Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

The only thing with Morse is could restructure him and end up with almost as much cap saving and not have an open roster spot. But did hear the comments about him not fitting the scheme best. Wil not be surprised if much of the guessing as to who is gone and who is re-signed is resolved by this time next weekend. 17th is getting close!

A Michael Lombardi article in The Athletic rips the Cardinals signing, stating they way over paid for him based on age, injury history. I'd tend to agree for $15 mil or maybe a couple more you could sign one of the top edge rushers and one who is still much younger too. Hopefully that is something the Bills are leaning towards. Need subscription https://theathletic.com/2426151/2021/03/04/lombardi-cardinals-overpaid-for-j-j-watt-plus-quarterback-rumors-galore/

I read it, overall was OK with most of the moves suggested other than would try to sign McKenzie and would prefer a vet backup for OT. With McKenzie and Roberts both gone not sure I liked the idea of turning over the return game to a rookie on a team poised to make a SB run. Also didn't like not signing a FA Edge. I'd cut Addison to bring one in.

To me seems tough on teams who are looking for new coaches Meanwhile a team like the Bills or Miami who didn't make the playoffs are already planning for next season, but the team looking for a new coach has to wait a month. Even the Bills while they were in the playoffs, I'm sure Beane had spent some time thinking about next season. Does this only apply to existing coaches on teams? What if a team wants to hire an out of work ex NFL coach or someone from the college ranks? Do they still need to wait? If not that's where all the new coaches will be coming from.

The only part that doesn't completely make sense to me was I thought long term the plan was the 17th game was to be on a neutral site. So by 2022 wouldn't they be ready for the neutral site concept? Hard to imagine there are enough neutral sites, counties interested in hosting a game though. Or maybe the Bills will be playing some NFC team in the Vietnam Bowl or something for lack of places interested.

Does it? I have no idea! I'm sure there is enough analytics data out there that can tell you what the odds under the older system was and whatever the odds were just back up the distance until the odds are the same. Maybe it's 4th and 23 produces the same chance of success, then go with that. Admittedly I'm not sure I like this rule, but do think the current setup is practically impossible to succeed at, even though the Bills did.

At the time many thought Ryan Leaf was a better choice than Peyton Manning based on college career and should have been selected #1 overall. Granted this time does seem to be more clear cut choice of Lawrence but never know. Maybe Wilson's game will project better to NFL??

Good article in the Athletic (behind pay wall) about 22 former first round QB's and what happened to each of them and where they are now. Some names barely even remember. The one somewhat surprise to me was Mark Sanchez was drafted in 2009. If you had asked me prior to reading I would have guessed it was 20 years ago. Seems like he's been gone forever! EJ Manual is one of the 22 BTW. Surprised ole JP didn't make the list, guess they didn't want to go back quite that far. https://theathletic.com/2419673/2021/03/02/nfl-draft-quarterbacks-breakups-carson-wentz-jared-goff-matthew-stafford/?source=dailyemail

I'm OK with most of the cuts except Morse. Initially I was on board, but read enough to agree with many that can re-structure his deal and basically the difference between cutting him and keeping him on cheap deal saves around $1 mil and doesn't create another roster opening. For that little savings, keep him. I'd also re-structure: Diggs, Beasley, Hyde, and Matakevic for starters gaining some more cash. Agree with signing close as top they can afford edge rusher and LB help Not sure I'd sign Williams, think his price tag will be too high. would rather draft much higher a tackle. Don't like the o-line that much with Nsekhe and Winters, would be surprised if either of them are back. I'd go with a line of Dawkins-Ford-Morse-Feliciano-rookie and bench of Boettger, Bates, Mid level FA signing, low draft pick You have 6 DT listed, they'd not keeping that many and your plan would leave them to have to cut cheap rookie contracts, considering how strapped they are for cash, that doesn't sound like a smart move. Based on your plan, you'd be doing a similar thing a DE too, cutting rookie contracts. Too many safety's not enough CB, need to switch out one, probably don't draft the safety, instead draft CB fairly high. You don't address TE at all, based on the team end of season comments think they want an upgrade there and likely need to bring in a vet as takes awhile for a rookie to learn the position. To me is signing three fairly big FA contracts, would go with edge, LB, TE, plus mid level Oline. Would be surprised if they let both Roberts and Jones go for ST play No idea on players to draft but would more go by positions and would draft in order: OT, LB, CB, WR, OL, LB

