Mark Vader Posted March 8, 2021 Share Posted March 8, 2021 Great write-up. Your thoughts of changing the entire right side is daring, but not improbable. Thank you also for sticking up for Cody Ford, he looked very good at LG, I just hope his injuries do not become a trend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Joe Posted March 8, 2021 Share Posted March 8, 2021 Moton looking at the franchise tag or finalising a longer term deal with the Panthers ( not yet official though..) https://www.nfl.com/news/panthers-expected-to-franchise-tag-ot-taylor-moton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machine gun kelly Posted March 8, 2021 Share Posted March 8, 2021 MAJ, nice write up and very thoughtful. I don’t agree with all of it, but you put a great deal of effort into the evaluation, so thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinky finger Posted March 8, 2021 Share Posted March 8, 2021 I like your thinking re: this unit 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solomon Grundy Posted March 8, 2021 Share Posted March 8, 2021 Maj, Gunner, Buffalo 716, I'd like to know your thoughts on him. Played some center at Senior Bowl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsShredder83 Posted March 8, 2021 Share Posted March 8, 2021 On 3/4/2021 at 10:15 AM, MAJBobby said: Sorry for being a bit late, had a ton of travel for work. Will try and get the rest of the offense finished up before UFA starts Offensive Line – I was just OK with the OL play. While they were actually pretty good for most of the season pass blocking their run blocking really suffered all year, and really fell off the cliff when we lost Ford to INJ. I have a feeling a lot of people are not going to like what I write about this group, but I think I see how the Bills want to build the OL, and that is pass blocking as the priority, over run blocking. Obviously, they would like that OL that is good at both, but if they seem to lean to the pass blocking more if there is a flawed player at the position. I will continue to look at the OL in the future under that context, Pass Blocking is the Priority over the Mauler. IMO this was the lowest performing group in the offense, particularly because their inability to run block really forced one sided offense, which was fine when our WRs were all healthy, when they were not (KC game) it became evident their struggles. Bills UFAs: Ty Nsekhe, 36 yrs, OT, 2020 AAV: 5M, SPOTRAC Market Value: N/A – He has been depth since he is come here and has provided pretty good depth and seemed to play good enough when he has had to play. However, with the cap crunch and the age factor with him I think it is time to move on and look to get younger in this position I think they have that youth on the roster already and I will get into that later, but I think Nsekhe is gone, unless we are talking Vet minimum here. Daryl Williams, 29 yrs, RT, 2020 AAV: 2.25M, SPOTRAC Market Value: 7.8M – He had a couple games with where he struggled really late in the season and playoffs mostly, rushers with speed he has some issues with, however I think that Market Value is about right on him. So, If I can get him back on a 3-year extension in the range of a 6-8M AAV I am good with bringing him back. We start getting over that 8M and I think I am willing to let him walk. As one of the better linemen this year I would look at bringing him back, but I would want the contract protected as well, with an easy out after the year, like Spain I think there is that chance he can go that route of Spain as well gets a contact and then starts regressing, forcing to move on. That is what scares me about him, and even as one of the better linemen this season there is nothing with Williams that tells me that he cannot be upgraded, so I would also want to protect against that, may be a player that Bills let hit the market and see what happens with that, I don’t think there is a must need with Williams of not letting him hit the market first. Jon Feliciano, 29 yrs, OG, 2020 AAV: 3.625M, SPOTRAC Market Value: 8.3M – Another I think could very well walk, I do not think he is worth the market value of 8.3M AAV, also I don’t think he really is that great. He was known for his nastiness and power yet got abused in both the run game and pass game against power. The Chiefs game he really struggled, and if that is who we are measuring against we need to get better here, not pay good cap space to tread water. The issue I am having saying out right let him walk is Morse Situation, with another concussion Bills may be forced to bring him back this year so they have a BU Center as well, protecting themselves in the future if they do not get a Rookie to start grooming for Morse. I would be fine either way letting him walk or re-signing (depending on the terms) But I think he is actually worth closer to 5-7M AAV. Brian Winters, OG, 30 yrs, 2020 AAV 3.0M, SPOTRAC Market Value: N/A – Provided depth, albeit not that great of depth imo. With declining play and youth on the roster I think Winters walks. I would let him walk. Had a shot with Ford INJ and Spain release to secure a new contact instead lost that job to Ike Boettger (who I thought played fine) so moving on. Ike Boettger, OG, 27 yrs, 2020 AAV 570K, SPOTRAC Market Value: N/A (RFA) - I would likely qualify Ike at 2nd round value RFA tender this year or re-sign Boettger to a 3-year deal in the 2M AAV range. I think he has shown he can start in a pinch, I would not sign him as a starter, and that is how I think I am able to keep his AAV down. Gives him a nice raise and some security. At 2-3M AAV we have a nice depth OG, however I also understand with him wanted to move on, but as depth I would keep him. This provides security if you let Feliciano walk (or move him to Center). On Contract OL: Mitch Morse, 29 yrs, Cap Hit 10.34M, Savings 4.8M: In my opinion any talk of release here is strictly health related with the concussions. He is a very good pass blocking pivot and is athletic to be able to move, getting to second level and pulling, however at the POA he is a little light and struggles against power. However not the biggest issue, not an issue at all on the OL except for the health issues. I personally would keep him this year because I don’t think I am getting his caliber of play within the 4.8M of savings we would get from a release. However, this is where I let Feliciano walk, draft Morse’s