[Who should the Bills draft at #58? - TSW Mock Draft 2.0]

10 hours ago, HappyDays said:

 

I suspect he'll win the poll because everyone knows safety is a need. I just personally have no interest in drafting a safety anywhere in the top 75 picks. It's too easy to find good players at that position later in the draft. Especially in McDermott's defense we don't need studs at the position, just smart players that can learn the defense and stick to their zones.

I'm not convinced Hyde is done, either.  And there's still the Simmons one-year option floating around. Completely agree. 

[Police searching for Rashee Rice in connection to accident - Now officially charged]

2 hours ago, muppy said:

greetings.

My thinking is that by fleeing the accident he did save himself the DUI charges that he allegedly could have had otherwise.  It REEKS of being circumstantial he was partying when this all went down

 

So he did get over on that. How much penalty he saved himself by doing that is an interesting thought.

Maybe, maybe not.  Depends on the circumstances leading up to the collision.  If the DA can prove that he was boozing/smoking, and then driving erratically immediately thereafter, then he might have a problem with any crime analogous to what’s called common law DWI in New York State. 

1 hour ago, Logic said:

Right. But in this case, Rice has admitted full guilt, turned himself in, is fully cooperating, and is going the total contrition, "throw himself on the mercy of the court" route.

In these types of cases, it's my understanding that prior legal history and a stance of remorse both play big parts, and Rice has been in absolutely no prior legal trouble, and is at least feigning (if not actually feeling) remorse.

At the end of the day, I STILL expect this to be plead down to lesser misdemeanor chargers, a hefty fine and financial restitution paid, no jail time, and no more than four games suspension. Likely just two.

That's my prediction and I'm stickin to it!

It’s not unheard of for something like this to get resolved through a plea to a misdemeanor, or to multiple misdemeanors.  If that’s your definition of special treatment, then . . . We simply may disagree there. I don’t think it’s outrageous to suggest no jail time for something like this.  Based on what little I know he probably deserves a little alone time, but a big fine, probation with some onerous terms (no drinking, IID, no drugs, no excessive speeding tix, maybe even a curfew), and perhaps some community service probably does the trick, too.  

 

The problem for Rice remains that there’s a lot of people looking at this case now, and he has a raft of pending felonies that the DA may not wish to resolve through a plea to a misdemeanor.  So this is going to take a little work.  

[Police searching for Rashee Rice in connection to accident - Now officially charged]

On 4/5/2024 at 10:02 PM, Logic said:

I'm on record here as agreeing with that take.

I believe a plea to a lesser charge, a fine, and minimal league discipline is the most likely outcome. I do not believe for a second that Rice will go to jail, because that's not how the American justice system tends to work for rich athletes.

Still, the possibility of jail time exists, and to pretend that it doesn't is silly.

Yes and no.  Yes, they probably get a few more breaks than would others.  But when something egregious happens (like this), or when the star athlete “big times” an officer, they get treated just like everyone else.  Maybe a little more strictly, actually, because the eyes of the public then are upon them.  For example, last year around here a certain mercurial star player acted like a jerk one too many times and found out the hard way that he’s no different from everyone else.  

11 minutes ago, Doc said:

 

Hard to get away with a slap on the wrist with 8 felonies.  

Yeah, that’s gonna take some work to get to slap on a wrist territory.  It’s not impossible, but it’s an issue.  Particularly in view of the fact that there are a lot of “eyes” now on this case. 

[Has the final four replaced the SB as your most enjoyable sporting event!?]

No.  I didn't watch it.  Once I realized how much better then NBA is than college basketball, the college game was ruined for me.  

[Poll: How do we feel about Stefon Diggs the player?]

8 hours ago, SCBills said:

I’m closest to A, but it’s a little too aggressive for how I feel. 
 

I was on his side at first (post-CIN).  I think he might have some valid annoyances with this team/coach/QB.

 

But then his play didn’t match his mouth, he fell flat in the playoffs… again… and went right back to his cryptic nonsense, while forcing us to eat 31M in dead cap.   
 

Let’s just say I’m over it, been over it, glad he’s gone.  🤡 

I agree with all of this, but I'll add that he had his own nonsense going on last year and he was a tiresome distraction to a lot of people in the building.  Death by a signifiant number of paper cuts.  I feel like I'm constantly getting new stories about this guy.  It was time for him to go. 

[Trade Targets for Bills (WR)]

Just now, SCBills said:

I think we draft a guy (or two) and then potentially get involved with a Hopkins-type situation this summer if someone like that becomes available.

