Ryan Talbot: Did the Bills Upgrade or Downgrade this Offseason?

[BillsfaninSB]

1 hour ago, Robert James said:

I think this is a fair assessment, and seeing it laid out leaves me feeling more positive about how the off-season was handled.  The downgrade at QB was a necessary move -- we'd seen Tyrod's ceiling and the uncertainty of bringing in new potential successors results in an understandable downgrade (I don't think Rosen could have been deemed an automatic upgrade).  The downgrade an interior OL was caused by factors beyond the team's control.  Loss of depth at tackle due to trading Glenn was a reasonable move: he was a question mark due to health concerns and trading him allowed the team to make needed moves elsewhere.  Other than that it was significant upgrades on defense and more-or-less status quo on offense.  True, the offense will likely take a step back or at best remain at the same level no matter what Daboll does; but given the possible outcomes, this one is pretty good IMO.

 

I agree with you.  I think the FO handled the off-season really well given what they had to work with.  Overall, I believe they upgraded a 9-7 playoff team with not much salary cap room.  That is not easy to do.

 

There are some wildcards on this team no doubt.  Some may disappoint and some may work out great.  Hopefully QB play will fall into the latter. 

[The Red King]

Nothing new here.  D is improved...offense, that comes down to QB, the ultimate ?.  I don't think we downgraded.  I think AJ will at least be on par with TT.  But that's the crux.  I don't know for sure, nobody does.  Your opinion on past and current QBs make all the difference here.  Personally, I see an improved D and an offense at least on-par with last year, and younger faces to boot...so I see a better team.  But that's my opinion, nothing more.

[John from Riverside]

17 minutes ago, The Red King said:

Nothing new here.  D is improved...offense, that comes down to QB, the ultimate ?.  I don't think we downgraded.  I think AJ will at least be on par with TT.  But that's the crux.  I don't know for sure, nobody does.  Your opinion on past and current QBs make all the difference here.  Personally, I see an improved D and an offense at least on-par with last year, and younger faces to boot...so I see a better team.  But that's my opinion, nothing more.

In thing in the article I find interesting

 

RB Ivory - better at catching the football

 

I think this is gonna come into play and I DEF thing that ppl are sleeping on Ivory....not in a replacement to Shady sense but in a platooning of backs to keep Shady fresh and an upgrade to Tolbert....this is gonna be a bigger factor then most realize.

[Golden Goat]

2 hours ago, Augie said:

It’s a process....

 

In fairness, so is a bowel movement.

 

 

Edited June 6, 2018 by Golden Goat

[Mrbojanglezs]

Too early to say we downgraded qb position. 

[TheBeane]

2 hours ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

Do you respect it though?

 

Well you can't say all 3 of those words together anymore without paying up...

[Augie]

2 hours ago, Wily Dog said:

 

I don't think we took a step backwards as far as QB is concerned. It could not have been much worse last year and we have the makings of good QB play this year plus some time to get there.

 

I would disagree in that we at least had a known quantity who can certainly play in the NFL. Not a top tier option, but an NFL QB. We don’t know if any of the 3 on the roster now will ever be that. We had an experienced QB, now we don’t.  I’m not saying I’d have kept Tyrod (I wouldn’t), but there is some risk in trying to find options who far surpass what Tyrod will ever give you. I like our odds, but we don’t know....because it can’t be known yet. 

2 hours ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

Do you respect it though?

 

I try very hard....I’m a high effort kind of guy. 

16 minutes ago, Golden Goat said:

 

In fairness, so is a bowel movement.

 

 

 

Fiber is one part of the process. 

[Trogdor]

3 hours ago, Wily Dog said:

A definite upgrade with Edmunds , Allen, McCarron, Lotuleilei , Murphy , Phillips, , Teller, Davis  Bodine, The dedication of Shag Lawson, and the Wr competition. The upgrade of OC and the 2nd year of the Defensive system are also tremendous upgrades

I feel like you went full Kool-Aid right here. McCarron has basically no stats to back up anything right now and Bodine is one of the worst at the position. We also have no idea about the OC and his previous stints don't point to an upgrade. Nothing on offense looks better right now, and it will take some time to really assess it. 

[Wily Dog]

50 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

In thing in the article I find interesting

 

RB Ivory - better at catching the football

 

I think this is gonna come into play and I DEF thing that ppl are sleeping on Ivory....not in a replacement to Shady sense but in a platooning of backs to keep Shady fresh and an upgrade to Tolbert....this is gonna be a bigger factor then most realize.

 

I certainly agree and I overlooked it Ivory in my post of additions.

 

30 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

I would disagree in that we at least had a known quantity who can certainly play in the NFL. Not a top tier option, but an NFL QB. We don’t know if any of the 3 on the roster now will ever be that. We had an experienced QB, now we don’t.  I’m not saying I’d have kept Tyrod (I wouldn’t), but there is some risk in trying to find options who far surpass what Tyrod will ever give you. I like our odds, but we don’t know....because it can’t be known yet. 

 

I try very hard....I’m a high effort kind of guy. 

 

Fiber is one part of the process. 

 

i disagree withe your disagreement , the known quantity was lacking in what we wanted from a QB . We have a 1st round QB , a QB who has played in the league 4 years and a QB going into his second year  all of which portends success over last year.,

15 minutes ago, Trogdor said:

I feel like you went full Kool-Aid right here. McCarron has basically no stats to back up anything right now and Bodine is one of the worst at the position. We also have no idea about the OC and his previous stints don't point to an upgrade. Nothing on offense looks better right now, and it will take some time to really assess it. 

