Logic

Thanks. I hate it.

Even THAT, I think, is delusional. Again, I refer back to Kendall Hinton playing emergency quarterback in 2020 and completing ONE pass in an NFL game. That was an actual NFL player! If someone athletic enough to actually play in the NFL was only able to complete ONE pass in a game, how could I ever reasonably believe that an average American message board user could complete ELEVEN of them? No way, no how.

Based on the results so far, there are at least 26 highly delusional people on this forum. I mean...past history indicates its much more than that, but...staying on topic. As for me? Maybe, MAYBE one simple swing pass thrown laterally and a short distance, immediately upon receiving the snap. Anyone watch the Kendall Hinton game? Yeah. And that dude's at least an actual NFL player.

Yes. The Bills will be better than last year. I know that may sound crazy, and many will likely call me a homer with rose-colored glasses on. That's fine. I DO tend towards optimism. That said, I'm sticking with my statement. The Bills will be better than last year. Fresh start, fresh energy, Josh fully taking the reins. They won't need a miracle stretch to end the season in order to make the playoffs. They'll comfortably be a playoff team, and once they're in the tournament, as we all know, anything can happen. As long as Josh Allen is the quarterback of the Buffalo Bills, they will contend every year. The window is wide open. Josh Allen IS the window.

Might wanna wait 'til after pick 28 of the draft. Beane sure was talking a lot about wanting to add a defensive end the other day...

@Aimee75 This simple key quote from the ProFootballTalk article on the subject will hopefully put your mind at ease a little bit: "The skyrocketing valuations of NFL teams and the estate taxes have made it difficult for sole ownership." In other words, this type of thing is more and more common, and the Pegulas are not the only ones in the NFL doing this. It's a practical financial matter, not a "first step to selling the team entirely" thing.

I would encourage you to read Graham's article. I really don't think it's anything to worry about.

I was just being cheeky. I don't think anyone knows who the bidders will be at this point, but I assume there will be no shortage of suitors. At this point, there is no reason to believe they are selling any more than 25%, or are moving on from being owners of the Bills, or moving the team, or anything of the sort. The stadium is being built. The Bills aren't going anywhere. As for the "why" if it, Graham lays it out in his article: Tax considerations, liquidity, stadium overrun costs, etc.

The Pegulas currently own 100% of the Buffalo Bills football team. They are selling 25% -- or one quarter -- ownership of the team. This will leave them with 75% -- or three quarters -- ownership of the team. They are doing this to make some money. Hope this helps.

It's more and more common for sports owners to do this. Tax reasons, stadium cost overruns, etc, etc... Graham lays it out well in the article.

Yeah it's not a real thing.

I genuinely don't know how people can make statements like this with so much confidence. It's the same confidence I heard when people insisted that Stefon Diggs wouldn't be getting traded away this offseason. No one knows squat.

My preferred correction.

I like Shakir and Samuel a lot. Both of them. Probably more than most. But even so, the Bills WR corps is lacking a few skillsets right now. Samuel is a guy who can play flanker, slot, and give you some gadget and jet sweep stuff or line up in the backfield. Shakir is a guy who has some degree of inside/outside versatility, but is better in the slot. Both offer good RAC. The Bills lack a legitimate, viable X receiver (I refuse to count on much offensively from Mack Hollins). They lack size. They lack a red zone threat. They lack someone who is gonna put a bit of fear into the hearts of defenses. They lack a guy that needs to be gameplanned for or who will ever draw extra attention from defenses. I like Shakir and Samuel (and Kincaid and Knox and Cook), but the Bills need more. They need at least two more legit dudes out there.

Agreed. Even BEFORE Diggs left town, everyone in the world said "the Bills need to get more help for Josh". Then we shipped a 100 catch, 1,400 yard a year guy out of town, and Gabe Davis -- who, say what you want about him, scored a lot of touchdowns for this team -- is gone. Now, when I mention double-dipping in rounds 1 and 2 at WR, I get a lot of pushback and people saying "The Bills have other needs!". But...if the Bills needed to add a receiver BEFORE Diggs and Davis left town, they DAMNED sure need to add TWO of them now! I understand the arguments for improving the defense, but to me, nothing trumps surrounding our franchise QB with as much weaponry as possible in terms of importance. Let's end this "Bills don't give Allen enough help" narrative once and for all.

If we're doing WR reclamation projects, I'd rather kick the tires on Hunter Renfrow (28) or DJ Chark (27).

I don't think Belichick has what it takes any more. I don't think his dour military drill Sargent, "no one gets to have any fun" routine works in the modern NFL, and I especially don't think it would mesh well with a team that's got guys like Dion Dawkins and Josh Allen leading it. He's also 72 years old. How much longer is he really going to be coaching? If they want to move on from McDermott in the next year or two, then so be it, but I don't think Belichick is the guy you bring in. I echo other posters who say that it's ridiculous (but completely on brand) that THIS is what Nick Wright and crew are talking about the week before the draft. I don't blame them, I guess. Lots of airtime to fill, and tabloid level controversy, shouting over each other, and salacious headlines are what get views and re-Tweets. Such is the way of the sports media world in 2024.

