Brandon

It's not hindsight if my position has been consistent from the 2024 draft process until now. I was sold on drafting McConkey for about a month prior to the draft.

Most of them also predicted that he'd run in the 4.6s at the combine, too, because stereotypical slow white slot guy. I remember also saying that it was more important to draft someone that can actually play in the NFL as the first priority, as opposed to trying to force a lumbering tree just because people wanted a guy that was tall.

Yeah, they do. They can easily clear enough money to trade for Olave if they want. They still have contracts they can restructure that would put them close to $20m under this year. Next year, they could clear $60m+ if they wanted, plus Olave would get a long term contract extension that would cut that $15m for 2026 roughly in half. So yes, they can do it, assuming they actually want to.

Keon's RAS score breaks down pretty similar to Isaiah Hodgins, with similar strengths and weaknesses by those metrics. That's not to say they're the same guy, but it's still somewhat interesting. https://ras.football/ras-information/?PlayerID=25172&ovl=Florida+State https://ras.football/2020/02/09/isaiah-hodgins-ras/

I think they'd run a 5TE offense if they thought they could get away with it. The priority skill among the boundary WRs seems to be blocking ability.

I agree to some extent, but the value of the 40 time is to confirm what you see on the field. Sometimes a player will play faster or slower than they time. In Keon's case, though, his 4.6+ 40 and below average 10/20 yard splits confirm the pre-draft evaluation...speed and separation were an issue in college and very likely would be in the NFL. And that seems to be the case.

Kelvin Benjamin

Jackson Hawes provides more versatility and is an excellent run blocker in his own right.

As much as that would be far less than ideal, I'd still view it as a welcome change. A healthy Gabe Davis might force teams to have at least a little respect for the deep passing game, just based on past history.

Ran a 4.63 at the combine several years ago. He'd fit right in.

It seems like Pearsall has been pretty effective this year when he has played. He's averaging 5 catches for 82 yards in four games. His worst game is better than four of the six that Keon has played.

He's having a pretty decent second season so far. They could have done worse and it looks like they may have.

Maybe. It depends on how long this stubborn ass FO continues to ignore the personnel deficiencies on offense. Even if they make a big draft investment at WR this year, for instance, you likely need to factor 2 or 3 seasons of development before they reach full potential.

He certainly didn't gain any credibility for it, especially now.

That would probably help, but that takes one of Shakir or Kincaid off the field and they are better than he is.

Two or three, barring injury, but I don't expect a dramatic decline or anything. He will probably still be a Pro Bowl level player into his late 30s if he keeps playing.

I suspect that he isn't, but it's difficult to make a fair assessment when there's a glaring talent deficiency in the passing game. Some of his play calling has been questionable at best, but how much of that just flailing to find something...anything...that will work?

I remember having draft discussions in the offseason with people who actually believed that would work. Ugh.

Unfortunately, it's been pretty obvious to just about everyone except Beane and McDermott for several seasons now. When you have to make panic moves during the season to add Beasley, Brown and Cooper in two of the last four years, that should be your first clue. None of the FA signings in that time have panned out. They unloaded Diggs and Davis after 2023 and their one big investment, Coleman, looked like a bust in the making in the second half of last year and they did very little to hedge their bets. Now, he looks to be continuing that trend toward bust territory again this year. I'd be slightly more forgiving if not for that Beane radio interview after the draft where he really went after the critics of his roster strategy at WR, but that made it clear that this was intentional. And it's looking like a catastrophic failure...one that many of us have predicted would eventually happen for at least a couple of seasons.

The problem is, in order to do that, you have to take either Shakir or Kincaid off the field, and they're both clearly better than Keon. That's one of the reasons I didn't like the pick at the time.

As much as I hate to say it, my immediate reaction would be to activate Gabe Davis after the bye, assuming he's healthy. He's not really the answer, but he's probably better than Shavers or Coleman, and at the very least, I think teams will have a little more concern and respect for getting beaten deep downfield just based on past experience of the Allen to Davis combination.

Agreed. This scenario was something I worried about going into last year after losing Davis and Diggs, especially after they didn't draft a separation guy to replace them. I thought Allen might have his worst statistical year since his second season if defenses really engaged with that weakness at WR. Thankfully, they didn't, whether it was due to the Bills still riding the reputation of a high powered offense or maybe they were worried about getting burned by Cooper or even Hollins, who made a number of key plays down the stretch. Whatever the case may be, they definitely aren't afraid of this crew, nor should they be, and I think we'll see this same formula for the remainder of the season where they take their chances 1-on-1 outside and blitz Allen relentlessly until the Bills prove they can counter it.

Its not that hard to understand. He's getting frustrated and forcing balls because no one is open. And increasingly, opponents are realizing that their outside WRs are ass and they're just blitzing the hell out of Allen because they know they're not going to get beat deep or to the outside.

Looking over that group, Cole Bishop looks like the best of the bunch. Yikes.

He's not going anywhere anytime soon as far as his roster spot, but if Gabe Davis is healthy, I'd rather see him out there after the bye week for at least a game or two. Coleman has what, 130 yards or so in the last five games? Can't get much less production out of Davis. I know. The whole thing is just incredibly frustrating. McConkey was one of the most obvious no-brainer prospects I've seen in awhile. He was going to find a role and be successful.