Bills sign Matt Milano to 4 yr, 44 mill deal with 24 mill gtd

[Green Lightning]

I don't know if Milano is worth the coin or not. I just know this D is not good enough the win it all, and it hasn't improved. And I'm not alone in this. Below is a quote from am NFL executive on the Bills' off season in today's Athletic. 

 

“They have to fix their defensive line, they have not done that, and this is a bad D-line draft,” an exec said. “If Josh Allen takes another step, it might not matter, but if he regresses, Buffalo is a team that could suddenly miss the playoffs.”

[Bangarang]

Just now, Green Lightning said:

I don't know if Milano is worth the coin or not. I just know this D is not good enough the win it all, and it hasn't improved. And I'm not alone in this. Below is a quote from am NFL executive on the Bills' off season in today's Athletic. 

 

“They have to fix their defensive line, they have not done that, and this is a bad D-line draft,” an exec said. “If Josh Allen takes another step, it might not matter, but if he regresses, Buffalo is a team that could suddenly miss the playoffs.”

Theres too much faith being put on the return of Star who was a mediocre player before he took a year off. 
 

We rely too much on blitzing to get pressure. Unless Oliver and Epenesa play out of their minds, our ability to generate pressure with just the front 4 is a serious concern. 

[Green Lightning]

Just now, Bangarang said:

Theres too much faith being put on the return of Star who was a mediocre player before he took a year off. 
 

We rely too much on blitzing to get pressure. Unless Oliver and Epenesa play out of their minds, our ability to generate pressure with just the front 4 is a serious concern. 

100% This D Line is not good enough. 

[Royale with Cheese]

8 minutes ago, Niagara Dude said:

Even more of a reason to add a difference maker on defensive side of the ball,  offense will again be fine and defense will hold us back.  

So you really are saying Milano was covering Kelce 100% of the time and in man coverage?

[Billl]

3 hours ago, Niagara Dude said:

I like him and think he is good player,  just this defense needed to bring on at least one difference maker and i don't see him being a huge difference maker.  We were worse in the NFL covering TE'S or 3rd & long.  Paying guys more isa not going to correct that or have someone who can maybe keep Kelce under control.  People want to twist my words,  that report said the Bills could have used that money differrent. I love the Bills and would love to eat crow,  but you need difference making play makers to beat a team like KC. IMO

This is a key point, IMO.  Beane has built an exceptionally balanced roster.  There are very few liabilities to be found.  The flip side is that there are very few elite players.  Allen and Diggs are elite.  White was trending towards that level, but I don’t think he was last year at all.  Beyond that, it’s a roster full of solid players who aren’t necessarily difference makers.  The roster is built to consistently beat up on average to good teams, but they don’t seem to have many guys who can simply take over a game.

 

I’m curious to see if Beane ever shifts his philosophy and decides to let a guy like Milano walk in order to throw big money at a star and banking on his stars to more than make up for the resulting holes.  Doing that successfully requires a GM to hit on players in the draft who can excel while they are young and cost controlled.

 

Kansas City is all in on this strategy.  They’ve taken swings on star players, but the roster has several gaping holes that could potentially sink them.  They’ve given massive contracts to guys like Hill, Kelce, Mahomes, Chris Jones, and Mathieu.  It’s left them without viable options at LT, WR2, DE, and LB, though.  Getting very little out of draft picks in 2018 and 2019 contributed greatly to these holes being exposed.  The 2020 draft was a home run, but it’s going to take another one in 2021 to avoid taking the field with some very exploitable weaknesses.

 

I see Milano as the exact type of player to sacrifice in order to go big game hunting.  He provided solid value for a cheap draft pick and the rookie deal that came with it.  I’d have encouraged Beane to wish him well and go find another one in the draft or on the waiver wire.  There’s simply a limit to the value of a LB who isn’t an elite pass rusher and who isn’t going to neutralize elite TEs.  Not saying it was a mistake to sign him, just that it may have been a good spot to roll the dice and going with a cheaper replacement.

5 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

So you really are saying Milano was covering Kelce 100% of the time and in man coverage?

He’s saying the literal opposite.  An elite coverage LB would have been on Kelce all game.  Why pay big money to a LB who doesn’t sack the QB and who can’t take away elite TEs?

[Royale with Cheese]

8 minutes ago, Billl said:

This is a key point, IMO.  Beane has built an exceptionally balanced roster.  There are very few liabilities to be found.  The flip side is that there are very few elite players.  Allen and Diggs are elite.  White was trending towards that level, but I don’t think he was last year at all.  Beyond that, it’s a roster full of solid players who aren’t necessarily difference makers.  The roster is built to consistently beat up on average to good teams, but they don’t seem to have many guys who can simply take over a game.

