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Bills sign Lee Smith to 3-year deal -contract details released


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10 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

I would be surprised if Croom makes the team. He converted from WR to TE and it shows. 

 

I think the only reason Croom was on the roster last year is because everyone else was so bad.   Can't block and has suspect hands.   Tough combo to overcome for a TE.

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1 hour ago, freddyjj said:

Don't remember him being assessed a lot of penalties.  12 calls in 56 starts as a Bill.  

 

 

You don't want a blocking TE collecting penalties.   It's a bad trade.  

 

His have also often been of the unnecessary variety as well..........dumb stuff.   Not just a subjective holding call.   Lot's of false starts and personal fouls.

 

This is one of those moves that looks good in the vacuum of the internet(great blocking TE!) but in application it hasn't worked.

 

The Bills were a high volume, low wattage rushing offense when he was here and the Raiders haven't been good with him either.

 

Part of the reason is that block-only TE's load the box.........that decreases yards before contact...........which I believe is the key to a dominant run game.

 

The Bills were dominant running the ball in 2015-2016........GREAT.......... without a reliably available blocking TE.

 

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13 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

You don't want a blocking TE collecting penalties.   It's a bad trade.  

 

His have also often been of the unnecessary variety as well..........dumb stuff.   Not just a subjective holding call.   Lot's of false starts and personal fouls.

 

This is one of those moves that looks good in the vacuum of the internet(great blocking TE!) but in application it hasn't worked.

 

The Bills were a high volume, low wattage rushing offense when he was here and the Raiders haven't been good with him either.

 

Part of the reason is that block-only TE's load the box.........that decreases yards before contact...........which I believe is the key to a dominant run game.

 

The Bills were dominant running the ball in 2015-2016........GREAT.......... without a reliably available blocking TE.

 

 

I think the red zone and short yardage game could use some improvement.  I also think Buffalo wants to play more under center this year than last year.  Helps having a competent extra blocker in some of those play action situations.  Also allows some flex to use the backs more in the passing game.  

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12 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I had both thoughts.  With regard to the run game, someone shared a Cover1 clip of a pass play where Lee made a very good block.  So they may wish to use a TE blocking in the passing game and this signing may be less run-game-centered than I thought.

 

With regard to DiMarco...unless they've signed and drafted all these TE just to cut 'em, they have to make room somehow. 

Yeah, he can pass block too, but I believe it is primarily about getting the run game on track.  He's basically another OT.  I don't get why people complain.  How quickly they forget RBs hit in the backfield regularly and the QB running for his life regularly, and how bad the TE's where at blocking in general.  It wasn't just O-linemen.

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13 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

It doesn't take 5 years to build an offense. With the cap room they've had they've basically struck out on all offensive signings. 

 

They've just been below par in their offensive assessments. That can all change if Allen takes a big step this year, but several of their moves are real head scratchers. Their choices for coaches on offense, they've been bad at evaluating the WR position.(Outside of Foster where they got lucky)The Peterman fiasco was absolutely ridiculous, and while not a huge deal, giving Lee Smith a 3 year deal makes no sense at all.

 

I would call this an honest assessment. Yes, we signed a bunch of guys. But nearly all not top tier or even multi year building blocks except for maybe Morse. The rest nobody around the league would be shocked if they were cut before the season or after a year. Some will say Beasley and Brown, but guys like them are on the market all the time.They are all the rotating chairs type of talent. 

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16 minutes ago, dneveu said:

 

I think the red zone and short yardage game could use some improvement.  I also think Buffalo wants to play more under center this year than last year.  Helps having a competent extra blocker in some of those play action situations.  Also allows some flex to use the backs more in the passing game.  

 

 

The redzone is where you need playmakers..........which Lee Smith is not.   Clogging things up at the LOS just makes matters worse.   

 

I agree that they want to play under center more this year...........I think they want to try pounding the ball and killing clock like Marrone/Hackett did.

 

The chief difference between Jauron Ball(which works 7-9 times per year) and Marty Ball(which can work 10-13 times per year) is respecting the importance of playmakers.  

 

Bills are assembling an offense that doesn't match up well on paper with good defenses..........but might be able to stalemate and protect and punt the ball Jauron style more effectively than last years unit.    Could lead to a lot of late game pressure on Allen to make plays.  

 

Not a big fan of the approach...........it's the opposite of what the Rams and Eagles have done personnel-wise.

 

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1 minute ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

The redone is where you need playmakers..........which Lee Smith is not.   Clogging things up at the LOS just makes matters worse.   

 

I agree that they want to play under center more this year...........I think they want to try pounding the ball and killing clock like Marrone/Hackett did.

