Rochesterfan

I also believe there is some additional differences between “the Bills board” and the full board. The Bills like most teams have all kinds of draft guides and the like and all of that data gets entered into their database and the teams have a full board of players that they expect to get drafted. The Bills talk every year about having “mock draft sessions” where internal guys are assigned teams and they draft based upon what they believe individual teams will do to try and simulate as many parameters as possible. Therefore we know that they have some type of grade on really every player and I believe they have someone monitoring that board during the draft in case someone unexpectedly falls and they need that information for trades or picks. The Bills board is a much smaller and tightly constructed board centering around players that fit what they want and should be available at their positions in various rounds. These are the players they are concentrating on and have stacked grade after grade and highlights so that when the time comes - they can do quick comparisons and have open dialogue. They don’t need every player because you are not reviewing and doing the work on every player - you have certain guys that you are putting together full draft info on and that is limited because of time and visits.

It has happened at least 8 times before in the modern NFL - why would we think it could happen again. The Chargers moved when a tax on hotels rooms was voted down - not even a tax the people in SD payed.

Agreed, but Baltimore wouldn’t fork over the money and the Colts moved - suddenly they find the money and steal the Browns. Cleveland couldn’t find the money and when the Baltimore threat was realized - suddenly Cleveland found the money and then built a stadium for the new Browns. The same goes for St. Louis - lost the Cardinals - built a huge new dome for the Rams. Oakland lost the Raiders to LA and then got them back and lost them again over Stadium money. Houston needed a new stadium - lost the Oilers - built a huge new dome for the Texans. LA had 2 teams leave that needed new stadiums and tax breaks - San Diego needed a new stadium - lost the Chargers - why would it be a surprise that suddenly they decided they could force through the tax increase on Hotels that failed and make another nice offer. I would call BS except the exact same thing has happened at least 8 times in the last 30 years and every town that lost a team suddenly found funding to throw at a new team. Every time. The difference is if the Bills left Buffalo - they were not coming back - we were dead.

You can make that the rule, but how are people going to respond with a beautiful image of the ball tip crossing the goal line and the league ruling him short because the midpoint of the ball didn’t get there. They can fix this - by giving leway knowing the length of the ball, but then you get the scenario where there is clear evidence of the ball being short because it is sideways, but the inaccuracies and leeway allow it to be good. The obvious fix is this technology is only used in scenarios where the ball can not be seen and the location is questionable and the rest of the time they use the Refs to mark the ball. It can not be one or the other - it has to be used as a small supplement to the Refs with logic prevailing and they need to have other markers on the field to compare the ball to - such as shoulder pads to have frames of reference as the fields are not microchiped yet.

How is it more accurate? How much time are they going to spend trying to determine and sync up the exact timing? What way is the ball facing sideways or longways - are you measuring to the middle or end? Basically it takes a action that the NFL admits is just close and acts like it will be precise - when in reality it will be no more accurate and will lead to potential things like TDs being overturned because the chip didn’t get there. The precision of 1 chip across a huge field with no additional reference points is gotta be pretty close to the precision of 2 guys watching the play and moving in from the sidelines. It sounds to me like something that makes us sound advanced, but in reality it will have next to 0 impact.

Because like the spotting - the NFL loves the sudden death concept. I hate the gimmicky rules - 2 forward passes is just way beyond gimmicky. The chip may help a little, but not really - you still have to determine when the runner is down and then they will still get it wrong because the ball is not round. So to determine exact spotting - you need multiple chips and sensors in the field - otherwise it will be no different from the NFL - the Refs are guessing when he was down and touched. They will just act like it is better. Do we need 3 different types of point afters and I would change the onside rule completely. The receiving team should get the choice of taking the ball from the 15 or allowing the other team to kickoff. The losing team should not be giving repeated advantages to help overcome poor play - especially a 4th and 12 - that is way to short. Basically the USFL is actively upping the injury factor - kicking from the 25 and Goalline plays are some of the worst - this league is not long - one spinal injury or set of concussions during the plays the NFL has already shown to be dangerous and the USFL will be sued out of existence.

