Success

That was already guaranteed when we signed Kirksey.

I plan to appreciate & be excited every year Allen is QB, and certainly every year we have a team like this - which is a SB-caliber roster when healthy. I remember all of those years when we'd go through the schedule and hope for breaks, fumbles, bad weather and other flukey things that could maybe get us over .500 and sneaking into the playoffs. And the years when the season was basically over in October.

Gabe is going to quite a few critics this season, imo.

Some fans like to focus on Beane's misses. But sometimes when I read those posts, I can't tell if they understand that EVERY GM in the league has them - in the higher rounds, and the lower rounds, and everything in between. The draft is such a crapshoot. On balance, Beane has done well. And I think this last draft may go down as his best (outside of the Allen pick).

I'm truly looking forward to this season. As w/ each season and every single team - health will be key. But if we stay relatively healthy, it's going to be a fun season.

How much have you seen him play?

He just has better coaching. Nothing against McD - but Reid is the best. I don't see a significant gap between Mahomes & Allen. Hard disagree on this one. They ABSOLUTELY can win a Super Bowl right now. This, imo, is the best team we've had since the '90's. Health is the key. And of course, there are other top teams out there, and we're in a tough division & conference - but I don't put anyone significantly higher than the Bills at the moment.

I'm starting to wish the Bills were in the NFC. I swear - we'd go to the SB just about every year.

When I think of how that team tormented me as a fan for close to 2 decades, everything since Brady left has just been a big, big smile.

This is very true - but it's also not the best reason to treat the position of backup in a casual way. Sometimes, a QB gets hurt and just misses a few games, or a month - and that's when you need someone who can just hold serve for a bit. I don't consider it to be the most important need on the team or anything, but you do need someone capable in those circumstances.

It's contagious in the media. Based on the ultimate hot take of judging our team by the Cincy game, it has become entrenched that "The Bills are taking a step back" and "their window is closing/closed." It's based on nothing. We have the best team we've had in the JA era heading into this season.

The "window" is a myth. It will be varying degrees of open - but as long as Allen is QB, it's not closed.

That all seems incorrect to me.

Beane's job is as safe as any in the NFL right now. I doubt there is any consideration of moving on from him at all, at least at the moment.

Proof is in the pudding, imo. This team has fallen short - but they have been good enough to win a Super Bowl each of the past 3 years.

Same. And he certainly nails a lot of other picks, with particular luck in the later rounds. But we're at a point now w/ Allen's contract kicking in that early round misses are less acceptable. There will always be misses - that's the draft. But if you want to stay around as a top contender, they have to b rare.

Not an unfair take. But I think he's ranked in the top half at his position (not great, but solid), and one thing I noticed is that he was much more impactful when Von was playing. Which isn't a great quality for a player to have. You want a guy who makes his own mark. But when he has good players around him, he makes impact plays. He gets more than his share of TFL's.

I'm a McCoy fan. He's not super talented, but he's kind of a gamer in the Pennington mode, and he has experience.

Not living up to his draft position doesn't = not being an impactful player. He's a good, solid player. He's not a star.

I guess the question is: is this a case of Elam not being good enough to live up close to his draft position - or of Benford far exceeding the expectations of his draft position? It's not really the worst problem, whatever the answer is.

Who isn't good at their job?

As long as the Patriots don't get an extra pick.

If nothing else - we have fantastic depth at the CB position. Probably our deepest unit..

Damien Harris isn't someone I'd describe as being on the bubble. He will be a big part of the offense this year.

Who is better? I'm not seeing that team right now. We're right at the top.