GASabresIUFan

Kind of like Hyde and Poyer when first acquired. It’s going to be an interesting camp between the 4 safeties under contract. Hamlin has started 27 games as a Bill. Rapp has started 66 games and 18 as a Bill. Bishop started a few games as a rookie last year including in the playoffs. Forrest had 17 starts in 4 years in Washington. All 4 guys I can see arguments why they will or won’t be a starter in the fall. Should be one of the most interesting and contested camp battles.

By the way, the Bills now have 64 players under contract. Of those 64, I see 10 who I think don't really have any shot at making the opening 53 man roster. Now add 10 draftees of which the top 4/5 picks are likely assured roster spots.

Diggs and Cooper still unsigned. Asante Samuel is also still available as are vets like Darious Slay. The Elam trade probably makes CB the highest priority in this coming draft. Draft priorities 1) CB - Still need a starter and have no real "prospects" or adequate depth. Need a CB early and late in the draft. 2) S - Rapp, Forrest and Hamlin all have one year left. 3) DT - Jones and Ogunjobi have one year left. Carter the only prospect 4) DE - AJE and Bosa have one year left. Solomon is the only prospect Depth needs 5) LB - Milano maybe on his last year, Spector stinks and Ulofoshio didn't move the needle last year. 6) TE - Morris was let go and Knox maybe on his final season with the Bills. 7) QB - Isn't it time we developed someone behind Allen? 8.) WR - have an open roster spot for a 5th WR. I'd love to add a deep threat.

Now Beane needs to acquire a starting CB to play with Benford.

Updated OP to reflect the Elam trade and the Oliver contract restructure.

So basically Beane used Elam as a way to move up in the draft from a 6th rd pick to a 5th pick and also save $4 mill in cap space. Smart!

Good luck Kaiir. Hopefully Dallas is a better fit.

It is going to be interesting. I wrote earlier that the fight for the bottom of the roster is going to be difficult. I wrote on a different thread that it might be wise for Beane to use 2-3 picks to trade up to both limit the size of the class while enhancing the “quality” of the class.

Updated for Forest.

I am fully expecting a DT and Edge rusher with 2 of our 3 premium picks. I also expect the 3rd pick to be used on a CB. However, draftees see limited PT as rookies under McD. There are some exceptions, but they are few and far between.

You are going to make the Beane haters very angry.

I’ll begin by saying I like what Beane has done so far to improve the D line with the draft still to go. On paper this line should be more effective at stopping the run, but it seems about the same in rushing the QB with upside if Bosa remains healthy. Here is how things stand DE - Groot, AJE, Solomon, Bosa, Hoecht (DT/LB) DT - Oliver, Jones, Carter, Ogunjobi, Lodge Ogunjobi is an upgrade on Austin Johnson, Bosa is an upgrade on AJE and Miller when healthy and Hoecht fills the utility role held by Smoot last season. My biggest concern with Bosa, besides his health, is whether McD will again push Groot to the right side to accommodate Bosa like they did with Miller. This is not the highest and best use of Rousseau’s talent IMHO. The best part of the Bosa signing is that he is a 3 down player and he hopefully send AJE to the bench or off the team. I am not a fan. The Bills can save a decent amount in cap if they release him and the truth is he is mediocre against the run and his pressure rate was terrible last season. I’d much rather Bosa rotate with Solomon, Hoecht and whomever they draft. My hope is a good edge rusher falls to the Bills at 30. That player then has a good camp earning PT above AJE and the tackling challenged Solomon. I am looking forward to watching DTs Oliver, Jones, Carter and Ogunjobi play the interior this season. I believe Ogunjobi can challenge Jones for the starting job. With Ogunjobi and Carter on one year deals at this point, finding a DT early in this draft is also still an imperative. The ultimate question is has Beane done enough to improve our defense against the run and our pass rush?

He slices, he dices, he even makes crinkle cuts.

Still need a starting CB to play with Benford. Asante Samuel still un-signed.

Updated for Hamlin. 49 roster spots spoken for. Still need a starting CB.

Updated for Ogunjobi

Elijah Mitchell is a RB for KC. Elijah Moore is a FA WR last with the Browns.

We have no idea where Elam was on the Bills board. Kiper had him 41st, but others had a 1st rd grade on Elam. An example of how boards are different, Kiper had Cook at 99th in the Elam draft. The Bills took him at 63. That “reach” worked out pretty well.

@SoonerBillsFan and I agree with you. 1. There is no such thing as a universal BPA. 2. Positional needs are always part of the equation. The Bills aren't drafting a QB or TE at 30. The Palmer signing also reduces the likelihood of drafting a WR early. Where the Bills BPA may come in is where a DL, Edge, CB or S with similar grades are available to the Bills at 30. Who do you take? You need a DT long-term to replace Jones. You need a Edge rusher to replace Bosa in a year. The team currently needs a starter at CB and the team will also needs a Rapp replacement in a year. So where are you investing your 1st rd draft capital? We also all know that McD usually doesn't want rookies starting on his team.

I'm re-thinking how I might approach this draft if I was Beane. I currently already project 48 players for the initial 53 man roster. There are also PS players from last year that could easily make a run for a roster spot like Shavers, Zion Lodge, and OLs Mike Edwards and Richard Gouriage. Beane is almost certainly going to add a veteran CB, S and probably another WR. To all that now add 10 potential draft picks. It seems to me now that it might be better to use picks to move up and shrink the draft class to 7 or 8 players higher "quality players."

My roster projection currently has 48 players. We still need a starting CB, depth (or a starter) at Safety, and a WR. We also have 10 draft picks. It will be interesting how the 53 man roster and PS shake out. There are PS players from last year we know Beane & McD like. Players like Gore, OL Mike Edwards, OG Gouraige, DT Zion Lodge, and WRs Shavers and Virgil. Plus they signed TE Amari Rogers and brought back RB Evans. The battle to make the bottom of this roster is going to be fierce.

I can agree with that. I honestly keep trading down in my mock drafts to recover a 3rd rd pick.

I’m not much of a AJE fan. I’d like to see Beane move on from him.

Done.

https://www.buffalobills.com/news/bills-re-sign-rb-ty-johnson-to-two-year-deal-agree-to-terms-with-fb-reggie-gilliam-on-one-year-deal