SoMAn

FWIW- unlike many of you, I will miss the convenient features that came with DIRECTV. I could set recording for kickoff, run to the store for snacks, or anything else, and sit down to watch 45 minutes later, and skip through all the endless redundant ads for the networks stupid primetime shows and halftime happy talk. I have issues with ads. Complete waste of time. As far as I know, streaming means you watch when they tell you to and there’s no skipping through ads. Am I correct or are there ways to time shift with streaming? Even if we can view later, are we limited with no fast-forward feature? Furthermore, with DTV I could go back during the week and review the recorded game on my time without the distractions that sometimes accompany watching with other people while watching live. Right now, not thrilled with the prospect of streaming only.

May be repeating myself….. When T.J. Hockenson went from division rival Lions to Vikings for a 2nd round pick, was Beane aware of availability and did he make an offer? Still on a rookie contract ! If I’m in Beane’s shoes, I’d have offered a 2nd and player or another pick from 2024. If Bills interested in another TE, wouldn’t that be better than spending a 2023 on 1st or 2nd pick that still needs to be developed? I would love to have seen him as another big target and blocker like Hockenson for Josh. On the other hand, I’d like to see more of what Q. Morris can contribute.

I’m not that into this debate that I’m going to research it, but I’m sure there are plenty of day 3 picks who are tenured on NFL rosters. Not the 6th round, but just before in round 5 are 2 more recent names you might recognize: Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs. Some prospects are late bloomers. Some suffered injuries in college that knocked them down a few notches. Some were in bad systems or small schools. Some needed a higher level of coaching. Hopefully, our personnel dept will recognize potential that can be developed. Bennett doesn’t have the physical traits needed for NFL football. It would be a huge gamble and probably a waste of a draft pick- a valuable commodity when building and maintaining a roster.

Sounds like you believe 6th (and later) are just throw-a-ways to be used as camp fodder. Do the names Tom Brady or Terrell Davis ring a bell? Plenty of 6th, 7th, and undrafted players make NFL active rosters. There will be numerous FA options better than Bennett that wouldn’t cost a precious draft pick.

that would be a complete waste of a draft pick

Edmunds and his value as a Bills’ LB is polarizing. Serious question with no agenda- what games did Edmunds miss that were impacted negatively by his absence? I don’t know the answer but am sure some of you do. I’m aware that AJ Klein and others have filled his role occasionally, but don’t recall a highly measurable drop off in defensive production. Was there? Here’s another way to ask the original question: would you rather have Edmunds or a carbon copy of Milano playing along side Milano?

Could be health-related. Could be McDermott wants to call the shots himself for the defense and the ‘year off’ thing is just a very diplomatic way of giving Frazier an ‘honorable discharge’. In a year Frazier can attest to how much he’s enjoyed the break at which time he decides to retire. Or maybe he’s just burned out and needs the rest but isn’t ready to commit to retirement.

So, a playoff team who wants that player who will give them that edge will opt for a player whose “best days are behind him” with the likelihood that he’ll miss multiple games with age-related injury. For that, they’ll pay the big bucks that the Bills won’t (or can’t). You may be right, but to me it doesn’t sound like a winning strategy. Under Beane, the Bills frequently employ the ‘rent-a-player-for-a-year’ tactic, but they’re usually able to get them for a bargain price.

Agree. It became just a lot of smart aleck remarks from Hawkeye or showing the sensitive side of the guys and trying to send a social message to their viewers. Following the lead of All In the Family, network comedies started patronizing their audience with serious message shows. That was possibly the beginning of when Hollywood started to believe their own press clippings and felt so superior to us, thinking it was their duty to learn us imbeciles a thing or two.

Poyer is probably gone and the good news is there are good safety prospects. But...don't the Dolphins and every other possible Poyer suitor know that? Why would they overpay (more than what the Bills would) for an aging safety who may have some gas in the tank, but could 'hit the wall' any point from now until the end of his career, knowing there's a good pool of economically beneficial safeties in this draft class? It's an accepted fact that apart from having Tom Brady, the Patriots long run of success was due in part to knowing when to cut a player loose while they could still provide some future benefits in the form of compensation picks or draft choices in trade. They were able to parlay veteran players nearing their end of usefulness into future players with low cap implications who they'd develop to replace the veteran. They were savvy enough not to get too emotionally attached to the roster. I'll be surprised if Poyer gets a great payday without tons of incentives in the contract.

Keep in mind the issue is state income tax- not federal. Anyway, I believe they’re taxed according the site at which they earn the weekly check. So, at least 8 or 9 games are not in NYS. At some point, those Florida players will travel to NY, NJ, California, Mass, etc. and he taxed accordingly. Furthermore, the Florida players still have the same Federal tax obligations. Some of their savings from not having to pay state income tax is offset by higher insurance costs on their real and personal property thanks to the constant and unpredictable threat of powerful hurricanes. More toll roads too. I don’t believe there’s a substantial financial benefit playing in Fla.

