Shaw66

WOW! I didn't think that would happen. I''ve never been a huge Glenn fan, but still, I would have thought the Bills would have wanted some stability. Richie is going to feel lonely over there on the left side.

Not fair to call it the scrap heap, but you're exactly right. Take the free agents with talent whose careers have gone a little sideways. That really works. AND, if one of the good QB prospects falls to 21, take him. I've stopped paying attention, but I think there are five - Rosen, Darnold, Mayfield, Jackson and Allen, maybe Rudolph. Chances are pretty good one or two of them is still on the board.

I think he MIGHT package picks to move up into the 10-15 range to get a QB (or even a position player) that he really wants and is afraid won't fall to 21. He could do that without mortgaging the entire draft. But I think it's more likely he'll do what you say - just sit tight and use those picks. I'd love to come out of the draft with two starting offensive linemen and three starting front seven defenders. They may not all start on day one, but my mid-season they could be. That's a huge upgrade. Add to that an effective thrower like Keenum and the team has the talent to make some noise. Shady and Ivory, Benjamin, Jones and Thompson, a good offensive line. A better pass rush. That's a team. Sure seems like the way to go.

That's true. He could. And I expect he will if there's a QB he's absolutely in love with. But I don't think that QB is out there. I think he gets much more bang for his buck signing Keenum for $20 million a year for three years, or something like that, and then drafting a QB as soon as he sees one he like, probably at 21 or 22 or in the second round, and use all the other picks to take position players. If Keenum shows that 2017 wasn't a fluke, then the Bills have a quality starter for several years and his successor on board. If Keenum isn't so good, he still has a decent team around him, so the Bills do okay, and the successor starts in 2019 after a year of seasoning. If he trades a bunch of picks and gets the wrong guy, he's screwed. He doesn't have a QB, and he doesn't have the talent on the team to support a weak QB. I think it's a much riskier move to trade up, and that's why I think he'll only do it if he's in love with someone. The presumptive starter will be under contract by this Friday.

Maybe that's how you'd do it, but I doubt that's what the Bills will do. Beane has been very clear - you get more talent with picks than you do in free agency. So I don't see him following a course where he trades lots of picks so he can end up with lots of cap room to get free agents. That's exactly backward from what he's said all along. I think he signs a QB who will be a starter in September, he keeps his picks and drafts a lot of talent, including a QB.

I agree.

Even Bradford or Bridgewater. The Bills will go to camp with a veteran QB as the presumptive starter, someone who has had SOME measure of success. Bradford and Bridgewater have their problems, for sure, but they've had actual success. In my mind, they won't get Cousins and Keenum has to be the guy they're targeting. He's spent five years in the league, kicking around, learning the game. Then last season he started 14 games and showed he can play well consistently. Had some rough outings, but everyone has those. Keenum is the kind of guy who will at least be fine for the next couple of years while the Bills find the right youngster to grow into the job, and Keenum might also grow up into a quality starter who gives you a 95+ passer rating every season, in which case you have your starter. He's as good as Tyrod, for sure, and has better upside. Decent size, savvy. Spotrac estimates his annual salary value around $21 million on a four-year deal. I'd guess that's about right, and I'd guess you'd have to guarantee two years of that. Not an unreasonable price to know you're starting 2018 with a decent starter. Done.

I will be stunned if the Bills do anything other than what you describe. If they're in the Cousins sweepstakes and get him then they might even postpone taking a QB. If they don't get Cousins, they'll get one of the other vets, Keenum probably being the next best choice. Then the Bills will use one of their picks on a rookie QB, maybe even trade up 10 spots or so if someone they really like is there. Although as you and others have pointed out, Beane's said a lot of things at different times, one thing he's consistent on - he plans to build through the draft. He's said that's the best way to build because that's the cheapest talent out there. They clearly believed that they can coach young players and make them useful in their first and second years in the league - Milano being one example. He's already shown he'll spend a few million here or there to plug holes, which he's done with three free agents already, but he wants to build through the draft. That also tells me that if the right QB is there in free agency, he'll be willing to write a big check, because he MUST get a good QB and he doesn't need cap room to plug holes because he intends to do that in the draft. The reason people are interested in the Pegula plane is because it's nearly certain that there is some big QB news coming in the next couple of days. We will know the presumptive starter by the end of the week. Only way that guy will not be the starter will be if (1) he gets injured or (2) some rookie really impresses through pre-season, like Wentz did.

I think the people who will be disappointed will be the people who think the Bills will trade into the top 5. I don't see that happening.

When did they say that? Everything I've heard from Beans has been so vague as to .mean nothing.

I know. I dont expect it. BUT ... Everyone has been strangely silent about Cousins. The only report was more than a week ago from Schefter saying that his sources told him that four teams have talked to the league about contracts for Cousins. Thats hardly conclusive evidence of anything. The Bills could have talked to the league since then. There's been nothing from Cousins camp. I have occasional contact with one Bills insider, and he's been totally silent. Not a hint about what the Bills might be doing. So as far as I'm concerned, there's no reason to believe the Bills are out of the Cousins game.

Glad I found someone else who thinks Cousins may still be in play. Yes player visits dont start until Weds but talks agents start today. There's a good chance all the details will be in place by Wednesday for several of the free agent and to sign. I sou t the Bills will send the plane to pick up an agent.