I'm fine with drafting a DT this year as Stars eventual replacement either in 2022 or 23 as is low cost now. But I look at it for 2021, they have Star and maybe they keep either Jefferson or Butler plus Oliver, Phillips, and Zimmer on cheap deals. That leaves either four or five DT without drafting someone depending on whether they keep/cut both Jefferson and/or Butler. Ideally they draft the guy maybe mid round, then someone steps on his toe or something in training camp so they can stash him on IR for a year to avoid any numbers issues.

Assuming Star is coming back and if he does he's to expensive to cut, I think we have enough players inside. Edge is where we're lacking. If we truly were in the running for Watt, that tells me Beane was willing to go close to $15 mil. Maybe didn't want to go quite that high for Watt and that's why he's now in Az. But that tells me he wasn't totally out of the price range so I'd go for the top DE's out there. At his age Watt may not be worth $15 mil, but there are some that are, and if Beane was willing to go to $12 or $13 mil, I'm sure he'd go a couple more for a younger better player. The only worry is who will ultimately be available on March 17th. Won't be shocked to see some of the top talent gets re-signed by then.

So the other 25 have a good chance of signing him! Basically stated Washington didn't want him at all, didn't expect him to come back, and didn't think he'd be at all capable of playing. Once he stated playing they came around, but was very awkward early on.

At the time I blamed it on my wife. What did she do!

So I agree with half of what Beane stated, "Yes it is a problem" but don't like his solution at all! Roughly 2/3 of the teams in the league don't make the playoffs, seems that kind of penalizes the majority of the league. I guess if I had the chance to address Beane on this I'd ask him: "So are you telling me between the time the clock hit zero in week 17 against Miami, and the end of the AFC championship game against KC, you never gave one thought as to moves you might be making in the off season or had zero discussions about anything related to this with McD, Terry or anyone else?" If TBD is any indicator, there was plenty of discussion about next season in that same time interval. LOL How many cut/re-sign John Brown threads were there during that time! And if you can only start interviews the day after the conference championship games it may be a week before you finish the interviews and make a hire. Meanwhile Beane and company at that point were definitely thinking about next year. Were the futures contracts announced like a day or two after the KC game? Didn't they sign Kenny Stills after the regular season ended? They got time to think about what they might do with him moving forward, something others still looking to hire a coach or GM wouldn't be able to.

So this article says Watt has narrowed things down. Jeremy Fowler reports Bills are front runner. Personally I think if you're going to pay $15 mil like reported there are better/younger options like a Y Ngakoue who are projected to get similar amount of money or cheaper amounts for players one peg down in talent like a L Williams. The only risk with guys like that are, how many of actually will become FA on March 17th or will be re-signed prior by existing team. Could end up with an empty bag by waiting. https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/jj-watt-has-reportedly-narrowed-his-list-of-teams/ar-BB1e5IR6?li=BBnb7Kz

Wouldn't be surprised if this week start to see some movement either players signing extensions or cuts to free up money. Match 17th is getting closer. Are we already in the Tag window?? Thought there was a pinned topic on NFL off-season dates? Did the pin fall out?

Personally I think teams don't want to wait that long for teams in the playoffs. Once the Bills beat Baltimore, Daboll's chances were done. I think if the Bills had beaten the Chiefs, Bienemy had a chance, but again once the Chiefs were SB bound, his chances also were done. Not sure how they can solve that issue?

