[Mini-Camp: A James Cook Barometer]

Cook is the 2nd most impactful player on the team.

They need to get him a new deal and to camp. The season hinges on it

[Latest Wande Owens (UDFA) Hype]

guy sounds pretty promising. Could easily push Hamlin off the roster on promise alone

[Will anyone admit to becoming a Bills fan during the Josh Allen era?]

23 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Thanks. What about Bills conversation?

TikTok comments?

[Keon Coleman success by route - Not pretty]

On 5/16/2025 at 10:22 PM, LEBills said:

To be fair to Beane, he wanted to draft a player who could be a X Receiver and who could deal with the physicality in the playoffs that seemed to stymie Diggs.

 

McConkey is great and would have been a better pick but he did play almost 65% of his snaps in the slot this past year (where Shakir and Kincaid would normally play).

 

Funny enough tho, Matt Harmon’s recommendation to get more out of Coleman is to let him line up in the slot more. 

Problem is Beane seems to have a WR X type that is just not that productive in the league. The big, physical jump ball guy, rather than the fast, quick, wins with separation guy. Coleman is the former and there was literally no doubts about his weaknesses at the draft.  It was all over his college tape and showed in his rookie year.  He can't get open, except on slants and flats. He doesnt' have the physical traits nor the route running expertise. Now, he could develop the latter still, but he has an uphill battle given the lack of physical traits.

Many scouts pegged him as a heavy slot, so its not surprising to see he did best in slants.

 

The only reasons he was productive at all as a rook, was Josh. He dimed him on back shoulder throws and scramble plays. Keon will never be a #1, but he could be a solid contributor and dawg. Hope he learns to play special teams, so he can take on more of the Mad Mack role

[Gabe Davis released]

Not saying I want Gabe back, but he would immediately be our top boundary WR (if healthy). He's better than Keon and Palmer.

Still would rather have re-signed Mack or even Amari. 

We proved we don't really need a top X receiver to produce in Brady's offense. We get production from slot, TE and RB. But Big Game Gabe would be nice to have in our back pocket as depth, if we aren't going to try harder to get a real playmaker

[What is your favorite totally random Bills game?]

38 minutes ago, US Egg said:

Bills/Jets ‘88 AFC East 9-6 clincher.

 

My brother is on the field celebrating playing tug of war with total strangers with the net. Net rips, he goes flying back, falls, disappears in the crowd. Like uh-oh? Where is he? Pops up holding a piece of netting like he won the WWE belt. 
 

Afterwards, I say good thing you weren’t trampled. He says my glasses fell off, I didn’t want to lose the netting so with one hand I’m reaching through feet to get them, which, kind of amazingly, he did without getting stepped on or the glasses getting crushed.

 

Fun times.

that game was great. and storming the field is an all time highlight for me

[Is there an NFL team with a weaker WR group than the Bills?]

46 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Well you have an interesting concept of “productive”.  
 

Cooper - 20 Rec, 297 yards (2.5 rec per game)

 

Hollins - 31 Rec, 378 yards (1.8 rec per game while leading the Bills in most snaps played at receiver)

That’s a loose definition you have of “2 productive receivers” we lost.  

 

So everyone is panicking because we lost 2 WR’s whose COMBINED production was 4.3 rec per game and under 60 yards?  

And we replaced them with a guy that is not only capable of producing their same or better COMBINED production, but also brings a lot more value and potential downfield than Mack or the Ghost or Cooper did last y

So I don’t think the concern of losing those two and adding Palmer is the lopsided loss you think it is.  

 

"Productive" in Bills terms. Hollins had most snaps and most receiving TDs. Amari was the mid-season impact maker, supposedly.  They were also our only outside WRs, besides Keon. We needed upgrades really, but all we got is Palmer, who couldn't crack the Chargers' top 2, after Keenan Allen and Mike Williams left, getting beat out by a rookie and Quentin "dropsies" Johnston.  It was the kind of lukewarm approach to WR that has been Beane the last few years. 

