IgotBILLStopay

Kwity Paye, Jaelan Phillips, Payton Turner, Greg Rousseau, Osage Oweh and Joe Tryon we’re the six first round Edge Rushers taken. #18 Jaelan Phillips started promisingly but then has had a very poor camp overall due to injury. I felt him missing his medical due to ‘COVID’ in April itself was a red flag. Didn’t play preseason game 1. #21 Keith Paye started slow in TC, then reports said he improved a lot but is now out with an ankle injury (which maybe minor). Didn’t play week 1 preseason. #28 Payton Turner was very raw when camp started but had started looking better as camp progressed. Was deliberately held out of preseason game 1 (which tells me he is doing really well). #30 Greg Rousseau came out of the gate strong. Has not had a single negative report and several positive minicamp and TC reports. Only one (of these six) to register a sack in preseason week 1 (that too against Penei Sewell - top lineman from 2021 draft) #31 Odafe Oweh looked overwhelmed in week 1of TC - but was the ‘star’ of week 2. DC Martindale has been singing his praises the past week. Played decently preseason week 1 but went sackless - which is important since he had notoriety as a first rounder who had zero sacks in an entire (shortened) college season. #32 Joe Tryon like Rousseau sat out 2020. He missed rookie minicamp due to a minor knee procedure - but has been turning heads every day in camp. He shda maybe had a sack in preseason game 1 but was called for helmet to helmet. Arians raving about him. Bottomline Rankings post preseason game 1: 1. Rousseau 2. Tryon 3. Turner 4. Oweh 5. Paye 6. Phillips Beane can feel good about what he did last April. Update after one more week of Training Camp and Preseason Game 2 #18 Jaelan Phillips returned to the field but is being eased in slowly. He collected a few reps late in preseason game 2 vs. the Falcons - but was quite ineffective in stopping the run. Atlanta had two long drives for TDs late. #21 Keith Paye made the most noise this week. After returning from his ankle injury, he had three! Sacks in one day in TC last week. He was also credited with a sack of Kirk Cousins in preseason game 2 - he blew past T Rashod Hill, who is a 2016 UDFA. I scouted Kwity extensively before the draft and felt he was very similar to (and no better than) Shaq Lawson since he basically had a bull rush. The real news is that the Colts see more in him. He has completely changed his stance and is acting more as a speed rusher than a power rusher. That is what the Bills have been trying to do with AJ Epenesa as well. #28 Payton Turner didn’t play at all this week ( has an undisclosed injury) and won’t suit up tomorrow in preseason game 2 vs. Jags. #30 Greg Rousseau - 2nd sack in as many games. I’d loved it when the announcers compared him to Mario Williams. And I see the comp! He primarily went against Lachavious Simmons who is a 7th rounder and dominated him on every single snap. The tight end Horsted also couldn’t block him. #31 Odafe Oweh Played somewhat ok preseason week 2 as well. Last week Went against Ethan Greenidge who is a 2019 UDFA but went sackless. That trend continued against the Panthers. In 18 snaps, he recorded just one pressure. He went against a “returning from injury” Ronnie Stanley in practice and the latter easily handled him. The big news is that the ravens are using him as a gunner on special teams (a little like we are using Bam). That tells me his upside at DE seems limited. #32 Joe Tryon actually recorded a sack - but unlike week one, this sack was a freak event - Dillon Raduz (2021 2nd rounder) had actually pushed Tryon away and he barely touched Matt Barkley, who actually appeared to have gotten rid of the ball. But Tryon was awarded the sack - so it was just the opposite of week one where he was denied a sack by the zebras. in TC, Tryon is yet to go against the first team offense - so yet to see how he does against top flight competition. Updated Rankings post preseason game 2: 1. Rousseau 2. Paye 3. Tryon 4. Oweh 5. Turner 6. Phillips

For a coach who tends to keep a lot of things close to the chest, his preseason depth charts are surprisingly informative. He doesnt play mind games with these charts.

So Phillips, ObadA, Sweeney, Hodgins, Fromm, Doyle, Williams and Williams are on the outside looking in as of now. Quite telling actually.

was beginning to worry that we may actually be seriously considering moving on from Hughes. Still possible but this is a good sign.

You only need to watch one game to know what he can do. Opening game of 2020 season - watch him go against Rivers and the Colts - the same Rivers who nearly carved us up in the playoffs. His fit for the 4-3 or 4-2-5 Bills defense is just too great. With the always solid Hyde / Poyer behind him, he can really gamble and make his share of game changing plays which is what we missed last year. And Dane Jackson has not really met expectations in TC, has he?

Not entirely. 1. It is also a function of surplus at the position. They gave big dollars to Shaquille Griffin and drafted Campbell, whose calling card is also speed. 2. A new regime in a rebuilding situation wants draft picks. They are not wedded to the previous regime’s picks. 3. The head case thing is overblown. Henderson was in the COVID list - so has not been able to practice. 4. Urban Mayer has pissed a lot of Jag players with his college practice habits - whoever heard of publicly announcing head to head winners in an NFL training camp. Guys have begun to chafe under his practice habits already.

