RocCityRoller

A failure in talent evaluation?

Brown was a late 3rd rounder. Bills have spent 1 quality pick on OL since JA was drafted. Cowboys too. I know they lost, but the 49ers were held to 19 points. Pollard is a beast who would be a superstar if Jerry Jones could swallow his pride and admit signing Zeke to the last big contract was a mistake.

Moving Bates to RG was a mess. By the end of last season Bates and Dawkins were developing excellent chemistry on combo blocks and assignments. Bates has also shown a knack for being able to pull to the right if you want him to. Didn't like the Saffold signing for the reshuffle alone, much less his pass blocking. Been pounding my fists on C the past 2 seasons (Humphrey and Linderbaum) passed on Humphrey, Linderbaum went a few picks early (#25). Stud C are usually available at the end of the 1st round (pick 25-32), draft one. I'm personally worried about Morse's health. Have been for years. Dawkins is fine. He is an above replacement level LT who never developed chemistry with Saffold. Should be Dawkins & Bates at LT and LG. Spencer Brown is bad, at best he is my backup OT on a rookie contract. RG has been a mess for years. I had no idea why UFA Boettger was resigned last season coming off an Achilles. Older + Achilles means move on. He was replacement level at best before the injury. Good OG like Ben Powers can be found in rounds 3-4. Can play and improve from day one without being a 'project'. Quessenberry, Hart and Van Roten put in solid play for cast offs from other teams making low tier money, but none of them should be starters.

I believe this is a retool moment. Look at the cap/ players under contract etc. The Bills need to focus in on making the offense as strong as possible. The investments on offense have been poor. One OL drafted in the 1-3rd round over a 5 year window is pathetic. Swing and a miss on Ford, it happens. Doesn't mean you stop drafting OL for your franchise player. Cincy/ KC/ Eagles etc have all retooled OL in 1-2 seasons. if Beane can't do it, it is on him.

Lawson and Milano were putting in good effort too. As for Diggs. Dude is watching his his team regress (Championship game -> tight divisional loss -> squeaked by in wildcard and blow out loss in Divisional Round) Diggs will be turning 30 next year, time is slipping by and he knows it.

Good write up, not just because I agree with about 90% of it. I have been leaning into the talent vs coaching question since the playoff loss last season. Started a thread back then did not get much traction. I feel like this year was mostly a rinse and repeat hope for better results. I agree with a disconnect between GM-HC-OC/DC. What made the Frazier/ McDermott defense work was the outstanding play of Poyer and Hyde in the back end. Hamlin did a heck of a job filling in for Hyde, but is not anywhere near Hyde's level. Poyer gutted out one of the toughest seasons I've ever seen from a player. Jaquon Johnson is no NFL starter or even a good backup. This is why Buffalo pounced on Marlowe, who has filled in for Buffalo well in this scheme. Newsflash, both Poyer and Hyde are getting quite long in the tooth. It boggled my mind that in a very deep S draft the Bills drafted none. It should have been clear that the defensive scheme relies on excellent S play and there has been no real investment in planning for two starting S over 30 with contracts near or expiring. It feels like in order to cover for the decline in the DB group (White IR/ ageing S) they went for a big splash, all in move for Von Miller. That move should have been done a year prior (big pass rush specialist). Many here said it then. There were people here calling for Hassan Reddick this offseason. He is much younger, was much cheaper and had an amazing season (again). Eagles got him for 3 yrs/ 45 million. A steal for a premium pass rusher. When I suggested it, I was told here he didn't fit the system. Maybe the system needs to be reevaluated then. This team could have had Bradberry and Reddick and a drafted S for less than Von Miller. The Eagles got both and look where they are. They are the most complete team in football. A year later I am still asking is it talent or coaching. A team that goes 13-3 isn't missing both. Now the team is over the cap, used a bunch of the cap conversions last offseason to get under the cap and sign Miller, and has holes all over. This team is in an Allen mid career retool and has very little to show for it. Total botch job in the 5 year window. They have to focus on the offense, even if it means the D regressing some. Focus on making your best player better by surrounding him with talent.

If the Bills were to clean house (not thinking they will) Callahan is a very good suggestion.

Reich is being floated as an OC option for many reasons not just based on 'sentimentality'. Most failed HC go back to a coordinator role to reestablish themselves as quality coaches. This is the coaching lifecycle in the NFL. Reich's biggest issue in Indy was over the hill QBs. He got the most out of Wentz in Philly. Do you remember who was coaching Wentz during his best seasons? Do you remember when pundits and fans were hoping Allen could become Wentz? Yeah that was due in large part to Reich being his OC, and Pederson HC. Even when Wentz was lost to injury Reich got the most out of Foles since a coach named Andy Reid. If I am Reich and do not get a HC offer, I certainly want to be an OC. The one thing I would look for is a terrific QB talent to work with. The Chargers will have an OC opening with Herbert. I am sure that would be an interesting option for him too. You are aware he has moved around like other coaches? Indy to Arizona to San Diego to Philadelphia back to Indy

I understand this POV. It is becoming more common. Guys like Colin Cowherd have been banging that drum for half the season. There is some merit to it. I'd gladly take a SB win and lose the coordinator. I strongly feel that Beane is not a strong draft talent evaluator. Before I am ready to fully commit to that, which would probably mean a full house cleaning, I want to see if it is a coaching issue. Let's see a new OC & DC work with the roster and find out where the failure point is. Beane and McDermott deserve one more year to make a push, but they clearly need strong OC & DC with a different approach to what is currently being done to get over the hump.

