GunnerBill

Fair, the Mac Jones game was a disaster class I have wiped from my memory. The Denver game is also fair, as is the Eagles. I forgot how far ahead we were in that Eagles game. It was a particular issue in 2023. I don't think it has generally been an issue, but yep, that season we were bad at holding leads.

Which games have the Bills lost late protecting leads? The only I remember was Vikings at home 2 years ago and the defense got the stop. It was on Morse and Josh botching the snap for a safety.

AJE might be swappable for a safety. RVD might too. But you'd be getting someone else's 3rd safety for either of those two players. Nobody is giving you a starter for a backup DE / OL. I doubt Anderson gets you more than a bottom of the roster player in return via trade and Carter and Eddie O are worthless in trade value.

Yep. I said that after last season. That we went into the 2024 offseason knowing those were the two weak spots... spent our top two picks on those two positions and came out of the 2024 season with those as the two weak spots. You are right we have now gone through another roster building period - FA and Draft - and are still in that place. It's really disappointing.

That is a problem, it's fair to point that out. But while he has been unlucky, at some point you kinda have to show what you have. We know it is a what have you done for me lately league!

Maybe. But not enough to make me give him an edge in the returner battle. If ge is taking snaps at receiver you are in a very, very dark place.

Yea I think it is only in like the last 10 days they have shifted his focus to safety, almosy certianly because they were not happy with their options there. It was a mixed bag from him Sunday night, but there are flashes. I don't think it would be smart to put him out there day 1. But trying to get him up to speed by week 5 or 6 maybe in case whoever you start fails? Yea I can well see that. Him starting the season is unlikely. Him being the starter by the end of the season? Definitely possible.

This is exactly right.

Nope. Bishop the most critical one.

Yes - that's fair. There were individuals who you might class as our 2s on the field at the same time as individuals who are their 2s and likewise 3s and 3s... but they were relatively few. He could well be worried about how often we lost those battles.

Explains why Prather was in tears.

There was some legit three/fours against some three/fours in the second half of the fourth quarter. Probably the last drive from each team. But before that.... I mean it never really got to level pegging in terms of the teams that were out there. We had at least five threes starting against the Bears starters.

He was in the wrong spot, didn't anticipate and didn't react quickly enough. Sure, Hamlin missed the tackle, but Bishop misplayed his assignment.

Yea so could I.

None of them have made the number of just back breaking big play mental mistakes that he has in coverage. I liked the Bishop pick. I want him to work out. But we have to be honest about what we are seeing on the field and not make excuses for him just because we are desperate for someone to be an upgrade from our pretty poor starting safeties in 2024. Of course players develop at different rates. But if you are making back breaking mental mistakes that give up big plays at the rate Cole is you are not gonna be allowed to play through it for very long. You wouldn't be anywhere.

Nope. They traded down out of the first round to get back the third they spent on Douglas. They traded their 2025 third for Cooper.

If they wanted him they could have done it last year or at any time this year. But if I was the GM he'd have been here last season. Does he look like he has lost a step or two? Yep. But are we in desperation stakes? Yes. Yes we are. I know it hasn't been a popular view on this board but right know Damar Hamlin is still our second best safety.... and that is bad. Very, very bad.

He gets beat one on one where the mistakes are his. Yes, Hamlin misses the tackle. Nobody is trying to tell you Damar is good. He isn't. I've been saying this a long time.... like way before the Cincy incident. He is a borderline NFL talent bottom of the roster guy. But I'm sorry I don't agree with "gotta give Bishop more time on the field." Why? He has got to show he belongs on an NFL field at some stage and can avoid these fundamental, basic, mental lapses. If he can't do that he isn't long for this team or, frankly, this league. He is a second round pick. This is year 2. Sure, he has had some really bad luck with injuries in both camps but it is time to show out or get out. The excuses are wearing thin. Know the bleeping playbook and do your bleeping job. And if he can't he doesn't belong on the field. Simple. You simply can't overcome making these sorts of mental mistakes with this regularity in the pros. I will repeat again - he will start - I hope to hell the light switch goes on because at the moment our safety position terrifies me. But it is put up or shut time for Bishop and if he is still making these mistakes 5 or 6 weeks into this season he will be pulled, make no mistake and Damar Hamlin or Cam Lewis who are significantly lesser athletes but can be trusted to play their assignment will be back on the field.

I think DeJean was a totally different tier of prospect to Bishop personally. I had a first round grade on DeJean and a 3rd round grade on Bishop. They both went in round 2 in reality but I don't think that makes them comparable in that sense. The question with DeJean is whether he is really a safety. He played nickel for the Eagles last year and I think the reason he slid to day 2 was because some teams struggled to pigeon hole him positionally.

Good call. He was absolutely a guy they liked in that draft - the AJ Epenesa year. We have seen it before where they come back to guys they scouted heavily around the draft when they shake free. His base salary is over $9m though, so the Bills would have to wait for him to be a FA. I don't think they can afford to throw even a 7th round pick at it to jump the queue because they don't have the room to take the contract on.

I don't think the scheme needs a major overhaul. I am interested to look at how the Bills approach 3rd down. The Frazier defense was a very good 3rd down defense and for this scheme - that does not mind giving up yards in return for keeping control of points and making teams go the distance - you have to be good at both getting takeaways AND winning 3rd down and since Frazier left we have gradually got worse on 3rd down. In fairness that also coincided with the drop off in health and reliability of Hyde and Poyer and no less than Bill Belichick used to say were the absolute best in the league at disguising coverages when those two played together. That is big on 3rd down because the QB takes the snap thinking you are in one defense and then by the time the ball hits his hands you are in something else. I think it is the combination of the coordinator changes and the weakness of our safety play that is the heart of the problem more than the fundamentals of the scheme. They HAVE to be better this year.

This.

Wilkerson has won a PS job I think. He will be their next Shavers esque project.

It's not true. I haven't heard McDs presser, so not sure if he said it but if he did he might well have meant our 2s "on the night". But even our starting lineup had guys like Gouriage, Feeney and Codrington out there who are not even in our twos. They are threes. And they started the game for us.

I really don't. I know what Damar Hamlin is. But someone has to beat him out. That is what has not happened. Bishop is still making major game breaking mistakes when he is out there. I am like everyone else I WANTED Bishop to have a great spring and summer, take that job and never look back. But he still looks worse than Hamlin out there. That is the reality. I think they are going to start Bishop because they know if he can't beat out Hamlin by year 2 he is veering towards bust territory..... but he is going to be on a short leash. If the mental mistakes continue he will be off the field within 4 or 5 weeks and he will basically be done as a Bill. Hancock is a slightly different case. There have been some flashes from him through two games. But they haven't been really committing to him learning the safety spot for most of the summer. I think they might now switch his focus that way... but probably not in time to start him week 1.