Yes - he never made the roster last year - isn’t that the definition of a camp body? A guy brought in to compete in camp and then gets cut at the end? If he makes the team - it is because Kromer made him better, but since he couldn’t make the team last year - what makes people think he is being viewed as anything but a camp body again this year? The Bills roster already has 3 tackles - plus Bates who played more snaps at Tackle for the Bills than Hart did. I just do not understand the outrage for signing a guy that likely doesn’t make the roster and can be use in preseason to help stabilize a young o-line of guys that will not be in the league come September.

He didn’t make the team last year - not sure why people think he will this year. He is just a guy to help stabilize 3 full offensive lines needed for training camp. The only place he made the team and played was when the Titans needed tackle help and picked him up.

Not only is Toronto in Bill’s territory, but Canada has a law protecting the CFL that enacts penalties and prevents any local, public funding of stadium builds, tax breaks, or other subsidies to anyone operating a franchise connected to a foreign based league or team. In 1974 - Canada enacted legislation to block the NFL from expanding North and that has been used over and over to keep NFL teams from looking North. When Rogers was looking at purchasing the Bills after Ralph’s death - this was a major sticking block to moving the team to Toronto. Rogers was trying to get the law changed because the Rogers Center was not adequate for permanent NFL and he wanted/needed help securing additional land and building a new stadium. He was shut out of public funds to build and tax incentives to secure the land and build were also threatened. The CFL and the Argos were also asking the government to impose addition fees on work unless it was for a new stadium exclusive to the Argonauts. That was part of the reason when it first came up - that the Toronto ownership group was going to “play out” the rest of the lease - they needed the law redacted or they could not financially put an NFL team in Toronto. As long as the CFL is viable and not part of the NFL - Toronto is going to be a hard place to land a franchise. If the CFL had folded - I think Toronto and the NFL work with the Pegula’s on a deal.

He has literally played 1 snap with the Bills all time. Just 1 snap. They played him as a third string lineman in PS and cut him coming out of training camp. Most likely this year will be no different. Not sure how terrible he was or where you focused on him so much, but understand that he is just a veteran signing for preseason. I just do not see at all what is stopping you from bringing in lineman with this signing - you still have at minimum 16 open rosters spots after the draft. You can bring in as many UDFAs at tackle as you want - tell me how many do you think choose the Bills? They have 2 starters on longer contracts, a young back-up, and will probably be drafting someone - they still need at minimum 1-2 more for preseason. Hart will be a tackle out there when Matt Barkley is running the offense during preseason and is then cut. It means nothing. Sorry - I just do not understand the hate for a guy that is literally a camp body - no impact to the salary cap just brought in to help the third string squad keep Barkley alive for a couple of games.

So you are thinking that you are going after a guy the was not drafted in typically the top 20-25 tackles in the draft and the 16-18 tackles signed as UDFAs- so perhaps the 40th college offensive tackle left - versus a guy that has taken nearly 5000 NFL snaps - played in over 80 games - starting over 65. Hart is being brought in to help stabilize the 3rd string O-line and would not stop the Bills from drafting or picking up as many UDFAs as you want. I really do not understand some people - especially comparing him to like Vlad Ducasse. The guy was signed last year and didn’t even make the Bills, he was cut coming out of training camp. He was later signed by Tennessee as an emergency player - played in 3 games and then cut as players got healthy. He was then resigned by Buffalo when we had issues - never played, was cut and resigned for the end of the season and got 1 snap. He has had 1 snap in a meaningless game and will be cut again, but he know technique and pace of practice - so he helps the third unit by giving them some experience.

Hard to really take this seriously. He played 1 game with 1 snap for the Bills last season. He was on the practice squad and got called up for 1 game and he got that 1 snap. Late in the season - he was plucked from the PS by Tennessee and saw limited action in 3 games with 1 start and a whopping 100 snaps. So you are complaining about signing a guy that was the worst player in the entire league every week for a season - when the guy got 1 snap in a mop up role on the team he spent the season with and then got picked up as emergency player on a new team and was forced to play. I don’t think the Bills are expecting anything from him - he is a veteran person to fill in the OLine during the preseason. He didn’t make the team last year - little chance he makes it this year.

