ColoradoBills

I guess we'll find out about an Oliver trade soon enough. I just don't see that happening. You give a lot of options, but money will be tight.

Bills are -$20M without signing Poyer or Edmunds and once you move Saffold and Phillips void year money and replace them on the Top 51. How much cap in restructuring do you think Beane is going to free up?

If you click on the red X to the right of his 2023 line you can see a "Pre-6/1" trade will cost GB $40M in Dead Money. The new team will pick up the rest of the guarantees.

It's not about McKenzie with me it was about Jake Kumerow. Kumerow beat out Hodgins for a spot because of ST. As to who is the better WR all I can do (other than using my eyes) is show the results. In 3 years with the Bills Kumerow has amassed 114 yards on 7 catches on 14 targets and 1 TD. A 50% catch rate. 225 offensive snaps. Hodgins (in less than a season) with NYG has 351 yards on 33 catches on 42 targets and 4 TDs. A 79% catch rate. 417 offensive snaps. IMO Hodgins can be a competent WR5 while I put Kumerow as a PS player.

I'm all for having a competent or above competent ST group. I do however question how many "ST only" players a team commits to. A guy "like" Matakevich, who is a ST leader, and on the field constantly is acceptable to me. I do think his salary is too high. But my point is a guy who fills that role is fine with me. A ST ace gunner who has other roles on ST is ok too. Having a combined KR/PR is highly desirable. After that, keeping a number of depth players over more talented depth guys solely because of ST skills is what I question. To give an example, the average depth LB, S, CB player all can run and tackle in open space. I would rather see a more qualified player at his prime position make the team over a lesser talented player at his prime position who got the roster slot because his ST skills are slightly higher. Using last year's roster, guys like Kumerow, Neal and Johnson all seem to me to be replaceable with better prime position players, but most likely made the team because of ST skills. All 3 of those players last year were needed at their prime position because of injuries to starters. Maybe you tip and keep one of those guys but all 3 seems unnecessary.

Specific FA players aside. It definitely is a scenario worth consideration.

I started with Option 1 of Bates being the heir apparent. I too am not sure that is the way to go. I would like to get away from the situation where if Morse goes down Bates has to move and the OL deals with too many in game changes. If Bates is slated to play LG, I would like to see him stay at that position and only come in at C in a disaster situation. That being said, a true backup plan at C needs to be addressed. That brings the whole thing into Morse and how long he can hang in there. I feel if he was going to retire, he would have done it already. So, I got him playing this year but don't know if you want him there longer. There was so much to consider it's the reason I started the thread, so as to get these options.

Wylie is much better at G than the RT role he was forced into. I use him as an example. I'm open to other FA guards. FA is coming before the draft so that is my immediate question. Thanks for the input.

Thanks Epsy, you are confirming everything I think about the guy. RG only and best if he can be had in the 2nd but might not last till then. I guess my thinking is the right side of the OL has been iffy the entire time Josh has been here and I'm looking to put some "rebar in the concrete". He's a guy I think might be able to do that and be the rock on the right they need. I'll look to see about a perceived weakness in counter moves. As to Beane and the whole OL concept of tackles and guys that play multiple positions, I'm hoping that could be swayed some this year by Kromer and others. Good stuff, thanks again.

Using a military analogy "you have to be strong somewhere". What that means is up to Beane to decide now that the team has matured and has serious money decisions to make. It's pretty obvious that I'm in the "Josh is the franchise so protect him" group. Divide the assets after that.

I agree that Spencer Brown is the most likely man at RT this season. I do believe he has a chance to improve but I sure would like to see a strong RG next to him. Which brings me to this question. I'm not a big college fan (I passively watch it) but in my hunting of a strong rookie RG I have watch some film and read that Torrence could be the real deal at RG. Do you think he is worth pursuing? I will admit when I saw that Spotrac had Wylie at $5M per year I thought it would be a no-brainer. A lot of KC fans and fans in general think he is better at RG than RT so I was thinking he could be something to look into. You may be right, and he could go for a lot more. Something I'll keep an eye on.

Nothing to be sorry about if you think the past 10 years of the Sabres are the same this year. If you do you should catch up on the team. They have made great strides and are a top young team in the league. Things change. Where you one of the fans who said nothing will change with the Bills prior to 2017?

I'm usually the guy that is not for trading up or down BUT this year if a top OL or WR is not at 27 then trade down some if you can.

Totally agree, he is a dark horse for a good S prospect. The best I hope for is S depth and to replace Siran Neal as a ST guy for a $2M savings.

I started this thread to try to get my head around that question. There are so many moving parts. If Edmunds leaves, they have to replace him with a 3rd round minimum I would think. MLB is too important in whatever D McDermott runs to go later. A 1st or 2nd has to go to something on the OL. Be it G, C or T. That's already a big ask for the draft to fall that way. The 3rd top 3 could go in a lot of different ways depending on FA. I just see a WR in the top 3 tough, but I sure would like it. It's going to be tough for Beane, but I'm in on a strong OL, replacing Edmunds and let the rest of the chips fall where they may.

I probably should not have said that in my OP. I do believe Brown improved on run blocking. That I am sure of. IF, and I know it's a debatable IF, he ends up starting at RT the only thing I feel will work is the other 4 OL are strong and that would include an extremely strong RG. I think they could scheme around Brown at RT and give him another year to see what he could be.

Would be tight even with Edmunds not signing. Don't get me wrong I'm for anything to protect and give Josh more time. It would mean I think that there would be no mid-level FA WR and about a 4th or later WR drafted. The D would have some plugs versus prime players. That being said, I do firmly believe Josh can make mediocre WRs better and good receivers great, given more time. It's the hill I'm going to die on this year!

Interesting. You're going with 2 FA and 1 Rookie. Also, you are the first to put Bates in a backup role. I was high on Bates, but he didn't perform at RG as well as I wished. I do think his best position is LG with a backup C role. Your reply along with many others all revolve around what is going to happen with Morse and the future at Center like I suspect. Beane HAS to see this too. It starts with my OP Question #1, and everything flows from there. As to Edmunds left to walk. I think that is going to happen. I didn't until just recently. That would be great, but the money would be the issue I feel.

Diggs is frustrated just like us fans. Lots of reasons as to why but none of them are a simple bumper sticker answer. Josh is a great QB but he is only one guy. Diggs will get more balls and the O will perform better is Josh has a little more time to throw the ball before he runs around like a chicken with his head cut off. It's not the only thing that needs to happen, but it would be a start.

I see Ike as G depth, not a starter.

Yes, but wouldn't you want an FA at RG instead of a late round rookie? I fear starting both rookies at RG and RT.

It would leave the G position pretty bare. Bates and a late draft pick? Like others, I'm in the "draft 2 OL" not 3. Too many rookies could be an issue. That's why an FA at G seems rational. I'm for drafting a C fairly early if Bates is not the long-term answer at C.

He's going to cost, but at around $10M I think he is at the top of the "doable" list. Anything more I feel is just not feasible with the cap situation.

I apologize and will look up the thread. I did a search and didn't see. Also, I took some time off the board after the CIN game so I wasn't around at the beginning of the month. If the mods want to merge it's fine with me. Let me ask you what are your thought of a FA who could start both RG and RT like Wylie? Totally agree. 3 rookies would be a disaster. Do you have any options at RG? My thoughts would be a strong RG would help Brown IF he ends up being a starter.

What's your thought of Wylie as an FA for RT?