folz

Or maybe he took some ballet lessons. It's a nice 4th position.

Let's face it, Barkley is going to be the #2. Anderson was not going to see the field this year. I think what was great for Josh was when he got hurt last year, he got to see Derek run a week of practice, how to interact with the other players, etc. That wasn't going to happen this year. And with Dorsey here, they don't need DA as much for the coaching the kid up part, in the meeting room or on game day. Plus Josh isn't a rookie anymore. He still has a lot to learn, but he's been through a full season now and isn't quite as raw. And although Barkley hasn't had a lot of playing time in the league, he will be a 5th year vet this year. So he's got some experience as far as being a sounding board for Josh. But what I think the team needs more than DA's presence is his roster spot. There are going to be some tough decisions at RB, WR, OL, etc. That extra roster spot allows them to keep one more player somewhere else. Hopefully you can stash Tyree on the practice squad and you only call him up this year if there is an injury. And as far as a 4th arm for camp, they can grab anyone, an NFL QB not on a roster or an UDRFA who hasn't been snatched up by a team yet. There are lots of both of those types. The guy won't make the roster, so there are plenty of options if you just need an arm to play with your 3rd or 4th team WRs, etc. If this was totally Anderson's decision (and not the team saying thanks but we won't need you this year), then it is probably a blessing in disguise.

Besides still having something left in the tank, as many of us have argued about Shady, the reason you keep him around is because he has become a team leader. He's never going to be a Kyle Williams-type of leader, that's not his personality. But, for a guy that at times in his career may have been perceived as a bit of a selfish guy (right or wrong), he has turned it around in Buffalo: voted a team captain, quickly built a great relationship with Josh, didn't complain about the team or line last year, and even when he was injured and the Bills had no shot at the playoffs, he was a great cheerleader...still involved in the game, running out to celebrate with players when they made a great play, etc. It is really important for the best players on your team to be totally bought in. And Shady is. First year in Buffalo, Shady obviously wasn't thrilled to be here. Going into his second year, he accepted his situation and started to like Buffalo and rededicated himself to the team and the process. But for me, I feel like there was one moment when Shady became a true Buffalo guy. (I may be mythologizing this a bit, but whatever.) It was his overtime TD for the win in the snow game. He scored the TD with his momentum carrying him towards the wall of the stands. But he stopped himself short of the wall and kind of just waved to the crowd (like there was still a literal and emotional distance between him and the fans---it was like he wanted to run over and embrace them, but didn't quite know how). Then his teammates mauled him, pushing him towards the fans and then the players and fans celebrated like mad with Shady in the middle of it all. I always feel like that was the moment that the last of Shady's walls fell and he became a true Buffalo guy. And I love McDermott as a coach (perfect guy for Buffalo), but one of the best things about hiring him was that he brought Brandon Beane with him. Beane is worth his weight in gold. To finally have a competent front office feels soooo good.

How can you even take that list seriously? Goff at #5 over Brady, Brees, Rivers, Ryan, and Big Ben Trubisky at #13 Prescott at #17 Jameis Winston at #21 (above Allen, Carr, Flacco, Garappolo...does he really think Arians can make Winston into something he isn't?) Jackson and Rosen ahead of Allen I know he's looking at the entire QB room, but is Jackson/RG III better than Allen/Barkley/Anderson/Tyree? Does having Blaine Gabbert as a backup really propel Winston over the guys I mentioned above? Does having Blake Bortles as a backup really put Goff ahead of Brady and Brees? This list is a joke.

