Logic

Warring sounds a lot like Dawson Knox. Really athletic, new to the position. Limited production in college, but has the athleticism and grit to suggest he could develop at tight end. Yet another instance of the personnel department handing a raw lump of clay to the coaches and saying "get after it!". https://www.nfl.com/prospects/kahale-warring/32005741-5275-2700-ebaf-ccabda046f86 Kahale Kuio Kalani Michael Wodehouse Warring [editor's note: what a name!] was a latecomer to football, starring instead in just about every other sport possible (water polo, basketball, cross county, swimming, soccer and tennis) during his time at Sonora High School in California. His one season on the gridiron gained enough interest from SDSU that he was given a shot as a walk-on. Warring redshirted the 2015 season while bulking up, and then played in four games as a reserve (2-17-8.5, two touchdowns) the following year before a broken foot cut the year short. Coaches gave him a scholarship before the 2017 season, and he ended up starting 3 of 13 games played (18-248-13.8, three TD). Warring only started twice in 12 games played in 2018 but was still named honorable mention All-Mountain West because he led the Aztecs with 31 receptions (which went for 372 yards, 12.0 average, and three scores). He did not play in the team's bowl game due to a hamstring injury suffered in the regular-season finale. Overview Exciting and ascending, Warring is still a relative newcomer to the game, but he has the size, speed and athleticism to become a versatile, high-impact player on the pro level. He has the competitiveness to handle run-blocking duties and the talent to line up in the slot. While his production won't catch your eye, his tape does with quickness and ball skills that should make him a more productive target in the NFL than he was in college. Strengths - Chiseled, athletic frame with very good size - Has blocking toughness and just needs to improve technique - Snaps hands and hips into engagement - Good radar in space as move-blocker - Races off snap and into seam with plus acceleration - Early speed to lose linebackers - Nifty, quick feet for sharp directional change in routes - Talented to work all three levels as receiver - Former basketball player and it shows - Able to post up defenders and win body positioning - Sudden leaper with springs to win at the high-point - Makes mid-air ball adjustments - Ability to run past or drag tacklers after catch Weaknesses - Needs to improve his landmarks as run-blocker - Slow-starter getting into lateral blocks and loses positioning - Inconsistent hands as base-blocker - Needs to improve timing on work-up blocks - Still relatively inexperienced with modest career production - Not as clever in setting up route breaks as he could be - Will need to work quicker and be more sudden with red zone work - Dropped too many easy catches in 2018 Sources Tell Us "He's exciting to project because he hasn't played that much football and he still has big-time flashes. He's one of those guys who was good at everything in high school athletics, and that usually translates out on the field." -- West Coast scout for NFC team

I can't think of anything more silly than attempting to determine the best fan base in football by polling everybody on social media. It's great for the website, sure. It drives clicks and viewer engagement and gets everyone arguing and re-tweeting and yelling at each other on "First Take". But as an actual means of determining how good a fan base is? Clown shoes. We alllllll know where Bills fans rank. Fox Sports can run a poll a month until Jesus returns to the earth, and it won't change a thing. Clown shoes.

I'm trying to learn to look at NFL offenses in terms of "threats" or playmakers. In other words, who are the top targets on the offense? Who does the defense have to account for every play? Ideally, you'd like to have 3-4 of those guys on your offense. The Bills do, in Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley, and Gabe Davis -- and now likely in Emmanuel Sanders. When you're already throwing a significant number of passes to four different receivers, it's going to be hard to find many opportunities to get the ball to your tight end. When people talk about the Chiefs and the 49ers and how awesome and game-changing their tight ends are, the "how many threats/weapons does the offense have?" question gets glossed over. In the case of the Chiefs, I count Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Mecole Hardman, and maybe Clyde Edwards-Helaire. That is to say that the Chiefs don't necessarily have more offensive weapons than the Bills do, one of them just happens to be a tight end. Ditto the 49ers. They have Aiyuk, Samuel, and Kittle. Still in that 3-4 range. The "star #1 WR and star TE" model works for those offenses, but it doesn't signify that they're any more potent than the Bills' setup of a star #1 WR and a host of talented 2s and 3s. I would argue that the Bills' pass-catching corps -- including TEs and WRs -- is just as deep and talented, if not more so, than the Chiefs and 49ers. The talent is just distributed differently. If we suddenly DID have a star TE, I'm not sure we could get him the targets to justify the pay he would command. And if we DID come up with those targets, it would be at the expense of Diggs, Beasley, Sanders, and Davis. There are different ways to skin a cat. At the end of the day, all that matters is "how many points did you score?", and the Bills scored the most last year that they ever have in team history -- sans star tight end.

Agreed. Their WR2 position is like the Bills' CB2 position. They always have a passable/decent player there, but they seem determined not to put a real threat there. I suppose Hardman could break out this year, but I'm not holding my breath.

I'm surprised that the Bills don't even seem to want him for the practice squad. They seem to have decided that Quintin Morris is a more worthwhile practice squad stash than Hollister. Huh.

I came in here to post this, but should've guessed that you had already done so. 😋 There IS an empty spot on the practice squad.... I guess we're about to find out how confident the Bills are in the youngsters Johnson, Hamlin, and Thomas (sounds like a law firm).

