Bills resigning Rapp

[John from Riverside]

6 hours ago, TheWeatherMan said:

With all the DB”s available in a flooded FA market we resign this bum?  I don’t get it. 

You wouldn’t

[MrEpsYtown]

I think Rapp helps and I am sure that money is much lower. I'll wait and see what they do at the other spot. On the surface, he seems like a box safety, but he played a bunch in the Hyde high safety role and he looked pretty good doing it. Rapp just needs to learn to wrap! 

[Blackbeard]

Nice, aggressive player, but McD ABSOLUTELY needs to reign in the stupid hits.  
 

On the fence with Rapp. 

[John from Riverside]

4 minutes ago, Blackbeard said:

Nice, aggressive player, but McD ABSOLUTELY needs to reign in the stupid hits.  
 

On the fence with Rapp. 

I never worry about secondary play, whenever it comes to a McDermott defense

[Niagara Dude]

16 hours ago, Process said:

Looks like starters money to me..

 

 

I really don't like this signing,  we"re better off keeping Poyer then this guy who played out of control and that seems like way too much money.  

Edited March 7 by Niagara Dude

[John from Riverside]

5 minutes ago, MrEpsYtown said:

I think Rapp helps and I am sure that money is much lower. I'll wait and see what they do at the other spot. On the surface, he seems like a box safety, but he played a bunch in the Hyde high safety role and he looked pretty good doing it. Rapp just needs to learn to wrap! 

Actually, the pretty good tackler for a safety just needs to rain in the knockout hits that’s taking out his own players

[Don Otreply]

12 hours ago, NewEra said:

More than I wanted to pay him, but figured this would happen.  Was hoping it would be for 3-4M a year tho

It very likely is 3-4 mil per year, remember, it is an “up to” 14 and change, with incentives, deal. 

[FLFan]

This is a solid move in my mind.  Is there even another safety on the roster?  Rapp is  at least a known quantity and he knows their scheme.  They are not done with this position so let’s see what they have in mind, but if people envisioned somehow capturing lightening in a bottle again with Hyde and Poyer replacements, I think they should adjust their short term expectations.  

[Niagara Dude]

1 minute ago, FLFan said:

This is a solid move in my mind.  Is there even another safety on the roster?  Rapp is  at least a known quantity and he knows their scheme.  They are not done with this position so let’s see what they have in mind, but if people envisioned somehow capturing lightening in a bottle again with Hyde and Poyer replacements, I think they should adjust their short term expectations.  

Bills will need to use whatever cap space they have to sign a starting safety along with DT and maybe a wr

[Don Otreply]

6 hours ago, TheWeatherMan said:

With all the DB”s available in a flooded FA market we resign this bum?  I don’t get it. 

Your forecast is wrong as usual weatherman, 😁👍

Edited March 7 by Don Otreply

[Freddie's Dead]

Bummer, sorry to see him go.  The Bills should have re-signed him.

[Process]

Don't love the signing to be honest, especially when you consider the FA pool.... There are gonna be some decent safeties going for little money because of how deep it is. 

 

 

[Bruffalo]

1 minute ago, Process said:

Don't love the signing to be honest, especially when you consider the FA pool.... There are gonna be some decent safeties going for little money because of how deep it is. 

 

 

I think the signing is fine, have the details been leaked yet? We know the max is 3years / 15 mil but how much of that is incentives? I think the Bills can still get one of these guys for a 1 year value deal and draft a safety in a later round too. 

[DapperCam]

9 hours ago, JerseyBills said:

why? Thought he brought a great intensity back there that McD loved

I don’t think he was great in pass coverage, and was a walking personal foul.

 

If the contract is actually full of incentives and the guaranteed money is more like a backup then it’s fine. But I’m hoping he at least has serious competition from another FA or draft pick for the starting role.

[MrEpsYtown]

At the end of the day, I think he is pretty much replacing Siran Neal. At worst, he is on special teams and maybe plays some dime. It's a safe add because he could potentially be one of the starting safeties and if he isn't he will still be productive and provide value. With all the safeties on the market I think it is obvious they will add 1 if not two. 

[transplantbillsfan]

Poyer replacement. Knows the system and played much better to end the year.