 

Josh carries this team week in and out. And it's fine for most of the season, but come playoffs we don't have the difference makers to contribute and get us over the top. Against KC, I saw a D that couldn't stop anything, but I also saw an Offense that had the ball with a chance to win and couldn't make a play. 

 

We needed to address both this offseason, but Beane has ignored the Offense. 

[Big Badazz Beane on Pat McAfee today]

5 hours ago, Billsguy said:

Here are some facts from the NFL that "big balls Beane" forgot to quote. The Beane led Bills have neither been to the Super Bowl nor won the Super Bowl. Last year the Bills as a team scored 30 receiving touchdowns combined from all players. The team leader in WR TD's was journeyman Mack Hollins with 5 TD's. Bravo Beane, you have built a mediocre WR corps. What is this guy bragging about? In 2017 the Bills traded the #10 pick to KC who drafted Mahomes. He and the Chiefs have won 3 Super Bowls and been in 5 of the last 6 SB's. You don't hear the KC GM bragging like a tough guy like the foolish Beane. Maybe Beane the bully wants to distract people from the fact that he hasn't won anything!

seriously. Beane be acting like he just won the SB. He ain't even been!  

Needs to shut down the attitude and listen a little more. Without Allen's heroics he'd be trash

[Is there an NFL team with a weaker WR group than the Bills?]

Beane isn't making any major moves. He said it, he thinks this is a legit WR room.

Like last year, it will take some brutal reality to get it through his thick skull. It would be good if he doesn't panic and send a 3rd for a rental WR again.  Stock your roster now with what you need and WR is still a position of need. We lost 2 productive WRs (Hollins and Cooper) and replaced them with one (Palmer). 

[Brandon Beane on WGR]

2 hours ago, eball said:

 

Samuel was arguably our best receiver in the playoffs.

 

based on one game really. not saying much.

 

He wasn't a serious outside #1 WR signing. really a gadget guy. Which seems to be a trend with Beane

[Brandon Beane on WGR]

Beane getting defensive like that sounds like he knows he f'ed up.

I mean, he traded a 3rd for Amari Cooper mid-year after everyone said they didn't have the WRs to compete.  Then they let Amari walk, let Mack walk and only signed Josh Palmer? How can he say the WR room is better with a straight face??

 

Keon will grow. Kincaid hopefully is healthy. Shakir gets one more year under his belt, but the Samuel signing was a bust and Palmer has not exactly proven himself as a #1 or even a #2.  Beane basically said, we have Josh to prop us up forever, so we'll be fine.  It's a really limited take. You need to get better on both sides of the ball each year. Offense has stagnated or gone backwards as far as talent and now with Cook potentially holding out, while all the young D studs ate, it just shows a bias toward not supporting Josh fully and having him shoulder the load. 

[Bills 2nd Rnd pick in 2025 Draft : TJ Sanders - DT South Carolina]

3 hours ago, SCBills said:

Frustrating.

 

Just dont get this team when it comes to DL. 
 

Guess he wouldn’t be there at 56, but geez.. what a massive move for, yet another, undersized DT. 

Think they panicked. DTs were flying off the board earlier than anticipated. Sanders must have been the last DT they had a 2nd round grade on and didn't want to lose him.

[Bills CB draft choice]

Amos at 30 could be good value.

But I'm thinking they go big man at 30 and maybe move up in the 2nd for CB. I'm picking Hairston

[Bills CB draft choice]

Who are people feeling at CB in the draft?
It's probably our biggest current hole in the roster, but doesn't mean its our top pick.

I'm seeing alot of CBs mocked to us at #30, but the value doesn't seem to be there on some of the guys. Trade back? Trade up? Go another position and wait till the 2nd? 

 

Only included realistic options in the top 3 rounds.

[Trade-up for Travis Hunter]

Addresses two needs at once.  We're the perfect team to employ him full-time at CB and as a complementary piece at WR.

