Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

Or we won't. IF he gets traded, then yes will find out what he's worth, but if he doesn't then never know. Is it because the Bills value him highly so never trade him or because no team wanted to give anything more than maybe a 5th rounder so Bills Declined.

Afraid of him and what he may say on the way out. At some point likely soon think it will become too much. Richardson in Carolina at least agreed to sell when they told him to, he did.

It amazes me how majority of the people think he's terrible, and we should trade him, he has value I hear and we're going to maybe get a 2nd rounder for him or more some think! It's just the scheme here doesn't fit him, but he's worth alot!

Likely what would happen is all the representatives from Western NY, as far east as Rochester would get together and agree they will not vote to pass anything including the yearly budget and for a long while anything for downstate. Plus any democrats will get alot of pressure from the Governor and also from Shummer to pass it. Believe the democrats hold the majority so that is also in favor of passing. I'm sure there's things they want downstate that would never pass without support at some level from western NY

Agree on drafting a punter. Likely though whomever it is he may have limited holding experience as read in college most holding is done by redshirt freshman QB. But then if that guy becomes the starter or even backup by 2nd year, sounds like he's no longer holding then, now the new guy takes over. So wonder how a rookie punter will do WRT holding??

Don't think it's only teams with good offense's. I just looked at kicking stats from some of the teams with the worst records last year, Jax, Caroilna, Seattle, Giants. All those kickers averaged about 6 points per game, basically one TD. That can be the difference between winning an losing a game. Better teams like Buffalo the kickers worth even more, about 8 points per game. Now look at punting stats. The difference in net yards between Bojo who everyone is still pining for and Haack is 2.6 yards. Difference between the best net punting average in league and worst (who BTW is Haack) is about 7 yards per game and the worst teams in the league punt an average of 5 times a game. So if you take 7 yards more /punt X 5 punts = 35 yards a game more. 6 points will likely end up being more important than 35 yards There were also only 8 blocked punts and 2 punts returned for TD by all the teams together for the entire season. One of the TD returns was against Bojo so ironically tboth he and HHack gave up one TD. He and Haack had almost identical number of punts inside the 20, fair caught, and downed. Bojo also had 268 return yards against him vs 96 for Haack. Bojo had 4 touchbacks, Haack 7. When you really look at the stats the two of them are very close, and BTW Bojo can't hold. Games are won and lost more on missed FG's than punt returns

So did George Blanda. That's the only way today a QB will be holding, if he also punts.

Allen forgot t o take a little something off his throw!

Lou Groza, Great example of todays NFL! https://howtheyplay.com/team-sports/Reasons-Punters-Hold-for-Field-Goals

Yes I remember, it was back in the day when lengths of practice wasn't governed as much and players like the backup QB could just stay after to work with the kicker. Now if you want your backup QB to hold for kicks that means he's not with the QB's when they are practicing the offense for next weeks game. Plus some weeks the backup QB may became the starting QB or at least enter in the middle of the game. Plus on teams with strong offenses I'd argue holding for kicks is more important than punting. Was it one or two games last season the Bills never punted. Could you get someone else, sure, but whomever you get if it's not he kicker, punter or holder, you're pulling them away from practice time on their other roles to work with the kicker. That's why 32 (I'm assuming there aren't any teams that use the QB to hold) teams don't think it's a dumb idea. The dumb idea would be using someone else. https://howtheyplay.com/team-sports/Reasons-Punters-Hold-for-Field-Goals

You mean like Fox and CBS?? I suspect this will work just like ST will be in addition if you want to watch out of market games. CBS/Fox still broadcast the games on ST too so I'm sure they get a cut that way too thru ST and whatever the future partner is. As for pricing, they have to be careful, could price it same as DTV prices ST, but even at those prices then run the risk of people still instead using the illegal viewing steams or other means to circumvent, fake VPN address, etc. Admittedly it was never the price of ST that was the show stopper, it was the additional monthly DTV bill that was the show stopper.

