notpolian

Very tough schedule. Probably the most difficult I can recall. Teams know we want to run it, so biggest questions are will the OL hold up, can we generate any pass rush, and will we have to run vanilla coverages due to lack of time playing as a unit for the safeties. Plus I fear Bass costing us a couple games. I'm being optimistic at 9-8 IMO. I want nothing more than to be wrong.

Perfect practice squad signing.

Need to take more bites of the apple instead of drafting running backs and the occasional punter.

There are more if and buts in this thread than I've seen in a while. The fact is Beane has invested major draft capital (and one enormously misguided free agent mega-contract) on the DL and come up with zero difference makers. Oliver is the poster child for this version of the Bills: occasionally effective, small for his position, and overpaid for what he is. If Beane had hit on one DL that really was a disruptor, it would make a big difference against the likes of Mahomes and Burrow. Heaven help this team if you got players like Hamlin back there with no pressure on the opposing QB.

With the injuries this year, I don't see much chance for trades. While I very much need to see Elam do well in multiple regular season games to become a believer, I don't think he has enough trade value to make it worthwhile. He still has the tools to be successful if he can get his habits (hands) and head right.

I have a theory about that. Pegula also owns the Sabres, and they have been a non-playoff trainwreck for a LONG time. I believe he thinks the Bills are in good hands and does not want another Sabres situation. So he will stick with Beane and McDermott for longer than most owners would.

Is Barkley unavailable? He is limited but has had some ups with the downs. He lit up Miami for us a couple years ago iirc.

Amusing topic, props for that. I'm not a Cook fan but I would not trade him. On a rookie deal he is worth far more to the team than off it. If he can improve some tendencies he is a good back. Next offseason we'll know more. On a related note I would never draft a running back in any round. They are a dime a dozen and wear out very quickly.

I wonder if Davis will outsnap Cook by week 8. The reason Cook gets so much heat is because he drives people crazy with almost one dropped touchdown per game. It's not like he is dropping hard catches either, it seems like a lack of concentration. Stuff like that is not what a true professional does.

My first half summary: All QBs looks like poop on both side of the ball. Bills OL not getting enough push. Andreesen is making the 53??!!!

McDermott and his defensive timeouts. What an idiot.

Andreeeeeeeeesen!

EJ Manuel played for FSU around the time when they started their long slow slide into mediocrity. They are just now finally out of it. No one has ever been worried about playing against EJ Manuel. He was surrounded by pretty good talent in a fairly weak ACC. The day they drafted him was pretty depressing. Wasn't he Bruce Smith's nephew or something? That Bills regime were not the smartest guys in the room.

How about a different way to look at it: Running game: RBs are a wash to slightly improved. OL is far more important and you are now missing your very experienced center/blocking coordinator. Morse may not have been an elite talent but he knew what to do. Plus your TEs still can't block much. So at best overall a wash. Passing game: personnel are similar but you no longer have anyone who will draw a double team. That with lack of receiver speed will compress defenses. Teams may be able to just play man and dare us to beat them because we won't be able to separate. If Kincaid becomes a master zone breaker ala Kelce it would help a lot. So I fear worse, but I hope I'm wrong. Run defense: if everyone is healthy at best a wash because nothing has fundamentally changed except your safeties may be a liability. Milano can help with splash plays but he's never been a thumper. Pass defense: clearly worse. The DL cannot consistently generate pressure on its own. I won't believe Miller is back until I see it, and he was less than worthless last year. If both LBs are healthy they are better than what we had in the playoffs and both starters are good blitzers, but...the backfield, oof. The DBs are not quick enough to play man except for Elam, who is a DPI machine and hasn't figured out zone last I saw him. You can't play zone every down. The safeties are the biggest concern on the team as many have stated.

Measurables, potential, arm talent. All that stuff plus decent numbers in college will get you drafted high. Once in a very great while you hit the jackpot with someone who can really improve in the pros (see Allen, Josh). Often you end up like Mitch. If he ever has to play significant time for the Bills we are toast IMO. They'd have to go heavy QB runs, he is just way too inconsistent with his passing accuracy and is very non-clutch.

I sure hope they are effective and get close to double digit sacks. But as was posted previously, most of the time you either have it or you don't. As someone who saw all of Bruce Smith's career, he was a difference maker from day 1. No one has ever said "oh crap, we have to face Epenesa (or Rousseau) this week". We need at least one of those type guys on the DL. Our most productive pass rusher last year was Floyd and he is long gone. Maybe Solomon's college production will translate to the pros.

Decent player on a team full of decent players. Not a difference maker. They need difference makers and they really only have one, and he plays QB.

I just saw they signed Claypool. You talk about the bottom of the barrel. If he makes the 53, 1) he's had a major attitude adjustment, or 2) we are in serious trouble. I hope its #1. as it stands we may have one of the least talented (certainly the least proven) WR rooms in the league IMO.

Tanier likes him, good pick