My Realistic Off-Season 8 step Plan

[thebandit27]

How many downs did the man actually take this season?

IMO, he's not worth the roster spot.

 

He played 417 defensive snaps because he missed 5 games.

 

You can think he's not worth a roster spot (which is silly because he's a 2-time all-pro), but even then, cutting him costs $33M, and that would be a patently stupid thing for any team to do with any player.

 

Simple logic should tell you that if a player--any player--costs $16.4M to keep and $32.7M to cut, then you keep him, because doubling his cap hit and having one less guy on the roster is the kind of thing that should result in an instant firing of whichever person made that decision.

Edited February 15, 2017 by thebandit27

[BADOLBILZ]

LMAO! Seriously? You think McD should start his new regime by ensuring a divided locker room? Wow. Okay, but I'm going to disagree with that. Also, his goal should be to win a championship and he should focus on acquiring a QB who can help him achieve that. long term I'd be ecstatic if the Bills take a step back in 2018, but improve their long term outlook to where they should be able to compete for a title. That'd beat the hell out of watching a mediocre team with no shot at a Super Bowl try to squeak into the playoffs for a few more seasons.

 

 

 

1) That's just worry for worry's sake.

 

2) Young QB improvement is not only far from guaranteed but also by no means linear.

 

A step back in 2018 is actually more likely to mean more and possibly WORSE football in the future than anything.

 

Don't forget that young QB's JP Losman, Trent Edwards and EJ Manuel all had their moments early in their careers and regressed horribly.

 

Even if they have an initial introductory success as the league gets a look.....guys like Cardale or Mahomes or Darnold are more likely to go that route.....think Josh Freeman or RG3 etc......... than become a franchise QB. You gotta' take shots at getting better but there is nothing wrong with trying to develop a QB from something other than a tanked out roster/base.

 

Tyrod Taylor is a proven commodity........he produced thru defensive adjustments this year.........with one of the poorest WR corps in the NFL........supported by one of it's worst defenses and arguably the worst RT in football.

 

He ain't Tom Brady but he's certainly good enough to be the Bills Alex Smith and help create something here that can be built upon.

 

Sink-or-swim QB flops kill coaches, cause regime changes, scheme changes and mass personnel changes..........that's not the best way to developing a winning organization.

Edited February 15, 2017 by #BADOL

[Rocky Landing]

1) Pay Tyrod, we have no other alternative better than him. He was throwing to Scrubs last year...If he is average, he is tradeable on the 2nd year of the deal

2) Let Gilmore walk. I've seen CB greats come and go on the Bills, from Winfield, Clements, McGee, Greer etc. One thing they all did Better than Gilmore is tackle. I've never seen as fundamentally a poor tackler as him get paid elite corner money. Head down shoulder tackles with no wrap up don't work in the NFL. Kevon Seymour can step up (extend him early Eagles style).

3) We need 2 WR's, One in top 2 rounds of the Draft (I like Mike Williams of Clemson the best, pure hands catcher and attacks the football), and one 2nd tier Free Agent. How do you properly evaluate your QB with street free agent scrubs?

4) Let Rob Woods walk, he disappears for months at a time (I don't event want him back for cheap)

5) Pray Aaron Williams recovers, Defense has gone in the shitter consecutive years as soon as he gets hurt. He's the heart and soul of the Defense IMO.

6) Draft a QB round 1 or 2 depending where the value is at WR or QB when time to pick. I like Trubisky the best of the Bunch. Reminds me of Bledsoe/Rivers

7) Dareus needs a full time life coach/personal trainer/personal chef (similar to Dez Bryant in Dallas). He's paid as the franchise player, time to act like one (you aren't 23 anymore)

8) Lets bring back our bread and butter pressure 4-3 Defense. D-Line played contain no pressure way too much last year. We need to dictate, especially at home with the crowd roaring.

 

Thoughts?

I agree with a lot of this including letting Gilmore and Woods walk.

I agree with many that losing Gilmore is risky, but we all know he will be asking a very high price, and I am of the mind that Seymour has a high ceiling.

I'd like to see us get a solid #2WR in FA. Kenny Britt?

I'm not sure I am too high on any of the QB prospects for the draft, including Trubitsky, and Watson, and I hope we don't reach too high for one of these guys.

Hold on to TT. I haven't heard ANY reasonable expectation for any other QB, drafted or otherwise, that gives us a better 2017 season. And, I find the idea of writing it off, and planning for 2018 utterly depressing.