Was originally going to argue for the velocity issue, but watching the drops video, I now agree that velocity really wasn't the issue (on Josh's end). And after watching last year, I really don't think he has an accuracy issue, except as LSHMEAB pointed out (bolded statement above). That was the only place where I felt he showed inaccuracy, on the dump offs But, even though velocity wasn't the issue, I wonder how much was just chemistry. Last offseason, the number one receivers were practicing much more with Peterman and even McCarron (neither of whom have a strong arm) rather than Josh. Josh's ball gets there a lot more quickly, and a good number of the drops came on scramble or out of the pocket plays (which are unpredictable), etc. So, although the drops were still inexcusable (as the majority were catchable balls), it may be partially due to a lack of chemistry, knowing how each other plays, how fast the ball will get there, the exact placement of the ball, etc. For instance, Foster had a better rapport with Josh early, but they practiced more together on the third team in the offseason. And as the season went on Zay and Josh seemed to be more on the same page (but it took time). Every QBs ball is different, so even if it wasn't a velocity issue on Josh, maybe it was partially an over all chemistry/continuity issue. Can't wait to see the improvement with both the new additions and with Josh having an entire offseason where he is the man and the WRs are practicing with him exclusively. And just out of curiosity, I watched the drops video again to tally up who had how many drops. I would note that there were 2-3 pass interferences not called (would have been hard for the WR to catch because they were being interfered with) and I would say 3-4 passes, while catchable, would have been pretty phenomenal catches (and therefore understandable that they missed on those). But the final tally is: 34 total drops in the video: Zay: 8 drops Benjamin: 5 drops McKenzie: 5 drops Foster: 3 drops Thompson: 3 drops Holmes: 2 drops Clay: 2 drops Murphy: 2 drops Taiwan: 1 drop Shady: 1 drop Logan Thomas: 1 drop ( there was one play I couldn't tell who it was---maybe Zay or McKenzie)

We have a pretty good WR corps right now. The only thing that everyone seems to think we are missing is that true #1 type receiver. None of the WRs in this year's draft had that true #1 receiver label. So, why waste a pick on a WR who is projected to be a slot guy (as some of the top WRs in the draft were slated as) since we already have Beasley. Why waste a pick on a speed guy, since we have Brown and Foster. If there was a true #1 WR in the draft, I bet Beane would have gone out of his way to get him, but that just wasn't this draft. You don't grab a WR just to say we drafted a WR. To all of the fans who were upset that the Bills didn't draft a WR in the 3rd to 7th rounds I ask, where was a WR in those rounds that would be a true #1 WR (if there was one he would have been drafted by someone earlier---rounds 1 or 2)? Anyone selected that late in the draft wouldn't have cracked the starting lineup, so why waste a pick on one. And as for Metcalf, McDermott said it in his post draft wrap up, "I hate the word potential." These guys like to draft players that have proven it at the collegiate level, with 2-4 years of solid production. As to the OP's point and posted article though, yes, I feel bad for kids like Metcalf who get their hopes of being a high draft pick pumped up by the media, when it just isn't a reality.

Sorry iinii, I didn't mean to come off so righteous...and it was kind of meant tongue in cheek, at least the part about your grandfather. I'm sure he was a good man.

Sorry to be the one to tell you, but your grandpappy was wrong ? (to take it to an extreme) is your honor and integrity for sale? Is someone's loyalty for sale? Are your children for sale? Some things are not negotiable. Shady will be a Bill in 2019. As to the 30-year old RB wall, yes, it is legitimate. RBs on average do significantly decline starting at age 28 for normal backs and around 30 for elite backs. But, averages are just that. It means there are exceptions to those averages, otherwise the averages would be even lower. Since 1990, 31 RBs have had a 1,000 yard season over the age of 30. So, on average, at least one 30-plus-year old RB each season has a 1,000 yard year. AP did it last year at 33 years old. Frank Gore did it in 2016 at age 33 (and followed it up in 2017 with 961 yards at age 34). Tiki Barber had his two best seasons as a pro at age 30 and 31 (going for 1860 and 1662 yards respectively). Our own Fred Jackson had 1,277 yards from scrimmage at age 32 and 1,027 yards from scrimmage at age 33. Emmitt Smith had 937 yards and 9 TDs at age 35. All I'm saying is that to claim Shady is done with no evidence besides his age seems ridiculous. Our line stunk last year. Our backs were consistently met 2-3 yards in the backfield all season long. The only reason Ivory looked better at times is because he is a plow ahead runner. So, he took what was available. Shady on the other hand was always trying to make something happen, but when the entire line is breaking down, there is no where to go. So, you can blame him for trying to make too much happen last year and not just taking the meager gains that were there, but I saw no evidence that he lost a step. When he did get to the open field, he didn't look slow, he hadn't lost his juke moves. If Ivory was the better back, then why is he gone and Shady still here? If the O-line wasn't the problem, then why did they just completely overhaul it? And that is not even to mention our QB situation. Every team we faced for at least the first 8-10 games stacked the box because they knew we didn't have a passing game. To lay all of that at Shady's feet seems to be lacking a full picture of what was going on. Plus the reason so many backs slow down at that age (28-30) is not just because they get slower, but because of the serious pounding that workhorse backs take over the years. The body starts to break down overall. And as has been said many a times, Shady is a back who has avoided a lot of that heavy pounding due to his running style. He hasn't taken the big shots over the years, pounding into the line over and over. I just see no evidence that he is done yet. Plus, having Gore and Yeldon should keep all three backs fresh. Shady won't be asked to be the lone workhorse. They don't need him to have a 1,600 yard season. How about 1,000 for Shady; 600 for Gore; and 400 for Yeldon, or something like that. Provided the line comes together, I think Shady will have a very productive year and our running game will creep back into the top 5 in the league. Top 10 rushing seasons by a 30+ RB Player Yr. Age Team Yds. Tiki Barber '05 30 NYG 1,860 Curtis Martin '04 31 NYJ 1,697 Walter Payton '84 30 CHI 1,684 Tiki Barber '06 31 NYG 1,662 Corey Dillon '04 30 NWE 1,635 Walter Payton '85 31 CHI 1,551 Barry Sanders '98 30 DET 1,491 Priest Holmes '03 30 KAN 1,420 Warrick Dunn '05 30 ATL 1,416 Thomas Jones '09 31 NYJ 1,402

