Logic

I'm all for eliminating two preseason games. Adding two regular season games, however, is another matter. As it is, by the time we get to the last week of the regular season, every team is a walking MASH unit. I have no interest in seeing bad football with 2nd teamers in weeks 18 and 19. I also have no interest in seeing the record books invalidated/obliterated because now the players get 18 games instead of 16. I realize that the league has already extended its season on a few occasions in the past: from 12 to 14 and then from 14 to 16 games. That's where it should end, in my opinion. Profootballtalk and other outlets have done polls of NFL fans asking this very question, and in every single case, the "don't extend the regular season" option is the winner. By and large, fans don't want it.

I just wanted to pop in one more time to say what an awful idea 18 games is. It's very clear that the fans don't want it, the coaches don't want it, the players don't want it. ONLY the greedy owners want it. Just an awful, awful idea. It's going to be a real bummer watching the NFL orchestrate its own demise in the coming years due to nothing more than greed.

- Table smashing shenanigans are an embarrassment. Instead of diehard fandom being the thing Bills fans are primarily known for, it's lighting themselves on fire and jumping through tables. - The fullback position still has value, and I'm glad the Bills are keeping Dimarco. - Bills fans are, by and large, WAY too sensitive and over-protective of their team and region in general and their quarterback in paticular. - I echo the sentiment of those who say that coaches like Tom Flores and especially Don Coryell are WAY more deserving of the Hall of Fame than Marv Levy. - The Bills Super Bowl teams had more to do with a collection of great talent and an innovative offensive system than anything Levy did as a coach. Had the Bills had a better game day manager as a head coach, Buffalo would have won the Giants Super Bowl walking away. - The new zoomed out camera angle that NBC used the other night is awesome. - The Bills white-on-white away jerseys and throwback jerseys are the best in football.

This thread can't be legitimate. I heard right here on this very forum that Edmunds needed to be switched to Will linebacker and was being miscast as a Mike. When will McDermott stop wasting this kid's career?!

I guess the main point that I was trying to make is this: The Beane front office has stated over and over and over again that their preferred model is to draft, develop, and re-sign their own players. They've stated that free agency is for filling a few holes and supplementing the roster, but by and large, they want to build their team through the draft. With that in mind, the idea is that they will continue to be somewhat conservative with free agency dollars and large contracts, because they plan for the majority of their salary cap in the coming years to be devoted to the players that they themselves drafted. It may be optimistic on their part, sure, but no more optimistic than throwing big money at outside players via free agency or trade in the hopes that they live up to their giant contracts and acclimate to your system and all that type of stuff. If you want to comb through the specific players I listed and pick out where I'm wrong, that's fine. My main point is that they have said six zillion times that they want to allocate most of their money to re-signing their own players. That's it. It doesn't mean they can't or won't go out and take an occasional swing. They've already made Morse the highest paid center in the NFL and given fairly big money to Lotulelei. I'm just saying that I don't think Beane wants the first mega contract of his tenure as GM to be handed out to an outside player with an injury history. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. For what it's worth, I agree with the notion that having a QB on a rookie contract opens a four or five year window during which you should be aggressive and upgrade the rest of your team. I'm just saying that doing that is not without consequence, and it can eventually result in you having you watch some of your own homegrown players walk away because you've already allocated big cap dollars to splash free agency or trade acquisitions.

The only thing I can figure is that this move was made with the fourth preseason game in mind. The staff knows they're keeping Love and Johnson and thus, they don't wish to expose them to four quarters worth of a meaningless preseason game. As such, you have Holland take a bunch of snaps and reduce the risk of injuring key rotational players. The other thing to look at, perhaps, is the practice squad. Perhaps they like the idea of Holland joining theirs.

Of the list I posted, which guys look like busts that don't warrant re-signing, in your opinion? Ed Oliver, obviously we don't know yet because he hasn't played a down of regular season football in the NFL. Of the rest of them, which ones do you imagine us letting walk away? Our starting left tackle? Our starting #1 cornerback? One or both of our outstanding young linebackers? To be fair, all this Clowney hype falls more comfortably into the "wishful thinking" category than the idea of the Beane regime wanting to retain their own drafted players.