 

Now get Hyde's replacement 

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, MrEpsYtown said:

At the end of the day, I think he is pretty much replacing Siran Neal. At worst, he is on special teams and maybe plays some dime. It's a safe add because he could potentially be one of the starting safeties and if he isn't he will still be productive and provide value. With all the safeties on the market I think it is obvious they will add 1 if not two. 

 

If that is the case I'm fine with it. I am fine with Taylor Rapp being our 3rd safety and playing some dime. I'm less fine with him being pencilled in as a starter. 

[JerseyBills]

1 hour ago, DapperCam said:

I don’t think he was great in pass coverage, and was a walking personal foul.

 

If the contract is actually full of incentives and the guaranteed money is more like a backup then it’s fine. But I’m hoping he at least has serious competition from another FA or draft pick for the starting role.

Apparently from twitter he'll play SZ, last year played FS.

Makes perfect sense cause he'll be playing way more in the box and suits his style. Idk ,I'm a fan of the move. How many personal fouls? 2?

[Prospector]

I just hope he opens his eyes this year when he flies in for a hit. He absolutely nailed our own players, while whiffing the offensive dude, multiple times last year... and they were usually head shots. If he goes for a kill shot, please please please, I hope he makes sure it's not taking out his teammate.

[DapperCam]

40 minutes ago, JerseyBills said:

Apparently from twitter he'll play SZ, last year played FS.

Makes perfect sense cause he'll be playing way more in the box and suits his style. Idk ,I'm a fan of the move. How many personal fouls? 2?

He had a few close ones uncalled, and I think I remember him smoking his own teammate twice. He reminds me of Sandejo where he launches himself like a rocket when he hits. For his snap count, it was noticeable. Maybe McDermott can rein him in.

Edited March 7 by DapperCam

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Not a fan of Rapp particularly. But McDermott knows what he’s doing there.

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

2 hours ago, Process said:

Don't love the signing to be honest, especially when you consider the FA pool.... There are gonna be some decent safeties going for little money because of how deep it is. 

 

 

I will not be shocked if Beane signs two more. From what I am seeing, this is an incentive laden, low guaranteed money deal. There are worse things that a cheap vet set to fight for a roster spot while bringing in other journeymen and a mid round pick or two

[ngbills]

3 hours ago, Process said:

Don't love the signing to be honest, especially when you consider the FA pool.... There are gonna be some decent safeties going for little money because of how deep it is. 

 

 

In that market there is no way that Rapp would be in high demand. He wasnt last year when the market was not even close to this loaded. And I will add he was coming off a better year in which he started 16 games. Yet we are at least doubling his salary it appears? Makes no sense. I would have bet on bringing him back in the open market at essentially the same $1.7M he got this year. 

Edited March 7 by ngbills

[noacls]

Beane has to sign 2 to 3 more S. There is a chance he won't even be starter. If he is used as 3rd safety, spot starter, or specific game plans this is a good cheap signing.  Most of the safeties people talking about way too pricey. Bills have no money to spend

[ColoradoBills]

I don't hate the move.  I will wait to see what the contract actually looks like.

[Trust The Process]

The Safety Free Agent market is loaded. What's the rush, Beane? Since the Safety market is loaded and most are better than Rapp is, McBeane could've taken a calculated risk and banked on him being available when the market goes dry and sign him for between vet minimum $915K and no more than the $1.77M he made last season. 

 

The reason why McBeane re-signed Rapp is because they have trust issues which is why they sign a lot of players they're familiar with. Trubisky and Haack is back for the very same reason. The Steelers released Trubisky 23 days ago, nobody wanted him. Why sign him now when you could've taken a calculated risk and waited to see what offers he gets from other teams before you offer him a contract? Last season Trubisky played like a 3rd string QB for God sakes and a veteran minimum QB!!! Based on that, in my opinion, is what Trubisky's market value should be.

Edited March 7 by Trust The Process

[starrymessenger]

20 hours ago, Big Blitz said:

Thought he really came on last year - INT v Miami one of the best plays of the year.  

