starrymessenger

If the Ram and Bills offers are competitive I would not blame Spain if he opted (and quickly) for the Rams. It's not just that right now they are the better team and legit championship contenders (every player likes to flash that ring) but he'd be joining a fully functioning elite unit, probably the best in the NFL. The Rams have McVey, who uses run friendly '11' personnel more than any other playcaller in the league and they also have Kromer, an outstanding and proven line coach. The Bills line is really on day 1 of a work in progress and realistically even if things work out well it will probably be a couple years before they can execute with consistent proficiency as a unit. It takes that long before the guys learn each other's tendencies and analyse how to attack different defences with a singular focus in meeting rooms, in practice and in live action. The Rams used to have a bad O-line, like us. It took them a couple of years to go from among the worst to the best. I actually have confidence in the Bills current braintrust and I think they will get there but right now the Bills and Rams would reflect very different propositions to a guy like Spain.

As far as PM is concerned no look was nice but what impressed me more was a play that won't make any highlight reels: I once saw him under pressure while rolling to his left switch hands to avoid a defender and complete a short pass with his left hand. It occurred to me that this was a guy for whom gamespeed was more like slow mo and whose QB brain was as calm as could be. Looks to me like he's going to be a great one (assuming he's not already).

I see where I said that I liked Allen as a prospect and that he was legit IMO as a first round QB but that I had a hard time seeing why Beane would move up for him. On reflection that was a probably a dumb thing to say. A first half of the first round QB is exactly the kind of player that you move up in the draft for if you need one. I think it's pretty clear that Beane (and a few posters) knew better than most of us, but of course it's his full time job to know better. Josh Allen looked like a man amongst boys in the Mountain West. What I did not expect at all is that he would so often look like a man amongst boys on an NFL playing field, even tho he is the boy and those other guys are the men. To me that is flat out ridiculous. He continues to flash as a dominant player. Now after seeing him for the better part of a year he is at the very least confirmed as the QB in his class (and IMO it was a very strong class) with the highest ceiling and the odds have swung decidedly against him ever busting. He needs now to continue developing as a passer and he still has lots to prove but I don't think anyone can fault the GM for the decision that he made.

Ivory was serviceable in our backfield but he had clearly already lost a step and was an easier take down by the time he got here. It was a different story years ago when at the top of his game - a tough no-nonsense fearless downhill runner who I always enjoyed (and sometimes feared) watching him do his thing. I respected him as a player, and still do. Letting him go now makes sense. Even at his age Frank Gore can do anything CI can do and then some. He is simply, and always has been, a much more accomplished runner (and needless to say one of the greatest players to ever haul the rock). Look forward to seeing what the Bills do to replace Ivory.

Just a hunch but I've got a feeling if the top of the draft goes QB crazy and Bosa, Allen or Williams are within striking distance ...maybe not likely but who knows (Beane I guess). Or back into the 1st for Hock.

Good. Great player, wrong uni.

Couldn't care less about stirring the pot and trash talk. Lots of players indulge in this and it even adds a little spice to the proceedings we all so attentively follow so closely. To me what's important is the bottom line. I didn't want Brown and I'm glad he's not a Bill. He's a great player but my concern was the possibility that he would be a disruptive influence and interfere with the continuing process of Josh Allen's taking control of this team as its undisputed leader. In one injury shortened season JA has already taken impressive strides in that direction but he still has lots to prove and he is by no means there yet. Whether you like Ben or not, if Brown couldn't get along with a HOF calibre passer there was to me a real risk of a toxic mix with the far from finished product Allen, with possible bad implications for team morale. That's not a risk I would take because even if he suited up as a Bill Brown would not be the future of this team. For now at least Josh Allen is the face of the franchise who needs and deserves 100% support of management, teammates and fans.

I would make the case that "talent" isn't the be all an end all when it comes to good O-line play. There are plenty of early first round tackles and guards who bust. They are hard positions to project. What's more important IMO is getting players who have the basic wherewithal to execute the chosen scheme and then coach them up to where they can execute efficiently as a unit. I feel the Patriots have solid line play not because they have "talented" players but because they have the guys with the aptitude to do what Dante wants and nobody coaches them up better than him (sure Tom gets the ball out quick, but they've been a run heavy team for years now). Looks to me that's what Beane is looking to do and it makes sense to me.

Agree re power run/pass pro seems to be the direction. Normally you might favour a zone scheme where you have an athletic QB for whom you design running plays. Looks to me they maybe want Josh Allen to start working more from the pocket and I think that makes sense in terms of his development. This would not necessarily shut down his remaining a threat in the run game given his otherworldly athleticism. Cake and eat it?

This is their scheme driven upgrade from Spain. Saffold is athletic enuf to pull/trap in a zone or spread blocking scheme used by Titans. Spain did not show the versatility last year Vrabel wanted to see. He was good in the man scheme they used more before 2018.

Thats the deal he was on last year in effect. He's looking for a term deal IMO.

I can see them trading up from 9, or back into the Ist, but they won't be trading down from the top of the draft IMO.

Consistently rated highly in pass pro. Good in run game too if in right system - smash mouth road grader - spread not so much, so just not a fit in Tennessee. Would like this please Mr. Beane.

