Richard Noggin

Thread like this can reveal a lot about each poster who contributes. OP without nuance will invite the binary brigade to crusade for their integer, especially when declaring triumphantly that Beane's offseason is already a 1 out of 1. Team 0 can't abide.

Despite him initially being the #1 FA WR on some talking head/network big board(s), there is also little to no chatter (that I've heard) about Amari Cooper on that/those show(s). I've only heard one contributor's conjecture that Cooper might be happy to sit back and eventually choose his own destination. Looks to me like he can still haul in contested, back shoulder, and basket catches at a high level, but those will be tight window throws nearly every time. His diminishing ability to separate means defenses don't need to bracket or roll safeties to his side. And his production will be reliant on QB and WR executing with body language and ball placement and then adjusting to that placement, with narrow margin for error. That kind of confidence, communication, and execution takes reps and time on task to develop. Coming in during or after camp will potentially dampen Cooper's chances of success. Although he could succeed quickly with someone like Aaron Rodgers, who throws some of the best sideline back shoulders and fades I've ever seen.

Agree with you and others noticing something in the Forrest acquisition that reminds of Poyer, but mostly in that I'd honestly never heard of either guy before they were signed, and yet there is apparent upside/value. This time is different because we can see the potential proactively. Forrest's athletic profile is actually much more impressive than Poyer's, and he's had more on-field success than Poyer had at the time he was signed. Will be fun to track his progress in camp and preseason.

Unofficial 9.0 RAS, from what I'm seeing. No LB with a 4.55 40 yd is going to score that low (you cited 5?) unless they're WAY undersized and super stiff. Dolac IS small in NFL terms for a LB, but he's also got S athleticism. What are you basing your assumption on? Scouts who were skeptical? Lazy national consensus that led to him not getting a combine invite? (I see I'm predictably late to the party here. Point still stands, but apologies for redundancy.)

Some people just whine and complain and fixate while pretending it's the fault of someone else's failings. Frustrating to encounter online and in real life. I'll bet most of us have attended a sporting event seated in front of (or within direct earshot of) a loud, angry whiner. Like every unsuccessful play is so obviously the wrong call, and the fan doesn't realize or care that the people around them might prefer to enjoy the ups and downs of a live competition. Just like here, during the offseason, many of us enjoy discussing and analyzing and debating and whatnot, but we know that we don't always know how things will turn out. And either way, we know that polemic crusades are a nuisance. It's probably right that Beane, early in the draft a couple times, has seemingly panicked or at least gotten impatient in response to unexpected runs on positions or specific players. We all know the early misses and late hits. But other GMs, even the best, also hit and miss with similar frequency. Hopefully Beane can take the longer view and let the draft come to him a little more organically.

What did I ever do to you?

Josh Sweat was the more appealing and therefore more expensive player, no doubt. His deal was more reasonable than I anticipated, for sure, which does leave more room for second guessing. But were the Bills in position to pay Sweat AND Rousseau? So replacing Rousseau with Sweat, is that what you preferred?

They have starting QBs going into their 2nd years on rookie deals. I'm sure you get how much that affects the cap? FA is simply not the best place to add top talent when you have an MVP, franchise QB going on his 3rd deal. That's what the draft is for. Player development. The best teams are usually loaded with elite talents they drafted.

But a 2000 yard RB fetches a LOT LESS than a 2000 yard WR. The production doesn't translate 1:1 to dollar value, and it isn't particularly close.

Yeah, there are definitely posters on this board who indulge in the nuances and complexities of the cap as it relates to roster building and position allotments. Of course, there are also many who simply do not.

I don't fully agree with your position on definitely re-signing Cook, but you show your work and I'm nodding along with most of that. Cook has a rare ability to HOUSE any touch. He's special with the ball in his hands. He adds value to the offense. My counter is to mostly agree but still suggest that Ray Davis + Ty Johnson + Curtis/Evans/Rookie could be similarly effective or at least close enough to justify saving 12-16 million against the cap for 3-4 years. Just keep drafting RBs every other season on day two or three and keep combing the league for absolute gems like Ty Johnson. Also, I think Ray Davis is kinda good in his own way.

I don't hate where you're going with this, but you obviously can't compare raw production 1:1 across different positions when formulating cap values. You have to figure how much better Cook is than whoever would replace HIM (plus the cap savings in NOT allocating that AAV to a platoon RB) and compare THAT to how much better Palmer is than whoever would replace HIM (plus the cap savings/difference).

