Shaw66

Free agency is how Beane fills holes. Saffold is a great hole filler.

Yeah, and I bet Morse was more cooperative knowing that the cap room would mean Rodger Saffold was coming.

Thanks for this and thanks to BillsFan59 too. As I said, I never got too excited about it. It may have fit the definition of a crack-back block, but I still think in terms of what football players know, it was primarily on Williams. He was moving toward the line of scrimmage and Landry was going downfield, albeit at an angle. Remember that penalty on the Bills' lineman that cost the Bills a big Allen run in the Houston playoff game? That call was technically correct too, but the guy who got blocked had every reason to see it coming. Both rules are player-protection rules, and I get that. I just think Landry thought he was within the rule and had a good clean shot. And, I think Landry, who was notoriously on the edge early in his career, has had very little trouble like this in Cleveland. I'd be happy to have him.

I never could get too excited about the Williams hit. I kept watching the replays, trying to see it as a cheap shot, and I look again just now, and mostly I think that Williams simply wasn't paying attention. Everyone knew, long before that play, that it is important to know where Landry is, because if you ignore him, he's going to make a play. On the same play, I don't think Poyer or Hyde would have been hit the same way.

Man, it's amazing how the Bills continue to upgrade. I mean, I know there's no news yet, and it's only rumors, but Landry is a better possession receiver than Beasley. Landry is the guy the QB goes to when he absolutely needs a completion. He gets open, he's tough, and as we all know, he loves to block. Better blocker than Beasley, too. Allen would love to see Landry in the receiver room.

You know, I've never really been able to decide what I thought he was good at. Not a good run blocker? He's really good when he pulls - he gets downfield well. I think he's an efficient pass blocker. I think on both the run and the pass he gets overpowered more than he should.

I saw one quote from Terry. That quote did not say he was going to move the team. What he said was that there was a limit to how much he would invest in a stadium in western New York because unlike other markets, WNY is not big enough to make investment in a stadium economic. He was just talking about the economic realities and why he wouldn't put a a billion dollars into a stadium. The implication was not that he would move the team. The implication was that the state has to decide whether it's worth it to the state to invest in a stadium that won't have a positive economic return.

I'd guess that Beane, McDermott and Kromer sat down after Kromer had a chance to watch some film. They talked about what Kromer wants his line to look like. After that conversation, Beane had a path forward with Morse and Williams. I expect a guard is on his way via free agency.

I'm not paying a lot of attention, frankly. I mean, I got a little interested when Cooper was out there, but I've come to expect two things from Beane: 1. He will do something I didn't expect. Like trading for Diggs. Beane will to acquire picks, he will trade picks for players, he'll come up with something almost every year that, as far as I'm concerned, is outta left field. So, although I don't see a big name coming to Buffalo, Beane could surprise me. 2. I'll be happy, generally, with what he will do. Like for three straight years, signs Beasley and Brown, then trades for Diggs, then signs Sanders. Repeated solid good moves to make the team better. Not every move will pan out, but the decisions always seem to be sound. Often his moves leave the Bills in a position to make a second move. He uses his resources wisely. I'd be happiest, I think, if Beane brought in a stud offensive lineman. We might not even recognize it immediately, maybe a guy who grows into being your anchor for five or seven years. I'm not sure Dawkins is a star, but if the Bills had a true stud interior lineman, a leader, I think Dawkins would become the best version of himself, so to speak. .

I'm not sure you're correct about that. I said something a week ago about looking at OBJ landing with the Rams. Similar situation. Great receiver who has underperformed while playing with less than elite QBs. Then he moves to a team with an elite passer and with an entrenched #1 receiver. OBJ looked at that situation and said to himself, "Hell, yes, I'll be a #2 guy on that team." I see the possibility that Cooper could have been a huge #2, like Beckham became. I'd guess we won't get the chance to find out.

Sure, you describe it correctly. But at a different level it's always on McDermott, and I think he would tell you that. I think his job is to train his coordinators about excellence and execution, and he would tell you that he failed with Farwell. I agree with those who say it wasn't an "off with his head" firing. McDermott gets rid of you when you have demonstrated that you can perform as you and he agreed you should. My guess is that McDermott knew sometime before that game that he was going to let Farwell go. If Farwell had been great in his job until that kickoff, he'd still be in Buffalo. McDermott knows that he hired the wrong guy and/or failed to train him properly. That's why McDermott knows it's on him. Frankly, he probably wishes he could have gotten rid of Frazier, too.

