Roster 2024

[GASabresIUFan]

I've mentioned it in other threads, but I like how this team looks on paper heading into next season.  Only looking at players under contract

Offense:

QB - Allen

RB - Cook

OLine - Brown, McGovern, Morse (Bates), Torrence, Dawkins

TE - Kincaid, Knox, 

WR - Diggs, ?????, Shakir

 

Defense:

DLine - Oliver, Rousseau, Miller 

LB - Milano, Benard, Williams, Spector

CB - Douglas, Benford, Johnson, White (if healthy and not cut) and Elam

S - Poyer

 

Players under contract who I think will be cut - Gilliam (FB), Harty (WR), Hamlin (S), Hines (RB), Doyle (LT), and Neal (CB).

Others under contract - Van Denmark (T), Davidson (TE), Anderson (RT), Shorter (WR), Jonathan (DE)

 

I think that's 11 very good to great (Allen) players on offense, which only needs another 2 WRs and some OLine depth.  I'd also bring back Ty Johnson to back up Cook and draft an RB with one of our 3 6th Rd picks.

 

On defense, there are 7 excellent starters (Oliver, Rousseau, Milano, Benard, Benford, Douglas, and Johnson), plus the ever capable Poyer (if he returns).  We need another starting safety and help on the DLine, but these are not insurmountable issues, especially if Floyd and DaQuan Jones return and by some miracle, Tre White returns healthy.  If White does return, would he be moved to Free Safety to replace Hyde? I love our depth at LB, especially if Dodson is also re-signed.

 

This is the core of a very good football team that could be a SB contender with the right tweaks and some luck in the health department.

 

Edited January 23 by GASabresIUFan

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Some core backups like Dodson, Edwards, Van Demark and Isabella will return as well.

 

Only free agent I would offer a contract to is Jones

The rest can go and hopefully turn into a comp pick

Draft: 

WR

Edge

S

C

WR

OT

DT

P

 

[BillsFanForever19]

Everyone's assuming Hines is cut. And in a vacuum, it seems like a no brainer.

 

However, Beane has said he wants him next season and Hines has said he'll be here next season. The fact that there was no dispute over his lost money, the two came to an agreement on a number, and he wasn't outright released with a settlement says to me they struck a deal.

 

We saved a little cap last season. He didn't push the issue with the Union and he's back next year. 

 

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10098381-bills-nyheim-hines-reflects-on-jet-ski-accident-my-life-is-like-final-destination

[Process]

We really don't have that many needs. I feel way better about the roster going into this offseason than I did last year. Last year we all thought we had huge holes at MLB and RT, turns out we already had quality starters at each position already on the team. That's in addition to the needs we had at LG, RG, TE, DE, S, WR etc. 

 

WR

S

DE

DT

 

Outside of WR1 our entire starting offense is already on the team and under contract. 

[GASabresIUFan]

2 minutes ago, Process said:

Outside of WR1 our entire starting offense is already on the team and under contract. 

This is one of the reasons I started the thread.  So many people are screaming in other threads fire McD, fire Beane, we are in cap hell (we aren't), the offense sucks and the defense sucks etc..

 

However, when you put together a visual view of the roster, it reveals that Beane isn't an idiot, but has built a core of a very solid football team, which is getting younger again.  In the last 3 drafts, he has added starters Rousseau, Brown, Cook, Benard, Shakir, Benford, Kincaid, and Torrence.  He has 10 draft picks in 2024 to add more depth at WR, safety, and to fill other needs such as D Line.  

[John from Riverside]

I think white is really iffy to come back

[NewEra]

5 hours ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

Some core backups like Dodson, Edwards, Van Demark and Isabella will return as well.

 

Only free agent I would offer a contract to is Jones

The rest can go and hopefully turn into a comp pick

Draft: 

WR

Edge

S

C

WR

OT

DT

P

 

I’d be shocked if Dodson returns. Someone will pay him more and will make him a starter. 

 

5 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

Everyone's assuming Hines is cut. And in a vacuum, it seems like a no brainer.

 

However, Beane has said he wants him next season and Hines has said he'll be here next season. The fact that there was no dispute over his lost money, the two came to an agreement on a number, and he wasn't outright released with a settlement says to me they struck a deal.

 

We saved a little cap last season. He didn't push the issue with the Union and he's back next year. 

