blacklabel

Yezzirr!! I edited my post like a minute after hitting "Submit Reply" because as I was typing it, more info was added to the OP.

The Ringer occasionally has some good articles, but they too often seem to gravitate toward the unpopular opinion on any given topic and it always feels very disingenuous and inauthentic. Seems like they wanna be "that guy" in certain situations in order to stand out and get them clicks. There have been more than a few pieces I've read where I've thought, "Good lord, there's no way the person writing this actually believes it... because if they did, nobody in their right mind would wanna pay 'em to write for them."

People can hate on Brandon all they want but there's something to be said about a guy who can consistently sell out Bills games while in the midst of a 17-year playoff drought and most seasons playing meaningless games by December. Obviously he should have never been put in a GM role but that was Ralph Wilson's decision. He's also responsible for developing training camp at St. John Fisher which is typically referred to one of the nicest and most fan-interactive camps in the league by those that visit it. I wonder what's causing the shake up? I'd assume they feel pretty good about the Bills right now. Ended the drought in the third year of their ownership. Just pulled the trigger and drafted what they think is their franchise QB. Hired the head coach they wanted all along, even before Rex. Sabres, on the other hand, tanked an entire season for nothing. Constant upheaval at the top since they bought the team. Dismal last two seasons, each with different coaches that can't seem to reach the players or figure out the best way to utilize their players. Should be interesting to learn more. EDIT - In the time I spent typing up this post the information behind Brandon's departure was added to the thread. So uh... welp. Seems like Russ is a dingbat.

Gettleman was saying teams were calling and offering a "box of popcorn, a hot pretzel and a hot dog for number two overall." He wanted a first rounder in 2019 before he even considered trading and we know now for certain that Beane wasn't keen on giving up any 2019 picks... likely because they expect to finish with a pretty rough record which could put them in the top five.

Criticism of the team or the decision makers is fine. What gets me is people constantly calling for decision makers to be fired before the choices they've made have even had the chance to show what they can do. Being in a state of constant flux from the top down is most certainly a surefire way to start another drought. No one says you have to like them, but if you're ready to write off the front office and coaching staff after one full season (which included the first playoff berth in 17 seasons) and one draft, I don't know what to tell you because your expectations are unattainable. And as another individual said on draft night (I can't recall who), there will be some "fans" on this board more interested in getting the opportunity to reinforce their outlooks on certain players if those players bust. It's lame but there are definitely a contingent of posters that will flock to this board to squeal "I TOLD YOU SO" at the top of their lungs the minute Josh Allen has a bad game or the second Ray-Ray McCloud drops a pass while Equinameous St. Brown has two receptions for 28 yards and a meaningless score for the Packers or something. Happens every year. I wasn't exactly psyched for Allen, but clearly there isn't a single iota of knowledge anyone on this board or any fan can share with any NFL team that they don't already know about these players. Clearly, Rosen is not viewed as highly by NFL teams as he is by fans, otherwise he would've come off the board first as he's "easily" the most NFL-ready QB with the most refined skill set combined with natural pocket-passer traits. I really think teams have hang ups about his durability. I mean, he might be able to hit the weight room and fill out his frame a little more but as he is right now, I'm sure a lot of GMs were thinking, "Man, this kid is gonna be on the sidelines for six weeks the minute he takes a hit from an NFL edge rusher." I trust the decision makers at OBD right meow. I trust the McBeane vision. They're well-aware that their jobs hinge on Allen's outcome. They know the kid better than any of us. They must have a pretty solid plan on how to develop him. And they must feel pretty good about the kid's chances to become a franchise signal caller. Nobody wants to get ahead of themselves and start believing right away that Allen is gonna be a boom. Given the track record the Bills have for developing franchise QBs it's easy to fall into the negativity. But... if you're drawing up a QB in a lab, Allen is the prototype, so at least they're starting there. And that's not just from a physical standpoint, plenty of 6'5" 240 lb. QBs enter the league and never amount to anything more than a backup due to how they approach the game or their mentality on the field. From what we've seen, there isn't a throw that Allen fears or believes he can't make, which has been the case with EJ, Tyrod and Fitz. Yeah, all good guys, hard workers, good teammates, etc. But EJ didn't trust himself to make tight window throws and had legitimate trouble learning and retaining the things he was being taught. Tyrod plays on the conservative side and Fitz would like to believe he has a cannon but he doesn't. However that never stopped him from trying throws he probably knew he couldn't make. At least with Allen you have a player that has most definitely shown that he can make all the throws and has also shown that he has the confidence and mentality to actually pull the trigger on those types of throws. Combine that with the fact that he apparently aced all sorts of white-board tests during his interviews with teams and is said to possess the requisite football IQ for franchise guy and I'd say out of the last handful of starting QBs the Bills have put on the field, it's Allen who likely has the best shot to turn into the franchise guy they've been chasing since Jim Kelly hung up the cleats in '96. At least that's what I'm hoping for anyway.