 

I’m curious to see if Beane ever shifts his philosophy and decides to let a guy like Milano walk in order to throw big money at a star and banking on his stars to more than make up for the resulting holes.  Doing that successfully requires a GM to hit on players in the draft who can excel while they are young and cost controlled.

 

Kansas City is all in on this strategy.  They’ve taken swings on star players, but the roster has several gaping holes that could potentially sink them.  They’ve given massive contracts to guys like Hill, Kelce, Mahomes, Chris Jones, and Mathieu.  It’s left them without viable options at LT, WR2, DE, and LB, though.  Getting very little out of draft picks in 2018 and 2019 contributed greatly to these holes being exposed.  The 2020 draft was a home run, but it’s going to take another one in 2021 to avoid taking the field with some very exploitable weaknesses.

 

I see Milano as the exact type of player to sacrifice in order to go big game hunting.  He provided solid value for a cheap draft pick and the rookie deal that came with it.  I’d have encouraged Beane to wish him well and go find another one in the draft or on the waiver wire.  There’s simply a limit to the value of a LB who isn’t an elite pass rusher and who isn’t going to neutralize elite TEs.  Not saying it was a mistake to sign him, just that it may have been a good spot to roll the dice and going with a cheaper replacement.

He’s saying the literal opposite.  An elite coverage LB would have been on Kelce all game.  Why pay big money to a LB who doesn’t sack the QB and who can’t take away elite TEs?

If we are a predominantly zone coverage team, why would we have Milano in man all game? What if Kelce lines up on the other side?

Edited April 2, 2021 by Royale with Cheese

[Billl]

1 minute ago, Royale with Cheese said:

If we are a predominantly zone coverage team, why would we have Milano all game? What if Kelce lines up on the other side?

If Milano were capable of erasing elite TEs, they wouldn’t play zone against a team like Kansas City.  McDermott threw the kitchen sink at Kelce and couldn’t even slow him down.  Hell, he even had White covering him for a while and it didn’t make a bit of difference.  They were getting creative, but nothing worked.  If Milano had been effectively covering Kelce, I don’t think McDermott would have stubbornly refused to play him straight up.

 

That’s what prompts the question.  How much do you pay a LB who doesn’t get after the QB and who can’t check top tier TEs?  If it’s me, the answer is not very much.  I’d rather save that money and apply it towards an elite pass rusher, CB, etc.  Those types can make crappy LBs look serviceable.

[BuffaloRebound]

Having a problem with Milano is like complaining your girlfriend is a 9 not a 10.  Dude is good.  He’s not big enough to take away the best Tight Ends but he makes plays all over the field otherwise.  

[Chandler#81]

4 minutes ago, Billl said:

If Milano were capable of erasing elite TEs, they wouldn’t play zone against a team like Kansas City.  McDermott threw the kitchen sink at Kelce and couldn’t even slow him down.  Hell, he even had White covering him for a while and it didn’t make a bit of difference.  They were getting creative, but nothing worked.  If Milano had been effectively covering Kelce, I don’t think McDermott would have stubbornly refused to play him straight up.

 

That’s what prompts the question.  How much do you pay a LB who doesn’t get after the QB and who can’t check top tier TEs?  If it’s me, the answer is not very much.  I’d rather save that money and apply it towards an elite pass rusher, CB, etc.  Those types can make crappy LBs look serviceable.

Jesus, dude. Just stop.🤦‍♂️

[Logic]

2 minutes ago, Billl said:

If Milano were capable of erasing elite TEs, they wouldn’t play zone against a team like Kansas City.  McDermott threw the kitchen sink at Kelce and couldn’t even slow him down.  Hell, he even had White covering him for a while and it didn’t make a bit of difference.  They were getting creative, but nothing worked.  If Milano had been effectively covering Kelce, I don’t think McDermott would have stubbornly refused to play him straight up.

 

That’s what prompts the question.  How much do you pay a LB who doesn’t get after the QB and who can’t check top tier TEs?  If it’s me, the answer is not very much.  I’d rather save that money and apply it towards an elite pass rusher, CB, etc.  Those types can make crappy LBs look serviceable.

 

I feel like I’ve said this 100 times in 100 different threads, but this Bills defense has shown that it CAN check top tier tight ends when healthy.

 

In 2020, they were bad at defending TEs. No doubt about it.

 

In 2019, when Milano and Edmunds were healthy all year, the Bills gave up the third fewest yards to TEs of any team in the league.

 

I feel the “Bills defense can’t defend tight ends” narrative is way overblown. Yes, they were bad at it last year. Prior to that, it was consistently a strength of our defense.

[Royale with Cheese]

29 minutes ago, Billl said:

If Milano were capable of erasing elite TEs, they wouldn’t play zone against a team like Kansas City.  McDermott threw the kitchen sink at Kelce and couldn’t even slow him down.  Hell, he even had White covering him for a while and it didn’t make a bit of difference.  They were getting creative, but nothing worked.  If Milano had been effectively covering Kelce, I don’t think McDermott would have stubbornly refused to play him straight up.