 

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10098381-bills-nyheim-hines-reflects-on-jet-ski-accident-my-life-is-like-final-destination

That very well may be the case….but taking a 5M cap hit for him is a poor decision imo 

[NewEra]

1 hour ago, John from Riverside said:

I think white is really iffy to come back

Yeah- I be shocked if he returns. Extend Douglas and roll with Benford, Dane (if he wants to come back for cheap) and elam.  If Dane bolts, he won’t be very hard to replace. 

 

But tres cap savings is a must for a player that has on been good 3 games (due to injury) over the last 2.5 years.  If he wants a huge pay cut to take Danes role, that would be fine, but that’s unlikely imo

[Bills!Win!]

Is Rapp a FA?

[Pete]

2 hours ago, NewEra said:

Yeah- I be shocked if he returns. Extend Douglas and roll with Benford, Dane (if he wants to come back for cheap) and elam.  If Dane bolts, he won’t be very hard to replace. 

 

But tres cap savings is a must for a player that has on been good 3 games (due to injury) over the last 2.5 years.  If he wants a huge pay cut to take Danes role, that would be fine, but that’s unlikely imo

No team is giving Tra a big contract.  Im guessing he restructures for a team friendly deal

[BillsFan2313]

10 minutes ago, Bills!Win! said:

Is Rapp a FA?

 

Yeah, but he will probably return on a similar deal with a chance to start

[Matt_In_NH]

People will be very upset the bills will have to sign or draft a lot of DL.   But there are no numbers there and a lot of work to do.  I am good with a first round WR.  But people expect too much there. Need to get young and talent at safety too.   I would consider some cap moves to allow for other players now and in future years.  Morse Poyer and White is what I am thinking.  

[NewEra]

1 hour ago, Pete said:

No team is giving Tra a big contract.  Im guessing he restructures for a team friendly deal

I didn’t say anyone was going to give him a big contract.  I just think someone might pay him more than we will.  After two major injuries back to back- I’d pay him the minimum only.

[SoCal Deek]

Thanks for putting this together. I don’t think the opposing threads are at odds with your well outlined assessment. I believe what others are pointing out is that the Bills have painted themselves into a contract loaded corner. They have little financial wiggle room to build upon the core roster you laid out. A successful 2024 Draft is going to be crucial not only for next season but for the long term future. 

[RyanC883]

10 hours ago, GASabresIUFan said:

I've mentioned it in other threads, but I like how this team looks on paper heading into next season.  Only looking at players under contract

Offense:

QB - Allen

RB - Cook

OLine - Brown, McGovern, Morse (Bates), Torrence, Dawkins

TE - Kincaid, Knox, 

WR - Diggs, ?????, Shakir

 

Defense:

DLine - Oliver, Rousseau, Miller 

LB - Milano, Benard, Williams, Spector

CB - Douglas, Benford, Johnson, White (if healthy and not cut) and Elam

S - Poyer

 

Players under contract who I think will be cut - Gilliam (FB), Harty (WR), Hamlin (S), Hines (RB), Doyle (LT), and Neal (CB).

Others under contract - Van Denmark (T), Davidson (TE), Anderson (RT), Shorter (WR), Jonathan (DE)

 

I think that's 11 very good to great (Allen) players on offense, which only needs another 2 WRs and some OLine depth.  I'd also bring back Ty Johnson to back up Cook and draft an RB with one of our 3 6th Rd picks.

 

On defense, there are 7 excellent starters (Oliver, Rousseau, Milano, Benard, Douglas, and Johnson), plus the ever capable Poyer (if he returns).  We need another starting safety and help on the DLine, but these are not insurmountable issues, especially if Floyd and DaQuan Jones return and by some miracle, Tre White returns healthy.  If White does return, would he be moved to Free Safety to replace Hyde? I love our depth at LB, especially if Dodson is also re-signed.

 

This is the core of a very good football team that could be a SB contender with the right tweaks and some luck in the healthy department.

 

 

yeah, that's a pretty great roster on paper that also has experience playing together, particularly the OL.  Diggs is a question mark given his fall off this year, but I think the ??? WR will either be a round 1 pick, or a FA like Pittman.  

 

I think the other S will be a FA or a rookie pick.  (I think we get a FA WR or S starter, and go rookie with the other position).  

