BillsFanForever19

I said for the past couple weeks that all of the pie in the sky options like BTJ, Chris Olave, A.J. Brown, Jaylen Waddle, Garrett Wilson, etc. weren't going anywhere. That Rashid Shaheed and Jakobi Meyers would be the best and likely only options. And that the Dolphins and Jets wouldn't trade to us. All of that rang true. But I still expected a move to be made for a Shaheed or a Meyers. And/or at least a move for a Defensive Tackle. I'm kind of taken aback that we did nothing. I think the price for Shaheed and Meyers got too great for who they were and how long we'd have them. Seen a lot of people say "you couldn't match that?". We didn't have to match it, we'd have to beat it. Bc both the Seahawks and Jaguars are presumed to Draft higher than us. For us to get Shaheed, we'd have to pay something like a 3rd and a 4th to top the Seahawks. That's a LOT to pay for 8 games. Another aspect of it is the situation we're going into in the offseason. As usual, we're in rough shape cap wise. While we could come up with more money, it's still only going to go so far. As we have *TWENTY ONE* players currently on our 53 man roster that we'll have to either re-sign or replace with limited money and just 7 Draft Picks - including 9 starters and key ones like 2/5 of our OL and our best Pass Rusher. The list includes: Unrestricted Free Agents: - DE Joey Bosa - C Connor McGovern - G David Edwards - LB Matt Milano - DT Daquan Jones - DE AJ Epenesa - CB Tre'Davious White - LB Shaq Thompson - FB Reggie Gilliam - DT Larry Ogunjobi - WR Elijah Moore - QB Mitch Trubisky - CB Cam Lewis - S Jordan Poyer - S Damar Hamlin - S Sam Franklin Jr. - DT Jordan Phillips - K Matt Prater - P Mitch Wishnowsky - P Cameron Johnston Restricted and Exclusive RIghts Free Agents: - G Alec Anderson - OT Ryan Van Demark - CB Ja'Marcus Ingram And that's not taking into account players that we'll most likely move on from to free up space like Taylor Rapp, Curtis Samuel, and Dawson Knox. The number grows to 24 with that. You can say "who cares, let most of those guys walk". But we'd still need to replace their bodies on the 53 with cap or Draft Picks. All this to say, we weren't in a position to willy nilly trade away Draft Picks or take on large amounts of money in 2026. Which complicated things. It's fair to argue Beane shouldn't have put us in this position to make things complicated - but it doesn't change where we were.

That is the point. What team's are willing to deal with in terms of neck injuries to a QB v. a CB, let alone a QB the level of a Peyton Manning - is a VASTLY different, completely incomparable situation. Peyton Manning as a QB (especially behind Denver's line at the time) wasn't going to take many hits from the pocket. He took a total of 37 sacks over 4 years. Asante Samuel has to potentially be delivering hits on a play to play basis. And Asante Samuel Jr. wasn't considered a top 10 CB in the league BEFORE he had Spinal Fusion. He was a guy who was considered a pretty decent cover Corner who was a poor tackler with it even said he outright avoids contact. These things are likely not to get better with a fused spine. He hasn't done anything football related in over a year. He had Spinal Fusion surgery in April. So it's likely he hasn't done any sort of physical training in over 6 months. On top of that, he'd have to learn the Defense and we're in Week 10. There is no scenario where they're signing him to the active roster and pulling Tre in favor of him anytime soon. Best case scenario, he'd be the one on the Practice Squad and maybe in a month to two months he'd be cycled in.

It's over https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/1985818048142721150?t=_tX9XHf5X9fDzJTMYMvstA&s=19

Calling Landon Jackson a "Michael Hoecht clone" or even the closest to it we're going to get is insanely funny. It's like Khalil Shakir going down and saying "let's hope Keon Coleman can be a Shakir clone as our quick, shifty, elusive Slot". Michael Hoecht and Landon Jackson aren't even close to the same player. Hoecht is world's more athletic. World's more versatile. Landon Jackson is a standard put your hand in the ground Edge Rusher. One of the biggest knocks in his Draft profile was that he's "a little stiff", "robotic", and "not very athletic". You're not going to see him playing a Joker role. Hoecht was playing all over the line for us (and had played LB and even DB on some snaps in the past with the Rams). That's how athletic Hoecht was. Landon Jackson isn't going to be doing *any* of that. If Landon Jackson had near the kind of athleticism that Hoecht had, then he would be active every week as the 4th Defensive End and playing Special Teams, instead of Javon Solomon. They don't see him being able to play Teams for a reason. Like Sal said, there's no one on the roster that can fill the role Hoecht was playing. Least of all not Jackson. Jackson will see more activations than he was going to as a Defensive End with Hoecht out and hopefully that will help his development. But replacing Hoecht is a two man job. They'll likely add another DT and it wouldn't surprise me if they just carried one more for the rotation there, instead of regularly activating Jackson.

That's fair. And they probably would go the safer route, though I feel Sweat has more upside and we'd have him beyond this season. The Spotrac Trade Machine won't pull numbers for him bc they don't consider him a "Trade Candidate" like they do Sweat. Though this dude seems to believe his number is just under a million, which would still work:

We've got 3.35m give or take after the Taron restructure. Shaheed will cost us 2.1m. I think given the size of Day's contract (unclear the exact amount as Spotrac's Trade Machine won't pull the number for him), we would need to find more money for him plus Shaheed than we have right now. However, T'Vondre Sweat would cost $614,601 in acquired cap. So we could fit Shaheed and Sweat on with just the Cap Space we have now. That's where my head is at with possible multiple moves with what we have (and what's realistic) - Rashid Shaheed and T'Vondre Sweat.

It specifically states what body part as an example. He has a Neck Injury. That's all they have to list on the Report. They don't have to put the specific diagnosis.