Keep hearing positive things about this Phillips kid. I think he landed in the best possible situation he could've. He's going to have the chance to learn and pick up work habits from Kyle, who was most often Phillips' NFL comparison. Did anyone else hear how he sent a letter to Beane a short while after his pre-draft visit to OBD? Evidently, he stated he was ready to bring his lunch pail and get to work. Seems very excited to be on this team. Has a chance to produce right away as part of the DL rotation. At Stanford he was playing something like 90% of the snaps which is why some scouting reports questioned his motor. He's actually said there were certain plays and situations where he had to decide to conserve energy. Does it look good for him on film if he's chasing down a ball carrier but isn't really in position to make the tackle? Sure. That shows top-notch effort. But on the flipside, he knows he can't do something like that on every single play as he'll have nothing but fumes in the tank by the time the 4th quarter rolls around. So far tho, love his attitude, he presents himself very well, obviously a bright kid. Some scouts questioned his best positional fit, saying he can only do so much if he plays 0 or 1-tech. I think McDermott probably just views that as positional versatility, which he loves, so he'll figure out where to play this kid. Top that off with the fact that Phillips is a former wrestler and this dude was destined to be a Bill. Here's hoping he's Kyle part two.

Johnson was signed to be a player/mentor for last season given that he's a veteran with experience in McDermott's system. They paid him to play and to help all the newcomers catch on. Now that the core secondary players have a season down with this system they can help any rookies/new signings coming in. They also likely felt like they could upgrade, they're very much in tune with that facet of team building. Not many players on this roster have a predetermined spot as they really seem to emphasize on competition rather than starting the guy who knows your system and is one of "your boys" but can't really perform in it anymore (see Ryan, Rex). I read up on the new Johnson kid and the other DB they took, Neal. Both of them have the requisite McBeane combination of skills, character and experience plus versatility on the field. If these picks work out, Edmunds, Phillips, etc., they're gonna be a fun group to watch. Looks like McD's vision is speed, versatility and high motor and if it all comes together they have a shot to be pretty good.

Not for nothing but of the big four QBs that came up this year, Josh Rosen was the last one taken. So it's obviously not just the Bills that viewed Rosen behind Allen, Darnold and Mayfield. I really think a lot of teams feel like Rosen's durability is going to be an issue.

Obviously we aren't privy to the reasons McDermott likes Culley to coach his QBs. We don't really know what type of approach and coaching style Culley has but it must at least fall in line with McDermott's core philosophies. The one thing they're gonna have to realize is that they can't completely break this kid down and start him from scratch. They're gonna need to recognize and accentuate his strengths and try to create a system that will limit his mistakes. McDermott does strike me as the type of coach who will work to discover the best way to reach and teach his players. Everybody has a different way they learn and I think the days of the "my way or the highway" coaches are starting to fade. Coaches these days need to know how to keep their players engaged and intent on improving. For all intents and purposes, we know Allen has the desire to be the best player he can possibly be. And I know someone may say, "So did EJ" and that's true. The fundamental difference between Allen and EJ is that EJ had legitimate struggles to learn/retain the things he was being taught. And on top of that, the person EJ trusts the most to make a play on the field is himself, hence his proclivity to bail on clean pockets and run or talk himself out of giving his receivers a chance to make a play. Allen doesn't have that make-up. Allen will give his receivers a chance to make a play and there isn't a throw he fears. I guess I'll take the dude that has the stones to at least try to go out there and sling it as opposed to the safe and timid quarterbacking styles of EJ and even Tyrod. And despite them drafting the guy with the best overall arm talent seen in years, this team is still going to be founded on a stifling defense and a strong run game with a downfield passing attack that will take calculated shots.

