BillsFanForever19

One, he hasn't been bad and is undeserving of being demoted. Two, even if that was a thing that made even a little sense to be done - you are aware that Rousseau, Von Miller, and Kingsley Jonathan are LITERALLY the only DE's we have under contract, right? We already have to re-sign or replace Leonard Floyd, AJ Epenesa, and Shaq Lawson. You want to add Rousseau to the list too?

Harty's most likely done. He's got an out in his contract, probably by design. A 1 year trial that didn't work out. Thankful for the Kick Return in the Miami game, but that alone doesn't save him. And with Hines staying, he'll be the Returner anyways (as he was supposed to be last year).

I'd doubt we'll lose Ty. He's not going to cost much of anything and he'll be motivated to stay. I don't see a huge market for an RB2/3. And I'd imagine we're still going to have a Bruiser. Last season we started the year with Cook, Harris, Murray, and Johnson on the 53. Hines will replace Murray and they'll have someone else to replace Harris's role. Probably a late round pick. As I and others have said, I'm sure that numbers going to come down somehow. But it just is what it is. He took his medicine last season, we were able to save some Cap for last year to get some help then. We take a little bit of medicine this year. He can't go back on his word and it's clear from yesterday's presser, he's not going to.

Another thing showing he's not going anywhere is Spotrac. He isn't listed as a player that has a simple Out in his contract like other players. Today they posted ways to save money. Hines was not listed among them. Which I take as them knowing it's not as simple as just cutting him and saving a full $5 million.

I think Ty Johnson will be back. He'll probably want to be back and it won't cost much for a journeyman vet RB. No one's going to make him their starter or break the bank for a 2nd or 3rd RB. Basically it will be Hines replacing Latavius Murray. If he struggles throughout Camp and the Pre-Season and shows he's lost a step, than he may not make the 53. But he'll be here at Camp regardless. Yeah, but without the deal they made with him last season - there's a player we would have missed out on then. Obviously part of that deal was he wouldn't be cut before this season and he'd be given a real chance to make the roster this year. They decided they'd rather save some money last year than this year. Just is what it is. Now he has to stick to his word or risk losing faith with players in their locker room and potential FA's down the road. And as others have said, I'd doubt he'll have that full hit. He'll probably take a pay cut or have his deal restructured in a way to save us some space.

That may or may not be true. But it doesn't change the fact that he will not be told "goodbye". And he absolutely would have made the squad last year. We wouldn't have signed Damien Harris or Latavius Murray if he were on the roster. We gave up a pick and a player for him and said before the injury he was being brought on slow in 2022 because he was just learning the playbook and that they had big plans for him. Perhaps he'll take a pay cut or there's a way they can restructure it to create space. But pre injury, he was one of the better pass catching RB's in the league and a top returner with rare speed for a RB. Those are valued traits you can't just find anywhere.

In a vacuum, given our cap situation, yes. But if he was told he'll be coming to Camp in exchange for not filing a grievance and saving us some cap space last year - Beane can't go back on his word. That would be terrible for his reputation amongst the locker room and FA's going forward.

A chance to earn it. Which I think unless he's lost a step, he most likely will.

This is true. They could still cut him after Pre-Season if he's lost a step or is flat out beaten out. But he won't be a cap casualty during the FA process, as many have expected.

Among most, if not all, posts talking about freeing up cap space - Nyheim Hines being released is mentioned. And in a vacuum, it seems like a no brainer type of move. But it appears it's not going to happen. I've touched on this in other posts a bit before but there's factors at play here. When the injury occured, his agent started speaking up about filing a grievance if he wasn't taken care of. Then it all went away. Beane and he came to an agreement. Hines would keep a portion of his money and not be released and in turn, most of his money for last season would come off the books - freeing up some cap space for last year and Hines and his people wouldn't file a grievance. I've been almost positive part of that agreement was he wouldn't be cut and given every opportunity to reclaim his job. Hines has said that he's going to be a Bill this year: https://www.si.com/nfl/bills/news/buffalo-bills-nyheim-hines-injury-rehab-jet-ski-accident Yesterday at Beane's Year End Presser - he confirmed it. Nyheim Hines will not be an offseason cap casualty: (56:49 - 57:22) I'm not a capologist, so I don't know if there's any massaging that can be done to his contract to create some relief somewhere. But it's pretty clear that unless he is completely physically unable to perform, Nyheim Hines will be one of our RB's behind James Cook.