If he drops past Cleveland, what would it take? 1st, both 2nds, next years 1st?

 

I don't think Beane would ever pull off this kind of move, but fun to think about. 

[S Justin Simmons wants to join the Bills!]

Would have preferred Simmons to re-signing Hamlin, but that ship has sailed. Bills are probably comfortable with the S room. 4 guys with starting experience.

Unless they're really not encouraged by Bishop's rookie year.

[Being a top 3 team in scoring. Does it matter how we do it?]

Beating up on inferior opponents is no longer our goal.

Being a top team in scoring reflects your ability to perform against the league, but not necessarily against the best of the best.

That is the only standard we measure against now.

The Bills and Josh Allen haven't reached a Super Bowl. It's fair to ask why. I think the main reason is bad coaching, but I think talent could overcome that as I don't think the coaches are going anywhere.  And one area where we need to improve against the top teams, is playmakers. Closers. Beane saw that when he brought in Von. And we need it on the offensive side as well. The margins are so thin against the top teams, we need a few more guys that can overcome scheme and pressure and rise the occasion to win a game. 

[Alternate uniforms and red helmets for 2025? Bills COO suggests it]

Gotta look vintage Jimbo

 

[Cap Space - Pre-Draft]

I know that the market doesn't place RB value at $15m/year, but I think Cook's value to the offense and team is at least that.

Benford just got $19/year. Cook is more important. Our O is now built around the run. 

[Being a top 3 team in scoring. Does it matter how we do it?]

2 hours ago, FireChans said:

The 2024 offense scored less PPG than the 2020 offense.

 

 

But also ran less and turned it over more.

Running controls the clock and the game. Lowers points scored by shortening the game and Bills were brutally efficient in scoring despite.

 

Don't get me wrong, I loved that 2020 offense. Josh slinging the ball around to a group of dynamic WRs. It was more entertaining for sure, but I also appreciate what Brady is doing with a more ball control, efficient, low turnover offense.  I'd ideally like them to find a balance - get some of that 2020 explosiveness back, while still being efficient and not turning it over.  Too much to ask for??

 

[Being a top 3 team in scoring. Does it matter how we do it?]

1 hour ago, FireChans said:

Respectfully, if you still think that after what we saw last season, I think you missed the point.

 

We played this game last offseason. Folks tried to bar napkin the math of how Josh could easily throw for 4000+ yards just spreading the targets around to non-Diggs players.

 

Of course, that’s not reality, because lesser players don’t get open as much, they don’t have favorable matchups as much, and they aren’t the #1 option on as many plays.

 

Khalil Shakir saw his targets more than DOUBLE between 2023 and 2024. He went from 45 to 100. He only had 200 more yards on much worse efficiency. If we had Jamar Chase getting those 55 targets, would we get more or less than 200 yards? 
 

Obviously more. 
 

Here’s another example.

 

The 2019 Bills passed the ball 14 more times than the 2018 Bills. But they had almost 400 yards more of passing offense. Why? Because of the quality of the receiving targets improved. 
 

Sure, is it not exactly add a 1700 yard receiver and you get exactly 1700 yards more of offense?

 

Yes.
 

Would it considerably improve the offensive production?

 

Of course it would.

 

Would it make the offense 800 yards WORSE like @Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said?

 

Of course it wouldn’t and I really question the acumen of anyone who believes that.

Sorry but we have the data already.

 

the Bills offenses from 2020 - 2023  with a #1 WR had more yards than the 2024 Bills offense. They would never be 600-800 yards worse by adding a #1 WR. That’s crazy talk.

Yards on offense does not necessarily equal offensive scoring and wins.

That's the mirage here.

While the Bills were worse on pass offense and the WR production much worse, the Offense scored more and turned the ball over less.

Some said that without a demanding #1WR to force it to, Allen could spread the ball around to the open player and avoid turnovers. That certainly seemed to be the case throughout the year.

