Kirksey signing with the Bills PS

[Fan in Chicago]

14 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

 

“With us , terminating A.J. (Klein) we felt (good about) Christian getting in here, getting our system,” Beane said.

 

When I read that Beane has cut Klein, little did I realize it was literal. That's cold, man. 

[Warriorspikes51]

3 minute summary of his life / football life

Nickname: Kirko

Edited August 30, 2023 by Warriorspikes51

[BBFL]

2 hours ago, Don Otreply said:

No it doesn’t

Signing an aging LB to the practice squad isn’t affirmation of concern for the state of that defensive unit? Ok. Thanks. 

[finn]

4 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

Excellent get! I feel much better now. Any idea how long before he’s fully healthy?

 

Article on why the Texans cut him.

https://www.si.com/nfl/texans/news/houston-texans-53-man-roster-cutdown-day-christian-kirksey-demeco-ryans

If the headline was "Bills trade backup G Broeker and DB Austin to Texans for starting MLB Kirksley" I would have been thrilled. Am anyway!

[NoSaint]

4 hours ago, Allen2Diggs said:

He wasn't healthy enough to play in preseason and he'll probably need some time to learn the defense, especially at the Mike position where he will be relaying play calls.

I would’ve been real ok with a non mlb handling that job this year 

[Boatdrinks]

1 hour ago, NewEra said:

I think he’s gonna stay there a little bit, but I hope you’re right.  Who’s roster spot does he take?

I’d guess someone goes to IR. Maybe out of actual  necessity if someone is lost in week 1 or two for awhile. If everyone’s relatively healthy then maybe someone they think they can sneak onto PS is released. 

[HiMark]

Three elevations from the PS for free, then have to add to roster.  Time for a cram-session on play calling.  May he be a better option than A. J. Klein, perhaps Dodson, but still holding out hope for Bernard to get it together.  Then Williams next year?

[BillsFan2313]

5 hours ago, nucci said:

Just play him. Tackle the guy with the ball. Not that hard

 

What derailed your football career?

[eball]

4 hours ago, Shanahan's Horseshoe said:

Could’ve had Zach Cunningham all camp and ready to go at MLB.  Now he’s starting for the Eagles. The way McBeane has handled MLB is the biggest headscrater of their tenure. 

 

These fuggers come out of the freaking woodwork, I tell ya…

 

[klos63]

27 minutes ago, BBFL said:

Signing an aging LB to the practice squad isn’t affirmation of concern for the state of that defensive unit? Ok. Thanks. 

Is he aging faster than most people?

[vincec]

It paid off having crappy MLBs. Kirksey probably saw the roster and decided that this was the place for him.

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

11 minutes ago, BillsFan2313 said:

 

What derailed your football career?

Splenectomy. I'm sorry, it's a touchy see subject 

[vincec]

1 hour ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

Side note:  what did Klein do to piss Beane off so much?

 

some harsh language here!

 

“With us terminating A.J. (Klein), we felt (good about) Christian getting in here, getting our system,” Beane said.

 

https://www.syracuse.com/buffalo-bills/2023/08/buffalo-bills-adding-veteran-lb-to-practice-squad-could-he-be-an-option-at-middle-linebacker.html

Maybe Klein didn’t think he got a fair opportunity to win the starting MLB job and was vocal about it.

[Bobby Hooks]

This may have already been touched on, but I don’t see it. If Kirksey’s on the PS, couldn’t he be poached? 

[DrDawkinstein]

31 minutes ago, NoSaint said:

I would’ve been real ok with a non mlb handling that job this year 

 

Serious question: Has McD ever had anyone but the MLB calling the D?

2 minutes ago, Bobby Hooks said:

This may have already been touched on, but I don’t see it. If Kirksey’s on the PS, couldn’t he be poached? 

 

Both the PS player and the original team have methods of preventing poaching. The big one being it's up to the player whether they go or not.

 

Kirksey already knows he wont be on our PS for long, and he chose the Bills when he was on the open market. Chances of him leaving via PS are extremely low.

[Bobby Hooks]

2 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Serious question: Has McD ever had anyone but the MLB calling the D?

 

Both the PS player and the original team have methods of preventing poaching. The big one being it's up to the player whether they go or not.

 

Kirksey already knows he wont be on our PS for long, and he chose the Bills when he was on the open market. Chances of him leaving via PS are extremely low.

Gotcha. Thanks! 

