mjt328

Watch the "Quarterback" documentary on Netflix, and you will see that every NFL player has different levels of dedication. For example, Kirk Cousins clearly puts in the time studying game film and practicing with teammates. But he also sets aside a private day for family and refuses to do anything football related during that time. He is also very active doing community service, and spends time with a therapist to keep his mind focused. Absolutely nothing wrong with any of that. And when his career is over, he will probably end up a happier person because of his dedication to an off-field life. Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes is on another level completely. Even with a toddler and newborn baby, you can tell his life totally revolves around football. Every moment of his week is working on getting better, whether studying plays or working with a personal trainer. There is a reason he's clearly the standard in the NFL and why everyone else is chasing his tail. If Josh Allen works that hard during the week or in the offseason, it's not apparent to the fans. He talks about using that time to rest/recover/relax. He likes playing golf a lot, and most of the time he's seen it's with his girlfriend and hanging out with celebrities. This doesn't mean he's lazy or doesn't work hard. But it's also fair to question if he's putting in the same kind of effort Mahomes is, and it's fair to question of that plays at least some role in us falling continually falling short of the Chiefs. As fans though, it's not fair to EXPECT every player to be ALL FOOTBALL ALL THE TIME. They do deserve a personal life. In 10-15 years, they will be retired and fans will have moved-on to someone else. That's when some will wish they put more time into their marriages and their kids, instead of grinding every second for a sports trophy.

This was the trade that immediately came to mind. The Falcons moved up from 27 to 6 to get Julio Jones. We would probably need to move up from 28 to about 4-5. Jones was a borderline Hall of Famer. Was this trade worth it for the Falcons?

He started 13 games on a defensive unit that allowed 17.9 points per game (2nd in the NFL). And before anyone claims he was just hidden around the other secondary talent, remember that Jordan Poyer was banged-up that entire year and playing with one-arm, Tre White didn't even get on the field until Thanksgiving and our cornerback spots were handled mostly by Dane Jackson and two rookies (Christian Benford, Kaiir Elam). Hamlin wasn't a turnover-machine or an All-Pro. But he was solid at the very least. And considering it was just his second year, I think he still has/had promise to grow into something more. I'm not sure where he's at physically or mentally, and that makes all the difference. But I wouldn't necessarily count him out.

Simmons is one of the best safeties in the NFL. Everyone would love him, but I just can't see Beane giving out that kind of contract. The whole reason they cut Jordan Poyer was to get younger and cheaper. He's only 2 years younger and would definitely be more expensive. I'm starting to get the same vibes about the Free Safety position as the Bills gave last year about Middle Linebacker. We passed on everyone in Free Agency. Waited until the 3rd Round of the Draft. Everyone was in total panic mode going into the season. Then Terrell Bernard played like a superstar and Tyrell Dodson was a solid backup. Don't forget. This regime found Poyer and Micah Hyde in the bargain bin. Both were backups on their previous teams. I think it's fair to question how well this team knows some positions (O-Line, D-Line, Wide Receiver), because they don't necessarily have the best track record of finding untapped talent and developing it. But it's the complete opposite in the secondary. This team has a fantastic track record at both cornerback and safety. I also think people are totally sleeping on Damar Hamlin. He did a great job filling in for Hyde during the 2022 season. There was a lot that went into him being inactive most weeks. He was less than 12 months from a horrific physical trauma that devastated his body. Thanks to Taylor Rapp, the Bills really didn't need him. With another offseason to rehab and train, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets back to his previous form.

Isn't it possible for a team to trade for a player, then also agree to absorb the dead-cap hit? I thought the Browns did something like that a few years back.

The plan is a veteran on a minimum deal. Then maybe a Day 3 draft pick, and a UDFA.

