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There have been a few legitimate things Rosen has done that have landed him in hot water, well, maybe lukewarm water. None of the things he's done that have grabbed attention have been a) horrible, b) illegal, so, I mean, he's a kid yet and of course this sentiment can fuel comments like, "Well, if I was a kid about to make millions I would certainly clean up my act." Yeah, we get it. Everyone has their reservations on how these players should act but the bottom line is, they're all still college-aged kids with a lot of maturing to do. I think once he gets to the NFL and understands what its like at the next level he'll be alright. And I'd bet on him declaring early for the draft given the team he currently has around him. They aren't in any sort of major bowl contention and won't be next season so unless he just wants to graduate I can't see him staying there another year.

Know who else always has rumblings that he's not a great teammate/leader? Aaron Rodgers. Now, I'm not saying Rosen is anywhere near the level Rodgers is on but not every QB has top leadership skills. Rodgers' talent covers for him, and honestly, if you have a chance at a franchise-changing player and you decide against it because he has some minor red flags concerning his leadership, then you might not have a GM job for long. This has been my only moderate concern with Team McBeane. I understand the type of team they want, high character, team-first, that's all well and good. But don't restrict yourselves from drafting or signing a player who may not exhibit those traits right out of the gate. Things like that can be learned. If the locker room is built on those traits and has a solid foundation, players who need to develop those traits should conceivably be able to join the team and learn/absorb those skills from others. That said, at this point, I feel like Rosen's comments and the rumors about him probably put up some red flags for McBeane. It's clear they want an experienced leader at the QB spot who isn't afraid to take charge and lead the team and I'd be willing to bet McBeane would question his ability and his desire to do that. At this point though, like I said, it seems like Rudolph would check a lot of the boxes they place a high priority on. And he's not receiving the same amount of hype guys like Darnold, Rosen, and Jackson are so I think he'll still be on the board in the first when it comes time for the Bills to pick. Either way, I just want them to identify their guy without a shadow of a doubt and do whatever they gotta do to get him.

I was wondering who would replace Elston and Jenkins. The Coleman signing might signal that they plan to rotate in one more DL during games. Not sure if that has anything to do with Dareus' recent ankle injury. Guess we'll see. And I'm becoming more and more confused out of what exactly they want at LB. Hodges didn't cut it, Ragland didn't fit, Jenkins barely got a chance. They got that Lacey kid playing a lot of special teams but really at this point they don't seem to have much behind Alexander, Brown and Humber. I understand they want LBs with cover skills but ya know, it'd be ideal to have at least some depth there.

To me, Rudolph is 100% the type of player the McBeane Team covets. He has the size, experience and he's a team leader. Experience, leadership and high character were three traits they really emphasized in this last draft. I'm not sure if he has any off the field stuff, I haven't read anything, but at this point I wouldn't be surprised if he's rather high on their list given some of the boxes he's checking off. I wonder how much emphasis they put on those traits. Not every player is going to be a boy scout with tons of experience and leadership skills. I would hope they don't pass over a talented player because he's a junior or isn't an established leader or whatever.

Good post, OP. It's early yet but it's still nice to get an idea of where things are for this team after two weeks. Numbers-wise, it's interesting to see where TT is at. One guy I wouldn't hold him up against would be Dalton. Not sure if the change at OC will help but that dude has been downright abysmal this season so far. I wonder how much longer that'll go on for before they try McCarron. Hopefully this defense can continue to play the way they've been playing. It's hard to find a reason why they wouldn't. There are several players still there from 2014 who are familiar with the 4-3 and then the other positions have been filled with players who fit that scheme. So, in theory, they should continue to play like they have. I'm not a huge fan of them giving up big plays in the middle of the field but it seems to be in line with what I read earlier this year re: McDermott's defenses. They will give up some yards at times but they tighten up in the red zone and force field goals.