 

That’s what prompts the question.  How much do you pay a LB who doesn’t get after the QB and who can’t check top tier TEs?  If it’s me, the answer is not very much.  I’d rather save that money and apply it towards an elite pass rusher, CB, etc.  Those types can make crappy LBs look serviceable.

 

I mean...no to the bolded.  Why don't you ask Todd Bowles that question lol? 

 

Tre White couldn't cover Kelce and you're discrediting Milano for not being able to "erase" him?  How many defensive players can "erase" Kelce?  Name one lol.

 

Milano obviously does more than you think.  Thomas Davis wasn't a guy who got to the QB a lot and he was extended in Carolina.  These types of linebackers mean more to McDermott than you believe.  

 

 

 

 

32 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

Jesus, dude. Just stop.🤦‍♂️

 

I read it twice just to make sure he said what he said.

[Billl]

47 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Tre White couldn't cover Kelce and you're discrediting Milano for not being able to "erase" him?  How many defensive players can "erase" Kelce?  Name one lol.

Fred Warner, Bobby Wagner, and Devin White are elite coverage LBs.  Welcome back to my point.  If you aren’t one of those guys and you aren’t a pass rusher, then I’m not paying big bucks for your services.  I’ll save the money and put it towards an edge who can force the ball out of the QBs hands, thus taking pressure off the coverage or I’ll spend on a CB who can play on an island freeing up a safety to bracket the TE.

 

I just don’t see enough difference between a JAG LB and a pretty good LB to matter.  I can hide a Reggie Ragland if it frees up $10,000,000 to put towards a star at an impact position who acts as a force multiplier for the entire unit.  I don’t understand how paying the guy who got rinsed for 3 hours in the AFCCG a 2000% salary increase closes the gap.

 

Not saying it’s a bad decision.  I simply used MM as an example of where Beane might have decided to de-emphasize one position in order to land a star elsewhere.  Adequate LBs can be had in the middle of the draft.  Beane has drafted RBs in the third round two years in a row and may well spend a first rounder on another this year.  Would you rather have Matt Milano and Zack Moss or $10,000,000 of cap space, Malik Harrison, and a comp pick?  I don’t think you’re dumb if you pick the first option, but I definitely disagree.

[Royale with Cheese]

35 minutes ago, Billl said:

Fred Warner, Bobby Wagner, and Devin White are elite coverage LBs.  Welcome back to my point.  If you aren’t one of those guys and you aren’t a pass rusher, then I’m not paying big bucks for your services.  I’ll save the money and put it towards an edge who can force the ball out of the QBs hands, thus taking pressure off the coverage or I’ll spend on a CB who can play on an island freeing up a safety to bracket the TE.

 

I just don’t see enough difference between a JAG LB and a pretty good LB to matter.  I can hide a Reggie Ragland if it frees up $10,000,000 to put towards a star at an impact position who acts as a force multiplier for the entire unit.  I don’t understand how paying the guy who got rinsed for 3 hours in the AFCCG a 2000% salary increase closes the gap.

 

Not saying it’s a bad decision.  I simply used MM as an example of where Beane might have decided to de-emphasize one position in order to land a star elsewhere.  Adequate LBs can be had in the middle of the draft.  Beane has drafted RBs in the third round two years in a row and may well spend a first rounder on another this year.  Would you rather have Matt Milano and Zack Moss or $10,000,000 of cap space, Malik Harrison, and a comp pick?  I don’t think you’re dumb if you pick the first option, but I definitely disagree.

I just find it confusing how you criticize Milano in his AFC Title game performance because he couldn’t erase Kelce.

Followed by Devin White being a guy that could erase Kelce yet in 2 games agains the  Bucs....he had 18 catches and over 200 yards.  

Then you suggest if Milano was good enough, McDermott would run man??

Did Bowles run man with Devin White?  No, he ran a Cover 2 shell almost 90% of the game.  

[Stank_Nasty]

4 hours ago, Green Lightning said:

I don't know if Milano is worth the coin or not. I just know this D is not good enough the win it all, and it hasn't improved. And I'm not alone in this. Below is a quote from am NFL executive on the Bills' off season in today's Athletic. 

 

“They have to fix their defensive line, they have not done that, and this is a bad D-line draft,” an exec said. “If Josh Allen takes another step, it might not matter, but if he regresses, Buffalo is a team that could suddenly miss the playoffs.”

I saw the same quote and if I were you I wouldn’t admit to agreeing with it. It’s a dumb statement. So a 13 win team is gonna miss the whole dang dance if the qb regresses off of a historic type season? That’s honestly just a dumb I’ll-informed statement. And that’s exactly what I thought when I read it earlier this morning on that site. 

