Einstein's Dog

I'm starting to dislike the allocation of money strategy. The FO seems to be moving toward a cheaper WR room. I thought the FO was under the solid strategy of investing money in top QB/LT/WR1/DE/CB. If you haven't drafted and extended those positions, you buy them in FA. I had no problems with the shots at Diggs and Von - they were needed IMO. Now that both had run their course, I wanted to reload with fresh attempts at both. Bosa is okay, Garrett and Crosby seem to have never been really available. But Palmer as WR1 is a let down. While you say there is still time, the 2025 FA WR market is really bare at this time. Now for veterans it's down to A Cooper/Diggs/D Johnson/K Allen.

I've been disappointed with the moves at FA this off-season. I was thinking/hoping the FO was going to improve the WR room this offseason. Last year it declined but had the Diggs problem. I was disappointed in the decision not to take DK for what he went for. IMO the WR situation right now, is not as good as the end of last season. But if they can get A Cooper back it will be better than last year (Cooper > Palmer, but Palmer > Hollins). A rookie does not do it - I wouldn't expect much more than Coleman/Kincaid production out of a rookie. I suppose doing an in-season trade is a possibility again, but I was hoping that was a one time move due to extenuating Diggs circumstances. For 2025 the Bills have a great shot at the #1 seed and I would prefer they get a decent WR1 before the season.

Or unfortunately we may have to ding Beane a little. I'm a little jealous of what Burrow has compared to Josh at WR. But Beane had a chance/choice with the DK Metcalf sweepstakes and did not pony up (yes, I'm still a little bummed about that).

Versus what for 2025? Shakir type rookie production (161 yds, 1 TD)? Even if they spent the 1st pick, which I would doubt, get Coleman production (556 yds, 4TDs)- which is pretty much what Cooper had?

I think you can add that these two pedophiles can now come under the tutelage of Bosa and these idiots can learn how to juice without getting caught.

At first he may not care -which was my point in bringing up speaking with others. When talking about the idea of making around $10M for a 9 month stint prior to retirement (in your 30s), over 99% of the people on the planet would advise you to take that deal - it's not just my motivations. I hope the FO has a contract offer out to him to consider. Would be nice if amount it takes to beat the Bills offer triggers a comp pick to the Bills. But I prefer the Bills get Amari back, I think he will be a better player in 2025 than he was in 2024 and a lot better than a 2025 rookie. I think the #1 seed is obtainable this year and we've already had one setback with the PEDs.

I don't know if that is what they meant by done, interesting interpretation on your part. I'm hoping after a period of time when he gets to talk to normal everyday people for a bit, that it may drive home that one more year (and at this point it's just 10 months) at even a Dhopish $6M, it really isn't chump change. It'll be the highest paying job for the rest of his life. Even for a soft spoken guy with other interests, I don't see tuning the page on that quite yet. And for a bonus if he's part of bringing a Lombardi to Buffalo he will have folk hero status around those parts. I would think the FO would want him as part of a rotation Palmer/Cooper/Coleman

And are you sure that reason isn't that he has a baseline offer from the Bills that hasn't been beat?

Yes, Cooper is a quiet guy but didn't you see him suit up for the KC game with the cast? He made that key catch one handed catch with the broken wrist - had to have felt that. It made KC change their coverage. It's possible that McD downplayed A Coopers arrival out of respect to the players already on the team. I imagine it doesn't go over well in the locker room when you say "thank god we got Cooper our WR room was one of the most pathetic in the league".

If Cook plays the full year as a 2 down back I don't think it helps him get the big money. He would end up with a similar year that he had in '24, which is excellent for the Bills but not for getting $15m/yr. If Cook waits until week 11 to come back, the emphasis to other teams would remain on his breakout '24 season stats, and he would still be able to sell his extrapolation/ascension model.

I don't see many saying it's good news. And even if Cook isn't an every down back, he is an exciting two down back. But D Henry the best 2 down back in the league is at $8Myr. While you state you're confident that Beane has a plan to play this out, I don't think you're going to like it. Weren't you saying "just give him the $13M", don't think that will happen. If there was any good news to be taken from this situation I think it comes more from the "don't pay an RB big money" crowd. And Beane may appreciate that the majority of the Bills fanbase looks at Cook as the culprit in the negotiation standstill.

No, Cook does not have to play the full year. Part of the problem is Cook (and his team) feel he is worth big money now. They want to be paid for the anticipated continued rise in his play - not on the basis of the stats he has put up. They want to use the Dr model above where they are paid on an extrapolated basis of what could be if he were a 3 down back. If he plays next year and puts up similar stats, he would be viewed as plateaued and paid as a two down back - a D Henry rate, maybe adjusted upward a little for inflation- not near the $15M he has been posting. This could be the underlying motive to post what he did on social media. The Cook team see his value at his peak right now - there can be a team with a DrDawkinstein view of Cooks extrapolated worth and the Cook team realizes another year of the same stats will tarnish that.