Yep - he is not even 3rd off the bench - he was a Covid PS player last year and is just veteran filler. This is actually a very nice signing as it gives you veteran depth and a guy the coaches are familiar with and can help educate the room and young players. If this was a signing to be a starting G/T then it is stupid, but as a roster fill - you need 10-15 guys like this to help get through camp - especially with how McD like to run practice.

Just stupid. The Bills have 65 guys on the roster (66 with Hart) they need 90 players for training camp and have 8 picks. Even assuming they make all 8 picks - that puts them at 74 - the Bills need to fill 16 more spots to reach 90. They found out last year with a good roster it is hard to get UFAs after the draft - on a good year you get 10-13 and I believe the Bills only got like 8. Therefore just based on math and the need for camp bodies - expect 6-8 more signings like this. Low level bodies that are just here for practice and can get you plays in the preseason to protect your veterans.

Agreed - everything I have seen is they are locked into a minimum 20 year lease with options (either four 5 year options or two 10 year options) to play in LA. That is until 2040 or 2060 with the options and it is a sweet deal. I believe they have a $1 lease and get their NFL share of the seating. The Rams are covering pretty much everything and the Chargers are like lazy children coming home and paying a tiny bit of rent and acting like it matters. The Chargers are printing money and they don’t care if they have a large season ticket base or not because the PSLs go to the stadium - so for them they are happy with no season tickets as long as their games sell out - they get the seat money from what I read. It was an amazing deal.

Ron - the head of PSE - talked about this repeatedly. They have initial thoughts, but with a finalized budget and the location and style set - they had not begun work on true renderings. They have some blank filler renderings, but nothing finished. Based upon the timing - they were still working on things they want based on visits to other newer venues. They want to pick the nicest features that fit with the styling. Now that the NYS budget is done - they can begin to put together the features and then come up with a final rendering. I am sure they could whip something off, but the final renderings will be ready once the Pegula’s decide on the final touches - things like a party deck that might hole as many as 5000 standing fans with food and bars. Some of that will exceed the original plans and the Pegula’s are picking up the overages. We will see, but everything seems to be going right in the expected time line. They have the funding done, location and style picked, they have the schedule end date set - now you work backwards to when to get shovels in dirt and parts and pieces ordered. A bit of a delay here is probably good to let some of the global prices settle. Maybe everything falls apart, but so far the timeline seems settled and very doable.

Schefter has both his Pros and Cons. The issue tends to be he hears so much information and chatter and what to report and how to say it. When he first started out he and Mortenson where about the only 2 guys doing that and were plugged in everywhere and he was generally viewed as a likable, honest guy. More and more reporters have taken on that role adding pressure and timing to his job and especially in the eyes of certain players - he has gone to far and put out info that was not appropriate. I get people being upset, but he did not say anything that was wrong or said to belittle Haskins - he is a struggling athlete trying to make the Steelers - it was just not the time or place and he admitted that. I get the anger and he deleted the post and apologized for the wording and there is little left he can do except learn. What he said did not bother me as he described who Haskins was at the moment, but I totally understand the frustration - especially as this is not his first incident. In times of anger, sadness, and frustration- the emotions must be poured out and sometimes that goes to someone that you can tangibly go after due to the slight and that is what Schefter is the lightning rod of peoples emotions. He tweeted poorly and became the ire - he shouldn’t be destroyed over it.

Wow - never heard any of this. When my daughter just took drivers education - the #1 thing they said with any breakdown on a fast moving road or freeway was do not leave the car. Stay in even once the cops/tow truck arrives and let them work. A car is designed to take an impact and still protect you - outside of the car you are subjected to flying debris as cars go by and exposed to traffic that can hit you. The wind of the cars rushing by - also can work as a vortex - especially a tractor trailer and try to pull you toward the road (the same phenomenon happens with trains and people wanting to stand close by and end up sucked under). Edit - thanks @muppy - that is exactly what I thought also.

I don’t care what happens - I do not see Ravens/Bengals playing for the AFC title. I think Bills, Chargers, Tennessee, Cincinnati are division winners. I think Denver, Baltimore, Indy - are the Wild Cards - so I guess 2 AFC West teams. I think the Hill trade hurts KCs offense significantly and doesn’t help Miami enough to make the playoffs. There are trades that both teams win - I think this is a trade where both teams lose.

