JGMcD2

I will have to research on Baltimore and Philadelphia blocking assistant coaches for coordinator positions before I speak further on that. If that is indeed the case, then have fun being one of few teams that does it, and then when it’s time for you to hire new staff you’re in trouble. Then it trickles over to trade negotiations for players. Then it’s an issue when you’re trying to get other owners onboard for your rule change proposals at the Owners meetings, etc. You’re trying to sell me on the fact that a reasonably prudent person is going to be told that Team X wants to interview them for a promotion to a coordinator position after they’ve worked for via countless hours as a position coach. They have the opportunity for more responsibility, a pay raise and they’re going to be one step closer to being a head coach. Then their teams tells them, we’re actually not going to let you pursue a pay raise, increased responsibility and we’re going to make it longer/harder for you to be a head coach. I’m supposed to believe that reasonably prudent person is going to say “Wow, I really mean a lot to this team!” ? It’s more likely that reasonably prudent person is going to say “ Wow, does this organization really have the best interests of me and my family in mind? Is this somewhere I want to continue to work, or recommend that my colleagues work in the future?”

Okay, but we’ve broken down the fundamental differences between the coaches and the players and it hasn’t dawned on you that they’re different groups that have to be handled differently? Coaches are blocked every year but blocking them in the manner you’re suggesting where it becomes precedent in your organization that you’re not going to let people takes interviews after December/early January... nobody is going to come. Head Coaches are typically hired in January and then have to begin filling out their staff in the coming weeks as you approach February, which is the exact timetable you specified that you don’t want your coaches leaving the organization. The interview structure of assistant coaches for head coaching positions is what slows the hiring cycle down. You’re totally disregarding important pieces of the equation.

And now you’re describing a culture akin to the Houston Astros where people were treated like objects. Which caused a laundry list of issues and was the main reason the league was starting an investigation prior to the sign stealing scandal. Look, I agree with you in theory, it should be conducted this way. But you’re dealing with human beings... you can treat them like objects or property. Now they return to your staff and there is tension because you didn’t let them pursue a promotion (although it’s not recognized as a promotion by the league) that could further their career in the game. Then it starts to get ugly and you build up that reputation.

“[t]he National Football League Coaches Association (‘NFLCA’) is a nonunion voluntary association that represents the interests of coaches and assistant coaches currently employed by the thirty-two individual National Football League (‘NFL’) teams, as well as many retired coaches formerly employed by those NFL teams.” It is very well know that the coaches are not unionized. It’s not a union. You’re fundamentally misinterpreting the hierarchy of the NFL.

Sure, but the Collective Bargaining Agreement is between Team Owners and the NFLPA. Coaches float out there in no man’s land. That’s why coaches are upset about practice and off-season restrictions... because they had no say in it. The Owners gave that to the NFLPA as a bargaining chip for something that they really wanted in return. The coaches don’t factor in to CBA negotiations. These types of things are settled with the various committees enacted by the NFL. The committees are comprised of entirely NFL Owners and while they have sub-committees with coaches on them, the Owners still make the final decisions.

It’s great in theory, but restricting the potential growth of your employees is a horrible look. If we started doing that, we would have a tough time attracting quality assistant coaches to the organization in the future. Coordinator money is life changing money for a lot of these guys. The opportunity to coordinate puts you on the doorstep of maybe becoming an NFL head coach, which is even more significant life changing money. These types of positions reaffirm your place in the NFL and almost guarantee teams tabbing you as a retread in the future. I had this discussion with a former MLB manager... we were talking about a friend of his who is currently a manager. They both had agreed the situation he was in would make him a lame duck at some point in the future because he’s set up for failure. They also agreed he was making life changing money and had to take it... once you’re a big league manager in baseball it almost elevates the minimum position you’ll receive once you’re inevitably fired. The same applies in other sports... you can’t take that opportunity away from someone. It would be a bad look on the Bills organization.

Punting wasn’t very good. There were flashes but Bojo can be improved upon. McBeane know this... they attempted before the season. Hauschka had a rough patch but was nails down the stretch. Fans tend to hang on to a narrative and never get away from it... that’s what happened here. He was nails for 2 years, struggled, everyone claimed he was done, then he was nails again. Roberts was like #1 in return yards. He didn’t break anything huge but he was consistent. He always looked like he was about to break a big return off but got tripped up or whatever. The kickoff rules kind of hamper things these days. 12 sounds about right based on the eye test. They were above average but weren’t elite. Didn’t cost us any games but didn’t win any like the Patriots did.

Great idea! Guy who was in charge of a defense that allowed 16.2 PPG and less than 300 y/gm should be shown the door. Might as well send McDermott with him!!

Dean Pees announced his retirement today, which will leave the Tennessee Titans in need of a new DC for 2020. Ryan Talbot tweeted out some speculation that John Butler, our DB coach, may be of interest due to a connection between him and Vrabel. If that were to occur, I think Steve Wilks would be on the short list to replace him. Much like Washington replacing our departed DL coach, Wilks would seamlessly take over in a familiar scheme where he’s had success.

Did anyone have eyes on Jack Driscoll (RT, Auburn) and Joe Gaziano (DE, Northwestern? They are friends of a close friend... Gaziano is a beast.

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/buffalo-bills/2020/01/nfl-rumors-luke-kuechly-mulling-coachingconsulting-role-could-buffalo-bills-be-match-for-former-lb.html Buffalo media catching on. Man, I swear they read my posts and then write articles! ?