I listen to Howard and Jeremy here and there. I don't think Howard is that bad, seems like his role is keeping the show moving forward and making statements that open up the floor for responses. Jeremy gets a little self-righteous and condescending at times. Schopp and the Bulldog are rough. I've heard them hang up on callers just because they disagreed and one time Schopp cut some kid off for "taking a shot at his guy." The caller said he had called into talk with Howard and Jeremy, Jeremy disagreed with his take and the kid mentioned that to Schopp and as he was talking Schopp suddenly jumped in and ended the call like, "Nah, you can't take a shot at my guy and expect me to listen to you." It was a little ridiculous. I try to understand the position these dudes are in. Most of the calls they get are pretty bad from people who really don't have a very good opinion so it's natural that they disagree and get frustrated. What gets old is that whenever they are met with a caller who has a decent take, they get flustered by it and instead of debating they just keep pushing their own points. It is what it is, whatever. I actually don't mind Murph and DJ because you know what to expect with them. Yeah, Murph wears on you with the company line stuff but DJ has good insight when it comes to on the field stuff and will share some good insider stories now and then.

I'd say the Patriots are going to have issues on defense this season but... it's Bellichick and he'll make adjustments to hide their weaknesses. They may struggle up front, though. Their front seven isn't very good, they don't have any solid pass rushers and they'll be hurting more if Hightower has to miss significant time. They're pretty good in the secondary but yeah, it feels like they may struggle. And offensively, Brady looked inaccurate on throws he routinely makes. Gronk appeared to get hurt on that non-TD catch in the first quarter. But again, it's the Pats, they'll adjust and I'm gonna bet they'll roast New Orleans next week.

Where's OP?! That's another reason Rosen is seen as a franchise guy. His team never feels fully out of it with him under center. He's a player that can always give his team a chance to win even in dire circumstances. That turned out to be one of the most fun college games I've ever watched.

His skills project well to the NFL level of play. I mean, the consensus among scouts whether on teams or as writers is that he is very much a high level prospect. Anonymous NFL executives have said the same. So, I tend to lean on those opinions from, you know, experienced personnel people and people who closely study the game rather than that of a few message board statements who blame an overall bad team performance solely on the QB. And as exciting as Rudolph (becoming my favorite guy right now) and Mayfield played yesterday, they will have bad games this season. Should that be met with new threads stating that these guys aren't worth a first round pick? Unless they have an entirely bad season then I'd say no. Still lots of ball to be played. But given their history and the skills they've shown thusfar you can still expect to see Rosen, Allen, Darnold, Rudolph and Mayfield to be included in the discussion for top QB prospects next January.

Thanks, Kirby. I try to see the big picture. As the saying goes, a QB gets too much credit for a win and too much criticism for a loss. Other guy, I'm not sure where you're going with your comment on not having an OL or a set of receivers. As a GM, or just an organization in general, if you find a guy that checks the boxes you want in your QB, you don't waffle on it and say, "Yeah, but we don't have the receivers for him. And ya know, our OL, while experienced and having two Pro Bowlers, a vastly improved right guard and a solid left tackle, right now just doesn't seem like the best time to draft what we think is our franchise guy." That's backwards thinking. It all starts with the QB. You find that guy and build around him. How many high profile prospects at QB walk into a ready-made situation? Like, none. They all come in during rebuilds and have to take their lumps early in their career as the team takes shape. This upcoming QB class already has a ridiculous amount of hype and pressure on them. They're under a microscope and any rough games they have are going to be extrapolated into a massive ordeal when in reality this is Week One of the season and every single player and coach has to find their groove as the season goes on. It's usually not found within the first game. It's not always about the results on the field. Especially with Rosen and Allen right now given that they don't have a lot of talent to work with. But again, their traits and abilities are what stand out to teams. And teams know they can take those things and coach them up into a solid player.

Rosen had terrible OL play in front of him last season and it doesn't look like its changed for this season. Take a look at his receivers as well, those guys aren't getting any separation and their running game hasn't done much. The dude can't do it all on his own. The reason he's viewed as a high profile prospect is because he displays several traits teams look for in a franchise QB. He hangs tough in the pocket, he has pretty sound mechanics already, he throws a nice ball and generally makes good decisions. The team around him isn't very good but he's still going to get picked high based on his abilities. He may not rack up crazy stats and a ton of wins with the team around him but you can see that there's plenty there to work with.