 

Im not sure I see us doing a Diggs trade all over again, but Aiyuk would be eerily similar.  

I think they moved in large part because they got sick of his nonsense (scab-scratching with Josh, storming out on McDermott, chronic lateness, refusing to enter the game against NE,  idiot assistant arguing over bringing his makeup bag into the locker room, etc.), and in part because they'd rather have a cost-controlled 1 or 1A WR with Josh getting big bucks and the talent pool in this draft.  It's the way to go.  So I'm with you.  Maybe OBJ on a reasonable deal after June 1, the rookie(s) we draft, and any we go. 

[Diggs traded to Texans for picks]

1 hour ago, Aimee75 said:

NateGeary sucks!! He is literally going onto social media and blaming whatever the alleged "incident" Josh had before the Bengals game, and blaming that situation for the downfall of the friendship and Diggs wanting to leave. 

 

I don't know what went down, if anything went down(rumors of course are Josh cheated and his ex destroyed their house etc) but is that really an excuse for Diggs to be pissed off for a year+ over this, and a game(Bengals game) that I don't think The Bills were winning, and I don't blame Josh for the loss.

 

Literally dragging Josh and bringing horrible attention to him to prop Diggs up. It's gross.

I’m not at all involved with these guys but, from what I know, there’s truth to what I believe to be Diggs’s sentiment that Josh had to get his act together in 2023.   That said, there’s also truth to the point that Diggs acted like a supreme a-hole this year.  In the end, it doesn’t matter.  Diggs is gone and on we go. 

[Diggs traded to Texans for picks]

1 hour ago, PBF81 said:

 

Thanks for a decent response!!  

 

It is a somewhat complex analysis to be sure, with a bunch of variables.  Here's the thing, that's not Allen's strong suit.  Wouldn't it seem logical to play to his strong suit in the interests of getting all that we can from him, instead of trying to turn him into a game-managing ball-control passer?  That seems patently illogical.  

 

Last season, 9 of Allen's TD passes were 20+ yards.  Without looking, and knowing stats from years of analyzing the NFL, I'd venture to say that easily that's more than any QB playing today and likely even way back.  15 of his 29 were 15 yards+.  19 were double-digit TDs.  

 

Let's contrast that with Mahomes, considered to be the best in the game today and since Brady.  Mahomes had 3 of 27 over 20 and 5 in double-digits.  

 

It doesn't add up.  Call it The Process or whatever, but things are not aligning with what they've said since they drafted Allen.  They drafted him for his athletic ability and ability to make every throw and for his strong arm, right.  But you're suggesting that they're now trying to turn him into something contrary to that.  

 

Call me crazy, but good coaches take their strength(s) and figure out how to shove them down the opponents' throats.  Belichick didn't try to put a cap on Brady, neither is Reid trying to put a cap on Mahomes.  But it seems that McD, via Brady now, is trying to do that with Allen.  

 

The types of receivers we have, whatever their design by McBeane, are what we have because that's how we've planned.  Just as they say your as good as your record says you are, so too, your roster is as good as you've made it.  

 

In desperately looking to find some sort of plan or methodology here, all that anyone can offer is to blindly trust The Process, but seemingly not realizing that this Process isn't even identifiable for the most part and has otherwise never been articulated as to what it is.  And now on the cusp of us going from one of the league's best passing teams to some version of the Ravens.  Allen's better than Jackson, but not if he's not going to be used to his strengths.  

 

We seem to be taking a square peg and trying to force it into a round hole.  

 

 

I look at the KC playoff game and keep thinking if we had one bigger receiver I’d take the layups all day long and let him beat on those corners and let the corners make the tackle.  Deep stuff comes form that - wear them down, get them creeping, and hit the shot (unless it’s to Diggs, who dropped the shot it took them the whole game to set up).  
 

But your points about having ann intermediate or deep game are valid.  We have probably the only quarterback in the league who can hit Diggs in Detroit on Thanksgiving.  And that Shakir route that missed against KC in the playoffs is a throw that most wouldn’t even attempt.  So there’s a logic in leaning into that too.  I just want to have the ability to play and punish through the short game if we’re going to see the steady diet of two high again next year. 

[Do you think Allen feels relief after the Diggs trade?]

17 minutes ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

The bad energy he brought to the huddle wears on everyone. It gets in the qbs head. 

Players like Stef are wonderful when you're winning, but they tear a team down just as fast when things aren't going well. 

Well said.  

[Diggs traded to Texans for picks]

9 minutes ago, Sweats said:

 

 

 

I'm fairly certain you can only do it once......if you try it a 2nd time, the time stays on the clock and the play is played-over on the same down.

