Aussie Joe

Like Brown and Bernard who were picked at the end of the third ..

Even though he shouldn’t … we see Beane has no patience to sweat out those last couple of picks to get “his guy” …. So he will probably trade the comp pick fourth to move up two spots if his guy is still there … I think not having a third round pick puts an end to the Thomas Jr dream … even in the unlikely event he fell to the early 20s he is still out of reach now …

Pegs better get on the blower to Roger and sort this **** out …

Yes … they have designated it a fourth round… not third

Well … this is the problem if the practice is arbitrary … there should be defined parameters… The awarding of picks for minority hires should not be an overriding driver of this system which primarily exists to offset a team losing an established player they have developed

There needs to be an explanation they make public …and even an avenue to appeal this decision

Those idiots mustn’t have been paying attention to the last 2 drafts then when higher 4ths than this one only moved them up two spots in the first

They better extend Douglas now … get a couple years value for that 3rd round pick So what happened then ?

1 or 2 spots?

This ain’t good … downgraded … No third round pick Im assuming they got jumped by the teams getting picks for their minority coaches ?

Beane is too busy restructuring JA again and getting his dead cap to $120m But people want to do some pearl clutching over moving Rasul Douglas out a couple more million

Salary cap is just accounting

So why not put more to the void years?

Their main focus should be finding more cap space for this season when they are tight up against it … if they kick another few million more down the road and don’t extend him…then I don’t see what difference that makes to anything

They should bring in another FA …. It’s a buyers market at Safety so get a guaranteed starter at one position. … That might mean paying a guy $4-5m a year . Draft a guy rounds 3-5 and see if they beat out Rapp… if not in 2024 then maybe 2025 ..take another guy late to battle it out with Hamlin for the last spot .. Always thought Safety should be the least of their problems really …

Seems that the Bills have had a plan with him going back to last year when they brought him in …I’m hoping this plan works out as well as the one they had for Bernard .. He played 40 percent of snaps last year… …I would say it’s likely he will exceed that figure in 2024.. At the very least… He became the best tackler in the secondary when both Hyde and Poyer struggled with missed tackles which annoyed the crap out of me in 2023… I’m not a 100% sold on him..but optimistic to trust McDermotts judgement at this position … his numbers don’t stop them cutting bait after one year if he ain’t it …

I see Douglas still has $6m counting as a “base salary” for 2024… couldn’t more of this figure been converted to a “restructure” freeing up more space this year ?

Let’s go on the record now boys … week before FA which could lead to a “fluid “ outcome if they sign or trade for someone 1 pick only as to which WR they are taking at 28…( or a minor trade up like last year) Let’s assume Thomas is out of reach as Top 20 and Beane won’t pay the freight to move up… So who you got folks?

Was Bates money starter money? $4m plus a year right ? Honestly .. don’t remember people saying Bates was “ shaky” … OCyrus fell to 59 which was fortunate.. if unexpected

Thomas needs to dig in and do a bit of spadework

I agree … they won’t sign two FA for more money … but likely they will sign 1 at similar or more …( than Rapp) They will also draft one in the mid rounds 3-5 … Whilst it is likely Rapp will be the starter in the Poyer role … it’s not yet confirmed … This time last year no one had either McGovern or Torrence as starters on the OL and Bates was the likely starter in 2023 …

50 percent win SB.. Sounds about right… Glass half full/ half empty

Is it April 1?

Bottom line for me - I think a 5th is a reasonable price to pay for Bates who has two years of control left at $3m a year which is not guaranteed … At worst he is a useful backup that can play the three interior positions and Tackle in an emergency … at best he can be a starter … not great by any means but superior to the likes of Feliciano and Saffold who have passed through here recently for more money then Bates will get the next two years …

Cody Ford went for a 5th … and Bates is way better … If this trade doesn’t get done then I think the Bills keep him another year as backup OL … they really couldn’t replace him for the cap savings in 2024