BigAl2526

The obvious assumption is that the Bills will continue to use the same defensive scheme they've had since McDermott arrived. Under Frazier, the defense was very reluctant to blitz. Under McDermott this past season they blitzed more, but the difference had more to do with play calling than scheme. Babich has spent more time with a McDermott defense than he has with any other scheme. He's done some college level position coaching, but during his NFL career the only time that he hasn't been with McDermott is the three seasons he spent with Cleveland from 2013 to 2015. Babich will likely have some ideas for new wrinkles to the scheme, but he's not going to throw it out. The players love him as a position coach, but a coordinator's job is very different. Still, he's put time in. He's bright and hard working, and it seems appropriate that he get his chance to move up.

Jones is close to a "must sign." Beyond him, it's going to be a balancing act that depends on what the Bills can do with cap management and what they can find in free agency among value prospects who might have some untapped upside.

With Frazier, you know what you're getting. The Dolphins will get a quality defense that is sold on zone and hates blitzing. In the modern NFL, there are ways for quality offenses with smart offensive coordinators and great QBs to beat a Frazier defense. Ultimately, I think that's why the Bills decided to move on from Frazier. Yes, McDermott is primarily a zone defense guy, but he understands the need to vary what you do in order to keep offenses off balance. That's also why I don't worry about Buffalo facing a defense where Frazier is in charge. Buffalo will know what they are facing and how to combat it.

I really have a hard time thinking Brady feels the need for more money. There can't be a lot of things that he would want that he can't buy already short of a super yacht ore a country. I'm guessing he just enjoys football enough that he wants to stay close to it. Being a high priced network color commentator carries an advantage over a coaching position in that you avoid the grind and the stress.

Yeah, he does seem like a punk, in the worst sense of the word. Not sure what he'd be worth, but I don't think he's ever going to be a quality starter in the league.

I like your mock for the Bills, though Bullock is a bit light. Hopefully, he can add some quality weight and not lose speed. You have Brian Thomas going a lot sooner than any mock draft I've seen. Do you think he's going to time faster than the 4.47 I've seen estimated for him?

The fact that he has experience as a tight end is a benefit for the Bills. He's good on special teams, can play a few reps at fullback and line up at tight end in the case of injury. It's not a waste of a roster spot.

The Bills drafted Brown in the second round. If you're not drafting in the first round, you're going to be getting something less than a complete prospect. In the case of Brown, the Bills drafted for traits. They got a tall, athletic tackle who has very long arms. He lacked the polish from playing in a big time college program. They might have been able to draft a player with better experience in place of Brown, but they probably would have had to sacrifice something - size or athleticism, if not both.

I think Floyd is gone. The Bills are stuck with Miller next season because he's too expensive to get rid of. Hopefully, he'll be fully recovered. I'm also hoping that his lack of productivity this season had more to do with the lagging effects of his injury than his age. As I'm reminded every day, you don't recover from old age.

The problem is, if Cosell is right, this is not a problem you're likely to fix in one year picking late in the draft and lacking cap room to sign a premium free agent. The Bils can draft a WR in the first round, and I'd be happy if they did, but more receivers need time to develop than come in and set the league on fire in their rookie year, and the later you pick in round one, the lower the odds of the receiver you pick having a rookie season worthy of a #1 receiver. Still, drafting an outside receiver is a priority for this draft. If he is going to be a true #1 receiver at some point, whether or not it is in his rookie season, they need to look for elite physical traits and coachability. Guys like Troy Franklin and Xavier Legette have elite physical traits. The coachability is something that the Bils have to do in depth research on, but they would be the kind of player I think the Bils should look for.

Congratulations. To be perfectly honest, he wouldn't be my choice for that award. My thought is that the award is for players who made a comeback that had relevance on the field of play. Hamlin played special teams and had a few reps on defense, but his role could have been filled by any safety who was signed by a team as a fringe member of the roster. I'm glad for him though, not just the award, but for his good health.

