Training Camp 8/21

[YattaOkasan]

Any other links?  Did they practice?  Was just Allen boring?  Covid Camp is really a bummer but a price I think will all pay to see them in regular season. 

[Warcodered]

2 minutes ago, YattaOkasan said:

Any other links?  Did they practice?  Was just Allen boring?  Covid Camp is really a bummer but a price I think will all pay to see them in regular season. 

Haven't seen a lot out there they were saying it was a light practice before their day off.

[Florida Bills Fanatic]

6 hours ago, CEN-CAL17 said:

Been saying it for months now..... Roberts could be a surprise cut.  But everyone thinks hes still the Roberts of 2016.

 

His longest punt return last year was 22 yards.  8 yard avg. What 32 years old?

 

Do you keep him and put Hodgins on the PS to possibly be scooped up? Then have to drop Roberts to place Hodgins on the 53, or who do you drop? Can McKenzie return punts?  McKenzie is solid on the fly sweeps and made some big plays periodically last year on the field.....

 

I still say:

Diggs

Brown

Beasley

Davis

McKenzie

Hodgins

 

But but Roberts is respected in the ST room.  8 yard avg last year, was 14 the year before.... IMO NFL teams are not scared of Roberts in 2020.

 

I think they are looking and building returners for a possible replacement.  90% of the time its a fair catch anyway.....

I think you are correct on this.  Roberts is a roster luxury that McD may be unwilling to carry.  With reduced productivity, he may no longer be worth it.  I haven't had a chance to do any research but it would not shock me if some others on the roster had punt and kick return experience in college.  Frequently talented freshman that can't crack the starting lineup, are used to return kicks and punts.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

7 hours ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

Interesting that Levi Wallace and John Brown are back there with Andre Roberts.

 

You got to have depth this year.  It's not just injuries, it's covid

[purple haze]

7 hours ago, CEN-CAL17 said:

Been saying it for months now..... Roberts could be a surprise cut.  But everyone thinks hes still the Roberts of 2016.

 

His longest punt return last year was 22 yards.  8 yard avg. What 32 years old?

 

Do you keep him and put Hodgins on the PS to possibly be scooped up? Then have to drop Roberts to place Hodgins on the 53, or who do you drop? Can McKenzie return punts?  McKenzie is solid on the fly sweeps and made some big plays periodically last year on the field.....

 

I still say:

Diggs

Brown

Beasley

Davis

McKenzie

Hodgins

 

But but Roberts is respected in the ST room.  8 yard avg last year, was 14 the year before.... IMO NFL teams are not scared of Roberts in 2020.

 

I think they are looking and building returners for a possible replacement.  90% of the time its a fair catch anyway.....

You’re totally underselling Roberts.  I believe he was top 10 in punt and kick returns last season, and, to my eye, still looks explosive when he runs.  He also can do those facet plays McKenzie does now if the staff chooses to keep only 6 WRs.

[purple haze]

3 hours ago, Doc said:

My main gripe about Roberts is too many times he brought the kick off out of the Endzone when he was way deep in it.  And I’d rather they didn’t have to keep a spot just for him but he’s a pro bowler so like I said, they’re not cutting him.

He can contribute at WR though if need be.  He can run reverses and gadget plays.  Roberts has some giddy-up to him.   I think he’s more versatile than McKenzie bc you can trust him to catch and hold the ball on returns too.

Edited August 22, 2020 by purple haze

[FLFan]

8 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

McKenzie is a huge liability returning punts. Dude is a muff machine.

 

I've come around to keeping Roberts on the team just for his return abilities.... and to keep them from making a dumb decision... like McKenzie returning punts. 

This is my thinking as well.  We all want the splash plays, but it starts with reliability.  Good decisions, no muffs.  The results of bad decisions and bad hands on punt returns is disastrous.  No disasters first.  

[NewEra]

7 hours ago, Paul Costa said:

I don’t get the McKenzie love. He’s ok. I think Bills will keep 7 WR. 
1.Diggs

2.Brown 

3. Beasley 

4. Davis

5. Duke ( having great camp)

6. Hodgins 

7. Roberts 

what does McKenzie give you but the jet sweep. Foster could replace Duke or Hodgins if he can run jet sweep. Excellent ST player and had great second half of season as a rookie. Good chemistry with Josh in 2018. 

We aren’t going to keep Hodgins, Duke and Roberts. 7 WRs isn’t happening.  I like both Hodgins and Duke, but it’s a numbers game.  I bet Beane is trying to trade Duke and Mckenzie for late rounders as we speak.

[SCBills]

I’m going:

 

Diggs

Brown

Beasley

Davis

Duke

Roberts

 

Hodgins to PS

 

Foster/McKenzie cut

 

Id like to keep Foster, but just don’t see him beating out Duke.  I’m fine with having Roberts as designated PR/KR. 