It's going to have to be a Round 1 WR, hedging our bets hoping for a Benford like situation in Day 3 if our Elam at WR doesn't hit immediately, and then patient and careful spending for a vet. Add in Wild Cards like Justin Shorter, Andy Isabella in Year 2, and K.J. Hamler battling it out for the final spot or two and I think we'll be in a better situation than we were this year. I think it's possible that we get someone in FA that can make a difference. Obviously guys like Higgins, Evans, Pittman, or a trade for Adams are absolute pipe dreams. That's absolutely not going to happen. But if we're patient and let it play out like we did with Leonard Floyd, I think we can meet in the middle of our cap restraints and someone's unexpectedly low market and/or being stuck after overplaying their hand.

Benford isn't moving to Safety. You don't take a very good and still developing young starting CB and move them to Safety. It's much easier and much cheaper to replace a Safety than to replace a Cornerback. We'll find a Safety to replace Micah Hyde. I'm not concerned. Even if it's a Day 2 Rookie that's going to take some lumps, I still think we'd be in a better position than we were with Hyde this year. I have all the respect in the world for him and all the love for what he did in his first 5 years with us. But he wasn't remotely the same player after the Neck injury. I think he knows it too and that's why he's most likely retiring.

Lots of reasons to argue McDermott should be moved on from. But if you find yourself using Ty Dunne and directing people to his trash - that's gross. Regardless, it's not happening. If it were going to happen, it would have came before McDermott and Beane addressed the media.

Just like anything in life, you should let your son make their own choices and let them know you love them no matter what. I'd also let them know that they don't ever have to do something because they feel like they have to, just to keep you happy. And that he should never be afraid to talk to you about anything. Maybe he comes back to being a Bills fan, maybe he doesn't. But in no scenario should you pressure or guilt him into doing something he doesn't want to do. He's a kid. He's not invested like we are. In some ways, I envy being someone who is able to remove themselves from the constant torture. It's too late for us poor saps 😆

Everyone's assuming Hines is cut. And in a vacuum, it seems like a no brainer. However, Beane has said he wants him next season and Hines has said he'll be here next season. The fact that there was no dispute over his lost money, the two came to an agreement on a number, and he wasn't outright released with a settlement says to me they struck a deal. We saved a little cap last season. He didn't push the issue with the Union and he's back next year. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10098381-bills-nyheim-hines-reflects-on-jet-ski-accident-my-life-is-like-final-destination

From what I've been reading, knocks on him are: - Below-average flexibility. Tall, lanky frame makes it tough for him to drop his hips and work certain routes. - Inconsistent ability to win the ball in the air. Shows flashes thanks to good hands and long arms, but it comes and goes. - Below-average blocker due to skinny frame. But at where we're picking, you're not going to find a perfect prospect. Gotta take the good with the bad. And it looks like there's a lot of good.

Where have threats been made? If on here, they should be called out and banned for the indiscretion. There is no room for any sort of personal threats. Saying he shouldn't be the Bills Kicker anymore though - that's completely fair following how he performed this season.

If we had fallen apart down the stretch, there's a chance they would have moved on. But by all accounts, it wasn't going to happen even then: https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/sean-mcdermott-is-safe-as-bills-coach-beyond-2023-despite-recent-struggles-per-report/ If he were to be let go, I wouldn't be upset. But like it or not, it's just not going to happen this season.

For one, Higgins is almost certainly not going to hit the market - https://lastwordonsports.com/nfl/2024/01/08/tee-higgins-free-agency-franchise-tag/ https://stripehype.com/posts/pff-predicts-bengals-franchise-tag-tee-higgins-01hhjeh3pw8p Every year fanbases salivate over the list of FA's. Then Franchise Tags come down and most if not all of those top players come off the market. We actually have 9. But that's not really the point. We need a Starting DE plus 1, if not 2 more DE for depth. We need a starting DT plus at least 2, if not 3 more players for depth. We need at least 1, if not 2 starting Safeties, plus another for depth. We are currently 43.6 million over the cap. While we have a number of ways to get under, we're not going to be so far under that we can spend even 9 million in Year 1 on one single player at any one position. Given the amount of starters and depth players we have to get. It's going to be like last year where we wait and see who will take a discount to play with us and/or who is still available after the crazy spending has been done that has no choice but to take at least a little less than they were asking for. Contracts that have void years or are back loaded, with 3-5 tops up front. There are some quality WR's that we may have a shot at that I listed above. But Higgins is the #1 available player and we aren't going to be a Day 1 bidding war type of team in the situation we're in. Higgins is an absolute pipe dream any way you slice it. It'll be a Mid Tier FA plus a WR on Day 1 or Day 2 or a Double Dip in the Draft.