future replacement, and let him play next to Morse as an OG. However, Bills do have to start planning for life after Mitch Morse, and I think that planning should start this year. I know people are looking at this as a cap savings cut but would make a hole you have to fill. So let’s say you like Feliciano here, that’s fine as well, I think it is a downgrade, but then you would want to get Feliciano under contract for about 7M a year, that is his AAV in 2020 and the Savings from Morse. Dion Dawkins, 27 yrs, Cap Hit: 11.395M: Dawkins was our most consistent and best OL this season. He once again showed people he is one of the better LTs in this league. Could this position be better? Maybe and then sliding Dawkins to RT, but I don’t think that is a need. I know there are a lot of people I have talked to that say he isn’t good and that is shown because when Josh Scrambled, he breaks out away from him, meaning Dawkins isn’t blocking, that is a wrong assumption, Josh just has a natural tendency to break right when he needs too. Most of the pressure this year am from the interior and the RT side. He is not going anywhere anytime soon unless they get a better LT and slide him to the right side. My opinion if you want that to happen just go get me a top end RT and not force the position change. He does struggle with run blocking, which to me is weird he has the power to be effective there, but a lot of times Run Blocking is more of a mindset than anything, and I just do not think he has that mindset, Was better in the beginning of the season with Ford next to him, than later in the season. Cody Ford, 25 yrs, Cap Hit: 2.047M, Savings: 307K – The enigma of the OL group, he is probably the most polarizing. I think he played very well at LG until injury. It was like they finally found the position that will put him in the best chance for success. His is athletically challenged on the edge but inside the phone booth much better, then has the power to hold up inside as well. Putting him in between two established players of Dawkins and Morse unlocked his ability IMO. It was ashamed he went down with INJ, because he would have been talked about as one of our better lineman IMO. He is a very effective run blocker and is an above AVG pass blocker inside at OG. IMO he is slotted right in to start at LG again next year and this position IMO looks solid, with depth needing to be addressed a bit. Ryan Bates, 24 yrs, OG/OT/C, Cap Hit: 850K, Savings: 850K – This would be an easy cool savings of close to 1M is he was released. However, you will not find a depth OT, OG, C for 850K. His value is ability to play every position on the OL. I would have expected him to play more than he did this year, but we were pretty healthy on the OL with the exception of Ford and a couple nicks here and there. But just that depth of all 5-position filled under 1M dollars is too valuable to move on from. When ever he did play since he has been here, he has not looked that he cannot play. I am maybe a bit of a Bates truther, but find me another team that can fill 5 positions of depth under 1M dollars. Jordan Devey, 33 yrs, OG, Cap Hit: 860K, Savings: 860K – Camp Fodder, I don’t expect anything from him. Will be cut and pocket the 860K savings after draft or camp. Trey Adams, 25 yrs, OT, Cap Hit: 780K, Savings: 780K – I think he will be given the first shot at the swing OT spot. I liked him coming out of Washington last year and was happy when Bills signed him as a UDFA. He was an elite OL in college and then INJ took their tool and cause the major draft slip, without his INJ he likely doesn’t leave the first round let alone all the way to a UDFA. His combine was horrible as well. But he was kept around all year on the PS, when Bills routinely moved people on and off the PS. This camp season is going to be huge for him, because I fully expect some more youth coming into the OL this offseason. Possible UFA TGTs (go with my top 4 or top 5) I would rather stay away from buying OL in the UFA market, as they get pretty pricey however there are also some bargains to be found, and with a constricted cap year I could see some 1 year deals given out to vets similar to Spain and Williams, and make them play to their next contract either with us or elsewhere. Interior (OG/C): Joe Thurney, 29, OG (Likely 12M AAV) Brandon Scherff, 30, OG (likely 10M AAV) Nick Martin, 28, C (Likely 7M AAV) DJ Fluker, 30, OG (1M AAV) Kelechi Osemele, 32, OG (Likely 1-2M AAV) OTs Taylor Moton, RT, 27 (Likely 12M AAV) – Let Williams walk, get younger and better with another RT from Carolina. Germain Ifedi, RT, 27 (Likely 1.5M) Kendall Lamm, RT, 29 (Likely 3M) Marcus Williams, 25 (9.4 AAV) – Long term replacement for Hyde Cam Robinson, OT, 26 (Likely 12M AAV) Ok to the point of what I would do. I would probably be more dramatic than most, and even the Bills, but this group needs to be upgraded specially on the right side. So, what I am doing is letting everyone but Ike Beottger walks. My Priority signing would be Taylor Moton and then depth with a Osemele and Fluker on 1-year deals. I go into the draft and find my long term replacement at C, and initial OG in the league until ready to move on from Morse. If I can pull that off the OL looks a little like this going into camp. LT - Dawkins / Bates LG - Ford / Osemele / Bates C - Morse / Rookie / Bates RG - Rookie / Fluker / Bates RT - Moton / Adams / Bates Next Writeup: WR/TE Past Writeups: Full Overview: https://www.twobillsdrive.com/community/topic/230905-buffalo-bills-offseason-primer-state-of-the-bills/ Defensive Line: https://www.twobillsdrive.com/community/topic/230921-offseason-primer-position-group-dl/ Linebackers: https://www.twobillsdrive.com/community/topic/230960-offseason-primer-position-group-lb/ Secondary: https://www.twobillsdrive.com/community/topic/230969-offseason-primer-position-group-secondary/ Thanks for writing this, posts like this are what makes the board great! Headed back to hit your other positional primers now Sometimes i want that immediate gratification of a possible K Toney or a package to go up and get Pitts! That said Im all about drafting big uglies early on. Morse s injuries make me very nervous, id still like atleast one high end guard, and its starting to feel more and more like RT is going to be a new hole to plug up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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