I would totally be on board with that as long as you made that the rule for all contracts not just RFA tenders.

What benefits do we gain from you speculating that Haskins is committing suicide? What knowledge do we gather from you saying - Alcohol or Drugs may have been involved? What teaching can we provide by blaming the other driver? There is no teaching points to be had in your made up stories - just wait on the facts. We have heard the car ran out of gas and then car problems. We don’t know if he was even alone. We don’t know what the traffic was like at 6am on a Saturday morning versus other days and if that influenced the decision. Speculation provides nothing and blame helps no one.

So then tell me exactly what happened to cause this so we can fix it. Oh wait - YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT - you can’t fix it without understanding the situation and you can’t understand it if you keep making up situations that do not fit the data. Let them do their job and then we can assess what happened and if a fix is needed. Sometimes a bad decision is a bad decision and sometimes it feels like the only decision in a given situation. Just wait for the facts.

That is the nature of accidents - decisions being made, but blame does not and should not be part of this at this time. You keep talking about preventing this from happening, but at the same time you have speculated on everything from Haskins committing suicide, to drinking and drugs, to feeling adrenaline rush, to the driver of the other car being at blame. Why don’t you just wait to find out what happened rather than coming up with horrible scenario after horrible scenario. The young man was killed in an accident - facts are still coming out - the reasoning and the understanding come with the facts. At this time blame, speculation, trying to reason out why and what he did, should all be put on hold. Maybe there was a good reason and maybe there wasn’t. Until the facts come out - who cares about the other things.

While I totally agree that the RFA system skews way to far to the existing team - I do not think this example or anything with the Bates contract points to that. The fact that Bates was the only RFA to get an offer is what shows the skew. The rest got tendered at levels that either made them less attractive or additional compensation that kept other teams away. Bates was actually how RFA should work. He was free to explore and get offers - teams could create offers within the rules to make it difficult, but Bates was essentially a FA with the Bills having the right to retain him on his best salary. Bates got a significant raise to take on a longer term deal and it was valued appropriately. Whether the Bonus was paid 6/1, as part of the yearly salary, or upfront to save CAP space doesn’t impact what he got. The money is the same. RFAs are also going to be a difficult group to go after and of course the league wants it that way - cheap labor. There are dangers attached to RFAs - if tendered - the existing team has 5 days to decide - therefore holding off the signing team from making deals, losing draft picks if tendered high enough - so you have picks and players going. Those things have a bigger impact on RFAs than converting a bonus - at least in my opinion.

This is totally wrong in my mind to what the Bills should do. The question should center around is What happens without an extension. If Jordan will play and be quiet - then keep him. If he is going to be a distraction look to move on. Money versus WAR goes out the window at this point - he is a 30+ year old defender - his so called WAR for this year might be a net loss, but the reality is come the next couple of years he becomes a negative player that you are tied to. In addition - you say people are trying to “save Pegula from spending his money”. No one is advocating that - heck even the Pegula’s have shown their willingness to spend money. What would the “WAR” be if you traded Poyer (-1 from your early discussion), but they used that freed up 9+ million from Poyer as part of a trade to get Bradberry or as money to sign Gilmore or even do both (a significantly higher positive WAR based on position importance and strength). At this point - I think a quality veteran CB - especially if younger - gives you better WAR return than Safety - especially in this system. Their evaluation should be based upon where do we see him as a plus versus minus player and with that money and trade - what can we replace him with. If Poyer is willing to play out the contract and not be a distraction - great. If you can get a very team friendly deal with money up front and reducing the CAP hit this year and next, but with outs as he approaches his mid 30’s then great. If he is not willing to do either or both - then look for ways to move on that get you better now and in the future. The worst thing you can do is give him a nice extension and tick off a different veteran like Hyde. The Miller and Diggs deal set off Poyer - does a Poyer deal set off Hyde or Knox? At some point - someone goes - make sure you are losing older - easier to replace players rather than younger more talented players.