Gonna throw this out there and then duck lol. Pass rush.

[Since1981]

BUF unique competitive differentiation is a QB1 that can make any throw, deeper and run than 29 other teams. + Bills D defense built to bend, keep teams to “3”

 

extend your advantage by true WR2 and OL so your unique QB1 advantage is fully leveraged, exploited to the fullest   (D benefits too). 

Edited January 12, 2023 by Since1981

[TheBeaneBandit]

5 hours ago, special-teams said:

Von was NOT a big time player this season.  Mostly coverage sacks and not good against the run/

Yeah you're special alright 

[Lagoon Blues]

My 2c. OL S 

[Buffalo Junction]

I’m okay with any position as long as they hit on the picks. This team is at the point where young guys need to perform for cap reasons, and a poor draft could knock them out of contention down the line. 

[ProcessTruster]

Well, no. 

 

Saffold is on a one year deal , so he won't be back in all likelihood.  Bates, Shnow, Morse signed long term, Brown on rookie deal....Doyle will come back from injury and Boettger is already back now , so next year its Bates/Boettger at guard, Schnow/Brown at tackles.   I am good with that, but yeah need a guard in the draft in the 2nd  or 3rd round for sure to build depth and replace Saffold/Quess...   Guys like Hart and VanRoten are playing bc Doyle and Ike have been hurt.   

[gordong]

6 hours ago, special-teams said:

Von was NOT a big time player this season.  Mostly coverage sacks and not good against the run/

 

Come on dude....Did you watch the games like at all....  he is the only player that can get around the edge. The only issue with Von is there is only one of him.

   Basham and Epenesa need to be replaced they do nothing, that other DE buried on the depth chart made more impact then both of them . Groot I wish would try going up field and then use those long arms to turn the corner.  Lawson saved this group's ass once Von got hurt. 

[Freddie's Dead]

6 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

so, the question is, do we? Basham has not been good enough, and in a rotation Epenesa does not appear to make enough plays or two best ends appear to be Groot and Shaq Lawson who was back on a minimum deal

 

Frankly, I don't give a damn one way or another if we have enough pass rushers or not.  The #1 priority this offseason is to get our generational QB some protection and some help.  Josh Allen is the future of the Buffalo Bills.  He engineered 13 wins behind a middling OL.  Imagine what he could do with the best OL in the league, which should be our goal.  Our defense is good enough already.  We need to release the Kraken known as Josh Allen.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

6 hours ago, special-teams said:

Von was NOT a big time player this season.  Mostly coverage sacks and not good against the run/

Have you considered a career in meteorology?  I ask because I think you have the raw talent to be wrong professionally.

[Don Otreply]

Our O-line certainly lacks, shall we say “capacity”, in many ways. If Beane wants to keep the QB healthy and happy, it would be beneficial short and long term to actually have an O-line that isn’t held together with bailing wire and chewing gum…, jmo, but in all reality, who cares about my opinion, 😂

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Gisele]

If we used Edmunds correctly he's be one hell of a pass rusher.  

[whorlnut]

8 hours ago, MJS said:

Going into a draft planning to draft only on one side of the ball is not smart. What if you get to your pick and there are no offensive players there worth the value? And what if you trade back and get to your next pick and it is the same?

 

You have to follow your draft board. Besides, the Bills need depth on defense as well. Draft the best player available on your board.

Fine…use a 5th on defense. Happy?

[billieve420]

Top guard/center prospects don’t tend to go early so depending on the strength of this upcoming class would start there with where the Bills are drafting this year.

[Big Turk]

9 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

We have put a huge amount of draft resources into our defense of line over recent years
 

We paid Von Miller that huge contract

 

Groot has been excellent

 

I am wondering how this board will feel if another highly rated pass rusher is on the board in the first round of the draft and they end up taking them over a pass protector or a wide receiver

 

I’m not endorsing it I’m just saying that it’s possible if they go best player available and given the fact that Von Miller is coming back off of an ACL injury and we don’t know how long it’s going to be before he can actually play

 

Jerry Hughes signed a contract with another team, the Texans I believe but he’s getting on an age. I wonder if they were lease him for cap Considerations if fans would like to have him back rather than using a first round pick on a pass rusher

 

 

I don't know if it's necessary...hard to find a really good edge guy that far down and as other teams are showing you can find good players in the 2nd round and lower with a little luck.

