BillsVet

The Jets under their previous GM entered the season with lots of cap space. As their season tanked, he was attacked for saving all this cap space. It's one of multiple reasons he was eventually fired. In the uber-competitive NFL, unused cap space doesn't earn anyone any praise.

That's the downside of spending 100M on defense. Something's gotta give eventually.

This just in: Bills fans can't believe their team could regress.

The HC needs an 8-9 DL man rotation which typically eats up 22-25% of their cap. It's always been his MO to demand that depth to support the defense he runs. I'm not saying they're completely without scheme versatility, but what they want to do on defense is neither cost efficient nor productive anymore. And it's not likely to be improved much. That said, everyone has had another year of film on Buffalo.

You've missed the point entirely. Every team in the league is doing what Buffalo does: assess their team and look to improve. But that requires having cap flexibility and evaluating where your scheme requires more talent. The offense was better in 2020 because Allen made the leap, they traded for Diggs all the while having Brown and Beasley. The OL got a solid RT who thankfully was re-signed. They don't have much cap room now to add another weapon right now. Already in 2021, they've lost their WR2 and not improved a pass rush with an interior OL likely be the same. Meanwhile, they're again going to spending 100M on a defense which delivered mediocre to average results last year. It did not show up when they needed it most. Question is: Does an essentially static group of starters put them over the top? If you disagree, fine. Making broad assumptions ain't what I consider much of a response either.

Never said that John. Chiefs are the best team in the AFC and after that showing last year they need to do more than the status quo. Pass rush would be a good place to start with a veteran who isn't elderly or young unproven draft pick.

If the goal is to be second best in your conference this year, yeah...sure.

For the record, they had the most expensive defense in the NFL. If they're going to need that again or close to it in 2021, that's pretty clear the investment to get to the 18th overall defense (your assertion not mine) is a poor ROI. Spending big dollars on a defense that doesn't get to the QB and cannot hold down QB's is not good enough when it takes 100M to staff it. Their pass defense against Mahomes broke down when it mattered most. Either that was a scheme or personnel issue and we'll see if they correct it. Last year is still over and if you're not improving, you're regressing. This is not hard, but it does require an objective analysis which many fans are unwilling to acknowledge. Many of you are already forgetting they were thrashed in the AFC Championship, just as the year before people saw Houston overcome a 16 point deficit by the time February rolled around and UFA was about to start.

A good way for TE's to succeed is not to jam them at the LOS and let them catch passes where they can run in the open field.

Last year, as I've noted, has concluded. And nowhere did I say those players they've retained are bad. It's simply a matter of is it enough and my contention is it's not. Fans should be able to discern that every team on their schedule has been dissecting film of Allen and Daboll's offense - as Steve Spagnuolo already did in the AFC Championship. Deal with differing opinions. If you cannot debate scheme, resource allocation, and emerging NFL trends that's cool. But when someone does, don't lose you stuff because it's hard to contemplate.

What "facts and data" do you offer to validate your view? I see some offensive rankings, but who cares? They were defeated by the AFC Champs twice last season. The question is how are they supplanting them beyond the tired narrative that "KC lost their 2 OT's!" Nowhere did I talk about pass protection - they're pretty good there and have a mobile QB who feels pressure quite well. My issue remains with the run blocking, which as others have said, was not good all season. As for the pass rush, McD's scheme looks to generate that from the front 4. Yet, there wasn't one guy on a 51M defensive line who could regularly get to the QB as evidenced by the AFC CG performance. Last year is over. This is the time to reload and I'm seeing the same people back ostensibly playing within the same schemes. Just because it worked last year doesn't guarantee anything next season. BTW, how did you feel about continuity when it was yammered about when Dick Jauron was inexplicably re-signed? Was it a "time-tested recipe" back then as well? You're making a massive assumption that everyone (read KC as well) regresses. You'd plan around your competition getting worse as a strategy? Really?