And his breakup of the pass to Hill on the immediately preceding play was even more impressive.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

3 hours ago, noacls said:

Beane has to sign 2 to 3 more S. There is a chance he won't even be starter. If he is used as 3rd safety, spot starter, or specific game plans this is a good cheap signing.  Most of the safeties people talking about way too pricey. Bills have no money to spend

Rapp is definitely one of the starters. 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

I think Rapp’s safety partner will be a leader, captain of the defense type. Rapp isn’t that guy. So I expect bigger move is coming at S.

[Warriorspikes51]

36 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

I think Rapp’s safety partner will be a leader, captain of the defense type. Rapp isn’t that guy. So I expect bigger move is coming at S.

Simmons or Byard.  

[ngbills]

4 hours ago, Trust The Process said:

The Safety Free Agent market is loaded. What's the rush, Beane? Since the Safety market is loaded and most are better than Rapp is, McBeane could've taken a calculated risk and banked on him being available when the market goes dry and sign him for between vet minimum $915K and no more than the $1.77M he made last season. 

 

The reason why McBeane re-signed Rapp is because they have trust issues which is why they sign a lot of players they're familiar with. Trubisky and Haack is back for the very same reason. The Steelers released Trubisky 23 days ago, nobody wanted him. Why sign him now when you could've taken a calculated risk and waited to see what offers he gets from other teams before you offer him a contract? Last season Trubisky played like a 3rd string QB for God sakes and a veteran minimum QB!!! Based on that, in my opinion, this is what Trubisky's market value should be.

My exact thoughts. Our cap situation is much worse this year than last but we double or triple the money to Rapp when he would likely be available during free agency for peanuts. Then we increase our back up QB spend from $1M on Allen to an almost $3M cap hit. These two guys are costing between $6M-$8M when it could have been had for $2-$4M. That $4M could have gone a long way.

[DCofNC]

Hope the incentives are the real money, FA is loaded w S, not sure what the rush to sign that turd burglar would be.

[Trust The Process]

8 hours ago, ngbills said:

My exact thoughts. Our cap situation is much worse this year than last but we double or triple the money to Rapp when he would likely be available during free agency for peanuts. Then we increase our back up QB spend from $1M on Allen to an almost $3M cap hit. These two guys are costing between $6M-$8M when it could have been had for $2-$4M. That $4M could have gone a long way.

The biggest complaint that I have with Beane is he historically mismanages cap space. The bottom of the roster, especially the Special Teams, gets paid too much. He also hands out too many mid-tier player contracts. For example, instead of paying big free agent dollars on one elite or Pro Bowl level DT, he'll sign 2 good DT's for around the same money the great one received. Since Beane got hired, for the most part, has failed miserably at signing Free Agents along the DL and at spending premium draft picks along the DL within the first 3 rounds of the draft which is where you find blue chip prospects and foundational pieces of your team, and where the margin of error must be at its lowest because precious cap dollars are invested in those picks. Every mistake is multiplied. 

 

Another thing that I noticed is Beane is an impatient person. Want proof? He traded up 4 times in the past 6 drafts, and signs an above average amount of players before the beginning of Free Agency. He needs to relax and let things play out and let things/opportunities come to him. He needs to improve at reading the draft board in the first 3 rounds and at reading the Free Agent pool. Want proof? 2020 was the year we traded for Diggs, and that was the year the NFL Draft was LOADED with WR's. And, despite it being a strong receiver draft, what did Beane choose to do? He chose to trade our first-round pick (No. 22 overall), a 2020 fifth-round pick, a 2020 sixth-round pick, and a 2021 fourth-round pick for Diggs and a 7th round pick. Pick number 22 overall ended up being Justin Jefferson. Beane panicked, he didn't trust himself enough to hit on a receiver in the draft instead. 

 

Edited March 8 by Trust The Process

[Trogdor]

23 hours ago, Blank Stare said:

I like this. Rapp has one year in the system, young enough, plays physical, and came on at the end of the season. Was probably going to be the Poyer replacement last year if it wasn’t for him coming back. Trust this regime at defensive back. 

I don't get what they see though, he is a total liability in coverage. He clearly leaves gaps to line up big (usually illegal) hits instead of playing the ball. Tre White and Benford are the only actual developed DBs by this regime. Green Bay has developed as many of the good DBs on the Bills as the Bills have. 