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Matt_In_NH said:

People will be very upset the bills will have to sign or draft a lot of DL.   But there are no numbers there and a lot of work to do.  I am good with a first round WR.  But people expect too much there. Need to get young and talent at safety too.   I would consider some cap moves to allow for other players now and in future years.  Morse Poyer and White is what I am thinking.  

 

I think we go DL later in the draft, particularly at interior DL.  I think the WRs coming out there year we won't be expecting "too much" from them.  Rice (KC) and the guy Green Bay drafted both had great seasons this year.  We need to hit on guys like that.  

[boyst]

6 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

I think white is really iffy to come back

i think it's more likely to have White on the roster than Miller.

 

maybe wishful thinking but i am hoping that Gooddell suspends him.

[Warriorspikes51]

Just now, boyst said:

i think it's more likely to have White on the roster than Miller.

 

maybe wishful thinking but i am hoping that Gooddell suspends him.

 

won't happen if there's no charges 

[Paup 1995MVP]

14 minutes ago, RyanC883 said:

 

yeah, that's a pretty great roster on paper that also has experience playing together, particularly the OL.  Diggs is a question mark given his fall off this year, but I think the ??? WR will either be a round 1 pick, or a FA like Pittman.  

 

I think the other S will be a FA or a rookie pick.  (I think we get a FA WR or S starter, and go rookie with the other position).  

 

 

 

 

 

I think we go DL later in the draft, particularly at interior DL.  I think the WRs coming out there year we won't be expecting "too much" from them.  Rice (KC) and the guy Green Bay drafted both had great seasons this year.  We need to hit on guys like that.  

The Diggs Miller and Knox contracts stink.  If we can get rid of all 3 (which is unlikely) and replace w more productive cheaper players, Beane will have earned his keep 10 times over.  Bills D is OLD.  We need pass rushers. WE need younger safeties.. And we need more playmakers (at least 2) at the WR position.  

[boyst]

16 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

 

won't happen if there's no charges 

see: Elliot

[Brand J]

10 minutes ago, Paup 1995MVP said:

The Diggs Miller and Knox contracts stink.  If we can get rid of all 3 (which is unlikely) and replace w more productive cheaper players, Beane will have earned his keep 10 times over.  Bills D is OLD.  We need pass rushers. WE need younger safeties.. And we need more playmakers (at least 2) at the WR position.  

Which is why I’m NOT a fan of trading up for a position that isn’t QB, regardless who Beane thinks he can reach. We need more young players on cost controlled contracts. There are numerous guys we could’ve picked in the 4th round the last two years that would’ve been a core starter or great depth. Every non-QB we’ve traded up for, there’s been someone who goes later who’s either just as good or better. Trade down if anything. 

[GASabresIUFan]

4 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

. They have little financial wiggle room to build upon the core roster you laid out.

I thought that as well.  However after watching Greg Tompsett video referenced elsewhere I feel much better about the cap situation.  
 

They are between 30-40 mill over the cap depending on how much the cap rises.  Cutting Harty, Hines, Gilliam, White, Neal and a few others gets us toward the goal.  Add some extensions and a little restructuring and your’re there.

Edited January 23 by GASabresIUFan

[st pete gogolak]

Ironically enough, I look at this off-season as similar to the Sabres’ 22 - 23 offseason.  Sabres were an up and coming team (of course that differs from the Bills who are an established playoff team) with well defined needs (veteran goalie, vet D man to partner with Power, add some grit up front).  Kevin Adams failed miserably in the off-season and the Sabres have paid the price.

 

Bills, like the Sabres, have well defined needs going into the offseason - WR, S, depth on the DL.  I have no doubt that Beane, unlike Adams, will adress these needs in free agency and the draft.
 

 

[GASabresIUFan]

41 minutes ago, Paup 1995MVP said:

Bills D is OLD.

That was certainly the case heading into last season.  Jones, Miller, Settle, Phillips, Floyd, Poyer and Hyde certainly made it that way, but heading into next season many of those players will be gone.  Hyde, Settle and Phillips are almost certainly gone.  
 

The youth movement centers around Benford, Benard, and Rousseau and should continue with new draftees at safety and along the D Line. 
 

The team as a whole is going to continue to get younger.  McGovern, Brown and Torrance now anchor the O Line.  New WRs will be drafted and Kincaid is now the starting TE.  Cook is the starting RB. I think the only over 30 starters on offense are Diggs and Morse. (Dawkins will be 30 next year).

