Einstein's Dog

I agree. And I don't think Beane even answered the question of whether or not they offered a pay cut, seems like they didn't. With so many draft picks it seems like a later round CB who might develop behind Douglas would make more sense than bringing back Tre. Hyde makes more sense to me at a cheap price. While the Bills should try and get a younger developing player it seems like they could still use another veteran presence.

I don't think Tre comes back. IMO the blurb from Beane about Tre was because he was put in a tough interview spot when right after his praise of Von for taking a pay cut they asked him if the pay cut had been an option discussed with Tre. There was a telling, panicked, half second before Beane got into his preprogrammed GM speak. We'll have to see what happens with the draft but right now I give much better odds for Hyde to come back than Tre.

Groot is staying, long term. I thought Beane's response put it as a long shot for Tre and Micah.. Money issues, they would need to come back quite cheaply but both are certainly welcome. A vet RB is the odds on favorite of what will happen, the FO is waiting for one to get kind of desperate, take a discounted rate, and great value for us.

I like that the team seems to be reconstructing the way I had hoped. The FO is going with a slight retool but being a contender. It would be a retool and not a rebuild as long as they keep Diggs. The FO has kept the strategy of going low cost for RBs and is now adding low cost Safety's. I like the WR Samuel pick up. But my liking the strategy is contingent upon the FO getting a WR in the first two rounds, otherwise I'll have to reassess.

The 2024 TE room is the anticipated best the Bills have ever had! Kincaid is coming off a sensational rookie year. He is incredibly fluid and has great hands. I think he'll be the best TE the Bills have ever had and that starts in 2024. Nitpicking about his drops is ridiculous, I watched every game, his hands are among the elite to ever play the game. Of course there are things he can improve on, and it's not unreasonable to anticipate that he will. Knox adds an excellent veteran presence with a more rounded TE skill set that includes blocking. Knox was making a case of the best TE the Bills had ever had until Kincaid came along. Knox also brings a great team attitude, from bonding with Josh to concentrating on improving, to pay cuts and restructures, Knox just presents himself as a glue player that I'm glad is on the Bills. Even Morris showed positive signs in his limited action. I don't know if I ever knew who the third TE on the Bills was in prior years.

You have to figure Blackmon wanted a bigger contract. If that was the problem, I'm on board for going cheaper. But if the FO doesn't do any other S moves I think the likelihood that they draft a S in the first 3 rounds increases. I'm hoping they do another safety move, I liked the wild card Hyde call above. That would move safety down the draft list and we would look solid IMO.

But there was drama being told to us by Diggs. 1. "Ready for watever" indicates from Diggs that movement is possible. I thought it could have been provoked because Diggs turned down a request by Beane to take a pay cut. Don't you think that happened? After declining the pay cut Diggs could have been anxious that Beane didn't want to pay him. 2. "Well..." hours before the guarantee kicked in supports the above. Could be considered poking Beane a little, like what are you going to do about it. Seems like kind of a toothless threat out of Beane. 3. Diggs listing his stats for the past four years could be seen as trying to justify his salary to the fans. And to be honest, Diggs has a point, look at what Ridley got. So IMO, there was some drama. Still is, a little, we haven't seen how Beane reacts when a player gets the better of him. These guys have egos. It doesn't mean Diggs wants to leave Buffalo

Well....

Ready for watever.

The quote "Ready for watever" isn't shade or snark though. Seems like it was being anxious to what Beane had up his sleeve since Diggs refused to take a pay cut. I would be anxious if my employer asked me to take a pay cut and I said "No". Especially with an $18.5M guarantee approaching. Diggs shouldn't go anywhere, the Bills will be a better team with him on it. But you have to think Beane doesn't like getting made the fool. Diggs called his bluff and it looks like a toothless gesture out of Beane.

More likely Julian Blackman money.