 

The chief difference between Jauron Ball(which works 7-9 times per year) and Marty Ball(which can work 10-13 times per year) is respecting the importance of playmakers.  

 

Bills are assembling an offense that doesn't match up well on paper with good defenses..........but might be able to stalemate and protect and punt the ball Jauron style more effectively than last years unit.    Could lead to a lot of late game pressure on Allen to make plays.  

 

Not a big fan of the approach...........it's the opposite of what the Rams and Eagles have done personnel-wise.

 

 

I believe its an attempt to set up a more play action style offensive approach - both in the red zone and in general.  

 

As for red zone rushing - The average was massively boosted by Josh Allen scrambles and draws, as well as some gimmick stuff with McKenzie.  So basically Buffalo was incapable of rushing the ball in the red zone.  That's likely also a symptom of a problem at 3rd and 4th and short in general.  The improvements to the line help - but the tight end group has been pretty bad for a while.  Clay never provided anywhere near the value of his contract.  

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13 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

It doesn't take 5 years to build an offense. With the cap room they've had they've basically struck out on all offensive signings. 

 

They've just been below par in their offensive assessments. That can all change if Allen takes a big step this year, but several of their moves are real head scratchers. Their choices for coaches on offense, they've been bad at evaluating the WR position.(Outside of Foster where they got lucky)The Peterman fiasco was absolutely ridiculous, and while not a huge deal, giving Lee Smith a 3 year deal makes no sense at all.

 

Lol.  Typical response.

 

and to those that keep remarking about it being a 3 year deal........the length of the deal means nothing in the NFL.  Just guaranteed money.  Our salary cap is in check.  If we cut him after this season, we’ll be on the hook for a couple mill.  It’s not a big deal.  Stop looking for things to complain about.

 

Complain if you think Smith sucks and can’t help us at all.  Don’t complain about the length of the deal.  It makes you look foolish

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32 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

You don't want a blocking TE collecting penalties.   It's a bad trade.  

His have also often been of the unnecessary variety as well..........dumb stuff.   Not just a subjective holding call.   Lot's of false starts and personal fouls.

 

Objectively, this doesn't seem to be true, unless they were all "offsetting penalties"

Penalty database here

The most common Smith season in penalties is 2 False Start and 1 Holding (3x)

His first year playing at TE (2012) he collected 3 holding penalties and 1 unnecessary roughness to accompany the 2 false starts. 

He had 5 FS penalties in 2015 which one assumes might be adjustment to a new team, scheme, QB, and role.

The one exception in his career was 2017, where he picked up 3 unnecessary roughness fouls - one of which drew national coverage as he was caught on mic pleading "I was just kidding around" with the ref.  Costly and dumb, but because it's an outlier, I wonder if there was coaching involved (different OC for Oak)

 

I'm not thrilled with the trade, but I was actually surprised by looking up the penalties because I remembered him as you.

 

32 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

This is one of those moves that looks good in the vacuum of the internet(great blocking TE!) but in application it hasn't worked.

The Bills were a high volume, low wattage rushing offense when he was here and the Raiders haven't been good with him either.

Part of the reason is that block-only TE's load the box.........that decreases yards before contact...........which I believe is the key to a dominant run game.

The Bills were dominant running the ball in 2015-2016........GREAT.......... without a reliably available blocking TE.

 

I'll wait to see what happens.  Certainly the Pats among other teams have made great use of TE blocking

It seems to me you're conflating two issues, which are the quality of the team, and the quality of the scheme.

 

 

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FYI

With Lee Smith the Raiders were ranked in the bottom of the league in rushing.

2018 - 25th

2017 - 25th

2015 - 28th

 

Funny enough, he only played in 4 games in 2016 and they finished 6th that year.

 

His last year with the Bills in 2014 they were 25th. After he left the next year they were #1. 

 

I only say this to temper the this is how we become a top 5 rushing team. 

 

 

 

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2 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

Why

Because it seems Bellicheat loves to pick up our ex players for some reason and i'm sure he's probably still looking for TE help.

 

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On 5/13/2019 at 9:18 AM, buffaloboyinATL said:

Man, we are leaving no stone left unturned in our search for a better TE group.  I love that Beane refuses to just stand pat and is constantly seeking improvement.

Is this serious? It's Lee Smith and Tyler Kroft.

I don't think we have a single TE that can catch a pass. (Maybe Knox can, but he's never been in the end-zone.)

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2 minutes ago, JustWinPlease said:

Is this serious? It's Lee Smith and Tyler Kroft.

I don't think we have a single TE that can catch a pass. (Maybe Knox can, but he's never been in the end-zone.)

Croom can catch.....sometimes.

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