Whites Bay

Really? I thought his last regular job was a gig with the Detroit Lions. Anyway, glad he's back in upstate. Good for him. Hope he has a chance to shine.

That's an interesting thought. Because I just sat next to Jarron Jones about 3 weeks ago on a flight from Chicago to Dallas. I'm guessing - just guessing - that he was getting an invite to the Cowboys camp. And, yes, it was in first class. The man is huge.

And why the Imperial system and not Metric? Why not 3-meter Hungarians, right? I don't understand the obsession with Oliver's sack totals in his rookie season - as a DT. Jesus. I just want the guy to blow up timing. Imagine getting off the field with the opposing offense (yeah, the Pats*) going 4-and-out instead of conversion after conversion. Just give me THAT.

Grew up in Rochester, now live in the North Country. Is that Bills territory? It depends on whether Fox is slated to carry the game but decides to broadcast an NFC match up instead. Had to head to the local sports bar for last year's Lions game.

Thanks for the update, Promo. I'm just going to be thrilled to see the uniforms on the field again. But, yeah, holding my breath for injuries...

This. Unless, of course, you're one of the cleverer among us that has access to rubber mats. The only upside to preseason is simply that it means the drought is over, and meaningful football is on its way. The final cut down day is a relatively big deal, the final configuration of the offensive line this year will be a relatively big deal, the running backs and tight ends will be a relatively big deal. But otherwise? Just beware the mats.

I've been thinking 10-6 for months. AFC East (4-2) Sweep the Fish. Split with the Jets. Split with the Pats* (Bills take the home game). AFC North (2-2) Take the Bengals. Take one of the next three (and for the life of me, I don't know which one. I'm not going to get into that argument. But the Ravens, Steelers and Browns are beatable) NFC East (2-2) Take the Giants and Skins. Lose to the Cowboys and Eagles. Sucks to lose in Dallas on Thanksgiving Day, but build your afternoon around it. 3rd Place teams (2-0) Bills can handle both the Broncos and Titans That's 10-6. And doable. Not "doable by a stretch". Doable. That first game against the Jets is HUGE. I know national TV audience is going to look at that game with an earth-shattering yawn, and they'll probably bring some college intern aboard to handle color commentary, but for the Bills, it's HUGE. 1-0 to start the season in the AFC is money in the bank.

Colts Texans in Week 12 might start having Wild Card implications. Jets Ravens in Week 15 almost certainly will, if only from the perspective of AFC conference W-L. Both games are good for a few beers each.

I guess another aspect is that the Bills have owners that have made a decision to keep the team in Buffalo. As I recall, one of the drivers behind the Rochester training camp was the desire to expand the fan base. "Regionalization", I believe it was called. Well, if the owner has deep pockets and has stated publicly that Buffalo fans should plan to enjoy the team "for generations to come", I guess it's not as urgent an issue. Kind of along the lines of expanding the footprint to the "Home" games in Toronto. When you think back on it, those were some pretty dark days. Glad that crap's behind us.

Really. Just mention "Ames and Childs" and watch people squirm. Or Hoffmans versus Zweigle's. That always spins people up. (Hint - the answer is "Zweigle's").

The only game that wasn't shown last year was the Detroit Lions at the Bills on December 16. The game was carried by Fox, but Fox chose to show Dallas/Indy. Had t o head to the sports bar for that one. I don't know what was behind the decision. Perhaps the game wasn't sold out? To quote an article at the time: "Even the state of New York is divided for Week 15, as the Binghamton, Syracuse, Utica and Watertown markets—cities that normally carry Bills games—switched over to broadcast the Dallas Cowboys/Indianapolis Colts showdown (in red) instead."

And doesn't it figure that the Pats* close the season by hosting the Dolphins...

While the subject of this thread focuses on the season finale against the Jets, I'm eyeing the season opener. The national media may look at the Bills@Jets game as a junior varsity match up, but I see it as critical to the Bills going 10-6. And I do believe this team - on paper, with this schedule - has 10-6 in them. Key to this is a split with the Jets. But if they can sweep the Jets in that last game, it's playoffs. What an important bookend series. If Darnold and Allen keep growing, the national media won't be treating it like a junior varsity match up by late December.

My bold prediction is that this front office will not draft the likes of Donte Whitner, Aaron Maybin, John McCargo or Mike Williams. Or "Joe Fill-in-the-Failure-blank". It's over now. Let's move.

Good post, and the above is an interesting point. The "win now" aspect has been covered with (as you say) 19 free agency signings. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Beane ends up with another team's 2020 selection. Building for the future...

The early comparisons on Williams were with Eric Moulds (in terms of size and speed). Well, THAT would be a winner. I'd be just as happy if he ended up as the second coming of Marcus Easley. And special teams is my guess as to where he ends up.