He is not bad I agree. In fact, he might probably be our best value for money player right now. But he does have his limitations. He does not have blazing speed - so guys like Tyreek Hill can take him if they get him on an island. Henderson’s calling card is speed. Having a CB rotation of Levi, Henderson and Tre will put us over the top. what is too much? I would be OK with a second which becomes a conditional first. And we do have surplus DEs to trade one to the Jags.

CB2 is the one weak link in our defense relative to other positions. A talent like him doesn’t become available often. He can play man and zone. Apparently Urban Mayer and he cannot get along. After the Diggs trade experience, I have become a lot more receptive to these opportunities. With our draft positions going forward, we are unlikely to get top 10 talent anyway. And he will still be on a cost controlled rookie contract for three more years with even the signing bonus paid off.

fixed it

OK Gilmore is probably the most underpaid CB on a non-rookie deal in the NFL in terms of future dollars. We all need to encourage Gilmore to continue to sit out - a la Howard. Howard has shown it works.

the real mistake was giving two "elite" free agents different large contracts at the same time. And Howard and Jones performance was so dissimilar. I worried about this when Smoke and Beasley were signed - but they were not really alpha deals and they both played well enough. I think this risk of pouting will predominantly be with alpha contracts. Belichik did it a bit better - he gave both his alpha TEs 12.5m per year deals. So right now things look kosher. But Smith has 31.25m guaranteed while Henry only has 25m. If Henry significantly outperforms Smith, we know what Henry should do. edit: they were not simultaneous - my bad - Howard was extended a year earlier. This capitulation to Howard's demand sets such a bad precedent. My wish about the Pats situation remains though.

That is always the hope, no?

Finally some light at the end of the tunnel - If Rose / Walker knees hold up - we will make some noise in the East again. And there will always be the possibility of a Lillard trade.

FWIW, Tyrod trade netted us pick #65 (3rd round) and that was used to get Edmunds, not Allen.

Ha! In all fairness, the Ertz part is more an afterthought though.

I think some of you are likely Knicks fans - so you may find these parallels between the Bills and Knicks offseasons intriguing a. Both franchises had been mired in non-playoff streaks b. Both franchises have had trouble attracting FAs c. Both franchises had breakthrough 2020-21 seasons. Bills are a bit ahead - but both beat consensus national expectations comfortably. d. Both franchises didnt just make the playoffs in 2020-21 - they had home court for the first round. e. Now the most important parallel - both opted for continuity - Knicks with Burks, Rose, Gibson and Noel and Bills with Milano, Williams, Jones, McKenzie, Boettger, Wallace f. Both agreed to reasonable extensions with their franchise breakout stars of 2020-21 - Allen and Randle (OK Randle's was probably a steal - Allen's not so much) Now who is going to be the Bills' " ex-All Star coming of injury in 2021 "Kemba Walker signing - "ex- Pro Bowl coming off injury plagued 2021" Zach Ertz? (Ha! sneaked Ertz into the post!)

no brainer. was only a matter of time. cant really complain about this. I was hoping for something like Mahomes' deal rather than Prescott's - this falls somewhere in the middle. Prolly fair. Now cant wait for the cap to balloon the next 7 years - so the contract becomes more and more reasonable.

I think it was a contract issue or compensation for the Tyrod trade or something. Tyrod won the starter job in TC but couldnt be the starter on opening day. Cassel was in for the opening snap - thats it I think. I have forgotten the details (I am trying hard to erase memories of 1999 - 2016)

Are you confusing with his rookie year 2017. He didnt have any last couple of years, no?

Well it comes down to a. Williams b. how critical Jones is to ST and c. (small chance) Wade, no?

nice. Matt Cassel was also the official starter for that one game in Rex's first season - a game that we won though he did not register a pass attempt. I think old timers might remember Brain McClure's lone winning start as well.

I too prefer Obada / Zimmer over Johnson - but Farwell came out strongly in support of Johnson today - that does increase the likelihood that Johnson stays. That being said, Frazier supported Zimmer strongly and Obada has been outstanding in camp - so maybe, just maybe, the Bills might have to trade Jerry Hughes to keep all these other guys.

You are totally right about Matakevich. I forgot about the Bills extending him. He is a lock. Based on Farwell comments today, Gilliam and Bam Johnson may also be locks for the roster based on ST prowess.

Both Powell and Stevenson have had ball security issues - so it is understandable that the job is McKenzie's to lose.

I dont think Breida, Hollister, Johnson and Matakevich are locks yet. I agree about the other locks. I too thought it was a near certainty that Addison would be cut - but vibes outa OBD appear to indicate he may be safe - it is still early though - and there will likely be an injury or two before the roster cut down.