That's what I thought, which would mean back around week 11 (in this terrible scenario). Previously, I thought they could wait until 2026 for a round 3/4 RB - they have R Davis and Ty for 2 more years. But now I think the FO will take one in what many consider to be a good RB year.

One of the potential problems though is Cook playing out his contract does not mean starting the season playing the first few games. If Cook goes nuclear I don't think he has to come back until after the halfway point of the season for it to count (isn't it week 11?). That's a painful hit to a team that has aspirations of snagging the #1 seed - every game matters. We'll get an indicator of how ugly the negotiations are with the draft. If the Bills pick up an RB in the 4th it will not be a good sign.

I originally was hoping for an upgrade to A Cooper. Now I don't see it (DK is out, C Kupp is a long shot, Diontae Johnson is a head case). Bringing back A Cooper would make '25 WR room > '24 WR room. A Coop '25 > A Coop '24 ( both time with team and his wrist was hurt in '24), J Palmer > Hollins, Coleman '25 > Coleman '24. It could be that Beane has a figure given to A Coop and is letting him test the waters to beat it. If A Coop beats his offer, the Bills get a comp pick, if no one beats it the Bills get A Coop back at the reasonable figure Beane had in mind.

It looks like I'm going to be disappointed too. I wouldn't mind letting him go if they upgraded the position. I would consider J Palmer an upgrade but we also don't have A Cooper - if they bring back A Cooper I'm fine with it (or C Kupp or maybe D Johnson?). I'm less enthused by a rookie, they are unpredictable and take time to develop - and I was hoping they would gear up for 2025 and take a run at the #1 seed.

C Kupp or A Cooper > rookie

It's up to you to care or not, but you did jump in with the "OMG, not the buffering picture!!!!' comment. So maybe you should be aware of the entire context. I do not think J Cook and his team are simpletons, that is what makes this worrisome. The guy we barely heard two words from is now posting on social media very ominous messages straight out of the Diggs handbook. It's disappointing to a lot of us that when we finally get an exciting, ascending RB, he is posturing for an outrageous payday.

I remember people downplaying each of Diggs posts, unable to see the forest from the trees. That poor, unfortunate simpleton, J Cook, made his third straight social media gaffe - how unlucky can you get. As a known Cook sympathizer you can try and position this as $1-2M away. First, I don't buy your "most agree" figure, if that figure is over $10M. Secondly, it's not our valuation that is important, but the FO, and I don't think they buy into your, or Cooks, evaluations. I don't expect an extension anytime soon, if at all. My hope (only because I think the figures are so far apart) is that Cook will honor and play out his current contract.

According to earlier in the thread, Yes. From what people have posted here, Cook has done the outrageous $15M request, gone through the pouting phase of erasing Bills related materials, and is now onto the buffering picture (the Diggs equivalent of "Well...."). Reading the tea leaves this is the stage where Cook and his agent have given the Bills a ridiculous figure for an extension and claiming it's up to the Bills (which they of course will not do). Whether Cook will play out his last year of the contract or hold out is now the question.

I think you need to get a grip. There were a variety of problems leading up to Diggs departure but there were clues on social media. J Cook's social media post indicates to many of us that negotiations with Cook are going to be a problem. Unlike you and Cook, most people do not feel he is worth $15M.

"Innocuous social media posts", did you not see the $15M dollar part? Kind of a red flag to a lot of us that the negotiations were going to be difficult. You've never responded to why anyone who wants to remain a Bill would do that. For many of us the "kids will be kids" rational doesn't fly - he had a brother in the league and has an agent. What do you think they were expecting with the $15M post, that they were going to win over the fanbase? Now we get the buffering from Cook, remember when Diggs put out his "Well??" comment.....oh, that's right you don't allow any comparisons to Diggs.

Are you oblivious to the $15M reference? For most of us, it's not posting, it's what was posted - $15 freakin million, and the intent behind it. At the time this was greater than Barkley money, greater than D Henry money. Why would he do that? Why? Who would think that was a good idea if you wanted to remain a Bill? Here's a clue - No One. Doc - it seems to me your little "kids will be kids" nonsense is what is misguided. I remember so many continually coming to Diggs defense and excusing and interpreting his posts in a similar manner to what you are doing. J Cook under the guidance of his brother and agent made a statement that warrents concern among Bills fans. And it is no coincidence that J Cook remains one of the unextended players.

I agree, and a downside of this Hamlin news is it severely reduces the odds of the FO picking up a veteran S now. Sure the Bills could/should draft someone but that usually takes a while to get to start. It kind of reminds me of when they had Levi Wallace hanging around, you knew he wasn't good and dreaded when he was part of the starting lineup - kind of a weak link.

May not be plan A but it is filling a vicious need for the Bills. I like it! Plan A - Garrett (re-signed with a surprise contending team in the Browns). Plan B - Crosby (re-signed by Raiders before FA) Plan C - Hendrickson (Cincy hung up the phone once they realized it was Beane/Buff on the line) Plan D- Bosa - had to outbid Miami and San Fran - Done!