Logic

Super undersized for an edge rusher.

17 sacks in 2021 and 18 sacks in 2023 LOLLL More productive at Troy -- a known producer of quality Edge rushers in the past -- than Osi Umenyiora and Demarcus Ware. Undersized speed rusher with insane college production. Developmental pass rush guy with outrageous "Steal" potential. We already have guys in Rousseau and Epenesa who are more on the powerful, edge setting side of things. Now we have a guy who can be tutored by Von Miller and has the potential to be a long term pass rush specialist. I like it.

I was hoping Beane would take some calculated risks. With a few notable exceptions -- Stefon Diggs, Von Miller -- he has always been steady Eddie. Mr "I don't want to sacrifice our ability to compete long term by going all-in for the present year". That's fine. My concern is that he'd rather be very good for the next 10 years than try to be elite for a two or three year stretch. I fear that "very good" will get us to the divisional round every year, but will rarely beat the Chiefs, because the Chiefs are elite. Sometimes I wish he'd sacrifice just a little bit out that steadfast long term thinking for a bigger splash now, yes. For instance, I thought Christian McCaffrey was worth trading our first rounder for. Many disagreed. Beane clearly disagreed. Instead, we kept it and used it on Kaiir Elam. That was the more prudent, "smart", long term thinking move to make. The only problem is that Kaiir Elam looks likely to be a bust, and Christian McCaffrey continues to be an elite offensive weapon and just helped the 49ers reach the Super Bowl and nearly win it. The counter-point, clearly, is that the big swings he HAS taken -- Diggs and Miller -- didn't result in any titles for the Bills, and it was time to get younger and cheaper and re-tool the roster and go back to practical long term planning. Again, that's fine, but you'll have to forgive me if a two-year re-tooling in the name of practicality isn't my favorite thing to be looking at in the middle of Josh Allen's prime.

Yeah, this is why I'm....underwhelmed, I guess. Kind of disappointed. Yes, we drafted players at areas of need. We needed a WR, S, C, DT, RB, and we got all of those. Great. But as I've said multiple times this offseason, I've thought for a while now that we lack difference makers. We lack elite talent around Josh. Guys that can step up in big moments. Blue chippers. This draft...sure doesn't seem like it provided any hope for that type of player. Coleman doesn't scream "Alpha WR1". Maybe Bishop turns into a playmaking safety, but a hard hitting SS is rarely the big difference maker for a football team. I'll bet the center and DT are pretty good players, but they won't move the needle. I feel like the Bills -- at best -- spun their wheels this season. At worst, I think their roster got worse. I think our WR corps is worse. I think our defense will be worse. Whereas, say, KC got a guy who -- by virtue of his field-tilting speed -- could change the entire way teams defend their offense and have a big trickle-down effect...the Bills got an X receiver who seems like he'll be...fine, maybe? I think I had hope that the Bills would be Super Bowl contenders again this year by virtue of some bold moves to surround Josh with a playmaker or two. Instead, I look at this draft and the 2025 cap space and capital they've collected, and it all screams "two year retooling project" and "2024 is a soft punt". So yeah...the Bills filled needs. They got players that look...fine. Some will probably be good. But I'm sick of taking safe picks that fill needs. I wanted a big swing or two, and the Bills didn't make one. I don't see any realistic way they overtake KC or can be viewed as legitimate Super Bowl contenders this year, and that's disappointing to me.

I agree. NFLN spoiled a bunch of picks this year by going to Ian Rapoport and letting him "speculate" what the next pick might be, which was their way of spoiling without technically spoiling. Completely spoiled the big Michael Penix surprise moment, and a bunch of others. It got to the point where whenever they said "let's bring in Ian Rapoport", I muted the TV and looked away til he was gone. I hate that they did this. I think I'll be switching back to ESPN going forward. NFLN's coverage stunk this year. I've actually been enjoying ESPN's day three coverage. Better than expected.

1.) He's gonna end up starting at center by year two if not year one. That's outstanding value in round five. Potentially allows the Bills to keep McGovern at LG. 2.) He has short arms, but so did Ryan Kalil, and he was an All-Pro 3.) Tons of starting experience for Georgia 4.) Yet another high character, high intelligence, great leadership, great intangibles guy. It's clearly a focus for the Bills in this draft to fill the leadership void that was created this year and fortify the locker room and the culture on this team.

