BADOLBILZ

Nah. Howie Roseman was a bean counter turned recent SB winning GM. Beane isn't one of a kind. He was a gopher for Gettleman and in the Smithers role as a DoFO he ended up learning how to run an entire organization. It's probably going to become more common with success like those two have had. Teams might have to start paying scouting directors more(they typically make $300K or less).......but as the Bills can attest........long time road scouts.....like Buddy Nix and Whaley.......often don't have the managerial skills or whole-organization understanding to handle the demands of being a modern GM.

Playing outside zone for OL is demanding athletically. The Bills seemed to have chosen to go that way last season because it's less complicated assignment-wise and allowed them to play more up-tempo in their passing game. If you remember the previously dominant run blocking Bills OL in 2017 weren''t really up to it athletically either when Dennison was running it. Think back to those old 90's Niners and Broncos lines under Mike Shanahan.......they were smaller and athletic. As has been pointed out by others, the Bills OL is kind of a hodgepodge athletically. You don't necessarily have to be that athletic to be a good pass blocker though if you have good length, technique and footwork. Spencer Brown is athletically kind of a "have your cake and eat it too" kind of outside zone blocking prospect for the Bills. In theory he's the $50 uber ride to get around in pass pro but he's also very good at getting outside quickly to block. Maybe the best downfield blocking OT prospect in this class. In theory Forest Lamp is another guy who should be able to be quicker than any of their other guards to get into his block in outside zone. Not sure about his pass pro stoutness though, if you watch the Efe Obada highlights one of the biggest hits he got last year was a complete whiff at Lamp's expense. Guess we will see.

Then just say those things rather than make false equivalencies. Most Bills fan are aware of Antonio Williams after his game against Miami and many are like you and want to see more. I like Antonio Williams in outside zone..........it's literally the only system he fits because he is a one speed, one-cut runner who runs hard to the hole. He's not very talented........not as nimble or scheme versatile as Moss or Singletary. Singletary is more liable to get quicker and more decisive thru training than Williams is to get more of what he lacks. But plenty of lower talent, hard runners have excelled in OZ. He is at least good depth for the system and maybe more.

Yeah Brown probably isn't a guard.........but his athleticism is elite enough that I don't think it can be dismissed entirely. Kevin Gogan was a great, ultra-violent guard and he was 6' 7"............ it's not entirely out of the question that Brown could play inside but his ceiling as a tackle is higher than either of the Bills starters so let's hope he ends up there.

Or maybe he wanted a big promotion and didn't get a look. With all the turnover there, a new owner and HC that he never played for.......his guys aren't really there anymore. Coincidentally, Dan Morgan was a concussion magnet at The U and with the Panthers.

Who cares if they make the playoffs, really? All that matters is how the Bills perform against the Patriots. They were lucky to escape the first game vs. NE last year when Zimmer stripped Cam as the Pats were plowing over the Bills D toward a game winning TD. The Bills finally began to outplay the Pats for the first time in 8 games under McDermott in the second quarter of the game in Foxboro. As you said, their roster is much improved. The Bills under McD usually play their worst ball versus the Pats.........if the Bills flip that around then it shouldn't matter what else NE does.

Actually, no, it's not. Superstar players sometimes retire and then come back........see Gronk or Witten just in the past couple seasons. But it is why I didn't bring it up when I saw it yesterday.

Diggs had a top-3 receiver season..........that was the only time in his career that he's done enough to be that high in the conversation of top WR's so "proved" is a relative term. If one season proves it then I guess Victor Cruz proved he was a top-3 WR when he had his 1500 yard season. Jefferson's 1400 yard rookie season was considerably more than any season that Diggs had in his many years in Minnesota........and would have been the most yardage by a Bills receiver in team history. The Bills would have gone into free agency with $20M+ more cap space to work with and still had the additional picks they traded to Minnesota. So yeah, I think the Bills would have been sitting pretty. But that assumes they would have even drafted Jefferson...........which given their mistakes in the 2019 draft passing on studs like Metcalf, Brown and McLaurin..........is not a given. As for Minnesota's receiving targets........they had a RB who ran for almost 1600 yards and their top 2 WR's accounted for 2300 yards receiving running lot's of 2 receiver sets.........their skill players were fine........it's the QB who brings them down.

