McDermott - "Still looking for that other safety"

[Mat68]

15 minutes ago, TheFunPolice said:

I wish someone in the media would ask coach McDermott whether preseason really matters anyway (worded better than that, but that gist). 

 

NFL coaches obsess over every detail of every day, so the idea that all the practices, all the film sessions, and the games where young guys trying to make the team have the chance to step up "doesn't matter because it's preseason" would probably send him on a rant/tirade. 

 

It matters where you park your car. How you walk into the facility. The temperature of the coffee at 4AM when you show up. The song you listen to on the way in to work. The number of leaves in the lettuce in your salad. And so on....

 

I wouldn't be shocked if an NFL HC counted the number of ice cubes in the ice bath for optimal efficiency. 

For a team like Buffalo that brought back the majority of its 2 deep preseason matters at like 4 spots on the 53. 

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

13 minutes ago, vtnatefootball11 said:

 

Everything you said at the top is fair, but it's not hate... it's fatigue. We are sick of hearing about (and seeing on the field so much) a backup NFL safety. That is exactly what Hamlin is, nothing more, nothing less. I'm so glad he didn't die, it's a cool story, but the constant attention he gets is nothing but a distraction for the team. No backup player (or kicker/punter) of any sort is worth a distraction at the NFL level, shoot, even Tim Tebow couldn't survive this unwritten NFL rule. The fact that Hamlin has gotten to play as much as he had speaks to the poor quality of our safety room these last couple years, he has no business being on the field for anything other than special teams/emergency spot starts.  The safety play was bad last year, and we didn't address it all other than hoping Bishop improves. This is where the frustration is coming from, that we are even in a remote position where Hamlin may have to play regular snaps. I'll give Beane/McD the benefit of the doubt on Bishop until later this season (as they earned after how Benard worked out after losing Edmunds), but if Hamlin has to play a lot this year I will lose it. 

It’s not ideal, but it’s a reality. Hopefully a bolstered pass rush will offset those issues somewhat. 

[SoonerBillsFan]

10 minutes ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

It’s not ideal, but it’s a reality. Hopefully a bolstered pass rush will offset those issues somewhat. 

The Concern so far, is we aren't seeing this new pass rush win their 1 on 1 battles.

[Mike in Horseheads]

[vtnatefootball11]

42 minutes ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

It’s not ideal, but it’s a reality. Hopefully a bolstered pass rush will offset those issues somewhat. 

 

Right, but it's a reality that easily could have been avoided by brining in another starting caliber safety this offseason.  Passing on Emmanowori was also probably a mistake (same with Cooper Dejuan last year), same with passing on moving up for BTJ who was just a couple picks ahead of us the year before. Still can't get over that. BBB is agressive to go get Elam and Kincaid, but won't budge few spots for BTJ?! Sickens me. 

[Brand J]

3 minutes ago, vtnatefootball11 said:

 

Right, but it's a reality that easily could have been avoided by brining in another starting caliber safety this offseason.  Passing on Emmanowori was also probably a mistake (same with Cooper Dejuan last year), same with passing on moving up for BTJ who was just a couple picks ahead of us the year before. Still can't get over that. BBB is agressive to go get Elam and Kincaid, but won't budge few spots for BTJ?! Sickens me. 

As others have already pointed out, there was no getting ahead of JAX, unless you tried to make a deal with them and lied about the player you were taking - but they probably weren’t dropping back 5 spots and risking BTJ anyway, not with the amount of teams that went receiver at the end of round 1.

[LEBills]

9 minutes ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

Is wide right in its butt and that’s why we don’t see it?

[ngbills]

1 hour ago, MPL said:

He played 12 snaps against the Bears. He was on a pitch count to help him ramp back up. We're likely not going to see him on the field this season with a secondary and LB group consisting of Brandon Codrington, Joe Andreesen, Dane Jackson, Dorian Strong. He had 11 reps that were all pretty much fine. The TD was a bad rap by him and the entire defense. There are going to be mistakes with Cole Bishop this season. There were mistakes with Hyde and Poyer. It seems very premature to say Bishop has played poorly. He has barely played this offseason. Maybe he'll suck. I don't know. It just seems wayyyy to early to make that decision. 

Well then McD must be a real dic$ to criticize his play given all those obstacles...

[Sojourner]

Why not sign Jordan Whitehead if the need is still evident???