Mike Evans will turn 31 years old this year. Tee Higgins just turned 25, coming off his Rookie contract with a relatively clean bill of health. This is what's going to give him the edge with teams. And I doubt he even makes Free Agency. Most analysts have him destined to be Franchise Tagged. Spotrac's suggestions are just that. They're often way off base. Every fanbase in the league is hoping for Higgins. It's going to be a bidding war. We can't splash that big for just 1 player. And like I said, I doubt he isn't tagged anyways. With who's set to be available at the moment, WR's like Calvin Ridley, OBJ, Hollywood Brown, Curtis Samuel, Michael Thomas, and D.J. Chark represent the ceiling of what we could possibly do in FA. It'll be somebody like that and a Draft Pick on Day 1 or Day 2. Or a double dip in the Draft. But top tier bidding wars isn't going to happen.

Lol at Higgins. Not happening. We have 22 FA's that need to be replaced. This scenario ignores the Defense completely. Where we have just Rousseau, Miller, and Kingsley returning at DE from the 53. Literally ONLY Ed Oliver at DT. Poyer (who has an out in his contract and may need to be replaced as well) and Hamlin as our only Safeties. Here's hoping we are able to get a decent WR at a good price when musical chairs stops and/or move up in the 1st to get one. But Tee Higgins is going to be the most sought after WR in FA and his contract is going to be massive. We can't afford what it would cost just for him with all the holes we have. Side note: I'm pretty sure Hines is going to be here. Conventional wisdom says get rid of him and save money. But it appears to me that Beane and he struck some sort of deal to avoid a Players Union grievance over his money this year. Beane has said he'll be back and Hines has said he's been told he'll be back. It appears to me they made an arrangement to let him keep some signing money this year and also saved them some money this year in exchange for a promise that he'll be on the roster next year.

Tre is going to have to go. It's sad, but we can't be on the hook for what he's scheduled to cost on the cap for the next two seasons in the condition he's in. Deonte Harty, Connor McGovern, Ryan Bates, Tre'Davious White, Jordan Poyer, and Sam Martin all have outs in their contracts this offseason that can save cap space. A large number of them will be moved on from or take massive cuts in pay to stay. Restructures of Josh, Von, and others will make up for most of the rest to get us under. An extension for Douglas will also save us cap. But with 22 FA's, we're still going to have to go out and sign a lot of bodies - even with having 9 Draft Picks at our disposal. So it's going to have to be another year of smart shopping. Luckily, we have the core of our team under contract. Josh, Cook, Diggs, Shakir, Kincaid, the entire OL, Rousseau, Oliver, Milano, Bernard, Douglas, Benford, and Johnson are all safe. The big moves will be needing to find a #2 to replace Davis, a DE opposite Rousseau (hopefully there's another logjam where we can get Floyd back or a Floyd like player), a DT opposite Oliver (hopefully Daquan will work with us), and at least 1 Safety, if not both.

Added 11 Future/Reserve contracts

I go the other way. It's easier for me to palate the Ravens winning. In that sense it's like "well, if we pulled out the Chiefs win - we probably would have lost to the Ravens". If the Chiefs go on to win it all, I won't be able to shake "if we just got over the hump in that game, we would have won it all". For some, that's a good feeling. To me, it makes the loss hurt that much more.

Trent is a Nickel CB playing the Nickel because of his size and short arms. Yes, he beat Taron for 1st Team All Pro. But there isn't much separating Trent as 1st Team AP and Taron as 2nd Team AP. We didn't need a Nickel on Draft Day because Taron has been solid for years. We needed an Outside CB. That's why we passed on him. Shame that Kaiir hasn't worked out, but Trent really can't play Outside. Humphrey on the other hand, yeah, that's a rough miss.