Yes.  Exactly right.  

[Diggs traded to Texans for picks]

2 minutes ago, papazoid said:

the bills will absolutely replace diggs. we will have another WR1 to get excited about.

 

vegas says the bills are a Top 5 team.....and likely to remain that way as long as Josh is healthy.

 

COACHING is what's holding this team back.

 

McClappity isnt even smart enough to run 13 seconds off the clock to close out a game.

 

Squibb the kickoff (run 3 seconds off clock)

1st down - instead of laying 15 yards off kelce and tyreek....you do the exact opposite. get up on the line and deliberately mug them. commit a 5 yard penalty (run another 2-3 seconds off clock)

1st down (2nd play) - repeat penalty (run more time off)

1st Down (3rd play) - do it again

1st Down (likely final play - defend a hail mary

This.  All day long.  That’s my beef with 13 seconds. 

[Diggs traded to Texans for picks]

1 hour ago, PBF81 said:

 

Diggs should be productive not in the slot where Brady had him playing often.  It's difficult to envision that wasn't a huge part of Diggs' discontent.  If he returns to his usual productivity it will tell us a lot.

 

The concern for Allen which I have yet to see anyone mention, apart from the fact that if he only averages what he did under Brady, he's headed for more of a 2019 passing season rather than his recent ones, is that he's not a high-percentage short passing QB.  That's far from his forte.  But those are the WRs he's now saddled with unless someone steps up to provide what Diggs has provided over the past four seasons.  Shakir seems to be out best prospect for that right now which isn't exactly reassuring.  

 

It's all but a given that we need to draft a WR at 28th, and possibly at 60th too, or maybe a trade up in the 2nd as a safety valve.  

 

While Diggs may not have put up great numbers under Brady, he still drew coverage of some sort.  As many that have covered this trade have pointed out, which should be obvious, we don't currently have a WR that's any opposing DC is concerned about in the matchup category.  That's an issue.  And all a mere three weeks prior to the Draft.  

 

 

I get the concern about turning him into a ball control passer, but I wonder if that’s the way to trend a bit more given how defenses play him.  We’ve seen a ton of two-high shell, and maybe the approach to that is to run the ball (Cook is dynamic) and get it to guys who can break a few tackles (Shakir) or do something on a bubble.  

 

I completely agree with the point that we cannot abandon a deep game. I’m also of the mind that YAC is overblown, and that if we have guys catching the ball 15 yards downfield with their backs to the end zone I’m totally find with that.   But that type of passing game probably isn’t going to be available with the way teams are playing us.  So I’m all about getting guys who can break a tackle or run a corner over on completions underneath the shell.  

[Diggs traded to Texans for picks]

Just now, CaliBills said:

 

I agree as well but with a caviot.

 

There is only 1 ball that can go around so if it wasn't them getting schemed open or thrown to, it will be Kincaid/Shakir/Samuel now and who ever we trade for or draft. 

 

The reason I see this and Davis being on another team, is at crucial times in games and in the playoffs, drops were happening more than they should.

Solid point on davis.  They could have kept him if they wanted.  That money was workable.  But they simply decided that stuff like the Denver drop wasn’t worth the cap space. 

[Diggs traded to Texans for picks]

Just now, Beast said:

No, actually it is looking very goood.

 

Diggs and his sulking, non-productive ways are out of the locker room. The Bills went on a 5 game winning streak to win the division title.

 

Diggs had 37 catches for 349 yards and 1 TD in the last 8 games of the regular season, while being on the field for 80 plus percent of the offensive snaps.

 

Bye, Stefon. Those stats and better can be replaced quite easily, minus the attitude.

Sulking is such a perfect word. 

[Diggs traded to Texans for picks]

9 minutes ago, BillMafia716ix said:

I don’t think this was originally the plan. That tweet from Diggs had to have been the last straw. No way you just let your top two WR’s walk out the door. The fact that they didn’t get more for Diggs and traded him to within the conference says they just wanted to be done with him. 
 

 

I don’t think they nuke the nominal #1 WR over a very recent tweet.  This has been brewing for awhile.  Trust me when I say that this guy turned into a supreme a-hole.  I have no doubt that Josh signed off on this.  
 

In the end, they just got tired of his BS and dumped him.  They couldn’t do it after his tantrum in minicamp, but they kept a lid on it and him and got value for him as soon as they could.  Adios to a guy who didn’t want to be here. 

[Diggs traded to Texans for picks]

4 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

Yeah, and I was saying all offseason I felt there was no way we would trade Diggs before the draft and take on that much dead cap hit unless something behind the scenes forced the issue.  And thus far, nothing has come out that would qualify as significant enough to make this move.