What talent mismatches did he benefit from exactly? His entire supporting cast weren't a mismatch for anyone.

Yeah, EJ had a weird tendency to aim his passes like he was throwing darts or something. Especially on short routes. I wasn't the most excited fan on Thursday night when I saw Allen was the pick but I'm gonna trust that these guys know what they're doing and that they're confident in their coaching staff to turn him into a franchise QB. Of all the QBs in this draft, Allen certainly pushes it down the field much more than the others. And that's what Beane was looking for. I just don't have a great deal of faith in David Culley.

Allen is the first one, Manuel is the second. Just found it interesting how closely they measure up. Totally different QBs. Definitely hoping Allen works out much better than EJ.

Come off the stats. They aren't the be all end all metric. It's not what scouts, coaches and GMs focus on. They look at what a player can do, how they can reach them to best coach them, how to maximize their strengths, what can be done to adjust flaws, and how the players skills project to the NFL level. There's a place for numbers but teams don't emphasize them as much as some fans do. Looking at Allen, they're gambling that he can reach his full potential, and if he does, he's a franchise QB capable of making throws only a handful of QBs right now can make. Can't remember who said it on here last night but they said there will be so many people on this board waiting to strike whenever the kid displays anything that would reinforce their negative outlook on him instead of getting behind the team and trusting that this group of executives and coaches can build and coach this team into consistent contention. And I checked, I don't have any brooms.

Wwaahh! Epic! WAAAAHHHHHH!!!

Here are two sets of combine measurables... Who's who?

No and no. Hughes is absolutely here for 2018 at least. McDermott strives to have his DL be one of the strongest units on the team. He's not going to weaken it by sending away his best pass rusher.

Well, they needed something to slap on the free magnets you get at the bank.

Josh Allen cut in front of me at a CVS. He's an entitled jerk-face. I almost judo-chopped him straight back to Wyoming but I restrained myself.

Somebody's baking brownies!

Nah. He's coming out of the same system that made the Browns believe that Brandon Weeden was a first round pick.

I'm gonna go with Fred Warner from BYU. His scouting report has a number of things that would "check the boxes" for McDermott. Warner has some positional versatility which McDermott loves, plus he's played special teams, another McDermott gold star. The things he needs work on are all very coachable. According to the scouting report on NFL.com. Warner sometimes takes poor angles, at times his tackling technique isn't great, and he switches his motor on and off sometimes. All of that stuff he can be coached up on and I just see his traits and can envision McDermott viewing him as a lump of clay he can mold into the type of player he wants.