[Trev]

Rapp is a liability with how he tackles. He stone colds stunner his own teammates creating injuries. 

Edited March 8 by Trev

[Blank Stare]

13 minutes ago, Trogdor said:

I don't get what they see though, he is a total liability in coverage. He clearly leaves gaps to line up big (usually illegal) hits instead of playing the ball. Tre White and Benford are the only actual developed DBs by this regime. Green Bay has developed as many of the good DBs on the Bills as the Bills have. 

I agree he was off to a rough start when he was asked to play Hyde’s FS role alongside Poyer. The Bills used to always say Hyde and Poyer were interchangeable, and that’s true from a disguise perspective, but that’s somewhat of a misnomer from a player type perspective. Rapp and Poyer on the field together are like two Poyers out there.  Assuming they don’t get anyone else to man that spot, I expect he’ll play in Poyer’s role which he’s better suited for. Not saying he’s an All-Pro and there won’t be a drop off from peak Poyer, but he played better toward the end of the season in a three safety look with Hyde in his usual FS role, Rapp in Poyer’s SS role, and dropping Poyer down to LB. 
 

Time will ultimately tell, but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt with DBs. They’ve earned that. 

[vanislebills44]

i COULD MAKE UP 2 _, 000,000 DOLLARS A YEAR IFFFFFFFFFF...tranquilo every1...wait 4 the info b4 the sky starts falling

 

[Richard Noggin]

8 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Not a fan of Rapp particularly. But McDermott knows what he’s doing there.

 

This is an enlightened perspective. You have a negative opinion of the safety we just re-signed, but you also realize if we should EVER just defer to the team's braintrust on anything, it should be with their personnel decisions at safety. Doesn't mean McBeane are definitely correct, and you're definitely wrong, but does mean some humility is in order until definitively proven otherwise. Nice work.

 

2 hours ago, Trust The Process said:

The biggest complaint that I have with Beane is he historically mismanages cap space. The bottom of the roster, especially the Special Teams, gets paid too much. He also hands out too many mid-tier player contracts. For example, instead of paying big free agent dollars on one elite or Pro Bowl level DT, he'll sign 2 DT's for around the same money the great one received. Since Beane got hired, for the most part, has failed miserably at signing Free Agents along the DL and at spending premium draft picks along the DL within the first 3 rounds of the draft which is where you find blue chip prospects and foundational pieces of your team, and where the margin of error must be at its lowest because precious cap dollars are invested in those picks. Every mistake is multiplied. 

 

Another thing that I noticed is Beane is an impatient person. Want proof? He traded up 4 times in the past 6 drafts, and signs an above average amount of players before the beginning of Free Agency. He needs to relax and let things play out and let things/opportunities come to him. He needs to improve at reading the draft board in the first 3 rounds and at reading the Free Agent pool. Want proof? 2020 was the year we traded for Diggs, and that was the year the NFL Draft was LOADED with WR's. And, despite it being a strong receiver draft, what did Beane choose to do? He chose to trade our first-round pick (No. 22 overall), a 2020 fifth-round pick, a 2020 sixth-round pick, and a 2021 fourth-round pick for Diggs and a 7th round pick. Pick number 22 overall ended up being Justin Jefferson. Beane panicked, he didn't trust himself enough to hit on a receiver in the draft instead. 

 

 

Can't disagree much with the D-line criticisms in first paragraph, but I DO disagree with the Diggs trade criticism in second paragraph. An ultra-competitive "alpha" type at WR was exactly what Allen and the other WRs needed on this team at that time. Diggs was a perfect addition. The offense took another major step forward once he arrived. His chemistry with Allen in those first two seasons helped 17 ascend to elite status. I suspect the ups and downs that we've seen since could even be beneficial to Allen's maturity and resilience long term **rosy outlook on this last point**

 

[BuffaloBillyG]

Contract details. As previously thought that "up to" was doing some heavy lifting. Feel like this is very good value to retain at least 1 guy that started games last year for the team. 

[HappyDays]

I'm not great at analyzing these things, but I believe his cap hit will be ~$2.3M this year, and we could cut him after this season for like $700K dead cap in 2025 and 2026. Not too bad. I just hope he isn't a starter.