[jahnyc]

I would like to bring in another free safety, but I think we are stuck with this group given that we are quickly approaching the season opener and it would take time to get a new safety up to speed.  Plus we don't have cap space and it is slim pickings, at least for remaining free agent safeties.

Edited August 20 by jahnyc

[Augie]

2 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

 

I heard they sold out early last year as Holiday Gifts! Gettem’ while ya can! 

[3rdand12]

1 hour ago, jahnyc said:

I would like to bring in another free safety, but I think we are stuck with this group given that we are quickly approaching the season opener and it would take time to get a new safety up to speed.  Plus we don't have cap space and it is slim pickings, at least for remaining free agent safeties.

Lets us hope they know , and have more faith , than we fans do. and you might well be correct about bringing in real starting competition. Too late

 

 Perhaps this is every seasons emotion. Critical thinking period lol
 

 But Defense was the issue with finishing out the post season with Wins , imho.

And remains my worry as a whole , honestly

[Mike in Horseheads]

At this point I assume they are waiting for cuts to see what they scrape up for a safety

[DaVinci]

Not feeling the optimism. If this D line re-tool fails we are toast.

[BillsFanForever19]

This is an exact re-run of Middle Linebacker in 2023. At the time, we had Tyrell Dodson and Terrel Bernard. Bernard was entering his second year and was hurt most of Training Camp. McDermott said the same thing about still figuring out the position and that he wanted to see someone step up, late into the Pre-Season.

 

We all worried about how Bernard would handle the position, as we are now with Bishop. In the end, it worked out better than fine. Hopefully this ends up the same way with Bishop. Time will tell.

Edited August 21 by BillsFanForever19

[Richard Noggin]

1 minute ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

This is an exact re-run of Middle Linebacker in 2023. At the time, we had Tyrell Dodson and Terrel Bernard. Bernard was entering his second year and was hurt most of Training Camp. McDermott said the same thing about still figuring out the position and that he wanted to see someone step up.

 

We all worried about how Bernard would handle the position, as we are now with Bishop. In the end, it worked out better than fine. Hopefully this ends up the same way with Bishop. Time will tell.

 

This is what we hope will happen, for sure. One reason to have at least some hope is that the Bills under McDermott have been able to really develop a number of less-than-blue-chip defensive players, at the 2nd and 3rd levels, especially. Milano, Bernard, Johnson, Benford, Hyde, and Poyer are the best examples of this. Not a blue-chipper amongst them. But they all grew tremendously to become difference makers. 

[Buffalo Ballin]

Tre White gone for good. Defensive players DO get injured, friends. What is Beane gonna do now?

[BillsFanForever19]

One thing that wouldn't surprise me, especially given the kind of names that are sitting out there, is if they sign a veteran to the Practice Squad.

 

As I said in an earlier post, this is an almost exact copy of 2023. And in 2023, we signed Christian Kirksey to the Practice Squad just before the start of the year. A lot of people expected him to eventually become the Starter, but Terrel Bernard stepped up and locked down the position from the jump and Kirksey left town.

 

It wouldn't surprise me if they did something similar at Safety. Bringing in a name to the Practice Squad to provide insurance and to push Cole Bishop to put his best foot forward.

 

11 hours ago, Buffalo Ballin said:

Tre White gone for good. Defensive players DO get injured, friends. What is Beane gonna do now?

 

"Sir, this is a Wendy's"

Edited August 22 by BillsFanForever19

[Captain_Quint]

I saw Rapp got thrown out of practice yesterday for fighting with E. Moore. Not a big deal but also not what you want from a guy coming off of injury and our only real starter at safety. 

I like Rapp and his willingness to hit, but I've always viewed him as a backup in this system. To me, its crazy that he is our guy in the safety room this year, along with a question mark beside him. I guess we'll see what happens in a couple weeks. 

[Brand J]

3 hours ago, Captain_Quint said:

I saw Rapp got thrown out of practice yesterday for fighting with E. Moore. Not a big deal but also not what you want from a guy coming off of injury and our only real starter at safety. 

I like Rapp and his willingness to hit, but I've always viewed him as a backup in this system. To me, its crazy that he is our guy in the safety room this year, along with a question mark beside him. I guess we'll see what happens in a couple weeks. 

Yeah I think he’d be perfect in that “Big Nickel” role, but as a starter is merely average - and has a propensity to injure himself and teammates. He’s not a piece I’d want as a long term starter.