[Billl]

1 hour ago, Royale with Cheese said:

I just find it confusing how you criticize Milano in his AFC Title game performance because he couldn’t erase Kelce.

Followed by Devin White being a guy that could erase Kelce yet in 2 games agains the  Bucs....he had 18 catches and over 200 yards.  

Then you suggest if Milano was good enough, McDermott would run man??

Did Bowles run man with Devin White?  No, he ran a Cover 2 shell almost 90% of the game.  

You’re so close to getting the point.  I’m not criticizing Milano at all.  If Kelce can’t be handled even by the best coverage LBs, then why pay big salaries for coverage LBs?  Tampa won by blowing up the line every play with their elite pass rushers up front allowing them to play that Cover 2 shell.  White makes $7,000,000 a year.  Milano is getting 40% more than that.  Using your own logic, he’s getting that money to cover average TEs while elite TEs run wild.  Wouldn’t it make more sense to use that money on an elite pass rush?
 

There is a pretty strong trend of teams with elite TEs making the Super Bowl.  The last 3 seasons have had Gronk, Gronk, Kelce, Kelce, and Kittle playing.  You don’t beat those teams with coverage LBs trying to hang with them for 4 seconds.  You either need shutdown CBs who allow for bracket coverage or with a pass rush that can get home without blitzing allowing your defense to play that shell.  The first time Buffalo played Kansas City they tried to sit back in a shell, and the Chiefs ran all over them because their front 4 couldn’t hold up.  The second game saw a different strategy, but Kelce and Hill did whatever they wanted.  As I said before, I don’t see how increasing Milano’s salary by a factor of 20 changes that equation.  
 

An elite coverage LB is a great asset against average TEs.  An elite pass rush is a great asset against everyone.  An $11,000,000 coverage LB strikes me more as a luxury item for a team that already has the pass rush figured out.

[Canadian Bills Fan]

[Mat68]

3 hours ago, Royale with Cheese said:

I just find it confusing how you criticize Milano in his AFC Title game performance because he couldn’t erase Kelce.

Followed by Devin White being a guy that could erase Kelce yet in 2 games agains the  Bucs....he had 18 catches and over 200 yards.  

Then you suggest if Milano was good enough, McDermott would run man??

Did Bowles run man with Devin White?  No, he ran a Cover 2 shell almost 90% of the game.  

Buffalo didnt have the ability to get home with 4 guys.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

7 hours ago, Billl said:

This is a key point, IMO.  Beane has built an exceptionally balanced roster.  There are very few liabilities to be found.  The flip side is that there are very few elite players.  Allen and Diggs are elite.  White was trending towards that level, but I don’t think he was last year at all.  Beyond that, it’s a roster full of solid players who aren’t necessarily difference makers.  The roster is built to consistently beat up on average to good teams, but they don’t seem to have many guys who can simply take over a game.

 

I’m curious to see if Beane ever shifts his philosophy and decides to let a guy like Milano walk in order to throw big money at a star and banking on his stars to more than make up for the resulting holes.  Doing that successfully requires a GM to hit on players in the draft who can excel while they are young and cost controlled.

 

Kansas City is all in on this strategy.  They’ve taken swings on star players, but the roster has several gaping holes that could potentially sink them.  They’ve given massive contracts to guys like Hill, Kelce, Mahomes, Chris Jones, and Mathieu.  It’s left them without viable options at LT, WR2, DE, and LB, though.  Getting very little out of draft picks in 2018 and 2019 contributed greatly to these holes being exposed.  The 2020 draft was a home run, but it’s going to take another one in 2021 to avoid taking the field with some very exploitable weaknesses.

 

I see Milano as the exact type of player to sacrifice in order to go big game hunting.  He provided solid value for a cheap draft pick and the rookie deal that came with it.  I’d have encouraged Beane to wish him well and go find another one in the draft or on the waiver wire.  There’s simply a limit to the value of a LB who isn’t an elite pass rusher and who isn’t going to neutralize elite TEs.  Not saying it was a mistake to sign him, just that it may have been a good spot to roll the dice and going with a cheaper replacement.

He’s saying the literal opposite.  An elite coverage LB would have been on Kelce all game.  Why pay big money to a LB who doesn’t sack the QB and who can’t take away elite TEs?

 

We really don't know if this is true or not.  Before the last two off-seasons, Beane needed to do everything  he could and throw big money just to attract a guy like Star.  This was probably the first time in about 20 years the Bills could attract top players based on the teams standing.  But this year there was little to no money available.  Lets see what he does  in another year when they have money.  They did supposedly make a serious run at Watt for big $$ and supposedly also Ertz, but Eagles wanted to much for him.

 

Also doesn't mean he needs to let Milano go to get a big star either in other seasons.

