billsfan89

Another issue is if the Bills have a top 2 pick and there aren't any teams looking to trade up for a QB then do they go with Oliver or Bosa at the top of the draft? IF that's the case I still want Brandon Graham in the range of 15-17.5 million per because Oliver would give you that interior push or Bosa would make your edge rush 3 deep. But then that makes filling out you WR core that much harder, yes you have an early second round pick to add a young player and you could double dip back into the early third or trade up into the second again for another WR but you still probably need to grab at least 2 proven vet WR's or a vet WR and a tight end (depending on if you keep Clay.) I think the Bills with their cap space are in a great position to add a dynamic pass rusher and fill out their offensive line and add a vet WR and another skill position player. Either way I think 2019 is make or break for the Bills in free agency. They need to find a pass rusher and at least 2 starters along the O-line along with drastically improving the skill position core before entering into the draft. You have Allen on a rookie deal it is now or never in 2019. I don't think Clowney will hit the market, sadly I think that if he continues to be dominant the Texans will franchise him. The Texans have the cap to make it work. But I do think that if he was out on the market he should be the Bills number one defensive free agent target. I think with the Eagles salary cap situation Brandon Graham will likely hit the market and he would make for a fine consolation prize as he is a very legit edge rushers and probably would command a little less.

Sadly it is looking like the free agency crop is very limited along the WR corps. The O-line crop isn't strong either but there are players to be had. There are however a lot of pass rushers on the market and I could see the Bills filling a big defensive need with a player like Clowney. Granted they could hand Clowney 20 million a year (Which would in my opinion set up the defense to be a top 5 unit only thing they could possibly need is a slot corner) and still have plenty of space to add other free agents on the offensive side (90 million in cap space can go a long way and they can clear 10-20 million more.) I would love to see the Bills target Clowney if he hits the market (If not Brandon Graham from the Eagles would be a nice addition), find a decent slot corner if that still is a need, while on offense I would love to see the Bills go after Rodger Saffold and Ali Marpet. Both players would immediately solidify the interior O-line. As far as skill position players Tevin Coleman would be a nice add at a right price and Golden Tate and or John Brown would be good targets. I think the draft is where they go WR heavy in rounds 1-3. I hope the Bills plan to spend big in 2019, they need at least 3-4 big impact free agents on offense and they should be able to do that and afford a pass rusher to round out the defense.

People act like this is April and we are in the middle of free agency where there are all these WR's on the market. Dez to me would be about as productive as KB and not worth the locker room issues. I hope that the Bills maybe kick the tires on a WR like Matthews but I hold no delusions of grandeur that any street level free agent is going to offer a meaningful upgrade to what the team has. Now I do think it is possible that there might be someone off the street that can offer an upgrade but we aren't talking about anything insane. Maybe a guy like Matthews is a little better than what we are throwing out there. But there are no major difference makers out on the market. I also like the Phillips signing, yes we are deep at DT but if a good player falls into your lap it doesn't matter how deep you are if he offers an upgrade take him.

I think his value is higher or at least as high to the Raiders. The Raiders are paying Carr and if they get rid of Cooper their best receiver for draft picks and throw in players than that is not only going to make the Raiders that much worse this season but it is going to piss off their franchise QB who is being paid like one. I don't think Cooper is on the market unless there is a very high offer for him. The Raiders don't have many blue chip young offensive players around Carr, Cooper and the tackle they just drafted Miller are the only two (Maybe Bryant if he comes back from suspension one day) you can't erode your offensive talent base like that to take back mid round picks. I think all these Shaq plus 2 mid round picks should get it done people are just day dreaming.

The Raiders picked up Coopers fifth year option which is for 13.9 million. Also why are people in this thread acting like Cooper is a trash player? He had 2 good years to start out his career and is on pace for 1,100 yards this season. The dude is legit productive and locked in for 2019 at a rate that is right around his production/potential level. If Cooper was off to a rough start to the season and beefing with Gruden I could see his value being lower but at the moment he is their best receiver.

