billsfan89

I think RB’s are reestablishing their value to a modern NFL offense given how backs are now positioning themselves to be a bigger part of the passing game. Even though Zeke isn’t an elite pass catcher he is solid in that department, he has good breakaway speed, is a good blocker, and is a complete beast in between and outside the tackles. He isn’t weak in any single aspect of the game (at worst you can say he is OK at something.) I think given the weapon a RB can be in the traditional running game and catching passes along with pass protection you don’t have to justify a 15-17 million dollar a year contract for an elite player that can do it all. Now granted those backs are few and far between but a top RB’s salary isn’t crazy to me. Gordon on the other hand isn’t in the same range as Zeke, Gurley, Barkley, and Bell. He is a notch below, a really good high end back but not an elite player. He should be in the 10-11.5 million range. Certainly brings a lot to an offense but isn’t as dynamic as those elite backs. I think the age of RB’s being replaceable cogs is gone at least for the upper upper end of the market.

Not sure what team is thirsty for a RB and willing to pay both a premium contract wise and at least fork over a 3rdround pick (given that you have to match a compensatory pick level of draft compensation?) The Texans acquired Hyde and Duke Johnson so take their desperate asses out of the equation. I don’t see why the Bills would trade for him given the fact that they released Shady because they like what they have on their roster. Tampa Bay might have the need but they are very cap strapped and might not want to trade an asset and an extension for a RB when they don’t know if they are in it long term with Winston. The Niners could be in play but they just paid Tevin Coleman, not sure if they think Gordon could be their last piece to help Jimmy G. I think Gordon’s best bet is going to be to hope a win now team like Atlanta has an injury at RB and gets desperate to pick up the slack at the position. But that’s a lot of if’s and’s and maybe’s. So overall I think that they can seek a trade but there simply might not be a partner out there.

It's on the road which isn't tragic but if you are looking at the Bills first three games (Jets away, Giants away, and Bengals home) 3-0 is a legit possibility and honestly if they go anything less than 2-1 going into the week 4 Pats game I think it is curtains on any playoff expectations. I think honestly a 3-0 start is what this team needs. Overall I think that the Jets game is very very important and close to a need game if you look at the schedule going forward.

It's not like the Bills defense isn't at least a respectable unit. Also outside of Bell the offense is a bit of a mess around Bell and Darnold. Their O-line is a mess, their WR core is banged up and while not bad certainly isn't elite and Darnold didn't exactly light it up last year. The Bills meanwhile have a much improved offense and a defense that should remain respectable. The Bills also improved their return game and special teams. I think it is fine and dandy to predict a home win for your team but to pick a blowout is just silly. Hell I think the Bills win by 7 and I am not exactly super confident as I think both teams have similar talent levels.

The Bills don't have a dynamic pass catcher. Their O-line is better, Beasley and Brown are solid to good complementary WR's, and Gore/Singletary is a decent RB tandem (and Yeldon provides decent depth) but there isn't a dynamic playmaking WR and the Tightend position seems bare. So while the offense is much better than last season there still needs to be an addition of a reliable tight end and a dynamic WR who captures the attention of the players on the defense. I suspect that the offense will be improved but it will have periods of frustration and the inability to move the chains against better more consistent defenses.

I don't expect a big spending spree. But I do think they target one big ticket item and another starting caliber player along with their usual depth signings. I don't foresee 2-3 big ticket players along with 2 or more starters. I do think that the team starts to take care of their own players like Dawkins and Tre if they both turn in strong seasons and resigning Shaq if he has a good year. Given the WR draft is projected to be strong I think they roll with Brown and Beasley and draft a WR round 1 (possibly even trading up to do so) I think they also spend big on the edge rush as even if Shaq has a great year you still need to move Hughes into a situational role (and I don't foresee Shaq having a breakout.) I could also see the team signing another starting caliber O-line or tight end depending on how those positions shake out. Overall I think the agenda next off-season will be to add a big time pass rusher, take care of their own players in need of extensions , add a starting caliber supporting piece to the offense, and draft a big time WR. I think they want to keep cap flexibility to retain their own players longer term.

There are 10 PS squad openings on each time (minus maybe an exception or two like the Bills have for Wade) that's only 320 spots for those 1200 men. Let's say another 150 enter into the league during the season due to injuries (some veteran call ups or fill ins for the PS.) That's still 750 people whose NFL dreams are ending. It's a part of the business and they know what they are getting into but it is still a harsh reality that a lot of people will have to face today.

Serious question, why? From everything I read and see he isn't a good blocker (not bad but not great) and he isn't a dynamic reviving option or high end short yardage runner either. He makes good money for his position and I don't see anything he does that can't be replaced for much cheaper. You can't justify his hit on the cap by how he plays on offense. He must be a dominant special teams cog in order to justify his salary. 85% of the time he isn't on the field for offense and in that 15% of the time he is, he hardly executes any role particularly well. So if he is a dynamic special teams player who does a lot of the dirty work I understand him being on the roster. But the value he brings to the offense is uber limited.

I think Carpenter from 2013 to 2014 was slightly better. Carpenter hit 91.7 and then 89.8% of his field goals in those two seasons only missing from 50+ in 2013. Haush had an excellent 2017 but fell off in 2018. Not sure why they gave Haush a lucrative extension coming off of a somewhat down year.

