Mikie2times

Hopkins missed parts of 2021 with Hamstring, but the more severe issue was a torn MCL he suffered late in the season. He played in 10 games. Prior to the start of the 2022 season he was suspended for PED's. The substance he tested positive for was a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM). SARM is considered an anabolic steroid, but with much fewer of the common side effects. It would seem likely Hopkins was using it as a way to accelerate his recovery from the MCL. That's my opinion. Anabolic steroids do not serve WR's well, ask David Boston. Jokes aside, they're generally not viewed as something that provides better flexibility which is a huge part of being a WR. That is why I feel like this was in attempt to recover from his injury. After he returned in 2022, he started 9 games and averaged just a hair shy of 80 yards per game. Slightly above his career averages. He accomplished this while having almost no QB credibility. Prior to 2021, Hopkins had a chance to start in 128 games, he started 126. His 77.9 yards per game career average is 7th all time. He is one of 4 WR's to maintain an average that high over 8 or more seasons. The other 3? Julio Jones, Calvin Johnson, and Antonio Brown. Torry Holt is just behind his average and under Holt is Tyreek Hill. In sum, this isn't just a normal talent or a normal potential signing. Objectively, Hopkins is still one of the best players in the NFL and by my account we have very little reason to think he can't give us a healthy couple of years. He is not a #2 to Stephon, he has better numbers than Diggs in nearly every area imaginable. This is Buffalo having two elite #1's. He's also had some time off the last couple years for healing his body as a whole. He should be fresh and ready. GET IT DONE BBB! *edit => Probably not being fair to Diggs, the numbers are basically identical in every major category on a per game basis. Hopkins is a year and a half older.

F

We will never not contend with 17, he can do too much on his own.

100% agree

It's a massive swing for either team. I don't think they want us near him either. You can't cover Diggs and a healthy Hopkins at the same time. Not possible.

Prior to the last two seasons which he missed significant time, I would say Hopkins over Diggs. He just caught anything near him. All culminating in the Hail Murray. I think Diggs will be fine. No targets, no wins = very bad. That’s what you can’t do to Diggs. But I think he is fine playing next to another #1. I would say they would instantly be competing for the top duo in football. Even competing against those two from Miami. Then you have to think Hopkins wants to win given who has played with. Not sure if we could swing this. I’m sure we could if we want it bad enough. I actually think it fits rather well.

I don't disagree that we were somewhat off, but as a whole, I found it laughable how easily this forum dismissed the Bengals prior and it's getting to be downright delusional how some people are dismissing them now. If the Bills and the Bengals are applying for a job and can only use measurable accomplishments, like record against each other, record against the best team in our conference, playoff record, and on it goes. Buffalo is never getting hired. Perhaps the only piece of data that suggests this is even worth discussing is more history (Allen is older and never was lost for a full year) and advanced statistics like DVOA (which Buffalo has dominated and subsequently shown to not meet). Just because we aren't at the same level yet does not mean we can't get there. It does not mean next season isn't our year. It just stating what seem to be obvious facts that some people won't accept for whatever reason.

Let me alter your narrative a bit. We had no business ever being ranked ahead of the Bengals. Cincinnati was off a Super Bowl appearance, returned everybody, then proceeded to back it up with elite level QB play all of 2022. They had beat KC multiple times, in the playoffs, and up until the AFC championship game had never lost to KC. Somehow these facts escaped the media hype train that was running out of control post Josh's epic performance in 13 seconds. We are among the elite teams in football, but we are not better than KC or the Bengals at this time nor do we have any objective basis to make such a claim. We have also been taken to the woodshed by at least one team, every year. It was the Colts the year prior, the Titans the year prior to that. That's not to say being crushed in one game determines if we are or aren't, but beating either KC or the Bengals in the playoffs most certainly does. We have not done so, they have beat each other, including being undefeated against us in the playoffs, they're better.