If they don't come away with one of the top QB prospects, everything they've done in preparation for this draft is going to get scrutinized non-stop until next years draft. Obviously, they've needed a franchise QB for a long time. Huge swing and miss with EJ Manuel in 2013, but that dissuaded them from picking one in 2014 (Carr, Bridgewater, Garoppolo). Then they rolled with Taylor in '15 which kept them from considering making a run up the board for Mariota (Tampa Bay was locked in on Winston as soon as the draft order was finalized that year). No one else of note was available in 2015. In 2016 they went with Taylor again which meant they wouldn't bother trying to get into a position for Goff or Wentz. Word was they wanted Prescott, and they could've had him in the fourth round as they had pick #117 (Prescott was taken at #135) but they gave that pick to Chicago in order to move up to #41 in the second round for Reggie Ragland. With their other 4th round pick (#139) they took Cardale Jones. Both players stuck around for one full season and the 2017 pre-season before being shipped out. In 2017, they went with Taylor one more time, traded down from #10 to #27 (don't get me wrong, I love me some Tre' White, think he's going to be a good one for a long time) and took themselves out of contention for Trubisky, Mahomes and Watson. Derek Carr is a solid starter. Teddy Bridgewater looked like he was on his way to being a decent starter before the injury, no idea if he'll ever get a serious crack at a starting job again, and Garoppolo looks like he may wind up being the best out of any of the QBs taken in 2014. (Yeah, I know Bortles was also taken in 2014 but I don't think there are any other teams out there saying, "Damn, we should've taken Bortles.") Winston and Mariota have both been inconsistent but shown flashes. It's not the worst thing ever that they didn't get one of these guys. Goff, Wentz and Prescott have had a few bumps in the road but overall, each of them is starter material. Each of them has a Pro Bowl on their resume, Wentz has a first-team All-Pro on his resume and stood an excellent chance at winning league MVP if not for his injury. Watson set the league on fire before his injury. Andy Reid and the Chiefs must be seeing the goods from Mahomes if they were confident enough to trade away Alex Smith. Trubisky had a rough rookie year but has potential, plus he could use some actual weapons to throw to. Can the Bills pass on a QB and use their picks to fill some important spots on the team? Sure. Was that their plan when they acquired an extra pick in each of the first three rounds? I doubt it. I know it has the potential to cost them a ton in draft capital but they really can't stand on the sidelines anymore. While this group of QBs may be over-hyped a little, a couple of them are going to pan out into quality starters. Team McBeane has a great opportunity to start their tenure together on a high note by finally pulling the trigger and doing whatever it takes to land the guy they think is their franchise QB. If they sit around and kick the can down the road another year, this front office is going to have a miserable season when the first question they're asked every single time they speak with the media will be, "Why didn't you take a quarterback?" I'd love for them to be able to sit at 12 and have their guy fall to them and retain all their picks and fill positions of need, just don't see that happening. It's now or never, really. They have to do number two or get off the loo... I'd use the customary language but this board censors it. Friggin' Go Bills and can we just skip to Thursday?

For sure. I still maintain that the Giants are just waiting it out to see if they can squeeze another team for more than what the Bills are offering. If the Broncos are now saying they wanna trade down, are they for sure in the QB market? Who knows. Thursday just needs to hurry up and get here haha. I didn't say that there "must be" a good QB in this draft, my assumption was is that the Bills likely have a QB or two on their "must have" list or they've determined that this is the year to finally pull off a trade to get themselves what *they* think is their must-have guy. That, IMO, is why they've put together so much capital. It's the opinion of plenty of others as well. Not many people expect the Bills to sit where they're at and let the board fall to them. Most are convinced that they will do everything in their power to trade up. Their actions over the last 8-10 months kind of point in this direction.

Like the very few educated, patient, understanding and well-informed board members here, he'll get roughly his first nine plays before I jump on here like a screeching lunatic demanding he be benched, the coaching staff terminated (by like, a real T-1000) and the front office demolished (with a real wrecking ball). And of course I'll squeal for the complete deconstruction of the entire franchise. Why? Because I'm an extremely important fan with many medium level business meetings and my stance on how much time the rookie deserves before being shown the door is the only one that counts.

They're probably in the most unique and favorable set of circumstances they've ever been in for a draft. Two picks in each of the top three rounds. They have the ammo like no other team does in this draft. They've relentlessly studied these QBs for this year and must have one or two on the "must have" list because otherwise, why make all those trades and gather up all this draft capital? Sure it'd be good to stock up but if they go through another draft neglecting the most important position in all of sports, this regime is going to get crucified endlessly. They have to take their shot at some point. Obviously the thinking that you can win consistently without a franchise QB but with a decent team around him just doesn't cut it. I think they wanna be able to obtain their QB while retaining enough picks to obtain starters in other positions they prioritize.