Nihilarian

I'm really torn here as a 2nd or 3rd round pick in the draft may just turn out great. My thoughts go back to the end of the 2021 season as I watched Allen rip that Patriot's defense apart when he had time in the pocket. The end of the 2022 season when he didn't have time in the pocket against the Bengals with their not-so-great pass rush. (21st) The Chiefs were in their SB against the Bucs as they had Mahomes running around like a chicken with its head cut off versus this past SB against the fearsome Eagles defense (#1 pass rush win rate) that didn't get one sack on Mahomes because of a rebuilt KC offensive line. Build that freaking Buffalo O line into a top 5 unit and they might just find that the current receivers and RBs are good enough. If anything I'd be more inclined to trade a #2 pick with the Chargers for RB Austin Ekeler, 915 yards rushing and 722 yards receiving, 1637 total yards, and 18 TDs. A player like this might keep Josh Allen in the pocket. I'm really hoping that this year the Bills finally invest a bunch of picks into the O line in the draft as it looks like just a bunch of jags in free agency.

Sammy Watkins for sure. The kid made most of his plays, yards from screens...exactly how many screen plays did the Buffalo Bills throw at that time?

Many teams are still running a style of the WCO and how many QB's have won SBs, MVPs in that scheme. The GOAT is Brady no question...left NE and went to TB and won another SB.

Not if the Bills get someone like Creed Humphrey.

Rumor has it that it might be for a new center with that first and a trade-up in the second for an ILB.

Yep, Can't Hackett didn't call the offensive plays in GB, LaFleur called them. There is a solid reason why Denver's offense was such a clusterfluck last year with Hackster as HC. However, it is very true that Rodgers does like Hackett. I really do hope that ole Nate does call the offensive plays for the Jets should Rodgers end up there...or not. Should be comical. Something tells me that he might end up in SF. I mean, where would you rather be the QB?

Okay, I'd have to say the most unpopular opinion right now is going after Charger RB Austin Ekeler. I say this because this board went nuts talking about RB Christian McCaffery who signed with the 49ers. Nobody is talking about Ekeler. I've read that it would take a 3rd round pick and pay the guy almost double what he is currently getting paid. Around 12 mill per. Considering that CmC is getting 16 mill per and Kamara is getting 15 mill per. This kid has been healthier than CmC along with putting up some Thurman Thomas-type all-purpose numbers for the Chargers. 204 rushes for 915 yards, 13 Tds. Receiving 107 receptions for 722 yards, 5 TDS. That's 1637 all-purpose yards and 18 TDs. That's with an 84%.3 catch percentage. Ekeler was an undrafted free agent in 2017. in 2020 he signed a 4 year 24.5 million dollar contract that will allow him to be a free agent next season. He is currently unhappy with his current contact and I don't blame the guy as he is way underpaid considering what other top pass-catching top RBs are making. For some reason, the Chargers don't want to pay the guy what he is worth as he has outplayed his current contract and he knows it. If he plays out his current contract with the Chargers I kinda doubt he will want to stay with them after this season. HoF star QB Jim Kelly has stated he thinks that the Bills need to help Josh Allen with a top RB. Ekeler would certainly fit the Bill.

Buffalo has 18 personnel in the scouting department besides Beane with 11 scouts. You would think that someone would have a better understanding of the D & O line players, pass rushers and RBs, and WRs. Beane knows his stuff...with that trade for Stephon Diggs...BOOM a late #1 pick for a superstar WR! Great trade, great GM that built a perennially mediocre team into a contender! 13-3, oof! Beane hasn't had those early draft picks fall to him by having a bad team. The 80's-90's Bills, and Buffalo had back-to-back 2-14 teams draft, Bruce Smith and Will Wolford. Who has the Buffalo scouts hit a home run with? QB Josh Allen. (Grand slam) TE Dawson Knox. K Tyler Bass. Tremaine Edmunds. OG Wyatt Teller (who they traded away) Gabe Davis (maybe this season)? Singletary wasn't that bad and would have been better with some better O-line players. 4.6 YPC AVG might have been better had the team actually run more. Then it might be wise to hire some ex-top positional coaches and ask to gather some expertise from them. Such as ex-Buffalo Bills O line coach Jim McNally...who currently happens to be a consultant for the Cincinnati Bengals 2012-now. (you know, the coach who took an undrafted rookie free agent TE and coached him into an all-pro, pro bowl LT named Jason Peters.) Or hire whoever is scouting for the Chiefs, or Eagles because those teams know what they are looking at when it comes to RB, and O line. The Eagles and that D line, Haason Reddick, (FA from none other than Carolina). 5 forced fumbles, 16 sacks, and 26 QB hits.