It's hyperbole...and its good. Last draft, I didn't have a favorite of the four QBs. I was a little down on Rosen because of the rumored attitude, but was not even opposed to him. I just wanted the Bills to get one of the top four, preferably Mayfield, Darnold, or Allen. But Josh Allen and Buffalo was Kismet. First of all, he actually wanted to get drafted by the Bills, but also because of his small town, blue collar mentality. Then there's his leadership (he already has the entire locker room fully behind him, including the older vets). He's humble but also has a bit of cocky confidence and I love his competitive drive to win and be great. The resiliency he showed in both getting to Wyoming (sending out letters to D-1 schools when he wasn't recruited) and then playing at Wyoming is so Buffalo. Plus he played in a lot of bad weather in Wyoming. The football gods finally smiled down on Buffalo. We maybe didn't get the QB we wanted (depending on who you were pulling for), but we got the QB that we needed. My name is Folz and I have Josh Allen Obsessive Disorder.

It's a good signing for the Pats, but still a big step down from Gronk in receiving and blocking. So nothing to worry about. He'll get his share of balls, but will never be someone you have to specifically gameplan for.

I know you're just denoting that those refs actually got caught on mic, so it is not a theory...but as a side note, conspiracy theory is a phrase that was created to keep people from looking into actual conspiracies. Just because someone labels something a conspiracy theory doesn't mean that there isn't actual proof of a conspiracy.