 

Look at James Houston in Detroit...finished with 8 sacks and the first game he played was against us on Thanksgiving(where he had 2 sacks). I believe he was a 6th round pick.

Edited January 12, 2023 by Big Turk

[Big Turk]

50 minutes ago, Freddie's Dead said:

 

Frankly, I don't give a damn one way or another if we have enough pass rushers or not.  The #1 priority this offseason is to get our generational QB some protection and some help.  Josh Allen is the future of the Buffalo Bills.  He engineered 13 wins behind a middling OL.  Imagine what he could do with the best OL in the league, which should be our goal.  Our defense is good enough already.  We need to release the Kraken known as Josh Allen.

 

I wouldn't mind them going WR in the first. Don't need high picks for the line.

[whorlnut]

7 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

Thank you for pointing out that there is more to a draft then the first round.....needs to be taken into consideration

There was a point in the season when Von was tied for the NFL lead in sacks...he was definately coming up with TIMELY plays.

I agree that there is more to a draft than the first round. However…waiting till the mid to late rounds to take a WR is what lands us players with limited skill sets such as Davis. 

[TheBeaneBandit]

25 minutes ago, Gisele said:

If we used Edmunds correctly he's be one hell of a pass rusher.  

Has has actually shown to be a horrible pass rusher in every opportunity presented to him.

[whorlnut]

Here is my argument for WR in 1. There likely will be someone there that is worth the value…if not, trade back to the top of 2 if another team wants to jump to get a player on the fifth year option. Where do a lot of the top WRs go?  Either in the first or early second round.
 

Guys like Tee Higgins, AJ Brown, Michael Thomas all went early 2. The point is…once our second round pick comes around, we might not have anyone to choose from. Early 2 seems to be the sweet spot for top offensive players that fell out of 1.  I’d hate to wait till the 60-something pick to get the leftovers at such a key position for this team. 

[MJS]

7 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

To be fair, they went offense with first round when they traded our first rounder for Diggs.  They were looking at a WR in the first, didn't think there would be one there they like as much as Diggs, so they used it on Diggs.  

 

Honestly, I don't get why people (not saying you, just people around here) say we ignore offense and only go defense early.  

 

In the past 5 drafts, they have taken Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs (through a trade), Cody Ford, and James Cook in the first 2 rounds of the draft.  

 

2018 - Outside of Allen, a more defensive draft.  

2019 - Yes we went Ed Oliver at 9th overall in the first, but the next 3 picks were offensive and landed Devin, Knox, and Bass, three key players for this team in what was almost entirely an offensive draft.

2020 - Went WR with our first by trading it for Diggs, then took AJE in 2nd, then went all offense again including drafting Gabe Davis and Zack Moss.

2021 - First 2 picks were DE (our weakest position going into that offseason) and they next 2 were OL guys.  

2022 - Badly needed a corner, so took Elam in first, but then took Cook at RB in the 2nd.

 

So personally, I think people lose sight a little bit of what our drafts were and think they have been defensive heavy.  Truth is, they have not been as defensive heavy and some think and we have invested quite a bit into the offense that includes our franchise QB, our top 3 WR in the NFL, our starting RB and second string RB in Cook who is on the rise, starting TE, and a very good Kicker.

 

I do expect them to invest once again into offense this year, especially at WR and OL and possibly RB if they don't bring Devin back.  

I agree. But the first round is where you get the elite traits guys. Honestly, drafting at the end of the first round like we do these days even puts a damper on that.

 

I'm all about BPA, though, within reason. The draft is about filling the pipeline of talent now, not about finding instant impact starters. We have a great team and need to get talent to replace starters when they get old or move on in free agency.

[Warriorspikes51]

9 hours ago, Airseven said:

They need to build around Allen. They need to draft all offense - 3 OL, WR, RB, TE. Period.

 

Use free agency to add a few bargain deals on defense. And franchise tag Edmunds.

 

What’ll actually move the needle for this team is investing around the best player. 

