Who’s your defensive surprise of the year?

[BADOLBILZ]

 

Not sure if this was @Billsfed1's intention but the exercise really underscores the fact that none of Beane's acquisitions this offseason project as difference makers in 2025.

[GASabresIUFan]

17 hours ago, pi2000 said:

My surprise is Hairston struggles in camp and doesn't dress until week 6.     He plays 12 snaps before breaking his right collarbone in a collision with a referee.     

 

TJ Sanders disappoints, shows up overweight, pulling up lame with a hammy before the first pre-season game, missing significant time.... essentially taking a red-shirt season.

 

Landon Jackson starts over an injured Bosa who violently ruptures both achilles slipping on a rubber mat on his way to the practice field.   

 

Ed Oliver and Greg Rousseau make 1st team all-pro.    This draft has put them on notice, and they respond with a vengeance.

Wow! And Terry Pegula names Kevyn Adams as the new GM of the Bills after firing Beane.

[Whites Bay]

The way my pea-brain sees it, getting over "the hump" comes down to the performance of two draft picks.

 

1) Hairston has to come out of the gates as a solid (didn't say "exceptional") CB2.

 

2) Sanders has to come out of the gate...well, basically freeing up Ed Oliver to be Ed Oliver.

 

In my mind, the rest is "gravy", in the sense that the positional weaknesses are mitigated by the opposition they face...a fancy way of saying "It's okay, the Bills are just better this week." If we get the same performance out of each unit next year that we got last year, we ought to feel pretty good.  Those of you who study this a lot deeper than I do will fault my logic, and I'm fine with that. 

 

Yeah, safety is a question mark - but not a nightmare.

Linebackers are pretty good. (Are they going to line Jackson up as a LB?)

Offense?  So-so (kidding)

Kicking and Punting?  Not the issue.

 

If Hairston turns into another Elam...or Dane Jackson...the Bills are not going to make it

If there's no push in the middle...the Bills are not going to make it.

 

IMHO, any high end performance by Jackson and Walker would just be a bonus.