Edited April 3, 2021 by Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

[Green Lightning]

2 hours ago, Stank_Nasty said:

I saw the same quote and if I were you I wouldn’t admit to agreeing with it. It’s a dumb statement. So a 13 win team is gonna miss the whole dang dance if the qb regresses off of a historic type season? That’s honestly just a dumb I’ll-informed statement. And that’s exactly what I thought when I read it earlier this morning on that site. 

You're not me and the main point is that this D isn't SB calber and it hasn't improved at all. 

[GunnerBill]

21 hours ago, Niagara Dude said:

 

  The fact is the dude is a good but not great player,  maybe he changes that this season or maybe we still have no one able to cover Kelce and other TE'S in this league.  You seem to miss the point,  i a never said he was not a good player,  my concern was the salary given for what he gives us on defense.  

 

What he gives us on defense is the single biggest swing in yards per pass play given up in the entire NFL last season. No other player made as big of an impact in the league as Milano on that number. I do get the hesitation about the signing. I like Milano a lot but I was 50/50 about bringing him back but there are definitely advanced analytics that support the decision the Bills made. And the contract was a good one. $8m in 2021, $10m in 2022 and then the ability to get out for $3.5m dead cap which they could eat over 1 year or 2. 

 

I take the point about the opportunity loss to get a playmaker at a more premier position but if we are looking salary inefficiencies on the roster that affect that I'd start with the Addisons and Butlers of the world, even Klein, before I'd get to Matt Milano. It was a decision I could have gone either way on but on the deal they gave him I think it was a solid move.

 

 

[Billl]

13 hours ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

We really don't know if this is true or not.  Before the last two off-seasons, Beane needed to do everything  he could and throw big money just to attract a guy like Star.  This was probably the first time in about 20 years the Bills could attract top players based on the teams standing.  But this year there was little to no money available.  Lets see what he does  in another year when they have money.  They did supposedly make a serious run at Watt for big $$ and supposedly also Ertz, but Eagles wanted to much for him.

 

Also doesn't mean he needs to let Milano go to get a big star either in other seasons.

That’s a good point.  McBeane has moved the franchise to a different level than where it was for decades.  The conversation has evolved from trying to figure out how to get good players to figuring out who you’re going to let walk because there’s quality at every position.  These are boujee problems that only a handful of teams have to concern themselves with, but they’re still very real.

 

In 2018, Kansas City was the number 1 seed in the AFC and was basically a lost coin flip in overtime away from a Super Bowl.  Veach gutted the defense, and they won a championship the following year with 8 new defensive starters.  A year after losing in the Super Bowl, they’re going to have 6 or 7 new starters on offense.  That’s not because the team had 8 bad players on defense 3 seasons ago or 7 bad players on offense last year.  The front office looked at the product as a whole and decided that they weren’t going to win a championship with the same 22 players that lost in Tampa.  I look at the Bills the same way.  Last year’s team was really good, but I didn’t come away from the AFCCG thinking those 2 teams were evenly matched.  I felt the same way after watching Tampa undress the Chiefs.  
 

To my eye, Veach is making moves like a guy who is pissed about losing the Super Bowl whereas Beane is mostly tinkering.

[GunnerBill]

43 minutes ago, Billl said:

To my eye, Veach is making moves like a guy who is pissed about losing the Super Bowl whereas Beane is mostly tinkering.

 

I don't think that is fair. Beane is a pretty aggressive GM. 

[Billl]

10 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I don't think that is fair. Beane is a pretty aggressive GM. 

He is, but I wouldn’t consider anything he’s done so far this off-season especially noteworthy.  Swapping out Brown for Sanders is probably the biggest roster move, but I’d still consider that tinkering.  He has done a good job of re-signing players to team friendly contracts, and signing Brenda was a low key good move.  
 

Given his track record I would have expected Beane to have been a bit more aggressive.  I guess it wouldn’t shock me to see him move up in the draft for a pass rusher.  I think that’s the team’s biggest need by far, and I don’t see an obvious target in the late first round this year.

[ColoradoBills]

1 hour ago, Billl said:

That’s a good point.  McBeane has moved the franchise to a different level than where it was for decades.  The conversation has evolved from trying to figure out how to get good players to figuring out who you’re going to let walk because there’s quality at every position.  These are boujee problems that only a handful of teams have to concern themselves with, but they’re still very real.

 

In 2018, Kansas City was the number 1 seed in the AFC and was basically a lost coin flip in overtime away from a Super Bowl.  Veach gutted the defense, and they won a championship the following year with 8 new defensive starters.  A year after losing in the Super Bowl, they’re going to have 6 or 7 new starters on offense.  That’s not because the team had 8 bad players on defense 3 seasons ago or 7 bad players on offense last year.  The front office looked at the product as a whole and decided that they weren’t going to win a championship with the same 22 players that lost in Tampa.  I look at the Bills the same way.  Last year’s team was really good, but I didn’t come away from the AFCCG thinking those 2 teams were evenly matched.  I felt the same way after watching Tampa undress the Chiefs.  
 

