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State of the Bills Roster 3 weeks into FA


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Ideally in the draft I would like to see them add a pass rusher at pick 30, a CB or NT at pick 61 and a OT in round 3 and then some depth at Safety and CB or NT (whichever they don’t take in round 2.) I think that would round out the roster nicely. Sure up the defense and Oline depth. I still think McBeane is in on Ertz but just playing the waiting game. 
 

If they can get those defensive needs solidified in the draft and add Ertz I think this roster is as good as any in the league and building towards longer term contention still.

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On 4/7/2021 at 3:43 PM, Utah John said:

At this point I think Beane will be drafting for 2022 and 2023.  So if you want to guess where he'll go in the draft, look at which key players are likely to leave after 2021 and 2022. 

 

This is a very good point...

 

Unrestricted Free Agents for 2022 (I only listed players who I expect to have significant playing time and/or are an important backup):

Jerry Hughes, Mario Addison, Vernon Butler, Emmanuel Snaders, Mitch Trubisky, Levi Wallace, Taron Johnson, Isiah McKenzie, Siran Neal, Justin Zimmer, Harrison Phillips, Reid Ferguson, Matt Breida, Ike Boettger, Taiwan Jones, Davis Webb.

 

Most of these guys are on one-year deals and could probably be resigned or replaced with a similar player without too much trouble. Obviously the age and contracts for Hughes and Addison makes drafting a DE even more important. I think they'll lock down Taron. Levi, they've been trying to replace since he came...but he keeps holding on. Hopefully, with the draft and development of Dane Jackson, they can move on from him if they want to next year (or resign him to another one-year deal if not). They'll probably give Reid another contract. Sanders and Breida are wildcards---may just be one-year rentals, but if they play really well, maybe you give them another contract. But, not too much to worry about overall, except for DE.

 

Unrestricted Free Agents for 2023 (this year could be a doozy if they don't wrap some of these guys up earlier or in the worst case scenario are ready to let players walk because they aren't playing well enough for a second contract):

Josh Allen, Tremaine Edmunds, Mitch Morse, Cole Beasley, Jordan Poyer, A.J. Klein, Ed Oliver, Dawson Know, Devin Singletary, Cody Ford, Darryl Johnson, Mike Love, Dane Jackson, Jaquan Johnson, Tommy Sweeney, Tyler Matekevich

 

Josh will obviously get locked down. I expect them to lock down Edmunds too. I think you look to upgrade Morse (don't offer him a second contract). It may be the end at that point for Cole (because of age/contract). Poyer most likely gets an extension. And the rest hinges on the 2019 draft class really.

 

As far as this year's draft goes, with the thought of looking to the future not just this season, a lot is riding on what the franchise thinks about the 2019 draft class (Oliver, Ford, Singletary, Knox, Bam, J. Johnson, Sweeney). This will be their third season. Which of these guys are they expecting to take the next step and which maybe not. Most of them have flashed, but almost to a man, they need to take that next step this year. They need to become more consistent contributors to hold their spots.

 

So, maybe drafting a center this year (if a good one is available to them) to sit a year or two behind Morse and then be ready to take over makes sense. I don't think they worry about replacing Cole this year. Then it just comes down to the 2019 draft class---are you looking to upgrade/replace any of those guys?

 

So, with all of that, I see our positions of most need as:

First Tier

DE: makes the most sense as far as immediate need and future need (even though we have some decent, young, developing talent there---but a difference maker is what we are looking for here, not just more competition)

TE: it's no secret the team wants a stud TE---again, needs to be a difference maker

Center: I really think center would be a good spot to get this year---hopefully the kid is ready to take over for Morse next year (2022), but you basically have two years to develop him if need be

CB: we could go into this season just fine, but obviously they would like to upgrade the #2 spot if they can

 

Second Tier

Safety: don't need a stud here, just solid depth

DT: Depth is always good, but if they are sold on Star and Oliver this spot becomes less important (if not, then this could be a tier 1 need)

Guard: This depends on how they feel about Ford (on if this need is more urgent or not)

LB: Depth

 

I am not worried about our running backs (I think we are fine there---I think it is more opportunity and scheme rather than talent that held back the running game this year. I do not want the team to draft a RB high, unless he is just standing out like a sore thumb on their draft board).

 

So, first round, you have to be shooting for a top-end DE, CB, or TE I would think (in that order)

After that I think you can basically go BPA, with tie-breakers being decided by your needs

And I wouldn't mind seeing a center selected in rounds 2 or 3 maybe (especially if the value for your other three top positions isn't there when drafting)

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15 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

I’d put WR in First tier.... Sanders is old, Beasley is getting old and not sure you can rely on Davis to fill the void at this point.... I’m hoping they draft a WR within the first 3 rounds. 

 

I think we get two more good years from Cole (but then he'll probably be gone). And, yes, Sanders may be just a one-year rental. So, I wouldn't be upset if they drafted a WR. Probably should have had it at least as a 2nd Tier need.

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On 4/7/2021 at 1:50 PM, GunnerBill said:

It is an all around solid roster. They don't have holes. They need to find a couple more difference makers. 

 

An on Bojo I can't say I am that surprised. He had his best season in 2020 but had he been a free agent a year ago nobody would have been surprised he was unsigned. I do think he ends up in a job somewhere but teams are not just going to ignore the adventures of dropped snaps, bad FG holding, line drive kicks that allow long returns and shanks at inopportune moments that was his career pre-2020.  

 

The bad FG holding drove me nuts. Like people thinking Christian Wade could be called up from the practice squad the last two seasons type of frustration. I think those have been my biggest sources of anger when it comes to the teams and to that extent the fans.

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