Kirby Jackson

FWIW, on Bovada his o/u is 975.5 yards and 6.5 TDs. I LOVE the over on the yards assuming he stays healthy. The TD number is a bit of a coin flip IMO.

The Bills paid a premium for Diggs and it wasn't because they wanted another body. Diggs was brought here because the Bills needed a number 1. They needed a guy that defenses have to game plan for. They didn’t have that. He wasn’t brought here to “fit in.” They have the solid role players already. Diggs was brought in to be a difference maker. As such they are going to try to get him the football. The number in my head is 8 targets a game or 128 on the season. For some perspective there were 18 NFL receivers last year that averaged 8 or more targets per game. We need to relearn what it is like to have stars. We are so accustomed to role players that we really don’t understand what having elite players does. John Brown and Beasley are nice NFL receivers. Diggs is a star. While the stats don’t always show the difference, the tape and the opposing game plan do. If he’s healthy the Bills are going to look to him often and in a variety of ways.

I believe that re Bills will target him 8 times a game on average. If you take his career on a per target basis you are looking at: 87 catches 1,108 yards 7 TDs That’s what I’ll roll with.

I’ve always had this idea that a segment of fans should dress like the sparrows from Game of Thrones. Basically, they follow opposing fans walk from the parking lot to the stadium as if it were the walk of atonement. Shame, shame, shame

Wasn’t meant to be confrontational. I’m sorry that you took it as such. The point was that everyone has a different level of tolerance. What they don’t have is control to change what they don’t like. The only power that they have is to tune out and if enough people do the league may react to avoid losing more money. Your options are continue to engage or walk away. Those are the two options that we are presented with whether we like it or or. It is personal. For me, I really don’t care either way. I’m going to continue watching regardless. Some people are done already. Some are watching kicking and screaming. The “stick to sports” people want all messages to be removed. Unfortunately for them I don’t see that happening anytime soon. It comes back to tolerance. When it becomes “too much” for a segment of people and the bottom line gets hit the leagues will react accordingly. What is the tipping point? At the moment it doesn’t feel like they believe that they are close to that tipping point. They have been much more vocal than before and that’s because the data shows that the message will widely be accepted.

You’re welcome to turn away from the games like you do social media. That’s the point. People are going to be people. I don’t disagree that it is going to be in your face at all times. You need to decide if you want to proceed watching knowing that will be the case. You have the option to keep going or to bow out. No one is forcing you, or anyone, to engage. The level that people will tolerate is different in all cases but it is personal. The players/league are coming to an agreement as to how they want to activate their platform and we decide if it is acceptable to us. For me, personally, I’m good either way. I’m not tuning in or out regardless of the message. Everyone is different though. Fair enough

The players DID get authority from the top. These things are collectively bargained. The “Black Lives Matter” on the court in the bubble, for example, is an agreement between the players and league (ie ownership). The phrases on the backs of jerseys are the same thing. This was all agreed to by the parties. The only person, that I’ve seen, that has objected is Kelly Loeffler and her role as an owner of the Atlanta Dream. Other than that this has been a joint effort of ownership and players.

This is kind of where I’m at. I just can’t wrap my head around how anyone can be bothered by someone else using their platform to convey a message important to THEM? No one is forcing you to do anything. They have been shaped by their environment and experiences. Their perception of this country and situation is different from yours or mine. We all have different experiences that shape our values and beliefs. I don’t understand telling someone else that THEIR (again not your) beliefs are wrong. Musicians and athletes have used their platforms for decades to put a spotlight on the issues that are important to them. How you choose to embrace or oppose those messages is up to you. We shouldn’t be shouting down the messengers though!! The “I’m not watching if____” people are doing exactly that. The “I don’t want politics in sports” people are the same way. Unfortunately sports are played by people with a massive audience and influence. It’s ALWAYS going to be that way so get used to it. Don’t have an issue with them using their platforms. That makes you a bad person. Having a differing opinion from the message is the foundation of this country. Stop blaming the messenger and discuss the message!! This thread has had a little of both. If you are “stick to sports” guy/girl spend sometime in the mirror asking why you’re mad at the messenger?

No offense but this is incredibly hypocritical. You are saying that I have to express myself but I won’t accept other people expressing theirs. We are absolutely a free society. That’s the entire point. You can express your opinion and they can express yours.

He was!! You talked about Bills fans bending a knee to a Marxist organization. His ask was we don’t hate players/coaches if they take a knee. Basically his ask is that we respect people’s right to express themselves whether we agree or not. Again, it’s a pretty simple ask.

