Brand J

This is true. I have no idea if Torrence would be a better LG than what Saffold gave us last season, but if I was a betting man… The argument was mostly about the interior being better than what we have been, not Saffold versus Torrence. We’re talking about Bates potentially going to the bench and I don’t think many here would argue that Bates wasn’t a better guard than Saffold was last year. Oh and Bates has never been to the pro bowl. 😱 In totality the IOL is stronger than last year, despite what the stubborn naysayers choose to believe.

You get no arguments from me about the tackles, but your view of the OL is undoubtedly stuck on Saffold’s past accomplishments versus the player he was and has been the last few years. I didn’t know when he came to the Bills that Titan fans were celebrating his exit. He’s not the player he once was and that’s a fact. It’s also a fact that McGovern was a better player than Saffold was last year… or do you dispute this as well? I refuse to believe your stance is simply: Saffold has been named to the pro bowl multiple times, therefore he’s better than McGovern has ever been, including the last season the two took the field (?)

You act as though guards can’t be interchanged, that Torrence would never play LG. He may not, Bills may like him better on the right, especially because they’ve already told McGovern he’ll be at left, but we also know the coaches train for positional flexibility, so I included Torrence in my argument because it is possible he finds himself on the left at some point. Saffold’s best years are way beyond him. There’s a reason he’s still a free agent, he isn’t good. And I also think we can stop using the pro bowl as a means to justify a player’s talent. It’s a popularity contest, nothing more. Most are deserving, don’t get me wrong, but you also have guys nominated that shouldn’t have any business being nominated. To say McGovern will be WORSE than what Saffold gave us last year is just being a contrarian and argumentative. Or perhaps you don’t realize just how bad of a guard Saffold was…

To say the IOL hasn’t improved, that would suggest you believe that McGovern and the 2nd rookie Torrence are on par with Rodger Saffold, that neither is an upgrade. Is this true?

Career extensions are also aided by Goodell’s desire to legislate physicality out of the game. Some of the penalties that follow are frustrating for the fans, but always beneficial for the players.

There’s certainly great depth on the interior now. Bates is an average guard, but a worthy starter. Interested to see how it all plays out.

Maybe should’ve taken a flyer on a DT. That Clark dude is huge.

Yeah Beane said they had an offensive player who was right there with their evaluation of Dorian and it was back and forth. He gave the impression that he would’ve taken that player over Dorian, but that he went “a little bit before.” I went back and looked at the picks and it was either a RB or WR that he was talking about. There was a run on both. I’m glad it wasn’t another 3rd round RB.

The Ravens picking him was a surprise to me. Where does he play with Queen and Roquan on the field?

I laughed because it’s true. The Bernard/Dorian Williams picks are very similar in some regards. Both were named player of a bowl game (or something like that) after big defensive performances. Both are undersized, but sideline to sideline. One is from Tulane, the other from Baylor, and neither were slotted in the 3rd by the “experts.” Here’s to hoping at least one becomes a standout player.

Unless it’s for a QB you absolutely believe in, I’m not a fan of trading up and giving away picks. Bills needed help on OL, DL, and at LB and traded up in the first to select… a TE. When there’s already one on the roster who doesn’t get targeted enough. Of course I’m all for Kincaid to ball out and I hope he does, but if I was GM I’m keeping my picks and staying pat or trading down. There’s lots of talent, numerous players we could select at any given pick in rounds 1-3 and the more ammo you have to get those guys, the better. You gotta hit on the picks though and Beane has only selected one blue chip talent.

Beane said in his presser they had a few offers to move in the 3rd, but he didn’t like how far they’d have to drop so he took Dorian. He has traded up in 4 of 6 drafts, he gets super antsy and impatient, when I’d rather he sit in a dark room until it’s time to pick. I don’t like sacrificing picks.

I’d rather not hear Beane say “special teams” when speaking about the contributions of his 3rd round selection. It’s fine to say Dorian probably won’t start right away, but leave “special teams” outta your mouth! Even if it’s the initial plan for your 3rd round draft pick. There’s nothing more deflating.

Some of the same people in this thread who knocked Mike Gesicki for being a big WR and not much of a blocker are praising Kincaid for being the same. Funny what a Bills jersey will do for the perception of a player.

That Rapp signing was most unexpected, as were some of the other low money deals. QBs are exempt it seems. Geno gets $35M per, Daniel Jones is at $40M, Carr… can’t remember what he got but I know he wasn’t worth it. Moral of the story: groom your kids to be QBs!

Said it before and I’ll say it again: QB contracts are out of hand relative to what other positions bring in. I’m not calling for equality, far from it, but when Lamar signs for $52M/yr and we scoff at someone like Nyheim Hines who’s on the books for $5M and is asked to take a pay cut, something ain’t right.

I’d like to see the knockoff jersey next to the official one.

No one’s concerned about Addison’s smallish hands?

It takes about 3 months to transform a body. Not a miracle transformation, but a solid one. One of these offseasons I’d like Dion to hire a nutritionist and personal trainer and really get after tightening up. It hasn’t happened by now so it probably won’t, but even by OL standards he’s “bad body.” Also, AJE’s chest was shockingly small for a player who once weighed 280 and then 260. How many reps did he do at the combine? Dion said he’s much bigger but I don’t see power in his shoulders/chest. EDIT: Found that he did 17 reps on the bench which was a disappointment and a “rocky start” to his combine. I was going to say I’d be surprised if he did anything over 20 reps, but wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. 20 reps should be the baseline for a DE.

He tweeted from Coachella Tuesday I believe, when the rest of his teammates were at practice. Not that I make a big deal out of this, as long as he shows up in shape for mandatories (which I fully expect him to) and is ready to go, all is good.

This sounds like it’s coming from someone with a selfish mindset, or an individual who’s never played team sports. If it was an individual battle Diggs lost - boxing, tennis, bowling, whatever - then your stance is correct. Leave if you want, you have no one else to answer to but yourself. Obviously football is a team sport. There’s 53 other men and a collection of coaches who went to battle with you all season. You’ve been closer to those men for the last 8 months than your own child(ren)/wife/gf. You don’t storm out of the locker room to never return - until the following season’s mandatory minicamp. Take a break, collect your emotions, and then bring your leadership back to the locker room where it belongs. It’s bigger than just you.

Going back even farther, I’ve watched the draft since ‘99, when I was happy the Bills took Peerless Price in the 2nd. The first time I heard the term “can’t miss” was when Robert Gallery came out a few years later. And he never developed into the dominant LT everyone said he was. As old as I feel bringing up Price in the 2nd, I was too young in the Mandarich days 😄

I remember when LB Aaron Curry was the most can’t miss prospect of all can’t miss prospects… and then he busted. None of these guys are “can’t miss.” I wish Beane would get in the habit of stockpiling picks through trade downs rather than sacrificing picks to move up.

Maybe we’ll see a defense specifically tailored to stop the opposing offense, rather than a “this is what we do” nickel cover 2 scheme employed against everyone.

Someone had posted the percentage of routes Knox ran Daboll’s last season and the first under Dorsey and they were nearly identical. It showed Knox wasn’t staying in to block as much as some here believe, he’s just not getting the ball. Also can’t recall where, but the numbers said that Knox had among the highest separation when running routes, same with the rookie Khalil Shakir, and neither one of them get the looks. That’s a Josh issue, he needs to get better with his reads. I maintain that I didn’t like Knox’s contract at the time it was signed because Josh has never been reliant on the TE and Knox was going into his first year in Dorsey’s system. We overpaid on his extension, he would’ve got far less if he was a FA this offseason.