Einstein's Dog

I do think it would be exciting. I just find it hard to believe that Beane would allow such an on-paper downgrade from last year. A rebuild year with Josh in his prime? If I were the GM I wouldn't do it, so I don't think Beane will.

I agree with you that Shakir or Samuel are not replacements for either Diggs or Davis. Where I disagree is I think the Diggs replacement should be another good veteran WR - no second tier WR is comparable IMO. The Davis replacement can be the highly drafted second tier guy. Also getting one veteran and one rookie balances out the aging of the WR room. Then the Bills draft another WR in a year or two as the veteran is done.

And the one no one talks about "The Bills are aggressively looking to trade for a veteran WR with a reasonable contract". Suspiciously quiet, that one.

Of course it's a problem if you're looking at two good WRs looking for big money at close to the same time. It is a financial strain, see the Bengals. Most teams can handle one big WR contract and have one on rookie contract. And IMO, that is what the Bills should be looking to do. Trade and get the veteran WR on a reasonable contract and draft a good second tier rookie. Then in the next year or two get another good rookie, keep them coming.

And for the people that want an early double dip this contract shows a downside, if they both hit you have some real financial decisions/problems 4 years later.

But it doesn't just have to be J Jeff. The point where there is more value in a veteran as good as Diggs vs what it costs in draft capital for one of the big three. It is one of the interesting subplots to me. The real potential to swing a trade for a veteran. I don't think the disgruntled divas looking for a big payday offer good value though - they take draft capital and money. That makes J Jeff/Aiyuk/Higgins/Sutton undesirable. More in tune to offering value are the veteran players that are no longer in the teams plans, as they look to move to get younger. So Tenn/Tampa/Seattle/Chicago could be possible reasonable trading partners for Dhop/C Godwin/D Metcalf/K Allen or DJ Moore

I can't dream that big because I can't figure out a way to come up with the draft capital and money. But I have come up with a path for DHop. Tenn could be tempted to grab Rome at #7 (which is unrealistically high for the Bills to get to). This would make DHop and his paltry $13M salary expendable (if he isn't already). Tenn just spent big bucks on Ridley and drafted a 1st round WR last year. I love the idea of pairing DHop with the speedster X Worthy. But I think to get Worthy the Bills may have to do Beane's usual small move up. Maybe not even that small - they may have to move ahead of Miami.

I have picked up the mantel this year. Give me DHop and X Worthy. The Bills WR room would then be an on-paper year over year improvement IMO.

McConkey over Legette. Legette doesn't have it upstairs. I'm leaning Worthy over both though. Worthy has elite speed (obviously) and has played the position for years. He brings a skill set that could very well make defenses play us in a slightly different fashion that opens up the rest of the field.

True, the trade up seemed anxious for Elam to me. But the move up for Kincaid seemed brilliant (the reaction from the Dallas war room spoke volumes). As mentioned earlier I could see a small move up again to get maybe Worthy on the thought that KC might make the move.

I'm thinking the usual small move up, this time for X Worthy. I think the elite speed element (with production at a top level school) offers something unique. The move up is because of the perceived threat of KC thinking the same thing.

I get your point. But in another thread someone (Warrior) pointed out that Ben Solak of WGR heard rumblings that DK Metcalf is available. If that is true our 2025 2nd from Minn might be quite valuable to them.

I think the Bills will look better prior to the season, not necessarily by the draft but through a combination of FA and draft. I think the Bills will find a good RB2, another safety - either FA Simmons or Hyde if they don't get a starter in the draft. And of course the Bills will do something about WR.

T Lockett, to me, is not the same level as what I expected from Diggs in 2024. And Lockett was just signed to a deal with a signing bonus, so if the Bills wanted him they would probably need to give a little boost in draft capital to offset the low salary. I hope the Bills go in a different direction than him.

Yes, I am all for trading a lower draft pick for one of the vets. I think Beane would stay away from the divas that require both draft capital and money, so J Jeff/Aiyuk/Higgins would be out. But other options remain: For instance I use the Tenn + DHop as an example, if they take Rome at #7 then DHop would be prime candidate to deal for a 4th. Similarly C Godwin at Tampa could possibly be moved since they just poured big bucks into M Evans. D Metcalf might be a possibility with new management wanting to craft a team. I think after Beane does one of those type of moves to replace Diggs the draft becomes more in line with what we expected before. Maybe trade down and get that 3rd back. DL and WR would top the list but we can't count out the love for a S or CB.

Diggs was a top tier WR when the Bills got him. Now they need a big time talent to replace him. For 2024 that is not a second tier WR. I want a Diggs type replacement and a WR in the first or early second to replace G Davis. A mini-rebuild in Josh's prime is unacceptable to me. The idea that the Bills WR room is 2 second tier rookies/Samuel/and Shakir is frightening to me. It would be by far Beane's worst year. I don't think this will be the case and all of Beane's talk to the contrary is just setting expectations low. He must (I hope) be working all the angles frantically.