Burrow has more passing TD's, more AFC championship wins, AFC championship games played, more SB's played, higher completion %, yards passing per game, and better playoff record in his first 3 years. Sure Josh and his run game outweigh a lot of this that, but where is the current trajectory? Burrow is only getting healthier and is coming off his 3rd year. Josh's 4th and 5th year were actually worse than his 3rd year. Then obviously Burrow carved us up pretty good in the only game they played against each other. My broader point is not to say Josh isn't elite, but rather, very little separates Burrow, Allen, and Mahomes, clearly Mahomes has to get the nod, but I see nothing that can completely separate Josh and Burrow. They're the same at this time with Josh getting that additional bump against Burrows results based on elite running skills.

I love motor, but I don't actually think the YPC is the tell all here. In 2020 he was he was nearly identical to Zack Moss, only to nearly beat him by a full yard in 2021, only to get nearly doubled by James Cook in 2022. Now I would expect Motor to have beat Moss by a considerable margin. Moss was always the short yardage guy. That just wasn't ALWAYS the case. He did outperform in YPC, but it was hit in miss given the context of when they ran the ball. Then Cook just destroyed everybody last year. Motor is very difficult in 10 yards. He is a good back. That said, I think the Motor (and the Bills) high YPC is more a result of Allen, the passing game, and our historical refusal to run the ball. If we became more run oriented as a whole I would not expect to see the YPC in this area. You see this exact statistical pattern play out consistently against pass heavy teams. It's normal for the YPC to be high. Texas Tech for example in college and the Chiefs have likely been the NFL's best example.

You complete fools, Ford works for Beane directly. His real name isn't even Ford, it's Clementine. At least that's what he's called.

He's young and was dumped by Washington after a very serious injury after looking really good in relief. He's played for crap team after crap team. Last year was his first year somewhat back to health since his 2020 year. It was slow moving. I actually caught a few of those Redskins games he started in 2020 along with one of his starts this year against Miami. I discount the Miami start, as he was getting acclimated again, but those Washington starts, he had command of the huddle. He was leading them. His pedigree is high, he just so happens to be very close to Josh, and I love Josh having a true wingman as I think it helps his personality more than the average person. Then they naturally run into each other all offseason working with Palmer. The guy will come into camp with the playbook down. This was an absolute steal of signing for a guy that could be Josh's back up for a very long time (which is what I would like to have). https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/football-team/see-it-kyle-allen-back-throwing-football-following-ankle-injury

Absolutely love this signing. He works with Josh a lot already with Palmer. They're close. Still young, can be Josh's right hand many years to come. Shown to be capable, especially in his 2020 year having a few starts with Washington. LOVE, this signing.

It means our owner is very rich, the salary cap isn't very real, and we are going to load up (I hope)

1-3 in the playoffs and that's a record that just isn't going to get much better. By the time he makes it that far he is either injured or going up against teams that know his cheat code.

I love the guy. It's hard to to love the guy if you watched hard knocks. Not to mention, we could use more hip thrusting in our TD celebrations.

The Roman offense made Taylor and Kaepernick pro bowl QB's. After his rookie year teams figured him out. He is injured frequently. He is erratic in social media. He is Vick in an era with much better athleticism. You can certainly do worse. Vick, at his peak, lost in the NFC championship. But the maturity in Vick prior to the arrest was poor and the same thing goes for Lamar. I would MUCH rather play the the game of find me a QB and risk the fail, then subject my team to wild card purgatory for a fortune.

I read your posts and would still feel inclined to consider a trade involving Oliver. I think Henry is a back that will get his yards with almost any NFL caliber line. Not to say it doesn't influence things, but he is still enough of a specimen/freak talent that he will get his yards. You don't want the guy more than a max of one or two years because he just can't keep this up the way he plays. All of which is fine because we are trading a departing asset for another departing asset. Immediate return is all that matters. We have nearly zero physicality outside Knox and our QB, adding Henry would immediately provide this dimension. It's a one year + trade, who makes us better? Then after next season they both are likely off the payroll again. Henry in landslide against Oliver. That said, I don't know if Henry would be down for a trade to a one year and done nor one of our conference rivals.