It feels like you're looking at the situation with no context at all. You have to weigh in the money available last year, what they were trying to do (position themselves for one of the top 3 QBs), the player's and the team's situation, etc. For instance, your statement about McCarron above makes it sound like the Bills were all in on McCarron (he's our guy) and then suddenly decided they weren't. You have to remember what the QB market was last year. There were a number of decent QBs available and a lot of QB hungry teams. Knowing they were all in on drafting one of the top QBs, they weren't going to get into a bidding war for players like Cousins or Keenum, etc. and when the dust settled, McCarron was kind of last man standing, so they signed him to a backup QB level deal. They maybe hoped he could be that veteran leader and maybe a bridge QB until the rookie was ready, but when he couldn't beat out Peterman and wouldn't be a great mentor (because he still wanted to start), they shipped him away. It's not like they pegged him as a top FA that they had to have, took a huge swing on him, and whiffed. And obviously Beane is willing to go for some low risk, high reward players on short deals (older players, or guys coming off of injury, but who have been productive or have big time potential). Obviously you're not going to hit on all of those guys, that's why they are a risk. But when you do, it is an incredible bargain. Now with Vontae last year, the mistake wasn't signing him, the mistake was not having a viable backup for him. But as you can see, this year, now that they have money to spend, they are trying to create depth and competition at every position. And you keep saying 0-9 last UFA season. What about Star and Chris Ivory. Ivory wasn't brought in to be an all-star RB, he was brought in to be a backup and a bulldozer and he did just that. If you want to note production stats, I'd say look at the offensive line, which was more of the running game problem than Ivory or Shady's age. And what are they doing this offseason? Oh yeah, they're rebuilding the offensive line. And Star played well last year, so not sure how he isn't at least a 1 in your equation. Trent Murphy has to be an incomplete grade, not a zero. Let's see what he does this year when he isn't injured. I'm not saying Beane and Co. didn't have their share of whiffs in free agency last year, but you have to look at the context of the situation and what they are trying to do to fix it this year, now that they have the assets. And even look at the players individually and their situation. Like bringing in Coleman. That didn't hurt the team in the least. They took a chance on him at very low risk and it didn't work out, so you move on. They knew it was a 50/50 proposition that it would work out. They didn't plan the rest of the team around him or anything, expecting a certain amount of production. But you, I'm sure, add that to the "0-9" (bad GM) category. I'm glad our GM takes shots like that. Another factor that is far too often forgotten, is the retirement of Eric Wood and Ritchie Incognito. The team expected to have both of them last year. Once they retired, it was a terrible draft for offensive linemen (not to mention all of their draft capital was focused on QB) and they didn't have the cash to go after a big name center or guard. So, you bring in a guy like Bodine, who was serviceable. But again, you would add that to the bad move category, despite them not having many other options due to the surprise nature of the retirements. Think of how much better the offense would have been last year with Eric and Ritchie on the line. More context. And a lot of the FAs they signed the last two years were signed as one year players, just to fill out the roster and get us through the season (knowing they were just ok players), because that's what they could afford. I mean are you including guys like Rafael Bush and Kaelin Clay in that 0-9? These guys were brought in as insurance policies, not to be starters. The plan was always to keep upgrading those positions as soon as it was possible. You can't rebuild an entire team in one or even two offseasons, especially when a team is in "cap jail." It's hard to believe you could be so staunchly against this regime when, even if they miss on some of these current free agents, they are at least trying their hardest to field a competitive team and one that is fun to root for because of the culture they have fostered. They appear to have a plan. They are building depth. They are managing the cap properly. I'm not saying its a guarantee that they make us a perennial playoff team, but I find it hard not to be hopeful/at least somewhat optimistic when it appears that this team has more focus and direction than anytime since Polian/Butler and Marv/Wade. And I love that EJ is back btw!

Honestly, I can understand people being down on Zay, as he has not lived up to his draft status yet. I just personally think he deserves one more year to prove it. He did improve from year 1 to year 2. And he wasn't meant to come in and be a #1 receiver in the league, but circumstances forced him into that role, which also meant that he was going against the best corners and maybe getting double teams before he was ready for that level. (And don't get me started again about the poor coaching he received.) Yes, a player like JuJu is way ahead of Zay right now, but how much easier was life for JuJu with HOFer AB on the opposite side of the field drawing all of the attention (not to mention having a HOF QB throwing to him instead of the likes of Tyrod, Peterman, Anderson, Barkley, and rookie Allen). I just think he deserves a year where the QB play and O-line play is better. And where there are other viable receivers, so he doesn't get all of the attention. How can you totally judge a 1st or 2nd year guy under the circumstances that Zay was in. I think you give him one more year in an actually viable offense before you ship him away. I also remember after his rookie year, I made a post reviewing all of his "drops." And so many of them were just horrible throws by Tyrod. He definitely had some drops, but it wasn't as bad as it first appeared. But, what I was really responding to was the idea that McKenzie is "obviously" ahead of Zay on the depth chart. I guarantee you that the Bills coaches and FO do not see it that way. As far as speed and skills, here are Zay and McKenzie's combine numbers: McKenzie Jones 40-yard dash: 4.42 4.45 Vertical: 36" 36.5" Broad jump: 123" 133" 3-cone: 6.14 6.79 shuttle: 4.15 4.01 It's not like McKenzie is some amazing athlete and Zay is some slow, lumbering oaf. Plus, there is the production thus far: Zay: 83 rec. 968 yards 9 TDs 1 fumble (in 2 years) McK: 22 rec 208 yards 0 TDs 8 fumbles (in 3 years) (although he does have the 70 yards rushing with 2 TDs) But, how does 22 receptions and 11 carries total in 3 years in the NFL make him a lock for any team? Especially when so few touches (his touches also includes 52 returns) include 8 fumbles? That's 1 fumble every 9.4 touches. Plus he too had some big drops last year. You can be as fast as you want, but if you can't hang onto the ball, you'll be on the bench or out of the league. There is just no way that McKenzie is ahead of Zay on the depth chart.