[Might Rather]

3 hours ago, Pete said:

No team is giving Tra a big contract.  Im guessing he restructures for a team friendly deal

I agree, a healthy Tre with Douglas would be a nice starting CB tandem. 

[947]

Tre is not coming back. No CB in the history of the NFL has ever gotten even close to their prior abilities after an achilles tear. We constantly see guys at other positions come back as shells of themselves & are out of the league a year later. Maybe they restructure him into a big pay cut to allow him to rehab, but he isn't ever going to be a key player for us again.

 

I love the guy, and it sucks, but it's time to move on.

[Monty98]

Just now, 947 said:

Tre is not coming back. No CB in the history of the NFL has ever gotten even close to their prior abilities after an achilles tear. We constantly see guys at other positions come back as shells of themselves & are out of the league a year later. Maybe they restructure him into a big pay cut to allow him to rehab, but he isn't ever going to be a key player for us again.

 

I love the guy, and it sucks, but it's time to move on.

Maybe not as a corner, but Tre is a player you could make the case for attempting a move to FS. I'm not saying he's a guaranteed surefire stud there, but it's something to look at. Coverage wise he's able to sit in zone and let it come to him more and he's been quick enough to patrol a deep cover 2 zone. He's a willing tackler on top of it, so I'm just saying it could be a possibility to have less needs come draft and lets you re up Rapp if necessary 

[Brand J]

2 minutes ago, Monty98 said:

Maybe not as a corner, but Tre is a player you could make the case for attempting a move to FS. I'm not saying he's a guaranteed surefire stud there, but it's something to look at. Coverage wise he's able to sit in zone and let it come to him more and he's been quick enough to patrol a deep cover 2 zone. He's a willing tackler on top of it, so I'm just saying it could be a possibility to have less needs come draft and lets you re up Rapp if necessary 

Could you imagine Tre being the last line of defense with a charging Derrick Henry running at him? Hyde has taken him down in this exact scenario, but tackling has never been Tre’s strong suit and you need sure tacklers at safety. I believe he’d have the mind to play the position, but not the physicality. 

[Monty98]

6 minutes ago, Brand J said:

Could you imagine Tre being the last line of defense with a charging Derrick Henry running at him? Hyde has taken him down in this exact scenario, but tackling has never been Tre’s strong suit and you need sure tacklers at safety. I believe he’d have the mind to play the position, but not the physicality. 

He's shown a willingness to tackle, also not to be forgotten, Hyde was a slot corner guy for Green Bay when  we signed him. White has never shied away from contact, he may not be the greatest tackler ever, but he will make contact and he's got a knack for making the ball pop out. I'm just saying he's something that the team looks at and goes hey, he could be our cover guy vs getting a bonafide SS that's "imposing"

[GASabresIUFan]

7 minutes ago, Brand J said:

Could you imagine Tre being the last line of defense with a charging Derrick Henry running at him? Hyde has taken him down in this exact scenario, but tackling has never been Tre’s strong suit and you need sure tacklers at safety. I believe he’d have the mind to play the position, but not the physicality. 

Others have made this point as well.  I agree Tre is not a good tackler but he does bring other good things to a possible move to free safety such as coverage and ball hawking skills.  He is also like Hyde, a very smart defender positionally. 

[TheyCallMeAndy]

10 minutes ago, Brand J said:

Could you imagine Tre being the last line of defense with a charging Derrick Henry running at him? Hyde has taken him down in this exact scenario, but tackling has never been Tre’s strong suit and you need sure tacklers at safety. I believe he’d have the mind to play the position, but not the physicality. 

Benford is born to be an elite safety, best case scenario is White returns and Benford moves. 

[ngbills]

Our roster with an older Diggs, no Davis, no Harty, no Sherfield...we are only going as far as the WR group. Beane passed on Dhop, passed on OBJ, etc. This is not a year to pass. We need a legit threat as it could even be questionable if Diggs is still a #1. 