I would agree. Connections are there and the Pegula’s have shown willingness to spend money on having a high end staff. Both coaching and front office. There is a ton of talent everywhere in our organization. If Beane and McDermott want him... they may be able to give him the best deal financially. Pair that with working alongside the defensive coordinator whom you had he most success with (2013 NFL DPOY) and it may just make a lot of sense. Also, here is our very own Dan Morgan praising Kuechly! https://amp.charlotteobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/scott-fowler/article239376698.html

McDermott has raves about him so many times. There is a lot of mutual respect. I could see him choosing Buffalo over anywhere else because of that relationship and our trajectory. I also think he’d like to work with an up and coming star like Edmunds. All speculation of course, but the pieces are there.

Saw that Kuechly doesn’t want to completely leave football behind and he’s specifically interested in coaching. I’m going to do everyone’s favorite thing and make the McDermott - Carolina connection. Bob Babich is a great coach but bringing Kuechly in as an assistant could help Tremaine take another huge leap this year. This would be really cool to see. EDIT: https://www.profootballrumors.com/2020/01/luke-kuechly-eyeing-coachingconsulting-gig

Come on man. At least try and learn the rules of free agency if you’re going to post something obnoxious like this. Levi Wallace is an Exclusive Rights Free Agent (ERFA). He’s going to make the league minimum this year as a member of the Buffalo Bills. It would be stupid to not bring him back.

Lunhow’s already doubling down. His statement was such a joke. He deflected blame on “players, coaches and lower level staff.” That’s the sign of a real strong leader. He’s always been a pompous jerk and now it’s catching up with him. He was cold and cut throat, treated people like objects, particularly scouts. He just tried to do the same here to save his name. It’s all catching up to him... now he no longer has power and success to mask those horrible people skills. I don’t think he gets a second chance, nor does he deserve one.

Look you definitely know your history here but you’re wrong on nobody pushing for it. They wanted to implement drug testing after the Pittsburgh Drug Trials in 1985. That’s an absolute fact. Seeing that it’s collectively bargained the players said no, we’re not giving that up, the league can’t just stuff it into the CBA and move on. That would cause a strike. The biggest issue for baseball were the numerous work stoppages, so maybe folks didn’t push as hard on a tough subject like that because it would’ve led to another work stoppage but the comment that nobody pushed for it is laughably wrong. I took a class that Bud Selig taught... I’ve heard stories about the inner workings of those negotiations. There was a push for drug testing but players wouldn’t budge on it. You can’t just rip up the CBA my friend... that causes issues.

That’s an issue that has to be collectively bargained. The players wanted nothing to do with random drug testing. The MLB had suggested drug testing numerous times and the MLBPA which is the strongest in all of sports staunchly opposed it. There would have been much deeper issues with the players had they just forced drug testing on them, it actually never could have occurred. It’s really not as simple as just doing it...

Major League Baseball was also the first league to have to really address PED because they were being used in all sports. It is a well known fact that Major League Baseball has served as the model for all four major sports here because of numerous factors such as it’s longevity but it’s also been the sport that commonly takes on divisive issues head on. If they’re not the first to address certain issues, they’re typically the first to get things right (I.e. domestic abuse).

Belicheck is the greatest of all time. No question about it... but I believe he is really good at finding guys that fit his system. That’s players, coaches, water boys, etc. Whereas Reid is good at identifying talent, not just talent that specifically fits what he wants to do. That is the difference. I think Flores is a good coach. O’Brien is in way over his head IMO. The video of him going after a fan was disturbing... he’s just never really impressed me. I actually think Judge will be a good hire... the buzz on him is somewhat different than past coaches from the Belicheck tree. Overall the results have been extremely underwhelming for Belicheck. I actually like Matt Patricia a lot - I have close ties to him and from stories I’ve heard he’s an incredible coach but it doesn’t seem like he’s a head coach. Point being on all of this... I wouldn’t make a decision based on these trees but I’d take it into consideration... it tells a story.

Well that’s completely changes the game and I would agree with you. A guy like Diggs or Evans is totally different. I’m not sure who I was thinking of but I was thinking that big! I’m sure Beane will poke around those guys... I hope he surprises us!

I’m not sure it makes a ton of sense for us to trade our first round pick away entirely. Doesn’t seem to be the Beane model... that cheap controlled playmaker is more attractive to them I believe. Trading our first for a proven guy means we need to pay him like a proven guy. Believe me I want a proven guy but our model is undoubtedly building through the draft and taking advantage of staggering big free agent contracts so they end right around when we need to pay our high draft picks (that hopefully continue to have success). I can see them giving a guy some money in FA but not trading an early pick and having to pay a guy big money.

I have a feeling we trade up for CeeDee Lamb... or just up for whoever Beane likes at the position.

The franchise tag would be somewhere between $14-$15M for a running back off the top of my head with the exclusive tag (average of top 5 RB salaries this last year). This means that no team would be able to negotiate with him and he’s a Titan. The non-exclusive tag which is the more commonly used tag would run closer to $11-$12M (average of top 5 RB salaries over the last 5 years) This tag means that other teams can still negotiate with him but the Titans would have a chance to match. Were they to allow him to leave, they’d receive 2 1st rounders. The transition tag is the average of the top 10 RB salaries but the player is free to negotiate with other teams. Original team still has a chance to match but if they do not, they receive no compensation.

I wish I disagreed... but I don’t. I told about 20 people last night that Beane needs to give Derrick Henry a blank check in March. Unfortunately the ability of a team to use both the franchise tag and transition tag this year is going to make it much more difficult. I see Henry getting the non-exclusive franchise tag and Tannehill getting the transition tag.