[babulator]

Seems like a high character guy that's been producing, I like him already! Hope he's healthy and ready to go. Go Bills!

Edited August 31, 2023 by babulator

[Shanahan's Horseshoe]

21 minutes ago, eball said:

 

These fuggers come out of the freaking woodwork, I tell ya…

 

Been here for a very long time I just have a life and don’t live on here. 

[HappyDays]

This gives us a replacement level player at MLB. I'll take it. It is still a position of weakness but at least now it isn't a gaping hole. I'm not sure Dodson and Bernard are even 2nd string caliber players.

[BBFL]

45 minutes ago, klos63 said:

Is he aging faster than most people?

Theoretically, yes. Body certainly breaks down faster than most people. Also the prospective job market or field you’re in doesn’t have the possibility of being non viable before you even start your adult life…

[BuffAlone]

6 hours ago, Virgil said:

It moved 

Not very Christian of you...

[Virgil]

5 minutes ago, BuffAlone said:

Not very Christian of you...

 

Well played....

[Bad Things]

6 hours ago, BarleyNY said:

 

And yet no team cared to sign him to an active roster. Hmmmm. Those are really weak stats btw. It’s not like he didn’t have plenty of opportunities to make tackles and other plays on the Texans last season. They were on the field a lot. I’ve watched him play enough to know what kind of player he is. 

Yeah, and we've read enough to know what kind of "fan" you are. 🙄 

[Sierra Foothills]

7 hours ago, nucci said:

Just play him. Tackle the guy with the ball. Not that hard

 

7 hours ago, Doc said:

"See ball.  Get ball."

 

This reminds me of an old Vince Lombardi-Paul Hornung story. After a bad loss in which the Packers were outplayed in every phase, an angry Lombardi was intent on denigrating his team.

 

Lombardi: (Holding up a football) "Gentlemen, this is a football."

 

Hornung: "Hey coach, can you slow down a bit?"

 

 

 

 

 

[John from Riverside]

8 hours ago, Doc said:

 

You mean Week 1?

I’m thinking week three but that’s a total BS
 

Enough time for them to make sure that the hamstring is good to go, and that he has a good grasp on the defense which I’ve been hearing is complex

1 hour ago, BuffAlone said:

Not very Christian of you...

Christians don’t have it move?

That sucks

7 hours ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Great short term signing.  Get him in there as soon as he's ready. Give Dorian Williams some reps outside.  Could care less what happens to Spector, Bernard or Dodson.

I’m actually hoping that Bernardo something when he gets back

 

These third round picks, we can’t afford to keep my missing on their

7 hours ago, BarleyNY said:

He turns 31 tomorrow and is not a particularly good player. He’s serviceable though. Heck, as of today that might make him the best MLB on the roster. And he’s always seemed to be a good dude - the kind of person you want to root for. 

Hold the phone
His production numbers last year matched Tremaine Edmunds best year

In what world is he not a good player

7 hours ago, BBFL said:

Was looking through transactions around the league from the past week and missed Isaiah Simmons getting traded from AZ to NYG for a 7th round pick… Shame we didn’t enquire or put an offer for him. Kirksey is serviceable but this really makes the LB situation outside Milano more concerning. 

Simmons is not an inside linebacker

We already have Dorian Williams backing up Milano

Edited August 31, 2023 by John from Riverside

[John from Riverside]

7 hours ago, Turbo44 said:

last year:

124 tackles

7 TFL

3 sacks

2 Ints

 

What with the above isn't particularly good.

 

Compared to the $18m wonder who had the following for the Bills last year:

102 tackles

1 sack

1 Int

Yeah, I posted earlier that Edmonds had a comparable year and got that 18, million $19 million contract
 

That’s not even true Kirks he was the better player

7 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

I will be honest, I never heard of Kirksey until a few days ago. 😂

Wasn’t he a star linebacker for Arizona before he went to the Texans?

[John from Riverside]

7 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

It's good to get some insurance. But I think people are getting ahead of themselves here as far as him taking over the MLB spot.

 

They signed the guy to the Practice Squad. Which means he's not getting a shot until a.) McDermott feels he's had enough time learning and b.) Bernard/Dodson have had their shot and failed.

 

If they truly felt as fans do that he's an immediate upgrade and needs to be put in the starting lineup immediately, they wouldn't have put him on the Practice Squad.