 

So it makes me wonder what we are going to find out now that Diggs has been moved.  Seems like this had to be an "addition by subtraction" move in Beanes eyes to take on that dead cap and not even get a pick in this WR rich draft back.  I mean he didn't even wait until after June 1st when the cap was less of a hit which would have made more business sense given we got no picks back in this draft. 

 

So I am really curious to what we are gonna hear that was going on behind the scenes that he had to make this move and take this weak compensation back.

He became a supreme a-hole and they were tired of his act.  I’m not the least bit surprised by the trade based on what I’ve heard about this guy.  

[Diggs traded to Texans for picks]

3 minutes ago, Donuts and Doritos said:

There has to be a Huge back story we don't know about. The compensation seems like Beane wanted to be rid of him & his cao hit. Either Diggs really wanted out & it was worse than we know (like his production went down bc he quit) OR Beane thinks he's cooked & not worth the $. I'm sure there could be other options too. It seems like a sudden rash trade.

Winner winner chicken dinner. 

[Diggs traded to Texans for picks]

2 minutes ago, Donuts and Doritos said:

We have up a 5th this year & a 6th next year in addition to Diggs to get a 2nd next year? 

 

Houston robbed Beane. Has to be Diggs really wanted out or Beane was drunk.

Or he‘s an a-hole and they wanted him gone.  Storming out on McD last year?  Broken relationship with Josh? (Though Diggs was right about the focus point last year.)  Raincloud bad attitude?  Making everyone walk on eggshells around him to handle his jerkiness?  Adios.  I thank him for his service, but it was time for him to GTFO and take his act elsewhere.  On to a happier workplace.  

[Diggs traded to Texans for picks]

7 minutes ago, technobot said:

Was he toxic behind the scenes? I was sick of his passive-aggressive BS but I'm a Gen Xer who is sick of all social media anyway so wtf do I know (obligatory get off my lawn). And yes, I was thrilled for trading for him when it first happened, despite all of this being his MO.

 

Guess the brain trust is all in on eat our medicine now to set ourselves up for later. Just shocked it came to this considering the dead cap from Diggs' trade and already needing a #2, and now needing a #1.

 

He’s toxic.  He’s managed to alienate a lot of people in the last year or so.   Not jaw-dropping or violent stuff, but if it ever got out the consensus would easily be that he is a supreme a-hole.   

[Police searching for Rashee Rice in connection to accident - Now officially charged]

3 hours ago, Billl said:

You think the Dallas PD has nothing better to do than spend a bunch of time and money investigating a non-injury accident when the driver can afford a top attorney?

This is in the list of important things to do.  Maybe the Dallas DA wants to have their say, too.  We shall see. 

[Police searching for Rashee Rice in connection to accident - Now officially charged]

1 hour ago, Chaos said:

My understanding is he was a passenger. Why would his drinking or not drinking matter? I think it is legal to be a drunk passenger. 

If he was a passenger, then you're right.  I have not heard anything about him being a passenger.  The cynic in me notes that of course he was a passenger, and of course the driver didn't have any more than two drinks, if he had a drink at all.  Nobody ever has more than two drinks before a DWI, and rich dudes who were present in their vehicle at the scene of a bad accident but who have less monied friends with them never were driving the car.  

[Police searching for Rashee Rice in connection to accident - Now officially charged]

9 minutes ago, CaptnCoke11 said:

A nice little donation to the precinct will take care of it 

Not likely.  

[Police searching for Rashee Rice in connection to accident - Now officially charged]

44 minutes ago, DJB said:

24 hours later is blood alcohol has stabilized, and now he will pay his way out of this one 

Doubtful.  LE comes down hard on runners to discourage the behavior.  They’ll get his credit cards, lean in his friends, and maybe even pull phone records to get a bead on where he was and if he was drinking before the accident.  They’re gonna work this one.  

[Bills top 30 visits]

4 minutes ago, Breakout Squad said:

Why would the Bills waste an interview slot on a QB? Strange

Troy Franklin intel. 

[Josh Allen interview. Talks a little about WR’s in the draft]

10 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I am not sure we will ever know the full extent of what went on but I don't think 2023 was a great year for Josh Allen's personal life. I do think he looked heavier all year and I suspect he just had ***** going on last spring and summer that affected him. 

He did.  Some of the locals have a vague idea of what happened, but they’ve done a very good job on keeping a lid on the details.  Seems like he’s happy now, and I’m glad for him that the nuttiness is behind him.