Diggs is erratic in his social media patterns. I don't love this, also not worried. Getting closer to wondering if this isn't a "nothing" burger. I want to believe that. Some people just don't like to be in the same environment for a long time. Perhaps the narrative about playing with his brother and being the catalyst that helps Dallas over the edge is enticing. My honest opinion is he's a little frustrated and he slips a bit in how he expresses himself as a result. Not a full on nothing burger, but not a reason to be worried at this point.

I suppose progression in football is linear 😂 I will take my word salad to this idiocracy

I was falling victim to this thinking and while I'm happy we are moving on, our time could have just as easily been in 2021 with Frazier. Nothing went our way this year, literally. I wish the way the ball bounces or the knee bends didn't play a role, but it's a huge factor in a championship run.

Mahomes was drafted in 2017 and didn't start a full season until 2018, an MVP year. He lost in an epic AFC championship game to the Patriots which would be the last main run of the Patriot era. Patriots would beat the Rams that year in a snoozer. The Rams were considered to be one of the best teams in football going into that year. A couple years later the Rams would eventually get the title in another year where most people had them as a Super Bowl favorite. Other NFC teams to make it include a defensive juggernaut in the 49ers, a very good Tampa team that just needed quality QB play, and an Eagles team that perhaps benefited from the luckiest SOS in recent Super Bowl history. A theme in the NFC is defense does matter. All of these teams, while having quality offense, had elite defenses. The NFC also seems much more open to variation in who makes it just based on the decline in QB play. In the AFC it has been much more of an arms race. 4 out of 5 years you ran into Mahomes or Burrow just shy of being 5 out of 5. Both teams seem to play defense that can step up when it matters. Beating either in the regular season seems to mean very little. This is especially true of Mahomes. I hope enough time has passed for people to understand that the Bills are not doomed. They're playing in a conference with a hall of fame QB who is 27 years old with 3 SB appearances and another who is 26 years old with one SB appearance. Until we break through this wall, under no condition do we ever deserve to be considered the favorites. In fact, the year we weren't the overwhelming favorite was the year we seemed to come the closest. Allen is not chopped liver and despite how this past year ended this team will be contending for a long time to come. When will it be our time? You won't know. You will never be able to know when your competition is this good. In fact, if you want to place a bet on when it's most likely to be our time? Pick the time you think it's least likely. Say, right about now. Let's critique, debate, be fans, but don't be a person that doesn't know when the times are good. Times are very good right now and our time will come. You just won't know when.

Weren't we the ones who took a shot on him after most the league passed and in turn he developed to be an all pro in our heavily safety dependent defense as he played a kids game making millions of dollars and received tons of love from our fan base? This is still a business and if it becomes our business to give out contracts based on lifetime achievement awards we will be out of business. Good luck Poyer, you're a warrior and will be missed.

No Milano was not locked up and it did tell me all I needed to know on him. Which was the Bills recognized his position and role as one they were prepared to move on from. They have locked up so many players before they hit the market it's been overwhelming. You think it's a coincidence Poyer and Edmunds have not been signed? Oliver? It's not a coincidence. It's age and position. Doesn't even mean the Bills don't want to do it, it just means they were willing to let it go that far when in most instances they have not. That has to speak for something. Allen is a star QB and we have signed an overwhelming amount of foundational pieces at a time when we did not know if they would or wouldn't be the ones we really needed. Time has proven thus far we need a different combination of pieces which makes decisions on future already existing pieces a tad bit easier to swallow. This defense has not got us to where we want to be long term and Edmunds is a center piece of it. No matter how good Edmunds is in coverage he still a MLB in an offensive league and with an offseason to redevelop scheme and the right players, we very well could be better vs previous versions. We aren't going to sign a 6th rounder and ask him to be Edmunds. Well, maybe, but we shouldn't.

If this ends up being it, sort of reminds me of Seattle with how vertical it is. Extreme noise. Great views. Harder for the older fans.