Bleeding Bills Blue

I think the depth at CB, S, DT, and DE are a bit concerning. I hope they draft a back late just to get a cheap option on the books - sick of signing league minimum vets who aren't very good. Safety - still free agents out there that could be interesting options if they decide to add a vet and keep rapp as a 3rd safety. CB - Several late round picks, i'd expect we use one here DT - 3T has a gaping hole behind oliver. Considering the pass rush can be somewhat reliant upon this position, i'd put a quality player on a rookie deal as among the more important things to walk away from in this draft DE - Rousseau is about off his rookie deal, doesn't need to be super high but another position where they need to find someone to contribute today with upside into the future.

Buffalo has the following picks in 2024 - 28, 60, 128, 133, 144, 160, 163, 200 or 204, and 248. I don't expect them to draft all of them - but i would think 6-7 picks this year. Use some to move around as add-ons in a deal to move up. I'd put the needs at - WR - Probably 2. I don't think they need to double dip in the first 2 rounds. OL - 2 of our current starters are on rookie deals, but its always smart to invest in this position group because it keeps your QB upright, and physical defensive lines have given us issues come playoff time. Just continue to add here every year. DT - Austin Johnson fills the settle role, but they need a younger player under contract in this rotation at 3T. DE - Depends if Miller ever becomes a useful player again, and what you think of Toohill and Jonathan. Could be a target in the 2nd. CB - Losing dane and Tre. We've had some success with later round picks here and I'd expect 1 or 2 this season. In the past you had benford/elam/jackson so the late round picks had their work cut out for them - but with the depth of ingram and lewis, rookies can definitely make this team. S - Like the guys they grabbed, but middle rounds can find some pretty good players. Depth here is pretty meh.

Now do Teddy Bridgewater 😄

I do like his ability to separate when plays break down FWIW... which happens frequently with Allen at QB. I don't see any way we are adding a veteran through trade. Maybe they grab someone post-draft or post-june when they free up some space, but it'd likely be just a 1yr type of stopgap.

If you aren't planning to sign, or balking at the price? I would think the giants would be the first team I would call.

Would probably be spencer brown if they moved either.

Thomas jr. In a trade up - I think he'll be able to use his speed to be a scramble drill monster. Shakir Samuel Javon baker - I just like watching this guy play.in a deep deep class he might be there later Hollins

I feel like we do need to add to the lines - either a guard or 3T. Safety is also a possibility for a guy who can potentially start day 1. If they move up and grab someone in the first then I'd expect a 4th to be another WR and you use a pick to manuever your way around to get a guy you like that slips a little. NGL I bet Josh is excited for this draft, i know i am pumped.

Things I like - They are being built to play in december and january. Kincaid and Knox are a real 1-2 punch that can grind games out in the end of season. Hoping a healthy knox can return to form and be a red zone weapon again, and Kincaid can keep the chains moving. I like them to add an offensive lineman in this draft, hopefully someone in the nasty mold. Open to a late round running back as well - I have no issues with cook, but sometimes you can find a gem if you actually give them a chance to play and develop (not sign Murray). Things I don't like - Not only are we weak at the top of the depth chart, but we have like 0 depth at WR. There will be 2 WR's selected in the draft this season who will play meaningful roles - and there will be lumps there. I really do like Shakir as a player - he reminds me a bit of nacua and that guys solid. Curtis Samuel is an interesting piece... but he's just a piece of the puzzle kinda guy. Hollins is your #5/6 special teams guy. There's like 3 open spots - there's no way its as good as a unit that had the same 2 guys in it for 4 years.

The additional cap hit is... fairly meaningless. Its easier to just look at it like... imagine if he blew out his knee. He's on IR. The cap hits the cap hit - and he doesn't play.

We tried it in the red zone, never really worked but jump balls are as much a QB thing as a WR thing. Reading corner leverage, etc. They move Kupp around quite a bit, especially with Nacua. Also didn't realize Kupp is on his age 31 season.

Could always use the 2nd to get back into the 3rd this year and double dip at WR without moving up. Need two guys anyway

Yeah - i feel like cook ran considerably more too fwiw. We just ran more in general. He's good in the same way that Adams and Kupp are. He's very quick, has good hands, and is a superb route runner.

Again though - 6-6 going into that last stretch and its basically like all playoff games. I'm not counting carries/touches/whatever. Did the defense really play that much better down the stretch? In some ways yes - in others... we carried a considerable advantage in time of possession in all of the games except the chargers game which... was the game we almost gave away as both sides of the ball played pretty poorly.

I'd say - much like a midseason addition at WR struggling to make an impact - an offensive coordinator replacement always somewhat has their hands tied. It felt like we went to a lot of similar concepts and checks, option route concepts, we ran the ball a LOT, and relied on josh's running ability more than we should have. But the team was floundering at 6-6 and looking at missing the playoffs, so you just.. do what you gotta do to win.

I'm going to go 11-6 again. 4-2 in division. 3-1 in the NFC west. 7-3 3-1 in the AFC south - 10-4 1-2 in the KC/Balt/Detroit - 11-6 I also could see Houston as a playoff miss (Jags were my pick last year and i got pretty damn lucky :-)). The shift from a last place to 1st place schedule - (Ravens, Cowboys, Chiefs vs. Jets, Broncos, Cardinals as non-commons), as well as playing the NFC North vs. South (i know the vikings and bears will be bad, but the falcons and panthers are also bad), and then factoring in improvements made by all the teams in their division. I dunno, doesn't seem that farfetched.

Right... what did this affect our super bowl chances by? a percent? less?

I think its likely to be two rookies. If your QB has a huge cap hit, you really need a few rookie contracts in the room. I think we work the phones to try and get one of the "big 3" this year. I also think the possibility exists to move one of those 2nd's next year to try and grab a WR who they might have a higher grade on in something like the 3rd round this year if they sit in the 1st.

KC and the Rams seemed to get a lot of production out of picks 55 and 177. Dell in the 3rd round was contributing. Josh Downs. Jayden Reed. This draft is supposed to be better than that one.

And the other guy who everyone hated.

Cook was 4th in the league in rushing... and they spent a 1st round pick on a move TE. Josh allen is - im going to say... a little better than sam howell. The best WR in the 2023 rookie class was... a 5th round slot WR.

It was likely he'd be gone next year with von. Now you have that cap space in 2025. Void years, restructures, it all takes a toll to keep the band together. Now they are a bit more prepared to enter 2025 with the ability to acquire impact players through trade and free agency. They also look to acquire a couple of comp picks in 2025 as well.

They were 6-6.. if you lose any of the remaining 5 games they would have missed the playoffs. You do what you have to in that scenario.

If you planned to move a 2025 pick though, it helps fill out that draft potentially.

Yea with all the bad WRs coming out of LSU the last couple of years.