While I think Beane is a great GM. Brandon Beane's shortcomings started in 2018 when Josh Allen was thrown to the wolves in his very first game against the Ravens and even after seeing him and Peterman getting sacked 6x and he still hasn't built that offensive lineup to where it should be. Perhaps McD has had far too much say in who gets drafted over the last few years. So many firsts for the D line. Yes, QB Josh Allen first in 2018, but then ILB, DT, CB, CB, OG who was Wyatt Teller! WR, WR. (Find the clown who gave the okay to trade a future all-pro OG in Teller and fire him! Then if the trade was initiated by the Browns...hire that guy who saw the potential.) 2019, OT converted to OG who stunk! Does this seem like a trend that whoever is scouting the offensive line for the Buffalo Bills is kinda clueless? Perhaps RB scout too? Singletary is now gone. Moss is gone. If I were Beane, I'd take a long hard look at some of the scouts

The guy is underpaid for what he has done in the last few seasons. 20TDs and 1600 all-purpose yards for 6.25 million. CMC is getting 16 mill per, and Kamara is getting 15 mill per. 84.3 catch percentage, 107 receptions for 722 yards, 5 TDs. Rushing 204 attempts for 915 yards, 13 TDs. Imagine not needing Allen to throw his body all over trying to get yards, TDs. Talk about adding a RB that would put the fear of god in DC's. A 3rd rounder and find a way to pay him. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/chargers/2023/03/21/austin-ekeler-chargers-trade-request-new-contract/11513735002/

Jim Kelly wants a RB to help QB Josh Allen. Since the 49ers signed CmC. Another RB that would be a monster for Buffalo would be Austin Ekeler. 3rd round pick? https://www.si.com/nfl/chargers/news/writer-believes-afc-contender-will-pry-austin-ekeler-from-chargers-for-3rd-round-pick-ns2002 Still, build a better line!

Those rankings have to do with the overall ability of the Buffalo offensive line to pass block and run block. Better RBs wouldn't do much for the Buffalo Bills as they simply don't run the ball enough with the starting RB. Believe it or not, the 2022 Buffalo Bills were #2 overall in rushing yards per attempt...while being 15th in rushing attempts per game. Probably because of QB Josh Allen. Devin Singletary didn't have more than 18 carries in any one game in 2022. 8, 6, 9, 11, 6, 17, 14, 8, 13, 18, 14, 13, 8, 13, 12, 7. Those three losses were to Miami, 9 rush attempts, NYJ, 8 rush attempts, and Minnesota 13 rush attempts. Looking at Tennessee RB Derrick Henry, the least amount of carries he had in a game for 2022 was 11 in a loss to Philly. The most carries was 32 in a win against Houston. Most RBs need an average of 10-20 carries in a game to get into a decent rhythm. The Buffalo Bills are a pass-first team and they need to protect QB Josh Allen in the pocket. They failed to do that against Cincinnati in that playoff game and it showed big time and a big reason for that loss. A better RB isn't going to better protect the QB simply because they don't run enough to make that work. Brandon Beane needs to stop screwing around with these average joes for the O line as all it seems to do is get them a winning record against average teams. When the Bills get to the playoffs they face elite teams and an average line isn't going to get the job done. We have seen this in the last few years. I shudder to think of what Buffalo would have looked like against the Philadelphia Eagle's fierce pass rush had they made it that far.

Yes, the team won 13 games...with QB Josh Allen the leading rusher in a lot of those games. Allen was the team's second-leading rusher with 762 yards rushing and led the team in rushing TDs with 7. QB Josh Allen was the biggest reason the team won 13 games... despite the crappy line. You really don't get how bad that offensive line was last season. Didn't click the links, and didn't rewatch Allen running around with no time to throw in that Cincy playoff game. The Buffalo Bills had the 23rd-ranked offensive line out of 32 teams. That's pretty bad... no bashing... just fact! Needless to say, the Eagles led the NFL in pass rush win percentage at 52%. Buffalo was 11th at 43% (which dropped after Von Miller's injury) The Bengals were ranked 21st at 37%...and yet still managed to put a ton of pressure on Buffalo QB Josh Allen. (21st out of 32) Last season's Buffalo Bills offensive line stunk no question. Here’s how PFF graded all of Buffalo’s qualifying offensive linemen in 2022 (positional ranking): OT Spencer Brown: 53.4 (76th) OT Dion Dawkins: 73.8 (24th) OT David Quessenberry: 59.3 (69th) OG Rodger Saffold 44.0 (74th) OG Ryan Bates: 61.5 (41st) OG Greg Van Roten: (52nd) C Mitch Morse: 61.0 (24th) https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-final-2022-nfl-offensive-line-rankings Currently, the Buffalo Bills have an amazing alien unicorn at QB (who was somewhat injured in 2022) and if this regime doesn't upgrade that O line they might not have him for long.