How is this thread still going? Should have died days ago. (Yes, I know I'm now helping to keep it alive.) I mean the posters who think McKenzie is a lock and Zay doesn't make the team just baffle me. I like Isiah, but in his albeit short 3-year career, he has a total of 22 receptions for 208 yards and 0 TDs. He has rushed for 70 yards on 11 carries with 2 TDs, but he has also had 8 fumbles in his limited playing time (6 were with Denver, which I'm assuming must have been mostly on kick or punt returns). I'd love to see McKenzie (or any of our WRs) bust out, but there isn't too much evidence that he will. Why do so many have him ahead of Zay on the depth chart? Zay had 7 TDs last year. What are you guys seeing in McKenzie that warrants such confidence? Roberts takes away any value McKenzie had as a returner. Foster and Brown take away the need for his speed. Beasley will be the man over the middle. So, do we keep McKenzie just to run the occasional Jet sweeps or reverses? And posters talk about Zay's drops (which were significantly fewer in his 2nd season), but McKenzie had his drops too. Here is part of an All-22 review of Bills receivers by Joe B. Part of his write-up on McKenzie: "As he became more acclimated with the offense, the Bills tried him out in a bit of a bigger role, seeing how he operated both as a slot receiver and even out on the boundary. McKenzie still provided the same unpredictable element for the offense, though as he started to get more touches, ball security issues began to arise -- a problem that plagued him in his time in Denver. For McKenzie to make the roster in 2019, especially with the likelihood that the Bills bring in multiple wide receivers in the offseason, he'll need to show well on special teams and that the drops and fumbles aren't going to be an issue." https://www.wkbw.com/sports/bills/2018-buffalo-bills-all-22-in-review-wide-receiver Now, I'm not trying to dog McKenzie, I want every player who is a Bill to succeed. But I just can't figure out why any fan would be higher on McKenzie than Zay.

Most teams only keep six wide receivers. You have us keeping 7 or 8. As it stands now, I agree with your top four: Brown, Jones, Foster, and Beasley. They will dress and play on Sundays. I think the order is still to be determined (not necessarily in the order you have). And then, obviously, Roberts sticks as your 5th spot as KR/PR So everyone else is battling for one spot. I would think Duke Wiliams has the pole position on that right now. We need a big guy in the room too and he's a big guy that can actually get downfield. Plus, teams usually only dress five WRs on game day. So, if he isn't quite ready, but they think they can coach him up, they can wait on him a bit. Unless the FO adds a true number one, that's how I see it standing now. And I might be ok with those six players. I'd rather see them draft a big-time TE at this point to round things out, rather than trying to add a true #1 WR (if that really exists, outside of maybe 10 guys in the league). I'm fine with adding a young WR or two in the draft to groom on the practice squad, but I don't think we need to use a premium pick on a WR now.

Agreed. And hopefully that is what is different about this Bills regime (now that they are out of cap trouble) from previous Bills' FOs. In the past, too often at certain positions, they would count on a player like Teller taking that next step and when they didn't, the team had no backup plan. I think Beane and company still HOPE that Teller will develop into a solid starting OG, but I don't think they will COUNT on it. I expect them to bring in another starting-caliber OG or two and let the best men win the jobs. McDermott is all about competition and earning your spot. Nothing will be handed to Teller. But, I guess we will see one way or the other, over the next month or two, how they play it.