I think the non-squib was a very big last straw. I would guess that McD had issues with how Farwell was doing his job before that game, maybe even knew by the end of the regular season that he would make a change. I doubt that that one mistake got Farwell fired. And that's why I think ultimately it's on McDermott. He had problems with Farwell and failed to fix them. I don't have proof; just my take on what's likely

Well, I'm not saying these decisions are easy. But, as we see with other positions, sometimes you just have to decide to move on to your future, instead of overcommitting to try to relive the past. It's interesting that Ted Thompson, the Packers' former GM, when faced with an aging HOF QB and a first-round pick on the bench, made exactly the opposite decision. It took courage to say to Favre and the fans that one era was ending and an unknown new era was beginning. Current GM didn't have that courage.

I agree, and that's what I've always said. I didn't say here that McDermott was supposed to talk to Bass or any of that. But I don't agree it's "on Farwell. Period." And I don't think McDermott would agree, either. McDermott is about systems and details, and play calling is about the most fundamental detail around. McDermott's job as head coach, among other things, is to be sure that his coordinators get details right. In the case of fundamental details, like getting the play called correctly, his job is to be sure his coordinators get those things 100% right. Farwell didn't, which means McDermott failed to recognize that he had a problem with his coordinator, whether it had happened before or not.

OJ Howard already has proved what he's got. No.

Wow. I'm not a contract or cap guy, but this seems to me to be a big mistake by the Packers. I think Rodgers is something of a loose cannon. Certainly a prima donna. He's a spectacular player, to be sure, but I'd bet that by his second season under this deal, he'll be a problem. Pack can't start Jordan Love in 2022, or in 2023. After the 2022 season, Pack will have to decide whether to extend Jordan Love, and after 2023 they'll have to decide whether to extend him. Have they already decided that Love isn't the guy? Maybe they'll trade him. I don't know. Just seems like there are a lot of problems built into this deal. Great deal for Rodgers. $143 guaranteed. Nearly $80 million after tax. He doesn't need a nickel of it, so his children and grandchildren, if he ever has any, will be set for life. And if he's unhappy after a year, he can force a trade to a team that needs a QB to make a serious Super Bowl run.

Bills fans will revisit this loss for a long, long time. It was a disaster. As the weeks have gone by, my view of it has come down to a simple conclusion: responsibility for the loss falls squarely on McDermott. 1. I believe he called for a different kick, and Farwell didn't get the play call to all the players. That's a failure by Farwell, but it's also a failure of supervision by McDermott. His job is to be sure that his coordinators are preparing their teams properly, and getting the call to the teams is one of the most fundamental aspects of coaching. Farwell failed at this fundamental, and McDermott is responsible for having a coach who didn't do the basics. 2. The defensive calls on the final two plays from scrimmage in regulation time were disastrous, and McDermott was directing the defensive philosophy. 3. The defensive team had a serious, and understandable, total letdown in overtime. McDermott needed to get his team emotionally back up. All of those things ultimately are the responsibility of this head coach, and he blew it. And, of course, he knows it.

I never thought about those two in the same sentence, but it's perfect. They are underachievers. If you're a KC fan, if you're a Bills fan, if you're a Packers fan, if you were a Saints fan, with the game on the line, you think, "my QB's got this." If you're a Cowboys fan or a Vikings fan, you think, "come on, man, get the job done this time." Their good numbers don't add up to great quarterbacking.

He could feed Travis Henry's family, even with inflation.

Sure thing. Cousins definitely to cash in this time, since he's only earned $160 MILLION so far!

Everyone keeps saying the draft is deep in receivers. If that's true, it's hard to imagine all these free agents getting big deals. Maybe Kirk will be available for less than we think.

I'm not joining in to argue with you, because I don't really know much about Kirk on the field or in terms of his personality, and you're way more on top of these things than I am. However, there is one point I raise from time to time, and it's relevant here. There are guys who are mature enough to recognize that they really don't need to squeeze every last dollar out of their NFL careers, and those guys may very well sign in the right situation for a good deal less than the market. Not saying Kirk is one of those, but it's an important in these discussions. If a guy can make $40 million in his NFL career, that's more money than he needs to be set for life. Would he prefer $60 million? Sure, but in that range, it's all play money. $40 million over a career is $20 million in the bank after taxes and personal living expenses while he's playing (at maybe $300-$400,000 a year). $20 million the bank is easily $600,000 a year for live, with inflation adjustments. That's in the top .5% of wealth in the country. Now, some guys want every dollar, but some get to the point where they know they have enough, and for them, other circumstances become more important. So, not knowing anything about Kirk, I still wouldn't dismiss out of hand the idea that the guy might want to play in Buffalo. I said this in the Amari Cooper thread: OBJ was thrilled to go to a team with a QB who could throw and with an entrenched #1 receiver. I'd expect most free agent receivers will have Buffalo on their lists, for some Buffalo will be at or near the top of their lists, because who wouldn't want to line up opposite Stephon Diggs with Josh Allen throwing the ball?