None of that matters. They have no money right now without making other moves and before rookie cap allocation. It's the snarky responses whenever anyone offers a different point of view. So be it...my take is that if you can't offer an opinion and support it, there's not much use debating. There's an expectation that Buffalo just will get better...using the same personnel and schemes. I disagree and will suggest that making the jump to playing in the SB requires more improvement. We're going to find out if they make the leap. Go back to the AFC CG where they were suffocated by a solid pass rush, could not do that themselves, their running game was weak, and the defense couldn't stop two of the league's best receivers. You are how you lost the last game of your season and it was Brandon Beane who said that, not me. If personnel hasn't changed and they don't have the room to add other players, then what? Continuity?

With ~6M required for rookie contracts, Buffalo has (unless they re-structure other contracts) about 4M to play with. Who do you want to restructure or cut to provide more space for UFAs or RFAs? I also see the usual suspects who lack the ability to analytical dissect the point offered about continuity. To those individuals...have a nice day.

I'm not concerned with AFC dregs like the Jets, Jags, and Texans. Good teams continuously improve and those are the ones they need to focus on defeating in the post-season. The ante has been raised. What happened last season is over. This is a discussion about 2021. People have seen Daboll now 3 years. Josh had a great season and I expect more next year, but QB's can't do it all alone. You can be sure defenses will do what KC did in the AFC CG to throw him off. To that end, it'll take some an improved scheme and personnel to overcome that.

With ~10M in cap space and rookies yet to sign, there's little room unless other cuts/restructuring occurs. That's why I'll contend the likelihood is they've made their moves in pro personnel. Banking on rookies to come in and play well, particularly at needs like DE, CB, and interior OL from the start is not an effective strategy.

On the cusp of a new league year, the latest Bills narrative advanced is that continuity is the way forward. To that point, they retained pending UFAs while restructuring others now slotting them with less cap space when you consider rookie signing requirements. Doing the same thing over again, albeit even on a 13-3 team, is no guarantee of success. Schematically, Buffalo was predictable on both sides of the ball last year and personnel issues have not been addressed for 2021, such as: 1. An ineffective running game which didn't get much push on the interior. Both their starting C and RG have been restructured/retained. The LG is a RFA and perhaps average. 2. The inability generate a good pass rush. Aside from cutting one DLineman, they've largely kept that unit intact and their defense in 2020 was the highest paid unit by more than 9.5M? This will likely remain the case in 2021? 3. Teams could throw in Buffalo, even with a very pricey secondary. That was helped, particularly in the AFC CG, by a defense which sat on its heels. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/positional/2020/defense/ Perhaps Buffalo has another signing planned and other roster clipping to make for more cap space. Perhaps younger guys elevate their level of play. Perhaps they have a draft pick come in and play well from the start. Retaining the same players who struggled to address those primary issues does not inspire a lot of confidence. Nor would employing the same offense and defense scheme as the HC is wont to do. I just don't want to see this team become like the late (EDIT: Green Bay) McCarthy years when they expected to succeed with Rodgers, an average OL and little at the skill positions. Josh deserves more than the status quo.

There isn't enough value to the scheme McD wants to run which necessitates a deep DL rotation. At present, Buffalo is allocating 25% of their cap dollars to the DL. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/positional/defensive-line/ At some point, McD's defensive needs are going to interfere in maintaining a solid offense. They'll find a way to keep Diggs and Allen, but that alone isn't enough. My sense is beginning in 2022 they'll face the prospect of whether to keep that DL so deep or not. I'm not convinced McD will relent, but we'll see.

Strategically, I don't understand this HC and how he allocates resources with his GM. The push for defensive spending needs to be viewed in terms of how it affects their ability to fit pieces around Allen. The QB is how they win games now and, especially in the playoffs against IND and KC, the defense failed them. They're spending almost 100M this season on defense at those positions. And last season that still left them 14th in yards allowed, 16th in points allowed, and 15th in sacks. The lone bright spot was being tied for 3rd in turnovers. It's contracts like this for Milano which indicate the HC isn't going to change his stripes. He became a HC in this league on defense and will not acclimate to what this team's identity should be...and offense supported by enough defense.