The Vikings did just as well in that trade as Buffalo. They got a great young WR who had an amazing rookie season on a cheap contract for the next 3 years. Had the Bills stood pat and drafted Jefferson they would be in a better position in 2022..........a ton more cap room, more draft picks as well as a great young WR..........but the Bills didn't have the luxury of waiting..........they failed to add a WR1 in their first 3 drafts(including passing on DK Metcalf and AJ Brown to reach for need at RT in Cody Ford in 2019) and desperately needed to correct those errors with a sure thing. Nothing for Minnesota to flip out about, other than a former player seemingly trashing the state.

So you are saying that teams are afraid of Antonio Williams and Zach Moss? C'mon. The running game will be good if the blocking is good.

Whom I had responded to 27 hours prior. Don't worry, I didn't forget that signing Star was a bad decision by McBeane. What was the worst Beane decision of this offseason? My vote is the Edmunds 5th year option..........they probably don't want to extend Edmunds at a figure Edmunds agent would like yet...........if he suffers a career altering injury like so many former stud Bills LB's they could have tied up $13M in 2022 for a non-player. Which could now impact their willingness to do something this spring/summer like push money into 2022 to sign a Zach Ertz or a veteran CB. Kinda' like extending Eric Wood early backfired into a lost $10M except that was 6 months early and this is like 17 months early.

No, I brought up the $60M+ in cap space they have exhausted on bad 1 tech play since they dealt Dareus midway thru 2017. But hey, got the two worst performing seasons of Star Lotulelei's career out of the deal. And only $10M more owed guaranteed, whether Star makes the 53 or not.

McKenzie was an epic fumbler........that's why Denver cut him.........and even the great punt return TD he had versus Miami last year he bobbled. Maybe a billion reps can clean that up but the ball just hits him hard.......he clearly doesn't track it well.........it's a battle for him.

Addison played his share of OLB last year, I could see him being considered the 6th LB. Not cutting Addison seemed like one of the worst decisions of the offseason but Beane sure goes out of his way to make it sound like he's not going anywhere despite adding a stud veteran athlete and 2 early round rookies to his position.

What people forget is that the Bills lost both of their starting offensive tackles just before the game. The Titans pass rush was a complete jail break like what Mahomes saw in the Super Bowl against Tampa. Now perhaps with no pass blocking, playing Flutie was the better call under the circumstance...........but Flutie was pathetic moving the ball that year...........they were on the road in the first place because of his two terrible home losses to feeble NYG and Raiders teams that he couldn't pass against.

I don't buy the pro day numbers straight up.........but they are usually inflated. Either way, not a great look for Tariq. At the college level he had a little Rodney Harrison in him though. He's physical and instinctive. Rodney was a similarly poor athlete as I recall. I know he ran a 4.82 40. The game might be a bit too fast for that kinda' athlete now but I guess we will see.

There aren't any RB's on the Bills roster as slow as Terrell Davis. Style-wise Antonio Williams is the most like TD on the Bills roster........but a lot faster.....4.52 versus TD's woeful 4.72. If the Bills are indeed going to stick with OZ then you don't need a dynamic talent at RB to put up big production. 49ers went to the SB a couple years ago with their top 2 backs being UDFA's.........Breida being one of them. Funny how nobody was crying that Shanahan should be drafting a RB in round 1. I get that people don't trust Daboll to execute the system as well as a Shanny but it's the same style of running game.

Maybe......but the thing is........outside zone is what Moss knows best. Roman's offense was great for running backs.......the inside zone stuff made the decision making a little easier for all types of RB's.......Karlos and MG were one cut guys.........McCoy was a dancer.......but once McCoy realized that he could do it if he just followed the play design, he excelled. Outside zone the OL has to be more athletic and your back needs to be more decisive and instinctive. McCoy couldn't handle that in 2017 and his OL didn't execute it well either. Breida has proven successful in it. Singletary is the question mark as a scheme fit.