... Huh? Chris Brown is literally just quoting Sean McDermott from his Press Conference. As are all other reporters that were there. Why would it make a difference who the reporter was that was directly quoting McDermott? Would you feel better about these reporters quoting McDermott's own words more? https://www.si.com/nfl/bills/onsi/buffalo-bills-receive-devastating-news-on-injured-rookie-cb

Yes, because he was a.) a Quarterback who doesn't get hit often, compared to a player who is hitting people play to play and b.) was maybe the greatest player of all time at that position. There were concerns with Samuel's game before he had the surgery. His name carries more weight than his prestige on the field. And there's a sliding scale in both talent and the position you play that dictates taking a risk on someone coming off a Spinal Fusion surgery. Peyton Manning and Asante Samuel Jr. aren't remotely comparable besides having the same injury.

If Asante Samuel Jr. were a QB at the level of a Peyton friggin' Manning - it would obviously be a different story. But that's not remotely the case here.

Yes, we would. But we also need 8m in Cap Space to do it. We're only at 3.5m.

Dudes coming off Spinal Fusion surgery. He hasn't done anything football related in over a year - probably hasn't done much of anything since having Spine surgery. And that's not even taking into account having to learn a new Defense in Week 10. He may have been "cleared" - but I'd be very surprised to see anyone jump at bringing him on now in the condition he's in.

There is no conditioning that can prevent injuries on the Football field. You can condition to your hearts content, if your Achilles is going to go - it's going to go. If you get hit in an area and angle that's going to tear ligaments, the greatest conditioning isn't going to stop that. You get them in the best shape you can get them. But it's still not going to stop wear and tear in a brutal sport like Football. We've gone through multiple strength and conditioning teams. Bad luck is just bad luck. It's not like they aren't doing their jobs and players are just hitting the field cold.

This is worrisome wording. I hope it's not the case, but that reads like someone who may be contemplating their career.

1.75m isn't much in and of itself. But the timing of it most likely says they have something in the works that requires them creating space. Which is huge.

The talk of Sweat has only come up bc of a Diana Russini report that said they're open to moving him. The current GM didn't Draft him. And it's said they have issues with his conditioning and standing with the team and are thinking a change of scenery may be what he needs. If not for that, I'd agree with you. But it appears that the new Titans administration are willing to move on from him.

First off, whatever we've heard is clearly just what was willing to be corroborated and likely just the tip of the iceberg. And if you think the Raiders didn't give him other chances and he wasn't aware he was on thin ice already (which would be the situation he'd be in here) before he continued to be an idiot and they decided it was better to eat 48 million dollars just to get him out of the building - I've got a bridge to sell you. And the issues with Wilkins don't just end with the things he would do on the field and in the locker room that made everyone uncomfortable. He also outright refused to follow what was asked of him by the team in injury rehabilitation and did whatever he wanted. The bottom line is there are 31 other teams in the league. Most of them would either kill to add his kind of talent or outright need DT's bc of injury. And not a single one has so much as brought him in for a visit. This really says all that needs to be said. You make it sound as if every player who's career is on the line like his is always smart enough to realize that and change their ways. That's not true. There's been a number of players that were just flat out as dumb as you say he can't be and floundered their 2nd and 3rd chances. Mental Illness and/or Drug Addiction will do that. And likely with Wilkins, there's at least one, if not both at play with his erratic behavior. And ultimately, my stance was that the "no risk!" point OP made is categorically incorrect. We aren't in a situation at DT where we can take chances. A no risk signing is one where if we have to walk away from them, we're still in good shape bc we weren't relying on them. That's not the case with us at DT. We need someone we can rely on. Bc if it doesn't work out with Wilkins, the trade deadline has passed and we're back to square one. That's a huge risk in and of itself in the position we're in right now.

Without getting into anything else - this is inherently a risk in and of itself. The Trade Deadline is tomorrow. You pass on making a deal for another DT to sign a loose cannon like Christian Wilkins. Then he goes and does... Christian Wilkins things. Well now you're back to square one and can't make a trade for another DT to improve things. The only "no risk" moves are for players at positions where you're already in good shape and if you have to cut them, no big. That's not the situation with us at DT.

Generally, at this point, they'll bring it down to the wire of Trade Deadline day - where sellers hope buyers get desperate and up their price at the buzzer and buyers hope sellers settle to their offer at the buzzer. I wouldn't expect us to swing a trade today. Tuesday is F5 Day, until just after 4 PM EST.

This is a fair point. But on obvious passing downs, they've been pulling Poyer off the field anyways. Today was almost a 50/50 split amongst the Jordan's (34 Poyer, 26 Hancock to Bishop's 60). So I don't think the light going on is all a credit to Poyer's on field work with him, as he's only out there just over half the time. And I can't imagine Budda Baker is a terrible communicator. My concern, much like yours, is just we don't have enough there. We're one injury away from having to play Poyer on 100% of snaps. There were a couple times today that I felt the 2025 version of Poyer hurt us. And while I think Hancock could become a guy for us, I don't think he's ready to be the full time starter as a Rookie. I just think Baker alongside Bishop would be a massive upgrade that could really help lock down the Secondary. Though at this point, DT and a WR who can separate are probably bigger needs.

Especially with Hoecht tearing his Achilles in Week 9. It's likely we may not have him to start the season. May also be the last year of A.J. Epenesa, who is really having a helluva season as an off the bench, rotational DE.

Allen Cook Kincaid Bosa Bishop There are many others deserving of recognition. But those five were at a different level.

I hope the light went on for Cole Bishop. But I still would like something on the other side of him beyond the Jordan Poyer/Jordan Hancock combination. I hope Hancock becomes the answer long term. But a rental of Budda Baker alongside Bishop playing at that level would move the needle QUITE a bit.