Within the next two seasons, the Bills will need to extend Tre'Davious White, Matt Milano, Jordan Poyer, and Dion Dawkins. Contracts for LTs and CBs don't tend to be cheap. I'm not saying the above contract extension needs should preclude the Bills from handing out a big contract to a guy like Clowney. But people who pretend like the Bills will ALWAYS be flush with cash are silly. Yes, they have a lot of it now. They also have a young core that they quite like, and in order to retain all of them, big contracts are going to be required. Tre'Davious White Jordan Poyer Tremaine Edmunds Matt Milano Ed Oliver Harrison Phillips Dion Dawkins Josh Allen Again, the need to extend these players shouldn't preclude them from signing other guys if they so choose right now. However, if their goal is to retain their own drafted talent, and knowing that they have upcoming CB, LT, QB, DL, and MLB extensions in order to keep the young core in place, it's not outlandish for them to prioritize remaining financially solvent and not necessarily handing out record setting contracts to outside players.

The only two reputable, reliable sources to speak on this rumor so far have both stated that they move isn't likely. The only people keeping this rumor alive are bored Bills fans. It ain't happening.

The one thing I'd like to see -- which unfortunately we won't GET to see before cutdown day -- is Williams making plays with Josh Allen under center. To the best of my recollection, the only chemistry and success Duke has shown so far is with Matt Barkley.

I know there isn't much else to discuss this far into the offseason, but 33 pages about a bogus "source" trumping up a vague rumor? Sheesh.

Personally, I think most people's "I don't like it" reactions are rooted in the fact that we are SO used to the view we've had for many years now. It's a real shock to the system to see a different view. As far as showing you more of the action -- how routes are developing, who's open, the blocking, the cutback lanes -- it's brilliant. For those of us who love the All-22 footage and like to actually see a how a play is working or not working in real time, it's awesome. I hope they keep it.

I was gonna respond, but this guy covered it almost perfectly. Spain's injury isn't serious and he should make the 53. DiMarco should not be cut. His contributions on special teams are huge and he'll play around 20% of the offensive snaps. Fullback is a part of Brian Daboll's offense, and to say that other guys could easily do what he does is to understate his abilities. I really have no interest in Jason Croom. He's Just A Guy to me. I'd rather see Spencer Long make the roster than Duke Williams. Give me experienced, versatile offensive line depth over a receiver who can't separate any day of the week. Can't expose Jaquan Johnson to waivers. Dude's gonna be a baller. I can see them keeping Pitts over Munnerlyn for special teams reasons.

"Spoke to someone earlier today about Bills/Clowney, person shook head no." That's "couching his words" to you? Believe whatever makes you happy, but I'm sticking with "wishful thinking".

There are, however, no CREDIBLE reports of the Bills working on a trade. We've heard it from three different no-name Twitter posters trying to make a name for themselves by discussing vague conjecture. Until someone halfway worth a darn reports anything about the Bills being interested, I won't believe they are. The only person who DOES have credibility that has weighed in on this idea is JW, and he specifically stated twice now that he was told there's nothing to it. Believe what you want, but I'm filing this one under "wishful thinking" by Bills fans.

There are a few potential downsides: 1.) Clowney may not want to re-sign here long term. Due to the contract language of the tender he will be signing, the Bills can't work out a new deal with him until AFTER the season. That's a big risk to take with a guy that you're also going to have to give up draft or roster assets for. People say "well obviously they wouldn't do it if Clowney says he won't stick around". But in that instance, you'd be taking the guy at his word. There would be nothing legally binding him to your team past this season. 2.) It's true, the Bills DO have lots of cap room and no one to pay yet. But they WILL have people to pay in the coming years. They have said repeatedly that they want to draft, develop, and retain their own players. Guys like White, Edmunds, Milano, Oliver, Wallace, etc. The Bills are in no hurry to get themselves back on the path to cap jail. Handing out a top-three-in-the-league defensive contract to a guy they didn't draft and who hasn't always been a paragon of good health and dependability is one potential way to start back down that path. This brings us to item three: 3.) Clowney has a history of injuries. He has had five surgeries in the past five years: 2018: knee surgery, lower back injury 2017: knee surgery 2016: elbow sprain 2015: ankle sprain, lower back injury, lisfranc sprain 2014: knee surgery, microfracture surgery, sports hernia surgery I'm not going to be unhappy if they trade for Clowney. I'd welcome it. I DO think he could be a transformative force for Buffalo's defense IF he can stay on the field. But to pretend that the move doesn't carry some risks and potential downsides is silly. I'm genuinely 50/50 on the move. If it happens, great, I'm sure Beane will have done his homework. If it doesn't happen, no skin off my back, and I'll be happy to see the Bills pay their OWN quality players in the coming years. I also happen to believe Wawrow and others who have stated there's nothing to this rumor.

