ColoradoBills

If you think that consider what my Option #1 is above.

My thoughts go like this: If Bates is the heir apparent C, then he needs to start to train to be that. He needs to take all the 2nd team C snaps and should only be considered depth at G going into the season. That leaves 2 G positions to fill. One in the draft and one in the FA seems proper. I like the idea of pursuing a player in FA like Andrew Wylie from KC. He has played both RG, LG and RT for KC and has played pretty good at all positions. His "Market Value" on Spotrac is under $5M per year. If he (or a similar player) can be secured it takes one G spot out and gives Brown some good camp competition at RT. Then draft a full time Day 1 starter at G. I would need help with who and what round, but I would be willing to even consider Round 1.

I'm in the "fix the OL first crowd" so this is my #1 priority for the off season. Going into FA and the Draft this is where to OL is right now. I am going under the assumption that all 5 of last year's OL stay on the team (I think they should). LT - Dawkins (Doyle backup) LG - Open (Bates played RG but he seems better at LG, many see him as Morse's replacement at C) - (NO LG backup) C - Morse (A huge unknown going forward both with health and cost) (Bates backup) RG - Open (No Backup) RT - Brown (Inconsistent but improving) (No RT backup) On the roster and going to camp (so far) are former PS players (C-Mancz, T-Anderson, T-Van Demark) It seems to me the #1 question is the future of Ryan Bates. Is he earmarked at age 26 to replace Morse at C? If not, is he the future at LG? Question #2 who is the RG starter? (Day 1 Rookie or FA?) Question #3 is Spencer Brown locked to be starting RT? Question #4 is after all the above answers, who is depth? I would like to hear what some options are from the board. I will post this OP now and give my thoughts, as of right now, in a reply post.

It will be interesting to see if a team goes after "Dirty Red" with a $3M contract or not. Being over 30 he may find his worth is ST only for a bit over vet minimum. Jones, Kumerow and maybe Neal all could be gone. If that happens re-signing Matakevich for around $2M would be worth it for me.

Josh and the offense were bipolar all season. For my money it stemmed from the Daboll to Dorsey change. I'm not saying Daboll was elite as OC but the team on O had a scheme and a way to set up Ds. Dorsey did a lot of good things but couldn't put good "specific" game plans together to take advantage of the oppositions D's weaknesses as well as Daboll. Us fans will just have to hope that Dorsey improves at his job. You can't change the OC again IMO. Next year will tell if Ken is the guy or not. Beane has to improve the OL and with some innovative offensive play calling all will be better. The continuous injuries on D were a challenge. Some important UFAs will walk this year and Beane will have to plug that the best he can.

I had more than one discussion on Hodgins or Kumerow. I said Hodgins should make the 53. Many took the Kumerow side and then he ended up on IR. When Hodgins was called up and then waived, I wasn't a fan. I do believe that Hodgins would have stayed on the 53 if it wasn't for all the DB/DL injuries and the ST considerations. FWIW, I don't mind a couple of ST only aces, I'm just not a fan of 4-5.

Well, it takes 2-3 years to evaluate a draft so.....................................?

Dane Jackson is a RFA and is in an interesting position for Beane to make a decision on. If they sign him to a "Right of 1st Refusal" he would cost $2.6M this year if no one offers a better deal. If a team does and he walks the Bills get a 7th round pick. I'm not sure what Beane should do. I keep going back and forth. If Benford is moving to S is $2.6M too much for depth? Will another team offer a contract and Bills at least get a 7th?

McKenzie and Crowder were the perceived answer at slot receiver last year and now it looks like having Shakir and Hodgins would have been the better choice going into this season. I'm not a McKenzie "hater" but I think we all have seen his ceiling.

Beane is in a pretty good spot at 27 for a team who has a 1st round grade in a position of non-need for the Bills to trade back and pick up a late 3rd or early 4th. Other than that, I think he should wait for the draft to come to him. Then again, if Torrence is as good as some pundits say and can anchor the RG position (which has been a revolving door for years), I'd go that route if he is still available. I'm not a huge college fan so don't criticize my internet scouting too much! LOL.

I mentioned him. Thanks for your input.

It's kind of orange with a little blue.

It will come down to timing. Carr may be signed to a team before all that would happen in Baltimore.

I called Lamar crazy when he didn't sign a contract after Josh signed his. It would of been a notch above Josh's and he was at his peak worth. So, I guess he could be crazy enough to sit and cause more drama.

Keenum is 35 and played a half season back in 2019. His future (if he has any) is mentor for a rookie. As for Brady, I would love for him to un-retire again. He is in decline and the 3-ring circus he creates is amusing to watch.

If Lamar is too stubborn to sign a long term deal (which he should have already done) they will most likely tag him. I just don't see a tag and trade.

Crowder signed for essentially a $2M guaranteed deal last year. If he doesn't get a team with a decent amount guaranteed I could see the Bills bringing him back to camp.

OK. I got to say that it seems to me that Seattle will use pick(s) to get a QB. Geno Smith won't take them deep in the playoffs but is good enough for them not to get another chance for a top QB. They could easily jump the Colts with Denver's 2nd. Raiders don't have to draft capital to go that high. If I was a Seahawk fan and they didn't come out of this with a QB I'd be pissed. Jackson is an UFA. Ravens sign him to the big contract or they move on.

Where is Darek Carr in all of this?

This guy will not even count against the Top 51 in cap space unless he makes the team after camp. Like i said, he will most likely get a taken bonus like all the players do. CB Kyler McMichael just signed a 2-year Reserve/Futures contract with the Bills with a 9k signing bonus. It's standard contracts in the NFL. I may eat crow when his #'s come out, but I was being generous with the $25k. I believe he is signing what will be a Reserve/Futures type contract like our other PS players.

What are you so mad about. He is likely signing for vet minimum. FTR most UDFAs sign with a "token" signing bonus. That token signing bonus holds true for all the Reserve/Futures contracts the Bills just gave a bunch of their PS players from last season. If you don't know that I invite you to look at the roster in Spotrac and scroll down to the bottom players. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/cap/

They better. I'm a fan of both Beane and McDermott and I can have patience for Dorsey to improve this coming season but they have to give Josh some decent protection. I will be very disappointed in them if they don't!

Wow. There's a lot of vitriol for a camp body special team player signing. Vet minimum for Zayne is $870k. If he can replace one of the Jones, Kumerow, Neal spots it will save some money. Using Siran Neal as an example. If Zayne can beat him out by the end of camp it nets a cap savings of $1.91M. If he can perform having him sign a 2-year deal at vet minimum (or near it) will save even more. Although, he will probably get the big $25k signing bonus! Until FA starts there isn't a lot of "talent" out there to be signed. In other big NFL news, the Arizona Cardinals signed TE Noah Togiai yesterday!

Lee Smith and Ken Dorsey both were on the Buffalo Bills during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

This Zayne guy is strictly ST. He has never taken a snap on D for the Chiefs. Neal is the perfect guy to cut after camp if a player like Zayne can take his place.