To my eye, Veach is making moves like a guy who is pissed about losing the Super Bowl whereas Beane is mostly tinkering.

 

They gutted that horrible defense ranked 29th in the league because they allowed it to go bad after the 2017n season!

 

29. Kansas City Chiefs

I’m not sure if anyone knows what to expect out of the Chiefs defense after it lost several significant players in the offseason. CB Kendall Fuller should be a fine replacement for Marcus Peters but he’s not going to be the playmaker the new Rams corner had been for Kansas City. OLB Dee Ford is coming off a major injury and has looked like it during preseason. Justin Houston is now a year older and has averaged just seven sacks a season since 2014. The linebacker group would be perfect if it were 1995 and the running game still mattered. DT Chris Jones is a blue-chip talent but the Chiefs are going to be asking a lot of him. Expect a lot of shootouts in Kansas City this season.

[Royale with Cheese]

21 hours ago, Billl said:

You’re so close to getting the point.  I’m not criticizing Milano at all.  If Kelce can’t be handled even by the best coverage LBs, then why pay big salaries for coverage LBs?  Tampa won by blowing up the line every play with their elite pass rushers up front allowing them to play that Cover 2 shell.  White makes $7,000,000 a year.  Milano is getting 40% more than that.  Using your own logic, he’s getting that money to cover average TEs while elite TEs run wild.  Wouldn’t it make more sense to use that money on an elite pass rush?
 

There is a pretty strong trend of teams with elite TEs making the Super Bowl.  The last 3 seasons have had Gronk, Gronk, Kelce, Kelce, and Kittle playing.  You don’t beat those teams with coverage LBs trying to hang with them for 4 seconds.  You either need shutdown CBs who allow for bracket coverage or with a pass rush that can get home without blitzing allowing your defense to play that shell.  The first time Buffalo played Kansas City they tried to sit back in a shell, and the Chiefs ran all over them because their front 4 couldn’t hold up.  The second game saw a different strategy, but Kelce and Hill did whatever they wanted.  As I said before, I don’t see how increasing Milano’s salary by a factor of 20 changes that equation.  
 

An elite coverage LB is a great asset against average TEs.  An elite pass rush is a great asset against everyone.  An $11,000,000 coverage LB strikes me more as a luxury item for a team that already has the pass rush figured out.

No, I understand your point, you are just all over the place.  I’m not the only one that sees it.

So since Devin White can’t get to the QB, your philosophy would be to let him walk....because he can’t erase Kelce or really any top tight end.  TB won’t resign him right?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.si.com/nfl/buccaneers/.amp/news/tampa-bay-buccaneers-devin-white-new-orleans-saints-coverage-playoffs

 

Yes, you were criticizing Milano because he’s the reason we didn’t run man against KC.  You said those EXACT words.  Since he can’t “erase” Kelce, McDermott couldn’t run man. 

 

I think you’re under the impression that Beane/McDermott are saying “the hell with pass rush, don’t need it”.  

How certain are you that the Bills did nothing to address pass rush?

 

Elite pass rushers are making $90,000,000 - $100,000,000 contracts.  Who was available this past year to give that much money and who without a doubt would have signed with the Bills if we made an attempt?

Edited April 3, 2021 by Royale with Cheese

[Royale with Cheese]

23 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

Exactly my thoughts.... there are certain positions you put a higher premium on. 
 

I’d absolutely part ways with Milano and Addison to get guys like Carlos Dunlap and Trey Hendrickson and fill in Milanos replacement with a combination of Klein and draft pick. 

Trey Hendrickson?  You would give him the contract after one good year?  

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.si.com/nfl/bengals/.amp/gm-report/nfl-executives-question-bengals-biggest-free-agent-signing

You simply only look at box scores....

 

 

[BillsVet]

On 4/2/2021 at 4:01 PM, Billl said:

Fred Warner, Bobby Wagner, and Devin White are elite coverage LBs.  Welcome back to my point.  If you aren’t one of those guys and you aren’t a pass rusher, then I’m not paying big bucks for your services.  I’ll save the money and put it towards an edge who can force the ball out of the QBs hands, thus taking pressure off the coverage or I’ll spend on a CB who can play on an island freeing up a safety to bracket the TE.

 

I just don’t see enough difference between a JAG LB and a pretty good LB to matter.  I can hide a Reggie Ragland if it frees up $10,000,000 to put towards a star at an impact position who acts as a force multiplier for the entire unit.  I don’t understand how paying the guy who got rinsed for 3 hours in the AFCCG a 2000% salary increase closes the gap.