But who was throwing the ball to those other guys and in what offense? That kind of makes a difference. Now, I'm not saying Zay is as good as say JuJu, but Zay had Tyrod, Peterman, Anderson, Barkley, and rookie Allen throwing to him in an offense that could barely muster 10 points until late last season, while JuJu had a Hall-of-Fame QB throwing to him, and an All-Pro WR on the opposite side of the field drawing double teams, both of whom had been in the same offensive system for a long time. You kind of have to take those things into account. Yes, some rookie WRs come out of the gate hot and put up some nice numbers their rookie year, but there are a hell of a lot more guys who take a few years to develop. That is why there is the belief of the 3rd year being a potential break-out year for WRs. Zay is going into his third year. I'm curious to see if he can take that next step. Plus, I think the coaching change may be a very good thing for all of the WRs this year. Zay's rookie year, he had his college WR coach, who may not have really been ready to make the jump to the next level or simply didn't know the league that well yet. Plus he wasn't teaching Zay anything new, since he had been coaching him already for a couple of years. And then last year, it sounds like Robiskie might have been a bit disinterested, or not really grinding (per rumors). So, maybe with better coaching and QB play (Josh progressing), Zay breaks out this season. Don't forget too that Zay and Josh didn't get a lot of practice time together until later in the year. One reason Foster may have come on was because he and Josh got to practice more together in camp, preseason, and early on in the season. This offseason, Josh is the guy and if Zay remains one of the top three WRs, they will hopefully be able to get on the same page, be more comfortable with each other, trust each other, etc. Did we all expect more out of Zay to this point, yes. But let's let it play out before we label him a bust. Players do get better with experience.

Guys, the cupboard is completely bare right now at TE. Jason Croom is the only TE on the roster. Remember that most teams carry a blocking TE as well as a pass receiving TE. This site about the construction of a 53-man roster points it out well. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1640782-the-anatomy-of-a-53-man-roster-in-the-nfl "Tight Ends (3) Unless you are the Green Bay Packers, who at one point had five tight ends on the 53-man roster in 2011, most teams will keep three active tight ends. The typical breakdown is the starter, who is a threat in all phases of the game. The backup is usually a blocking tight end who is not much of a threat in the passing game. The third tight end is a hybrid type who can also help on special teams." Croom is the hybrid, Allen would be the back-up/blocking TE, and the team will obviously still try to fill the starting role vacated by Clay (but hopefully at an upgrade, be it a FA or draft pick). And most TEs coming out of college are not polished blockers. That is usually a skill that is honed once in the NFL. So, it makes sense to get your blocking TE in free agency rather than the draft. A guy who has already proven himself in the league. Plus, we all know that the offensive line was a problem last year, which crushed the running game. Obviously the team is going to address the O-line heavily this offseason. So, think of this move as part of that. The signing (if it were to happen) won't prevent them from getting that more athletic, versatile, pass catching TE. "Bill Belichick often praised Allen for his blocking in the run game..." Plus, his rookie year, he did catch 45 balls for 521 yards and 3 TDs, he also had seasons with 6 TDs, and 8 TDs. So, it's not like he can't catch at all. I'd be all for the move. Solid #2 TE.