I just happened to see this. I think you're right about. He still doesn't get enough air under the balls he throws, and I think he'll continue to learn to do that. The fact that he doesn't get air under his throws makes this deep-ball accuracy stat even more impressive. Allen is completing balls downfield, throwing it more or less on a line and hitting guys pretty much in stride. The high-arcing throwers, like Russell Wilson, look amazing when they drop the ball in, but the truth is that you don't have to be as accurate throwing that way, because you're giving the receiver time to adjust his route and get to the ball where it's coming down. That is, the way Allen throws requires him to put the ball into a smaller window, and he's still able to do that. I've been on the Allen bandwagon longer than most people. What I said about him, probably in his rookie year when we were still comparing QBs in his draft class (I mean, who does THAT any more?) was that Allen had to show he could do things, but that it was clear very early on that he had the highest ceiling of any QB in the draft. I don't think we've seen his ceiling yet, and that's a pretty amazing thing to say about a guy who is legitimately in the discussion about who's the best player in the league. Aaron Donald - we've seen the ceiling. Rodgers? Seen it. Mahomes? I think we've seen it. Allen? I think we will see one or more eye-popping seasons that everyone will agree are the best seasons any QB ever had. I just googled best QB seasons. Some sight named Young, Montana, Peyton, Brady, and Marino as having the five best. I'll list them here. Ask yourself whether you expect Allen to put up a better season than any of these. I will be amazed if he doesn't top all of these: 1. Steve Young, 1994 San Francisco 49ers (16 games – 3,969 yards, 35 TDs, 10 INTs, 70.3 completion rate, 112.8 passer rating; 293 rushing yards, 7 TDs) 13-3, NFC West champs, beat San Diego in Super Bowl XXIX MVP, Super Bowl XXIX MVP 2. Joe Montana, 1989 San Francisco 49ers (13 games – 3,521 yards, 26 TDs, 8 INTs, 70.2 completion rate, 112.4 passer rating; 227 rushing yards, 3 TDs) 14-2, NFC West champs, beat Denver in Super Bowl XXIV MVP, AP Offensive Player of the Year, Super Bowl XXIV MVP 3. Peyton Manning, 2013 Denver Broncos (16 games – 5,477 yards, 55 TDs, 10 INTs, 68.3 completion rate, 115.1 passer rating; rushing TD) 13-3, AFC West champs, lost to Seattle in Super Bowl XLVIII MVP, AP Offensive Player of the Year 4. Tom Brady, 2007 New England Patriots (16 games – 4,806 yards, 50 TDs, 8 INTs, 68.9 completion rate, 117.2 passer rating; 98 rushing yards, 2 TDs) 16-0, AFC East champs, lost to New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII MVP, AP Offensive Player of the Year 5. Dan Marino, 1984 Miami Dolphins (16 games – 5,084 yards, 48 TDs, 17 INTs, 64.2 completion rate, 108.9 passer rating) 14-2, AFC East champs, lost to San Francisco in Super Bowl XIX MVP, AP Offensive Player of the Year With the right talent and the right coaching, Allen is going to have a monster season soon.

Thanks for this. That's creative thinking with some actual research behind it! It seems to be that teams generally fall into two approaches for their receiving corps: Relying on size and catching ability in a crowd, with enough ability to be threats downfield, or relying on speed. The Bills right now are stuck somewhat in between. So, we see a thread about which speed receivers we like in the draft, and comments about going more with two tight ends. You may be right about Dorsey's preference. We'll have a much better idea after free agency and the draft.

This is true for every rumor this time of year. From my point of view, it's a pretty boring time of year. I'll get interested about a guy when he actually signs with the Bills or actually leaves the Bills by getting cut, getting traded, or signing with another team. The only exception is if the Bills are in the hunt for a serious talent, like being one of three teams with a shot at Mario Williams, stuff like that.