I think they’ll examine weaknesses on defense, identify run support, and explore options in FA or draft and look for a LB who can cover and also be aggressive against the run. If they find that guy, they may be open to Edmunds finding greener pastures. Otherwise, they’ll either franchise him or start moving money around to pay him. Something that’s intriguing to me is the statement the Bills will make with whatever path they follow. They’re always supportive of their guys in public, but if they let Edmunds walk, it’s a pretty good bet they agree with some of the fan sentiment regarding Edmund’s perceived weaknesses.

Agreed. Compared to the most recent Jetson’s-style stadiums that have become the NFL standard, that looks old before it’s even built. BTW- any word on when someone will turn that first shovel of dirt or do they have to form a committee and do a shovel study first? It’s ridiculous how protracted any construction effort is up there.

Were any of them with the Panthers’ organization? If not, they probably won’t be considered as an option

Maybe percentage of drops to targets would be a better measure. Are Diggs drop numbers high because the Bills are a pass-happy team that doesn’t share the spread out targets equitably among tight ends, backs, and other receivers? Raw stats can be misleading without a broad understanding. Maybe Diggs is guilty of a high percentage of drops, but that’s not my memory of his 2022 performance.

And a player they’d invested 3 years into and who had a reputation for ‘good hands’ they let slip away to play for Dabol in NY. I’ve always been of the opinion, given a choice of speed or hands, I’ll take hands all day long. Few things more frustrating than 10 players executing a pass play to perfection, only to have it squandered by a guy with butterfingers. Say, maybe the WR group (minus Diggs) could do an TV ad for the Butterfingers candy bar. 😉

Some of you are undoubtedly too young to remember the Chuck Knox years. Even though there were the usual heart-breaking playoff disappointments, the ‘80 and ‘81 teams were sooo much fun. The roster was made up of a bunch of castoff veterans like Dobler, Villapiano, Robertson, et al. The rookies and first year guys were my age, and they were a real cast of characters led by Smerlas and Haslett. So, me and my buddies were still single and partying our asses off at games and watch parties. We did the whole airport greet thing (at 3am, after several cases of Labatt’s and still tripping). Part of the reason it was so enjoyable was that there was great hope with a top notch coach like Knox, and a personnel dept that seemed to know what it was doing. There had been only a single playoff appearance since 1966. Almost as bad as ‘the drought’. But then came the 1982 strike and everything changed. Owner Ralph Wilson repeated his all-too-familiar modus operandi and characteristically refused to pay market price for top talent and was rewarded with a frustrated Chuck Knox’s turning in his resignation. Back to the drawing board and a few more coaching failures. But for those of us who were around to experience the team that included Dobler, there are many fond memories. Great times!

Not sure if it was already mentioned, but to expand in # 4, letting players walk (basically, before their pay to performance value is a detriment), has the added benefit of compensatory draft picks, which they used to increase their odds of getting contributing players or bundled and traded to improve draft position. Being a contender always has the advantage of being an attractive destination for free agents who may be willing to take less pay than they might for a bottom feeder team.

I put a few quarters in the Salvation Army kettle last December. I think I’ve done my part.

I’m a wealthy entrepreneur and CEO of an emerging oil drilling tool operation distribution outfit. I light cigars with $100 bills and have 2 private suites in the Paul McGuire suite thing at Highmark. Bottom line- price is no object. Whatever YouTube charges is fine with me.

commitment? I have the option to cancel Directv at any time without further obligation. If I lived alone and only needed one or two TVs, I might be content with over the air and the numerous streaming options, but as I stated in earlier post, DTV has several features that appeal to me and work well multiple rooms and with our family's viewing habits. As far as cost goes, just wait until all the streaming services have you thoroughly hooked - guarantee you'll see more advertising and escalating monthly fees. I can't believe Netflix is still commercial-free. It's only a matter of time before we start getting regular interruptions for ads. Remember when there weren't ads on Youtube? Then there was only a quick/short one. Now, there are often 2 or 3 before you can get to the content you're accessing. We are marketed to death!

Maybe Brady, like Rodgers and Favre just has great passion for the game and doesn’t want it to end. What’s your passion? Imagine if you were a musician, golfer, painter, etc., early 40’s, in great health, but you knew that you could no longer participate, you might try to prolong it until it was completely unreasonable to continue.

Big and athletic- so, when healthy, daily work on the jugs, learn a few seam routes, then turn him into the oversized lumbering TE that creates mismatches and moves the chains. 😉 I’m only half kidding.

Or, promote from within as they did with Dorsey. I have absolutely zero knowledge regarding the qualifications of the other defensive assistants, so that may not be a viable option. I would hope that part of the hiring process for assistant coaches that’s employed by McD and Beane would include having an eye on the future. i.e. hiring assistants that have the desire and potential for promotion and greater responsibility on their side of the ball. Maybe there’s a good candidate within the McDermott ‘coaching tree’.

Why? So they can be the hot prospect who moves on in 2 years? With Frazier, we have years of valuable experience and he’s probably following McDermott’s defensive blueprint anyway. Keeping him provides stability and continuity with players who know and understand the system. The down side may be that the defense has become predictable to opponents. That may be the best argument to bring in a young defensive-minded assistant to put some fresh ideas into the scheme.