I view Shorter and Shavers as career special teams guys. I view the rest as training camp fodder. Khalil Shakir seems me to be the only youngster in the receiving corps with a legitimate chance of elevating his game. Cole Beasley's best season here saw him post 82 catches for 967 yards and 4 TDs. Shakir had 611 yards and 2 TDs last year. With more opportunity and more consistent playing time, does anyone wanna bet that Shakir can't ascend to that Cole Beasley level? Beyond that, I expect two draftees to join the ranks. So it'll be old guys Samuel and Hollins, and then a trio of youngsters, and likely one of the two career special teams guys whose last name stars with Sh.

Thanks for your thoughts. On the one hand, some will say "it's lying season!" and "smokescreen!", and they're not entirely wrong. On the other hand, Beane has shown himself to be very honest and blunt over the years when he does these types of press conferences, and saying that there's nothing meaningful to be gained from listening to what he says ignores the evidence to the contrary that has piled up over the years. Regarding a small trade-up, I'll say this: The random report from Andrew Filiponi a few days ago that the Bills and Steelers swapping 1st round picks was "something to watch out for" raised my eyebrows. It wouldn't be cost prohibitive for the Bills, it would match the M.O. of a modest round 1 trade-up that we all know Beane seems to love, and if I'm not mistaken, the Steelers need a center, and they could still likely get a JPJ or Graham Barton at 28. If a Brian Thomas Jr or Cooper DeJean (or whomever they like) is sitting there at 20, it won't shock me one bit if this trade comes to fruition on draft night.

MEL KIPER IS THERE WITH YOU?! Listen, what a man chooses to do in the privacy of his own hotel room with some noodles and a handsome, raven-haired older gentleman is his business, but I'm not sure it needs to be discussed publicly.

The counter argument to what you're saying is that the Bills have had one of the most productive WR1s on their roster each of the past four seasons in Stefon Diggs, and have still failed to reach a Super Bowl. I'm not saying you don't need top end receiver talent. You do. I'm saying that having a collection of good receivers with different skillsets is a viable alternative. Note: I would argue that the Bills of the past couple seasons didn't fit the description of "having a collection of good receivers with different skillsets". Last year we lacked Gabe Davis in the playoffs had an all-around unimpressive WR depth chart. The year before that, we brought in the corpses of John Brown and Cole Beasley. I'm saying the Bills need to do BETTER than that. But getting ONE very good receiver prospect isn't necessarily the only avenue. Getting a handful of good receiving prospects is another option. We're in agreement that they've been deficient there the past few years, but the fact that the model of "one great WR (Diggs) and a slew of average to below average ones" HASN'T been working only supports the point I'm trying to make: that's not the only model. Spreading targets around to multiple good options (which the Bills have not had the past few years) is an alternative. All of that said, I'm on the record on this forum as being on team "trade up for one of the big three WRs", so I'm not even saying this is the path I would take if it were up to me. I'm just trying to provide context for what Beane is discussing and for how it has worked for other teams in recent years.

Yes. Agreed. Kelce has been that guy for Mahomes the past couple seasons, and Rashee Rice's emergence was huge for the Chiefs last year and into the playoffs. I suppose I mostly meant that you don't need an old school, prototypical WR1. You don't need a Ja'Marr Chase or a Justin Jefferson. You DO need dependable, high end receiving talent. But as I pointed out, Rice, Reed, and St Brown are all in a completely different mold than the old school WR1s. I look at Green Bay, and they had a slew of guys with different skillsets. Doubs, Reed, Watson, Wicks, and the tight ends Musgrave and and Kraft. There's not one GREAT receiver on that team, but there's a pile of good ones, and they all complement each other well. And yes, I realize that Green Bay hasn't made it to or won a Super Bowl with that setup. I do agree Kincaid seems to have the talent to be our de facto number one pass catcher. It is also my hope that the Bills select two receivers within the first four rounds. Actually, it's MY preference that they DO add a dynamic WR1 type, but if Beane is telling the truth and they're going more the route of "collection of good talent" over "one GREAT guy", then hopefully Kincaid or one of the draftees can be the crunch time guy when the lights are brightest.

It's sad to see so many musical heroes of that generation start to die off and/or stop touring. I had the pleasure of seeing the Allman Brothers live a couple times, but I don't believe Betts was still playing with them by that time. Anyway...Eat a Peach and Live at the Fillmore East are two of the all-time great albums. Betts had such a distinct playing style and sound. RIP to a great and singular musician.

Yeah, I think the Packers showed this last year, and honestly, the Chiefs have been showing it to some extent, too. Saying you don't need an old school WR1 is not saying you don't still need good receivers. You do. Down the stretch last year, Jayden Reed became Love's de facto number 1, and Rashee Rice became Mahomes'. Or even look at Amon Ra St Brown on the Lions. None of the three of those guys would fit the old school definition of an NFL WR1. If anything, they're all dependable, chain-moving slot specialists that the QB can look to on third down. The point is, if you have a plethora of good options, you can succeed on offense in this league. You don't necessarily need one GREAT option.

Yep. If this is the route they're going, I hope they at least draft a couple receivers. I'm fine with volume over a classic "WR1", if that's what they wanna do, but...this receiving corps needs not one, but TWO talented youngsters added to it for that to work, IMO. Rookie Samuel Shakir Rookie Hollins Shorter/Hamler/etc