 

Not saying it’s a bad decision.  I simply used MM as an example of where Beane might have decided to de-emphasize one position in order to land a star elsewhere.  Adequate LBs can be had in the middle of the draft.  Beane has drafted RBs in the third round two years in a row and may well spend a first rounder on another this year.  Would you rather have Matt Milano and Zack Moss or $10,000,000 of cap space, Malik Harrison, and a comp pick?  I don’t think you’re dumb if you pick the first option, but I definitely disagree.

 

I expected the last 2 off-seasons that Beane would influence McD to begin shifting more cap dollars and picks to the offense.  Either he's tried and failed or this was not a topic during off-season reviews.  An executive, even an admin GM, should have enough sense to know paying a WLB that amount does not contribute to more W's.  And, that the defensive scheme needed the overhaul.  

 

Lost in this debate is that McD is designing the scheme and Beane is acquiring the players to fit that.  The GM has the latitude to get it done, but not full freedom to alter how they line up on defense or offense.  

 

This kind of cost benefit analysis with cap and personnel is right on.  But it's going to take a major loss for McD to change his spots and acquiesce to an offense first team that doesn't need 8M/year or 1st round LBs.   

[Royale with Cheese]

On 4/2/2021 at 5:27 PM, ScottLaw said:

How the hell am I supposed to know that if Beane called this or that player they’d sign? 😂

 

Money talks. Why wouldn’t they sign if offered a contract that was equivalent to what they received?

 

LOL....because you criticize Beane when he doesn’t make the moves you want like he didn’t make effort to get him.  You always talk like you know for sure.

 

“Why wouldn’t they sign if they were offered an equivalent contract” proves that point.  
“If the Bills had offered equivalent contract, they would have signed!” Lol

[Royale with Cheese]

17 minutes ago, BillsVet said:

 

I expected the last 2 off-seasons that Beane would influence McD to begin shifting more cap dollars and picks to the offense.  Either he's tried and failed or this was not a topic during off-season reviews. [b] An executive, even an admin GM, should have enough sense to know paying a WLB that amount does not contribute to more W's. [/b]And, that the defensive scheme needed the overhaul.  

 

Lost in this debate is that McD is designing the scheme and Beane is acquiring the players to fit that.  The GM has the latitude to get it done, but not full freedom to alter how they line up on defense or offense.  

 

This kind of cost benefit analysis with cap and personnel is right on.  But it's going to take a major loss for McD to change his spots and acquiesce to an offense first team that doesn't need 8M/year or 1st round LBs.   

 LOL

 

The team that just won the Super Bowl just extended their WLB to the same guaranteed money as Milano and $2 million more per year.

 

The Executive of the Year doesn’t have sense to evaluate a roster lol.  

Edited April 3, 2021 by Royale with Cheese

[BillsVet]

7 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 LOL

 

The team that just won the Super Bowl just extended their WLB to the same guaranteed money as Milano and $2 million more per year.

 

The Executive of the Year doesn’t have sense to evaluate a roster lol.  

 

Classic Royale surface level analysis. 

 

Ignores that Tampa runs a hybrid 30 front with White primarily an inside LB as opposed to Milano, who is strictly a Will behind a 40 front.  

 

White is 3+ years younger than Milano, somewhat more durable, and used almost completely different in Bowles' scheme.  I'd also argue he's more productive, but that's somewhat subjective.  What isn't is that White played 93% of snaps in 2020 compared to Milano's 31%, hence my durability assertion.  

 

Yet, it's the same because they're LBs.  Now conflate away. 

[Royale with Cheese]

35 minutes ago, BillsVet said:

 

Classic Royale surface level analysis. 

 

Ignores that Tampa runs a hybrid 30 front with White primarily an inside LB as opposed to Milano, who is strictly a Will behind a 40 front.  

 

White is 3+ years younger than Milano, somewhat more durable, and used almost completely different in Bowles' scheme.  I'd also argue he's more productive, but that's somewhat subjective.  What isn't is that White played 93% of snaps in 2020 compared to Milano's 31%, hence my durability assertion.  

 

Yet, it's the same because they're LBs.  Now conflate away. 

Hey Einstein,

 

I was talking about Lavonte David, he’s Tampa’s WLB and 5 years older than Milano.

 

Good call man.

https://www.nfl.com/news/buccaneers-lb-lavonte-david-agree-to-2-year-25m-extension

Edited April 3, 2021 by Royale with Cheese

[YoloinOhio]

[Arm of Harm]

On 3/11/2021 at 4:56 PM, davspo said:

Spotrac projected a 13.8 mil average. 

 

 

Okay, so he lost 2.5 - 3 million per year, assuming that number is accurate. But, think of all the trouble he avoided by staying in Buffalo. Had he relocated, he would have needed at least 30 seconds to pack his belonging into his suitcase and empty out his apartment. 🙃

Edited April 4, 2021 by Arm of Harm

[BillsVet]

4 hours ago, Royale with Cheese said:

Hey Einstein,

 

I was talking about Lavonte David, he’s Tampa’s WLB and 5 years older than Milano.

