Name a player that left the Bills as a FA in the McBeane era that made an impact on their next team

[Special K]

You can throw in players that were cut as well....

 

The only player that comes to mind is Harrison Phillips with the Vikings.

 

The Bills really have done a great job of retaining the right players, and letting the right ones walk.

[GunnerBill]

Poona Ford. But he was a 1 year gun for hire here rather than one of "their guys" that they made a wrong call on.

[NickelCity]

4 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

Poona Ford. But he was a 1 year gun for hire here rather than one of "their guys" that they made a wrong call on.

 

He played decently both before and after us, if I recall correctly. Really interesting case. 

[eball]

5 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

Poona Ford. But he was a 1 year gun for hire here rather than one of "their guys" that they made a wrong call on.

Very strange case. Some day I’d like to hear what happened there. 
 

[unbillievable]

Jordan Poyer got an unneccessary roughness penalty that gave Bass the opportunity to hit a 61yd field goal. Bills Win. 

[juno999]

42 minutes ago, unbillievable said:

Jordan Poyer got an unneccessary roughness penalty that gave Bass the opportunity to hit a 61yd field goal. Bills Win. 

That was a real dumb play by Poyer. 

[BringMetheHeadofLeonLett]

Wyatt Teller

 - fine he was a trade but essentially a FA as it stands. 

[BringMetheHeadofLeonLett]

Is the argument that the players who leave the Bills generally suck?   Because I haven't seen a single one of our current players win a Super Bowl here.  

[BringMetheHeadofLeonLett]

The Bills problem, or more likely the deep-rooted fan problem, is that we need a bulletproof team.  We're the same as any other very good team - we've got brutally undeniable strengths, and we've got flaws.  And we need the right players to make the amazing happen at the right times, just like any other top team.  
 

The talent is here

[JerseyBills]

22 minutes ago, BringMetheHeadofLeonLett said:

Wyatt Teller

 - fine he was a trade but essentially a FA as it stands. 

All Pro right ? 

[GunnerBill]

21 minutes ago, BringMetheHeadofLeonLett said:

Wyatt Teller

 - fine he was a trade but essentially a FA as it stands. 

 

Yea Teller was the one big mistake they have made with one of their own guys. He was a victim of their lack of a clear plan on the OL before coach Kro returned. I think he was drafted for Juan Castillo's scheme, they didn't think he fitted Bobby Johnson's and he got lost in the shuffle but the truth is Beane was all over the map before Kromer on the type of linemen he was bringing in. He was trying to cobble together five guys with totally different styles built to play in totally different schemes. They have been sooooo much better and more consistent in their approach to OL talent since Kromer. Shows what a difference a quality position coach with a clear sense of what his scheme requires can make. 

[BringMetheHeadofLeonLett]

2 minutes ago, JerseyBills said:

All Pro right ? 

He was traded- I botched the whole thread up   )

[Pete]

28 minutes ago, BringMetheHeadofLeonLett said:

Is the argument that the players who leave the Bills generally suck?   Because I haven't seen a single one of our current players win a Super Bowl here.  

Unlike the Sabres, where just about every player who leaves, win the Cup

[BringMetheHeadofLeonLett]

2 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Yea Teller was the one big mistake they have made with one of their own guys. He was a victim of their lack of a clear plan on the OL before coach Kro returned. I think he was drafted for Juan Castillo's scheme, they didn't think he fitted Bobby Johnson's and he got lost in the shuffle but the truth is Beane was all over the map before Kromer on the type of linemen he was bringing in. He was trying to cobble together five guys with totally different styles built to play in totally different schemes. They have been sooooo much better and more consistent in their approach to OL talent since Kromer. Shows what a difference a quality position coach with a clear sense of what his scheme requires can make. 

I haven't been in on the meetings, but it sounds reasonable.   Our OlL is such an interesting thing to watch- there's no way I can look at their pass protection and deny that Josh has ducked the ever living out of blown isht left and right- they are not that great of a unit in pass protection 

 

But they've maybe flowed well with the style he brings, and they've mostly done very well with the run game- and definitely been extraordinary at times. 
 

And we can't count on them at others- it's not a power-run unit. 
 

i definitely wouldn't trade our line, but I'm certainly not thinking all-world. 

[BringMetheHeadofLeonLett]

2 minutes ago, Pete said:

Unlike the Sabres, where just about every player who leaves, win the Cup

Good for me I like the Kings.  )

 

Dodgers Kings, but first and always beyond question, The Bills

[Thurman#1]

Jerry Hughes, I'd argue. They expected him to fall off a cliff. He didn't.

 

Tyrel Dodson, maybe. His first year away was really good.

 

Quinton Jefferson, probably.

 

Can't think of anyone else, or anyone who hasn't been mentioned.