[ndirish1978]

1- Take advantage of the 2 day window to trade Tyrod to the Browns

2- Trade a conditional pick for Romo

3- Draft Watson or a QB with competent passing skills to learn behind a QB who can actually pass the ball

4- Let Gilmore walk

5- Cut A Williams, Carpenter, restructure Kyle and Dareus

6- Draft WR/S in rds 2-3

7- Seymour and Darby starters, pick up some veteran depth

8 - Re-sign Brown

 

Good enough

Edited February 15, 2017 by ndirish1978

[FireChan]

1- Take advantage of the 2 day window to trade Tyrod to the Browns

2- Trade a conditional pick for Romo

3- Draft Watson or a QB with competent passing skills to learn behind a QB who can actually pass the ball

4- Let Gilmore walk

5- Cut A Williams, Carpenter, restructure Kyle and Dareus

6- Draft WR/S in rds 2-3

7- Seymour and Darby starters, pick up some veteran depth

8 - Re-sign Brown

 

Good enough

This guy is speaking my language.

Except for 4.

5 is impossible. Dareus ain't restructuring. And AW hurts to cut, may as well keep him and hope he still healthy while drafting a replacement.

Edited February 16, 2017 by FireChan

[Rocky Landing]

This guy is speaking my language.

Except for 4.

5 is impossible. Dareus ain't restructuring. And AW hurts to cut, may as well keep him and hope he still healthy while drafting a replacement.

Do you think Seymour is starting material?

[Rico]

1) Pay Tyrod, we have no other alternative better than him. He was throwing to Scrubs last year...If he is average, he is tradeable on the 2nd year of the deal

2) Let Gilmore walk. I've seen CB greats come and go on the Bills, from Winfield, Clements, McGee, Greer etc. One thing they all did Better than Gilmore is tackle. I've never seen as fundamentally a poor tackler as him get paid elite corner money. Head down shoulder tackles with no wrap up don't work in the NFL. Kevon Seymour can step up (extend him early Eagles style).

3) We need 2 WR's, One in top 2 rounds of the Draft (I like Mike Williams of Clemson the best, pure hands catcher and attacks the football), and one 2nd tier Free Agent. How do you properly evaluate your QB with street free agent scrubs?

4) Let Rob Woods walk, he disappears for months at a time (I don't event want him back for cheap)

5) Pray Aaron Williams recovers, Defense has gone in the shitter consecutive years as soon as he gets hurt. He's the heart and soul of the Defense IMO.

6) Draft a QB round 1 or 2 depending where the value is at WR or QB when time to pick. I like Trubisky the best of the Bunch. Reminds me of Bledsoe/Rivers

7) Dareus needs a full time life coach/personal trainer/personal chef (similar to Dez Bryant in Dallas). He's paid as the franchise player, time to act like one (you aren't 23 anymore)

8) Lets bring back our bread and butter pressure 4-3 Defense. D-Line played contain no pressure way too much last year. We need to dictate, especially at home with the crowd roaring.

 

Thoughts?

[FireChan]

Do you think Seymour is starting material?

No ofc not.

[Rocky Landing]

No ofc not.

Then you disagree with #7, as well.

[gr8billsfan]

Let Gilmore and TT walk. Gilmore is a bad tackler, plays without a head at times, and he's expensive. Promote Seymour there

TT is expensive too, but if he's not willing to take an even slight pay cut for one year to stay with the Bills, then he's not a Buffalo Bill. HOWEVER, i wouldn't draft any QB in the first round. Watson? Nope. Trubinsky? similar to C.Jones in regards to how many college starts. Kizer? LOL, idk why people like this guy. Mahomes? Definitely not.

 

Yes, say bye bye to R. Woods

Draft Mike Williams or Corey Davis in the 1st. If 2nd or 3rd round, I'd choose Cooper Kupp (The Division 1 record holder for career receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns) or JuJu Smith from USC

 

Doubt Aaron Williams will come back, Draft Marcus Williams from Utah in the 3rd

 

Dareus needs help.

 

4-3 is coming, obviously.

 

Also we need a RT

[Estro]

Your first point guarantees this team mediocrity for another 3 years. Cant get behind any smart long term view that starts with handing a mediocre QB a lot of cash.

 

Doug Whaley and the Bills, unfortunately, structured this deal with Taylor terribly. There is so much cash upfront that you cant simply keep him for a year or 2. If you're going to keep him around for $27.5M in cash in '17 then you have to keep him for at least 3 years.

 

After watching Tyrod for the past 2 seasons, I don't need to see him fir another 3. I wouldve been down for maybe 1 more year as a bridge QB, which is what he is, but that ship has sailed because our front office put together a terrible deal. There are consequences for putting together bad contracts and giving away all of your leverage.

 

If the Bills were poker players....Doug Whaley would be the guy who buys in 4 or 5 different times....blows all their money...calls it quits....smiles and shakes eveyones hands.....thanks them for taking all his money.....then promptly get laughed at for how bad they were once they are out of earshot.

 

These assinine contract extensions, unneccesary raises, and failure to protect yourself agaisnt drug suspensions are equally embarrassing and inept.

