Bleeding Bills Blue

I kind of agreed that it made no sense from a cap perspective to create space to then use that space with dead money - but they did it and the team was fine in 2024 and better positioned in 2025. I do like that they go a bit more in depth onto things. Keon coleman has a low separation grade - ok... lets see why on actual plays. Is it speed? Route running polish?: Challenges with release? etc.

None of that 120 contributes to the run game, or protecting their QB.

Well i don't know that a depth safety knocking hamlin off the roster makes sense at 30, if you like a player at 30 to be a potential stud in your defense at safety i think pulling the trigger is appropriate.

This is part of the reason having all those picks is valuable. You can use them to maneuver - but I'd be shocked if a safety and a nickel with some size aren't priorities. Same goes with another linebacker to replace spector and another option for post-milano WLB.

Yeah... like if someone were to ask me if XXXX said something about an incident with Wiley the day after it occurred - and that date of this alleged conversation was even 10 years ago, i would not be able to definitively say anything. I also think defense cross examination would expose me as an unreliable witness.

Yes he is. Next question.

Then you get the players who are released in cap crunches looking for a new home. If they were still superstars they probably wouldn't be the cap casualty.

They were not, they would definitely have cut him next season though. Agreed. This season's the best season to plan for post-milano.

Right on Knox - we haven't figured out how to use these guys to stretch the field enough. Another year in system though, so maybe a new wrinkle. They also need to use these guys in the red zone more. His abilities to block are likely going to reflect positively when you look at the least sacked team in the league, and a top 10 rushing attack.

I think end of the day - they are in fine shape. I think a few things need to happen this season: More targets to shakir (100 up to closer to 130 - best hands and best wiggle to turn short plays into longer ones), and more targets to kincaid. Maybe tack an additional 50 onto that pair. Last year the group of players Coleman, Hollins, Samuel, and Cooper had 218 targets. Coleman, Palmer, Samuel somewhere in the 175 range total would be ideal. RB rotation is fine - all can catch and ty johnson plays more 3rd downs. We tend to not use them for check downs and short stuff as that tends to go to kincaid and shakir.

They have literally done nothing to improve on a bad defense, a line that doesn't protect well, or a bad running attack. They have 6 picks. The 3 players they pay all this money to... were on the team last year that went 9-8 and missed the playoffs, and their pay indicates they are among the best at their positions. Free agency doesn't fix all of your problems, but what's the point of cap space... and making cap space with extensions... if you don't use any of the cap space to improve your roster?

If the #5 plays on special teams.. shavers should have a chance for that gameday activation spot imo.

They need to nail this draft or the house of cards is going to go tumbling down. The fact that they waited to get this done until AFTER free agency is the most telling piece to me. Higgins tag was 26M cap hit and Chases 5th year option was 21.8M. 0 sense of urgency to spend to the cap, or to get these deals done. You do it before free agency starts and you show the league you're serious about paying your players, and you can add void years to maximize cap space. You do it after when you want good PR after literally signing like no one. I think yes - but having a pair of great WRs sure makes it easier to throw up 1x1's when the chiefs blitz.

10 picks is a lot of picks too

Shenault isn't really a core special teamer and has never returned a punt.

It always seems like a good idea, then somehow 6 weeks in we're scrambling and have Hyde or Shakir out there catching them. Codrington shouldn't be guaranteed a job (he was actually quite good at returns last year though) - but Harty, Roberts, and Hines didn't really do much for the offense either and all of them cost considerably more in an attempt to get more out of that roster spot. I'd throw mckenzie in there too, but he didn't inspire confidence as a returner even with the TD against Miami.

I'm not sure this guys gonna make the roster, especially if he doesn't return punts. I suppose it's good to have guys like this in camp though in case of emergency.

Between him and John Franklin-Myers those were two guys that always gave buffalo issues, and wilkins and howard for miami. And now they're allllll gone 🙂

Its tough to find those players. If the player was good - they're probably not a free agent at all, let alone at a young age. The league tends to give more chances to players like an Elam because of draft pedigree, and you realistically only have a 4 year window to make an impact before you're obselete. The league brings in 100s of new players every season, which just makes back of roster battles that much more difficult. You hit free agency and its like every team has a young safety, or pass rusher, or whatever - and the draft coming up. Usually the ones that do have a 2nd half of a career do so by being involved with special teams. Justin Watson, Mack Hollins, or Kalif Raymond for example.

I'd say on a lower buy basis (avoiding guys like morse/brown/bease/sanders), and not counting any UDFAs (which are pure value because they're the cheapest players in the league)- some of the examples that come to mind as relative successes: David Edwards Taylor Rapp Daryl Williams Jon Feliciano Quinton Spain

Elam going makes no change to what they need to do address the position. They likely need 2 boundary corners, and i don't think anyone from the group of Ingram, Lewis, Forrest, or Hamlin should feel that their job is safe. 10 draft picks is a lot - positions of need (including depth): WR - Only 4 under contract currently, and only 1 on a rookie deal. Guard - Seems to be the weaker of the position groups. TE - Late round potential type of scenario with knox approaching the end of his deal. Wouldn't be shocked to see knox stick for far less money here though. DE - Bosa makes this position a lot more dangerous for 2025, but its another band-aid on a position that hasn't been a strength. DT - Would like to see a younger 1T as would everyone else. LB - Milano will start here this year (assuming healthy), but he's likely gone in 2026. Williams played alright, but I'm not sure his processing will ever be anything better than alright. Spector, andreesen, and ulofoshio are all very replaceable and upgradeable. CB2 - Could be one of first 3 picks. CB3 - Elams gone, and we were mostly afraid to play him, feels like a good use of one of the 5ths Nickel - Lewis played fine in some limited spots, but he's smaller and it might be time to start planning for a potential future without TJ S - Hamlin and forrest are both easily moved away from if you bring in a player who has more upside and future Punter - I'd expect an UDFA here

Even Roseman makes mistakes: Jalen Reagor over jefferson, Wentz extension, agholor, even Huff last year - there's a ton of examples. The key is trusting your eyes in practice and on film, and not waiting too long to make changes and continue to add players to valued position groups.

His fate was largely sealed in 2023 - they wanted to improve what they were getting with dane jackson, and instead of turning to elam they traded for douglas. You really can't come back from that in the same organization. I had him as a likely cut this season as did probably everyone else. Turning this situation into draft capital to use in 2025 is a bonus - i figured some late round pick in 2027 was best case scenario. Dallas is just going back to the scouting report they had on the player that they probably loved at draft time - and you see if there's anything there. Pretty low-risk for them, so we'll see i guess.

Yeah, i'm more concerned with him and hamlins angles.

I actually found run support to be the thing our safeties struggled the most with.