[YoloinOhio]

4 hours ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

Who is the backup slot receiver?

Gabe Davis has been lining up inside and outside so that’s a possibility 

[YoloinOhio]

3 hours ago, YattaOkasan said:

Any other links?  Did they practice?  Was just Allen boring?  Covid Camp is really a bummer but a price I think will all pay to see them in regular season. 

Not much today and tbh I think we are going to see less and less. All teams are cracking down on what media can share because absent preseason games this year, pro scouts are following beat reporters around the league for info and video of players that they can watch and stash for future waiver claims. Plus stephon Gilmore RTd a vid of Allen to Diggs and said “thanks for showing me the routes you are running” or something 

Edited August 22, 2020 by YoloinOhio

[CEN-CAL17]

1 hour ago, SCBills said:

I’m going:

 

Diggs

Brown

Beasley

Davis

Duke

Roberts

 

Hodgins to PS

 

Foster/McKenzie cut

 

Id like to keep Foster, but just don’t see him beating out Duke.  I’m fine with having Roberts as designated PR/KR. 

Here’s a scenario... week 4 a team puts in for Hodgins from the PS.... now he has to be put on the 53. 
 

Who do the Bills drop?

Edited August 22, 2020 by CEN-CAL17

[Warcodered]

34 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

Not much today and tbh I think we are going to see less and less. All teams are cracking down on what media can share because absent preseason games this year, pro scouts are following beat reporters around the league for info and video of players that they can watch and stash for future waiver claims. Plus stephon Gilmore RTd a vid of Allen to Diggs and said “thanks for showing me the routes you are running” or something 

 

I mean it's a position group drill so I guess he's just trying to play mind games or something.

[JaBu]

24 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

Not much today and tbh I think we are going to see less and less. All teams are cracking down on what media can share because absent preseason games this year, pro scouts are following beat reporters around the league for info and video of players that they can watch and stash for future waiver claims. Plus stephon Gilmore RTd a vid of Allen to Diggs and said “thanks for showing me the routes you are running” or something 

 

Cracking down makes sense, especially with regard to scouts looking for cut down day waiver claims. It could definitely impact a teams ability to sneak a guy onto the practice squad.

 

However, I don't think the Gilmore tweet is relevant. Unless it's the 1st game (New England isn't), there will be plenty of actual game tape to see many routes run. Also. if he was serious about it he wouldn't blow his cover, he'd just keep collecting vids. It's notable he's interested and paying attention though. I doubt he's watching any Jets or Dolphins camp video.

[machine gun kelly]

I know that out route was so telling.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

13 hours ago, CEN-CAL17 said:

Been saying it for months now..... Roberts could be a surprise cut.  But everyone thinks hes still the Roberts of 2016.

 

His longest punt return last year was 22 yards.  8 yard avg. What 32 years old?

 

Do you keep him and put Hodgins on the PS to possibly be scooped up? Then have to drop Roberts to place Hodgins on the 53, or who do you drop? Can McKenzie return punts?  McKenzie is solid on the fly sweeps and made some big plays periodically last year on the field.....

 

I still say:

Diggs

Brown

Beasley

Davis

McKenzie

Hodgins

 

But but Roberts is respected in the ST room.  8 yard avg last year, was 14 the year before.... IMO NFL teams are not scared of Roberts in 2020.

 

I think they are looking and building returners for a possible replacement.  90% of the time its a fair catch anyway.....

Hodgins seems like the perfect candidate for practice squad. 6th round pick with no preseason. It's not likely a team adds him to their active roster without film.

[strive_for_five_guy]

7 hours ago, CEN-CAL17 said:

Here’s a scenario... week 4 a team puts in for Hodgins from the PS.... now he has to be put on the 53. 
 

Who do the Bills drop?

Teams can protect four PS players this year FYI

[eball]

5 minutes ago, strive_for_five_guy said:

Teams can protect four PS players this year FYI

 

Yes, but they can’t protect anyone from Sunday until Tuesday afternoon — otherwise known as the “poaching period.”  The four protected players are chosen on Tuesday afternoon and that protection lasts through Sunday.

[Chandler#81]

7 hours ago, CEN-CAL17 said:

Here’s a scenario... week 4 a team puts in for Hodgins from the PS.... now he has to be put on the 53. 
 

Who do the Bills drop?

Good post. I was going to counter @SCBills post with ‘not for long, if at all’ regarding Hodgins.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

13 hours ago, Doc said:

My main gripe about Roberts is too many times he brought the kick off out of the Endzone when he was way deep in it.  And I’d rather they didn’t have to keep a spot just for him but he’s a pro bowler so like I said, they’re not cutting him.

I actually like that. If you have an elite returner, you ought to try to bring it out every time. If you have a “kick catcher” back there, then I agree— take a knee.