BADOLBILZ

Beane very clearly stated that priority 1 this offseason was doing a better job protecting Josh Allen............and being that the free agent OL market isn't good........one way to do that is to play more 12 personnel and add a TE who can block. Now Beane spoke about the team needs after the AFCCG loss in KC last year............and promptly didn't address any of those needs in UFA..........so I guess he could do the same this offseason. But if we are taking him at his word..........his word was that protecting Allen was priority #1. Changing slot receivers out doesn't really address that.

Patrick Mahomes says he has no problem getting Tremaine out of the frame..........Logan Wilson........that was much more difficult. Height and length only make a significant difference if the coverage defender is able to identify what the QB is trying to do and be in position to stop it. And a total lack of ball awareness/playmaking skill....... like Edmunds has shown.........leads to teams not being afraid to attack him even when he seems to have good coverage..........hence his 110 passer rating against and volume of TD passes allowed the past two seasons. Brandon Smith is often cited as having the same issue as Edmunds........a lack of instinctive play...........but on tape he does appear to be more of a play maker. He might be getting a bad rap because of the similarity to Tremaine.........who has clearly been the disappointment sandwiched between some really good LB's in his draft class........Roquan Smith, Darius Leonard and Fred Warner.

That 2018 class was terrible and the lost cap space is still hurting them now............and it came after Beane had spent about 8 months telling us how badly the prior regime had handle contracts. And where the prior regime had found gems like Lorenzo Alexander and Zach Brown for dirt cheap.........Lorax became DPOY candidate and Brown lead the NFL in tackles..........and then they signed Hyde and Poyer on reasonable contracts that they outplayed. But the moment Beane came in they started paying $6M out to reserve LB AJ Klein and reserve CB Josh Norman........and $7.5M to swing tackle Ty Nesekhe.........clear and obvious over-payments. The only great value Beane has found in UFA was Daryl Williams 1 year deal in 2020............everyone else he's paid top dollar for or outright overpaid. They have been bad at finding value.

I think the fact that he wasn't extended after his 3rd season indicates the Bills aren't actually satisfied with his play. They might be in enough of a cap bind where they'd extend him at the right price to save some cap room now.....but if they were as happy with his play as some seem to think he'd be on a 5 year $90M deal right now. Beane's "I know the fans are down on Tremaine.......but I'm not in that camp" comment was the lowest of praise and quite comical.

$40M dead cap plus taking on $13M Tremaine Edmunds.

Gronk is a HOF'er who still performed at near his career norms in 2021.......he produced big numbers in an offense with better targets than the Bills had. Dawson Knox has had one "prime years" Scott-Chandler-level 500 yard receiving season............the other two seasons he was JAG with bad hands. There is a very significant gap between their production and simply projecting that out is no different than saying that 2015 Mike Gillislee or Karlos Williams would have been better than Adrian Peterson if they were given as many carries. On an individual player basis.........ACTUAL production matters a lot. As for him making it clear he is "still pissed" at the Bills for not drafting him............would love to see that quote. Considering that the only person of note from ownership down who was with the organization at the time Gronk was drafted is the cap guy, Jim Overdorf..........that makes zero sense.

Like I said..........is that valuation based on what the player could be worth to the team?............or is it based on what you have left after some suspect valuations/contracts? The Bills have $11M aav tied up into their slot CB position of Johnson/Neal for the next 3 years. IMO they could have addressed that more than adequately for half that. And probably should have now that they are out of their rookie QB window. Those are just the two most recent multi-year deals Beane has handed out, as examples. Beane seems to be fine with paying over market for lower contract value positions..........that is cheaper on a per instance basis.........but it adds up........because there are A LOT more "non-starters at premium positions" than there are those who are.

Knox wasn't good enough to command those targets...........and Knox wasn't competing with two 1,000+ yard receivers for targets like Gronk was in Tampa. Gronk is a HOF'er with proof of elite production........a CAREER 15 ypc receiver...........when Knox has ONE SEASON where he actually puts up big time numbers then we can stop pretending that he warranted them and simply did not get them.

I suspect Beane gives ultimatums on what he will pay for free agents and that's where it is. Maybe Gronk wants $9M......which for a top TE is a low aav.........but Beane he has determined he won't pay more than $7M...........which is a number that he's calculated using his cap room figure more than the value the player can add to the team. And the cap room figure is adversely affected by over-payments already made at other positions.........like, more recently, special teams gunner and slot CB etc.. A million too much here and a million and a half too much there adds up and then you can end up with limits that won't work in market where there is strong demand.

If a team was dumb enough to trade something for an 800 yard receiver Amari Cooper and his ridiculous $20M cap hit...........then it is actually possible someone trades something for Beasley. Can't believe I am saying that but all it takes is one stupid team like the Browns.

While more recent structures........and plans for new kickball stadiums etc............have become increasingly privately funded in NYC area.........the fact remains that billions have been kicked in by public funding in the last 20 years for new NYC venues. Public funding may be trending out as sports teams are making increasingly disproportionate profits(the Yankees were making $50M per year when the new stadium was opened in 2009 and now make $500M+ annually)..........but WNY still deserves the same support the Yankees, Mets and Nets have gotten.