Looking at Singletary 2022 stats with 819 yards rushing I would think that Thurman would probably have had 1500+ yards rushing. So, I was wrong when I said Thurman couldn't get 1000. The simple fact is Thomas had an all-pro, pro bowl center in Kent Hull and that left side was really good with pro bowlers in Will Wilford, Jim Ritcher was all I was saying. The man was great! If you missed it in an earlier post I stated that Thurman started over Barry Sanders at OSU and put him back on the bench after he returned from an injury. Those lines from the 80s, and 90s were much better over last year's ranked #23rd line. Click the links as I'm not along with what I said about the Buffalo line. If you think all I'm doing is "bashing" the Buffalo O line. Go rewatch last year's Bengals playoff game and watch how much time Josh Allen had in the pocket to throw.

Last year's O line? No, he couldn't. Not with that craptastic #23-rated offensive line. https://theathletic.com/4177728/2023/02/15/buffalo-bills-offseason-running-backs/ https://billswire.usatoday.com/2023/02/02/pro-football-focus-buffalo-bills-offensive-line-rankings-dion-dawkins-mitch-morse/ What a lot of Bills fans don't realize is that Thurman was always playing injured with bad ankles and that offensive line he played behind really opened some holes.

The Buffalo Bills back in the late 80's early '90s were mostly a RUN FIRST team. Despite the term "K-gun offense" which was named after Keith McKeller...who in 7 seasons as a Buffalo Bills TE caught only 124 receptions. Buffalo used the Redskins counter trey run scheme and ran Thurman until defenses were intent on stopping him and then Kelly went over the LBers to Reed. And despite the term "hurry up offense" which they borrowed from Cincy. That hurry-up had defenses gasping for air with their hands on their hips and owned the average teams. Kinda like Buffalo does nowadays with that Josh Allen passing offense. If Buffalo ever wants to get to a Super Bowl or win one they need to build an offensive line like the Chiefs had last season. NOT ONE SACK on Mahomes by the fiercest pass-rushing defense during the 2022 season in the SB. Build the O line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kelly said the exact same thing when he got to Buffalo...that he couldn't do it alone. The Bills drafted Thurman Thomas when all other teams were afraid of his injury (tore his ACL)and the pounding he took in college (897 rushes for 4,595 yards). The Thing is...Barry Sander was his backup at OSU and when Thurman was injured, Barry took over. When Thurman returned the next season Barry went back to the bench. Finding a Thurman Thomas will be a difficult task considering the current scouts with the team. The other part of this is the elite players that Bills GM Bill Polian found for that '90s Buffalo offensive line. LT Will Wolford, LG Jim Ritcher, and C Kent Hull were all top players that were with the team all those glory years. A big reason Thurman was so good and they made it to 4 super bowls. Some holes so large an 18-wheeler could drive through. I'm really getting tired of Buffalo signing these retread-average joes for the O line. An average O-line is not going to get this team to a super bowl!! Watching Josh Allen run for his life against the Bengals with little run game to help him out... Then watching Patrick Mahomes O line not allowing one single sack against the 2022 best-pressure, sacking team in the NFL, the Philadelphia Eagles. Does anyone else correlate why one team lost and the other won? KC in trading away their most lethal WR weapon in Tyreek Hill and... it... didn't... matter! Brandon Beane, stop screwing around! BUILD THAT OFFENSIVE LINE! We all saw what happened in 2021 when Josh had time in the pocket... perfect games! Also, Buffalo needs to find some scouts that know how to evaluate WR, O line, and RB talent.

Same! Just don't simply fix it. Stop attempting to get by with average to below-average maybes. Build a top 5 unit! We all saw what Josh Allen looked like at the end of 2021 when he had time in the pocket. The Bills don't need another WR or TE. What they need...is to give Allen time in the pocket. That and a power run game that...you know...with a game plan that actually attempts to utilize the RBs! I look back at the 2006 Indy Colts. Yes, they had Peyton Manning at QB... with Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne at WR. They also had Joseph Addai at RB who gained 1081 yards that season. That season they won the SB! Before Addai, they had Edgerrin James at RB who ran for 1709 yards in 2000 for Indy. The Colts had a top QB but they also knew how to build a decent run game to take pressure off their QB all those playoff years. Build a better offensive line and build a decent power run game along with it!

