2024 concerns at Saftey and Defensive Gloom and Doom

[frostbitmic]

Judging by the looks of this, two guys accounting for about 35 million against the cap will be riding the pine. They can't do anything about Miller but I fully expect Tre' White to be let go.

 

FA's - Hyde,  Floyd, Jones, Lawson, Settle, Ankou, Jackson, Hamlin, Rapp, Lewis, Dodson ... Almost half the Defense are Free Agents. Beane is going to be very busy and he's going to have to get very creative.

[Lenigmusx]

On 1/27/2024 at 2:01 PM, SirAndrew said:

You have a good point, but I’m not convinced that much separates the best defensive teams from the average ones. Those teams have good defenses, but they also have dynamic offense. We’re never going to see the 85 Bears or Dilfer Ravens again. The Ravens have Jackson, while SF has a dynamic offensive coach along with good receivers and CMC. I’m not about to call the Ravens or 49ers defense overrated, but sometimes the best defense is a good offense. Those teams invested in their offense, particularly the 49ers with hiring Shanahan. One player like Bosa makes a huge impact on defense. The problem is the difficulty in finding a guy like Bosa. The Lions have the same luxury with Hutchinson. Those guys are game changers, making the entire defense look better. 

It’s actually similar to the 90’s Bills teams with Bruce and Biscuit. Great Offense, bend but don’t break opportunistic defense. 

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

I mean there is certainly work to be done on the defense. But I do agree that there is a reason for optimism.

 

CB we are a bit thin, but Rasul Douglas and Benford are not a bad one two punch. Taron Johnson is likely to be back. Tre White is currently an unknown. While a lot of the board is on the "kick 'em to the curb, maybe with cab fare" Cover One thinks he'll be back.

 

Safety is troubling. Poyer looks out of gas, even if we keep him for one more season, so it's a problem we should work on now. Greg Thompsett's recap reminded me that in 2022 there was noise about putting Benford in at safety, and if Tre is fully ready to go, why not have him work a hybrid role? Also, if there is a position that gets underpaid in FA, safety is top 3 in my mind so I think there is value to be had. I expect to sign one, draft one and roll out next year with Poyer gone.

 

Linebacker? For what I thought was my biggest nightmare at the start of 23 had shockingly good depth. We just went through it all. Milano and Bernard I have complete confidence to start and we have backups who can hold down the fort.

 

D-line? Thin, but we are going to PAY Von Miller. Groot is back. Oliver actually outplayed a brand new contract. We are thin at DT3, but again that a bargain shopping FA venture and I think we retain DaQuan and/or Epenesa.

 

While I think WR is out #1 priority in the draft, I am expecting a youth movement on the defense his year.

[Pete]

On 1/27/2024 at 11:29 AM, Shaw66 said:

Floyd said he's going to the highest bidder, and Jones might two, so there are a couple of big holes for you to fill.  

Did DaQuan say that?  Or are you putting words in Jones mouth?  Jones is 31, coming injury, and a local.  Jones is returning IMO

[Shaw66]

18 minutes ago, Pete said:

Did DaQuan say that?  Or are you putting words in Jones mouth?  Jones is 31, coming injury, and a local.  Jones is returning IMO

I traffic it somewhere.  It may not be accurate.  

[GimmeSomeProcess]

I think Daquan is back without a doubt. That way, they can say at least they have a starting d line going in. I want Poyer gone. He’s not the same player, we need some younger guys with juice. IMO we target safety in Free Agency.
 

Can get some younger guys there at a cost much cheaper than d line or wr. Then the draft is wr and dline early. I except two burners at wr and us trading a pick to move up. In all, we should see 9 draft picks with defense being taken with 9 of them

 

[colin]

joe marino had a lil breakdown of bean's 2023 offseason, was graded pretty well.

 

we basically got lots of cheap FAs to contribute, and the people we let go weren't people we needed/missed.

 

our players who will be exiting (with maybe the exception of floyd and aj, but they fell off so hard late and got hurt that it brings down their over all value imo) don't seem far above replacement, and were ghosts or hurt come the kc game.