What is the situation the Bills are in? - The second best Winning Pct. in the NFL over the last 5 years? - Five straight postseason births - Four straight AFC East titles and Wild Card Round victories Nobody is satisfied with these accomplishments. We all want a Super Bowl win. And falling short is horribly frustrating. But everyone needs to remember the NFL postseason is a single-game elimination situation. One shot and you are done. Beane has put together a roster good enough to put us in position 4 years in a row. There are multiple factors on why the team hasn't gotten over the hump yet, and roster management is far at the bottom of that list. I would very much disagree with this statement. People weren't satisfied with the Stefon Diggs, John Brown, Cole Beasley, Gabe Davis lineup? That was one of the best in the NFL at the time. People weren't satisfied when Brown was later replaced with Emmanuel Sanders? That was pretty good too. Things didn't start going downhill until Beasley was released, and Davis failed to step up as the #2. Which was the middle of the 2022 season. Beane traded his #1 pick for Diggs. That counts. Beane clearly wanted to target a WR in Round 1 last year, but there was a huge run before we picked. He still went for a receiving weapon on Dalton Kincaid. There are 22 starting positions on the roster. In the span of six drafts, you start with exactly 18 picks on Day 1-2. He did spend one of those on Diggs. It's not realistic to expect him to address every position with a high pick every couple seasons.

The ridiculous criticism of Brandon Beane here is what is concerning. It just shows that some people JUST DON'T HAVE the ability to critically think about anything. The last 3-4 days, all I hear is whining and crying that we don't have the money to be hugely active in Free Agency. We need to make a big splash to get over the hump and can't. They say this is proof that Beane has "mismanaged" the salary cap, and totally SUCKS as a GM. But what bad contracts are draining away the Bills cap space? The most obvious one is of course Von Miller... which ironically is the ONLY big FA splash Beane has made in the past 3-4 years!!!! His goal was to get over the hump against the Kansas City Chiefs. So is Beane really stupid for wasting money on an overpaid Free Agent, or is he really stupid for sitting on his hands and waiting for bargains????? Which one is it? Make up your minds!!! Other people are upset we had to release veterans like Tre White, Jordan Poyer, Mitch Morse, etc. to get under the cap. But the same people are somehow upset we CAN'T get rid of Stefon Diggs this year because of his dead cap. So do we want Beane to cut aging veterans or not??? Which one is it? Make up your minds!!! Drafting well and having good players puts every team in salary cap trouble eventually. Not counting Sean McDermott's first draft (which netted us Tre White, Dion Dawkins and Matt Milano), we have now seen three of Beane's drafts reach the expiration of their rookie contracts. Out of the 23 players he picked, 13 are starting for either the Bills or another team. That's pretty good. Here is the list: - Josh Allen, Taron Johnson, Ed Oliver, Dawson Knox, AJ Epenesa and Tyler Bass are starters for us. - Tremaine Edmunds, Harrison Phillips, Wyatt Teller, Devin Singletary, Zack Moss, Gabe Davis and Dane Jackson are starting for other NFL teams.

Very good fit for what we needed. Curious how the contract will be structured. Still think $8-10 million per year is high.

The Bills don't need as many WR bodies as everyone seems to be implying. Going into the season, they will only have 5-6 guys. Stefon Diggs, Khalil Shakir are the obvious ones. They also really like Justin Shorter. I'm absolutely certain Beane is looking to add a WR on either Day 1-2 of the draft. That already brings you to four guys. Add one more cheap veteran in Free Agency. Then vets Andy Isabella and KJ Hamler have the potential to contribute. Tyrell Shavers also showed some promise in preseason/training camp last year.

Brandon Beane isn't usually active during the first couple days of Free Agency. When he does sign a guy early, they aren't usually the big-splash names. The few times he's made an exception and been aggressive (Von Miller, Star Lotulelei), it really hasn't worked out in the end. Mitch Morse is probably Beane's best "big-time" signing. And even with him, many people complained offseason after offseason about him being overpaid and a possible cut-candidate. Last year was probably the best offseason Beane has had in Free Agency since becoming the Bills General Manager. Especially when you consider the limits he had in salary cap space. He was able to grab depth bargains everywhere by simply being patient, waiting until other teams ran out of money, and THEN going after guys who missed on the musical chairs. Hey, you didn't get the $$ contract you wanted, but you can still play on a Super Bowl contender. Sure, not every signing worked out. But he did get some strong contributors (Leonard Floyd, Taylor Rapp, David Edwards, Jordan Poyer, Jordan Phillips, Shaq Lawson returning, etc.) and wasn't tied-down to any long-term contracts. Josh Allen's restructure was a glimpse into Beane's thinking. The fact that he only moved part of the contract tells me that he's got a clear plan, and didn't need it all.