A good deal for both teams. I don't think Bodine is a very good player but he is a semi-competent center. The O-line last year did improve considerably when he was at center. Granted Groy fell off huge and isn't in the league anymore. But Bodine still did provide an upgrade. He has a lot of experience at a position where experience matters. The Pats were desperate for a center and from their perspective which center out on the free agent market was going to be better than Bodine? The Bills got a 6th round pick for a player they were going to cut. Win win for both teams.

Just add a second bye week for each team if you want to add an extra week to the season. I think that a second bye week would also be better for players health as they get some time to not play through lingering injuries and get two mental breaks during a season. But 18 games would make the season an increased act of attrition even if you added some 16 game cap to it (which is stupid.) The NFL should focus on ways to improve their product as opposed to over exposing it some more.

Not to mention that football stadiums are not particularly good investments for smaller and mid-sized markets. Metlife Stadium in the largest market in the USA which also houses 2 football teams (thus guaranteeing 20 dates plus playoff games possibly) and the stadium only sees about 30-35 dates a year. An arena can at least house 70 dates a year or more even if you only have one NHL/NBA team in there. An arena housing an NHL team gets 45-60 dates from hockey, 15-20 concerts a year (much easier to sell out a 17k arena) and probably 10-15 other types of dates (WWE. Monster Jam, Disney on Ice, MMA etc.) Meanwhile a big football stadium sits empty for 345 days a year even if you get a college team in there to fill up 5 extra dates a year that’s still not great. I think that spending tax payer money on either is foolish but it seems extra foolish to spend more on an NFL stadium. I think that the only thing tax payers should spend money on is issuing a loan for infrastructure to the roads and bridges in the surrounding area (the loan being paid back with the parking money the stadium generates) that’s about it. I don’t think tax payers should be on the hook for billionaires. As sad as it would be to see the Bills leave Buffalo the city of Buffalo doesn’t need to do anything more than that for a stadium.

Let Jackson start, see if you think he is worth putting on the PS.

One bad decision isn't enough for me to say a guy hasn't learned a thing (although it is an alarming play) and I think Allen will show a much more contained playing style because the team will be built to play a more conservative style.

Personally I don't see the need for a market like Buffalo to have a stadium like that. NYC is the largest market in America and MetLife stadium (which has 2 teams occupying it) is only used about 30 to 35 times a year. Between concerts, 20 to 22 football games and a few big events sprinkled in that still only gets you to 35 days a year. A stadium in Buffalo would house 10 football games a year via the Bill's and be lucky to see a handful of other events a year there. So for a stadium to be only used 20ish times a year all you need is a decent place to see a game. A nice place with a lot of bathrooms, enough concession stands, and good infrastructure to get in and out of is all that matters honestly. You don't need a 1.4 billion dollar super stadium to sit empty for 345 days a year. Most markets should have bare bones stadiums, that's not putting Buffalo down either just stating my opinion that it's a waste of money given what it could be used for.

The Jets and Giants only have affordable tickets when they are terrible. So it's not like the other option you have is cheaper. I lived a 10 minute drive away from Giants Stadium for the first 28 years of my life and I have only been to less than 10 football games half of them being preseason games.

But still possible in order to retain him in a hypothetical scenario.

Couldn't a team just franchise Clowney again? If the Bills or another team were to trade for Clowney and play him out on a franchise tender and he didn't want to sign a verbal offer that was in place once the trade was completed (Let's say he plays insanely well) then couldn't a team just franchise him again and at least turn around and trade him again if he doesn't want to resign? Is there something I am missing about the situation?

Given the Bills win now situation and McD's love of veteran players I don't see a trade happening before the season starts. Now let's say the Bills start 2-4 and Shady is playing well I could see them trading him. But I think this team is most likely going to be run first. Heavy with Gore on 1st and 3rd and short and then feed Shady on 2nd and 3rd and long. Singletary will be used as needed and for depth. I also don't see where the trade market for Shady would be either.

I think you need a QB on the PS who knows the system and can get called up in case of an injury. Why not have that be a developmental prospect? It's not like the Bill's PS squad spots are that precious.

One last question did Mitch play or was he held out?

Working late tonight, the stats look good for the Bills does the actual game reflect that?

C- or D+ seems right. Shaq has been a rotational defensive linemen thus far. He plays well against the run but poor as a pass rusher. He proves he can play in the league but not at a high enough level to justify his pick. He has hope for a turn around as he at least has shown that he has justified a significant amount of snaps even if he isn't a bonafide starter.

I don't know why people had questions about the defense. The defense is returning mostly young and prime players. Ed Oliver replaces a declining Kyle Williams and the secondary added some depth. Lorax and Hughes are the only truly older players, the veterans Hyde, Poyer, Star, and Trent are all vets but in their primes. Edumonds, Milano, Tre, Levi, T.Johnson, H.Phillips, Shaq, and Oliver are all young players who will only stand to get better. The defense is also built to fit the talent and fit for the modern NFL. It's a nice mix of young players, in their prime players with some vets in there.

If the Texans want an LT in return I am not sure what team they can pull off a deal with. The Redskins would make sense in a straight up player for player trade but I am not sure if the Skins view that as sensible from their perspective. Was far as the Bills Dawkins and Ty would be the logical pieces to send back along with some form of draft compensation. Overall I don't see McD trading for Clowney. It wouldn't fit his mold, then again McBeane were interested in AB a player who isn't what most would consider process friendly.