 

 

Perhaps your best ever post 

[JohnNord]

9 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

We have put a huge amount of draft resources into our defense of line over recent years
 

We paid Von Miller that huge contract

 

Groot has been excellent

 

I am wondering how this board will feel if another highly rated pass rusher is on the board in the first round of the draft and they end up taking them over a pass protector or a wide receiver

 

I’m not endorsing it I’m just saying that it’s possible if they go best player available and given the fact that Von Miller is coming back off of an ACL injury and we don’t know how long it’s going to be before he can actually play

 

Jerry Hughes signed a contract with another team, the Texans I believe but he’s getting on an age. I wonder if they were lease him for cap Considerations if fans would like to have him back rather than using a first round pick on a pass rusher

 

I understand the logic behind the move but I wouldn’t be too optimistic given their track record.

 

At the same time I recognize the importance of a good edge rusher in the defense , and just because they haven’t been overly successfully in the draft, doesn’t mean they should stop trying.  
 

I would agree with some other members here who felt that the past few drafts have been heavy on defense.  I’d love for offense to get a higher priority in terms of OL and WR
 

 

[John from Riverside]

Just now, JohnNord said:

I understand the logic behind the move but I wouldn’t be too optimistic given their track record.

 

At the same time I recognize the importance of a good edge rusher in the defense , and just because they haven’t been overly successfully in the draft, doesn’t mean they should stop trying.  
 

I would agree with some other members here who felt that the past few drafts have been heavy on defense.  I’d love for offense to get a higher priority in terms of OL and WR
 

 

I am actually wondering if this is the year that we start unloading guys like boogy and Epenesa for draft picks

[whorlnut]

4 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

I am actually wondering if this is the year that we start unloading guys like boogy and Epenesa for draft picks

I’ve also seen guys like Davis and Oliver mentioned too. I can’t see either of them, but who knows what beane has up his sleeve. 
 

I can’t imagine Davis’s value is too high right now, so it might be smart to keep him. Oliver has underwhelmed as well and it will be interesting to see if he’s in their long term plans or they plan on letting him walk. 

[noacls]

A safety will be taken in the first 2 rounds and 1 probably later in the middle rounds. Poyer will be turning 32, and can't stay healthy, and contract is up. Hyde is 32 .

 

I do agree they need pass catcher help, be it a WR or TE . IOL is a concern also. 

LB is a concern, don't think they give 49 15+ mil

DT is also a concern. Oliver regressed IMO.  Was Jones a 1 yr deal?

Many holes with no money, hope cap goes up significantly.  

GO BILLS!

[DC Greg]

We've just got to protect the franchise. Josh Allen is going to make magic happen with whatever weapons are at his disposal, but he can't always do it if pressure is in his face immediately. I hope they go OL-OL in the first two rounds. There's usually good value in those spots for potential quality starters. The OL needs fixed in a big way. 

[BigDingus]

At this point, I don't really trust this FO to identify that talent in the draft, so I'd be pretty upset.

 

They went for a pass rusher in the 1st & 2nd rounds, then still had to commit even more resources to sign Von Miller the next off-season.

 

Early in their tenure, they attempted to bolster the DT's by going after Star & drafting Oliver. 

 

And if we're looking beyond just the front 4, you get a 1st round pick that loses out the starting role to a 6th rounder from the same class. 

 

So please, please, please try something else!🙏 🙏🙏🙏🙏

 

They've done plenty of great things too, but the first 2 rounds in the draft are filled with underperformers & wasted potential. 

 

 

[Straight Hucklebuck]

2017 - CB Tre White

2018 - QB Allen

2018 - LB Tremaine Edmunds

2019 - DT Ed Oliver

2020 - WR Stefon Diggs

2020 - DE AJ Epenesa

2021 - DE Greg Rousseau

2021 - DE Boogie Basham

2022 - CB Kaiir Elam

 

2023 - Another DE? 

 

Ford was a complete bust in 2019, other than Diggs and Morse, the Bills have bargain shopped everywhere around Josh. 

 

Josh is the only reason any of this is on the table. 

[MrEpsYtown]

Eh the best player at the end of the first round is likely to be a defensive player. Also, with Miller's injury mid season, I don't think he will be ready to start the season. The upgrade is needed there. It wouldn't bother me. 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Based on the list below... They definitely need a tackle and guard/center in this draft somewhere.  I could see tackle in the first.  I'd love to see an upgrade at WR2 - But it's tough.  Depends what happens with poyer and edmunds because their depth is not even close to the level of their play.  