Edited February 16, 2017 by Estro

[BADOLBILZ]

Your first point guarantees this team mediocrity for another 3 years. Cant get behind any smart long term view that starts with handing a mediocre QB a lot of cash.

 

Doug Whaley and the Bills, unfortunately, structured this deal with Taylor terribly. There is so much cash upfront that you cant simply keep him for a year or 2. If you're going to keep him around for $27.5M in cash in '17 then you have to keep him for at least 3 years.

 

After watching Tyrod for the past 2 seasons, I don't need to see him fir another 3. I wouldve been down for maybe 1 more year as a bridge QB, which is what he is, but that ship has sailed because our front office put together a terrible deal. There are consequences for putting together bad contracts and giving away all of your leverage.

 

If the Bills were poker players....Doug Whaley would be the guy who buys in 4 or 5 different times....blows all their money...calls it quits....smiles and shakes eveyones hands.....thanks them for taking all his money.....then promptly get laughed at for how bad they were once they are out of earshot.

 

These assinine contract extensions, unneccesary raises, and failure to protect yourself agaisnt drug suspensions are equally embarrassing and inept.

 

 

If the Bills EXERCISE Taylor's option they are still currently scheduled to have $70M in cap space in 2018.......and that's before certain cuts like Aaron Williams and Marcus Easley who might be cut THIS offseason........... and then they are scheduled to have around $100M in 2019........so I'm not sure how the Taylor contract somehow guarantees mediocrity.

 

And $15M up front is not much for a QB........if a better QB option than Taylor arises in the next couple years(which the past 20 years of history says is "doubtful") that sunk cost isn't going to preclude the team from keeping anyone or even pursuing some free agents.

 

The Bills have a few bad contracts but their cap issues are quite temporary and they are loaded with guys at the back end of deals that will be gone soon like Eric Wood, Kyle Williams, Corey Graham and even Incognito and McCoy can be cut with nice savings next offseason if they can SOMEHOW find a guard and a running back cheap.

[KRT88]

Does New England pay guys the way we do? Why pay Gilmore? He's not worth it? The QB thing is a mess but do we need to shell out $30m on a guy who can't move to WR option #2?

Do we need a $10m RB? Draft a WR in round 1? We don't have a QB!

 

It all starts with the O-line and front 7 on defense.

 

TRADE DOWN do what you can to collect 2nd and 3rd round picks. It's a deep draft at DT and DE, pretty week at ILB. Very strong at CB and WR. Extra picks means better chance of meeting multiple needs and letting our new young coach mold them.

 

Tired of left overs and paying guys to not produce. Pay the young guys!

[Hyphe23]

Hype23, what do you disagree with??

Ignoring Tyrod Taylor and Stephon Gilmore questions which are polarizing on this forum.

 

Kyle Williams is thinking about retiring, why would he restructure?

 

Why should Shady restructure coming off the year he just had?

 

While it might be nice for Dareus to restructure, grow up or we move him, I really don't see us getting anything in return given his contract and repeat offender issues. Plus we can't realistically cut him with his dead cap number so what incentive does he have to restructure.

 

Felton is more of a question of if they want a blocking FB or a catching FB in the new offense. Seems like he is ignoring the role Felton played in us setting franchise marks for rushing.

 

The roster listed at the bottom looked weaker than this years roster.

 

To name a couple of things.

[BADOLBILZ]

Does New England pay guys the way we do? Why pay Gilmore? He's not worth it? The QB thing is a mess but do we need to shell out $30m on a guy who can't move to WR option #2?

Do we need a $10m RB? Draft a WR in round 1? We don't have a QB!

 

It all starts with the O-line and front 7 on defense.

 

TRADE DOWN do what you can to collect 2nd and 3rd round picks. It's a deep draft at DT and DE, pretty week at ILB. Very strong at CB and WR. Extra picks means better chance of meeting multiple needs and letting our new young coach mold them.

 

Tired of left overs and paying guys to not produce. Pay the young guys!

 

 

New England has a lot of things the Bills do not.......it's not a good comparison.

 

For the rest of the NFL........it's a "matchup" league......you want playmakers/difference-makers at key positions.........that's why you pay for it if you can.

[mead107]

Pay tt

[BarleyNY]

1) That's just worry for worry's sake.

 

2) Young QB improvement is not only far from guaranteed but also by no means linear.

 

A step back in 2018 is actually more likely to mean more and possibly WORSE football in the future than anything.

 

Don't forget that young QB's JP Losman, Trent Edwards and EJ Manuel all had their moments early in their careers and regressed horribly.

 

Even if they have an initial introductory success as the league gets a look.....guys like Cardale or Mahomes or Darnold are more likely to go that route.....think Josh Freeman or RG3 etc......... than become a franchise QB. You gotta' take shots at getting better but there is nothing wrong with trying to develop a QB from something other than a tanked out roster/base.

