Ethan in Cleveland

Edmunds was just bad last year. Only the staff knows how much was the shoulder but so far it has been a month since the season ended and no hint of an upcoming surgery. That doesn't mean the injury wasn't significant but it might hint that he healed up during the season. Of course Edmunds is not getting cut and he will almost certainly start at MLB again next year. The coaching staff played him at OLB maybe 5-8 plays a game when Kleine started to produce. I of course am on record that Edmunds should be moved to OLB. I think he would be an All-Pro there. But my guess is this regime is committed to him at MLB. My dark horse player that is not on your list and I believe will be the surprise cut of the off-season is Morse. He is a below average center being paid premium money. If he came back and was the worst of the starting 5 of Dawkins, Ford, Morse, Feliciano, and Williams I would be ok with that especially if he restructured his deal. Most frustrating - Knox for sure. He has more athletic talent than the Bills may have ever had at TE. No other Bills TE has been able to get deep and really challenge a defense. He just has not been consistent enough. He still has time to develop. John Brown is a popular choice to get cut, but the offense was much better when he was playing and healthy. I don't think Davis has the speed to be a consistent #2, but he has the route running and hands to be a solid #2. Perfect scenarios Brown takes a pay cut and stays with the team with an incentive laden deal. More likely he is let go and they roll with an offense that is more balanced next year with a few more throws to the TE and a few less pass attempts per game.

Trade back. They need multiple cheap players for the DL, OL, and a TE prospect out of this draft. Of course that all depends on what they do in FA. If they land Watt, bring back Feliciano and Williams then maybe then I would be fine standing pat and getting Harris at 30. Follow by drafting four front 7 defenders and a TE with the rest of the picks. To do this they need Star to come back and most likely will need to cut Brown, Butler, Jefferson, and Addison. They could choose to keep one of those four on a restructured deal.

The challenge here is that Allen will get an extension this summer. That won't have much of an impact in 2021 or 2022 but it will after that. And that is when these converted salary to bonus money would hit the cap. I suspect they may do a deal or two like this but I still think there will be a few cuts - Morse and Brown are probably at the top of the list.

Um yes and no. When there are no other running backs on the roster (Yeldon for whatever reason was in McD doghouse) Singletary and Moss will get playing time. So its a function of performance and lack of competition at the positon.

I like it. Sign Williams. Cut Morse move Feliciano to C for a year, draft a true center, and let Ike or a free agent fight for the RG spot.

The only thing they need is pass rush and at least a threat of a run game. Resrructure Brown's deal and keep letting Knox develop and the offense will be fine. I would love another playmaker at TE but right now the only thing that matters is getting a pass rush from the front 4.

That's the same every year and you always see teams trading out of the late first round. It only takes a guy or two to fall or a couple of people to go too early or better yet a team to fall in love with a guy like Beane did with Edmunds. There will be opportunities to drop back and pick up an extra pick in 2021 or next year. New England did in 2020, and Seattle, Rams, and Colts all traded out of the low first round in 2019.

Good write up. I will puke if they draft a DB in the first three rounds. They have cheap quality guys in Levi and Dane to pair with White. They need pass rushers - at least three new faces either in FA or the draft. They have needed them for three years and they continue to swing and miss. Obviously we will have a better sense of their needs in a few weeks once the initial rush of FA is over and if they are able to sign Williams.

Sure it is. The reality is if Allen gets hurt and misses multiple games the season is doomed. Last year was the time to carryv3 QBs so you could groom Fromm to be the clipboard holder for 2021. They need every dollar of cap space and spending it on a veteran QB backup makes no sense for 2021.

A few safeties being cut across the league too. Teams playing more two deep zone makes these guys more interchangeable and easier to replace it seems. Then again you still see teams using high draft picks on safeties either in the draft or via trade.

Seems like a tweener without much of a role in the NFL. Maybe backup safety?

Just pointing out facts. Beane wasn’t the GM for many of the moves people are giving “them” credit for making. Yes. He got Allen and Diggs. And he has made some good and bad moves in free agency. But every GM does. People on this board seem to think he is infailible and only remember the moves that work. He wastes a few more draft picks than I like moving up in the draft, but he also drafts for need which I favor. Yes they made the final 4 but now the cap space is mostly gone and that is before Allen has been extended. There are plenty of moves that can be made to clear space, and it will be interesting to see what happens in the next 45 days. He has professed draft well and sign your own but so far that has only applied to White and Dawkins(McD and Whaley picks). Now he is poised to let Milano walk.

