Kirby Jackson

It becomes what is “significantly less?” Allen taking $5M less than Dak isn’t a problem. If Josh took $20M less AAV than Tua, they’d have an issue. While the NFLPA isn’t as powerful as the MLB or NBA players unions, they can’t let that happen. It breaks the whole market. Brady didn’t take way less than the market. He took less than he could have gotten but he wasn’t the 22nd highest paid QB.

You don’t think that they liked paying for 30k+ posts? 🤣🤣

Whether or not they should pay them market value is a different question. Teams “being dumb” is how value is set. That’s how it works in sports. The players receive a % of the league revenue. It’s up to the teams to decide how to spend to that %. If Benford can get north of $20M AAV and Cook can get north of $12M AAV, why should they take less? Do you take less than your market value at your job? I moved to this company because my last company didn’t meet my market value. The market spoke and I moved. That’s the way that the world works.

You don’t care what they would get as FAs but they’re not worth what they think? That’s what I’m challenging. That’s not how it works. What the market will pay IS what their value is. That’s what they, and their representation, will be using to determine the contract. Otherwise, the players won’t sign here. Maybe Benford and/or Cook gets tagged next year but they aren’t going to take less than their value.

How much AAV would each get, if they were FAs today? I gave you the numbers that I think are realistic. It’s fine if you disagree with the $12.5 AAV and $24M AAV that I tossed out. Go on record with what you think each would get as FAs.

Yep!! This is the kind of stuff that we get until @Virgil starts the mock draft threads. That’s when the conversation gets going again.

We have officially reached peak offseason

So that’s new money. If they gave Benford a 3 year extension at $75M, that would amount to 4 years at an average of $19.6M. That’s a bargain IMO. If he hits the market next year, and is healthy all year, he will get that.

What do you think Benford is worth in this marketplace? Cook? They just understand the marketplace. In a world where, Carlton Davis, Paulson Adebo and Charvarius Ward are getting $18M AAV and Derek Stingley is getting $30M AAV where does that leave Benford? $24M AAV? Is he “overvaluing his worth” if that’s what he’s asking for? No, he’s looking to the marketplace to see what’s he’s worth. Will the Bills pay that? I think so. If he was a free agent today, would someone else pay that? Absolutely. The same goes for Cook. I think it settles at $12.5M AAV. Maybe a little more after the Barkley deal but that feels fair. If Cook was a free agent today, would he get that? 100% he would. We can’t look at Bills players in a vacuum when determining their worth. The market dictates their worth.

I don’t think so. He’s the league MVP. As an example, and an obviously unrealistic one, if Allen agreed to a 5 year, $100M extension, the NFLPA would take issue. It throws off the whole market. Now players are entitled to roughly 1/2 of the league’s revenue so it’ll be redeployed elsewhere, but that messes up the entire market. That would create complete chaos in the marketplace.

Sorry for the confusion. I was saying MAYBE they could wait until the 3rd for a DT that could start because of the depth of the class. I don’t suspect that they will but it’s possible. They could have their eyes on a handful of guys that are available in the late 2nd and hold off. As those guys come off the board, they jump up using some day 3 picks to get a 3rd (maybe like a Collins or Walker or West or Phillips).

He didn’t get open before the injury either. I mean, if you want to believe that the wrist was the reason that he couldn’t get open, go for it. He’s never beaten man coverage with hand fighting. That wasn’t what held him back after the injury.

I’m somewhere between “stayed the same” and “mildly improved.” I like that they retained some talent. I like the additions and think that they raise the floor and, in some cases, the ceiling. The draft will tell us how much better the roster is.

They really need him to be good. They are counting on it. He has some skills but the concerns coming out were on display last year. I don’t think he reaches Gabe’s level but he could be “early Gabe.” He can be a change of pace guy that makes some plays down the field. He’s also physical and a good blocker. He can help in the running game. I just don’t see him ever becoming a consistent producer as a WR because of his lack of separation. Throwing to covered guys isn’t efficient. To bring this back on topic, a WR is on the table in the first 2 rounds. It has to be. DT/CB/WR/Edge and MAYBE safety if an elite player is there.

If he had 1 leg, catching 10 of 29 would be awful. He was coming back from a wrist injury. That shouldn’t have impacted his ability to get open at all. His lack of separation will cap his ceiling as a role player. You can’t get 7 or 8 targets a game if you’re covered all 7 or 8 times you’re thrown to. It’s just not efficient. Keon is going to have to become a player that he wasn’t last year or in college. He MUST become a different player or he’s James Hardy. He’s a guy that you’ll throw some jump balls to and hope that he wins in the air down the field. He will see 4 balls a game and be a 40-50 catch guy.

I’m not sure that the bold strengthens the case against Rice/Worthy. It further adds to the point that those guys put up numbers despite having those guys not scaring anyone. Kincaid and Coleman not getting a lot of targets is as much a function of their ability to get open as it is the scheme. It’s an indictment on both of them. Coleman caught 10 of his last 29 targets!! That’s insanely bad. Rice and Worthy get the ball because they get open.

Rice had 79 for 938 and 7 TDs as a rookie. Last year, he was off to a monster start. He caught 24 balls in 4 games!! That’s a pace of 102 catches, 1,224 and 8 TDs. He looks like a star if he can stay out of trouble. Neither Kincaid, nor Coleman, have shown anywhere near that level. In fact, I’d trade them both, tomorrow, for Rice (assuming no suspension and healthy) or Puka.

I’m not going to MMQB it because I liked the Kincaid pick at the time (or at least didn’t hate it). With the benefit of hindsight though, both Rice and Puka are far superior players.

Makes sense…

So the Bills have to wait on WR because they are locked into a top 30 (MAYBE 25) WR room? That doesn’t make sense. Maybe they wait because of holes elsewhere (specifically CB2) but not because of the guys that they have. I’d say WR goes right with those 3 defensive positions and DT is the deepest position in the draft. They could move into the 3rd and find a starter there.

Thank me later: https://www.smoking-meat.com/how-to-reverse-sear-smoked-ribeye-steaks

I agree. 1 year and $5M was my number. That’s not likely, but at that, it’s worth the gamble. Even if you get last years version, you’d be in great shape. Highly doubt it but that’s what it would take

I don’t think so either. There is a number however, where I would welcome it. I have no emotional reaction to his “nonsense” and assume that the Bills feel the same way. If he’s really cheap, it’s worth the gamble. If he’s not, hard pass.

Probably right at this point. If he signed like a 1 year, $5M deal though, I’d probably change my mind.

I might be in the minority but I have no emotional thoughts about Diggs coming back, good or bad. I didn’t have emotions when he left. If they bring him back on a team-friendly deal, fine. If they don’t, fine. He was a great player. He, likely, isn’t a great player anymore. I don’t care about social media or everybody eats or anything like that. If he can help the team at the right number, I’m in. If not, the Bills should pass. Decisions should be made ONLY through the lens of, “what needs to be done to win a Super Bowl?” Nothing else matters