I'm hoping T Franklin is showing enough to the Bills that they can put him in a tier with B Legette and K Coleman and gives them the confidence to be able to move down in the draft if the three of them are there.

For A Mitchell I think it depends on how the interviews went - Mitchell comes across as kind of a prima donna and the FO might not want that. I think the FO may try to have some restraint and stay and see what develops at #28. Legette/K Coleman/T Franklin look like they would meet a need and be great culture fits. If they are all there and the FO has them on the same tier, I think it would make sense to try and trade back some. I don't think Samuel or Hollins impact the strategy as much as keeping Diggs around does. With Diggs still here the FO has the luxury of using 2024 as a slower break-in year for the rookie.

I can understand the moving Diggs if you think it is a re-tool/rebuild year. Then take a big gulp of medicine and get a couple WRs. But I think you are in the minority to want that. Especially when the option is to contend for the title. Diggs/highly drafted rookie/Samuel/Shakir/Kincaid gives us a shot this year! And if the rookie works out, the future would be extremely bright.

A Rodgers was a franchise QB while he was at Green Bay. There were more than just the Jets interested in his services, it was the Jets that were the highest bidders. He got more than Brady on the open market. Point is, it's a team sport. Good QBs can be on non-contenders. The idea of moving Diggs this offseason after moving on from Davis would not be smart. Replace Davis and worry about Diggs next year is just such a smarter strategy. The cap hit is less, and the progression makes more sense. Lets see how our first rookie does before penciling in major minutes for two unknowns.

But it's hard to see the Bills listed as a contender if their starting WRs are penciled in as: WR1 rookie, WR2 - Samuel, WR3- Shakir.

Kind of circular out of you. A HOF QB is a franchise QB. That franchise QB was put in a rebuild type situation with rookie WRs (and no D Adams) - the result was not pretty. This, obviously, is a possibility, and it's up to the FO to make sure it doesn't happen. So lets please stop with the "all you need is Josh" nonsense. It's a team sport. Lets try and remember Josh pre-Diggs.

The 28th spot for the majority of us is being reserved for the Gabe Davis replacement. So with that in mind, how are we going to be better this year if we move Diggs? And I don't remember Brady in a year when the Pats* started two rookie WRs.

On the flip side, the last year at Green Bay, A Rodgers did not make the playoffs- they were rebuilding.

From a Diggs contract perspective, from what we see from spotrac, this is not a good year to move him. And there doesn't have to ever be year of total rebuild with Josh. Draft a WR this year and have him grow and be groomed to take over. Constantly contending should be the plan with a franchise QB like Josh.

C'mon, a penciled in starting WR duo of Samuel and Shakir would have to be in consideration for the worst WR duo in the league. That's unfair to Josh and Bills fans across the nation,.

If there are enough players that you value more-or-less the same, it might be best to try and move down. For instance if X Legette/ K Coleman are rated the same (and even A Mitchell who they may not rate as high as outsiders due to attitude/work ethic/team culture) getting another pick may be worth the small difference in their preference of those players.

If Beane takes the hit on Diggs this year then the Bills as a team will be worse for it this year. They will have another hole to fill.

Pretty small sample size. If Diggs is moved this year we would have to call it a rebuild year with a goal of sneaking into the playoffs.

I think that's what Diggs is preparing for, something to possibly happen to him because his employer asked him to take a pay cut and he wouldn't do it. Diggs isn't saying he wants out, he is saying he is not going to give up the contracted money. But saying no to your employer can make you uneasy. By most accounts it seems a toothless threat. If the spotrac numbers are to be believed the Bills lose way more than they gain by cutting Diggs loose or trading him (caveat - spotrac doesn't know all the details of the contracts). So yeah, Diggs may be poking Beane, but you know, maybe Beane deserved it. If Beane crafted the contract the way it's reported by spotrac (when there are ways to structure deals that have tradeable pieces in them), that's on Beane. And as Diggs showed, he has been living up to WR1 #s the last 4 years.