 

Tyrod Taylor is a proven commodity........he produced thru defensive adjustments this year.........with one of the poorest WR corps in the NFL........supported by one of it's worst defenses and arguably the worst RT in football.

 

He ain't Tom Brady but he's certainly good enough to be the Bills Alex Smith and help create something here that can be built upon.

 

Sink-or-swim QB flops kill coaches, cause regime changes, scheme changes and mass personnel changes..........that's not the best way to developing a winning organization.

1) It's setting yourself up for major issues.

2) Every rookie QB in this draft class should be brought along slowly. All have issues that need corrected prior to getting in a real NFL game.

 

EJ is a great example of throwing a talented, but raw player to the wolves way too soon. He had - and continues to have - serious mechanical issues. Had those been worked out before he got on the field then things might have been better.

 

I agree that Taylor is a proven commodity. He's a low-tier starter/high-end backup in the NFL. If that's what you're dying to have, then he's your guy for $40.5M over the next two seasons.

[NastyNateSoldiers]

That's a lot of holes for a GM to address in one off-season. Probably time to start rebuilding, accumulating draft picks, and developing younger players.

 

Then again, it's Doug Whaley, and trusting him to get most if not all the key decisions correct is folly. This is where the Bills find themselves after 4 off-seasons of his stewardship.

This is the way to go. Oakland Raiders style .

That's a lot of holes for a GM to address in one off-season. Probably time to start rebuilding, accumulating draft picks, and developing younger players.

 

Then again, it's Doug Whaley, and trusting him to get most if not all the key decisions correct is folly. This is where the Bills find themselves after 4 off-seasons of his stewardship.

This is the way to go. Oakland Raiders style .

[Marty McFly]

1) Pay Tyrod, we have no other alternative better than him. He was throwing to Scrubs last year...If he is average, he is tradeable on the 2nd year of the deal

2) Let Gilmore walk. I've seen CB greats come and go on the Bills, from Winfield, Clements, McGee, Greer etc. One thing they all did Better than Gilmore is tackle. I've never seen as fundamentally a poor tackler as him get paid elite corner money. Head down shoulder tackles with no wrap up don't work in the NFL. Kevon Seymour can step up (extend him early Eagles style).

3) We need 2 WR's, One in top 2 rounds of the Draft (I like Mike Williams of Clemson the best, pure hands catcher and attacks the football), and one 2nd tier Free Agent. How do you properly evaluate your QB with street free agent scrubs?

4) Let Rob Woods walk, he disappears for months at a time (I don't event want him back for cheap)

5) Pray Aaron Williams recovers, Defense has gone in the shitter consecutive years as soon as he gets hurt. He's the heart and soul of the Defense IMO.

6) Draft a QB round 1 or 2 depending where the value is at WR or QB when time to pick. I like Trubisky the best of the Bunch. Reminds me of Bledsoe/Rivers

7) Dareus needs a full time life coach/personal trainer/personal chef (similar to Dez Bryant in Dallas). He's paid as the franchise player, time to act like one (you aren't 23 anymore)

8) Lets bring back our bread and butter pressure 4-3 Defense. D-Line played contain no pressure way too much last year. We need to dictate, especially at home with the crowd roaring.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

1. Agree. Re-structure Tyrods contract to adjust the 2017 cap hit and keep him, he is a good stop gap QB with a celing he hasnt reached yet.

2. If McDermy ran a man coverage scheme I would disagree. But he runs a zone coverage scheme and if he moves on from Gilmore its cuz he found someone cheaper who can do the same job or better.

3. We prob draft a WR high in round 3 depending where we go with R1 and R2, they got the Shady connection going so we prob bring in D Jax to replace R Woods.

4. Woods is going to a team that passes the ball more. Its a done deal just let him go.

5. We draft a Safety high in R1 or R2 and pick up a FA S instead of relying on A Will to get healthy.

6. We should trade back in R1 and get an extra 2nd rounder, take Mahomes with a late R1 pick, and use our 2 R2 picks to grab a WR and S. Any variation of that scenario where we leave R1 and R2 with a S and WR im good with. Also grab a FA vet S too.

7. Life coach or someshit. IDK get him to get his **** together tho.

8. That will happen.

 

 

This team was top 10 in scoring the last 2 years. We scored more points than any Buffalo team since 10 years ago.

 

A full re-build is not what is needed, a few key pieces on offense and a defensive scheme change with a couple DBs LBs and we are good to go

[Marty McFly]

Fans likely wont be happy with it. But that is what it needs way to much cap tied into 5 players and not one a franchise QB just disgusting cap management

 

You really comfortable with Whaley Re-building this team? They should have cleaned house if that was the case.