Success

R.I.P. And kudos to ALL of the heroes who put their lives on the line every day, so the rest of us can live our lives. I'll never take it for granted.

An expectation of "win Super Bowl" is something reserved for entitled & delusional Patriots fans. We're in the mix. After the drought - that's what I want, and that's what I expect. The Bills need a few breaks to turn that into a title.

This is one of the best things I've ever heard.

Good thread, and a good discussion to have. Without a doubt, my worst fear is that offensive line in general is the "it" position group of this draft, and that we see an early run on linemen. So many teams have that as one of their top needs. I know so little about the college game & who the good players are - but I do hope we go for guards in the early rounds. While we're hardly "set" at tackle, I just feel like Brown's best days are ahead. The injury could have really set him back last season.

I was at a high school basketball game. I remember because I ended up winning "most school spirit" at my HS, mainly because of that - every other student was home watching this finale!

I don't think we'll see anything even close to this drastic. I could see maybe 1 trade; my guess would be Oliver, but like a lot of players, I think the Bills decision-makers see him differently than a lot of fans do. He had a few dominant games, and a few where he disappeared, but the talent is there. Almost reminds me of when we had Mario Williams. This was the best team in the league for some stretches of the '22 season. Injuries & emotion caught up w/ the team, and they certainly laid an egg at the end - but it's not like it's a team that needs a huge overhaul. They'll do some restructuring for sure. But I just don't think we'll see a lot of trades to try to accumulate mid to late round picks.

13 seconds was a botch. And a big one. This year? That team was emotionally drained. I don't think any "the inches we need are all around us" speech gets us out of that.

He has a lot of strengths, and I agree that overall, we're lucky to have him. There are some bad coaches in the league. I think McD is at minimum, he is in the top 10 - and a case could be made for top 5. The lapses are notable, but people have to understand that all coaches have them. Reid, who is generally considered the best now, had some shaky years in Philly - and has even had moments in KC that are head-scratchers. He gameplans well, and he is a great leader in times of adversity. I'm all in on McD.

I'd be excited about this. As stated, he complements Cook very well. I'm very bullish on Cook. But we need that guy who can take up the short yardage/goal-line slack, and really, give Allen a break more than a Cook or Singletary or whoever is handling the bulk of the running (probably Cook in '23).

I hope we get a bit more of a risk-taker. Press the receivers at the line - don't play off of them. Be willing to give up a big play once in awhile so you can make more of them and get more impact plays on defense. I know New England used the "bend, don't break" thing for years successfully. But I'm just not a fan.

SO happy that I'll be able to catch an earlier train home from Yankees games. This was long overdue. It will be an adjustment for pitchers, but overall, it will be great for the viewing experience & for fans.

I have a secret: I believe in Davis, too. There. It's out.

That's not it for me. But our D has collapsed in the playoffs consistently. I'm not saying that entirely on Frazier, and we have faced great offenses - but I'm more interested to find out if someone else CAN be better, than possibly seeing more of the same year in & year out.

Why do you hope Holcomb isn't DC? Seems like he did a good job when he took over the Panthers' DC role...

Wishing the best for Frazier. Guessing Al Holcomb is the new DC.

All 3 teams are hovering around contending for the title - but all seem like they'll need a good bit of luck to pull it off. My hope is that we are able to do what New England did for the better part of 2 decades. Even if teams get close, owners get impatient with anything less than a division winner, and it would be great to see the other 3 teams constantly changing coaches and QB's to try to catch the Bills. To do that, we have to keep winning the division. We are the best team w/ the best QB, so should, but division games are always unpredictable and one of the other teams could challenge us if things fall their way.

I went vegan for 3 full years a ways back (about 15 years ago). It was honestly the best I've ever felt in my life. I had a crazy amount of energy, and my head felt more clear. Eventually, I really missed cheeseburgers and chicken wings, so gave it up. But I'm glad I did it. It felt like a mid-life tune up for my system. It's easier to be a vegan today than ever. They have great cheese & meat substitutes (some of which I still use, just to cut down on meat when I can). And there are some amazing cookbooks out there. If you like to cook or there is a good cook in the family, you can design a weekly menu where you won't even notice the difference. As far as challenges, some restaurants can be limited in terms of options. And you do have to make sure you get enough protein & things like B vitamins and iron, but there are plenty of recommendations for substitutes and supplements on that front. Best of luck!

I'm not sure. But if you're Beane, it's hard to cover all of the bases, and you have to roll the dice here & there. You could say, Benford might not make the transition, so we have to draft a safety early 'just in case' - but then you're sacrificing the opportunity to fill another need that is more pressing. I think if Hamlin can play again, and we can re-sign someone like Marlowe cheap, we have to roll w/ what we have. I could see drafting a safety in the later rounds, but the 1st few rounds are like precious gems this year. We have to hit on those picks, and they have to be targeted at positions that are clear needs.

Not sure if this is worth its own thread, but I've seen quite a bit of discussion about the need to draft a safety early, assuming that Poyer won't be a Bill this season. Benford has the measurables & the skllls that are needed. He would be a backup for years if he stays at CB on this team. He's too good to just be a backup, and I think he could have a very successful transition to SS w/ the right coaching. My heart will sink a bit if I see the Bills draft a safety in the 1st or 2nd round (or even the 3rd), simply to replace Poyer. They need to focus on the trenches. We have skilled players on the roster right now that can pick up the slack in the secondary. Just my 2 cents.

Hang the banner. They can never take this away from us.

I happen to be a big believer in Bernard. You have to LOVE intangibles to be one. He was never supposed to come in as a rookie and make a huge splash. This is a guy who will develop over time, but has the skills to be an impact player. I don't care if I get some eyerolls. The guy can play, and will be a big contributor.

Side note: there is always an early "run" on certain positions in the draft. Sometimes WR, sometimes QB, edge rushers, etc. I'm really hoping it's not O-linemen this year. I feel like there has been a lot of chatter about how that is a top need for a lot of teams this year. That's the one thing I do not want to see on draft day.

We almost have to, imo. The "big" investments - in terms of being a higher round pick, or FA acquisition - should be at guard. We can bring in competition, but it would likely be a bargain FA. I kind of see the development of Brown as being one of the keys to the Bills' success in the next 5-7 years. We need a few younger guys to take that "next step." Some, it's easy to see it happening - Groot, Shakir, Elam. Others, like Epenesa and Brown, are much less certain.

They're ALL aging. That's life. But, Poyer will be 32. That's aging too much, at least for someone seeking a new contract.

I'm not giving up on Brown, personally. The injury really set him back last year. He has shown flashes that he can be very good. Obviously, bring in competition - but I think he will be our starter for years.