It was deadly boring a month ago, because the Bills coaching situation and GM situation were all set. I wrote about how boring it was and that it wouldn't get interesting until free agency. Now I'm like you. I'm looking every hour to see if there's news. In the last couple of weeks we've had three interesting signings and the Tyrod trade. Now we're waiting on Wednesday for a qb. Things definitely have heated up. That's really interesting. Not surprising - I'd hoped he was like that. He seems that way in his pressers. He gives interesting direct answers. I agree about it being different. This is the first time that I can remember thinking that the GM and coach knew what they were doing. Lots of people seem to be freaking out about whether the Bills will get this free agent or draft that qb. I'm not. I think McBeane know exactly what they're doing. I'm just interested to see what they're thinking.

Actually I think Foles could be the long term answer, but as I think about it I think you're right about signing a free agent QB instead. Bridgewater or Kewnum or Bradford could be as good a solution and won't cost draft capital.

Tbat ogfense requires on-field dwcision making. He's shown he can do it. That thinking skill is very valuable.

I don't think the Bills would have moved on from Taylor if they weren't nearly complete certain that they had a veteran replacement. They weren't going into 2018 with Peterman and a rookie. The news has been that the Eagles want to move Files and there was a rumor the Bills offered a second. My first thought when I heard about Taylor was that the Bills needed another pick to sweeten the pot for the Eagles. Foles has played a lot of good football in the NFL, just not consistently. If the Bills want him, I have to think the Bills can make him a consistent quality starter. It also means they can go slow on a rookie QB. No trade up, just get another quality youngster ti compete with Peterman. Files would be your guy for 2 or 3 or 8byears, depending in how Files and the youngsters pan out. In the meantime, the Bills will still have at least three picks in the top 65. I'm still hoping for Cousins. There's been no news about him for days now, and the reports that he was down to four teams weren't all that firm. It's going to be an interesting week.

Turns out the policy has been in place for a couple of years now. It makes some sense to me, especially if you think the team is on its way to some years as a championship contender. How many of these requests do you think they get? Maybe 100 a year? How many are from legitimate fans who want to attend most games, and how many are from people who will be reselling? I'd bet at least half are resellers. So the Bills are giving up $100,000 of revenue by saying no to out of town buyers. Half of them are serious fans, many or most of whom will find a way to circumvent the rules to get tickets - usually by just having a friend or relative buy for them. The resellers are more likely just to move on. In other words, the Bills will still half the tickets, and it'll only cost them about $50,000 a year to have said no. When the Bills are winning, it means they have those unsold tickets in inventory to sell to local fans who want season tickets or even single game tickets. This does several things: 1. There are fewer fans of the opposing team in the stadium. 2. The Bills are able to satisfy ticket demand in the local area, making more fans that really matter to them happy and increasing secondary market value to the Bills. Local advertisers are more interested in marketing with the Bills the more local fans are happy. 3, Selling locally means more kids coming to the games, and that helps build fan loyalty in the next generation.

All true. The reality is that NO player has a noticeable impact on wins and losses except QBs. They just don't. So it doesn't make sense to spend a lot of money on any player except QB. Much better to buy a lot of $2-3 million talent and plug them into your system. Three $4 million guys will help your team more than one $12 million guy.

Exactly. I keep saying it, but McBeane won't admit it - this is the Belichick/Parcells model. You keep acquiring talented players (not stars, just talented guys) and plug them into your system. If they take to it, you keep 'em, if they don't, cut 'em loose. A lot of draft picks lets you add more talent. Find your QB wherever you can. Bills probably will sign a free agent QB (or trade for Foles) and draft a qb with one of the picks they currently have. Only wild card I see in the situation is Lawson. If they don't like Lawson (and I don't know if they do or don't), and if they could find another trade partner to get one more decent pick, THEN they might be positioned to trade up. But it's all just pure guess work.

People are seeing in this what they want. The early signings might also mean they're getting a few guys cheap bexcuse they're about to write a big check for a qb, like Foles. Just have to wait and see. I still think they won't trade up more than 10 spots in the first round. I think they might not even do that. Just take the best qb they see when it's their turn.

I like this. I like getting good athletes drafted high who struggle on their rookie contracts. They have talent and they have something to prove. McDermott is the kind of coach - sincere, understanding but demanding - who can help a guy committed to getting better. Ivory, Davis and Iggy. Inexpensive talent. Draft picks are inexpensive talent too. Pretty clear that's what McBeane are looking for.

If the Bills had had a qb for the past several years Goodwin would still be a Bill.

Right. Trump's trying to bring steel manufacturing back to Lackawanna. he doesn't want any foreigners bringing steel into New Era Field. Plain as day, when you think about it.

Read much, Beast? Where does my post assume anything? I said "if." If you need help understanding the concept that word signifies, let me know and I'll try to advance your education.

If he gets good coaching, I think Cousins will be one of the top 5 QBs in the league in two years. I think so because I think he's probably among the top 5 QBs in the league to be a coach-on-the-field-type QB. He's smart, he studies, he executes the way he's supposed to. With good coaching, he'll be outsmarting defenses around the league. Of course, he could suck in crunch time, in which case in matter how smart he is.