like a legit tough out and the Chargers are well coached with solid talent. The Raiders this year should be less of a mess too. I think KC got a good pick in Simmons which should help their offensive line and they are getting Rice back when his presumed suspension is done. But I think it would be almost poetic that the Bills knock KC out of the playoffs and keep them from winning 4 straight AFC titles.

I think the Bills attempted to get bigger and more physical along the defensive line to matchup against the Ravens and KC much better. The Bills 2024 D-line while not small and not terrible against the run did have issues against bigger nastier offensive lines during the regular season. Walker is a mountain of a man but they also brought in Larry O who while not a massive player is known to be a good run defender as he has aged into his career. Joey Bosa is also considered an elite edge run defenders and Jackson is a big dude off the edge as well. Hoecht is also a bigger edge defender with a lot of versatility. Sanders is smaller but was known as a good run defender in college. The D-line is less likely to get pushed around this season than it was last season.

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