 

1 - T or DT - Depends on Oliver/phillips status, but i think its probably a tackle.  Could see them trading out of the first. 

2 - WR - Depends if T was first pick, i think it would be

3 - DT or S - Depends if DT was first pick

4 - G - I think they sign a starter but i'd like another option

5 - TE - Push Morris 

5 - QB/LB/BPA

 

Offense:

Saffold - Lot of money for a pretty lousy return. 

Quessenberry - Absolute liability in pass pro, but so is Brown 

Van Roten - Appreciate the flexibility, but he's not very good

Boettger - TBD on this playoff run in my eyes

Crowder - Gone

Bease - Fun swan song

Brown - See above

Singletary - See how the RB dominos fall, if he doesn't sign early you can probably get him at a pretty reasonable rate.  

Keenum

 

Defense:

Poyer - No other option on the roster, he'll be 32 and if he doesn't come back its a problem.

Edmunds - No other option on the roster, he's played really well this year at times and is only 25

Lawson - 29 - will want some cash to return but i could see it.  Helps ease the miller injury timeline. 

Phillips - 30 - I'd pay him less than he made in 2022 to play here again.

 

Special Teams:

Matakevich - Probably replaced by Spector

Jones - Can probably be had again for his low cap hit in the 1-2M range as a gunner.  He's a ST captain so i'd assume he sticks around as long as he wants to play like Slater with NE. 

Kumerow - Didn't really do much in his walk year, cheap if you want him 

Martin - I like him - hope they bring him back.  

 

[Warriorspikes51]

Just now, Straight Hucklebuck said:

2017 - CB Tre White

2018 - QB Allen

2018 - LB Tremaine Edmunds

2019 - DT Ed Oliver

2020 - WR Stefon Diggs

2020 - DE AJ Epenesa

2021 - DE Greg Rousseau

2021 - DE Boogie Basham

2022 - CB Kaiir Elam

 

2023 - Another DE? 

 

Ford was a complete bust in 2019, other than Diggs and Morse, the Bills have bargain shopped everywhere around Josh. 

 

Josh is the only reason any of this is on the table. 

 

Agreed. Sign or Trade for an impactful WR AND Draft a WR in Round 1.  

Diggs

______  Impactful WR via Sign/Trade
______  1st Round WR
Davis
Shakir
McKenzie
 

[The Jokeman]

28 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

I am actually wondering if this is the year that we start unloading guys like boogy and Epenesa for draft picks

Espensa had 6.5 sacks as a part time player, I don't think he's as bad as we make him out to be. Boogie yeah he can go. 

[whorlnut]

6 minutes ago, MrEpsYtown said:

Eh the best player at the end of the first round is likely to be a defensive player. Also, with Miller's injury mid season, I don't think he will be ready to start the season. The upgrade is needed there. It wouldn't bother me. 

So you would spend a first round pick on a DE to cover for Von the first half of the season?  Sorry…that philosophy seems way off to me. Meanwhile…Davis has been a huge disappointment and there isn’t anyone behind him as a boundary receiver. That’s more of a need than a fill-in DE IMO. 

[LABILLBACKER]

8 minutes ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

2017 - CB Tre White

2018 - QB Allen

2018 - LB Tremaine Edmunds

2019 - DT Ed Oliver

2020 - WR Stefon Diggs

2020 - DE AJ Epenesa

2021 - DE Greg Rousseau

2021 - DE Boogie Basham

2022 - CB Kaiir Elam

 

2023 - Another DE? 

 

Ford was a complete bust in 2019, other than Diggs and Morse, the Bills have bargain shopped everywhere around Josh. 

 

Josh is the only reason any of this is on the table. 

Eventually we're going to bargain shop our way to Josh getting injured for the season.

[whorlnut]

9 minutes ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

Based on the list below... They definitely need a tackle and guard/center in this draft somewhere.  I could see tackle in the first.  I'd love to see an upgrade at WR2 - But it's tough.  Depends what happens with poyer and edmunds because their depth is not even close to the level of their play.  

 

1 - T or DT - Depends on Oliver/phillips status, but i think its probably a tackle.  Could see them trading out of the first. 

