Richard Noggin

Interesting intersection of generational differences in the game of football and many athletes in general...i.e., older players often celebrating tougher coaching and the ruthless and mostly impossible pursuit of perfect system execution, compared with younger players often (and predictably) responding more favorably to coaching and systems being adapted to better suit them individually. Flores (and also Gailey at the time, sounds like) were old school. Reminds me of Singletary's handling of his QBs. Kinda toxic and definitely not very helpful to their development, which in turn has a huge influence on team success. Coaches now need to help their guys have success ASAP (or lose jobs). And while Brady laments offenses being "dumbed down" to allow young QBs to play sooner, that doesn't mean that those same offenses can't expand and advance along with those young QBs' (hopefully) advancing aptitudes. It's almost as if contemporary coaches are more flexible, innovative, and motivated to maximize their teams' investments in young QBs, thereby hopefully maximizing individual and team success both short and long term. It's a superior model so long as the assessment doesn't drag on and compromise team integrity. JA17 has always seemed like a guy who's more old school. Daboll used to absolutely LIGHT HIM UP. If we saw visible fireworks on the sideline, imagine what transpired in practices and meetings. And Allen was the kind of guy who responded to that.

Pray tell, what is the difference?

This hasn't exactly aged well. In such a short time. Like an immediate, extreme example of "I'm wrong."

Count me in on the Troy Franklin in Rd 3 express train at the time. Seemed like unbelievable value at the top of Rd 4. The post hoc reality is that NFL teams didn't project him as favorably as the internet (and so many of us) did. We've since seen reports that he's not exactly flashing at Broncos camp, haven't we? Even with Nix coming with him from college. Obviously a development curve or even deficits we weren't privy to.

Milano is not "made of glass," given that "injury prone/glass" guys wash out of the league well before Year Seven or Age Thirty lol. Matt Milano has already enjoyed double the average NFL career. Milano HAS however, since his transition from obscure college Safety/Nickel/OLB to all-pro NFL WLB, absolutely maxxed-out his frame's capacity for muscle mass. He's insanely swole nowadays to an extent that doesn't always result in durability for comparable freaks. And he plays a collision position with an aggressive mindset...all ingredients of an injury-riddled career. Nick Bosa, who is similarly (and suspect-ly JACKED) has missed 31 games in 8 years (to Milano's 25 in 6 years). It's a rough job.

Don't we sign a talented, pedigreed, but estranged UFA to a nothing vet contract on the off chance his career can be reclaimed? Yeah, EVERY team probably does that EVERY offseason. Low risk, high reward. Usually doesn't work. But when it does...

Always seems like McDermott's teams bottom-out once each season; usually a mid-seasonish, two-game swoon where all arrows are pointed dramatically downward. And then they go on a run that is ultimately flawed but resilient and they even begin to look dangerous again before of course falling short to a more aggressive rival. Maybe they're just getting it out of the way earlier in 2024. Before it counts. You know. Maybe it's good that they look bad now LOL fanhood is inherently dumb for so many.

Black & Decker (Wood)***** Wrecker?

How did Diggs rank leaguewide among WRs during his time here? (Better than pretty good.) You raise important points, no doubt. But it wasn't ALL bad...

I thought the Bills did okay with the initial Diggs trade. Was this written by the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce

Can't imagine Hill remaining happy on the Dolphins roster for another 3 seasons, until he's 34. Just isn't in his nature to remain loyal or even motivated in the same place for as long as that would entail. But for their cap to be SO locked up in Hill, Waddle, and Tua (when does it really kick in? next season?) by 2025, like 40% of their cap by 2026 innit? That's crazy. That's built like a structure designed NOT to last.

Would love to see an actual study of how "those" teams fare in first quarter of season (or even first two games) compared to teams who play their starters some/more. Seems like low-hanging fruit for some nerdsite to create compelling content during this most thirsty time. Can't put certain projected starters out there without also putting their position group compadres out there if you want to truly assess things. If McGovern has to play, which I don't disagree with, then shouldn't Edwards and Torrence also be out there with him, simulating the IOL calls and adjustments and combos and whatnot? This is progress. This is the future. Chris Brown: "Josh Allen takes the field, again. Here he is playing his 11th consecutive preseason quarter in his quest to catch a forward pass." Steve Tasker or some other jabroni: "Some say it's reckless. Some say worse. But the Bills believe he needs to get in rhythm before they take the field in Week One."