Pretty much completely agree with what you stated. The only thing I'd throw out is; agree good chance Beane made Bates a long term contract offer, say $3.5 mil a year for 3 years. Bates turns it down as wants to see what other teams would offer. But likely Bates camp didn't know for certain till March 17th which tender the Bills were giving him, non compensation or 2nd round. I doubt Beane would have told him that upfront and if given 2nd round tender, likely he'd get no offers from other teams. Admittedly rumors were he'd be given non comp tender and agents are smart enough to gauge his value against others over the years and predict which tender, but nothing for certain either way till it would be too late to accept a long term deal from Bills. If given the 2nd round tender, he plays for $4 mil this year for Bills and is a UFA next year. That hurts the Bills as if he has a decent season, he could easily get $6 or $7 mil next year with exploding cap. But he could get hurt in camp or Bills draft a guard and decide to start him instead. Bates hardly plays and value goes down next year as UFA. So my point is there is some risk on player not accepting any long term offers given by Bills prior to tender, basically a risk on both sides. But do also agree likely there was an offer made, for how much who knows? Also think if he had not received any offers and played under tender, sometime late spring a longer term deal would have been made with Bills. likely for less than the $4 mil, maybe $3.5 mil. However if he'd been given the 2nd round tender, then that would have been the starting point for any longer deal, probably more like $5 mil average. Doubt he'd have seen UFA, but likely would have cost the Bills more.

Think DTV still has a contract for this coming season. Don't think they are making any money off it so who knows, maybe they'd be willing to mutually drop it a year early. IF NFL+ is ready??

2027 to be held in Buffalo at new stadium!! Not enough tables in all of Eric County to handle it. Players in the Green room jumping through tables when their name is called!

Per Spotrac Ryan Bates signed a 4 year, $17,000,000 contract with the Chicago Bears, including $8,800,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $4,250,000. In 2022, Bates will earn, while carrying a cap hit of . (leaves that blank) LOL

Likely more a case first deciding whether to match and where they could come up with the money, then since have been working on actually re-doing other deals to free up money. Unless the offer was much lower than expected, highly unlikely they'd have been able to sign him without freeing up money elsewhere and that takes time. Agree though many thought that last year too, but didn't happen. Realistically think they'd want to keep their first four picks, maybe a little moving up or down depending on a certain player, but nothing drastic. Now you're down to low value picks. Think I looked last week and we could package our two sixths to move up to late 5th, or a 5th and 6th to move up closer to top of 5th. But not likely much else can be done with the lower picks.

So what are the odds Shoop and the Dope will argue this is a terrible deal?

You guarantee you having him for one thing. But to me the bigger reason is there's alot of uncertainty around him as to whether he's any good or not. I highly doubt if he's released and now and a FA he'll sign a one year contract anywhere. Likely will ask for a 4 year minimum, maybe someone can get it down to 3 years, but certainly be a large signing bonus. By the time you factor those things in, if you can afford the one year cap hit he'd play on, it's not such a bad deal to trade for him. The 5th year option will cost more this year, but if you sign him to a 3 to 4 year contract and he flops and you cut him, likely the cost the years he's cut will be as high as the 5th year option. But because it is only a one year deal and his questionable abilities, likely Cleveland won't get too much in return.

So if they worked a trade, would he then still be on the tender offer? Or would is somehow become a contract? If still a tender, could it happen again from another team?