You aren't getting Cooper for trash plus a mid round pick, this ain't Madden. Guess what if you are willing to part with players than they aren't any good then other teams probably know those players suck. Lawson I could see the Raiders wanting as a throw in but KB is stinking it up and McCoy is an older running back on a big contract not having a good start to the season. None of those players bring value to a trade other than a throw in. If the Raiders are trading Cooper they are going to want a 2nd round pick plus a 2020 pick. I am not saying I would give them that but that's what it would take to get Gruden to part with his best WR who is young and signed for a reasonable rate in 2019 and is currently on pace for 1,100 yards (And has 2 previous 1,000 yard seasons.) I would give the Raiders any throw in player or two they cherry picked off the Roster plus two third round picks for Cooper. The WR market isn't strong in 2019 free agency and Cooper at 13 million is a good value. But I wouldn't part with a 2nd round pick for him given his drop habits.

Wood and InCog are sorely missed. I knew this O-line was going to be a disaster once InCog retired. I was hoping InCog and Dawkins would be good players on the left side and Groy would be a competent center. But once InCog retired he opened a big hole on the left side of the line that has collapsed any hope of that unit being capable.

Once again not defending KB or Star (Although I think Star is a decent player just way overpaid for the role and talent level he brings) but while I don't disagree that the team would be better with Glenn along the line, Sammy in the WR core, and with Dareus and Darby out there but that assumes that for one Sammy and Glenn would stay healthy (which there was no guarantee of,) Darby would be a fit in the zone system (which was questionable) and Dareus wouldn't be a issue in the locker room (Which he already was in 2017.) Also this team would be what 7-9 or 8-8 with those players IF They were healthy and not causing an issue? You are acting like those 4-5 players are the difference between the Bills contending for a Super Bowl and being what they are now. The Bills in 2019 will be in a position to add massive amounts of talent around Allen and maybe add a pass rusher to the defense. That's not saying McBeane will add better players with the cap space but rather that was the right way to go about it in order to actually be able to put the team in a position to rebuild properly. Yes even if the team was paying Cordy, Sammy, and Dareus while also possibly handing Darby a deal the Bills still would have some cap space to add some talent but they probably would be paying those 3 for diminishing returns towards the back end of second contracts as opposed to being able to add a lot of talent in short order. Cordy, Sammy, and Dareus would be eating up 45 million on the cap and two out of three have massive injury issues and the third was an under-performing malcontent who was also overpaid. I would rather have the draft picks that helped net Allen and Edumonds while also retaining cap space than pay those three who would help the team go 7-9 or 8-8. Sometimes you have to take 1 step back to take 2 steps forward.

KB is making 8.5 million and he is off the books after this season. Sammy is due 32 million in 2019 and 2020. Star's cap hit this season is 6.5 million much lower than Dareus's but had Dareus stayed with the Bills he would be a 15 million dollar cap hit in 2019 and 2020 whereas Star is a 10 million dollar cap hit. Once again if the Bills had Sammy, Dareus, Tyrod, Darby, and Glenn are they a contender? I am also not defending the Star contract or the ability for McBeane to sign pro-talent. However that doesn't mean the philsophy of getting draft capital and dumping players on big contracts wasn't the right move in philsophy. The Bills holding onto aging injury prone talent to win a little more in the short term wouldn't help the team.