3 QB's in one off-season. Deshaun wants to have a say in the HC and GM. Russ is mad his OLine isn't better. Rodgers didn't like the Jordan Love pick. It's not new for players to demand trades, but front office moves that need to go by the QB is a recent trend. Fans look way too much at last season as though it's a guarantee the next season will be better. Lot of conventional thinking, but rosters turn over really fast in the NFL. Players get hurt, they leave in UFA, and cap management becomes more challenging when you play well. This is a place Bills fans haven't been since the cap was introduced in 1993. Depending heavily on UFAs in 19-20 is a luxury they no longer have. Only now, they're right back against the cap with the expectation is to remain competitive. 2. The free agents mentioned aren't coming back if they haven't re-signed by now. And no way is Matt Barkley a key contributor, nor Levi Wallace an above replacement grade starter. 3. Buffalo needs to be more efficient with cap dollars, the result of spending big on UFA's in 2019-20, particularly at OL, DL, and WR. They need to get younger and better production on cheaper contracts and/or a rookie contract. 4. Buffalo's WR group isn't solid after Diggs. Davis had a nice season as a 3 but how, if now the Z, he plays is entirely different. Beasley isn't young either. I'd expect to see a Day 2 pick there. The DL needs to be overhauled and younger value type players need to step up, especially Oliver and Epenesa. They've gotta get younger and better on DL.

Sounds you need a Snickers bar right now.

Have you ever heard a player, whether 1 hour, 1 day, or a year out from being cut ever publicly talk about whether the QB was consulted on the former being cut? I've never heard that. My contention remains: that NFL players are beginning to demand a say in personnel decisions, both player and executive. Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson won't be the last who demand trades or question the front office publicly. It's not gonna go over well if players believe they're entitled to a seat at that table. Massive conflation. Your job ain't NFL football nor on a contract like what Brown was signed to. And I'm guessing that you didn't appeal to your co-workers to run the Regional Manager's decision by someone higher up. Be relevant in analyzing that statement as I have. How many teams with veteran QB's that go to the playoffs don't or won't have one of those? I'll wait Doc.

I would avoid copy and pasting articles (even with a link) to make a thread. NFL players seem to be modeling their approach to personnel and other front office decisions based on where the NBA has trended. It's not going to end well, particularly when QBs demand to be traded or to have a say in who the HC or GM is. Right now I cannot imagine being a Texans or Seahawks fan and learning your star QB wants out because they're unhappy with who the GM is or thinks they need more talent to compete. EDIT: Where does this end? Do teams, especially those with big dollar QB's, allow high priced players input on player personnel decisions to satisfy them? Does the QB take added heat then if a player doesn't work out or when the cap is not managed poorly?

Very sorry for your loss Returntoglory. RIP.

I get the sense initially under the Pegula's Sabres ownership that Terry was playing uber-fan and allowed his hockey people to do whatever they could financially and within the cap to win. They tried to spend their way to success and of course it didn't work because the people they inherited (who they retained) didn't know their stuff. And as the team remained at the bottom of the NHL, Terry and/or Kim began asserting more control over the entire operation. They maintained hiring bad executives and blamed the NHL for guidance over these moves. The move to buy the Bills in 2014 required a refocus on the bottom line with all their investments and that meant the Sabres got singled out because they were losing. It couldn't be Terry's toy like it had been before. Not to mention, they over-expanded into all these businesses for some reason. There again, I think there were some bad advisors or they made bad decisions. I know Terry made billions in gas, but I have yet to see how Kim is qualified to be leading these major organizations. Bottom line is they're trying to do things their way as a response to letting others run the team into the ground. What they're not capable of is admitting this "plan" is making things worse. It's their decision-making for why the franchise is losing money, why the fans are so dissatisfied, and why dysfunction exists in the front office. I If they think the Bills can be put on auto-pilot and win without good football management, this sports town is in real big trouble. They'll never recover from that level of stupid. They're in waaaay over their heads and won't admit it now because they look so bad already.

More appropriate thread title would be 2021 NFL Prospect But clicks.