No one listing Hardy who WILL make the team as backup NCB and 1st or 2nd string returner, most likely? Might be 6 CBs and 4 S this year to allow for 4 outside guys and 2 slots, or could be 5 total with 2 slots and only 3 boundaries (hoping Ingram and that other rookie who's flashed a bit make it to the PS). Also, keeping only 4 LBs (in OP) is kinda bonkers, or the math is wrong as 5 are listed including camp battle. 5 is the mark imho this year (so many to keep on DL). Injuries will likely make a decision (or two) much easier for the Bills, and possibly help them stash a promising youngster (or two). FA vet injuries in camp/preseason are even more predictably impactful, as a team is more likely to simply move on from them due to cost and lack of investment/future potential (with maybe a gentlemen's agreement to keep the phone close should circumstances dictate a re-signing).

Really wish I could confidently interpret the tone of this one.

This is a better joke than many will realize or acknowledge

This could very well be the case, combined with wet-ish conditions. Agreed McDermott values consistency/trust over ceiling for sure. And that approach is great in the regular season, week over week and season over season. Fewer mistakes lead to more wins. But in the playoffs, with a smaller sample size and an elimination format, you gotta make more plays than your opponent EVERY game. Elam has 2 INTs and 3 PDEFs in 3 postseason games so far in his career!

Wait, they're only 5 yards apart? I thought it was going to be 10. Weird. I usually have ELITE retention and recall for absolutely non-essential information.

There's the Pump The Brakes post we all needed before our tepid enthusiasm for discussing bottom of the depth chart TEs worked its way up to a rolling boil.

This possibility doesn't seem to be on any fans' radars. If the Bills intend to run a fair amount of 2-TE personnel, which most of us agree they might, then wouldn't that suggest keeping 4 TEs is at least on the table? Agree with some that Gilliam is the wildcard in this conversation. Are the trio of Morris, Davidson, and Gilliam (given his TE background/flex) potentially competing for 2 roster spots? Or, could they even be making the case for the Bills keeping all 3?

That elongated release, among other things, is a problem at the next level.

Simmons is likely in the Micah Hyde/accomplished vet position of intentionally NOT signing anywhere before the end of camp. The way guaranteed money just evaporates for guys of a certain age, it's no wonder that each offseason we see this impressive list of unsigned vet UFAs playing injury/market chicken with teams who have expressed interest. Goes both ways, I'm sure, for teams and vets, this time of year. We don't know Hyde will ever choose to play football again, but we can assume there is a number in place from the Bills, at the conclusion of camp, that would get him to suit up for one more season. Especially if there is also a hole in the safety depth chart due to injury. Simmons has probably already had similar talks with teams.

Gabe Davis's targets last year (and a lot the year before) were incredibly ineffective. He played a million snaps because he's an ox and a physical prototype for the X and especially for that telegraphed inside motion/formation reduction when handing off or running a QB sneak. Davis of course absolutely blew up a few times over his career when running intermediately and vertically against man-ish (maybe cover-three or quarters) coverages, but overall he was an increasingly net-negative receiving option. Not unlike 2nd half of season and playoff Diggs the last two years. Opponents were mostly able to lock them down (minus "13 seconds" 3 years ago). Love the Bernard, Davis, and Hamler hype. But Mitchell Trubisky, who has some physical tools, increasingly becomes a stiff when the bullets are live. Practice reps are not an authentic preview of his decision making and proficiency against real opposing defenses. One of those backup-level guys who we wind up screaming some version of "Throw it!" at while he double clutches and drifts into pressure. At least when Tyrod Taylor, the king of all overly cautious backups, actually pulled the trigger, his throws were often really accurate. Trubisky will hesitate, then hurry, and throw it into danger. He's like a Kenny Pickett but with adult hands. Better a dictionary than a bible? With the waving and whatnot. (I'll be here all week, folks.)

Like Phil Jackson's "Triangle" offense, and Steve Kerr's adaptation of that system with Golden State...but also Brady's version of the E-P in New England, and probably also Shanahan's current system and personnel in San Fran. Always moving, always interchanging, always flowing to find the open play. 6'6"?! High school and college height + weight listings are hilarious. Small part of what makes the pre-draft processes so fun. Actual measurements. (Which I think we all anticipate fewer and fewer early round prospects will submit to.) Dang. Snitches get stitches, innit? (So "revealing" here of specific pre-snap looks and post-snap adjustments/concepts.) Almost certainly nothing, but for the easily-concerned crowd, Bernard is MUCH twitchier and aggressive and fluid than Milano in that 2nd clip at 7 seconds. For the record I'm REALLY looking forward to a fully healthy and Bernard next to basically ANY version of Milano. They were looking like an All-Pro duo before London. Aren't captains usually the level-headed dudes?

While the spirit of this nomination is spot-on, we can't have Burr as the opposing fan voice except against New England. And even then, we'd want a WNY native who could match his energy ....

Tangential thought: NFL should stream an alternative broadcast for each game that features a professional play-by-play announcer flanked on each side by a fan for both teams. And those fans are drinking throughout the game. Imagine the potential for divisional strife. Each week would be a total wildcard.