Logic

While it's not unthinkable that Dawkins could move inside, I think people are giving up on him too fast. First of all, while he DID regress last season, it's not as if he was outright terrible. Secondly, let's remember that he played next to some AWFUL left guards, which surely affected his play negatively. The lack of a quality center and, thus, the lack of cohesion and correct line calls all season probably ALSO negatively affected him. Last but not least, he has said himself that this last season was a real wake-up call, and that we will all be seeing a new and improved Dion Dawkins. I also don't think the coaching staff would want to just give up on their young left tackle so easily. In an ideal world, I'm sure they'd prefer that he stay at LT and succeed at that position. Otherwise, Franchise LT is back on the list of needs going into next season. Finally, the presence of a 33-year-old journeyman swing tackle on the roster likely won't affect Dawkins' status on the roster as much as the presence of an incoming first round LT (Jonah Williams) affected Cordy Glenn in Cinci. The ONLY thing that will throw a wrench into everything I just posted is if Nsekhe is far and away the best player on the field at LT, thus forcing the hand of the coaching staff with regard to who starts at that position.

I'm with you on Teller, and have been wondering if he's capable of switching from the left to the right side. I DON'T believe the coaches are just going to give up on him after one season in which he showed some serious promise. HOWEVER, Spain has played LG his whole career, and I think that the coaches would like to have Spencer Long be the versatile interior swing backup, in an ideal world. As such, having Spain and Feliciano battle at LG and Teller and Boettger battle at RG might be the best way to go. Also, while Teller is my bold prediction to start as well, Spain is my bold prediction to be cut.

He literally said FIRST starting alignment. He means the very first way they line up at OTAs.

Cian Fahey has hands down, without a shadow of a doubt, the absolute WORST football takes anywhere on social media. And to make matters worse, he's absolutely confident in his opinions to the point of extreme arrogance, and air of moral superiority, and a habit of mocking and blocking anyone who dares to disagree with him. He is an absolute clown shoe.

Fair enough. I don't think McDermott and Beane will be so quick to give up on a 5th round pick who played really well at times last year in Wyatt Teller. It seems like every year, there's a veteran that gets signed that everyone thinks was a "free agency steal". Fans count on said player starting and being a key contributor, when in fact said player winds up getting cut or riding the bench or not producing. I won't be shocked at all if Spain beats out Teller, but I also won't be shocked if Teller wins the job and Spain either rides the pine or gets cut.

I think he was just saying this will be the FIRST alignment. Beane has shown a history of allowing his tenured players get the first crack at starting reps, even if only for a series or two. It's sort of a gesture of respect and acknowledgement. Along those lines, I might agree with the idea except with Teller in place of Ducasse, since that's who ended last season as the starter at LG. When it's all said and done, my prediction is Dawkins - Teller - Morse - Long - Ford, with Nsekhe as the swing tackle and Feliciano backing up the interior.

This is pretty much the only thing that will truly be interesting to me. Ty Nsekhe is the wild card. The contract they gave him indicates to me that they may view him as a short term starter. If so, and if it's true they want Ford to start out at RT in hopes of winning that job, does Dawkins get pushed inside to LG?

Except that the Jetss are our division rivals. There is ABSOLUTELY reason to believe that they'd ask a higher price from a team they play twice a year than from a team in the AFC West. Also, I expect you'll still be hanging around our boards and touting your Chiefs if/when they regress this year and barely secure a Wild Card spot?

To the people saying that Pete Prisco has always been a Bills hater: I don't see it that way. He HAS openly criticized the Bills a lot over the past 20 years, but they've almost always deserved it! Think of the amount of bad GMs, coaches, draft picks, and players that came through Orchard Park the past couple decades. Prisco was mostly RIGHT to criticize that stuff. It tells me that he actually probably knows what he's looking at a little bit! The fact that the Beane/McDermott regime and their decisions since taking over represent the first time Prisco has spoken highly of the Bills in years means he's just seeing what WE'RE all seeing as fans: The team is finally in the hands of competent people and is making smart decisions. Prisco a hater? Hardly. He just has working eyeballs.

Thanks for transcribing that! Really appreciate you taking the time. It was a radio interview.

Pot calling the kettle black.

It's Fox Sports. They're the ones who allowed the rigged "best fanbase vote" to go on without any mention of all the cheating on behalf of Titans fans. So, I guess what I'm saying is....Fox Sports Twitter polls are worth about as much as AOL stock at this point.

Any time someone starts a sentence with "Not to be a Debbie Downer", I just immediately stop reading.

For one thing, the Bills should re-sign Jerry Hughes. He is still highly productive and I'd venture to guess that his ability to make plays is put to better use in McDermott's defense than it would be anywhere else. As long as Jerry is open to an extension and not asking for the moon, he should be re-signed. So that gives us Murphy and Hughes to start with. From there, a couple draft picks to infuse the position with youth should be all that's needed.

When I think of all the speed on this defense -- Oliver at DT, Edmunds, Milano, and Joseph at LB -- it boggles the mind. Add in the fact that they've completely rebuild the secondary from scratch into one of the best in the NFL, and I can see the Bills defense being good for years. They just need one more finishing touch: Some new faces at EDGE, which I expect to come next offseason.

That was great, thanks. I was already aware of Milano and Edmunds being well on the road to elite status, but I hadn't seen many (any?) breakdowns of Harrison Phillips' play in 2018. That was really neat to see. The Bills are so strong up the middle: Star, Oliver, and the Phillips brothers at DT, Edmunds and Milano at LB, Poyer and Hyde at Safety. Love it. And we all EXPECT Oliver to be a beast, but what if it turns out Harrison Phillips is the real deal, too?! The Bills could have quite the DT tandem on their hands.

Tremaine Edmunds suffers a season ending injury, leading to a general defensive awfulness for the Bills as *checks depth chart* JULIAN STANFORD(?!) starts 15 games. Linebacker depth is pretty scary for the Bills at the moment.

So much of what our next draft looks like will be decided by how the 2019 season plays out. For instance, if our WR corps do well and our offense succeeds, the chances of spending premium capital on a WR lessens. If Dion Dawkins fails to win the LT job and instead moves to guard, you have to think LT shoots to the top of the "needs" list. If Hughes and Lawson both leave in free agency, edge becomes need #1. As of this moment, I'd agree that finding a true #1 receiver should be high on the list. I am mindful, though, of the fact that they may need to completely remake the depth chart at EDGE.

Better than? Nope. I just feel the Bills have abhorrent depth at linebacker, even after the drafting of Joseph. With our defense employing fast, undersized guys at the position, injuries are always a concern to me. I also feel that Darron Lee is exactly the type of linebacker, in terms of playing style and athletic traits, that McDermott could make highly effective. He could back up all three spots. I suppose, if all goes well, that that's what Joseph could do, as well. Here's hoping Joseph turns into a real player. At the end of the day, McDermott/Beane seem to be the type that like to bet on high round, athletic talent that were misused/underused. If given the chance, I bet they could've turned Lee into a productive player. In any case, I wonder if Lee's addition and the switch to a 4-3 defense in KC means they release Ragland.

Not gonna lie, I wish the Bills had given a 5th rounder for Lee. I think he'd be great as a Will in McDermott's defense. Oh well.

Literally every team in the NFL can say this about their starting quarterback.

Well...I typed it.

?

Now I KNOW he's the right guy for the Bills!

I must have missed the parts where McDermott's team lacked identity and character, where McDermott was publicly calling out his players for lack of effort, or where players who left the team made public comments about how absolutely thankful they were to be away from that tire fire. I get it, though. Context isn't a thing in ScottLaw land.