He's still kicking around........had his best year in Jacksonville.........I was just kidding though, I don't want Engram AT ALL...........and Treadwell is the anti-speed receiver.

Personally, I don't trust Engram to be anything more than an enigma. He'd instantly become the Edmunds of the offense. I was so glad the Bills dodged that bullet in the draft........hard to get excited about paying him for potential years later. But I suppose if they swung Edmunds and #25 to Seattle for DK Metcalf and #40 as @MrEpsYtown has suggested........why not if Engram is cheap.........then it would be just one enigma and you'd have quite the Ole Miss re-union with Knox, Engram and DK.

Pre-FA moves to create cap space: Like the cuts and re-structures...........but would like to wait on extending Diggs Offensive FA signings: WR I think Kirk is too expensive and not so dynamic that he's worth adding that much cap hit to the burden QB Like Fitz coming back but I think it has to be less than $5M.....which I know is pretty low for a backup OL Blythe I could see for that money OL Noteboom........that would be OK but Rams might need him too start......he should have a better market.........Jason Peters as swing tackle at $2M for me RB McKinnon and Bolden........meh.......RB's TE Gronk here @ $7M-$8M(with part of it put into 2023 voidable year)........Dissly would be well down the list of TE2's, IMO Defensive FA signings: DE Chandler Jones........like that deal CB Sidney Jones..........like the talent fit but if I were him I'd be looking for top dollar, which might be a little higher..........ring chaser Patrick Peterson dirt cheap? DE Shaq.........only at league min and no guarantees DT DaQuan Jones.........that works DT Taven Bryan........seems generous but he has that upside......Jordan Phillips might come free and go for the same or less. Draft:..........that would be an awful.......NEEDY........draft, IMO R1 Would love Tyler Smith in round 3.........but he is RAW......terrible technique......so gonna' take time.....and plays a low dollar position.........makes no sense, IMO R2 Travis Jones is another reach for need at a low dollar position.........he's big and athletic........like a lot of bad DT's R3 Cam Taylor-Britt........just take him and keep your other picks The way to beat the cap isn't just signing your own or avoiding big ticket items in UFA............it's getting A LOT out of your mid-late round picks.........Bills need to do better at drafting a developing

How can they afford to pay gunners on special teams?

Yeah but really

Overdorf was car-pooling with Beane today

The good news is Basham was a 24 year old rookie.............so that breakout age 30 season is right around the corner!

An act of excess alcohol consumption and the primary cause of the conception of most TSW posters?

While that is not out of the question long term.........an injury could happen or something..........it isn't trending that way by any means.. Metcalf is a career 65 yard per game receiver and I suspect he would be an 80 yard per game receiver with Josh Allen.........like he was with Russell Wilson in 2020(Russ missed a lot of time in 2021). Gabe has had Josh Allen as his QB and has been a 35 yard per game receiver. The big game against the Chiefs in the playoffs skews rational analysis for many fans.

Free agency starts at 6pm. Tonight.

They are all thinking they are going to get him for a bargain price though. 32 year old off-ball LB's haven't been getting paid.

It is an arms race. The past two champions have loaded up with stars and been rewarded. And you could argue that the Chiefs did as well when they added Sammy Watkins at $16M per year and then traded for Frank Clark...........and while Sammy didn't pan out to be a WR1 he did come up huge for them in the playoffs for 2 years. Standing pat and being conservative is why the 2010's Green Bay Packers perennially fell short in the playoffs............the Bills might take note of that...........waiting until Josh Allen is 35 to push the envelope might not be a good strategy in a league with lot's of good young QB's entering. Go get it or be ready to go home early again.

Metcalf wanting to be a WR1 doesn't matter in an offense with an elite QB. It's like Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne...........didn't matter who #1 was because Manning would feed both. I don't really think the Bills are going to get Metcalf but a lot of the concerns about the possibility aren't as big of a deal as many think. Metcalf is a proven full season stud and for people worrying about maybe losing Gabe Davis eventually.........Gabe only has 1 more year of team control than Metcalf. One of them is likely getting a big new contract in the next 18 months either way. It's not like trading for Stefon Diggs and then watching Minnesota get an even better WR with the primary pick they acquired from Buffalo..........while having Jefferson for dirty cheap for 4 years.........while the Bills are paying Diggs around $15M aav. And we aren't unhappy with that deal, are we?

Yeah I am a Harrison Phillips fan but he is a $4M player IMO. Beane has and unfortunate history of paying $6M year for guys to be BACKUPS and $4M for special teamers so a lot of fans have developed a skewed idea of what value is. They need to be able to fill that spot for that kind of money. That's what they SHOULD have paid Star Lotulelei in 2018............that's what his projected value was at the time before Beane blew the got-dam lid off of that. I hope they are developing a better understanding of how they need to manage these positions cost wise.