2 - WR - Depends if T was first pick, i think it would be

3 - DT or S - Depends if DT was first pick

4 - G - I think they sign a starter but i'd like another option

5 - TE - Push Morris 

5 - QB/LB/BPA

 

Offense:

Saffold - Lot of money for a pretty lousy return. 

Quessenberry - Absolute liability in pass pro, but so is Brown 

Van Roten - Appreciate the flexibility, but he's not very good

Boettger - TBD on this playoff run in my eyes

Crowder - Gone

Bease - Fun swan song

Brown - See above

Singletary - See how the RB dominos fall, if he doesn't sign early you can probably get him at a pretty reasonable rate.  

Keenum

 

Defense:

Poyer - No other option on the roster, he'll be 32 and if he doesn't come back its a problem.

Edmunds - No other option on the roster, he's played really well this year at times and is only 25

Lawson - 29 - will want some cash to return but i could see it.  Helps ease the miller injury timeline. 

Phillips - 30 - I'd pay him less than he made in 2022 to play here again.

 

Special Teams:

Matakevich - Probably replaced by Spector

Jones - Can probably be had again for his low cap hit in the 1-2M range as a gunner.  He's a ST captain so i'd assume he sticks around as long as he wants to play like Slater with NE. 

Kumerow - Didn't really do much in his walk year, cheap if you want him 

Martin - I like him - hope they bring him back.  

 

No option behind Edmunds?  Did you forget about the third round pick that they wasted this past draft?

[UConn James]

10 hours ago, BuffaloBillsGospel2014 said:

I think that would be a mistake, Allen has been literally running for his life most games and this OL needs a boost in a major way.

It makes less and less sense to spend on DL, and D in general, when the league & refs allow / turn a blind eye to OLs holding on every play.

 

League wants scoring, at the expense of having good defensive players but getting boned by the rules changes so in favor of offenses. They want an arms race and comparatively besides Diggs, we’ve gotten Josh just a few drones to work with. I mean, he can do a hell of a lot by himself, but if we got him some REAL WRs and better protection on IOL & RT who were also not liabilities in the run blocking… we’d be unstoppable on O against anyone.

[John from Riverside]

2 minutes ago, whorlnut said:

No option behind Edmunds?  Did you forget about the third round pick that they wasted this past draft?

I got to admit that kid fell off the face of the Earth

[whorlnut]

6 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

I got to admit that kid fell off the face of the Earth

It was a horrendous pick so far.

[DabillsDaBillsDaBills]

42 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

I am actually wondering if this is the year that we start unloading guys like boogy and Epenesa for draft picks

 

I'm all for unloading those guys, but what type of value would we get? I have a hard time believing we'd get better than a 4th for either of them 

 

I think the plan for pass rush next season just needs to be cross your fingers and hope Von Miller returns to play at the level he was prior to the injury. 

[John from Riverside]

Just now, DabillsDaBillsDaBills said:

 

I'm all for unloading those guys, but what type of value would we get? I have a hard time believing we'd get better than a 4th for either of them 

 

I think the plan for pass rush next season just needs to be cross your fingers and hope Von Miller returns to play at the level he was prior to the injury. 

I don’t think that beane is a cross your fingers and hope type of guy

 

I would be happy with fourth round picks for guys like basham at this point

[whorlnut]

3 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

I don’t think that beane is a cross your fingers and hope type of guy

 

I would be happy with fourth round picks for guys like basham at this point

Yeah it will be interesting. Epenesa is on the last year of his rookie deal next year and I wonder if he’s in their plans. If he is, keep him and move Basham. If we got a 4th for him, we could use that pick to move up in the draft of a player we like is there. 

[FireChans]

10 hours ago, MJS said:

Going into a draft planning to draft only on one side of the ball is not smart. What if you get to your pick and there are no offensive players there worth the value? And what if you trade back and get to your next pick and it is the same?

 

You have to follow your draft board. Besides, the Bills need depth on defense as well. Draft the best player available on your board.

Draft impact positions high too.  Draft players you will pay to keep if they make a ProBowl once in their rooke contract.

 

Which includes EDGE/CB/WR/OT only.  Drafting an OG in the first is just as bad as drafting a RB unless he's the best in the league.  And even then.....