Like I said... On any given Sunday! The Bengals were fired up because of the tickets selling for the game to be in Atlanta...as If they, (the Bengals) didn't matter...feeling very disrespected by the NFL for selling those tickets. They came out on fire on both sides of the ball and took it to the Buffalo Bills that Sunday. It is a game of emotion and they were just more fired up and determined. That said, the outcome could have been different under different circumstances. Like a healthy Von Miller in getting to Joe Burrow quickly. Matt Milano sacked Burrow and stopped a drive at the end of the first quarter. Poyer playing injured. White off a torn ACL and a rookie CB on the other side. Buffalo only had 3 QB hits on Burrow all game, one lone sack by Milano. Little pressure. Also. like Buffalo not having a decent run game that they were willing to work at. QB Josh Allen was the leading rusher, again! Singletary 6 carries, Cook 5 carries. 11 carries for Buffalo RBs in a game is simply ridiculous. The Bengals had 34 carries with Joe Mixon getting 20 alone. Buffalo had/has a competitive team that is on par with Cincinnati...just not on that particular Sunday. Which sucks because it was a home playoff game for Buffalo. What really hurts is Cincy was fielding 3 of 4 backup players on their offensive line with 3 starters out. Buffalo was supposed to get more pressure on Burrow. Needless to say, without Von Miller that Bills D...

Andy Reid was smart enough to trade the Buffalo Bills for LT Jason Peters...you know...a cornerstone at LT for them for 11 seasons...pro bowler, all-pro!! Buffalo was smart enough to convert an undrafted TE to LT and then stupidly trade him away. 18 NFL seasons! Bills O line coach Jim McNally tutored Peters into replacing RT Mike Williams, and then he moved to LT. Into the NFL in 2004 and the guy was with the Dallas Cowboys in 2022. Good Lord! I'd say Andy Reid is smart enough to recognize top O-line talent...and also smart enough to see when they are no longer worth the money!

Seriously! The Chiefs allowed no sacks in the SB against the NFL's best-pressure defense that led the league in sacks! KC ranked #4 behind the Eagles, Ravens, and Packers in the final offensive line rankings., The best player graded overall was KC Center, Creed Humphrey. Buffalo was ranked #23? Buffalo GM Beane needs to take a long hard look at his O-line scouts for some of the things they have done over the seasons. Build that Buffalo offensive line into a top 5 unit! That Cincy game just got away from Buffalo quickly...against a decimated Buffalo defense, no Von equals not much pressure on the QB and a wrecked secondary. Then, the Buffalo offense depended on the QB to win the game who was under constant pressure...again! Along with very little run game...again!

Yes, think of John Elway...who didn't win an SB until the Broncos found a strong run game, along with a top RB under HC Mike Shanahan. Denver RB Terrell Davis and that run-block scheme allowed Davis to run for 2000 yards, and 21 TDs, in 1998. Davis, a 6th-round pick? Just think, with opponents gearing up to stop a strong Buffalo power run game would leave Allen to do what he did at the end of 2021...just destroy teams! C'mon Beane, build that O line.

All the other AFC East teams were beset by fools at ownership, GM, and head coaches for all those years. Now, it's just weird that the Jets and Dolphins finally found somewhat decent GMs, and HCs and could be competing for that AFC East title this year. I suppose we have to thank the Jet's ownership and Dolphin's ownership for some stupid moves recently. Like the Miami owner wanting Tua over Justin Herbert! Also, the stupidity of the Jets GM for going after a QB who only played well in one season. Both the Dolphins and Jet's GMs seem to have a handle on drafting the right players and making the right trades. Miami for Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey. yowie! Imagine Herbert throwing to Hill. Anyway, gonna be tougher for Buffalo to win the AFC East going forward unless Buffalo upgrades that offensive line, and run game this year. JMO

"With one year remaining on his deal and several veteran Titans recently becoming cap casualties, it wouldn't be a shock to see Henry in a different uniform next season. While he's entering his eighth season, Henry remains one of the NFL's top running backs, having rushed for 1,538 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2022." "Buffalo was one of the worst run-blocking teams in the league; its 50.7 Pro Football Focus grade was 28th among NFL teams last season. Luckily, with his 6-foot-3, 247-pound frame, Henry is one of the few running backs that can succeed without a solid offensive line." Three potential landing spots for Titans running back Derrick Henry (msn.com)

👍Buffalo really, really needs a power run game to help take pressure off, QB Josh Allen. Buffalo with that RB would make every NFL DC cringe big time. With Henry, scariest offense in the NFL for sure! Just build that O-line more too. The Dolphins signed Jalen Ramsey for a reason. The Jet's beefy D line with Sauce, Jet's #4 overall defense.