Brand J

Should we be encouraged/discouraged?

I suppose the words “stepping away from coaching with a possibility to return in 2024” were used incorrectly. He said he was stepping away from the game, but not even a couple months “away” he’s already enrolled in some sort of accelerator program meeting with 3 different franchises. I’d say that sounds very much involved and not at all “stepping away.” If you believe unequivocally what Leslie is telling you, then he should’ve used “I’m taking time away to learn more about the game in hopes of strengthening my 2024 head coaching campaign.” As the defensive coordinator of a successful defense it sounds even more suspect, I know, hence why he never used those words exactly. When asked by reporters “why are you leaving the team?” He responded with a generic “just needed a break.”

I don’t know. Some on this board still believe the decision to leave was 100% Frazier’s and that if he wanted to be the Bills DC this season, he would’ve been. I said it before, to get the real truth you’d have to ask McD himself, or Brandon Beane. Anything coming from Frazier’s camp or the people he knows, wouldn’t have the nitty gritty details in their entirety. Coordinator jobs are few and far between, highly coveted; seconded only to head coach. Sorry if I don’t believe in the narrative being pushed out there.

Leslie Frazier has been in football longer than I have been alive. He’s halfway to 70 years old. Do you buy the “learning year”? Do you think he really believes that bailing on a coordinator position to do the NFL rounds as an unattached coach is the best path to a head coaching position? Maybe he’ll get hired as a head coach next season because of this accelerator program, but if Vegas had odds on it, it wouldn’t be pretty. I don’t dispute your second point. Coaches are notorious for sleeping in offices and being around their players/assistants far more than their own family. But as to the bolded, what have I said that was stated as factual but wasn’t?

Hey, I’m just relaying the news 😅 But what it shows overall is that he’s not stepping away from the game like he initially suggested. He was all in on this accelerator program from the outset.

Following the league’s annual head coach accelerator program. So much for spending time at home and taking the year off to assess. https://sports.yahoo.com/former-bills-coach-leslie-frazier-144540446.html

To the naked eye, Lawson did outperform Basham and AJE, and I believe received more playing time than either down the stretch, but it’s more an indictment on those players than it is an appraisal of Lawson’s game. It’s sad that neither AJE nor Basham have stepped up to make big time plays in games when they’re needed. One at the very least has to show much more than Lawson provides this season.

When I saw it was 4 years for $68M I said “wow!” and started laughing. Here’s the thing, I like Ed Oliver when he’s “on,” but he’s had far too many games where he’s simply invisible. If you had asked me which one I prefer to re-sign between him and Edmunds, I definitely would’ve chosen Oliver because his best games are better than Tremaine’s best games. The Dallas Cowpoke Thanksgiving game, the Detroit Lions Thanksgiving game, one of the Jets games, he was unblockable in those 3. But those are the only 3 games in his four year career where I can remember him looking like Warren Sapp. I just wish we saw that disruption more often.

Looks like he’s on the take. This doesn’t even include the other rep where he got beat immediately after the snap without getting hands on his assignment.

I put the question out there for discussion, mainly aimed at those who shout “it’s only voluntary!” I wanted to know if their position would change, or if they’d still sing the same song. Josh hasn’t missed any OTA periods since he was drafted as far as I can remember, except this year when he had to check out of a session early due to prior commitments. But at least he still took part at the start and was there for his teammates. This was a hypothetical question, not a Josh Allen/Stefon Diggs comparison. I know the two are completely different.

Maybe you’re projecting onto someone else, because I’ve accepted that’s who Diggs is. I’ve been on record as saying that as long as he shows up when it’s time and balls out, I don’t care what he does in the offseason. Would it be great to have him there, even if he wasn’t practicing, to get acclimated to his new teammates and give pointers - as a captain - of course! But evidently that’s not in his character. The only problem I had with Diggs was publicly undressing his QB in the Bengals game and then skipping out early on the team. As Shannon Sharpe once told John Elway, “as long as you don’t openly complain about me dropping a pass, or running the wrong route, I’ll never publicly complain about you missing a pass.” Josh isn’t the type to show Diggs up if he drops a pass or runs the route differently than what he expected. He did have that one moment in the Bengals game when the two missed on one where he was motioning with his arm, but aside from that he’s always been quiet.