The Bills traded away Sammy, Darby, Dareus, Glenn, and Tyrod. Besides Darby (Who did not fit the scheme McD intended to run) all those players were either older or injury prone. Getting value for those players while shedding their contracts is the proper way to build a team. Do you think that this team would be a contender with those players on this team occupying 60 million on the cap? Sammy is making 16 million a year for the next 3 seasons and when the Bills traded him Sammy was a injury prone player. Dareus was a 28 year old player on a massive contract who was a under performing malcontent in the locker room. Cordy Glenn hadn't played a full season since 2015 and was on a massive contract, he was also 29 years old, not ancient but not young. Tyrod had one year remaining on his deal and although I would have preferred to keep him for the final year but the draft compensation was solid and he was gone after one year anyway. The only young player without a massive injury history the team gave up was Darby. The method to success in the NFL is to build around a rookie QB on a cheap contract. The Bills have Allen who once the 2019 season comes around will have 3 years remaining on his deal with a 5th year option. The Bills will be in a position to add a massive amount of talent in short order around a young QB instead of paying injury prone older players.

Shocked Gruden wanted to go defense. James is balling out but Kolton Miller is quietly putting together a nice season in his own right.

Snowden exposed the government spying on its people en mass illegally, basically we have no 4th amendment and Snowden exposed it. Bradley Manning exposed war crimes being committed on behalf of the American people. There was a good that was being done by what they did. Yes it did put people at risk in doing the right thing but their aims and end results were towards a good that was apolitical. Is America about upholding what is right or the aims of our governments interests? Because if America is about doing the right thing then I don't know how you can't consider exposing corruption and war crimes a bad thing. I am not saying that Senators and their families lives are more important but rather the person putting those lives in danger did so for a political aim. Which serves no purpose but a self serving one.

What this person did was awful, it literally put the lives of Senators and their families at risk for nothing more than a political gain. Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning are heroes who put their lives on the line to expose corruption. !@#$ off if you don't want to know what unconstitutional war crimes your government is committing.

Your trade proposal was somewhat reasonable (Although I think they would have to take back at least a 3rd in 2019) but there were other posters saying Shaq and a 4th or 5th which was absolutely absurd.

Gruden is an offensive guy, I doubt he is going to trade his number one young receiver for Shaq !@#$ing Lawson and a 4th or 5th round pick. Cooper has two 1,000 yard seasons in his first three years and has been outright dynamic at times. He is on pace for 1,100 yards so far this season. He has a 5th year option at a fairly reasonable rate for his production level. Why is a draft bust in Lawson and a mid round pick enough to attain this guy? I wouldn't mind trading for Cooper but it is going to take more than Lawson and a mid round pick. It probably would at least take a 2nd rounder or two 3rd round picks to make this trade happen. I would consider it for that price because I think Cooper will be cheaper and as good as any WR on the market next year but that's probably a price most on here wouldn't be willing to pay.

McD was responding to a question about the depth chart and roster adjustments, so it isn't a matter of him not being focused on coaching but just responding to a question asked to him. Once you hit past the draft (esp with the draft being much later than free agency) you pretty much have the principle portions of your roster is about 95% set. There aren't many June cuts now with the post June 1st designation. The only significant additions to rosters beyond the draft are usually trades (Any good free agent is signed by that point) or the occasional cap casualty. Neither one happens often unless you are the 2017 Bills. The culture is built year long so that is always a (no pun intended) process. Overall I think that the X's and O's and general culture are a big part of in season and off-season decision making so I don't think that him answering a question about the roster means he isn't focused on the X's and O's.

The context of the quote is odd too. The question seemed to be asking what is your strategy in figuring out the roster and depth chart. And in that respect culture is huge and important. This isn't and X's and O's question more of a philsophy question. In that context the quote makes more sense.

It seems very negligible in terms of player safety. I mean how many OT games would go past the 10 minute mark? 5-10 a year maybe? That's not really going to make an impact, but you probably increase the amount of ties a year from 0-1 to 4 or more which is really going to impact the game.

I really liked the Titans coming out of this season. The defense and offense are loaded with talent and they massively upgraded their coaching. I projected them to make the playoffs and compete for their division. They honestly should take care of the Bills even if their offense struggles.

Haha, I totally missed that, just got back from a wisdom tooth pull at the dentist barely able to think at the moment.