I agree with the first bold statement, that the first draft was McDermott's draft (not Whaley's), although he was relying on Whaley's team's scouting info, and that is probably why, as another poster stated, he may have gone with guys from the senior bowl because they were players that he and his coaches actually got to see/interview/scout themselves. I would just point out with the 2nd bolded statement that I think you mean McDermott, not McBeane. I agree that Peterman was probably McDermott's pick, but obviously Beane didn't have anything to do with it. I assume that was just a typo on your part. But after that, your post seems to go off the rails and seems to be a bit short-sighted in my opinion. At best, this was going to be 3 year rebuild (maybe 4 years since Beane wasn't here the first season). A brand new team doesn't magically appear, it has to be built. In years one and two, they assessed the team they had, built their defense, got their QB, and purged the salary cap (and the team of players that weren't a fit, either scheme-wise or culture-wise). This offseason is obviously the year to build the offense. It is part of the plan. Why would a defensive coach without a QB start building the offense first? It was a much better plan to build the D (to try and stay somewhat competitive), get your QB, and then build the O around that QB (players that will compliment him once you know his strengths and weaknesses, etc.). You make it sound like they have blown all of these 1st to 3rd round picks on offensive players that have busted, but your only examples are Zay Jones and Dawkins (both of which were McDermott picks, not Beane picks btw). But, neither of whom I would call a bust yet. It's not like they have thrown all of these assets at the offense and failed miserably. Instead, they have been trying patch-work it together with temporary players while they dealt with other issues (because they didn't have the capital to fix everything in the first two years). And now this offseason is to rebuild the offense. To claim they have already failed at something they haven't really been able to attack yet seems foolish. You can complain about the trade for Benjamin, but pretty much everyone else was a stop-gap player, outside of draft picks. Now, Dawkins had a very good rookie year and then a rougher sophomore year. But two things about that, first, he has admitted that he kind of thought he arrived and took his foot off the gas a bit, but has owned up to that and is determined to turn it around. A lot of players have that sophomore slump for similar reasons. Plus you have to remember that Ritchie wasn't next to him this year. The offensive line is so dependent on each other, if you have someone next to you not playing well, your play appears to go down as well. Happens all the time. Way too many people ignore how big a blow losing Eric and Ritchie was to last year's team. With all of the dead money and a bad draft for O-linemen, the team just couldn't adequately fix that problem. Which also plays into the year that Shady had. Shady's problem wasn't that he suddenly got old, it's that he was met 2 yards in the backfield on most of his runs. And sure, I'd rather have Smith-Shuster than Zay and to this point Zay has not lived up to his draft status yet, but he's shown improvement and he's heading into his third year, which for many WRs is the breakout year. Let's at least give him one more season before labeling him a total bust. Let's see about this spotty history of 1st to 3rd round draft picks: 2017: Tre White, Zay Jones, Dion Dawkins 2018: Josh Allen, Tremaine Edmunds, Harrison Phillips So, what? You're calling Jones and Dawkins definite busts and you don't expect Josh to be the guy? Seems a little too early to be making those determinations. And you talk about holes to fill and other players getting older, so there will be more holes to fill. Well, why do you think they drafted Harrison last year, because they knew Kyle wouldn't be around long. Seems like they are planning ahead. You again, make it seem like they have no plan, no foresight, and their good picks are lucky, and any bad pick/bad move was obvious to everyone in the NFL except for these dopes. You may not like or have confidence in McBeane, but the picture you are painting of them is far from the truth. The way you tell it, they should be fired tomorrow and never work in the NFL again because they are so incompetent. It seems that you are taking a 6-10 season in the 2nd year of a total organizational and team rebuild and acting like that is the final product with no more improvements to come. Their plans may or may not eventually work, but I think you have to at least let it play out before making such sweeping conclusions. If I'm hired by a big company to fix their business and I tell them it will take me 4 years to clean house, change attitudes, implement new plans, hire new staff, etc. and then they fire me after two years because things aren't fixed yet, did I fail or was the company just too impatient to wait for the results they desired? Sometimes you have to take a step back in order to go forward, rather than just constantly tread water.

Three words: Billy Joe Hobert (Not sure how the writer could have overlooked him considering he played in the same era as AVP.)

Just curious, did you watch the video of his CFL highlights that the OP posted? In that video, he definitely did not look slow or unathletic to me at all. Are you basing the bolded statement on just his combine numbers/draft reports or have you actually watched him play or something? I'm admittedly just going on a handful of videos and what little I've read about him. But, I do agree with you that we can hope he develops into a nice #1 or #2 receiver, but the Bills should definitely not count on it by any means. I beg to differ, the best vertical jumper in the world does not stay airborne longer than say a long jumper or a high jumper, because he goes straight up and down while the other two go out, or up and over (with a running start), which extends their time in the air. Who is in the air longer, Michael Jordan jumping straight up and down, or MJ getting a running start and launching himself from the foul line, tongue hanging out, towards the basket for a dunk? In football, rarely do you ever just jump straight up and down without any momentum in a particular direction or slight angle of your body to the ground. So, having the best vertical jump doesn't necessarily mean that you can hang in the air longer or that you have the body skills to high point a football on a dead run and adjust your body in the air to make the catch. If it did, we could just move Harrison Phillips to wide out then. And its the same for forty times. They can give you a general idea, a general range, but they can't measure a player's game speed, which for some players could be at the top of that general range and for others it could be near the bottom. But, maybe I just wasn't accurate in how I described what I was talking about. It's that he seems to jump earlier than the CBs and then kind of extends his body and glides with his momentum, so by the time the CBs jump, he's already in position to catch the ball. To see what I mean, watch his receptions in the CFL video at :00, :53, 2:12, 2:31, and 3:44. I just found that interesting/ a bit unique.