The Bills also used the run to set up the pass, as opposed to vice versa. We ran so many more heavy packages with 6OLs. And Cook had an outstanding, highly efficient year. Ty Johnson and Ray Davis also contributed

I still think adding a playmaking #1WR would be good. The offense could use some extra ammo. Palmer is nice route runner starting WR, but they should add talent in the draft as well.

[Being a top 3 team in scoring. Does it matter how we do it?]

14 hours ago, Dr. Who said:

The last two years, the defense failed and the offense did not come through in the crucial moments at the end of games.

Both are important, and both need to be addressed. 

That's how I feel.

D is the priority area this offseason, by far.

But the Offense is missing an additional playmaker than can come through when we need it. Cook was that last year, but I'm worried about the state of his contract.

We did not get much from the WRs, but what Allen and the O did do this past year was historically high ball security. 

If the Offense can get a playmaker at WR they just become that more versatile and unstoppable. 

[Cooper and Douglas]

I guess both showed pretty poorly on last year's tape. Which I would agree with.

 

I'm sure Douglas is asking too much. Not sure about Amari. Maybe he's hoping Bills will re-sign him. Or maybe he's retiring

[Bills had the best free agent class according to ESPN]

1 hour ago, Motorin' said:

 

Yes, but... Amari Cooper got his snap count reduced to 30-40% of plays as the season went on. 

 

Imo, bc he was washed up and wasn't effective blocking.

 

Palmer should see far higher snap counts than Cooper because he's a much better blocker, and he's a better router runner than Cooper was at that point in his career. 

 

He may end up being a primary wr on 2 wr sets with blocking duty on a lot of run plays. Which is what Hollins did. 

 

So while he won't replace Hollins specific roll, he'll pick up the slack and the snaps. 

 

 

Is Palmer a good run blocker? Hard to see anyone filling that role as well as Mack.  Also not sure Palmer plays special teams like Mack does. I'm still a little sore they didn't keep Mack. 

 

They're giving us a lot of credit for stuff that technically wasn't FA. None of those guys were on the market. I appreciate the sentiment and agree, but better to call it best offseason than best FA class

20 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Here is what I will say about Bosa...we do not need a double digit sack season out of him for this signing to be a success.  

 

What we need is simple...if Bosa can literally be the difference in helping this defense just make literally ONE more play on 3rd down to flip what was previously a first down conversion in what was an eventual scoring drive into a forced punt...that is it.  That would have beaten the Chiefs each of the last 3 playoff losses to them.  That would have flipped every single one of those 1 score losses.  

 

And...Bosa doesn't even need to be the one making the play...if he can just affect the play to where it helps the defense get off the field still, it still flips each of those 3 losses.  Maybe he draws a double team freeing someone up to get to the QB for a sack or the runner to stop the first.  Or maybe he or someone else just even gets pressure on the QB forcing an incompletion or even a turnover. 

 

Again...all we have needed to get past the Chiefs in our last 3 losses was flipping one of our way too many 3rd down conversions into a stop and punt rather than an extended scoring drive.  So for me, that is what makes Bosa exciting...he is a low risk addition being a 1 year deal and he doesn't have to be reborn to help this team get over the hump, just help this defense get off the field 1 or 2 more times a game, which is literally just a single play or 2, and we go from losing a 1 score game, to winning by 1 or 2 scores.  

It's like when first year Von got pressure on Mahomes in the regular season game that led to Taron jumping the route for a game sealing pick. I saw that and was like "YES" we've got our closer.  Too bad he tore his ACL five games later.  They should really keep Bosa's snap counts down and save him for those moments. I still think they should re-sign Von and have him available for those moments as well. 

[Stef Diggs signs with the Pats!]

Crazy money post-injury and given age and declining production.

But also helps bring into focus how little the Bills value the WR position. Their big spending this FA was Josh Palmer at more than half the cost NE paid for Diggs.