I expect that he's gone. Buffalo has a couple big receivers that might develop in Shorter and UDFA Tyrel Shaver. They need to draft an outside receiver with some speed though. Any free agents they sign are going to be of the "value" variety given their cap woes.

Yeah, the liver is one organ, perhaps the only organ, that can be split and part of it donated. Both parts will then grow back to the original size. The donor candidate doesn't have to be dead.

I'm fine with the Bills taking a close look at anybody who might help the offense be more effective, as long as his name isn't Nate Hackett.

My guess is the offense in GB is based on the West Coast system and nomenclature. That's fine, but it means something of a learning curve for Josh and the offensive skill players. The question is, what is the extent that learning a new language is going to affect the efficiency of the offense, particularly early in the season.

This very same discussion happened a few weeks ago. Not going to happen. Elam's skill set is not a fit for what Buffalo wants from their safeties, not even close. Benford is more of a fit as others have suggested, but I think the Bills need him at CB.

Kincaid is fine. He just didn't have the stats of LaPorta. Torrence is going to improve in his second season. He may always struggle a bit with quick players who rush inside, but I think he'll improve some. I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to drop a few pounds to try and get a bit quicker.

I saw one sight that rated him as a 4th round value, but I think 3rd is probably the right spot at which to target him. His estimated 40 time isn't bad for a 6'2" safety - 4.5. If he's around when the Bills pick in the third (a comp pick) I'd probably grab him.

I would look hard at a trade down if I had the opportunity. Beane relies heavily on the scouting department's grading of players. There is a strong likelihood that there will be no players left that carry a first round grade for the Bills. With a bunch of free agents on the team combined with a tight cap, it's likely the Bills will want to hold on to and use their draft picks for as many players as they can draft rather than trade them away to move up and get a player with a first round grade. If I could trade down into the top 5 or 10 spots of the second round, I might take a chance on Xavier Legette, a WR from South Carolina with elite measurables. He does not carry a first round grade to most observers because he's got some shortcomings to his game. If he interviews well and the Bills think he's coachable, he could be a steal. I assume the Bills would get at least a third round pick out of that deal.

I think it is pretty well known that Highmark Stadium has pretty poor visitor locker room facilities. I think the new stadium facilities are supposed to be much better.

The E-P system that the Bills have used is extremely flexible. Not hard at all to use it for a deep passing game. If a coach using E- P doesn't pass the ball deep as often as he could, that's a matter of preference for the coach. Brady ran the ball a lot and seemed to run a high percentage of short passing plays was in part because of late season whether conditions and a desire to cut down on turnovers. In the KC game, the Chiefs have an outstanding CB duo and the Bills receivers struggled getting open. Even Diggs was having to make contested catches instead of getting separation. Aside from Shakir, Buffalo's receivers struggled with the dropsies. Josh threw one deep pass perfectly to a well covered Diggs. Diggs let it go right through hands.

Tre White may be physically able to get on the field by the start of the season, but I would be very surprised if he can actually be effective much before the end of the season. An Achilles tear after recovering from his ACL tear seems like a lot to overcome.

I figured that was going to happen (with both Johnson and Bernard). Dodson is available and Klein will have the benefit of a week of practice. Bernard would have been nice, but McDermott has proven adept at working around his missing starters. If Buffalo wins today, I think there's a good chance both Bernard and Spector will be available against the Ravens.

Competition at WR. His measurables sound a lot like Andy Isabella. If he makes the team, he won't get anything close to WR #2 reps. I assume he'd be competing for a role as a returner, gadget play guy and occasional slot receiver.

I don't care at all. Should the Bills beat KC, it doesn't matter to me who their opponent is. Both Baltimore and the Texans are potentially tough opponents. Houston has youthful enthusiasm, and proved against the Browns that the playoff stage is not too big for them. Baltimore is tough and physical and Lamar Jackson is hard to defend. But Buffalo is pretty good too.