Yes, he will probably need to work on beating the press, since so little of that is done in college and they can get a running start in the CFL, plus the CBs in the CFL are not NFL-caliber. But he is definitely an intriguing talent and if he works hard, who knows how good he could be. Plus, with his size and strength, he should definitely have the ability to beat the press, he just might need to work on the technique of it. Also, it was hard to tell from the highlights how good of a route runner he is, since so many of the catches were deep balls. So, that could be another thing he'll need to work on. You need to run precise routes in the NFL. In the CFL highlights, speed does not look to be an issue for him. It looks like he has football or game speed, kind of like Josh Allen. They actually play faster on the field than their size or 40 times would have you believe. Granted, its a highlight reel and against CFL talent, but he routinely seems to get behind guys and there were a few plays where he was outrunning the defenders. But, what I find really interesting is his hang time when going up for a ball. Its like he jumps too early for the pass, but then just hangs up there until it arrives, and sometimes kind of hitches again to actually snag the ball. He kind of forces the DBs to jump with him, but he can stay up there longer, so by the time he's grabbing the ball, the DBs are already on their way back down. And he seems to have great vision/concentration on the ball too. Couldn't agree more. How many times in the last 20 years have our GMs counted on something to happen with no backup plan? And when that player doesn't come through or gets injured, there is no other option. How many times have we gone into seasons saying, well If this and this and this happen, we could have a good season? No more IFs, we need plan B, plan C, and plan D. So, while Duke's signing is exciting because he seems to have a ton of talent, it shouldn't prevent the team from still drafting a WR somewhat high or signing good receivers in FA. If they all come through, great, then we're stacked. But, if one or more of them don't, then we'd still have other options. It won't be game over.

Totally agree. Like most other sporting events, they should only allow one reporter and camera, from the network covering the game, on the field immediately after the game. It was so bad that for the first time in my life I actually had a smidgen of sympathy for Tom Brady. Let the guys celebrate with their teammates, let the opposing team's players congratulate him (because those players want to get off that field fast). Those photographers have phenomenal zoom lenses, just look at some of the amazing photos taken in game. They do not need to be two inches in front of Brady's face. If they all stood back, they could all get some nice shots. In that scrum, how many good pictures could they actually get? Half of them probably don't even have Brady in the frame. And wouldn't your readers rather have a nice shot of the players hugging and celebrating with each other, rather than probably an annoyed looking Brady surrounded by a bunch of other photographers? It makes no sense. And if you have a mic, what are you going to get but some cliché answer to how he feels that everyone hears anyway because it is being broadcast on CBS. There is no scoop there. You'll get better quotes from him when you are actually able to ask specific questions and he is in a more reflective mood, post the locker room celebration. I cannot think of any reason or benefit for that type of media scrum.

Although I think it is a bit much to say he's better than Gonzales, because playoff opportunity and success has a lot to do with what team you're on and who is your QB, you may have swayed me into being more open to Gronk being in the first ballot conversation. You're right, what he has done in the post-season is quite impressive and that holds a lot of weight with HOF voters because it is the history of the game.

Yes, the TD numbers are impressive for Gronk, no doubt (he had 17 in one season), and championships always help...but I think championships are such a team-based thing for non-QBs. But, just to give a little more perspective: Tony Gonzales is 2nd all time in NFL history for receptions (for all receivers, not just TEs), only one spot behind Jerry Rice. Gronk is tied for 130th in receptions. Tony G is 6th all time in receiving yards (again, all receivers), while Gronk is 104th. First ballot should be for guys with all-time numbers.