Only 1 rookie was in the top 30 WRs in yards last year. Thinking we can get a Diggs replacement for 2024 with a rookie is extremely wishful thinking. The second tier WRs, IMO, are fine as part of the fill-in with Samuel to replace G Davis, but not Diggs. I just still can't believe Beane is going to do a rebuild/reset, smack in the middle of Josh's prime. I think all of Beane's talk about we're fine at WR is an attempt to keep expectations low.

Bills trade #144 to Tenn (after they draft Rome) for DHop. Bills trade #28 to Wash for #36 + #78.

I have a hard time coming to terms with the on-paper downgrade at WR from last year that we would have with 2 second tier rookies penciled in for large roles. It would signify to me a rebuild/reset year. Generally the draft had been considered replenishment for the future - not filling immediate needs. The idea of a second tier WR being the Diggs replacement isn't right. Either a big 3 as Diggs replacement with a FA WR (OBJ/M Thomas) or a trade for a vet WR. I think J Jeff/Aiyuk/Higgins are too expensive ($ + draft capital) but there are others - D Metcalf/C Godwin/DHop/DJ Moore.

The downside- other teams thinking Legette leaking something that was said in private. Two, all teams feeling that Legette misinterpreted what was told to him. Three, if any team felt Legette was doing this out of a selfish me-first interest with no regard for the bad team's interest it would certainly not be looked upon in a good light. It just seems like a stupid thing he did, I don't think he did it in any malicious me-first way though. But he is a one year wonder who is thought to be somewhat developmental. Not worth a first round pick IMO, let's see if Carolina takes him at 33.

Yeah, not a good look out of Legette. If it was said to him, he is outing what is not hard to understand was a private conversation to the public. It puts the person who said this to him -which wouldn't be hard for the Panthers to figure out- in a bad situation. Secondly, it is kind of hard to believe someone actually told him this. It seems like he may be positively interpreting some conversation. And Legette by making this statement, if it doesn't come true, makes it seem like someone lied to him. I'm off the Legette train, maybe in the 4th. Give me McConkey/Franklin/Coleman over this mess.

In this mock Nabers is still around for the Raiders pick at 13 - that would have to be tempting for Beane. Might be in the possible trade range for a premier WR1.

Einstein's Dog moves (which if Beane is smart will be his): 1. Trade low draft pick for vet WR- Dhop/Metcalf/Godwin type. Top choice DHop early w so Tenn at pick 7 goes WR. 2. trade back out of round 1 for extra pick. With early pick get one of the second tier WRs - McConkey/Franklin/Legette/Coleman 3. remaining draft DL, S 4. get a good value on a vet RB, wait it out. Maybe Zeke. 5. get a vet S. If not Simmons then bring back Hyde to mentor draft pick. That provides the team with enough talent to contend. Not much you can do about the lack of pass rush but hope on Von and a draft pick.

My thinking is Beane would probably want to stay away from the divas wanting out, which require big money and draft capital. Preferable to that would be the veteran WR that is expendable because the team he is on gets one of the highly touted new ones. So, if Tenn takes a big 3, DHop would be a much more manageable get than say J Jeff or Aiyuk. If Seattle takes one, D Metcalf might shake loose. If Tampa gets a new one C Godwin may be available. As mentioned above with Chicago- K Allen or DJ Moore become expendable. Personally, I'm back on the DHop train. DHop looked like he still had the goods last year. DHop has a cheap contract that Beane could do a lot of tricks with. Beane should be working out options with Tenn prior to the draft to encourage them to take one of the big 3. Tell Tenn if they take a WR, the Bills will give them a 4th (5th?) for Dhop. Beane would tell Tenn If they don't take it the Bills have other options behind them (Chic, Sea, TB) - because as an aside no GM is believing this garbage that Beane is going to have 2 lower drafted rookies as major contributors in a prime J Allen year- it would be a complete failure as a GM.

Maybe the conversation with Chicago will be what it will take for one of their veteran WRs. If Chicago is looking at picking up one of the big three WRs to go with their rookie QB, then all of a sudden they look over-invested in the WR room. K Allen, DJ Moore and now a highly touted first rounder. Getting draft picks for one of those two veterans would then be awfully tempting. DJ Moore was a Carolina product with a reasonable $15M salary. Same logic applies for Tenn. If they want one of the big 3 then Tenn looks over-invested with Ridley/DHop/and big 3 rookie. DHop looks like a trade target (and he has a very reasonable $13M salary). The draft capital offered for the veteran WRs would be cheap. The Bills would still hopefully use an early pick on a WR to use and develop.