This is from an article in The Athletic what their Business manager thinks will happen to ST. Overall a good article about the entire new NFL TV contract. The article appears to have been written slightly prior to ATT selling DTV. From what I read though ATT really didn't sell DTV, they spun it off and partnered up with some other company but are still are supplying the biggest share of the $$. Think eventually they'll hand it completely over to this new company. What takes its place could be a single provider like a cable operator or a streaming company, or a hybrid model that splits the out-of-market games among two types of technological platforms. But the interesting thing here is the NFL may see a reduction because AT&T treated the NFL as a marketing expense. If it is not willing to do so again — and it’s not — and others need to make the economics work, this might be a rare NFL rights package where the league’s take goes in reverse. https://theathletic.com/2409140/2021/02/25/nfl-tv-contracts-101-how-deals-with-cbs-fox-espn-nbc-amazon-could-change/

With Diggs as the #1 and Beasley in the slot, in this offense the #2 WR is lucky to catch 50 balls a season. Brown has only exceeded that number twice in his career, in 2019 with the Bills when he was their #1 WR and think one other year early in his career. Davis on a rookie contract caught in the mid 30's and early in the season wasn't playing as the #2 when Brown was still healthy. With a year experience and playing as a true #2 all season can see him getting close to 50. So the only thing Brown gives you that still maybe to be replaced is a little more speed. You can draft a rookie burner for that and a rookie and Davis together won't cost more than about $2 mil. Or they sign some vet with speed for $2 to $3 mil. So unless Brown is willing to take a huge pay cut down to that range can easily seeing him being replaced skill wise and still save $4 mil. For this team to improve to become elite they need improvement in a handful of positions and little to no money available to do that with so they need to cut some players who present a large savings. To me WR is the one position on this team that has enough depth so can afford to cut him without worrying about losing much production and skill wise. They can cut D lineman but whomever they cut there, they need to replace with someone better for the team to improve. As little as Brown played this year, they produced 2nd in the league without him. So unless he agrees to cut salary in half or so, will be surprised if he's not cut.

Except the NFL is saying no deal has been reached. Sounds like Disney announced something a little too early or some details still to be worked out, but likely close For those who have access to The Athletic good article there today too about broadcast rights and more details. This article does clear up one thing that's been discussed on prior posts. There were some posts stating this is all bogus, there are no new TV deals coming as the NFL just signed new deals with Fox and CBS so nothing is being announced. This article explains while that is true, this deal now spells out the rights and $$ for once those existing deals run out. Basically it's a contract extension so everyone will know what the amounts coming in for close to the next 10 years. The only actual new $$ coming will be the ESPN deal as that expires very soon. The other thing it addresses is all the talk here about how the bulk will be going to a streaming package, because this is a long term deal, likely the opposite is true, the NFL has no plans for any expanded streaming with the exception of Thursday night package. Sunday Ticket may also go to streaming, but may be some type of split transmission deal and that is the one rights package that likely could go down in value as DTV way over paid for it as it was a "loss leader " to them to generate DTV subs. To a new player in town, it will become their bread and butter so need to make money on it. https://theathletic.com/2409140/2021/02/25/nfl-tv-contracts-101-how-deals-with-cbs-fox-espn-nbc-amazon-could-change/

He would wear the NFL gear of the closest team to where he was playing. Likely was wearing Bills gear when they were playing at Oak Hill in Rochester. Don't believe there's any PGA events in Buffalo so would assume that's the closest??

I wouldn't trade a 1st as the article suggests. Never know about neck injuries, maybe a 2nd and 3rd or 4th the following year that can bump up one round depending on meeting certain levels of play.

Can see this working for one off type events; weddings, concerts, easy too for the Bills with only 8 games a season plus playoffs. For basketball and hockey have a hard time seeing this work 40 times a year. Even amusement parks, are you going to spend, think I read the cost for testing was like $60?

So is this article only about what's happening in 2023?? https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-reportedly-seeking-double-broadcast-000258351.html

3 years away? I just read someplace they hope to have a new TV announced prior to the start of free agency! At most by next season the contracts run out.