Bills need an outside receiver/downfield threat. Hunter Renfrow is a slot guy.

Brandon Beane's job is to make the Bills roster as competitive as possible, year-in and year-out. Period. Jordan Poyer sacrificed his body for this team for the last 7 years, and was easily one of the best players in Buffalo for that duration. So I know that he and his family probably feel betrayed to see him released by the Bills. But unfortunately that is the way this business works. No matter how close he becomes with a player over time, Beane must consider the cap hit. He must consider age and declining performance. Just like Poyer was given the ability to test Free Agency last year. It wasn't personal. It was the guy's last chance at a big contract, and unfortunately it wasn't the big payout he expected.

Glad we aren't jumping on this ridiculous WR market, and I hope Beane doesn't get desperate and buckle. People are freaking out about Noah Brown and Darnell Mooney. Last year the names were Jakobi Meyers and Parris Campbell. These guys are mediocre complimentary pieces who need to be 4th-5th in the target hierarchy. Maybe $2-3 million per year. Not $8-10 million. Stefon Diggs is our #1 target. Dalton Kincaid is #2. Khalil Shakir should be #3. We still have Dawson Knox and James Cook. I get the need to add another receiver. But everyone needs to calm down.

Wow. It's amazing how quickly the fanbase has turned on Diggs. Yes, he was absolutely an elite WR from 2020 until the midway point last year. Legit argument for the best route-runner in the league. Will possibly go down as the best WR in Buffalo Bills history, even over Hall of Famer Andre Reed. Not sure there is a single WR in the league I would "build a franchise" around. That's something you pretty much reserve for Quarterbacks and the rare Pass Rusher (TJ Watt, Micah Parsons, etc.)

The first announcement I want to hear is a DaQuan Jones re-sign. After that, I can wait 2-3 days and let them start looking at the bargains wanting to latch-on with a contender.

These kinds of signings are really how you win in Free Agency. The big splash ones are usually the mistakes. Leonard Floyd, Connor McGovern and Taylor Rapp were all very good signings, who helped the team quite a bit. DaQuan Jones, Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde were also cheap deals when we first got them.

Most of the Bills "elite" talent has fallen off in the past 1-2 seasons. - Tre White was elite until the ACL and Achilles injuries - Micah Hyde was elite until the neck injury last year - Von Miller was elite until the ACL tear - Jordan Poyer was elite, but has been on gradual decline for the last two seasons - Matt Milano was elite, but missed all of last year with a leg injury - Stefon Diggs was elite until about mid-way through last season It's certainly fair to question if the Bills have enough elite talent right now (March 2024) to compete with the top teams in the league. But it's not accurate to say Brandon Beane has failed to bring in elite talent over the last few years, or that Josh Allen is somehow being asked to do everything himself. This has easily been one of the best rosters in the NFL for 3-4 seasons now. I agree that we currently have a TON of B or B+ level players. What needs to happen is for a few of these young guys to step to the next level and become elite. Ed Oliver seems close. I could see Rasul Douglas getting there under this coaching staff. Greg Rousseau has the potential. Terrel Bernard flashed that kind of ability. So has James Cook. Dalton Kincaid and O'Cyrus Torrence have the talent to get there.

San Francisco couldn't get anything out of him. That was during a Super Bowl run, and with the O-Line focusing their blocking on other players like Nick Bosa. At this point, I just don't think it's going to click for Young.