Just for the record Hyde and Poyer were signed by McD and Whaley not Beane. Beane is the guy that overpaid for Murphy, Morse, and Star. Beane did well to add Feliciano but he paid $4 million more for Spencer Long. The Williams signing was great. Beasley and Brown too. Addison, Butler, and Jefferson all underperformed their contracts. Beane got Allen and that probably all that matters. His record in free agency is average at best. He earns far better grades with the trades he has made.

They took on a massive contract for a guy that was benched last year. I'd say its a good risk/reward deal as they have a solid team. You are correct the OL was a mess in Philadelphia.

My god could you imagine a MLB that can’t find a run lane and Mason Rudolph as all they got for passing on Mahomes? As soon as Mayfield went off the board I was hoping the Jets would make the mistake of drafting Darnold. I heard similar stories of a deal to move to 5 with Denver. I was thrilled they got Allen. Who is your RT then? I’m not saying that your suggesting is bad, just that it leaves a big hole at RT. Do you move Ford back outside or draft OT in the first two rounds?

Neither of us know. All we know is McD passed on Mahommes and Beane traded a ton of draft capital to go from 12 to 7. If the Cardinals traded to get to 7 and take Allen as was reported at the time, my guess is Beane takes Rosen over Jackson.

Not one skill player on the Patriots would make the Bills team. Collectively they may be worse than the 2018 Bills skill players. You may be correct about Newton's shoulder. It may be shot entirely. It is so hard to know. The question will be is Newton willing to sign with a team where the starting job is up for grabs? Or will he only go to a team like the 2020 patriots that had no other option at QB? Colts come to mind as a playoff team with no answer at QB right now.

Glass houses my friend.... If Allen had been drafted ahead of the Bills spot, they would have taken Rosen and most of us on this board would have been happy. He was my number 2 after Allen but he was many people's first choice. Also this franchise signed a guy that quit at halftime and started Peterman more than once. Interesting take. I think guys chase money more than they care about winning. If the Patriots trade for Ryan or Garoppolo they will be in the mix for a WC spot next year. They had the most number of COVID opt-outs last year and they were still competitive in most games.

I’m assuming Star comes back. That gives them Star, Oliver, Phillips, and Zimmer. They will have a fifth player that can play DE but also pick up some snaps as a nickle DT. That could be Jefferson or Butler as I don’t think Beane will cut ties with both those two and Addison all at the same time. That is more than enough cap space allocated to DT.

I see your points. My thought is they only have so much to spend and upgrading beyond Levi would cost a fair amount. My take on return guys is the position is near obsolete with the current rules. Roberts on a vet minimum salary, sure I’d do that. But again they need to save money somewhere. If I’m McD I’m going dumpster diving for a return guy with sure hands and finding UDFA to take Matakevich’s spot.

As for QB, the back-up position needs to be addressed. Barkley is a FA and was not good anyways. It will be interesting to see if Beane tries to save some cap space and just rolls with two QBs in 2021. I thought about WR and it's hard to argue. Like CB the WR group has a true #1 and questions at #2. But the WR group could be looking at losing Brown, McKenzie, and Roberts. That is half of the top 6. My off-season has them letting Roberts walk, and replacing his return abilities with a DB either at safety or CB. I would still want Brown back on a reworked deal, but that may be difficult to do.

Then trade down and get an extra pick. They need multiple front 7 defenders and a TE in the draft. And no matter how much Beane says it, he drafts for need almost every time.

CB seems like the most solid positon group on the team right now. If they bring back Levi, I don’t see a need to do anything else at CB except address the bottom of the roster. If Norman wants another year at vet minimum that would be fine too but I'm comfortable with White, Wallace, Johnson, Jackson as the top 4. Assuming Norman leaves then add any UDFA that maybe has some return abilities ( my off season has them letting Roberts go and using cheap rookies as return guys) and another veteran minimum guy that is all they need. I think they carried 6 DBs most of last year. For the record, I'd be fine if they drafted a safety this year in the mid-rounds as the heir apparent for Hyde in 2022.

Milano is a guy you keep if the cap did not go down. Now there is no way unless collectively the NFL takes a pass and he is forced to sign a 1 yr prove you can stay healthy deal. Let Milano walk, get the comp pick, and move Edmunds outside.

Bills don't need DTs. They need edge rushers. Hard pass. He is 32. They need to get younger, bigger, and faster on the edge.