 

i think we can get similar and if a rookie or someone steps up large perhaps better results with scrap heap guys this offseason too.

 

big resources/dollars should go towards wr on O, and true impact players on D.  a cagey safety running a 4.6 who doesn't make big plays is not where we need our cap or picks going.  LB and CB seem pretty set (even if we ditch white, who's been barely more than zero for 3 years now), dl and safety are what we need, but i think we can draft bodies and sign a guy here and there on the cheap.

[Drew21PA]

Just no to Elam please ….

[Bruffalo]

Poyer and Hyde were both budget guys who hadn't done much in their careers until they got to Buffalo.  

 

I have no doubt they'll figure it out. 

[GASabresIUFan]

The Bills off-season is a 4 step process

1) Fixing the cap - the Bills need to reduce their cap by 60-70 million (or more) to sign their draft picks and any FAs.  

When I look at the Bills, I see 30 players I'm pretty certain will be here next season.  That list includes Poyer, Morse, and Martin, who I can see being cut, but I think restructuring is more likely.  These 30 players plus dead cap currently cost $261+ million.  My cap casualties include White, Gilliam, Harty, Hines, and Neal.

 

2) Typically Step 2 is retaining key FAs like Jones, Floyd, Epenesa, and Dodson.  However, right now, I don't see the Bills having any money to retain any of the players listed.  All will demand (and have earned) bigger $ than the Bills can afford. 

 

3) Finding replacements for key positions in the draft or FAs.  Right now the key losses look to be at S (Hyde, Rapp), WR (Davis), and D Line (Floyd, Jones, Epenesa). Dodson is also a loss, but I suspect the Bills won't replace him. Instead, they'll rely on the development of Spector and Williams.  I believe the replacements for Jones, Hyde, and Davis will come from their early picks in the draft.  The rest will come from cheap gambles on FAs like Beane did with Rapp and Floyd last year.  

 

4) Completing organizational depth.  The Bills are going to need backups at QB, RB (I'd like to see Ty Johnson return), more depth along the D Line, more WR depth, and additional safeties.  With 10 picks (7 in rounds 4-7) in the draft and the Bills need to get younger, I suspect much of this depth to come from these players.  I think we'll see a RB, a 2nd WR, a DB or two, and at least one Edge guy drafted.  I also suspect, given our cap issues, that the Bills will sign a large group of UDFAs.  They have already signed 15 guys to future/reserve contracts.   

 

[Freddie's Dead]

Who's Saftey?

Edited January 30 by Freddie's Dead

[Bill51390]

5 minutes ago, Freddie's Dead said:

Who's Saftey?

Whoever we draft. Someone probably in rounds 3 or 4. 

[Sestak4ever]

I feel comfortable with our defense and I believe this front office will fill positions of need with very capable replacements. Some of our players entering their second season should improve to the point that there won’t be as big a drop off when they enter the game. I also think if Bernard and Milano played against KC that we would have won that game.

[RyanC883]

KC redid their D and OL. We can redo the secondary.  One thing that McD is very good at is DB coaching.  (also keep Babbich, he is also great here and for Lb).  No need for doom and gloom here.  A good draft pick, Rapp, FA and we are set.  I think we keep Poyer another year also, whether we should is a question. 

14 minutes ago, Bill51390 said:

Whoever we draft. Someone probably in rounds 3 or 4. 

 

some ppl to watch are Kinchens from U Miami (Fla) in Rd 1-2, and the safeties from U of Minnesota and USC. 

4 hours ago, Lenigmusx said:

It’s actually similar to the 90’s Bills teams with Bruce and Biscuit. Great Offense, bend but don’t break opportunistic defense. 

 

we just need a Bruce!   We also have a better secondary than those teams IMO.   

[SoonerBillsFan]

For any McDermott faults, he has proven he can take 4th rounders and below and turn them into a damn good secondary.  So starting with our 4th rounders through 7th I say load up, DT (Prefer an NT and go to a 3-4 with our linebackers) and grab 3-4 DB's then more linemen.  But 1st -3rd need to be to empower this offense.