[Brand J]

1 minute ago, Monty98 said:

He's shown a willingness to tackle, also not to be forgotten, Hyde was a slot corner guy for Green Bay when  we signed him. White has never shied away from contact, he may not be the greatest tackler ever, but he will make contact and he's got a knack for making the ball pop out. I'm just saying he's something that the team looks at and goes hey, he could be our cover guy vs getting a bonafide SS that's "imposing"

A willingness to tackle doesn’t account for much if the play goes for a long gain because the tackle is missed. Without going back to look, I’m almost certain the 80 something yard run Breece Hall had in the opener happened because Tre missed a tackle at the LoS. He showed a willingness to hit Hall, but what does it matter if he can’t bring him down?

[Monty98]

1 minute ago, Brand J said:

A willingness to tackle doesn’t account for much if the play goes for a long gain because the tackle is missed. Without going back to look, I’m almost certain the 80 something yard run Breece Hall had in the opener happened because Tre missed a tackle at the LoS. He showed a willingness to hit Hall, but what does it matter if he can’t bring him down?

Tre missed the tackle but he's in a tough spot, he's the contain guy. He's doing his job by forcing Hall inside where the flow is supposed to clean up. Does he miss a tackle? Yes, did he olé the tackle? Not at all. Poyer was worse down the field flat footed. 

[SoCal Deek]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFan said:

I thought that as well.  However after watching Greg Tompsett video referenced elsewhere I feel much better about the cap situation.  
 

They are between 30-40 mill over the cap depending on how much the cap rises.  Cutting Harty, Hines, Gilliam, White, Neal and a few others gets us toward the goal.  Add some extensions and a little restructuring and your there.

I guess everything’s relative, but in general once you’re among the teams paying a franchise QB, DE, TE, and WR the cap puzzle gets much more complicated than for teams that don’t have similar salaries on their books. By definition, It’s a money driven competition for free agents. 

[GASabresIUFan]

20 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

I guess everything’s relative, but in general once you’re among the teams paying a franchise QB, DE, TE, and WR the cap puzzle gets much more complicated than for teams that don’t have similar salaries on their books. By definition, It’s a money driven competition for free agents. 

Absolutely.  The terrible contracts for Knox, Diggs and Miller are huge issues, but I think all 3 will probably be gone after 2025.  After 2025 we can move on from all 3 with a cap savings of 44 million.  

I think we can get decent production from Knox and Diggs over the next 2 years.  

[flmike]

13 hours ago, GASabresIUFan said:

This is one of the reasons I started the thread.  So many people are screaming in other threads fire McD, fire Beane, we are in cap hell (we aren't), the offense sucks and the defense sucks etc..

 

However, when you put together a visual view of the roster, it reveals that Beane isn't an idiot, but has built a core of a very solid football team, which is getting younger again.  In the last 3 drafts, he has added starters Rousseau, Brown, Cook, Benard, Shakir, Benford, Kincaid, and Torrence.  He has 10 draft picks in 2024 to add more depth at WR, safety, and to fill other needs such as D Line.  

and LB. We saw how badly we need one more reserve LB

[GASabresIUFan]

15 minutes ago, flmike said:

and LB. We saw how badly we need one more reserve LB

 I don't think that will be an issue.  Milano and Benard will be back.  Williams and Spector are under contract and acquitted themselves well.  I suspect Dodson will also be re-signed.  Given Milano's injury history, I expect at least 2 LBs on the practice squad, but the 5 players mentioned above give us the most talented and deepest LB room we have arguably had during the McBeane tenure.

[PromoTheRobot]

Won't the Bills have to do more with less cap next year? That means a lot of young players.

[Brandon]

21 minutes ago, flmike said:

and LB. We saw how badly we need one more reserve LB

 

Yes,  but realistically,  you're never going to be 5-6 deep at LB.  If you are,  you're short-changing another position.  The guys they have played remarkably well under the circumstances.  

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

14 hours ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

Everyone's assuming Hines is cut. And in a vacuum, it seems like a no brainer.

 

However, Beane has said he wants him next season and Hines has said he'll be here next season. The fact that there was no dispute over his lost money, the two came to an agreement on a number, and he wasn't outright released with a settlement says to me they struck a deal.

 

We saved a little cap last season. He didn't push the issue with the Union and he's back next year. 

 

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10098381-bills-nyheim-hines-reflects-on-jet-ski-accident-my-life-is-like-final-destination

 

Overall agree with you, think he will be back. They did miss him too as a return man.  Can't recall did he also return punts or was it just KO? 

 

But do question the settlement part.  Since it was a non-football injury, did or could the Bills even legally by league rules offer a settlement?