Michael Thomas' BFF. Would have been a great weapon for JA. The big reliable receiver Benjamin never was. Oh well.

You're missing nothing. That dude can play. Has some nasty in him too. If he's not trying to leverage his 2018 season too much I'd love to see him in a Bills uni, unless the braintrust is looking to use a very early draft pick on a blue chip prospect after a trade down (which I doubt - they are going DT IMO).

I didn't want Brown either but I wind up in a different place regarding Beane. I like the job Beane has.been doing so far, but I think this would have been a mistake. Not good for the team and actually not good for Brown either for that matter.

Based on a quick and relatively uninformed assessment I was sceptical of Murray's prospects as a starting calibre NFL QB, not to mention as an actual franchise guy. But if his combine height/weight is legit (and I assume it is) then if he fails it won't be because he's too small (he has the raw talent/physical ability and could potentially perform very well in the right offence). In any pics I had seen he always looked to me more a midget wrestler than a pro football player and I was assuming he fell into an extremely limited sample size of legit NFL QB's who were that small (basically a sample size of 1, being Doug Flute). OTOH Jeremiah can say what he wants about brains and experience being Brady's, Rivers, or Brees' saving graces, but the reality is that the mental attributes needed to play the position well, which are rare, are at the end of the day more important than athleticism. And those great players prove it conclusively. I don't know if Casserly is being unfair to Murray, but if he's voicing even a preliminary consensus on intangibles and blackboard smarts that does not bode well for the player. And even if one concedes Murray's top flight athleticism and even putting to one side the issue of football smarts, there are other important parts of the pro QBs skillset (which are a combination of physical and cognitive abilities) that Murray, unlike Mayfield coming out, has yet to prove: can he read a defence pre and post snap, can he find passing lanes, can he lead a receiver with accuracy, can he go through progressions etc...So far, for me, the jury is pretty much still out on Murray.

Really don't know about Hoch. To me there is little doubt that he projects as a top shelf receiving TE, but I've seen his weight listed as anything from 220 to 250 with 230 being the most often seen. He's touted, with justification, as a complete player at the position, but if he's light I have to wonder how well he'd be able to execute in line blocking assignments at the pro level. He's a big kid so maybe he can put the weight on if needed. Waiting for the Combine.

Kyler Murray is no Baker Mayfield if what your looking for is a rookie with the type of demonstrated ability to start, let alone shine, on an NFL playing field. Baker showed that he could go through his progressions, throw his receivers open, hitting them with pinpoint accuracy. It is irrelevant that Murray put up even more impressive passing stats in Lincoln Riley's offence. Murray is for now pretty much a see it/throw it passer. And he's small, like Flutie small. Being a dual threat QB is great but you have to execute consistently from the pocket. Will he be able to see/find the passing lanes the way Brees and Wilson can, both of whom, already smaller QBs, are taller than he is? Nobody knows. If you worry, quite reasonably, about preserving Josh Allen's body, well.... I will be more amused than surprised if some QB needy team blows it's brains out moving up to take him early in the first or a team like the Dolphins take him with their first pick. He's a another second round prospect at best who will go in the first. Murray has great tools but he needs to be developed to execute in an offensive scheme designed for him. I don't think Zona takes him but it would be hilarious to see them trade down because some team thinks they're looking at Baker Mayfield.

He is by no means better than projected first or early second round WRs in this year's draft. He's not DK, Harry or Butler. He is Juwan Johnson with an edge and probably somewhat better hands, so a third round equivalent prospect. Having successful pro experience, albeit not NFL, is also a plus. Having seen some of his Eskimo games I think he makes the roster, but that's JMO. I think it's also fair to leave open the possibility that he pleasantly surprises. He is talented and nasty (in a good way). Anyway they picked him up for nothing and if he works out kudos to McBean. Absolutely worth a hard look.

Exactly. Even BB was only able to shut him down for 30 mins. Second half PM basically cleaned BB's clock (but for Ford) and like Goff never could. PMs a fantastic talent and a great kid. He's a credit to game like few others and I'm happy for him. He's obviously an outstanding athlete but his best attribute for playing the game resides above the shoulders, not below. Game speed is like slo-mo for him. A fastball looked like a grapefruit to Rod Carew. The Babe could pick out the numbers on a distant licence plate when normal mortals didn't know what colour it was. You just have to be there when the Man Upstairs is handing out gifts like that.

Lousy ratings is what you can get when horrendous officiating and a d- lineman's inexcusable brainfart causes you to field a couple of backup teams in the championship game. I get that the Wade-BB matchup delivered something worthwhile for the football purist but Brees vs Mahomes would have been more fun to watch.

Yeah not saying they take him (if available) but they have shown a penchant for that kind of player. A little raw with things to learn but with absolutely all the tools you could dream of.

DK is the Tremaine Edmunds/Josh Allen of this year's draft. Not saying we take him (we could do worse) but the athleticism/demonstrated ability/potential is other worldly. Now that he's cleared medically I wouldn't complain. Not at all. Falcons traded their whole draft for a guy like him.

You never know what the future may hold but I see no flaws in PMs game and he routinely does things that you rarely if ever see even starting calibre QBs do. He's in a very good situation no doubt but I don't think it will ever be easy to scheme to shut him down. Today's game should be instructive in that regard though given he's going against BB.