Last time I checked my phone, One Bills Drive isn't texting ME for advice. With that said: 1) I'm loving what they did in FA, and am already sleeping better at night. 2) I'm not sold on the RT situation yet, and I'm 100% on board with Risner. I wouldn't be the SLIGHTEST bit surprised at that pickup, and that would be a monster move. 3) I'm guessing it's a great trade down scenario, and would be thrilled with it. But I wouldn't be at all surprised if they picked the best DE on the board at 9. Or this year's Edmunds, and be done at LB for the next 3 years.

CBS Sports thinks the Bills did a good job so far, Buffalo Bills Quietly, Buffalo is putting together a very nice offseason. It's impossible to just go out and make massive splashes when you're in a position like the Bills. Instead, they've done a very good job assembling some cheaper talent to put around Josh Allen. I'm not one to whine about the national media bashing the team or the city, but this one has me puzzled. "In a position like the Bills..."? Huh? It's a team that shed a ton of salary money last year (and, consequently, couldn't spend much), with the specific and stated purpose of clearing things out so as to go shopping THIS year. I mean, that's just plain ignorant. I guess the author is referring to the oft-stated opinion that big-time players don't want to play in Buffalo. Mitch Morse says hello from his front deck...

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I just don't want the Jets to get TOO good.

This is incredible! Talk about a front office with a plan. Jesus. It's just leaving my head spinning as to where they go in the draft. Lots and lots and lots of holes got filled.

A couple of thoughts: 1) I don't know the level of coordination, but I'm guessing this is being done so as to ensure there are state-level charges in place when the boy leaves office. As we all know (by now) these charges are outside the scope of a Presidential pardon. It makes me smile a little bit to think the Bills could be the reason Donald Trump finally gets his *%&# caught in a mousetrap. Side note - I wouldn't be surprised if we see additional state-level charges from other venues like Virginia and Florida and the like. All for the same purpose. 2) To echo a poster above, thank heavens Trump didn't buy the Bills. It would have been all bunting, and flashbulbs, and confetti and hoopla out front...and in the back room, we'd have Allan Weisselberg mopping his brow as he tries to figure out how to make payroll and cover the note to Deutsche Bank this month. Everything would have been leveraged to the hilt. I read a number of the comments yesterday about the Raiders' cash flow situation - this would have made the Raiders look like Fort Knox. Good luck trying to renew ANY contracts. Thank heavens for Terry Pegula.

Not meaning to pee on any barbecues, but wasn't the "knock" (maybe "question mark") that he had concussion issues? Or did I misread that on TSW? Again, not dumping. I'm thrilled, to be honest. Now get a tackle, and on to the draft.

I guess I don't understand the whole "Darnold" thing. The draft was held on April 26th, and the Jets traded for the Colts' #3 slot on March 17th (if I'm reading the old headlines correctly). This was a week after the Bills had moved up to 12, and it was the Bills' move that spooked the Jets into giving up a king's ransom. Long story short - the Bills weren't going to get the chance to pick whomever the #2 QB was in that draft. It just wasn't going to happen. Could they have done back flips and traded for the #2 pick with the Giants? Well, theoretically, yes. But in the view of hindsight, the Giants were pretty damn happy with where they stayed (because they probably got a number of calls from other teams, and turned them all down), and they ended up pretty damn happy with Barkley (because they certainly were in a position to have grabbed Darnold, Allen, Rosen or Jackson, or any other QB except Mayfield, but didn't). So the Giants didn't, and weren't going to, trade for what the rest of the NFL was offering, right? That's what history shows us. The Jets gave up a LOT to get Darnold. A LOT. And we'll see if that was the right move in 5-6 years. But the Bills just weren't going to get Darnold. That path wasn't available to them, and that path was paved in concrete as soon as the Jets traded with Indianapolis what looks to have been 5 weeks before the draft. And I apologize if I have the dates wrong, but that's the date I'm reading on an article from last year in the Indianapolis Star. But the point still stands. Bills weren't going to get Darnold. The Jets had locked that up.

I think the Bills had Gale Gilbert behind Frank Reich behind Jim Kelly. And I'm just too lazy to look it up, but I think Gale Gilbert became the only player to go to five Super Bowls in a row, as he ended up with San Diego after the Super Bowl run for the Bills. That has to make him special.

I just don't see it yet, Shaw. Not without a pass rush, and that doesn't exist. We all draw comparisons to the rebuild in 1985-1986, in which the Bills would beat the opponent up, but still manage just barely lose. That "beating up" was Bruce, but he's not here. I get the argument, and I want to see it happen, but "it ain't soup yet". Maybe that's where Beane goes in the draft.