The Bills don't re-sign running backs to second contracts anyway. Most teams don't these days unless they're game changers.

Yeah, but who cares? The Bills typically don't re-sign running backs to second contracts anyway (nor should they). It's not smart business. Running backs are "turn and burn". Even if he was 22, you still probably aren't re-signing him to a second contract. If he has a productive 4-year career for the Bills as a backup to Cook, it's a good use of a late 4th round pick.

His calling card is as a tough, inside-running guy, but he can be productive in the receiving game as well. ESPN just pointed out that he had the most receiving touchdowns for a running back in the SEC IN 25 YEARS (!), with 8. That's pretty impressive. To be able to go to your change of pace guy from James Cook and not necessarily lose anything in the passing game is a good thing. ESPN also said they see some Frank Gore in his game. I think he'll be a good complement to Cook. I get the hand wringing over using a draft pick on a running back, but the Bills DID need one, and at least it's an offensive player.

The NFL's obsession with the latter has, in my opinion, recently been leading to a reduction in the former, and I believe it will continue to do so. More games (and Thursday night games) lead to more injuries and an inferior product on the field. MORE is not always BETTER. Adding inventory does not always improve the product. Often, it waters it down. That's what I believe is slowly but surely happening. I agree that there hasn't been a turning point yet. The wave hasn't crested. But I believe that it will. We can agree to disagree. You can enjoy your 20 game seasons where 14 backup QBs are starting by week 17, and I'll continue to think that the NFL is great as is and they should really stop tinkering with it.

I really thought they'd package a 5th or two with their 4th to move up higher and take another decent WR prospect. They didn't, and the remaining options are less than inspiring. As of this moment, I'm feeling like the Bills have one of the worst WR corps in the league. I don't see anybody on the roster that defenses have to respect deep. I don't see anyone who's opening up the field for our underneath targets. In an offseason where I felt the Bills really needed to get better around Josh Allen, I can't help but feel they've gotten worse.

I love Josh Allen as much as the next Bills fan, but if Beane and co are letting him make draft selections, there's something seriously wrong with their process. He should have input, yes, but his preference after watching a few Youtube highlight videos (which is how Josh himself said he looks at draft prospects) should not outweigh the months and months of work the scouting staff does. I doubt it does. I think the "Josh made this pick!" stuff is overstated. If the scouting staff and Beane didn't like Coleman, it's hard for me to believe that they would've taken him over guys they preferred.

Franklin, Baker, Walker all would've been guys I liked. At this point, I've resigned myself to the idea of Beane taking a defensive end, linebacker, or corner I've never heard of with the next pick. Really my only ask for this day of the draft is one more decent receiver prospect. Is that so crazy?

If we're not gonna have an impressive top three -- which, currently, we don't -- I'd like to go the Green Bay route and have a handful of good and diverse guys. If we're not gonna have top line quality, I'd like to see us at least have top line quantity and diversity. That's why I'd like to see the Bills add a receiver with their next pick. The Packers have : Watson Doubs Reed Wicks Melton TE Kraft TE Musgrave No world beaters and no true number 1, but a good collection of players, and Love is able to spread the ball around. The Bills have: Coleman Samuel Shakir Hollins Shorter/Hamler/car salesmen TE Kincaid TE Knox Coleman is their Watson (physically freaky, borderline WR1 type), Samuel is a decent to good number 2 in this league, and Shakir can hopefully be their Reed in the slot. They have better tight ends than the Packers. They just need one or two more dudes in that group. Hopefully they come today.

Great post. Thanks for that.

They'll never leave well enough alone. They'll never say "ya know what? We have the most popular sport in the country, people love it, it's a great product, let's quit messing with it". They'll keep making decisions in the name of money, not of fan experience or player safety. Decisions that water down the product and make it less enjoyable to watch. Decisions like adding Thursday night games, adding two extra games, pricing regular fans out of the stadiums. Decisions like having to pretend they actually DO care about player safety to cover their asses for the Thursday night games and extra games, by doing things like legislating any and all violence out of the game. My point is: The NFL will never be happy. They'll just keep expanding, reforming, and tinkering in the name of making more and more and more money, and as they do so, the product will continue to get worse. Their never ending greed will be their demise. Like Icarus, they will fly too close to the sun, and their wings will burn.