I am absolutely flummoxed by the release of Hollister. I thought FOR SURE it was just roster gymnastics and he'd be brought back. To go into the season with only Dawson Knox -- who still has yet to prove he can be a high quality starter at the position -- and Sweeney and Gilliam (and Gilliam is listed as a fullback, mind you) is crazy to me. It shows A TON of confidence in Dawson Knox. Even IF Knox breaks out, though, there's always health to consider. The Bills are now one Dawson Knox injury away from going into an actual NFL game with Tommy Sweeney and Reggie Gilliam as its only tight ends. Between Hollister's athleticism, his chemistry with Josh, and just the sheer need to have more than one capable tight end in today's game, I just don't understand this move. It makes zero sense to me.

Can somebody ask him what iron does to other iron?

Thanks for posting this. I was just thinking this the other day when looking at the Bills 2021 schedule: We face a rather easy slate of QBs, led by those five contests against rookies. McDermott's Bills defenses have historically been good not only against rookie QBs, but against average QBs in general. The elite passers can sometimes (not always) give the Bills defense fits. Some of his worst losses as head coach have come against really good quarterbacks. Against the mediocre ones, though? The Bills -- more often than not -- come out on top. When looking at an upcoming slate of opponents in a given season, always look at the opposing quarterbacks. This year, there are five or so that are very good. The other 12...not so much.

Every team you mentioned would absolutely improve by adding John Brown. I hope it’s not KC. They already have enough weapons to defend.

Am I the only one surprised that Zay Jones keeps making 53-man rosters?

In for both. Thanks! I was doing really well on the survivor pool last year....until I forgot to make a pick one week. Just like that, it was over. Here's hoping my brain works better this year.

The Bills were one Tre White goal line interception from being down 21-9 in the third quarter. The game was also closer than the final score indicated, due to Micah Hyde's onside kick run-back. Fitzpatrick can get hot on any given Sunday and pile up yards and touchdowns. That's all I'm saying. We've all seen it happen, and we all know it CAN happen. Pairing him with what should be a killer Washington defense makes that game not necessarily a gimme. I'm still picking the Bills, but if the subject is "QBs who the Bills won't necessarily pound into dust", I'd include Fitz.

Fitzpatrick can beat this defense on any given Sunday. I was in the stadium when his Dolphins offense tore the Bills defense up in 2019. Those other 10 games, though? Well....Not one of those guys scare me.

Now that Mac will be starting for the Pats*, I think the Bills will sweep them. McDermott's defenses historically have feasted on rookie QBs. In fact, compared to last season, the entire slate of quarterbacks the Bills face this year is not all that imposing. Mahomes, Brady, Tannehil, MAYBE Matt Ryan. Those are the good ones. Beyond that? Whole bunch of rookies and nobodies. While I don't have the specific numbers in front of me, I do know that McDermott's record as a head coach against average to bad quarterbacks is quite good.

I'm in the "win one before I die" camp, too. My biggest Bills loving friend says he wants multiple rings. As many as Brady has, plus one. I think he means it. Me? Just win me one title before I go. Just one, that's all I need.

So, uh... Hello, 2022 Bills backup QB?

Some special teams players ARE interchangeable, it’s true. The really good ones, though, add value to your kick and punt units — both coverage and return. It’s why guys like Taiwan Jones, Tyler Matakevich, and Matthew Slater have 10 year careers in the NFL. If the really good special teams players of the league were so easily replaceable, you’d think they wouldn’t have such career longevity, since they often don’t contribute much on offense or defense. Im not saying Bam was in that “really good” tier, necessarily, though recent comments by Beane and Farwell indicate that he may be. I’m just saying that in a game that often features small margins of victory, field position and special teams play matter, and Bam helped in those areas.

Respectfully, I disagree. Special teams reps ARE "live game action". A big kick return -- or a tackle on a kick return that prevents a touchdown -- can be the difference between a win and a loss. I believe that special teams will always be important to Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott, and rightly so. There are three phases in football, and all three matter.

I think they just weren’t gonna keep 7 DEs no matter what. I’ll echo others in saying I wish Addison were the one to go instead. I wonder who takes Bam’s role on special teams, and whether this means they’ll keep six instead of five linebackers.

Sorry to see it. On the insensitive fantasy football side of things...I picked up Ty'Son Williams on waivers. I think he gets more carries than Justice Hill.

I respect your optimism, but I'd put it at least at 10%. Regardless of what the Pegulas want or say they want, this is 2021, and the NFL is all about maximizing revenue. Above all else, it's a business. Loyal, diehard fan bases (and media markets larger than Buffalo) like Cleveland and Oakland have lost teams in the past 25 years. Buffalo isn't special or unique. I think the team will end up sticking around, too, but to say "0% chance they move", in my mind, is overly optimistic and not realistic.

I'm late to the party on this thread, but I think Sims has a chance to stick on the 53-man roster. For one thing, McKenzie may not be ready for week 1, and even if he is, I'm not sure the staff is 100% comfortable with him as the primary return man. Stevenson has also had some ball security issues when fielding punts throughout camp. As for the player himself, he actually reminds me a lot of McKenzie. Despite limited snaps on offense through two seasons, he's produced some big plays and some touchdowns. Despite whatever his combine numbers may say, he also looks quick, fast, and shifty on the football field. I encourage you all to go watch the 2019 and 2020 Steven Sims highlights on Youtube. It's easy to see exactly how he would fit into the Bills offense as well as the return game. If McKenzie is lost for any lengthy amount of time, Sims has a better chance to make the roster than most might think for a guy added this late.