Let’s not act like we’re bringing him in with tremaine  Edmond still on the team

 

Our middle linebacker situation is atrocious. The only thing that we have positively going on is we have not seen Bernard enough that we can’t have some. Hope that he may actually be good in his second year that’s all we got we cut the veteran Klein Dotson is absolutely pooping the bed in preseason, and they refuse to play Dorian Williams at the position 

 

This is a big deal

 

 

6 hours ago, Araiza Curse said:

Maybe if we drafted better, we wouldn’t have to dumpster dive. 

Jesus Christ
We literally just had three players poached that we cut during cut down day

 

Add on top of that that since been has been here, the bills have had the most players claimed a cut down day of any team

[John from Riverside]

4 hours ago, Shanahan's Horseshoe said:

  Not sure. Cunningham was hurt last year and is 3 years younger. But one got cut

from the worst team in the league and the other is starting for the odds on favortire to win the NFC. 

That’s a hell of a long game for an old average linebacker.  

Do you bother to read stats on players?

[PrimeTime101]

 

[John from Riverside]

3 hours ago, Shanahan's Horseshoe said:

Been here for a very long time I just have a life and don’t live on here. 

So you just stop by every now, and again to give us your pearls of wisdom

[BADOLBILZ]

7 hours ago, Mark Vader said:

Alright, the guy isn't Dick Butkus or Jack Lambert, but I will take him over Dodson.

 

Yeah he's fine.    We endured a lot of years of being told how good Tremaine Edmunds REALLY was when he was actually a pretty pedestrian producer at MLB in a HOF MLB's body.   And the defense was stout nonetheless.     Last year Edmunds finally played like a top 5 MLB for the first time so you can't expect to find that level of MLB play off the street for minimum wage at the end of August..........but if Kirksey(or any of the options) play OK it really confirms what many people believe.........that MLB isn't a position you need an impact player/1st round pick/$18M per year aav player at to have a top defense.    Eagles seem to agree and Howie Roseman is at the top of the game so there is that as well.

[BillsFanForever19]

28 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

Let’s not act like we’re bringing him in with tremaine  Edmond still on the team

 

Our middle linebacker situation is atrocious. The only thing that we have positively going on is we have not seen Bernard enough that we can’t have some. Hope that he may actually be good in his second year that’s all we got we cut the veteran Klein Dotson is absolutely pooping the bed in preseason, and they refuse to play Dorian Williams at the position 

 

This is a big deal

 

I'm not saying it's not. 

 

I'm saying that everyone who is jumping up and down and thinking he's going to start every snap starting Week 1 is in for a let down. It's going to take time and they're going to give Bernard/Dodson the first crack.

 

He's coming off injury, didn't have any offseason, and has to learn the playbook and calls. Beane is notoriously slow bringing new players along. He felt Nyheim Hines needed more time with the playbook as a Running Back, one of the easiest positions to transition, after over a month. 

 

Vet or not, he's going to take some time before he starts at MLB and if Bernard and Dodson hold it down (which I know looks unlikely), it may not even happen at all. They're covering themselves for if/when that happens with this move. 

Edited August 31, 2023 by BillsFanForever19

[John from Riverside]

1 minute ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

I'm not saying it's not. 

 

I'm saying that everyone who is jumping up and down and thinking he's going to start every snap starting Week 1 is in for a let down. It's going to take time and they're going to give Bernard/Dodson the first crack.

 

He's coming off injury, didn't have any offseason, and has to learn the playbook and calls. Beane is notoriously slow bringing new players along. He felt Nyheim Hines needed more time with the playbook as a Running Back, one of the easiest positions to transition, after over a month. 

 

Vet or not, he's going to take some time before he starts at MLB and if Bernard and Dodson hold it down (which I know looks unlikely), it may not even happen at all.

The only player that’s got a shot of playing above Kirksey is Bernard because we haven’t seen what he can do. Dotson has played himself right out of that position. He is literally not good enough. If you can’t do it in preseason, there is no reason to think that you can do it in the regular season
 

This team has tried to bring Kirksey in before, so they obviously already like him. There is an issue of whether the hamstring his heel and how fast he picks up the defense because he missed our training camp. I think that Bernard Goetz a couple of weeks to show that he can be very good at that position or else Kirksey is in.