Wood really hasn't been "extremely fragile" for his entire career. His rookie year he started 10 games at guard. He moved to center the following season and started 14 games. He missed 7 games the following year, played in 14 games the year after that and then the next three seasons he played in all 16 games. Out of 128 games in his career he's played in 109. Injuries happen.

Definitely liked what I saw from Peterman last night, but again, it's a lot of 2nd/3rd string guys out there. But I like how quickly he gets rid of it. He's decisive and accurate for the most part. There were some downfield throws as well and overall he looked sharp. Sometimes I feel like he's a better fit for Dennison's offense than Taylor. I think Peterman has the potential to be a consistent, not overly flashy player while Tyrod can be inconsistent but can also flash with the big plays and has a knack for keeping plays alive.

It's interesting he says he isn't sure about Dareus buying in because at the start of training camp, Kyle Williams said this was the most focused, prepared and in shape he's seen Dareus for any camp. And that may be the case but then he pulls a bonehead move like missing the team bus for the Ravens game and showing up late. There's no doubt this defense is much better when Dareus is in the lineup. Like they've said, hopefully it'll be something he can put behind him and move forward.

Rudolph is definitely in the mix to be included in the discussion with the other top QBs this season. He does seem to fit the McBeane profile: senior, consistent, leader, etc. I'm sure they have an eye on him.

It'd make for an awkward locker room if they signed Kaep given what Shady said about him last week. Shady is on the mark, tho. Kaep is decent but the amount of baggage he brings with him isn't something an organization wants to deal with when it concerns a guy who's there in a backup role. Free speech is fine, standing up for your beliefs is fine and I was never bothered by Kaep's actions. I do feel he went about it the wrong way, tho. We have free speech and freedom of expression but we aren't free to use our employers as a conduit for the messages we want to send. That said, he has stated that he will not continue his protests on the field and that he plans on engaging in philanthropic efforts and such off the field. When you see guys like Chad Henne and TJ Yates still hanging around, it's difficult to say that Kaep simply isn't "good enough" to play in a backup spot somewhere.

He was probably late. He had issues with that when Marrone was here. Things were pretty lax with ol' Rex so maybe some old habits crept back up on him. It is known that you have lethal twos, my man. Kudos to you for having your **** together. Some do, some don't. I do empathize with the guy and with anyone who's been dealt a tough hand in life. That stuff screws with your head and can really interfere in how you want to conduct yourself in your day to day life.

From what I've read, his play has been very inconsistent and he hasn't done well in picking up the Pats' defensive scheme. It's easy to connect the dots and say the Bills would be/should be interested but keep in mind, Beane was still on Carolina's staff when they pulled off the trade. So he knows what Ealy has to offer and if he was part of the group that helped complete the trade then I kinda doubt he'd be interested in bringing him to Buffalo. Also, the Patriots lone weak spot is pass rusher, their best guy retired, they drafted a kid they had planned on starting but he's injured and beyond that they don't have much. For them to say "no thanks" on a guy who, although inconsistent, can come up with a nice performance now and again, that says a lot.

I do feel for the guy but it's difficult to defend him. He seriously has no one to guide him and very little family. Most of his close friends were guys who were getting into trouble a lot and he's (as far as we know) closed himself off from that type of crowd. He says his teammates are his family but they can only do so much for him. And if they are his family, then you'd think he'd learn to stop disappointing them with senseless, selfish acts. When he's on, he's a really good player. I hope it's a minor setback and he can get past it. Kyle Williams has said on several occasions that this is the most focused, in-shape and ready to buy-in version of Dareus he's seen yet. I hope that continues. And for what it's worth, I heard the rule he violated was doing a number two on the team bus. Everyone knows you can only do number one on the bus. Bus plumbing just isn't equipped for two's. /s