[GunnerBill]

16 minutes ago, BringMetheHeadofLeonLett said:

I haven't been in on the meetings, but it sounds reasonable.   Our OlL is such an interesting thing to watch- there's no way I can look at their pass protection and deny that Josh has ducked the ever living out of blown isht left and right- they are not that great of a unit in pass protection 

 

But they've maybe flowed well with the style he brings, and they've mostly done very well with the run game- and definitely been extraordinary at times. 
 

And we can't count on them at others- it's not a power-run unit. 
 

i definitely wouldn't trade our line, but I'm certainly not thinking all-world. 

 

The Bills gave up fourteen sacks in 2024 of which, per PFF, six were credited against the offensive line (3 Dion, 2 Spencer and 1 Edwards) the rest were either on Josh for holding the ball too long or were from blitzes. 

 

But you are right, Josh avoids sacks at a remarkable rate so it's worth looking at pressures too. The Bills starting five offensive linemen played 94 games combined in 2024 (regular and post season) and gave up 149 pressures - down from 182 in 2023 - broken down as: 45 Cybo, 30 Edwards, 27 McGovern, 25 Dion, 22 Spencer. 

 

To give some league wide context I have compared the numbers for the two lines I consider were clearly better than the Bills in 2024 - Eagles and Lions. There was then a gaggle of teams in that second tier with Buffalo - Buccs, Broncos, Vikings - where you can make an argument about who was better but I think Philly and Detroit were the two that were the class of the league. 

 

So Philly's starting five offensive linemen played 93 games combined in 2024 (regular and post season) and gave up 134 pressures. 

Detroit's starting five offensive linemen played 78 games combined in 2024 (regular and post season.... fewer cos they went 1 and done in the playoffs) and gave up 145 pressures. 

 

That context supports the assertion that the Bills line is pretty good. It's one of the best in the NFL. But it isn't all world and, frankly, in a salary cap era building that kind of line is next to impossible. 

 

[GunnerBill]

8 minutes ago, Thurman#1 said:

Jerry Hughes, I'd argue. They expected him to fall off a cliff. He didn't.

 

Tyrel Dodson, maybe. His first year away was really good.

 

Quinton Jefferson, probably.

 

Can't think of anyone else, or anyone who hasn't been mentioned.

 

They are all reasonable calls, though I still think the Bills got all three of those decisions right. 

 

Jerry did have a good first year in Houston, yep, the Bills were just ready to move on and given his age I don't blame them.

 

Worth remembering that Dodson did get benched and traded midway through the season by Seattle. I think a tad unfairly and he did rebound well in Miami but I think he basically played the same level as his final year in Buffalo. They knew what they had in Dodson he was just not a starter here but good enough to be one and about to be paid like one. 

 

Quinton Jefferson, yep. He had two years as a starter - one in Vegas and one for the Jets. Again, I think he was basically the same guy he was here but playing as a full time starter rather than a rotational depth guy. 

[HOUSE]

https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-extend-cody-ford-2025

[BringMetheHeadofLeonLett]

40 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

The Bills gave up fourteen sacks in 2024 of which, per PFF, six were credited against the offensive line (3 Dion, 2 Spencer and 1 Edwards) the rest were either on Josh for holding the ball too long or were from blitzes. 

 

But you are right, Josh avoids sacks at a remarkable rate so it's worth looking at pressures too. The Bills starting five offensive linemen played 94 games combined in 2024 (regular and post season) and gave up 149 pressures - down from 182 in 2023 - broken down as: 45 Cybo, 30 Edwards, 27 McGovern, 25 Dion, 22 Spencer. 

 

To give some league wide context I have compared the numbers for the two lines I consider were clearly better than the Bills in 2024 - Eagles and Lions. There was then a gaggle of teams in that second tier with Buffalo - Buccs, Broncos, Vikings - where you can make an argument about who was better but I think Philly and Detroit were the two that were the class of the league. 

 

So Philly's starting five offensive linemen played 93 games combined in 2024 (regular and post season) and gave up 134 pressures. 

Detroit's starting five offensive linemen played 78 games combined in 2024 (regular and post season.... fewer cos they went 1 and done in the playoffs) and gave up 145 pressures. 

 

That context supports the assertion that the Bills line is pretty good. It's one of the best in the NFL. But it isn't all world and, frankly, in a salary cap era building that kind of line is next to impossible. 

 

Nice stuff, as always... seriously.  
 

I absolutely shudder to say this in general on this board, but I grew up at the Dallas Cowboys Summer training camp.

 

From about  age 4 to 18, I got to watch everyone from Charlie Waters to Michael Irvin on a daily basis- I got hired on at some point, but it wasn't where I was going in life.  

 

How you've taken to this game as a Brit... you would have died!!  I love the game, and bravo to you for picking it up- massively. 

 

And without question,

 

Go Bills!!!