Anyone can just rattle off a bunch of names. They show zero knowledge of this team or how they have impacted the Bills success. Most of the "losses" you just threw up here contributed little or nothing last year. Siran Neal and Deonte Harty were worthless outside of a couple special teams plays. Trent Sherfield had one nice catch against the Dolphins. Ryan Bates almost never got on the field. Matt Araiza, really? Even Tre White has barely played in the last 2.5 years. Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer were the best safety duo in the NFL... about 2 years ago. Hyde missed almost the entire 2022 season and was a fraction of himself last year. Poyer was banged up all of 2022 and clearly lost a step this last season too. He also spent a good chunk of time playing coverage linebacker (for Matt Milano), meaning Taylor Rapp has already proven a solid fill-in at the actual safety spot. Truth is, we haven't gotten an All-Pro duo since 2021 and have been better than good in the secondary. Considering half the starting safeties in the NFL are set to be available in FA, the belief this is a strong draft at that position, and our front office/coaching staff's past in developing that position... we should be MORE than confident the Bills will find good replacements. I can understand the concern about Center after losing Mitch Morse. But the Bills did re-sign David Edwards and still have a good starting 5 players on the O-Line. Connor McGovern does have a bunch of experience at Center too. And above all... it's absolutely ridiculous to judge ANY roster before Free Agency or the draft has even begun. The Bills still have around 40 slots to fill. Consider what our team looked like LAST YEAR at exactly this time: - Needed two starting guards: (Later added McGovern, Edwards and O'Cyrus Torrence) - Needed a starting right tackle: (Spencer Brown developed) - Needed another pass rusher: (Signed Leonard Floyd) - Needed a starting middle linebacker: (Terrell Bernard developed) - Needed a starting strong safety: (Jordan Poyer re-signed) Not to mention the depth we added at Running Back (Damien Harris, Latavius Murray), Tight End (Dalton Kincaid), Defensive Tackle (Poona Ford), Safety (Rapp).

I'll be honest. This one was a surprise after the Ryan Bates trade.

These types of moves are always the toughest. Knowing Micah Hyde won't be back next season was sad. But he's had some pretty serious injuries the last couple years. It's very possible he will end up retiring anyway. But Jordan Poyer was always a great team player, and likely still has some juice left in the tank. Maybe not an All-Pro level anymore, but I still think he's a starting safety in the NFL. The hardest one (Tre White) is probably still coming. With Rasul Douglas being restructured, it's almost a given at this point.

Football is a team sport. Outside of the handful of times an elite Quarterback hit the market (Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady), it's going to be really tough to find any Free Agent who can be given credit for single-handedly putting his team over the top. But you can look at almost any Super Bowl winning team and come up with a legit argument how their Free Agent signings contributed. The Chiefs are almost entirely homegrown through the draft. But even they used free agency to upgrade their O-Line (Joe Thuney, Donovan Smith) and safety (Justin Reid). Both were areas that held them back in previous years.

You forgot to mention the ridiculous expectations by the fanbase. They never forget about the missed picks (Boogie Basham, Zack Moss) or the prospects they should have taken (Creed Humphrey). But somehow nobody EVER remembers the college guys they were pounding the table for... who ultimately became absolute busts. For example, I came across the name Ifeatu Melifonwu the other day. It brought back all the memories of people freaking out when we passed him up. I'm old enough to remember when a large number of Bills fans were crying how Beane was always too conservative in Free Agency, and needed to make a splash to get past Kansas City. He ended up making the move for Von Miller. It looked like a great decision for 10 weeks. Then Miller tears his ACL, and the narrative totally flips to how stupid it was to sign him.

I've seen several media folks break it down: Josh Allen's restructure is already written into his contract and an absolute guarantee at this point. That will clear over $23 million alone. Extending Dion Dawkins and Taron Johnson (both are free agents in 2024) also seem like no-brainer moves. Those would clear another $10 million plus. Make a decision about cornerback between Tre White and Rasul Douglas. Keep one. Cut one. And boom, we are back to a positive number. That's without putting a significant burden into future years, or making a significant cut from the roster. Depending on how active we choose to be in free agency, the Bills could clear an additional $30-40 million with additional restructures, cuts, extensions, etc.