 

I'll admit to some sense of Kool Aid in my posts but McBeane have proven to be basically right in their positions and i would rather not be a negative nellie.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

 

DEFENSE: upgrade-several key components are in place from last year; FA signings added to the mix; new talent will have to prove themselves

 

OFFENSE-incomplete; too many roster changes and newness to forecast the effects, whether positive or negative this early; time will tell; 2 new QB's, Rb's returning from injury after scant 2017 work and the same goes for WR corp; stay tuned.

[atlbillsfan1975]

Fair position assessment . I do agree that in 2018 Taylor might of have better results, however i also firmly believe we have witnessed Taylor's ceiling and it is not enough. 

Edited June 7, 2018 by atlbillsfan1975

[Trogdor]

32 minutes ago, Wily Dog said:

 

I certainly agree and I overlooked it Ivory in my post of additions.

 

 

i disagree withe your disagreement , the known quantity was lacking in what we wanted from a QB . We have a 1st round QB , a QB who has played in the league 4 years and a QB going into his second year  all of which portends success over last year.,

 

I'll admit to some sense of Kool Aid in my posts but McBeane have proven to be basically right in their positions and i would rather not be a negative nellie.

I'll give you the Mc, but the Beane hasn't really proven anything yet. None of his player pick ups have amounted to anything. Hopefully this draft class shines though. 

[JaCrispy]

4 hours ago, Jamie Nails said:

So we're going to win some low scoring games and get rocked by high powered offenses. Great. 

Hard to ever see the Bills having an explosive offense under a McD...just doesn’t seem like his style imo.

Edited June 6, 2018 by JaCrispy

[3rdand12]

4 hours ago, hondo in seattle said:

We know what kind of defense McD likes to run and we know the players we have.  The performance of the D this year is somewhat predictable.   

 

The O is another story.  It'll be interesting to see if Daboll (an upgrade?) can compensate for the downgrading on the offensive side of the roster.

 

Daboll hasn't been an NFL OC in a long time.  He's a bit of a wildcard.  He may turn out to be way better than Rico - someone who will make lemonade with the lemons given.   Then again, maybe not.  And, at this point, we don't even know who'll line up under center.   All we can do is embrace the uncertainty - fun times ahead!

 

 

 

 

trademark This !

 I love it

10 minutes ago, JaCrispy said:

Hard to ever see the Bills having an explosive offense under a McD...just doesn’t seem like his style imo.

That is why he hired his boy Brian. He will be the style coordinator for the Offense.

 McD likely prefers to offer input and critique for the Offense from a defensive viewpoint, as compared to be the one who designs it.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

4 hours ago, hondo in seattle said:

We know what kind of defense McD likes to run and we know the players we have.  The performance of the D this year is somewhat predictable.   

 

The O is another story.  It'll be interesting to see if Daboll (an upgrade?) can compensate for the downgrading on the offensive side of the roster.

 

Daboll hasn't been an NFL OC in a long time.  He's a bit of a wildcard.  He may turn out to be way better than Rico - someone who will make lemonade with the lemons given.   Then again, maybe not.  And, at this point, we don't even know who'll line up under center.   All we can do is embrace the uncertainty - fun times ahead!

 

 

 

 

 

 

...wholeheartedly agree bud......too many "IF'S" equal the INCOMPLETE grade I gave the offense......BUT yes, fun times ahead.......as my "A Team" hero Hannibal Smith always said, "I love it when a plan comes together".....stay tuned.....

[26CornerBlitz]

 

Ranking all 32 NFL quarterbacks, from best to worst

Age: 27 | Career passer rating: 93.6

At one point, McCarron somehow was lumped in with Jimmy Garoppolo and Kirk Cousins as attractive QBs in free agency. The rough results on the open market — getting a backup-like deal in Buffalo — are more in line with his value. McCarron had a good, short stint three seasons ago, but even when Andy Dalton struggled, the backup never popped as an option in Cincinnati. What’s around McCarron and what’s behind him (Josh Allen) are why he won’t fit in the Bills’ lineup for long.

 

Ranking all 32 NFL quarterbacks, from best to worst

Age: 28 | Career passer rating: 91.2

The Browns have upgraded significantly at QB even if they need to wait to start Baker Mayfield. Taylor did not get enough credit for what he did with the Bills last season; he put up the best possible numbers and efficiency with a makeshift receiving corps. He needs to keep using his legs, and that should lead to fewer sacks now that he has legitimate pass-catchers to whom he can the spread the ball.

[ColoradoBills]

3 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

In thing in the article I find interesting

 

RB Ivory - better at catching the football

 

I think this is gonna come into play and I DEF thing that ppl are sleeping on Ivory....not in a replacement to Shady sense but in a platooning of backs to keep Shady fresh and an upgrade to Tolbert....this is gonna be a bigger factor then most realize.

 

I really have some high hopes for Ivory.  He is Shady's age with half the tread wear.

Good at receiving and pass blocking.

[26CornerBlitz]

4 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

I really have some high hopes for Ivory.  He is Shady's age with half the tread wear.

Good at receiving and pass blocking.

 

His physical running style exacts a much heavier toll.

[ColoradoBills]

9 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

His physical running style exacts a much heavier toll.

 

Bell cow tough running backs get 200- 250 carries a year.

Ivory has had 1 season like that.  He has averaged 115 carries the last 2 years.

[Punching Bag]

7 hours ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

 

Safety

KEY PLAYERS IN 2017: Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer

KEY LOSSES: None

KEY ADDITIONS: Siran Neal (draft), Rafael Bush (free agency)

 

Did anyone else read last line as:

KEY ADDITIONS: Siran Neal (draft), Rachel Bush (free agency)