He never asked the players to “bend the knee to a Marxist movement!!” He asked people to respect the players and coaches regardless of if their viewpoint is the same or different from yours. It’s honestly a pretty simple ask. Don’t be an a-hole isn’t exactly a high bar.

Didn’t mean to talk over your head Lenz! Lol, just google it. SPOILER: when Thanos gets all of the infinity stones he eliminates half of the people in the world. That’s a must. Thank God for Costco

He said that Buffalo was the worst that he experienced. I’m not surprised though. As evidenced by this thread, it isn’t something that people are very accepting to. Add that to drunk and aggressive Bills fans and it’s a recipe for an ugly situation. I fully expect the majority, to all, of the players and coaches to kneel. This place is going to EXPLODE.

You can come watch with us if you want. I know it’s a 6 or 7 hour ride but the offer stands.

Just wait until the entire team kneels during the anthem on game 1. TBD will look like Thanos just got the last infinity stone. Gene will never watch another football game lol.

This thread is a lot...

You SOB I was coming with an original version of that and you stepped on my punchline!! I was going to say, “I’ve always liked yardbarker.” Thanks a lot teef!! This was my chance

I believe that they will. The nice thing with the NFL is contracts aren’t based on precedent. You have to get creative at times as to when the numbers hit but that’s about it. If you have a guy like Tre it’s honestly kind of easy. You know that it will be the top CB contract ever but you’re comfortable that he’s a top 5 CB. It would be difficult for that to be a bad deal. Dawkins is a touch more complicated and Milano even a little more than that. Dawkins plays a premium position so a slight overpay for a “good” player is easier to stomach than a slight overpay on a scheme specific guy (which Milano may or may not be). He certainly makes the Bills better but how much of that is the player vs. the opportunity? That’s where they have to come to an agreement on the numbers. The Bills will argue opportunity and Milano’s people will argue the player. It will be interesting to see that one.

That’s fair. When the league execs in that ESPN poll did the top 10 OTs he was in the honorable mention category. Dawkins was basically 14 overall in their opinion. That feels about right. He’s a good, not great, offensive tackle. Based on being “the next man up” he will get a contract around the top 5 for offensive tackles but won’t reset the market. We are looking at around $15M a year IMO. https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/2020/03/06/highest-paid-offensive-linemen-nfl-ranking-o-linemen-salary-2020/4977564002/

Maybe That’s what he says but who knows if that’s what was offered or if they didn’t go back to milk more out of them. The Chiefs offering this deal and Mahomes accepting isn’t him taking less. It’s only him taking less if he went back and said, “no I want ____.” It is a bit of semantics. I don’t think that the Chiefs came to him and said “you can have ____ and we can’t keep Jones or you can have ____ and we can.” The more likely scenario is that they reached a number that both sides were comfortable with and there was enough for Jones. That’s not a hometown discount. That’s 2 sides reaching an agreement. The truth is if anything thinks White’s representation is going to take $.05 less than “highest paid CB ever” I have a bridge for sale. Now if he takes $21M a year instead of $20M or whatever that’s a different argument.

It’s just reality. At some point you have to pay good players or let someone else. We should STOP asking for “hometown discounts.” That’s not the way the real world works. No one asks us to take less than our market value in our careers. We shouldn’t begrudge guys for getting what they are worth. We need to outgrow that antiquated mindset. It’s a giant pet peeve of mine and one of my biggest issues with Bills fans. We like guys until they get paid. Then we complain about them. Do you think that the Chiefs care what they’re paying Chris Jones or Mahomes? Mathieu is about to get a raise one year into his contract. When your window is open you pay your core. You don’t change your feelings about a player because he’s paid more now than he was before. I can just see it happening with Tre. He will inevitably become the highest paid CB ever and people here aren’t going to like it. We are going to be more annoyed by his social media. We are going to nitpick his elite level of play. He’s going to go from a fan favorite to a guy that we just don’t like. It is an annoying and insecure position. We aren’t used to having stars (in Tre’s case) or young foundational players (in Dawkins case). It’s OKAY to pay those guys market value. That’s how your window STAYS open. The goal is to win championships. When you have the core in place you don’t turn it over. You kick the can down the road like the Saints have done for 15 years.

Ha ha ha, “we like you as long as you’ll work for us for under market value.” I love Bills fans. Dawkins is becoming a leader of this team and community. He’s a guy that you hope to lock up long-term. I know there are some people that think the Bills could upgrade there but IMO that easier said than done. I’m thinking 4 years $60M is fair for both sides.

Certainly but they aren’t operating with the same challenges of the US and our 4.5M cases or whatever it is. Agree though and I LOVED having the premier league back.