He has a lot of value still. He's very instinctive, his read/react skills are great and he's quicker than people give him credit for. When they talk about him they always seem to find a way to mention the knee so perhaps it was quite the catastrophic injury and they're really just taking their time in acclimating him to the level of play in the NFL. At this time, he's playing in a scheme he has little experience with, however, Preston Brown is in a contract year. And as impressed as they have been with him, I do wonder if he'll want to test the waters in FA. So, I wonder if Ragland is their contingency plan. Keep him on as a depth player this year, coach him up, let him really learn the system, maybe have him work towards dropping a little bit of weight to get faster and then plug him in as their starting MLB next season should Brown leave. Just a theory. Lot of people say he's on the trading block but given how thin they are at any position I don't think they should trade him. He's an unknown commodity right now so what's his value? Maybe a 4th round pick at best? He doesn't have any real NFL experience yet. I'd hang onto him and keep developing him because there's definitely talent there and maybe they just wanna take their time with him.

Injury or no injury, if I'm them I've been thinking about replacing Yates for a while now. I understand it's nice to have a veteran in the QB room, especially one who is familiar with the offense but looking at how he's played, I don't think anyone would trust him to go in there and play a game or two if needed. There's probably not a lot out there but they should definitely be looking for someone else.

Of course anything can happen but I really can't see a team out there willing to take on Shady's contract at this stage in his career. He's 29 and he looks like he's in excellent shape but we all know the wall for running backs seems to be 30. Desperate teams do desperate things but again, I really don't see any team out there that'd be willing to pick up his contract right now. And I agree with the notion that trading out your best player overall would send a poor message to the team. Watkins and Darby were different situations. Bills weren't confident enough to pick up Watkins' 5th-year option and I believe he did say he was interested in seeing what was out there in free agency. So, knowing the chances of re-signing him were low and being less than 100% confident about his health, they decided to trade him. Darby is on his rookie deal and apparently wasn't buying in or adjusting well to the scheme changes, so those trades, as tough as they were, are probably a little easier to sell to the team. When you look at Shady you don't see the same circumstances so if he does get traded it'd send a pretty clear message to the current roster that the organization is much more focused on the future than the present.

Great post, OP. I'd say the Watkins/Darby trade was really what set off the resurgence of tank talk. Boldin's retirement amplified that by how it happened. He decided to part ways after a bummer of a pre-season game and many figured he left because he was dissatisfied with the trades and the team he thought he was joining. In truth, retirement had been on his mind for quite a while. I'm not sure if anyone else caught it but I saw a tweet around the time he signed here which stated that he originally agreed to terms with the team during his first visit in late July, but backed out on it only to decide to come here a week or so later. One of the things I always fall back on when the tank subject comes up is that there are no guarantees. No guarantees that all the prospects getting all the hype right now are going to be available in the 2018 Draft. Obviously, senior players will be around but nobody knows if junior players will elect to enter the draft after this season. It's been said already that Darnold is leaning toward staying at USC through 2018. Then there's injuries. At any point one of these prospects could get hurt, miss the year and their draft stock plummets, leading them to stay at school so they can hopefully play out a full season and work their way up the boards. On top of that, there are likely a few teams that are going to finish worse off than Buffalo and those teams will be at the top of the draft and will more than likely need QBs. Beane can collect all the draft picks he wants but if the Jets or 49ers end up with the number one overall pick and Darnold just so happens to ball out and declare for the draft, there's no way any team without their QB is going to opt-out of a chance to get a franchise guy. Also, you can't expect McDermott, a very competitive guy who is very much into changing the culture, to lead a team that's actively trying to lose. You can't expect a coach to go out there and get his team ready when the message is, "Hey, we need to lose for better draft picks. So go out there, risk your career every Sunday and do so in a LOSING effort so we can get younger, cheaper and hopefully better players to come in and replace you." The dude is trying to unite a locker room and create a brotherhood-type chemistry. A surefire way to make sure your team tunes you out is to lead them with tanking in mind.

Both QBs have their issues but Taylor is way ahead of Bortles in a lot of areas. They've been trying to correct Bortles' throwing motion for four seasons now and he still swings it way down by his hip when he winds up. Taylor might get a few passes batted back in his face each game but at least he can hit the deep ball whereas Bortles isn't even in the same area code most of the time.

Sucks for the rookie. If the Pats have any weak points this season it's on the DL where they really don't have any big-time pass rushers.