I'd definitely like them to add a high quality man coverage CB to allow them to be more multiple in their looks, but yes they can be a good defense without one. Ideally, I want Tre White on a stud TE like Kelce.........at which point THEN they are exposed more outside of the numbers. Truth be told, I did not love the CB's in this class and I'm certainly not reaching over a better prospect pass rusher just to add a more suspect prospect at CB. If the Bills want to add a CB with first round measurables then they can call Gareon Conley. He's out there. If they want a Melifonwu........Obi just got released by the Niners so there's another elite athlete for the secondary.

Daniel Jeremiah expressed the same sentiment..........but for the entire draft. Of course, some of the fan-perceived glaring needs weren't as big as they felt to the fanbase: RB: In an outside zone scheme you don't need a star RB to produce big..........athletic OL are more important.......Bills were short in the department last season.........they've addressed that athleticism with Lamp, Brown and Doyle this offseason. CB: Would be nice to add another stud........but they are a heavy zone team that tries to keep the ball in front of them. One of the advantages of playing zone is not needing 3 elite athletes at CB. 1 Tech: The 3 winningest teams last year were KC, Green Bay and Buffalo........their run defense's allowed about the same ypc, 4.5-4.7 yards. It's a passing league. I don't pretend to know what the Bills are thinking but they haven't tried to add a single 1 tech to the roster since Star opted out and they cut Vincent Taylor. That would be unusual at any position, let alone one that fans see as so critical. At some point, maybe it's time to consider that they are trying to go with less snaps from traffic cone 1 techs than they traditionally did prior to last season.

Buffalo, Green Bay and Kansas City all allowed 4.5-4.7 yards per rush.......insignficant differences between them........that's 3 of the 4 championship game teams and best teams of the season. So it worked out well. Some fans pride was hurt by seeing teams run for more yardage than in the past.......but when you are good you don't get to play terrible schedules and pad your defensive stat lines any longer. The Bills average run D in 2019 was a product of an easy schedule and great health at LB. The 2020 Bills were hurt much, much more by their lack of pass rush and the subsequent additional production they allowed in the air. In the old days a rushing yard was worth 2 passing yards........and only 3 things could happen when you threw the ball and 2 of them were bad. Today........for the most part a yard gained is a yard gained, either way.........it's just much harder to play keep away and keep scores down............and NOW when you RUN the ball 4 things can happen and 3 of them are bad (bad: small yardage versus a passing play, holding penalties, fumbles).

That's sorta' understating it. Kerryon Johnson has been terrible the past two seasons and runs in the open field like he has a piano on his back. Breida can fly.

Point is.......the Eagles not getting anything for Ertz wouldn't be any big deal........McDermott and Beane have made their share of bad decisions. And yes, McD not picking up Watkins option hurt his trade value. The 2015-2017 draft classes were barren of WR talent and teams were pretty desperate. They gave most of the value attained away in the Kelvin Benjamin trade a couple months later. I can't unsee those 2017 and 2018 offenses.......ghastly. My issue with the Gillislee deal was simply not tendering him high enough. Gillislee was coming off 2 seasons averaging 5.4 ypc and leading the NFL in ypc and in 3rd down conversion %........ and was a better fit in Dennison's outside zone than the indecisive McCoy........and that IS how it played out. But as you know.......I never put much value on RB's. There all easily replaced. People here were just furious with me for questioning Whaley and McDermott's choice to original round tender him and save a scant few bucks. RB's are still easy to find. Shame on you for even considering a RB in round 1. Trading Dareus flipped Jacksonville from bottom to the top of the league in run defense.........and the Bills run defense fell apart and has never really come back. They beat the Bills in the playoffs......dominating the LOS that day........and had a lead in the 4th quarter of the AFC championship game. Trade paid dividends for Jax. From 2018-2020 the Bills have subsequently burned up a staggering $60M+ in cap space on his dead money and Star's walking dead money.......and they ain't done payin'!

I know you and others have insisted that the problems the Bills DL had were all because of losing Star...........but I still contend that losing the 340 3T and LDE who both played out of their heads in their contract walk years and combined for 16 sacks was a lot more important. As was going from the feeble 2019 schedule.....perhaps the organization's easiest schedule since the NFL went to 16 game seasons in 1978.........to playing a schedule with more playoff teams on it that any other team in 2020. Star was not good in 2019. The Bills pursued DJ Reader to replace him last March and then made him take a pay cut.