Brandon

Obviously, they need a replacement, but I would prefer to take one at both 28 and 60 rather than a major trade up from 28. Inevitably, someone available at 28 is going to be as good, if not better than at least one of the guys that go earlier. And they need two now, anyway, not just one. They can then fill out the remaining holes with their later round picks and use some of the June 1st cap room on bargain veterans.

Well, that's two out of seven. How did the others turn out for them? Yes, they've had some success in the past. That doesn't change anything. I still have more confidence in their ability to find a competent safety or corner later on than a WR.

The defensive backfield is the strength of the coaching staff. They can find someone they can get by with. I'm considerably less confident of their ability to find a starting caliber WR later in the draft. And then the are the longer term contract considerations. With FA WR costs skyrocketing, it's more valuable to have that position on cost controlled contracts than it is a safety. And then there's the fact that DeJean would be a projection to safety. He's a college corner and that's where I'd give him his first shot in the NFL. Maybe he can play safety, but maybe he can't.

I wouldn't be too interested in a 1st round corner, but the Bills being the Bills, I wouldn't be surprised if they go that route at 28. Maybe they could move him to safety, but we all know what that talk is about and I would rather not pick a S in R1, either.

They weren't counting on needing it. That miss on Basham really screwed up the depth. They'd likely have a mid round developmental guy or two on the roster from the last few drafts if not for that.

At 28, maybe, but I wouldn't move up for a player with his injury history. I'd rather not draft a DE in R1, though. I can understand the interest in finding an elite pass rusher, but ignoring the high bust rate, the odds of that outside the top 10 are poor. You're probably just going to find another guy who averages 6-8 sacks per season. Plus, they have quite a bit of cap space invested in Miller and Epenesa over the next 2 years, plus a contract extension likely for Rousseau in the same time frame. I think they'd be better off throwing a couple of those 4th and 5th rounders at the position (or adding a 30+ veteran after June 1st) and re-evaluate in the next offseason.

Maybe at 28, depending on relative player grades. But trading up for someone you project to play 40% of the time is a no-go for me, especially considering the opportunities for a WR or DB to play a much higher percentage of plays and that there's a general 30-50% bust rate for anyone they select.

The Bills had the highest cap allocation in the league to the DBs and were 4th highest among DL. No position group on offense was in the top 10 last year.

I wouldn't pick one before day 3. They've got too many other needs and too much invested already in their top 3 DEs to burn a high pick on a guy who will likely spend much of the season as the #4. Find one later in the draft to compete for that last roster spot.

Yeah, but everyone always says that those depth players have gotta be able to play special teams. It's the only valid consideration for reserves at WR, in particular, so if a backup punter adds more ST value by holding for FGs than a WR, then he gets the spot, right?

So Samuel is more of a slot receiver in the Cole Beasley role?

Unfortunately, I think you're very likely correct. My guess is that they're going DB at 28. Still, I think this is a good signing. I just hope they're willing to make another big investment at this position in the draft.

Yes. It means the Pats will get a 4th out of it.

That was the argument in 2022...and by November, they were signing Cole Beasley and John Brown off the street to fill the depth roles because they were that desperate for competent WR play behind Diggs and Davis. I'm not saying the Bills should bother bringing Hodgins back at this stage. I do think he was very likely a better value at the time, especially on a 6th round contract, than what they brought in for 2022 and 2023.

I would never argue that he was a starting caliber player. Just that he had value as a reserve and that if he has to start due to an injury, 2022 would seem to indicate that you can get some decent mileage out of him as a stopgap.

Apparently, it's a money issue. The RFA tender would cost them $3m.

To a certain extent. It was a difference of 18 attempts his way. Regardless, once you factor in the contracts of those four vs Hodgins on a rookie 6th round contract, it seems to me that the Giants got the better end of that one. You're kind of making my point here for me, though. He's a 4th/5th WR type that can be a competent stopgap starter if you need him to be. Those guys the Bills signed? Eh, I don't know about that.

Well, at least he was somewhat effective, as opposed to the guys that the Bills had.

Well, the Giants DID get more production out of him over the last two years than the Bills did from Sherfield, Harty, Kumerow and Crowder combined.

He's a veteran depth signing to play special teams and compete with Shorter at the bottom of the WR rotation. Some of you act like this is the first time you've watched a Bills' offseason. Beane signs these types of guys every year in order to give himself options heading into the draft and to act as a backstop if the draft goes against them.

I think the Bills will be targeting either Worthy or Legette.

I would not expect anything more than a mid round draft pick or another low cost veteran stopgap at DE at this stage.

That's excellent news. He's a very good player and I doubt the Bills could do better in that price range.

I think it's just Beane trying to get the cap situation under control this year.

It's going about as I expected so far and I never thought they'd make any major FA additions. If they can re-sign Daquan Jones and find a decent starting safety at a bargain price, I'll consider it a success from here.