Most I've agreed with a post on this emotionally charged day. OC - Frank Reich - Had Wentz playing near pro-bowl level, got a lot out of Foles. Will reign in Allen some. Good chance for Reich to retool his coaching resume DC - Vic Fangio - proven aggressive defensive leader. May win a Super Bowl with Eagles this year. He is currently a 'defensive consultant' for the Eagles. A DC job would be a big promotion. I love his defenses. He is a bit older, may want a younger guy. Let's see what those coordinators or similar could do with the roster Bean puts together.

Add KC too. They completely rebuilt OL 2 years ago. All 4 teams fighting for Super Bowl next week.

FA spending too Daquan Jones (lived up to contract IMO), Von Miller, Tim Settle Meanwhile the offense gets Saffold, Quessenberry and Hart....

Understand your POV. I personally think the GM did a botch job in Allen's 5 year window. That said, I would like to see what a vet OC and DC with different approaches could do with the roster. Most of the key starters will be here (there will be some losses). If a new OC and DC can't get more out of the roster, then it may be time to look at GM and HC.

I'm sure this season was more mentally and physically taxing than others for so many reasons. I grant that, but it doesn't mask the issue that keeps showing up in the playoffs and against other physical teams in the regular season. This team's season has ended in the playoffs by clearly losing in the trenches. Clark and Jones handed the Bills OL their butts in the AFC Championship game a few years back. The Bills DL had 'pressures' but couldn't get home against Mahomes. The Colts and Ravens also did very well in the trenches vs Buffalo in playoff games, but T Johnson, Gabe Davis and Josh Allen bailed those games out. Cincy and Miami wrecked our OL and DL this season. As wide open and high flying as the game is, it is still won and lost in the trenches. if this was a one year anomaly I could give Saffold this reason. It's not an anomaly, or a one game issue.

I voted OC/DC. After last year's playoff loss I asked the following question: 'Is the failure a lack of talent or is it coaching that is failing the talent that is brought in?' If you believe Beane is a great GM, then a change of DC is especially needed. 6 premium picks (Edmunds/ Oliver/ Rousseau/ Epenessa/ Basham/ Elam) on defense that comes up small in the playoffs and at least a few times a year. Premium picks make game changing/ impact plays. Is the issue that these guys are not as talented as where they were drafted, or is coaching not getting the most out of them? Even then the biggest FA splashes have been on defense too. What was the Von Miller type splash on offense? On offense 4 premium picks (Allen/ Diggs via trade/ Ford/ Cook) - so Ford was a bust, it happens, but you don't get gun shy and stop drafting OL. Something is clearly not working. How does a defensive minded HC and a the most veteran assistant (Frazier) not get more from so much capital expended on defense? I would like to see what a Vic Fangio could get out of this defensive roster, even with the expected and unexpected departures. White/ Hyde/ Milano/ Oliver (5th year)/ Rousseau/ Basham/ Elam and Von Miller are all still here next year representing a lot of capital. OC is a bit of a sticky situation too. Not nearly as much capital expended there, and Dorsey was in year 1, but in this window does the team have time to develop an OC? Reich is out there. He did wonders with Wentz and Foles and clearly has Buffalo connections. He is also veteran enough with enough player cache to get Allen's attention and respect and a strong enough credibility to state a counter opposing point to the staff. If Fangio and Reich can not get more out of the talent, then the talent may be lacking and that would point to the GM. I think the rational move is to see what other experienced coordinators can get with Beane's roster.

I agree and suggested similar a few days back. Too many holes due to FA/ Age/ bad cap situation. Focus on building a nasty offense and hope the defense can make a stop or a few plays. There are also a bunch of young Defenders still under contract that need to gear it up if they want a second contract. Go earn it. The Von Miller contract will be an albatross too (I wanted Hassan Reddick younger/ cheaper/ more impact) correct. They blew Allen's 5 year window. 5 years in still no OL or offensive balance. One legit NFL weapon who is approaching 30.

Eagles. I lived in Philly for a decade and have a lot of friends who are Eagle fans. The Eagles have a mobile QB, but built inside out. Both lines are excellent. It is a copycat league maybe Beane and McDermott could figure it out then would also get to see Mahomes or Burrow lose their second

Agree 100%. Been saying it for a while. 5 years and JA still has a garbage OL. Despite a sh!t ton of high draft picks and FA money invested on DL, they still can not generate a pass rush and come up small

Odd given how much has been invested on defense.... Curious to see how these other 'stud' pics play in a different scheme.... Should have happened last year after 13 seconds before big $$$ decisions have to be made this offseason on a number of high draft pics

well that was ugly

needed that

but we have Edmunds, a physical freak

A lot of talking heads, like Collin Cowherd, are making this a big deal this post season and during the coaching carousel. This is probably the genesis for a lot of this type of chatter. Cowherd makes some interesting arguments, but the whole Belichcik-Brady combo and 2 decades of near dominance kind of throws a wrench in the argument.

Watched a few of the <many catches> Kelce had. All were against zone. Kelce is very very good at exploiting zone coverage, and Mahomes trusts Kelce to see the same soft spots in the zone he does. Not once did anyone try bump and run vs him (jamming within 5 yards) or cover him 1:1 with a large CB/S/fast LB. Teams did that with Gronk to break up the rhythm between Brady and him to mixed success. Kelce always had a clean release, unless he was blocking and runs to open spots in the zone. Even if he is blocking he knows when to release and where to run.

😆 At least this first half of Sea vs 49ers was good. Made it feel like more of a contest than this 28-0 crushing in the first half.