 

Good call man.

https://www.nfl.com/news/buccaneers-lb-lavonte-david-agree-to-2-year-25m-extension

 

Tampa's defense is still a 30 front.  David and White are the ILB's.  

 

Your point?  

[wppete]

[Royale with Cheese]

33 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

Why shouldn't I think the Bills, a team that just went to the AFC Championship game, sign a top end rusher if they offered him a contract he was looking for? 

Because its honestly really stupid.

Top end pass rushers will have multiple teams after him and you think the Bills have edge because of the AFCCG. 
 

Kyle Juszczyk publicly stated that his GF was in tears with the idea of living in Buffalo.   Do you honestly think she’s the only person in America that doesn’t want to live in Buffalo?  Micah Hyde said his agent had to talk him into coming here because he had no interest.  Not only that, Hyde made fun of those who chose not to sign here.

 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/03/08/micah-hyde-if-you-dont-want-to-be-in-buffalo-dont-come/

 

“They’re going on visits and I’d be like, ‘Hey man, come to Buffalo.’ They’d be like, ‘I’m cool. I’m gonna go somewhere else,'” 

 

I can’t believe you have this idea that any player will sign in Buffalo and the reason they didn’t is Beane’s fault.

Who knows what is happening behind the scenes.  This is the most tight nipped FO in the league.  For you to criticize him for not doing a good job because he’s not signing the players you want is lame.  Then every AFC East team free agent signing you praise.

Change your name from ScottLaw to KarenLaw.  Your name should be something that fits you.

[Royale with Cheese]

1 hour ago, BillsVet said:

 

Tampa's defense is still a 30 front.  David and White are the ILB's.  

 

Your point?  

Yep, you’re right.  They switched recently.

However, he was extended as a WLB by Jason Licht who is still the GM today.  So back in 2015, he didn’t have any sense.  He does now though I guess.

 

Boy, you’ll be criticizing the Colts when they sign Darius Leonard to his hefty deal.

Edited April 4, 2021 by Royale with Cheese

[Boxcar]

10 hours ago, Billl said:

He is, but I wouldn’t consider anything he’s done so far this off-season especially noteworthy.  Swapping out Brown for Sanders is probably the biggest roster move, but I’d still consider that tinkering.  He has done a good job of re-signing players to team friendly contracts, and signing Brenda was a low key good move.  
 

Given his track record I would have expected Beane to have been a bit more aggressive.  I guess it wouldn’t shock me to see him move up in the draft for a pass rusher.  I think that’s the team’s biggest need by far, and I don’t see an obvious target in the late first round this year.

He brought back almost every starter for a 13-3 team that went to the AFCCG, brought back almost every player on team friendly deals, and made excellent depth additions, all while dealing with a reduced cap. The key starter that wasn't brought back was upgraded upon (Sanders). That isn't noteworthy? Literally no other team in the NFL did that.

 

How are we so sure that even if there was a consensus end of 1st DE that he'd even be better than Addison or dare I say year 2 Epenesa? I'm more concerned with getting a big boi 1 tech than a pass rusher, because I don't really think it's an issue. I'd even prioritize a CB 2 over a DE in the draft.

 

I continue to be in awe at the sheer volume of people who ***** their pants over one game. Now there are those saying TB is clearly better than KC. Because of one game. It's truly incredible. Did you guys know that Mahomes, Kelce and Hill are really good and that barely anyone has been able to stop them for 3 years? It's apparently surprising that Kelce was able to catch so many passes.

[SoCal Deek]

Here’s how I look at it: I think the front office looked at everything that happened in 2020 and figured that they did pretty darn well for what had to be the most unusual season in league history. They were literally blowing teams out the entire last month of the season and were way ahead of schedule in gaining postseason experience with two playoff wins. I’m guessing they decided there was way more to lose than win this offseason in their quest to get to the promised land. I’m good with how they approached it and I’m anxious to see how they approach the draft.

[ColoradoBills]

2 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

Here’s how I look at it: I think the front office looked at everything that happened in 2020 and figured that they did pretty darn well for what had to be the most unusual season in league history. They were literally blowing teams out the entire last month of the season and were way ahead of schedule in gaining postseason experience with two playoff wins. I’m guessing they decided there was way more to lose than win this offseason in their quest to get to the promised land. I’m good with how they approached it and I’m anxious to see how they approach the draft.

 

I would add one thing.  Everyone knows the DL and Bills front 7 needed to play better last season.

That being said I think it's being a little overblown here lately.  It's not like they were at the bottom of the league or anything.

 

Beane and McDermott did their evaluation and have their plan.  Like I keep saying let's wait to see what the team is in September.