Tried looking through this thread, but didn't see anything that popped out and 38 pages is alot to look through. Wondering if details of the Bears offer have been posted? Or is that something that is normally not known to the outside world till the 5 days is up? Also wondering if the Bills do match, is the entire tender thing over with, or next week or anytime up till around April 20 something, can one of the other teams he had also visited with, say the Vikings make a new higher offer? I'm guessing the answer is no as he's no longer on a tender offer, but something higher to match Bears

If he had also held for kicks all his career I'd be much more in favor of drafting him higher. Regardless of where he's picked likely his lack of holding will cause him to drop some, if he held he would have been selected higher. I'm also sure that ever since his season has ended, he's been practicing holding, but that doesn't make up for years of experience at it. Have to wonder to, yes he'll learn to hold, but not something he enjoys or cares about as much as punting and doesn't put the same effort into it long term, just figuring his money is being made on kicking. I believe the biggest reason the Bills moved on from Bojo was his issues with holding. How'd that work out this year in Green Bay? Sure they can work with him, but that takes time, what if in a playoff game a crucial kick is missed due to holding issues. Personally I think as strong as the Bills offense is holding is more important than punting. 30 years ago backup QB's held all the time. But that was when there weren't all the rules and restrictions on practice time. Was easy at the end of practice for Reich to go over and practice kicking. Now that's not allowed. So for Keenum to be the holder, you're taking time away from his already limited time he has a backup QB. It's fine as long as he's never needed in a game, but if Allen were to get hurt some week, then he may not be as prepared as he should be and you also don't want your now starting QB holding. Plus does Keenum even have any experience at it? Would I pick him, yes, but not not before the 4th, and better have a solution for the holding part. Maybe someone else on the roster has alot of holding experience . Though to be honest I'd question if almost any rookie punter has put much effort into improving holding?

I never said it's going to happen, just that they should relatively easily address it LOL Not certain on the upper deck but from what's been written I'm envisioning something that looks like Hard Rock, so yeah I believe all seats will be covered. Likely the people who could get the wettest would be those closest to field in a driving rain, could come up under the overhand So I've read this statement like three times: Up to $150 million of the loan is forgivable, repaid through the visiting teams' share of Bills ticket revenue over 25 years Does this mean say when the Bills visit Miami the Bills share of ticket sales will go to repay the loan? Or the other way, when Miami comes to Buffalo that share will go towards the loan?

Recall about 25 years ago in Rochester they wanted to build a new baseball stadium downtown for AAA Red Wings. Same arguments why should tax payers pay for it. Make it a vote on ballot many argued. But as was pointed out if that was done on everything, nothing would ever be approved. And even if they decided not fund the stadium, it's unlikely that instead they'd put the money into schools, roads, etc. Instead they'd just be $1 bill less in the budget. Doubt the Bills wanted a dome, it will have a heated grass field, most seats all covered so what's the real advantage of the dome vrs playing in the elements. Biggest issues isn't snow or rain, but wind. That can be addressed in the design to minimize impact. Yes a dome can allow 12 months of use, but Buffalo isn't large enough to justify many events that require a 60k stadium. 2 to 3 concerts a year and they can still schedule them in summer months. As I sit here watching March Madness, Buffalo wouldn't get the final 4, maybe a regional final, but that likely could be played downtown anyway. Never see a Super Bowl.

He played well in 2020 so hard to predict he was going to decline like he did. Seems too that his problem was his decision apparently made on his own to lose the weight to become quicker, quicker to the bench. Will be interesting to see if he decides this year to put the weight back on. When he originally signed, the first two years was a good signing. They originally traded for Bates so their judgement was good their. Spain worked out well the first year.

Yes but if you do accomplish that, then these other guys will want to be paid more. The key more is draft/sign/trade at other positions that aren't paid as high as WR has become Kind of funny in away, there's been an onslaught of improved QB play in the past half dozen or so years. That in turn has made all these WR's look so much better so now they are being paid. What could hurt Diggs is if Adams and Hill in their new surrounding DON'T put up huge numbers this coming year. Then Beane and company can tell Diggs WR aren't playing at that level of pay. All these guys have put up huge numbers when matched with elite QB play. Diggs best year was with Allen, even this year was his second best ever and people were a bit disappointed. Adams and Hill have had one advantage of more years with elite QB play, though another year for Diggs with Allen and similar results would give him 3 great seasons. This likely is Diggs last shot at a huge contract so will see.