Me encountering this post labeling Keon Coleman "too much PUNK" to grow and improve. Bizarre criticism tbh. He's always seemed pretty sincere to me. I wonder if off-field focus/discipline became an issue during his injury recovery. Like the team wasn't going to hover over him and was in fact going to keep moving forward in his absence. Nothing is given. Could definitely be a maturity deficit he needs to confront and correct. He'd hardly be the first somewhat sheltered, small town deep south athlete to experience professional/personal culture shock. I know that's highly specific, but how long did it take a young Eric Moulds to sort himself out? (Obviously he was a different, more explosive prospect.)

"FA field" should also be a poll option. It's been mostly rookies and obscure FAs platooning at CB2, hasn't it?

Solomon experienced some rookie growing pains (not uncommon for McD's defensive rookies) and had a rough 2nd third of the season stretch of low snap counts plus a game where he didn't dress, but saw a lot of work the last two weeks of season. He wasn't inactive for any of the playoff games, that I could find, but I'm also not finding ANY stats for him those 3 games on PFR. I think he's got potential to at least be a DPR who flashes this season, and possibly a more balanced #3 or #4 EDGE guy longer term. Loved the pick. I don't think Epenesa offers more on obvious passing downs at this point. Hoecht I have no idea tbh. Rousseau should reduce inside on some passing downs with Solomon one of the guys subbing in.

As has already been stated/alluded to in this thread, Bosa IS awfully..."muscly"...which tends to catch up to a guy sooner rather than later. I think the point you're replying to might have been suggesting that the FORMER Jordan Phillips is an example of a giant 320+ lb DT who was much better as a penetrator, not unlike some of the big DTs coming out this year. I read the intentional analogy to be pointing a finger at Tyleik Williams from Ohio St, among others; sounds like a 1-gapper for sure, and more favorably projected when aligned as a 3T. Despite his size.

Are those reps at the end against the Bengals? Like that. Many other highlights against bad competition, but whatever. I don't dismiss Solomon as a legitimate developmental piece on the edge. He's already in the pipeline. Don't sleep on him.

I recall seeing him mostly on the offense's right side, so LDE. But that's purely a limited observation. I also feel like he was moved around a bit under the previous Chargers regime. Am I wrong? Someone will let me know if so.

The guy has always managed to flash when I've watched the Chargers (which admittedly isn't often). Could be a solid fit for an offense designed to distribute the ball broadly but also looking specifically for a WR who can succeed on the boundary. Not intended to be more than a top-3 WR here with respect to target share, in my opinion. And probably/hopefully behind Kincaid as well. Are the emotional posters upset about not paying Metcalf 33M per? About not having a chance at the elite EDGE guys (I guess Sweat was technically available...maybe him instead of/or opposite Groot would have felt better?)? We know Beane tends to mostly plug holes in FA ahead of the draft. The draft is where a team should be finding the majority of its top talent (who can be developed and then re-signed more strategically). I guess the misses loom large for many fans, especially this time of year.

Just kinda whelmed?

You're not really wrong at all here. But as is usually the case, more than one thing can be true. The defense has absolutely been a major problem in all the Bills recent playoff losses. The biggest problem. But also, the offense HAS failed to go win the game when given the ball at the end for two playoff exits in a row. What's their go-to way to drive and score points against the best when it's all on the line? It's been unclear.

Mmm there it is. Numbers.

Crosby was my number one preferred elite EDGE target (IF he had been available), even over Garrett. Mostly because of how uncomfortable he makes Mahomes on the field (very pleasing to watch Kermit repeatedly whine between plays about minor contact, essentially taking the bait). And he's relatively young. Turns out he wasn't ever really an option, alas.

PRIME Lockett (2018-2022) would be the PERFECT addition (considering cost x skillset x fit). CURRENT Lockett could still potentially add value, but would most likely mirror Emmanuel Sanders' 2021 season production/impact. Not totally spent, but only impactful in a few games. They'd be about the same age, coming off similarly productive FA seasons. Lockett's prime production IS more recent than Sanders' was when the Bills signed him, so who knows. But bringing in Lockett would have to be simply to fortify the BOTTOM of the WR depth chart on a team friendly deal.

How does the team "have Cook play out his contract" (emphasis mine) when it's not exactly up to the team? Or are you just listing hopeful outcomes that would help the offense be the same/better in 2025? I don't really think Cook would hold out an entire season (or even many/any regular season games) without a new deal, but I do get the sense he'd either hold out or even hold IN for all of training camp and pre-season. Strikes me as a guy focused solely on maximizing his one big NFL contract (and difficult to fault him for that, if we remove our fandom of the Bills and football in general from the equation and just see it from his perspective).