Top Corners- TJ Tampa - 46th overall - they compare him to Kaiir Elam (nooooooooooo!); Cam Hart (82nd), Draine (92nd), K Jackson (102nd) Top WRs - Franklin (73rd), Rice (81st), Baker (87th) & Walker (91st), Washington (99), J Wilson (100), Means (134) Top Edge - Booker (83rd), Brennan Jackson (115th), Ced Johnson (120), Kamara (126), Hall (135) Top C - Van Pran (105th), Bortolini (117th), Nourzad (130) Top RBs - Wright (97th), Davis (129), Allen (142), Guerendo (146) Top OT - Chris Jones (84th), Foster (107), Top DT - Dorius (79th) - kind of a combo DT/Edge, Wingo (88) Top S - Hicks (59th), Demerson (119th) Bolded are some guys I like tomorrow. A running back, a wide receiver, an edge, and a few special teams DBs/LBs will likely do it.

1. Anyone thinking that the 95th pick in the draft is supposed to be a year 1 starter is taking crazy pills. The 1st and 2nd round are for starters, the 3rd round and beyond are for depth and developmental players. At least that's how it works for good teams, which the Bills are. The only way the 95th pick in a shallow draft is starting for you is if you're a bad team, which the Bills aren't. 2. DT3T was a need. Leadership was a need. Dewayne Carter appears to tick both boxes. 3. I would've preferred an offensive player. I liked Troy Franklin. Obviously, I know nothing. Or at least I should say that NFL teams clearly knowing something that I don't. There's obviously a reason that a guy many of us would have been okay with in the 2nd round is still on the board at the start of the 4th. So yeah, in a vacuum, it's irritating when your team doesn't take a guy you like that seems like a screaming value when he's still on the board late in the 3rd round, but...WR is a fairly premium position, so there must be a REASON that Franklin is still on the board. 4. Clearly WR is a deep position this year, and I'm hoping that the Bills take one in the 4th round. Either that or that they trade for a veteran. Coleman-Samuel-Shakir-Hollins is not a very inspiring depth chart in my opinion. One more legit dude needed. Overall for day two: I didn't like the Coleman pick (I understand it, but I don't love the player), I quite liked the Bishop pick, and the Carter pick makes sense to me as a logical selection at a needed position. More help is needed on offense, and I hope they find some either with their remaining picks or via free agency. Not my favorite draft class ever, but I'm not out on a ledge or anything.

Yeah I have to agree that if Legette was indeed "Their guy", they would've just picked him at 32, especially because if all of US knew that the Panthers wanted Legette, you can damn sure bet that Beane knew it, too.

In an effort to inject some positivity about this player (including for myself, because I still don't love the pick:

I voiced my displeasure with the Coleman pick, so it's only fair that I say: Cole Bishop is a very good, very logical pick. Value meets need. Scheme fit. Culture fit. I'll be downright shocked if he doesn't start year one and for many years to come. Dawg. Gonna be a good one. Nice pick.

There's a LOT that goes into Reception Perception. It's proven to be a pretty excellent (though not flawless) predictive model for WRs over the years. Arguably the best available. Read more about it here if you care to. It's not some arbitrary thing. https://receptionperception.com/introduction-to-reception-perception-and-its-new-home/

We seem to prioritize them constantly over actual ability to play football well. We can't get past the divisional round, but at least we have an amazing culture.

Positive attitude, relentless will to improve, loves to block, can contribute on special teams, "best football is in front of him", can play in the Buffalo elements. Pretty much a grab bag of tired McDermott/Beane cliches with this guy. Nevermind speed, explosion, separation ability. Nope. He brings his lunch pail to work and he likes to block! Huzzah! And heaven forbid we not take the guy that JOSH likes. Worked super well with Ken Dorsey. *****. Mother*****ing *****.