You are a prisoner of the moment. Lots of people are calling Star a space eater and a lot of people think Star is having little to no impact so you are blending the term to think that people are just using the term to cover for someone's bad play. Watch the difference in the Bills run defense last year when "Space Eater" Darues was there vs. when he left. The Bills had a lot of bad years defending the run when they didn't have a capable space eater after Pat Williams left. The term is basically a catch all for a DT that is a good run defender. A guy like Snacks Harrison is a great space eater who holds the line consistently against double teams and makes it very difficult for a team to run up the middle. To look at Star's impact I think you have to take a look at how effective the Bills rushing defense is. I think the Bills run defense this season with Star being a space eater has been so so. The team has given up 3.2, 4.2, 2.3, and 4.4 yards per carry in their 4 games. That's not bad but not great either. But the term isn't code for bad player it is more so trying to describe a role a player is performing that might not results in defensive stats.

The Bills drafting in 2017 and 2018 has been really good so far on the early returns. In 2017 there looks to be 3 very legit starters. White is a number one corner, Dawkins a solid LT, and Milano a starting caliber linebacker. Even Zay Jones still has time to turn into a productive player. The early returns on 2018 are pretty promising. Allen the jury is still out but Edumonds is showing a lot of promise while Phillips and Johnson are off to good starts while Neal could also be a late round gem. Factoring out Allen for the moment the past two drafts could yield 6-7 starters (possibly 8 if Zay ever develops) that's pretty dam good drafting. Overall I am much more worried about the teams pro-personnel decision making than anything else. This team will need 4 or more impact free agents on the offensive side of the ball and while we have the cap space to make those moves I am not confident that money will be spent properly.

PFF might actually not. That's not a knock on PFF but mainly the limitations of football analytics. PFF does not know what Star is supposed to do within the scheme. PFF grades a lot of their D-line metrics based off of getting past the line of scrimmage. Star shuffling along the line and trying to occupy a gap might seem like the is getting taken out of a play. But the scheme might have called for clearing the way for a linebacker. I don't think Star is doing all that well but I don't think he is doing bad either. Star is a space eater who attacks blockers however he lacks the gravity that a really dominant space eater commands. He certainly is overpaid.

Maybe TBD's resident cap experts can chime in but would there be any positive or negative cap impact on trading Clay before the deadline? Right now the Bills can cut Charles Clay in 2019 and save 4.5 million on his 9 million cap number and be clear of any remaining cap charges in 2020. If the Bills were to trade Clay for a mid to late round pick to Cincy or some other team does that save the Bills anything significant in 2019? I think if you can get a 5th round pick and there is lets say a bigger cap savings in 2019 from trading him then you have to consider it. But if there isn't a cap savings and you can't get a highish pick for him then you are better off keeping on of your only decent receiving option.

Ties aren't the end of the world for regular season games but the shortening of the OT quarter to 10 minutes is basically making it much more likely for teams to tie and 5 minutes of additional game time isn't exactly going to massively do anything. Right now 10 minutes allows teams to exchange field goals and leave about 2 minutes on the clock. If the team that kicked the first field goal can't score then the game ends in a tie, but if you added the extra 5 minutes you would allow at least 1-2 more possessions and lower the likelihood of a tie. I don't think you have to get rid of ties but the solution should be to make them more rare. College overtime is way to gimmicky and doesn't feel like a natural extension of the game as it is played in regulation. It's much more similar to hockey's shootouts which are gimmicky and un-reflective of the game (but at least are confined to the regular season.) The NFL has a good system they just need to allow teams to play a full 15 minutes. The big issue with 10 minutes is that if two teams kick a field goal those drives usually eat up about 4 minutes each and that only leaves about 1 possession left. Going back to the 15 minute format would allow each team with at least 1 additional possession with plenty of time on the clock. If teams can't score in that time frame then fine end it in a tie but at least you have a format that limits ties and isn't gimmicky.