For someone who signed a 10 year $450M contract (Mahomes) not too long ago, I am surprised he’s grumbling about a new contract already. When you have that much money coming your way, is more going to move the needle in your life? Your kids and their kids and their kids are already set for life if used wisely.

Frazier seemed inflexible as a DC. It was the same stale scheme lacking any sort of innovation that the Bengals called basic. He had an over reliance on his front four and aside from Von no one could get back there with regularity. The Eagles were the model for how this scheme was supposed to be ran, their front set records. Look what happened once a gimpy Mahomes figured them out. I’ll take a Lou Anarumo type over a Leslie Frazier type any day of the week. He seems to scheme opponent specific. Let’s see how McD does calling the shots.

Last we saw of Diggs this offseason, I believe was at a fashion event. What would we say if Josh didn’t show up to OTAs but was instead seen in NYC with his new gal? Would it still be “it’s only voluntary!”? For the record, I don’t care what Diggs does in the offseason as long as he shows up when it’s mandatory and balls out. I just wonder how the perspective would change if it was Josh not taking part rather than Stefon.

I don’t follow hockey, but in the event I’ve got the Sabres on the Telly, who are the two superstars? Did Dahlin ever pan out or live up to the hype? Haven’t heard his name since he was drafted.

Commercials are usually one of the best aspects of these retro videos, but they didn’t run anything besides the sponsoring companies. I wanted more nostalgia! Interesting how beloved Scott Norwood was. He even made the song at the end of the video. Too bad wide right was in his very near future. I was at a game a few years ago where Mark Pike was standing around for photos and autographs, but the line was empty. No one seemed to care. A year later I’d hear that he passed away. RIP Mark. RIP Van Miller. I think a happy medium could exist between this physical version of the NFL and Goodell’s league. Although my biggest gripes are with the questionable roughing the passer calls. Clean those up and I’d complain less.

If I’m Jacksonville I’d make a serious push for Hopkins.

You take the LB with pass rushing ability, no question. Micah Parsons and his 4.3 forty is going first round in every draft. You don’t know how these guys will pan out, so it’s easy to say “take the Brian Urlacher or Ray Lewis types,” but if he can rush the passer or has a feel for the game like he knows what plays are coming, he’s worth a 1st round selection.

Expected you and the Mrs to be decked out in hideous Chiefs gear 🤣

Goes back to the adage that one percenters can only date other one percenters because everyone else will have their eyes on the $$$ Of course, that’s not an all encompassing take, but if you’re a wealthy celebrity looking for love, best to find it before you get that status, or you’ll have to date exclusively in that pool.

Josh has gone Hollywood now!

FIFY Great movie.

At first glance I thought the picture was stretched to make him look bad, but then I saw the other players and realized it was just Dion. He has never had the best build for a LT, but even there he does look a little too round. Compare against the attached photo.

Yeah I’d have to believe he would’ve been kept, but in a demoted role. After thinking about it for some time Frazier realized that’s not what he wanted to do so he stepped away. I think the hiring of that outside “defensive specialist/consultant” was when Frazier was still employed by the Bills. The wheels of change were in motion. Let’s see what McDermott brings to the table as a play caller. The Bills are better/deeper everywhere except MLB, so I expect that unit to step up and make plays when they’re needed.

Before the offseason started, I knew there’d be a coaching change on defense. The Bills failed spectacularly in 3 straight playoff games (4 if you include the Houston collapse) and it would’ve been a near impossibility to sell to the fans that they were running it back again with the same crew. I just couldn’t see it. I know you have your sources, but the only 3 men who were in that room and know for sure what transpired was Beane, McDermott, and Frazier. If your source isn’t Beane or McDermott, I don’t think it could be spot on. Call me a cynic for not believing implicitly what Frazier would have to say about the situation.