Bleeding Bills Blue

Yeah, its a mess. Can't put them in prime time because then you're competing with NHL/NBA/MLB and even other things like Wrestling and reality tv. So now you're airing on weekend days like the NFL/NCAA but, there's still going to be some competition with other sports (plus playoffs for NHL and NBA) and you add in golf.

Gurley is a good example of the other piece of "value" being availability. The contract went SO badly for them, that i think it caused some of the noted de-escalation in AAV. Since running back is the most injury prone position, I would think the agent's are now putting a higher emphasis on % guaranteed vs. boosting the AAV. The cap % comparison will be important for the next batch of young players getting contracts, and honestly there's so many backs that I think every GM is in wait and see mode. Next year free agents: Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker, Kyren Williams, James Cook, Brian Robinson, Isiah Pacheco, Travis Etienne, Rachaad White, Jaylen Warren, plus any cap dumps. Bijan and Gibbs are coming up on extension elibibility, and they're the ones most likely to exceed Barkleys number. Jonathan Taylor also needs an extension. Should be interesting.

I think putting some of these teams in enormous stadiums is weird, and the TV money is really the only thing that keeps this going. They have fewer teams and games than the NLL for example, and average less attendance than the bandits. They limit the roster size more than the NFL does to keep payroll down. I'm sure travel and expenses cuts a lot of that. Pro football requires a certain size of surface so something like a tour becomes challenging as you have to either use university or NFL resources. Even premier league teams tour in the offseason, but with UFL money its going to be difficult - and part of what makes sports exciting is rooting for your team.

I think they were right to move on from barkley personally, but the bigger mistake was hanging onto jones. They wanted one of the top 2 guys in a pretty loaded 2024 class, and ended up on a WR which was not the answer to turning jones into a useful QB. Nabers will be a good player, but now you're getting Dart off the board later in the 1st vs. a draft where 6 went in the top 12. I don't know enough about QB talent to gauge what that means, but it feels a lot like drafting daniel jones the year after mayfield allen jackson & darnold.

Yeah. Screams crash and burn to me. The defense seems interesting at least with some really great players like holland burns and lawrence + a shiny new pass rusher. I just see them fading in a tough division as a team with a consistently poor offensive line, which is especially challenging when your QB's are russell wilson and a rookie. Daboll's teams usually aren't that great at running the ball - the only time's they're near the top of the league is when allen or jones had basically their career high in rushing yards. I can't believe he wasn't fired tbh. Sunk cost I guess, or just whiffed on the good candidates this time around. Dart will get a new coach next year. Spinning the wheels 🙂

Dang, i had klein too but somehow he got deleted. And he sucked when he played there too 🙂

Oh man this will be fun... This is who i came up with as players who were there at the same time as McDermott: Kelvin Benjamin Joe Webb Leonard Johnson Mike Tolbert Star Lotulelei Vernon Butler Dean Marlowe Josh Norman Mario Addison Kurt Coleman Daryl Williams Shaq Thompson Greg Van Roten

I've seen him play plenty to know he's not worth keeping on the 53.

Seems logical. Bosa is in all likelihood going to miss a few too. If he makes an impact in spot play, he'd likely stick to the end of the season. Not a terrible spot to be in since i don't see anyone taking that DE6 spot from him. No "guaranteed" playing time, but you got 6 weeks with 2 guys missing on the DL - Bosa on a snap count, a rookie, Groot, and AJE. He should play quite a bit there, and if he plays well then you have decisions to make. Hoecht playing some special teams means you can probably keep one less DE.

They added 3 players who can play DE though - bosa, jackson, hoecht.

I expect him to push for a spot on the end of the roster.

Their offensive line investment has been considerable and they still looked relatively inept last year. Rodgers under center and in play action have been some of his better numbers so that aligns with the offense there. The leg injury is a concern though, as is his general point of view towards everyone.

So many good quotes from this show... my personal favorite: "With this caliber? At this range? Even if i miss i can't miss"

He's great as a depth safety. He knows the players around him, the checks, the calls. He's a minus as an athlete though, and id say a poor tackler. But those are the same weak traits of someone like cam lewis. Your backups likely won't be both plus athletes and heady knowledgeable guys. Those guys are usually just... starters.

I mean... that too. But they got something going on there.

Yeah have to agree. No one from Hamlin, lewis, forest, or hancock is really a lock in the safety room. There's also no major cap ramifications cutting anyone for a UDFA, since the UDFA salary is so low. Also - the 4th safety? He's a special teamer... so that goes into the evaluation as well.

That ringing in the background always does it for me.

They went 6-0 last year in the division - the vikings are in a weird spot since i'd assume their offense will take a step back, the packers are a solid team, and the bears spent a lot to improve protection for their QB. They have a tough road slate and a few more outdoor games than a year ago. They always have 2 outdoor games - GB and Chicago. Last year they only had 3 with SF being the 3rd. This season they have 6 games outside - Baltimore, Cincinnati, KC, Washington, in addition to GB and Chicago (in january). I don't think they miss the playoffs, but there's a decent chance they don't win their division when you add in uncommons of LAR, TB, and KC. Minnesota gets Atlanta, Chargers, and seattle. GB gets Arizona, Carolina, and Denver. In a tough division those 3 games can make a huge difference if these teams can knock off detroit once or twice.

Yes - and the fines are outlined in the CBA that was agreed upon with the league and NFLPA. I don't think cook has made enough money to hold out actual games though (He's made like 4M total over 3 years). I think he'll show up simply because the escalator in his contract pays him more than he'd been paid total in the 3 prior seasons, and holdouts that last into the season tend to hurt your earning potential. Le'veon Bell had been tagged the prior season when he sat out in 2018, so he had some money. Reddick last year had been paid a decent chunk of change as well prior to his holdout. If they're negotiating an extension with the Bills currently, regardless of 10, 12, 15M AAV - he shouldn't play until it's signed. Once a decision is made there, then show up. If you're extended, great - if not, you still have to play to get the bag in the offseason.

CBA pretty much outlines the terms of holdouts too, so that to me would imply that its not altogether uncommon.

In a sport with an insanely short shelf-life, at a position with the highest risk of injury in the sport, i do not blame a player for doing what they gotta do to get paid.

If AJ Epenesa can get 3 sacks in the super bowl, I am happy to pay him 80M of TP's money

Solid player when he was in Buffalo, netted Harrison Phillips in the trade too so they got a little something out of it.

I don't know and I'm not going to dig and find out for you.

I agree, i just think there's more to player evaluation than when the ball is explicitly given to him.