Agreed. I also think that the play of the EDGE guys this offseason and preseason has made it so that Beane likely doesn't feel the NEED to give up draft or roster assets AND pay the big contract it would take to lure Clowney. They just extended Hughes, who is still playing well. They've been raving about Trent Murphy since he returned to health. Shaq Lawson has played well this preseason and is still young and ascending as a player. Darryl Johnson looks like an immediate contributor, and even Mike Love has been making plays. I'm not disagreeing that Clowney would improve the Bills defense. I'm simply saying that I don't see this move as likely for a number of reasons, including but not limited to the huge contract and other assets it will take to acquire and sign him.

Thanks, John. Not sure why 9 pages worth of people are so willing to trust something called "Profootballnetwork", but that's 2019 sports journalism for you.

Every single year, football fans across the league discount the importance of special teams contributors. There's always some running back or wide receiver that makes plays in the preseason games but doesn't contribute on special teams, and fans always want those guys kept over the special teams players. Then, when said special teams players are kept instead, people whine and gripe that the "better player" got cut. With McCoy, Gore, and Singletary all set to get serious snaps at running back, I just don't see how Yeldon's 2 or 3 snaps a game on offense would be worth more than the contributions of Sinorise Perry, who plays all four special teams units. Unless a trade happens or the Bills decide to keep all five backs, I don't see how Yeldon makes this roster.

For how short a time he has been with the team and how much they're asking him to do on the fly, Bates has looked OUTSTANDING. I don't just mean "lifetime bench player outstanding", either. Dude looks like he could be a starting offensive lineman in this league some day. What we all originally wrote off as a throwaway trade may, in fact, turn out to be a real find by Beane and his staff. I don't know too many NFL linemen that can play all five positions on the line. That is insanely impressive versatility, especially for a rookie UDFA!

Brian Daboll recently said that the first ingredient to being a good receiver is getting separation. It's the one thing that Williams struggles with. He blocks well, he catches well, but he doesn't get much separation. Josh Allen has showed thus far in his career that he's more likely/willing to throw to a receiver who has separated from his defender. If you notice, all of Williams' success so far has come with Barkley at QB. If Williams makes the team, it will because he is a great blocker and because they know they need at least ONE big target in the passing game. He could be a red zone specialist, that sort of thing. On the other hand, if he DOESN'T make the team, it will be because he can't separate from starting level cornerbacks worth a darn. I can't help but wonder if he'd be better off at tight end, though it's obviously too late in the offseason to start THAT conversion, and we wouldn't have room on our TE depth chart any way.

Two things: First of all, Bleacher Report has changed quite a bit over the years. It now features quite a few nationally known, reputable reporters and analysts. It is not the amateur site it once was. Second, as I stated in the original post, the article is written specifically by Mike Tanier. He is a well known football analyst on Twitter who has been one of the most vocal Allen haters out there. The fact that HE of all people wrote the article is significant.

You won't be sorry, especially once the season starts.

Great first post! I agree with a lot of what you said. Adam Gase is a big old open book, as far as I'm concerned. It is entirely possible that he gets more out of some Jets players that were "wasted" under the previous regime. It is also possible that he shows more of what he showed in Miami: a consistently .500 level of football, a proclivity for certain players to either tune him out or go to the press about their frustrations, and a below average offense despite his pedigree as an offensive genius. Time will tell. It's simple to me: If Gase turns out to be a good coach, and the Miami stint was an aberration, then the Jets will be really good immediately. If he proves to be the guy we all thought he was when he was with Miami, they'll be just good enough to eek out Wild Card spots but not good enough to be elite. The Jets have the QB in place, they have some weapons, they have some cornerstone defensive players...it's all about the coach. Welcome to the boards! I've started posting over at JetsNation as JoshAllenSZN (which is an admittedly obnoxious screenname), in an effort to talk some X's and O's with the opposition in a productive fashion. I quite like most of the people I've encountered over there so far! Hope you stick around. Enjoy the season!