[BillsFanForever19]

1 minute ago, John from Riverside said:

The only player that’s got a shot of playing above Kirksey is Bernard because we haven’t seen what he can do. Dotson has played himself right out of that position. He is literally not good enough. If you can’t do it in preseason, there is no reason to think that you can do it in the regular season
 

This team has tried to bring Kirksey in before, so they obviously already like him. There is an issue of whether the hamstring his heel and how fast he picks up the defense because he missed our training camp. I think that Bernard Goetz a couple of weeks to show that he can be very good at that position or else Kirksey is in.

 

Exactly what I'm saying. They brought him in as a safety valve. A break glass in case of emergency that is likely to be pulled. But it's not something that's going to be pulled immediately. 

[John from Riverside]

Just now, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

Exactly what I'm saying. They brought him in as a safety valve. A break glass in case of emergency that is likely to be pulled. But it's not something that's going to be pulled immediately. 

I think they’re already planning on starting him they just don’t want to force it

[BADOLBILZ]

3 hours ago, Shanahan's Horseshoe said:

Been here for a very long time I just have a life and don’t live on here. 

 

 

Yeah I've seen some of your posts while @eball was in hiding this past offseason.......after he produced TSW's worst offseason takes of 2022.   Coincidentally,  @eballwas a Buffalo Bills season ticket holder for "a very long time".    He quit out of frustration when they hired McDermott.   Still cracks me up. 

[Straight Hucklebuck]

Main thing for this roster is that he weighs more than 230 pounds. 

And for the 31 is too old crowd, that's the same age the Bills thought London Fletcher was done as well and we know how that turned out. 

[Thurman#1]

8 hours ago, Rubes said:

 

Well, if we get run on badly the first few games, those calls would probably be justified...

 

 

 

Maybe, maybe not. You assume the main problem is one thing and you assume Kirksey would improve the situation even not knowing the scheme. 

 

Either or both of those might be wrong.

 

54 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Yeah he's fine.    We endured a lot of years of being told how good Tremaine Edmunds REALLY was when he was actually a pretty pedestrian producer at MLB in a HOF MLB's body.   And the defense was stout nonetheless.     Last year Edmunds finally played like a top 5 MLB for the first time so you can't expect to find that level of MLB play off the street for minimum wage at the end of August..........but if Kirksey(or any of the options) play OK it really confirms what many people believe.........that MLB isn't a position you need an impact player/1st round pick/$18M per year aav player at to have a top defense.    Eagles seem to agree and Howie Roseman is at the top of the game so there is that as well.

 

 

Nah.

 

We fans endured a lot of years being told by you massively boring folks telling us that you had no idea why everyone wasn't grabbing the pitchforks the way you were.

 

And yeah, you're right, the defense was stout. And a lot of that was because Edmunds was a lot better than you folks were willing to see.

 

It really is that simple. Edmunds didn't get $18 mill ayear because he was a "pedestrian producer." The idea is stupid.

 

 

Edited August 31, 2023 by Thurman#1

[BADOLBILZ]

14 minutes ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

Maybe, maybe not. You assume the main problem is one thing and you assume Kirksey would improve the situation even not knowing the scheme. 

 

Either or both of those might be wrong.

 

 

 

Nah.

 

We fans endured a lot of years being told by you massively boring folks telling us that you had no idea why everyone wasn't grabbing the pitchforks the way you were.

 

And yeah, you're right, the defense was stout. And a lot of that was because Edmunds was a lot better than you folks were willing to see.

 

It really is that simple. Edmunds didn't get $18 mill ayear because he was a "pedestrian producer." The idea is stupid.

 

 

 

Nice attempt at a straw man. 

 

Edmunds got paid $18M per year because he was a legit top 5 MLB last year.     Which I said in the post you replied to.

 

Prior to that.......he was a lot of hype and not much actual excellent play.   

 

What teams have traditionally gotten from Kirksey when healthy is low 50's PFF grade MLB play.........about the same as Edmunds before his huge outlier of a season with a near 80 grade in 2022.

 

Personally,  I would not be the least bit surprised to hear that the Bears are underwhelmed with Edmunds lack of playmaking and for him to be back with Buffalo in 2025 when his dead cap is only around $4M.    Eberflus is used to LB's that make a lot of plays on the football in his scheme and Edmunds has just never shown even a spark of potential in that regard.  

[Don Otreply]

5 hours ago, BBFL said:

Signing an aging LB to the practice squad isn’t affirmation of concern for the state of that defensive unit? Ok. Thanks. 

For you it is, for the other 99% of us it’s a step in the right direction, but you do you…,